Saturday, August 25, 2012

How Darwin Can Save Your Marriage

“The mainstream media along with a half-dozen independent fact-checking organizations and sites have called Romney on these whoppers, but to no avail. He keeps making these assertions.”

READ MORE; http://www.nationofchange.org/romney-s-lying-machine-1345901337

Romney and Ryan: Right Wing Billionaires Think It's Time to Take the Gloves Off

The right wing elite think if they can make a major breakthrough, they can end the last vestiges of the welfare state.

read more; http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11114-romney-and-ryan-right-wing-billionaires-think-its-time-to-take-the-gloves-off

Is Akin from the Middle East?

Akin for the Truth: How Are US Religious Fundamentalists Any Different Than Middle Eastern Ones?

Are we to believe that a fundamentalist in a suit is less scary than a fundamentalist in a beard, even if both are spouting hatred against women?

read more; http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11068-akin-for-the-truth-how-are-us-religious-fundamentalists-any-different-than-middle-eastern-ones

Friday, August 24, 2012

Obama's Race THE DREAM OF A POST-RACIAL AMERICA

Obama's Race

THE 2008 ELECTION AND THE DREAM OF A POST-RACIAL AMERICA

read more; http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/O/bo10443910.gmail

Lance Armstrong banned for life, stripped of 7 Tour wins

Sports should be about competing to do your personal best, not winning at any cost so that cheating and lying becomes acceptable. And, when caught, to own up and take responsibility for your actions. Lance is a poor role model in both instances.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

WHERE MITT HIDES HIS MONEY

Mitt Romney's Bain holdings

READ MORE; http://gawker.com/bain-files/

If This Is Why Mitt

Eroding middle class falls to 51%, survey finds

Are we losing the dream? A new study released by the Pew Research Center shows that between 2000 and 2010, median middle-class wealth dropped 28 percent.

read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0823-middle-class-20120823,0,6206289.story

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

5 WAYS TO DESTROY AMERICA

“Let’s take a look at the five basic features of this ‘marvelous’ Ryan plan.”

The Best Graphic You Can Share About Todd Akin And Paul Ryan Right NOW

Monday, August 20, 2012

A NEO CON'S DREAM

The United States' Clandestine Armies Plunge Us Deeper Into Violence

There are now many thousands of clandestine operatives, nearly all of them armed and equipped with a license to kidnap, torture and kill, working overseas or domestically with little or no oversight and virtually no transparency. We have created a state within a state. A staggering 40 percent of the defense budget is secret, as is the budget of every intelligence agency.

READ MORE; http://truth-out.org/news/item/10996-the-united-states-clandestine-armies-plunge-us-deeper-into-violence

RAPE BY ANY OTHER NAME

Romney, Ryan and Rape: A Todd Akin Special Delivery

In the odd, demented, windy spaces that pass for the mind of Mr. Akin, if you are raped and become pregnant, you weren't really raped, because "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

READ MORE; http://truth-out.org/news/item/11006-romney-ryan-and-rape-a-todd-akin-special-delivery

Sunday, August 19, 2012

THE VERY BEST OF FRIENDS

Photographer Captures Tender Moment Between Man And His Sick Dog In Lake Superior (PHOTO)

They say a dog is a man's best friend, but to John Unger, a Wisconsin resident, his dog, Schoep, means everything.

SEE AND READ MORE; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/08/man-dog-lake-superior-photo-_n_1755609.html

LEGAL BUT IMMORAL

Romney admits to an income of over $20 million a year for the last several decades. Which makes his 13 percent — or even 20 percent — violate the principle of equal sacrifice that lies at the core of our notion of tax fairness.

READ MORE; http://www.nationofchange.org/mitt-s-13-tax-1345388663

CORPORATE GREED AT WORK

Rather than pay taxes to support America these corporate blood suckers would rather keep the money for themselves and hurt the country they made their riches in.

“Among these big-time tax avoiders: Ford Motor, International Paper, AT&T, Halliburton. All together, these 26 all-star tax manipulators reported $28.2 billion in corporate profits last year and received nearly $4.3 billion in tax refunds.”

read more; http://www.nationofchange.org/mega-million-ceos-our-tax-dollars-work-1345386889

Medicare debate takes surprising turn

Obama-Romney-Ryan Medicare debate takes surprising turn

End "Witch Hunt"

Julian Assange Calls on Obama to End "Witch Hunt"

Friday, August 17, 2012

ARE REPUBLICANS AFRAID OF JOE?

