Everything You Need to Know: about the health care industry
And as what you could consider a footnote to that, we resurrect another old feature not seen in some time, one called Everything You Need to Know, where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time.
In this case, it's everything you need to know about the nature of our health care industry in just two sentences:
One: Twenty percent of American adults, roughly 50 million people, have contributed to a crowdfunding campaign to pay for someone's medical bills or treatments.
Two: Just after the Democratic centrist group hug around Joe Biden, reducing the chances of a Bernie Sanders candidacy, stock prices for health insurance companies spiked dramatically.
Good News: Hope for abortion rights https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/june-medical-john-roberts-louisiana-abortion-case-arguments.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22270271 https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/hospitalist https://legaldictionary.net/whole-womans-health-v-hellerstedt/
Good/Bad News: Help with medication costs https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/03/06/this-couple-goes-mexico-buy-low-cost-insulin-strangers-who-need-it/
Everything You Need to Know: about the health care industry https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/20/1920420/-Report-20-of-adults-in-the-U-S-donated-to-crowdfunding-campaigns-to-cover-medical-costs https://www.norc.org/NewsEventsPublications/PressReleases/Pages/millions-of-americans-donate-through-crowdfunding-sites-to-help-others-pay-for-medical-bills.aspx https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/02/which-side-are-you-ask-progressives-health-insurance-stocks-spike-after-centrists
The death penalty is the death of justice https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/06/us/nathaniel-woods-executed-reaction/index.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/05/us/nathaniel-woods-alabama.html https://www.alternet.org/2020/03/dont-look-away-this-nation-is-so-cruel-rights-advocates-decry-execution-of-nathaniel-woods-by-alabama/ https://abcnews.go.com/US/nathaniel-woods-execution-cast-scrutiny-alabamas-death-penalty/story?id=69433694 https://whoviating.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-erickson-report-page-7-two-weeks-of.html https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/06/after-alabama-executes-nathaniel-woods-ayanna-pressley-leads-fresh-calls-us-abolish
Two Weeks of Stupid: Clowns and Outrages [the Clowns] https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/02/paula-white-how-do-you-get-from-the-trailer-park-to-a-white-house-job-give-money-to-trumps-spiritual-adviser/ https://www.alternet.org/2020/02/trump-spiritual-adviser-tells-followers-to-skip-paying-monthly-electric-bills-so-they-can-send-her-church-more-cash/ = https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nina-turner-cnn-hilary-rosen-bernie-sanders-joe-biden-mlk_n_5e63b624c5b605572805b6e0 https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
Two Weeks of Stupid: Clowns and Outrages [the Outrages] https://whoviating.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-erickson-report-page-4-two-weeks-of.html https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/484196-supreme-court-allow-public-charge-rule-to-take-effect-across-country = https://www.alternet.org/2020/02/federal-court-gives-trump-a-big-gift-but-exposes-the-impeachment-trials-biggest-fraud/ https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000170-8dbe-d93c-a979-bfff3cf80000 https://www.thedailybeast.com/heres-the-law-that-requires-steven-mnuchin-to-turn-over-trumps-taxes-or-lose-his-office-and-go-to-prison = https://www.aclu.org/mckesson-v-doe-new-petition-writ-certiorari https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/03/07/will-us-supreme-court-protect-right-protest http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/17/17-30864-CV1.pdf
Everything You Need To Know: about how right-wingers view the US role in the world
Next, it's Everything You Need To Know, where you can learn a lot about something in a very short time.
In this case, it's Everything You Need To Know about what's wrong with the right-wing view of foreign policy and the US role in the world in just one sentence.
In response to the terrorist attack in London, England on June 3, Pat Buchanan, former vice-presidential speechwriter and the nutcase's nutcase until he was overthrown by Alex Jones, declared that, quoting,
Today we are in the 16th year of a war begun on 9/11.
Right. It all started on 9/11. Nothing that happened before that matters. Nothing the US did or didn't do prior to that date is relevant. No policy we pursued, no dictator we supported, no oppression we endorsed through arms sales, no economic exploitation we profited by, no offense we committed, had anything to do with it. It just all came out of nowhere, unprovoked, unpredicted, unjustified, on 9/11. That's what the right wing thinks.
