COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Try competing with $2 an hour labor

Profit Outweighs Risk in Juárez Factories
By JULIÁN AGUILAR
Published: December 11, 2010
In 2009, more than $42 billion in trade value moved through the ports that Ciudad Juárez shares with El Paso, representing 15 percent of the total trade between the United States and Mexico. That number is estimated to be even higher in 2010.

Since June 2009, more than 24,000 manufacturing jobs have been added in Juárez, on the Texas-Mexico border, and the amount of tractor-trailer traffic hauling goods through the region increased by 22 percent from January to June of 2010 compared with the first six months of last year.

At the same time, there were more than 2,600 killings in Juárez in 2009, the byproduct of a battle between the rival Sinaloa and Juárez drug cartels, and the city is on pace to exceed 3,000 homicides in 2010.

So much for the deadening economic impact of headline-making violence. The psychological impact, however, is something different.

While the killings and threats of extortion have forced thousands of retail businesses in Juárez to close and tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes for the safety of Texas, border business experts say the vibrancy of the city’s manufacturing industry is due to what is and has always been the bottom line: money. Not even an unshakeable fear instilled in most of the 1.3 million Juárez residents can curb the success of the factories, or maquiladoras, where assembly-line workers earn, on average, $1.60 to $2 hourly.

“Juárez is open for business,” said Toby M. Spoon, the executive vice president of Tecma, an outsourcing company based in El Paso that will celebrate 25 years in business next year.

A shelter operation that provides factory space, employees and legal expertise to businesses with a manufacturing presence in Mexico, Tecma had one of its best years in 2009, Mr. Spoon said. The company signed five new clients and netted an estimated $45 million in profits.

Read More



Yes, I'm afraid that the profit is worth the risk.  But is the profit interfering with immigration reform or control of the border?  No doubt about it. We want that cheap labor and Mexico wants those remittances. We have an intractable mess of foreign and domestic and economic policy that will take years to sort out.

Meanwhile, wages in the USA are being forced down but expenses are not.  With oil at $91 per barrel, those who still hold jobs in the USA are once again beginning to feel the pinch.  We have an outlook of falling wages, high expenses and economic uncertainty.  So called economic and investment experts are blowing smoke and hot air about the markets and recovery, but does anyone actually know what is happening? I don't think so.

Welcome to the new decade of the new millennium.

Merry Christmas.

132 comments:

  1. Ave Maria (Maastricht 2008)

    engrossing...enthusing...Watch the reaction of the audience.

    To every child, his mother is the quintessential one; Schbert touched the heart of every child.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Are the profits in the oil industry interfering with our energy policies?

    Of course profits have an effect on policy. Well they should.

    Even with China's ascendancy, the US has maintained its' share of global GDP. It is amongst the Europeons, where the strain is showing. Europe has taken the brunt of market share losses, to Chinese growth.

    The census numbers indicate that the US is still growing vibrantly, while the population is Germany is declining.

    There is little cause for pessimism about the future.

    America, it does not end at the US border. America encompasses a hemisphere of the globe, there is a North and a South, America. Geographically speaking.

    We should become ever more focused on producing positives in the American Hemisphere of the whirled, in the 21st century.

    America, lands of the future.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good morning Whit! Do you really think you can escape me with a new post? All right you can.

    Actually I have to shower in about 20 minutes. I have to leave my house by 10:15. I told you I wouldn't bother you too long.

    ReplyDelete
  4. While we gotyou Melody, Great job with the Horoscope. Many thanks for an excellent job.

    ReplyDelete
  5. We run pretty close to a balanced trade budget with Mexico. At least, when we buy something from there, we have some small chance of selling them something in return.

    I was astonished when I wiki'd Mexico City. It is, actually, a "World Powerhouse."

    ReplyDelete
  6. Actually that was a great horoscope in so many ways. I'm thinking of doing a critique of it. It was filled with many humourous inconsistencies and ironies I don't think I can help myself.

    It might take my mind off some things. Maybe tomorrow.

    Critiquing a horoscope is fair game isn't it, under the rules of the horoscope game? :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Santa Rufus, you got as many names these days as Miss T.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Speaking of Mexico - I heard on the radio last night that they used to have a 250,000 man army. Half have deserted with many of those deserters suspected to be now employed by the narco companies.

    ReplyDelete
  9. A great mind, Fitzgerald said, is capable of holding two opposing thoughts at the same time, and feeling no discomfort. :)

    Or, something like that.

