1/ Thomas Friedman on the paralysis of the government and our inability to get anything at all difficult done......he uses the energy bill as an example, but even the initiatives this administration has managed to pass through the swamp of the Senate are riddled with loopholes, exceptions and industry giveaways.....oh well......we are on a not-so-gradual downslope.....
For anyone under 40 - you had better start learning basic Chinese so you can communicate with your future bosses....
The fact that we failed to pass an energy bill — cap-and-trade, a carbon tax, efficiency standards, I don’t care which — is actually a reflection of a broader U.S. power failure. It is the failure of our political system to unite, even in a crisis, to produce the policy responses America needs to thrive in the 21st century. As the Wall Street Journal columnist Gerald Seib once noted: “America and its political leaders, after two decades of failing to come together to solve big problems, seem to have lost faith in their ability to do so. A political system that expects failure doesn’t try very hard to produce anything else.”
2/ The English Defence League
Just like the Republicans have used abortion, gays and blacks as the social issues that really anger their base, the Tea Party movement may be using "Islamification" as the rallying cry to crank up the hate index.....so they have made contact with some radical British anti-Islam groups like the EDL.......watch the rhetoric change over the next few months from the Tea Partiers......
An Observer investigation has established that the EDL has made contact with anti-jihad groups within the Tea Party organisation and has invited a senior US rabbi and Tea Party activist to London this month. Rabbi Nachum Shifren, a regular speaker at Tea Party conventions, will speak about Sharia law and also discuss funding issues.
The league has also developed links with Pamela Geller, who was influential in the protests against plans to build an Islamic cultural centre near Ground Zero. Geller, darling of the Tea Party's growing anti-Islamic wing, is advocating an alliance with the EDL. The executive director of the Stop Islamisation of America organisation, she recently met EDL leaders in New York and has defended the group's actions, despite a recent violent march in Bradford.
3/ The Republicans have based their economic platform on "kill big Government", but as Paul Krugman points out this is BS. Spending has declined, government jobs have been lost, so where does this message come from? You guessed it - the right-wing media which has overwhelmed the spineless White House.....get Grayson in there as Press Secretary.....
The answer to the second question — why there’s a widespread perception that government spending has surged, when it hasn’t — is that there has been a disinformation campaign from the right, based on the usual combination of fact-free assertions and cooked numbers. And this campaign has been effective in part because the Obama administration hasn’t offered an effective reply.
Actually, the administration has had a messaging problem on economic policy ever since its first months in office, when it went for a stimulus plan that many of us warned from the beginning was inadequate given the size of the economy’s troubles. You can argue that Mr. Obama got all he could — that a larger plan wouldn’t have made it through Congress (which is questionable), and that an inadequate stimulus was much better than none at all (which it was). But that’s not an argument the administration ever made. Instead, it has insisted throughout that its original plan was just right, a position that has become increasingly awkward as the recovery stalls.
4/ We were in our car on a Motorway when an interview with this British singer came on the radio....she sounded charming, and when the interview was over she sang a song, with a piano accompaniment, live on the radio.....what struck both Mary and I was her incredible vocal range - she can skip octaves at will..... a beautiful voice.....
"Marina and the Diamonds" with a video "I'm not a Robot".....3 minutes......
5/ Religion quiz.......how much do you know about religious extremism? Probably more than me - I didn't do as well on this test.....8 out of 13.....
Here's a sample question......
So let me give everybody another chance. And given the uproar about Islam, I’ll focus on extremism and fundamentalism — and, as you’ll see, there’s a larger point to this quiz. Note that some questions have more than one correct choice; answers are at the end.
1. Which holy book stipulates that a girl who does not bleed on her wedding night should be stoned to death?
a. Koran
b. Old Testament
c. (Hindu) Upanishads
a. Koran
b. Old Testament
c. (Hindu) Upanishads
6/ News Corp
The British media are alarmed at the prospect of Rupert Murdoch taking over Sky TV, which would create an even more powerful "Fox News" type of domination of the British market. If Murdoch is allowed to purchase and control Sky TV, Britain will be turning right politically even more than it is now with the election of the Conservative party.
