Just Noticing: Observations Of A Blogger
Posted by Michelle Moquin on October 20th, 2013
Good morning!
“Just noticing…”
- The repubs are always touting that they are fiscally responsible. Well, we’ve seen how fiscally responsible they truly are. The numbers from the write from two days ago speaks loudly in the contrary.
- The repubs are always saying that their ideas and policies will create more jobs. Another big fat lie.
900,000
BY CAP ACTION WAR ROOM ON OCTOBER 16, 2013 AT 5:18 PM
GOP Crises Alone Have Killed 900,000 Jobs
After shutting down the government for over two weeks in a failed attempt to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans, the prospect of a catastrophic economic shutdown caused by an unprecedented default on our obligations has finally brought enough Republicans to their senses. A bipartisan deal negotiated by senators to re-open the government and avoid a default appears set to pass both the House and the Senate this evening.
President Obama and Democrats stood strong and refused to grant Republicans any of their ransom demands in exchange for Congress agreeing to simply do its job, but unfortunately the series of crises manufactured by the GOP over the past few years has already taken a terrible toll on the economy.
A new report out yesterday pins the number of jobs killed by the GOP’s government-by-crisis strategy over the past few years at 900,000.
As ThinkProgress notes, the report also finds that the painful and unnecessary austerity spending cuts (themselves largely imposed by the GOP using crises and threats) in place have cost us more than a million jobs:
The report also finds that cuts to discretionary spending from 2011 to the present have cost the country 1.2 million jobs and 0.7 percentage points of GDP growth. About three-quarters of the $2.4 trillion in total deficit reduction enacted since the fall of 2010 was in the form of spending cuts. The Peterson-commissioned estimate of what that steep reduction in government expenditures has cost is a bit more conservative than previous estimates by other economists, but only slightly less negative.
This graphic from our Center for American Progress colleagues illustrates how many more Americans would have jobs in a world without austerity:
Finally, a different report out this evening finds the current shutdown crisis pulled $24 BILLION out of the economy and will slash more than a half-percentage off GDP growth.
BOTTOM LINE: It’s time for Republicans to stop trying to govern by crisis, hostage-taking, and extortion. The fight over the debt limit is over. Period. It’s now time for us to come to a long-term agreement on the budget that gets rid of the damaging sequester cuts and is instead focused on our real problems: jobs and economic growth.
It’s also time for Speaker Boehner to abandon his failed attempts to appease the extreme Tea Party wing of the GOP and instead seek a bipartisan governing majority focused on doing what’s best for our country, including the passage of immigration reform with a pathway to earned citizenship.
Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed
Houston Chronicle regrets endorsing Ted Cruz.
POLLS: Shutdown hurting GOP Senate chances, even in red states.
Right-wing group that orchestrated shutdown overt Obamacare now admits that “everybody knows” Obamacare can’t be repealed.
Ted Cruz admits the shutdown was all about building email fundraising lists.
Anti-tax crusader says defunders owe conservatives an apology.
Senate Republicans: GOP didn’t get anything out of shutdown.
Tea Party already seeking purge of non-extremists in 2014.
Tea Party congresswoman who voted to shut down the government now wants billions in disaster aid.
More than five million poor Americans won’t get health coverage because of the GOP’s refusal to expand Medicaid.
Thoughts? Blog me.
K: So sorry that you had to go through that and you didn’t get your day. Perhaps it would be a good idea to seek some help so you can talk about it, if you aren’t already. No one should have to live through something like this and feel like they need to sweep it under the rug “or else.” It was not your fault and you have every right to speak up about it. I HOPE that you get some relief from these feelings soon. Sending love.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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October 20th, 2013 at 5:05 pm
Elizabeth Smart is one smart cookie.
Kevin, I’m not quite sure if you’re asking for a date or telling me you want the green light to come up and just do me. A date I’d consider, the latter…well Kevin, I don’t give anyone the green light on any of that until, hmmm, until I feel like it, and that would never be bc you pull into town with a large bank balance, though stacked w your other qualies it could be beneficial for dating purposes…
Luv, Zen Lill
October 21st, 2013 at 8:04 am
STOP DENYING GLOBAL WARMING — THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL WARMING ON THE ENTIRE WORLD.
It is the job of newspapers to inform readers of factual information, not promote lies about climate change. Please join with the Los Angeles Times in implementing a formal policy of refusing to publish any letters to the editor or other content that denies climate change. This common-sense policy will enhance the discussion and debate in your pages.
