Friday, September 30, 2011
Believe it or not! Man drops child while trying to catch baseball.
This happened at a baseball game in Taiwan. The reaction of a) the TV commentators and b) the wife is priceless. Husband won't get a trial though!
In Denial
 |
| "Bulgaria is for Bulgarians, not for dirt," Russian football fans offer support for their "ethnic" Bulgarians colleagues. Photo by championat.ru |
Boyko Borissov has been busily cutting ribbons (he likes a ribbon, does Boyko), opening new roads, fixing ramshackle airports and opening water purification schemes. Riots only happen in Western Europe according to Boyko. Bulgaria is an ocean of ethnic harmony. Everybody is working hard and getting on with things. No need for a crowd. Move along please.....
One would have expected a decent interval to have passed before the revisionists reared their heads but not so! Last week's happenings in Katunitsa were only a small local matter. A mafia hoodlum, who just co-incidentally happened to be Roma, has been arrested (not convicted, mind you - watch that space. Rumors suggest he is highly connected!). The same hoodlum has mysteriously evaded justice for years despite every dog in the street knowing about him. But this was not an ethnic issue. No way! According to Rosen Plevneliev, the leading party's Presidential candidate, it was all a media conspiracy. Bulgarians aren't interested in ethnic tensions.
Novinite.com's Milena Hristova takes up the theme. There were no riots. Foreign press (Der Spiegel) stink of "primitive populism" feeding simplistic analysis to their "thick and shallow" readership (I kid you not!). Now I know Der Spiegel will always struggle to maintain the high journalistic standards of Maxim Behar's global media colossus, Novinite.com but they should be given some credit? In fact, when you think about it, the Germans know a lot about the oppression of minorities. Personally, I would listen to them very closely. You could learn a lot from them.
Certainly something stinks in Hristova's articles. It's the stink of denial. Bizarrely, she wrote an article only a few days earlier asking why the Cauldron had Boiled Over!! Make up your mind Milena!! Milena's the kind of gal who, if she was around in 1945, would be saying "Death camps? What death camps?"She suggests that foreign journalists should go and live with the Roma to see what the real truth is. Great idea Milena, why don't you take your own advice? Try some real journalism for a change.
So there we have it. There was no problem last week. It was all a foreign media conspiracy. Thousands did not march against the Roma in Plovdiv. There were no riots in Katunitza. Eighty thousand Bulgarian young people did not sign a Facebook hate page and many other similar pages (thankfully Facebook have since removed them). Protestors did not call for the Roma to be made into soap. And Mad Dog Volen and his bootboys did not try to storm the President's office or invade a TV station. Roma were not beaten up on the streets of Blagoevgrad. Shops were not burned. The Prime Minister and President did not stand together and appeal for calm. And night after night the riot police did not take to the streets of Sofia and other cities. It was just a local criminal matter in a small village outside of Plovdiv. Well you could have fooled me!
So, in 2010, the Prime Minister must never have said that the Roma were a "nomadic tribe" (i.e. if they want to go to France that's ok). His Interior Minister never said that the Roma were "an incubator for generating crime". Political parties never bought Roma votes (I mean literally paid for them) to gain power. Amnesty International, the EU and host of external reputable agencies have never condemned Bulgaria's record on the Roma. Bulgaria is a model of ethnic harmony. The new rainbow nation! And look! There's one of Hristova's Roma pigs flying past my eight floor window as I write.
Boyko should tell his Interior Ministry that there were no riots or ethnic tension last week because they appear to think differently. They announced that there were seven major cities (Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Pazardzhik, Veliko Tarnovo, Blagoevgrad, and Kyustendil) in Bulgaria which are potentially dangerous with respect to ethnic tension. I guess it's only potentially though. Because there are no ethnic tensions in Bulgaria. Right Boyko, Milena, Rosen? I despair!
When Bulgarians perceive that they are being attacked, especially from abroad, they round up the wagons and mount a strong defence. Ordinary Bulgarians, Roma included, have suffered a lot since 1989. They are decent, hard working people. Young Bulgarians are industrious and care about their futures and their country. And it is a great country.
