1/ Two stories - same topic
The banana republic of America.......the US now has an unequal income distribution equivalent to Guatemala.......
The richest 1 percent of Americans now take home almost 24 percent of income, up from almost 9 percent in 1976. As Timothy Noah of Slate noted inan excellent series on inequality, the United States now arguably has a more unequal distribution of wealth than traditional banana republics like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Guyana.
C.E.O.’s of the largest American companies earned an average of 42 times as much as the average worker in 1980, but 531 times as much in 2001. Perhaps the most astounding statistic is this: From 1980 to 2005, more than four-fifths of the total increase in American incomes went to the richest 1 percent.
And it's going to stay that way - Obama is caving on the tax cuts for the richest Americans......a reminder - the tax cuts continuing for the top 2% will add $700 billion to the deficit....it's grossly irresponsible and stupid to allow this to happen....we're toast folks.....
2/ Ross Douhat, the conservative columnist for the Times and his take on the Republican Party's lack of coherent ideas to help this country through it's present crisies.....their only consistent ideas are tax cuts and blame the Mexicans......
This strategy has worked for them in opposition, thanks to the Democratic Party’s haste and hubris. But it isn’t a blueprint for governance, and it ducks the real reasons that the Republicans lost their majority. While the Bush administration overspent, it wasn’t spending and deficits that turned the country against conservative domestic policy between 2004 and 2008. It was the fact that the Republican majority seemed to have no answers to Middle America’s economic struggles, and no appetite for the structural reforms required to keep the United States competitive.
This is even more true today. The United States is facing three overlapping crises — the short-term challenge of a jobless recovery, the long-term crisis of entitlement spending and, in the medium term, an economy that wasn’t delivering for the middle class even before the financial crisis struck. The Democratic Party may have the wrong answers to these problems. But the Republican Party as an institution often seems to have no answers whatsoever.
3/ So we have Justice Thomas with his Tea Party wife raising money from foreign corporations, and now Justice Alito headlining events at secret fundraisers for far right conservative causes.......is it getting clear to you that the Supreme Court is hopelessly biased in favour of the oligarchy? Get the picture?
Apparently, Alito is a regular benefactor for highly political conservative fundraisers. Last year, he headlined the fundraising dinner for the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) — the same corporate front that funded the rise of Republican dirty trickster James O’Keefe and anti-masturbation activist Christine O’Donnell. According to the sponsorship levels for the event, Alito helped ISI raise $70,000 or more.
Documents exposed by ThinkProgress last month revealed that Justice Scalia and Justice Thomas have also attended secret political fundraisers. We published a memo detailing fundraising events, organized by oil billionaires David and Charles Koch, to fund Republican campaigns, judicial elections, and groups running ads in the 2010 midterm election. The fundraisers, attended by some of the nation’s wealthiest bankers, industrialists, and other executives, help fund much of the conservative infrastructure. The memo stated the Thomas and Alito were past participants of the Koch fundraisers. Ian Millhiser, ThinkProgress’ resident legal expert, noted:
Documents exposed by ThinkProgress last month revealed that Justice Scalia and Justice Thomas have also attended secret political fundraisers. We published a memo detailing fundraising events, organized by oil billionaires David and Charles Koch, to fund Republican campaigns, judicial elections, and groups running ads in the 2010 midterm election. The fundraisers, attended by some of the nation’s wealthiest bankers, industrialists, and other executives, help fund much of the conservative infrastructure. The memo stated the Thomas and Alito were past participants of the Koch fundraisers. Ian Millhiser, ThinkProgress’ resident legal expert, noted:
4/ Remember the story from a few days ago about cities with water problems, and Orlando was #10 on the list? One of the sources Orlando identified for water was the St. Johns basin.......which is due to have stringent federal guidelines for protecting the quality of our drinking water phased in over the next few years. But some politicians are trying to circumvent the guidelines saying it's too expensive.....lucky we have the St. Johns Water Management District on our side protecting the public interest......NOT.......
By the way the SJWMD has cut lawn watering days to 1 a week going into the dry season.....hmmmm....wonder if Niagara has had to lower the 500,000 gallons a day they take out of the aquifer...for free.....of course you know the answer to this one - you don't have lobbyists with cash to spread around, so.....
Niagara - no problem.........you - once a week schmuck.
Nutrient poisoning is the main cause of Florida's water-quality woes. Nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer, animal waste, sewage and polluting industries has become the most common water-pollution problem in the state. The nutrients feed toxic algae, kill fish, and spur respiratory problems in swimmers and beachgoers. The recurring summer "Green Monster" on the St. Johns is the sad result of nutrient poisoning.
The good news is that state and federal scientists are ready to impose new limits on nutrient pollution next month. The bad news is that, instead of protecting public health, some Florida politicians have joined with industry groups to try to delay these much-needed pollution standards.
5/ A Fawlty Towers classic clip - Basil thinks he is responsible for a dead guest......the kipper did it.....3 minutes.....amazingly funny....
6/ A Swiss video of a guy with a jetpack actually flying.....wow....2 minutes....
7/ A special little boy who is very intelligent is interviewed on the Onion Morning Show.....tragic results.....2 minutes....
8/ Wonderful, melodic song........crank up the speakers and enjoy this classic - the Bee Gees "How Deep is Your Love".....love the hair.....3 minutes....
Todays video - Car Wash - TV ad
Todays Maid joke
A Mexican maid asked for a pay increase.
The wife was very upset about this and asked:
'Now Maria, why do you want a pay increase?'
Maria: 'Well Señora, there are three reasons why I want an increase.
The wife was very upset about this and asked:
'Now Maria, why do you want a pay increase?'
Maria: 'Well Señora, there are three reasons why I want an increase.
The first is that I iron better than you.'
Wife: 'Who said you iron better than me?'
Maria: 'Your husband said so.'
Wife: 'Oh.'
Maria: 'The second reason is that I am a better
cook than you.'
Wife: 'Nonsense, who said you were a better
cook than me?'
Maria: 'Your husband did.'
Wife: 'Oh.'
Maria: 'My third reason is that I am a better lover than you.'
Wife (really furious now): 'Did my husband say that as well?'
Maria: 'No Señora, the gardener did.'
SHE GOT THE RAISE!!!
Todays Ukranian joke
An old Ukrainian man lived alone in Winnipeg. He wanted to planthis annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard.
His only son, Walter, who used to help him, was in prison in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:
Dear Walter,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over.
I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love, Tato
A few days later he received a letter from his son.
Dear Tato,
Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried.
Love, Walter
At 4 a.m. the next morning, RCMP and local Winnipeg police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son.
Dear Tato,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love you, Walter
Todays Little Johnny Joke
The teacher asked her class if anyone could use the word, Fascinate, in a sentence. No one raised a hand except little Johnny. Against her better judgement she asked him to give a sentence using the word, fascinate. He responded as follows:
"My sister has a blouse with ten buttons on it but her tits are so big she can only fascinate".
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