Good News: 9th Circuit upholds block of travel ban
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/06/12/second-us-appeals-court-rules-against-trumps-revised-travel-ban/22137999/
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/337535-trump-9th-circuit-did-it-again
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/03/16/trump-travel-ban-targeting-muslim-countries/99244568/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/ninth-circuit-cites-trump-tweet-opinion-blocking-travel-ban-204319906.html
Good News: DC District judge rules against DAPL
http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/DAPL-order.pdf
http://earthjustice.org/news/press/2017/in-victory-for-standing-rock-sioux-tribe-court-finds-that-approval-of-dakota-access-pipeline-violated-the-law
Everything You Need To Know: about how right-wingers view the US role in the world
http://www.newsmax.com/PatrickBuchanan/islam-terror-extremism-manchester/2017/06/05/id/794323/
What's wrong with Section 702 of FISA
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2017/06/244-not-good-news-congressional.html
https://www.justsecurity.org/41811/good-reasons-concerned-impact-section-702-criminal-justice-system/
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-dea-sod-idUSBRE97409R20130805
For the Record: a variety of short items
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/12/politics/donald-trump-cabinet-meeting/index.html
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/06/12/president-donald-trump-cabinet-bizarre-jake-tapper-media-white-house/22138230/
https://twitter.com/juliehdavis/status/874297244152979456
http://theweek.com/speedreads/705180/president-trumps-first-cabinet-meeting-extraordinarily-bizarre
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/king-cops-kill-3-unarmed-teens-month-1-sees-coverage-article-1.3210259?cid=bitly
http://www.killedbypolice.net/
http://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-nursing-home-arbitration-20170613-story.html
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2016/01/2358-outrage-of-week-forced-arbitration.html
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2016/11/31-good-news-pushback-against-forced.html
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2017/04/185-outrage-of-week-militarism.html
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2017/05/227-outrage-of-week-militarism-as.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afghanistan-troops-idUSKBN19431H?feedType=RSS&feedName=newsOne&google_editors_picks=true
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/06/14/ranking-gop-rep-steve-scalise-among-wounded-shooting-congressional-baseball-practice/22192298/
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/14/politics/alexandria-virginia-shooting/index.html
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/06/14/the-suspected-congressional-baseball-practice-shooter-was-a-fier/22223408/
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/06/14/michigan-official-charged-for-his-role-in-flint-water-crisis/22199274/
http://time.com/4634937/flint-water-crisis-criminal-charges-bottled-water/
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/poll-chris-christie-lowest-approval/2017/06/14/id/796041/
Clown Award: Dana Rohrabacher
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/06/13/lawmaker-promotes-anti-abortion-bill-by-slaughtering-chicken/22140241/
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-tehran-multiple-killed-wounded-in-parliament-khomeini-shrine-attacks/
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-security-funeral-idUSKBN1900SI
https://thinkprogress.org/republican-congressman-calls-isis-attack-in-tehran-a-good-thing-says-maybe-we-should-back-isis-a7e9382dbe1b
Outrage of the Week: "gay panic" still a legal defense in 48 states
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/being-freaked-out-by-gay-and-trans-people-is-still-a-legal-murder-defense-in-48-states
http://lgbtbar.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/02/Gay-and-Trans-Panic-Defenses-Resolution.pdf
Everything You Need to Know: What Donald TheRump thinks about power in four sentences
Last up, I have enough time for this, so I will get it in.
This is Everything You Need to Know, where you can learn a lot about something in a short time.
In this case, it's Everything You Need to Know about what Donald TheRump thinks about power in just four sentences.
1. He praised Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte for his "unbelievable job on the drug problem" - that "job" consisting of a bloody war that has killed at least 9,000 people.
2. He has praised both Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping calling each "a good man."
This week: Killer cop Timothy Loehmann fired https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/30/cleveland-policeman-who-fatally-shot-tamir-rice-is-fired/22117609/
Good News: NJ Town must pay penalty mosque for wrongful denial of permit http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/town-that-denied-mosque-permit-to-pay-islamic-group-dollar325m/ar-BBBGjOW
Good News: North Carolina voter suppression blocked by SCOTUS https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/11/study-voter-id-laws-may-have-blocked-200-000-voters-in-one-stat/22082266/ https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/15/supreme-court-rejects-bid-to-revive-north-carolina-voter-id-law/22087422/ https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/30/us/federal%2Dappeals%2Dcourt%2Dstrikes%2Ddown%2Dnorth%2Dcarolina%2Dvoter%2Did%2Dprovision.html?_r=0 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/inside-the-republican-creation-of-the-north-carolina-voting-bill-dubbed-the-monster-law/2016/09/01/79162398-6adf-11e6-8225-fbb8a6fc65bc_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.3a108b4e3349 https://ivn.us/2017/05/29/nonpartisan-coalition-celebrates-huge-victory-voters-in-illinois/ https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/automatic-voter-registration
