Is that YOU, Dewy?
Here’s looking at you, kid.
It’s almost the bewitching day. Do all the moonhowlers have their costumes? Who is hosting the Halloween party?
Cargo, we are all showing up at your house. Warn Mrs. Cargo and Cargoette. Just kidding!’
104 Thoughts to “Open Thread…………………………………….Wednesday, October 26”
Comments are closed.
Archives
Categories
Blogroll
- 9500Liberty
- Bacons' Rebellion Blogspot
- Bearing Drift
- Blue Virginia
- Citizen Tom
- Counts of Monte Cristo. The
- Derecho, The
- Dixie Pig, The
- My Side of the Fence
- My Star Journey
- NARAL Pro-Choice VA Blog
- New Dominion Project
- Nova Common Sense
- NovaTownHall Blog
- One Libertarians's Point of View by Al Alborn
- Pete Candland's Blog
- Potomac Local
- Prince William Muckraker
- PW Conservation Alliance
- PWC Moms
- PWCPolitics.com
- PWCPolitics.com
- Red NoVA
- Shad Plank, The
- She the People
- State of NoVA, the
- The Jeffersoniad
- Townhall
- VEA Daily Reports
- VivianPaige
- WDGolden.com
- You, Me and the Lamp Post
All contents copyright Moonhowlings.net
Blogroll
- 9500Liberty
- Bacons' Rebellion Blogspot
- Bearing Drift
- Blue Virginia
- Citizen Tom
- Counts of Monte Cristo. The
- Derecho, The
- Dixie Pig, The
- My Side of the Fence
- My Star Journey
- NARAL Pro-Choice VA Blog
- New Dominion Project
- Nova Common Sense
- NovaTownHall Blog
- One Libertarians's Point of View by Al Alborn
- Pete Candland's Blog
- Potomac Local
- Prince William Muckraker
- PW Conservation Alliance
- PWC Moms
- PWCPolitics.com
- PWCPolitics.com
- Red NoVA
- Shad Plank, The
- She the People
- State of NoVA, the
- The Jeffersoniad
- Townhall
- VEA Daily Reports
- VivianPaige
- WDGolden.com
- You, Me and the Lamp Post
CBO report documents how much better the top 1 percent fared the past few decades compared to regular folks. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/10/income-inequality-is-not-a-myth/247389/ A veteran of the war in Iraq who made it home in one piece was shot in the head by a police tear gas canister at the OWS protest in Oakland and is in critical condition. Repubs reject Dem proposal for $3T in deficit reduction because half is from higher taxes on those that bought them their offices. Good old American exceptionalism at its finest.
Nothing like that old exceptionalism. Good grief, Moe. Do you have any good news?
To me, 3T deficit reduction is a hell of a lot of reduction. We wouldn’t want to tax the wealthy more than the middle class, now would we?
I heard about someone who put together a costume that had the following–
blue shirt, telephone cord around the neck and a rubber chicken on the shoulder.
Anyone know what the person came as?
Tell Tell!!!
Oakland police action unnerves some protesters
By TERRY COLLINS – Associated Press
An Iraq War veteran marching with demonstrators suffered a cracked skull in the chaos between officers and protesters in Oakland, further raising concern among some in the movement. Scott Olsen, a 24-year-old Marine veteran, was in critical condition Wednesday after he had been struck, said a spokesman for Highland Hospital in Oakland.
It was not clear exactly what type of object hit the veteran or who might have thrown it, though the group Iraq Veterans Against the War said it was lodged by officers. Police Chief Howard Jordan said at a news conference that the events leading up to Olsen’s injury would be investigated as vigorously as a fatal police shooting.
http://news.yahoo.com/oakland-police-action-unnerves-protesters-222733960.html
The police are brutalizing our war veterans now who are doing nothing more than exercising their right to peaceful protest. What a sad day this is for America as we become increasingly a militarized police state.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
You should support our veterans.
I am surprised this hasn’t been mentioned here yet. There is a pretty signifcant referendum coming up next week in Ohio that could affect the future of unions throughout the country
Ohio’s union fight: What you need to know
Posted by Rachel Weiner at 12:01 PM ET, 10/25/2011
On Nov. 8, Ohio voters will go to the polls to decide a collective
barganing issue. The fight is another chance for unions to show their
clout in the Midwest.
