POPE COMMITS SUICIDE!

HALL OF SHAME: a failure to meet your own standards of behavior

Johann Wagener 2-28-13

POPE COMMITS SUICIDE!

No, not in the literal sense. That’s taboo in the Catholic Church and is punishable with ex-communication.  So he did the next best thing; quit and disappear. What I would call “spiritual suicide” in this instance. And, just like any other CEO of a multi-million dollar international organization, who have been deemed to be “too big to jail” he is walking away from what looks like another volcano of scandal and corruption that is about to blow the top off the Vatican.

If the Pope is indeed infallible then why is he covering up the fallibility of the Catholic Church? Why such a fierce blow-back at the media for speculating on the goings on in the Vatican? If only they had acted so aggressively in prosecuting the child molesters in their ranks.  VIDEO

Rather than celebrate him, followers should be berating him and asking that he keep the vows he made to his followers and God. Cutting and running at a time when the Church is in one of the worse crises in its history is arrogant, selfish and egotistic; not at all in line with the Churches’ teaching of humility and selflessness.

To add insult to injury the Pope boldly proclaimed that “God was asleep” at the wheel on his watch, a not so veiled implication that the churches’ problems are God’s fault.

The Pope needs to be reminded of the response Jesus gave to his disciples. 

The passage he quoted in the Gospel of Mark continues with; “The Son of God is awakened by the terrified disciples, calms the winds, and says,

 “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?”   

The bottom line is the “buck stops with the Pope.” As the reincarnated St Peter he has been entrusted with the keys to the Kingdom and with that, accepted responsibility to ensure that the church abides by its doctrines and lives up to the standards of morality it sets for its followers.  

There’s a reason why Popes stay in office to the end. Infallible or not the Pope needs to be held accountable for what goes on on his watch.  That demands his not losing “faith” in the Lord. 

With the exception of one other Pope all of them have grown “old and frail” and ultimately died in office. That’s part of the job description. In essence they stay on the job until God decides it’s time to promote them to the next world.

No white helicopter necessary. Interesting Facts about His Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI

Read more on the Pope here;

Vatican dismisses reports linking pope's resignation to gay conclave discovery

Secret Vatican report could play a part in pope selection

Wagering on a new pope? You bet!
 “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?”

DISORDER IN THE COURT

HALL OF SHAME NOMINEE

Justice Scalia should trade in the black robe for a white one and a hood to go with it. These clowns must think that, because like the Pope, they have lifetime positions that they are infallible.

 There were audible gasps in the Supreme Court’s lawyers’ lounge, where audio of the oral argument is pumped in for members of the Supreme Court bar, when Justice Antonin Scalia offered his assessment of a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. He called it a “perpetuation of racial entitlement.”

Scalia: Voting Rights Act Is 'Perpetuation Of Racial Entitlement' | ThinkProgress

WHEN BEING REJECTED IS A COMPLIMENT

It's refreshing to see a politician with values and principles. Hard of find these days. Let's hope there are more Chris Christies out there. 

Chris Christie was not invited to speak at CPAC because he criticized House Speaker John Boehner and GOP caucus politics during the debate over bringing the Hurricane Sandy relief bill to the floor, the group’s head confirmed to POLITICO.
 
Al Cardenas defends Chris Christie CPAC snub - Maggie Haberman

THE LAND OF THE FREE (AND STARVING) CHILDREN

The land of good and plenty where anyone who aspires to can become rich, famous, or even President. Sounds good but does it apply to those filmed in the documentary; "A Place At The Table."

How do the Billionaires and Millionaires square their groaning and moaning about sharing the wealth?

Why do celebrities run off to far away lands for a photo op when they can find them just across the tracks from where they live?

A Place at the Table (Official Movie Site) - Starring Jeff Bridges - In theatres, available on iTunes, and on demand March 1st - Trailer, Pictures & More

NRA POSTER BOY OF THE WEEK

The suspect in the killing of two California police detectives was wearing body armor and had three guns when he died in a shootout with other officers, sheriff's officials said Wednesday.

Jeremy Goulet, a coffee shop worker, had numerous run-ins with the law and swore he would never go back to jail, Ronald Goulet told The Associated Press.


Sheriff: Santa Cruz cop shooting suspect wore armor

MARCH MADNESS ON STERIODS

 Now that the selection of a Pope has been reduced to nothing more than placing a bet on a horse race we can say that there is no doubt that the inmates have taken over the asylum.







The next pope: Vote in the 'Sweet Sistine' bracket challenge

HE IS NOT ASLEEP. JUST TIRED OF ALL THE BS!

I thought that Mad Mike's take on the state of the Catholic Church was well stated but didn't quite hit home for me. I responded with;

The Pope took a page out of Sarah Palin's playbook and decided to go while the going was good. I partially go along with the notion that god was asleep while all this has been going on but that sounds more like a 'blame game" to me. Since He cursed us with "free will" back when Adam & Eve roamed the planet we have been put in charge of our own destinies. That's the price we paid for Eve's feeding Adam the apple and there are no refunds.

Everything that's happened since then are a direct consequence of the follies of those in charge which looks like they were follies indeed.

