This isn’t news to any of us, we’ve already discussed it, but it seems Republicans are getting cocky enough to also talk about it openly. Because they have no ideas, no plans and no solutions, and because they are unable to govern once elected —
What will this do for America or Americans? Will this increase the favorability rating of Congress? Maybe they’ll go all out and bring impeachment charges and get all kinds of attention.
One thing we know for sure — the current Congress didn’t waste taxpayer money by triggering probes. When the GOP takes back the majority no one will need wonder how tax money is being spent.
Will their endless probes and investigations create jobs? Will it be OK with their base that unemployment and deficits are still high as long as they’re sticking it to the dems?
In one word to your question – YES. I think those folks that consider themselves the ‘real’ Republicans will be all to happy to waste millions of dollars on nonsensical investigations of the Democrats.
That is what they do best – partisanship.
But, of course, their defense will be that they – and only they – are the party of law and order.
Oh really? perhaps the GOP needs to investigate their own backyard before they start on the Democrats.
This will accomplish their goal of getting government off industry’s backs. It’s often said Republicans say government doesn’t work then get elected and prove it.
Former President Jimmy Carter successfully negotiated with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il for the release of Aijalon Gomes, an American prisoner held in North Korea since January. Gomes had been teaching English in South Korea and was sentenced to eight years of labor in a North Korean prison after entering the country illegally from China. He will return to Boston on Friday afternoon, according to a Carter Center spokeswoman. U.S. officials say Carter’s trip was a private humanitarian mission.
He has done such good work and may be the very best man to have held the office of president in my lifetime.
My opinion on this litigation is a very low one. I do not believe it will be successful.
What I personally think is happening is a run at delaying the appointment of a new Justice until Gov. Parkinson is out of office.
I do not agree with the way selection/retention of appellate court judges is done in KS, BTW. To me, there should be no “popular vote” retention system. I guess modeling after the federal approach is better, although it has its problems, too.
Well, if all this action accomplishes is the delay of the appointment until Brownback is sworn in, it will have accomplished what they want in my opinion.
Memories from the Clinton times, it will unite the parties in the us against them.
It become less about if needed or factual and more about the Republicans and the Democratic.
I know I got where it did not matter if there was actual proof or even if on the face of it made sense.
The draw is that it makes you resend into the party instead of being willing to listen or believe the other side. The assumption is that nothing coming from the other side is anything but either trying to defend the President or party. And the other side is simply trying to undermine and destroy the President or his party.
And of course that is exactly what is being done, When Clinton would not give the time of day to the Neo-Conservatives. They set out to undermine and destroy his Presidency with the Republican party gladly joining in.
It was such a distraction that no one got to be really paying attention to Governing or what either party was doing other then the defense or destruction of the President. Even the media which was smelling the blood in the water and showing the red stains.
It added to the paranoia that already seems to take over the Right side when ever a Democratic President takes office.
If someone had said that Bill Clinton is a purple one eyed people eater I would have said “yeah that is possible!”. There was no need for proof or logic and reasonability.
Another piece of the puzzle which supports my position that the entire “student-athlete” fiction (well, at least at the major college level) needs to be addressed and eliminated.
Disclosure: I’m a big college football and basketball fan. This story is another one over the recent past that illustrates just how the whole concept of athletic scholarships (with the needed restrictions accompanying same) needs rethinking, if not outright abolition.
Jobs that were outsourced that are returning? That’s good news even if it’s only one industry.
Outsourced Call Centers Return, To U.S. Homes
Rethinking Overseas Outsourcing
For years, Americans have had their phone calls about credit card bills and broken cell phones handled by people in the Philippines or India. But American firms are starting to bring call centers back to the U.S. — and this time around, they are hiring more people to work in their own homes.
Ten years ago, it made a lot of sense to outsource these jobs overseas. But that’s changing. Increasingly, companies that want to outsource their customer service jobs are happy with these domestic arrangements.
