1/ The destruction of the middle class is not getting a lot of media attention, but it's real, as is the downward pressure on the poor and unemployed.
An excellent Bob Herbert column....but he's just one small-to-medium voice on this critical issue, in a media landscape full of mediocrity and downright lies [like Fox News].
The political upheaval going on in the United States right now is being driven by the economic upheaval. It’s sometimes hard to see this clearly amid the craziness and ugliness stirred up by the professional exploiters. But the essential issue is still the economy — the rising tide of poor people and the decline of the middle class. The true extent of the pain has not been widely chronicled.
..............................
Similar stories — and worse — are unfolding throughout the country. There are more people in poverty now — 43.6 million — than at any time since the government began keeping accurate records. Nearly 15 million Americans are out of work and home foreclosures are expected to surpass one million this year. The Times had a chilling front-page article this week about the increasing fear among jobless workers over 50 that they will never be employed again.
The politicians seem unable to grasp the immensity of the problem, which is why the policy solutions are so woefully inadequate.
2/ And so it starts in earnest- the complete corruption of the US justice system. Advocacy groups are spending big bucks to defeat judges who are pro-choice or pro gay marriage, corporations are trying to oust judges who rule against them, which then has a chilling effect on the judiciary everywhere......and we can thank the disgusting US Supreme Court under "Bought and Sold Roberts" for opening the money floodgates.....
DES MOINES — After the State Supreme Court here stunned the nation by making this the first state in the heartland to allow same-sex marriage, Iowa braced for its sleepy judicial elections to turn into referendums on gay marriage.
In Kansas, anti-abortion activists are seeking to recall a justice. In Illinois, business interests are campaigning against the chief justice after a case that removed a cap on malpractice liability, prompting him to run a television ad that opens with the declaration, “I am not a politician.”
3/ Another story on the same topic - money and elections. Corporations and billionaires are spending like crazy in this election....mostly billionaires, like the Koch brothers. Think about it - if they can spend $10 million each to get Republicans in office to keep the tax cuts for the top 0.1%, this could be worth $20 or $30 million plus to a billionaire over ten years....so it's well worth it for billionaires and their corporations to purchase a few scummy politicians.....or an entire political party....
With every election cycle comes a shadow army of benignly titled nonprofit groups like Americans for Job Security, devoted to politically charged “issue advocacy,” much of it negative. But they are now being heard as never before — in this year of midterm discontent, Tea Party ferment and the first test of the Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited, and often anonymous, corporate political spending. Already they have spent more than $100 million — mostly for Republicans and more than twice as much as at this point four years ago.
4/ Florida Ballot - Nov. 2 election
Quick thought - on the ballot is a retention vote for the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and 4 Justices - remember a couple of weeks ago the FSCourt threw out amendments that the pond scum in the legislature tried to slide onto the ballot to try to defeat Amendment's 4, 5 and 6. The FSC said the wording was "deliberately designed to confuse voters."
So they did a good job there.....so I will certainly mark them "retain".......
5/ You may have seen or heard recently that credit card debt has fallen, so you might be thinking - "Americans are saving more and paying off their credit cards....a good thing".
Not so fast - as this article explains the debt has fallen because the big banks have written off large chunks of credit card debt as uncollectable.....so get depressed again - it ain't getting better.....
The substantial drop in credit card debt in the United States since early 2009 has been widely attributed to newly frugal consumers. But analysts say that a significant portion of the decline is actually the result of financial institutions writing off billions of dollars in credit card debt as losses.
While consumers have done their part by shying away from exceeding new credit limits and turning increasingly to debit cards, the question is to what extent are consumers voluntarily reducing their balances, and to what extent are banks making the decision for them.
6/ Real Estate
Interesting article about short sales, how they really work vs how they are supposed to work. Banks seem to be a major part of the process, and these bastards are stunningly inefficient.....so short sales are hiccuping along, but growing......
........Brewer Creek Place, a modest, horseshoe-shaped street lined with 98 brick townhouses. Several years after the U.S. foreclosure crisis erupted, the U-Hauls are back.
The last time, banks seized nearly every fourth house on the street through foreclosure. This time, homeowners are going another route: a short sale.
The last time, banks seized nearly every fourth house on the street through foreclosure. This time, homeowners are going another route: a short sale.
7/ Classic Monty Python's Flying Circus sketch - "the Dirty Fork".....I'd forgotten how brilliant they were......watch out for Mongo! Don't make him mad!
A wonderful 5 minutes......
8/ Florida Elections - Alan Grayson vs Daniel Webster - Lake County - fair and balanced article [yes, really, from the St. Petersburg Times ] about the two contenders for our congressional seat here in our fair County........
His [Grayson's] outspokenness has made him a hero to liberals, flooding his campaign with $4 million from 50,000 donors across the country. "They've liberated me from having to kiss up to lobbyists and the filthy rich," Grayson said.
Webster is counting on a large donation influx since the primary but did not provide a figure Monday; he is also benefiting from conservative groups that have spent hundreds of thousands on ads blasting Grayson on health care, and the National Republican Congressional Committee plans to spend $817,000 on airtime against Grayson.
Against that, Grayson claims a commanding lead. He released a post-primary poll showing him up by 13 points over Webster, with a nonpartisan candidate and Florida TEA Party candidate drawing more than 20 percent of the vote. Webster's campaign would not release its polling but said the race is "very close."
