Oopsy, I am looking for an Open Thread for today and forgot

that it's Thursday and I think I was expected to may be write one.

So, I am posting this now with apologies and regrets, as I wasn't quite clear about my role in writing OTs here any further.

I will add to this diary in a while, when I have found something I wanted to tell you. But it will take me a while.

Please go ahead and share whatever you like to say in the meantime.

Ok, may be this is something one should read:
Does the Media Have a Double Standard When It Comes to Bernie Sanders? The article relates to a Salon article from yesterday. Here some excerpts. Well, the answer is yes, anyhow, here some statements:

So Sanders is a long shot, but he’s not without a sizable bloc of support. In fact, when you crunch the numbers, Sanders is outperforming the combined support of several GOP presidential wannabes. The Bernie 2016 boomlet is clearly a bit puzzling to reporters, who don’t seem to know what to do with Sanders beyond treating him as a foil to Hillary, and so they default to doing nothing, even as every utterance of GOP candidates who are polling below 2 percent merits its own headline. There are clear double standards at play, and one of them pertains to how reporters cover a candidate who is unreservedly liberal versus how they cover “proudly conservative” Republicans. This dynamic is sometimes subtle, and it emerged during an interview Sanders gave with CNBC’s John Harwood.
...
Income inequality and the distribution of wealth are two topics Sanders hammers away at constantly, and during the interview with Harwood he brought up the fact that the top marginal tax rate for income during the 1950s was somewhere around 90 percent. Sanders’ comment took Harwood aback. “When you think about something like 90 percent, you don’t think that’s obviously too high?” he asked. “No,” Bernie shot back. Sanders’ endorsement of the Eisenhower-era tax structure also raised eyebrows at the New York Times, which observed that Sanders “doesn’t flinch over returning to the 90 percent personal income tax rates of the 1950s for top earners.” In these reactions you can easily spy an undercurrent of incredulity that a politician would enthusiastically advocate for rich people to pay more – much, much more – in taxes.

This is what happens after more than three decades of economic policymaking that has enshrined tax cuts as the greatest good one can strive for. For Republicans, the policy is tax cuts everywhere and always and most especially for the rich. For Democrats, it’s tax cuts for the middle class while the wealthy, who benefit disproportionately from a tax structure that is “barely progressive,” are asked only to “pay a little more.” We’ve become so accustomed to historically low rates of taxation for the wealthy that when someone like Sanders comes along and says the rich can and should pay a far higher rate, people assume he’s out to lunch.

Ok, I can't wrap my mind around this anymore. I am dealing with people, who earn so little, that they can't make a tax return.
Please forgive me.

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Big Al's picture

Good Morning. You know, there ain't no sunshine when she's gone.

A couple things this morning. First, about that FIFA arrest scandal. There appears more to it than meets the eye. Go figure. It's about war of course. War of any kind is the name of the U.S. game. No, they won't go after the banksters or the war criminals, they go after soccer officials.

"Russia won out over Britain, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal. It plans to host the event in 13 cities. It intends making it first-class world event.

In April, 13 US influential senators wrote Blatter “strongly encourag(ing)” him to replace Russia with another host country,” saying:
“Allowing Russia to host the FIFA World Cup inappropriately bolsters the prestige of the Putin regime at a time when it should be condemned and provides economic relief at a time when much of the international community is imposing economic sanctions.”

FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer responded, saying:
“History has shown so far that boycotting sport events or a policy of isolation or confrontation are not the most effective ways to solve problems.”
The World Cup “can achieve positive change in the world, but football cannot be seen as a solution for all issues, particularly those related to world politics.”
Blatter said “the World Cup in Russia will be able to stabilize all the situation in this region of Europe that is suffering now.”

http://www.globalresearch.ca/washington-wages-war-on-international-socce...

Then there's Joe Biden's comments he made at the Brookings Institution. Joe Biden is an absolute scumbag. I was always a bit perplexed at the favorable stances progressives have given Biden over the years. No longer however since I now understand the progressive mentality. Biden is a zionist, neoliberal, imperialist scumbag, simple as that.

"The US rejects the idea of any nation claiming a sphere of influence, Vice President Joe Biden told a Washington think tank, arguing that the crisis in Ukraine was about the principles and values of the West and international order.