The Church as God intended via Jesus' teachings only exists in the Bible and doesn't even have a remote similarity on how we practice the faith.

We should all be thankful God has nothing to do with the mess we made.

A sleeping Lord, a pope, and a definition of faith

BROKEN NEWS ALERT!

This is hard to believe (excuse the pun) but it is coming from a doctor. And then there’s John’s, Marty’s, and Greg’s testimonials. I just can’t wait to “rock” my dates world!

Dear Johann, Please find below a special message from our friends at The Institute for Natural Healing. They have some important information to share with you. Sincerely, Michael Cutler, M.D. Editor, Easy Health Options®

Dear Reader, Hot date tonight? Nervous about how you’re going to perform… down there? Make sure this is the LAST night when you have to worry about your performance. Instead, join the hundreds of other men who take Prime Performance and are saying: “It seems to do a good job in terms of good erections and good orgasms. I would say that it has boosted my libido and performance compared to the previous three "primary" male sexual supplements I was taking, so I have decided to stick with it.” – Greg R. “Your product did everything as advertised and more. It works.” – Norm H. “I have tried other nutrients to help with my sex drive but I felt that Prime Performance was by far the best and I am going to stay with it.” – Marty S. “I can only say good things about it.” – John B. Prime Performance is the only supplement I know of that has science-backed ingredients at research-tested dosages. Discover exactly what they are and how they can soon help you rock her world. Stay healthy, Nicole Steiger Product Manager, Essential BioNutrients A Division of The Institute for Natural Healing

WELCOME TO OZ!

A fantasy land where a cable station that broadcasts nothing but fantasy is #1 for news. That being the case it's no wonder the country is in such a state of chaos and disarray. What's up is down.and what's down is up. It's the land where millionaires become billionaires while the middle class shrivels into a low(er) class while waiting for something from the top to "trickle" down to them.

So, millions of us watch FOX so as not to taste the bitter pill of reality as it bites into our hind sides.

For the 11th consecutive year, Fox News Channel has won the cable news network war. The News Corp-owned channel finished No. 1 in primetime total viewers this election year with an average of 2.071 million, according to Nielsen data released today, an 11% rise over 2011.

Fox News Tops 2012 Cable News Network Ratings; MSNBC Up Big

OUR SPENDING PROBLEM

Ask "bone head" Boner to put this on the table to ax out of the deficit. 

Our calculation, in a Feb. 21 editorial, showing that the top 10 U.S. banks receive a taxpayer subsidy worth $83 billion a year has generated some, um, discussion. It's a big number, and the subsidy is a big issue for the banks.

Remember That $83 Billion Bank Subsidy? We Weren't Kidding

THE 2ND COMMANDMENT

After reading an article in the LA Times; 

The pontiff dressed to reflect the beauty of the faith.

February 17, 2013|By Charlotte Allen

It got me to thinking about how far we have strayed from the path that God (Jesus) laid out for us. Especially when it comes to what we idealize; hero worship for lack of a better label. I went to the Christian version of the Constitution; the 10 Commandments, to do some comparisons on how we behave and the code of conduct we were given from up above; in this case the 2nd Commandment which reads;

"You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands."

Then I looked at a few pictures to help me put a face on what I believe Christianity represents.

         

WHO WOULD YOU PICK?

This then got me to wondering how Ms. Allen,followers of the "wealth based" branch of Christianity reconcile their beliefs with the Commandments. Praising the leader of the Catholic church for the way he dresses rather than his "works" which in this case are questionable, seems misguided and naive. And, if we believe in the Commandments, the path we are on spells nothing but doom and gloom for our children, and their children. Maybe it's time to reset our "moral compass."


Pope Benedict XVI, the pontiff of aesthetics

The best dog, cat and pet videos | Dogwork.com

The best dog, cat and pet videos | Dogwork.com

A SPENDING PROBLEM

The Obama administration, citing legal restrictions on direct funding of the opposition, has funneled $385 million in humanitarian aid through international institutions and nongovernmental organizations, most of which operate under Syrian government supervision.

U.S. considers direct aid to Syrian rebels

WHEN THE RIGHT IS RIGHT

Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) said on Saturday that former vice president Dick Cheney will “rot in hell” for the Iraq War.

“Congress will not hold anyone to blame,” Jones said to an audience of young libertarians in Raleigh. “Lyndon Johnson’s probably rotting in hell right now because of the Vietnam War, and he probably needs to move over for Dick Cheney.”

GOP Congressman: Dick Cheney Will Rot in Hell For Iraq War

MORAL INJURIES

CROSS-HAIRS; used figuratively to describe someone or something being targeted

They say, “war is hell” and, for those that physically survive them, many of them find themselves in Dante’s Inferno.  

Though it’s not talked about much there is a big difference between “offensive” wars driven by profits like those in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan and “defensive” wars driven by self/community preservation like WWI and WWII. Even though the mechanics are the same, there are stark psychological differences. It’s referred to as “moral injuries,” an offshoot of PTSD, or what you could simply call “guilt.” With the exception of psycho or sociopaths most of us experience guilt in difference degrees throughout our lives. But, most of it is transitory and fade quickly like when you’re caught with your hands in the cookie jar.

