Thursday, December 18, 2008

In President Elect Obama’s news address today, he says that our economic situation is very serious. 533,000 more jobs were lost in November alone, than expected. Todd and I heard last night that Chrysler, who normally closes its plants around Christmas time, will be closed for a whole month! Last month Chrysler laid off 25% of their white collared staff. The month before they laid off 1,000 white colored salaried workers! According to Obama’s math that is “nearly 2 million people without jobs within the past year”. Does this include small business owners who have had to walk away from businesses and their homes? He didn’t say. Forecasters have NOT been very positive either:

Gerald Celente recently told Fox News that if something isn’t done about our economic situation by 2010, that the United States will be seen as any other “third world nation”. Except on the holidays instead of looking for gifts we will be looking for food.

Senator Chris Todd said back in October if we didn’t take care of the banks, that there would be riots from civilians asking ‘why’ are we taking tax payers dollars to fix the financial mess and not allowing lines of credit. He says he sees big bankers lining their own pockets.

In November Nouriel Roubini, leading economist said he foresees food lines like we have never seen them before because of the policies of the Treasury and Federal Reserve.

Associated Press reports that “Alan Reuther, the United Auto Workers' legislative director, said the union urged the administration during a meeting this week to follow the provisions included in the House-passed auto aid bill”. But there seems to be discussions over whether or not consumers will purchase vehicles from any car company that is in any bankruptcy status, Chapter 7 or Chapter 11. I know I wouldn’t!
The next question is what financial institution is going to carry the paper on an automotive loan, if they know the company may dissolve?

It was bad enough just asking for the warranty provisions during the boom period from stable car companies, let alone one that you know may be going out of business. There is even a question as to whether or not the government should own equal shares of the car companies. This way, when any profit is met the government would be paid first. But this is not factoring creditors who are now screaming that they aren’t getting paid or standing to go out of business because they won’t be able to pay their employees. Everyone wants their guarantee and so far the Big Three haven’t done that since Chrysler was in trouble years ago when Iacocca was running the store. So the real question will labor also be willing to be an equity holder just to keep the companies afloat? Labor of course having the most to loose and hoping the senators will have a change of heart. Meantime, Bush will follow through on not landing the automobile crisis on Obama’s first day in office. "I thought about what it would be like for me to become president during this period. I believe that good policy is not to dump him a major catastrophe on his first day in office," Bush said. How considerate of him, why didn’t Bush advisors provide insight long time ago? Who was minding the store?

Even my insurance sales material have captions to shore up fellow weary comrades: “Selling in controversial times”, another “sales in turbulent times” and “customer service during difficult economic climate”; the latter to say the least. However, it doesn’t stop them for selling those seminars with the “magic words” and “magic motivational actions” for less than $350 for one day, books, tapes, worksheets included or often extras.

Obama you are right, not only are we not at ease and wondering what 2009 will bring. We’re wondering what other fall out will we eventually hear that was part of Bush’s executive order.

We have heard in the past four days that Bush nor Cheney have any regrets on their directives to “water boarding and torturing” prisoners; invading countries and lying why we went, responding with a “so” and “so what” when the revelations of the weapons of mass destruction not being in Iraq, but now they say “Hussein had the capability.” Since when is someone capable, the same as having something? I’m capable of being a fine millionaires living in a fine mansion with fine custom made furniture, and a wait staff of five; maid, doorman, driver, cook and landscape artist, but I can’t afford my school loans. I am quite capable but I don’t have it.

Our retirement pensions are being raided, social security is said “gone” and that the economy can’t handle the numbers of baby boomers coming of age anyway, we are talking about funds that they have saved a lifetime to use. Yes, Obama we are out of control and the serious money isn’t there.

You’re announcing the SURVIVAL PROGRAM for 2.5 million people when you have a population of over 13,304,944 in Los Angeles alone? Seems like a drop in the bucket to me but perhaps enough to jump start the economy and the extenuating businesses that may capitalize off of these projects. Oh I of some faith only hope you can quadruple that number.

Terry Munoz and Mike Macini from Nielsen say that we need to also take into consideration that in the evaluation of the population we need to consider the influx of:

1) large land areas, 2) booming suburban rings, 3) widespread affluence, 4) an increasing Hispanic population, 5) diversified employment, 6) long commutes and 7) the presence of lifestyle shopping centers.

I think this is interesting because if you have been to the mall lately, suburban rings aren’t booming, some are like ghost towns. Shopping this close to the holidays may be pretty tame almost relaxing experience, but everyone knows this is odd, not normal. You run into a few people with ample time to gaze and look around. Yes, I have a few friends who look at shopping as some sort of spiritual event, even the Merry go round was playing classical gospel and church ballads and I don’t mean Christmas caroles either. Personally, I never cared for shopping. Give me a credit card and access to a computer website and I’ll find in in 3 minutes or less. Parking is a lot easier and the sale teams seem more attentive than usual they even volunteer to “go look in the back” for your size. Could it be their commission jobs are on the line also? As for widespread affluence, I can say I have seen our population dwindle in affluence, but the fast food joints don’t seem to be hearting for lines, went to Denny’s for breakfast, there was only two other couples. Three months ago, we’d have to wait at least 20 minutes before seating.
Now as far as the Hispanic population goes, I don’t know how this affects a true evaluation but the Hispanic population where I live are trying to make it like everyone else. Haven’t seen any looking for a handout, they speak, they wave and they stay to themselves. Why does it seem like some folks always have to dump on another race or group of people, just to feel good about themselves? How is that for shallow?

