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Segami
Segami's Journal
Segami's Journal
February 25, 2015
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined an invitation to meet behind closed doors with Democratic Senators on his March 3 visit to Washington to address a joint session of Congress. The invitation came as several Democrats have declared that they would avoid the PM’s speech. “Though I appreciate your kind invitation to meet with Democratic Senators, I believe that doing so at this time could compound the misperception of partisanship regarding my upcoming visit,” Netanyahu said in a letter to Senator Dick Durbin and Senator Dianne Feinstein.
As you’ll recall, President Obama based his own refusal to see Netanyahu this visit on the same argument — that it would appear like his meddling in Israel’s elections politics. Of course, the U.S. is two years away from its next elections, but, apparently, Bibi is being extra careful.
Netanyahu added:
And to wreck an American deal with Iran over its nuclear program, which is the PM’s prerogative, of course.
In a statement, Senator Durbin said Netanyahu’s response was “disappointing.”
cont'
http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/02/25/senator-durbin-calls-netanyahus-snub-of-dems-invite-disappointing/
Netanyahu’s SNUBS Dems’ Invite
"...BIBI MAY LIVE TO REGRET THIS SNUB....'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined an invitation to meet behind closed doors with Democratic Senators on his March 3 visit to Washington to address a joint session of Congress. The invitation came as several Democrats have declared that they would avoid the PM’s speech. “Though I appreciate your kind invitation to meet with Democratic Senators, I believe that doing so at this time could compound the misperception of partisanship regarding my upcoming visit,” Netanyahu said in a letter to Senator Dick Durbin and Senator Dianne Feinstein.
As you’ll recall, President Obama based his own refusal to see Netanyahu this visit on the same argument — that it would appear like his meddling in Israel’s elections politics. Of course, the U.S. is two years away from its next elections, but, apparently, Bibi is being extra careful.
Netanyahu added:
“I regret that the invitation to address the special joint session of Congress has been perceived by some to be political or partisan. I can assure you that my sole intention in accepting it was to voice Israel’s grave concern about a potential nuclear agreement with Iran that could threaten the survival of my country.”
And to wreck an American deal with Iran over its nuclear program, which is the PM’s prerogative, of course.
In a statement, Senator Durbin said Netanyahu’s response was “disappointing.”
He added: “We offered the prime minister an opportunity to balance the politically divisive invitation from Speaker Boehner with a private meeting with Democrats who are committed to keeping the bipartisan support of Israel strong. His refusal to meet is disappointing to those of us who have stood by Israel for decades..."
cont'
http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/02/25/senator-durbin-calls-netanyahus-snub-of-dems-invite-disappointing/
February 25, 2015
FOS........
SKINNER, WE NEED A 'SHOVELIN'-SHIT' SMILEY JUST FOR BILLO & OTHER RETHUG HERO CHICKENHAWKS...
~snip~
O'Reilly's book was titled "Those Who Trespass: A Novel of Murder and Television." It is clearly a work of fiction, but several critics have pointed out the central characters bear a clear resemblance to O'Reilly. In 2004, the late Michael Hastings said the book offers "an inside view of the author’s mind." The New Yorker's Nicholas Lemann described the main characters as two versions of O'Reilly's "alter ego." One of those characters is Shannon Michaels, who like O'Reilly, is a tall, Irish-American journalist who was sent to cover the Falklands War for a television network. The protest is a life-changing moment for Michaels where, as he puts it, he "almost got killed." In O'Reilly's story, Michaels is on the scene reporting for the fictional network GNN on June 15, 1982 when thousands of Argentines angry over the surrender rioted in front of the president's residence, La Casa Rosada. O'Reilly has said he was also there reporting for CBS News, but his accounts of the protest have been disputed. O'Reilly has described his experience covering the aftermath of the Falklands conflict as being [bin a "war zone" and "combat situation."] He has also said "many were killed" at the protest and that his cameraman was injured. These claims were disputed by a series of reports in Mother Jones and several of his former colleagues who have said no one was killed and no CBS staff was injured.
In O'Reilly's novel the protest was broken up by soldiers, or as the author put it, "combat-ready shock troops dressed in full battle gear and armed with machine guns." At this point, Michaels, one of the characters described as O'Reilly's fictional "alter ego" realized he "had to get away" with his cameraman and soundman. As Michaels and his crew escaped, the soldiers let loose on the crowd. "Without warning, they began firing directly into the crowd," O'Reilly wrote, adding, "Hundreds of people immediately fell onto the cement." O'Reilly wrote that Michaels "saw one man take a bullet squarely in the right eye" and he "was killed instantly." He described "ten thousand tightly packed demonstrators ... desperately trying to get away from the gunfire any way they could." These scenes written by O'Reilly contradict contemporaneous reports of the real-life protest, which do not describe widespread gunfire or any deaths. At this point in O'Reilly's tale, Michaels' cameraman and soundman, "Francisco" and "Juan" are knocked down by "a pack of fleeing young men." Michaels comes to their rescue by "fighting his way through the panicked mob." After their rescue, the two men are concerned with retrieving an expensive camera they dropped in the melee. "Fuck the camera, it's gone. Get moving," Michaels declared. Juan resists Michaels' order leading the heroic journalist to hit him with what O'Reilly described as a "murderous" look and an order to, "Get the fuck out of here Juan." "The soundman finally got the message and moved out," O'Reilly wrote.