The guilt we experience in wars is much different and can stay with us for life.  That’s especially true when we cannot reconcile the difference between defensive vs. offensive wars.  Iraq and Afghanistan are prime examples of offense, profit driven wars. Neither of these countries posed a threat to us. Even though we were fooled into believing that they had something to do with 9/11 that reality is that we were attacked by a rouge gang of Saudi Arabians based in Pakistan who’s leader was a Saudi and not a citizen or official of either of the countries we attacked. This was not “Pearl Harbor” regardless of how it was spun and those who fought in these wars are the victims/causalities of that great deception.  

War zone killing leaves troops with ‘moral injury,’ may rival PTSD cases

Poll: Americans Oppose Almost Every Possible Spending Cut

OXY-MORON a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (as cruel kindness); broadly : something (as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements.

To most Americans, "cut" is just a word because when it comes down to what to actually cut in the budget there is actually nothing they want cut. The only budget item that came close was "aide to the worlds needy" and that was a split decision

THE BURNING CROSSES,WHITE HOODS AND ROBES ARE BACK

THE ASYLUM; For people, especially those with physical or mental impairments, who require organized supervision or assistance.

The following is a perfect description of the definition above.

Pratt predicted that President Obama may begin confiscating guns in order to provoke a violent response to justify further oppression, which host Stan Solomon feared would lead to the imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of people.

Pratt once again insisted that Obama is acting like King George III, a sentiment with which Solomon concurred, saying, “That will happen quickly and they will wipe those people out to set an example.”

But Solomon wasn’t finished: “I believe they will put together a racial force to go against an opposite race resistance, basically a black force to go against a white resistance, and then they will claim anyone resisting the black force they are doing it because they are racist.”

Howard agreed: “You may be right because he has been sowing the seeds of racial hatred; we were healing quite well as a nation on racial issues until Obama came along and now we have a lot of racial discord.”

Paranoid Gun Nuts Claim Obama is Raising a Private Black Army to Massacre White Americans

WELL DESERVED OSCARS

The best actors in America are the business and government leaders who impersonate job creators and makers of prosperity.

The 2013 Oscars for America's Foulest Hypocrites

Ted “McCarthy” Cruz

The Republicans have another “oxy-moron” to entertain us. This one is so funny you can’t stop laughing from the moment he opens his mouth. He actually believes that using the “C” word (communist) is going to get any leverage in the 21^st Century. Or at least he did in 2010 which he claims is old news and should not be brought up in today’s conversation. Yet he has no problem in dredging way back into the past of folks like Hagel who he wants to tear apart for past comments. 

Ted Cruz Responds to ‘New McCarthy’ New Yorker Article: ‘Curious’ They Would ‘Dredge Up a 3-Year-Old Speech & Call it News’

AN ENDANGERED SPECIES

Human beings are the only species on the planet that make a sport out of and entertain themselves watching their own kind self-destruct. We idealize and glorify events and people that destroy the planet and everything that lives on it, including us. 

We even go so far as to intentionally and premeditatedly; though without malice aforethought, put our children in harm’s way and cheer them on as they scramble each other’s brains on football fields.

Then, when the inevitable occurs, we react in dismay and shock as if we didn’t see it coming. We eulogize the victims with accolades of how brave and courageous they were and how much they’ll be missed and not forgotten; at least until the next news cycle with more breaking news about the latest massacre or disaster.

Though they say we learn from past mistakes, it seems the opposite is true. We build weapons of greater mass destruction. Race cars that travel at 200 mph, helmets that contain the brain damage better, guns that fire more and bigger ammo in less time, to bring down your target faster.

What is amazing is that we have survived this long, though maybe for not much longer. What’s sad is that we fail miserably when it comes to changing our behaviors; no matter the consequences.

Yesterday’s disaster only involved a few people and will quickly be forgotten. In fact they were able to clean up the mess, including the blood in the bleachers, so that today’s race could go on. NASCAR went so far as to try and take down a Utube video (see attached) that recorded what happened in the stands vs what they fed the media for fear that it might interrupt the race and the celebrations that follow.

Anything to entertain the crowd. 

NASCAR blocks eyewitness video of Daytona crash, but YouTube reverses the takedown

SOUND OF A TOILET FLUSHING

The Pentagon estimates that it could spend as much as $396 billion to buy 2,456 of the jets by the late 2030s. But the program, the most expensive in military history, has been plagued by cost overruns and delays, and it could easily become a target for budget cutters.

US grounds F-35 fighter fleet - Americas - Al Jazeera English

MEA CULPA

If the Pope is indeed infallible then why is he covering up the fallibility of the Catholic Church? Why such a fierce blowback at the media for speculating on the goings on in the Vatican? If only they had acted so aggressively in prosecuting the child molesters in their ranks.

Bottom line is the “buck stops with the Pope.” As leader of the church he has the responsibility to ensure that the church abides by its doctrines and lives up to the standards of morality it sets for its followers.  There’s a reason why Popes stay in office to the end Infallible or not the Pope needs to be held accountable for what goes on on his watch.  VIDEO

Vatican dismisses reports linking pope's resignation to gay conclave discovery

BIG PHARMA vs THE CARTELS

And the winner is?