The long commutes. Well if you live in Southern California it is a given. Thank God for the Saudi’s at least gas is still $1.46 per gallon but how long will that little gem last or was that a “Bushes are our friends” deal? The last element in observing the population is the lifestyle shopping malls and I believe I covered that already.



A Wall Street and Main Street address to rebuilding the United States infrastructure sounds promising and I agree we need to reduce our dependence on oil. Not throwing more money on top of bad promises seems to relief the headache. Still can’t tell why it was OK to just hand over money to the financial wizards and take the Big Three through “hell” for 1/8 the amount we spend on the two wars. Maybe this will put other industries on notice, no plan, no pattern of following through, no apparent respect that you have your hat in hand when you come seeking and twirl for the media all seem like good ideas at this time. To be competitive with the rest of the world seems a bit premature considering the whole world seems to be in this financial fix. However it seems Federal buildings utilizing green energy efficiency standards would be a plus; new investments in highways, bridges, and roads. OK. I wasn’t sure if the states must match the funds necessarily as the investment in their ½ of the state funds. Does anyone know the answer to this one?

Upgrading schools so that they are habitable I believe is a plus. I can remember substituting at schools with broken, wet, stained, aged tile roofs, faulty electrical wiring, ancient 380 and 420 computers, lousy flickering lighting, and non insulated rooms. We won’t even get into the too tight desks, rickety chairs, chicken wired windows, dated books, low on supplies, teachers sponsoring science and art projects from their personal pockets and PA systems “that use to work”. I believe the wideband adoption is very necessary to improve many schools computer technology. I can’t believe we are the 15th nation in the world and we created the technology.

Connecting libraries with other libraries is a plus. Maybe if we will know where the books are we could have a better inventory. We could have more to share with the children and students. Hospitals w/new medical record technology, who have databases that are current and connect from one hospital to another, will increase accessibility and ability to diagnose patients quicker and saving lives in the process.

Who would have thought that simplicity is where to start?
But this doesn’t mean more financial bailouts and ignoring the main street guy in the new house which is 1/3 to ½ the cost it was when he originally signed his mortgage with the hidden triple interest increase. Maybe American Express Credit Card Company won’t continue to increase their credit interest rates to keep people from spending.

But I believe that is something Obama you really need to look into, because if these companies are benefitting from our tax dollars, the least we can do is be able to utilize the credit unless they know that we are inevitably falling down and there is no stopping but hope.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Cut the Crap . . .

WELL IT IS ABOUT TIME that we understand that the attention needs to be put on our national financial crisis and to hell with political affiliation. Repeat after me, “we are in a financial crisis that defies anything we ever understood in the l930’s". again, "we are in a financial crisis that defies anthing we ever understood in the 1930's".
The Great Depression will become a whimper if we don’t figure this one out and delicately transplant “reason”, “responsibility” and extricate finger pointing. We all knew the expense that would incur due to the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars. We all knew that Bush had taken our foreign policy into “no man’s land”, raising the ire of his own father, who even sent in Gates as part of the Cavalry. We knew that world leaders have spoken out against the Bush Doctrine. We knew “so what” and “so” were pretty much the criterions for many of the decision making that was occurring, while our federal legislatures stood by, watched, gave cursory responses without any teeth and were afraid to speak out for fear of not being re-elected.
Remember the first course of action that Pelosi said after being nominated Speaker of the House was to say that there would be “no impeachment” of Bush. I never understood her rationale and one day when I get the opportunity to speaking to her, I’ll truly ask that question.
Why are we acting so surprised now? Bush has less than 40 days left, yes there will always be those hardliners who can’t find fault in his behavior or decision making no matter how many American leaders from all political persuasions complained, wrote books, lectured, and filed law suits. . Meantime, let’s solidify the country, get the facts together, agree to agree that there are higher proprieties needing solving and the Governor of Illinois just needs to take his ball and bat and go home. Who in the Democratic Party is bold enough to step in and take this “stupid” distraction away? Now they are implying that Obama had something to do with the conversations that “BLAG” has been making regarding the sell of his senate seat? The man brought in $660 million dollars to his campaign for President, why would he need to play games with “BLAG”? Blag has his own agenda and should be STOPPED while the getting is good. Then they need to go and disinfect the entire office and maybe burn some candles and incense to get the “evil spirit” out of its offices. Three governors, all in a row? Something is definitely wrong there. Why don’t all Main street voters agree that we have had enough excuses already and agree to turn the page and extradict the negativity and fraudulent players.
I like what Newt Gingrich said:
In a time when America is facing real challenges, Republicans should be working to help the incoming President succeed in meeting them, regardless of his Party.
From now until the inaugural, Republicans should be offering to help the President-elect prepare to take office.
Furthermore, once President Obama takes office, Republicans should be eager to work with him when he is right, and, when he is wrong, offer a better solution, instead of just opposing him.
This is the only way the Republican Party will become known as the "better solutions" party, not just an opposition party. And this is the only way Republicans will ever regain the trust of the voters to return to the majority.
This ad is a terrible signal to be sending about both the goals of the Republican Party in the midst of the nation's troubled economic times and about whether we have actually learned anything from the defeats of 2006 and 2008.


