Yesterday I enjoyed the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb, if not the results. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow is a prison volunteer day, but I may be able to get articles up before I leave. It’s more likely to interfere with the following day.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:16 (average 4:27). To do it, click here.
Religious Agony:
Short Takes:
From MoveOn: What If Everyone Saw This Clip Of Robert Reich Exposing 7 GOP Lies?
If this is so, than why are Republicans telling us the exact opposite? They represent greed exclusively.
From Post and Courier: A local pastor urged people to vote for Mitt Romney during the Sunday morning church service, despite Internal Revenue Service guidelines that forbid tax-exempt organizations from endorsing candidates or campaigning in church.
“The IRS is not going to be the sermon content manager for this pulpit,” the Rev. Dr. Kevin Baird, pastor of Legacy Church in West Ashley, told about 150 members, who responded with a round of applause.
His congregation has 501(c)(3) tax exempt status because they requested it understanding and agreeing to abide by the political restrictions that come with it. If they are going to renege on their voluntary agreement, they should lose the tax exemption that comes with it. Violating your word is for Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians, not authentic ones.
From Think Progress: The recent protests against the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline have reached a new height in Texas. On Thursday, Eleanor Fairchild, a 78-year old great-grandmother, was arrested for trespassing after she stood in the path of bulldozers and machinery on her 300-acre ranch outside of Winnsboro, Texas that were tearing down trees to make the way for pipeline construction.
She’s absolutely right! Only in Texas can we expect a woman to be arrested for trespassing on her own land.
Cartoon:
And Republicans took notes.
10 Responses to “Open Thread–10/8/2012”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
3:10 Well, TomCat, we are both more than one minute under the average, but that does not mean we won't get stung by the girls.
3:09 Jerry, consider yourself stung my friend! In my 60 years, I have never stung by a bee and only stung by a wasp twice — once about age 8 when we were hiking with my father (two friends stepped on a fallen tree, I was #3, and the wasps were really ticked by the time I stepped up!) and about 15 years ago when I crawled into bed only to find a wasp got there first — the lights were out so I didn't see it. Did you know that putting deodorant on a bee/wasp sting will help soothe it? I phoned emergency and that's what they told me to do. Worked like a charm and I didn't clog the emergency room.
3:10 Good grouping on the clock today, fellow puzzlers!
I have to rest now. I got a cramp in my hand trying to beat everyone.
Beat the minute rule, and still last.
Puzzle — 3:09 Now that I have stung TC and Jerry, will Patty sting all three of us again!?
MoveOn — Why is it so difficult for people to understand this? This is not-so-common common sense and logic! As usual, Robert Reich is spot on and needs to be in Mr Obama's group of advisers along with Paul Krugman.
Post and Courier — I read an article on this within the past few days. The pastor noted in the article said that in essence freedom of speech is being held hostage by the IRS and 501(c)(3) exempt status. But I disagree. Other than the fact that the church knew the rules when it applied for the tax exempt status, everyday people who speak out for or against any candidate, are taxed on their income, so why shouldn't the church be taxed? Admittedly, Citizens United has complicated this, but still, 1st amendment rights? Give me a break! I am okay with speaking out about a specific cause like abortion, but not a specific candidate. The IRS really does have to go after the offenders.
Think Progress — In some areas, a person may own the land under their feet but not the mineral rights. If you don't own the mineral rights, you can find yourself losing the rights to some of your land, or at best, losing the rights but being able to at least charge a reasonable rental or lease fee to access the minerals from a particular point. When I heard yesterday that construction of the Keystone XL was continuing in Texas, I wondered if this was in anticipation of a Republican/Teabagger victory and the immediate approval of the XL. Nonetheless, it is a miscarriage of justice to be arrested for defending your own land from people trespassing on your land and destroying it, not that Texas knows anything about justice!
Cartoon — .When you think about it, the Russian Revolution of 1917 was essentially a workers revolt against the Czarist régime, although it is imminently more complicated than that and involved other issues as a result of WWI. Following WWII, the Soviets brought the eastern European countries, including Poland, under its influence. Strange then that the Communist party should be the one to ban Solidarity and all trade unions in Poland. Communism had morphed into a totalitarian form and we all know that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
"Formed on 31 August 1980, the union's [Solidarity] supreme powers were vested in a legislative body, the Convention of Delegates (Zjazd Delegatów). The executive branch was the National Coordinating Commission (Krajowa Komisja Porozumiewawcza), later renamed the National Commission (Komisja Krajowa). The Union had a regional structure, comprising 38 regions (region) and two districts (okręg). At its highest, the Union had over 10 million members, which became the largest union membership in the world. During the communist era the 38 regional delegates were arrested and jailed when martial law came into effect on 13 December 1981 under General Wojciech Jaruzelski. After a one year prison term the high-ranking members of the union were offered one way trips to any country accepting them (including Canada, the United States, and nations in the Middle East)."
I remember these goings on, the shipyards at Gdansk and Lech Walesa leading the way. Finally, it all ended in 1991 with the dissolution of the Russian influence through the Warsaw Pact. What a time in history. Imagine the influence of an idea and the one man that rallied people around.
Nope
Amen!
Speaking in support or opposition to a cause does not violate the terms of 501(c)(3).
Republicans would love to outlaw our unions.
I couldn't sting all of you. You're the champ today, Lynn! I gladly give you kudos for a job well done.
Robert Reich ~ He is very concise and honest. I personally like this from Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/10/04/958801/at-last-nights-debate-romney-told-27-myths-in-38-minutes/
Post and Courier ~ The IRS should yank Tax-exempt status from all these churches whose preachers think they are above the law.
Eleanor Fairchild ~ She has the right to disallow a pipeline to go through her land. It's not about mineral rights it's about right of way. I thought the Keystone Pipeline was not approved. Why are the building it and destroying land and trees in the process?
Cartoon ~Lech Walesa is still a great hero to the Polish people. Eat a pierogi in Solidarity!
Excellent article!