Most people struggle to meet ends meet. Corruption is rampant and organised crime has been unchallenged for years. The current government appears to be earnest in its efforts to improve things. Bulgaria has recently, wrongly in my view, been denied access to membership of Schengen, although they hardly helped their case this week. There is a deep feeling of resentment at being treated like second class European citizens. Bulgarians know what it means and what it feels like to be discriminated against. It is such a huge pity that they can't seem to appreciate that the Roma feel exactly the same. One thing is for sure. Denying the problem, will never resolve it. Everyone in this country deserves better than this.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Respect for Mark Esterhuysen
From the New York Daily News:
A talk radio station in South Africa booted one of its newsreaders on Tuesday after he spat-out the F-word more than a dozen times in an on-air rant. Mark Esterhuysen slammed racism, cops, capitalism and facism during his 41-second diatribe at 1 a.m. on Talk Radio 702 Eyewitness News, according to Times Live in Johannesburg.
"F--- racism, f--- the pigs who killed Andries Tatane, f--- the AWB," he says in the audio. Tatane was killed in April after being brutally beaten by police at a protest in Ficksburg. The AWB, Afrikaner Resistance Movement, is a South African far-right secessionist political organization."F--- capitalism, f--- fascism," he continues to yell. "F--- this f--- wage slavery s---."
Esterhuysen ended his diatribe by promoting his blog (markesterhuysen.blogspot.com), Twitter and Facebook accounts. "
We can't tolerate that kind of behavior," Katy Katopodis, an editor at Eyewitness News, told Times Live. "I don't think it's appropriate to use our platform, which is credible, to promote your own agenda.
Esterhuysen, who described himself as an "Enemy of the state" and "Defender of Anarchy" on Twitter, tweeted Wednesday he would be posting a statement about his outburst soon. The audio has since found its way online, where it's becoming a viral favorite.
"You are a Hero," a Facebook user wrote on Esterhuysen's profile.
Respect to Mark. It takes some balls to stand up to the establishment. Where are the free thinkers?
"F--- racism, f--- the pigs who killed Andries Tatane, f--- the AWB," he says in the audio. Tatane was killed in April after being brutally beaten by police at a protest in Ficksburg. The AWB, Afrikaner Resistance Movement, is a South African far-right secessionist political organization."F--- capitalism, f--- fascism," he continues to yell. "F--- this f--- wage slavery s---."
Esterhuysen ended his diatribe by promoting his blog (markesterhuysen.blogspot.com), Twitter and Facebook accounts. "
We can't tolerate that kind of behavior," Katy Katopodis, an editor at Eyewitness News, told Times Live. "I don't think it's appropriate to use our platform, which is credible, to promote your own agenda.
Esterhuysen, who described himself as an "Enemy of the state" and "Defender of Anarchy" on Twitter, tweeted Wednesday he would be posting a statement about his outburst soon. The audio has since found its way online, where it's becoming a viral favorite.
"You are a Hero," a Facebook user wrote on Esterhuysen's profile.
Respect to Mark. It takes some balls to stand up to the establishment. Where are the free thinkers?
Censorship and Novinite.com
Poor Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) has seen fit to censor Sofia Notes. This began this week when I criticised the global media outlet for their coverage of Bulgarian racism. I have been posting to their web site forum for a long time now and there was never any suggestion of a problem. But there you go. That's the free press in xenophobic 21st century Bulgaria for you. I've included an email thread to the editor-in-chief of the global media outlet for clarity.
Oh by the way. I got the logo from their web site. _________________________________________________________________________________
2011/9/29 Sofia News Agency
bTV invaded by Violent Volen!
The infamous presidential candidate, Violent Volen (VV) Siderov, invaded bTV's studios this morning to spew out some more of his usual vitriolic racist propaganda. Novinite.com reports:
The leader of Bulgaria's nationalist, far-right Ataka party and presidential hopeful, Volen Siderov, ruined a Thursday morning TV debate, dedicated to the issue of ethnic hatred. The debate, aired live during the morning broadcast of the TV channel bTV, included representatives of the ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, GERB, party, the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, and the right-wing Blue Coalition.
Several minutes after the start of the discussion, Siderov appeared, insisting on being admitted inside the studio, where he busted with screams he had not been invited for the talks and accused the media of being biased against him. The hosts failed in their attempts to calm him down with explanations the Ataka press center had declined the invitation.
A loud quarrel erupted between Siderov, the hosts and the guests of the show, who unanimously decided to leave the studio, saying they wanted to let the nationalist clear his argument with bTV. The presidential hopeful stood alone in the middle of the studio shouting accusations against the media, prompting the hosts to tell him the dispute will be resolved in "another room." Siderov finally left and the program continued with its scheduled line-up. The representatives of the different political formations were invited to discuss ethnic tensions in the country.