Good News: Successful suit by transgender boy against school could have wider application https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/31/federal-appeals-court-rules-in-favor-of-transgender-students-ri/22119271/ https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin/articles/2017-05-30/transgender-student-at-wisconsin-high-school-wins-appeal?utm_source=AOL&utm_medium=readMore&utm_campaign=partner https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/5/30/15714642/seventh-circuit-transgender-school-bathroom-ash-whitaker http://www.gallup.com/poll/210566/support-gay-marriage-edges-new-high.aspx? http://www.gallup.com/file/poll/210683/170515SameSexMarriage.pdf http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/ihowxjstz7/tabs_HP_transgender_20150220.pdf http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/americans-oppose-bathroom-laws-limiting-transgender-rights-poll-n731826 https://www.prri.org/research/lgbt-transgender-bathroom-discrimination-religious-liberty/ http://fusion.kinja.com/alabama-is-about-to-make-it-legal-for-adoption-agencies-1794676920?utm_source=fusion_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2017-04-26
Single-payer health plans advancing on state level https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/divhts7l9t/econTabReport.pdf https://morningconsult.com/2017/04/12/plurality-voters-back-single-payer-health-care-system/ https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/04/27/time-golden-and-now-single-payer-bill-advances-california http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-single-payer-20170526-story.html https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/05/16/single-payer-success-ny-medicare-all-bill-passes-state-assembly https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/05/26/face-trumpcare-abomination-new-jersey-latest-state-join-single-payer-push https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/676
Anti-vaxxers convince Somali immigrants in Minnesota to avoid vaccines; biggest measles outbreak in decades follows http://fusion.kinja.com/minnesota-faces-worst-measles-outbreak-in-decades-after-1794959556
Good News/Not Good News: Belief in creationism down; genuine belief in evolution still low http://www.gallup.com/poll/210956/belief-creationist-view-humans-new-low.aspx
Clown Award: Rep. Tim Walberg http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ben-carson-poverty-state-mind http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/how-trump-aides-get-him-to-read-his-national-security-briefing-materials http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/urinating-sketchy-dog-statue-appears-next-fearless-girl-n766071 http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/tim-walberg-climate-change-god
Outrage of the Week: Even undocumented immigrants who try to become legal are being deported https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/05/30/he-met-federal-agents-discuss-path-citizenship-they-arrested-him-instead/354928001/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/04/19/trump-increases-deportations-former-dreamers/100609524/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/04/21/trump-wants-expand-deportations-but-report-finds-ice-already-falling-behind/100772676/
Only 36% could find North Korea on a map of Asia https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/14/upshot/if-americans-can-find-north-korea-on-a-map-theyre-more-likely-to-prefer-diplomacy.html?_r=2 https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/15/study-majority-of-americans-cant-identify-north-korea-on-a-map/22088114/ https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/17/seattle-prepares-nuclear-attack-north-korea/22096104/ http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2015/02/goody-goody.html
Everything You Need to Know: What Donald TheRump thinks about power in four sentences http://fusion.kinja.com/trump-congratulated-philippines-president-duterte-on-mu-1795500175 http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article153222754.html
Now for one of our occasional features, called Everything You Need to Know. This is where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time.
In this case, it's Everything You Need to Know about TheRump's commitment to reproductive rights in just two words: Teresa Manning.
Teresa Manning is an anti-abortion fanatic who insists that a link between abortion and breast cancer is "undisputed," even though no such link exists, has argued that "contraception doesn't work," and who is opposed to federal funding for family planning - and who is now to be in charge of a federal family planning program for low-income Americans.
Teresa Manning: That is Everything You Need to Know.
Good News: cities can sue banks for housing discrimination
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/supreme-court-housing-discrimination-miami_us_590745cde4b0bb2d086fba0b?mvfj&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Good News: Kim Davis can be sued for damages
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kim-davis-appeals-court_us_59090488e4b0bb2d0872eb1e?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
http://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/17a0098p-06.pdf
Mass marches in April
https://thinkprogress.org/thousands-march-calling-for-trump-tax-returns-2c1a7ca275e4
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nationwide-tax-marches-donald-trump_us_58f22c49e4b0b9e9848c5bb4
https://taxmarch.org/local-marches/
http://fortune.com/2017/04/22/march-for-science-photos/
https://www.marchforscience.com/satellite-marches/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/thousands-across-the-us-march-for-science-in-defiance-of-trump_us_58fb5a62e4b018a9ce5bb1e2
