Monday, April 30, 2012

Things to Know - 1 May

5/1 Mike Luckovich cartoon: Romney on Osama bin Laden


mike050112


1.  Here's a short and sweet video of a recent "new" topic of conversation - the President's address to the White House correspondents press corp:

2.  The etch-a-sketch campaign strategy is going to be impossible for his Mittness to pull off.  He should realize that he there is a vault full of print, video, and audio of his past statement on file, and readily referenced every time he opens his mouth to utter a revised position:

3.  Stephen King has written an opinion, and it is NOT fiction.   He, as one of the 1%, would like his tax bracket to take responsibility and assume a larger tax liability obligation.   It is true, and it scares the filthy rich that he is saying it:

4.  This article is worth your time.  It speaks to the evils of Capitalism, but don't get hung up on references to Marx.  Approach it and read it as a collection of all the teaching points and references associated with a Liberal Arts education.  It is somber in tone, and yet by its content it cries out a warning to us - we are killing the civilization:

5.  Today is MAY day.  Much historical reference is associated with this date.  I just saw a news alert from the LA Times that many streets in Los Angeles will be closed because of the expected "protest parades"......that's all it said...with no reference as to what is being protested.    In that vein, Noam Chomsky comes in with this piece on the act of marching and protesting is the push-back to what many see as the only alternative remaining:

6.  Eugene Robinson is here to report on the continuing efforts by the Republican Party to suppress the voter turnout of those who are statistically not going to vote for them.  If you can't win it at the ballot box, then put the ballot box out of reach to improve your chances of winning.  Is this a great country or what?:

7.  The following column is a very honest and true assessment of the ethical climate of Mexico.  It expresses a feeling that many of us who have roots in/from Mexico understand, and why relatives have found it difficult to work with the "gringo" ethic when confronted with the way of doing business south of the border.   However, we all know, and are expected to follow the law.  I was well aware of, and had to sign my name to a document each year with Delta Air Lines, that I would comply with the Foreign Corruption Practices Act in all my work in foreign countries.  Walmart is no exception, even though Mexico expects the under table payment to grease the skids:


-- 
Juan

"If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars." 
       -- J. Paul Getty
"But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown." 
       -- Carl Sagan
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." 
       -- Groucho Marx
"Last night somebody broke into my apartment and replaced everything with exact duplicates... When I pointed it out to my roommate, he said, 'Do I know you?'" 
       -- Steven Wright
"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six."
       -- Yogi Berra

--
Juan

"If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars." 
       -- J. Paul Getty
"But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown." 
       -- Carl Sagan
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." 
       -- Groucho Marx
"Last night somebody broke into my apartment and replaced everything with exact duplicates... When I pointed it out to my roommate, he said, 'Do I know you?'" 
       -- Steven Wright
"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six."
       -- Yogi Berra


Sunday, April 29, 2012

Things to Know - 30 April



1.  This is a very sad state of affairs.  Police are going through the audience at a "citizens town hall meeting", taking away recording devices to "for security reasons to protect the identity of the constituents".  Really?  Seriously?  This Republican Congressman is so worried that people will take what he says to others for political advantage by embarrassing him.   Is this a great country or what?:
http://www.infowars.com/cops-confiscate-cameras-at-ohio-congressmans-town-hall/

2.  This would appear to me to be the first step in the Minnesota Vikings political justification to get their new stadium request voted down so that they can justify their move to Los Angeles.  The Lakers left there in the late 50's, so the precedent has been set.  Now, if the Vikings want to come out West, I would stipulate two conditions (1) Don't expect to have LA taxpayers roll over and give you any money to build your stadium & (2) Change you name to something else more fitting for the  history and culture - like the Banditos or the Frijoles, Nachos, or the Beach Bums- but not the Vikings.