Why is this important?
The Los Angeles Times recently announced a common-sense policy of refusing to publish letters to the editor that promote climate change denial. But unfortunately, among major newspapers, the L.A. Times stands out as an exception.
The New York Times and Washington Post have tremendous influence on the discourse in our country, and I’ve been an avid reader of both for years. But neither paper has an explicit policy against publishing letters to the editor that include factually inaccurate statements about climate change.
I’ve seen firsthand the corrosive effects of the well-funded climate change denial effort. I worked in the Senate for John Kerry, and I spoke to many climate scientists who were physically threatened, harassed, and slandered just for doing their jobs. I’ve seen our nation’s political machinery brought to a halt and our discourse poisoned by cynical efforts to hide the scientific facts behind a smokescreen of spin.
Newspapers and other media outlets can play a critical role in our political process by acting as a check against unscrupulous politicians, corporations and others who intentionally lie to the public. But by “reporting both sides” and giving climate change deniers equal space to promote their lies, large swaths of the news media have failed to do their job of informing the public.
With the science on climate change becoming increasingly grim and time running out to prevent catastrophic extreme weather events from becoming near-constant occurrences, we can’t afford to let major American newspapers mislead the public by printing errors of fact about climate change.
Earlier this month, the L.A. Times’ letters editor wrote, “Simply put, I do my best to keep errors of fact off the letters page; when one does run, a correction is published. Saying ‘there’s no sign humans have caused climate change’ is not stating an opinion, it’s asserting a factual inaccuracy.”
While the L.A. Times’ announcement is a welcome step in the right direction, we need to put pressure on the New York Times and Washington Post to follow suit, given the influence they have on decision makers in our political and financial power centers.
This is a situation in which hiding one’s head in the sand will do absolutely no good. Severe Action should have begun years ago. Continuing to deny Global Warming is denial to the max. Our world is beginning to change for the worse. Water will become precious — Wars will begin over fertile land in which to grow food.
We have not experienced even the tip of the iceberg yet. The Sh__ WILL surely hit the fan and Scientists as well as the News Media need to report the seriousness of Global Warming. We need to take immediate steps to avoid the outcome of our planet’s weather patterns from serious changes.
HOWIE
October 21st, 2013 at 10:10 pm
Then it is on baby. I can be in LA this weekend. Just tell me where the closest hotel is nearest you. Make it a four star. I wouldn’t want you waking up to less.
October 21st, 2013 at 10:16 pm
A lifetime is a long time
To carry hate and scorn,
Jealousy and anger,
It’s enough to make you mourn.
For the person who’s behind it alll,
Who at one time, loved and cared,
Never has the time now
To find out how you fared.
Why can’t we drop the pretense,
And let our hurting end?
Let’s shake hands, forget the past.
Will you be my friend?
October 21st, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Not a single word about this, at the time? Not a single back-channel, non-traceable communication from any of the attorneys’ offices, or their investigators, or their publicists, that maybe people should be looking at this guy,and here’s why?
Just purely coincidental, all that business about the late limo ride, and the mystery missing-duffel-bag-of-stuff given away but never to be seen again?
The case went to trial, justice was, or was not, served, but “no”. With all those resources to retain DNA experts and crime scene investigators and legal talent, if there was any real thought that this guy could have been the ‘real killer’, you can be absolutely 100% certain that his name would have come up, long before that not-guilty verdict came down.
October 21st, 2013 at 10:24 pm
Michelle, a friend sent me this she said she read it on your blog in November 19, 2009. Were you around then?
Michelle
I read on your blog a short about cell phones. I couldn’t find it again but I did locate this. This is a very serious warning because it is not just about brain tumors. We are talking about pelvic bone loss, hearing loss and decreased sperm count in men.
Even more serious is the possibility of what the constant exposure our children have and how all this radiation will effect them.
—————————————————-
Calling in a warning
Cell phones, your number is up.
A major study run by the World Health Organization found that long-term use of cell phones may present a “significantly increased risk” for brain tumors.
The research included 12,800 people in 13 nations over 10 years. Six of the eight studies in the project found a link between the use of cellular phones and gliomas – the most common type of brain tumor.
One study even found that heavy cell phone users are 39 percent more likely to get these tumors.
This new research flies in the face of what the electronics industry has been saying for years… but that’s not really surprising, is it?
