Friday, February 28, 2014

This Week In Crazy: 'Bow The Knee To The God Of Gayness,' And The Rest Of The Worst Of The Right - The National Memo

This Week In Crazy: 'Bow The Knee To The God Of Gayness,' And The Rest Of The Worst Of The Right - The National Memo



A bit of fun brought to you from damp, cold, dark, sodden Southern Califonia. I do NOT miss weather and wish this little bit of it would go away :)

To Defeat GOP's Restrictive Voting Laws, Debunk 'Voter Fraud' - The National Memo

To Defeat GOP's Restrictive Voting Laws, Debunk 'Voter Fraud' - The National Memo



Bill Clinton is joining the campaign against voter restrictions. Here's how the Explainer-in-Chief should begin.

How Ohio Pulled $4 Billion+ from Communities and Redistributed It Upwards

How Ohio Pulled $4 Billion+ from Communities and Redistributed It Upwards



Monday night Ohio Governor John Kasich delivered his state of the state speech.

photo State-of-the-State-Ohio-Kasich_




 He cribbed the biblical Reagan "city on a hill metaphor" to describe Ohio: 



All of these things have helped Ohio move up to higher, more solid ground, and, if you look, the clouds are moving apart and the sun is beginning to shine, and we can get a glimpse of the summit ahead. We’ve got much further to go, but the success we’ve had gives us the confidence to climb higher. We’re not hopeless, we’re hopeful. We’re not wandering, we have direction. Let’s keep going. 


As an Ohioan, I'd like to tell a different story.

Harry Reid doubles down on Koch criticism

Harry Reid doubles down on Koch criticism



Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had a few things to say about the Koch brothers and the false campaign ads they're running around the country in Senate races. After some more thought, Reid decided he had a lot more to say: 



"What is going on with these two brothers who made billions of dollars last year in an attempt to buy our democracy is [dis]honest, deceptive, false and unfair. Just because you have huge amounts of money you should not be able to run these false, misleading ads by the hundreds of millions of dollars. They hide behind all kinds of entities," Reid said. "It's not just their front organization, Americans For Prosperity. But they give money to all kinds of organizations, lots of money. You see, when you make billions of dollars a year you can be as immoral and dishonest as your money will allow you to be. It's too bad that they're trying to buy America and it's time that the American people spoke out against this terrible dishonesty of these two brothers, who are about as un-American as anyone that I can imagine."

The conservative tent (officially) gets smaller

The conservative tent (officially) gets smaller



There is no smaller tent in America than the one pitched by the conservative "movement" at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) each year. And it keeps getting smaller. 



Yesterday, CPAC organizers announced that they had changed their mind about inviting American Atheists to set up a booth at this year's conference, which will be held March 6-8 at National Harbor. The group's president said he was "really disappointed, but ... not at all surprised" by the reverse of their fortunes. "We were going to CPAC specifically to combat the notion that one must be Christian in order to be conservative. We wanted to bring that to the forefront." 


Yes, but the Family Something Somethings of the conference had one of their hissy fits, the same kind that led to GOProud being similarly booted from the conference lest the conservative movement be seen catching the gay, and so the nice conservative atheists learned that no, you cannot in fact be a non-Christian conservative. It's not allowed...

California Police Arrested for Illegally Selling Impounded Cars of Poor Latino Immigrants | Alternet

California Police Arrested for Illegally Selling Impounded Cars of Poor Latino Immigrants | Alternet



Locals of a California farming town called King City have been shaken by the news that the acting police chief and more than a handful of officers have been charged with corruption crimes including selling impounded cars of poor Latino people, Yahoo News reported.

Under Overwhelming Pressure Jan Brewer Does the Right Thing Vetoing Anti-Gay Bill in AZ | Alternet

Under Overwhelming Pressure Jan Brewer Does the Right Thing Vetoing Anti-Gay Bill in AZ | Alternet



After a week of national backlash, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) has vetoed SB 1062, which would have allowed religious beliefs to be used to justify discrimination against LGBT people and others. Explaining her veto, Brewer said, “I call them like I see them despite the cheers or boos from the crowd.” She added that the bill does not address a specific concern and that she knows of no examples of how religious liberty has been under attack.

OUTRAGEOUS: Church Blames Mother for Pedophile Priest Molesting Her Two Sons | Alternet

OUTRAGEOUS: Church Blames Mother for Pedophile Priest Molesting Her Two Sons | Alternet



Talk about a major abdication of responsibility. A Minnesota mother says that Catholic Church officials are blaming her for the sexual abuse her sons endured at the hands of their priest, Raw Story reported.

OUTRAGEOUS: Church Blames Mother for Pedophile Priest Molesting Her Two Sons | Alternet

OUTRAGEOUS: Church Blames Mother for Pedophile Priest Molesting Her Two Sons | Alternet



Talk about a major abdication of responsibility. A Minnesota mother says that Catholic Church officials are blaming her for the sexual abuse her sons endured at the hands of their priest, Raw Story reported.

6 Truly Unhinged Right-Wing Reactions to Jan Brewer's Veto of AZ's Anti-Gay Bill | Alternet

6 Truly Unhinged Right-Wing Reactions to Jan Brewer's Veto of AZ's Anti-Gay Bill | Alternet



Right-wingers in media, politics and so-called "think-tanks" wasted no time in becoming apoplectic about Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's reluctant decision to veto her state's blatantly discriminatory law which would allow businesses to refuse service to gay customers.

Turmoil at Microsoft; implications for Windows users | Series | Windows Secrets

Turmoil at Microsoft; implications for Windows users | Series | Windows Secrets



Microsoft in general and the Windows group in particular have gone through enormous changes within the past year. All the key Windows 8 players are out.

Most of us can only speculate on the reasons for the massive turnover, but one point remains clear: under new management, Windows is in for changes.




Not political, but interesting if you, oh say, use a computer :)

Fox News Has A Nasty Anti-Gay Hangover | Blog | Media Matters for America

Fox News Has A Nasty Anti-Gay Hangover | Blog | Media Matters for America



After months of championing anti-gay business owners and criticizing efforts to protect gay and lesbian customers from discrimination, Fox News is finally waking up to the consequences of its fear mongering campaign - and it doesn't like what it's seeing.

Florida's Tea Party Government Forcing Firefighters to Fight Wildfires Alone

Florida's Tea Party Government Forcing Firefighters to Fight Wildfires Alone



Another stellar example of Repugs' "compassionate conservatism" in action. More like compassion inaction.

Cartoon: Little Vics for the 1%

Cartoon: Little Vics for the 1%



The GOP presidential bench is awful

The GOP presidential bench is awful



Chris Christie, a bombastic fat guy from Jersey collapses under a cloud of scandal. Scott Walker, bland, dry, lifeless and dull, attempts a redux of Tim Pawlenty but with bald spot. Some guy in Ohio nobody knows and looks like a milk delivery man from 1972. Some tiny doofus from Louisiana in a cheap suit that's too big for his 5'9", 140-pound frame. Then there are a murderer's row of crazy people, most of them not even close to having the chops to wage a national presidential campaign. 



On the other side, the most famous and admired woman in the entire world.

Those Sounds You Hear? They Are the Death Pangs of the Religious Right

Those Sounds You Hear? They Are the Death Pangs of the Religious Right



One might think, given the record number of anti-gay bills being proposed across the United States, that the religious right's legislative influence – and cultural entrenchment – is growing. In fact, they are evidence that the exact opposite is the case.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Federal Judge Strikes Down Texas Gay Marriage Ban

Federal Judge Strikes Down Texas Gay Marriage Ban



The Texas state ban on same-sex marriage was ruled unconstitutional on Wednesday by a U.S. federal judge, who declared a stay on the decision, meaning that the ban stays in effect.

Challenged By Anderson Cooper To Provide One Example To Justify Anti-Gay Bill, Arizona Senator Comes Up Empty | ThinkProgress

Challenged By Anderson Cooper To Provide One Example To Justify Anti-Gay Bill, Arizona Senator Comes Up Empty | ThinkProgress



Proponents of Arizona’s SB 1062 argue that it “protects religious freedom,” but the national backlash against its passage has emphasized that it will be used to justify discrimination against LGBT people and possibly any other group that an individual might have a religious objection to. State Sen. Al Melvin (R), who is also running for governor, supported the bill and joined Anderson Cooper on CNN Monday to defend its passage and urge Gov. Jan Brewer (R) to sign it.