    ReplyDelete
  10. And a special Merry Christmas to you, Ash.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mexico is a very "low-tax" country. As a result, they can't provide the services (law enforcement, etc) necessary for a large, growing economy.

    ReplyDelete
  12. bob said...
    Santa Rufus, you got as many names these days as Miss T.


    Except Rufus does us the favor of not TRYING to be devious about who he is...

    ReplyDelete
  13. As a note to the previous post...

    I can't wait til tattoos go back into the closet and only longshoremen, military, hookers and bikers have them again..

    ReplyDelete
  14. WiO -

    Ditto on the tattoo comment!

    Merry Xmas Bob.

    ReplyDelete
  15. And now this just in from wikileaks..

    New Zealand uses fake passport charges against Israelis to bolster Lamb sales to Islamic nations..


    C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000611

    SIPDIS

    DEPT FOR EAP/ANP

    EO 12958 DECL: 07/18/2014
    TAGS PGOV, PREL, PINR, NZ
    SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND PRAISED BY ISLAMIC RESISTANCE MOVEMENT
    HAMAS FOR RESPONSE TO ISRAELI SPY SCANDAL

    REF: A. WELLINGTON 605 B. WELLINGTON 599

    Classified By: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COUNSELOR, TIMOTHY ZUNIGA-BROWN, FOR REASONS 1.5(B,D)

    ¶1. (U) According to media reports, the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas issued a press release July 17 thanking the GoNZ for Prime Minister Helen Clark’s strong response to the conviction of two suspected Israeli intelligence agents (ref a). The press release urged other countries to follow the model set by New Zealand in “adopting firm measures against the Zionist entity’s violations of laws on foreign lands to achieve certain targets.”

    ¶2. (U) The GNZ has been quick to renounce any sympathy for Hamas. PM Clark noted that Hamas should not take comfort from the GoNZ’s actions, and if Hamas agents had committed the same crimes, they would be subject to the same prosecution. Domestic media reported separately that a religious terrorism professor at Auckland University suggested that NZ’s position offers New Zealand military serving in Iraq “protection.”

    ¶3. (C) Comment: New Zealand continues to voice its strong support of the Roadmap, but is loathe to take actions that would identify it as a supporter of Israel and, by proxy, the United States. The GoNZ prides itself on its multi-lateral credentials (ref B) but has been increasingly trying to stand alongside “Non-Aligned” countries. Its overly strong reaction to Israel over this issue suggests the GNZ sees this flap as an opportunity to bolster its credibility with the Arab community, and by doing so, perhaps, help NZ lamb and other products gain greater access to a larger and more lucrative market. Swindells

    ReplyDelete
  16. .

    And now this just in from wikileaks..

    You've provided some tags WiO but they don't mean much to me.

    I'm a simple guy.

    Was this part of the Manning dump? Whether yes or no where was the document leaked from?

    .

    ReplyDelete
  17. ...like the internets - if it is on WikiLeaks it must be true...

    ReplyDelete
  18. .

    Actually that was a great horoscope in so many ways. I'm thinking of doing a critique of it...


    Please submit any critiques or complaints to the

    Souls-R-Us Customer Service Dept.

    P.O. Box 901
    Easter Island
    South Pacific

    .

    ReplyDelete
  19. The post I made about New Zealand was COMMON knowledge among my circles for quite a while...

    Not any kind of secret that New Zealand would use a paltry incident as a club to be macho (at the expense of Israel) for benefit of trade with moslems.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  22. .

    Wikileaks

    First, I don't follow this stuff closely so I have to ask what actually happened?

    Is this talking of NZ reaction to having their citizen's passports illedgedly forged by the Israeli's in support of the assassination operation on the Hamas official in Dubai?

    If that is the incident that's being discussed, the wikileaks do raise some questions. From what was posted, it's hard to say who wrote the dispatch.


    TIMOTHY ZUNIGA-BROWN is Deputy Chief of Mission at the embassy in Nassau. Why he would be the one marking the document classified is unclear. I assume he has something to do with Commonwealth issues. Trish would probably know.

    At any rate, it's unlikely he wrote it. More than likely some analyst. It would be good to know who did write it.

    The language sounds a little 'undiplomatic', i.e. in talking of NZ, referring to "Its overly strong reaction to Israel over this issue..."

    Of course, the frank language and the resulting embarrassment was one of the reasons the US was upset with the leaks.

    The real question is this really the US view of the situation or some isolated analysts?

    Which brings up the next question which may in fact answer the last question.

