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Flap’s Links and Comments for October 3rd on 08:00
These are my links for October 3rd from 08:00 to 12:42:
- The Bloomberg Hit Piece on the Koch Brothers – Bloomberg Markets has a print cover story on “The SECRET SINS of KOCH INDUSTRIES” (unusual capitalization and italicization choices theirs), which is plugged heavily in a long (nigh interminable) web item headlined:
“Koch Brothers Flout Law With Secret Iran Sales”
The nut of it is that, in 2008, a newly-hired Koch ethics officer discovered evidence of improper bribes paid by a French subsidiary to secure six different deals in Africa, India, and the Middle East. (I know, I know. But try to contain your shock that doing business in Africa could be anything but above-the-board.) Koch HQ then dispatched a larger investigative team that confirmed the findings and the parties responsible were terminated.
Fast-forward to over a year later: The ethics officer who first discovered the impropriety, having since been promoted, is let go for emerging performance issues. She files suit against Koch for wrongful termination, and not only loses, but is ordered to pay Koch’s legal fees. Now she’s giving quotes to Bloomberg. Unrelatedly, and this is crucial, the Koch subsidiary also had some business (which has since completely desisted) with Iran at a time when — both Bloomberg and Koch reps seem to agree — that business was perfectly legal under U.S. law. Again, the Iran business was entirely separate from the alleged bribes. But go back and look at that headline. Would you ever know?
I reached out to the Koch Industries and got this statement from general counsel Mark Holden:
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- Koch responds to Bloomberg – In an exclusive interview with Right Turn, Koch Industries general counsel Mark Holden responded to a lengthy investigative piece by Bloomberg news citing various legal incidents and allegations of wrongdoing by the industrial conglomerate owned by the billionaire Koch brothers, who have become the target, if not the obsession, of left-wing groups who take issue with their libertarian politics and political activity.
The two issues featured most prominently by the Bloomberg report, according to Holden, are rife with errors and/or are old, long-since resolved matters.
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Pretty much answers the Bloomberg attack piece….
- Do Mother and Baby Risk Factors Predict a Child’s Obesity? | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Do Mother and Baby Risk Factors Predict a Child’s Obesity?
- President 2012: South Carolina Moves GOP Primary Election to January 21 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012: South Carolina Moves GOP Primary Election to January 21 #tcot #catcot
- Social media giving small firms a boost – Laid off after 23 years in the mortgage lending business, Dede Parise couldn't find a job. So she took a marketing class to reinvent her career, and before long she turned an assignment into a company.
Parise invented the Bandee, a headband women wear while playing golf and other sports. She sells her product mostly on the Internet, working from home.
Her audience is big, and growing. In a year, using Facebook, she has parlayed her reach into 15,000 fans.
For small businesses such as Parise's, social media has become a portal to success.
"It's really important," said Parise, 49, of Weston, Fla. "It's just the way the market has gone."
No question, the use of social media by businesses is booming.
According to a recent study by EMarketers, 80% of leading companies will participate in social media marketing in 2011, nearly double the number from three years ago.
And a 2011 Social Media Marketing report by SocialMediaExaminer.com found that 90% of marketers said social media was important for their business. Eighty-eight percent said it generated more business exposure, and 72% said it increased traffic to their site.
The most commonly used social media tools, the 2011 report found, are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs, in that order.
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- Flap’s Links and Comments for October 2nd through October 3rd | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for October 2nd through October 3rd #tcot #catcot
- The Bloomberg Hit Piece on the Koch Brothers – Bloomberg Markets has a print cover story on “The SECRET SINS of KOCH INDUSTRIES” (unusual capitalization and italicization choices theirs), which is plugged heavily in a long (nigh interminable) web item headlined:
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Flap’s Links and Comments for October 2nd through October 3rd
These are my links for October 2nd through October 3rd:
- House Appropriators take a shot at ObamaCare, Labor and NLRB – The House appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services and Education is attacking funding for Obamacare, the Labor Department and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
According to subcommittee chairman, Montana Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg, the appropriations bill would prevent the Obama administration from implementing Obamacare until the Supreme Court rules on the case. It also defunds the NLRB’s attempts to implement “quickie elections” for unions and defunds implementation of the NLRB’s “poster rule,” which requires employers nationwide to hang pro-union posters in workplaces.
The “quickie elections” rule the NLRB recently passed allows unions to hold a workforce election within just seven to ten days after requesting one. For decades, unions has to wait about 45 days or longer after requesting an election to hold one. That ensured workers and the company had enough time to catch up and become fully informed on what was happening, as union leaders usually already know what’s going on because they deal with labor relations issues all the time.
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- Perry, Romney Embrace a National Right-to-Work Law – Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney both say they support a national right-to-work law.
Workers outside right-to-work states currently are obligated to pay the union fees as a condition of employment at firms that have unions, which is in accordance with the National Labor Relations Act. But the unions cannot demand membership.
"Gov. Romney … would sign a national right-to-work law if it came across his desk," Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul told TheStreet in an email.
"Governor Perry would support Senator DeMint's national right to work bill," Perry spokesman Mark Miner told TheStreet in an email.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.) introduced the National Right to Work Act in March 2011, which aimed to protect "the free choice of individuals to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities."
DeMint's state has seen a heavy labor dispute that concerns a Boeing plant in North Charleston, S.C., as the National Labor Relations Board general counsel ruled in April that Boeing's decision to build the plant represented an illegal retaliation for a 2008 strike by the International Association of Machinists at one of its plants in Everett, Wash.
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- Craig Becker and Boeing – For the last few months, Boeing has been clashing with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over its decision to locate a plant in South Carolina. The NLRB argues that the airplane manufacturer illegally moved work from union factories in Washington state to a new $1 billion facility in the right-to-work Palmetto State.
NLRB lawyers maintain this is straightforward retaliation against union workers, based on comments allegedly made by Boeing executives themselves. Business leaders have denounced this as an unprecedented bit of federal pro-union advocacy, with the House of Representatives last week voting to halt the Boeing case and others like it.