No More Subsidies to Huge Beef Farmers | Alternet

No More Subsidies to Huge Beef Farmers | Alternet



Imagine if the federal government mandated that a portion of all federal gas taxes go directly to the oil industry’s trade association, the American Petroleum Institute. Imagine further that API used this public money to finance ad campaigns encouraging people to drive more and turn up their thermostats, all while lobbying to discredit oil industry critics — from environmentalists to those calling for better safety regulations or alternative energy sources. 



That’s a deal not even Exxon could pull off, yet the nation’s largest meat-packers now enjoy something quite like it...

Why Obamacare is Scary for the Folks Who Want Their Toilets Cleaned on the Cheap | Alternet

Why Obamacare is Scary for the Folks Who Want Their Toilets Cleaned on the Cheap | Alternet



Now that the talk of death panels and other craziness about Obamacare has faded away, people are looking more seriously at what the program actually will do. A major part of the story is that Obamacare will allow people to get health care outside of the workplace.

Yes, You Do Have the Power to Ward off Dementia | Alternet

Yes, You Do Have the Power to Ward off Dementia | Alternet



To live a dementia-free life, exercise, have at least one friend, live an interesting life, don't fret, and bring your library books back on time.

Obama's Decision Not to Push for Social Security Cuts Has the Beltway Insiders Hopping Mad | Alternet

Obama's Decision Not to Push for Social Security Cuts Has the Beltway Insiders Hopping Mad | Alternet



You may be pleased that the president has (for now) abandoned his Very Serious proposal to cut Social Security benefits in order to Fix the Debt (and perhaps win nebulous concessions from an uncooperative Republican Party). Do you know who’s not pleased? Professional deficit scolds, a class that includes much of the supposedly objective American political press. They are dismayed. They are practically weeping into their cups of morning joe. Why, they are asking, can’t American politicians simply grow up and cut social insurance programs?

How Govt. Hides the Poor: Formula for Measuring Poverty Dates to When a Loaf of Bread Cost 22 Cents | Alternet

How Govt. Hides the Poor: Formula for Measuring Poverty Dates to When a Loaf of Bread Cost 22 Cents | Alternet



To determine who is officially poor in America, the federal government compares a family’s annual cash income to a figure produced by an arcane formula that's based on the price of food in 1963, when a loaf of bread was 22 cents and a burger less than a quarter. Starting under President Lyndon Johnson, the government's official way of defining who is poor comes from calculating a minimum food budget for a family of four, tripling that figure to cover other living costs, and then indexing it annually for inflation.

Why Do Movie Theaters Sell Such Lousy Corporate Garbage Food? | Alternet

Why Do Movie Theaters Sell Such Lousy Corporate Garbage Food? | Alternet



America has a love/hate relationship with movie theater snacks. We share a universal opinion that the offerings are too expensive and unhealthy. But while theater policies forbid moviegoers from bringing their own food, we seem happy enough to be a captive audience and line up for the nostalgic charms of greasy popcorn, Dots and watery soda.

Why Republicans Will Never Stop Lying About Obamacare - The National Memo

Why Republicans Will Never Stop Lying About Obamacare - The National Memo



Find out why the GOP is happy to spew falsehoods about the Affordable Care Act -- even when they get fact-checked.

Shameful: Republicans Block Bill to Expand Healthcare and Education for Veterans

Shameful: Republicans Block Bill to Expand Healthcare and Education for Veterans



One of the biggest
problems I have with Republicans is their blatant hypocrisy. They’ll
portray themselves as the party of “small, fiscally conservative
government” while advocating for laws which are the complete opposite.

See more: Shameful: Republicans Block Bill to Expand Healthcare and Education for Veterans http://www.forwardprogressives.com/republicans-block-bill-expand-healthcare-education-veterans/




One of the biggest
problems I have with Republicans is their blatant hypocrisy. They’ll
portray themselves as the party of “small, fiscally conservative
government” while advocating for laws which are the complete opposite.

See more: Shameful: Republicans Block Bill to Expand Healthcare and Education for Veterans http://www.forwardprogressives.com/republicans-block-bill-expand-healthcare-education-veterans/




One of the biggest
problems I have with Republicans is their blatant hypocrisy. They’ll
portray themselves as the party of “small, fiscally conservative
government” while advocating for laws which are the complete opposite.

See more: Shameful: Republicans Block Bill to Expand Healthcare and Education for Veterans http://www.forwardprogressives.com/republicans-block-bill-expand-healthcare-education-veterans/

Reuters: U.S. Corporate Profits So High Because Wages So Low | The Everlasting GOP Stoppers

Reuters: U.S. Corporate Profits So High Because Wages So Low | The Everlasting GOP Stoppers



Ya think?

China's Twitter Is Censoring Posts That Criticize The Smog Problem | ThinkProgress

China's Twitter Is Censoring Posts That Criticize The Smog Problem | ThinkProgress



China’s most popular social media site has been quickly censoring posts that criticize the country’s response to the horrifying smog problem, according to various media reports.

Colbert Takes On Fox's Double Standard For Hillary's Age

Colbert Takes On Fox's Double Standard For Hillary's Age



Fox News has already sounded the alarm over Hillary Clinton's age, telling viewers that the possible Democratic presidential nominee is too old to run. Sure, Ronald Reagan may have been the same age as Clinton (and John McCain was older), but as Stephen Colbert points out: "Remember, those were man years."

Michigan: Bill passed that for fining citizens $1k for picketing

Michigan: Bill passed that for fining citizens $1k for picketing



This week, the Michigan House of Representatives took up HB 4643, legislation which was introduced by Republican Tom McMillin, that imposes massive fines against citizens who exercise their basic first amendment rights.

Former VP Dick Cheney shows true colors, trashes US troops on Fox

Former VP Dick Cheney shows true colors, trashes US troops on Fox



I don't believe in hell, but I'm willing to make an exception in Cheney's case...

Petition | Fire The Deputies Who Tortured Daniel Johnson For 'Littering' | Change.org

Petition | Fire The Deputies Who Tortured Daniel Johnson For 'Littering' | Change.org



LAPD and LASD are about as out of control as the Dallas PD was in the sixties. The DPD cleaned up its act. It's about time for LAPD/SD to do the same. Please sign the petition, particularly if you're in California.

Reid: Koch Brothers Want to ‘Buy America’

Reid: Koch Brothers Want to ‘Buy America’



The Nevada lawmaker and majority leader made a similar claim on the floor of the Senate, and his Republican peers interpreted his comments to mean that all so-called Obamacare “horror stories” that have circulated are untrue. The emphasis placed on “true stories” in the senator’s tweet does seem to suggest that he believes that the negative experiences with the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges are fabricated to further a political goal. His intentions may have been as harmless as to draw attention to the fact that “real Americans” have been helped by the healthcare reform championed by the Obama administration...

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Hagel Wants to Shrink the Pentagon’s Budget—but Will His Cuts Be Enough? | The Nation

Hagel Wants to Shrink the Pentagon’s Budget—but Will His Cuts Be Enough? | The Nation



For a long time now, it’s been obvious that the United States can’t sustain the bloated military budget that it supports now, and with the war in Iraq over and the one in Afghanistan nearly done—at least from the standpoint of direct US involvement with ground forces—Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel yesterday outlined a preview of how the Obama administration will approach defense spending over the next several years.

Pat Buchanan: Repeal All U.S. Civil Rights Laws | Alternet

Pat Buchanan: Repeal All U.S. Civil Rights Laws | Alternet



Conservative pundit and former Republican presidential candidate Pat Buchanan suggests in his column today that the U.S. repeal all civil rights laws.

Dick Cheney: Obama Would Rather Spend Money On Food Stamps Than A Strong Military

Dick Cheney: Obama Would Rather Spend Money On Food Stamps Than A Strong Military



Former Vice President Dick Cheney (R) took a hit at President Barack Obama on Monday, saying he favors food stamps over a strong military. 