    What did the U.S. ever do about the American citizens that got screwed in that deal.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  23. What did the U.S. ever do about the American citizens that got screwed in that deal.



    What American citizens got "screwed"?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Christmas trees 'provocative:' Nazareth suburb's mayor

    …like Jews don’t have enough problems…This idiot will get his 15 minutes of fame and Jews will pay for his stupidity for years to come.

    I’ll tell you what’s provocative, you anal retentive twerp…

    ReplyDelete
  25. I'm home.

    I had a super duper productive day and didn't spend one dime on yours truly.

    Don't ask I have not a clue how I managed that one.

    I ended the day with a big and two candy canes from Santa.

    ReplyDelete
  26. The only thing I need to do in the morning is hit the state store. Keep your fingers cross that I can slip in and out as quickly as possible.

    ReplyDelete
  27. KUHNER: Radical Islam vs. Christianity - The cross is near extinction in the ancient lands of its origin

    As we spend an evening contemplating whether or no she has a bejeweled belly-button, let us take a moment to think of those facing death at the hands of devils.

    Let us also remember that this has been the pattern since the birth of Islam, having absolutely NOTHING to do with “occupation”, “settlements” or “Zionism”.

    ReplyDelete
  28. stress relief...

    PICK UP A BOX OF CONDOMS AT THE PHARMACY, GO TO THE COUNTER AND ASK WHERE THE FITTING ROOM IS!

    ReplyDelete
  29. stess relief cont...

    Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

    ReplyDelete
  30. stress relief cont...

    In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write ' For Marijuana.

    ReplyDelete
  31. stress relief cont...(all thanks to a friend)

    Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

    ReplyDelete
  32. In my memo field I write "sexual favors"

    And I always order a diet water with a lemon.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Souls-R-Us Customer Service Dept.

    P.O. Box 901
    Easter Island
    South Pacific

    Dear Sirius,

    Recent was a truly irreplaceable horoscope. But where in the world did your compatriot come up with the quote from Tom Aquinas? I'll begin my deconstruction slow, and point out that after his moments of infused contemplation shortly before his death he said "All I have written previously isn't worth straw."

    This should collapse the whole ediface that follows from the inception.

    More will follow, but slowly, as I'm in a hell of a bad mood for this time of year.

    Don't overpopulate the island. That's what lead to disaster there in the first place.

    May you get what you deserve.

    From the bowels of Christ,

    yours merrily etc.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Allen,

    uhh..

    hmm..

    uhh..

    Must find out air fare prices..

    ReplyDelete
  35. I found it. I liked it. I used it.

    Is it not a real quote?

    ReplyDelete
  36. 'Cables to be released on Israel, Lebanon, Mabhouh'

    Mr. Assange, may I recommend the name, Gerald Vincent Bull, for your very careful consideration. Otherwise, that smug sneer may be permanently distorted.

    “In March of 1990, Bull was killed outside his apartment by five shots to the back of his head. No one heard the shots, and no one was ever caught.”

    ReplyDelete
  37. sam,

    Some things are just priceless :-)

    I know what I want under the tree, as it were.

    ReplyDelete
  38. In short Sirius you have some true raw talent there, and as Director, you should not have left such an obvious opening for the anithoroscopic forces.

    She should fire you.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Yes, sure, it's a real quote.

    Good one too, for the horoscpic cause.

    It's just that Aquinus denied everything he'd written as being worthless in the light of a higher reality, before he died.


    I really did like and enjoy your horoscope.

    I'm just giving Quirk a bad time as usual.

    Have a wonderful wonderful x-mas, Melody.

    And if you get drunk stay away from the hot tub.

    ReplyDelete
  40. .

    What American citizens got "screwed"?

    I could be wrong, Wio. As I said, I havn't been following this closely. However, as I recall a lot of the passports were forgeries of those of Israeli citizens living in Israel with duel citizenship.

    I also recall that at least one of the people (possible two) had moved to Israel from the US. Don't know if I read or just assumed the American held dual citizenship.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  41. Netanyahu to call for Pollard release early next week

    …brilliant…just brilliant…

    You know, I have not heard “Please”, “I beg pardon”, “Please, forgive me”, “I did wrong”. The effrontery of this couple is unmatched.

    This will be one Jew not praying for Pollard’s release. This Jew will be praying that Mr. Netanyahu does not take the bait.

    ReplyDelete
  42. In my memo field I write "sexual favors"


    This means you have to buy sexual favors?

    I find that improbable.



    It's the Couer d'Alene Resort for me tomorrow night.