A week of shame?
 |
| Riots in Katunitsa |
It's been a sad week as well. Sad for the family of Angel Petrov, the 19 year old boy who was intentionally dragged to his death by a minibus driven by criminals associated with Kiro Raskov. And sad for the family of the 16 yr old boy who tragically died of a heart attack as a result of the ensuing protests. Sad for hundreds of thousands of Roma who were subject to outpourings of hate speech and violence throughout the week. Sad for the thousands of, mostly young, Bulgarians who were poisoned by this hatred and took to the streets to protest and march on Roma ghettoes.
There were very few voices of reason this week. The Prime Minister and President stood together against the ethnic protests. Relationships between the two are not good so this was an important event. But perhaps the most compassionate voice came from an unlikely source, the father of Angel Petrov, who painfully spoke of his grief but still called for calm.
 |
| Riot Police |
The so-called free media helped to fuel the fires of hatred with the some of the most irresponsible coverage I have ever witnessed. This is from a Novinite.com editorial earlier this week:
"Tsar Kiro comes from the typical derelict, garbage-strewn streets of Bulgarian Roma ghettos, which are home to most of the country's 375,000 Roma - although unofficial data estimates their true numbers come closer to 750,000, out of a population of 7.8 million. Here he lived together with skinny men rooting through piles of rubbish alongside pigs and fat women in flowing skirts cradling babies."
Novinite.com is a respected news source. It is the largest provider of English language Bulgarian news in Bulgaria and the world. It is quoted widely internationally and this is type of vitriol it spewed out this week. Much of the press coverage was the same.
As the week progressed the apologists crawled out from under their rocks. These weren't ethnic protests, they said. These were protests against organised crime and government inaction (Ironically, this government has tried to do more than any other in recent times).
 |
| Protests in Sofia |
The truth is that this week ethnic cleansing, racist mobs took to the streets of Bulgaria. Fueled by the many, many injustices in this country they turned their hatred towards the most vulnerable and against those who are least able to defend themselves. Just as Facebook became a vehicle for change in the Middle East it became the life support system of racism as more than 70,000 of its Bulgarian members used it to organise nightly protests.
 |
| Proud Roma children |
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Novinite: Bulgarian Socialists are in sh*t!
Novinite.com published a story today about the Buzludzha monument which is a sacred monument for the socialist party and has been badly neglected for many years. The subject of socialist architecture and monuments and what to do with them is very divisive here. Not surprising, I guess, given the history of the country, although a museum of Socialist art has just been opened in Sofia.
Anyway, today the Bulgarian cabinet transferred ownership of the the Buzludzha monument to the Bulgarian Socialist Party. Until now the monument and surrounding land were State property. Presumably the BSP will try to restore it over time (maybe in time for fall of capitalism!).
The story was covered by Novinite this afternoon and they published an accompanying picture which, on close scrutiny (not too close) appears to place the monument above a pile of horse shit!! This was hurriedly withdrawn and replaced with a more acceptable picture later.
I guess Novinite.com are not avid supporters of the restoration of the monument! Judge for yourself....
Anyway, today the Bulgarian cabinet transferred ownership of the the Buzludzha monument to the Bulgarian Socialist Party. Until now the monument and surrounding land were State property. Presumably the BSP will try to restore it over time (maybe in time for fall of capitalism!).
The story was covered by Novinite this afternoon and they published an accompanying picture which, on close scrutiny (not too close) appears to place the monument above a pile of horse shit!! This was hurriedly withdrawn and replaced with a more acceptable picture later.
I guess Novinite.com are not avid supporters of the restoration of the monument! Judge for yourself....
Siderov makes statement about Carlos Tevez
Rumors that Mancini was about to quit the Manchester club and take up the vacant managerial position at Roma were rejected by Siderov. "I have always loved football (hooliganism) and Carlos will never join Roma, if I have my way" said Siderov.
A protest meeting will be held this evening at all major cities in Bulgaria and a Facebook page called "We'll break your legs if you join Roma, Roberto" has also been set up. Over 70,000 people had "liked" the page at 9.00 am this morning.
You can see Siderov's reaction here:
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Believe it or not! Bizarre headed goal.