"We will not recognize any nation having a sphere of influence,” the vice president said during a speech at the Brookings Institution on Wednesday. It remained unclear whether the remark applied to US influence around the globe, or referred only to Russia, China and other countries.

Asked by AP diplomatic correspondent Matt Lee to clarify the remark, State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke did not quite know how.
“What we see when we look around the world are places where we desire to improve our contacts with countries,” Rathke said, acknowledging that other countries might do the same. “What is important is that those relations develop on the basis of mutual interest, mutual respect, without coercion, and to the benefit of the peoples of the countries involved.”

“I don’t really think the description of that as a ‘sphere of influence’ is particularly apt in those kinds of cases,” Rathke added."

http://rt.com/usa/262573-biden-spheres-influence-russia/

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mimi's picture

I hope people read your comment and start sharing their thoughts. I am out of business today. Sorry.

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Big Al's picture

Maybe just let it ride and we'll just go from there.
No problems, just an open thread.

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mimi's picture

I know I can't do a good job and rather write a diary only, when I feel I like to write about something that messes up my mind to the point that I need to get it out and see what others think about my thoughts... My apologies to all of you.

I hope JtC and Joe Shikspack will accept this. It's all for personal reasons and has nothing to do with whatever this site is producing, up to and discussing about. I know I will always read and comment here, if I am allowed to do so.

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We have so many writers here who actually have something to say that I feel inadequate as well. JtC assures me that I shouldn't worry, but I do.
You should send JtC or Joe a message and share your feelings and decision.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

hecate's picture

You're doing fine. I think.

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if you don't want to do the OTs anymore, just say so, there's nothing mandatory about them.

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mimi's picture

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mimi's picture

guys do this?

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gulfgal98's picture

is amazing. Does the Obama Administration really believe that the people of this country will forget how they avoided prosecuting even one bankster despite ample evidence provided by Senator Carl Levin's as chairman of The Permanent Subcommittee On Investigations. That report was totally ignored by the Obama Administration and will go down in history as one of the most egregious things to come out of the Obama Administration. At the very least, Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs should have been charged with perjury when he lied in testimony before Congress.

While FIFA is incredibly corrupt, that does not begin to approach the amount of criminal wrong doing wrought upon us by the banksters.

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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

FBI can't find one banker to charge but sports and sport figures- no problem.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Shahryar's picture

in my football chat group they're saying the same thing, although their particulars differ, like this one...

"Ferguson, Baltimore, Cleveland, Benghazi, Lerner, Hillary's server, Bill's shell corp, Fast/Furious...

And Lynch is going after FIFA. "

Most of those are absurd but I understand the feeling.

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shaharazade's picture

get all tweaked about American gladiator corporate sports. Sure every once in a while they make noise about steroids but hey it America and we love our violent professional gladiators and corporate owners. It's entrepreneurship at work as we need our privately owned public blood sports, the circus is sacred. Soccer seems a safe target as it is not really American. Here we got soccer Moms and all but pro football is our poison of choice.

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Big Al's picture

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Qatar-2022-World-Cup/136230856430793

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/05/its-time-think-about-boycot...

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/boycott-fifa-world-cup-in-qatar-2022/

Then give the 2022 games to the United States.

Then boycott the United States.

Because it's worse than Qatar, way worse. Qatar can't hold a candle to US.

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mimi's picture

sometimes some photos are still a proof of a fact of something and not a tool to promote an agenda.

The sign basically says to Ukrainians, if they see a homeboy separatist who disgraces/violates national symbols and is waiting for the Russian "paradise" (my words), they should call the Ukrainian secret service.
The lady who took that photo is ARD correspondent in Moscow and Ukraine. I think she is right now making a docu of the Ukraine and takes a lot of photos while driving around in the Donetz area. The sign reminds me (a bit) of the US, who tells you similar things, if you see something "suspicious".

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I have a full plate in real life right now, I'm hitting the work hot and heavy, my dad is in the hospital in bad shape from mesothelioma and I've got other real life stuff I'm dealing with right now, too. So I may not be around as much as I'd like to. The site is in pretty good working order so you guys should be able to hold down the fort for a while until I can get some of this real life stuff under control. I start work pretty early so I may not be around to make sure an Open Thread gets published every morning, if someone wants to cover it if that happens that would be great, but if we go a day without an OT it's not the end of the world.