The battle may soon intensify. Federal financial disclosure forms reveal that Craig Becker, a key union-friendly vote on the NLRB, owned stock in Boeing at the beginning of this year. Becker is one of federal agency's Democratic board members.======
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- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-10-03 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-10-03 #tcot #catcot
- Obama Supporters "Occupy" DC
– YouTube – Obama Supporters "Occupy" DC
– YouTube - Flap’s Dentistry Blog: 2011 Wiggle Waggle for the Pasadena Humane Society – 2011 Wiggle Waggle for the Pasadena Humane Society
- Occupy DC Protesters Call for Re-election of Obama and for Government to Use Force to Impose Their Ideas | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Occupy DC Protesters Call for Re-election of Obama and for Government to Use Force to Impose Their Ideas #tcot #catcot
- Obama Supporters "Occupy" DC
– YouTube – I liked a @YouTube video from @adamkokesh Obama Supporters "Occupy" DC - Flap’s Links and Comments for October 1st through October 2nd | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for October 1st through October 2nd #tcot #catcot
- House Appropriators take a shot at ObamaCare, Labor and NLRB – The House appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services and Education is attacking funding for Obamacare, the Labor Department and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
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Flap’s Links and Comments for October 1st on 14:23
These are my links for October 1st from 14:23 to 20:54:
- Why Howard Schultz Is Wrong – By Carly Fiorina – Howard Schultz is a great entrepreneur, CEO, and philanthropist. I first met Howard when as fellow CEOs we were developing a partnership between Starbucks and HP. I have enormous respect and admiration for both his values and his accomplishments. But when he writes an open letter to his fellow business executives urging them to withdraw their financial support from political candidates, I believe he is wrong.
As a businessperson, I am alarmed by our current economic difficulties. Fourteen million Americans are unemployed, and six million have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer. GDP growth has flat-lined, and consumer and business confidence are falling. Our tax and regulatory structure is increasingly uncompetitive, and our educational system is failing to prepare enough of our children for work in the 21st century. In addition to all of this, recent data makes clear that fewer small businesses are being created and more of them are failing. It has always been true that new and small businesses are the engine of growth for our economy, and the first rung on the ladder of the American Dream for generations of immigrants, women, Latinos, and African Americans. We are undermining the entrepreneurial foundation of our economy. Unless we rebuild it, our standards of living cannot continue to rise.
- Wiggle Waggle Dog Walk 2011
– YouTube – I uploaded a @YouTube video Wiggle Waggle Dog Walk - Kanaal van Scobleizer
– YouTube – I subscribed to Scobleizer's channel on YouTube. - Flap’s Links and Comments for September 30th through October 1st | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for September 30th through October 1st #tcot #catcot
- California’s County Jails Brace for an Influx of Criminals » Flap’s California Blog – California’s County Jails Brace for an Influx of Criminals
- Why Howard Schultz Is Wrong – By Carly Fiorina – Howard Schultz is a great entrepreneur, CEO, and philanthropist. I first met Howard when as fellow CEOs we were developing a partnership between Starbucks and HP. I have enormous respect and admiration for both his values and his accomplishments. But when he writes an open letter to his fellow business executives urging them to withdraw their financial support from political candidates, I believe he is wrong.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for September 30th through October 1st
These are my links for September 30th through October 1st:
- Economic protesters gather at Los Angeles City Hall – Several hundred people marched on Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday to protest the nation's economic climate and encourage political involvement.
The event was organized by a group called Occupy LA, which models itself after the "leaderless resistance movement" Occupy Wall Street. The New York group has been holding a sit-in near Manhattan's financial district.
The Los Angeles protesters met in Pershing Square Saturday morning before walking to City Hall, momentarily causing minor traffic delays along Broadway. The event has drawn honks from passing motorists and no arrests.
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European style austerity protests from the LEFT are just starting…
- California and Bust – The smart money says the U.S. economy will splinter, with some states thriving, some states not, and all eyes are on California as the nightmare scenario. After a hair-raising visit with former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who explains why the Golden State has cratered, Michael Lewis goes where the buck literally stops—the local level, where the likes of San Jose mayor Chuck Reed and Vallejo ?re chief Paige Meyer are trying to avert even worse catastrophes and rethink what it means to be a society.
- Poverty rate: Poor choices in Baltimore – Nevertheless, as Charles Murray pointed out in his landmark book "Losing Ground" (1984), even if all transfers were included as income and brought many people above the poverty thresholds, "latent poverty" would remain. That is, if welfare payments were taken away, people would return to poverty. Welfare alone cannot create wealth. Economic growth is the only sure way to reduce dependence and poverty.
Just look at China. Since 1978, when it began its march toward the market, China has achieved the world's highest sustained rate of economic growth and allowed several hundred million people to lift themselves out of absolute poverty.
Counting noncash benefits of those living in poverty in Baltimore would reduce "poverty" but not free people from welfare. A huge underclass has captured politicians for their cause of maintaining and increasing transfers rather than limiting the size and scope of government to make people more responsible and foster economic growth.
No one could say that the poor in Baltimore today are less well-off materially than 50 or 100 years ago. Indeed, if one looks at personal consumption expenditures — a better measure of one's living standard than pre-tax money income — one finds that official figures significantly overstate the extent of poverty.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in 2009, consumer expenditures for the lowest fifth of income earners were more than twice as high as before-tax income (which includes cash transfers and food stamps). Average annual consumption expenditures were $21,611 for the lowest quintile, while income was $9,846.
This disparity is due to underreporting of income, outside financial assistance, loans and other factors. If poverty is better measured by one's consumption rather than income, then Baltimore's 25 percent poverty rate is misleading.
Most "poor" households now have a TV, air conditioning, enough food and medical care. Many have Internet access and a cell phone (subsidized by the federal government). What they don't have is a safe environment, two parents and choice in education.
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-10-01 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-10-01 #tcot #catcot
- Michael Lewis: California and Bust | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – An excellent read about Arnold and California's economic and governance problems:
- t.co / Twitter – RT @FHQ: Final Presidential Primary Calendar Will Not Be Set Until After October 22: Nevada is the new Florida.
Now that … … - CA-30: GOP Join the Clash of the Titans Rep Howard Berman Vs. Rep. Brad Sherman » Flap’s California Blog – California congressional races are already starting to heat up….
