Go figure. Just when all reports show that American consumers are holding tightly onto their purse strings and eliminating all non-essential expenses, Carnival Cruise Lines reports their best ever booking week. Now, historically, the first quarter is the best of the year for cruise bookings as families set their travel plans for the year. Still, who would have thought that 2009 would bring a record for what is basically a luxury item.

According to Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO, bookings are up 10 percent from the same period in 2008. Says Cahill, “This record booking activity, while at lower pricing, is certainly encouraging. It tells us that despite the uncertain economic climate, consumers clearly need more fun in their lives and view their vacations as a valuable and necessary part of that. And Carnival’s unmatched combination of quality, affordability and fun along with multiple close-to-home departure points and the greatest choice of short cruise options in the industry, make a ‘Fun Ship’ cruise the ideal getaway for today’s consumers,” he added.

Carnival is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England, Europe, and Bermuda. Cruises may be booked with most travel agents, by calling 1-800-Carnival, or by visiting the lines’ Web site.

(photo credit: Newscom)

We’ve got just a few days before the general election, and I wanted to get this carnival up before we know — one way or the other — who will be the next president of the United States. Thanks for all the great entries!

Alli presents Silver Lining in Economic Collapse - Abolish the Federal Reserve posted at The Smoking Argus.

jdixson presents Oh Thank Heaven. Obama vs. McCain at 7-Eleven posted at Paunchiness - Lose Weight, Get Fit.

Allison Bricker presents Commercial Paper Funding Facility (CPFF) - WTF? posted at The Smoking Argus.

DWSUWF presents Barack buys an election? posted at Divided We Stand United We Fall.
Jack H. Swift presents Connecting the Bailout Dots posted at Government is Not Your Daddy.

John Phillips presents Time Off to Vote for Employees?A State by State Survey posted at The Word.

David Weingarten presents B.C. Pipeline Terrorism Eerily Similar to RCMP “Dirty Tricks” posted at Weingarten.ca.

Well, fall is here and the last month of the 2008 Presidential campaign is upon us. Here’s a whole bunch of great posts that may help you focus in just a little more on the decision we’ll all be making at the beginning of November. Please remember to submit your October posts on the intersection of politics and money to our 11th edition, through Blog Carnival.

Phil for Humanity presents Inflation is a Tax << Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity.

John Phillips presents Presidential Politics?Predictions for the Workplace?Biden posted at The Word On Employment Law.

John Phillips presents Presidential Politics?Predictions for the Workplace?Palin posted at The Word On Employment Law.

Mr. ToughMoneyLove presents This Politician Controls Your Tax Agenda - Be Very Afraid posted at Tough Money Love » Hard Truth about Money and Personal Finance.

Michael Cohen presents Speculating On The Election posted at Stock Investment.

Hunter Beck presents OPEC, ANWR and Gas Prices posted at - AMERICAN EYEBROW -.

NotYourDaddy presents When A Free Lunch isn?t Good Enough posted at Government is not your Daddy..

NotYourDaddy presents Environmentalists vs. Alternative Energy posted at Government is not your Daddy..

Ella Moss presents IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID! « Zodiac Times posted at Zodiac Times.

The Whited Sepulchre presents It’s time to pay your bar tab, sir…. posted at The Whited Sepulchre.

Jeffrey Stingerstein presents Hey, Big Spender: Let’s Cut Taxes: Two Sides of the Same Coin: Socialism Here We Come… If You Own a Business posted at Disillusioned Words.

Meg presents Economics According to Meg posted at Simpson’s Paradox.

NotYourDaddy presents No Federal Bailouts! posted at Government is not your Daddy..

Phil for Humanity presents The National Debt of the USA << Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity.

Charles H. Green presents Evaluating Paulson and the Biggest Trust Me Since Iraq posted at Trust Matters.

author@melmenzies.co.uk presents How We Little People Can Change Big Bank Pay-outs - Open Letter to Lloyds TSB posted at Mel Menzies Blog.

Jason presents 1860: (William) Walker, Nicaragua Ranger posted at Executed Today.

debergerac78 presents How ethical is the pending Wall Street bailout? posted at The Business Ethics Blog.

Terence Gillespie presents Your Optimal Bailout Plan posted at Your Optimal Blog.

Phil for Humanity presents Why the Bank Bailout will probably NOT Work << Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity.

kctaxmaster presents Politic’s And Taxes: Sarah Palin VP posted at IRS For Dummies.