And while the increased risk of brain tumors is the worst of the news… it’s not the only danger revealed by this and other recent studies.
Long-term use of a cell phone has also been linked to hearing loss and inner-ear damage, even in people who use the devices for as little as an hour a day. Signs to look for: warmth in the ears, ringing, or a sensation that your ear is “full.” If you experience any of that, make your next call to your doctor… and then shut the phone off.
Several studies, including research in 2006 and again in 2008, found a link between cell phone use and low sperm count and quality. The 2006 study found that the more you USED the phone (not just had it on your hip), the greater the likelihood that your sperm won’t be swimming the way they should.
A six-year study found that cell phones could weaken the pelvic bone in men. Turkish researchers found that men who carried cell phones on their belts all day had slightly lower bone density on the side where the phones were kept.
While the difference was not enough to raise alarms on its own, it makes you wonder what a longer study might find.
For many of us – especially those of us who are older – the news is worrying enough… particularly if you’ve grown overly attached to you phone.
But our children and grandchildren are the ones I’m really worried about. They’re the first generation to grow up with access to these devices from the cradle to the grave. And with more homes giving up traditional landlines entirely in favor of cell phones, it’s second nature for them to use these electronics without thinking.
And forget teenagers… We already know how much time they spend on the phone.
So, should you bury your cell phone out in the yard?
Maybe not… if you really need it. But in those cases, use it the way most people did 10 or 15 years ago: very rarely, for emergencies or unusual situations. Use a hands-free earpiece or speakerphone if you can.
And keep them off limits for kids – period. Even your teenagers, except on the occasion when they’re out on their own and need a way to reach you in an emergency.
Sure, it may be strict. Maybe even extreme. But it could save their lives.
———————————————————————————————————-
Helena
October 21st, 2013 at 11:01 pm
Michelle I saw you on TV last Saturday. I wanted to say.
Smile! The camera captures every expression
in that pensive tilt of your head.
The beautiful smile across your mouth
And the dancing light within your eyes.
One cannot escape its notice.
As you turn away
Another camera follows you
From a different angle
It will probe into your heart
And record every emotion hidden there.
Your facade cannot deceive the camera.
Cyclops, its eye stares at you unyielding
It strips away your aloofness
As it defiantly reveals your soul
Shown so clearly in your eyes.
October 21st, 2013 at 11:07 pm
Howie, You made a great point. Let’s hope the world is listening.
October 21st, 2013 at 11:19 pm
I Didn’t See It Coming
Amy Dorn Kopelan
Bedlam Entertainment, Inc.
ven the most secure-seeming job is never completely safe. Changes in a company’s direction… petty office politics… a strained relationship with one’s boss… or any of a host of other factors can cost even the most competent worker his/her job.
Amy Dorn Kopelan lost her position as head of morning programming at ABC in 1995, when Capital Cities Communications acquired the network. She had thought her job was safe because of the high ratings of the morning programs.
She failed to consider that Capital Cities already had a skilled morning programmer and had no need for two.
Kopelan, along with two other high-powered executives who lost their jobs, decided to write a book on warning signs of workplace trouble. Here are six career-threatening events and what to do about them…
1. Your company merges or is acquired. Top-performing employees often assume they will survive the layoffs that follow a merger or acquisition, but an entire division might be eliminated, taking the stars out the door along with everyone else… or the acquiring company might already have someone in your role.
Do not feel completely secure even if your boss “guarantees” you that your job is safe — in the new company, your boss might not have the power to make the final decision.
What to do:
Consider how your skills and talents could be applied elsewhere in your organization, and discuss this with executives in those divisions. This increases your odds of finding a safe haven should your current division or position be eliminated. Also prepare an exit strategy.
2. Your boss loses power. If your boss falls out of favor with the company’s top brass, his career is not the only one at risk — yours could be threatened as well. Your whole department might be viewed negatively, stalling the careers of all assigned to it…
your boss’s favorable opinion of you will carry little weight, making it harder for you to advance… and your boss’s fall from grace could mean a new boss will soon take over, which can create its own problems.
Signs a boss is losing power…
His demands become uncharacteristically unrealistic as the pressure to produce forces him to ask the impossible of underlings.
A consultant is brought in to study your department.
The departmental budget is slashed.
Your boss suddenly has trouble getting access to top executives.
What to do:
The safest strategy is to attempt to transfer to a different department with a more highly regarded leader. The more aggressive strategy is to put yourself forward for your boss’s job.
