Wealth trumps all....

[ChrryBlstr]

"Dear friend, you are an Athenian, citizen of the greatest city, more famous than any other for its knowledge and might, yet are you not ashamed for devoting all your care to increasing your wealth, reputation and honors while not caring for or even considering your reason, truth and the constant improvement of your soul."

Foucault, citing Socrates from the Apology. Hard for me to read this this a.m. without substituting "Albertan" for "Athenian". Are our political leaders and many of our fellow citizens not ashamed for considering wealth over the improvement of our social lives and our communities? - Imre Szeman

I would certainly argue that substituting most Western cities, states/provinces and even countries for "Athens" would be similarly valid.

Sad.

 

[Skulnik]

White House cancels tours because there?s no money; Americans now unable to say goodbye to the $250 million the Obama administration is sending Egypt









By Doug Powers ? March 6, 2013 10:55 AM


**Written by Doug Powers

An alternate headline comes courtesy of Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX): ?The people have been banned from the people?s house.?

From Fox News:


The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it will cancel all tours starting this weekend, due to sequester cuts. The move prompted swift condemnation from Republican lawmakers, who described the decision as the latest attempt to make the sequester seem worse than it is.
[...]
The announcement is the latest from the administration about the impact of the cuts that went into effect last Friday. Congressional staffers received a terse email saying White House tours would be canceled effective this Saturday.

The email cited ?staffing reductions? from the sequester.

?Unfortunately, we will not be able to reschedule affected tours,? the notice said. ?We very much regret having to take this action, particularly during the popular Spring touring season.?

Regret it? Uh huh.

Knowing sequestration was looming, there was still enough money for an extra $15 million in Pakistan aid, $50 million for TSA uniforms and even hundreds of thousands for portraits. Even post sequestration they were somehow still able to scrape $250 million from under the country?s couch cushions to give to Egypt.

You can probably guess what the sequester won?t interrupt ? and one of those things is the collection of Obamacare taxes. Another is the calligraphy.