Tuesday, July 31, 2012

America Wants To See Your Tax Returns, Mitt Romney

Harry Reid, the Senate Majority leader reported today, a Bain Capital investor stated that Mitt Romney paid no taxes for ten years? Where are your tax returns Mitt Romney? Mitt Romney hasn't even released one full year of tax returns let alone the twelve years of complete tax returns that his father George Romney released. What is missing from George Romney's tax return? American citizens with foreign bank accounts must file a Report on Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, or "FBAR" in accountant slang. Mitt Romney has a Swiss Bank Account and must have filed his FBAR as part of his 2010 tax returns. He has not released the FBAR so his 2010 tax returns are incomplete, and he only released an "estimate" for his 2011 returns.

Mitt Romney also cites John McCain who only released two years of tax returns. Senator McCain also spent 5 1/2 years in a North Vietnamese POW camp, Americans were happily willing to give this veteran the benefit of the doubt. While senator McCain was sweating in a POW camp, Willard M. Romney was living in a mansion in France. Most Americans are not willing to give the man who spent 30 months in France during the height of the Vietnam War the benefit of the doubt. Release your tax returns, Mr. Romney.

8 Great Reasons To Vote For President Obama

Well, said. I agree with the author who has clear and legible writing!

Brown Bear Live Web Cam

I love watching the brown bears at Brooks Falls in Alaska's Katmai National Park fish for salmon. Today, there seems to be more salmon in the river, at least, more salmon are jumping the falls and the brown bears are eating more often than this weekend. Last night, I observed one of the brown bears stationed at the top of the falls catch a salmon in mid air. I cheered out loud.

There is an excellent guide to the brown bears that visit the falls, many of them are named; Snaggletooth, Popeye and One-toe showing their markings and life history. Watching these bears on live camera is a wonderful treat and its courtesy of Explore.org and the Annenberg Foundation. The live camera just started a few weeks ago.
Brooks Falls Brown Bear and Salmon Cam

Brown bears at Brooks Falls (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Monday, July 30, 2012

Mitt Romney Insults the Palestinians

Mitt Romney:

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, - JULY 29: US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney visits the Western Wall on July 29, 2012 in Jerusalem's old city, Israel. Mitt Romney visits Israel as part of a three-nation foreign tour which also includes visits to Poland and Great Britain. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

"As you come here and you see the GDP per capita, for instance, in Israel which is about $21,000 dollars, and compare that with the GDP per capita just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is more like $10,000 per capita, you notice such a dramatically stark difference in economic vitality,"
"And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things,"

Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas:

"It is a racist statement and this man doesn't realize that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation,"

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/07/in-israel-speech-romney-outrages-arabs-by-crediting-jewish-culture-providence-for-economy.html#storylink=cpy

Mitt Romney cites completely incorrect numbers for per capita income in Israel and Palestine:

Israel's per capita GDP was $31,000 in 2011
West Bank and Gaza per capita GDP of just over $1,500

Yes, the economic difference between Israel and Palestine is stark, but it has nothing to do with culture. Israel has a military occupation and blockade of the West Bank and Gaza where common materials like cement and even cilantro are forbidden entry into the occupied Palestinian lands. The US gives Israel about 3 billion annually, equal to about 500 dollars for every man, woman and child in Israel. Palestine does not receive direct aid from the US government.

Mitt Romney's social awkwardness and his lack of historical and geopolitical awareness make him an unlikely presidential candidate.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/07/in-israel-speech-romney-outrages-arabs-by-crediting-jewish-culture-providence-for-economy.html#storylink=cpy

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Watching Bears from Bed

I've been watching the Brooks Fall bear cam in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. Tonight, about 11pm, 5 to 7 brown bears have been on camera at once hunting their slippery silver prey. But, only have observed ~~one~~ two successful catches.

Brook Falls bear cam

Credit: Screen Capture

via WEIT

Friday, July 27, 2012

Romney Shambles In Great Britain

Mitt Romney capitalized on our shared "Anglo-Saxon heritage" with the Brits by punching all the wrong buttons in London. Our good-natured friends were not amused and labelled him: "Mitt the twit" . This compilation of Romney's visit to the 2012 games in London is brought to you by the Democratic National Committee.

Happy Friday

credit: NASA

NASA hopes to land the new mars rover, Curiosity on Aug. 5, shown here with its much smaller sibling Opportunity. In 2004 NASA successfully landed two solar powered mars rovers, one of which Opportunity is still roving and sending back pictures 8 years later.