Under a merged company Sky News could be brought more closely into line with the company's UK newspapers. Although the titles are run independently, Rupert Murdoch takes a close interest in each, ringing editors regularly if not daily, and each has a similar political tone – which saw all four back David Cameron before the election.
News Corporation argues that its planned takeover of Sky is "essentially financial" and that it is not driven by cost savings or new business ideas, but Murdoch has taken a keen interest in developing new digital products for the iPad.
In August News Corporation announced plans to develop an integrated digital product, with content from across its US portfolio – including Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. It is hard to believe that a similar idea is not under active consideration in the UK, where for a monthly fee iPad owners will get a new multimedia service – a fusion of print and video beyond the immediate means of most newspapers.
7/ Time for a Monty Python clip - this is "the Birth" - having a baby delivered, Python style......4 minutes.....hmmmm....I've seen that machine that goes "ping".........actually it goes "ka-ching".....
8/ The UK's housing bubble
Interesting article below about how unrealistic housing prices are here, and although I have a very limited perspective we have looked at some prices in London, North Wales and the burbs of Cardiff. We can confirm the prices are.....crazy.
Not that home values are going to collapse but as the story says they wouldn't be surprised to see a 25% drop over the next few years.......the UK had a 15% drop in house prices when the banking crisis hit in 07, but the market has recovered a lot of that loss in the last two years....but look at these prices we saw in estate agent windows......
London - A small apartment, 900 sq. ft., nice area of West London GBP400,000 [$635,000]. We saw a listing for a big 5 bedroom, 4 storey home, nothing special, nice yard in West Kensington that needed lots of work for GBP14 million [$23 million!!!!!!].....
North Wales - Llandudno, lovely seaside town, a quiet area with little industry, lots of retirees.....3 bedroom house, nice area is at least GBP 250,000 [$390,000] and up.
South Wales - Nice burb of Cardiff [decent commute].......average price GBP250,000, anything interesting, charming or over 1500 sq. ft. is GBP400,000 [$675,000] and up....
These prices are for single family homes.......compare this to what you can get in Broward County for this money, or Lake County - 3000-4000 sq. ft. with a pool for $300,000.......Florida is exceptional value for the money right now.....if of course you are lucky enough to have a job.....
Remember the wonderful halcyon days of 2007, when life was idyllic, everyone had work and we were all property genuises? I have a feeling the British are going to look back in the same way......
In the UK market, he's referring to the affordability of houses as measured as a multiple of earnings. Indeed, the Nationwide each month provides a "house price to earnings" graph alongside its own price index. The latest shows prices running at 5.4 times earnings, compared to the long-run average of four times. The difference may not sound vast but the numbers imply that the value of an average house would have to fall 25% tomorrow to get back to the long-term average instantly. That's a powerful statistic.
9/ Surprising fact - most Americans get the majority of their exercise while drunk....from Onion News....2 minutes.....dry humour.....
10/ The US Chamber of Commerce - nice sounding name, you would think they are out there to promote business, right?
Wrong - they have an agenda which is to get rid of Obama and get a corporate-friendly administration in who will let the oligarchs rip again.....
And not just our homegrown nice, kind oligarchs like the Koch brothers......the US Chamber is taking money from all over the world, China, Bahrain for the Arab oil money, India and more....
The Chamber’s spending has dwarfed every other issue group and most political party candidate committee spending. A ThinkProgress investigation has found that the Chamber funds its political attack campaign out of its general account, which solicits foreign funding. And while the Chamber will likely assert it has internal controls, foreign money is fungible, permitting the Chamber to run its unprecedented attack campaign. According to legal experts consulted by ThinkProgress, the Chamber is likely skirting longstanding campaign finance law that bans the involvement of foreign corporations in American election
11/ Florida Amendment 4
Carl Hiaasen on Amendment 4 and how it is so important to the future of our state.....but the initiative faces a ton of money from special interest groups trying desperately to kill it........