High inflation and double-digit annual raises in some sectors are pushing up the cost of labor in India. At the same time wages in the U.S. are falling and companies are rethinking the trade-offs associated with outsourcing.
Experts say outsourcing is still accelerating for jobs in IT services and manufacturing. Phil Fersht, an outsourcing analyst, says even before the recession started, companies were starting to realize that offshoring wasn’t the best option for other services.
In some cases, workers in India are making only about 15 percent less than workers in Nebraska, he says. That’s the threshold where companies start thinking about whether it’s worth it to hire an American worker instead of a foreign one.
Interesting, these companies are only willing now to not outsource these call centers jobs due to the cost.
I would rather like to thin these companies would have listened to their customers for the past decade and found out exactly what level of customer service has been and changed their system because their customers were not happy.
But only when it hits their pockets is it the time these companies rethink of outsourcing.
Sounds kinda like a husband who has had a girlfriend for 10 years and she finally kicked him to the curb so now the husband suddenly loves his wife again?
indy, I have a feeling the poor English at the outsourced call centers did have something to do with some returning. Most people I know complain and ask for supervisors as soon as they hear a heavy, heavy accent answer. Those supervisors are usually in the states.
It could be a good sign for Wichita. Call centers like our central location. There used to be a lot, before the outsourcing began. I suspect there’ll be more before long.
My call center job (Spiegel) some 8 years ago went to Canada. The reason? Health insurance costs.
I’d be more than happy to have a work-at-home job with a call center. It saves everyone. The employee doesn’t have to dress up or spend money to get to and from work. The company doesn’t have to provide a building, complete with computers, desks, chairs, and all the rest. It’s a win-win situation.
I watched Stephen Colbert this morning. He had Richard Engel on the show and they were talking about how Richard got the exclusive coverage of the last US combat troops to leave Iraq.
Richard flatly stated at the beginning of the Iraq war – there were literally thousands of reporters on hand to cover it. At the end of the combat mission part of the Iraq War, there were thousands of reporters that flatly refused the chance to cover it.
What does that say about our media? Are we seriously all about the ‘cowboy’ mentality of running in with guns blazing? Is that really the only thing that matters to us?
Stephen Colbert also threw in a line (as only Colbert could do) – he asked if the last US truck leaving had a bumper sticking saying ‘my other war is Afghanistan’.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S. of A., we play into the hands of those who would do us harm by trying to prove we are at war with Islam. There are many Americans who scream loudly how bad all Muslims are while expecting you to respect their peaceful Christian beliefs.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. — Romans 12:19
Pastor Terry Jones arrested for child pornography
· August 6, 2010 10:13 AM
· Tags: “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=arrested”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=center”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=child”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=dove”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=global”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=jones”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=outreach”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=pastor”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=pornography”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=terry”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=world”
Infamous Pastor Terry Jones, known for his activism against the Gainesville Florida mayor, and for his “Burn a Koran Day” has been arrested for possession of child pornography. Wednesday August 4, 2010 Pastor Terry Jones was arrested for sharing pictures of children in various states of nudity over the popular file sharing network Limewire.
Kind of a oxymoron, his church being called the “Dove World outreach center.
Anti-Jew, Anti-Gay, Anti-Moslem And he does not seem to think of Christianity and the United States ether.
I heard this guy on Chris Matthews last night stating the reason his church is burning Korans on 9/11 is to send Muslims a message that American Christians are not going to allow Muslim to bring Sharia law to the U.S. like they have to many European countries. (Which I have not heard of any European countries going to Sharia law – have you?)
When pressed about this statement, this so-called pastor said that Sharia law is too violent because it calls for stoning of adulterers and homosexuals.
I’ve also heard televangelist Pat Robertson use this excuse to spread his hatred of Muslim is because of their Sharia law.
Perhaps now we get to see a piece of their logic – because, after all, if Muslims gain power and they stone adulterers – looks like these so-called Christians who seem to be fidelity-challenged are either going to have to change their ways or get a few stones thrown at them?
And to think these so-called christians are even trying to say they are defending homosexuals is almost laughable. Not when they are the ones spewing all the hate talk against homosexuality.