During an interview on Fox News' "Hannity," Cheney criticized a proposal put forth by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday that called for shrinking the Army to its smallest size in 74 years, closing bases and reshaping forces. The former vice president called the cuts “just devastating.”

5 Republicans Getting Screwed By The Club For Growth - The National Memo

5 Republicans Getting Screwed By The Club For Growth - The National Memo



Here's where this powerful right-wing Wall Street group could shake up the midterm elections.

The 5 Best States To Be A Member Of The 1 Percent - The National Memo

The 5 Best States To Be A Member Of The 1 Percent - The National Memo



If you're among the richest of the rich -- and crushing inequality
doesn't bother you -- then here's where you should go to grow your
fortune.




Oddly, Texas wasn't one of the top five. Lil Ricky ain't doing as good as he thought :)

Welcome To Florida, Where The NRA Rules And We Proudly Stand Our Ground - The National Memo

Welcome To Florida, Where The NRA Rules And We Proudly Stand Our Ground - The National Memo



Find out why Florida politicians have no intention of fixing the broken "Stand Your Ground" law.

In Real Life, Higher Minimum Wage Doesn't Kill Jobs - The National Memo

In Real Life, Higher Minimum Wage Doesn't Kill Jobs - The National Memo



Worried that living wages will cost jobs? Consider Washington and Vermont, which defy predictions of economic doom.

Western Media Trashed Russia at Every Opportunity During the Olympics, Distracting from a Big Success Story | Alternet

Western Media Trashed Russia at Every Opportunity During the Olympics, Distracting from a Big Success Story | Alternet



The Sochi Olympics were the great success Russia hoped for. The opening ceremonies proved a radiant display drawing on Russia’s most compelling cultural assets. This artful look back to Russia’s past greatness proved both a reminder and challenge to its own people to reprise their historical greatness going forward. Meanwhile, its closing ceremonies reprised these themes, reminding the viewer of Russia’s continued vibrancy in the arts.

Porn Stars Turned Escorts: The Risky and Lucrative New Trend | Alternet

Porn Stars Turned Escorts: The Risky and Lucrative New Trend | Alternet



In 2007, the former adult performer Mariah Milano returned to porn after a seven-year hiatus from the industry. A voluptuous brunette with a passing resemblance to “Millionaire Matchmaker’s” Patti Stanger, Milano shot her first adult film in 1998 when she was 18, appearing in 240 movies before retiring two years later. When she returned to porn in the mid-aughts, a co-worker approached Milano with a query she had never heard during her first few years in the industry: how much she charged as a private escort.



Since when is this new?

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

A Powerful Court's Weird Logic for Softening the Sentence of a Man Who Raped His Own Daughter | Alternet

A Powerful Court's Weird Logic for Softening the Sentence of a Man Who Raped His Own Daughter | Alternet



In 2006, Kelly Vosgien pled guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sodomy, one count of sexual abuse and three counts of compelling prostitution. The Oregon state court gave him a sentence of 55 years. These charges were brought against Vosgien after he traded cigarettes and money to his daughter and her friend in return for sex. Both girls were minors at the time.



The Ninth has really been weird lately...

GOP May Break The Todd Akin Curse In 2014 Senate Elections

GOP May Break The Todd Akin Curse In 2014 Senate Elections



With the 2014 Senate landscape taking hold, Republicans are having some luck breaking the tea party curse that cost them winnable seats -- perhaps the majority -- in the last two elections. 



Senate primaries are set to begin next week. And for the most part, the sorts of radical, unelectable candidates (think Todd Akin, Sharron Angle and Christine O'Donnell) whom Republican voters nominated in 2010 and 2012 aren't gaining much traction this time around.

Arizona Business Community Abandons GOP On Anti-LGBT Bill

Arizona Business Community Abandons GOP On Anti-LGBT Bill



If Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer decides to veto the anti-gay discrimination bill waiting on her desk, she'd have a lot of cover from a reliably Republican constituency to defy her GOP colleagues in the state legislature: the business community.

Mark Zuckerberg Internet.Org - Business Insider

Mark Zuckerberg Internet.Org - Business Insider



Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlined a dramatic future for the mobile web this afternoon at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. 



Facebook will partner with between three and five major wireless carriers to provide free, basic mobile phone access to everyone on the planet — with the emphasis on developing countries.

Georgia Lawmakers Want to Allow Businesses to Kick Gay People Out of Diners | Mother Jones

Georgia Lawmakers Want to Allow Businesses to Kick Gay People Out of Diners | Mother Jones  



A bill moving swiftly
through the Georgia House of Representatives would allow business
owners who believe homosexuality is a sin to openly discriminate
against gay Americans by denying them employment or banning them from
restaurants and hotels.



Darwin Awards Candidate: Man Shoots Self in Head Trying to Teach Girlfriend Gun Safety

Darwin Awards Candidate: Man Shoots Self in Head Trying to Teach Girlfriend Gun Safety 





This is another one of
those stories where after reading it, I unfortunately laughed a little.
It’s unfortunate because someone died and I feel bad laughing at the
fact that a life was lost. 




That being said, it’s really hard not to laugh at this story due to the
sheer idiocy of it.


 Darwin Awards Candidate: Man Shoots Self in Head Trying to Teach Girlfriend Gun Safety http://www.forwardprogressives.com/darwin-awards-candidate-man-shoots-self-head-trying-teach-girlfriend-gun-safety/




This is another one of
those stories where after reading it, I unfortunately laughed a little.
It’s unfortunate because someone died and I feel bad laughing at the
fact that a life was lost.

That being said, it’s really hard not to laugh at this story due to the
sheer idiocy of it.

See more: Darwin Awards Candidate: Man Shoots Self in Head Trying to Teach Girlfriend Gun Safety h is another one of
those stories where after reading it, I unfortunately laughed a little.
It’s unfortunate because someone died and I feel bad laughing at the
fact that a life was lost.

That being said, it’s really hard not to laugh at this story due to the
sheer idiocy of it.

See more: Darwin Awards Candidate: Man Shoots Self in Head Trying to Teach Girlfriend Gun Safety http://www.forwardprogressives.com/darwin-awards-candidate-man-shoots-self-head-trying-teach-girlfriend-gun-safety/

Virginia Republican Says A Pregnant Woman Is Just A 'Host,' Though 'Some Refer To Them As Mothers'

Virginia Republican Says A Pregnant Woman Is Just A 'Host,' Though 'Some Refer To Them As Mothers'



A pregnant woman is just a "host" that should not have the right to end her pregnancy, Virginia State Sen. Steve Martin (R) wrote in a Facebook rant defending his anti-abortion views.



What a charming guy.

Arizona Confronting Awkward Realization That Gay People Have Money, Buy Stuff : The New Yorker

Arizona Confronting Awkward Realization That Gay People Have Money, Buy Stuff : The New Yorker



The state of Arizona found itself in the middle of a conundrum today as it awoke to the awkward realization that gay people have money and buy stuff.

New Pentagon Plan: A Few Less Troops, Same Old Empire | Common Dreams

New Pentagon Plan: A Few Less Troops, Same Old Empire | Common Dreams



Progressive analysts note that proposed cuts to boots on the ground-style forces will not weaken US's global hegemony

Second Polar Vortex Returns To The East Coast - Business Insider

Second Polar Vortex Returns To The East Coast - Business Insider



Record-cold temperatures will return to the central and eastern United States by Tuesday night. 



 After a relatively mild weekend that had many in the Northeast thinking that winter was coming to an end, the dreaded polar vortex is expected to return this week, bringing colder than normal temperatures to the central and eastern United States through the start of the work week, the National Weather Service warned on Monday.

Ousted Ukraine President Now a Fugitive, Wanted For Deaths Of Protesters | Alternet

Ousted Ukraine President Now a Fugitive, Wanted For Deaths Of Protesters | Alternet



Talk about a quick reversal of fortune.

How Arizona Anti-Gay Legislation Can Hurt the People It Intends to Support | Alternet

How Arizona Anti-Gay Legislation Can Hurt the People It Intends to Support | Alternet



Maybe this law should pass and let nature take its course; these "Christians" will not be able to serve anyone but their own church members and will go out of business in the first month.