Heather Johnson presents What Would a Return to the Gold Standard Mean for You? posted at Currency Trading.net.

Mr. Money presents Trickle Up Economics Beats Bank Bailouts posted at My Last Name Means Money.

Timothy Yordy presents They’re Not Bailing Out America, They’re Selling Out America posted at I’m Not A Rat.

Mitchell Cogert presents Who Is the Better Poker Player: McCain Or Obama? posted at The Razz Challenge.

Kris presents The Presidential Plate: Obama and McCain on Food posted at Cheap Healthy Good.

vjack presents Atheist Revolution: Wall Street Bailout a Bad Idea posted at Atheist Revolution.

Lisa Spinelli presents Are You For or Against the Bailout? | Greener Pastures: Personal Finance posted at Greener Pastures.

August was a relatively quiet month — at least up until the last week, when we got vice presidential candidates and the Democratic National Convention. The carnival is a little on the light side because of the fact, but these posts are still worth a read.

Please remember to submit your September posts on the intersection of politics and money to our 10th edition, through Blog Carnival.

Dick Morris presents Barack Obama?s Plans Spell Economic Doom posted at Barack Obama.

Phil for Humanity presents Companies are Taking Over the World posted at Phil for Humanity.

Jeffrey Stingerstein presents Four of the Top Five 527s in 2008 Election Are Democratic Funders posted at Disillusioned Words.

Tracee Sioux presents Top-Down v. Bottom-Up - Economics 101 posted at Blog Fabulous.

July has been a wild month, politically-speaking. Both major candidates have been campaigning in earnest. Congress has been keeping pretty busy as well. And both the Democrats and the Republicans are in the middle of planning for their conventions.

Please remember to submit your August posts on the intersection of politics and money to our 9th edition, through Blog Carnival.

TwoGun presents Poker And The 2008 US Election posted at Poker Tips.

John Phillips presents New States? Rights Movement posted at The Word On Employment Law.

Jose DeJesus MD presents Declare Your Financial Independence! posted at Physician Entrepreneur.

John Phillips presents Immigration: McCain vs. Obama posted at The Word On Employment Law.

John Phillips presents Immigration: Employers vs. The Man posted at The Word On Employment Law.

Jay presents The Energy Crisis Solution | Hotfix America posted at Hotfix America.

NotYourDaddy presents Private Property vs. Public Trust posted at Government is not your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents Without Just Compensation posted at Government is not your Daddy.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Wham! Bam! No Thank You, Phil Gramm! posted at Mad Kane’s Political Madness.

GrrlScientist presents Thoughts on Poverty in America posted at Living the Scientific Life.

Doug Ragan presents My Presidential Campaign ? Health Care posted at I’m A Pundit Too.

Jay presents Record Federal Deficit posted at Hotfix America.

Doug Ragan presents Congress Opens Self To Law Suit Over Oil Prices posted at I’m A Pundit Too.

NotYourDaddy presents Economics Lessons for Liberals: Minimum Wage posted at Government is not your Daddy..

Anthony Luafalealo presents Did Smoke-Free Laws Have a Negative Impact on Businesses? posted at Amateur Economists.

Alan Puric presents Why Smoking is Still Legal posted at The Smart Accountant.

Alan Puric presents Who’s Not Getting Any Oil?…China! posted at The Smart Accountant.

Matthew Philip presents Removing the Fossil Fuel Blinders | EnviroHumanImpact posted at EnviroHumanImpact.

In June, we saw the shift from the primary races to the race for the general election. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a wide variety of opinions and I hope you’ll check them out. Please remember to submit your July posts on the intersection of politics and money to our 8th edition, through Blog Carnival.

John Phillips presents Florida, Michigan and Rules posted at The Word On Employment Law.

Collin Williams presents Vote for sale | RejectSociety.com posted at RejectSociety.com.

Collin Williams presents Stimulus spending fun | RejectSociety.com posted at RejectSociety.com.

The Whited Sepulchre presents Let’s Starve Some More Children posted at The Whited Sepulchre.

Mark Riffey presents Fuel Surcharges: Another reason to buy local posted at Business is Personal.

Michael J. Cohen presents Michael J. Cohen posted at MichaelJCohen.com.

John Phillips presents Immigration Meltdown posted at The Word On Employment Law.