Yes, I am cheering Gingrich, this time, because right is right and wrong is often very wrong in politics . . .
WELL IT IS ABOUT TIME that we understand that the attention needs to be put on our national financial crisis and to hell with political affiliation. Repeat after me, “we are in a financial crisis that defies anything we ever understood in the l930’s". again, "we are in a financial crisis that defies anthing we ever understood in the 1930's".
The Great Depression will become a whimper if we don’t figure this one out and delicately transplant “reason”, “responsibility” and extricate finger pointing. We all knew the expense that would incur due to the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars. We all knew that Bush had taken our foreign policy into “no man’s land”, raising the ire of his own father, who even sent in Gates as part of the Cavalry. We knew that world leaders have spoken out against the Bush Doctrine. We knew “so what” and “so” were pretty much the criterions for many of the decision making that was occurring, while our federal legislatures stood by, watched, gave cursory responses without any teeth and were afraid to speak out for fear of not being re-elected.
Remember the first course of action that Pelosi said after being nominated Speaker of the House was to say that there would be “no impeachment” of Bush. I never understood her rationale and one day when I get the opportunity to speaking to her, I’ll truly ask that question.
Why are we acting so surprised now? Bush has less than 40 days left, yes there will always be those hardliners who can’t find fault in his behavior or decision making no matter how many American leaders from all political persuasions complained, wrote books, lectured, and filed law suits. . Meantime, let’s solidify the country, get the facts together, agree to agree that there are higher proprieties needing solving and the Governor of Illinois just needs to take his ball and bat and go home. Who in the Democratic Party is bold enough to step in and take this “stupid” distraction away? Now they are implying that Obama had something to do with the conversations that “BLAG” has been making regarding the sell of his senate seat? The man brought in $660 million dollars to his campaign for President, why would he need to play games with “BLAG”? Blag has his own agenda and should be STOPPED while the getting is good. Then they need to go and disinfect the entire office and maybe burn some candles and incense to get the “evil spirit” out of its offices. Three governors, all in a row? Something is definitely wrong there. Why don’t all Main street voters agree that we have had enough excuses already and agree to turn the page and extradict the negativity and fraudulent players.
I like what Newt Gingrich said:
In a time when America is facing real challenges, Republicans should be working to help the incoming President succeed in meeting them, regardless of his Party.
From now until the inaugural, Republicans should be offering to help the President-elect prepare to take office.
Furthermore, once President Obama takes office, Republicans should be eager to work with him when he is right, and, when he is wrong, offer a better solution, instead of just opposing him.
This is the only way the Republican Party will become known as the "better solutions" party, not just an opposition party. And this is the only way Republicans will ever regain the trust of the voters to return to the majority.
This ad is a terrible signal to be sending about both the goals of the Republican Party in the midst of the nation's troubled economic times and about whether we have actually learned anything from the defeats of 2006 and 2008.



Yes, I am cheering Gingrich, this time, because right is right and wrong is often very wrong in politics . . .

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Failing Economy

CHAMBLISS BLOG. Depending on what you read, The National Republican Trust PAC seem to present Republican Saxby Chambliss is the “great Republican firewall of hope”, . . . keeping Obama at bay with the US Senate votes”. Maybe they don’t know that in the heavy Republican area that I live in, that Republican voters were hands-on in putting President Elect Barack Obama into office.

Then, I can’t tell if they are baiting Obama to come to Georgia because Sarah Palin is expected to attend several rallies for Chambliss or are they are in need of some stimulus to make Chambliss appear to be at least interesting as the run off between he and Jim Martin’s revved up feverous pitch contentious election. How much you want to bet the media will be analyzing her clothes to see whether or not she still owns the $150,000 RNP wardrobe.

Some people are even delusional that between Palin and Obama that people would pick Palin? Is this Republican claim nothing more than an act of building Palin up to something that she is not and parading her around as the pretty, false hope and leader of the Republican Party, while the real decision makers of the Republican Party wrestle back the reigns of intelligence and common sense?

Maybe Chambliss’s Republican friends have forgotten that Obama is readying himself to lead the nation out of a delicate and cataclysmic political, economic and spiritual state we are feeling. Something our current Republican leader appears to be having difficulty figuring out. One minute Paulsen is saying “bailout”, the next day he is exposing the possibility of “revisiting the funds available”, then a couple days he starts up again with “bailout”. Meantime, we hear the mumbling confusion of the glazed over look, baggy eyed, lame duck Bush exclaiming that he is doing the best that he can. He looks like he needs some serious bed rest. Did however see pictures of him drinking in Peru? I thought he was off of the sauce since he was 40 years old?