O'Reilly's story continued with Michaels carrying his injured cameraman away amid "gunfire and screams." As they escaped. Michaels noticed his colleague was bleeding badly and needed to get to a doctor. This was no simple task in O'Reilly's fictionalized version of the protest. "Movement of any kind would not be easy," O'Reilly wrote, continuing, "The crowd was in complete disarray. Scores of dead and wounded lay on the cold concrete." This scene echoed O'Reilly's claim a CBS cameraman was injured, which has been disputed by his colleagues. In O'Reilly's novel, before Michaels and his were able to escape, they faced two more life-threatening obstacles. Michaels was involved in a tense standoff with a soldier who had "an M-16 pointed directly at his head." Just as they were about to drive off they were also stopped by a secret policeman who attempted to take their tapes. Michaels eliminated the threat by knocking out the secret policeman with a punch O'Reilly described as guided by "pure instinct" and "pure adrenaline" that was fueled by the "violence" he "had just experienced." The protest is pivotal in O'Reilly's novel. After the dramatic escape, a colleague attempted to take Michaels' notes and tapes from the protest. This causes Michaels to have a violent outburst that leads to him getting ousted from the network. Michaels' rage at his co-workers who try to take credit for his Falklands reporting is reminiscent of claims the real-life O'Reilly has made about his experiences in Argentina. O'Reilly has implied other CBS reporters were not on the ground covering the protest, another claim which has been disputed.
You can read Bill O'Reilly's fictionalized version of the protest, which is on page 17 through 25 of his book, here.
cont'
http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-oreillys-wild-story-about-the-falklands-war-2015-2?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+businessinsider+(Business+Insider)
Bill O'Reilly Once WROTE A WILD STORY About The Incident At The Center Of His Scandal
FOS........
SKINNER, WE NEED A 'SHOVELIN'-SHIT' SMILEY JUST FOR BILLO & OTHER RETHUG HERO CHICKENHAWKS...
~snip~
O'Reilly's book was titled "Those Who Trespass: A Novel of Murder and Television." It is clearly a work of fiction, but several critics have pointed out the central characters bear a clear resemblance to O'Reilly. In 2004, the late Michael Hastings said the book offers "an inside view of the author’s mind." The New Yorker's Nicholas Lemann described the main characters as two versions of O'Reilly's "alter ego." One of those characters is Shannon Michaels, who like O'Reilly, is a tall, Irish-American journalist who was sent to cover the Falklands War for a television network. The protest is a life-changing moment for Michaels where, as he puts it, he "almost got killed." In O'Reilly's story, Michaels is on the scene reporting for the fictional network GNN on June 15, 1982 when thousands of Argentines angry over the surrender rioted in front of the president's residence, La Casa Rosada. O'Reilly has said he was also there reporting for CBS News, but his accounts of the protest have been disputed. O'Reilly has described his experience covering the aftermath of the Falklands conflict as being [bin a "war zone" and "combat situation."] He has also said "many were killed" at the protest and that his cameraman was injured. These claims were disputed by a series of reports in Mother Jones and several of his former colleagues who have said no one was killed and no CBS staff was injured.
In O'Reilly's novel the protest was broken up by soldiers, or as the author put it, "combat-ready shock troops dressed in full battle gear and armed with machine guns." At this point, Michaels, one of the characters described as O'Reilly's fictional "alter ego" realized he "had to get away" with his cameraman and soundman. As Michaels and his crew escaped, the soldiers let loose on the crowd. "Without warning, they began firing directly into the crowd," O'Reilly wrote, adding, "Hundreds of people immediately fell onto the cement." O'Reilly wrote that Michaels "saw one man take a bullet squarely in the right eye" and he "was killed instantly." He described "ten thousand tightly packed demonstrators ... desperately trying to get away from the gunfire any way they could." These scenes written by O'Reilly contradict contemporaneous reports of the real-life protest, which do not describe widespread gunfire or any deaths. At this point in O'Reilly's tale, Michaels' cameraman and soundman, "Francisco" and "Juan" are knocked down by "a pack of fleeing young men." Michaels comes to their rescue by "fighting his way through the panicked mob." After their rescue, the two men are concerned with retrieving an expensive camera they dropped in the melee. "Fuck the camera, it's gone. Get moving," Michaels declared. Juan resists Michaels' order leading the heroic journalist to hit him with what O'Reilly described as a "murderous" look and an order to, "Get the fuck out of here Juan." "The soundman finally got the message and moved out," O'Reilly wrote.
O'Reilly's story continued with Michaels carrying his injured cameraman away amid "gunfire and screams." As they escaped. Michaels noticed his colleague was bleeding badly and needed to get to a doctor. This was no simple task in O'Reilly's fictionalized version of the protest. "Movement of any kind would not be easy," O'Reilly wrote, continuing, "The crowd was in complete disarray. Scores of dead and wounded lay on the cold concrete." This scene echoed O'Reilly's claim a CBS cameraman was injured, which has been disputed by his colleagues. In O'Reilly's novel, before Michaels and his were able to escape, they faced two more life-threatening obstacles. Michaels was involved in a tense standoff with a soldier who had "an M-16 pointed directly at his head." Just as they were about to drive off they were also stopped by a secret policeman who attempted to take their tapes. Michaels eliminated the threat by knocking out the secret policeman with a punch O'Reilly described as guided by "pure instinct" and "pure adrenaline" that was fueled by the "violence" he "had just experienced." The protest is pivotal in O'Reilly's novel. After the dramatic escape, a colleague attempted to take Michaels' notes and tapes from the protest. This causes Michaels to have a violent outburst that leads to him getting ousted from the network. Michaels' rage at his co-workers who try to take credit for his Falklands reporting is reminiscent of claims the real-life O'Reilly has made about his experiences in Argentina. O'Reilly has implied other CBS reporters were not on the ground covering the protest, another claim which has been disputed.