Psychotic disorders and religious grandiose often go hand in hand, don’t they?
This guy is definitely of the Phelps type, maybe not as smart. However, I’ve tried verifying this child porn arrest, and it looks as if, from what I’ve read elsewhere, that it could have been an internet hoax that someone on NBC.com might have run with. There’s no mention of this in the Gainesville Sun if you do a search there, but a lot of articles about him and Koran burning. The sad thing is people make up stuff about these people who are already scum, they have something to crow about.
I also saw him interviewed by Chris Matthews on MSNBC the night before last, and it was all about the Koran burning. I doubt anyone would have been talking to him about that if he had been arrested for child porn just this month. He sounds pretty much like a whack job. He’s the same guy that was up to a bunch of nastiness before and after the election of the current mayor of Gainesville, who is gay.
Speaking of gay, I haven’t seen any comments on here or Kansas.com about the death threat to Dan Manning, who is running for a Kansas house seat. However, there is quite a bit of mention on the national gay news sites and blogs.
I think he’s running to represent a Wichita district. Could maybe one you locals (notice I didn’t say “locos” 🙂 ) who knows something write a post about this? I’d be much obliged.
ks.com did a thread on the threat to Dan. I read it tonight and it seems the majority of bloggers there are guessing it was someone who planted the note to garner attention…. They’re all sure it wasn’t the opposing team, and all kinds of other sad people deflecting to stupidity, all who seem afraid to even think about their own bigotry — they don’t recognize their hate. They stand firm in their own imagined moral superiority.
I can’t blog there with people who are so mean spirited. I can’t even fathom how much hate it takes to think a threat like this is less than a dangerous situation. I don’t want to gain understanding of those kinds of thoughts.
If we started a thread here we would all be in agreement (well maybe there are one or two who would argue) that it’s a dangerous world and Dan and his neighbors have more reason than most to be on guard.
Anyway, if you have the stomach for some real hate, here is the link to what they blogged —
fnord–
Thanks for that info above. I guess I won’t click over to the link, though. I get enough of the virulence if I look at the comments to almost any article on our own Houston Chronicle. It’s a quandary something like the chicken and the egg. Were people always so ugly but didn’t have an easily accessed forum before the internet? Or does the ability to remain anonymous just stoke the fires to make them get nasty about any topic?
A rockin’ song featuring Lloyd Blankfein that explains how Wall St made the crisis worse. Brought to you by NPR’s Planet Money and http://www.propublica.org/ for public interest at work.
Good analogy with the sausage, but does any of this matter? Will anyone else’s hand be slapped? Someone I’m pretty sure we’ll continue to be told that all of this, and all the TARP money, is on Obama’s head.
I’m so sick of politics–both parties, all parties, any parties–that I’m considering never voting again. What good does it do?
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
This isn’t news to any of us, we’ve already discussed it, but it seems Republicans are getting cocky enough to also talk about it openly. Because they have no ideas, no plans and no solutions, and because they are unable to govern once elected —
GOP Plans Sweeping White House Probes
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41506.html#ixzz0xoGRJMr8
What will this do for America or Americans? Will this increase the favorability rating of Congress? Maybe they’ll go all out and bring impeachment charges and get all kinds of attention.
One thing we know for sure — the current Congress didn’t waste taxpayer money by triggering probes. When the GOP takes back the majority no one will need wonder how tax money is being spent.
Will their endless probes and investigations create jobs? Will it be OK with their base that unemployment and deficits are still high as long as they’re sticking it to the dems?
In one word to your question – YES. I think those folks that consider themselves the ‘real’ Republicans will be all to happy to waste millions of dollars on nonsensical investigations of the Democrats.
That is what they do best – partisanship.
But, of course, their defense will be that they – and only they – are the party of law and order.
Oh really? perhaps the GOP needs to investigate their own backyard before they start on the Democrats.
This will accomplish their goal of getting government off industry’s backs. It’s often said Republicans say government doesn’t work then get elected and prove it.