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/march-science-demonstrators-say-they-re-real-patriots-n749686
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/To-oppose-budget-cuts-scientists-take-to-Center-City-streets.html
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-science-march-20170422-story.html
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/science/seattle-march-for-science-draws-thousands-on-earth-day-including-a-nobel-prize-winner/
http://fox40.com/2017/04/22/march-for-science-worldwide-protests-begin-to-support-evidence/
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/science/article/The-Latest-March-for-Science-attracts-thousands-11091330.php
https://350.org/press-release/peoples-climate-march-a-huge-success-200000-march-in-d-c-for-climate-jobs-and-justice/
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-climate-march-20170429-story,amp.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/climate-marches-today-were-huge-180918958.html
https://peoplesclimate.org/
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/trending-now/climate-protesters-march-to-edge-of-donald-trumps-maralago/517660955
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/front-range/denver/peoples-climate-march-snowy-weather-didnt-stop-hundreds-from-protesting-in-denver
http://cornellsun.com/2017/04/30/cornellians-protest-in-climate-march-in-ithaca-and-d-c/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/04/29/marchers-use-trumps-100th-day-protest-climate-policies/101070064/?platform=hootsuite
The little Thing: "Russian Wikileaks"
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/02/hillary-clinton-blames-james-comey-russian-involvement-for-2016-election-loss/22065769/
Outrage of the Week: "stealthing"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/inside-the-online-community-of-men-who-preach-removing-condoms-without-consent_us_58f75eb2e4b05b9d613eb997
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2954726
http://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/2017/04/24/men-removing-condoms-during-sex-in-disturbing-online-trend-stealthing.html
Everything You Need to Know: Teresa Manning
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/teresa-manning-contraception-hhs_us_5907582ae4b05c397680d921
For the Record: Desiree Fairooz convicted of laughing
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeff-sessions-laughter_us_5908c55ee4b0bb2d08726a91?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/laughing-congressional-hearing-jeff-sessions-code-pink_us_59076a93e4b05c3976810a3a?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/us/code-pink-sessions-laughter-trial.html?_r=0
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-racist-remarks_us_582cd73ae4b099512f80c0c2?cn5id4ygk5rf9lik9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB-BBVQLnxI
Foreign policy and North Korea
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/28/north-koreas-army-1-2m-men-obsolete-equipment-and-nukes.html
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/01/japan-breaks-from-military-tradition-to-protect-american-ship/22063664/
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/03/north-korea-media-china-nuclear-action-grave-consequences/22067632/
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/19/asia/china-coal-north-korea-ban/
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-north-korea-sanctions-20170504-story.html
Everything You Need to Know: about money in politics
Okay, next up we have another of our occasional segments, this one called Everything You Need to Know. It's where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time. In this case, it's Everything You Need to Know about the reality of money in politics.
However, this one does requires a bit of background by way of a time line.
August 10 - Smirking little prig Martin Shkreli acquires the rights to Daraprim, used to treat toxoplasmosis.
Martin Shkreli
September 17 - Shkreli has jacked the price of Daraprim up by 5500%.
September 21 - Sen. Bernie Sanders, in his role as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, writes to Shkreli, saying the Committee is investigating drug prices and asking for information.
September 28 - Smirking little prig Martin Shkreli makes the maximum legal individual donation, $2700, to the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
October 15 - The Sanders campaign says it will not keep the money.
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Instead, it will donate it to the Whitman-Walker health clinic in Washington, DC, which specializes in HIV/AIDS treatment and care for the LGBT community in the city.
Also on October 15 - Smirking little prig Martin Shkreli admits he "mainly" gave the money to get a private meeting with Sanders.
And so here we are: Smirking little prig Martin Shkreli openly acknowledges that he expected his money would buy him access to a senator and this has become so routine, so everyday, that he didn't even feel the need to shroud it in obfuscating language.
And that is Everything You Need to Know.
Sources cited in links:
http://www.healio.com/infectious-disease/hiv-aids/news/online/%7B745d9cc5-df37-4139-b1ac-6dde7b8ae463%7D/daraprim-price-jump-raises-concerns-among-id-groups-providers
http://democrats.oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/documents/2015-09-21%20EEC%20Sanders%20to%20Turing%20Pharmaceuticals.pdf
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/10/15/bernie-sanders-rejects-ceo-martin-shkreli-campaign-donation/FcSKxu1VIr7pubg9cI3CQN/story.html
Left Side of the Aisle for the week of October 22-28, 2015
Good News: Interior Dept. cancels plans to sell leases to drill for oil in the Arctic. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article39543321.html
