1/ Matt Taibbi is pissed, so you can be sure it's entertaining reading. What's set him off?
Some quotes from oligarchs that are insensitive to say the least, and show that there are quite a few billionaires who just don't get how much resentment and anger is building up in this country towards the blatant unfairness of our systems. Taibbi gives some great examples as well......
Good read.....
It seems America’s bankers are tired of all the abuse. They’ve decided to speak out.
True, they’re doing it from behind the ropeline, in front of friendly crowds at industry conferences and country clubs, meaning they don’t have to look the rest of America in the eye when they call us all imbeciles and complain that they shouldn’t have to apologize for being so successful.
But while they haven’t yet deigned to talk to protesting America face to face, they are willing to scribble out some complaints on notes and send them downstairs on silver trays. Courtesy of a remarkable story by Max Abelson at Bloomberg, we now get to hear some of those choice comments.
Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus, for instance, is not worried about OWS:
“Who gives a crap about some imbecile?” Marcus said. “Are you kidding me?”
Former New York gurbernatorial candidate Tom Golisano, the billionaire owner of the billing firm Paychex, offered his wisdom while his half-his-age tennis champion girlfriend hung on his arm:
“If I hear a politician use the term ‘paying your fair share’ one more time, I’m going to vomit,” said Golisano, who turned 70 last month, celebrating the birthday with girlfriend Monica Seles, the former tennis star who won nine Grand Slam singles titles.
Then there’s Leon Cooperman, the former chief of Goldman Sachs’s money-management unit, who said he was urged to speak out by his fellow golfers. His message was a version of Wall Street’s increasingly popular If-you-people-want-a-job, then-you’ll-shut-the-fuck-up rhetorical line:
Cooperman, 68, said in an interview that he can’t walk through the dining room of St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida, without being thanked for speaking up. At least four people expressed their gratitude on Dec. 5 while he was eating an egg-white omelet, he said.“You’ll get more out of me,” the billionaire said, “if you treat me with respect.”
http://www.rollingstone.com/
Here’s what I wanted for Christmas: something that would make us both healthier and richer. And since I was just making a wish, why not ask that Americans get smarter, too?
2/ An excellent Paul Krugman column, with a review of how the Republicans who hate the EPA want to destroy the EPA even more because the agency has just made a good decision to regulate the mercury and toxins released by power plants......
Surprise: I got my wish, in the form of new Environmental Protection Agency standards on mercury and air toxics for power plants. These rules are long overdue: we were supposed to start regulating mercury more than 20 years ago. But the rules are finally here, and will deliver huge benefits at only modest cost.
So, naturally, Republicans are furious. But before I get to the politics, let’s talk about what a good thing the E.P.A. just did.
As far as I can tell, even opponents of environmental regulation admit that mercury is nasty stuff. It’s a potent neurotoxicant: the expression “mad as a hatter” emerged in the 19th century because hat makers of the time treated fur with mercury compounds, and often suffered nerve and mental damage as a result.
..............................
And it’s a deal Republicans very much want to kill.
With everything else that has been going on in U.S. politics recently, the G.O.P.’s radical anti-environmental turn hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. But something remarkable has happened on this front. Only a few years ago, it seemed possible to be both a Republican in good standing and a serious environmentalist; during the 2008 campaign John McCain warned of the dangers of global warming and proposed a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions. Today, however, the party line is that we must not only avoid any new environmental regulations but roll back the protection we already have.
And I’m not exaggerating: during the fight over the debt ceiling, Republicans tried to attach riders that, as Time magazine put it, would essentially have blocked the E.P.A. and the Interior Department from doing their jobs.
..............................
More generally, whenever you hear dire predictions about the effects of pollution regulation, you should know that special interests always make such predictions, and are always wrong. For example, power companies claimed that rules on acid rain would disrupt electricity supply and lead to soaring rates; none of that happened, and the acid rain program has become a shining example of how environmentalism and economic growth can go hand in hand.