Watch Live - Aug. 5, 10:31 p.m. PDT
› NASA TV › Ustream With Commentary › Ustream HD

NASA's Curiosity Page

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Mitt Romney's Reception In Britain

Mitt Romney began his overseas tour with a stop in London, which was overshadowed by one of his advisers comments that the White House doesn't appreciate our shared "Anglo-Saxon" heritage.

How has Mitt Romney the master of understanding our "Anglo-Saxon" shared heritage been received in Great Britain?

The Daily Telegraph:

Commentary: if Mitt Romney doesn’t like us, we shouldn’t care

"Mitt Romney is perhaps the only politician who could start a trip that was supposed to be a charm offensive by being utterly devoid of charm and mildly offensive."

Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, 2008 US presidential candidate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mitt Romney's Olympics gaffe overshadows visit to London

Mitt Romney questions whether Britain is ready for Olympic Games

Science Policy Humor Anyone?

The 2012 UCS Editorial Cartoon Contest vote for the best here

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Caterpillar Waging Class Warfare

The New York Times covered the story of Caterpillar, with record profits, bonuses to all executives including an 11 million dollar bonus for their CEO is in the midst of a 12 week union strike. Why are the 800 production workers striking?

Caterpillar is demanding a 6 year wage freeze, doubling the cost of health care premiums to workers and cuts to workers pensions.

Last year, Caterpillar made 4.6 billion in profit and is on track to break that record this year, making 1.5 billion in the first quarter. But, instead of sharing the profits with workers, they want to punish workers with a huge effective pay cut. America will not prosper when the benefits of hard work are shared by a few instead of a majority of citizens. Where is "we the people" when the corporation makes billions but demands its employees to cut their wages. This is class warfare and Caterpillar has been waging it for 3 months against 800 middle class Americans.

Joseph McCartin, associate professor of history and director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor at Georgetown University:

If Caterpillar is able to put into effect its decision to lower the standards of its workers despite the company's profitability, it would mark the onset of a new and dangerous era in American labor relations. In past years, when Caterpillar and other corporations sought to lower the living standards of their workers, cited a lack of corporate profits. Now, it no longer matters whether companies are doing well or not. In good times and in bad their message is the same: they want to cut workers' benefits and income in order to increase profits. This is a dangerous and ultimately unsustainable course for this nation. All workers thus have an interest in fighting this move.

Earlier Wednesday, Caterpillar (CAT ) raised its 2012 earnings forecast to $9.60 per share from a previous forecast of $9.50. That would be a record year for the industrial giant. Analysts were expecting a profit of $9.54 per share for 2012

Chairman and Chief Executive Douglas Oberhelman's total compensation jumped 60% in 2011 to $16.9 million, the company said in a securities filing Wednesday.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Sally Ride (May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012)

credit: NASA

Sally Ride shattered the glass ceiling when in June of 1983 she climbed aboard the Challenger Space Shuttle and blasted off into space becoming the first American woman in space. Ms. Ride was a physicist, a NASA astronaut, author, teacher and an inspiration to thousands of young girls, women and men. Ms. Ride also valued privacy in her personal life.

Great New Positive Obama Ad

This is my favorite Obama ad of the season, its positive and informative. The choice between President Obama's and W. Mitt Romney's policies is clearly represented.

Romney Vs Obama on Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy:

President Obama got the US out of Iraq and killed Bin Laden while crushing al-Qaeda. He signed the new START treaty that cut the number of Russian and American nuclear missile launchers in half, mobilized an international coalition to protect Libyan pro-democracy rebels, supported the pro-democracy movement in Egypt, isolated and helped create strong sanctions against Iran and repealed don't ask, don't tell.

W. Mitt Romney has a superb mastery of tax laws in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda.and Switzerland and is adept at converting the French to Mormonism.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Washington State August 2012 Primary and Special Election

We live in the first congressional district and have 3 outstanding democrats to pick as our Representative in congress, assuming they can beat republican John Koster. Two years, I ago worked for the Suzan DelBene Campaign, I found Suzan to be sincere, honest and a tireless campaigner. I'm biased but will solidly support the democratic candidate selected by the majority of voters.

Since the SCOTUS Citizens United decision we have all become painfully aware of the power of supreme court justices. Both Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and NARAL Pro-Choice Washington have endorsed Justice Steven Gonzalez for position number 8 on Washington's Supreme Court. This election will be decided in the primary so remember to mark Steven Gonzalez. He was appointed to the court by the Governor last fall and is the first Latino to serve on our states highest court.