Fatal prescription drug overdoses over the last decade have outnumbered deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.

Deaths from drug overdose increase for 11th consecutive year

WELFARE KINGS

 It's not just the NFL. Retired non-California professional athletes from Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL are all filing for workers' compensation in California.

A study commissioned by all four leagues estimates the total cost of workers' comp claims filed in California by non-California professional athletes will reach $1.2 billion.

NFL players can file for CA workers' comp thanks to loophole

Let me see if I understand this correctly.  Professional football players are able to collect “taxpayer funded” Workers Compensation for injuries sustained while playing a game they know full well will leave them, as one player put it, “after you play 10 to 12 years you’ve got the body of a 60 year old man”. I also need to understand how these worn out football giants qualify for benefits from a state (California) where they neither live nor are actually employed in. If that’s the case I assume a Greyhound bus driver who lives in New York can collect benefits in California because he drives through the state once in a while.

Finally, I’d like to have someone explain why tax payers; which include many who are not football junkies, are being asked to pick up the tab for the injuries these overgrown adolescents incurred while making millions of dollars for themselves and their handlers.

Maybe those politicians (especially Republicans) who scream and moan about “welfare queens” should take a look at this much larger dole out that goes to fewer people who are much less in need of help and, even though they are no longer able to play the game, they are still playing the system. 

Sex at 50-Plus: What's Normal?

AARP has taken up the question of what is "normal" sex which seems a worthwhile undertaking. Unfortunately they then proceed to go in the opposite direction by insinuating (or implying) that people without partners and those who are not actively having sex are not in the "norm."

Two points need to be addressed here;

There is no such thing as "normal' sex because as the esteemed doctor they interview points out, most people are not "truthful" or candid when it comes to talking about their sex lives. That corrupts the data and skews the results, so what you get is not what is going on.

Then there's equating sex with "love" making as if the two are synonymous which is stretching it a bit. Experiencing or expressing genuine love has little or nothing to do with sex other than they are both buzz words for selling lots of stuff from candy and cards, to magazines and videos; that latter not having much to do with love.

The truth is that love lasts as long as you do and sex takes a course dictated more by Father Time and Mother Nature. Which do you think is more important when you draw your last breath?


Sex at 50-Plus: What's Normal?

THE 21ST CENTURY BOOGEYMAN!

It used to be the "reds" and their nukes. Then it was the "terrorist" and their suicide vests. Now, it's the "cyber" hacks. Whatever it takes to scare us into a state of paranoia that will justify throwing billions of tax payer dollars in hiring some "New Guns" to take on the boogeyman.  

Even though the Federal Government operates a giant network of agencies like the NSA, CIA, FBI, DHLS, ATF, they claim to be defenseless against this new threat and, as they have done so many times in the recent past, they hire "private contractors"; profit driven companies to do the job, and, dare I say at a much higher cost to the taxpayer.  

The question that begs answering is; why can't our government do the job? What are all those tax supported agencies doing with all that cash they claim to need to protect the country? Instead of spending millions on asking people to take off their shoes in airports maybe those funds, plus a lot more that's wasted, could go towards fighting the "cyber war." 

The recent alarming disclosure that China is hacking our computers has generated the kind of fear and paranoia that neo-cons and the "military industrial complex" thrives on. 

The winners in this new scare are companies like Mandiant who put out a blistering report about China's cyber attack on the U.S.

This begs another question. Why wasn't this report put out by one of the government agencies that have long been aware of these attacks? You get one guess. It's the "M" word.  

The report, embraced by stakeholders in both government and industry, represented a notable alignment of interests in Washington: The Obama administration has pressed for new evidence of Chinese hacking that it can leverage in diplomatic talks — without revealing secrets about its own hacking investigations — and Mandiant makes headlines with its sensational revelations.

The report also shows the balance of power in America's cyberwar has shifted into the hands of the $30 billion-a-year computer security industry.

"We probably kicked the hornet's nest," Mandia, 42, said in an interview at the Alexandria, Va., headquarters of Mandiant. But "tolerance is just dwindling. People are tired of the status quo of being hacked with impunity, where there's no risk or repercussion."

China has disputed Mandiant's allegations.

Mandiant, which took in some $100 million in business last year — up 60 percent from the year before — is part of a lucrative and exploding market that goes beyond antivirus software and firewalls. These "digital forensics" outfits can tell a business whether its systems have been breached and — if the company pays extra — who attacked it.

Mandiant's staff is stocked with retired intelligence and law enforcement agents who specialize in computer forensics and promise their clients confidentiality and control over the investigation. In turn, they get unfettered access to the crime scene and resources to fix the problem (Mandiant won't say exactly how much it charges, but it's estimated to average around $400 an hour).

Is Mandiant a 'digital Blackwater'?

The last question I want to ask is; who is profiting from this new war? How many politicians and the people that finance their campaigns have invested in this industry?  Chances of getting an answer to this question is slim to none because it would be the needle that bursts this new bubble before it has a chance to inflate into another large waste of tax payer dollars that quickly disappear into places we can't go to.