At issue is Senate bill 5 (SB5), legislation passed by Republican
lawmakers and signed in April by Gov. John Kasich (R) that limits
collective bargaining rights for about 350,000 Ohio public workers.
In July, opponents succeeded in getting a referendum called Issue 2
on the ballot aimed at overturning the law. Voting ‘yes’ means
keeping the law; voting ‘no’ means eliminating it.
Kathy Slaven, 1st grade teacher from Dublin, Ohio, protested outside
the state Capitol as Senate Bill #5 was passed. (Melina Mara – THE
WASHINGTON POST)
Umbrella groups sprung up on each side to fight the issue. “Build a
Better Ohio” is the pro-SB5 group. “We Are Ohio” is the anti-SB5
group.
Polling out on Tuesday suggested the law is broadly unpopular. While
polls showed Ohioans warming to the law in recent months, the new
Quinnipiac survey repsondents opposed the law 57 to 32 percent.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/ohio-ballot-debate-what-you-need-to-know/2011/10/24/gIQA8PXwFM_blog.html
Everyone’s welcome to show up at my house. Of course, I’ll be out beggi…um trick or treating with my daughter. She wants to be a zombie. But Mrs. Cargo will be home. Come on down!
We’ve had discussions about the high unemployment rate post-9/11 veterans face, the fact that only 1/2 of one-percent of Americans have served in uniform in the post-9/11 decade, and then yesterday the story about a veteran getting shot in the head with a tear gas canister fired by Oakland police at an OWS protest. There was a story a few days ago about SFC Kristoffer Dimeoji, an Army Ranger killed in Afghanistan leaving a wife and 2 young daughters. Unfortunately, when military members get killed few take notice. What made SFC Dimeoji’s death more newsworthy than others was the fact that he was killed on his 14th combat deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. http://abcnews.go.com/US/army-ranger-dies-14th-deployment/story?id=14811227&fb_ref=abc-fb-recs
Our tax money at work saving and creating jobs for GM!
In Uzbekistan.
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/u-secretary-state-hillary-clinton-visits-gm-plant-photo-161234126.html
At least Toyota is building cars in Tennessee.
Ms. Howler, Mr. Rodriguez was correct.
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/oct/27/wheeler-candland-gainesville-debate-ar-1414551/
M-H, Market looking good this morning. Greece may not be the death of us,
at least for today.
Several recent news articles about banks not even wanting our savings – they
are awash with cash and apparently still in fear of lending much of it.
CD interest rates are zip.
SS is going up a few points in 2012, but Medicare – Part B is also increasing and
will take a large part of the SS uptick. The average person will end up with about
an extra dollar per day.
Campell’s Chunky Soup on sale for $1.50! About what many folks can spend for a meal.
Time to stock up for the winter.
Chunky soup gets pretty boring but I suppose it is about as nutritious as other stuff we eat.
Medicare will go up to $114? Readers should be reminded that is just for part B. That is before anyolne starts buying the Gap coverage or the rx. Gay can run $100-200 a month.
So for those thinking it is a free ride, hardly!
It ends up being around $350 a month on average in this area. Private health care runs around $550, just to put thing in perspective.
@Cargosquid
I will go as the Great Pumpkin. I like Reeses Pieces.
Clinton, you are too polite. I had to stop for about 5 minutes to think who Mr. Rodriguez was. Ah ….Pokie….which is what *I* call him on a good day…when I am not telling him I am going to step on him like a rodent. 😈
You may call me Moon. I am sure Pokie will permit something less formal.
That was a good little quiz. Pokie is smart. It went right over my head.
New York wants to use the same schools and teachers that are failing to teach our children to read, write, or do arithmatic to teach sex ed.
And they expect STD’s and teenage births to drop?
Thank you for your very nice comments. I try to always be polite so I always address people in perhaps a formal manner.
My use of Ms., Mrs., Miss, Mr. helps me to remember that I always need to be polite in my comments even if I disagree.
So it is a habit I will probably be unable to break so please don’t take offense if I forget.
And watch out for “Pokie’s” cousin if you step on him like a rodent.
Cousin Speedy drops by here occassionally to see Pokie. I can tell from the mouse droppings. They don’t think I know about it, but I know. Clinton, you may call us what you are comfortable with but I prefer Moon.
Pokie, he goes by a lot of things. I prefer Rodento. Just kidding.
