Now that I’ve finished my personal taxes, I get to do the same for my volunteer group, which involves far less money, but far more paperwork. I should have done al this a month ago, but took sick right before receiving the reporting forms. Therefore, today’s articles involve minimal research.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:34 (average 6:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: The two major political parties’ unconscionable waste of money officially commences this weekend, as Democrats and Republicans will soon begin spending an estimated five billion dollars of their corporate puppet masters’ assets in an unquenchable pursuit of power.
The billions, which could be spent rebuilding the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, improving schools, or reducing the scourge of malaria in Africa, will instead be squandered in a heinous free-for-all of slander and personal destruction, alienating voters as never before.
The media will inevitably focus on the personalities of the bloated roster of narcissists lusting after the White House, but scant attention will be paid to the Wall Street bankers, industrial polluters, and casino magnates whose grip on American democracy will remain vise-like…
Andy forgot the satire. Everything here is factual.
From Daily Kos: A recurrent fear heard by the Christian right is if gay people are widely accepted, those who disapprove of homosexuality will be shunned and treated just like racists!
See talking point #4 copied directly from National Organization for Marriage:
“If courts rule that same-sex marriage is a civil right, then, people like you and me who believe children need moms and dads will be treated like bigots and racists.”
This classic is over two years old, but it turned out to be quite correct. Those who hate gays and those who hate blacks are treated exactly alike. They are embraced and supported by the Republican Party.
From Upworthy: Is your community thinking about opening its doors to fracking? Check out this video for some images that might make that decision crystal clear.
This says what needs saying!
Cartoon:
21 Responses to “Open Thread–4/13/2015”
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5:40 average still 6:48. Some of those look more like date or fig marmalade than orange. Or, as knitters say, a different dye lot.
New Yorker – You're right. Straight reporting. Sigh.
DKos – Yes, oddly enough, that is correct. But if bigots don't want to be treated like bigots – all they have to do is stop acting and sounging bigoted. Change of heart is not necessary as long as they can act well enough. I have no sympathy for them. None
Upworthy – Definitely needed to counter some of the pro-fracking advertising that is introducing ahort videos. As studious;y as I try to avoind them, I soeyimes am stuck because I really need to see the video. But my blood pressure does go up.
Cartoon – "Outreach." Good one.
And, of course, a P.S. Now, I realize this isn't saying a whole lot. But it is a small crumb – at least it is something:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/hillarys-better-on-iran-d_b_7056492.html
I figured that would be the case.
Hang loose vs. hang noose?
I am horrified at the illegal fracking activity in CA and that my taxes are paying people who didn't and won't do their job related to it.
Bigotry is the same no matter the type of target, so why should treatment differ?
If people, including corporate persons, have that much money to give to campaigns, they should be paying more in taxes.
I am so sorry that you have other taxes to do, I spent today doing mine and Mother's and I am brain dead. Once again, she paid more taxes percentage wise than Mitt Romney.
The New Yorker: I agree with your summary. It is immoral to spend so much money to get elected when that same money could be used to make lives better.
Daily Kos: Hopefully, this bigotry will fail as the others have. although there will always be bigots amongst us. I left a comment on the FB page of the Pizza place in Ohio, thanking them for their good work. We need more people to stand up and be counted.
Upworthy: We don't have any fracking locally, but I shared this anyway, people need to know.
Cartoon: That sums it up very well.
That is absolutely disgusting!
3:31 If only that were honey . . . pure Canadian unpasteurised honey! Yummmmmmmmmmmm!!!!! . . . on ancient grains toast!!!!!
4:06 These looked like Smucker's jars to me so I didn't want them because "If it's Smucker's, it's got to be GMO".
3:54 The label says Made in Ireland, but I still don't like marmalade.
Phew! I can't stand marmalade!!
Puzzle — 3:31 If only that were honey . . . pure Canadian unpasteurised honey! Yummmmmmmmmmmm!!!!! . . . on ancient grains toast!!!!!
The New Yorker — Let the feeding frenzy of the political sharks begin! Andy`s doing straight reporting again!
Daily Kos — Sometimes, the truth hurts! . . . hopefully it hurts only the right people . . . the racists and bigots!
There are no two ways about it, children need loving parents! It sounds like these clowns hate single parents too.
Upworthy — "We don`t have to sacrifice people on the way to our goals." There are some answers out there like solar and wind power which would significantly, maybe even completely, reduce the toxins in the air. But the oil and gas industry wants to continue the way it is going, polluting and killing. We must demand and make happen . . . people before profits!
Cartoon — The noose should be around the elephant`s neck!
That would take a BIG noose!
Tax time ~ When I worked for the IRS it was a mad house this week. The only good thing about it was that time at work went so quickly.
New Yorker ~ Andy forgets the satire frequently. He is echoing Bernie Sanders about using all that money to rebuild our infrastructure. Did you know that if all the Big Pharma Companies paid thier fair share of taxes we would have enough money to fix every bridge in the USA that needed fixing?
Daily Kos ~ When will the bigots and racists look in the mirror and see their evil reflected? My nephew and his partner were married yesterday in Colorado. Congratulations to the happy Grooms!
Upworthy ~ No fracking in NY. Hooray!!!
Cartoon ~ Rich Santorum is a closet member of the KKK in my opinion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgrhJSAaYIc
Are you suggesting that others (than Mr Froth) aren't also KKK?
TUESDAY 4/14/2015
FOR YOU LUCKY DUCKIES WHO HAVE A BEN & JERRYS CLOSE BY (WHICH ISN'T ALL THAT MANY) …
TODAY IS FREE CONE DAY!
http://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops/free-cone-day
Tempting, bit over a mile to walk, and I have some in my freezer.
TY TC – N Yorker – again Andy being literal – what a heinous waste of money which could be spent to help people not make fat cats (apologies to all felines TC) fatter!
Good and horrifying video on fracking – it pollutes the air, it pollutes the water, it gets pumped into the bedrock and will pollute and cause disease for thousands of years – God help us all. May everyone who sees this tell others till this goes viral – those poor souls trapped by this filth being dumped near them in 'tanks' and breathing the filth in the air…..
excellent video, BUT. This is America. and money speaks the Loudest.
Very sad moment when Hillary announced. on local news, women stating How exiting that America will have the first woman president in the Whole World!!!. ( tThatcher,Merkel etc will be suprised. !).but worse . what an indictement,not only to the ignorance of many,But also .What happened to education in this country?. No wonder Europe looks down its collective nose at the USA!.
Never underestimate the ignorance of US voters.
Thanks and hugs to all!
Andy was so spot on! They are all too rich for the country’s own good. The blasphemous amount of money blown in the bi-yearly contests are getting out-friggin-rageous!
The rest of it is telling me what I already knew! The religious right had made a laughing stock of our country all over the world!