Racism is alive and well in Bulgaria
Following an argument between Raskov's family and another on Friday, a 19 year old boy was run over and killed by a mini bus driven by someone from the Roma community. Subsequently another 16 year old villager died, apparently from a heart attack.
 |
| Rioting in Katunitza |
Nationalist political leaders climbed on the bandwagon and called for the convening of the National Security Council and parliament. On Sunday night hundreds of thugs marched on a Roma settlement in Plovdiv. The only sensible political voice to be heard was that of the Prime Minister who correctly identified the issue as a criminal matter and called for calm.
 |
| Roma ghetto near Plovdiv |
The illiteracy rates among adults and children are extraordinarily high. Roma children attend segregated schools of very low quality and in some cases are educated alongside special needs children as they are not accepted into "normal schools". Over 10,000 Roma children come to the attention of the social system every year and the vast majority are placed in institutional care facilities. Unemployment levels are extremely high and many turn to crime to make ends meet. Many Roma are not officially registered and do not qualify for existing meagre social welfare payments.
It's against this backdrop that the reporting and events of the weekend need to be assessed and not the rantings and mob violence of fascist thugs and their leaders. It would be wrong to dismiss the violence as the work of a minority however. Most Bulgarians have a deep loathing and prejudice against the Roma and there is little support for them. It was not long ago that a socialist member of parliament said that it was ok for 14 year old Roma girls to be prostitutes. The same individual maintained that Roma should be confined to ghettoes as they were lazy and inclined to theft.
 |
| Thousands march against the Roma in Plovdiv |
I was at a friend's house not long ago. A couple there had adopted a Roma child. She was beautiful and happily smiled and played throughout the afternoon. She was was full of joy. Unlike her sisters and brothers and many thousands of Roma children, she had a future. They have not.
Bulgarians rightly take pride in the fact that during the second world war tens of thousands of Bulgarian Jews were saved from the death camps. It should also be remembered that hundreds of thousands of Roma were executed during that same war. A society should be judged on how it looks after and protects its minorities. Over the weekend, Bulgaria took a step backwards towards ethnic cleansing and into the racist abyss. Has it got the courage and leadership to step away?
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Sofia enjoys a day free of cars.
 |
| Some of Sofia's finest chauffeurs and intellectuals feed the pigeons while enjoying Car Free Day. |
Distressed hordes of Mercedes and Cabriolet drivers were being treated in local hospitals for depression and shock and the city's beloved mutri retired to the city parks to read poetry and philosophy and to feed the birds (winged variety). Ever vigilant traffic police kept a watchful eye on the city's junctions to ensure compliance with the ban. They did appear a little uneasy at the prospect of having to buy their own lunch for a change.
What a pleasant experience to be able to walk the city streets without having to fear for your life. Here's to next year's Car Free Day. Or why not make it a week?!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Believe it or not! Millionaires don't vote for tax increases.
Following President Obama's announcement of his plan to increase taxes on the wealthy, attention turns to that Bastion of the Ordinary People, The US Congress. Here, the Representatives of Joe the Plumber (where is Joe dePlumber now.....not plumbing, I guess?), Tea Drinkers and Law Makers will artfully combine and try to negotiate (tee hee) this proposal out of existence.
But just how representative are the representatives? How many Joe the Electricians, Carpenters, Farmers, Builders and Carpenters are their in Congress? Ok, so we know the answer but let's have a look anyway. Just for fun.......
The diagram below shows the relative net worth of ordinary Americans and ordinary Members of Congress (or the RRs - Representatives of the Rich!).
In November last year Center for Responsive Politics reported:
Despite a stubbornly sour national economy, congressional members’ personal wealth collectively increased by more than 16 percent between 2008 and 2009. Nearly half of them -- 261 -- are millionaires, a slight increase from the previous year. That compares to about 1 percent of Americans.
And of these congressional millionaires, 55 have an average calculated wealth in 2009 of $10 million or more, with eight in the $100 million-plus range.
“Few federal lawmakers must grapple with the financial ills -- unemployment, loss of housing, wiped out savings -- that have befallen millions of Americans,” said Sheila Krumholz, the Center for Responsive Politics’ executive director. “Congressional representatives on balance rank among the wealthiest of wealthy Americans and boast financial portfolios that are all but unattainable for most of their constituents.”
In 2009, the median wealth of a U.S. House member stood at $765,010, up from $645,503 in 2008. The median wealth of a U.S. senator was nearly $2.38 million, up from $2.27 million in 2008. For all members of Congress regardless of chamber, median wealth in 2009 reached $911,510, up from $785,515 in 2008.
So there ya have it. The millionaires are going to vote to increase their own taxes. Em........ don't hold your breath! There's a saying in my country though. You get what you vote for..........
