Perspective and values.
The United States gives billions to oil companies in tax abatements and just reaffirmed our selling out status to billionaires by giving them more tax breaks.
Brazil just gave it’s citizens free diabetes and blood pressure meds, hoping to reduce the 34% of deaths in their nation from these illnesses.
“Land of the free”, huh?
The BBC offers an apology for it’s Top Gear talent being racist pricks.
It offers an apology but a good reading of the press release shows that it doesn’t actually deliver an apology.
When did our society turn into one where mumbling words that sound like you recognize someone was offended by something you did, but don’t care to find yourself at fault pass as an actual apology?
I plan to raise my kid better than that. I hope the rest of you do too.
To date, the Republican takeover of the legislature here in Minnesota has resulted in two trends.
One, they want to enforce ID checks before people can cast a ballot. This, of course, ties in with a long-standing conservative tradition of making it harder for students, the poor, elderly, and minorities – especially recent immigrants – to vote. In short, it is anti-democratic. Which is fine, because Republicans do not believe America is a democracy. Seriously, just ask them.
The other trend since the election has been to take away any regulations that might save lives. The latest move is to do away with background checks prior to purchasing a firearm.
Voting? ID checks similar to an East German border crossing are the model for the GOP.
Buying a shopping cart full of guns? No ID required.
Priorities. Pay attention to what the politicians are telling you.
Essential tools you must have.
Pretty basic stuff but it’s a solid list.
The more I hear about the Koch Brothers, the more they come off like evil, dirty pricks. I hate that one of them is funding so much on PBS. Read more about these jerks here.
On the heels of the underground New York story I linked last month, here is a look at underground Paris.
Once again, our news system in the US fails us.
We’re the biggest polluter on the planet, yet I’ve got to hear about the Amazon dying from the BBC.
We truly are petulant children in this country.
Check out this story on hackerspaces, plus some key links.
Minorities are making big numeric gains across the US. This might explain why even progressive states like Minnesota have suddenly turned into racist, gun-toting people scared of their own shadows.
Look, the US is going to be less white no matter what happens. If Caucasians don’t want to sow any more ill will against populations who already have legitimate grudges, this might be the time to be less vindictive and violent; not more.
I heard this great story about Indian chai yesterday.
Why is it that I can learn and hear more interesting things listening to 45 minutes of the BBC than I can from any equal or greater amount of time listening to American media?
Want to know how to make chai? Here is one take on it.