Global Warming Issue From 2 Or 3 Years Ago May Still Be A Problem

Posted on by Duncan Toms

“Global warming, if you remember correctly, was the single greatest problem of our lifetime back in 2007 and the early part of 2008,” CGD president Nancy Birdsall said. “But then the debates over Social Security reform and the World Trade Center mosque came up, and the government had to shift its focus away from the dramatic rise in sea levels, the rapid spread of deadly infectious diseases, and the imminent destruction of our entire planet.”

via Report: Global Warming Issue From 2 Or 3 Years Ago May Still Be Problem | The Onion – America’s Finest News Source.

USA: Banana Republic

Posted on by Duncan Toms

The richest 1 percent of Americans now take home almost 24 percent of income, up from almost 9 percent in 1976. As Timothy Noah of Slate noted in an excellent series on inequality, the United States now arguably has a more unequal distribution of wealth than traditional banana republics like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Guyana.

C.E.O.’s of the largest American companies earned an average of 42 times as much as the average worker in 1980, but 531 times as much in 2001. Perhaps the most astounding statistic is this: From 1980 to 2005, more than four-fifths of the total increase in American incomes went to the richest 1 percent.

via Our Banana Republic – NYTimes.com.

X Factory 2

Posted on by Duncan Toms

After last week, I’m a little bit disappointed
This was a little bit copycat
I got three really good comments
She knows what I said was right
Tonight, for whatever reason, you didn’t feel like you were inside the song
I thought you sang it pretty well
It just didn’t happen on-stage
She’s a real talent, a real person and there’s nothing fake about her
I vibed off of the audience and I vibed off of my emotion
I love her, you know, I think she’s fun
I think you are the perfect pop star
I’ve got party moves because I’m happy. I did well, I think
That’s absolutely made my night, you were full of bubbles
It was without question your best performance of the competition
I was so nervous before I went on
I was really good, I was so proud of him
You’ve got such an effortless vocal
It’s an absolute pleasure to be working alongside you
I can’t believe the comments, I’m like, oh my God
I’m actually concerned that I actually liked that performance
I think it proved to your critics that you actually can sing
Anything could happen, he might sing in tune
That absolutely blew me away, that was amazing
That was completely and utterly stunning
I’m crying but I’m happy; they’re good tears
You always come out and you give it 100%
What you’re missing is that passion and belief
I want to stay and I want to win this competition
It’s hard to be confident sometimes
You could be the next big band
You absolutely cheered me up and brightened up my night
It felt the best ever