Ole Miss Fraternity Suspended For Hanging a Noose on Statue of Civil Rights Hero | Alternet

Ole Miss Fraternity Suspended For Hanging a Noose on Statue of Civil Rights Hero | Alternet



Three freshmen were expelled from their fraternity at University of Mississippi (popularly known as Ole Miss) Friday for hanging a noose on a statue of James Meredith, a civil rights hero who was the first African American to attend the university. The chapter has also been suspended indefinitely by the national Sigma Phi Epsilon organization.

Sochi’s Bleak Future: What happens to Olympic Cities After the Olympics Are Over? | Alternet

Sochi’s Bleak Future: What happens to Olympic Cities After the Olympics Are Over? | Alternet



For a city, there’s nothing quite like the glory of winning an Olympic bid. The highly competitive process starts nine years before the games and involves untold amounts of campaigning and planning. Once selected, fortunate cities have seven years to prepare, updating their infrastructure and building new, impressive facilities. If they pull it off, they get two weeks to show it all off to the entire world. 



Then the Games end, and the world moves on.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Plan to divide California into 6 states will begin gathering signatures

Plan to divide California into 6 states will begin gathering signatures



Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper has a big idea. Well, he’s got six of them: Draper thinks California, the nation’s most populous state, is too big to govern effectively. So he’s pushing a ballot initiative that would split the Golden State into six new states.

Mormons Declare War on Masturbation

Mormons Declare War on Masturbation



What a bunch of wankers!

GOP Congresswoman: “It’s a party I was no longer proud to be a part of.” : I Acknowledge

GOP Congresswoman: “It’s a party I was no longer proud to be a part of.” : I Acknowledge



Former Florida state representative and Republican activist Ana Rivas Logan was a long-time Republican mainstay, but this month she announced that she would be leaving the party she had identified with most of her life. She has filed paperwork that will officially declare her a Democrat. To show how serious she was about her decision, she ripped up her Republican voter registration card in front of the media.

Democratic Governor: Arizona Shouldn't Host 2015 Super Bowl If Jan Brewer Signs Anti-Gay Bill

Democratic Governor: Arizona Shouldn't Host 2015 Super Bowl If Jan Brewer Signs Anti-Gay Bill



Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (D) spoke out against the controversial anti-gay bill in Arizona Monday, stating that if Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signs it into law, the state should not be allowed to host the Super Bowl next year in Glendale.

GOP Rep: Abolish the minimum wage, 'it's outlived its usefulness' - Orlando liberal | Examiner.com

GOP Rep: Abolish the minimum wage, 'it's outlived its usefulness' - Orlando liberal | Examiner.com



While the economy is moving forward, it's still not improving at the rate most were hoping for. At a time when wages are still kept at incredibly low rates, one Republican wants to eliminate the wage floor completely.

Priorities USA: We're not sitting out 2014 - Maggie Haberman - POLITICO.com

Priorities USA: We're not sitting out 2014 - Maggie Haberman - POLITICO.com



Stung by headlines that it’s planning to sit out the 2014 cycle, the pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC Priorities USA is asking its donors to contribute to efforts to keep the Senate majority and to take back the House.

Obama's Unfulfilled Challenge | The National Memo

Obama's Unfulfilled Challenge | The National Memo



Republicans are unhappy that President Obama is invoking his executive powers to govern in the face of a do-nothing-in-2014 House of Representatives. To hear them talk, you would think our chief executive is modeling himself on the late Hugo Chávez and wants to seize dictatorial control. 



This, of course, is nonsense. In fact, Obama has in many ways been less aggressive in his use of executive authority than his predecessors.

GOP And Dem Governors: Obamacare Is Here To Stay

GOP And Dem Governors: Obamacare Is Here To Stay



The explosive politics of health care have divided the nation, but America's governors, Republicans and Democrats alike, suggest that President Barack Obama's health care overhaul is here to stay.

The Obamacare Hail Mary That Could Save The Senate For Democrats

The Obamacare Hail Mary That Could Save The Senate For Democrats



The 2014 handicapping is underway, and the consensus is clear: Democrats face a tough battle to maintain control of the Senate. They're defending too many seats in red states where President Obama and his signature health care reform law are unpopular. 



They're also at a structural disadvantage. Turning out the base, conventional wisdom and historical precedents say, is the key element for midterm elections, and Republicans have done it better. 



But Democrats might have a secret weapon in a couple of those key Senate races. Activist groups and state lawmakers are working to get Obamacare's Medicaid expansion on the ballot in Louisiana and Montana, where they have vulnerable candidates and GOP officials have refused to adopt the provision.

Fourth Georgia hospital closes due to Obamacare cuts | The Daily Caller

Fourth Georgia hospital closes due to Obamacare cuts | The Daily Caller



Alan Grayson had it right. 'Don't get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly.'

GOP’s secret idiot? If George P. Bush is its future, the party’s in trouble - Salon.com

GOP’s secret idiot? If George P. Bush is its future, the party’s in trouble - Salon.com



George Prescott Bush, son of Jeb and grandson of George Herbert Walker, is running for Texas land commissioner. Next stop: the White House! As long as he manages to get himself elected land commissioner, that is. It may be tougher than he anticipated, which is to say it may actually require more than simply wanting the job and being named Bush.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Caint git fooled agin......


What a Victory: How a $40 Million Attack on the Middle Class Went Up in Smoke | Alternet

What a Victory: How a $40 Million Attack on the Middle Class Went Up in Smoke | Alternet



The billionaire-funded Campaign to Fix the Debt, the $40 million astroturf austerity group, produced few results.



And now the fiscal-responsibility campaign is broke :)

6 Signs of Psychosis From GOP Fringe This Week | Alternet

6 Signs of Psychosis From GOP Fringe This Week | Alternet



Last week was filled with more idiotic outbursts from right-wingers, except some of them went beyond infantile rants and raves to posing real-life harm. As is often the case on the fringe these days, the tone was set by the biggest bigot from the biggest state, Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Economic Stagpression: Two Charts The Entire World Must See

Economic Stagpression: Two Charts The Entire World Must See



Good explanation as to why increasing the highest tax bracket's rates is a GOOD thing! I hope the execrable Milton Friedman is spinning in his well deserved grave.

Hillary Clinton is very popular

Hillary Clinton is very popular



Despite the recent Republican shrieking about Benghazi and 1990s-era blow jobs, Hillary Clinton remains very popular: 



A majority of Americans, 59 percent, view Clinton favorably, compared with 37 percent who view her unfavorably, according to a Gallup poll released Friday.


That should scare the fuck out of the Repugs :)

Koch brothers pushing another Obamacare 'horror' story that isn't

Koch brothers pushing another Obamacare 'horror' story that isn't



Another day, another debunked Obamacare horror story. The larger problem with this one is that it's got the big bucks of the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity behind it, blasting it out on the airwaves in Michigan against Rep. Gary Peters, a Democrat running for Senate...

Texas-based company refuses to allow Federal inspectors after CA accident

Texas-based company refuses to allow Federal inspectors after CA accident



PUT THE PLANT MANAGER IN JAIL! Or Tesoro's CEO if he's handy :)

5 CBO Findings About Improving The Economy That Republicans Will Always Ignore | The National Memo

5 CBO Findings About Improving The Economy That Republicans Will Always Ignore | The National Memo



Republicans celebrated a new report from the Congressional Budget Office this week that said raising the minimum wage to $10.10 could cost the economy 500,000 jobs.

Where Do American Unions Go From Chattanooga? | The National Memo

Where Do American Unions Go From Chattanooga? | The National Memo



"I asked Rich Yeselson, a former union strategist and author of this excellent article on the United Automobile Workers’ failed effort to unionize a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to answer a few questions, via email, about the meaning of the Chattanooga vote and the future of unionism in the U.S. Here is a lightly edited transcript."

The United States of Poverty and Inequality | Common Dreams

The United States of Poverty and Inequality | Common Dreams



New report shows that no matter which state you live in, the 1% are making even more gains as the rest fall back

There's Really Bad Stuff Buried in Those 'Terms and Conditions' You're Expected Not to Read and Just Click Yes on | Alternet

There's Really Bad Stuff Buried in Those 'Terms and Conditions' You're Expected Not to Read and Just Click Yes on | Alternet



The invasive nature of Bank of America's and Capital One's terms and conditions are another example of how corporations have run amok in America, with very little to stop them. 