They should be. As Obama's ATTACK DOG Joe pulls no punches is saying it like it is. And that drives Republicans crazy because they don't like it when someone uses their tactics against them.

Joe strikes fear in the hearts of the Republicans because they just don't know what he's going to say next. So they are now going all out to scare people into dumping Joe. It aint gonna happen folks!

read more; http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/08/17/meghan-mccain-on-why-obama-should-pick-hillary-clinton-for-vp.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=cheatsheet_morning&cid=newsletter%3Bemail%3Bcheatsheet_morning&utm_term=Cheat%20Sheet

ISN'T BRIBERY ILLEGAL?

I thought bribery was illegal. I thought our government represented the "people" Yet it looks like most of our politicians are on the take and do the bidding of those who grease their palms and no one seems to care. The following report shows who is on the take and who owns them.

Click on the following link to see who is paying off your elected Representative ;

http://www.globalexchange.org/sites/default/files/ED_LegislativeScorecard.pdf

ARE YOU A FINANCIAL SLAVE?

The finance, insurance, and real estate industries spend approximately $1,331 a minute on influencing our leaders. A new tool makes it easier for you to find out which ones.

READ MORE: http://www.nationofchange.org/washington-s-wall-street-sugar-daddies-1345124114

GO HERE TO SEE WHO OWNS YOU; http://www.globalexchange.org/sites/default/files/ED_LegislativeScorecard.pdf

THE REPUBLICAN HOARDS

After leaving our economy in shambles and with very little left of our safety net the Republicans are again determined to rape and destroy what little the middle class has left to fall back on; Social Security and Medicare.

The Romney "capitalist vultures" would like to get their hands on these entitlements because there's very little left that they can milk out of the middle class. Just like their "trickle down con game" they would like to now con you into believing that Social Security and Medicare would be better if it were in the hands of the "private sector" .

Anyone with an ounce of intelligence can easily see that this is one big fat lie. All they need to do is read a little history or look back at the BUSH DISASTER to see that the so-called "private sector" is made up of flim flam cons who lie, steal, and cheat to fill their own pockets at the expense of everyone else. The 1% who have ripped the country off big time and are hoarding more wealth than the other 95% have to share among us.

READ MORE; http://www.nationofchange.org/77th-anniversary-social-security-paul-ryan-pushes-dismantling-social-safety-net-1345130563

Thursday, August 16, 2012

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION

The U.K. government made an unprecedented threat to invade Ecuador's embassy if Assange is not handed over to them.

When Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño, in an angry and defiant response, released the written threats to the public, the U.K. government tried to walk back a bit and say it wasn´t a threat to invade the embassy (which is another country's sovereign territory). But what else can we possibly make of this ?:

READ MORE; http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/10939-ecuador-grants-asylum-respecting-human-rights-despite-threats-from-uk

34 A DAY DIE

Every day, 34 Americans are murdered with guns. That’s 48,000 Americans during the next presidential term.

13% for the 1%

Romney: I’ve paid at least 13 percent tax rate in each of past 10 years

That's a pretty good deal when you don't even have to work for it. The rest of the 99% not only work but pay more than double in taxes in support of their country. Mitt wants to know why things are so bad. All he and his 1% friends need to do is look at how by avoiding and dodging paying a fair share of taxes, they hurt the country that made them rich.

I wonder if Mitt is counting what he hides in Swiss and Cayman accounts?

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

MITT IS STILL SUCKING ON THE MIDDLE CLASS

Romney Still Reaps Huge Profits From Bain's Vulture Capitalism

Bain forces cuts in wages, benefits and pensions. It outsources work. And it offshores production—harming American workers and communities and undermining American industries.

Biden was Right when he busted Republicans

The Vice President made headlines Tuesday when he told a mostly black audience that Romney’s economic policies would “put y’all back in chains.” While some have called the comments offensive, for music mogul Russell Simons, Biden was speaking the truth.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

THE TRUTH HURTS.

GOP slams Biden ‘chains’ remark

LOT'S OF DIRTY MONEY

“The two nonprofits had outspent all other types of outside spending groups in this election cycle, including political parties, unions, trade associations and political action committees.”