If Palin wants to go “save the day” hopefully unlike the manner she practically destroyed McCain’s bid for 2008 Presidency, with the winking, blinking and nodding, so let her go. This should increase Martin’s chances of winning, we can only hope. This should raise the circulation and subscriptions of the local papers, tourism and Republican swag. A good fight often brings the sincerity, focus, and activism out of the voters. . .

As an observer many of the attacks on Palin seem, to be coming from those that know her well and are willing to share those experiences with the media. This doesn’t count for the numerous times that Palin wasn’t able to complete a full sentence and change topics to appeal to her intellectual strengths which Republican commentators have repetitively attacked for incoherence.

It was McCain’s people reporting the money being spent on “my lady Palin” and the behind the scenes emotional upheaval you usually don’t know about until it comes book form after the inaugural activities, but apparently the A-team was so bamboozled by Palin’s behavior, the magazines and newspapers received the leaks before the books could be published. Whether or not these incidents are true, well again, it depends on what you read. I believe the Republicans can do better than Palin and maybe this was McCain’s final swipe at the Republican power brokers but who knows, looking forward to reading that book.

This doesn’t exonerate the Democrats however, I believe the Democrats too have a lot of baggage they need to release to clean their mental palates of the past disgusting eight years of snide diplomacy, an out trillions budget and to realize that change will require Democrats too to stop doing business the “ole fashion way” while partisan tit for tat drags the American people further into global economic chaos and contention.

The American people, have spoken, enough already, let’s get serious, roll up our sleeves, tighten our belts and egos, get those sugar plums dancing out of our heads, be ready to negotiate to the highest denominator, use the wisdom, education, experiences of all parties invited to the governing table and set our goals for a more peaceful coexistence with the rest of the world because damn it, there is only one planet to reside on. Amen.


SINCE THE WRITING OF THIS: Chambliss won the election. Obama never went to Georgia, he had larger issues to work on, like our failing economy . . .

BiRTH CERTIFICATES AND SIMPSON

There is an appeal being put before the Supreme Court questioning the citizenship
of Barack Obama. A friend called terribly upset over there being a question as to whether or not he is a born citizen of the United States. The question is over whether or not Hawaii was a state at the time of his birth. There has also been a question as to whether or not he is a dual citizen of Kenya which would make him a Brit or not. I thought they vet you with the FBI, Secret Service and the IRS before you are ever even considered as a presidential nominee. Did someone forget to do their homework on this one? I can just see Schwarzenegger’s camp watching and paying close attention to this vetting process.

What will be even more heartfelt is to find a serious historian or political science teacher who can find the copy of the policies between Queen Lili'uokalani the Hawaiian queen who never gave possession of Hawaii to the United States in the first place and then let it be known how Hawaii became the possession of the United States. Now there is a can of worms I don’t think the Defense Department, Dulles, American Fruit Company wants to unearth.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Football famous quarterback O.J. Simpson, 61, got the minimum sentence of 7-½ to 15 years today, instead of the 30 year to life sentence some as some were anticipating. It appears that with no prior criminal record, remember he was found not guilty with the help of the DREAM TEAM lawyer group, so the District Judge Jackie Glass said that she ruled based on the current situation.

Check out the videos:
GUILTY OF ALL 12 Charges http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz1ylfwDWBc

What gets me however, is what kind of friend will set you up to take their property when they knew the property was yours in the first place, video tape your calling the establishment, knocking on the door, roughing up the friends and threatening them with guns knowing that they “your friends” were wrong and had stolen the property from you? So Judge Glass shaved 7-½ years of OJ’s life and is up for probation after 5 years, if he is lucky. The 12 counts were taken concurrently. Boy he got a break on this one! So the lessons learned here is that if someone has possession of your goods consider that you are not above the law to go seize them, even if they are “your friends”. The bottom line is that he went in and took their possessions without legal authority from the courts. Had he called the police department and pressed charges, he would have been able to stop the sale. You can’t take the law into your own hands. In his case Stewart, a mortgage broker, who they say barely knew him, and a couple other buddies drew guns in the motel room full of people.

Discussion has been how could that many large men fit into one room with so much calamity, noise and confusion without anyone getting shot. Yes, we are a country of laws and I believe Simpson got that message loud and clear today. The judge had the ability to show that she was only abiding by the law in her sentencing of what he did in the theft. She made it plain and for public record that any previous problems Simpson had had weren’t being taken into consideration at all. However there is some question that in the appeal that there weren’t any African Americans on the jury. There is also question of a couple comments made by the lead juror implying that he too didn’t want to think about the l994 killing of OJ’s Nicole Brown Simpson, ex-wife and her friend, Ronald Goldman. So if everyone wants to be so objective then why even bring it up? The fact that neither Simpson nor Stewart had had any prior criminal activities was supposed to be why the sentence was more lenient. The media pundits however are at it again, questioning why the underlying circumstances that led to Simpson’s theft ever given sufficient weight. One wonders if Simpson had plea bargained like the other defendants would they have reduced the sentence to probation. But then they say he was already on probation at the time. I can only feel for the children of the Simpson and Stewart families. Stewart hanging his head and barely able to read his concession speech is really behind the eight ball now. The humiliation alone should have allowed him less time, but the judge says “you had possession of a gun”, this is a sign of danger, . . . and had the run gone off and hit a stray tourist walking in the hallway, the case would have been murder” (or words to this effect).