3.  Here is a sensible graphic/audio presentation of a You Tube video that shows that Eric Cantor does not understand or is banking on deception with regard to our current taxation structure:

4.  ALEC is the acronym.  The acronym is funded by the corporations which seek to eliminate any legislation of thought of legislation that regulates business activity.   When you think of something that might help us eat better or healthier food, breathe cleaner air, or get better information on the toxins that we are exposed to, for example, and a company does not wish to comply - well ALEC trots out legislation and an agenda for legislators to vote for.   I think you know the game by now:

5.  Paul Krugman is suggesting that Willard is out of touch with the young and their quest to seek a college education, and how to pay for it.   Willard thinks that just see if you can ask your parents for the money, take a chance, and try harder.  That is his solution.  Of course did he ever have to worry about that?   Probably not, and he's not going to find his simple talk finding any traction:

6.  Not to be outdone by the Regional Stupidity Act taken by neighboring states, North Carolina is doing its best to shove ignorance and intolerance on to the national stage in full view.   This is this state's action to provide jobs, jobs, jobs:

7.  It is a tragedy as we watch the commitment and quality of our education system decline.  On the one hand, we have demands to reduce taxes, cut budgets, eliminate programs, and end or curtail entitlements.  On the other hand we have pleas to protect our programs, fund entitlements, bolster the safety net, and protect the vulnerable.  One group has corporate wealth and power behind it.  The other has none but the good wishes of the unwashed.  What kind of country are we?:

8.  Do we have a right and a reason to read the Senate Intelligence Committee report on lessons learned about torture activity conducted by the CIA since Sept 11?   Do we?:

--
Juan

"The superfluous, a very necessary thing."
       -- Voltaire
"People are, if anything, more touchy about being thought silly than they are about being thought unjust." 
       -- E. B. White
"The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate me away from those who are still undecided." 
       -- Casey Stengel
"Exit, pursued by a bear." 
       -- William Shakespeare
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people." 
       -- W. C. Fields


Saturday, April 28, 2012

Things to Know - 29 April

Rob Rogers

1.   His Romneyness is trying so hard to get the public to try and fall in love with a guy who is choking on the silver spoon in his mouth:

2.  The issue is the recalcitrance and plain obtuse obstructionism of congress, and the problem is the GeeOpee:

3.  Bye  Bye Porkie.  It is a play that opened a long time ago, and is still playing, even though no one is buying tickets to see it.  So why are we still paying the Secret Service?:

4.  Maureen Dowd raps the knuckles of the Catholic hierarchy on their harassment of the  Nuns:

5.  Cynthia Tucker on the possible expansion of the punitive measures if the Supremes tend to favor the Arizona immigration case;

6.  Bill Moyers reports on the resurgence or return of the spirit of Joe McCarthy:

7.  There are a lot of high-end restaurants who are begging for customers.   So, they are lowering the bars to attract more business:

8.  An other view of the Arizona immigration rule that is before the Supremes:


--
Juan

"The best doctor in the world is the veterinarian. He can't ask his patients what is the matter-he's got to just know." 
       -- Will Rogers
"One should absorb the colour of life, but one should never remember its details. Details are always vulgar." 
       -- Oscar Wilde
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee -- that will do them in." 
       -- Bradley's Bromide
"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is at all comprehensible." 
       -- Albert Einstein


Friday, April 27, 2012

Things to Know - 28 April


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1.  A 92-year old WW II vet, from Brooklyn, copied and shipped over 300,000 individual DVDs (illegal copies) to the troops in the Middle East over a several year period.  Do you think that FBI warning you see at the beginning of every movie you see at home is going to be pursued?.....probably not:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/27/nyregion/at-92-movie-bootlegger-is-soldiers-hero.html?_r=1&smid=FB-nytimes&WT.mc_id=NY-E-FB-SM-LIN-A92-042712-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click&pagewanted=print

2.  Consider this 2 minute and 22 second video a preview of something to be seen in the near future - "Heist: Who Stole the American Dream":

3.  George Will reports on the transition of Lyndon Johnson from Vice President to President, and the obstacles that were in his path.  I guess he had to give up trying to write anything about Romney:

