REPUB[L]ICANS "in the Wisconsin state senate have approved a plan to strip public-sector unions of most of their collective bargaining rights." - BBC. "Starve the beast" Reaganomics. "The richest 1% of the American population, who were paying an income tax rate of 70% had that rate chopped down to 50% and then to 28% under the Reagan administration." "Between 1978 and 1990 the government lost $840 billion in tax revenue whilst 1% of Americans accumulated $1 trillion. When Reagan first entered the White House the national debt was at around $700 billion, by the time he left the debt had exceeded $3 trillion." - read from Living in Philistia.

I'll say it again, coz you may have missed it in the fog of media wars and spin-mastering:

REPUB[L]ICANS "in the Wisconsin state senate have approved a plan to strip public-sector unions of most of their collective bargaining rights." - BBC. 

"But Democratic senate minority leader Mark Miller said the Republicans had shown disrespect for the people of Wisconsin and their rights.

"Tonight, 18 senate Republicans conspired to take government away from the people," he is quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.

"Tomorrow we will join the people of Wisconsin in taking back their government."

State unions had said they would agree to Mr Walker's proposed changes to their benefits - which would amount to an 8% pay cut - as long as they retained collective bargaining rights."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12695313

"Starve the beast" Reaganomics. 

"The richest 1% of the American population, who were paying an income tax rate of 70% had that rate chopped down to 50% and then to 28% under the Reagan administration." 

"Between 1978 and 1990 the government lost $840 billion in tax revenue [DORIN'S NOTE: that's "starve the beast"] whilst 1% of Americans accumulated $1 trillion." 

"When Reagan first entered the White House the national debt was at around $700 billion, by the time he left the debt had exceeded $3 trillion." - read from Living in Philistia.

http://livinginphilistia.blogspot.com/2011/02/reaganomics-review.html

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Please visit and join The Guest Heart Thursday meme!

http://clytie-randomhearts.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR hearts!

My entry for today would have been a [Republican] politician's "heart for the American people".

I haven't found one in the Wisconsin Senate.

I'm still looking...

If this symbolizes "the heart of the American people", then it looks already chewed up by the greedy profiteers at the top:

It's nice to nurture a hobby, and find beauty even where it isn't, except thru the lens of our mind.
It's even more important to be acutely aware of what's going on in the world around us.
On-the-scenes, and especially behind-the-scenes.
Have a heart for the people, you greedy millionaires! :)

I am not against rich people, in principle.

Who wants to be a millionaire? Everybody, including me and including you, I guess. :)

The point is that while you are getting rich, you shouldn't take an assholistic approach towards your fellow countrymen.

Don't drive your fellows out of their jobs...

out of business...

out of their homes...

out of their hopes...

out of their mind!

Coz if you do, then all hell might break loose, eventually.

And you might lose big, or...everything! [oh, your God!]

"Beware the fury of a patient man."

"Be afraid of a man who has nothing left to lose."

Get rich, and help others get prosperous, too, at least at a reasonable level.

Live, and let live.

What! You prefer to "not let live"?

The Khmer Rouge regime has exterminated 1/4 of the population of Cambodia/Kampuchea.

Are records meant to be broken?

"A politician  does not see the light until he feels the heat."

Politicians from around the world: 

do you entertain the idea of finding out, first-hand, the euphemistic weight of

 "a ton of bricks"? 

The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus), and other pelican species on WWF (and collector-created) maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards from Romania. Happy ABC Wednesday meme! Happy World Bird Wednesday meme!

I will post soon a scan with the complete set of 4. Thank you! :)

"The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a member of the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe to India and China in swamps and shallow lakes. The nest is a crude heap of vegetation.

This is the largest of the pelicans, averaging 170–190 cm (67-75 inches) in length, 11–15 kg (24-33 lbs) in weight and just over 3 m (10 ft) in wingspan. On average, it is the world's heaviest flying species,^{[citation needed]} although large male bustards and swans can exceed the pelican in maximum weight. It differs from the Great White Pelican in that it has curly nape feathers, grey legs and greyish-white (rather than pure white) plumage. It has a red lower mandible in the breeding season. Immatures are grey and lack the pink facial patch of immature White Pelicans. The latter also has darker flight feathers."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalmatian_Pelican

"The Great White Pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus also known as the Eastern White Pelican or White Pelican is a bird in the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe through Asia and in Africa in swamps and shallow lakes."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Whitepelican_edit_shadowlift.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_White_Pelican

In the above maxicards, I have spotted a few non-concordant elements - different species of pelicans on the same maxicard. The stamp species should have matched the postcard species, AFAIAC [as far as I am concerned].