Local Lake County interest - Leslie Campione LOVES developers as this is her business....vote Egor......
Major home builders are uncorking a bombastic media blitz to scare Floridians away from voting yes to Amendment 4.
The same people who helped ignite the housing crash and mortgage meltdown are absolutely terrified of giving citizens actual control over growth in their own communities.
The so-called Hometown Democracy Amendment would require local voters to approve any significant changes to a county or city ``comprehensive land-use plan,'' the map by which municipalities evolve.
If the measure passes -- and it needs the support of 60 percent of voters -- no massive housing subdivision or commercial development could be built without the project first appearing on a ballot.
It's not exactly a radical concept, but the opposing special interests will do just about anything to kill it.
They're scared because they know Floridians are fed up with lousy planning and overbuilding, and the high taxes that always result.
They're scared because they know Floridians are sick of watching elected officials cave in again and again to developers, making a farce of land-use regulations.
But mostly they're scared because, if passed, Amendment 4 has the potential to disrupt the influence-peddling and outright corruption that's made it so easy to subvert the will of the public.
And a brief but very depressing story from the Orlando Sentinel - Amendment 4 is behind in the polls, so the media blitz is working......you just have to assume Florida is full of stupid voters, easily frightened and gullible.....
The business-labor campaign to kill the proposed constitutional amendment to rein in growth appears to be working. A Mason-Dixon poll released Saturday shows support for Amendment 4 is dropping and is far short of passage.
The new poll showed 44 percent of voters surveyed support Amendment 4, with 36 percent opposed and 20 percent undecided. Passage requires 60 percent.
The survey also found the three Republican candidates for state cabinet posts — attorney general, chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner — are all leading the Democrats.
Todays video - Bud Lite "Swear Jar"
Todays Barbie joke
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Todays English joke
The train was quite crowded, and a U. S. Marine walked the entire length looking for a seat, but the only seat left was taken by a well dressed, middle-aged, French woman's poodle.
The war-weary Marine asked, 'Ma'am, may I have that seat?'
The French woman just sniffed and said to no one in particular
'Americans are so rude. My little Fifi is using that seat.'
The Marine walked the entire train again, but the only seat left
was under that dog.
'Please, ma'am. May I sit down? I'm very tired..'
She snorted, 'Not only are you Americans rude, you are also arrogant!'
This time the Marine didn't say a word; he just picked up the
little dog, tossed it out the train window, and sat down.
The woman shrieked, 'Someone must defend my honour! This American should be put in his place!'
An English gentleman sitting nearby spoke up,
'Sir, you Americans seem to have a penchant for doing the wrong thing.
You hold the fork in the wrong hand..
You hold the fork in the wrong hand..
You drive your cars on the wrong side of the road.
And now, sir, you seem to have thrown the wrong bitch out the window.
And now, sir, you seem to have thrown the wrong bitch out the window.
Todays circle of life joke
Age By Home Depot:
You are in the middle of some kind of project around the house mowing the lawn, putting a new fence in, painting the living room, or whatever. You are hot and sweaty, covered in dirt or paint. You have your old work clothes on. You know the outfit - shorts with the hole in crotch, old T-shirt with a stain from who knows what, and an old pair of tennis shoes. Right in the middle of this great home improvement project you realize you need to run to Home Depot to get something to help complete the job. Depending
on your age you might do the following:
In your 20's:
Stop what you are doing. Shave, take a shower, blow dry your hair, brush your teeth, floss, and put on clean clothes. Check yourself in the mirror and flex. Add a dab of your favorite cologne because you never know, you just might meet some hot chick while standing in the checkout lane. You went to school with the pretty girl running the register.
In your 30's:
Stop what you are doing, put on clean shorts and shirt. Change shoes. You married the hot chick so no need for much else. Wash your hands and comb your hair. Check yourself in the mirror. Still got it. Add a shot of your favorite cologne to cover the smell. The cute girl running the register is the kid sister to someone you went to school with.