But again, never mind: mindless opposition to “job killing” regulations is now part of what it means to be a Republican. And I have to admit that this puts something of a damper on my mood: the E.P.A. has just done a very good thing, but if a Republican — any Republican — wins next year’s election, he or she will surely try to undo this good work.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/
http://www.credoaction.com/
3/ I like a good magician, and this guy is really entertaining......an amazing sequence with [yech] cigarettes......9 minutes........
4/ The wonderful Frank Rich with an analysis of the current state of the Republican party from New York Magazine, with the conflict being played out in Iowa between the "establishment" GOP [Romney] and the angry, rabid "right of the Tea Party" base.......absolutely fascinating for anyone interested in politics......
Even those who loathe Karl Rove’s every word may be hard-pressed to dispute his pre-Christmas summation of the Republican circus so far: “the most unpredictable, rapidly shifting, and often downright inexplicable primary race I’ve ever witnessed.” And all this, as he adds, before a single vote has been cast. The amazing GOP race has also been indisputably entertaining, spawning a new television genre, the debate as reality show. Installment No. 12, broadcast by ABC in the prime-time ghetto of a Saturday night in early December, drew more viewers (7.6 million) than that week’s episode of The Biggest Loser. It’s escapist fun for the entire family (Hispanic and gay families excluded). Or it would be were it not for the possibility that one of the contestants could end up as president of the United States.
Rove does have one thing wrong, however. His party’s primary contest, while unpredictable, is not inexplicable. It is entirely explicable. The old Republican elites simply prefer to be in denial about what the explanation is. You can’t blame them. To parse this spectacle is to face the prospect that, for all the GOP’s triumphal declarations that Barack Obama is doomed to a one-term presidency, the winner of the Republican nomination may not reclaim the White House after all.
5/ Tom Tomorrow has some thoughts on the Republican primaries....or an alien does.......
6/ Jimmy Kimmel has some good segments on his late night show, one of which is his "clip of the week" - here he selects the best one of 2011.....4 minutes.....
For the last year, media pundits like me have been running around screaming our heads off about falling skies and collapsing paradigms, and yet as 2011 comes to an end, the sky is still there.
7/ "The Economy, Whats Wrong and How to Fix it"......
A good article in Rolling Stone by Jared Bernstein, who was Joe Biden's chief economic advisor and now has an economics column in RS.........
He takes apart the myths that our pathetic media try to hammer home every day about business in the US.......good stuff!
Simply put, the answer to the question posed in the title to this column is this: The way most policy makers and too many economists understand the economy is wrong. It’s driven by wrong beliefs – for example that:
• markets can monitor and correct themselves without government oversight
• trickle-down economics (the idea that you cut taxes for the wealthy and that creates more work for everyone else) actually works
• government can’t help (and more often than not does harm) in either of the above cases – either in regulating markets or stimulating job creation.
And what's the support for these beliefs? There is none. In fact, the evidence points the other way.
8/ Did you enjoy Christmas? Of course you did because you're normal [and good, upright citizens], but a few of you reprobates probably didn't, so this compilation of clips from both Christmas movies and other films that happen to have Santa Clauses causing mayhem is for you.....and see how many movies you recognize.....
But a warning - spicy language.....4 minutes....actually a spicy title.......
9/ Perky Pam Bondi, Florida's Attorney General, is trying to amend the Florida Constitution to allow the State to support religious institutions.......via an amendment that could be on the ballot in 2012. This means your tax money can be given to support churches for just about anything......
But consider this - churches don't pay tax on their revenues. Churches don't even pay property tax. This applies to the mega-churches that raise huge amounts of money from the credulous and the Catholic Church with it's trillions in assets, down to the storefront church with a "preacher".......
I think we're giving them enough already......actually too much.....
TALLAHASSEE — A question asking Florida voters to do away with a century-old constitutional prohibition on using state money for religious institutions is back on the ballot for now after Attorney General Pam Bondi rewrote the ballot summary as is allowed by a new state law.