4.  We should all know the Lehman Brothers collapsed in the Wall Street debacle.  What we are just now finding out - is that $700 million in bonus money was disbursed to about 125 of their employees the year before.  This article touches the tip of the ice berg that is the scale of compensation in the canyon of Big Money Wall Street.   It this free enterprise capitalism, or is it an industry that requires regulation?   Think it over well:

5.  This LA Times editorial by Doyle McManus puts to bed any idea that Marco Rubio has any chance of the Veep slot on the GeeOpee slate.  I think he is right.  Rubio would not work for any of the reasons that Romney might think it would.  He is dead meat:

6.  There has been a bit of news here lately on an outsider's view of the recent legislative events in Tennessee; none of it good.   Here is an insider's view of what is going on in his state:

7.  The House lags behind in concept, vision, and understanding on many things, while the Senate is ready to progress to the future.  When it comes to the Transportation issues, the difference is very clear:

8.  This NY TImes editorial figures in another factor in considering the abolishment of the death penalty:
-- 

Juan

"The best doctor in the world is the veterinarian. He can't ask his patients what is the matter-he's got to just know." 
       -- Will Rogers
"One should absorb the colour of life, but one should never remember its details. Details are always vulgar." 
       -- Oscar Wilde
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee -- that will do them in." 
       -- Bradley's Bromide
"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is at all comprehensible." 
       -- Albert Einstein

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Things to Know - 27 April

mike042712


1.  Beating back some of the really dumb and unconstitutional behavior and edicts from the irrational and goofy governor of Florida is really possible.  Maybe it's a trend?:

2.  There is a bit of history an FCPA (Foreign Corruption Practices Act) that has been of interest lately because of Walmart in Mexico.   It is nice and short bit of information to understand the issue:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/04/the-corruption-law-that-scares-the-bejesus-out-of-corporate-america/256314/

3.  Remember the crappy mortgage backed securities?  Well, the same Wall Street financial Greeders are now bringing you SLABS - Student Leveraged Asset Backed Securities.  Making money off of students in-debt to pay off their education.  That same Wall Street group is really hoping that the rates will double on 1 July.  We thought indebted servitude went away with the Civil War:

4.  Thom Hartmann presents easy to absorb news facts on his vide-audio synopsis of newsworthy items:

5.  Eugene Robinson has a view on the process of reforming immigration in view of the fact that data now suggests that residents south of the border are no longer coming this way:

6.  Lawrence Summers outlines his opinion on Romney's economic plan (or lack of detailed plan) as fantasy:

7.  In the midst of all the building rhetoric from the GeeOpee Wannabees (or Wannabeens), this piece kind of puts all the talk in perspective:

8.  Hector Tobar is back.  Writing about his experiences recalled from the LA riots 20 years ago as a new reporter for the LA Times:

--
Juan

"Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled." 
       -- Michael Crichton
"Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks." 
       -- Doug Larson
"Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box." 
       -- Italian Proverb
"I think that one possible definition of our modern culture is that it is one in which nine-tenths of our intellectuals can't read any poetry." 
       -- Randall Jarrell


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Things to Know - 25 April

Tony Auth

1.  Tennessee continues its weird slide back to the dark ages in its legislation.  Now, any termination of an embryo, even in a miscarriage, is defined as "murder":

2.  This is ridiculous.  Monsanto is suspected of creating a chemical that could be responsible for the collapse of the bee population.  So, how does Monsanto and the public relation problem?  It goes out and buys up the company that had been charged with investigating the allegations.  Not very subtle is it?:

3.  Noam Chomsky has not been listed here lately.  Here is an excellent interview with him.  You can read about his views of the Arab Spring, the economic inequality, our waning influence in the world, China's problems, and the sense of decline of America, which according to him began right after WW II:

4.  Remember John Huntsman, the real Republican that the GeeOpee did not want?  Well, here he is dissing the party, and comparing it to the Communists in China, and other related not-so-complimentary metaphors.  He really lays it all out in a video from MSNBC's Morning Joe:

5.  The U.S. Post Office is really screwed.  It is mandated to provide a service, but it is strung with so many liabilities imposed by Congress that it unable to function efficiently and economically.  If no real leadership arrives in time, this agency will succumb to the same fate that all other public institutions are facing - decline by purposeful action and neglect:

6.  The "presumptive nominee" has tried to etch-a-sketch his past position(s) on the immigration issues by calling Marco Rubio in on the same platform with him to help curry favor with the Latino vote.   Not going to work.  He has baggage all over the place, that talks roughly and loudly in a manner that Romney will never be able to shake:

7.  If you are like me, you really have not read up or kept up on mess on John Edwards and the details of his downfall and his trial. Maureen Dowd capsulizes it, in her usual witty style in one short read:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/25/opinion/dowd-brutality-of-servility.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

8.  Etch-a-sketch on interest on student loans.   Wromknee embraced Paul Ryan's budget proposal.  Now, it is known that the low-cost rates on student loans are going to soon expire, and the Ryan proposal let's them expire, while cutting taxes for the wealthy at the same time.   Does not bode well for  Romney's sway with the younger voters, or anyone who has half a brain, so shake the tablet:



--
Juan

"The saying "Getting there is half the fun" became obsolete with the advent of commercial airlines." 
       -- Henry J. Tillman
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction." 
       -- Blaise Pascal
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." 
       -- Matt Groening
"If all the rich people in the world divided up their money among themselves there wouldn't be enough to go around." 
       -- Christina Stead


Monday, April 23, 2012

Things to Know - 24 April (the real one)

mike042412

Sorry about the error in sending.   Step are being taken to prevent it from happening again.


1.  The 20th anniversary of the beating of Rodney King has come and gone, and he's alive and telling his story.  However, in the same vein has Rodney King, here is a very disturbing story and video of the beating and murder of  Anastacio Hernandez-Rojas at the hands of a band of US Border Patrol officers.  It was a criminal act that was silenced until the recorded video was brought forth as part of a PBS documentary.  This is what is left of his story:

2.  Here is Rodney King's story:

3.  The story of another war that has been too long, too costly, one with many innocent victims, and another one that is lost:

4.  In the aftermath of the BP Gulf disaster (too big to let it still be called a "spill"), it comes to light that BP could have, should have, must have learned from a similar situation that happend in one of their operations in the Caspian Sea two years earlier.   It is very difficult, if not impossible to believe any of the slick ads that we are splattered with by Big Energy on TV.  With promises of good practices, safe systems, and vigilance, we are told that safe operations are guaranteed and that problems are quickly resolved.  There is too much at stake unless rigid regulation and oversight prevails.  Fighting back Big Energy's requests (demands!) and obscene donations to Super PAC and elected officials is needed:

5.  Thom Hartmann's substitute gives us the concise and easy to follow bullet items to know:

6.  Eric Cantor in his assessment of tax reform has suggested that too many people do not pay income taxes.  In order to be fair, he suggests that the those who do not now reach the minimum qualifying income (the poor, seniors, college students, etc) should pay as well.  Read more, and barf later:

7.  David Brooks writes about "Creative Monopoly".  Competition to be the best in something that is already being done, isn't necessarily the best exercise for someone who is talented and creative.   Someone who is really creative and talented will find something that is set apart from the rest of the run for the roses, and find something that is going to change the metrics and monopolize it...or so it is according to Mr. Brooks:

8.  For the LA basin readers, the easiest part of extending the Red Line to the sea is actually building it.  The hardest part is (1) getting the funding and (2) the politics of it all tops all of the work required.  The rest of you can read about how Los Angeles is working hard to solve its transportation issues:
--
Juan

"The saying "Getting there is half the fun" became obsolete with the advent of commercial airlines." 
       -- Henry J. Tillman
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction." 
       -- Blaise Pascal
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." 
       -- Matt Groening
"If all the rich people in the world divided up their money among themselves there wouldn't be enough to go around." 
       -- Christina Stead


