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News & ArtsMonday, August 13, 2012
News Monday Morning News: Stolen Papal Papers and Paul Ryan's Tax Returns
Posted by Cienna Madrid on Mon, Aug 13, 2012 at 7:18 AM
Nuns v. Catholic Church: Nearly 500 Seattleites marched in support of Catholic nuns yesterday, who are currently being censured by the Vatican for their "radical feminist themes."
Missing Seattle Woman Still Missing: Twenty-seven-year old Tatyana Khmara was last seen Friday between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. at Pacific City Park. Have you seen her?
GirlGeekCon: Featuring lady David Bowie, lady Dr. Who, and more. (Here's a wrap-up of the con's first day.)
Lesbian General: Meet our country's first!
Butler v. God's Right Hand: The Pope's butler will stand trial for grand theft of secret Papal papers, although oddly, if convicted he could escape sentencing with a pardon from the Pope.
Sore Losers: Research shows that silver Olympian medalists feel shittier about their wins than bronze medalists.
$1,384: How much Romney earns in the time it takes you to nuke a hot pocket.
Google: Cutting 20 percent of Motorola jobs and, as Joseph mentioned yesterday, burying pirating sites in search results.
Police Could've Stopped Breivik Sooner: Says this official report of last July's Oslo massacre.
Guns and Mental Illness Don't Mix Well: You don't say?
Paul Ryan's Tax Returns: Romney's running mate will release two years publicly but says calls for Romney to release more of his own are a "distraction."
And finally, Ask a Mortician talks about how to talk to mourners about their grief.
1
Ask a mortician lady sounds like an NPR personality. God I can't stand that fucking voice anymore.
2
I've read that about silver and bronze medalists: The silver medalist thinks "Dang, I lost," while the bronze medalist thinks "I won a bronze medal!"
3
The march and rally for the nuns was closer to 1,500 people -- the TV channels have all badly undercounted. This isn't merely a disagreement about Church doctrine; it's a blatant attempt to threaten the only people within the Church who practice social justice in the world (treating gay people as full human beings, for instance), and telling them to shut up or be excommunicated because they're only women.
4
Congrats to the Brits for pulling of a brilliant Olympics! It's nice to watch Mitt Romney be made to look like a total asshole on the international stage.
5
So is the Lesbian General an appointed position? Is there an approval process? I assume the plural is Lesbians General. Does she have any regulatory authority over gay men or is the Gay Man General a forthcoming announcement?
6
"First openly lesbian" general, probably not "first lesbian".
Then again, MacCrocodile may be right -- are you talking about a new position in the military after the abolishment of DADT?
Then again, MacCrocodile may be right -- are you talking about a new position in the military after the abolishment of DADT?
8
@5- her position is Lesbian General, making her chief executive officer of the League of Lesbians, a group whose authority is contested by the Guild of Gay-mo-seshuals.
On that note, I welcome our lesbian overlords. I can deal with Sleater-Kinney and organic tomatoes, personally.
On that note, I welcome our lesbian overlords. I can deal with Sleater-Kinney and organic tomatoes, personally.
10
In sports where there's a round-robin format (I think round-robin is the correct term), the silver medalist literally loses his or her final match, whereas the bronze medalist loses the penultimate match, but wins the bronze-medal match. That would be sports like boxing, hockey, basketball, soccer, tennis, judo, wrestling, etc. In sports where you're competing against a whole field of people, like track and field, swimming, gymnastics, etc., I suppose the sense of losing might come from the emphasis we place on winning the gold, and in many countries, from the accolades, financial and otherwise, that gold medalists receive. I kind of skimmed over most of the article, but I didn't see anything about whether they considered silver medalists who were not considered favorites to medal, or about whether it makes a difference if the silver medalist comes from a country that doesn't have a lot of medalists in the first place.
11
Also, I don't eat hot pockets and therefore don't nuke them. I wish this meant Romney gets nothing ever again.
12
@4, I was also thinking what an ass-clown Romney is while watching last night. He flies there uninformed to tell them they're not ready a week before opening ceremonies - great job.
Looking at the setlist, NBC edited out an hour of great music.
http://www.vintagevinylnews.com/2012/08/…
Looking at the setlist, NBC edited out an hour of great music.
http://www.vintagevinylnews.com/2012/08/…
13
@9: If you took some money that you earned from your livliehood (after taxes) and invested it you would be taxed at a lower rate because you invested it back into the economy. Note you already paid taxes on that amount in the first place.
You can quible about sematics of what is earned all day long if you want to. But that's the way our tax system works.
You can
You can quible about sematics of what is earned all day long if you want to. But that's the way our tax system works.