Nonetheless it worth a try;    http://www.chubbybrain.com/companies/mandiant/investors-funding-history#axzz2LhZft0iw

WELCOME TO DEATH PANELS

Stephanie was then told by a billing clerk that the estimated cost of Sean’s visit — just to be examined for six days so a treatment plan could be devised — would be $48,900, due in advance. Stephanie got her mother to write her a check. “You do anything you can in a situation like that,” she says. The Recchis flew to Houston, leaving Stephanie’s mother to care for their two teenage children.

About a week later, Stephanie had to ask her mother for $35,000 more so Sean could begin the treatment the doctors had decided was urgent. His condition had worsened rapidly since he had arrived in Houston. He was “sweating and shaking with chills and pains,” Stephanie recalls. “He had a large mass in his chest that was … growing. He was panicked.”

Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us | TIME.com

AMERICAS OBESITY PROBLEM

We have a problem with obesity in this country. No, I’m not talking about “The Biggest Loser” contestants or Governor Chris Christie. This is a much bigger problem because it affects each and every one of us. 

I’m talking about a bloated bureaucracy with an insatiable appetite that devours  billions of US taxpayer dollars that we refer to as the Pentagon; the nerve center of our “military industrial complex.”

Republicans like to scream and holler about “Big” government and our “Spending” problem, but they mysteriously never utter the words “defense” or “military” which is either amazingly stupid or brilliant.

Stupid because it’s absurd to think that our military might is in danger if we don’t continue feeding it more of our tax dollars at the expense of all others; especially social programs.

Stupid because when you look at the facts it’s obvious that nothing is further from the truth.

US DEFENSE BUDGET

The U.S. spent more on defense in 2011 than did the countries with the next 13 highest defense budgets combined

 ; ; 

; 

Brilliant because neo-cons have been able to convincingly scare the public for years into believing that our country is in great danger by shadowy evil forces that are out to destroy us.  

So, who are these “boogeymen”?  How do they stack up to the strongest and largest military in the world?

Aside from the “terrorists” who are not representative of any country (In fact we have our own “homegrown terrorists” living in our own neighborhoods.)

The questions to ask are; 

When was the last time the US was invaded by a foreign enemy?

When was the last time a country used nuclear bombs? And who were they?

What country has military forces in other countries around the world?

Neo-cons usually sound the alarm about 2 countries in particular; Iran and North Korea. 

Let’s start with IRAN vs USA  A threat? Yes. Big enough to warrant an even larger military? Not really.

And arch enemy N. KOREA vs USA  A threat? Yes. Big enough to warrant a larger military? I don’t think so.

Common sense would dictate that you don’t treat obesity by feeding it more. So, let’s come to terms with the real problem we face. How to put it on a diet.

The neo-cons will tell you that reducing the military budget will require drastic cuts in areas that are critical to our defense, like troop strength or a reduction in the civilian work force that support our troops.  

What the neo-cons fail to point out is that these cuts can be made without having much of an effect on the economy IF they are made where no one dares to go; “PROFITS”, “CEO compensation”, lobbying and perks.

The following video makes this point clear;   Project On Government Oversight Exposes Corruption, Explores Solutions.

Other questions neo-cons avoid answering are;

CAN THE US MILITARY LOSE A LITTLE WEIGHT?

OBAMAcare vs GOPcare

The next time one of those conservative Republican/Tea Partiers bring up OBAMACARE take the opportunity to educate them on why healthcare costs so much in this country. Don't expect any applause.

The United States spends more than $2.5 trillion a year on healthcare, or more than $8,000 per person. That is 21/2 times as much as the average spent by other industrialized nations, according to data collected by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, whose members include the richest nations.

Studies show that the high cost of U.S. healthcare is driven in large part by prices. American hospitals and doctors charge much more than their international counterparts.

But U.S. physicians also perform many more tests and elective procedures. For example, American doctors order nearly twice as many CT and MRI exams as doctors in other industrialized countries do. They perform more knee replacements and deliver more babies by caesarean section.

Some of this extra care may result in better outcomes. The U.S. has some of the highest cancer survival rates in the world, for instance.

But America lags far behind other industrialized countries in caring for children with asthma and adults with chronic bronchitis and emphysema, among other illnesses.

A growing number of experts have concluded that much medical care in the U.S. is wasteful and even dangerous for patients. A 2012 report from the independent Institute of Medicine estimated total waste in the system at 30%, or $750 billion a year.


Choosing Wisely | Consumer Health Choices

J.J.Jr. BOUGHT A $43,000.00 WHAT?

CCatching a politician with his hands in the cookie jar is no surprise. That's expected when you put a bunch of narcissistic ego-maniacs in one room.

But when I read that one of them blew $43,000 (more than a years salary to many of us) on a wrist watch??

I have to wonder what is going on in the grey matter between their ears?  It's just a wrist watch, stupid! It doesn't do anything that a $10 Timex does; tell time! Could these people not find anything more worthwhile to throw their money at? 