Thank you President Carter!
Former President Jimmy Carter successfully negotiated with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il for the release of Aijalon Gomes, an American prisoner held in North Korea since January. Gomes had been teaching English in South Korea and was sentenced to eight years of labor in a North Korean prison after entering the country illegally from China. He will return to Boston on Friday afternoon, according to a Carter Center spokeswoman. U.S. officials say Carter’s trip was a private humanitarian mission.
He has done such good work and may be the very best man to have held the office of president in my lifetime.
A very good man, indeed. Unfortunately, not very effective as President.
Maybe too good a man to be involved in what doesn’t bear much resemblance to ‘good.’
Jimmy Carter was too honest for the job. And he was too naive about the depths some politicians will go to simply score political points.
If we had listened to Carter about alternative energy sources – I suspect we would not be over that foreign-oil barrel that we are today.
But I remember the mocking Carter took just because he told Americans to put on a sweater and conserve energy.
My, the audacity of a president telling the country what they needed to hear.
6176, if it’s appropriate, I wonder your opinion of the lawsuit that has been filed to change the way judges are chosen for the Kansas Supreme Court.
RE: http://www.kansas.com/2010/08/26/1464343/lawsuit-seeks-to-change-how-kansas.html
My opinion on this litigation is a very low one. I do not believe it will be successful.
What I personally think is happening is a run at delaying the appointment of a new Justice until Gov. Parkinson is out of office.
I do not agree with the way selection/retention of appellate court judges is done in KS, BTW. To me, there should be no “popular vote” retention system. I guess modeling after the federal approach is better, although it has its problems, too.
Well, if all this action accomplishes is the delay of the appointment until Brownback is sworn in, it will have accomplished what they want in my opinion.
Memories from the Clinton times, it will unite the parties in the us against them.
It become less about if needed or factual and more about the Republicans and the Democratic.
I know I got where it did not matter if there was actual proof or even if on the face of it made sense.
The draw is that it makes you resend into the party instead of being willing to listen or believe the other side. The assumption is that nothing coming from the other side is anything but either trying to defend the President or party. And the other side is simply trying to undermine and destroy the President or his party.
And of course that is exactly what is being done, When Clinton would not give the time of day to the Neo-Conservatives. They set out to undermine and destroy his Presidency with the Republican party gladly joining in.
It was such a distraction that no one got to be really paying attention to Governing or what either party was doing other then the defense or destruction of the President. Even the media which was smelling the blood in the water and showing the red stains.
It added to the paranoia that already seems to take over the Right side when ever a Democratic President takes office.
If someone had said that Bill Clinton is a purple one eyed people eater I would have said “yeah that is possible!”. There was no need for proof or logic and reasonability.
If politicians keep us busy fighting one another it probably makes it easier for them to do whatever they don’t want us to know.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5501067
Another piece of the puzzle which supports my position that the entire “student-athlete” fiction (well, at least at the major college level) needs to be addressed and eliminated.
Disclosure: I’m a big college football and basketball fan. This story is another one over the recent past that illustrates just how the whole concept of athletic scholarships (with the needed restrictions accompanying same) needs rethinking, if not outright abolition.
http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/27/pf/taxes/obama_tax_reform_panel/index.htm
Sigh. Another statement of the obvious.
I’m quite aware of the campaign promises made (and winced when they were made), but bluntly, these were unrealistic at the time.
That said, what should “tax reform” look like? If I get the time, look for some thoughts from me ‘coming soon’.
Jobs that were outsourced that are returning? That’s good news even if it’s only one industry.
Outsourced Call Centers Return, To U.S. Homes
Rethinking Overseas Outsourcing
For years, Americans have had their phone calls about credit card bills and broken cell phones handled by people in the Philippines or India. But American firms are starting to bring call centers back to the U.S. — and this time around, they are hiring more people to work in their own homes.
Ten years ago, it made a lot of sense to outsource these jobs overseas. But that’s changing. Increasingly, companies that want to outsource their customer service jobs are happy with these domestic arrangements.