Webster is counting on a large donation influx since the primary but did not provide a figure Monday; he is also benefiting from conservative groups that have spent hundreds of thousands on ads blasting Grayson on health care, and the National Republican Congressional Committee plans to spend $817,000 on airtime against Grayson.
Against that, Grayson claims a commanding lead. He released a post-primary poll showing him up by 13 points over Webster, with a nonpartisan candidate and Florida TEA Party candidate drawing more than 20 percent of the vote. Webster's campaign would not release its polling but said the race is "very close."
Alan Grayson's ad "Taliban Dan Webster"....30 seconds.....delicious fun.....
9/ Stephen Colbert testifying before Congress.....he's brilliant.....zing, zing.....right over the heads of the Congressmen I'm sure.....5 minutes.......
Colbert appeared with United Farm Workers (UFW) President Arturo S. Rodriguez before the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law. In August, the comedian spent a day working at a corn and vegetable farm in New York state afterRodriguez appeared on his show to discuss UFW's "Take Our Jobs" campaign.
10/ Worlds Manliest Rituals - Canes of Pain - a really dumb but funny guy video - guys only now, ladies you will hate this - involves caning, a naked woman and Japanese sadists [hooked ya].....3 minutes....
11/ Book Review
Jon Stewart's "Earth", a guide to life on earth designed for alien visitors from the team at the Daily Show as well as Jon......Mary - Christmas prezzie please.......
It is conceived as a handy guide for extraterrestrials who arrive on this planet after humanity has become extinct, in case those extraterrestrials want to know what they’re missing. It explains everyday details about how we live(d), from our use of the fork (“a way to hurt food one last time before eating it”) to our wearing of pants. “We put these on one leg at a time,” it says. “You may require a different approach.”
Todays guy joke
There is a medical distinction between Guts and Balls. We've all heard about people having Guts or Balls, but do you really know the difference between them?
In an effort to keep you informed, here are the definitions:
GUTS - Is arriving home late after a night out with the guys, being met by your wife with a broom, and having the Guts to ask: 'Are you still cleaning, or are you flying somewhere?'
BALLS - Is coming home late after a night out with the guys, smelling of perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife on the butt and having the Balls to say:
In an effort to keep you informed, here are the definitions:
GUTS - Is arriving home late after a night out with the guys, being met by your wife with a broom, and having the Guts to ask: 'Are you still cleaning, or are you flying somewhere?'
BALLS - Is coming home late after a night out with the guys, smelling of perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife on the butt and having the Balls to say:
'You're next, Chubby.'
I hope this clears up any confusion on the definitions.
Medically speaking there is No difference in the outcome.
I hope this clears up any confusion on the definitions.
Medically speaking there is No difference in the outcome.
Todays greeting card jokes
Bad day at Hallmark
Ever wondered what happens when Hallmark greeting card writers are having a bad day?
Ever wondered what happens when Hallmark greeting card writers are having a bad day?
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////// My tire was thumping.
I thought it was flat
When I looked at the tire...
I noticed your cat.
Sorry!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Heard your wife left you,
How upset you must be.
But don't fret about it...
She moved in with me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Looking back over the years
that we've been together,
I can't help but wonder...
'What the hell was I thinking?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Congratulations on your wedding day!
Too bad no one likes your husband.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How could two people as beautiful as you
Have such an ugly baby?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've always wanted to have
someone to hold,
someone to love.
After having met you ..
I've changed my mind.
-------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ---------------------------- I must admit, you brought Religion into my life.
I never believed in Hell until I met you.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////// //////////////////////////// As the days go by, I think of how lucky I am...
That you're not here to ruin it for me.
#################################################### Congratulations on your promotion.
Before you go...
Would you like to take this knife out of my back?
You'll probably need it again.
************************************************************ ******************** Happy Birthday, Uncle Dad!
(Available only in Tennessee , Kentucky & West Virginia )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Happy birthday! You look great for your age.
Almost Lifelike!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When we were together,
you always said you'd die for me.
Now that we've broken up,
I think it's time you kept your promise.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////// //////////////////////////// We have been friends for a very long time ..
let's say we stop?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I'm so miserable without you
it's almost like you're here.
===================================================== Congratulations on your new bundle of joy.
Did you ever find out who the father was?
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%Your friends and I wanted to do
something special for your birthday.
So we're having you put to sleep.
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))) So your daughter's a hooker,
and it spoiled your day.
Look at the bright side,
it's really good pay
Todays blonde jokes
A brunette and a blonde are hanging over the edge of a cliff off a piece of rope. They realize that the rope will break if one of them doesn't let go and they will both fall to their deaths. The brunette starts this big heartwarming speech about how she is going to sacrifice herself. At the end of the speech the blonde starts clapping.
------------------------------
Why do blondes always smile during lightning storms?
They think their picture is being taken.
Did you hear about the blonde who returned a scarf to the store because it was too tight?
Why shouldn't blondes have coffee breaks?
It takes too long to re-train them.
What do you call an eternity?
Four blondes at a four way stop.
What do smart blondes and UFOs have in common?
You always hear about them but you never see them.
Why do Blondes have TGIF written on their shoes?
To remind themselves that toes go in first.
Why does it take longer to build a blonde snowman as opposed to a regular one?
You have to hollow out the head.
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