But they're also symptoms of a larger problem: fascism in the 21st century.

At Stake In Ukraine's Drama is the Future of Putin, Russia and Europe | Alternet

At Stake In Ukraine's Drama is the Future of Putin, Russia and Europe | Alternet



Beyond the burning barricades and the corpses in the streets, here are five big things that are at stake in Ukraine's insurrectionary drama. They mean that what happens in Ukraine will affect not just the Ukrainians, but also Russia, Europe and our sense of what makes a revolution.

Uh Oh: Politicians Formerly Against Medical Marijuana Now Singing Praises of Cannabidiol | Alternet

Uh Oh: Politicians Formerly Against Medical Marijuana Now Singing Praises of Cannabidiol | Alternet



State lawmakers who have steadfastly opposed the legalization of medical marijuana are suddenly singing the praises of cannabidiol. What gives?

D.C. Insider: There's a Shadow Govt. Running the Country, and It's Not Up for Re-Election | Alternet

D.C. Insider: There's a Shadow Govt. Running the Country, and It's Not Up for Re-Election | Alternet



Power centers in DC and the corporate corridors of Manhattan and Silicon Valley are calling the shots.

Children Murdered, Homes Foreclosed: How the Government Makes 'Mistakes' With Impunity | Alternet

Children Murdered, Homes Foreclosed: How the Government Makes 'Mistakes' With Impunity | Alternet



If life-altering mistakes don’t warrant accountability, maybe that’s because nothing can.

Exposing the Christian Right's New Strategy for Reversing Progress on Gay Rights | Alternet

Exposing the Christian Right's New Strategy for Reversing Progress on Gay Rights | Alternet



The GOP has introduced bills to grant zealots the right to the segregate their businesses against LGBT Americans.

Wendy Davis Absolutely Hammers Conservatives for Supporting Sexual Predator Ted Nugent

Wendy Davis Absolutely Hammers Conservatives for Supporting Sexual Predator Ted Nugent

Friday, February 21, 2014

A $10.10 Minimum Wage Would Make A DVD At Walmart Cost One Cent More | ThinkProgress

A $10.10 Minimum Wage Would Make A DVD At Walmart Cost One Cent More | ThinkProgress



Raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would increase the price of a $16 product at Walmart, such as the typical DVD, by just a cent if all of the extra costs were passed on to consumers, according to an analysis by an economist for Bloomberg News.

Despite Receiving Millions in Public Money, Private Prisons are Impenetrable "Bastions of Secrecy" | Alternet

Despite Receiving Millions in Public Money, Private Prisons are Impenetrable "Bastions of Secrecy" | Alternet



A new study shows that federal law still allows private prisons to shroud much of their activity in mystery, despite receiving public money.

Half Of The United States Lives In These Counties - Business Insider

Half Of The United States Lives In These Counties - Business Insider



http://www.businessinsider.com/half-of-the-united-states-lives-in-these-counties-2013-9

Man Who Brutally Beat Gay Texas Man Said It Started As 'A Joke'

Man Who Brutally Beat Gay Texas Man Said It Started As 'A Joke'



'Good' to see that some thing never change in my homeland.... <sigh>

Is That a Gun in Your Hand or Are You Just Trying to Change the Channel?

Is That a Gun in Your Hand or Are You Just Trying to Change the Channel?



Have you ever answered your door while holding something? A pen, perhaps, or the remote. A tennis racket? A book? Have you ever opened the door not knowing exactly who is on the other side? You may wish to reconsider these behaviors.

Ted Cruz says it's President Obama's fault people listen to Ted Nugent

Ted Cruz says it's President Obama's fault people listen to Ted Nugent



It's hard to imagine a bigger softball question than this: After playing a clip of GOP surrogate Ted Nugent calling President Obama a "sub-human mongrel," CNN reporter Dana Bash asked Texas Sen. Ted Cruz whether it was appropriate for Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott to campaign with Nugent. But instead of saying "no"—or at least saying that he disagreed with Nugent—Cruz's first instinct was to dodge the question...

Who Keeps Trophies Made From the Skin of Lynched African Americans?

Who Keeps Trophies Made From the Skin of Lynched African Americans?



"Pardon me for the provocative title, but this being the post-racial wonderland of America, where the only racists are minorities and self-hating white liberals (of which I suppose I must count myself as one), but when I saw a story that a white man, and not just an ordinary citizen, but a public official, not only claimed to own a family heirloom fashioned from the skin of a black man lynched in 1896, but also specifically told African American residents of Algood, TN (that is actually the name of the town, I swear on the spirit of the Flying Spaghetti Monster) in order to intimidate a young black man from filing a complaint against the Algood Fire Department because its Deputy Fire Chief had refused to give his mother CPR, which might have saved her life, because she was, well, BLACK!!!! (excuse the all caps, but I find them appropriate in this instance), why, I just had to ask..."

Republican Congressional Candidate Includes Gay Partner in Campaign Ad

Republican Congressional Candidate Includes Gay Partner in Campaign Ad



Experts believe this is the first time a candidate has made an ad featuring a same-gender partner.

Ukraine Agreement Signed By President Viktor Yanukovych And Opposition For Early Election

Ukraine Agreement Signed By President Viktor Yanukovych And Opposition For Early Election



The BBC reports Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders have signed an agreement to hold early elections



Great news if it holds up!

Is America Going to Be the Flintstones or the Jetsons? | Alternet

Is America Going to Be the Flintstones or the Jetsons? | Alternet



We've got to stop handing out tax cuts for the rich, and invest in the public.

Meet the Billionaires Using Their Immense Wealth to Make Life Miserable for Ordinary Americans | Alternet

Meet the Billionaires Using Their Immense Wealth to Make Life Miserable for Ordinary Americans | Alternet



5 examples of billionaires pushing a right-wing economic agenda.

Obama Appears to Have Abandoned the Idea of Cutting Social Security — For Now | Alternet

Obama Appears to Have Abandoned the Idea of Cutting Social Security — For Now | Alternet



Progressive victory over the austerity agenda could start a larger and needed conversation.

Texas Senate Holds Hearing To Congratulate Itself On Women's Health 'Achievements'

Texas Senate Holds Hearing To Congratulate Itself On Women's Health 'Achievements'



As the Texas state Senate held a hearing Thursday to tout its "legislative achievements" in women's health care, women's health advocates sought to remind voters of the more than 70 family planning clinics and 12 abortion clinics in the state that the legislature has forced to close in recent years.

This Week In Crazy: Jesus Wants You To Buy An AR-15, And The Rest Of The Worst Of The Right | The National Memo

This Week In Crazy: Jesus Wants You To Buy An AR-15, And The Rest Of The Worst Of The Right | The National Memo



If it's Friday, it must be time for more news from Crazyville.

Minimum Truth: The Hollow Argument Against Higher Wages | The National Memo

Minimum Truth: The Hollow Argument Against Higher Wages | The National Memo



In the midst of a crucial political debate that plainly favored proponents of a higher minimum wage, the Congressional Budget Office dropped a bombshell headline this week. Increasing the minimum to $10.10 an hour – as demanded by President Obama and Democrats on Capitol Hill – will “cost 500,000 jobs.” At a moment when employment still lags badly, that assertion was potentially devastating. 



Almost lost in much of the predictable media coverage was the CBO’s estimate that a minimum-wage increase would lift at least 900,000 workers and their families out of poverty – and boost incomes for at least 15 million more.

How Scott Walker's Secret Emails Could Doom Him For 2016

How Scott Walker's Secret Emails Could Doom Him For 2016



A massive document dump released this week about Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) has revealed some embarrassing tidbits about former aides to the governor. So far there hasn't been a bombshell directly linking governor to legal misconduct, but the the slow burn of the scandal -- and his reluctance to answer questions about it -- may drag down any presidential or vice-presidential ambitions Walker had in 2016.

Watch Colin Powell: Republicans ‘Demonize People Who Don’t Look Like the Way They’d Like’

Watch Colin Powell: Republicans ‘Demonize People Who Don’t Look Like the Way They’d Like’



Appearing on MSNBC, former Secretary of State Colin Powell ripped the Republican Party for catering to “elements” that are
“intolerant” to minorities and “demonize people who don’t look like the way they’d like them to look.”