You can read Bill O'Reilly's fictionalized version of the protest, which is on page 17 through 25 of his book, here.
cont'
http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-oreillys-wild-story-about-the-falklands-war-2015-2?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+businessinsider+(Business+Insider)
February 25, 2015
Bill O’Reilly is having a really bad month. First, his well-worn stories about his heroic time as a globetrotting reporter covering war zones turned out to be mostly fabrications mixed with half-truths. Now, his cherished story about the time he personally heard the gunshot that killed a mysterious figure at the center of the John F. Kennedy assassination plot is coming to pieces right before his eyes. It should come as no surprise, but it’s worth noting that O’Reilly has a massive ego. And like all truly egomaniac blowhards, O’Reilly needs a steady fuel of tall-tales and trumped up stories to feed and placate that inflated sense of importance. To that end, O’Reilly has continually used his platform as a right-wing celebrity to interject himself into stories that he was, at most, on the sidelines for. Take for instance, his insistence that he was in the Falklands and had to save a fellow journalist from peril while the army marched toward them. Most journalists would be content to say they “covered” the war (in this case 1,000 miles away in Buenos Aires), but O’Reilly had to make sure people thought he was actually in the middle of the fighting.
And the same goes for his coverage of the JFK assassination. Rather than simply take pride in the fact that he reported on the tragedy, intrigue, and mystery surrounding JFK’s death, O’Reilly needed to be an active participant in the story. In short, he broke the cardinal rule of reporting: He made himself the focus. Here is a (unintentionally hilarious) excerpt pulled from O’Reilly’s best-selling "non-fiction" book Killing Kennedy in which he devotes an entire passage to his time personally hearing the gunshot that killed a friend of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald’s by the name of George de Mohrenschildt.
Besides being written in the format of a chain email you received from a relative, the story is almost surely a fabrication of O’Reilly’s. Suspicions regarding the claims began almost at the outset of the book’s publication, however in recent days Media Matters broke the story wide open with a hard look at the facts. What they found doesn’t look good for O’Reilly.
As with the Falklands lies, O’Reilly seems to believe he exists on some higher dimensional plane where distances – say, from Dallas, Texas to Palm Beach, Florida – are meaningless. At once, O’Reilly can be in his office in Dallas while also standing on the porch of Mohrenschildt’s daughter’s house. Or he just made it up.
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/02/24/bill-oreilly-caught-in-another-lie-and-its-his-most-embarrassing-one-yet/
Bill O’Reilly CAUGHT IN ANOTHER LIE, And It’s His Most Embarrassing One Yet
Bill O’Reilly is having a really bad month. First, his well-worn stories about his heroic time as a globetrotting reporter covering war zones turned out to be mostly fabrications mixed with half-truths. Now, his cherished story about the time he personally heard the gunshot that killed a mysterious figure at the center of the John F. Kennedy assassination plot is coming to pieces right before his eyes. It should come as no surprise, but it’s worth noting that O’Reilly has a massive ego. And like all truly egomaniac blowhards, O’Reilly needs a steady fuel of tall-tales and trumped up stories to feed and placate that inflated sense of importance. To that end, O’Reilly has continually used his platform as a right-wing celebrity to interject himself into stories that he was, at most, on the sidelines for. Take for instance, his insistence that he was in the Falklands and had to save a fellow journalist from peril while the army marched toward them. Most journalists would be content to say they “covered” the war (in this case 1,000 miles away in Buenos Aires), but O’Reilly had to make sure people thought he was actually in the middle of the fighting.
And the same goes for his coverage of the JFK assassination. Rather than simply take pride in the fact that he reported on the tragedy, intrigue, and mystery surrounding JFK’s death, O’Reilly needed to be an active participant in the story. In short, he broke the cardinal rule of reporting: He made himself the focus. Here is a (unintentionally hilarious) excerpt pulled from O’Reilly’s best-selling "non-fiction" book Killing Kennedy in which he devotes an entire passage to his time personally hearing the gunshot that killed a friend of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald’s by the name of George de Mohrenschildt.
Besides being written in the format of a chain email you received from a relative, the story is almost surely a fabrication of O’Reilly’s. Suspicions regarding the claims began almost at the outset of the book’s publication, however in recent days Media Matters broke the story wide open with a hard look at the facts. What they found doesn’t look good for O’Reilly.
Numerous pieces of evidence contradict O’Reilly’s claim that he “heard the shotgun blast” that killed de Mohrenschildt.
In comments to Media Matters, two of O’Reilly’s former colleagues at WFAA say that his version of events is a lie.
“Bill O’Reilly’s a phony, there’s no other way to put it,” said Tracy Rowlett, a former WFAA reporter and anchor who worked at the station with O’Reilly. “He was not up on the porch when he heard the gunshots, he was in Dallas. He wasn’t traveling at that time.”
Byron Harris, a reporter at WFAA for s,the past 40 year agreed that O’Reilly had not traveled to Florida for the story and accused him of stealing his reporting on de Mohrenschildt’s suicide from a newspaper.
According to Harris, O’Reilly “was in Dallas. He stole that article out of the newspaper. I guarantee Channel 8 didn’t send him to Florida to do that story because it was a newspaper story, it was broken by the Dallas Morning News.”
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/02/24/oreilly-lied-about-suicide-of-jfk-assassination/202655
In comments to Media Matters, two of O’Reilly’s former colleagues at WFAA say that his version of events is a lie.
“Bill O’Reilly’s a phony, there’s no other way to put it,” said Tracy Rowlett, a former WFAA reporter and anchor who worked at the station with O’Reilly. “He was not up on the porch when he heard the gunshots, he was in Dallas. He wasn’t traveling at that time.”
Byron Harris, a reporter at WFAA for s,the past 40 year agreed that O’Reilly had not traveled to Florida for the story and accused him of stealing his reporting on de Mohrenschildt’s suicide from a newspaper.
According to Harris, O’Reilly “was in Dallas. He stole that article out of the newspaper. I guarantee Channel 8 didn’t send him to Florida to do that story because it was a newspaper story, it was broken by the Dallas Morning News.”
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/02/24/oreilly-lied-about-suicide-of-jfk-assassination/202655
As with the Falklands lies, O’Reilly seems to believe he exists on some higher dimensional plane where distances – say, from Dallas, Texas to Palm Beach, Florida – are meaningless. At once, O’Reilly can be in his office in Dallas while also standing on the porch of Mohrenschildt’s daughter’s house. Or he just made it up.
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/02/24/bill-oreilly-caught-in-another-lie-and-its-his-most-embarrassing-one-yet/
February 24, 2015
REALLY DINO JOE???...................
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) can count on the vote of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on his new standalone bill to overturn President Barack Obama's 2014 immigration actions, but only after a "clean" Homeland Security funding bill passes, according to his office. Manchin spokesman Jonathan Kott said in an email Tuesday that the senator would want both the Senate and the House to pass DHS funding legislation first.
Manchin said recently he would refuse to link the immigration provisions to DHS funding, but said when asked that he would support standalone legislation to block the president's executive actions on immigration. "Sure," he told reporters earlier this month. "Yeah." "I agree the president overstepped. I'm fine [with a standalone bill]. I'll vote," Manchin said, adding that he would refuse to support linking it to DHS funding because "the security of our nation is too important."
On Monday, facing implacable Democratic opposition, McConnell moved to de-link DHS funding from the immigration proposals and released a separate bill that reverses Obama's latest immigration initiatives. If McConnell keeps the 54 Republicans in line, he'll need 5 Democrats along with Manchin to defeat an inevitable filibuster.
cont'
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/joe-manchin-obama-immigration
Manchin Would VOTE TO BLOCK Obama's Immigration Actions AFTER DHS Is Funded
REALLY DINO JOE???...................
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) can count on the vote of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on his new standalone bill to overturn President Barack Obama's 2014 immigration actions, but only after a "clean" Homeland Security funding bill passes, according to his office. Manchin spokesman Jonathan Kott said in an email Tuesday that the senator would want both the Senate and the House to pass DHS funding legislation first.
Manchin said recently he would refuse to link the immigration provisions to DHS funding, but said when asked that he would support standalone legislation to block the president's executive actions on immigration. "Sure," he told reporters earlier this month. "Yeah." "I agree the president overstepped. I'm fine [with a standalone bill]. I'll vote," Manchin said, adding that he would refuse to support linking it to DHS funding because "the security of our nation is too important."
On Monday, facing implacable Democratic opposition, McConnell moved to de-link DHS funding from the immigration proposals and released a separate bill that reverses Obama's latest immigration initiatives. If McConnell keeps the 54 Republicans in line, he'll need 5 Democrats along with Manchin to defeat an inevitable filibuster.
cont'
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/joe-manchin-obama-immigration
February 24, 2015
While discussing the unveiling of the Middle Class Prosperity Project along with Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) ripped Congress for wasting months on passing Keystone XL for an oil company and shutting down DHS while the middle class gets screwed.
Sen. Warren said:
Warren and Cummings explained in a piece for USA Today that their goal is to give a voice to the middle-class, and undo a Washington that only works for the special interests, “That’s why this week we’re launching a new Middle Class Prosperity Project to give a voice in Washington to those who need it most — hard-working people across this country. On Tuesday, we will hold the first in a series of forums to examine economic policies threatening the middle class, and we’ll hear from leading economists about how to help families rebuild economic security. After the Great Depression, Congress enacted progressive policies to build and expand the middle class. But Washington became captive to powerful interests that game the system at the expense of the middle class. It’s time to change that system. We must free our government from the grip of armies of lobbyists and the corruption of corporate influence.”
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/02/24/elizabeth-warren-shreds-congress-screwing-middle-class-passing-keystone-xl.html
Elizabeth Warren SHREDS CONGRESS For Screwing The Middle Class While Passing Keystone XL
While discussing the unveiling of the Middle Class Prosperity Project along with Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) ripped Congress for wasting months on passing Keystone XL for an oil company and shutting down DHS while the middle class gets screwed.
Sen. Warren said:
Look, coming out this Great Recession the administration has done a lot, the economy is surely recovering, but what it really means is that rich people are doing well. Giant corporations are doing well, and the middle-class is just getting hammered. And what is this Congress doing? You know, The United States Senate, the Republicans are now in charge, and what have they spent their time on?
First they wanted to spend weeks passing a pipeline that principally benefit some foreign oil company, and now they want to spend a month on shutting down Homeland Security at a time when we face terrorist threats. So, what we’re trying to do is get some focus on what’s happening to America’s working people. What’s happening to the middle-class, and to remind people that the middle-class is in trouble because of deliberate policy choices made in Washington.
That means that we can make changes here in Washington, and that’s what we want to draw some attention to.
First they wanted to spend weeks passing a pipeline that principally benefit some foreign oil company, and now they want to spend a month on shutting down Homeland Security at a time when we face terrorist threats. So, what we’re trying to do is get some focus on what’s happening to America’s working people. What’s happening to the middle-class, and to remind people that the middle-class is in trouble because of deliberate policy choices made in Washington.
That means that we can make changes here in Washington, and that’s what we want to draw some attention to.
Warren and Cummings explained in a piece for USA Today that their goal is to give a voice to the middle-class, and undo a Washington that only works for the special interests, “That’s why this week we’re launching a new Middle Class Prosperity Project to give a voice in Washington to those who need it most — hard-working people across this country. On Tuesday, we will hold the first in a series of forums to examine economic policies threatening the middle class, and we’ll hear from leading economists about how to help families rebuild economic security. After the Great Depression, Congress enacted progressive policies to build and expand the middle class. But Washington became captive to powerful interests that game the system at the expense of the middle class. It’s time to change that system. We must free our government from the grip of armies of lobbyists and the corruption of corporate influence.”
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/02/24/elizabeth-warren-shreds-congress-screwing-middle-class-passing-keystone-xl.html
February 24, 2015
“The embarrassment I felt made me ashamed to face my family and friends,” Columba Bush — wife of GOP favorite son Jeb Bush — explained in a speech to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in July, 1999. She added, “It was the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my life.” Florida’s then-first lady was referring to an ill-fated $19,000 shopping spree in Paris, which ended in disgrace when customs agents busted her for only declaring $500 worth of merchandise on her form. Mrs. Bush said she lied because she felt embarrassed about how much she spent and didn’t want Jeb to find out. She paid her $4,100 fine and went on her merry way. Alas, we hadn’t heard the last about her extravagant shopping sprees. The Washington Post reports on a trail of documents showing that over a period of 14 years, Columba Bush spent over $90,000 at a Mayors Jewelers in South Florida.
Furthermore, the kind folks at Mayors Jewelers lent Mrs. Bush $42,311.70 a year later, which she spent in a single day. Then, in the following years, they made a series of loans so Columba could adorn herself with the following collection of hideously expensive items:
The scary thing is that Columba Bush lives in Coral Gables, Florida — Coral Gables, Florida for Pete’s sake — yet even among Southern Florida’s world-renowned crowd of flashy bon vivants, her insane shopping sprees stand out as an embarrassment. Seriously, this woman has a mental illness. Those $25,600 diamond stud earrings set in platinum were worth over half the median yearly income for an entire Florida household ($46,956). You’d think that if Columba Bush so desperately needs to horde sparkly bits of useless crap, she would at least have the decency to shop the QVC channel like everyone else.
Here are scans of the financial documents from Mayor’s Jewelers via the Washington Post.
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/02/24/columba-bushs-scary-shopping-addiction-could-put-the-brakes-on-jebs-presidential-run/
How Columba Bush’s SCARY SHOPPING ADDICTION Could Put The Brakes On Jeb’s Presidential Run
"...Um, yeah, but voters will definitely notice Columba Bush’s scary shopping addiction. It doesn’t matter if it’s legal and she can afford it. The fact that the Bush family’s party refuses to help the millions of Americans who go hungry and homeless and can’t find decent-paying jobs while one-percenters like Columba waste obscene amounts of money on trifles won’t go over well..."
“The embarrassment I felt made me ashamed to face my family and friends,” Columba Bush — wife of GOP favorite son Jeb Bush — explained in a speech to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in July, 1999. She added, “It was the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my life.” Florida’s then-first lady was referring to an ill-fated $19,000 shopping spree in Paris, which ended in disgrace when customs agents busted her for only declaring $500 worth of merchandise on her form. Mrs. Bush said she lied because she felt embarrassed about how much she spent and didn’t want Jeb to find out. She paid her $4,100 fine and went on her merry way. Alas, we hadn’t heard the last about her extravagant shopping sprees. The Washington Post reports on a trail of documents showing that over a period of 14 years, Columba Bush spent over $90,000 at a Mayors Jewelers in South Florida.
That kind of spending, though well within his means, may present a challenge for Jeb Bush as he prepares for a presidential run with a message that the playing field between rich and poor is not fair or level.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/documents-show-the-expensive-tastes-of-jeb-bushs-low-key-wife/2015/02/22/5bb480da-b9f4-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html?hpid=z4
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/documents-show-the-expensive-tastes-of-jeb-bushs-low-key-wife/2015/02/22/5bb480da-b9f4-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html?hpid=z4
Furthermore, the kind folks at Mayors Jewelers lent Mrs. Bush $42,311.70 a year later, which she spent in a single day. Then, in the following years, they made a series of loans so Columba could adorn herself with the following collection of hideously expensive items:
A $25,600 pair of diamond and platinum stud earrings.
A $10,500 18-karat white gold and diamond Bulgari bracelet.
An 18-karat white gold and diamond necklace Columba Bush snagged for the (comparatively) bargain basement price of $3,200.
Yet another pair of diamond earrings for $3,300.
A Roman coin necklace for $15,000.
A diamond Rolex watch for $16,600.
Another Rolex watch for $11,700.
A pair of unspecified earrings for $5,900,
A few more Rolex watches.
A $10,500 18-karat white gold and diamond Bulgari bracelet.
An 18-karat white gold and diamond necklace Columba Bush snagged for the (comparatively) bargain basement price of $3,200.
Yet another pair of diamond earrings for $3,300.
A Roman coin necklace for $15,000.
A diamond Rolex watch for $16,600.
Another Rolex watch for $11,700.
A pair of unspecified earrings for $5,900,
A few more Rolex watches.
The scary thing is that Columba Bush lives in Coral Gables, Florida — Coral Gables, Florida for Pete’s sake — yet even among Southern Florida’s world-renowned crowd of flashy bon vivants, her insane shopping sprees stand out as an embarrassment. Seriously, this woman has a mental illness. Those $25,600 diamond stud earrings set in platinum were worth over half the median yearly income for an entire Florida household ($46,956). You’d think that if Columba Bush so desperately needs to horde sparkly bits of useless crap, she would at least have the decency to shop the QVC channel like everyone else.
Here are scans of the financial documents from Mayor’s Jewelers via the Washington Post.
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/02/24/columba-bushs-scary-shopping-addiction-could-put-the-brakes-on-jebs-presidential-run/
February 24, 2015
TONIGHT AT 9PM ON HBO
CITIZENFOUR is a real-life international thriller that unfolds by the minute. With unprecedented access, this gripping behind-the-scenes chronicle follows Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald’s remarkable encounters with Edward Snowden in a Hong Kong hotel room as he hands over classified documents that provide evidence of mass indiscriminate and illegal invasions of privacy by the National Security Agency (NSA).
Poitras had been working on a film about surveillance for two years when Snowden contacted her, using the name “Citizenfour,” in Jan. 2013. He reached out to Poitras because he knew she was a longtime target of government surveillance who had refused to be intimidated. When Snowden told Poitras he would not conceal his identity as the source of information on the massive surveillance of Americans by the NSA, Poitras persuaded him to meet in person and let her film their encounter.
CITIZENFOUR places viewers in the hotel room with Poitras, Greenwald and Snowden as they attempt to manage the media storm raging outside, forced to make quick decisions that will affect their lives and all around them. The documentary not only shows the dangers of governmental surveillance, but makes audiences feel them. After seeing the film, viewers will never think the same way about their phone, e-mail, credit cards, web browser or digital footprint again.
CITIZENFOUR has been nominated for an Academy Award® in the Documentary Feature category.
http://www.hbo.com/#/documentaries/citizenfour
TONIGHT AT 9PM ON HBO: CITIZENFOUR
CITIZENFOURTONIGHT AT 9PM ON HBO
CITIZENFOUR is a real-life international thriller that unfolds by the minute. With unprecedented access, this gripping behind-the-scenes chronicle follows Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald’s remarkable encounters with Edward Snowden in a Hong Kong hotel room as he hands over classified documents that provide evidence of mass indiscriminate and illegal invasions of privacy by the National Security Agency (NSA).
Poitras had been working on a film about surveillance for two years when Snowden contacted her, using the name “Citizenfour,” in Jan. 2013. He reached out to Poitras because he knew she was a longtime target of government surveillance who had refused to be intimidated. When Snowden told Poitras he would not conceal his identity as the source of information on the massive surveillance of Americans by the NSA, Poitras persuaded him to meet in person and let her film their encounter.
CITIZENFOUR places viewers in the hotel room with Poitras, Greenwald and Snowden as they attempt to manage the media storm raging outside, forced to make quick decisions that will affect their lives and all around them. The documentary not only shows the dangers of governmental surveillance, but makes audiences feel them. After seeing the film, viewers will never think the same way about their phone, e-mail, credit cards, web browser or digital footprint again.
CITIZENFOUR has been nominated for an Academy Award® in the Documentary Feature category.
http://www.hbo.com/#/documentaries/citizenfour
February 23, 2015
"....When they attacked the public sector workers four years ago, Fitzgerald admitted that it had nothing to do with repairing the budget or saving money (especially since it did neither!)..."
KOCH DRIVEN FASCISM.....WAKE UP WISCONSIN!............
As karoli noted the other day, Scott Walker and his Teapublican allies in the Wisconsin legislature have announced their full scale war on Wisconsin workers. Walker, who pretended he did not want the bill has come out in full support of it, not that this came as a surprise to any of us who have been paying attention. After all, as the video (at link) shows, Walker was talking about this back in 2011, just before he did his wage theft bill on public sector workers. But taking away workers rights isn't enough for Walker and his cadre of corporate cretins. They want to criminalize our rights:
And even this is not enough for them. State Senator Scott Fitzgerald, who is as much a corporate servant as any of these damn fools, wants to insult our intelligence. On Friday, Fitzgerald announced that they are fast tracking this piece of offal, having a hearing on Tuesday and a vote on Wednesday. Then he pulls this stunt (emphasis mine):
Who the hell does he think he is kidding?
The reason for them rushing this through now is because there was about to be a ad run educating people about the damage that this wage theft bill will cause. Even without the ads, the unions' efforts to educate the people were having was already quickly cutting through the fascists' propaganda and eroding the bills popularity every day. Karoli was also partially correct in that Walker's desire for this bill was to elevate him in the standings among the fringe extremists on the right. In other words, he wants to sell our rights to his corporate and big money overlords.
cont'
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/02/fascism-comes-wisconsin-clown-car
FASCISM Comes To Wisconsin IN A CLOWN CAR
"....When they attacked the public sector workers four years ago, Fitzgerald admitted that it had nothing to do with repairing the budget or saving money (especially since it did neither!)..."
KOCH DRIVEN FASCISM.....WAKE UP WISCONSIN!............
As karoli noted the other day, Scott Walker and his Teapublican allies in the Wisconsin legislature have announced their full scale war on Wisconsin workers. Walker, who pretended he did not want the bill has come out in full support of it, not that this came as a surprise to any of us who have been paying attention. After all, as the video (at link) shows, Walker was talking about this back in 2011, just before he did his wage theft bill on public sector workers. But taking away workers rights isn't enough for Walker and his cadre of corporate cretins. They want to criminalize our rights:
Requiring anyone to join a union or pay dues to one as a condition of employment would be guilty of a class A misdemeanor under the right-to-work bill draft released this afternoon by Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald's office.
Here is the Legislative Reference Bureau's summary of the bill:
"This bill creates a state right to work law. This bill generally prohibits a person from requiring, as a condition of obtaining or continuing employment, an individual to refrain or resign from membership in a labor organization, to become or remain a member of a labor organization, to pay dues or other charges to a labor organization, or to pay any other person an amount that is in place of dues or charges required of members of a labor organization. Any person who violates this prohibition is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor."
http://quorumcall.wispolitics.com/2015/02/right-to-work-bill-would-make-requiring.html
Here is the Legislative Reference Bureau's summary of the bill:
"This bill creates a state right to work law. This bill generally prohibits a person from requiring, as a condition of obtaining or continuing employment, an individual to refrain or resign from membership in a labor organization, to become or remain a member of a labor organization, to pay dues or other charges to a labor organization, or to pay any other person an amount that is in place of dues or charges required of members of a labor organization. Any person who violates this prohibition is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor."
http://quorumcall.wispolitics.com/2015/02/right-to-work-bill-would-make-requiring.html
And even this is not enough for them. State Senator Scott Fitzgerald, who is as much a corporate servant as any of these damn fools, wants to insult our intelligence. On Friday, Fitzgerald announced that they are fast tracking this piece of offal, having a hearing on Tuesday and a vote on Wednesday. Then he pulls this stunt (emphasis mine):
"My experience, as leader, is when you have the votes, you go to the floor," Fitzgerald continued. "You don't wait around."
Asked whether he was worried senators might change their minds given more time to consider a vote, Fitzgerald said he worries about that "all the time." He mentioned rumors that some Republican senators would have been targeted with ads in an effort to pressure them not to support right-to-work.
Fitzgerald said he called Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, Friday morning to go over plans for the extraordinary session with her and to ensure there is no perception that the GOP majority is "rushing this bill through."
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/fitzgerald-scott-walker-didn-t-push-back-on-plans-for/article_0f9e5f46-9b2d-5eea-a1e4-ac1266019a57.html
Asked whether he was worried senators might change their minds given more time to consider a vote, Fitzgerald said he worries about that "all the time." He mentioned rumors that some Republican senators would have been targeted with ads in an effort to pressure them not to support right-to-work.
Fitzgerald said he called Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, Friday morning to go over plans for the extraordinary session with her and to ensure there is no perception that the GOP majority is "rushing this bill through."
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/fitzgerald-scott-walker-didn-t-push-back-on-plans-for/article_0f9e5f46-9b2d-5eea-a1e4-ac1266019a57.html
Who the hell does he think he is kidding?
The reason for them rushing this through now is because there was about to be a ad run educating people about the damage that this wage theft bill will cause. Even without the ads, the unions' efforts to educate the people were having was already quickly cutting through the fascists' propaganda and eroding the bills popularity every day. Karoli was also partially correct in that Walker's desire for this bill was to elevate him in the standings among the fringe extremists on the right. In other words, he wants to sell our rights to his corporate and big money overlords.
cont'
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/02/fascism-comes-wisconsin-clown-car
February 23, 2015
Each time you hear reTHUGS shoveling their hypocritical horseshoe and lies to the masses, CALL THEM OUT!!!......its the only way!......
The same Republicans who lost their minds over Michelle Obama’s proud of my country comments in 2008 are hypocritically overjoyed that John McCain said that he was ashamed of his country.
Transcript via Face The Nation:
Compare what McCain said with what Michelle Obama said that sent Republicans into a tizzy in 2008, “For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country, and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change.” John McCain’s comments have been the big headline in conservative media because they are a direct criticism of President Obama. Republicans believe that President Obama has brought shame to the United States. In fact, many of them view the election of this president as a shameful event. The hypocrisy is that McCain openly says that he is ashamed of his country and gets praised. Michelle Obama said that she was really proud of her country, and her words were twisted into a claim that she hates America. As Rudy Giuliani’s comment about Obama not loving his country demonstrated, the myth that the Obamas hate America is still going strong inside the Republican Party.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/02/22/republican-hypocrites-rejoice-john-mccain-ashamed-country.html
IOIYAR: Republican HYPOCRITES Rejoice As JOHN McCAIN Says He Is ASHAMED OF HIS COUNTRY
Each time you hear reTHUGS shoveling their hypocritical horseshoe and lies to the masses, CALL THEM OUT!!!......its the only way!......
The same Republicans who lost their minds over Michelle Obama’s proud of my country comments in 2008 are hypocritically overjoyed that John McCain said that he was ashamed of his country.
Transcript via Face The Nation:
SCHIEFFER: Let me talk to you a little bit about Ukraine. It sounds like things are getting even worse there. How do you read what’s happening there and what do we need to do now?
MCCAIN: I believe that the German chancellor and the president of France legitimized for the first time in 70 years the dismemberment of a country in Europe. It’s shameful.
Vladimir Putin has not paid any price. Even the cease-fire was violated until he achieved his objective of that vital rail link. He will pull back some now, and the next will be Mariupol, so that he can establish a land bridge to Crimea.
