Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Charlie Hebdo Cover Features Muhammad Holding 'Je Suis Charlie' Sign
HP | Alana Horowitz | 01/12/15

Charlie Hebdo revealed their cover image for this week's issue, printed just days after two gunmen opened fire on the newspaper's Paris office, killing 12 people. Four of the Charlie's cartoonists were killed in the attack. The cover shows the Prophet Muhammad holding a "Je Suis Charlie" sign with the caption, "All is forgiven." The newspaper said that it will print over 1 million copies this week, with financial help from Google, Le Monde and other organizations. They may even ... Read more

Second Verse, Same As The First: Republicans Prepare Another Dodd-Frank Attack
HP | Zach Carter | 01/12/15

The vote will come within days, if not hours. Under conditions laid down by the House Rules Committee late Monday, the GOP will be able to easily pass the legislation as part of an 11-point deregulation plan without Democratic support, while ignoring any Democratic amendments. President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the bill.

The Volcker Rule bans banks from speculating in financial markets with government-backed funds. When federal regulators approved the rule in late 2013, they banned banks from owning complex securities known as collateralized debt obligations -- risky pools of corporate debt that are sliced into smaller packages for sale to banks. The GOP bill slated for a vote on Tuesday would let banks hold onto CLOs until July 2019 -- a provision that many banking experts view as part of a piecemeal effort to repeal the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law in its entirety. ... Read more

Lake Michigan's Ice Boulders Are Back, And Some Say They're Bigger Than Ever [0:41]

Two Climate Denying Senators Will Now Supervise the Nation's Climate Science
MotherJones | Phil Plait | 01/13/15

So, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was just named to be the chairman of the Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness as Republicans take over the Senate. This subcommittee (which used to be just Space and Science but was recently renamed) is in charge of oversight of, among other things, NASA.

But that's not to say he doesn't pose a clear danger: Cruz is a staunch denier of global warming. In 2014, he said this in an CNN interview: The last 15 years, there has been no recorded warming. Contrary to all the theories that--that they are expounding, there should have been warming over the last 15 years. It hasn't happened. ... Read more

What Makes Muslims Laugh?
www.politico.com/ | Maz Jobrani | 01/12/14

As an Iranian-American comedian, I can tell you that plenty does. Just stay away from sex, religion and politics.

Then I had to reflect on the United States, where I grew up and have spent most of my life. Let's not forget that only 50 to 60 years ago, Lenny Bruce was getting arrested for things he was saying at comedy clubs around the country. After him, it was comedians like George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Dick Gregory who were pushing the envelope of free speech in the United States and often being shut down for it.

The attacks in France have put satire in the Muslim world front and center. I am a standup comedian who has performed comedy in the Middle East in front of thousands of Muslims. And believe it or not, they laughed at plenty, especially when we poked fun at local culture. The Lebanese loved it when you would make fun of their driving and how in Lebanon a red light is just a suggestion to stop. In Dubai, they laughed when you would point out their obsession with doing everything big: the biggest building in the world, the biggest mall, the biggest fireworks show ever--so big that neighboring Bahrain thought it was under attack. The Jordanians laughed when I told them I found out our comedy DVD had a Jordanian distribution deal--which is when one Jordanian buys it and everyone else sees it. Also known as a bootleg. ... Read more

'Avengers' Meet James Spader-Voiced Evil Robot in New (Trailer) (01/13/15) [1:40]

NYTimes | Lentil Salad With Roasted Vegetables | Melissa Clark Recipes | The New York Times (01/10/15) [4:10]