Things to Know - 24 April

1.  The 20th anniversary of the beating of Rodney King has come and gone, and he's alive and telling his story.  However, in the same vein has Rodney King, here is a very disturbing story and video of the beating and murder of  Anastacio Hernandez-Rojas at the hands of a band of US Border Patrol officers.  It was a criminal act that was silenced until the recorded video was brought forth as part of a PBS documentary.  This is what is left of his story:

2.  Here is Rodney King;s story:

3.  The story of another war that has been too long, too costly, one with many innocent victims, and another one that is lost:
http://www.cagle.com/2012/04/up-in-smoke/

--
Juan

"The saying "Getting there is half the fun" became obsolete with the advent of commercial airlines." 
       -- Henry J. Tillman
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction." 
       -- Blaise Pascal
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." 
       -- Matt Groening
"If all the rich people in the world divided up their money among themselves there wouldn't be enough to go around." 
       -- Christina Stead


Sunday, April 22, 2012

Things to Know - 23 April


1.  As a companion to yesterday's entry on the waning of China and other third-world cheap labor, and the cost of petrol to transport, today we have this story.   Exports from the USA abroad have increased more that 30% in the last two years.   It would appear that economic trends are returning to favor the USA:

2.  Time to get down and grovel in the muck that passes for journalism and see how Fox talk shows try and support the reading that Citizens United is fine and dandy and that corporations are entitled to swamp the political system with secret piles of cash:

3. In Texas, there are small shanty towns, or neglected barrios of larger cities in poor counties, and mostly populated by residents of Mexican ancestry, and a small percentage of them are undocumented.  Suffice it to say, they have no supporting infrastructure for government, utilities, or services.   Neglect is all they have.  So, Tea Party folks...you have not met a real grass roots movement until you see what the Latinas (the empowered ladies) in the community have done.   Progress is one stop light at a time:

4.  This column is too long to read.  I could not read it all.  However, if you are interested in the details on how WalMart de Mexico bribed its way to build its empire in Mexico, without the knowledge of the illegal corporate strategy being known to the chiefs in Arkansas, and totally against federal law...have at it.   Apparently, Bentonville leaders got so fed up with it, that they avoided the whole issue by just shutting down the investigation:

5.  The WashPost editorial board is very suspicious of Mitt Romney and why he has not released more of his tax returns, and has filed for an extension of this 2011 taxes.   So, what is he hiding and why?   This could be something that nails him down to a place where he would not like to be:

6.  I don't know about you, but frankly I am not following the canonization of Charles Colson to sainthood like everyone else seems to be doing.  I vividly recall the reign of shabby and corrupt government under Nixon, and all the sleaze that was brought to the Office of the Executive branch.  Charles Colson was a first class dark figure then, and all the conversion and "good work" he did after his time in prison does not change my opinion:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/finding-freedom-in-prison/2012/04/22/gIQANabcaT_story.html?hpid=z2

7.  Paul Krugman points out that Romney's campaign strategy to blame Obama for the ailing economy is based upon his desire that voters do not remember Bush or the free fall mess that he passed on to his successor:

8.  Here is a good example of corporate money buying a state - everyone in the executive and legislative branch.  All of them; governors, assemblymen (persons), state senators, and agency officials - every damn one of them.   AT&T charges obscene rates and fees, because it needs the cash to fill the goody bags for all, even preening its PR image with goodies to charitable and you-name-it service organizations.  AT&T buys its path to whatever it wants.  So how is this any different that Walmart's conduct in Mexico?:
--
Juan

"The saying "Getting there is half the fun" became obsolete with the advent of commercial airlines." 
       -- Henry J. Tillman
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction." 
       -- Blaise Pascal
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." 
       -- Matt Groening
"If all the rich people in the world divided up their money among themselves there wouldn't be enough to go around." 
       -- Christina Stead

