Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Andy Borowitz

The Borowitz Report
APRIL 30, 2014

MILLIONAIRES UNITE TO DEFEAT MINIMUM WAGE

POSTED BY 




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WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) - A broad-based coalition of millionaires converged on Washington today to defeat a bill that would have increased the minimum wage for American workers to $10.10 an hour.

Leaving behind their mansions and yachts, the millionaires were motivated by what they saw as an existential threat to the country, Mitch McConnell, a spokesman for the millionaires, said.

"This was an extremely diverse coalition," McConnell said, noting that everyone from the rich to the very rich to the super-rich united to vote down the bill.

McConnell hoped that today's vote would burnish the millionaires' reputation as "people who get things done."

"Folks who have tried to pin a 'do nothing' label on us are dead wrong," he said. "When it comes to stopping workers from being paid more, we spring into action."



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****
Juan
 
What's more important than who's going to be the first black manager is who's going to be the first black sports editor of the New York Times.
--Bill Russell


Something to Know - 30 April

Jim Morin
1.  Fracking.  Michael Bloomberg former stem of the Big Apple and current gun-regulator fame, tries hard to seek common ground on Fracking.   Go ahead and read this, but I still have grave reservations (an Indian Cemetery?) that the "fluids shot at high pressure underground" is too cavalier of a dismissal of the process.   What is the chemical make up and content of this "liquid"?.  Also, we can't really tell where the liquid goes after it is shot, and what becomes of the space in the ground after the process.  Every fracking site is different from others, in most instances, and there is no assurance that something could go wrong.   Also, whose land is this any way, and if something goes wrong, who is accountable, and who pays, and does bankruptcy absolve any horrible outcomes?:

2.  Toyota is going to fold its tent in Torrance, California and move to Texas.  This opinion writer is not too happy about the reasoning.  If I was as dumb as a Pedernales Possum, I might even be pissed enough to smash and burn the Prius that I just bought:
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-toyota-torrance-texas-relocation-jobs-macho-20140429,0,2293207.story#axzz30OGC1zSP

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****
Juan
 
What's more important than who's going to be the first black manager is who's going to be the first black sports editor of the New York Times.
--Bill Russell

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Andy Borowitz


The Borowitz Report

APRIL 29, 2014

DONALD STERLING APOLOGIZES

POSTED BY 



boro-sterling.jpg

LOS ANGELES (The Borowitz Report)—The Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling offered a "total and remorseful" apology for his racist comments today, telling reporters, "Once I saw that Donald Trump was defending me, I knew I had done something horribly wrong."

Sterling acknowledged that he had turned a blind eye to a mountain of criticism from basketball luminaries and national leaders, but said that seeing Trump defend him on Fox News on Monday had left him "shaken."

"Look, I know I'm not perfect," he said. "But when Donald Trump takes your side, you have to take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask yourself, 'Have I become some kind of monster?'"







Juan


What's more important than who's going to be the first black manager is who's going to be the first black sports editor of the New York Times.
- - Bill Russell


Monday, April 28, 2014

Something to Know - 28 April

Rob Rogers

1.  Maureen Dowd's column today talks about the tizzy that the GeeOpie finds itself in trying to embrace or distance itself from the fringe-wing racism:

2.  This story is about how old established manufacturing establishments, located along rivers (Switzerland in this case) are identified as toxic polluters who dump their waste into the Rhine.  As time goes on, the companies clean up their act - well kind of.  They relocate their polluting behavior, and move on to other places (Toms River in New Jersey or China), and keep dumping toxic crap into rivers and streams.  Eventually, Rick Perry will have them all move to Texas, I guess:

3.  Paul Krugman climbs on the Old Wests Wagon that is piling on poor old Cliven Bundy.  Maybe this will be the end of this episode - for now we can talk about the NBA LA Clippers owner, and a change of venue:

4.  So, put everything on the table, mix it up, and look into the future.  The Republican Party (the mainstream and the GeeOpie), has a problem.   Are they smart enough to shape up, or are they going to wallow in falsehoods of Ronald Reagan's governance and the Tea Party's agenda of extremism?:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-gop-has-a-demographic-problem-and-it-looks-like-it-could-get-even-worse/2014/04/27/72379c4e-ce17-11e3-b812-0c92213941f4_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend

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****
Juan
 
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed.
--John Paul Stevens (former associate justice of the Supreme Court)

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Something to Know - 26 April

Jeff Danziger

1.  Once in a while, a Frenchman emerges to shed light on how we (The USA) is doing as a nation to uphold the ideas on which we used to form our country and form of governance.   Alex de Tocqueville, meet Thomas Picketty:

2.  The Ignorant Dufus of a cattle rancher in a cattle grazing range of Nevada has provoked an ugly reminder of our nation's past.  Here are two commentaries by the NY TImes:

3.  Cynthia Tucker always keeps a close watch on Georgia politics.  Guns and the funding for the CDC to study the health of our society as it is affected by Guns is the subject of her commentary:
http://www.nationalmemo.com/america-exceptionally-dumb-comes-guns/

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****
Juan
 
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed.
--John Paul Stevens (former associate justice of the Supreme Court)

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Andy Borowitz

The Borowitz Report

APRIL 24, 2014

REPUBLICANS BLAST NEVADA RANCHER FOR FAILING TO USE COMMONLY ACCEPTED RACIAL CODE WORDS

POSTED BY 

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WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) — Republican politicians blasted the Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy on Thursday for making flagrantly racist remarks instead of employing the subtler racial code words the G.O.P. has been using for decades.

"We Republicans have worked long and hard to develop insidious racial code words like 'entitlement society' and 'personal responsibility,' " said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky). "There is no excuse for offensive racist comments like the ones Cliven Bundy made when there are so many subtler ways of making the exact same point."

Fox News also blasted the rancher, saying in a statement, "Cliven Bundy's outrageous racist remarks undermine decades of progress in our effort to come up with cleverer ways of saying the same thing."


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****
Juan
 
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed.
--John Paul Stevens (former associate justice of the Supreme Court)

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Andy Borowitz

We always had doubts about Mississippi and Alabama.  Now, we need to inquire as to the mental health of Oklahoma and now.....Georgia, for sure:

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ATLANTA (The Borowitz Report)—Flanked by members of his state's legislature on Wednesday afternoon, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal proudly unveiled Georgia's new official state slogan, "We Make Florida Look Safe."

Gov. Deal told reporters that the slogan was "more than just words," reflecting Georgia's determination to best its rival Florida for the nation's most reckless gun law.

"When Florida passed Stand Your Ground, we knew we were playing catch-up," Gov. Deal said. "Thanks to the fine men and women in the Georgia state legislature, we're No. 1."

Gov. Deal said he hoped that the state's newly enacted Safe Carry Protection Act, which makes it legal to carry guns in bars, schools, churches, and some government buildings, would send the message that Georgia was taking its competition with Florida "very, very seriously."

"In recent years, if you wanted to fire off a gun any damn place you pleased, there was a sense that Florida was the state for you," he said. "We're hoping to change that perception."



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****
Juan
 
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed.
--John Paul Stevens (former associate justice of the Supreme Court)

Something to Know - 23 April


(sorry, I had to reboot my iMac to pick up the HTML forwarding capability on the links)

1.  Robert Reich is not the only town crier.  This NY Times analysis confirms again that the United States of America is no longer as strong and vibrant as it once was.  The middle class is getting squeezed, and the rich are getting richer and the poor are becoming poorer.   Most of us know this, but the powers that be in Congress continue to fuel the rich and powerful at the expense of neglecting the rest of us.  The rest of the world is now passing us by:

2.  Continuing with its backward trend to the days before progressive democracy, the Supreme Court's majority rulers seem to be fogged by a dense assumption that all is well with the concept of fairness and equality across this great land:
https://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2014/04/another-bad-day-for-affirmative-action.html?utm_source=tny

3.  For those of you who appreciate this type of humor, here is an example of GeeOpie hypocrisy at its finest:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/dane-eagle-arrested-dui_n_5191932.html?utm_hp_ref=email_share
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****
Juan
 
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed.
--John Paul Stevens (former associate justice of the Supreme Court)

Something to Know - 23 April

Mike Luckovich

1.  Robert Reich is not the only town crier.  This NY Times analysis confirms again that the United States of America is no longer as strong and vibrant as it once was.  The middle class is getting squeezed, and the rich are getting richer and the poor are becoming poorer.   Most of us know this, but the powers that be in Congress continue to fuel the rich and powerful at the expense of neglecting the rest of us.  The rest of the world is now passing us by:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/upshot/the-american-middle-class-is-no-longer-the-worlds-richest.html?emc=eta1

2.  Continuing with its backward trend to the days before progressive democracy, the Supreme Court's majority rulers seem to be fogged by a dense assumption that all is well with the concept of fairness and equality across this great land:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2014/04/another-bad-day-for-affirmative-action.html?utm_source=tny

3.  For those of you who appreciate this type of humor, here is an example of GeeOpie hypocrisy at its finest:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/dane-eagle-arrested-dui_n_5191932.html?utm_hp_ref=email_share
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****
Juan
 
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed.
--John Paul Stevens (former associate justice of the Supreme Court)

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Andy Borowitz and Something Else - 22 April




rick-perry-glasses.jpg

AUSTIN, Tex. (The Borowitz Report)—With an eye toward a Presidential run in 2016, Rick Perry, the Texas governor, is hoping that a two-pronged strategy of wearing glasses and not speaking will make him appear smarter to voters, aides to the Governor confirmed today.

