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questionall:

In his new report, America For Sale: A Report on Billionaires Buying the 2012 Election, Sen. Bernie Sanders named names and called out the billionaires who using Citizens United to buy our democracy.

In front of a Senate panel today, Sen. Bernie Sanders outed the 26 billionaires who are members of 23 billionaire families that are using Citizens United to buy elections.Sen. Sanders estimated that these 26 billionaires are the tip of the iceberg. “My guess is that number is really much greater because many of these contributions are made in secret. In other words, not content to own our economy, the 1 percent want to own our government as well.”

Sanders explained how the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision put the government up for sale, “What the Supreme Court did in Citizens United is to say to these same billionaires and the corporations they control: ‘You own and control the economy, you own Wall Street, you own the coal companies, you own the oil companies. Now, for a very small percentage of your wealth, we’re going to give you the opportunity to own the United States government.’”

Sen. Sanders also did the last thing the billionaires wanted. He called them out by name.

According to the report, America for Sale: A Report on Billionaires Buying the 2012 Election, here are the 26 billionaires who are trying to buy your government:

1). Sheldon Adelson, owner of the Las Vegas Sands Casino, is worth nearly $25 billion, making him the 14th wealthiest person in the world and the 7th richest person in America. While median family income plummeted by nearly 40% from 2007-2010, Mr. Adelson has experienced a nearly eightfold increase in his wealth over the past three years (from $3.4 billion to $24.9 billion). Forbes recently reported that Adelson is willing to spend a “limitless” amount of money or more than $100 million to help defeat President Obama in November.

2. The Kochs (David, Charles, and William) are worth a combined $103 billion, according to Forbes. They have pledged to spend about $400 million during the 2012 election season. The Kochs own more wealth than the bottom 41.7 percent of American households or more than 49 million Americans.

3. Jim Walton is worth $23.7 billion. He has donated $300,000 to super PACs in 2012.

4. Harold Simmons is worth $9 billion. He has donated $15.2 million to super PACs this year.

5. Peter Thiel is worth $1.5 billion. He has donated $6.7 million to Super PACs this year.

6. Jerrold Perenchio is worth $2.3 billion. He has donated $2.6 million to super PACs this year.

7. Kenneth Griffin is worth $3 billion and he has given $2.08 million to super PACs in 2012.

8. James Simons is worth $10.7 billion and he has given $1.5 million to super Pacs this year.

9. Julian Robertson is worth $2.5 billion and he has given $1.25 million to super PACs this year.

10. Robert Rowling is worth $4.8 billion and he has given $1.1 million to super PACs.

11. John Paulson, the hedge fund manager who made his fortune betting that the sub-prime mortgage market would collapse, is worth $12.5 billion. He has donated $1 million to super PACs.

12. Richard and J.W. Marriott are worth a combined $3.1 billion and they have donated $2 million to super PACs this year.

13. James Davis is worth $1.9 billion and he has given $1 million to super PACs this year.

14. Harold Hamm is worth $11 billion and he has given $985,000 to super PACs this year.

15. Kenny Trout is worth more than $1.2 billion and he has given $900,000 to super PACs this year.

16. Louis Bacon is worth $1.4 billion and he has given $500,000 to super PACs this year.

17. Bruce Kovner is worth $4.5 billion and he has given $500,000 to super PACs this year.

18. Warren Stephens is worth $2.7 billion and he has given $500,000 to super PACs this year.

19. David Tepper is worth $5.1 billion and he has given $375,000 to super PACs this year.

20. Samuel Zell is worth $4.9 billion and he has given $270,000 to super PACs this year.

21. Leslie Wexner is worth $4.3 billion and he has given $250,000 to super PACs this year.

22. Charles Schwab is worth $3.5 billion and he has given $250,000 to super PACs this year.

23. Kelcy Warren is worth $2.3 billion and he has given $250,000 to super PACs this year.

The thing that these billionaires love most about Citizens United it is that it allows them to operate in total darkness. The American people couldn’t fight back because the billionaires were giving their money anonymously. This same cloak of invisibility is what made ALEC so effective for years. The conservative billionaire cabal works best in private, behind closed doors, far away from curious eyes.