You can
14
Some silver medalists simply cannot be happy with anything: http://mckaylaisnotimpressed.tumblr.com/
15
@13 Except most of Romney's income from Bain came in the form of carried interest, which was not taxed at marginal rates.
There's no need to quibble over what is earned income. The IRS has already defined all of that for us.
There's no need to quibble over what is earned income. The IRS has already defined all of that for us.
16
@14
Of course, having your parents give you a pretentious name isn't helpful.
I like this one: http://mckaylaisnotimpressed.tumblr.com/…
Of course, having your parents give you a pretentious name isn't helpful.
I like this one: http://mckaylaisnotimpressed.tumblr.com/…
17
@13 I wasn't talking about taxes, I was talking about how Rmoney is getting richer seemingly exponentially with no effort. Sure, that’s typical with the ultra-wealthy, so he’s not special in that regard. But I quibble with the use of the word “earn” for how his money is breeding faster than a pack of rats.
18
@13
"But that's the way our tax system works."
No.
That is the way the tax laws are written TODAY.
The rates were different in the past.
The exceptions were different in the past.
"If you took some money that you earned from your livliehood (after taxes) and invested it you would be taxed at a lower rate because you invested it back into the economy."
Again, that is how the tax laws are written TODAY.
They were different in the past.
There is no reason why profits from investments should be taxed higher/lower than wages.
Except as the near-religious belief in particular economic models that never seem to work in the "real world".
Romney paid about 13% taxes.
Yet there doesn't seem to have been a corresponding creation of new jobs.
"But that's the way our tax system works."
No.
That is the way the tax laws are written TODAY.
The rates were different in the past.
The exceptions were different in the past.
"If you took some money that you earned from your livliehood (after taxes) and invested it you would be taxed at a lower rate because you invested it back into the economy."
Again, that is how the tax laws are written TODAY.
They were different in the past.
There is no reason why profits from investments should be taxed higher/lower than wages.
Except as the near-religious belief in particular economic models that never seem to work in the "real world".
Romney paid about 13% taxes.
Yet there doesn't seem to have been a corresponding creation of new jobs.
19
@18: You say that there is no reason why profits from investments should be taxed higher/lower than wages.
Are you saying you want to remove that incentive for investing?
Are you saying you want to remove that incentive for investing?
20
re: The Google ranks for pirated content.
Good. It's about time.
When I'm looking for info on software or a plug in, I have to sift through pages of bullshit torrentz and warez crap to find anything actually relevant.
Now if they could only demote all those crappy yellow pages links when searching for local businesses.
Good. It's about time.
When I'm looking for info on software or a plug in, I have to sift through pages of bullshit torrentz and warez crap to find anything actually relevant.
Now if they could only demote all those crappy yellow pages links when searching for local businesses.
21
@13/19, First of all, we all know that Mittens doesn't pay any taxes. He only rejiggered his returns last year to pay some because he knew he was going to be running for office.
Incentive for investing? Bullshit. The rich are greedy enough that they'll always have an incentive. It's called profit.
They are not the job creators that Rmoney likes to spew about. Not a single one of them would opt to create a job if there was more profit available without that job. Not one.
The whole "job creator" bullshit is just a smokescreen to divert attention from the greed.
Incentive for investing? Bullshit. The rich are greedy enough that they'll always have an incentive. It's called profit.
They are not the job creators that Rmoney likes to spew about. Not a single one of them would opt to create a job if there was more profit available without that job. Not one.
The whole "job creator" bullshit is just a smokescreen to divert attention from the greed.
22
@ Gay Dude, any returns realized from investments are NEW earnings. The initial investment is not taxed again, and losses are deductible.
Talking about the money having been "taxed in the first place" is a red herring.
Mitt Romney wasn't someone who simply earned the same shot everyone gets. He was supremely privileged and had opportunities few are offered. He did well, but all Americans know he owes a fair amount of his earnings to the government, just as they do, and will crucify him if it turns out he did not. That's why he won't release his tax returns, and that's why proxies like yourself try to steer the conversation toward red herrings.
Talking about the money having been "taxed in the first place" is a red herring.
Mitt Romney wasn't someone who simply earned the same shot everyone gets. He was supremely privileged and had opportunities few are offered. He did well, but all Americans know he owes a fair amount of his earnings to the government, just as they do, and will crucify him if it turns out he did not. That's why he won't release his tax returns, and that's why proxies like yourself try to steer the conversation toward red herrings.
23
Final Warning: Why both Obama AND Romney are unacceptable in 2012
Trapwire*, the national-to-global surveillance system is now fully operational. Those security cams you see everywhere, and many you don't observe, are watching and collecting data --- and can correlate that factory code (IMEI) on your cell phone, or smart phone, or laptop, or tablet, or automobile, etc.