Justice Steven Gonzalez

Few of us, have personal knowledge of the candidates on voter ballots. We rely on friends, newspapers or trusted voters guides. One of the best in my opinion is the Progressive Voters Guide, compiled by many fine progressive groups, especially Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and NARAL Pro-choice Washington. You can bet money that any candidate endorsed by these groups won't be trotting out legislation to ban contraception, abortion or free cancer screenings and they won't vote against equal pay for equal work bills, (We are looking at you Rep. Dave Reichert R.).

The Progressive Voters Guide is a project of the following groups, who have partnered together and combined their endorsements in this guide: American Federation of Teachers - Washington, Cascade Bicycle Club, Children's Campaign Fund, Equal Rights Washington, Latino PAC, League of Education Voters, M.L. King County Labor Council, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, National Women's Political Caucus of Washington, OneAmerica Votes, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest, Progressive Majority, SEIU, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, SEIU Healthcare 775NW, SEIU Local 925, SEIU State Council, Sierra Club, UFCW 21, Washington Bus, Washington CAN!, Washington Conservation Voters, Washington State Council of Firefighters, Washington State National Organization for Women PAC, and Fuse

The Progressive Voters Guide

Fossil Fuel Industry Rules

Bill McKibben

Bill McKibben by Nancie Battaglia, High Res (Photo credit: 350.org)

"Global Warmings Terrifying New Math"
If the pictures of those towering wildfires in Colorado haven't convinced you, or the size of your AC bill this summer, here are some hard numbers about climate change: June broke or tied 3,215 high-temperature records across the United States. That followed the warmest May on record for the Northern Hemisphere – the 327th consecutive month in which the temperature of the entire globe exceeded the 20th-century average, the odds of which occurring by simple chance were 3.7 x 10-99, a number considerably larger than the number of stars in the universe.

"Global Warmings Terrifying New Math" the full article at Rolling Stone

Earlier this month, scientists, engineers, researchers and physicists announced the discovery of the Higgs bosun at CERN. Physics has a 5 sigma standard proof. This means there is only a 0.0001% chance that they are incorrect. If you flip a coin and it comes up heads, 14 times in a row, most people would examine the coin to see if it was rigged. But, it happens the odds are 1 in 8,192. That is a 3.8 sigma anomaly.

Some people have argued about the accuracies of Bill's statistics.

Almost every climate scientist that isn't on the fossil fuel industry's payroll agrees that we are experiencing global climate change, most likely due to high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. They could all be wrong, but the probability is very remote. If the science is correct and high levels of CO2 is causing global change, the costs in human life, treasury and quality of life for this planet would be incalculable. Green energy, its free, renewable and has a zero chance of negatively impacting the global environment, however, it does have a 100% chance of negatively impacting the profits of the fossil fuel industry. The richest, most profitable corporations the planet has ever seen will do everything in their power to maintain those profits. For the most part, the pacs, politicians, advertising campaigns and fake think tanks have done their job very well.

The big fossil corporations are betting on the planets' future. Heads the fossil fuel industry wins and tails the fossil fuel industry wins.

However, if you flip a coin and it lands in a sand dune where grasslands use to thrive, we've all lost.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Consumers, Let's Not Help Fund Right Wing Attack Ads


ThinkProgress

These corporations or their leaders are donating money to Romney's super pac and/or Karl Rove's American Crossraods to run attack ads to smear progressives, liberals and democrats. The Koch brothers own Dixie, Brawny and Angel Soft, it's easy to boycott these products. Not that this will hurt the Koch brothers who own many petrochemical corporations but its better than doing nothing while corporations try to buy our democracy. We can refuse to buy their products if their trying to buy our government. Its now time to queue up my favorite political ad of the year.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Can You Judge Rob McKenna By His Company?

Yesterday, Virginia Governor "Transvaginal Probe" McDonnell hosted a fundraiser for Rob McKenna in Virginia. Governor McDonnell achieved nationwide notoriety for signing a bill mandating unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds which women had to pay for in order to have an abortion.

Governor Bobby Jindal has endorsed Rob McKenna for Governor of Washington and has also attended fund raisers for Rob McKenna in Spokane. Governor Jindal's state of Louisiana, is the 49th worse state for children, where more than 1 in 4 children live in poverty. In 2008 Governor Jindal signed the Louisiana Science Education Act which allows school boards to teach creationism instead of evolution in Louisiana public schools. Naral Pro-Choice rated Gov. Jindal's State as the worst state in the nation for women's reproductive rights.

