Companies 'depriving' countries from taxes???

"The pact deprived other European countries of billions of euros in unpaid taxes" ~ Margrethe Vestager, EU Commissioner for Competition

Apple to EU: You can have taxes or you can have jobs, but you can't have both.

How much tax was paid by the employees of Apple in Ireland? Income tax, sales tax, etc from the wages earned working at the company? How much would they have paid if they didn't have those jobs?

Why should "other European countries" benefit from a country in Ireland (other than the obvious EU - and now we know why Great Britain chose Brexit!)

What are the infrastructure (roads, utilities, etc) pressures (costs) a company like Apple puts on the EU and how much is "unpaid"?

The EU's whole intent is to redistribute wealth - not create it.

When will we follow this concept?

https://www.facebook.com/DSouzaDinesh/videos/1304259082934077/

Until then, we are not diverse and we are racist - both white racist and black racist. We are HUMANS - all of us. Most good, some bad. 

This interview is 11 years old. Civil rights passed in the 1960's. The emancipation proclamation, 100 years earlier. Speeches, laws, months will not change the blindness of humans. Until each of us - individuals - realize the above (we are all HUMANS) we are lost. 

Proof of OJ's innocence?

Attorney Carl Douglas, a member of O.J. Simpson's legal "dream team" that secured his acquittal, on Friday called the story "ridiculous." 

"It's amazing how the world can not move on from this case! And it in the media, is apparently still fascinated by everything O.J. Simpson," Douglas said. 

Didn't OJ want to find the 'real' killer? What if this is the actual murder weapon and it unequivocally exonerates him - and maybe actually leads to the arrest and conviction of the 'real' killer? Wouldn't that be a great thing?

The fact that his attorney is already dismissing this potential evidence speaks volumes to his/their belief that the 'real' killer is still out there.

Chicago Tribune

Terrorism or Work-Place violence?

During "analysis" of the recent mass shooting, a contributer asked what I believe is a critical question that points this event more toward terrorism than work-place violence: Why would a mother (not the employee) leave their 6 month old daughter (as well a being currently pregnant) behind to participate in a violent attack where her life was at risk if not for ideology?

Combine that thought with the explosives and other materials found that shows "some degree of planning" and this looks less like an act of passion and more like a planned act of terrorism. It may have been triggered by an event at the work-place (although, who drives to a Christmas party with their wife in an SUV filled with assault weapons and body armor?), but the couple clearly considered some "action" and prepared for it. 

Guns kill people?

Nearly 600k hunters, armed with guns, participated in the 9 day, 2015 Wisconsin deer hunt. There were 3 - three - accidental gun related deaths. The previous 5 years had a total of one accidental death.

There were no mass shootings.

http://m.host.madison.com/daily-cardinal/three-deaths-reported-in-wisconsin-s-hunting-season/article_abe0033c-97c9-11e5-bddb-ff1ea2594463.html

Can't see the forest for the trees.

From WAPO:

Authorities drew no direct links to last week’s attacks in Paris. But Mali — home to the famous ancient city of Timbuktu — has been at the center of a French-backed effort to drive back Islamist rebels that once had control over large portions of the vast nation, which stretches from tropical West Africa to desert regions bordering Algeria.

Malian army commander Modibo Nama Traore said gunmen stormed the hotel shouting “Allahu Akbar” — “God is great” in Arabic — and then fired on the guards and began taking hostages, the Associated Press reported.

As we continue to view these 'incidents' as individual 'crimes' without acknowledging the clear and overwhelming connected motivation, we risk lives and invite more of the same.

Trump=Obama

Donald Trump is to the far right what Barack Obama is to the far left. Both have little patience or tolerance for those that disagree with them. Both are "great" at the one-line put down, but neither is willing - or able? - to engage with others or compromise. Winning the presidency does not make you dictator. You are supposed to LEAD - and not just the few, but ALL. Unfortunately, I feel Obama believes he is leading and those who disagree are just too stupid or wrong to warrant any thought. Trump would likely act similarly. 

Oh yes he did.

The POTUS just shook his finger at the world and told the rest of us to back-off. We just don't get it. "There is no answer for ISIS/ISIL and I'm tired of talking about what I'll do about it. I plan on doing nothing, because I ACCEPT them - and so should you." #outrage

Get used to. We need to accept that Evil exists and there's nothing we can do about it...

The POTUS just said we have no idea what to do with a 'handful' of people (ISIS/ISIL) who are willing to die. In a very real sense he is really saying 'get used to it'. As he continues to say that the majority of the victims of this 'handful' of people are Muslims - and therefore, as a Muslim himself, maybe, just maybe the thought is: the West and specifically the US does not deserve the safe society we've fought for and built as long as others suffer, so must we.

"...it's the environment we're in, frankly."

"If anyone is planning to go to the Mall of America today, they've got to be particularly careful," Johnson said. "There will be enhanced security there, but public vigilance, public awareness and public caution in situations like this is particularly important, and it's the environment we're in, frankly."

Apparently we should just accept the fact that we now need to be extra vigilante when we go about our day. Or is this just a political statement...?:

Johnson also said the latest threats highlight the "reason why I need a budget."

 But rest assured, we have a plan:

"No one should avoid going to the mall because of this random online threat," the official said. "The FBI has a program to work with various malls around the country to improve security."

Different ways to present the same news...

Winter holds on...

It's been a while since we've had this kind of snow in March.

What about the pepper?

A written police report stated 80 tons of salt valued at $9,600 was stolen. Police Sgt. Bill Davis said the thieves, in all likelihood, needed “a dump truck or a Bobcat” in order to make off with so much salt.

"...in all likelihood.." Ya think?

Random Thoughts - Thomas Sowell, always on point...

Forgot how much I enjoy reading the common sense of  Thomas Sowell:

 "To me, all students are the same. I treat them all the same and hold them all to the same standards." The next semester there was an organized boycott of my classes by foreign students. When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination."

When. Will. It. End?

NOT what you want to see at your kid's school...

Should we all take notes of our lives?

"Regarding the note-taking, you might ask, "Isn't it enough just to live it? Why write it down?" The answers there are human:To keep it: to capture your time in history as it happened. To remind yourself it's real"

 Peggy Noonan

Further on, Noonan advances the idea that people leave their papers behind to remind future readers that 'they were here - and, I guess, successful enough that someone may care.

 "I was alive—this is proof," and, "I was successful—here is the evidence."

For those of us not so successful or famous, what do we leave behind? We've lived our own history. Most of us never took notes - let alone had someone else take them about our lives. We live with the memories of what we 'lived', what we witnessed, what we felt. How different is our memory of those events compared to the reality of it? Has time washed away some of the questionable aspects or embellished them beyond what the notes would have supported?

Many, many people keep journals. I envy them.  I haven't the discipline to keep one up-to-date.

But how many of us find our way into someone else's notes or journals - as the Clinton's did?Obviously our actions aren't as important as the leader of the free world, but it does give you pause. Maybe we should all live our lives as if someone IS taking notes. [enter religious thoughts here]

Max: June 17, 2008 - February 8, 2014

Too few years, my friend. Max, you deserved more time...

Now, go to your room...

This is not a game!
That'll show 'em!

Technology is great!

Sittin' on the patio while the ribs slo-cook on the BBQ. Able to post to blog on my iTouch through my WiFi.