There was discussion that Simpson has severe arthritis and as such requires strong pain killers. Pundits say he won’t be able to bring this medication into the prison system because the narcotics are not allowed. There has also been discussion that because of his popularity that Simpson will also have to be “isolated” from the general population. Remember the “special pillow” he required in the 1994 criminal case. So many people “poo poohed his pillow request” but how many of us didn’t run out and try that pillow to see if it relaxed our necks for a more sound sleep. I see them advertised everywhere now.

So as the wheels of justice move, Simpson should have gone to court even though he believed he had title. So from the legal point of view the thieves had ownership or possession of the Simpson memorabilia. He said he knew these guys. The question is does he have any avenue for appeal. Las Vegas prosecutors say when you have a gun in the process of a criminal activity, you go straight to jail. The point that OJ was contesting the possession of those materials didn’t matter but that he had every opportunity to seek the assistance of the Las Vegas Police Department. But what sickened me even more about this case, Goldman, who many have always said is starved for attention and for the money he believes Simpson has stashed away, was sitting in court like a vulture waiting for some financial windfall. So aren’t there laws against people stalking you?

SHOE THROWN . . .

SHOE THROWN: December 14, 2008 Is a day that I will also remember. We finished decorating our Christmas tree. We learn today that George W. Bush was making his fourth and final visit to Baghdad and had two size 10 shoes thrown at him as a sign of disapproval and contamination at a surprised news conference with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. They were signing a peace security document.
Associated Press picture
and see the link;
http://baghdadbureau.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/podcast-an-account-of-the-shoe-throwing-incident/?ref=middleeast

Apparently one of the journalist sitting in the middle of the room yelled out in Arabic, “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog” and threw his shoes at Bush, barely missing his head. The same journalist yelled again, “This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq,” after which he was strongly held by the Iraqi audience as the police were being summoned. Before the journalist could be apprehended Maliki shielded Bush’s face with his hand. One must understand in the Muslim culture to have a shoe thrown at you means that there is pollution in the general direction of the speaker and impurity. The journalist was eventually wrestled to the ground with several men pulling at his hair and clothing. According to Bloomberg.com the journalist was Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi- owned station based in Cairo, Egypt. Bush says that he didn’t feel threatened by the shoe thrower. He alluded to al-Zeidi’s actions as a political outburst that are found in America. But I don’t remember anyone ever throwing a shoe at a politician, do you?
As the video shows Bush continues to stand in the front of the podium and the American secret serviceman positions himself next to Bush. I wondered why wasn’t Bush swished away? How did they not know that there could have been other disgruntled individuals in the audience? Why Bush would ever think that now that he could sit down with Iraqi’s after all that has transpired is beyond me. He was there to tout the success of the surge in Iraq, which Bush says is providing Maliki the opportunity to put new policies in place with Adil Abd al-Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashimi as the two vice presidents and members of the Iraqi Presidential Council, to lower the deaths of Iraqi’s in the area even though the war in Iraq isn’t over.
Apparently soon after this, Bush was swished away to an eager and enthusiastic group of American soldiers. He referred to the surge as, “one of the greatest successes in the history of the United States military.” He continued, “Thanks to you,” he told the soldiers, “the Iraq we’re standing in today is dramatically freer, dramatically safer and dramatically better than the Iraq we found eight years ago.”
Remember last Thanksgiving Bush stating that he wanted to thank the troops himself, he was swished unannounced again to Iraq under other ruses to get him into Iraq and out before anyone had time to know it. However he referred to this year’s visit, according to the Reuter’s report, “calling the security agreements “a reminder of our friendship and as a way forward to help the Iraqis realize the blessings of a free society.” What kind of friendship would cause you to sneak in and out of a country if you are so beloved? Is this man a glutton for punishment or does he believe he really can go to Iraq and say that he is sorry for the anguish, pain, death and discord he has caused this country? I heard that Carl Rover, et. al are busy rewriting history to accommodate Bush’s legacy but this takes the cake. I’ve also heard of photo ops also, but to put himself in harms way knowing that the people in Iraq don’t like him; I believe is as outrageous as the shoe being thrown at him. Secret Service may use a metal detector to identify a knife, a gun, noonshuckers, spurs, etc. But who would ever think to prepare for a “flying round toed shoe”?