With his report today, Sen. Sanders has made it more difficult for thieves of liberty to keep operating in the night. We now have a list of names and we know what they are trying to do to our government. Sen. Sanders is one of the few federally elected officials who has the courage to talk about these people in public.

Most of the members of the House and Senate are too afraid to speak of, much less take on, the billionaires. Even those decent members of Congress who might speak out against them have been terrified into silence by threats of multimillion dollar negative ad buys that will run against the incumbent back home.

Bernie Sanders is displaying a brand of political courage that is sorely lacking in American politics today, and he needs you to stand with him to protect our liberties, our freedoms, and to battle to return the government back to the American people.

We love you Bernie!!!!!  Thanks for letting us know who really owns our country!!  And thank you for trying to fix it!!!

shanenickerson:

I woke up today to read about another horrific shooting in Colorado. The television media scambled to assign blame as the Twitterati raced to make observations supporting personal agendas, premature categorizations, and of course, tasteless jokes. Mass murder is frightening….

If you take away the meaning behind their horrible actions, you take away their power.

xaos:

No symbols, a little imagination and a few seconds.

Imagine a vertical line behind your eyes (perhaps in front of your spine or perhaps within your spine) from the top of your head to the soles of your feet (I extend the line a little above my head and a little below my soles or backside if I’m…

noam-chomsky:

Right before the election there were extensive studies released about voters’ attitudes and intent. It turns out that only about 10 percent of them were voting for what the studies’ designers called “agenda, policies, programs, and ideas.” Te rest were voting for imagery.

U.S. elections are run…

amodernmanifesto:

If you beat them at their own game, you’ve lost.

So … you’re in a band, with a really important message, and you want to get it out to as many people as possible—so you’re trying to get really popular and sell lots and lots of records. Or perhaps you’re a political…

tinfoilandtea:

It’s about Obama’s proposal that the marginal tax rate on income over $400,000 should rise from 35% to 39.6%. That’s your aggrievement. That’s your entitlement. That’s your socialism. That’s your class warfare. An increase in the top marginal tax rate of 4.6 percentage points. Four. Point. Six. This is what America’s most prosperous citizens are up in arms about. This is why Barack Obama is an enemy of capitalism. These are the spiteful shackles he proposes to use to subjugate America’s engines of job creation. It’s the reason America’s wealthiest citizens are so frightened about the future of their country. 4.6 percentage points. Just let that sink in.

This is a god indication of who is actually fighting a class war. The Rich.

rowanraidho:

beforetheworldgoesheadlong:

Hela’s Rule: Vision. Death takes the long view of all things, and so we strive to value far-seeing over temporary difficulties. Ask yourself: Will this matter in a year? Five years? Ten? After I am dead? Think ahead before you react, before you speak. Learn not to take things personally; people often react from their damage, and everything blows over in time.

Loki’s Rule: Self-Knowledge. Nomatter what you say to others, be it truth or lie, never lie to yourself. Know yourself excruciatingly well, even the ugly parts, and always be honest with yourself first. When you speak the truth aloud, remember that the greatest honor is in speaking the truth that no one wants to hear, and that everyone has been avoiding out of fear.

Angrboda’s Rule: Diversity. The Giant-Race comes in a myriad of forms, and all shapes, sizes, and natures are valued among them. Being close to Nature, they understand that diversity is survival and strength, while homogeneity is inevitable weakness. Thus, we accept and value diversity in human beings, be that in race, ability, gender, cultural background, lifestyle, sexual preferences, appearance, and all the many ways that we can be wonderfully different.

Jormundgand’s Rule: Liminality. As the Snake is neither male nor female, both of Midgard and not of Midgard, so we see that the honorable and the sacred is most often found in that which crosses boundaries, bridges opposites, moves between worlds. We value that which is Both, and Neither, as one of the Great Mysteries.

Sigyn’s Rule: Loyalty. Stand by those who love you, and whom you love, no matter what others say of them, no matter if they are driven out. The loyalty of true friends, family, and lovers is more important than the acceptance of any group, and any group that would force you to forswear them is not worthy.

Gerda’s Rule: Frithmaking. While sometimes war is necessary, there is always far more honor in making a just peace than waging a just war.

Jord’s Rule: Earthwisdom. Revere the Earth and Nature; seek to live lightly on the land. Honor the spirits of the Earth, the stones, the trees, and all Nature.