    ReplyDelete
  43. AEHI CEO Takes Temporary Leave of Absence Pending Court Decision on SEC Allegations

    BOISE, Idaho - December 20, 2010: Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:AEHI); www.aehipower.com) today announced CEO Don Gillispie will immediately take a voluntary leave of absence until the court rules on the validity of allegations from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The AEHI Board of Directors voted to support the decision, which was offered by Gillispie. Gillispie has been the CEO of AEHI since founding the company in 2005. Gillispie adamantly denies the charges and has taken steps to fight the complaints in court

    Jennie Ransom will also take a voluntary leave of absence. Ransom joined AEHI in 2007 as corporate secretary and later vice president of administration. Her current position is president of Energy Neutral, a subsidiary of AEHI. Ransom has never maintained a position as an executive officer (line officer) for AEHI. She also denies any charges of wrong doing and is taking steps to fight the allegations in court.

    "I am saddened that officials with the SEC did not follow up with me or my staff on these allegations prior to filing civil charges. Had they done so and we were given the opportunity to confront these issues, I am certain we would not be in this position today. My first priority is to this company and our stockholders. So I believe it is critical that I take this step for the welfare of AEHI and for the company's future in the nuclear power industry," said Mr. Gillispie.

    AEHI is currently in the last stage of the local approval process related to building a nuclear power plant in Payette County, Idaho. On December 9th the Payette County Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval on the final process that would rezone agricultural property to heavy industrial prior to building a plant. Five days later the SEC suspended trading on AEHI stock pending allegations of securities fraud.

    The company fully intends to continue with the Payette Nuclear project and its other business ventures.

    AEHI will make no further public comment on this matter at this time.

    ReplyDelete
  44. oh, my, rat'll luv this one:

    U.S. Approved Business With Blacklisted Nations
    By JO BECKER 4 minutes ago

    A little-known office of the Treasury Department has permitted American companies to do billions of dollars in business with Iran and other countries blacklisted as state sponsors of terrorism.




    http://www.nytimes.com/

    ReplyDelete
  45. I'm headed here tomorrow morning for the weekend.

    Kayaking and squid fishing on the cards.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Sounds like fun Sam. Have a good time.

    ReplyDelete
  47. .

    Mr. Bob

    We are in receipt of your query/statement/expostulation?

    Your statement:

    “This should collapse the whole ediface that follows from the inception.”

    has been submitted to our review committee and we have received the following response.

    • The statement has been red penciled by our official comma lady, Trish. Her statement in part reads “Who is this dumb fuck spelling ‘edifice’ with an ‘a’. This ass…”

    • Our “Complaint Department” did a thorough investigation of your assertion that Mr. Aquinas had a major transmogrification with regard to his writings shortly before he died. Their findings follow.

    o At the time of his change of mind, Tommy was going through male menopause and a severe mid-life crisis. Most people are sympathetic and give him the benefit of the doubt.

    o That being said, most historians feel Tom’s change came about as the result of a vision, communion with the divine if you will. This is an important point given the following.

    o In the Secret Archives of the Rosicrucian Temple in San Diego, CA, USA, our team has unearthed documents, actually a diary, written by one of Tom’s buddies, Brother Jerry. According to the diary entries, Tom’s vision came on December 6, 1273. That same day, the porter at the studium generale in Naples reported that three casks of wine had disappeared from the wine cellar. It has also been reported that from that day on Thomas refused to allow anyone into his private cell.

    It is further reported that when Thomas finally died a mere three months later, he seemed very happy although he was having trouble walking and was slurring his words. His cheeks were pretty flushed too.

    o Considering all of these factors, the committee has judged that it is impossible to determine if in fact Tommy actually changed his mind or not. The committee’s conclusion: Inconclusive.

    With regard to your comments on the horoscope itself, I must state that all Souls-R-Us metaphysicians are fully vetted prior to being allowed to post our horoscope. Once the vetting is complete, Souls-R-Us does not second-guess our employees be they Masters or Journeymen. We do however support them to the full extent of the law. Enough said.

    We do, however, apologize for any inconvenience this matter may have caused. Naturally, we will refund any money you may have spent on this horoscope. In addition, if you go to our website at Souls-R-Us.com, fill in your personal information, and place code # 176453 in the appropriate box when requested, we can offer you a 20% discount on items shown in the Souls-R-Us catalog.

    Thank you for your continued patronage.

    Master Quirk

    Adept AMORC

    .

    ReplyDelete
  48. When I say I am going to
    'deconstruct' the horoscope in question in its entirety, I use the term in its professional meaning, that is, there will be much positive that will be said as well.


    o In the Secret Archives of the Rosicrucian Temple in San Diego, CA, USA, our team has unearthed documents, actually a diary, written by one of Tom’s buddies, Brother Jerry. According to the diary entries, Tom’s vision came on December 6, 1273. That same day, the porter at the studium generale in Naples reported that three casks of wine had disappeared from the wine cellar. It has also been reported that from that day on Thomas refused to allow anyone into his private cell.

    And what a profanity that is too all that's sacred.

    Your 'committee' sucks and is nothing but a bunch of self serving time serving wage slaves.

    yours

    ReplyDelete
  49. As in, souls-r-us.com is not found.

    ReplyDelete
  50. .

    As in, souls-r-us.com is not found.

    Try it with all capital letters.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  51. No-go. I think the FCC has pulled the trigger on you.

    ReplyDelete
  52. .


    And what a profanity that is too all that's sacred.


    Trish, Oblate to the Inner Temple asks,

    "Who is this dumb fuck who uses the adverb "too" when he should be using the preposition "to"?

    Hasn't this guy ever taken an English class?"




    .

    ReplyDelete
  53. .

    No-go. I think the FCC has pulled the trigger on you.

    Well, there was that issue about our selling goat glands, but that was an FDA issue.

    Did you try .net?


    .

    ReplyDelete
  54. .

    That was put together by the boys in marketing Sam.

    Thanks for locating it. I don't think some of the people here think we are legit.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  55. .

    With regard to SRU.com, that is not one of our affiliates.

    However, we do have a service that caters seances and solstices, funerals and elclipses.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  56. Outta here.

    Back on deck Tuesday US time.

    Have a great Christmas!

    Adios.

    ReplyDelete
  57. And what a profanity that is too to all that's sacred.





    However, we do have a service that caters seances and solstices, funerals and elclipses.

    Oddly lacking is an exorcism department which would seem to be desperately needed.

    Along with your "elclipse" department.

    Dumbfuck can't spell the name of his own departments.


    You could turn that hard exorcism
    work towards yourselves.



    Have a great one, Sam.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Clearly it is urban life that is screwing up our twisted friends at Souls R Us --






    Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile,
    Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
    Than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods
    More free from peril than the envious court?
    Here feel we not the penalty of Adam,
    The season’s difference, as the icy fang
    And churlish chiding of the winter’s wind,
    Which when it bites and blows upon my body
    Even till I shrink with cold, I smile and say
    “This is no flattery; these are counselors
    That feelingly persuade me what I am.”
    Sweet are the uses of adversity,
    Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
    Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
    And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
    Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
    Sermons in stones, and good in everything.



    II,I As You Like It

    ReplyDelete
  59. Vice Admiral: Obama was outmaneuvered by Russians on START
    U.S. Naval Institute - December 23, 2010



    President Barack Obama was outmaneuvered by the Russians and should have abandoned the New START negotiations instead of seeking a political victory, says former nuclear plans monitor Vice Admiral Jerry Miller, USN (Ret).

    “The Obama administration is continuing a dated policy in which we cannot even unilaterally reduce our own inventory of weapons and delivery systems without being on parity with the Russians,” Miller told the U.S. Naval Institute in Annapolis, Md. “We could give up plenty of deployed delivery systems and not adversely affect our national security one bit, but New START prohibits such action - so we are now stuck with some outmoded and useless elements in our nuke force.”

    After meeting resistance from several Republicans, the U.S. Senate ratified the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia by a vote of 71-26 on Wednesday.

    “The Soviets/Russians were done in by Reagan and our missile defense program because they cannot afford to build such a system,” said Miller. “They instead try to counter our program with rhetoric at the bargaining table. And they won by outmaneuvering Obama. START plays right into their hands.”

    ReplyDelete
  60. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee urging for ratification of the new START Treaty. The treaty, which would reduce both countries nuclear arsenals, was already signed by both US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Prague on April 8th. Several senators voiced their concern that the treaty makes too many concessions to Russia, and should, therefore, be reconsidered. RTs Dina Gusovsky caught up with Dr. Kissinger after the hearing to discuss US-Russia relations and the next steps for Iran and its nuclear program

    Kissinger more knowledgeable than any Vice-Admiral.
    when it comes to US/Russia relationship.

    That the Federals approve of financial relationships with State Sponsors of Terror, par for the course.

