Mad Statists

That dog may cost you $100,000 a day

"Under the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board's draft rules, ordinary homeowners may face six years in prison and fines of $100,000 a day if they are deemed serial offenders of such new crimes as allowing sprinklers to hit the pavement, washing a car in the driveway, or, conceivably, failing to pick up dog poop promptly from their own backyards, let alone the sidewalk. Cities throughout San Diego, south Orange and southwest Riverside counties must enforce the law, and set up 24-hour hot lines for people to report violations by their neighbors." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThat dog may cost you $100,000 a day

Gov. Perry vows to drug test unemployed Texans

"Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said Tuesday that he’s throwing his support to proposals that would require applicants for unemployment benefits and food stamps to submit to a urine analysis drug screening. In addition to the drug tests being a potentially illegal search, The New York Times noted in April that only about 2 percent of applicants in Florida were denied benefits due to failed drug tests, saving just $45,780 in total, even though the program itself cost $118,140." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGov. Perry vows to drug test unemployed Texans

Judge nixes ‘possum drop’ New Year’s party in North Carolina

"A popular New Year’s celebration that draws thousands of tourists to the tiny North Carolina town of Brasstown for a party that ends in a 'possum drop' may no longer be held there, a judge ruled. The 18-year tradition in the town of 240 consisted of lowering the animal to the ground at midnight in a see-through cage decked out in Christmas garlands, like the ball that is dropped in New York’s Times Square — except the possum is alive. The judge ruled that a sportsman’s license held by Clay Logan, who hosts the event, allowed him to take the animal from the wild, but not to possess and exhibit it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJudge nixes ‘possum drop’ New Year’s party in North Carolina

Merkel booed as she praises austerity cuts in bailed-out Portugal

"Police deployed in large numbers in Lisbon, blocking off some streets and keeping at bay demonstrators who booed Merkel as she arrived at the presidential headquarters. Activists brandished banners reading: 'She wants to kill the Portuguese, she wants supremacy in Europe!'; 'Portugal is not Merkel's country'; 'Angela Merkel assassin'; and 'A European Germany yes, a German Europe no'. Demonstrators released black balloons in a sign of 'mourning' and covered several Lisbon monuments in black sheets to show their discontent." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMerkel booed as she praises austerity cuts in bailed-out Portugal

Now EU Seeks to Ban the Family

"Books which portray 'traditional' images of mothers caring for their children or fathers going out to work could be barred from schools under proposals from Brussels. An EU report claims that 'gender stereotyping' in schools influences the perception of the way boys and girls should behave and damages women's career opportunities in the future. Critics said the proposals for 'study materials' to be amended so that men and women are no longer depicted in their traditional roles would mean the withdrawal of children's classics, such as Enid Blyton's The Famous Five series, Paddington Bear or Peter Pan" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNow EU Seeks to Ban the Family

Obama’s Hammer and the Progress of The Daily Bell

"If both the political and economic legs of the US republic's three-legged 'stool' are eroding, that leaves one sturdy leg, the US military. There's no doubt in my mind that as political consensus continues to erode and the US economy continues to grow worse in many ways that the powers-that-be will lean more and more on US civil and military policing to provide 'social glue.' The US, under Obama's next four years, may become increasingly militarized and even more aggressive, if that's possible, from an interventionist standpoint. It is possible in four years time we may not recognize what the US has become." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama’s Hammer and the Progress of The Daily Bell

Kill Lists Will Continue

"What media attention there has been has focused far too narrowly on the lists maintained by the White House and National Security Council that include American citizens. The reality is that kill lists have metastasized across the government to include the Pentagon and the CIA and are symptomatic of a transformation of U.S. foreign and defense policies. They have all become part of a ten year government created master plan to confront Islamic fundamentalism worldwide using drones and special operations teams, with little or no consideration for the local conditions that have led to the rise of religious extremism nor any concern for the consequences." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKill Lists Will Continue

Fed’s Williams Says Bond Buying May Exceed $600 Billion

"Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams said the central bank may buy more than $600 billion in bonds by extending its third round of quantitative easing well into next year. The Federal Open Market Committee last month affirmed its decision in September to buy $40 billion of mortgage-backed securities each month without specifying the total size or duration of the purchases. Williams, who holds a vote on policy this year, was among the first Fed officials to advocate open- ended bond buying." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFed’s Williams Says Bond Buying May Exceed $600 Billion

Greeks clash with riot police as politicans pass austerity measures

"Conservative and socialist lawmakers from Greece's three-party coalition government voted to adopt the €18.5bn budget cuts by 2016 despite protests earlier in the day by more than 70.000 people who massed outside the parliament. Violent protesters threw fire bombs and rocks at police, who responded with stun grenades, tear gas and the first use of water cannon in Greece in years. Inside the building, lawmakers interrupted the debate as Parliament employees went on strike to protest wage cuts. Pasok leader Evangelos Venizelos announced that five of his party's deputies who voted against the measures were expelled from the party." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGreeks clash with riot police as politicans pass austerity measures

Krugman’s “Success Story”: 700,000 Strong Protest in Argentina Against Inflationist Prez

"Demonstrators marched against rising inflation, crime and corruption under President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, whose popularity has plummeted since she was re-elected last year as the economy wobbles, reports the UK's Standard. In Buenos Aires, crowds filled the Plaza de Mayo in front of the presidential palace and chanted: 'We’re not afraid.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKrugman’s “Success Story”: 700,000 Strong Protest in Argentina Against Inflationist Prez