The Shadow Lobbying Complex | The Nation

The Shadow Lobbying Complex | The Nation



It was 4 o’clock in the afternoon, and I found myself hanging around the House-side entrance to the Capitol building, hoping to interview lawmakers during the protracted government shutdown in October. The members had been called by the Republican leadership to open just one slice of the government without authorizing funds for the Affordable Care Act, a partial solution that had rallied Democrats in opposition. As dusk settled in, I lingered to interview the representatives as they walked in and out of what everyone considered at this point to be a scene of political theater. 



While I waited, a small crowd gathered, composed of men and women in business attire, creating something of a receiving line where they could exchange pleasantries with members of Congress as the latter made their way from their offices across Independence Avenue to cast a perfunctory vote. The city, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers sent home from the job, was far from dead. On Capitol Hill, the real financial engine of Washington, the selling of access and policy hummed along at full speed, and I was in the midst of it.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Five Epic Fails in the FCC's New Net Neutrality Plan | Common Dreams

Five Epic Fails in the FCC's New Net Neutrality Plan | Common Dreams



On Wednesday, the Federal Communications Commission broke its silence and issued the agency’s first big announcement since a federal court struck down the Net Neutrality rules last month.

January Global Record Temps - Business Insider

January Global Record Temps - Business Insider



It was unusually cold in January in the eastern half of the U.S., but most other parts of the world experienced warmer-than-average temperatures.

The 'Polar Vortex' Is Returning This Weekend

The 'Polar Vortex' Is Returning This Weekend

 Anybody tired of the "polar vortex" yet? No? Excellent, because it's returning soon with all its tail-whipping winds and freezing temperatures as low as 35 degrees below average.


DISGRACE: Scott Walker Scandal Heats Up As More Racist, Anti-Semitic Emails Discovered | Alternet

DISGRACE: Scott Walker Scandal Heats Up As More Racist, Anti-Semitic Emails Discovered | Alternet



“Oh my God … Black, Jewish, disabled, gay with a Mexican boyfriend, drug addict, and HIV-positive!” Walker’s former aide wrote.

Conservative Leader: Jesus Will Come Back with an AR-15 | Alternet

Conservative Leader: Jesus Will Come Back with an AR-15 | Alternet



Family Research Council's Jerry Boykin says Jesus is a warrior who will soak his robe in with the blood of his enemies.



I love so-called Christians who read the Bible, shrug, and say 'Fuck all that pussyass shit!'

Everything You Need To Know About The Growing Crisis In Ukraine | ThinkProgress

Everything You Need To Know About The Growing Crisis In Ukraine | ThinkProgress



The fires that burned in Kyiv’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) earlier this week mostly died down on Thursday, but the protests on the streets of Ukraine continue to roil the Eastern European country. Since November, the crisis has continued to grow to the point where experts are openly worrying about the potential risk of civil war in a state that lies between the European Union on one side and Russia on the other. Here’s what you need to know about the current situation and its implications

Georgia Bill Would Lead To Guns In Airports, Bars, Churches, Elementary Schools, And Libraries | Alternet

Georgia Bill Would Lead To Guns In Airports, Bars, Churches, Elementary Schools, And Libraries | Alternet



Georgia is fucking nuts, but it's symptomatic of a rightwing psychosis that's endangering everyone.

4 Ways Conservatives Are Fighting to Control Women's Sex Lives | Alternet

4 Ways Conservatives Are Fighting to Control Women's Sex Lives | Alternet



Kiera Feldman’s recent New Republic report on the convergence of rape culture and evangelical culture at a private Christian university in Virginia is a deeply troubling story. It’s also a disturbingly familiar one. 



In a series of interviews with female survivors of sexual violence at Patrick Henry College, Feldman uncovered an institutional pattern of victim-blaming and impunity for perpetrators that was grounded in the school’s strict adherence to evangelical doctrine, specifically its “gender complementarian” norms and toxic purity culture.

Duke Energy will ask ratepayers to pay for coal ash cleanup | Greenpeace Blogs

Duke Energy will ask ratepayers to pay for coal ash cleanup | Greenpeace Blogs



Duke Energy’s executives want you to know they’re sorry for the tens of thousands of tons of coal ash they spilled into the Dan River in the third-largest disaster of its kind in US history. They’re sorry for the water that officials now admit is tainted with arsenic and is unsafe even to touch, no less for swimming, boating or fishing. 



They’re sorry for the little animals — the clams, mussels and crustaceans — that form the base of the river’s ecosystem and are suffocating in a river of sludge. They’re sorry for the big ones — the birds, fish and turtles – that eat those little things. And most of all they’re sorry to the people living near the Dan who depend on all of it, directly or indirectly, for much of their local economy (and, as anyone who’s ever lived near a river knows, for much more than that.) 



They’re just not sorry enough to pay to clean it up.

Insurance scam: Oil companies caught double dipping on toxic spills

Insurance scam: Oil companies caught double dipping on toxic spills



New research carried out by a team of experts shows that big oil companies have been profiting twice from toxic spills.




An environmental engineer from Maryland, by the name of Thomas
Schruben, set out to prove that oil companies like Exxon, BP, Chevron
and Shell have been double dipping. Schruben proved that these companies
were collecting both taxpayer money and insurance payments, for the
exact same costs.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

On the UK’s Equating of Journalism with Terrorism | Common Dreams

On the UK’s Equating of Journalism with Terrorism | Common Dreams



As my colleague Ryan Deveraux reports, a lower U.K. court this morning, as long expected, upheld the legality of the nine-hour detention of my partner, David Miranda, at Heathrow Airport last August, even as it acknowledged that the detention was “an indirect interference with press freedom”. For good measure, the court also refused permission to appeal (though permission can still be granted by the appellate court). David was detained and interrogated under the Terrorism Act of 2000. 



The UK Government expressly argued that the release of the Snowden documents (which the free world calls “award-winning journalism“) is actually tantamount to “terrorism”, the same theory now being used by the Egyptian military regime to prosecute Al Jazeera journalists as terrorists. Congratulations to the UK government on the illustrious company it is once again keeping. British officials have also repeatedly threatened criminal prosecution of everyone involved in this reporting, including Guardian journalists and editors.



The home of modern democracy begins the descent into a totalitarian state. Truly, truly sad.

CAP Action War Room » ThinkProgress

CAP Action War Room » ThinkProgress



No Signs Of Stopping

By CAP Action War Room on February 19, 2014 




 State legislatures are developing even more attacks on a woman's right to choose.

Gallup Poll: More Americans Now Believe Afghan War Was a Mistake

Gallup Poll: More Americans Now Believe Afghan War Was a Mistake



More Americans now believe that the war in Afghanistan was a mistake than those who believe it was a good idea, according to a new poll.



It's kind of frightening... NewsMax is still a fever-swamp of rabid conservabots, but every now and then (like almost daily lately!), they pop up with a piece of actual decent journalism. Stopped clock syndrome? <shrug> Good job, tho, NewsMax.

The Right’s Hopes Dashed: Why There’s No Civil War Among Democrats | Alternet

The Right’s Hopes Dashed: Why There’s No Civil War Among Democrats | Alternet



As the Republican party is in shambles, the Dems are more unified than ever.

Cruel Politics: How Republicans Are Literally Shutting Down Hospitals | Alternet

Cruel Politics: How Republicans Are Literally Shutting Down Hospitals | Alternet



The Republican refusal to expand Medicaid is a disaster.

Are We Watching a Full-On Revolution in Ukraine? | Alternet

Are We Watching a Full-On Revolution in Ukraine? | Alternet



This is no longer about east vs. west – and the descent into violence may be hard to reverse.

Colbert Skewers Piers Morgan and Katie Couric for Inane Interviews with Trans Superstars | Alternet

Colbert Skewers Piers Morgan and Katie Couric for Inane Interviews with Trans Superstars | Alternet



"It's not enough to treat transgendered people like women. Now we have to treat them like human beings."

Did Scott Walker Just Tank his Career? | Alternet

Did Scott Walker Just Tank his Career? | Alternet



Nearly three years after Wisconsin, it's the unions that may have the last laugh.