    Those "Sponsors of Terror" not considered an kind of "real" threat to the US. That is the reality of the Federal policies. While soaking the taxpayer by exploiting the "Fear Factor".

    ReplyDelete
  61. The Treasury Department has granted nearly 10000 special licenses to American companies over the past decade so they could sell some types of products in Iran and other countries the US considers terrorist sponsors, The New York Times reported Thursday ...

    Mr Bush in the thick of approving trade deals with Iran.

    He recognized the "Real" threat the Iranians posed, to the US, none at all.

    ReplyDelete
  62. New York Times
    PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Eleven members of Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps were killed and nine were wounded on Friday when about 150 militants launched simultaneous attacks on five security posts in the northwestern Mohmand tribal ...

    ReplyDelete
  63. Iranian president: 'Sanctions have always failed'
    CNN International -

    Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- After meeting Thursday with Turkey's president in advance of multinational discussions on Iran's controversial nuclear program, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he hopes the talks will be productive but stressed that ...


    The US, under the Bush Administration, never did believe in or back a serious sanctions campaign against Iran. Little wonder, then, that the Iranians feel those half-hearted efforts failed.

    ReplyDelete
  64. Chicago Tribune -

    Mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel and his wife made nearly $2 million over the last five years and paid more than $300000 in federal taxes, according to copies of federal income tax returns released by his campaign Thursday.


    Just 15%, in income and FICA taxes paid, on 2 million in income, over five years.
    $400,000 per, with taxes of $60,000 paid, each year, on average.

    Not much, really.

    ReplyDelete
  65. from the cold cold deeps of an Idaho night -



    tongues in trees, books in brookes, sermons in stones, and philosophy in the slight purr of my wife's nightly contented breathing, and good in everything.

    ReplyDelete
  66. BBC News -

    Italian officials believe anarchists may have carried out parcel bomb attacks on two embassies in Rome as acts of revenge. Two members of staff were hurt, one seriously, in the blasts at the Swiss and Chilean missions on Thursday.


    I would guess that being an anarchist and Muslim are mutually exclusive.

    ReplyDelete
  67. EPA seizes permit power from Texas on greenhouse gas emissions

    Dallas Morning News

    WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that it will seize authority from Texas to regulate major emitters of greenhouse gases because Gov. Rick Perry and state regulators refused to implement the rules.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Which will prove to be the Supreme Law of the Land?

    The 10th Amendment or the Commerce Clause.

    ReplyDelete
  69. Cult of Mac -

    Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg might have made TIME Magazine's title of “Person of the Year,” but the austere Financial Times has a much different take, and they're giving the title to none other than Steve Jobs… ...


    I recall mat having some awful things to say, about Steve Jobs.

    Funny stuff, here at the EB.

    ReplyDelete
  70. .

    Along with your "elclipse" department.

    "...elclipses..."

    Quaint, Olde English version of spelling for the word eclipses.

    Our customers love that folksy, wistful touch.

    Merry Christmas Bob.

    (I see you are waxing poetic about the majesty of nature but don't go wading in no pools until at least late Spring.)

    .

    .

    ReplyDelete
  71. I thought that was from your spanish department

    el clipse



    Merry Christmas to you to :) Quirk

    ReplyDelete
  72. .

    Merry Christmas to you and yours too rat.

    Enjoy the holiday.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  73. 10,000 Special Licenses!

    Ain't that just grand?

    This guy Assange should be (really is, I guess) an International Hero.

    ReplyDelete
  74. .

    Merry Christmas to you to :) Quirk

    Damn, Bob.

    You are an English major for god's sake. You have got to get this right.

    To = Preposition
    Too = Adverb
    Two = Number

    Practice over the holidays.

    There will be a test later.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  75. Why, thank you, Q.

    Same to you and yours.

    Everyone else, too.

    The weather outside is delightful.

    It'll be in the high 60's today. A little overcast. Partly cloudy is the official term, I do believe.

    Just fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  76. I read that Assange is scheduled to tackle Bank of America, next.

    Exposing the bankers to the light of day.

    That'll be a delight, as well.

    ReplyDelete
  77. .

    RiledUpRufus said...

    As WiO commented Ruf, at least you are not devious about it.

    However, aren't you a little old to be changing your mode de blog?

    Have a nice Christmas my friend.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  78. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  79. Let me get this right, the Story of "o" is in a tiff, because the New Zealanders are telling the truth and improving their commercial relationships with their customers, by doing so.

    This turn of events, the "Story" tells us, is an anti-Israeli move.