Good News: gun control laws in NY and CT upheld by federal appeals court. http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/7541c52a-9924-4ba1-af2b-59f16bbeb2a5/3/doc/14-36_14-319_opn.pdf#xml=http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/7541c52a-9924-4ba1-af2b-59f16bbeb2a5/3/hilite/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/federal-court-gun-laws_56250954e4b08589ef4816a6 http://www.wsj.com/articles/appeals-court-upholds-core-parts-of-two-post-newtown-gun-laws-1445272717 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/heller_decision_leaves_room_for_new_gun_restrictions_retired_justice_steven/
Footnote: gun control being Constitutional means little if the laws can't get passed. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/19/us-usa-court-guncontrol-idUSKCN0SD1NA20151019 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gun-control-poll_56252adae4b02f6a900d2865
Outrage of the Week: the continuing toll of gun violence. http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/guns-per-capita-america-us http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/guns-international-comparison-us-homicide http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/gun-homicide-decline-crime-drop http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/gun-homicide-effect-increase http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/gun-suicide-attempt-control http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/53345/states-with-most-gun-laws-see-fewest-gun-related-deaths http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/mass-shootings-rare-united-states http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/oct/02/mass-shootings-america-gun-violence?CMP=ema_565a http://shootingtracker.com/wiki/Mass_Shootings_in_2015 http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/14/people-are-getting-shot-by-toddlers-on-a-weekly-basis-this-year/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/09/04/how-often-do-children-in-the-u-s-unintentionally-shoot-and-kill-people-we-dont-know/ http://www.examiner.com/article/boy-kills-girl-over-puppy-boy-11-charged-with-first-degree-murder-of-girl-8 http://www.aol.com/article/2015/10/11/gun-violence-researchers-becoming-an-endangered-species/21247776/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/janetstemwedel/2015/10/01/congress-still-bans-cdc-scientists-from-studying-gun-violence/
Ya Gotta Just Laugh: TX to allow guns on campus - while Texas A&M bans nerf guns. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/10/15/1432991/-Texas-university-will-allow-guns-in-dorm-rooms-but-nerf-guns-are-strictly-prohibited
Clown Award: AK Gov. Bill Walker http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/10/alaska-gov-says-state-urgently-needs-more-oil-drilling-pay-climate-change http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34501867
Everything You Need to Know: about money in politics http://www.healio.com/infectious-disease/hiv-aids/news/online/%7B745d9cc5-df37-4139-b1ac-6dde7b8ae463%7D/daraprim-price-jump-raises-concerns-among-id-groups-providers http://democrats.oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/documents/2015-09-21%20EEC%20Sanders%20to%20Turing%20Pharmaceuticals.pdf https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/10/15/bernie-sanders-rejects-ceo-martin-shkreli-campaign-donation/FcSKxu1VIr7pubg9cI3CQN/story.html
Only the poor face drug tests to receive any public aid or benefit
http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/drug-testing-and-public-assistance.aspx http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/26/court-rejects-florida-law-requiring-drug-testing-for-welfare-recipients/ http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Drug-testing-welfare-applicants-popular-but-can-4416545.php?t=0dbaab4db5b05374ef http://www.tbo.com/ap/politics/welfare-drug-testing-yields--positive-results-252458 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/BillHtml/143634?generalCourtId=12 http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20151019/GZ01/151019454/1101
Everything You Need to Know: About the maldistribution of justice in the US in two sentences
Now for one of our occasional features. It's called everything You Need to Know and it's where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time. In this case, it's everything you need to know about the maldistribtion of justice in this country, about how access to justice depends on who you are, in just two sentences:
One: In a report filed just a week after Tamir Rice was killed by cops, police said the boy would have been charged with "aggravated menacing" and "inducing panic" - that is, if they hadn't shot him less than two seconds after screeching up to him in the patrol car.
Two: After a months-long investigation of the murder, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office released its results to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office - results which made no determination about any possible charges.
Sources cited in links:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/20/1386356/-Cleveland-Police-charged-12-y-o-Tamir-Rice-w-the-crimes-of-aggravated-menacing-inducing-panic
http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/cleveland/2015/06/03/tamir-rice-investigation-complete-to-be-handed-over-to-prosecutor/28406351/
Everything You Need to Know: about why we can't stop corporate corruption
Now for one of our occasional features. This one is called Everything You Need to Know and it's where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time.
In this case, it's Everything You Need to Know about why we can't seem to stop corporate corruption in just two sentences
1. On May 12, the FCC fined Verizon $90 million for allowing, and profiting from, "cramming," a corrupt practice in the mobile phone industry where third-party vendors "cram" charges into consumers' phone bills for services those consumers didn't buy.
2. On the same day, Verizon announced it was spending nearly 50 times that much - $4.4 billion - to purchase AOL.
And that is Everything You Need to Know.