So, in an effort to make some sense from this nonsense I searched the web looking for a rationale for this irrational behavior. I was curious to know who these people are. To my surprise I found almost "nothing" in Google which is chock full of data about the minutest and most insignificant information like; Adolf Hitler had only one testicle?

Here’s a few tidbits I’d like to share;

First, it looks like J.J. Jr. is just trying to keep up with J.J. Sr. You know; “like father like son” or “a chip off the old block.” 

        Jesse Jackson Sr. sends a message

I found the Reverend on this site; http://www.rolexmagazine.com/photos/people/index.html     

which contains a photo gallery of people I was surprised to find there; though I suspect not all dropped $43,000 down on one of these over-rated wrist watches.

But then, there are those who do as the one I found on this list;

116599 4RU Daytona (WG-Baguettes-Rubies / Diamonds / Leather) $120650.00

WELCOME TO LOONEY-TOWN!

CHICKEN LITTLE AT THE PENTAGON

These guys are well trained to barf up the "talking points" and throw out the "buzz words" like "threat", "danger", "national security" "job loss", blah, blah, blah.

If we cut their budget the country will self-destruct! The "end of days" are here!

They make nonsensical statements about cutting the civilian work force as if that’s where the spending cuts need to be made while they conveniently ignore the billions they waste on useless weapons, nukes that will never be used, armed forces in countries that are allies, $600 toilets, and last, but not least, “private contractors” and the CEO’s they pander to.

Here’s a few facts that the talking points don’t cover;

Given the apocalyptic rhetoric some of these CEOs are using to describe planned reductions in Pentagon spending and their poor track record on job creation, we at POGO wanted to see just how many jobs could be provided for the price of just one of these CEOs. Here’s what we found:

• The average worker in the U.S. earned $45,230 last year. These CEOs were paid more in an average day than the average American worker was paid all of last year.
• According to a 2011 Congressional Budget Office analysis, the median compensation (including basic pay, allowances for food and housing, and tax advantages) for enlisted U.S. military personnel with ten years of experience was about $64,000. Thus, the Pentagon could afford to pay the salary of 335 soldiers with the money from just one top defense contractor’s compensation package.
• The CEOs of these top Pentagon contractors are also making significantly more than their own workers. According to a Deloitte study, the average wage (just salary, not benefits) for the entire aerospace and defense industry in 2010 was $80,175. For the price of one CEO then, these firms could pay the salary of 268 defense and aerospace industry workers.
• Even compared to other CEOs these Pentagon executives are making an enormous amount of money. An Associated Press study of S&P 500 CEO’s (i.e. the largest publicly traded companies) found that the typical CEO received $9.6 million in total compensation last year. Thus, the top Pentagon contractors could afford two CEOs with the compensation they’re using to pay their current CEOs.

CEOs vs. Workers

Click here to see just how much more defense CEOs make than workers.

These five CEOs weren’t even the highest paid heads of Pentagon contractors. That honor goes to David Cote, the CEO of Honeywell, whose $35.7 million compensation package made him the sixth highest paid CEO in the U.S. last year, according to the Associated Press study.

Pentagon Contractor CEO Compensation is Second to None

The Plan to Enrich the World's Wealthy at the Expense of Everyone Else

Wall Street billionaire Pete Peterson, through his many groups and allies, has pushed a dangerous austerity agenda.


The Plan to Enrich the World's Wealthy at the Expense of Everyone Else

"Kill Anything That Moves" Military Doctrine Began in Vietnam

AND HAS NOW COME HOME TO ROOST!

"Kill Anything That Moves" Military Doctrine Began in Vietnam

PEPPERONI, EXTRA CHEESE AND A BUSHMASTER PLEASE

How will he be able to tell a crazy shooter from a customer?  Come to think about it, anyone that needs to "pack" is a little bit crazy.

Granny get your gun, and pizza discount in Va. Beach | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

BUSH/CHENEY SCREWED US!

Rachel Maddow Special "Hubris: Selling The Iraq War" | RealClearPolitics

DID YOU EVER HEAR THE ONE ABOUT.......?

Pistorius Says He Feared For His Life; Prosecutor Says Shooting Was Premeditated : NPR

The Unwarranted Mythology of Oscar Pistorius

The news from South Africa was shocking, but maybe it shouldn’t be. Like too many other sports celebrities, he won by breaking the rules. Will we ever learn to cut this self-delusion?

The Unwarranted Mythology of Oscar Pistorius

David Letterman - Abraham Lincoln Top Ten

David Letterman - Abraham Lincoln Top Ten

MORE GUNS PLEEEEZE!

Hey Mr La Pierre!  How would more guns in the hands of more people worked in this situation? 

A chaotic shooting spree early Tuesday through Orange County, left four people dead, including the shooter, and two others injured before the man stopped and shot himself to death in a stolen car, police said.

There were multiple crime scenes in Tustin and Orange and many more victims who were shot at but unhurt, Tustin Lt. Paul Garaven said.

Tustin: 4 fatally shot, including shooter, in early morning rampage

JFK50: Let the Word Go Forth

THESE WORDS STILL RING TRUE TODAY

JFK50: Let the Word Go Forth

Florida’s School-to-Prison Pipeline is Largest in the Nation

More than in any other state, students in Florida are being arrested for incidents that once would have merited a trip to the principal's office.