Nidhogg’s Rule: Recycling. There is no such place as Away, so be careful what you throw there. Recycle, give away, don’t waste, find a place for it somewhere else. This includes people as well as things.

Aegir’s Rule: Hospitality. Open your doors even to those not of your people, not of your tribe. Open your doors to them even when they are annoying, or disrespectful, if there is the chance of an alliance, of changing their ways with frithmaking. Be gracious in the face of others’ greed and boorishness. You have the right to set boundaries, but be generous the first time at least, no matter who they are, until they truly prove themselves worthless.

Surt’s Rule: Intensity. Whatever you do, let it be with passion and fervor. Do not live a dull, repressed life.

Fenris’s Rule: Shadow. Learn to love and find sacred all the parts of yourself, even the darknesses. Honor them by making a safe place for them, where they can neither be harmed nor harm others.

Mordgud’s Rule: Self-Control. The Giant-Race are a people of strong passions, and so often are their followers. That is why it is all the more important that we strive always to keep our gates guarded and our walls firm — not to keep out, but to keep in. Keep control of your emotions, that they might not spill over and burn others, or yourself.

The Norns’ Rule: Dedication. Walk your path as you understand it, and as the Gods tell you to, and let no mortal opinion get in the way of your Wyrd.

I know I’ve been a sass about Tumblr Lokeans recently.  But this I can jive with.  This is well written and reflects an interesting, well considered interpretation of the lore.   It doesn’t reek of the “Loki is in my bedroom and I think he ate all my skittles to troll me lololol<3” trend I’ve been seeing.     

There are plenty of lessons to be learned from the shady side of Yggidrasil.  (I know the ACTUAL cosmology of the 9 worlds, that was a metaphor.)  

A major draw for many people towards Heathenry (Asatru, Forn Sedr, whatever flavor/interpretations of the spiritual traditions of Northern Europe that you prefer) is the emphasis on ethics and values.  From what I’ve observed, it seems like Heathens take particular interest the pragmatic side of spirituality, living a life of honor and principle.  Everyday moral choices are just as important (if not more) than the sweeping cosmological mystical concepts and what not.

What makes this particular code written by a Rökkatru-stye Heathen any less valid than 10 Noble Virtues?   They’re both interpretations by someone who has done their reaserch. Thor doesn’t give a damn about dogma.  

All Heathens are drawing from the scraps of mythology that were preserved by Christians… and lets not kid ourselves there is a ton of ambiguity and contradictions and bias found in the lore.  We take what we can get, research till our eyes bleed, look for poetic metaphors in the lore, seek mystical experience, and try to live a life of virtue and meaning.  

Christians spit on subjectivity, but since I’m a dirty Heathen I’m content with different interpretations of the source material and don’t need everyone to subscribe to the ONE TRUTH to feel secure in my own spirituality and ethics.

 I don’t care if you base your moral code on Loki and his brood, or Odin and Friends, Jesus Christ, Ganesh, Almighty Science, or even the Flying Spaghetti Monster.  

Just live with honor, and don’t be an asswipe. 

iseesigils:

beyond-the-wand:

beyond-the-wand-gone-deactivate:

In the case of clothing, a recent study by researchers from Northwestern University demonstrated that wearing a white coat triggered more diligent attention on a task if the participants were told that it was a doctor’s coat than if they were told that the same coat was a painter’s coat. Apparently, we are more likely to associate thoughts of a doctor as signifying detailed mental focus than the thoughts related to an artistic painter. The important point was that there was no effect unless the participants wore the coat. Simply seeing the doctor’s coat was not enough to induce a shift in performance on the attention task. Embodied cognition is certainly an advance in explanation over simple associative priming, but why does wearing the clothing have such an important influence on our thoughts?

I can see this being useful in chaos magic like whoa nelly.  Convince yourself that a coat used to belong to some great wizard or that a pendant used to belong to a priestess…

Glamour.. and it’s uses 🙂

achangingaltar:

A post popped up on my dash today (reblogged by Glitterwitch) where Aviewintoyourworld was discussing a few topics related to a (now deleted) post in which a young Lokean had an apparently troubling experience with Loki.

Aviewintoyourworld mentioned setting boundaries with your deity, and…