Police Union Implicated in Bridgegate; Owed Hundreds of Jobs to Christie

Police Union Implicated in Bridgegate; Owed Hundreds of Jobs to Christie



We are getting one step closer to the truth in Bridgegate, a tale as complicated and labyrinthine as Game of Thrones. The following from NJ Spotlight is a must-read in this unfolding story

UPDATE: VICTORY (kind of) Tennessee's "Turn Away Gays" Legislation Faces an Angry Public

UPDATE: VICTORY (kind of) Tennessee's "Turn Away Gays" Legislation Faces an Angry Public



In an almost mirror image of legislation attempted in Kansas, Tennessee is working on passing Senate Bill 2566, the "Turn Away Gays" bill, designed to allow open door business the ability to refuse access to LGBT. 



The public, however, is waking up to these kind of end-runs and has worked hard to help put a stop to these kind of activities.

Eli Lilly, WellPoint Take Strong Stand Against Indiana’s Same-Gender Marriage Ban

Eli Lilly, WellPoint Take Strong Stand Against Indiana’s Same-Gender Marriage Ban



CEOs of 15 companies, including DiversityInc Top 50 companies Eli Lilly and Company, WellPoint and Cummins, voiced their protest to Indiana’s proposed same-gender-marriage ban in a letter published in the Indianapolis Star.

Did Bob Corker Taint The UAW's Volkswagen Union Election? And If So, Will He Get Away With It?

Did Bob Corker Taint The UAW's Volkswagen Union Election? And If So, Will He Get Away With It?



As Tennessee Volkswagen workers were voting last week on whether or not to have the United Auto Workers represent them, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) dropped what Reuters aptly called a "bombshell" on the proceedings. 



"I've had conversations today and based on those am assured that should the workers vote against the UAW, Volkswagen will announce in the coming weeks that it will manufacture its new mid-size SUV here in Chattanooga," Corker said.

George Soros Bet $1.3 Billion The Stock Market Will Fall

George Soros Bet $1.3 Billion The Stock Market Will Fall



George Soros, the billionaire hedge-fund manager who has broken the British pound and some Republican hearts, is betting that the U.S. stock market could break, too.

If Hillary Is 'Ruthless,' We Could Use More Like Her | The National Memo

If Hillary Is 'Ruthless,' We Could Use More Like Her | The National Memo



Back in 1993, a Washington Post reporter asked me which Clinton was smarter, Bill or Hillary. As a magazine journalist long resident in Arkansas, I’d never covered state government and would have described the president and first lady as friendly acquaintances of mine, nothing more.

GOP Lawmakers Want To Define Anti-Gay Discrimination As 'Religious Freedom'

GOP Lawmakers Want To Define Anti-Gay Discrimination As 'Religious Freedom'



The growing specter of legalized gay marriage, which has been advanced by numerous court decisions starting with the Supreme Court's overturning of the federal Defense of Marriage Act last year, seems to have put a scare in GOP lawmakers.

Miss. Tea Party Senate Candidate Retweets White Supremacist Account

Miss. Tea Party Senate Candidate Retweets White Supremacist Account



The twitter account belonging to state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-MS) retweeted a tweet from an account that appears to back a a hard-right Greek political party and regularly publishes white supremacist tweets.

Ron Miller: Why a Google Ethics Commission is like jumbo shrimp - Computerworld

Ron Miller: Why a Google Ethics Commission is like jumbo shrimp - Computerworld



Computerworld - You might have heard that in response to concerns about its purchase of artificial intelligence vendor Deep Mind, Google has promised to form an artificial intelligence ethics board. That's rich. 



When I first heard "Google" and "ethics" in the same sentence, my thoughts turned to other oxymorons like "jumbo shrimp" and "House Intelligence Committee." If you only know a little bit about the company's behavior over the years, you have to see the phrase "Google ethics" as a contradiction in terms.

Snowden Documents Reveal Surveillance and Pressure Tactics Aimed at WikiLeaks and Its Visitors | Alternet

Snowden Documents Reveal Surveillance and Pressure Tactics Aimed at WikiLeaks and Its Visitors | Alternet



The National Security Agency's British partner monitored Internet users who visited the WikiLeaks website.

John Boehner Charges Tea Party with Misleading Followers

John Boehner Charges Tea Party with Misleading Followers



Those were his exact words. 



"I think they're misleading their followers," Boehner said. "They're pushing our members in places where they don't want to be and, frankly, I just think that they've lost all credibility."


WOW! Just WOW!

Winners of Prestigious Journalism Award Afraid to Travel to U.S. to Accept It

Winners of Prestigious Journalism Award Afraid to Travel to U.S. to Accept It



Laura Poitras and Glenn Greenwald have both won the prestigious George Polk Award for their investigative work in revealing the NSA's mass surveillance, both at home and abroad. However, both Poitras and Greenwald, U.S. citizens who respectively live in Germany and Brazil, are afraid to accept their awards in person, fearing prosecution from the U.S. government for exposing documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

A Common Thread Among Young-Earth Creationists, Gun Enthusiasts, Marriage Exclusivists, and the 1%

A Common Thread Among Young-Earth Creationists, Gun Enthusiasts, Marriage Exclusivists, and the 1%



" I was watching the HBO documentary "Questioning Darwin" and was struck
by one of the passages in the film. Basically, some of the young-earth
creationists interviewed expressed disbelief, even resentment, over the
idea that Man is not "special." Meaning, if Man is simply the result of
natural selection, nothing more than a highly-evolved species of animal,
and not created by God separately and distinctly from all other living
things, then ... well, then man was not created by God separately and
distinctly from all other living things, and is therefore not "unique"
or "special" but is instead rather ordinary. The resentment comes, I
think, from being thought of as ordinary, rather than as extraordinary,
when one feels deserving of the latter...




I wrote about this recently, on the topic of gun enthusiasts and the Second Amendment. I came to the realization a while back that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is grounded in property rather than liberty,
as "Arms" are themselves property, viz., consumer goods that must be
purchased before they can be Kept and Borne. As one insightful commenter
(and gun enthusiast) rightly pointed out, thinking of gun rights as
property rights instead of liberty interests has no real practical
effect; it certainly doesn't enable any regulations or restrictions that
are not already permissible. But it is taken, perhaps also rightly, by
gun enthusiasts as an attempt to "diminish" them, their guns and their
"rights," even though it really doesn't. Characterizing guns as property
or as consumer products, merely thinking about them that way,
implies that guns are about sales and profits, not Liberty and Freedom.
It makes those who take such great pride in owning and using guns feel
like nothing more than ordinary retail consumers. It tells them that
owning guns doesn't make them heroes, doesn't make them "unique" or
"special." It tells them, or seems from their perspective to tell them,
that their pride is unjustified...."

Delusional Democrats and Market Fundamentalism

Delusional Democrats and Market Fundamentalism



After LBJ's landslide in 1964, the Democratic consensus, according to Hunter S. Thompson in Songs of the Doomed, was that "The GOP was doomed, like the Whigs, to a cheap and meaningless fate." 



Today we hear many of the same predictions concerning the Republicans demographic problems in the Washington Post, New Republic, NY Times and all over the political blogs.
The consensus is that all the Democrats have to do is wait, and the electoral victories will roll in. Even Paul Krugman is on board with this thinking. 




And yet no one is predicting the Democrats will take back the House this fall, or even gain seats in the Senate. Something is wrong with the consensus again.

NY Magazine reporter crashes a secret Wall Street society exposing country top financer's 1% jokes

NY Magazine reporter crashes a secret Wall Street society exposing country top financer's 1% jokes



Just fucking weird!

Clapper: 'If Only We Had Been Transparent'

Clapper: 'If Only We Had Been Transparent'



Yes, should-be-tried-for-perjury Director of the NSA James Clapper actually said that. Which I for one believe is a pretty odd stance to hold when he also claims that the revealing of the program did great harm to national security.



We are ruled by idiots.

Darrell Issa Wants To 'Shape The Debate' For 2016

Darrell Issa Wants To 'Shape The Debate' For 2016



His party divided, Rep. Darrell Issa, the chief Republican attack dog, is calling on the GOP to abandon government-backed solutions and instead unite against President Barack Obama's "imperial presidency."