Florida’s School-to-Prison Pipeline is Largest in the Nation

The Most Loathsome People in America: The Double Dirty Dozen

The Most Loathsome People in America: The Double Dirty Dozen

148 years later, Mississippi ratifies amendment banning slavery

148 years later, Mississippi ratifies amendment banning slavery

How Conservatives Who Block Minimum Wage Hikes are Destroying the Economy

Raising the minimum wage helps the real job creators: ordinary, hard-working Americans.

How Conservatives Who Block Minimum Wage Hikes are Destroying the Economy

Could You Live on $2.13 Per Hour -- Even With Tips? That's the Minimum Wage for Waiters

Could You Live on $2.13 Per Hour -- Even With Tips? That's the Minimum Wage for Waiters

The Minimum Wage, Guns, Healthcare and the Meaning of a Decent Society

The questions we face—whether to raise the minimum wage, restrict the availability of guns, expand healthcare coverage, and countless other decisions—inevitably require us to define what we mean by a decent society.

The Minimum Wage, Guns, Healthcare and the Meaning of a Decent Society

Dismal Indeed: Why Dick Cheney Disdains the ‘Second-Rate’ Obama Team

If "Darth" Cheney doesn't like you it means you're doing something right.


Dismal Indeed: Why Dick Cheney Disdains the ‘Second-Rate’ Obama Team

DUCK!

5 Top Regrets People Have At the End of Their Lives

5 Top Regrets People Have At the End of Their Lives

LOVE AINT WHAT' IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE

Capitalism gave our fantasy a blank check but it stole our reality.

Why It's Harder to Love Someone in This Era of Extreme Capitalism

How about some "Old Testament Justice?"

Elizabeth Warren just pulled the curtain back when she said'

"I want to note that there are district attorneys and U.S. attorneys who are out there everyday squeezing ordinary citizens on sometimes very thin grounds and taking them to trial to ‘make an example,’ as they put it,” she told bank regulators testifying at a Senate Banking Committee hearing. “I am really concerned that too-big-to-fail has become too-big-for-trial.”

EconoMonitor : Great Leap Forward » Elizabeth Warren: Why are Banksters Too Big For Trial?

Ted "McCarthy" Cruz!

First there was Rick "oooops" Perry. Second there's Ted "Joe McCarthy"
Cruz. Third, there's?  Well, they do have something in common. They are both from Texas (Strike One) They are both A-Holes (Strike Two) and......................?????

The new McCarthyism? Ted Cruz’s innuendo war against Hagel — MSNBC

RICH WHITE GUYS

America’s 10 Richest Presidents

IT'S NOT GOD......IT'S INCONGRUENCE

t's not nice to blame God for people's shortcomings. The problem here lies with people (especially in the South) who suffer from  Schizoaffective disorder; a mental condition that causes both a loss of contact with reality (psychosis) and mood problems. In simpler terms, "in-congruence".  This is evident when comparing what these people say (e.g. very religious) and how they behave (e.g. racists, bigoted, support wars, fans of violent sports, oppose social programs, etc.) In short, they don't "practice what they preach" which is in and of itself, "crazy-making."  

When God Is Not Enough: Religious States Have Highest Rates of Anti-Depressant Use

HERO WORSHIP MADNESS

A common storyline for male athletes, even as society continues to revere them for their athletic talent if not for their moral fiber.

Oscar Pistorius Accused of Murdering His Girlfriend -- Latest Reminder That Athletes Don't Always Make for Good Role Models

CRAP CRUISE

LITERALLY!

Cruise ship nightmare nearing end for passengers after hellish trip

CRAP CRUISE

LITERALLY! 

Cruise ship nightmare nearing end for passengers after hellish trip

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS

TAKE A "CRAZY" LAWMAN, THROW IN A WHOLE BUNCH OF "GUN CRAZED" ZEALOTS AND ADD A FEW SOCIOPATHS TO SPICE THINGS UP, GIVE THEM GUNS AND AMMO AND SEND THEM TO OUR SCHOOLS.

THAT FRIENDS, IS ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS!


Joe Arpaio hired a convicted child-sex criminal for armed school “posse”

The 4 Words Our President Spoke That Resonate Now More Than Ever

The 4 Words Our President Spoke That Resonate Now More Than Ever

Science Shot: Sea Slug Sports Detachable Penis

Science Shot: Sea Slug Sports Detachable Penis

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)

Not today! They eat them!

British police mount raid as horsemeat scandal widens

They’re Just Floating Bathrooms

Since all you do on these floating orgy tubs is "eat - sh-t - and sleep'  I imagine the toilets get a lot of use. I hope their not dumping all that in the ocean.

They’re Just Floating Bathrooms

A New Year of Hope for Animals

The moral progress of a society, it has often been said, can be judged by how it treats its weakest members.


A New Year of Hope for Animals

Report: Hundreds of Former SEC Employees Representing Clients Before Agency

From 2001 through 2010, "more than 400 SEC alumni filed almost 2,000 disclosure forms saying they planned to represent an employer or client before the agency," the report states.