A week after Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis struck the proposed "Religious Freedom" constitutional amendment from the ballot on the grounds that the ballot summary misled voters, Bondi on Tuesday issued a revised summary that used exactly the solution suggested by Lewis in his Dec. 13 ruling on a lawsuit filed by the Florida Education Association and several religious clergy.
10/ As we get to the end of the year there are lots of "best of" stories, but this is most interesting - the 45 best photo images of the year.......
11/ Interesting NYT summary of how our media is changing and what you will be watching in the future, and on what. We are a little insulated here in Lake County, but out there in the younger areas traditional TV is fading away......
Yes, competition is storming out of every device and connection, and consumers have choices and leverage they never dreamed of. But network television continues to waltz along, attracting advertisers in big numbers. Cable had a great year, and media octopuses like Time Warner and News Corporation continue to find plenty of profits. Big media companies still rely on huge, well-entrenched assets that include brands, distribution and capital.
But even if the sky is still aloft, there are visible, portentous cracks appearing. The inertia that has kept consumers from bolting from traditional content providers is beginning to erode as a new generation remakes media in its own image. Device companies and search outfits are intent on manufacturing their own content. And the migration of movies, music and video to the cloud could change the weather in a hurry.
12/ Set your TIVOS - a unique event is on TV this Friday -
The best radio show in the US, "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" will be on TV for the first time......on BBC America Friday night....
WASHINGTON (AP) — NPR's quiz show "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me" is making the leap from radio to television.
The show debuts Friday evening on BBC America. The first show will be a year-in-review special. Host Peter Sagal, scorekeeper Carl Kasell and a panel including Paula Poundstone and Alonzo Bodden will discuss the year's events.
They promise to delve into 2011's biggest scandals, from former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner to the phone hacking scandal at Rupert Murdoch's media empire and the Occupy Wall Street protests.
13/ A little late, but you'll be pleased to hear "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" got a great review. Directed by David Fincher, starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara.
Factoid - Rooney Mara is the daughter of the billionaire owner of the New York Giants........
It must be said that Mr. Fincher and the screenwriter, Steven Zaillian, manage to hold on to the vivid and passionate essence of the book while remaining true enough to its busy plot to prevent literal-minded readers from rioting. (There are a few significant changes, but these show only how arbitrary some of Larsson’s narrative contrivances were in the first place.) Using harsh and spooky soundtrack music (by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) to unnerving and powerful effect, Mr. Fincher creates a persuasive ambience of political menace and moral despair.
He has always excelled at evoking invisible, nonspecific terrors lurking just beyond the realm of the visible. The San Francisco of “Zodiac” was haunted not so much by an elusive serial killer as by a spectral principle of violence that was everywhere and nowhere, a sign of the times and an element of the climate. And the Harvard of “The Social Network,” with its darkened wood and moody brick, seemed less a preserve of gentlemen and scholars than a seething hive of paranoia and alienation.
"Dragon Tattoo" trailer.....3 minute version.......quite good.......
14/ Another fine movie in the theaters - "War Horse", directed by Steven Spielberg.......a good old fashioned tear jerker......
There is no combat in the early scenes of “War Horse,” Steven Spielberg’s sweeping adaptation of the popular stage spectacle, but the film opens with a cinematic assault as audacious and unsparing as the Normandy landing in“Saving Private Ryan.” With widescreen, pastoral vistas dappled in golden sunlight and washed in music (by John Williams) that is somehow both grand and folksy, Mr. Spielberg lays siege to your cynicism, bombarding you with strong and simple appeals to feeling.
"War Horse" trailer.........
Todays video - a rerun, but I love this one - Jewel undercover in a Karaoke Bar.....
Todays contender for Republican joke of the year
Joke of the YearOne day in the future, Barack Obama has a heart-attack and dies. He immediately goes to hell, where the devil is waiting for him.
"I don't know what to do here," says the devil. "You are on my list, but I have no room for you. You definitely have to stay here, so I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I've got a couple of folks here who weren't quite as bad as you. I'll let one of them go, but you have to take their place. I'll even let YOU decide who leaves."
