Monday, August 20, 2012

SAR #12232

The problem with paper ballots is _____ ?

Loose The Balloons! Der Spiegel reports that the ECB may (may!) set yield limits on Euro sovereign bonds by pledging to make unlimited bond purchases to force down yields. Where the ECB was going to get the unlimited euros to make these unlimited purchases was not immediately clear.  Never mind, the ECB let the air out.

It's For Desert: According to Number Two, he and The Mitten will gladly discuss the details of its tax proposals “in the light of day,” and “through Congress.” Which means after the election. But in that case, “we want feedback from Americans about what priorities in the tax code should be kept,” is the same as saying they don't actually have a plan.

Posthumous Promotions: The US conferred “martyred militant” status on 10 suspected militantsTM in a two-pronged attack that first targeted two vehicles and then sent missiles into a suspiciously militant house in North Waziristan.

Put A Fork In It: Germany's finance minister has flatly ruled out any further bailout for Greece. “It can’t be helped...” Wolfgang Schäuble said, “There are limits,” and the sovereign-debt crisis mustn’t become a “bottomless pit”.

Budgetary Conundrum: We the people currently consume 1.5 years of the Earth's renewable resources each year. We're eating our seed corn.

The Light of Day: Why are US and British regulators upset at Benjamin Lawsky's 'unilateral action against Standard Chartered'? Because he didn't play by the rules, the ones that say you don't do anything to upset the banks. Sure, Standard Chartered conspired for years to evade US law. Sure they're guilty of defrauding the US. But Standard Chartered is a Big Bank and they are by definition, above reproach. End of story. Can you say 'regulatory capture' and make it sound like 'spineless lackeys'?

Cross My Heart: Ann Romney insists "“We have been very transparent to what’s legally required of us,” and that there will be “no more tax releases given,” while insisting “there’s nothing we’re hiding and we're going to keep hiding it.”

Wanted: Is Romney's vow to step up coal production grounds enough to declare him a danger to civilization and unfit to serve as president?

Changing Times: Along rocky coastlines of the Arctic Ocean, existing algae are being replaced by warmth- and light-loving species. Before you say 'big deal', realize that algae is the base of the food chain, and this change is happening faster than complex organisms can evolve.

Evisceration 101: Romney's plans will bankrupt Medicare by 2016 (8 years earlier than now projected) but he will solve this little problem by brining “Medicare eligibility in line with the Social Security retirement age.” Sounds good until you realize that means kicking the 65 and 66 year olds off Medicare, and that it wouldn't make a noticeable dent in the financing program.

What Could Go Wrong? In Wyoming, UR-Energy plans to drill hundreds of wells through which to pump “a chemical solution” into uranium bearing formations to dissolve the ore and then pump it to the surface.

Okay, Then: Senate candidate Todd Akin (R-MO), explains that there does not need to be an exception for rape victims in anti-abortion bills because “if it is legitimate rape,” the woman doesn't get pregnant. He's also against feeding lunch to poor schoolkids.

The Parting Shot:

120820

2 comments:

Gegner said...

Posthumous: I roared (laughing) reading the skewering given to the corporate owned media on their handing out passes to the military every time they execute 'suspected militants' by remote control.

This is a serious criminal act and there's nothing humorous about it except for the way our bought and paid for media keeps pretending this behavior is 'justified' by dint of 'geography'.

I'm Not POTUS said...

Ann thrithing to the peons.

Back of the silk napkin calcs to follow:

They pay up to 13% in taxes for the peons
They pay 10% to LDS's irs.
Up to 23% so far.

So the lawyers can charge up to 12% and they are still ahead of the 1040EZers. Does a lawyer have the moral turpitude to charge 12% for getting them 13%.
I would rather see the fees they pay to get the 13% rather than the forms from the IRS.