News and Current Events - 2012

[kathy]

Yes, the journalists have been alleged to conspire* with each other (*any agreement between 2 or more people to commit an illegal act) as well as conspiring with police and high-level public officials.

Fourteen of the 27 arrestees were journalists; we are waiting with bated breath to learn just who the other arrestees are.  

Like Jess indicated above, this is big time. Even Paul David Cameron has been implicated and he himself is pursuing defensive legal options.

Cameron accused of assisting Murdoch's takeover of British satellite firm in exchange for political backing

This is such a good post.  Oh, yes, it certainly is way big time.  I hope and pray that the U.K. laws pursue this to the nth degree, and get everything they can on murdoch and his gang.   

But - is murdoch's endless supply of money going to get him off as it always did in the past?  Remember last year when the whole affair seemed to "die down", letting him and his lying arrogant son, and all of their liars give the impression that it would all go away?  This just can't happen again.   

kathy   

[janjo]

I don't think we know yet where all of this is going to lead, the Murdoch's have had so much influence over our press, and therefore the political status quo for such a long time. All of our Prime Ministers, with the exception I believe of John Major, are implicated in some way or another, as well as many senior police officers.
In the MP's expenses scandal, some  MP's and a Lord or two, did go to prison, but I am not at all sure what will be the upshot of the present phone hacking / corruption inquiries.

[Sandy]

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic league, is calling for a boycott of Kellogg's, a sponsor of  the Daily Show, over Jon Stewart's admittedly weird "vagina manger scene" bit:

As best I can tell, Donohue is the only member of the Catholic League, i.e., he's a guy with a computer and a large email distribution list. I've never heard from anyone else who claims to be a member, never heard from the vice-president,...

[Marge_Innavera]

That's what I've heard. Maybe he's the gentlemen's auxiliary for the "Million Moms."

Frankly I thought Stewart's routine was bizarre; but I hear sheer hatred from women delivered by 'comedians' all the time on the comedy radio station.  No objection from any religious establishment about that.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

I thought this commentary was apropos.

The Daily Show's "vagina mangers" joke upsets
conservatives, thus illustrating the joke's point
To avoid incurring the same wrath, we replaced the offending
religious iconography with a photo of Bill Donohue's head.
 
http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-daily-shows-vagina-mangers-joke-upsets-conserv,72669/

Stewart has replied:
“I’m not going to censor myself to comfort your ignorance.”

[kathy]

But - stewart has always been like this, hasn't he?  My personal reaction to him is that I can't stand him one bit and never cared for his type of 'comedy', but hasn't he always been like this

kathy

[Passion]

But - stewart has always been like this, hasn't he?  My personal reaction to him is that I can't stand him one bit and never cared for his type of 'comedy', but hasn't he always been like this

kathy

You must love Bill Maher!  Ha!

[Tony_]

You must love Bill Maher! 

  What's not to love  ?

[brokebacktom]

So, the French elected a Socialist. Watch the stocks go down today, according to our Media that is what is going to happen. On Good Morning America, they are saying stocks will pludge to a NEW low because of the election. Boy talk about a media being controlled by special interest, they are already talking about doom and gloom and not about why the French voted the way they did. Sad!! 

[Sandy]

Actually, Tom, I expect French stocks to go somewhat lower. And many European investors will flee the European markets to invest in the US market, which may buoy them. So I don't think we're headed for another generational low (March 6, 2009). Rejection of austerity might, just might, be beneficial for our economies. Take a gander at Paul Krugman's "End this Depression Now!" for the arguments against austerity to bring us out of depression.

Doom and gloom has been a constant meme in the media for four years now. Remember all the claims that the US economy was going to spiral into Zimbabwe-like hyperinflation? Didn't happen. Where were the retractions for continually failed predictions? Nowehere because a large segment of the populace, like Fox New/Faith-Based Economics, believe they are right, facts be damned. So, by the same logic that gives us, "If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't," you have, "if it's too bad to be true, it isn't."

[janjo]

The new French president may well turn out to be a good thing. We are all suffering from our austerity measures here in Europe, and no one likes it, or seems inclined to vote for it. However, if enormous numbers of people are unemployed all over Europe, which they are, how can our economies recover? All those hands are idle, as well as being paid unemployment benefit. That is not to say we can just start spending money we haven't got, but a way has to be found to encourage people to set up companies, and to start making and doing things again.
If Mr Hollande has any ideas, lets hear them.

[Sandy]

John Maynard Keynes suggested that in such a situation as the Great Depression, the government should intervene to spend its way out of debt, e.g., employ the unemployed in public works. It worked very well in WWII which brought about full employment. Instead of collapsing into depression after the end of WWII withdrew government support, a consumer boom took over in the private sector and we grew our way out of considerable debt. Austerity measures tend to make people hold on to what little cash they have instead of putting it into the economy, which makes the economy shrink, which makes people hold on to their cash even more, which...

[doodler]

The French situation was discussed last week or the week before on a couple "news" programs. The new guy is NOT into cutting back spending which has the members of that European alliance terribly worried. Couple that with the Greeks not wanting to go along... doesn't sound good.

[kathy]

  What's not to love  ?

Hi tony my friend.  I shall not reply to the post above yours.   

kathy   

[huntinbuddy]

Obama's vague gay marriage stance under scrutiny

President Barack Obama's election-year vagueness on gay marriage is coming under fresh scrutiny.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan broke ranks with the White House on Monday, stating his unequivocal support for same-sex marriage one day after Vice President Joe Biden suggested that he supported gay marriage as well.

continues.....

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20120507/D9UK54RG0.html


Really?   What a waste of internet server space.   When the chips are down, he's gonna take a stand that will get him the most votes, and here's a news flash, that doesn't include supporting gay marriage.