Friday, May 31, 2013

反原発デモに6万人(東京)。「痛みへの想像力を」(落合恵子)。

 昨日(6月2日)の日曜日,どうしてもはずせない用事があって,昼中の芝公園にも,夕刻の国会前にも行くことができませんでした。どんな風だったのかなぁ,と気がかりになっていましたが,わたしが確認できた範囲のテレビはなにも伝えてはくれませんでした。ああ,無視される程度の人しか集まらなかったのか・・・・といささか失望していました。もう,このまま原発事故は過去のものにされてしまい,人びとの記憶からも遠ざかってしまうのだろうか,とそのことだけが気がかりでした。なぜなら,最近のテレビのニュースをみているかぎりでは,反原発運動などは眼中になく,どうでもいいスキャンダラスな情報ばかりが垂れ流されているからです。

 が,今朝の『東京新聞』をみて安心しました。一面の中程にかなり大きく写真入りの囲み記事になっていました。
 迫る参院選 「痛みへの想像力を」
 原発反対6万人 国会を囲む
 という見出しの文字が大きく躍っていました。

 毎週金曜日の夕刻,首相官邸前で抗議集会をつづけている首都圏反原発連合が主催した「反原発国会大包囲」という抗議デモです。それにしても全国から6万人(主催者発表)の市民が集まってきたというのですから,これは久しぶりの快挙です。これを弾みにして,夏の参院選に向け,もっともっと大きな輪になっていけば・・・・,そして,首都圏だけではなく,全国の主要都市はもとより,地方の市町村単位でも,「反原発」の意思表示をする集会がひろがっていけば・・・といまは祈るような気持ちです。

 その記事のなかには,日中に,芝公園と明治公園の二カ所で抗議集会が開かれ,こちらにも合わせて2万5千人超が集まった,とありました。芝公園では,大江健三郎さんや落合恵子さんらが演壇に立ち,反原発を訴えたとありました。

 こういう抗議集会はこれまでにも何回も開かれています。が,わたしが不思議におもうのは,テレビなどで「哲学者」や「社会学者」を名乗り,さもものわかりのよさそうな話をしている若手の研究者・評論家たちの姿を,こういう抗議集会でみたことがない,ということです。もちろん,わたしがでかける抗議集会やデモはごくかぎられたものでしかありませんが,それでも,一度もみかけない,演壇に登壇しない,というのはわたしにしてみれば不思議です。

 あれだけ立派なことをおっしゃるのであれば,自分たちで運動を組織して,自分たちの主張を世に訴えてしかるべきではないか,とわたしなどは単純に考えます。が,その裏はわかっています。そういう街頭に立って演説の一回でもぶてば,もう,二度とテレビには出演できないということを十分すぎるほど承知しているはずだからです。ということは,テレビに出演する哲学者・評論家の多くは,単なる売名行為であって,確たる思想・信条の吐露をしているわけではない,ということになります。もっと言ってしまえば,基本的には原発推進派だ,ということです。それをさも中立主義者のような玉虫色にみせかけて,「推進派でも,反対派でもない」と平然と言ってのける,まことに破廉恥きわまりない連中です。反対派ではない,ということは結果論としては推進派以外のなにものでもありません。

 しかし,そういう若手がもてはやされるのはほんの一瞬でしかありません。すぐに馬脚を露にしてしまうために,マス・メディアは使い捨てにしてしまいます。突然,テレビに現れたかとおもうとあっという間に消えていった,あの人たちはなんだったのか,そして,そういう人たちを使い回すテレビというメディアはいったいなんなのか,と考えてしまいます。

 そこにいくと大江健三郎さんは偉い。若いときから終始一貫して,みずからの思想・信条を訴えつづけています。ノーベル賞作家というおまけまで付いてしまいましたが・・・・。でも,この大江さんですら,最近は,ときおり妙なことをおっしゃいます。それほどに,いま,日本の社会で起きていること,そして,世界で起きていることの見極めをつけることは困難なのだ,ということなのでしょう。しかし,落合恵子さんが訴えるような「痛みへの想像力」を軸にしてものごとを考えていけば,おのずから道は開かれてくるのではないかとおもいます。いま,求められているのは,こうした女性の眼,女性の感性,感受性なのでしょう。その意味では,いまは,男がダメになってしまった最悪の時代といってよいでしょう。