But just how representative are the representatives? How many Joe the Electricians, Carpenters, Farmers, Builders and Carpenters are their in Congress? Ok, so we know the answer but let's have a look anyway. Just for fun.......
The diagram below shows the relative net worth of ordinary Americans and ordinary Members of Congress (or the RRs - Representatives of the Rich!).
In November last year Center for Responsive Politics reported:
Despite a stubbornly sour national economy, congressional members’ personal wealth collectively increased by more than 16 percent between 2008 and 2009. Nearly half of them -- 261 -- are millionaires, a slight increase from the previous year. That compares to about 1 percent of Americans.
And of these congressional millionaires, 55 have an average calculated wealth in 2009 of $10 million or more, with eight in the $100 million-plus range.
“Few federal lawmakers must grapple with the financial ills -- unemployment, loss of housing, wiped out savings -- that have befallen millions of Americans,” said Sheila Krumholz, the Center for Responsive Politics’ executive director. “Congressional representatives on balance rank among the wealthiest of wealthy Americans and boast financial portfolios that are all but unattainable for most of their constituents.”
In 2009, the median wealth of a U.S. House member stood at $765,010, up from $645,503 in 2008. The median wealth of a U.S. senator was nearly $2.38 million, up from $2.27 million in 2008. For all members of Congress regardless of chamber, median wealth in 2009 reached $911,510, up from $785,515 in 2008.
So there ya have it. The millionaires are going to vote to increase their own taxes. Em........ don't hold your breath! There's a saying in my country though. You get what you vote for..........
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Believe it or not! I need a stiff drink!
From the BBC:
Two US men face charges in Denver for allegedly driving around with the body of a friend after discovering him dead.
The pair bought drinks, dinner and took $400 (£253) from Jeffrey Jarrett's bank, visiting a strip club before reporting his death, police said. Robert Young, 43, and Mark Rubinson, 25, are charged with identity theft, criminal impersonation and abuse of a corpse.
The strip club the classy chums visited is called Shotgun Willies. They have an equally classy website which you can visit here. You can visited their virtual strip club as a bonus!
Jarrett was pronounced dead at home in Denver after the 28 August incident. The cause of death is not currently known, with police saying the results of toxicology tests may not be available for several weeks.
Apparently, Young and Rubinson told police that they needed a stiff drink...... Anyway, to cheer up Mark and Robert here's Warren Zevon's song "Things to do in Denver when your're dead". I don't think Jeffrey can be cheered up at this stage.
"I called up my friend LeRoy on the phone
I said, Buddy, I'm afraid to be alone
'Cause I got some weird ideas in my head
About things to do in Denver when you're dead"
 |
| The Trailer Boys: Young and Rubinson |
The pair bought drinks, dinner and took $400 (£253) from Jeffrey Jarrett's bank, visiting a strip club before reporting his death, police said. Robert Young, 43, and Mark Rubinson, 25, are charged with identity theft, criminal impersonation and abuse of a corpse.
The strip club the classy chums visited is called Shotgun Willies. They have an equally classy website which you can visit here. You can visited their virtual strip club as a bonus!
Jarrett was pronounced dead at home in Denver after the 28 August incident. The cause of death is not currently known, with police saying the results of toxicology tests may not be available for several weeks.
Apparently, Young and Rubinson told police that they needed a stiff drink...... Anyway, to cheer up Mark and Robert here's Warren Zevon's song "Things to do in Denver when your're dead". I don't think Jeffrey can be cheered up at this stage.
"I called up my friend LeRoy on the phone
I said, Buddy, I'm afraid to be alone
'Cause I got some weird ideas in my head
About things to do in Denver when you're dead"
Troy Davis will die on 21 September
Watch This:
Read This:
Read This:
Martina Davis-Correia: The Execution of Troy Davis -- A Mother's Story
Then Listen to This:
They used to call it the KKK.
Now they call it Justice.
Did You Know? The USA has one of the lowest rates of self-employed?
Everyone should read Cambridge University's Professor Ha-Joon Chang's "23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism". A proponent of greater government intervention in markets, Professor Chang reveals some of capitalism's hidden secrets (most of which have been revealed over the last couple of years, so they're not really that hidden). In one chapter he highlights the failure of entrepreneurship as an engine of growth in developing countries.