@Cargo, hold on there….you read somewhere that they were selecting the teachers who failed to teach math and reading correctly to teach sex ed? Why don’t they let the successful teachers do that?
I am afraid you will have to give me a source on that one.
@Moon-howler
NO source…just a comment based on the statistics that come out of NY. Very low reading scores and high drop out rate.
Just being snarky about it.
Oh you’d be offended by the stuff I’ve been called!
In other news….. ACLU and federal judge stop Florida from drug testing people who apply for welfare. Why is it that those who defend our nation are always subjected to drug testing and those who seek employment are subjected to drug testing as a condition for employment. All of these folks pay taxes but god forbid that people who are trying to get those tax payer dollars are “protected” from taking a drug test. Nobody is being forced to take the test you have a choice and choices come with consequences.
I am trying to think of what good it would do to cut off welfare for someone who tests positive for drugs or booze. Was booze on the list also?
I don’t know how I feel about this. Welfare seems so unsolvable. Decade after decade welfare has been studied. No easy answers. Nothing much has changed.
I don’t recall anyone from Wall Street peeing in a bottle before the government cut their checks when they cratered the economy. They were either stoned or stupid. They get golden parachutes while giving the rest of America a golden shower.
That’s a good point, Morris. Drug testing of corporate executives prior to their receiving government bailouts should be mandatory.
House Democrats say GOP wants too many days off
By JIM ABRAMS – Associated Press | AP – 11 hrs ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will be in session less than one out of every three days next year, a slight decline from past years. House Republicans say they are running the place more efficiently and lawmakers need the time to be with constituents in an election year. Democrats say that’s too few days on the job during an economic crisis.
The announcement of the 2012 schedule even led to a Twitter battle between the press offices of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and the No. 2 Democrat, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, over how Congress is being run.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will be in session less than one out of every three days next year, a slight decline from past years. House Republicans say they are running the place more efficiently and lawmakers need the time to be with constituents in an election year. Democrats say that’s too few days on the job during an economic crisis.
The announcement of the 2012 schedule even led to a Twitter battle between the press offices of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and the No. 2 Democrat, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, over how Congress is being run.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will be in session less than one out of every three days next year, a slight decline from past years. House Republicans say they are running the place more efficiently and lawmakers need the time to be with constituents in an election year. Democrats say that’s too few days on the job during an economic crisis.
The announcement of the 2012 schedule even led to a Twitter battle between the press offices of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and the No. 2 Democrat, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, over how Congress is being run.
http://news.yahoo.com/house-democrats-gop-wants-too-many-days-off-183259533.html
The repugs are a bunch of lazy bums collecting government checks but doing nothing to earn their money.
@starry
Perhaps their congressional paychecks need to reflect this efficiency also. 365 days in a year. They are working less than 1 in three of these days? I am willing to shave off 104 (52 weeks times 2 days for Saturday and Sunday) of those days and I will give them off 10 holidays. So that is 114 days off. 365-114 = 251
Mush Mush! Get busy congress. I won’t even be partisan. I have seen no efficiency, jobs bills, or much of anything. They need to stay in Washington and get cracking. They don’t need to be home schmoozing with their buddies. They can do that on the 114 days they have off during the year that are freebies. That is already about 30% of the time. That sure seems like enough by my standards.
Why is it that nobody can take one step back and see that Wall St. wouldn’t have given us a golden shower if our “representatives” hadn’t given them so much “bailout beer”? I give a child a plastic bat, knowing he’s going to whop me in the head with it, and he whops me in the head with it, and I’m mad at him. Until people smarten up and figure out to not give the kid the plastic bat in the first place….we deserve exactly what we get.
@Starryflights
A Congressman needs to have days at home in the district too, and that is part of their responsibilities. Looking at the calendar, there are like two weeks of the year that they will be in session for the full five days. But, before I would be blaming it on the Republicans, I would look to see what the Dems did in 2008 – 119 days – just 10 days more then next years schedule – I think the issue is that we all forget that both sides of the aisle just wants to play politics, and we suffer.
We don’t need a jobs bill. We need a reduction in regulations, a repeal of ObamaCare, and a simplified tax system. We need less crony capitalism and less buying of votes with phony jobs bills.
The Tea Party wants to remove the Crony from Crony Capitalism.