"After the 2012 Republican primary, we knew that we needed to solve what we called the Governor's smartness problem," said Harland Dorrinson, an aide to Perry. "The fix that we came up with was glasses, but, as it turned out, that was only half the solution."

After outfitting Perry with designer eyewear, aides sent him on the road to reintroduce himself to voters, but the response, Mr. Dorrinson said, was underwhelming: "The problem was, he was still talking."

A round of focus groups convinced aides that only through a combination of wearing glasses and not emitting any sounds could Perry overcome voters' initial impressions of him.

At a recent political stop in San Antonio, the newly minted Governor Perry was on display, wearing his glasses and gesticulating expressively while saying nothing for thirty minutes.

"Our focus groups show people no longer know what Rick Perry is thinking," said Mr. Dorrinson. "That's a huge improvement."


**********

Sometimes I have a difficult time explaining what my son does for a living.  In this NY Times article, look closely for his quote.   Kind of says what he does:

http://nyti.ms/Qt3P07 

****
Juan
 
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed.
--John Paul Stevens (former associate justice of the Supreme Court)

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Kansas Fake News

Something to Know - 10 April


Stuart Carlson

1.  Nicholas Kristof's title to this article is catchy.   Kristof is lauding the GeeOpie for getting things right, and he commends them.  However, the truth comes out in the end as the detail strike back:

2.  This article is guaranteed to blow your socks off.  There is legislation pending, and may be passed today in the state of Kansas, that blacks out the showing of a Cosmos by Neil de Grass Tyson.   Yes, this a Kansas:

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****
Juan
 
To 'choose' dogma and faith over doubt and experience is to throw out the ripening vintage and to reach greedily for the Kool-Aid.
--Christopher Hitchens

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Something to Know - 9 April


Jen Sorensen


1.  Engaging in public relations in Climate Change/Warming discussions is what this article is all about.   Those who are on board with the concept and accept this threat are not to whom this article is directed.  However, it does give concern about those who are in somewhat of a denier or skeptical mode who could look at arguments to dispute, just to be contrarians:

2.  If you find the Republican's game of internal politics a sport, then you might like this piece by Maureen Dowd:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/opinion/dowd-jeb-in-the-vortex.html?emc=eta1

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****
Juan
 
The easy way to make money is to get special political privilege. From the beginning of time, business has cozied up to government and gotten restrictions on competition and subsidies and stuff.
--Charles Koch

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Something to Know - 8 April


Ben Sargent



1.  Gaining access to corporate corporate data networks does not have to be hight-tech geekiness.  As this article demonstrates, just piggy-back entry via a simple concept makes it easy.   It's obvious that this knowledge will ratchet up firewall protections where lazy network administration has fallen short:

2.  The CIA has engaged in questionable, illegal, and inhumane practices.  Okay, ya got that?  Being honest with the American Public is necessary in getting trust back in the game of government:

3.  When one endures suffering, real suffering, the resulting behavior pushes the envelope.  In some cases, it may push through the envelope.  David Brooks offers up what might happen:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/08/opinion/brooks-what-suffering-does.html?emc=eta1

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****
Juan
 
The easy way to make money is to get special political privilege. From the beginning of time, business has cozied up to government and gotten restrictions on competition and subsidies and stuff.
--Charles Koch

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Something to Know - 6 April

Jack Ohman

1.  Much ado about the Subject of Flash Boys, by Michael Lewis, and the somewhat stinky high-frequency trading going on.   If you are like me, why spend money on a book that has Michael Lewis on every media channel hawking his work.  Anyway, until the Kindle price goes down, and it is more available at the library, why not just read an in-depth article like this one, and gain more insight for nothing:

2.  The industrial behemoth of China's economy is fraught with the careless and poisonous output of pollution.  Much of China's sustainable economy will be based on the health of its citizenry.  For the moment, that is not a pretty prospect:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/05/opinion/chinas-poisonous-waterways.html?emc=eta1

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****
Juan
 
There comes a time in the affairs of man when he must take the bull by the tail and face the situation.
--W. C. Fields

Friday, April 4, 2014

Something to Know - 4 April

E61f79809d8b01311ca2005056a9545d?width=750


1.  Paul Krugman takes to the front stage to stand up and point out that the ACA (Obamacare) has survived all the naysayers and it's okay to say that it is a moment of triumph.  That is a good thing:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/04/opinion/krugman-rube-goldberg-survives.html?emc=eta1

