Why should a relatively prosperous upper-middle-class family care about inequality? There are lots of reasons, but here's the most personal one: that's our money the very rich are taking! Based on Internal Revenue Service figures, if middle- and upper-middle-class families had maintained the same share of American productivity that they held in 1980, they would be making an average of $12,500 more per year.
That bears repeating: $12,500 of my money every year to the richest 1 percent, and $600 more to pay my share of their tax cuts!
Inequality in the U.S. doesn't get the attention it deserves. Many of us brush it off, thinking, "So the rich get richer -- it's always been that way." Or we think: "I'm doing OK myself - and I want to be really rich someday, too."
The lopsided distribution of wealth in the U.S. doesn't get the blame it deserves for our budget problems, either. On the contrary, since our economic system is based on individual freedom, most of us believe in the inalienable right to make unlimited amounts of money. The thought of taking back a greater share from innovative and industrious business leaders is (shudder) "socialism."
Society's Child
© AP/Gregory Bull
In this Jan. 17, 2010 file photo, people walk down a street amid earthquake rubble in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
In this Jan. 17, 2010 file photo, people walk down a street amid earthquake rubble in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
A year later, people who opened their purse strings and wallets so generously are asking where the money went and how well was it spent. According to a survey by the Chronicle of Philanthropy of 60 major relief organizations, only 38 percent of that money has been spent to provide recovery and rebuilding aid. By comparison, in New Orleans, about 80 percent of the money raised for Hurricane Katrina victims has been spent.
Furthermore, only 63.6 percent of the money pledged for 2010 has been disbursed, according to the U.N special envoy for Haiti. The Haiti money train tends to take two different tracks. There is the money that was raised and donated shortly after the earthquake. That money has been spent on emergency relief efforts. And then there are billions pledged by foreign nations, most of which may not now be disbursed after all, according to many officials with knowledge of the process.
Carleene Dei, director of the United States Agency for International Development told reporters in a January 7 conference call that there was a "lack of understanding" about the pace at which pledges from March's donors conference could be met, referring to the UN conference where nations pledged more than $10 billion to help Haiti rebuild itself.
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Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was reported in grave condition and in surgery at University Medical Center in Tucson, after the shooting in a Safeway supermarket parking lot.
One news report states,
"The suspect in the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords and others, Jared Loughner, posted a You Tube video three weeks ago indicating that "in a few days, you know I'm conscience dreaming!" as well as a MySpace post saying goodbye to friends.
"According to MSNBC, "Police say the shooter was in custody, and was identified by people familiar with the investigation as Jared Loughner, 22. Pima County Sheriff's officials said he used a pistol to carry out the shooting spree. U.S. officials who provided his name to the AP spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release it publicly."
"In a You Tube video attributed to Jared Lee Loughner, which was posted approximately about three weeks ago, Loughner states, in part:
"This video is my introduction to you! My favorite activity is conscience dreaming: the greatest inspiration for my political business information. Some of you don't dream - sadly.
"In conclusion, my ambition - is for informing literate dreamers about a new currency; in a few days, you know I'm conscience dreaming! Thank you!
"The MSNBC report also indicates that federal law enforcement officials were analyzing Loughner's MySpace page after the shooting incident. According to MSNBC, "The MySpace page, which was removed within minutes of the gunman being identified by U.S. officials, included a mysterious 'Goodbye friends' message published hours before the shooting and exhorted his friends to 'Please don't be mad at me.'"
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Ashley Turton was found dead in her vehicle after a car crash and subsequent fire.
Ashley Turton was found dead in her vehicle after a car crash and subsequent fire.
A veteran congressional aide who worked most recently as a lobbyist and was married to a senior White House legislative affairs official was found dead in her car Monday behind the couple's Capitol Hill home following a low-speed car crash and subsequent fire.
Ashley Turton, whose husband, Dan, is the White House's deputy director of legislative affairs for the U.S. House, died in the early-morning incident in the garage behind 800 A Street SE, friends, her employer and congressional leadership aides said. City fire and police units responded to the vicinity of the home at about 5 a.m. Monday, according to fire department spokesman Pete Piringer.
"It had heavy smoke and fire conditions in a garage - an attached garage of a 2 and ½ story rowhouse," Piringer said. "The homeowner initially indicated that everyone in the house was accounted for. Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the bulk of the fire during the firefighting operation, but they did find an adult occupant of the vehicle [in the garage] deceased."