Can you spot them, just as an intellectual challenge? :)

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Please visit and join The World Bird Wednesday meme!

http://worldbirdwednesday.blogspot.com/

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They say that the gentle lamb sucks milk from two ewes...:)

Here's a second meme.

Please visit and join ABC Wednesday meme!

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Today,  H is for Heaven-on-Earth for birds. 

The Danube Delta (Romania/Ukraine), UNESCO World Heritage Site,

is a Sanctuary for birds and many other animal species. :)

"

"The Danube Delta (Romanian: Delta Dunării; Ukrainian: Дельта Дунаю, Del'ta Dunaju) is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent.^[1] The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania (Tulcea county), while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine (Odessa Oblast). "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DeltaRBDD.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danube_delta

Happy International Women's Day (IWD)! Ruby Tuesday meme. Maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards from USA

Best wishes to all the women in the world! :)

Just like men, they have hormones like testosterone and estrogen, but in very different percentage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estrogen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosterone

Besides, there are many notions and people in the middle ground between MALE and FEMALE:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex

Don't focus on "Season's Greetings"; focus on the red roses, for today's occasion, OK? :)

Yes, I used a white mailing label, coz I want the postmark to be visible.

Here, black on black means invisibility, get it? :)

"International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day is marked on March 8 every year.^[1] It is a major day of global celebration of women. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements.

Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc. In many regions, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and St Valentine's Day. In other regions, however, the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women's_Day

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Please visit and join Ruby Tuesday meme!

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

The blue sky of Mongolia. Happy Blue Monday meme. I have 3 out of 4 WWF maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards from Mongolia, with The Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus)

"The Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) is a large even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklimakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang, China. There are a small number wild Bactrian camels still roaming the Mangystau Province of South West Kazakhstan. It is one of the two surviving species of camel.^[2] The Bactrian camel has two humps on its back, in contrast to the single-humped Dromedary camel.^[3]

Nearly all of the estimated 1.4 million Bactrian camels alive today are domesticated. In October 2002, the estimated 800 remaining in the wild in northwest China and Mongolia were classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.^[1]

Some authorities, notably the IUCN, use the binomial name Camelus ferus for the wild Bactrian camel and reserve Camelus bactrianus for the domesticated form.^[1]"

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactrian_camel}

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bactrian_camels_-_Nubra.jpg

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Happy Blue Monday! (meme)

Please visit:  http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

Happy Sunday Stamps! meme. Stamps with artwork BY children, and stamps with artwork FOR children.

The above maximum card is created with an ad(vertisement) card.

How many issuing countries contributed to the above selection of stamps? :)

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Please visit: http://viridianpostcard.blogspot.com/

Not really flying: The Siberian Flying Squirrel (Pteromys volans) - WWF maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards FROM Estonia (Eesti) ("FROM", not "ABOUT" Estonia, because they are really postmarked locally). Happy Postcard Friendship Friday! meme.

Mother Nature, or The Supreme Genetic Engineer gave this species the skinny - the furry glide membrane or patagium, a flap of skin that stretches between the front and rear legs.

"By spreading this membrane the flying squirrel may glide from tree to tree across distances of over a hundred meters, and have been known to record a glide ratio of 3.31, but is normally 1-1.5.^[2]"

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Flying_Squirrel}

It would have been better if the postcards didn't have the basically identical, enlarged image of each matching stamp. Viva variety, you National Postal Administrations! :)

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/ (wait until Beth posts the today's Linky tool for the meme, then make your entry, if you want to join).

Can you spot a heart shape here? Hint: it's upside-down. Guest Heart Thursday meme. Official (from the Post) maximum card/ maxicard/ dorincard with Boxer Dogs, from Suomi/ Finland.

"White Boxers

Boxers with white markings covering more than one-third of their coat - conventionally called "white" Boxers - are neither albino or rare; approximately 20–25% of all Boxers born are white.^[5]Genetically, these dogs are either fawn or brindle, with excessive white markings overlying the base coat color. Like fair-skinned humans, white Boxers have a higher risk of sunburn and associated skin cancers than colored Boxers. The extreme piebald gene, which is responsible for white markings in Boxers, is linked to congenital sensorineural deafness in dogs. It is estimated that about 18% of white Boxers are deaf in one or both ears,^[6] though Boxer rescue organizations see about double that number.^[7][8] In the past, breeders often euthanized white puppies at birth; today, most breeders place white puppies in pet homes with spay/neuter agreements. White Boxers are disqualified from conformation showing by the breed standard, and are prohibited from breeding by every national Boxer club in the world. They can compete in non-conformation events such as obedience and agility, and like their colored counterparts do quite well as service and therapy dogs."