 ここにも「近代」(男)の終焉,「前近代」(女)の蘇生が見え隠れしています。「後近代」(両義性,両性具有)を切り開くための論理がそこから透けてみえてくるようにおもいます。これからは文化人類学者たちが持ち合わせている「複眼的」な思考回路が,ますます重要な意味をもつようになってくるのでは・・・とわたしは考えています。

 反原発は,経済や政治の駆け引きのレベルで考えるのではなく,生身の生きる人間としての「痛み」の次元から,その思想を立ち上げていくべきでしょう。

 そんなことを,昨日の抗議集会にも,国会大包囲デモにも参加できなかった懺悔の気持ちを籠めて,いま,このブログを書いています。他者の「痛み」に鈍感になってしまった男たちのひとりとして,深く反省しつつ・・・・・。

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It's really about what didn't happen

By Jamey Dunn

The big stories on the last day of the spring legislative session were the things that did not get done.

Both chambers adjourned without sending to the governor’s desk Senate Bill 10, which would have legalized same-sex marriage, or comprehensive changes to public employee pensions. (For more on same-sex marriage, see this blog from Meredith Colias.) A gaming bill fell apart. (See blog here.) A bill to gradually shift future pension costs to universities and community colleges, which the institutions agreed to, could not even find enough support to pass in the Senate.

“Obviously this is a session where we have not enjoyed great success. That’s very obvious,” House Speaker Michael Madigan said during his annual end-of-session closing floor speech. “However, that does not mean that we are going to walk away from our responsibility.”

Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton each dug in behind their own legislation to change the pension systems for public employees. Madigan’s Senate Bill 1 was soundly rejected by the Senate Thursday, and the House did not take a vote on Cullerton’s SB 2404. Supporters of Cullerton’s plan say that model, which offers employees a choice in their benefits reduction, is constitutional. They argue that Madigan’s plan, which would unilaterally cut benefits, is not. Backers of SB 1 say Cullerton’s plan would not save enough to stabilize the pension systems, which have an estimated $100 billion unfunded liability.

“The state needs [pension reform], and we failed. And I’m not proud of myself,” Sen. Daniel Biss, who sponsored SB 1, said after the Senate adjourned this evening. “Here’s what could happen: We could not do anything until October, or we could sit down and talk. I feel like both options are inadequate.” Biss added: “People are going to be cynical about talks. ... They’d be fools not to be.” But he said that talks would be better than doing nothing at all.

Moody’s Investor Services issued a warning earlier Friday that if Illinois did not pass pension reform before the end of the legislative session, state government may face another credit downgrade. Illinois already has the lowest Moody’s bond rating of any state in the nation. “We shouldn’t be worried about whether or not Moody’s is going to downgrade us; we should worry about how hard they’re going to laugh at us,” said House Minority Leader Tom Cross. Cross said on the House floor that “the only thing on the financial side that we needed to do is pensions,” and it didn’t get accomplished.

Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno said she thought some “good stuff” was accomplished this session, including a compromise on concealed carry of firearms and the passage of hydraulic fracturing regulations. “But I really believe that every positive thing is absolutely overshadowed by the catastrophic failure to accomplish pension reform,” she said.

There was plenty of finger pointing to go around once it became apparent that the General Assembly was going home well before the midnight adjournment deadline without passing a pension bill. Cross said to Madigan during his floor speech: “When you want to get something done, you always find a way to get it done.” Madigan refused to talk to reporters as he left the House floor.

“The governor is going to bring Squeezy [the pension python] out again tomorrow because you guys couldn’t figure out how to communicate with the super majority of the same party on the other side of the building,” said Palatine Democratic Sen. Matt Murphy in reference to the cartoon mascot Quinn adopted to try to bring public attention to the pension problem. “We have not seen the governor. He has not done his job,” said Rep. Jack Franks, a Democrat from Marengo. Franks said Quinn should immediately call a special session on pensions.

