Well, well . . . Lona was here earlier! But despite her presence, I did manage to get 3 loads of laundry finished. That's good so now I can go out in public without fear. Most of the day was reasonably nice weather wise, but this evening we had lightning, thunder and some rain. News had it that this little storm came in from Hawaii. Now that is quite a trip.
Fantasy Football —
| Points | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | W-L-T | Pct | Stk | Waiver | For | Against |
| 1 | 4-0-0 | 1.000 | W4 | 9 | 438.36 | 302.68 | |
| 2 | 3-1-0 | .750 | W1 | 8 | 398.90 | 331.08 | |
| 3+2 | 3-1-0 | .750 | W2 | 10 | 348.98 | 275.34 | |
| 4-1 | 2-2-0 | .500 | L1 | 7 | 334.16 | 331.26 | |
| 5+2 | 2-2-0 | .500 | W1 | 6 | 329.94 | 308.62 | |
| 6-2 | 2-2-0 | .500 | L1 | 5 | 381.82 | 404.42 | |
| 7+2 | 2-2-0 | .500 | W2 | 4 | 327.16 | 313.82 | |
| 8 | 1-3-0 | .250 | L3 | 3 | 351.34 | 486.68 | |
| 9-3 | 1-3-0 | .250 | L3 | 2 | 323.48 | 405.00 | |
| 10 | 0-4-0 | .000 | L4 | 1 | 333.54 | 408.78 | |
Well here we are, 4 weeks down. TC has a player with a bye week this coming session so I will try to fix that, but I don't know if I am able to.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:35 (average 5:00). To do it, click here. Do you know how difficult it was to do this puzzle while I was relaxing in the hammock? How did you do?
Common Dreams — America's Fortune 500 companies are "playing by different rules" when it comes to the federal tax system and, according to a new report out Tuesday, are stashing $2.1 trillion in offshore tax havens—with as much as $620 billion owed to the U.S. taxpayers who are left footing the bill.
The report, Offshore Shell Games 2015: The Use of Offshore Tax Havens by Fortune 500 Companies (pdf), examines the accounting tricks that have enabled the country's most profitable companies to hide their earnings.
"The American multinationals that take advantage of tax havens use our roads, benefit from our education system and large consumer market, and enjoy the security we have here, but are ultimately taking a free ride at the expense of other taxpayers." —Michelle Surka, US PIRG"U.S.-based multinational corporations are allowed to play by a different set of rules than small and domestic businesses or individuals when it comes to the tax code," wrote advocacy organizations Citizens for Tax Justice and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG), which together authored the study.
Read the rest of the article at Common Dreams and take a look at the report. If you don't want to read the entire report, the 3 page Executive Summary by itself should make your blood boil. Here is an excerpt:
Most of America’s largest corporations maintain subsidiaries in offshore tax havens. At least 358 companies, nearly 72 percent of the Fortune 500, operate subsidiaries in tax haven jurisdictions as of the end of 2014.
• All told, these 358 companies maintain at least 7,622 tax haven subsidiaries.
• The 30 companies with the most money officially booked offshore for tax purposes collectively operate 1,225 tax haven subsidiaries.
Approximately 60 percent of companies with tax haven subsidiaries have set up at least one in Bermuda or the Cayman Islands — two particularly notorious tax havens. Furthermore, the profits that all American multinationals — not just Fortune 500 companies — collectively claimed they earned in these two island nations in 2010 totaled 1,643 percent and 1,600 percent of each country’s entire yearly economic output, respectively. Fortune 500 companies are holding more than $2.1 trillion in accumulated profits offshore for tax purposes. Just 30 Fortune 500 companies account for 65 percent of these offshore profits. These 30 companies with the most money offshore have booked $1.4 trillion overseas for tax purposes. … If we apply that average tax rate of 6.0 percent to the entirety of Fortune 500 companies, they would collectively owe $620 billion in additional federal taxes. Some of the worst offenders include:
• Apple: Apple has booked $181.1 billion offshore …
• American Express: The credit card company officially reports $9.7 billion offshore for tax purposes …
• Nike: The sneaker giant officially holds $8.3 billion offshore for tax purposes …
Read on in the report. With so many large corporations forgoing their responsibilities as American corporate citizens, is it any wonder that average citizens are tired of such shenanigans? Add the tax perks on their declared American income, and you get a full scale ripoff of ordinary American tax payers.
Alternet — Doctors Without Borders says it is under “the clear presumption that a war crime has been committed” after a U.S.-led NATO coalition bombed its hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan.
The aid organization, referred to internationally in French as Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF), asserted that it “condemn[s] this attack, which constitutes a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law.”