: - Poll Watch: Two-thirds of Californians Support the Death Penalty » Flap’s California Blog – No Justice YET for Terri Lynn Winchell. Come on California enforce the law!
: - Flap’s Dentistry Blog: Dental Patient Murders Dentist Over Treatment Dispute – Sometimes MORE customer service is better than less….:
- President 2012 Poll Watch: Romney 44% Vs. Obama 42% and Obama 44% Vs. Christie 43% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Not a bad first poll for Governor Christie but is the GOP ready for another moderate?
: - Dilbert September 29, 2011 – Talk to the Hand » Flap’s California Blog – Dilbert September 29, 2011 – Talk to the Hand
- Day By Day September 30, 2011 – Brave Sir Robbin’ | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Chris Muir's comment on Obama's "Spreading the Wealth Around"……:
- Flap’s Links and Comments for September 29th through September 30th | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for September 29th through September 30th #tcot #catcot
- Economic protesters gather at Los Angeles City Hall – Several hundred people marched on Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday to protest the nation's economic climate and encourage political involvement.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for September 29th through September 30th
These are my links for September 29th through September 30th:
- Why I’m liking Perry better than Romney – With three months remaining in 2011, and the presidential race firming up, I've spent a lot of time recently thnking about the respective candidates, their pros and cons, and who I would feel most comfortable supporting. The reality is, I think we're going to be looking at a Perry-Romney showdown, when push comes to shove. And in that context, it's pretty clear at this point to me that I'm in the Perry camp.
I've had some people ask me why that is recently. I originally became known in the blogosphere for being a squishy moderate/squishy libertarian, and some people seem to see that as consistent with preferring Romney to Perry, if those are the choices. So on a relatively quiet Friday, I figured I'd take a minute and spell it out, especially since reasons #1 and #2 are topical and in the news today.
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-30 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-30 #tcot #catcot
- Flap’s Links and Comments for September 29th on 09:07 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for September 29th on 09:07 #tcot #catcot
- Why I’m liking Perry better than Romney – With three months remaining in 2011, and the presidential race firming up, I've spent a lot of time recently thnking about the respective candidates, their pros and cons, and who I would feel most comfortable supporting. The reality is, I think we're going to be looking at a Perry-Romney showdown, when push comes to shove. And in that context, it's pretty clear at this point to me that I'm in the Perry camp.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for September 28th through September 29th
These are my links for September 28th through September 29th:
- Liberal group sues FCC, claiming net-neutrality rules unfair to wireless – Free Press, a liberal advocacy group, sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday, arguing its recently published net-neutrality rules do not do enough to protect wireless Internet access.
The rules prevent Internet service providers from discriminating between two similar content providers by slowing down or speeding up access to their sites. Wireless carriers are banned from blocking lawful websites or applications that compete with their services.
The commission approved the rules last December in a partisan vote, and conservatives have characterized the move as an attempt to regulate the Internet.
But Free Press argues the rules do not go far enough.
Its lawsuit alleges the rules arbitrarily provide less protection for wireless Internet access, such as through smartphones, than traditional wired Internet access.
“Our challenge will show that there is no evidence in the record to justify this arbitrary distinction between wired and wireless Internet access," Free Press policy director Matt Wood said in a news release. "The disparity that the FCC's rules create is unjust and unjustified. And it's especially problematic because of the increasing popularity of wireless, along with its increasing importance for younger demographics and diverse populations who rely on mobile devices as their primary means for getting online."
The petition asks a federal court to find that the rules are "arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion or otherwise contrary to law."
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Incredible – not enough of a power grab.
- Social media jobs getting more plentiful – Like many people, Evan Cunningham spends time on Facebook and Twitter while at the office. He sends out party invitations or chats about beer.
But unlike most people, he gets paid for it. And he gets a title.
Cunningham's job is one of the newest in corporate America: social media manager. It's also known, depending on the company, as social media wizard, social media ninja, social media diva or just plain online communities manager.
No matter what they're called, experts in marketing a company's name and wares on social network sites — such as Facebook, Twitter and special interest forums — are in demand.
"This was the year when companies large and small began to realize the importance of social media, and there has been lots of investment in social media," said Augie Ray, a former Forrester Research analyst who now handles social media for insurance group USAA.
No one knows exactly how many social media jobs exist, but a quick scan of online recruitment sites shows a bounty of businesses looking to hire.
"On any given week, we may see hundreds of new social media jobs posted," said Kathy O'Reilly, director of social media relations for job recruitment site Monster.
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-29 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-29 #tcot #catcot
- Superman Vs. Warm Body – In Defense of Rick Perry – One of the problems in trying to select a leader for any large organization or institution is the tendency to start out looking for Superman, passing up many good people who fail to meet that standard, and eventually ending up settling for a warm body.
Some Republicans seem to be longing for another Ronald Reagan. Good luck on that one, unless you are prepared to wait for several generations. Moreover, even Ronald Reagan himself did not always act like Ronald Reagan.
The current outbreak of "gotcha" attacks on Texas Governor Rick Perry show one of the other pitfalls for those who are trying to pick a national leader. The three big sound-bite issues used against him during the TV "debates" have involved Social Security, immigration and a vaccine against cervical cancer.
Where these three issues have been discussed at length, whether in a few media accounts or in Governor Perry's own more extended discussions in an interview on Sean Hannity's program, his position was far more reasonable than it appeared to be in either his opponents' sound bites or even in his own abbreviated accounts during the limited time available in the TV "debate" format.
On Social Security, Governor Perry was not only right to call it a "Ponzi scheme," but was also right to point out that this did not mean welshing on the government's obligation to continue paying retirees what they had been promised.
Even those of us who still disagree with particular decisions made by Governor Perry can see some of those decisions as simply the errors of a decent man who realized that he was faced not with a theory but with a situation.
For example, the ability to save young people from cervical cancer with a stroke of a pen was a temptation that any decent and humane individual would find hard to resist, even if Governor Perry himself now admits to second thoughts about how it was done.