Sorry I can't be around all day but I knew this would happen that's why I kicked butt over the winter and made sure most everything was in order with the site. Thanks y'all for being such a great bunch of peops, I do appreciate it.

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We'll be fine. You go take care of your family and life. Hope everything works out as well as it can.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

My dad has suffered from asbestosis for about 15 years but it just recently turned to mesothelioma.

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JayRaye's picture

we'll be here whenever you can drop by

My best wishes for you and your family.

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Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

how's the flooding in Tejas? Getting better I hope.

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mimi's picture

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NCTim's picture

... to make sure people too do not have to pay civil penalties and their victims do not have healthcare.

Witnessing my father turn frail and pass on was the experience that made me face my own mortality. Make sure you tie up loose ends and tell him what you need to. My father passed without our reconciling the separation process and the indiscretions of my youth life.

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

Big Al's picture

I can too. As long as I'm feeling all right I'll keep on trucking.
You hang in there and don't forget about yourself.

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i appreciate it.

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smiley7's picture

Sending good vibes and thinking of you and your Dad, j.

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no European vacation?

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smiley7's picture

been a whirlwind here as well, dealing with life, plus a bout of depression; haven't been engaging much on the web, just reading. My friend's CT scan was okay, they found a minor heart problem and are leaning towards vertigo???. But he says go, so we are planning for the fall.
Thanks for asking; happy to fill in with a thread or two if you need or wish.
Hugs to you and Dad.

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glad to hear your friend is OK and that you've rescheduled your trip. If mimi officially tells me she done with the OTs, Thursdays will be open if you're interested. Thanks, my friend.

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smiley7's picture

Good Morning JtC,
Just let me know. I can commit to a few morning threads...see how it goes; Thursday is okay or any day that best fills your schedule for a while.

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I've been dealing with vertigo too. Whether Mimi keeps her OT or not, I'd be happy to give you my Monday's. I could still write and contribute when I actually had something to share. I just wouldn't have the
the commitment. I have the next two scheduled so you would have time before you had to start, and I would love to have the summer to myself. Let me know. Hope your friend gets well soon.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

smiley7's picture

See my above post to JtC. The day doesn't matter right now, I can be flexible in scheduling, filling in when needed. Thanks for asking about Bill, that was a scare; growing old is no picnic at times.

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NCTim's picture

... and pontificate.

DK has two in the can? I feel good when I have something before sun down the preceding day.

Take a look at the water link on this morning's open thread. It will piss you off.

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

smiley7's picture

At least our good friends in Asheville and the Sierra Club's coal campaign succeeded in getting Duke to close the old, very, polluting coal plant.

And if you haven't seen this: https://www.blackoutcongress.org/ click on.

It a beautiful day up here.

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NCTim's picture

It was one of Dukes oldest and most expensive to operate plants.

Disconcerting ->

The General Assembly is caught up in a possible overhaul of the state’s commitment to renewable energy. A bill moving through the state legislature would scale back the state’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (REPS).

They are rigging the marketplace. Isn't that what conservatives do?

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

June 15 is your first publishing date. It will work out great for me. Thanks so much.... I'll be up north playing on the beach.

medium size photo North2007035-1.jpg

If you or JtC need me, just give me a holler. You'll have to shout loud, the lake can be pretty noisy when the waves are up.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

smiley7's picture

That looks peaceful. June 15 works for me, thanks.

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gulfgal98's picture

is what I am sending to you and your family, JtC. These times are very stressful when you have a family member with a long term debilitating and often fatal illness. Do whatever you need to do in your real life and do not worry about this place. You have done a terrific job in making sure things go smoothly here.

On a very personal note, I want to thank JtC for his support (both privately and publicly) in my recent hiatus in which I was also dealing with similar situation. There are a lot of really good folks here and among the best of them is definitely JtC. Good

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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

aw shucks, now I'm blushing.

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mimi's picture

you know if I have written a diary, I can announce it the evening before and ask if it should be used as an OT or not. Just I do not want to commit to a schedule. Not stable enough to do so, I am sorry to say.

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