It is interesting to see entrepreneurship levels across the world (as measured by self-employment) and it certainly explodes a few myths about entrepreneurship in the U.S., who lag the world (including the French!). You might recall The Great Dubya's comment that the French lacked a word for entrepreneurship! It appears the Americans do as well!
We'll finish with a quote from The Great One:
"And so one of my jobs is to make sure that entrepreneurial spirit is strong and alive in America, that it continues to flourish so that the great American dream of owning your own business is vibrant and alive and well and when we go into the 21st century."
That would be a FAIL then? Don't worry Rick will sort it out!!
Source: OECD Factbook 2010
It is interesting to see entrepreneurship levels across the world (as measured by self-employment) and it certainly explodes a few myths about entrepreneurship in the U.S., who lag the world (including the French!). You might recall The Great Dubya's comment that the French lacked a word for entrepreneurship! It appears the Americans do as well!
We'll finish with a quote from The Great One:
"And so one of my jobs is to make sure that entrepreneurial spirit is strong and alive in America, that it continues to flourish so that the great American dream of owning your own business is vibrant and alive and well and when we go into the 21st century."
That would be a FAIL then? Don't worry Rick will sort it out!!
Source: OECD Factbook 2010
Friday, September 16, 2011
Believe it or not!
This is a video of an accident involving a motorcyclist in Utah, USA which was recorded earlier this week. It has caused a bit of a stir. Watch the guy in the suit who looks on throughout the video and doesn't appear to help. What do you expect? He's a manager! He doesn't know what to do! Probably wanted to have a meeting.
The other disturbing thing is the reaction of the guy (I think he's called Chris Garff) who recorded the video. After the first 100 OMGs, he decides that the best way for him to help is to call the newspapers. Great! Classy guy. For all he knew the motorcyclist was dead. As it turned out, he survived. What a fucked up world.
The other disturbing thing is the reaction of the guy (I think he's called Chris Garff) who recorded the video. After the first 100 OMGs, he decides that the best way for him to help is to call the newspapers. Great! Classy guy. For all he knew the motorcyclist was dead. As it turned out, he survived. What a fucked up world.
Did You Know? Americans Can't be that Stupid? Can they?
Did you know that in the land of the free and brave. Where everyone is cherished equally. Where talent and hard work is rewarded. Where everyone can live the American Dream. Where entrepreneurialism thrives. Where everyone can be a millionaire. It's all bullshit!
I came across these recently. The first graph shows that the bottom 80% in America (that's pretty much everyone!) got relatively poorer over the boom years. They did so in order to ensure that the Top 20% and in particular the Top 1% got richer. Far richer! Now that is stupid! Unless of course you are in the top 1%!!
This graph shows that Americans don't think they are stupid. They think that wealth is distributed more evenly. But it's not. Not by a long way. It also shows how they would like wealth to be distributed. So why don't they make it happen?
By the way this information is a little old (2007/8). The situation is far worse now because of lay-offs and the fact that most of the ordinary American worker's wealth is tied up in property i.e. his/her house. And we all know which way property prices went over the last 3 years. It hasn't been a Tea Party over the last few years. Has it?
Data out this week shows that more Americans are falling into poverty. Did you know that 46 million Americans now live below the poverty line? This is the highest figure for 52 years since records began. And while all Americans are poorer in recent years, it's those at the bottom who have fared worse.
With elections due in 2012, the simple message is: Tax the Wealthy! Despite what all these rich Republican folk think (I wonder if they are in the 1% .....hmmmmm. Makes ya think, doesn't it!) it would be stupid to do anything else. But Americans aren't that stupid? Are they?
So instead of "It's the economy, stupid!" it should be "It's the inequality, stupid!"
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Sarah Palin likes skunk
In Joe McGinniss's soon to be released biography of Sarah Pain (sorry Palin) he alleges that the wannabee presidential candidate had an extra marital affair and has a penchant for cocaine and marijuana.
While I could believe the allegation about extra marital sex (those shoes, those shoes......who wouldn't!?) I was surprised to learn about her liking for weed. Until I remembered this song. Now I know what the reference to skunk means!
This brother and sister combo (or husband and wife - maybe both?) recall the drug fueled days. Now I know what happens at all those tea parties.........
After all this, I'd be inclined to vote for her now!
While I could believe the allegation about extra marital sex (those shoes, those shoes......who wouldn't!?) I was surprised to learn about her liking for weed. Until I remembered this song. Now I know what the reference to skunk means!
This brother and sister combo (or husband and wife - maybe both?) recall the drug fueled days. Now I know what happens at all those tea parties.........
