Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it. ~~Mark Twain
Stories related to various types of corruption, especially including political, religious, and white collar corruption.
Last month Melania Trump visited Egypt. Quartz News, based on federal records, report that Melania and her entourage spent a night there and amassed a bill of $95,000.00 (for a one night stay). Ms. Grisham is all upset, not because of the amount taxpayers had to spend, but the fact that the news source was wrong…they were at the hotel for only six hours.
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It has taken this long for Trump’s EPA Chief, Scott Pruitt, to receive a Douche Bag of the Day award only because I haven’t had the time nor motivation to post much lately. All of his enumerable ethical lapses aside, maybe the worst action came this week when he set out a plan to severely limit the use of actual science by EPA scientists.
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Marco Rubio shared a link to a National Review article about the U.N. report on the Catholic Church’s worldwide problem of child abuse. The report, not surprisingly seems to be in favor of said child abuse, and is indignant that the U.N. would have the gall to call out the Catholic Church on its many abuses. Since he’s provided the link on his Facebook page, I have to assume Marco supports that view.
Read moreSen. Ensign missed some votes this week, including an important one for Nevada. He had to fly home to hold the usual Republican press conference to disclose his nine month affair with a campaign worker back in 2007-2008.
Read moreYou might remember the story of the Atlanta Police Departments execution of 92 year-old Kathryn Johnston a couple of years ago. Three of the detectives involved in the killing and subsequent cover-up are now in court for sentencing. The account in the Atlanta Journal Constitution refers to the three as “tearful” as they stood before the judge.
Read moreThe Raw Story is reporting that some bloggers have been checking out the telephone and address listings for the many offices Diebold is claiming to have around the country. It turns out that most of them have phones numbers that go unanswered and the listed addresses turn out to be Wal-Mart or Sam’s club addresses.
Read moreNo less than former President Richard Nixon’s White House Counsel says that we must consider investigating (and if appropriate) prosecuting members of the Bush 43 Administration for torture and crimes against humanity. If, as Dick Cheney seems to believe, they have done nothing wrong, and he and George acted legally in all respects, then I would think they would welcome a special prosecutor so as to clear their name for history. However, they don’t seem to be interested in confessing what they have done and what orders they have issued.
Read moreOK, I couldn’t resist that one. But the real question is…does anyone in Washington bother to pay their taxes? Having just filed mine, and seeing just how much I paid, this all sets me back on my heels a bit. Apparently even the guy picked to head the Treasury Dept. (including the IRS) has problems being clear about the tax code.
Read moreCNet News is reporting that the Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed suit against the NSA, George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Alberto Gonzales on behalf of AT&T customers in order to try to halt what EFF calls “massive illegal” warrant-less surveillance of Americans.
Read moreI’ve been trying to see how (or if) the dust would settle around Sarah Palin prior to writing a post about my feelings on the subject. It doesn’t appear the dust is settling, as John McCain hides behind her skirt. So I’m going to offer up my two-cents on the nomination. (Did you think I’d do otherwise?) I’ve been unable to discern Palin’s motivation for her move into politics, and her acceptance of this nomination, but I’m feeling like she’s a great fit on the Republican ticket. I really do not get the sense that Palin is truly interested in public service, but in having power and taking what she can from it. She has definitely shown herself to be pushy and arrogant when holding public office.
Read moreLeading up to the Rethuglican National Convention in St. Paul, the federal government is leading local law enforcement in a disturbing number of high profile raids on homes and protesters. Most disturbing is the show of force involved in these raids, and the lack of evidence of any intent to commit any violence (other than protesting the state the Rethuglican have put the country in). Of course, trying to squelch these protests would be a violation of the Constitution. China has no Constitutional Protections, yet all the main stream media here in the U.S. was hand wringing over China’s efforts to quell protests during the Olympics…yet nary a peep from them about what’s going on in St. Paul.
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