OWS wants to remove Capitalism from Crony Capitalism.
From a commenter on another blog.
I think it hits the nail on the head.
According to the CIA World Fact Book, in terms of the level of income inequality among the 136 countries in their ranking, the U.S. comes in at #97. Our level of inequality has us doing a little better than Bulgaria, Mozambique and Rwanda, and a little worse than Cameroon, Iran and Uganda.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2172rank.html
I can draw you a straight line between loose monetary policy and income inequality.
Income inequality….so if we were all equally poor, it would be ok?
Its not the separation, but any mobility from poor to richer that is important.
ATTENTION! ATTENTION!
I don’t know if it was reported up there, but in case it was….
The little 8 year old autistic boy lost in Hanover County for the last few days has been found. He’s ok, and is at the local hospital.
You may now return to your regularly scheduled rant.
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/oct/27/letter-editor-misplaced-blame-manassas-ar-1415266/
Amen!
@Cargosquid
On the contrary. It appears a high level of equality in income correlates to a relatively high level of income generation. The top 10 countries in income equality all place in the upper 40 percent in GDP per capita. Norway, for instance, ranks #3 in income equality and #7 in GDP per capita ($54.6k per year, ahead of the U.S. at $47.2k per year). On the other hand, countries with the highest levels of income inequality tend to rank low in GDP per capita. The U.S. is an exception. While we don’t fare well in terms of income equality (bottom 30 percent), we rank #11 in GDP per capita (top 5 percent).
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html
That seems to illustrate that while we have many poor, those poor move up. Or that our poor are better well off than the citizens of other countries, bringing our “average” up.
@Cargosquid
That is not what the data illustrate. If Bill and Melinda Gates came over to my house for dinner with me and my wife (and if Bill and Melinda happen to be MH followers and see this, please know you’re welcome any time), per capita wealth at the dinner table would be $15B, but the equality spread would be off the chart. The income inequality data from the CIA Fact Book tend to confirm the recent CBO report that shows a very small fraction of Americans are making out like bandits and amassing more and more loot while for decades the vast majority of their fellow citizens have been treading hard, not to move up, but simply to keep their heads above water. If you have data showing the poor are moving up then please share them.
The fact that the poor aren’t moving up seems to be a reason for concern.
Ok.
In that case, what is the cause of the stagnation?
Inflation? Calculated by 1994 standards, we’re running about 11%. The gov’t is lying to us.
Easy labor market?
Lack of manufacturing jobs?
Lack of exports?
Does making the rich poorer help the poor get richer?
What growth industries in this country do we have that are not related to finance and software? How do we return a manufacturing base to this country?
Your example of Bill Gates is a good one. That explained it well. It also demonstrates why the curve is the way it is. The “rich” have no upper limit. Billionaires are, well, not common, but, are more common. Thus, more existing wealth is located in fewer hands. So the “cure” is to make more rich people.
What do you suggest?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/guest-post-wealth-inequality-america-understanding-source
@Cato the Elder
Did you read the comments? Whew!
And yet, what does it all mean? I don’t really care who’s at “fault” anymore. I just want it to turn around.
http://willanystand.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-owing-money-means-nothing-and.html
Well, kiddies, what say we check in on our friends over at the Occupy Madison, WI rally? Oh, wait, never mind, they lost their permit for “adjusting their antennae” in public. Apparently, this “Occupy” group was against Capitalism, and for “one-gun salutes” in public.
The tea baggers defend corporations that demand that the taxpayers bails them out.
The Occupiers defend the middle class who have to foot those bills.
Strange Bedfellows: Militias Exercise Their Second Amendment Rights To Protect Occupy Phoenix
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/10/28/strange-bedfellows-militias-exercise-their-second-amendment-rights-to-protect-occupy-phoenix/
I love it
@Starry, it gave me a headache. The neos are defending the #occuplies 1st amendment rights with the 2nd amendment.
It makes me feel like I am my own great grandfather. The irony of it all.
Well, as I said 3 weeks ago, the nuts all come out at times like this, from under every rock.
…….and, occasionally, “Apply the Hand Brake” in public!
The occupiers are actually out there for both of us, pokie, unless you have a big secret and are leaving far under your means.
http:www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/300418
Free “Too Big A Mess For Me” Baxter!
PooPrints?
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/30014
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/30018
Grrr-