You could talk to a division head you know or someone you have befriended in human resources to decide how best to go about this. Attempt it only if you have specific ideas for improving the department and a track record that suggests that such a promotion is merited.
3. You get a new boss. It is not enough to show your new boss that you are intelligent and hardworking. To ensure that your career remains on course, you also must match your style to that of your boss.
Does he like to receive daily e-mails from people who report to him or just the occasional verbal update? Does he encourage an informal atmosphere or a buttoned-down workplace? Does he like hard-driving go-getters or easygoing team players?
What to do:
New bosses often form lasting opinions of their employees within minutes of meeting them, so it is best to get the answers to these questions before the boss walks through the door.
As soon as you learn your new boss’s name, start tracking down employees, clients and colleagues from his previous positions who can fill you in. Be aware that word might get back to the new boss, so frame your queries in a very positive way.
Example: “I’m really excited about working with John and want to make a good impression. What can you tell me about him?”
4. A coach is brought in. If your employer hires a coach to help you improve your communications or conflict-resolution skills, the appropriate response is to fear for your job. These coaches typically are hired to spend time with executives whom companies intend to fire.
A report from an outside coach stating that an executive was unwilling or unable to address his serious communication problems will make it more difficult for this executive to sue the company for wrongful termination later.
What to do:
Listen to the coach, and implement his advice even if you consider it silly or unnecessary. Your company might have hired this coach to push you out the door, but if you show improvement and maintain a positive attitude, management might let you keep your job.
Exception:
Consider it a very positive sign if a coach is hired to help you with your marketing skills. Marketing skills coaches generally are hired when companies think an executive has excellent ideas but needs to learn how to present them better.
(If you are not sure whether a coach hired to work with you is a positive or negative omen, find out which department is paying the coach’s bill. Your career could be in danger if it is the human resources department.)
5. You remind your boss of someone he is/was fond of. It can seem like a huge career boost when a boss takes a liking to you based on a perceived similarity with someone else, such as a son or daughter, spouse, protégé or even himself at your age.
In the long run, however, this is more likely to harm your career than help it. Your colleagues could come to resent your seemingly undeserved special treatment, making it difficult for you to work with them. Or your boss could start to base his evaluations of you on the abilities and actions of someone else, taking your future out of your control and possibly hindering your career.
What to do:
Consider whether there is something in particular about your behavior or appearance that triggers the association with this other individual. Take steps to alter this similarity.
Example:
If your boss treats you like a son and you find yourself being deferential toward him, reposition yourself. Say something like, “I’ve been thinking about what we discussed last week, and I have a very different approach.” Also…
Establish boundaries if the boss seems to be trying to get too close. If you are asked to join the boss for drinks or dinner more often than your colleagues, thank him for the invitation but say that you have previous plans.
Keep your colleagues on your side by standing up for their interests with the boss.
6. You are promoted ahead of your peers. Being promoted in your department bodes very well for your future — but if mishandled, it could derail your career. Some of your colleagues will resent you for getting the promotion that they had hoped for.
Others might have trouble treating a former equal as the boss. If you cannot convince the entire team to treat you with respect, you lose effectiveness as a manager and your career could stall.
What to do:
Do not celebrate your promotion in front of your colleagues. This will only deepen any animosities. Also…
Meet with each member of your new team one-on-one, and reassure each individual that you respect his talents.
Let team members take the glory when your team has success. You should claim credit primarily for leading your troops.
If any member of your group cannot adjust to your new role, try to find the person another position elsewhere in the company.
EXIT STRATEGY
It is important to prepare an “exit strategy” if you think your job might be on the line. Network with others in your industry… update your résumé … contact headhunters… and try to quickly acquire any important skills that you lack.
This way, you’re all set to look for a job if you need to — and you might even land a position before you are let go.
October 22nd, 2013 at 12:03 am
I live in Indiana. We have a high school in town named Harrison after William Henry Harrison who became famous for killing Native Americans in Indiana.
In spite of this, the high school’s football team is named “The Warriors” and their symbol is a Native American headdress.
I find this terribly offensive on multiple levels.
But unfortunately, thanks in part to William Henry, we don’t exactly have a lot of Native Americans around these parts to complain.
October 22nd, 2013 at 12:04 am
Anonymous#7, you wrote all that just to say she is HOT. Hell we all know that.