Sources cited in links:
http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/12/verizon-will-pay-90m-fcc-settlement-relating-to-bill-cramming/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29
https://www.fcc.gov/document/verizon-sprint-pay-158m-settle-illegal-billing-investigations-0
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/12/us-aol-m-a-verizon-commn-idUSKBN0NX18820150512
Left Side of the Aisle
for the week of May 14-20, 2015
This week:
Good News: House passes USA Freedom Act
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/13/usa-security-nsa-idUSL1N0Y41R620150513
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/05/13/266553/house-votes-overwhelmingly-to.html#emlnl=Afternoon_Newsletter
Hero Award: The Vangardist magazine
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/magazine-printed-with-hiv-positive-blood/story-fni0xqi4-1227335075988?nk=1d63f8404001570ede9480b984fc4083
http://news.nationalpost.com/health/the-vangardist-an-austrian-mens-magazine-printed-an-entire-edition-using-ink-laced-with-hiv-positive-blood
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/30/magazine-printed-in-hiv-blood_n_7176448.html
Everything You Need to Know: about why we can't stop corporate corruption
http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/12/verizon-will-pay-90m-fcc-settlement-relating-to-bill-cramming/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29
https://www.fcc.gov/document/verizon-sprint-pay-158m-settle-illegal-billing-investigations-0
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/12/us-aol-m-a-verizon-commn-idUSKBN0NX18820150512
Clown Award: Sen. James Inhofe
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/22/opinions/inhofe-obama-nuclear-energy/index.html
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/03/09/441515/inhofe-god-says-global-warming-is-a-hoax/
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/24/3650610/americas-top-climate-denier-now-agrees-top-climate-scientist/
http://thehill.com/video/in-the-news/239767-inhofe-obama-wants-legacy-of-eliminating-fossil-fuels
https://news.vice.com/article/as-carbon-pollution-hits-record-level-senator-james-inhofe-says-climate-change-is-greening-the-planet
Outrage of the Week: Senate Dems collapse on fast-track
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/business/senate-vote-obama-fast-track-trade-deal.html
https://www.citizen.org/tpp
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2012/09/left-side-of-aisle-75-part-4.html
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2015/04/2016-outrage-of-week-fast-tracking-tpp.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/12/us-usa-trade-idUSKBN0NX0B320150512
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/05/senate-democrats-relent-on-obama-trade-bill/393068/
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/05/13/266523/senate-leaders-agree-to-another.html#emlnl=Afternoon_Newsletter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mess_of_pottage
Footnote: lies about TPP and the US auto industry
http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/06/politics/obama-tpp-trans-pacific-partnership-cars-japan/
Update: states move against civil asset forfeiture
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2013/08/left-side-of-aisle-120-part-1.html
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2015/01/1901-good-news-mostly-feds-largely-end.html
http://www.ij.org/department-of-justice-forfeiture-release-2-10-2015
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2015/02/something-else-that-would-have-been-on.html
http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/15%20Regular/bills/house/HB0560.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/06/montana-civil-asset-forfeiture_n_7222258.html
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/sen/sb_0401-0450/sb_443_cfa_20150420_111009_sen_comm.html
Everything You Need to Know: what's wrong with the world in just one photograph
We wrap up the week with one of our occasional features, called Everything You Need to Know. It's where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time or space.
In this case, it's Everything You Need to Know about just how screwed up the world really is in just one photograph.
The picture is that of a four-year-old girl named Adi Hudea, taken at the Atmeh refugee camp in Syria in December 2014. The photo was taken by Osman Sagirli, who is a Turkish photojournalist.
The caption in the Turkish newspaper where it was first published told the story:
Her face suddenly drops. She squeezes her bottom lip between her teeth and gently lifts up her hands. Where she remains like that without a word.
Adi Hudea
Sagirli was using a telephoto lens, and he realized afterward that Adi thought it was a weapon.
What kind of world is it where 4-year-old children are more familiar with how to respond to having guns pointed at them than they are with a camera?
I don't know how to stop the madness. I don't have an answer. But I will be damned if I will agree that creating more blood, more death, more refugees, more terrified children, is the way out.
And I do know that this one picture is Everything You Need to Know.
By the way, if you want to do something, Doctors Without Borders, a remarkable group of people, is providing direct medical aid in hospitals and health centers inside Syria and the staff is sending medical supplies and equipment to medical networks in Syria that they cannot access themselves. There is a link below where you can make a donation.
Sources cited in links:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/03/31/1374712/-Stirring-photo-little-girl-surrenders-when-she-mistakes-camera-for-gun
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/home
Information on donating to Doctors Without Borders:
https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm
That page also contains information on what to do if you want to specify the donation is for work in Syria.
Left Side of the Aisle for the week of April 9-15,2015
This week: Good News: right-wing denial of climate change is crumbling http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/climate-change-deniers-are-in-retreat/2015/04/06/942eb980-dc9f-11e4-be40-566e2653afe5_story.html?tid=pm_opinions_pop_b http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/04/05/this-conservative-group-is-tired-of-being-accused-of-climate-denial-and-is-fighting-back/
RIP: Sarah Brady http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Sarah-Brady-gun-control-advocate-dies-at-73-6178483.php http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/03/politics/sarah-brady-death/ http://www.bradycampaign.org/ http://csgv.org/ http://books.google.com/books?id=o6gBg1kF-AYC&pg=PA145&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_to_Stop_Gun_Violence http://thehill.com/regulation/238134-gun-deaths-outnumbered-motor-vehicle-deaths-in-17-states-report-says
Update: fallout from Indiana's God Gave Me The Right To Be A Bigot law http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/02/indiana-lgbt-protections_n_6992184.html http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/the-next-steps-in-the-battle-over-religious-freedom-laws/389369/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea-nRWrEDTs http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/arkansas-reconsiders-its-religious-freedom-law/389324/ http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2015/04/03/nathan-deals-advice-for-religious-liberty-sponsors-next-year/ http://www.wral.com/lawmakers-leery-of-religious-restoration-bills-as-pushback-grows/14551921/ http://www.computerworld.com/article/2904898/nc-primed-for-mega-tech-backlash-over-indiana-like-bill.html
Outrage of the Week: media blackout on CPC budget plan http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/house-gop-budget-resolution-2016-116382.html http://cpcbudget.org/#peoples-budget http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/uploads/FINAL%20FY16%20Peoples%20Budget.pdf http://www.epi.org/pay-agenda/ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/opinion/paul-krugman-trillion-dollar-fraudsters.html http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/the-peoples-budget-a-raise-for-america/ http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2015/03/24/congressional-progressives-economy-serve-americans-way-around/ http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/236957-house-rejects-democratic-budget-alternatives
Everything You Need to Know: what's wrong with the world in just one photograph http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/03/31/1374712/-Stirring-photo-little-girl-surrenders-when-she-mistakes-camera-for-gun http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/home
Information on donating to Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm
That page also contains information on what to do if you want to specify the donation is for work in Syria.