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- Frontloading HQ: Alaska GOP to Hold March 6 District Conventions – RT @FHQ: Alaska GOP to Hold March 6 District Conventions:
- President 2012: Herman Cain – “I Couldn’t Support Rick Perry as GOP Nominee Today” | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012: Herman Cain – “I Couldn’t Support Rick Perry as GOP Nominee Today #tcot #catcot
- Why Rick Perry should take his immigration problem very seriously | The Daily Caller – Why Rick Perry should take his immigration problem very seriously #tcot #teaparty
- Flap’s Links and Comments for September 28th on 12:17 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for September 28th on 12:17 #tcot #catcot
- Liberal group sues FCC, claiming net-neutrality rules unfair to wireless – Free Press, a liberal advocacy group, sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday, arguing its recently published net-neutrality rules do not do enough to protect wireless Internet access.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for September 23rd through September 26th
These are my links for September 23rd through September 26th:
- Here comes another Koch/Tea Party smear – Evidence was found four years ago that other KGF employees had paid bribes to obtain business. An investigation was begun, and Egorova-Farines was one of the investigators. Ultimately, more than two dozen people were either terminated or allowed to resign.
Koch USA officials say they were as surprised and angered as anybody else when they were first apprised of the bribery allegations, and moved as quickly as possible to get to the bottom of the situation and fix it.
But, during this period, Egorova-Farines grew progressively unhappy with KGF, allegations of discrimination were lodged, and her case went to the Employment Tribunal of Paris.
All of Egorova-Farines' claims were dismissed. She appealed and the decision was overturned on a technicality. KGF and Egorova-Farines then settled out of court.
I spent a lot of my reporting years working with whistleblowers, mainly within the government, and generally find them admirable. But, like the rest of us, they're just human and can have very mixed motives, of which careful journalists must always be aware.
A former U.S. government official of my acquaintance was approached recently by one of the Bloomberg reporters working on a Koch investigative piece. After some conversation about the French case, the reporter said, "the other interesting thing here is Koch has strong ties to the Tea Party."
When the official asked what the Tea Party had to do with French bribery allegations, the reporter dropped the topic.
I've also had occasion to meet a lot of Bloomberg journalists over the years and have been unfailingly impressed by their professionalism. But they're human, too, and can make mistakes.
Joining the rampant Koch-bashing would be a mistake.
- Koch addicts seek another hit – As The Washington Examiner reported last week, Bloomberg Markets appears to be on the verge of dropping a lengthy treatise on the Kansas-based energy conglomerate Koch Industries.
According to an individual interviewed by Bloomberg (who spoke to me on the condition of anonymity), much of the focus will likely be devoted to re-litigating past legal peccadilloes. But the piece may also reveal at least one previously unreported controversy: Koch Industries’ connection to the sale of petroleum industry equipment in Iran in the early-to-mid 2000s.
Koch currently has a policy prohibiting its subsidiaries from doing business in Iran, and the past sales (some of which likely involved state-owned Iranian companies) appear to have been conducted by a foreign subsidiary of a subsidiary of Koch.
Still, this comes on the heels of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech to the UN General Assembly — and at a time when Tehran’s nuclear ambitions are receiving increased attention.
All of this, of course, means the story could provide political fodder to Koch’s political enemies — which are legion. (In 2005, you might recall, Halliburton, the company once run by former Vice President Dick Cheney, also came under fire for doing business in Iran.)
In reality, the revelation isn’t terribly newsworthy. While U.S. law bans American companies from making direct sales in Iran, foreign subsidiaries of multinational corporations may do so under certain circumstances. And many of them do.
Dozens of multinational companies — including household names like General Electric, Exxon Mobil, Hewlett Packard, Caterpillar, and Honeywell — conducted business in Iran during the time period. For example, a 2010 New York Times analysis identified 74 corporations — many of whom received government contracts — that have conducted business in Iran over the last decade.
Regardless of whether or not one finds this troubling, the fact that the practice was ubiquitous raises an obvious question: Why is Bloomberg singling out Koch?
The answer seems pretty obvious.
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- Ryan to put ‘replace’ back in ‘repeal and replace’ | Campaign 2012 – Ryan to put 'replace' back in 'repeal and replace' | Campaign 2012
- foursquare – 10 miles and now Breakfast at Ronnie's with Alice and Tara (@ Ronnie's Diner)
- Untitled (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dKap5IWFQ8c/Tn3EPSyF02I/AAAAAAAAATg/9blXVHx-dB4/CIMG0150.jpg) – Off soon to LA Marathon training with LA Roadrunners for 10 easy miles. Ronnie's Diner after.
: - @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-24 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-24 #tcot #catcot
- Ryan to put ‘replace’ back in ‘repeal and replace’ | Campaign 2012 – Ryan to put 'replace' back in 'repeal and replace' | Campaign 2012
- (500) http://flapsblog.org/2011/09/23/dilbert-september-23-2011-listen/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter – Dilbert September 23, 2011 – Listen
- Ryan to put ‘replace’ back in ‘repeal and replace’ | Campaign 2012 – RT @philipaklein: RT @conncarroll: @RepPaulRyan will give major speech outlining alternative to Obamacare Tuesday
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: Los Angeles Roadrunners: My Saturday Mornings for the Next Six Months – Los Angeles Roadrunners: My Saturday Mornings for the Next Six Months
- Poll Watch: Obama Rated Same or Worse Than Bush – Obama Much Worse Than Clinton | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Poll Watch: Obama Rated Same or Worse Than Bush – Obama Much Worse Than Clinton #tcot #catcot
- 43% of Twitter Users Access Twitter From a Mobile Phone [Data] – 43% of Twitter Users Access Twitter From a Mobile Phone
- 43% of Twitter Users Access Twitter From a Mobile Phone – The latest data on mobile phone usage is out, and the numbers show that mobile isn't slowing down. And where inbound marketing is concerned, some of the key mobile data centers around how people are using their phones to access content and social media.
MarketingCharts' mobile research has found that people are increasingly using their mobile phones to access content on browsers, apps, and social networks:
In March 2011, nearly 39% of US mobile subscribers were browsing the internet using their mobile device. That's up by 2.2 percentage points from just 3 months prior.
Mobile apps are almost as popular as browsers; 37% of subscribers used downloaded apps.