Obama thought that sounded pretty good, so the devil opened the door to the first room.
In it was Ted Kennedy and a large pool of water. Ted kept diving in, and surfacing, empty handed. Over, and over, and over he dived in and surfaced with nothing. Such was his fate in hell."No," Obama said. "I don't think so. I'm not a good swimmer, and I don't think I could do that all day long."
The devil led him to the door of the next room.
In it was Al Gore with a sledge-hammer and a room full of rocks. All he did was swing that hammer, time after time after time.
"No, this is no good; I've got this problem with my shoulder. I would be in constant agony if all I could do was break rocks all day," commented Obama.
The devil opened a third door. Through it, Obama saw Bill Clinton, lying on the bed, his arms tied over his head, and his legs restrained in a spread-eagle pose. Bent over him was Monica Lewinsky, doing what she does best.
Obama looked at this in shocked disbelief, and finally said, "Yeah man, I can handle this."
The devil smiled and said...........
"OK, Monica, you're free to go."
Todays senior jokes
*Couple in their nineties* are both having problems remembering things.
During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but
they might want to start writing things down to help them remember.
Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair.
'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks.
"Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?'
'Sure..'
'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she
asks.*
'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she
asks.*
'No, I can remember it..
'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it
down, so as not to forget it?'
'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it
down, so as not to forget it?'
He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with
strawberries.'
strawberries.'
'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it
down?' she asks.
Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice
cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!'
cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!'
Then he toddles into the kitchen.
After about 20 minutes,The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his
wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment and
asks, 'Where's my toast ?'
An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house and, after
eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.
The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, 'Last night we went out to a
new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly.'
new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly.'
The other man said, 'What is the name of the restaurant?'
The first man thought and thought and finally said, 'What is the name of
that flower you give to someone you love? You know.... The one that's red
and has thorns.'
'Do you mean a rose?'
'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man.
He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled 'Rose, what's the name
'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man.
He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled 'Rose, what's the name
of that restaurant we went to last night?'
Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being
discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly
gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his
feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital.
discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly
gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his
feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to
the elevator.
the elevator.
On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.
'I don't know,' he said. 'She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing
out of her hospital gown.'
'I don't know,' he said. 'She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing
out of her hospital gown.'
A senior citizen said to his eighty-year old buddy:
*'So I hear you're getting married?'
*'Yep!'
*'Do I know her?'
*'Nope!'
*'This woman, is she good looking?
*'Not really.'
*'Is she a good cook?'
*'Naw, she can't cook too well.'
*'Does she have lots of money?'
*'Nope! Poor as a church mouse.'
*'Well, then, is she good in bed?'
*'I don't know.'
*'Why in the world do you want to marry her then?'
*'Because she can still drive!'
*'So I hear you're getting married?'
*'Yep!'
*'Do I know her?'
*'Nope!'
*'This woman, is she good looking?
*'Not really.'
*'Is she a good cook?'
*'Naw, she can't cook too well.'
*'Does she have lots of money?'
*'Nope! Poor as a church mouse.'
*'Well, then, is she good in bed?'
*'I don't know.'
*'Why in the world do you want to marry her then?'
*'Because she can still drive!'
Three old guys are out walking.
First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?'
Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'
Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer..'
Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'
Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer..'
A man was telling his neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It
cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art.. It's perfect.'
'Really,' answered the neighbor . 'What kind is it?'
'Twelve thirty..'
cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art.. It's perfect.'
'Really,' answered the neighbor . 'What kind is it?'
'Twelve thirty..'
Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical.
A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a
gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're
really doing great, aren't you?'
Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, 'Get a hot mamma and be
cheerful.''
The doctor said, 'I didn't say that.. I said,
'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.'
A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a
gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're
really doing great, aren't you?'
Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, 'Get a hot mamma and be
cheerful.''
The doctor said, 'I didn't say that.. I said,
'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.'
One more. . .!
A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and
pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool...
After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked kindly, 'Crushed nuts?'
'No,' he replied, 'Arthritis.'
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