Can we judge what kind of Governor Rob McKenna aspires to be, by the company he keeps?

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Happy Friday

The Mars Rover, Opportunity took this stitched (817 single exposures) panoramic image of the 14 mile wide Endeavor crater while sitting out the long 4 month martian winter. This little Rover is now in its ninth year of operation in the harsh conditions of Mars. Although, the red planet is devoid of living greenery it has been successfully explored solely with Green Technology. Would you like to go 9 years without filling up your gas tank?
Medium Image (236 kB)
Large (124 MB)

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Not Responsible?

Willard Mitt Romney has attempted to divert attacks from his history at Bain Capital by saying he left the company in 1999 and isn't responsible for the worst of the layoffs, outsourcing and bankruptcies. SEC documents show that Mr. Romney was CEO, sole share holder and chairman as late as 2002. In addition, Mr. Romney from 1999-2002 received an undisclosed salary of at least 100,000 dollars a year. Willard Mitt Romney wants us to believe that the CEO, Chairman and sole shareholder of a company who is continuing to receive an annual salary of at least 100,000 dollars is not responsible for the actions of his company?

At Bain Capital Mitt Romney claims credit for "100,000" jobs created mostly, after he "left" Bain in 1999 but the bankruptcies, outsourcing and layoffs were not his responsibility.
As Governor of Massachusetts Romney also wasn't responsible for being 47th in job growth in the nation. Willard M. Romney is not responsible in any way for ObamaCare even though he passed a nearly identical healthcare bill in Massachusetts. Mr. Romney also isn't responsible for the "evolution" of his positions on a women's right to choose, ObamaCare, no tax increase pledge, global warming, immigration and More.
As President of the US what would Mitt Romney be responsible for, besides lowering his already shamefully low 13.9% tax rate?

Monday, July 16, 2012

Vacation

T-Rex at the California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Fransico

My wife and I are returning home after a great visit with our son in San Francisco. It's been 8 years since I've gone on a road trip and its been fun. Last week on our way down to San Francisco we attended a play at the outdoor Shakespeare Theater in Ashland, Oregon. We saw "As You Like It", and we liked it immensely. The costumes were exceedingly well done, the stage was simplicity itself, yet more than adequately set the mood. The actors and actresses were skilled and had good rapport with the audience. For a Tuesday night we were surprised to see only a few empty seats, it was warm at the theater, temperature was 97 degrees earlier in the day, but the theater was comfortable. I'll update our trip in a couple of days, when we get home. Posting for the last few days have been very sparse, my apologies.

Willard Romney Croons "God Bless America"?

This is the one of the best Obama Campaign Ads this season featuring W. Mitt Romney soloing God Bless America while his job outsourcing record plays on screen.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Happy Friday

Credit: NASA/ESA Hubble

Cartwheel Galaxy amid 2 other galaxies.
NASA:

Lying about 500 million light-years away in the constellation of Sculptor, the cartwheel shape of this galaxy is the result of a violent galactic collision. A smaller galaxy has passed right through a large disc galaxy and produced shock waves that swept up gas and dust — much like the ripples produced when a stone is dropped into a lake — and sparked regions of intense star formation (appearing blue). The outermost ring of the galaxy, which is 1.5 times the size of our Milky Way, marks the shock wave’s leading edge. This object is one of the most dramatic examples of the small class of ring galaxies

Wallpapers and full description here

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Google Promotes Acceptance Of LGBT Community

Google's Legalize Love campaign

A Google spokesman tells the Washington Post that the campaign is not specifically targeted at marriage equality laws: “‘Legalize Love’ is a campaign to promote safer conditions for gay and lesbian people inside and outside the office in countries with anti-gay laws on the books,’ said a Google spokesperson in a statement.”

Though our business and employees are located in offices around the world, our policies on non-discrimination are universal throughout Google. We are proud to be recognised as a leader in LGBT inclusion efforts, but there is still a long way to go to achieve full equality. Legalise Love is our call to decriminalise homosexuality and eliminate homophobia around the world.

At Google, we encourage people to bring their whole selves to work. In all of our 60 offices around the world, we are committed to cultivating a work environment where Googlers can be themselves and thrive. We also want our employees to have the same inclusive experience outside of the office, as they do at work, and for LGBT communities to be safe and to be accepted wherever they are.