Monday, December 8, 2008



I’m sure you have noticed the amazing decrease in the price of oil lately. Today you can find gas at almost anywhere in Southern California for $1.43 to $1.89 a gallon. When I filled up my “on fumes” car yesterday, at Valerio, which is usually less expensive than “American name brands”, the car only needed $18.00. I looked at the 7-11 attendant waiting for the other shoe to drop and the pump was correct. I can remember when I barely got ½ a tank and coasted in hilly areas to save gas.

According to 60 Minutes transcripts:

Saudi Aramco was originally an American company. It goes way back to the 1930s when two American geologists from Standard Oil of California discovered oil in the Saudi desert. Standard Oil formed a consortium with Texaco, Exxon and Mobil, which became Aramco. It wasn't until the 1980s that Saudi Arabia bought them out and nationalized the company. Today, Saudi Aramco is the custodian of the country's sole source of wealth and power.

Over 16,000 people work at the company's massive compound, which is like a little country with its own security force, schools, hospitals, and even its own airline. According to Abdallah Jum’ah, Saudi Aramco's president and CEO, Aramco is the world’s largest oil producing company. And it's the richest company in the world, worth, according to the latest estimate, $781 billion.

Last night, the Saudi sheik in responding to Leslie Stahl’s “60 Minutes” question on “what is the foreseeable cost of oil in six months” said that if Ali Al-Naimi, the oil minister of Saudi Arabia who ran Saudi Aramco for 11 years before it was nationalized. He said if he knew what the cost would be, he would be in Las Vegas placing his bet. The special entitled, “The Oil Kingdom” produced by Richard Bonin and Kathy Lui was alarmingly frank about the recent increase in petroleum finds in Saudi Arabia, also known as “the Kingdom”.

Stahl’s concern of course was that recently the price of oil had spiked to $147/barrel. We were paying almost $4.35 a gallon for regular in July through October, in November there is a sudden decrease. He responded that their fear was that oil in Saudi Arabia was believed to be at a premium. Saudi Arabia had peaked out with available oil in reserve. However a new gusher has come in that rivels anything that the Kingdom has ever seen before. There is an increase of 260,000 billion barrels in the kingdom and that 200,000 billion more with a second discovery.

One is located in Shaybah, which means "Empty Quarter." is estimated at 18 billion barrels, under very soft red sand dunes, which is four times more than the 100,000 million barrels that the United States has in Alaska. 750,000 miles deep of highly concentrated Arab extra lite crude. So in 2009 the new facility will be implemented.

Khurais is the second location, lead by Khalid Abdulqader, project leader. It is larger than Shaybah and is scheduled to be the next 2,000,000 barrels a day still more than the total reverses in the United States. It is believed that it will take over 50 years to deplete the usage at Khurais alone. To get an idea of the size, it is larger than Indonesia and Quitar produce put together. 84 million gallons of sea water will be injected into the ground to get the oil to rise.

Currently there are more than 26 contracts, 106 subcontrators, and thousands of employees involved in this excavation. The construction steel needed alone is approximately large enough to make two San Francisco Golden Gate bridges. Cost $60,000,000,000 in cash to build the production field. The area is 300 ft across, requiring over 400 miles of pipeline. When this oil area was discovered in 1968 the sand dunes were too high and the economics to get to it was financially exorbitant to reach. Then along came the newest technology using the increased improved horizontal drilling process now making the oil more accessible.

The price of oil is a concern. The Saudis not allowing anything to be “jammed down their throat”, have agreed with OPEC to cutting their production by 1.5 million barrels a day. Iran wanted them to cut it even more and double the costs to bank roll their countries survival. And with all of this, we are lead to believe that price of Oil is NOT supposed to be a political bargaining tool. It costs Saudi Arabia nearly $2/barrel of oil. They want the cost to sell up to $75/barrel. They need $55/barrel to cover the cost to run the country and this price is where 75% of where their income comes from. The Oil minister stated that in all honesty, the “price must be good for the investor, consumer and producer”.

He believes responsible leaders of the financial market used measures to stabilize the banks activities and he will use the same measures to stabilize the oil market. Using those tools available to him to move forward and keep the oil market bountiful are his business concerns.

The question by Leslie Stahl to the sheik is, “Do they want to keep America addicted to oil?”

I believe with the cold winter coming up in the middle and eastern sections of the United States that you have to know that their response is “an overwhelming yes”. They are responsible business men seeking a profit and the they have the money and technological skills to modernize many nations.

Jum'ah said that they have invested $400 million in an experimental car with a combustion engine that reduces CO-2 emissions, increases gas mileage, and makes driving “more green”. This green technology they believe will assist America, their largest oil client, in conserving fuel consumption and their dependence on oil. I believe one would only need to recognize the amount spent on the experimentation. Yes, maybe Al Gore can continue to educate us on the effects of CO-2 emissions and the weather changes and then maybe the Kingdom may decide to invest in car production also and give the Big Three automakers a lifeline.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Voter Fraud

MSNBC’s Keith Olberman announced tonight that some people have noticed the sudden absence of Acorn discussions by Palin and McCain on the campaign trail. Could it be that the newest arrest by the Ontario Police Department is causing some muting he exclaimed?