2.  This article from today's LA Times is revealing, to me at least, that the "Latino" late surge in signing up for the ACA opens up a door.    Many Hispanics are very slow to attach themselves to many things that require them to identify their place of residence, family size, relatives, etc.  Suspicion about anything that requires them to come out of the shadows is difficult to overcome.  Due to the diligence by many, this has thawed out in recent outreach efforts to explain and work to sign up.  The ACA is one way of getting more people to realize that the government is there to help them, not just the "others".   Perhaps this event will encourage more to get involved in being citizens and informed voters, ready to register, and participate:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-latino-obamacare-enrollment-20140404,0,1536311,print.story

3.  David Brooks pours out his view that the recent Supreme Court decision (McCutcheson vs. the FEC), is not all the doom and gloom we think it is.   I fail to see it that way.  I am particularly suspicious of outside money coming in to a local district (congressional or senate) to influence an election where the money spent on advertising trumps everything else.   Maybe time will tell, and maybe it is the upcoming mid-term battles that will decide for us:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/04/opinion/brooks-party-all-the-time.html?emc=eta1

4.  Following up on the above (#3) subject, the Koch influence ($$$$$) on the political landscape is being spotlighted by Harry Reid.  This is an excellent way to fight back, and yes, it is a classic case of "class warfare", but it is time to call it out for what it is:
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-democrats-koch-20140404,0,7153917,print.story

5. It is movie time.   This new release (today) is one that I want to see.  I've seen bits of clips and reviews.   Donald Rumsfeld is an enigma.  He has no conscience.  You decide, either from this article, or from the movie:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/movies/deciphering-donald-h-rumsfeld-in-the-unknown-known.html?emc=eta1

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****
Juan
 
Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.
-- H. L. Mencken

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Something to Know - 3 April




1.  Gail Collins, as expected, comes in with her opinion on the above cartoon's theme, and the Supremes:

2.  While we are absorbing the impact of the above material, the impact of the Supreme Court's decision will continue to erode our standing in the world as the 99% (the politically overpowered) in this country wilt in economic and social shame:
-- 


****
Juan
 
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
--Confucius

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Something to Know - 2 April

Tom Toles


1.  Paul Ryan is very close to the Tea Party zealots in thinking out loud, and panders to the far right in his latest GOP budget proposal.   However, as the handwriting is on now obvious, Obamacare (The ACA) is here to stay, and Ryan's running close to the line of the 1% may not bode well for upcoming political campaigns:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/opinion/mr-ryans-faith-based-budget.html?emc=eta1

2.  This morning's news that the Supreme Court has effectively taken off the lid on how much $$$ can be shoved into political candidate's coffers is not going to be good for those on the short end of a campaign funds.   So, my pitch is that the Democrats need to be wise in their spending and call out the GeeOpie for who they are and what they stand for - the rich and powerful who want to dismantle all that which is helping the middle class and the impoverished.  Yes, this is class warfare, and it should dominate the discussion:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/us/politics/supreme-court-ruling-on-campaign-contributions.html?emc=eta1
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****
Juan
(today's picture is of a beach on Bora Bora)
 
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
--Confucius

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Something to Know about the missing David Brooks link - 1 April



1.  If you missed the "60 Minutes" piece this last Sunday on the latest revealed scandal on Wall Street, you need to check this article.  Michael Lewis has the CV to write about it, and he shows you how the speed of computers can be juiced by the speed of the data feed that it gets.  That stream of juice is just fast enough to cheat the multitude of investors who have no clue that they are getting ripped off:

2.  This piece by David Brooks is good reading for those who are tasked with hiring people, and also for those who have the job of pouring over interviews of college applicants.   It seems that the gravitas of the unconventional trumps the bland cookie-cutter hopefuls:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/opinion/brooks-the-employers-creed.html?emc=eta1

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****
Juan
 
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
--Confucius

--

Something to Know - 1 April

(rather than a cartoon, I am attaching One of of about 100 sunset pictures I took recently in Polynesia.  It is one of my favorites)

1.  If you missed the "60 Minutes" piece this last Sunday on the latest revealed scandal on Wall Street, you need to check this article.  Michael Lewis has the CV to write about it, and he shows you how the speed of computers can be juiced by the speed of the data feed that it gets.  That stream of juice is just fast enough to cheat the multitude of investors who have no clue that they are getting ripped off:

2.  This piece by David Brooks is good reading for those who are tasked with hiring people, and also for those who have the job of pouring over interviews of college applicants.   It seems that the gravitas of the unconventional trumps the bland cookie-cutter hopefuls:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/magazine/flash-boys-michael-lewis.html?emc=eta1

--
****
Juan
 
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
--Confucius