High inflation and double-digit annual raises in some sectors are pushing up the cost of labor in India. At the same time wages in the U.S. are falling and companies are rethinking the trade-offs associated with outsourcing.
Experts say outsourcing is still accelerating for jobs in IT services and manufacturing. Phil Fersht, an outsourcing analyst, says even before the recession started, companies were starting to realize that offshoring wasn’t the best option for other services.
In some cases, workers in India are making only about 15 percent less than workers in Nebraska, he says. That’s the threshold where companies start thinking about whether it’s worth it to hire an American worker instead of a foreign one.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129406588&ps=cprs
Interesting, these companies are only willing now to not outsource these call centers jobs due to the cost.
I would rather like to thin these companies would have listened to their customers for the past decade and found out exactly what level of customer service has been and changed their system because their customers were not happy.
But only when it hits their pockets is it the time these companies rethink of outsourcing.
Sounds kinda like a husband who has had a girlfriend for 10 years and she finally kicked him to the curb so now the husband suddenly loves his wife again?
indy, I have a feeling the poor English at the outsourced call centers did have something to do with some returning. Most people I know complain and ask for supervisors as soon as they hear a heavy, heavy accent answer. Those supervisors are usually in the states.
It could be a good sign for Wichita. Call centers like our central location. There used to be a lot, before the outsourcing began. I suspect there’ll be more before long.
My call center job (Spiegel) some 8 years ago went to Canada. The reason? Health insurance costs.
I’d be more than happy to have a work-at-home job with a call center. It saves everyone. The employee doesn’t have to dress up or spend money to get to and from work. The company doesn’t have to provide a building, complete with computers, desks, chairs, and all the rest. It’s a win-win situation.
So, now the US combat troops are out of Iraq and President Obama is making a speech as to why we should be focused on the other war – Afghanistan.
While I understand some of the reasoning behind the Afghanistan war, I also suspect that Afghan presdident Karzai is not to be trusted.
How do we know he won’t turn out to be like Iraqi Prime Mininister alMalaki that ran over to become BFF’s with Iranian president?
And we will once again have spent billions on a war with nothing to show for it?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/27/obama-oval-office-iraq-speech_n_696820.html
I watched Stephen Colbert this morning. He had Richard Engel on the show and they were talking about how Richard got the exclusive coverage of the last US combat troops to leave Iraq.
Richard flatly stated at the beginning of the Iraq war – there were literally thousands of reporters on hand to cover it. At the end of the combat mission part of the Iraq War, there were thousands of reporters that flatly refused the chance to cover it.
What does that say about our media? Are we seriously all about the ‘cowboy’ mentality of running in with guns blazing? Is that really the only thing that matters to us?
Stephen Colbert also threw in a line (as only Colbert could do) – he asked if the last US truck leaving had a bumper sticking saying ‘my other war is Afghanistan’.
I am a pacifist and can’t comment rationally.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S. of A., we play into the hands of those who would do us harm by trying to prove we are at war with Islam. There are many Americans who scream loudly how bad all Muslims are while expecting you to respect their peaceful Christian beliefs.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. — Romans 12:19
Pastor Terry Jones arrested for child pornography
· August 6, 2010 10:13 AM
· Tags: “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=arrested”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=center”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=child”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=dove”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=global”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=jones”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=outreach”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=pastor”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=pornography”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=terry”, “http://www.nbc.com/news/search/?tag=world”
Infamous Pastor Terry Jones, known for his activism against the Gainesville Florida mayor, and for his “Burn a Koran Day” has been arrested for possession of child pornography. Wednesday August 4, 2010 Pastor Terry Jones was arrested for sharing pictures of children in various states of nudity over the popular file sharing network Limewire.
Kind of a oxymoron, his church being called the “Dove World outreach center.
Anti-Jew, Anti-Gay, Anti-Moslem And he does not seem to think of Christianity and the United States ether.