Jack H. Swift presents Greenology is a Bankrupt Philosophy posted at Government is not your Daddy.

May was full of political shakeups and we have some great posts from the last month that we want to share with you. Please remember to submit your June posts on the intersection of politics and money to our 7th edition, through Blog Carnival.

Michael Bass presents Why Americans Can’t Escape Gasoline posted at Debt Prison.

Phil for Humanity presents Subsidies and Tariffs are Anti-Capitalism << Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity.

Cancerkitty presents What?s up with this ?Health Care is a Human Right? Nonsense? posted at DelSquacho.

hank@myinvestingblog.com presents What Do You Say About Dumping Our National Income Tax And Switching To A National Sales Tax? | My Investing Blog posted at My Investing Blog.

The Whited Sepulchre presents Mandatory Drug Testing For Farm Subsidy Recipients posted at The Whited Sepulchre.

Laslo Weger presents Stop Farm Subsidies posted at Outsider’s View.

Laslo Weger presents Housing Rescue or Highway Robbery posted at Outsider’s View.

Lucynda Riley presents Just some ideas posted at Bound Down South.

Lucynda Riley presents PayDay Loan Companies prevented from doing business in Arkansas. posted at Quietly Into the Night.

John Phillips presents Immigration: Cold as ICE posted at The Word On Employment Law.

David Gross presents 22 Methods of Tax Resistance Solidarity posted at The Picket Line.

Chris presents Long Plea about Corruption, Freedom of Speech and Indonesia’s road towards ‘real’ Democracy posted at nomad4ever.

Huck Finn presents PutinToon 76 Bush Finds the Magic Wand posted at Putin For President.

Huck Finn presents PutinToon 82-Obama & Edwards vs. Iron Woman (Part 2) posted at Putin For President.

John Phillips presents Curious George, Obama, and Race posted at The Word On Employment Law.

Matthew presents Project ?Elected Official Accountability? posted at Conservatives and Normals . Com - The Blog.

Ross presents Tax Rebate Smoke and Mirrors to Stimulate the Economy posted at Political Bull.

Bryan Kelly presents Why Ban Online Poker? posted at Gambling Guru.

NotYourDaddy presents Giving Away Other People’s Money posted at Government is not your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents Eating the Rich posted at Government is not your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents Evil Oil Companies? posted at Government is not your Daddy.

Wenchypoo presents Taxing the Rich? Hell, You Can’t Even SOAK ‘Em! posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

Doug Ragan presents My Presidential Campaign ? Oil and the Environment posted at I’m A Pundit Too.

Alan K Rudi presents Society, World Change, Globalization, and Business posted at Successful Business Leadership.

Lisa Spinelli presents Foreclosure Frenzy posted at Greener Pastures: Personal Finance.

Linda Ann Nickerson presents Nickers and Ink: Got Change? A Rhymed Exchange on Claims of Change posted at Nickers and Ink.

Joshua Seth presents What To Do With Your Tax Rebate Check posted at Joshua Seth Blog.

MBB presents Support Our Veterans and Military Troops posted at Money Blue Book: Personal Finance Blog.

APH presents 4 Part Series on Rent Control posted at Market Urbanism.

We’d like to present the 5th edition of the Politics and Money Carnival. April was full of amazing political and business posts across many blogs. Please remember to submit your May posts on the intersection of politics and money to our 6th edition, through Blog Carnival.

Edith presents Obama, Clinton and Web 2.0 posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

Allan Wallace presents Something evil is about to fall posted at - The BFU Journal -
documenting the creation of a new type of college.

Huck Finn presents PutinToon 26 - How Our Money is Sucked Out of the U.S. posted at Putin For President.

Laslo Weger presents How will McCain fund his tax breaks? posted at Outsider’s View.

Lisa Spinelli presents ExxonMobil: a $123 Billion Dollar Embarassment | Greener Pastures: Personal Finance posted at Greener Pastures: Personal Finance.

Gavin R. Putland presents Still on the mountaintop: Economically rational racism posted at /etc/cron.whenever/.

Aisha C. Fowlin presents The Politics Report: The ‘R-session’, Murder and Mayhem on the rise posted at The Ave.

Lisa Spinelli presents Is Fair Trade Coffee About Profit, Politics or People? posted at Greener Pastures.