I've had issues with Google on occasion, but completely support their campaign to support LGBT rights. The AFA is threatening to boycott Google as a result of their "Legalize Love" campaign. Who cares!

Monday, July 9, 2012

I Vote Nation

Ivotenation
The only way to stop the republican assault on women's reproductive health is to vote republicans out of office and you can't vote unless you register. Note: in some states republicans have put up obstacles (driver's license, photo ID) to voting, don't let republican obstruction keep you from the polls.

Prominent Romney Donor:

"I just don't think the common person is getting it...I just think if you're lower income -- One, you're not as educated, two, they don't understand how it works."

Please register to Vote, your vote COUNTS!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Lame Cain

Chris Rock:

“Happy white peoples independence day the slaves weren’t free but I’m sure they enjoyed fireworks.”

Conservatives were unhappy that Mr. Rock seemed to suggest that slaves were not free when our country declared it's independence in 1776. Mr. Rock is entirely correct, the emancipation proclamation was issued in 1863, which began the process of freeing the slaves. By 1865 most of the slaves were free in the south. Ninety years, 4 generations of slaves lived and died in the time from our nations birth to freedom for all Americans.
Herman Cain:

"I think it was Chris Rock who made fun of the fact, ‘Well, it might be Independence Day, but the slaves weren’t free then.’ Look at it this way, if America had not become independent, slaves might still be slaves.”

Herman Cain may know about pizza but his grasp of history is terrible. In 1807 Britain outlawed the slave trade in the entire British empire. Britain outlawed slavery itself including in most of its colonies in 1833. If the US hadn't declared Independence from Britain, American slaves would have been freed 30 years earlier. Mexico, Cuba, France, Argentina, Bolivia and many others all abolished slavery before the US did. Early US history was brutally cruel for slaves and Native Americans, lets not whitewash our past.

What's a Trope?

What is a trope?
A trope is a common pattern in a story or a recognizable attribute in a character that conveys information to the audience.

Anita Sarkeesian has started a video project examining the 5 most common female stereotypes in video games:

Damsel in Distress - Video #1
The Fighting F#@k Toy - Video #2
The Sexy Sidekick - Video #3
The Sexy Villainess - Video #4
Background Decoration - Video #5

Apparently, some trolls have taken offense that their "toys" will be subject to a video review and have mounted an online harassment campaign against Ms. Sarkeesian and her video project: Tropes Vs. Women.
Knock it off, guys. Women make 77 cents for every dollar men make, republicans across the country are attempting to restrict women's access to contraceptives, family planning, cancer screenings and abortion, Rush Limbaugh is calling women who use contraceptives "sluts", republicans significantly weakened the violence against women act and the economy is tough for everyone, so lets not criticize women who lodge exceedingly valid complaints about societies portrayal of women in video games, movies and TV. We can't fix a problem, if you can't see it.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Offshore Accounts, Anyone?

"Where the Money Lives" By Nicholas Shaxson (Vanity Fair)

Assets offshore raise Romney wealth questions By STEPHEN BRAUN (AP)

Happy Friday

Credit: NASA, ESA

The Setting of the Sun Over the Pacific Ocean and a Towering Thundercloud, July 21, 2003 As Seen From the International Space Station (Expedition 7); Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. "Astronaut Photography of Earth - Display Record."

Wallpapers here

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Would Mitt Romney Buy US War Bonds?


Credit: US Treasury Dept and the George C. Marshall Foundation

With the recent disclosures of Mitt Romney's offshore accounts in Bermuda, The Cayman Islands, Luxembourg and Switzerland, I was reminded of US War Bonds. During the second World War, millions of Americans purchased war bonds paying an interest less than most other investments available at the time. American's purchased war bonds, in $25, $50 and $100 denominations to help the United States in its war effort. Mitt Romney says he hasn't received a financial benefit from these off-shore accounts, maybe, but I'm positive America hasn't.

Credit: US Treasury Dept and the George C. Marshall Foundation

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Ladybug appetizers

Credit: Linda Sarbiewski

Every 4th of July our friends Mark and Lanelle have a Jimmy Buffet party. Lanelle's niece; Alexandria, made these beautiful hors d'oeuvres. Simple to make with simply stunning eye appeal. Thinly sliced baguette, parsley, cream cheese (eyes), halved cherry tomatoes, black olives (for head and spots).

