An interview with William Gibson. (Grokked from Tobias Buckell)
Jay Lake on writing Endurance (different from writing endurance, which Jay also has), being surprised by your own work, and integrating life experiences.
A Politifact Ohio report on that "public workers make 43%" (Pro SB5) commercial. I could write a whole dissertation based on the American Enterprise Institute's (the organization that released the figure) assumptions that helped them get to that figure (note, for straight pay to pay, public workers earn 2.5% less than private workers, and then that's not even comparing equal education and licensure requirements). "Mostly False". Yeah, that about sums up most of the Pro SB 5 side of the argument.
Some new reports on fracking (hydraulic fracturing) causing earthquakes. There's also concern surrounding a well just south of Youngstown that's been hit by a series of quakes after a well was fracked. But don't worry, it's all "perfectly safe." Say, did you know that most of your drinking water (if you're in Ohio) is sourced from archaic water resources? Those underground rivers of century old water run just a little bit above the shale layer. But I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
Juan Cole with a little future prediction about global climate change and a lot of links for how far "green" energy has come lately. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
The Pew Charitable Trusts updates their high cost of long-term unemployment study. Note that as you get older, you're more likely to be unemployed longer. If you want to know why I'm going through hell to get another degree, it's that chart right there. I'm in an industry where 35 if often considered "too old" and "out of touch".
As he often does, Jim Wright channels much of my own thoughts on the morphing of OWS. I've posted a lot of links showing the frustration (and the numbers of why that frustration is well founded) of the OWS movement. And, in truth, my heart is with them. But for reasons Jim points out, you probably won't see me at any of their events. For me, there are triggers that would get me out (in several directions, actually), but right now I'm content to watch and see what evolves out of it. I think the people who started it had great intentions, but the movement is growing beyond them, and I'm not all that sure what kind of seed they planted. It's sort of how I felt about the Tea Party at the beginning (don't we all want lower taxes and less government intrusion?), however they quickly showed the darker side of their movement (IMHO), and I couldn't support their goals.
And here you can tell me that "without your support/commitment, the OWS will never be able to achieve what they/you want." Yeah. I've heard that before. I've done my bit for King and Country. I tilt at the windmills of my choosing, and right now I'm too busy to get distracted once again. Show me I can trust you, and you'll get me out (that's one of the triggers).
And speaking of TPers, you know that whole, "they're calling us bad names" meme they like to run. Yeah, you all started it first. (And a nice reaction by Elizabeth Warren, of course that's our weakness as bleeding heart liberals, we try to understand where you're coming from).
Robert Reich on how OWS has already succeeded. "The old view was anyone could make it in America with enough guts and gumption. Being rich was proof of hard work -- and lack of money proof of indolence or worse. But hard work doesn't seem to pay off as it once did. Instead, to an increasing number of Americans the game seems rigged in favor of people who are already rich and powerful." Reason #3 why I'm no longer a Republican (or I should say, the major political shift in my thinking came about when I realized that last sentence's revelation).
Oh, and about that "highest corporate taxes in world" thing. Yeah, not so much. While the nominal rate is 35%, most companies pay way less, if they pay anything at all.
"'Our conference is opposed to tax hikes, because we believe that tax hikes will hurt our economy and put Americans back to work,' Boehner said." I believe that's the classic definition of a Freudian Slip.
2 comments:
I was going to say this at Jim's blog, but I figured I'd just leave it here: OWS achieved it's aim, I think. For all the reasons Jim pointed out, it's not a political movement per se; it lacks all the fundamental characteristics, beyond "having something to say." The inherent value of OWS is as a protest movement, as an awareness movement. It's given people an opportunity to talk about a lot of serious things, and get that particular meme--that "hard work equals success" is dead, or at least dying--out into the world. Someone else, something else, some other organization, more focused, better led, etc., needs to take it from there. But OWS isn't it, and I don't think it ever was, even before it gave in to the more riotous/G20 "protester" sort of elements.
Unfortunately the blowback is going to be sever. Already today I saw a segment on Fox where Juan Williams was trying to say, "These people are saying the system is broken, and it is." Nobody else on the panel could accept it. It's a world view change, and there a lot of people who won't be able to accept it.
But I agree, it's altered the political debate and language. How much of that will remain after the success or failure of the super-committee remains to be seen.
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