Tuesday Open Thread 03-17-15

Submitted by Cordelia Lear on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 7:45am

A top of the morning to you 99percenters!

They say you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day. Americans use the day as an excuse to party. We have parades with bagpipes and leprechauns. We dye rivers green. We drink green beer and we drink plenty of Guinness, a real Irish national treasure. And we eat corned beef and cabbage, something that’s about as Irish in origin as spaghetti and meatballs.

A word of caution though if you go out on the town tonight make sure you have safe transportation home. Most police departments celebrate by stepping up their DUI enforcement.

This is an open thread so tell us what's on your mind today.

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Submitted by Big Al on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 9:21am
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What is on my mind this morning? I just cruised through Daily Kos.
So you probably don't want to know. But I saw two diaries that made me think about the old
bible saying,

"You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

I suppose that's too simple.

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Submitted by NCTim on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 10:23am
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Sticky smelly green.

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Submitted by JtC on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 9:27am

that dye the Chicago River green are personal friends of mine. I also am acquainted with the guy that started the tradition many years ago. They are all in this video:

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Submitted by gulfgal98 on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 3:32pm
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Several years ago, my husband had a convention in Chicago and I went along. We got to do the night time architectural tour which was most marvelous. The river is gorgeous.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Submitted by Unabashed Liberal on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 9:43am
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Unfortunately, that's pretty much where 'the good news' stops for today in my estimation.

Heard on C-Span's Washington Journal this morning that a deal is in the making between Pelosi and Boehner (and Ways and Means Chairperson Paul Ryan, and the Senate Finance Committee, with Ranking Member Ron Wyden and Chair Orrin Hatch), and another Committee (Energy?) to fleece newly retiring seniors.

There will be increases in Medicare co-pays, Medicare premiums, and a Medigap Premium 'surcharge' for all plans that provide first-dollar and more comprehensive coverage, starting in 2017 for new Medicare enrollees.

(So, some of you will be okay.)

Happy Saint Pat's Day!

Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad

Hey, why are there so many emoticons?

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Submitted by mimi on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 10:25am
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"Blockupy"demonstration in Frankfurt/Germany tomorrow. It's not that often that German media in advance write about a protest demo, which is organized surrounding the opening ceremony of the new headquarter of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. Under the motto "Let's take over the Party" they not only want to occupy the "festivities" (stand-in and sit-in blockade), but also disrupt daily functions of the European Central Bank. The police is expecting a major "mess" so to speak and might prepare and declare an "exceptional situation", whatever that is supposed to mean.

The opening ceremony costs 1.3 billion Euro, but has invited only 19 guests. They seem to be scared, that's of course not admitted.

Blockupy consists of autonomic political groups like the "Interventionistische Linke" and "UmsGanze-Bündnis" (some leftist groups I haven't heard about) together with Unions, the Unemployed, "Attac" (an alter-globalization movement) and the leftist party "Die Linke". The movement has continued to network on an European level, the Greek government party Syriza is participant. They protest the IMF, the EU commission and the austerity policies of the European Central bank and Germany's role in dealing with nations like Greece. Franfurt is the "heart of the European Crisis Regime" they say.

Naomi Klein and Sarah Wagenknecht (Die Linke) will speak. The police estimates 10 000 demonstrators will come and fear violence.

The Blockupy people say the police in engaging in "fear tactics".

Oh well, we will see. Let's hope the demo will be non-violent and eye-opening and festively and funny.

BTW the Social Democrats and the Green Party in Germany supports the reparation payments for Nazi crimes to Greece. There is a growing split between the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party on that issue. All don't want those reparation payments been mixed together with the other requests the Greece government has towards Germany and the EU.

So much from the German front. Phew... Sigh..

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Submitted by mimi on Wed, 03/18/2015 - 9:07am
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well, my guts' feelings seem to have guided me into the right directions. Can't translate all of it, but the demonstrations ended up with quite some violence.
Live blog coverage of the online part of the German Newspaper "Die Zeit" - one that I would wish more would read or translate

What can be said is that around 6000 demonstrators participated, more than 1000 foreign demonstrators among them. Around 80 police officers had been attacked, so far sticks, teargas and have been used (I have to say here that same thing would happen in the US I guess there would be dead demonstrators by now).

12.00 paraphrazed translation:

Accompanied by violent protests the European Central Bank President Mario Draghi opened the new buildings of the ECB with a celebatory ceremony with around 100 guests.

In the early morning hours demonstrators blocked all routes leading the the ECB. Several demonstrations are planned during the day....

At several points of the inner city developped riots and ruckus. Police cars were set on fire. Stones were thrown and firefighters attacked, barricades were erected and buildings damaged. Around 90 police officers were hurt. Seven police cars set on fire, additional seven cars damaged through stones or cut tires.

In the working class neighborhood Ostend, where the 185 m hight ECB is locating, helicopters circulated in the air, smoke rised into the sky. Sirenes were constantly audible, schools and kindergardens remained closed (me: that's very rare in Germany), the "Stadtautobahn = inner city highways" were closed off, no trams or busses.

The Blockupy-Alliance distanced itself from violence. "From us no violence originates", said Frederic Wester, a spokesperson of the movement. Most of the demonstrators remaind peaceful during the morning hours. Wester said the police had helped to incite the violence by the way their appearance.
Another female speaker said that the militant protests overshadoow the peaceful demonstrators, that they are "not part of the Occupy consens".

The police reacted with water canons and tear gas. There were several injured demonstrators.

...

ok, I guess the rest will be available over twitter and other sources in English during the day. So far this kind of riots are more or less common in German demonstrations. let's hope it doesn't get worse. I am curious to hear about Naomi Klein's speech.

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Submitted by gulfgal98 on Tue, 03/17/2015 - 10:41am
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Since it is work night and half of those invited still work, it will be early to start and early to end. My best friend does this party every year and she decorates the places up with all sorts of swag to set the mood. The only requirement is that you must wear something green. I am going to spare everyone from being annoyed by my bright flashing "Kiss Me, I's Irish" pin, so I won't wear it this year. Dirol My friend always cooks up corned beef and cabbage for the group and I am bringing my pistachio almond rum cake. One does not have to drink to feel slightly tipsy if you eat enough cake. Wink And of course we will be drinking Guinness Stout, the nectar of the gods. Drinks

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy