I thought that trump took hydroxychloroquine (or he claimed to), when he was pushing for this ...

drug to be made legal in treating the Coronavirus. Seems like a century ago, and some of us on DU thought that he must have had a financial interest in the drug (made in India I think).

Sure didn't do him any good, eh?

trump's federal taxes were $750, I wonder just how much he paid too in state taxes?

In Missouri, where I live and pay taxes, we have a itemized (if you itemize on your federal return) limit on the state return of I think $10,000, thus a lot of the massive tax credits / deductions are rendered mute in doing state returns.

I wonder just how many state tax returns trump has committed fraud on or fudged the numbers on? I know that he has properties in NY, New Jersey, Florida, etc.

Don't stand outside in a lightning storm!

Last night, we had a lightning storm that seemed to go on and on and on forever (the lightning). Unfortunately, some people didn't take shelter to get out of the lightning storms and thus got struck...I hope they recover...the reason I mentioned it was in fact, such an unusual storm w/ the constant and long term lightning.

--snip--
SOUTH ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- Paramedics took four adults to the hospital after they were struck by lightning in south St. Louis City during Sunday's severe storms. Shortly after 8 p.m., firefighters were called to Marquette Park at Montana and Louisiana in Dutchtown for a report of an electrocution. Authorities said four people were transported to the hospital, three in serious condition and one critically hurt.

Aber Ordonez said he and a group of others were playing soccer at the park before the storm rolled in. He said his brother, Noe Ordonez, was sitting in a lawn chair when he was struck by lightning. Ordonez said the bolt was so powerful it hit the side of his face before knocking his shoes off. He said his 28-year-old brother is still in the hospital and is unsure what his outcome will be.
Copyright 2020 KMOV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved
-- snip --

Missouri governor threatens use of pardon power if STLMO city attorney charges two...

with a gun crime of some sort...our pathetic governor in MO is threatening a pardon of two city residents who threatened protesters walking on the sidewalk by their home with their guns. This is pathetic and harms the rest of STLMO city residents by allowing the McCloskeys to threaten others by allowing them to point guns at city residents walking by on public sidewalks. The McCloskeys claim that the street was private. How did they know that perhaps the protesters were there by invitation of residents that live on that street?

Another reason that this governor (not elected) should be thrown out on his face out of office. Even thought he claimed he was a sheriff, he should know better than to have irresponsible citizens fly off the handle brandishing guns on the fly and aiming them at protesters. It's a good way for accidents to happen. As a citizen of the city of STLMO, I strongly encouraged our city circuit attorney to take strong steps to address the threatening of protesters at gunpoint (like the governor said, take violent criminals off of our streets, the McCloskeys not the protesters)...

--snip--
O'FALLON, Mo. (AP/KMOV) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson told a radio host that based on the information he's received, it's likely he would pardon a white St. Louis couple if they are charged for brandishing guns during a racial injustice protest outside their mansion.

Democratic Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is investigating Mark and Patricia McCloskey, both in their 60s, for an incident on June 28. Protesters who were marching to the nearby home of Mayor Lyda Krewson walked onto the private street where the McCloskeys live.

The couple accused demonstrators of knocking down an iron gate marked with “No Trespassing” and “Private Street” signs, though a protest leader has said the gate was already open and no protesters damaged it. The McCloskeys came outside with weapons — him with a long-barreled gun and her with a small handgun.

"As a former Sheriff, a law enforcement officer for over 22 years, and now Governor, when it comes to supporting law enforcement officers and their families who are under attack, I’ll always stand with President Trump and have their backs," he tweeted.

He continue by stating Republicans and Trump are working "hard to take violent criminals off of our streets and stop these crazy efforts to defund the police." Parson then attacked presidential candidate Joe Biden and Democrats for "allowing the radical left to make our communities less safe."

Their actions, captured on video and viewed by millions, drew praise from some who said they were legally defending their home, but scorn from others who said they risked bloodshed by displaying the weapons. Photos emerged as memes on both sides of the gun debate.

Gardner has not disclosed whether she intends to file charges, but several leading Republicans — including President Donald Trump, Sen. Josh Hawley and Parson — have criticized her for even deciding to investigate the couple. Parson cited Missouri's “castle doctrine” law that justifies lethal force for those protecting their homes. Hawley is seeking a U.S. Department of Justice investigation of Gardner.
--snip--

Senator Hawley claims Circuit Attorney Gardner is targeting McCloskey family, calls for civil rights

investigation.

With profound and vast disappointment, this ignorant senator of mine (in Missouri) is again ranting and raving about this supposed incident in STLMO city, about this gun touting criminals manhandling their guns and threatening peaceful protesters as they were simply walking the sidewalks (public is allowed on the sidewalks) towards their destination.

Ironically, had the two idiots (the mccloskeys) stayed either in their home or in the backyard, not a damn thing would have happened. They solely caused the incident (to drum up business for their law practice?). Many of the protesters have said that nothing happened that warranted such a threat by the mccloskeys). Note, it is very possible that some of these protesters could have been neighbors of mine simply protesting peacefully as the vast majority of protesters were. This is disgusting that these two neighbors (the mccloskeys) pulled out their guns so quickly and threatened others on the sidewalk (not in their yard, not in their house, but on a public sidewalk).

josh hawley is a disgusting political hack w/ a huge overbite problem. I'm surprised that when he talks, he can breath. kind of like rump when he mouth breaths too.

Curfew announced in STLMO from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (starting evening of June 2, 2020)

Interesting article I came across, describing attempts to fix housing shortages for lower income...

workers/families/people. I didn't realize that there was so much opposition to these attempts to expand the amount of affordable housing and/or transportation/etc. (but to be honest, I haven't really paid attention to it, since I've sold my bigger home and moved to a smaller home 1 mile away, same neighborhood)...
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Article located at:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/as-cities-try-to-fix-housing-boomers-are-radicalizing-to-stop-progress_n_5d1bcf0ee4b07f6ca58598a9

Progressive Boomers Are Making It Impossible For Cities To Fix The Housing Crisis
Residents of wealthy neighborhoods are taking extreme measures to block much-needed housing and transportation projects.

SEATTLE — In May 2018, a public meeting in a wealthy enclave of one of America’s most progressive cities devolved into a two-hour temper tantrum as longtime residents incensed about a proposed tax to fund homeless services shouted down its proponents. “Lies!” the crowd bellowed as an attendee explained that the tax would be levied on corporations, not citizens. “Shill!” “Plant!” “Phony!” they shouted as another supporter spoke. “Coward!” a man yelled at a homeless woman as she took the microphone.
These scenes are usually sparked by projects or policy changes intended to address America’s worsening housing crisis. More than 200 American cities now have median home values above $1 million. The construction of new dwellings has lagged behind the number of new households eight years in a row. Both congestion and climate change are prompting many cities to explore expanding their public transportation networks.
etc.
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The article is pretty long. I didn't want to copy it all here, as it's too long, but it's good reading and it woke me up to a situation that I didn't know was that serious of an issue. Perhaps you're seeing it in your area. I suspect that it has to do w/ massive development projects undertaken in earlier days that pretty well rode roughshod over the objections of previous city residents (the city listened to developers instead of home owners) AND the fact (in my case) that many of us brought our homes in these cities w/o any help from anyone and fixed up our homes by the tens of thousands, again, with no one else's help, and then, 20-30 years later, all of a sudden we have people coming in and telling the residents what needs to be done.

What say you? Perhaps you've seen something similar to this article in your area. Like I said, I didn't realize that this was getting to be a big issue w/ lots of cities but apparently it is, and will probably impact eventually housing prices and services (since prices are so high, who is going to buy these homes later? and services, how are you going to get workers if they have to drive quite a ways to get to their jobs in the cities?).

Wow...don't let anyone know of what you have if you have a decent collection of comics...

This is a blurb I saw on someone's collection being stolen out of a storage unit...I didn't reproduce the entire article here, just the first 3 sentences or so, but I thought it was a reminder to the rest of us to be careful in letting others know of what you may have in the way of collections. Be careful!! You never know who exactly you're talking to (or those who know about the collection go talking to others you don't even know about. so sad. SWBTATTReg
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Over $100K in Comic Books Stolen From Storage Unit
By NICOLE DRUM - December 29, 2018

For one Las Vegas man, super villains don't just exist on the pages of comic books. They exist in real life as well and one is responsible for the theft of $100,000 worth of comic books. According to News 3 Las Vegas, two suspects broke into Daniel Ballard's Life Storage unit on Thursday, December 27 and stole 12 boxes of comic books totaling around 3000 individual books, including several valuable issues.

The crown jewel of it was the Amazing Spider-Man," Ballard said. "I had the entire run, 1-170, volume one and two. I had a lot of other issues. The first appearance of Venom, Death of Captain Stacy, and the first appearance of the Punisher."

etc.

Opps, missed original posting. Here's the DU address of first posting on DU..

https://www.democraticunderground.com/11951890

Housing crash of 2008 / Royal Bank of Scotland traders enjoying our pain...

I thought that this article in Sky News today regarding trader behavior regarding the buying of financial instruments on the housing market properties in 2008, leading up to the housing market crash as well as the stock market crash, was disgusting...

One big reason why I don't trust anyone in the financial markets at all (bankers, stock market, etc.)...and also why I don't understand why more of these persons (not just the companies) haven't been prosecuted...this post is just FYI, since I know quite a few of us went through quite a bit w/ the crisis of 2007-2008.

****************************************************************
Here's original link:

Royal Bank of Scotland Bankers Joked About Ruining US Housing Market," Sky News, Aug. 15, 2018.
https://news.sky.com/story/royal-bank-of-scotland-bankers-joked-about-ruining-us-housing-market-11473390

Royal Bank of Scotland bankers 'joked about ruining US housing market'
A US justice department report lays bare bankers and traders' disregard over their alleged misconduct that led to the 2008 crash. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) traders compared their behaviour to gangsters in "Goodfellas" and joked about ruining the US housing market in the run up to the financial crisis, it has been claimed.
A US Department of Justice report into the mis-selling of mortgage-backed securities before the 2008 banking collapse details bankers and traders' apparent disregard over their contribution to the global monetary meltdown.

It was published alongside the announcement that RBS had agreed to pay $4.9bn (£3.6bn) to settle the DoJ's probe. 15:54, UK, Wednesday 15 August 2018
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rest of article continues...

With in the increase in carbon dioxide emmissions, I was wondering...

that since plants and the like use carbon dioxide (like we humans do w/ oxygen), and back 200 million years or so (I'm being approximate here in time spans, so I may be off) oxygen levels (% of) was much higher than the 21% or so then (and trees / ferns / etc. covered the entire globe).

With the increase in CO2 levels today, are we (1) seeing higher or more vigorous plant growth, and also in conjunction at the same time, slowly increasing levels of oxygen due to the increase in plant growth?

I was curious if anyone has done a study in the relationship between plant growth and oxygen/co2 levels.

Thanks!