READ MORE; http://www.nationofchange.org/two-dark-money-groups-outspending-all-super-pacs-combined-1344952132

Ryan's hometown on welfare?

“As the town tries to get back on its feet, Ryan has said Janesville has become a microcosm for the economic woes facing the nation.”

read more; http://www.nationofchange.org/paul-ryan-s-hometown-janesville-recovers-federal-aid-vp-candidate-claims-oppose-1344959124

This Video MIGHT Stop Romney From Becoming President

Analysis of Obesity Rates by State

NEW ANALYSIS RANKS STATES, FINDS 12 TOP EXCEED 30 PERCENT FOR OBESITY

Monday, August 13, 2012

A PORKER NATION

What did the survey show? Overall, more than a third of adults are obese, similar to earlier reports, but rates differ by state.

READ MORE; http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57492265-10391704/cdc-unveils-national-obesity-rates-where-does-your-state-rank/?tag=re1.channel

Texas A&M Shooting:

Texas A&M Shooting: 3 Dead Including Cop and Gunman

This is becoming a weekly occurrence and the next step from the "stand your ground" whackos to the lock-and-load "take the ground" whackos.

FOR THE 1%, BY THE 1%

Why do America’s super rich feel compelled to plow so many billions into politics? They already live in the most rich people-friendly developed nation in the world. What else could they possibly want? Well, they could want Singapore.

READ MORE; http://www.nationofchange.org/billionaires-heaven-earth-beckons-1344865458

LET'S KILL THE MIDDLE CLASS

Democrats argue Ryan's planned Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security reform would essentially dismantle key components of the social safety net.

READ MORE; http://www.nationofchange.org/extreme-choice-touting-ayn-rand-gop-pick-paul-ryan-backs-dismantling-new-deal-1344872807

A GOOD REASON TO HIDE YOUR TAX RETURNS

Romney's Death Squad Ties: Bain Launched With Millions From Oligarchs Behind Salvadoran Atrocities

HERE'S WHY TO NOT PRIVATIZE

“With perverse irony, the corruption and incompetence of private industry has actually furthered the cause of privatization, as the collapse of the financial markets has deprived state and local governments of necessary public funding, leading to an even greater call for private development.”

READ MORE; http://www.nationofchange.org/five-ways-privatization-degrades-america-1344864526

RYAN'S ROLE MODEL

Is Ayn Rand Really The Person Republicans Want To Imitate?

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Angie

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Let’s see . . .

She latched on early to a selfish ideology and tricked a lot of people into thinking it was a good thing. Yep, it sounds exactly like what Paul Ryan and his ilk want to be when they grow up. Watch:

Originally submitted by volunteer editor Sara L. Found on Think Progress’ YouTube Channel.

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This entry was posted in Radical Right, Republicans, Videos and tagged Ayn Rand. Bookmark thepermalink.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU VOTE REPUBLICAN

What Paul Ryan's Budget Could Mean For Your Family

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Jayne

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Does this look right to you?

Found on The White House’s Facebook page. Originally submitted by volunteer editor Laura S.

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This entry was posted in Economic Fairness, Eye-Opening, Graphics, Nonpartisan and taggedBush tax cuts, GOP, Medicare, Paul Ryan, The 99%, The Middle Class, Veterans. Bookmark t US

Ancient brains, modern dilemmas

By K.C. Cole

AUGUST IS A GREAT MONTH for celebrating human stupidity. On Aug. 6, 1945, we all but disappeared Hiroshima with a single atomic bomb, and then did it again, three days later, at Naga-saki. And now we barely seem to care.

The sad truth is, we are incapable of understanding exactly what these seemingly ancient events mean — right now, for all of us, today. The August anniversaries are a stark reminder that the brains we inherited from our ancestors simply may not be up to dealing with much of the modern world we’ve (they’ve) created — especially the most dangerous parts.

Few people today know firsthand what an atomic bomb can do to human beings. One American airman riding in the plane that dropped the Hiroshima bomb described what he saw as “a pot of boiling black oil.” In an instant, people were reduced to charred cinders; survivors hobbled around with their skin hanging from their bodies like rags.

The carnage created widespread hope that such terrible weapons might mean no more war. We know how well that worked.

Today, the world has thousands of nuclear bomb-bearing missiles on “hair-trigger alert.” They are thousands of times more destructive than the 1945 models, which were a thousand times more destructive than conventional weapons.