    While defending the Israeli use of stolen identities, to commit political assassinations, in foreign countries.

    Perversely humorous.

    ReplyDelete
  80. I'm dreaming of YOUR white Christmas, Q

    Let it snow,
    let it snow,
    let it snow!

    ReplyDelete
  81. Blooger quit accepting my nom deguerre, Q. Prolly because of that invalid email address I've been using for five years. :)

    Anyways, I hate the bother of setting up a new blogger account; so I'll probably just do the "Name/URL" deal for awhile.

    ReplyDelete
  82. The truth is, Runaway Rufus is on the run from the law, and needs to change identities.

    Merry Christmas, Rufus.

    ReplyDelete
  83. According to experts on 9/11, engineers, pilots, intelligence officers and members of our military, Jesse Ventura “hit the nail on the head.” Ventura, using evidence developed over 9 years by hundreds of individuals, outlines the utter impossibility of the government’s cover story on 9/11 and systematically debunks it using testimony and scientific evidence.

    Ventura cites, in an interview with a 9/11 commissioner, a possible motive for the Pentagon attack being included with the attacks on the World Trade Center. $2,300,000,000,000, yes 2.3 trillion US dollars had disappeared, cited only the day before in a televised statement by Secretary Rumsfeld, money “gone missing” from the Pentagon’s accounting. The area of the Pentagon hit by a missile or destroyed by explosives or both contained all records of this missing money.

    NO PLANE, NO WAY, NOT EVEN CLOSE

    Ventura proves, beyond any doubt that no airplane every hit the Pentagon. As the video shows, not even a highly trained airline pilot was capable of the maneuvers claimed. Long before, it had been proven that the 757 was incapable of the task, either the maneuvers or the speed and trajectory. The plane would have come apart, there is no disagreement with this and hasn’t been for some time, yet nothing had been done. Why?

    It is also clearly shown that there is absolutely no evidence of any kind showing a plane hit the Pentagon, no wreckage, no bodies, no luggage. Items claimed to have been taken to Dover Air Force Base, bodies, plane parts, were never at the Pentagon as both video and testimony prove.

    There is also proof that the government threatened witnesses, telling them to support the “aircraft scenario.”

    ReplyDelete
  84. Geraldo Rivera Does 911 Truth Segment About Building 7 - FOX News

    9/11 COMMISSION DUPED, ADMITS THERE WAS NO REAL INVESTIGATION AT ALL

    Commission video’s redacted to remove testimony by the Secretary of Transportation, transcripts altered, witnesses blocked, evidence, tons of evidence of government conspiracy withheld, this is the case against the government. Threats, intimidation, going on for years, this is proven. Were there more than threats, murders, “heart attacks” or threats against families? Ventura proves the Pentagon was a government conspiracy, he “names names.”

    Geraldo makes any other explanation for Building 7 other than “controlled demolition” pure insanity.

    ReplyDelete
  85. MORE WIKILEAKS, MORE ASSANGE, MORE 9/11 COVER-UP

    The strongest and most vocal opponent of a new 9/11 investigation is Julian Assange of Wikleaks. If any individual outside the US government were to be named as most complicit in a 9/11 cover-up, it would be Julian Assange.

    Everything since then, certainly 9/11 and now, the news about Iran and, especially Wikileaks, all subterfuge. When former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinsky cited Wikileaks on a PBS interview, televised nationally, that Wikileaks was the word of an intelligence agency, Israel never reported it or responded. Instead, they attributed Brzezinski’s quote to me:

    ReplyDelete
  86. Everything since then, certainly 9/11 and now, the news about Iran and, especially Wikileaks, all subterfuge.

    When former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinsky cited Wikileaks on a PBS interview, televised nationally, that Wikileaks was the word of an intelligence agency, Israel never reported it or responded. Instead, they attributed Brzezinski’s quote to me:

    ReplyDelete
  87. ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: But I think the most serious issues are not those which are getting the headlines right now. Who cares if Berlusconi is described as a clown. Most Italians agree with that. Who cares if Putin is described as an alpha dog? He probably is flattered by it.

    The real issue is, who is feeding Wikipedia on this issue — Wiki — Wiki — WikiLeaks on this issue? They’re getting a lot of information which seems trivial, inconsequential, but some of it seems surprisingly pointed. …The very pointed references to Arab leaders could have as their objective undermining their political credibility at home, because this kind of public identification of their hostility towards Iran could actually play against them at home.