But the last pension special session Quinn called produced nothing but bad press. Instead, the governor has instead called for a meeting with the legislative leaders next week. “I will not stop fighting until pension reform is the law of the land. But as I said in my budget address, I cannot act alone. If I could issue an executive order to resolve the pension crisis, I would. And I would have done it a long time ago. “Today, Moody’s issued another warning to legislators that Illinois’ credit rating would soon be downgraded — again — if they did not act on pension reform. Downgrades hurt our economy, waste taxpayer money and shortchange the education of our children,” Quinn said in a written statement. “Yet every time Illinois is downgraded — legislators leave Springfield without getting the job done.”

Cullerton was less in a mood to throw stones. “It’s not because we didn’t try. There’s no blame to go around. It just people have different positions, and it’s difficult to get 30 votes on it,” he said after the Senate adjourned. “You can’t criticize the governor for not passing a bill on to the governor’s desk.”

Madigan said Thursday after his bill failed in the Senate that Cullerton had shown a “lack of leadership.” But Cullerton, whose bill is backed by public employee unions, said he could not force his members' hands. “I can’t order people to vote for bills that they clearly don’t want to vote for,” he said. He noted that the unions had lobbied heavily against Madigan’s bill.

“We applaud Senate President John Cullerton and the strong, bipartisan majority of state senators who voted for responsible, constitutional and comprehensive pension legislation — Senate Bill 2404,” the We Are One Union Coalition said in a written statement released after adjournment. “President Cullerton called House Speaker Michael Madigan's bill, which could not garner majority support in the Senate. Now the speaker should show true leadership and call SB 2404. A bipartisan majority of House members and Illinois citizens have been demanding a vote for weeks. It is the democratic thing to do.” Cullerton said he thinks his bill would have the votes in the House to pass, but a spokesman for Madigan said Thursday that he thinks there is no interest in the House for taking a vote on the bill.

For all the doom and gloom over the lack of pension legislation, Madigan ended his floor speech on a positive note. “I don’t think that we should take our lack of success today as a reason to give up.” Any source

Three Firefighters Injured in Arson Hollywood Apartment Blaze

HOLLYWOOD - The Los Angeles Fire Department battled a long and intensive fight in an intentionally set fire that scorched an apartment building in Hollywood, leaving three firefighters injured and 42 residents displaced.

 
Just before 11:00 AM on May 31, 2013 Los Angeles Firefighters responded to a Structure Fire at 5957 Barton Avenue, near Santa Monica Boulevard and Gower Street. They arrived on scene to find a two-story apartment building on a raised foundation with smoke billowing from small basement windows. Additional firefighters were quickly requested.

LAFD Battles Stubborn Hollywood Apartment BlazeAn aggressive attack ensued that was concentrated on the basement area near a laundry room and a simultaneous search was performed to ensure all residents and pets were safely out. Firefighters had a long and exhaustive battle ahead...

LAFD Battles Stubborn Hollywood Apartment Blaze    Flames continued to creep inside the walls and climb up pipe alleys, around 3" gaps in fire blocking in some places, and quietly across the attic of the structure. Firefighters thoroughly went through all 16 smoke charged apartment units using thermal imaging cameras to sense heat and flames hidden behind the walls, and remained on scene for hours suppressing stubborn hot-spots and flare-ups. In approximately two and a half hours 155 firefighters, under the command of Battalion Chief Charles Butler, were confident of a complete knock down of the blaze and performed a thorough overhaul and salvage of property. Then a list was created of resident's important belongings inside and firefighters searched through the debris to find them and bring them to the owners.

Several arson investigators remained on scene for hours carefully combing through debris, examining fire patterns, using highly trained K9's, and talking with bystanders. The cause of the fire was determined to be arson and it remains under active investigation.

LAFD Battles Stubborn Hollywood Apartment BlazeThe total estimated dollar loss was $1.2 million ($1,100,000 structure & $100,000 contents). The Department of Building and Safety, "Red Tagged" the structure, deeming it unsafe for entry. The Red Cross arranged temporary housing for the renters in a nearby shelter.