Subscribers are also increasingly using social networks on their phones. In March, 27.3% indicated they used a social network on their mobile phone, up from 24.7% just 3 months prior. - Flap’s California Morning Collection: September 23, 2011 » Flap’s California Blog – Flap’s California Morning Collection: September 23, 2011
- Flap’s Links and Comments for September 20th through September 23rd | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for September 20th through September 23rd #tcot #catcot
- Here comes another Koch/Tea Party smear – Evidence was found four years ago that other KGF employees had paid bribes to obtain business. An investigation was begun, and Egorova-Farines was one of the investigators. Ultimately, more than two dozen people were either terminated or allowed to resign.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for September 20th through September 23rd
These are my links for September 20th through September 23rd:
- South Carolina Boeing factory turns sour for Obama – In many ways, Boeing should be a boon to President Barack Obama. In a faltering economy, the aerospace titan opened a $750 million factory in South Carolina and hired thousands of workers to build the world’s most fuel-efficient commercial jet.
But instead, it’s become a drag on his job creation agenda and a boon for candidates seeking the GOP presidential nomination.
In a case that has become a cause célèbre among Republican lawmakers and 2012 hopefuls, the National Labor Relations Board has accused Boeing of opening its South Carolina shop in a “right-to-work” state to retaliate against union worker strikes at its main manufacturing base in the Seattle area. An Obama appointee is now asking a judge to order Boeing to relocate all 787 Dreamliner production to Washington state — a move that’s feeding the GOP narrative that Obama’s Big Government is meddling with job creation, just as the first plane nears its first commercial flight.
“It’s like a lightning rod,” said Gary Chaison, an industrial relations professor at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. “The Boeing case is so dramatic. All the anti-union forces and all anti-Obama people are coalescing.”
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- Challenging the NLRB: Pushing back – As the Obama-anointed National Labor Relations Board pushes its unrelenting pro-union agenda, manufacturers and businesses aren't waiting for Congress to act before pushing back.
The National Association of Manufacturers, 11,000 members strong, is suing the NLRB in U.S. District Court over a union-toadying regulation that, effective Nov. 14, requires most businesses to post notices informing workers of their right to unionize.
NAM President Jay Timmons tells The Hill newspaper that the NLRB is acting outside its authority to aggressively "insert itself in the day-to-day decisions of businesses."
And with the National Federation of Independent Business, the manufacturers group has launched an ad campaign urging Congress to stem the NLRB's meddling in where businesses choose to operate. This, in response to the board's crusade against Boeing's decision to build a new jetliner factory in right-to-work South Carolina.
The business groups' timing couldn't be more apropos. As President Obama shifts into overdrive urging businesses to hire, they've responded with a clarion call of their own for Mr. Obama and his NLRB enforcers: "Get off our backs!"
What's clear from this rebuke is that Obama's pander to Big Labor via the NLRB won't carry him or his big-spending jobs scheme.
- NLRB Has Busy Week on Defense – The folks at the National Labor Relations Board could be forgiven for feeling like pinatas this week.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Monday sued to block an NLRB rule requiring employers to post notice about unionization rights. Rep. Austin Scott (R., Ga.) on Wednesday introduced a bill, the Protecting American Jobs Act, to strip the agency of its judicial powers and send certain cases straight to federal court. That would “depoliticize” the agency, Mr. Scott said.
On Thursday, it was time for a fourth House hearing to scrutinize the board. Rep. John Kline (R., Minn.), chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, said the board’s aim was to “expand the power of big labor … whatever the costs to the American people.”
The panel’s top Democrat, Rep. George Miller of California, sounded weary. “This hearing has pointed out a number of redundancies of previous hearings,” he said.
The hearing included discussion of several labor-friendly rulings the NLRB made last month (see this WSJ story) and the agency’s allegations against Boeing Co. involving nonunion jobs at the plane maker’s South Carolina plant.
Mr. Kline said Republicans won’t cease attacks on an agency that he said is boosting employer costs and discouraging job creation.
The NLRB’s recently appointed chairman, Mark Pearce, issued a statement shortly after the hearing saying the board is working “in a fair and even-handed way” to “protect worker free choice, promote collective bargaining and preserve labor peace.”
- Who Benefited from Job Growth In Texas? – This analysis shows that job growth was significant in Texas. But, depending on how one calculates the impact of immigration, between 2007, before the recession began, and 2011 more than three-quarters or more than half of that growth went to immigrants. This is the case even though the native-born accounted for more than two-thirds of the growth in the working-age population. Some may argue that it was because so many immigrants arrived in Texas that there was job growth in the state. But if immigration does stimulate job growth for natives, the numbers in Texas would be expected to look very different. The unemployment rate and the employment rate show a dramatic deterioration in the Texas for the native-born that was similar to the rest of the country. Moreover, if immigration does stimulate job growth for natives, why have states that received so many new immigrants done so poorly in recent years? (See Table 2.) For example, unemployment in the top-10 immigrant-receiving states in 2011 averaged 8.7 percent, compared to 8.1 percent in the other 40 states. Moreover, unemployment is 7.2 percent on average in the 10 states where the fewest immigrants arrived since 2007. These figures do not settle the debate over the economics of immigration. What they do show is that high immigration can go hand in hand with very negative labor market outcomes for the native-born. And conversely the native-born can do relatively well in areas of lower immigration.
There is a long and complex debate among economists about whether the native-born population benefits economically from immigration, which cannot be settled here. There is also significant debate about whether the impact of immigration can be measured by comparing different parts of the country that have varying levels of immigration. What we can say about Texas is that there has been significant job growth in the state since 2007, and that immigrants (particularly newly arrived non-citizens) were the primary beneficiaries of this growth. This is an important finding and should be part of any discussion of the performance of the Texas economy.
- President 2012: Fox News/ Google Sponsored GOP Debate at 6 PM PDT | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – GOP Presidential debate sponsored by Google and Fox News coming up at 6 PM
: - Dilbert September 22, 2011 – Eternity » Flap’s California Blog – Not the wedgie for eternity…….