After all this, I'd be inclined to vote for her now!
She's a cold blast from Alaska ingrained with common sense,
She's not a Harvard lawyer but she knew what the Founders meant.
A cold blast from the north that freezes Congress in their tracks,
With God and the Tea Party, she's gonna take it back.Sarah Palin, she won't listen to their bunk,
Sarah Palin coming South to hunt some skunk,
Sarah Palin – she'll throw 'em all in jail,
And when she gets to Washington, it'll be cold as hell.Sarah has the wisdom to walk through an open door,
She's stomping out the wretches where the evil lies in store.
She will scrub the floors and sweep the riff-raff into cracks,
With God and the Tea Party, she's gonna take it back.Sarah Palin, she won't listen to their bunk,
Sarah Palin coming South to hunt some skunk,
Sarah Palin – she'll throw 'em all in jail,
And when she gets to Washington, it'll be cold as hell.SPOKEN WORD:Congress pats themselves from some new bill they just passed
I watch as my freedom slowly runs through an hourglass
They think they spend our money better than we do
But they can talk until they're blue and old
'Cuz if they ever gave us anything
They always wanted something in return . . . Sarah knows!OPERA-STYLE:Saraaaaah's marching onnnnnnnn onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnCLOSING DEDICATION:I'd like to dedicate that to the Tea Party and all the patriots.
Scarlett Johansson's Phone Hacked
There are those people who would shamelessly seek to exploit the fact that nude photographs of Scarlett Johansson are circulating the internet following the illegal and disgraceful hacking of her phone.
Sofia Notes will not fall into the trap of seeking cheap publicity by exploiting this indecent act. Sofia Notes finds this kind of prurient, distasteful voyeurism disgusting and condemns it wholeheartedly.
Sofia Notes will not fall into the trap of seeking cheap publicity by exploiting this indecent act. Sofia Notes finds this kind of prurient, distasteful voyeurism disgusting and condemns it wholeheartedly.
Did You Know?
News Corporation owns the following companies (yes all of them!).
Television
Cable Television FOX News Channel FOX Business Network FOX College Sports Fox Deportes Fox Movie Channel Fox Pan American Sports (33%) Fox Regional Sports Networks FOX Soccer Channel FOX Sports Enterprises FOX Sports Net Big Ten Network (49%) FSN FUEl TV FX Nat Geo Wild (71%) National Geographic Channel United States (71%) SPEED STAR Stats, Inc. (50%) Fox Television Stations WAGA (Atlanta) KTBC (Austin) WUTB (Baltimore) WFXT (Boston) WFLD (Chicago) WPWR (Chicago) KDFW (Dallas) KDFI (Dallas) WJBK (Detroit) KRIV (Houston) KTXH (Houston) KTTV (Los Angeles) KCOP (Los Angeles) WHBQ (Memphis) KMSP (Minneapolis) WFTC (Minneapolis) WNYW (New York City) WWOR (New Jersey) WOGX (Ocala-Gainesville) WRBW (Orlando) WOFL (Orlando) WTXF (Philadelphia) KUTP (Phoenix) KSAZ (Phoenix) WTVT (Tampa Bay) WTTG (Washington D.C.) WDCA (Washington D.C.) Satellite Television BSkyB (39%) FOXTEL (25%) Sky Deutschland SKY Italia Sky Network Television Limited (44%) TATA Sky (20%) International Television Stations FOX Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America FOX CRIME Europe and Asia FOX LIFE Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America FOX MOVIES Asia and Middle East FOX NEXT Europe FOX RETRO Europe and Africa FOX SPORTS Europe, Africa, and Latin America FOX Telecolombia (51%) AQUAVISION PRODUCTIONS Africa (51%) Asianet (75%) BABY TV Europe, Asia and Latin America CHANNEL [V] CHANNEL [V] Asia CULT Europe ESPN STAR Sports (50%) FX Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America Hathway Cable and Datacom (17%) LAPTV (Movie City Pack, Cinecanal, and The Film Zone) (55%) National Geographic International Channels (52%) Nat Geo Adventure Europe and Asia Nat Geo Music Europe, Africa and Asia Nat Geo Wild Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America NHNZ PRODUCTIONS Asia Phoenix Satellite Television (18%) Premier Media Group (50%) Rotana (9%) SPEED Latin America STAR Chinese Channel STAR Chinese Movies STAR Den (50%) STAR GOld STAR Movies STAR MOVIES Asia Star News (26%) STAR ONE STAR PLUS STAR UTSAV STAR World STAR World Asia UTILISIMA Latin America Telecine (13%) TVN Asia VIJAY (81%) VOYAGE Europe XING KONG Other Television FOX Broadcasting Company FOX Sports FOX Sports Australia FOX Television Stations MyNetworkTV
Film
20th Century Fox 20th Century Fox Espanol 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment 20th Century Fox International 20th Century Fox Television Fox 2000 Pictures Fox Music Fox Searchlight Pictures Fox Studios Australia Fox Studios LA Fox Television Studios Blue Sky Studios Shine Group Twentieth Television 20th Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising Premium Movie Partnership (Australia and New Zealand - 20%)
Newspapers (U.S.)