The best thing for Neighbor Darrell to shape is a prison jumpsuit!

Chuck Schumer's Brother Tied To Comcast Deal He Supports (UPDATE)

Chuck Schumer's Brother Tied To Comcast Deal He Supports (UPDATE)



Charles Schumer (N.Y.), a top Senate Democrat and member of the body's antitrust subcommittee, appeared to give his blessing to Comcast's purchase of Time Warner Cable, but did not mention that his brother was involved in the mega-deal. The news was first reported by the website LittleSis.

NSA Surveillance Debate Exposes Divisions In Democratic, Republican Parties

NSA Surveillance Debate Exposes Divisions In Democratic, Republican Parties



While some leading Democrats are reluctant to condemn the dragnet surveillance of Americans' phone records, the Republican Party has begun to embrace a libertarian shift opposing the spy agency's broad powers. But the lines are not drawn in the traditional way.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Snowden's Lesson: The Govt. Carries Out the Constitutional Crimes, While the Public Is Legally Powerless | Alternet

Snowden's Lesson: The Govt. Carries Out the Constitutional Crimes, While the Public Is Legally Powerless | Alternet



"Totalitarian states always invert the moral order. It is the wicked who rule. It is the just who are damned."

5 Signs America’s Super-Rich Are Going Off the Deep End | Alternet

5 Signs America’s Super-Rich Are Going Off the Deep End | Alternet



Inequality seems to have made the wealthy very upset...for themselves.

Darrell Issa Rallies The GOP To Fight Obama's 'Imperial Presidency'

Darrell Issa Rallies The GOP To Fight Obama's 'Imperial Presidency'



His party divided, Rep. Darrell Issa, the chief Republican attack dog, is calling on the GOP to abandon government-backed solutions and instead unite against President Barack Obama's "imperial presidency."

Privacy in the Age of Surveillance | Common Dreams

Privacy in the Age of Surveillance | Common Dreams



A strong global right to electronic privacy demands recognition, in U.S. law and internationally.

Robert Reich: Inequality Has Warped the Minds of America’s Rich | Alternet

Robert Reich: Inequality Has Warped the Minds of America’s Rich | Alternet



The former labor secretary on why our country's wealthy won't pay anything close to the tax rate of 40 years ago.

If You Think the Weather Is Bad Now, Wait Until El Niño Returns | Alternet

If You Think the Weather Is Bad Now, Wait Until El Niño Returns | Alternet



Droughts, high temperatures, heavy rain and floods are all sparked by the El Niño weather pattern.

How Fear Beat the UAW in Tennessee | Alternet

How Fear Beat the UAW in Tennessee | Alternet



Union-busters mounted a coordinated campaign, even telling Tennesseans that the union wanted to take their guns.

Cecily McMillan's Occupy Trial Is a Huge Test of US Civil Liberties. Will They Survive? | Alternet

Cecily McMillan's Occupy Trial Is a Huge Test of US Civil Liberties. Will They Survive? | Alternet



For years, comparing American freedom to Russian tyranny seemed like an exaggeration. But maybe we're not so different after all.

Bill Nye versus Marsha Blackburn on Meet The Press: Climate Change Politics

Bill Nye versus Marsha Blackburn on Meet The Press: Climate Change Politics



...The Sunday morning talking head shows are often useless or worse than useless, as they're almost overwhelmingly skewed to conservative biases, conventional narratives, and insider baseball type commentary, rather than anything directly connected with the real world. 



But, even a blind squirrel sometimes finds an acorn - and the media occasionally lets some air into the room. I suspect Bill Nye's willingness to debate on evolution versus creationism led someone at NBC to see if he'd be willing to 'defend' climate change as well. Paradoxically, Nye's lack of standing as a researcher, academic, or advocate for an organization fighting climate change may have helped him slip through the media filter. As a mere science communicator/entertainer, he could be dismissed as a marginal figure; NBC could put him on the air without risking the dangers of giving a 'real' climate change figure like Bill McKibbon a media platform and legitimacy.

Obamacare attacks failing. Health Insurance Marketplace exceeding expectations

Obamacare attacks failing. Health Insurance Marketplace exceeding expectations



Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to lie about Obamacare (Affordable Care Act). Millions have been sent to discourage Americans from enrolling in Obamacare. Yet, Americans are still signing up in droves.

Joe Biden: "There isn't a Republican party."

Joe Biden: "There isn't a Republican party."

"Isn't there anything wrong with the French health care system?" she asked

"Isn't there anything wrong with the French health care system?" she asked



With all the continuing back and forth over Obamacare one could be forgiven for forgetting that what it offers is still miles away from what a better health care system should look like.

Cartoon: The one rich guy

Cartoon: The one rich guy



The real face of conservatism

The real face of conservatism



Have you heard the latest from Tom Perkins? This is the guy who, last month, had a letter published in the Wall Street Journal that likened the "progressive war on the American one percent," to the Nazi demonization of Jews prior to Kristallnacht. Of course Rush Limbaugh praised him for defending the rich. I hope you're not surprised. Anyway, here's what Mr. Perkins has to say now: 



 "The Tom Perkins system is: You don't get to vote unless you pay a dollar of taxes...But what I really think is, it should be like a corporation. You pay a million dollars in taxes, you get a million votes. How's that?"

Bill Maher: Americans always want the "new" politician with no baggage

Bill Maher: Americans always want the "new" politician with no baggage



[Friday Night], Bill Maher had a Valentine's Day New Rule about how fickle Americans are, in always wanting the "new" thing in politicians, as the older ones inevitably get bogged down in more and more baggage, deservedly or not.

Voting Against John Boehner Just Became The Tea Party's Litmus Test

Voting Against John Boehner Just Became The Tea Party's Litmus Test



House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is quickly becoming a new litmus test for whether a Republican is conservative.

26 Percent of Americans Say the Sun Revolves Around the Earth - NationalJournal.com

26 Percent of Americans Say the Sun Revolves Around the Earth - NationalJournal.com

Monday, February 17, 2014

Hey Mitt Romney... Shut the @*#% Up

Hey Mitt Romney... Shut the @*#% Up



A great Rant from DailyKos! :)

Watch climate change deniers join Fox's Chris Wallace in ignorance

Watch climate change deniers join Fox's Chris Wallace in ignorance



 Stunning, isn’t it? This ignoramus is more worried about wealth than about the survival of humanity. It’s funny: these are the same people who whine about the debt, saying we don’t want to leave it for our children and grandchildren. But apparently, it’s perfectly okay to leave them a 10′ rise in global sea levels and increasingly severe weather. Assuming that our grandchildren even live to see those things. Wealth! This jackass is worried about “forgoing” wealth!? Jesus wept.

Walmart's Ridiculous Response: "One Day Walkouts Are Not Legal Strikes" | Alternet

Walmart's Ridiculous Response: "One Day Walkouts Are Not Legal Strikes" | Alternet



A bitter legal fight pitting some of America’s coldest capitalists against tough-minded Walmart workers staging day-long walkouts and the National Labor Relations Board is setting the stage for what modern labor protests will look like.

How the Government Blows Away the "Private Sector" in Delivering Services | Alternet

How the Government Blows Away the "Private Sector" in Delivering Services | Alternet



Cities like Tulsa, San Diego and Minneapolis are turning the tide back to public ownership.



Can we please a stake through the heart of the 'Reagan revolution?'

The Erosion of the U.S. Constitution ... and It Starts in the White House | Alternet

The Erosion of the U.S. Constitution ... and It Starts in the White House | Alternet



Is this goodbye to the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights?

Shocking Tales of Racial Profiling in The Big Easy | Alternet

Shocking Tales of Racial Profiling in The Big Easy | Alternet



ICE agents are employing high-tech biometric devices in New Orleans, first used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Are We Watching the GOP on the Verge of Collapse? | Alternet

Are We Watching the GOP on the Verge of Collapse? | Alternet



Mark Twain wrote that “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” For the Republican Party, 2014 may end up sounding a whole lot like 150 years ago, and we might be seeing the end of the conservative party, as we know it.

The 4 Most Profound Ways Privatization Perverts Education | Alternet

The 4 Most Profound Ways Privatization Perverts Education | Alternet



Compared to other developed countries, equal education has been a low priority in America.