Saturday, December 8, 2012
Don't Waste Your Money on Tonight's Boxing Pay-Per-View Event
I've essentially stopped watching boxing. And I don't mind saying I was once a big fight fan. And I was willing to pay to watch a big fight. Then I began to notice a pattern. Year after year for decades there were less and less good fights on the card. And the main event almost always ended in some controversy. Gone are the days when you could watch 3 great fights on the same card--for free. Tragically others have not followed my example. They continue to pay for an inferior product. It's almost as if we were hypnotized into paying for a fight. As if we did not have free will. Nothing will change until you exercise the power of the pocketbook. Refuse to ripped-off. Don't pay for boxing tonight.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Commentary: An irrational vote against U.N. disability treaty
Commentary: An irrational vote against U.N. disability treaty | McClatchy
Opposition from Republican senators this week foiled an opportunity for the United States to lead the world in advocating for people with disabilities.
The Senate needed 66 votes to ratify a U.N. treaty that calls upon countries to ensure disabled citizens receive the same rights and freedoms as their able-bodied peers. Despite a visit in the Senate chamber from an ailing former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, it received only 61 votes.
The treaty, already ratified by 126 countries, calls on nations to live up to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
As GOP Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran said in May, "Each person has the inherent right to life and should have the opportunity to pursue happiness, participate in society, and be treated equally before the law."
Wealthy Special Interests Funding Obama Inauguration
Obama inauguration raises $40M+ - Salon.com
The center points out that “The government places no limits on these contributions, but Obama capped money for his inauguration at $50,000 per person – still, more than 10 times what individuals could give to his campaign.” The largest total contributions came from individuals in finance, law, entertainment, “business services” and real estate. Donors who topped out at $50,000 “reportedly got tickets to the official ceremony, the parade and inaugural balls.”
Victim of Radio DJ Prank Commits Suicide
Kate Middleton and Prince William leave the King Edward VII hospital where she has been treated for extreme morning sickness.
The story about the Australian radio DJ’s who successfully pranked Kate Middleton’s hospital and got a nurse to divulge private information on air while posing as the king and queen of England has taken a tragic turn: the receptionist who took the call and put the radio hosts through had died in an apparent suicide.
Presidential election hit $2B mark amid last-minute donations
Presidential election hit $2B mark amid last-minute donations
- This might suggest, to those willing to reason on the left, that both parties are beholden to big moneyed interests. In fact, it can be argued that the Democrats are the greatest beneficiaries of Citizen United. When is the last time you heard a Dem bring up the subject?
Rand Paul Mistakenly Claims Coal Is Kentucky's Biggest Industry In Ashley Judd Criticism
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticizedactress, activist and potential Democratic candidate Ashley Judd Wednesday, calling her "way damn too liberal" for Kentucky because of her opposition to mountaintop removal mining.
"She hates our biggest industry, which is coal," Paul said. "I say, good luck bringing the 'I hate coal' message to Kentucky."
But Paul's criticism wasn't totally correct --coal mining is actually the 13th biggest industry in the Bluegrass State.
Did FOXNews Offer to Run Petraeus' Presidential Campaign?
Why isn't this a major scandal like the sex scandal we've heard plenty about:
Developed country wages show no growth in 2012: ILO
Of course not. Global capitalism has won out. And they are about exploiting labor by keeping wages as low as possible:
Average salaries in developed countries are expected to have risen by no more than inflation this year, the International Labour Organization said on Friday.
source: Yahoo/Reuters
Developed country wages failed to keep up with inflation in both 2008 and 2011, but remained about 5 percent above the 2000 level in real terms, the ILO said in its Global Wage Report, published every two years.
"So far as we can tell for 2012 at this stage the trend seems to be for zero percent growth -- flatlining," ILO Director General Guy Ryder told a news conference in Geneva.
The report said governments in the euro zone and countries with big deficits should avoid squeezing labor with a "race to the bottom" in wages.
Ryder said governments should adopt policies that encourage companies to invest their cash piles and encourage banks to lend to small businesses.
Minimum wage policies, which were used until 2009 as social protection to help the most vulnerable workers, were now rising only in line with inflation or even fell in real terms, the ILO said.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Michigan GOP Passes 'Right To Work' Legislation
The war on labor is heating up. And if you want war you got it. And that applies to Obama as well. He is nothing but a facilitator:
Following the Michigan House's lead, the state Senate passed a right-to-work measure on Thursday evening -- just hours after Gov. Rick Snyder and top GOP Republicans announced the bills.
Despite impassioned debate from Senate Democrats, the measure passed with a 22-16 vote. According to the Associated Press, four Republican state Senators joined all 12 of their Democratic counterparts in opposition to the right-to-work bill. It passed the Michigan House by a vote of 58-52 earlier in the evening. During the House vote, Democrats walked off the floor in protest after at least eight protesters were arrested, crowds were pepper-sprayed and the Capitol building locked down.