But even though that's Everything You Need to Know, I'm going to add a comment: I've said several times in discussing cop violence that most cops are good cops, most cops are trying to do the best, the most professional, job they can for their communities. But for that very reason, it is vital that those good cops stop shielding the bad ones.
For example, a recent study of the New York City police - in fact, I cited it here last week - revealed that just 5% of cops in the NYPD accounted for 40% of the complaints of excessive force, that is, of police brutality. And over half of the NYPD cops had no such complaints against them at all. Those 95% have to stop protecting that 5%.
Those cops who want to do the right thing, who want to have good relations with the community, those cops who are not going to reach for the club or the taser or the gun at the first provocation, those cops who do not want to divide the world into cops and suspects, they have got to stop shielding those who do. They have got to step up and speak up.
Is that professionally risky? It is. Is it even personally risky? Frank Serpico, who said that after he became a whistle-blower his calls for back-up would be answered slowly if at all, would surely say yes.
Then again, we are always being told how dangerous police work is - so maybe they should just think of this as another part of the job.
Sources cited in links:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-its-a-crime-that-we-dont-know-how-many-people-police-shoot-to-death/2014/12/01/adedcb00-7998-11e4-b821-503cc7efed9e_story.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-0uqFTBclo
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/12/1363996/-Pasco-Washington-police-have-killed-more-people-than-police-in-Germany-the-UK-combined?detail=email
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2014/08/armed-police
Left Side of the Aisle
for the week of February 26 - March 4, 2015
This week:
Good News: Keystone XL bill vetoed
http://www.aol.com/article/2015/02/24/defying-gop-obama-vetoes-keystone-xl-pipeline-bill/21146258/
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/keystone-xls-climate-impacts-need-revisited-epa-says/
http://www.salon.com/2015/02/03/epa_keystone_xl_would_absolutely_contribute_to_climate_change/
Clown Award: John Boehner
http://www.speaker.gov/press-release/national-embarrassment-speaker-boehner-president-obama-s-veto-keystone-jobs-bill
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2014/02/1464-keystone-xl-and-jobs-lie.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/24/us-usa-keystone-idUSKBN0LS2FH20150224
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/keystone-pipeline-veto-obama-boehner-mcconnell-115445.html
Update: last week's Clown Award
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2015/02/details_emerge_in_flower_mound_white_power_sign_incident.php
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/lewisville-flower-mound/headlines/20150220-flower-mound-plano-east-teams-show-unity-week-after-white-and-power-signs.ece
Update: Trayvon Martin killing
http://www.aol.com/article/2015/02/24/justice-dept-no-federal-charges-in-trayvon-martin-death/21146221/
Everything You Need to Know: about police violence in the US
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-its-a-crime-that-we-dont-know-how-many-people-police-shoot-to-death/2014/12/01/adedcb00-7998-11e4-b821-503cc7efed9e_story.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-0uqFTBclo
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/12/1363996/-Pasco-Washington-police-have-killed-more-people-than-police-in-Germany-the-UK-combined?detail=email
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2014/08/armed-police
Hero Award: Ron Smith, president of the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild
http://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2015/02/18/21739167/seattle-police-union-president-to-cops-get-with-the-times-or-get-out-of-this-city
RIP: Leslie Gore
http://www.tmz.com/2015/02/16/lesley-gore-dead-its-my-party-dies-cancer/
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/arts/music/lesley-gore-teenage-voice-of-heartbreak-dies-at-68.html
BP and Deepwater Horizon: still weaseling
http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/161185/
http://marcellus.com/news/id/119211/bp-appeals-u-s-judges-ruling-on-size-of-gulf-oil-spill/
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/02/bp_oil_spill_size_ruling_appea.html
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=BP&annual
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_the_Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/11/health-impacts-unclear-bp-oil-spill_n_5130545.html
Outrage of the Week: drug testing the poor
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/11/welfare-drug-testing_n_6655712.html
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/02/10/3621267/tennessee-drug-tests-after-six-months/
http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/235888681.html
http://www.wbir.com/story/news/politics/2015/02/08/drug-testing-of-welfare-applicants-yields-few-positives/23086333/
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/12/16/few-welfare-applicants-caught-in-drug-screening-net-so-far/
Obama's war
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/u-s-official-american-forces-may-help-iraq-retake-mosul-n309241
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/daesh-adopted-as-new-name-for-isis-by-u-s-france-1.2861108
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/16/obama-ground-forces-iraq_n_5829744.html
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/09/26/241245/us-combat-role-in-iraq-not-off.html#emlnl=Afternoon_Newsletter
Everything You Need to Know: about holding the powerful accountable
Now for a case of Everything You Need to Know, where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time.