He had my attention. I guess it is one thing to snap someone making up fictitious names to increase their voter registration in the same pen at the same address, but for someone to take the campaign information from actual voters and slam them into the Republican party, so they can’t vote as an independent or a Democrat is another story.

Bob Walsh, spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state says that there is a difference between voter registration fraud and Voter Fraud. “Voter registration fraud” involves imaginary voters; “Voter fraud” involves “real people”. Any fraud is wrong.

Like at our location, apparently many voters found themselves listed as Republicans. Apparently they had signed bogus petitions for requiring “parental permission” for underage children seeking abortions. From the information provided, these individuals were then re-registered as Republicans. When the voter arrived at the primary election polls, they were told that they couldn’t vote for the Democrat or for any other candidate but the Republican. It is amazing to me how one would assume that a person who signs a petition requiring underage children to get permission before they can have an abortion would not necessarily be a Democrat. Democrats to my knowledge don’t advocate having abortions, they advocate for the women to have the right to choose One of the provisions of the underage abortion petition was that if a child did become pregnant by her parent or other family member, that child doesn’t have any recourse or opportunity to redress the activities of the family member who impregnated her. Yes, if I had a daughter, I would want to know whether or not she was pregnant before she decided to have an abortion, but wouldn’t one pretty much know that something is wrong in the communication if the mother is not told by the daughter if such an event occurred? More than likely there would be other problems in the household and I don’t believe Republicans want us to start legislating conversations between parents and children. Do they? Augh, I know I can’t get a fully appreciated discussion here on the subject but it is interesting how the premise of this vote switching occurred, which is why I bring this up.

Anyway, in the primary election, Republicans restricted their voters so that they couldn’t vote for any other party. Is this not being restrictive? When voters noticed that they were unable to cast their vote for a Democratic candidate they’d approach and complain to us, the poll workers. Poll workers having little authority but to call their leads and suggest to the voter to either cast a “ballot” or write a complaint to the Voter Registration Office.

Apparently the scurrilous voter register operation has been ramped up in Southern California and by the time the claims are sorted out, the 2008 election will be over. Are the Republican knuckleheads banking on the voter not being too zealous and following through or asking questions during the voting process? I would assume so. I witnessed this at my poll location all day in the primary election and I did report this to our LA County Democratic Party. Our immediate supervisor knew and suggested to us to give each voter the preliminary voter form. We heard these complaints all day. The voters usually said “augh forget it” walking out and not casting any vote. Hence you chased after them to fill out the form. They responded, “I knew it, my vote doesn’t count anyway” again walking out very disgusted. You could suggest they call the 1 800 number, email LAVOTE.NET, or write a letter, which would be received after the voting; you could suggest they call their Congressman, Debra Bowen or the California Secretary of State. In some cases the voter would reluctantly just cast a Republican vote.

What they also don’t say is that McCain was involved in the Acorn voter registration drives too, before this information came out from the Republican party screamers. From what I understand that ACORN originated in “1970, as the Louisiana-based Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now” and is said to advocate for the poor. This election, some 13,000 ACORN workers have registered an unprecedented 1.3 million people”. All ACORN registrars aren’t as deviant as the few caught, the Republicans can also lift their accusations on perpetrators who registered non existent people, but I guess this is also to close to being decent to commend an organization for 1.3 million new registrants.

And it is election time, right? There are some rules against being decent to one another when you are from opposite parties! Is it me, or have you noticed that you hear almost nothing about the Libertarians, Greens or Peace and Freedom Parties?

Responsibility in Reporting

There is a video that is being passed out (in the millions) and mailed out which maligns Obama with the Arabic and Muslim community.

The promoters chide that they paid a regular advertising fee and mailing fees to get them inserted. This is obviously part of the Republican October surprise. But it’s no surprise that there are so many innuendos and out-and-out lies being perpetrated to support their candidate of choice, John McCain. The papers should be more mindful of how they are being used to distribute this erroneous information. We understand the freedom of speech and the fact that elections are often very nasty, but who takes responsibility to that speech when one calls out “FIRE” in a crowd at a critical PSYCHOLOGICAL MOMENT!

We are hoping this doesn’t mean an organized swipe at OBAMA is to come. Even though we are pleased to hear the endorsement of General Colin Powell on Meet the Press this morning, along with General Wesley Clark and General James P. Hoar. We wonder whether or not this may also amplify the division between the two parties. The 2008 election cycle will end on November the 4th.

The division of the country can go into more conflict being that our financial situation has ignited foreign markets, communities falling apart due to job losses and foreclosed homes, and the ongoing war in Afghanistan and Iraq making us all more vulnerable. We hope the media takes on more extended responsibility and recognizes that we are out of balance.

Biden’s Message

I received a short notice by email from the Biden campaign; he calls it a “Reality Check” Biden reminds us that Gore was 20 points ahead of Bush in 2004 and it didn’t stop Bush from marching all over Gore’s “people win” in the end. Well these aren’t exactly the words he chose, but it does conjure up Greg Palast’s claim that Florida was planned and there is reason to believe that Ohio was preselected as one of the swing states last time. Lord knows what the outcome for the next state or states will be. McCain seems so desperate to me.