And, honestly, it’s terrible. The Ukrainians aren’t asking for American boots on the ground. That’s not the question here. They’re asking for weapons to defend themselves. And they’re being slaughtered. And their army is — military is being shattered.
This is a shameful chapter. I’m ashamed of my country. I’m ashamed of my president and I’m ashamed of myself that I haven’t done more to help these people. It is really, really heartbreaking.
MCCAIN: I believe that the German chancellor and the president of France legitimized for the first time in 70 years the dismemberment of a country in Europe. It’s shameful.
Vladimir Putin has not paid any price. Even the cease-fire was violated until he achieved his objective of that vital rail link. He will pull back some now, and the next will be Mariupol, so that he can establish a land bridge to Crimea.
And, honestly, it’s terrible. The Ukrainians aren’t asking for American boots on the ground. That’s not the question here. They’re asking for weapons to defend themselves. And they’re being slaughtered. And their army is — military is being shattered.
This is a shameful chapter. I’m ashamed of my country. I’m ashamed of my president and I’m ashamed of myself that I haven’t done more to help these people. It is really, really heartbreaking.
Compare what McCain said with what Michelle Obama said that sent Republicans into a tizzy in 2008, “For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country, and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change.” John McCain’s comments have been the big headline in conservative media because they are a direct criticism of President Obama. Republicans believe that President Obama has brought shame to the United States. In fact, many of them view the election of this president as a shameful event. The hypocrisy is that McCain openly says that he is ashamed of his country and gets praised. Michelle Obama said that she was really proud of her country, and her words were twisted into a claim that she hates America. As Rudy Giuliani’s comment about Obama not loving his country demonstrated, the myth that the Obamas hate America is still going strong inside the Republican Party.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/02/22/republican-hypocrites-rejoice-john-mccain-ashamed-country.html
February 22, 2015
The short segment on Sen. Sanders highlighted the Vermont Senator’s anti-Koch message, “It is likely in a very short period of time that the Koch brothers themselves will have a strong political presence than Democrats or Republicans.” Sanders was asked by ABC News if he thought this was a winnable fight. He answered, “Well, I think that’s a fair question. I don’t want to tilt at windmills. I’ve got so much to do. I just think that out there, there are so many people who are hurting, so many people who disillusioned, so many people who are viscerally upset that they’re working longer hours for lower wages and the billionaires are getting richer, and they need a voice.”
The ABC segment was short, but it was a good introduction for the rest of the country to Sen. Bernie Sanders. An introduction isn’t needed for liberals and progressions, but it was interesting to see corporate-driven Sunday shows give any airtime to Bernie Sanders. This Week didn’t dwell on whether or not Sanders will run for president in 2016. They devoted much of the segment to his message. It was refreshing to see Sen. Sanders not treated as a novelty or dismissed. As the country has reacted to the Great Recession by drifting left in its economic thinking, Sen. Sanders’s message resonates more with the country’s basic economic populism.
Bernie Sanders is the last person that the Koch brothers want to see on a network Sunday morning show. Sen. Sanders (I-VT) did more damage to the Koch conspiracy to buy control of the federal government in three minutes than almost anyone else could have done in ten. Studies have shown that the Sunday show guests are mostly white male Republicans. One of the reasons why a potential Bernie Sanders presidential candidacy could matter is it could generate a lot of mainstream media attention for the issues of income inequality, money in politics, and the looming Koch-backed oligarchy that is attempting a hostile takeover of nation’s electoral process.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/02/22/minutes-terror-koch-brothers-bernie-sanders-storms-sunday-show.html
THREE MINUTES OF TERROR For The Koch Brothers As Bernie Sanders Storms Sunday Show
".....It was a terrifying three minutes for the Koch brothers, as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) took on the Kochs directly and delivered a message of populism that struck at the heart of their oligarchic plot to buy control of the federal government on ABC’s This Week..."
The short segment on Sen. Sanders highlighted the Vermont Senator’s anti-Koch message, “It is likely in a very short period of time that the Koch brothers themselves will have a strong political presence than Democrats or Republicans.” Sanders was asked by ABC News if he thought this was a winnable fight. He answered, “Well, I think that’s a fair question. I don’t want to tilt at windmills. I’ve got so much to do. I just think that out there, there are so many people who are hurting, so many people who disillusioned, so many people who are viscerally upset that they’re working longer hours for lower wages and the billionaires are getting richer, and they need a voice.”
The ABC segment was short, but it was a good introduction for the rest of the country to Sen. Bernie Sanders. An introduction isn’t needed for liberals and progressions, but it was interesting to see corporate-driven Sunday shows give any airtime to Bernie Sanders. This Week didn’t dwell on whether or not Sanders will run for president in 2016. They devoted much of the segment to his message. It was refreshing to see Sen. Sanders not treated as a novelty or dismissed. As the country has reacted to the Great Recession by drifting left in its economic thinking, Sen. Sanders’s message resonates more with the country’s basic economic populism.
Bernie Sanders is the last person that the Koch brothers want to see on a network Sunday morning show. Sen. Sanders (I-VT) did more damage to the Koch conspiracy to buy control of the federal government in three minutes than almost anyone else could have done in ten. Studies have shown that the Sunday show guests are mostly white male Republicans. One of the reasons why a potential Bernie Sanders presidential candidacy could matter is it could generate a lot of mainstream media attention for the issues of income inequality, money in politics, and the looming Koch-backed oligarchy that is attempting a hostile takeover of nation’s electoral process.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/02/22/minutes-terror-koch-brothers-bernie-sanders-storms-sunday-show.html
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