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Andrea Rouda's post entitled "Speaking of Target Practice" listed several historical figures who were murdered "by a crazy person" before naming MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, whom she referred to as "the Devil."
"What a waste, especially since there are so many good targets out still out there," she wrote. "Take Keith Olbermann."
She continued, "In the wake of yesterday's horrific shooting of a young congresswoman, the Devil himself who walks among us in the form of a TV 'journalist' has decided that Sarah Palin and the Tea Party are responsible and is spreading his usual vitriol."
"Please, won't somebody stop him?" Rouda concluded.
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - I Won't Back Down
I sure stepped in it writing about so-called "Chemtrails." The flamers and ad hominem attackers came out of the woodwork and when that happens, you know you've hit a hot button or a sore toe. Can we say COINTELPRO controlled clappers in the audience trying to keep the attention on the distraction so nobody will figure out what is really going on?
My readers know I'm into conspiracies - have been since the time I read None Dare Call it Conspiracy back in 1985 and tried to convince myself it was all paranoid nonsense and failed. What's more, I've paid a high price for what I've learned and shared. I don't do this for my health or to win a popularity contest. After all, people in mainstream religions hate and fear me, mainstream science types hate me, New Agers hate me, and even a lot of conspiracy theorists hate me. I guess it's because I don't buy into the "friend of my friend is my friend, enemy of my friend is my enemy"; I prefer to take each situation and examine it on its own merits. And when I see the kinds of reactions I got to my little piece about chemtrails, I know that something is rotten and getting smellier by the day and it isn't chemicals being spouted from the rear of passenger jets.
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Castro: "Israel, US killed [Iranian] nuke scientists."
Castro: "Israel, US killed [Iranian] nuke scientists."
Today he proved that all of the above is false, and that his mind is as clear as it was when he and his forces toppled the Cuban dictator, Batista, in 1959. He probably holds the Guinness Book of Records' 'record' for the Longest Lasting Thorn in the Side of The United States' .... and here's why;
Cuban revolutionist blames Mossad, secret services of US, UK for recent assassination of Iranian scientist. 'I don't remember another time in history when killing of scientists was official policy of powers armed with WMDs,' he writes in local paper
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro on Friday accused Israel, the United States and Britain for the "massacre" of Iranian scientists.
The Cuban revolutionist claimed that the mercenaries who acted on behalf of these countries are also responsible for a series of other assassinations that are meant to thwart the development of an Iranian nuclear program.
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We have been watching events unfold and looking for patterns that can help explain what caused this terrible act of violence and to discourage further escalations in domestic terrorism.
We see this event as a teachable moment in two respects. Firstly, it is clear that hate speech directed toward large groups of people (especially the villification of liberals, Jews, Muslims, and immigrants) adds legitimacy to the violent acts committed by unstable individuals. Hate speech should never be condoned, as it has been for years now by prominent public figures in the conservative movement.
Secondly, the unfolding media coverage offers a rare opportunity to watch political framing in action. We have a highly contentious event that is already being framed in a manner that conceals systemic causes. This provides us with an opportunity to watch agendas getting set in place and politically motivated interpretations established as the norms.
Protesters rallied yesterday outside government offices in Dublin to demand that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) stop shielding child rapists in the Catholic church, and threatening citizens who demand action.
Gerry O'Donovan, a member of the International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State (ITCCS), joined with Kevin Flanagan, Dave O'Brien and others in delivering a formal letter of protest to the government because of the DPP's refusal to bring charges against a Catholic priest, "Brother B", who has raped at least nine girls.
The protesters also pointed out that the DPP has even threatened to sue anyone who demands the prosecution of suspected child raping priests.
© Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
People's Bank of China Deputy Governor Yi Gang.
People's Bank of China Deputy Governor Yi Gang.
"The euro and the European financial markets are an important part of the global financial system and were, are and will be one of the most important investment areas for China's foreign-exchange reserves," Deputy Governor Yi Gang said in a statement on the central bank's website.
China's statements of support have included Vice Premier Li Keqiang this week expressing confidence in Spain's financial markets and pledging more purchases of that nation's debt. In backing European economies, China may help to prop up demand in the region that is its biggest market for exports and also the value of its euro-denominated assets.