It is important to note that hard wired smoke alarms with battery backup, appropriate to city building code, provided the occupants early detection and allowed for safe self evacuation.

Three firefighters were injured: One suffered burns to his hands, another a laceration to his hand, both were transported to local hospitals. A third firefighter suffered heat exhaustion from the battle and was treated but did not require transport. No civilians were injured.

We strongly encourage anyone with information that may assist the investigative efforts to please contact the Arson Counter-Terrorism Section at (213) 893-9800.
Dispatched Units: E227 T27 RA827 E52 E82 RA26 EM18 BC5 E76 T61 E261 E27 E235 T35 AR2 EA1 E202 T2 E3 E27 E10 E229 T29 E294 T94 RA61 DC3 EM5 BC18 BC14 T3 E203 UR3 E89 UR88 BC1 RA803 RA27 RA41 EM18 E12 E82 E235 T35 RM2 SQ21 RA892 RT59 AR1 AR23 AR9 AR17 E94 T33 E233 E37 T88 E288 RA27 T11 E211
(Raw Video Clip)

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department
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AVOIDING JOB TRAPS

AVOIDING JOB TRAPS

·         Check twice if the job offer of a company is “too good to believe” as it may be just that.
·         Do not jump to an offer only because brand names are associated to it.
·         Make sure that the job opening of the company is legitimate, and mentions the working hours.
·         Do a thorough research about the authenticity of the company offering you the job.
·         Do not disclose personal or family details, or sensitive information like your bank account number, credit card number, etc.
·         If the company asks you to buy something, like training materials, you should realize that it is a pyramid or ponzi scheme and not an actual job offer.
·         Be warned if job offers require you to pay an advance or a security deposit to get the post.
·         Make sure that the job portal where you are posting your resume is hacker-proof and has a good reputation in the market.
·         Fraudulent job sites squeeze out your money, or of your parents, besides wasting your time.
·         Be cautious when one is taking up lucrative job offers, especially if they are overseas.
·         Get it confirmed from the respective consulate, and then check whether it is trustworthy.
·         Also, make sure that your qualifications match the job profile being offered.

So, it is mostly upon us to pick up the right job.
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Dal Ministero della Verità Orwelliano!



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Gaming talks fall apart on final day of session

By Meredith Colias 

Efforts to pass gambling legislation fell apart as the Illinois House adjourned its spring session.

Blue Island Democratic Rep. Robert Rita told reporters earlier in the week he hoped to have a bill by the last day of the session, but that did not pan out. He said more time for compromise will “be worth it if we can have a greater dialogue.”  Rita did introduce an amendment that he said he hoped would start a conversation about issues such as the tax structure for casinos and racetracks with slot machines, where revenue from gaming would go and the regulation of a proposed Chicago casino.

Senate sponsor Sen. Terry Link, a Democrat from Waukegan, said Rita was still learning the issue and may have tweaked the bill too much. “It was a ridiculous amendment in my mind,” Link said. “We should be working the agreements that we had with people.”Any source

Istat: l'austerity finirà nel 2093

di Debora Billi

Il calcolo che gli illustri economisti non hanno fatto, lo propone l'Istat: per portare il rapporto debito-Pil al 60% ci vorranno 80 anni. Se il Paese cresce, naturalmente. 
Dal momento che ho un'incrollabile fiducia nell'informazione italiana, sono sicura che le grandi testate rilanceranno ed approfondiranno alla velocità della luce una notizia importantissima diffusa da Reuters Italia (Reuters, non un ciclostilato dei centri sociali) già una settimana fa.

Si tratta di questo. Secondo i calcoli dell'Istat (Istat, l'istituto nazionale di statistica, un ente pubblico: non un ragionier Rossi qualsiasi), se non cambiano le regole del bilancio l'austerità durerà ottant'anni. Poi smetteremo finalmente di tirare la cinghia.

Per chiari motivi anagrafici non vedremo il luminoso futuro né io né voi, lettori. Magari i vostri figli, se siete giovani. Altrimenti i nipoti o i bisnipoti. Eppure i politici continuano a giurare che l'amara cura di lacrime sudore sangue è una medicina portentosa, la svolta è dietro l'angolo (sì, come no), bastano pochi mesi, un annetto massimo, e si rialza la testa tutti quanti di nuovo.