It continues: "Those disclosures are just the tip of the iceberg, because former SEC employees are required to file them only during the first two years after they leave the agency."

The report cites high-profile financial firms such as UBS, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Alaska Air Group Inc. as benefiting from the work of former SEC employees. Such ex-SEC officials have helped the companies they now represent win favorable regulatory rulings, the report asserts.

Report: Hundreds of Former SEC Employees Representing Clients Before Agency

For Shame, Wealthy America: Some Facts About the Victims of Your Greed

In 1983 the poorest 47 percent of America owned $750 billion dollars, $15,000 per family, 2.5 percent of the nation's wealth.

In 2009 the poorest 47 percent of America owned ZERO PERCENT of the nation's wealth (their debt exceeds their assets).

For Shame, Wealthy America: Some Facts About the Victims of Your Greed

Washington’s War-Makers Aren’t ‘in a Bubble,’ They’re in a Bunker

With the tenth anniversary of the Iraq invasion coming up next month, we can expect a surge of explanations for what made that catastrophe possible. An axiom from Orwell -- “who controls the past controls the future” -- underscores the importance of such narratives.


Washington’s War-Makers Aren’t ‘in a Bubble,’ They’re in a Bunker

DREAM CRUISE!

A very bad dream. It's hard to feel sorry for these people since they seem to be glutton's for punishment wasting thousands of dollars to float around on these giant "orgy" tubs.

Here's what these folks got for their money.

Being stuck at sea is the least of the problems for the 3,143 passengers stranded on the Carnival cruise ship drifting off the Gulf of Mexico. An engine fire Sunday left the Carnival Triumphwithout propulsion, leaving it adrift about 150 miles from the Yucatan coast. Currently there are reports of a shortage of running water, scarce electricity, and a depleting food supply. One passenger reported “sewage running down the walls and floors” and said travelers were being asked to defecate in bags and urinate in showers because toilets weren’t functioning. Food lines exceeded three and a half hours long, and many passengers are sleeping outside to stay cool. Vacation of a lifetime.

Busted toilets, hot rooms, headaches after fire strands cruise ship in Gulf

TERRORIST IN THE ROOM!

Nugent in the past has threatened to kill President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

Meet the Texas GOPer Who's Bringing Ted Nugent to Obama's SOTU

The Utter Insanity of America's Military Policy

How the "secret" Saudi base fosters blowback, and repeats the CIA's pattern of stupidity.

The Utter Insanity of America's Military Policy

DIARRHEA!

DIARRHEA!

Johann Wagener 2-12-13

   It's the most often used word on the NBC Evening News with Brian Williams.  It’s used constantly on a daily basis! I know more about diarrhea  than I would ever want or need to know. It’s usually from some unseen person rattling off a long list of side effects from one of the hundreds, if not thousands, of drug commercials I see on this news show. Once in a while there’s someone who shows up in the aisle of a jumbo jet or bus quizzing the passengers about diarrhea.  It makes me sick. Almost to the point of, you guessed it, having diarrhea !

TV networks' drug ad dependency. Who's the stooge?

Worst in Show

But the BEST to have fun with;

http://www.thedailybeast.com/videos/2013/02/11/worst-in-show.html

Americans for Responsible Solutions: "Let's Get This done"

SHOCKING: The Truth About Who's Running The NRA

SHOCKING: The Truth About Who's Running The NRA

Hero Worship

Let me get this straight. A team of highly trained killers using a few million dollars worth of technology raid a house occupied by a half dozen ragtag guys in robes and turbans and a few women and children and "Bap- Bap" (those are the shooters words, not mine) take them out. This is heroism? This is something worth writing a book about? Is it that important to find something of value; something to worship, in senseless quixotic conflicts, that in the big picture, will be nothing but a non-event.

Did it ever occur to anyone that pumping up these isolated events serves to diminish much greater events where heroism was so common place you didn't have to look for it. WWI -WWII were fraught with heroes on both sides; many of which never wrote books or made movies out of their stories but were rather humbled by the experience and would have rather forgotten it than praise it.

Maybe it's time we grow up and leave the heroes to the comic book writers.

Navy SEAL Recalls Moment He Killed Bin Laden

PETER WOULD BE ASHAMED

If Saint Peter were here today I’m certain he would be ashamed of what’s going on in his church. I’m also certain he would be handing out pink slips to all those who were complicit in these crimes against children of the Church.

The hypocrisy and arrogance is unprecedented. This is an organization that has taken the act of “brotherly love” to new levels that has inflicted severe physical, psychological and spiritual pain on countless souls throughout the world. 

They say timing is everything. On Feb. 11, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, making him the first pontiff in 600 years to do so. Hours after the shocking announcement, lighting struck St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

Worldwide, lightning strikes about eight million times per day, on average — that's about 100 times per second. Most of these strikes, however, are cloud-to-cloud strikes; only about 25 percent of lightning strikes are cloud-to-ground strikes.


Just a coincidence?


Photo: Lightning Strikes Vatican After Pope's Resignation