: - Daniels Pushing Christie Presidential Run | The Weekly Standard – RT @weeklystandard: Daniels Pushing Christie Run: Via Politico, the AP reports: Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey
- Texas Republicans warming up to Perry bid – Public Policy Polling – RT @ppppolls: Perry leads the GOP field in TX with 49% to 10% for Romney, 8% 4 Gingrich, 7% 4 Bachmann/Paul/Cain:
- Cigarette Makers Go to Federal Court Over FDA Graphic Warning Ads | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Should the Food and Drug Administration be limited to text only warnings?:
- Meg Whitman Expected to Be Named Hewlett-Packard CEO After Markets Close Today » Flap’s California Blog – eMeg going to Hewlett-Packard. Wonder what Carly Fiorina thinks?:
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: The Morning Drill: September 22, 2011 – Today's health and dental headlines…..:
- Facebook Live with House Republican Leaders
– YouTube – Nice RT @katieharbath: Video: Young Guns on their visit Monday to Facebook: - Romney: Palin Candidacy ‘Would Be a Good Thing’ – Washington Wire – WSJ – Why of course – for Romney RT @WSJWashington: Romney: Palin Candidacy ‘Would Be a Good Thing’ #tcot
- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Now Wealthier Than Google Founders – Wow! RT @mashable: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Now Wealthier Than Google Founders –
- President 2012 Poll Watch: More Voters Like Mitt Romney Than President Obama or Rick Perry | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Another good poll for Mitt Romney and points to his electability.:
- Facebook and the ‘Like Me’ Election – BusinessWeek – And, the Google Plus Circle election coming?
: - Untitled (http://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/AW08qK0GhHs/hqdefault.jpg) – A very good political ad from Ron Paul…..
: - President 2012 GOP Florida Poll Watch: Perry 31% Vs. Romney 22% But Romney 47% Vs. Obama 40% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Perry Leads Romney in Florida But Romney Leads Obama – tonight's debate a decider?:
- Day By Day September 22, 2011 – Burn Notice | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The McGinniss book on Sarah Palin is the REAL burn…..:
- Issa endorses Romney – The Hill’s Ballot Box – RT @thehill Rep. Issa endorses Mitt Romney
#cagop #catcot #tcot - Intrade – Sarah Palin to be Republican Presidential Nominee in 2012 is 8.8% probable – RT @JimPethokoukis: Growl! | Sarah Palin 2012 contract on Intrade rockets 226% to 20.9% Romney 36.5% , Perry 33.8%
- CA-Sen: Michael Reagan Says He Is NOT Considering A Run for U.S. Senate » Flap’s California Blog – CA-Sen: Michael Reagan Says He Is NOT Considering A Run for U.S. Senate
- Dilbert September 21, 2011 – Fail » Flap’s California Blog – Dilbert September 21, 2011 – Fail
- Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. – Newsroom – California Governor Jerry Brown took action on the following bills today: #catcot #cagop
- Poll Watch: Americans By a Small Majority Blame Obama for the Economy – But Still Blame Bush More | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Poll Watch: Americans By a Small Majority Blame Obama for the Economy – But Still Blame Bush More #tcot #catcot
- Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman to Hewlett-Packard? » Flap’s California Blog – Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman to Hewlett-Packard?
- Ventura County Star Poll: Should Rep. Elton Gallegly Retire? The Results = NO | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The results are pretty clear: Rep. Elton Gallegly should NOT retire from the House in 2012.:
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: Jeff Galloway: Why is the Half Marathon So Popular? – I like the Half Marathon – Marathons too!:
- President 2012 GOP Poll Watch: Rick Perry 28% Vs. Mitt Romney 24% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Perry is up only by 4 points in this national poll. Rest of the candidates start to fade.:
- Does Cessation of Smoking Boost Everyday Memory? | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Does Cessation of Smoking Boost Everyday Memory?
- Untitled (http://www.vcstar.com/) – Hey Tweeps and FB's go here and vote NO on a Rep. Elton Gallegly retirement (half way down the page): #cagop #catcot
- Gregory Flap Cole – Google+ – Tweeps – please add @Flap to your Google Plus circles: and Facebook: #tcot #teaparty #catcot
- Ventura County Star Poll: Should Rep. Elton Gallegly Retire? Vote NO | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Vote NO on a Rep. Elton Gallegly retirement. Go to the Ventura County Star and vote.:
- Video: President Obama’s Summer Assault on American Jobs | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Video: President Obama’s Summer Assault on American Jobs #tcot #catcot
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: The Morning Drill: September 21, 2011 – A collection of dentistry and health related links/comments for your day.
: - Flap’s California Morning Collection September 21, 2011 » Flap’s California Blog – Flap’s California Morning Collection September 21, 2011
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: Gregory Flap Cole on Social Media: September 21, 2011 Edition – Gregory Flap Cole on Social Media: September 21, 2011 Edition
- President 2012 GOP Florida Poll Watch: Rick Perry 25% Vs. Mitt Romney 25% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Latest GOP Poll in Florida and we are all tied up….:
- Day By Day September 21, 2011 – Never Again | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Is Sarah Palin in or out? We will know soon = October 1:
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-21 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-21 #tcot #catcot
- President 2012 Poll Watch: Obama 49% Vs Palin 44% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – By a margin of 49 percent to 36 percent, voters said they definitely plan to vote against Obama -one term President
: - California # 1 on Worst Business Climate List Again » Flap’s California Blog – California # 1 on Worst Business Climate List Again
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: Can the Use of Dietary Supplements Cause Athletes to Fail Drug Tests? – Can the Use of Dietary Supplements Cause Athletes to Fail Drug Tests?
- Gregory Flap Cole on Social Media: September 20, 2011 Edition | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Gregory Flap Cole on Social Media: September 20, 2011 Edition
- Gregory Flap Cole on Social Media: September 20, 2011 Edition | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Gregory Flap Cole on Social Media: September 20, 2011 Edition #tcot #catcot
- Robert Scoble – Google+ – Why I am still betting my future on Google+
If you haven’t…
– Why I am still betting my future on Google+If you haven't noticed yet, my blog at isn't the sa… - Scobleizer — Searching for world-changing technology – Why I am still betting my future on Google+If you haven't noticed yet, my blog at isn't the sa…
- Gregory Flap Cole – Google+ – Wow! Starbucks AND Angry Birds! – Wow! Starbucks AND Angry Birds!