At this very moment that network is being interfaced with UAV (surveillance drone) networks to be fully operational within the next several years.
Skynet, the ultimate control and enforcement element. Sound farfetched? You already saw that movie? The Terminator series?
Well, read Nick Turse's stuff (The Complex), and long before that, Alex Carey.
That's how they do their Influence Operations --- first fictionalize it for mass consumption --- next they make fun of the reality as being really harmless!
And that Terminator actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, went on to do a deal with those Enron bandits and became governor.
And the members of Schwarzenegger's Republican administration went on to be appointed to Obama's administration.
Live and learn, suckers!
And those consultants on Cheney's and Poindexter's Total Information Awareness Project went on to be appointed to Obama's administration!
Live and learn, suckers!
Once Skynet --- or whatever they choose to name it --- is fully implemented, that's all folks; that's all she wrote!
One final chance, vote Jill Stein into the presidency in 2012, or bid goodbye to any fantasy of a possible democracy in America's future!
Trust Wall Street? Trust the government owned by Wall Street?
Romney and Ryan are so extreme rightwing --- the far rightwing Obama/Biden appear tame by comparison, but the finest presidential candidate in my lifetime is certainly Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party.
http://www.btlonline.org/2012/CTPT/mp3/1…
http://www.btlonline.org/2012/seg/120817…
Final warning . . .
*Trapwire: Abraxas Corporation, the company that originally created TrapWire under its subsidiary Abraxas Applications, also has significant ties to the CIA. The company was founded by Richard “Hollis” Helms in 2001, two years after he left the CIA where he had worked for nearly 30 years. Many of the company’s past employees and management have worked at the CIA or other intelligence agencies. In fact, Tim Shorrock notes in his 2008 book Spies for Hire that so many employees of the CIA were thought to be going to work for private companies like Abraxas that in 2005 CIA Director Porter Goss had to ask the company to stop recruiting in the CIA Cafeteria at Langley. The Los Angeles Times reported in 2006 that Abraxas had a contract from the CIA for developing front companies and false identities for the Agency’s nonofficial cover (NOC) program. The company and its work are so secretive that Shorrock reportedly called the company for comment and was told, “Sir, we don’t talk to the media.”
http://www.nvtc.org/tec/RichardHelms.php
http://publicintelligence.net/unravellin…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/201…
More...
Trapwire*, the national-to-global surveillance system is now fully operational. Those security cams you see everywhere, and many you don't observe, are watching and collecting data --- and can correlate that factory code (IMEI) on your cell phone, or smart phone, or laptop, or tablet, or automobile, etc.
At this very moment that network is being interfaced with UAV (surveillance drone) networks to be fully operational within the next several years.
Skynet, the ultimate control and enforcement element. Sound farfetched? You already saw that movie? The Terminator series?
Well, read Nick Turse's stuff (The Complex), and long before that, Alex Carey.
That's how they do their Influence Operations --- first fictionalize it for mass consumption --- next they make fun of the reality as being really harmless!
And that Terminator actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, went on to do a deal with those Enron bandits and became governor.
And the members of Schwarzenegger's Republican administration went on to be appointed to Obama's administration.
Live and learn, suckers!
And those consultants on Cheney's and Poindexter's Total Information Awareness Project went on to be appointed to Obama's administration!
Live and learn, suckers!
Once Skynet --- or whatever they choose to name it --- is fully implemented, that's all folks; that's all she wrote!
One final chance, vote Jill Stein into the presidency in 2012, or bid goodbye to any fantasy of a possible democracy in America's future!
Trust Wall Street? Trust the government owned by Wall Street?
Romney and Ryan are so extreme rightwing --- the far rightwing Obama/Biden appear tame by comparison, but the finest presidential candidate in my lifetime is certainly Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party.
http://www.btlonline.org/2012/CTPT/mp3/1…
http://www.btlonline.org/2012/seg/120817…
Final warning . . .
*Trapwire: Abraxas Corporation, the company that originally created TrapWire under its subsidiary Abraxas Applications, also has significant ties to the CIA. The company was founded by Richard “Hollis” Helms in 2001, two years after he left the CIA where he had worked for nearly 30 years. Many of the company’s past employees and management have worked at the CIA or other intelligence agencies. In fact, Tim Shorrock notes in his 2008 book Spies for Hire that so many employees of the CIA were thought to be going to work for private companies like Abraxas that in 2005 CIA Director Porter Goss had to ask the company to stop recruiting in the CIA Cafeteria at Langley. The Los Angeles Times reported in 2006 that Abraxas had a contract from the CIA for developing front companies and false identities for the Agency’s nonofficial cover (NOC) program. The company and its work are so secretive that Shorrock reportedly called the company for comment and was told, “Sir, we don’t talk to the media.”
http://www.nvtc.org/tec/RichardHelms.php
http://publicintelligence.net/unravellin…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/201…
24
@19: The incentive for investing is that your money goes out and earns more money for you.