Temperament

“	The character of the Boxer is of the greatest importance and demands the most solicitous attention. It is renowned from olden times for its great love and faithfulness to its master and household. It is harmless in the family, but distrustful of strangers, bright and friendly of temperament at play, but brave and determined when aroused. Its intelligence and willing tractability, its modesty, and cleanliness make it a highly desirable family dog and cheerful companion. It is the soul of honesty and loyalty, and is never false or treacherous even in its old age.	”
	— 1938 AKC Boxer breed standard[9] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxer_(dog) "Never false or treacherous even in its old age"...compare that with grumpy old pets, especially males. Ungrateful pets... Compare that with dubious or dangerous pets such as Travis The Chimp, possible posthumous spokeperson for U-Maul Company.  To stop him, it wasn't enough a simple stabbing with a kitchen knife, by her desperate female owner who had been taking care of him with food-and-beverage-including-wine-and-bathing(!)-and-sleeping(!)-accomodations(?). It took police firepower, after Travis ripped apart the side-view mirror of a police cruiser and then he (it?) lunged to assault a police officer, too. How hard would have been for a big, muscular male chimpanzee to also rip apart a human's head? Not hard at all. A specialist said that a male chimp can be 10 times stronger (especially in the upper torso) than an average human male. "Travis walked up to the police car when it arrived and tried to open a locked passenger door, instead smashing a side-view mirror. Then he went calmly around to the driver's-side door and opened it, at which point Officer Frank Chiafari shot him several times. Travis retreated to the house, where he was found dead next to his cage.[8]" "He [Travis] was adopted by Sandra and Jerome Herold when he was three days old.[2" "Jerome died from cancer in 2004, and their only child died in a car accident; as a result, Sandra Herold considered Travis as a son and pampered him.[8][14] Sandra slept and bathed with Travis saying, "I'm, like, hollow now. He slept with me every night. Until you've eaten with a chimp and bathed with a chimp, you don't know a chimp." [16][17" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_(chimpanzee) How well did SHE know a chimp, mauling and all? Moral: you want a house pet? Don't take a chimpanzee, tiger, etc. Take a good breed of dog or cat, or so.

Please visit and join The Guest Heart Thursday meme!

http://clytie-randomhearts.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR hearts!

"Keep monkeying around - I'll snatch your sorry [donkey]!" The largest and the most powerful raptor found in the Americas: The American Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja). WWF Maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards about Guyana.

The largest and the most powerful raptor found in the Americas: The American Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja).

Look at the stamp from the maximum card in the lower left - do you see who has been monkeying around?

Actions have consequences. Lack of awareness got punishment. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Harpy_Eagle

"What is a bird of prey?

• Bird of prey is a loose term often applied to the eagle, kite, hawk and even sometimes the owl
• Typically have curved beak, curved talons and good eyesight for finding prey
• Raptor is sometimes used specifically to describe birds that seize warm-blooded animals during the day" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12634698

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Please visit and join The World Bird Wednesday meme!

http://worldbirdwednesday.blogspot.com/

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They say that the gentle lamb sucks milk from two ewes...:)

Here's a second meme.

Please visit and join ABC Wednesday meme!

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Today,  G is for Guyana. :)

Never Fight a Land War in Asia | STRATFOR. Red is the blood, red in the flag...Maximum card/ maxicard/ dorincard about the Vietnam War Memorial, in Washington, D.C. Please visit and join Ruby Tuesday meme!

Never Fight a Land War in Asia | STRATFOR

Whether you agree or not with all the ideas from that article, it's still an interesting read.

 

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Please visit and join Ruby Tuesday meme!

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Black Lechwe or Bangweulu Lechwe (Kobus leche smithemani) - WWF maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards about Zambia

It's challenging to participate in the Pink Saturday meme - you have to come up with something pink.

But you can easily find something blue, to participate in the Happy Blue Monday meme. :)

"Black Lechwe or Bangweulu Lechwe (Kobus leche smithemani) - Bangweulu Swamps. Adult male blackish. Vulnerable.^[6]"

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lechwe}

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Happy Blue Monday! (meme)

Please visit:  http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/