I heard this guy on Chris Matthews last night stating the reason his church is burning Korans on 9/11 is to send Muslims a message that American Christians are not going to allow Muslim to bring Sharia law to the U.S. like they have to many European countries. (Which I have not heard of any European countries going to Sharia law – have you?)
When pressed about this statement, this so-called pastor said that Sharia law is too violent because it calls for stoning of adulterers and homosexuals.
I’ve also heard televangelist Pat Robertson use this excuse to spread his hatred of Muslim is because of their Sharia law.
Perhaps now we get to see a piece of their logic – because, after all, if Muslims gain power and they stone adulterers – looks like these so-called Christians who seem to be fidelity-challenged are either going to have to change their ways or get a few stones thrown at them?
And to think these so-called christians are even trying to say they are defending homosexuals is almost laughable. Not when they are the ones spewing all the hate talk against homosexuality.
Psychotic disorders and religious grandiose often go hand in hand, don’t they?
This guy is definitely of the Phelps type, maybe not as smart. However, I’ve tried verifying this child porn arrest, and it looks as if, from what I’ve read elsewhere, that it could have been an internet hoax that someone on NBC.com might have run with. There’s no mention of this in the Gainesville Sun if you do a search there, but a lot of articles about him and Koran burning. The sad thing is people make up stuff about these people who are already scum, they have something to crow about.
I also saw him interviewed by Chris Matthews on MSNBC the night before last, and it was all about the Koran burning. I doubt anyone would have been talking to him about that if he had been arrested for child porn just this month. He sounds pretty much like a whack job. He’s the same guy that was up to a bunch of nastiness before and after the election of the current mayor of Gainesville, who is gay.
Speaking of gay, I haven’t seen any comments on here or Kansas.com about the death threat to Dan Manning, who is running for a Kansas house seat. However, there is quite a bit of mention on the national gay news sites and blogs.
I think he’s running to represent a Wichita district. Could maybe one you locals (notice I didn’t say “locos” 🙂 ) who knows something write a post about this? I’d be much obliged.
Hi trip, it’s good to read you!
ks.com did a thread on the threat to Dan. I read it tonight and it seems the majority of bloggers there are guessing it was someone who planted the note to garner attention…. They’re all sure it wasn’t the opposing team, and all kinds of other sad people deflecting to stupidity, all who seem afraid to even think about their own bigotry — they don’t recognize their hate. They stand firm in their own imagined moral superiority.
I can’t blog there with people who are so mean spirited. I can’t even fathom how much hate it takes to think a threat like this is less than a dangerous situation. I don’t want to gain understanding of those kinds of thoughts.
If we started a thread here we would all be in agreement (well maybe there are one or two who would argue) that it’s a dangerous world and Dan and his neighbors have more reason than most to be on guard.
Anyway, if you have the stomach for some real hate, here is the link to what they blogged —
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2010/08/stand-against-threats-harassment/
The Phellps of Fla!
OK, so more religions than Islam have nutcases among them?
Yeah.
It’s real hard to build a box and fit a group of people into it.
When you try to make another religion less than your own you are speaking volumes about you and what your beliefs are.
fnord–
Thanks for that info above. I guess I won’t click over to the link, though. I get enough of the virulence if I look at the comments to almost any article on our own Houston Chronicle. It’s a quandary something like the chicken and the egg. Were people always so ugly but didn’t have an easily accessed forum before the internet? Or does the ability to remain anonymous just stoke the fires to make them get nasty about any topic?
A rockin’ song featuring Lloyd Blankfein that explains how Wall St made the crisis worse. Brought to you by NPR’s Planet Money and http://www.propublica.org/ for public interest at work.
Check out their story here: http://n.pr/cdVVUs
Good analogy with the sausage, but does any of this matter? Will anyone else’s hand be slapped? Someone I’m pretty sure we’ll continue to be told that all of this, and all the TARP money, is on Obama’s head.
I’m so sick of politics–both parties, all parties, any parties–that I’m considering never voting again. What good does it do?
Whomever putthe note on Dan Manning’s door needs to go jail.