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Things to Know - 22 April

John Deering

1.  Economics and all things economical are in a confounding state of flux.  This article is heartening and challenging in both ways.   It appears that the off-shoring of jobs is returning to the United States.  Remember when we thought that we were going to be doomed in this country as the all the manufacturing jobs that we had created were going to go begging to the lowest-cost labor markets?   Started off with Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, China, Bangladesh....etc.   In some cheaper labor markets, the countries got more educated, richer, and the cost of labor rose, so the jobs went to another phase of third-world labor providers.   Things are not so cheap in China any more.  China is developing through the phase that raises its standard of living, and consequently their cost of labor is rising, as well as their reputation on human rights is caught up in the equation.  Now, the cost of oil is getting so high, that transportation costs in getting products to market (our market in the USA), cancel out any labor savings from off-shore production.  The challenge is for us to now meet the education needs to support an industry that cannot get by on the dumming-down and neglect that has occurred in the last three decades:
http://economywatch.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/20/11308730-as-factory-jobs-return-to-us-the-need-for-technical-training-grows?lite

2.  A genuinely funny video clip from Bill Maher's show.   It verifies my opinion that satire and comedy does more in the shortest period of time to lay out the issues, and educate an understanding.   From Will Rogers, to Lenny Bruce, to Mort Sahl, and on now to Bill Maher:

3.  Kind of related to the above entry, this article from the WashPost speaks to the aversion that the electorate feels in trying to understand the political process of voter understanding on the issues, platforms, and campaign. Things are just too muddled, nasty, confusing, and time wasting.  The perfect atmosphere to put money into negative TV ads and sound bites that are short and bitter, and hope it has the same subliminal result of pitching an ad for soda or Ginzu knives:

4.  Maybe this is the wrong time to bring it up, but a serious discussion involving returning to the draft, and at the same time creating an enhanced program of National Service should begin:

5.  Bill Moyers on the subject of Christianity and its relationship with Capitalism, plus a short video clip with Ross Douthat:

6.  This column is a very blunt and sad story of a son, who lived through the unhappy and totally wasted end-of-life experience of both his parents whose minds faded away.  The only thing he could do was wait for their passing, and then he buried them and went home:

7.  Thomas Friedman asserts that our political system of government is now a "vetocracy".   No one has enough power to do any decision making on public policy or legislation.  There is only enough power to block the other side.  Result - we go no where.   That pretty well sums it up these days.  Stagnation:

8.  The male-dominated hierarchy of the Catholic Church has come out and espoused that the problems with the church are that the Nuns are not focused on issues of papal encyclicals and are spending their time on elsewhere, causing the resulting moral terpitude.  Yes, blame the Nuns you guys.  The Nuns are pissed as only Nuns can articulate their anger:

--
Juan

"Ninety percent of everything is crap." 
       -- Theodore Sturgeon
"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." 
       -- John Benfield
"Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood." 
       -- Louise Beal
"Technology is a way of organizing the universe so that man doesn't have to experience it." 
       -- Max Frisch


Friday, April 20, 2012

Things to Know - 21 April


Courtesy of Sam Benson

1.  It appears that the road to take back our country is via the legislation by state's rights.  Vermont is now the third state to turn back the Supreme Court ruling resulting from Citizens' United that basically states that corporations are people and that they can give unlimited sums of money to campaigns, and do so anonymously.   The federal level in the US legislative branch is so coated and bloated with corporate lobbyists and stink money that we have no government of the people  - it of the corporation by the corporation and for the corporation:

2.  Here is the face of a domestic terrorist:

3.  Mitt-Bott is going to have, and is now having, a difficult time on the campaign trail.  His Etch-a-Sketch strategy is not working:

4.  This column by Andrew Basevich laments the lack of accountability on the generals who are responsible for the actions of their troops, and the disgrace and shame that occurs.  I would argue that the military is a body meant to fight and kill, and it is probably the wrong face and body to put into use as a Peace Corps and rebuilding force.  I would further argue that our presence has been too long and is not working, and that in itself exposes military personnel who have been deployed too long and too often to too much strain and shit will then happen:

5.  One factor in the election looms very large, and probably larger than most, and it is the Latino vote.  To that end, the indefensible position against Latinos is the unsophisticated put down by the Republican Party, and activists groups are now campaigning loudly, visibly, and determined against Republicans at every level:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/lots-of-politics-on-immigration-but-no-consensus/2012/04/20/gIQA38y6VT_story.html?hpid=z2