Video: Sallie Mae and ALEC micchecked by students
"If you're sick of Sallie Mae, then join the campaign to make Sallie Mae pay. Sign to get updates about how to take action: http://bit.ly/whenALECmetSallie"
The Unemployment Rates Goes Back up Again
This could be disastrous for the economy. The belief that things are getting better is being undermined. And so is the whole argument for re-electing Obama. Things have to change dramatically or the whole economy could unravel. And when is the last time anyone talked about a jobs program?:
U.S. unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, was 7.8% for the month of November, up significantly from 7.0% for October. Gallup's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 8.3%, nearly a one-point increase over October's rate.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Anger at New York Post cover photo of subway passenger seconds from death
This rag has to be shut down once and for all:
The New York Post has provoked a storm of outrage from readers and commentators over a cover on Tuesday that shows a haunting image of a man who has been pushed onto the path of a subway train, seconds from death.
The chilling photograph, one of at least two of the incident by freelancer R Umar Abbasi, shows Ki Suk Han standing upright on the tracks, his left arm or possibly both arms on the platform, trying to scramble to safety as a Q train bears down on him.
Moments later, Han, 58, was killed by the subway train. His attacker, who was seen in a video taken by a passer-by, escaped. A suspect is now in police custody. Paul Browne, the New York police department spokesman said detectives were questioning the suspect on Tuesday afternoon.
US Bank Earnings Rise 6.6 Percent, Most in 6 Years
So why is it that we can't get a loan to buy or refinance a house. And why can't we find a job at decent wages? It's like a near bank collapse never happened 5 years ago. Americans haven't had a 5% increase. I guess if Romney got elected it be 7% rather than just 6.6 percent:
U.S. banks earned more from July through September than in any other quarter over the past six years. The increase is further evidence that the industry is strengthening four years after the 2008 financial crisis.
[...]the increase in consumer lending was "relatively modest" and regulators would like to see more of it, FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg said.
The Daily Show Video: The Men Who Stall on Votes
The ridiculous filibustering rules in the U.S. Senate:
Mayor Bloomberg Failed to Talk Hillary Clinton Into Taking His Job
Bloomberg is so arrogant that he thinks that he can pass along his office to the person of his choice. It was that same arrogance that led him to overturn term limits in New York City so that he could become Mayor for a third term. He spent over $100 million to buy the office. Despite that barely won re-election the last time around. Obviously the Mayor has very little regard for people of this city. After all, he's a billionaire who made his fortune on Wall St. as a media mogul. He is part of the 1% and thus considers himself superior to the people:
Politicos have been wringing their hands for months now, waiting to hear what Hillary Clinton will do after her stint as Secretary of State ends next month. Now we know one thing she won't do: Run for mayor of New York City. The New York Times's Michael Barbaro dropped a scoop on Monday night revealing that "Bloomberg encouraged Mrs. Clinton to consider entering the 2013 mayor's race" in a private phone call. Barbaro says that he confirmed the news with three unnamed sources and added, "She would, the mayor suggested, be a perfect fit." Hillary disagreed.
Well, this is just silly. Hillary Clinton doesn't even live in New York City! (Not that she couldn't move there and establish residency just like she did when she decided to be a New York Senator.) And wasn't she supposed to make a big surprise announcement sometime in the next couple of years, revealing that she does, in fact, want to run for president again in 2016? Well, the last we heard she was definitely not running for president or any other political office. A few months ago, she told a crowd in India, "I feel it's time for me to get off the high wire." Plus, she has a lot of HGTV to catch up on.
Monday, December 3, 2012
L.A.-Long Beach harbors strike enters second week
L.A.-Long Beach harbors strike enters second week - CBS News
Union members counter that the issue involves management's desire to outsource jobs to places such as Taiwan and China, where shippers can pay lower wages for work that can be done on computer.
"It's important to us to keep those jobs here in the United States. We're fighting against corporate greed," Merrilees said.
Costas Gun Control Commentary Gets Notice
It was a courageous stance on the part of Costas. And he was right:
Bob Costas' "Sunday Night Football" halftime commentary supporting gun control sparked a Fox News Channel debate Monday on whether NBC should fire him and a Twitter storm involving Ted Nugent, Rosie O'Donnell, Herman Cain and many more.
The NBC sportscaster, who frequently delivers commentary at halftime of the weekly NFL showcase, addressed the weekend's murder-suicide involving Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher.
Costas said that the shooting has invoked the "mindless sports cliche" that "something like this really puts it all in perspective."
[...]If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today."
Belcher shot and killed Perkins, the mother of his 3-month-old daughter, on Saturday morning, then drove to Arrowhead Stadium and committed suicide in the parking lot of the team's practice facility.