You seem to be suggesting that if an investor gets to keep, say, 71% of his profit on investments rather than 85% of it, he's going to say "Well, fuck it, that isn't worth doing. I'm just going to stuff all this money into a mattress instead."
You seem to be suggesting that if an investor gets to keep, say, 71% of his profit on investments rather than 85% of it, he's going to say "Well, fuck it, that isn't worth doing. I'm just going to stuff all this money into a mattress instead."
25
@19,
We're currently dealing with an economy where people need to *spend* more, not invest. Supply side economics has been proven to be a sham. Go away.
We're currently dealing with an economy where people need to *spend* more, not invest. Supply side economics has been proven to be a sham. Go away.
26
@13,
FYI, when I invest my money in the stock market, I pay the exact same effective rate I pay on my income, because I'm not a multimillionaire. There is no tax "incentive" for normal, everyday people (the overwhelming majority of investers) to invest. The 15 percent rate is a giveaway to people who are already rich. That is all.
There are also many tax-deferred ways to invest in the stock market and save for retirement. I suggest you look into them.
FYI, when I invest my money in the stock market, I pay the exact same effective rate I pay on my income, because I'm not a multimillionaire. There is no tax "incentive" for normal, everyday people (the overwhelming majority of investers) to invest. The 15 percent rate is a giveaway to people who are already rich. That is all.
There are also many tax-deferred ways to invest in the stock market and save for retirement. I suggest you look into them.
27
@19
"Are you saying you want to remove that incentive for investing?"
I take it that reading is not something that comes easily to you.
Or is it the comprehension part?
You didn't notice the "higher/lower" bit I put in there?
Instead, you tried to focus this on some talking point that you don't understand.
I stated SPECIFICALLY:
Except as the near-religious belief in particular economic models that never seem to work in the "real world".
Now you're going to try to substitute fantasy for fact.
There is no "incentive for investing".
When the profits from investing were taxed at a higher rate PEOPLE STILL INVESTED.
With the profits from investing being taxed at a LOWER rate THE JOBS ARE NOT APPEARING.
That is the "near-religious" part that I stated.
No matter what happens, people like you keep claiming that their belief is real and it is just something else that cause the opposite effect of what you claimed would happen.
Which is why you always end up defending the racists.
It's easier for you to repeat racist talking points than it is for you to think on your own.
"Are you saying you want to remove that incentive for investing?"
I take it that reading is not something that comes easily to you.
Or is it the comprehension part?
You didn't notice the "higher/lower" bit I put in there?
Instead, you tried to focus this on some talking point that you don't understand.
I stated SPECIFICALLY:
Except as the near-religious belief in particular economic models that never seem to work in the "real world".
Now you're going to try to substitute fantasy for fact.
There is no "incentive for investing".
When the profits from investing were taxed at a higher rate PEOPLE STILL INVESTED.
With the profits from investing being taxed at a LOWER rate THE JOBS ARE NOT APPEARING.
That is the "near-religious" part that I stated.
No matter what happens, people like you keep claiming that their belief is real and it is just something else that cause the opposite effect of what you claimed would happen.
Which is why you always end up defending the racists.
It's easier for you to repeat racist talking points than it is for you to think on your own.
28
@Gay for Mittens, your boss wrote off over $500k in 'investment losses' on his dancing hobby horse. There are plenty of incentives to investing.
29
@19 the incentive to invest should be pretty clear regardless of taxation. You get to use your excess capital to generate more capital. It's great to be able to make money without punching a time clock and spending a day doing the daily grind. That should be reward in itself.
Investing to avoid taxes shows more disregard for our government than anything. That shouldn't be your motivation. Easy money should be. It really is that simple.
Lastly, we've experimented in this whole super low tax rates for 'job-creators' for the last decade. Doesn't seem to be working all that well. In fact it's one of the causes of our deficit, which then brings up the talking point of market uncertainty. How would you address those two very conflicting issues?
Investing to avoid taxes shows more disregard for our government than anything. That shouldn't be your motivation. Easy money should be. It really is that simple.
Lastly, we've experimented in this whole super low tax rates for 'job-creators' for the last decade. Doesn't seem to be working all that well. In fact it's one of the causes of our deficit, which then brings up the talking point of market uncertainty. How would you address those two very conflicting issues?
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