New York Post The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal Digital Network SmartSource (Coupons)
Newspapers (International)
The Advertiser and Sunday Mail (Australia) The Australian (Australia) The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail (Australia) The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph (Australia) Gold Coast Bulletin (Australia) Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun (Australia) mX (Australia) The Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian (Australia) Northern Territory News and Sunday Territorian (Australia) Perth Now (Australia) Post-Courier (Papua New Guinea) The Sun (U.K.) Sunday Times (Australia) The Times and The Sunday Times (U.K.) Weekly Times (Australia)
Dow Jones
The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal Asia The Wall Street Journal Europe The Wall Street Journal Radio The Wall Street Journal Digital Network The Wall STreet Journal Classroom Barron's Dow Jones Local Media Group (Ottaway): Cape Cod Media Group (MA) Cape Cod Times Cape Cod View Barnstable Patriot Hudson Valley Media Group (NY) Times Herald-Record (Middletown) Orange Magazine (Orange County) Nantucket Island Media Group (MA) Times Herald-Record (Nantucket) Nantucket Today Pocono Mountains Media Group (PA) Pocono Record (Stroudsburg) San Joaquin Media Group (CA) The Record (Stockton) Seacoast Media Group (NH) The Portsmouth Herald The Exeter News-Letter The Hampton Union The York Weekly York County Coast Star South Coast Media Group (MA) The Standard-Times (New Bedford) The Advocate (Fairhaven) The Chronicle (Westport and Dartmouth) Middleboro Gazette The Spectator (Somerset and Swansea) The Fall RIver Spirit New England Business Bulletin Southern Oregon Media Group (OR) Medford Mail Tribune The Nickel (Medford) Ashland Daily Tidings AllThingsD.com BigCharts.com eFinancialNews Factiva Dow Jones Averages Dow Jones Client SolutionsDow Jones Companies & Executives Dow Jones Events Dow Jones Indexes Dow Jones Insight Dow Jones Investment Banker Dow Jones LP Source Dow Jones Newswires Dow Jones Private Markets Dow Jones Reprint Portal Dow Jones Watchlist Dow Jones VentureSource FINS.com Marketwatch.com SmartMoney.com (with Hearst) Vedomosti (with Pearson and Independent Media) Virtual Stock Exchange
Magazines
Alpha (Australia) Big League (Australia) Inside Out (Australia) Donna Hay (Australia)
Other News Properties
The Daily News Digital Media News International
Publishing
HarperCollins Publishers Amistad Avon Avon A Avon Inspire Avon Red Caedmon Harper Design Ecco Eos Harper Harper Business HarperLuxe Harper Paperbacks Harper Perennial Harper Perennial Modern Classics HarperAudio HarperBibles HarperCollins e-Books HarperOne ItBooks Rayo William Morrow HarperCollins Children's Books Amistad Balzer + Bray Collins Greenwillow Books HarperCollins Children's Audio HarperCollins Children's Books HarperCollins e-books HarperFestival HarperTeen Katherine Tegen Books Rayo Walden Pond Press HarperCollins Australia HarperCollins Canada HarperCollins India (40%) HarperCollins New Zealand HarperCollins US HarperCollins UK Zondervan
Online Properties
AmericanIdol.com AskMen BrandAlley UK (49%) careerone.com.au CARSguide.com.au Fox.com FoxSports.com FoxSports.com.au Fox Audience Network hulu.com (32%) kSolo Milkaround News.com.au News Digital Media Realestate.com (58%) Scout Spring Widgets truelocal.com.au WhatIfSports
Other
Fox Mobile Group IGN Entertainment National Rugby League (Australia) (50%) NDS (49%) News America Marketing News Outdoor Group (79%)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)