    It’s, rather, a question of whether WikiLeaks are being manipulated by interested parties that want to either complicate our relationship with other governments or want to undermine some governments, because some of these items that are being emphasized and have surfaced are very pointed.

    And I wonder whether, in fact, there aren’t some operations internationally, intelligence services, that are feeding stuff to WikiLeaks, because it is a unique opportunity to embarrass us, to embarrass our position, but also to undermine our relations with particular governments.

    ReplyDelete
  88. Why would Rumsfeld go on TV, and 'fess up about the $2.3 Trillion that they couldn't track if he was going to blow up the records room the next day?

    And, wassup with this 500 + mph stuff? Why couldn't the plane have been going 400 mph, or 300 mph? And, just because "one" pilot says he couldn't have hit the Pentagon at that speed, does that mean someone else couldn't have gotten lucky and pulled it off?

    And, what happened to the passengers? And, what Would happen to a tank containing 10,000 gallons of Jet Fuel if it hit a concrete wall at 400 + mph?

    The Government is a pack of liars.

    Jesse Ventura is a Crank.

    Liars? Crank?

    Crank? Liars?

    Occam's Razor. It wuz a plane.

    ReplyDelete
  89. Let me get this right, the Story of "o" is in a tiff, because the New Zealanders are telling the truth and improving their commercial relationships with their customers, by doing so.

    This turn of events, the "Story" tells us, is an anti-Israeli move.

    While defending the Israeli use of stolen identities, to commit political assassinations, in foreign countries.

    Perversely humorous.



    No, not in a tiff at all...

    I have no respect for New Zealand, their appeasement of your Klan (Ishmael) will infect them like the virus they are...

    I will laugh while i watch them burn...

    I might even chop on a few of their tasty lamb chops while laughing...

    Those that sleep with dogs wake up with fleas...

    Israel fights for survival, New Zealand fights to sell lamb chops...

    lol...

    How's your occupation of Native American lands going el rato?

    ReplyDelete
  90. Rat states: While defending the Israeli use of stolen identities, to commit political assassinations, in foreign countries.



    Interesting conclusion.

    Are you in possession of classified documents that show your allegations? Or are you just inventing your lies as you go...

    Fact is the ONLY thing we know is that 2 Israelis forged 2 passports..

    I guess that never happens anywhere in the world for any other reason that "political assassinations"?

    It seems to me that you jump at answers that there is no factual basis behind...

    Misdirection...

    And all the while this AM you keep harping about how Iran and Islam are not a threat to the west...

    Hmmm...

    and they shall call you Ishmael....

    or Rat...

    Same thing...

    ReplyDelete
  91. Rubin: The reality of this for prices is that we’re going to be at triple-digit oil prices within the first quarter of 2011. We may even be taking a run at the $147-high watermark (per barrel) before 2011 is over. The question is whether the world economy is any better prepared to operate at that level of fuel cost than it was in 2008. If it isn’t, we’re going right back into a recession, which is really the point of my book. It’s about how do we grow with triple-digit oil prices. That requires going from a global economy to a much more local economy. That hasn’t happened yet. It will happen. Certainly, that will happen if we have another oil-induced recession.

    Jeff Rubin He's called it pretty good so far.

    ReplyDelete
  92. And did someone mention chinese food tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  93. RevertingRufus said...
    Rubin: The reality of this for prices is that we’re going to be at triple-digit oil prices within the first quarter of 2011.


    The thing is simple...

    When (not if) fuel prices hit 3 digits again, this will be at a time of global economic quietness. There is no major economic growth on the horizon (aside from india and china natural growth) And as the price of oil per barrel rises (also a factor of a weakened dollar) the cost to produce Chinese goods will also rise.

    It used to be 60 a barrel was the benchmark for alternative fuel of all sorts, for some reason our nation is asleep and we are hitting above 90 bucks and not a whimper from the people.

    My fear is that the Obama Admin will figure a way to give the bottom 30% of the nation a pass on the cost of fuel, simply allowing the shrinking middle class to absorb that extra 80-190 bucks a month in rising fuel costs. Let's not forget coal is rising in cost due to China's appetite as well..

    How does this bode?

    It will send a transfer of wealth directly into russia and opec's pocket like never seen before...

    America better wake up soon...

    I have doubts that with the current leaders in washington ANYTHING will happen that will be helpful.

    I see them adding taxes of greenhouse gases thru the clean air act, i see them slamming shut any and all drilling in alaska and the gulf, i see them NOT trying to move our transportation over to LP..

    We are screwed...

    ReplyDelete
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