6.  Dick Cavett on his favorite role model, and my favorite subject of his - Groucho Marx:

7.  As noted in #5, here is the contribution by Alabama to the yoke and burden around the neck of the GeeOpee:

8.  Ending on the theme of #5, and #7,  Mitt Bott does not even want to acknowledge the subject as a question.  He evades and avoids it.   He can't even Etch-a-Sketch it - he is in deep Seamus poop:
--
Juan

"A psychiatrist asks a lot of expensive questions your wife asks for nothing."
       -- Joey Adams
"My theory is that if you look confident you can pull off anything - even if you have no clue what you're doing." 
       -- Jessica Alba
"He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it - namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to obtain." 
       -- Mark Twain
"A specification that will not fit on one page of 8.5x11 inch paper cannot be understood." 
       -- Mark Ardis
"An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support." 
       -- John Buchan


Things to Know - 20 April

Clay Bennett

1.  Take a good look at freedom of speech in our democracy at work.  Take a good look at the bags of cash that roll in (no names allowed) for Karl Rove to work his patriotic revelry:

2.  There is a lot of talk about the old moderate central Republican Party, and its demise.  I confess, I talk about it as well.  Here's a column by the WashPost on exactly the same subject, plus a suggestion on how it will change:

3.  Being Dummies is not a guild for the employment by ventriloquists.   It is a state of mind of a state of Tennessee:
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/print/42686/

4.  David Brooks is assessing the the process by which colleges are educating students.  Nice gig if you can get it:

5.  Claims of media bias by candidates usually surface when bitterness after lost contests are broadcast.   What is really funny lately, is that several quirky right-wingers are blasting those same claims at Faux News.   The whole right-wing comes unhinged:

6.  Even when looking at safe and sane regulations on the drilling and capture of natural gas, there still exists that element of the GeeOpee that is against it, just because it is an Obama regulation:

7.  Mitt Romney's positions and cosmetic embrace of the anti-immigrant posture of the extreme right has put him at a serious disadvantage with the Hispanic/Latino vote.  This election may well be determined by strong and newly empowered minority - the Hispanic community, and Mitt-Bott thinks he can Etch-a-Sketch his way out of the morass - not going to happen:

8.  Let's finish if off with America's Couple:
--
Juan

"A psychiatrist asks a lot of expensive questions your wife asks for nothing."
       -- Joey Adams
"My theory is that if you look confident you can pull off anything - even if you have no clue what you're doing." 
       -- Jessica Alba
"He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it - namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to obtain." 
       -- Mark Twain
"A specification that will not fit on one page of 8.5x11 inch paper cannot be understood." 
       -- Mark Ardis
"An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support." 
       -- John Buchan


Thursday, April 19, 2012

Things to Know - 19 April

Mitt Romney

This is better than the cartoon that was originally slated to run here



1.  Let's start off with the basic Thom Hartmann and a few stories and easy to watch video:

2.  We can recall someone who came forth with "compassionate conservatism", and we know where that went.  So, here's Bill Moyers with someone who is preaching Capitalism with a Conscience.   Let's see how that works:

3.  Apparently, one way of seeking a redress of a grievance in Portland is to undress:

4.  This is an interesting view on all the less-than-complimentary comments on undocumented workers in the USA.   By one estimate, the undocumented paid over $11.2 billion in taxes (sales, property, and income) - and at the same time General Electric's profit and who knows how many other big corporations, was $14.2 billion - and paid NO TAXES.    So, this begs the question - who is taking advantage of the system?:

5.  In an interesting decree from the Council of Catholic Bishops, the proposed Paul Ryan Budget plan is immoral and does not protect the poor.   Take that, you path to prosperity guys:

6.  Another issue on which the GeeOpee and Romoneee are out of step with functionality:

7.  Steve Lopez paints a journalistic masterpiece on the quality of life that combines the best of the Los Angeles basin and the advent of CicLAvia - where streets are closed down in the urban areas to full days of unimpeded recreational bicycling.  Yes, life is good:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0418-lopez-welovela-20120417,0,3906952,print.column


8.  The history of Prohibition looms evermore on the long, costly, and futile, and deadly prohibition on drugs.   Some form of legalization, decriminalization, and containment will happen sooner or later.  Right now, we have to keep an open debate, and continuing discussion to make sure we do it right:
--
Juan

"The significance of man is that he is insignificant and is aware of it." 
       -- Carl Becker
"The only obligation to which in advance we may hold a novel, without incurring the accusation of being arbitrary, is that it be interesting." 
       -- Henry James
"So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work." 
       -- Peter Drucker
"Computers make it easier to do a lot of things, but most of the things they make it easier to do don't need to be done." 
       -- Andy Rooney

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Things to Know - 18 April

mike041812

1.  So, let's close the door on the unfortunate choice of words that described Ann Romney's role as a house wife.  Cynthia Tucker does a good job with this column.   The Walteria News Bureau has grown weary of the subject matter, so now maybe we can can get back to the level of concern on improving the human condition of people who are not anywhere near the day-to-day concerns of the upper 1%:

2.  It is difficult to put into writing the sense of anger felt as the extremism of the right wing, and their wealth of power, pushes back the agenda of the progressive history of this nation.  Labor unions, teachers government employees, fair and equal pay for all, programs to support education, programs to provide a standard of health care at reasonable and controlled costs for all, and even the one-man-one-vote principle.   Yes, just look at all of the efforts to suppress the right to vote in many states.   So, let's just start pushing back, and let's start with the hijacking of the Constitution:

3.  This is a columnist at the WashPost who reports that Romney's poll numbers are rebounding.  True, he went up from 34% to 44% in favorability or something like that.  What should also be stated is that in all 15 categories that people were asked to rate both Romney and Obama, ......Romney was behind in all 15:

4.  This is a great article on coming to an understanding of the deep divide between liberals and conservatives, or at least the the right-wing conservatives who in effect have corrupted the mainstream of the Republican Party - Understanding the Republican Brain:

5.  Ralph Nader brought together a conference of activists in Washington D.C.   The nature of the topics discussed centered on the problems created by the corporate political power on us as a nation.  Read here on the very intelligent ideas and strategies brought forth.  It was not the pizazz and drama of the Occupy Movement, but perhaps an outgrowth of same.  Read here on the what may be the projected strategic trajectory of taking back the country:

6.  Timothy Egan gives a good read on painting the failure of Karl Rove's perception that the Republicans would rule the roost for a generation (what he said going into the 2008 election).   I am also thinking about how the issues and campaigns really are not run by the candidates any more.   There are just two strategists pulling the levers on the political direction, issues, and power (1) Karl Rove as the treasurer-in-chief of billions, and (2) Grover Norquist who administers the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.   Is this a great country, or what?:

7.  Maureen Dowd manages to throw in a few chip shots on Ann Romney and her plastic side kick:

8.  Okay, it's time for me to get a grip on reality.  By that, I mean, not getting hung up on the petty bickering in politics, and the seemingly dark and dangerous abyss that the right-wing nuts are demanding.   These times will pass, I guess, I hope,,,oh yeah.   You can be stupid some time, and some people are always stupid, but you cannot have all people be stupid all of the time.  So, that being said - look to the future and see what the younger generation is plotting - a better and more sustainable way to live.   Trouble is, we won't all be around to see it all:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-cole-sustainable-socal-vision-20120417,0,6840817,print.story 

--
Juan

"When I told my doctor I couldn't afford an operation, he offered to touch-up my X-rays."
       -- Henny Youngman
"There is something that is much more scarce, something rarer than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability." 
       -- Robert Half
"A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward." 
       -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
"What is an epigram? A dwarfish whole, its body brevity, and wit its soul." 
       -- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
"Her own mother lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all over the house." 
       -- James Thurber