The U.S. military’s version of the story behind the bombing is full of holes, and constantly changing. After launching airstrikes on Kunduz, which has recently seen an insurgency by the Taliban, on Saturday morning, NATO said its bombing “may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility.”
Read the rest of this story at Alternet. Official US response has rocked back and forth from "Oops, sorry." to "Who cares?" (my words based on reading). But one historical fact has come up . . . this has happened before some 45 years ago. From The Nation,
In direct testimony and in letters, the veterans said hospitals often were considered targets rather than areas to be avoided as required by the Geneva convention on warfare.…
Is this policy still? If so, then the US is apparently guilty of war crimes as MSF maintains.
Raw Story — Fox News host Bill O’Reilly dismissed the idea on Tuesday that children can be poor in the US during a discussion with contributor Kirsten Powers, Media Matters reported.
“If you look at the studies of poverty, most poor people in this country have computers, have big screen TVs, have cars, have air conditioning,” O’Reilly said. “This myth that there are kids who don’t have anything to eat is a total lie.”
If I were classifying this article, I'd put it under "humour". Bill O’Reilly is a jackass! Read the rest and see the video at Raw Story.
My Universe — The teacher was talking about Republicans . . .
23 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 07/10/2015”
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Common Dreams: Just as I don't get gas at Shell, nor do I shop at Walmart, I will protest those companies that do this, and there are many. It's outrageous, and dispicable. From the article, "To stop this flow, the study authors recommend that Congress "end incentives for companies to shift profits offshore, close the most egregious offshore loopholes, strengthen tax enforcement, and increase transparency." I agree!
AlterNet: The US was clearly in violation of the International Humanitarian Law. This is so tragic, and needs to be investigated as MSF states.
Raw Story: Bill is obnoxious, calling kids 'urchins', and is so demeaning. He should volunteer at a food pantry, or a school, go into a community to visit the poor, and less fortunate, and helping them/families. I can't stomach watching his show. Story here: The other day there was a lady at the gas station, and she put $.80 cents in her car. I saw the total, and kiddingly told her 'she wouldn't get far on that', and she said that's all the $ she had to fill the car up. I paid for her bill to fill it up. It's the little things in life to help others that is rewarding, (to me). Not being on TV and extolling oneself.
My Universe: Cute picture, I can think of several clowns that fill this bill.
Speaking of laundry…I need to do some. It's not my favorite task to do, but I'll work on it, little by little. If you talk to TC pass the love to him. I hope he's doing well. You are doing an awesome job, as is Nameless, Joanne, JL in keeping the posts/links going. Thanks for all you do. Have an awesome day, y'all.
After all that hard work of the two last threads you sure were entitled to on eof my catnaps. Lynn. Keep up the good work.
Common Dreams: The whole report is just too much to bear, the excerpt was more than enough to get my blood pressure far beyond acceptable levels. This criminal rip-off concerns you and me both, in fact all taxpayers, because these global corporations can pick and choose where to stash their money and every country has at least one or two of these global criminal organizations. If the report had included all companies I'd probably popped a vessel in the knowledge that all of them have been assured safe havens with TPP, TTIP and other such agreements.
Alternet: I hold the MSF organization and all those who work for it, risking their own lives to give people in poor or war-torn countries the medical aid they so desperately need, without ever taking sides, in the highest regard and this attack on their hospital in Kunduz has me livid. First America denied bombing it on purpose, calling the eradication of the hospital in a bombardment that lasted more than 30 minutes "collateral damage" or an accident, later they used the ploy that was worn out by Israel in Gaza against Hamas: "The Taliban was shooting from the hospital" (that is what our national news gave as America's excuse). It's clear from both the duration and the intensity that the American troupes knew what they were bombing and had orders to destroy that building. And to hell with the death of 13 staff members and 10 patients, three of whom were children and the at least 37 wounded. To hell with the fact that Kunduz now no longer has access to desperately needed medical care. To hell with a humanitarian organization that isn't American and to hell with all the rhetoric on "rebuilding" a nation. Yes, I think it's a war crime.
Raw story: I know, Faux News watchers are not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but even they must start to notice that Bill O'reilly is losing it. He's sounding more and more like Rush Limbaugh, ranting, out-shouting people, making up the most rediculous lies without any evidence to support it… Limbaugh is nearly completely off the air, it won't be long before O'reilly is shoved to the back of the closet too. Make that water closet.
My Universe: definitely a correct description of a Republican
4:50 But some relaxation you would have had if I hadn't spent all that time untangling and putting it up!
Common Dreams – Yes, read the list. It includes some you thought (or may have once thought) you could trust a little. One whose slogan is "Don't be evil," for instance. Of course the article puts its finger on the problem when it calls these "tax avoidance schemes." Tax evasion is illegal. Tax avoidance is legal – unethical, but legal. Many individuals also practice legal tax avoidance, and not just the wealthy.