In this case, it's Everything You Need to Know about taking the powerful to account for their actions in just one Tweet. It's from Ian Millhiser of Think Progress and it reads:
Left Side of the Aisle for the week of February 12-18, 2015
This week: Good News: number of Ebola cases down sharply http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Health/ID/2650956696/ http://news.sciencemag.org/africa/2015/02/positive-results-ebola-drug-upsets-plans-trials http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-end-african-ebola-role-1423612366
Good News: same-sex marriage comes to Alabama, mostly http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/01/23/3615155/federal-judge-rules-alabamas-ban-sex-marriage/ http://www.towleroad.com/2015/02/eleventh-circuit-denies-stay-of-alabama-marriage-ruling-gay-couples-can-marry-february-9.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/02/09/who-is-roy-moore-the-judge-at-the-center-of-alabamas-muddled-gay-marriage-situation/ http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/alabama_chief_justice_roy_moor_4.html http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/02/09/3620785/supreme-court-just-gave-clearest-sign-date-will-side-marriage-equality/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/24/gay-marriage-iowa-freedom_n_6538624.html
Not Good News: still a long way to go on LGBT rights http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/01/states-sex-education-gay-marriage http://www.app.com/story/news/politics/2015/02/04/smith-bashed-distinction-gay-rights-human-rights/22883825/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/udhr/pages/introduction.aspx http://www.care2.com/causes/creating-the-perfect-family-one-state-law-at-a-time.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/11/us-usa-kansas-brownback-idUSKBN0LF02S20150211
The little Thing: NYC to have elite force of cops to deal with protests http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2013/12/1374-outrage-of-week-bill-bratton-for.html http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/01/29/bratton-unveils-plans-for-new-anti-terror-police-unit/
The little Thing: "Wall Street- and business-friendly" equals "moderate" http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2015/01/1891-good-news-antonio-weiss-gives-up.html http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/antonio-weiss-lizabeth-warren-treasury-114539.html http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/spending-bill-992-derivatives-citigroup-lobbyists
Outrage of the Week: changing the rules to damage Disability Insurance http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2011/01/rules-all-of-them-so-far.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/06/huffpost-hill_n_6426026.html?utm_hp_ref=politics http://www.offthechartsblog.org/house-rule-could-hurt-vulnerable-disability-beneficiaries/ http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=4168
Everything You Need to Know: about holding the powerful accountable https://twitter.com/imillhiser/status/565314432935665665
FCC Net neutrality vote scheduled for February 26 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/04/fcc-net-neutrality_n_6613494.html
Everything You Need to Know: about the state of the economy in one sentence
Finally for this week, an episode of one of our occasional features, Everything you Need to Know, where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time.
In this case, in the wake of the happy talk in the State of the Union address, it's Everything you Need to Know about the state of the real economy, the one most of us live in, in just one sentence:
According to a new analysis from the Southern Education Foundation, for the first time, more than half of US public school students live in low-income households.
And that is Everything you Need to Know.
Sources cited in links:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/16/southern-education-foundation-children-poverty_n_6489970.html
"He writes with sensitivity, passion, intelligence and with an eye to the common good."
"[He is] clearly one of those silly people who believes in 'civilization,' probably along with the Tooth Fairy and justice."
"He lives in a magical fantasy world."
"Powerfully spoken."
"A balanced and sensible view concerning the crazy ideas that often prevail regarding war and freedom."
"You do good work."
"Our political differences are vast and irreconcilable but he earnestly believes what he wants is best for the country; he’s firmly committed to it, makes no apologies for it and won’t settle for less."
"God bless you!"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP."
About Lotus
Lotus has been at various times the newsletter of a local peace group, a column in a different group's newsletter, a stand-alone monthly, and now a blog. Posts appear bi-weekly; posts are drawn from my weekly cable-TV show "The Erickson Report," which can be found here.
Comments either here or by email are encouraged. Comments here must be reasonably relevant and reasonably civil. Spam, trolls, and comments that are merely personal slams on me or another commenter will be deleted without hesitation, warning, or regret.
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Our lives are not our own, we are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future. - author David Mitchell
And as what you could consider a footnote to that, we resurrect another old feature not seen in some time, one called Everything You Need to Know, where you can learn a great deal about something in a very short time.
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