Huck Finn presents PutinToon 26 - How Our Money is Sucked Out of the U.S. posted at
href=”http://www.putinforpresident.com/”>Putin For President.

Jose DeJesus MD presents Does the approval process for medical facilities serve the public interest or stifle competition? posted at Physician Entrepreneur.

Wenchypoo presents Polygamists or Poly-GAMISTS? posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

Jeremy Zongker presents Election Promises posted at Debt Comics.

Leon Gettler presents Directors and donations posted at Sox First.

Ashok presents Rethink.: Request for Statistics: Are Conservative Foundations and Think-Tanks Far Outspent By Their Liberal Counterparts? posted at Rethink..

Lisa Spinelli presents Is Fair Trade Coffee About Profit, Politics or People? posted at Greener Pastures: Personal Finance.

David Gross presents The Quaker Experiment in Pennsylvania posted at The Picket Line.

The Whited Sepulchre presents Give A Man A Fish posted at The Whited Sepulchre.

Wenchypoo presents Inflation + Shortages = Stealth Tax Increase posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

Geoffrey presents Class Warfare and the Nation-State posted at We Op-Ed.

Wenchypoo presents Three Little Words Limit Severe Consequences posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

MBB presents Stimulus Rebate Payment Schedule posted at Money Blue Book: Personal Finance Blog.

Dough Roller presents Your Money’s Guide to the 2008 Presidential Elections–Taxes posted at The Dough Roller | Smarter Money Management.

AJ presents Why Every American Should Be Thinking About Reverend Jeremiah Wright posted at Reverend Wright . com.

Edith presents Obama, Clinton and Web 2.0 posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

Tomorrow is the 5th Politics and Money Carnival, and there are many amazing blog posts in the carnival. But one last minute entry really caught my eye, and I think it will catch yours as well. The Dough Roller, a personal finance blog, put together one of the clearest explanations of the tax plans of the three main presidential candidates that I’ve seen. Even better, there’s no partisanship, just a simple explanation of what each candidate wants to do to your wallet. There’s even a brief over view of President Bush’s tax cuts — and what may happen with them.

We’d like to present the 4th edition of the Politics and Money Carnival. March was full of amazing information across many blogs. Please remember to submit your April posts on the intersection of politics and money to our 5th edition, through Blog Carnival.

NotYourDaddy presents Obamanomics posted at Government is Not Your Daddy.

John Phillips presents Another Look at Presidential Politics?Predictions for the Workplace?Huckabee posted at The Word On Employment Law.

Jeremy Neal presents Campaign Spending is Out of Control posted at Struck In Traffic.

MBB presents Answers To Questions About Your Bush Tax Rebate Check posted at Money Blue Book.

MBB presents Explaining The Economic Stimulus Tax Rebate Package posted at Money Blue Book.

MBB presents Living In A Litigious American Society Obsessed With Filing Lawsuits posted at Money Blue Book.

John Phillips presents Another Look at Presidential Politics?Predictions for the Workplace?Hillary on FOREWARN Act posted at The Word On Employment Law.

John Phillips presents Another Look at Presidential Politics?Predictions for the Workplace?Hillary on Fair Pay Restoration Act posted at The Word On Employment Law.

Lisa Spinelli presents My Own War Against Inflation posted at Greener Pastures.

Centinel presents Pasadena Campaign Finance Roundup: Local Dollars Visualized posted at The Foothill Cities Blog.

Phil for Humanity presents Minimum Wage is a Joke << Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity.

Wenchypoo presents Update: The FairTax Crafter Finally Answers Me posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents The Self-Help Guide to Living in a Free Society (Super L-O-N-G) posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

Christine presents Why Obama’s War Plan is a Bust posted at Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France.

Sagar Satapathy presents 10 Surprising Economic Implications of a Barack Obama Presidency posted at Currency Trading.net.

NotYourDaddy presents How to Stop Propagating Poverty posted at Government is Not Your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents Protectionism isn’t Patriotic posted at Government is not your Daddy..

Phil for Humanity presents Tax Returns are Too Complicated << Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity.

nunoftheabove presents Marc Rich or Martin Luther ? The Price of Pardon posted at Nunoftheabove.

Jose DeJesus MD presents Small Business Tax Breaks in the Stimulus Program posted at Physician Entrepreneur.

David Gross presents Taxpaying as Complicity posted at The Picket Line.