Alternet – It is my personal belief that prior to 2001 most (not all) Americans did care about war crimes – not that none were committed, but we were as a nation capable of outrage at war crimes. After 2001, not so much. Did my perception change, or did Americans change, or maybe a little of both? I do note that during that war which was doing on 45 years ago, we tried Lt. Calley. During the wars started post-2001, we tried Chelsea Manning. Looks to me like the country's views have changed on what is acceptable.
Raw Story – If you put the story under humor, you would have to forget about the millions of people who agree with it. You, Lynn, are in Canada. I have to live with them. 'Fraid I'm not laughing.
Universe – You mean "Uranus Inspector"?
Joanne, I know what you say is true. I cannot tell you how many disagreements I have had with friends over waterboarding, Guantanomo, etc. Our country was founded on principals that rule out any of these things, but a lot of Americans are ok with it since 9/11.
Petition for justice for Doctors without Borders:
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/justice_for_dwb/?t=2&akid=15813.1923331.SeykvX
Credo petition signed.
Thanks Jim
Thanks, JL, I signed as soon as I saw it.
Thanks Lona
Thanks JL. Most definitely signed.
Thanks Lynn
Petition signed and shared on FAcebook.
Thanks Edie
3:36 You beat me by a thread.
Pretty sure the befuddled idiocy of O’Reilly is proof, yet again, that the reason you should NOT watch Faux News is the same reason you shouldn’t eat of a gas station toilet bowl.
Both are fowl, filthy and filled with vile vermin.
I couldn't have said it better. as my granny used to say "he is lower than a snakes belly"
3:41 — I was not even relaxing in the hammock and still could not beat Lynn. Grrrrrr!
We all have a vested interest in the outcome of investigations (there are several) into the bombing of the MSF (Doctors Without Borders) hospital in Kunduz. But no matter the outcome, it’s a very disturbing incident – and one that cannot be brushed aside with the mere labeling as “collateral damage”.
Besides the fact that it actually happened, I find it deeply disturbing that the military has changed their story at least four times in just four days.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/06/doctors-without-borders-airstrike-afghanistan-us-account-changes-again
The Geneva Conventions clearly make hospitals used as hospitals a protected entity. So to rise to the level of a “war crime” the attack would have to be intentional.
But even then there are additional considerations – e.g., if the Taliban were using the hospital as a cover to fire on coalition forces, it would be very difficult to prove it was a “war crime”.
That said, even if the Taliban WERE using it as cover, the military is still obligated to
[1] Warn civilians that the attack is imminent and
[2] Insure their military actions are “proportional” to the threat of the enemy (in this case, the Taliban)
Bottom line, it will be very difficult to prove that this was a “war crime” – which does nothing to mitigate the magnitude of this tragedy or assuage the sense of loss.
http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/10/06/446109292/was-kunduz-attack-a-war-crime-legal-analysts-say-its-difficult-to-prove
One blog that I read indicated that Afghan forces the US is training had raided this hospital earlier this year allegedly because they treated people needing medical care from an opposing group as is required by wartime law…
I heard on the radio that Obama had called someone from MSF (a doctor) to apologize and had offered assurances that the DOD investigation would be thorough and transparent…
I hope it is.
The MSF debacle is terrible. The fact that the military has changed their story so many times makes it suspicious that it was "accidental". They wouldn't be doin the CYA dance of it was so accidental. Covering your ass only comes in to play when you have done something wrong! And I can't see why they did it in the first place. And the second place, they could be guilty!
Common Dream: Yes, my blood is boiling. All we hear is that companies cannot afford to raise the minumum wage, healthcare is too expensive, pension plans are bankrupting them. Yeah, right. They are dodging taxes with the complicence of our Congress. Yet another reason for term limits for Senators and Representatives.
Alternet: Based on what I have read so far, this should classify as a war crime. Innocents were killed, and medical staff who give up their lives to help others. We will probably never know the truth.
Raw Story: I couldn't listen to the end of the video because I was getting ill. Bill O'Reilly has probably never had a real hardship in his life. I live in an area that has REAL poverty. Since the coal mines have shut down the biggest employers are the health systems and Wal Mart. There definitely are hungry children here, and parents who are working forty hours a week or more and still qualify for Food Stamps. Yes, there are some who abuse the system, but so do the wealthy. Refer back to the first article about the corporations who don't pay their taxes. Of course, Bill probably thinks that is ok. l know that my sister took money out of her own pocket to take food to homes of children in her class who only got to eat at school. She an I participate in food drives and clothing drives every year for these kids. He totally abused Kirsten Powers, and I hope she never goes back on his show. All he every says is horse puckey.
My Universe: Thanks for this very cute pic, and the laugh.