Higgs Found

Cern press release

Both experiments observe a new particle in the mass region around 125-126 GeV.
“We observe in our data clear signs of a new particle, at the level of 5 sigma, in the mass region around 126 GeV. The outstanding performance of the LHC and ATLAS and the huge efforts of many people have brought us to this exciting stage,” said ATLAS experiment spokesperson Fabiola Gianotti, “but a little more time is needed to prepare these results for publication.”
"The results are preliminary but the 5 sigma signal at around 125 GeV we’re seeing is dramatic. This is indeed a new particle. We know it must be a boson and it’s the heaviest boson ever found,”

I watched the live webcast of the CERN update seminar. Peter Higgs was sitting there and was noticeably moved when Fabiola Gianotti announced the final results from the Atlas detector. The largest machine in the world, operated by over 3,000 scientists and engineers with collaborators all over the world. This was a global project. Go Physics!!

Peter Higgs (* 1929) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Happy Independence Day

full size here

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Bill O'Reilly On Bill O'Reilly

Bill O'Reilly promised he'd apologize and call himself "an Idiot" if the Afffordable Care Act was declared constitutional by the supreme court. He did apologize on his show Monday, and came close to calling himself an idiot; "I May Be An Idiot". Of course, I didn't watch O'Reilly's show on FOX, MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnel had an amusing segment on his show Tuesday night. For once, I don't disagree with Mr. O'Reilly's opinion.

Walmart: We Don't Shop There

Today, Walmart is 50. We haven't shopped at Walmart for 10 years, not since we found out they didn't provide health insurance for their employees. I understand that now they provide some kind of insurance for full time employees, but for a wealthy healthy company to deprive their employees of good healthcare is unforgiveable in my opinion. Americans making minimum wage, just scraping by will go wherever they can to meet their needs on meager resources, but if you have a choice do you really want to do business with a company that treats their employees so poorly? See that tiny dot on the poster? Compare that so very tiny dot which is a years salary for a walmart employee to the much larger circle( the entire circle is too big to display in its entirety) which is the average yearly income for just one Walmart heir.

Tax Breaks For Outsourcing Jobs?

This is latest Obama ad contrasting Bain Capital's outsourcing of US jobs versus Obama saving the automobile industry in the US. Do we want a president that offers tax breaks to companies moving jobs offshore, or a president that offers tax breaks for companies moving jobs back to the US?

America Is Not The Greatest Country Anymore

*This video contains F***ing graphic language*

This is a great, must hear, 3 minute speech from the new HBO series: "The Newsroom". My wife and I liked the first episode so much we watched it again, the next hour. We were puzzled by many of the negative reviews of this fascinating and fast paced show. Perhaps, the answer lies in "The Newsroom" series negative view of journalism in America today, and many of the reviews were written by journalists. Unlike the loud chestbeaters, waving the American flag all the facts in Jeff Daniels speech are correct. There is some confusion as to infant mortality rates, Mr. Daniels speech quotes a CIA factbook, better data from WHO in 2011 places the US 41st in infant mortality. Afghanistan 1 death in 19 births before 1 month birthday, US 1 in 233, Cuba 1 in 345, France 1 in 455, Japan 1 in 909. We spend twice as much on Health Care as any other industrialized nation, and still leave 30 million people without insurance.

HBO's full first episode of the Newsroom,
uploaded to YouTube by HBO

Richard Dawkins on Science and Religion

Richard Dawkins adroitly answers some formidable questions on Al Jazeera; What should be the relationship between science and religion? Should children be taught atheism? Does income inequality, lack of health care and poverty contribute to strong religiosity in a society?

via WEIT

Monday, July 2, 2012

ObamaCare Is NOT The Largest Tax Increase In History

credit: The Incidental Economist

Super Pacs funded by billionaires and corporations domestic and most likely foreign have been running ads declaring ObamaCare as the biggest tax cut in history. That's not even close to being true. It's less than President' Clinton's 1993 tax increase, that was heralded as a job killing tax but had the opposite effect. Republican politicians, Fox news and millions of dollars of TV ads will pound this falsehood into Americans brains. Will it work? Most likely, many Americans believed all that nonsense about imaginary death panels, WMD's in Iraq and Fox news is fair and balanced.

Credit: Kevin Drum, Mother Jones

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

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"Mitt Romney is perhaps the only politician who could start a trip that was supposed to be a charm offensive by being utterly devoid of charm and mildly offensive." Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, 2008 US presidential candidate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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"Mitt Romney is perhaps the only politician who could start a trip that was supposed to be a charm offensive by being utterly devoid of charm and mildly offensive."

Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, 2008 US presidential candidate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)