Non prendiamoci in giro: sapevano benissimo che non è vero anche prima che glielo dicesse l'Istat. Adesso veramente non hanno più scuse. Il re è nudo, come nella fiaba di Andersen. Purtroppo la vocina che lo segnala non diventa un assordante coro di sberleffi e lazzi: che diamine, siamo in Italia, mica in una fiaba.

Insieme al Rapporto 2013, dunque, l'Istat ha diffuso un allegato con una simulazione degli effetti del fiscal compact, cioè lo scellerato obbligo (ce lo chiede l'Europa...) di ridurre ogni anno il rapporto debito pubblico-Pil fino a che non sia raggiunta la fatidica soglia del 60%.

Pur senza citare l'Italia, l'Istat ha calcolato gli effetti del fiscal compact su un Paese che - guarda caso come l'Italia - ha un rapporto debito-Pil del 130%. Ha calcolato un tasso di crescita dell'1% (ottimisti, l'Italia è in recessione) e un costo medio del debito del 4%, compatibile con l'altalena del famoso spread.

Risultato. Ci vorranno appunto circa 80 anni per portare il rapporto debito-Pil al 60%. 
Bisogna cambiare strada. Per noi e per i nostri figli. Il re è nudo: diciamolo, almeno.


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Same-sex marriage isn't called for a House vote

By Meredith Colias

The spring legislative session ended in disappointment for gay rights advocates when the House failed to take a vote on same-sex marriage.

Illinois was poised to become the 13th state to legalize gay marriage, but it appears the measure did not yet have enough strongly committed support to pass. Gov. Pat Quinn was supportive of the legislation and pledged to sign the bill. Chicago Democratic Rep. Greg Harris, who sponsors Senate Bill 10, choked up as he told those in the galleries he was sorry he could not risk the vote. “I apologize to families who were hoping to wake up tomorrow as full and equal citizens of this state,” he said. Advocates reacted with emotion and deep disappointment as Harris took to the House floor to announce he did not want to risk the bill’s failure. Spectators in the gallery shouted out for Harris to call the bill for a vote. Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov said the lack of a vote was “very painful and disgusting.”

Less than two years after Illinois legalized same-sex civil unions, public opinion polling indicates that residents are more supportive of granting full marriage rights, but a majority of House members apparently did not agree. A centerpiece of Equality Illinois’ push to legalize same-sex marriage was highlighting the public’s shifting stance on the issue. President Barack Obama also publicly supported the push when he made a visit to Chicago this week. “They looked at all of that and waved their hands and walked away,” Cherkasov said.

Sources familiar with negotiations estimated the vote count for months to be just under the 60 required to pass, and Harris was tight-lipped on lobbying efforts for much of that time. Harris said that he was uncertain that he had the backing to pass the bill, and he wanted to wait for a floor vote because some members said they would consider voting “yes” in the fall. Harris would not name names as to who was sitting on the fence. But lobbyists on both sides have been battling over the votes of the members of the House’s black caucus. With a potential roll call constantly shifting since the bill's passage in the Senate on Valentine's Day, it was uncertain if Harris had enough solid support to push the measure through the House. Even some lawmakers who that said they were open-minded to supporting the legislation would not publicly commit before a floor vote.

Seemingly, Illinois would be able to pass same-sex marriage without a problem because Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in the legislature. But the votes of many members of the caucus could not be  guaranteed because of the state's regional and cultural diversity. Theories on what factors were to blame for the lack of a vote followed Harris’ announcement, but he simply said he wanted to give the bill the time he hoped it needed to pass. Some lawmakers said they wanted more time to talk with their constituents before they would come back to support the bill. “I take my colleagues at their word that they shall,” he said.

Longtime gay rights advocate Rick Garcia, political director of the Civil Rights Agenda, criticized Harris for failing to share his estimated roll calls. He said community and minority groups that had a real life stake in the bill’s passage were not effectively employed, and Harris relied too heavily on House Speaker Michael Madigan to secure the vote. “That is why we lost,” he said. “This is a textbook case of how other states shouldn’t do it,” he said.