In your 40's:
Stop what you are doing. Put a sweatshirt that is long enough to cover the hole in the crotch of your shorts. Put on different shoes and a hat. Wash your hands. Your bottle of Brute Cologne is almost empty so you don't want to waste any of it on a trip to Home Depot. Check yourself in the mirror and do more sucking in than flexing. The spicy young thing running the register is your daughter's age and you feel weird thinking she is spicy.
In your 50's:
Stop what you are doing. Put a hat on, wipe the dirt off your hands onto your shirt. Change shoes because you don't want to get dirt in your new sports car. Check yourself in the mirror and you swear not to wear that shirt anymore because it makes you look fat. The cutie running the register smiles when she sees you coming and you think you still have it. Then you remember the hat you have on is from Buddy's Bait & Beer Bar and it says, 'I Got Worms.'
In your 60's:
Stop what you are doing. No need for a hat anymore. Hose the dog shit off your shoes. The mirror was shattered when you were in your 50's. You hope you have underwear on so nothing hangs out the hole in your pants. The girl running the register may be cute, but you don't have your glasses on so you are not sure.
In your 70's:
Stop what you are doing. Wait to go to Home Depot until they have your prescriptions ready next door at Walgreens, too. Don't even notice the dog shit on your shoes. The young thing at the register smiles at you because you remind her of her grandfather.
In your 80's:
Stop what you are doing. Start again. Then stop again. Now you remember you needed to go to Home Depot. Go to Home Depot and wander around trying to think what it is you are looking for. Fart out loud and you think someone called out your name. You went to school with the old lady who greeted you at the front door.
on your age you might do the following:
In your 20's:
Stop what you are doing. Shave, take a shower, blow dry your hair, brush your teeth, floss, and put on clean clothes. Check yourself in the mirror and flex. Add a dab of your favorite cologne because you never know, you just might meet some hot chick while standing in the checkout lane. You went to school with the pretty girl running the register.
In your 30's:
Stop what you are doing, put on clean shorts and shirt. Change shoes. You married the hot chick so no need for much else. Wash your hands and comb your hair. Check yourself in the mirror. Still got it. Add a shot of your favorite cologne to cover the smell. The cute girl running the register is the kid sister to someone you went to school with.
In your 40's:
Stop what you are doing. Put a sweatshirt that is long enough to cover the hole in the crotch of your shorts. Put on different shoes and a hat. Wash your hands. Your bottle of Brute Cologne is almost empty so you don't want to waste any of it on a trip to Home Depot. Check yourself in the mirror and do more sucking in than flexing. The spicy young thing running the register is your daughter's age and you feel weird thinking she is spicy.
In your 50's:
Stop what you are doing. Put a hat on, wipe the dirt off your hands onto your shirt. Change shoes because you don't want to get dirt in your new sports car. Check yourself in the mirror and you swear not to wear that shirt anymore because it makes you look fat. The cutie running the register smiles when she sees you coming and you think you still have it. Then you remember the hat you have on is from Buddy's Bait & Beer Bar and it says, 'I Got Worms.'
In your 60's:
Stop what you are doing. No need for a hat anymore. Hose the dog shit off your shoes. The mirror was shattered when you were in your 50's. You hope you have underwear on so nothing hangs out the hole in your pants. The girl running the register may be cute, but you don't have your glasses on so you are not sure.
In your 70's:
Stop what you are doing. Wait to go to Home Depot until they have your prescriptions ready next door at Walgreens, too. Don't even notice the dog shit on your shoes. The young thing at the register smiles at you because you remind her of her grandfather.
In your 80's:
Stop what you are doing. Start again. Then stop again. Now you remember you needed to go to Home Depot. Go to Home Depot and wander around trying to think what it is you are looking for. Fart out loud and you think someone called out your name. You went to school with the old lady who greeted you at the front door.
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