- Robert Scoble – Google+ – Facebook just announced new features
These have deep…
– Facebook just announced new featuresThese have deep implications for the war over our social behaviors I call the "G.. - Gregory Flap Cole – Google+ – Everyone can join Google Plus now: Add me to your circles here: #tcot #teaparty
- South Carolina Boeing factory turns sour for Obama – In many ways, Boeing should be a boon to President Barack Obama. In a faltering economy, the aerospace titan opened a $750 million factory in South Carolina and hired thousands of workers to build the world’s most fuel-efficient commercial jet.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for September 19th through September 20th
These are my links for September 19th through September 20th:
- Highlights from the Full Tilt Ponzi Lawsuit – WSJ – As our colleague Alexandra Berzon is reporting, the government today said online-poker website Full Tilt cheated players out of their money. In part, an amended lawsuit from the government said Full Tilt claimed to hold money from players’ bank accounts that was being used instead to pay profits to Full Tilt’s owners and for other purposes.
Here are a few highlights from the government complaint. (And read the government’s amended lawsuit here):
* Disguised payments from banks: “The principals of the Poker Companies…deceived or directed others to deceive United States banks and financial institutions into processing billions of dollars in payments for the Poker Companies, by, among other things, arranging for the money received from United States gamblers to be disguised as payments to hundreds of non-existent online merchants and other non-gambling businesses…” the lawsuit said.
In part, the lawsuit says some of the defendants tricked Visa and Mastercard — which had blocked payments to gambling sites — by directing “others to apply incorrect transaction codes…and create the false appearance that the transactions were completely unrelated to internet gambling.” The lawsuit says an Absolute Poker document from 2007 identified 20 Internet shopping websites — including petfoodstore.biz and bedding-superstore.tv — used as fronts for credit-card transactions.
* Shifting money: “[I]n or about the summer of 2010, Full Tilt Poker’s payment processing channels were so disrupted that the company faced increasing difficulty attempting to collect funds from players in the United States. Rather than disclose this fact, Full Tilt Poker simply credited players’ online gambling accounts with money that had never actually been collected from the players’ bank accounts. Full Tilt Poker allowed players to gamble with — and lose to other players — this phantom money that Full Tilt Poker never actually collected or possessed.”
- U.S. Chamber Sues NLRB to Block Notification Rule – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce today filed a lawsuit against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) challenging the Board’s new rule requiring businesses to post notices explaining employees' rights to unionize. The Chamber’s lawsuit alleges that the misguided NLRB rule violates federal labor and regulatory laws as well as the First Amendment. The case, Chamber of Commerce, et al. v. National Labor Relations Board, et al. is in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina.
“The NLRB has no authority to impose any of these requirements,” said Robin Conrad, executive vice president of the National Chamber Litigation Center, the Chamber’s public policy law firm. “This is nothing more than labor regulation run amok. Adding insult to injury, the Board’s new rule violates the First Amendment by forcing employers to use their own resources to post the NLRB’s pro-union message on the company’s own property.”
The Chamber’s lawsuit alleges that the NLRB’s final rule regarding Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (“Notification Rule”) violates the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), and the First Amendment. Significantly, the rule creates a new “unfair labor practice,” exposing businesses to significant and costly liability for failure to comply. The Rule — which applies to virtually all private employers in the United States — becomes effective on November 14, 2011.
“At a time when the private sector is striving to create desperately needed new jobs, it is disappointing to see that the NLRB is imposing new and unnecessary regulations on employers,” said Randy Johnson, the Chamber’s senior vice president for Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits. “The latest rule is part of the NLRB’s pattern of tipping the scale in favor of unions, at the expense of employers and employees alike.”
According to the Chamber’s lawsuit:
• Nowhere does the NLRA give the NLRB authority to coerce employers to post such notifications, or to impose onerous penalties for those who fail to post the notices.
• In violation of the APA, the rule arbitrarily and capriciously excludes from the mandatory notice a description the fundamental rights of employees to be free of compulsory union membership and compulsory union dues.
• The NLRB violated the RFA by failing to properly assess the significant economic impact the rule would have on small businesses.
• The rule violates the First Amendment by compelling employers to post the NLRB’s ideological views on unionizing. - Feds Call Full Tilt Poker A Massive Ponzi Scheme – Manhattan’s U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara claimed on Tuesday that Full Tilt Poker and its board of directors operated the company “as a massive Ponzi scheme against its own players.”
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan said on Tuesday they were filing legal papers as part of a civil money laundering complaint that alleged Full Tilt Poker improperly used funds of online poker players to pay members of its board of directors, including famous poker players Howard Lederer and Christopher “Jesus” Ferguson, $440 million since April 2007.
Bharara announced the filing of a motion to amend a forfeiture and civil money laundering complaint that was filed in April, alleging that Full Tilt and board members Lederer, Ferguson and Rafael Furst, together with Full Tilt CEO Ray Bitar, defrauded poker players out of some $300 million by not maintaining funds at the company sufficient to repay players.
“Full Tilt was not a legitimate poker company, but a global Ponzi scheme,” Bharara said in a statement. “Full Tilt insiders lined their own pockets with funds picked from the pockets of their most loyal customers while blithely lying to both players and the public alike about the safety and security of the money deposited.”
Federal prosecutors have drawn up an amended complaint that names Bitar, Lederer, Ferguson and Furst, adding them to the original complaint which was filed seeking $3 billion from Full Tilt Poker and an unrelated poker company, PokerStars. The proposed amended complaint claims that in 2008 and 2009 Full Tilt sent emails to its players and posted messages on online poker message boards, assuring players that “unlike some companies in our industry, we completely understand and accept that your account money belongs to you, not Full Tilt Poker.” But the new complaint claims that the company did not have enough funds to repay players and that by March 31 Full Tilt only had $60 million or so in its bank accounts while owing $390 million to players around the world, including $150 million in the U.S.
Federal prosecutors claim that Full Tilt’s board members got rich because the company used player funds to pay them massive amounts of money that largely was transferred to their accounts in Switzerland and other overseas locations. Specifically, the feds allege that Bitar pocketed $41 million and Lederer got $42 million. Jesus Ferguson allegedly was allocated $87 million in distributions and received at least $25 million, federal prosecutors claim.