Harris’ fellow sponsor, Chicago Democrat Rep. Ken Dunkin, said the 20-member black caucus should not be blamed for the failure for a vote. He said other Democrats in the 71-member majority could have stepped up to support the legislation. He said he would still be an outspoken advocate for the bill, but he thought it may have been an a mistake for supporters to equate the ability to marry with the long struggle by African-Americans against racism and discrimination. “That may have actually offended African-American legislators, for that to be equated,” he said.

If same-sex marriage is brought back up in the legislature's fall veto session, it is not known how more time will help lobbying efforts. At least one representative, Chicago Democratic Rep. William Davis, who supported civil unions as a compromise in 2010, said he was not sure if he was ready to support full same-sex marriage rights.

The religious aspect of same-sex marriage is also underlying the debate. The bill protects religious institutions if they refuse to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies or lend their halls for receptions. Aurora Democratic Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia said she thought Harris genuinely wanted to include religious exemptions in the bill. “His intentions are not to impose this on anybody, and I take him for his word,” she said. Only one lawmaker during the Senate debate said its inclusion swayed his decision to vote for the bill.

Chicago Democratic Rep. Deborah Mell spoke of her life with her partner, whom she traveled with to Iowa to marry. She vowed the issue would reemerge. “This vote will be taken,” she said. Any source

Governo Letta: l’imbroglio della nuova legge sul finanziamento ai partiti

di Peter Gomez
Puntuale come le tasse è arrivato il primo grande imbroglio del governo Letta. I finanziamenti pubblici ai partiti non saranno aboliti. A partire dal 2017, se mai il disegno di legge presentato dall’esecutivo sarà approvato, le forze politiche incasseranno il 2 per mille delle dichiarazioni dei redditi degli italiani. Ma attenzione: il contributo sarà solo apparentemente volontario. 

Con una trovata bizantina, presa pari pari dalle norme che regolano l’8 per mille alla chiesa, è infatti stato stabilito che chi non dichiarerà esplicitamente di voler destinare il suo 2 per mille all’erario finirà per foraggiare lo stesso le organizzazioni rappresentate in parlamento. Sull’esatto ammontare della nuova rapina i pareri divergono. Secondo molti osservatori alla fine il giochetto potrebbe persino permettere ai partiti di incassare il doppio di oggi. 

Il ministro delle Riforme Gaetano Quagliariello assicura che ci sarà un tetto di 61 milioni di euro. La discussione è interessante, ma in ogni caso non coglie il punto. Il referendum del ’93 ha già dimostrato che gli elettori non vogliono il finanziamento pubblico. E tutti sanno che se quel referendum fosse riproposto avrebbe un risultato ancora più ampio. Dibattere ancora se sia giusto o sbagliato mantenere la politica con soldi dei contribuenti (magari approfittando della loro distrazione al momento della compilazione dei 730) non ha quindi senso. L’abolizione va semplicemente approvata.

Da questo orecchio, però, sia Pd che Pdl non ci sentono. Solo che i primi, con poche eccezioni, lo dicono esplicitamente (e anche per questo hanno pareggiato le ultime elezioni politiche). Mentre i secondi, più avvezzi alle balle spaziali, in gennaio avevano addirittura fatto firmare a tutti i loro candidati un impegno solenne in cui i futuri parlamentari dichiaravano che avrebbero votato il “dimezzamento degli emolumenti” e “una legge che azzeri il finanziamento pubblico ai partiti” (e anche per questo avevano pareggiato le elezioni).

Il risultato è il disegno di legge definito #leggetruffa su twitter da Beppe Grillo. E basta poco per capire che questa volta il fondatore del Movimento 5 Stelle, dopo giorni di controproducenti e autolesionistiche sparate, ci ha preso.