So why have humans done so little to neutralize the threat? To even recognize that these are tools of our own destruction?

For one thing, our brains don’t really “grok” factors of a thousand. Imagine throwing a dinner party for four, and suddenly 4,000 show up; or your salary of $100,000 getting reduced to $100. The difference between a million, a billion and a trillion are also factors of a thousand, which is why we don’t do so well comparing domestic budgets, say, with military ones, or the wealth of the truly wealthy with the poverty of the extremely poor.

A little number sense, and also stories that convey the information in ways our brains can perceive it, could go a long way toward helping us be less stupid. But that’s merely a start.

The brain has other problems with the modern world. Take speed. Research pioneered at the lab of USC neuroscientist Antonio Damasio revealed that it can take up to six seconds for the brain to process complex emotions such as empathy or admiration. That can be a long time in today’s multitasking multiverse. What do we miss?

In fact, most of what we do (or think) is based on “thinking” that takes no time (or thought) at all.

In effect, we have at least two brains working together, more or less. The ancient “reptilian” brain is fast, bossy, sure of itself and never shuts up. The modern brain, primarily the cortex, is reflective, slow, conflicted and often defers to its elder. In the time it takes the reflective brain to give you a long-winded lecture on the perils of sweet greasy food, the reptile has you on your second jelly doughnut.

The ancient brain is what gets us through life on a daily basis. It can act in a flash to scoot you out of harm’s way, tell friend from foe, get food, find a mate, win a fight. But it was a lot better suited to a time when humans had to wolf down every scrap of sugar and fat they could find to survive — and fought each other with sticks and stones.

These interacting brains have created some curious strategies for getting along. Consider “confirmation bias,” now known to be behind some of the dumbest human decisions ever.

A simple example: Your reptilian brain gets you to flirt with that sexy lout, even though the rational brain knows better; rather than admit your mistake, you cherry-pick reasons to justify your acts and ignore all contradictory evidence. He did take you to that nice restaurant — even though he was two hours late, and “forgot” his wallet.

If we believe something is true (or simply trust the person who’s saying it), we believe any argument that “supports” it, even when that argument is obviously false.

Don’t get me wrong: Our brains are multilayered marvels. They landed an SUV-sized spacecraft on Mars with the grace of a ballerina; they gave us quantum mechanics (and with it, all of our electronic gadgets), relativity (thank it for your GPS); they gave us birth control, democracy, “The Daily Show,” Bach, agriculture, baseball, banks.

The problem is that we let the brain get ahead of itself. We build weapons we can’t or won’t control, for example, and trade stocks faster than our neurons can fire. We generally allow the lizard brain too much say over complex issues only the cortex can really handle: the death penalty, intolerance, war, climate change

In short, the human species is uniquely equipped to shoot itself in the foot (and much worse). I mean, even dogs don’t poop in their beds, and yet we foul the air we breathe and fiddle while the Corn Belt burns. We drive and chatter on the phone, even though we know it’s more dangerous than drinking and driving. Our gluttony makes too many of us too fat to serve in the military. And how smart is it to stop vaccinating children or fluoridating water, proven lifesavers?

Is there hope? You bet. Our modern brains can teach the older brain new tricks. We’ve learned to wash hands before surgery, click seat belts, even stop smoking. None came naturally.

But before we can figure out how to change (a slow brain function), we have to stop letting the fast brain do dumb things. Now.

The best way to put on the brakes may well be to enlist the old brain’s prime assets: emotion and speed. Luckily, the modern brain has given us some tools: Twitter. Instagram. YouTube. All work fast, and with feeling.

Of course, these tools are also (perhaps primarily) known for spreading hostility, lies and, well, stupidity. But they can also turn a train station of strangers into performance art, touching the common humanity in everyone. Some would say they brought down Arab dictators.

For real, long-term solutions, we could learn from the Mars rover Curiosity. All the momentum that was put into the spacecraft at launch had to be dissipated in a complex choreography of steps before it could safely touch down. That’s also true of unraveling the idiocy in the elaborate and too often dangerous military, corporate, civic and personal structures we’ve erected. That will take time, and thought.

But August would certainly be a great time to start trying to tweet ourselves back to sanity.

K.C. COLE’S biography of Frank Oppenheimer, who founded the Exploratorium in San Francisco to promote human awareness, is now available in paperback and ebook. She is a professor of journalism at USC.