- Want to Ditch the Twinkies and Other High Caloric Food – Feed Your Brain? | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Want to ditch the Twinkies? Here is an easy way to do it…..sort of…..:
- Flap’s California Morning Collection: September 20, 2011 » Flap’s California Blog – Flap’s California Morning Collection: September 20, 2011
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: Report: More Testing Needed at Dayton VA Medical Center Over Infection Control Dental Clinic Flap – The Dayton VA Medical Center Dental Clinic Flap continues…..:
- Shocker: Obama and Buffett Are Wrong on Tax Rates Paid By Millionaires | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Shocker: Obama and Buffett Are Wrong on Tax Rates Paid By Millionaires #tcot #catcot
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-20 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-20 #tcot #catcot
- President 2012 Poll Watch: Romney 49% Vs Obama 47%, Obama 50% Vs. Perry 45% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012 Poll Watch: Romney 49% Vs Obama 47%, Obama 50% Vs. Perry 45%:
- NV-Sen: Dean Heller 48% Vs. Shelly Barkley 42% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – NV-Sen: Dean Heller 48% Vs. Shelly Barkley 42% #tcot #catcot
- Flap’s Links and Comments for September 19th on 08:25 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for September 19th on 08:25 #tcot #catcot
- Overstock.com Not Pleased with Amazon.com California Internet Sales Tax Legislative Compromise » Flap’s California Blog – Overstock.com Not Pleased with Amazon.com California Internet Sales Tax Legislative Compromise
- Does Diabetes Increase Alzheimer’s Disease Risk? | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Does Diabetes Increase Alzheimer’s Disease Risk?
- Highlights from the Full Tilt Ponzi Lawsuit – WSJ – As our colleague Alexandra Berzon is reporting, the government today said online-poker website Full Tilt cheated players out of their money. In part, an amended lawsuit from the government said Full Tilt claimed to hold money from players’ bank accounts that was being used instead to pay profits to Full Tilt’s owners and for other purposes.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for September 19th on 08:25
These are my links for September 19th from 08:25 to 14:27:
- It’s Politics: Assemblyman Donnelly braves ‘Daily Show’ – Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Hesperia, bravely welcomed John Oliver and crew from "The Daily Show" to his office Wednesday to talk direct democracy, taxes and, for perhaps the first time, only a little immigration.
"They're very interested in direct democracy," Donnelly said. "Obviously with the governor saying he will sign the DREAM Act, I plan to referend (sic) it. So that plus my focus on the Amazon tax attracted their attention."
Donnelly acknowledged he's never seen the show before and so perhaps is unprepared for what Oliver and the editors plan to do to him in post production, but he wanted to get his message out.
"People say why in the world would you go on a comedy show where they make fun of you and try to make you look stupid?" Donnelly asked. "We always hear people talking about `we need to go after the youth vote, we need to get our message out…' They have 14 million viewers. I think there's some things that (despite) the comedy, sometimes the message gets through," Donnelly said.
And that message?
"That people are absolutely sick and tired of illegal taxes. The Amazon tax is illegal. And the fire tax is illegal and unconstitutional, according to California's constitution. And here in California they cry the blues and say we don't have any money, but somehow we came up with $40 million to pay for people here illegally to go to college."
- (500) http://flapsblog.com/2011/09/19/president-2012-left-vows-to-challenge-president-obama-in-democratic-party-primary-elections/ – Relax folks it is only Ralph Nader…..:
- Solyndra Loan: Felony Dumb – Democrats at last week’s hearing accused Republicans of being “science-deniers” attempting to exploit Solyndra’s failure in order to discredit the entire “green” industry. But in Bilbray’s case especially, those claims couldn’t be any more off-base. As a self-professed supporter of solar energy who thinks tapping Steven Chu for secretary of energy was “probably one of the best choices this president has made,” Bilbray is not the Republican caricature the other side likes to portray. In fact, Bilbray shares Democrats’ concerns that the Solyndra debacle could end up setting back the solar industry, though for slightly different reasons.
At this point, Bilbray remains unconvinced that the Solyndra case involves “conscious corruption” on the part of the administration. “I see it as being a much deeper problem,” he says. “And that is a naivety of approaching science as if it’s a theology — green technology is all good, it’s all going to be great and it’s all going to make money. It’s this blind faith that green technology, no matter what it is, is going to be a boon, that is the greatest threat for future solar.”
It is eerily reminiscent, he adds, of the zealous frenzy in the past over alternative fuels like ethanol. “Now everybody except the people who have sold their souls knows what a disaster that has been,” he says. So while the administration may not have committed an actual crime with respect to its involvement with Solyndra, they certainly made some appalling decisions. “They were felony dumb,” Bilbray says. “What scares me is, how many other projects are being pushed by a political perception that it is good for politics and that it will always work out?”
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Read it all
- Dilbert September 19, 2011 – Genius » Flap’s California Blog – Dilbert September 19, 2011 – Genius
- President 2012 Pennsylvania Poll Watch: Obama 50% Vs. Romney 40% and Obama 52% Vs. Perry 37% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President Obama up in Pennsylvania polling.:
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: Marathon Training Does Not Always Mean Losing Weight – Marathon Training Does Not Always Mean Losing Weight
- President 2012: Mitch Daniels Calls for a More Honest Debate | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012: Mitch Daniels Calls for a More Honest Debate #tcot #catcot
- The Deadly Link Between High Dietary Salt Intake and Obesity | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – The Deadly Link Between High Dietary Salt Intake and Obesity
- Hats Off to the House GOP on NLRB Vote – By Larry Kudlow – Kudlow’s Money Politics – National Review Online – Hats Off to the House GOP on NLRB Vote – By Larry Kudlow
- Flap’s Links and Comments for September 15th through September 19th | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for September 15th through September 19th #tcot #catcot
- It’s Politics: Assemblyman Donnelly braves ‘Daily Show’ – Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Hesperia, bravely welcomed John Oliver and crew from "The Daily Show" to his office Wednesday to talk direct democracy, taxes and, for perhaps the first time, only a little immigration.