L’articolato licenziato dal governo non è un provvedimento anti-Casta, ma pro-Casta. Guardate, per esempio, il capitolo delle nuove norme dedicato alla tanto strombazzata trasparenza. Non una riga è dedicata alla fondazioni, diventate come è noto, il canale attraverso cui gli esponenti politici ricevono milioni di euro da aziende e privati nell’opacità più assoluta. 
Oggi salvo che le fondazioni non decidano il contrario (e questi casi si contano sulle dita di una mano) l’elenco dei finanziatori è segreto. Per legge. E lo resterà anche se il disegno del governo venisse approvato.

Ora, visto che il M5S è l’unica forza ad aver rinunciato da subito a 42 milioni di euro di rimborsi elettorali e ad aver portato a 5000 euro lordi lo stipendio dei suoi parlamentari (diaria e rimborsi esclusi), viene da chiedersi per quale motivo la maggioranza abbia deciso di fornire un assist così chiaro al movimento di Grillo. 
Di risposte ve ne sono parecchie. E, oltre a quella scontata e dichiarata da più o meno tutti i tesorieri (“non possiamo fare a meno dei soldi”), ve ne è una che spiega bene quale sia il probabile futuro della legislatura. Pd e Pdl sono convinti di poter governare per 5 anni. E lo sono ancor di più dopo i risultati delle ultime amministrative (a loro delle astensioni non importa nulla).

Silvio Berlusconi si rende infatti conto che far saltare il governo potrebbe non servigli per risolvere i suoi processi e, dati alla mano, teme che una vittoria Pdl non sia poi così certa. Stessi timori (rispetto a nuove elezioni) li ha il Pd. Entrambe i partiti hanno infine paura di Matteo Renzi (considerato dalla nomenklatura democratica un corpo estraneo) e dei sondaggi che a livello nazionale danno ancora molto alti i 5 Stelle.

Questa somma di debolezze, finisce paradossalmente, per rendere più forte l’esecutivo. Il tirare a campare diventa per tutti una parola d’ordine. E per campare bene, si sa, servono i soldi. Tanti soldi!  


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ALTERNATIVE SATURDAY CARTOONS: JUNE 1, 2012

 
 The news is, Hillary is gay! At last she is out of the closet!

Jewish "humour":
After 60 years a Rabbi decides to retire, taking the box of foreskins he has collected over the years of doing circumcisions. He goes to the leather goods manufacturers and says to the salesman "Can you do anything with these?" 

The man says "No problem, come back in two weeks."

After two weeks the rabbi returns to the shop and is presented with a wallet. In total disbelief, he says to the craftsman "After 60 years the best you can do is a wallet?"

The man replies "Don't worry, just rub it a few times and it will turn into a suitcase"
 











 



 Meet SheZow, the new Hasbro Superhero. SheZow is a transvestite. Er, do you want YOUR child to get into this mindset? Hasbro is showing even worse taste than usual.
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Some things just never change. Bet they are Italian!

 







 




Sammy has stolen the rabbi's gold watch.
He didn't feel too good about it, so he decided, after a sleepless night to go to the rabbi.
'Rabbi, I stole a gold watch.'
'But Sammy ! That's forbidden! You should return it immediately !'
'What shall I do ?'
'Give it back to the owner.'
'Do you want it ?'
'No, I said return it to its owner.'
'But he doesn't want it.'
'In that case, you can keep it.'



Another Jewish Jesus "joke":
It Pays To Advertise 
Old man Moskowitz was getting along in years. He decided to retire and let his 3 sons run the company (which manufactured a wide variety of nails). The sons thought they could increase market-share with some judicious billboard advertising.
 
 Only a week later the old man was taking his usual Sunday drive in the country when he saw the first billboard ad. There it was ~ a picture of Christ on the Cross, with the caption: "Nails for Every Purpose. Use Moskowitz Nails."
 
 The old man immediately met with his 3 sons to voice his concern. He explained that the backlash could be horrendous. The company could be ruined. The sons agreed to discontinue that ad.
 
 A week later the old man was again taking his usual Sunday drive when he saw the second billboard ad. There it was ~ a picture of the same cross, empty, with Christ crumpled on the ground below... and the caption: "Next Time Use Moskowitz Nails." 



 


















Folks, If you think I am crazy..... here are a few shots from one of my daughter's recent photo shoots! Hard to believe this is the face of today's highly educated up n coming generation!


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