DANIEL ZENDER For The Times

Sunday, August 12, 2012

MITT DID NOT MISSPEAK

In introducing Mr. Ryan, Mr. Romney mistakenly called him “the next president of the United States.”

Just like GWB and his VP it's the VP who will run the show. And just like GWB, Mitt will walk the line and sign whatever they put in front of him.

So, for those who want a re run of the GWB disaster vote for Ryan for president (err, I meant Mitt)

read more; http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/us/politics/mitt-romney-names-paul-ryan-as-his-running-mate.html

The Mitt Romney Post

The Washington Post’s neocon editors have again rallied to Mitt Romney’s defense, this time accusing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of McCarthyism for citing an unnamed Bain Capital investor as saying Romney paid no income taxes for 10 years.

read more; http://truth-out.org/news/item/10847-washington-post-again-defends-romney

Mitt Romney has decided to go nuclear in the class war.

Like the Arab Spring we need to have the American Fall. It is fast approaching and it's up to the people to decide who they want to be governed by. R&R are determined to steal this countries wealth for the benefit of the 1%. Americans fought long and hard for equality and it looks like the battle is not over.

read more; http://www.thedailybeast.com/features/2012/paul-ryan-vp-pick-reactions-and-rebuttals.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Cheat%20Sheet&utm_campaign=cheatsheet_morning&cid=newsletter%3Bemail%3Bcheatsheet_morning

Saturday, August 11, 2012

ARE YOU READY?

Luke Muehlhauser has now published the final chapters of his introductory blog on the coming of AI, Facing the Singularity. The penultimate chapter explains what can be done to improve our odds of a positive singularity, and the final chapter outlines what benefits we can expect from a positive singularity.

read more; http://facingthesingularity.com/

IS MITT A GEORGE W B WANABE?

Besides, the resemblances between George W. Bush and Mitt Romney are too close for comfort. Both were born into wealth, sons of prominent politicians who themselves ran for president; both are closely tied to the nation’s corporate and financial elites, and eager to do their bidding; both are socially awkward and, as candidates, tightly scripted for fear of saying something they shouldn’t; and both presented themselves to the nation devoid of any consistent policies or principles that might give some clue as to what they actually believe.

Republicans want to obliterate any trace of the administration that told America there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and led us into a devastating war; turned a $5 trillion projected budget surplus into a $6 trillion deficit; gave the largest tax cut in a generation to the richest Americans in history; handed out a mountain of corporate welfare to the oil and gas industry, pharmaceutical companies, and military contractors like Halliburton (uniquely benefiting the vice president); whose officials turned a blind eye to Wall Street shenanigans that led to the worst financial calamity since the Great Crash of 1929 and then persuaded Congress to bail out the Street with the largest taxpayer-funded giveaway of all time.

READ MORE; http://www.nationofchange.org/erasing-w-1344692189

A RIGHT WING PLOT

Masturbation: "An Evolutionary Magic Trick"

MITT AND HIS HIRED GUN

This couldn't be a better pick for a lose-lose ticket. The Democrats couldn't have done better if they were making the decision. Mitt just sealed the deal with the right-wing nuts and completely alienated himself from everyone else. Unless you are part of the 1%, a fool, or a racist, there is no sane or logical reason to vote for Mitt and his hired gun.

read more; http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hoping-to-hit-reset-romney-starts-bus-tour/2012/08/10/beb79fce-e318-11e1-98e7-89d659f9c106_story.html

WHO'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT HERE?

Think of it: The candidate will be running on his vice president’s ideas! It’s a staggering thought. Ryan might as well debate Obama this October, and Romney can square off against Biden.

READ MORE; http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/08/11/michael-tomasky-on-romney-s-stunning-terrible-choice-of-ryan-for-vp.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=exclusive_breaking_news&cid=newsletter%3Bemail%3Bexclusive_breaking_news&utm_term=Breaking%20News%20and%20Exclusives

R&R ARE HOPING YOU ARE TOO DUMB TO FIGURE THIS OUT

This Lady Isn't Even Trying To Make Paul Ryan Look Dumb

THE MITT & PAUL PLAN FOR VETS

Over 45,000 US troops were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, and more will come who will rely on VA services, on top of veterans of other wars and eras who depend on the VA.

READ MORE; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-soltz/gop-budget-doesnt-even-sa_b_1370899.html