I mean, did you take the time to watch the final debate last night. I swear someone was orchestrating McCain in the ear. He came on the set like he was on fire and determined to break Obama’s spirit. He would have been so much better off just saying to the American people, this is what I am going to do for you with the economy being in the shape that it is in. He could have come up with some concrete scenarios, and not sound like a character out of the grumpy old men movie series. I heard one commentator saying he reminded him of “Mr. Wilson” in Dennis the Menace. Boy did I get a hardy laugh out of that one.

The Republicans are making this sound like it is the first time they have ever heard of individuals filling out federal or state forms in mass and in error. Didn’t the Democrats learn this from them? Didn’t sound to me that the culprits were that bright or they were even crafty in their endeavor. Where were their managers, Oh yeah, this is coming on the wings of mortgage brokers, and real estate lenders, and banks approving bogus loans where it is now affecting the entire global market? Yes, the voter registration office has to work a lot harder to assess the pattern, sounds like they can earn some over time to me, but shouldn’t they have determined this months ago? I remember in 2000 when the same thing was done in Nevada but it was the republicans caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and of course they feign they didn’t know the rules either. Doing this doesn’t make it right, but if I recall correctly the world is going into a massive recession and we are talking about 2,000 phantom voters who haven’t even voted!!

If all employers were required to treat voting days as paid holidays, maybe everyone would take the time to go to their local poll.

Many European countries do this, why can’t we? We get President’s day off, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and other commercial madness, why not “President and Vice President of the United States Day”??

Now can Obama take this on when he gets to the White House? Let’s revise the manner that we vote as a nation. President Jimmy Carter has been raising Cain for years now on the ridiculousness and partiality of it all. They said that international body of legal voting rights wouldn’t even approve of what we are doing in the United States, so we should change this procedure immediately so we are practicing the democracy we crave and rave about. I’m sure we have a few geniuses at Harvard and Stanford that can figure this out.

We can’t be complacent and assume because of what the polls are saying that this race is the “slam dunk of the month”. I remember the Bradley factor too. I don’t want to sound pessimistic either but let’s not forget history or it will surface again. Precautionary steps should be made to go back to every Obama supporter that told us that they were going to Vote for Barack and make sure those that had early ballots turned them in. Remind them that leaving them in the out box of their desks will NOT get it to the Registar’s office. We also need to check in the local community for those that may need rides to the polls. I’ll be working ours so I’ll know by noon who didn’t show up at our location. At lunch time, I’ll be making phone calls and nagging the heck out of folks that “promised”. Our local Democratic chapter is even asking ladies to make calls at various locations. Sometimes a little nag motivates folks and makes them feel loved! I don’t know about you but I don’t want to see another newspaper come out in three hours announcing to me that there is a discrepancy as to who has won the Presidency. I don’t think my heart can stand the excitement again three times in a row.

I believe that ACORN is a distraction; if the person’s handwriting is that evident, pull all of the applications. But isn’t it a matter of who pulls the lever that is the real determinant here, not who registered? Admonish the people who lied to get paid, and let’s move on. By the way, I don’t believe the guy filling out 73 forms to help the person get paid; could he really make up that many names? Someone had to have paid him under the table and besides, the number 73 doesn’t even ring true to me. And he said he didn’t know this was wrong, OK he got his 15 minutes of national radio and television. Give the rest of us a break!

Monday, September 8, 2008

Don’t Be Fooled by their Lies

Don’t Be Fooled by their Lies
by Todd Hoover

With less than two months to go until the next election, I believe we are on the verge of some significant and very much needed change. After eight years of the Republican rule, our nation is left with one of the most costly wars in history, a complete meltdown of the housing industry, the collapse of several major financial institutions, massive layoffs and a serious economic downturn with no end in sight. With Obama ready to lead us all into a new era, we should see a strengthening of Democrats across the nation as people realize just how urgent change is needed.

As Democratic candidates across the country are getting ready to take charge, we need to not only pay close attention to the national race for president, but also the local political races. There are issues we currently face in California which have now become more critical than ever. We are presently facing a $15.2 billion budget deficit, which could easily mushroom to $22 billion if the prison healthcare receiver Clark Kelso manages to impose the additional $8 billion required to bring the deplorable condition of California’s prisons up to constitutional standards. To further exacerbate this catastrophe, the state legislature has been unable to pass a state budget and we are now more than two months past the deadline. Even though California State Controller John Chiang was able to prevent the absolute calamity that would have been caused if Governor Schwarzenegger had been successful in cutting the pay for all state employees to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour, we are still in the midst of a severe storm. With House Democrats, and to a certain extent, even Schwarzenegger himself, currently very close reaching a compromise on the budget, House Republicans are continuing to block progress at every step.

This is why it is so important that we start paying close attention to our local candidates. We have several noteworthy candidates that we should rally behind. Running against Cameron Smyth to represent the 38th Assembly District, Carole Lutness is a strong advocate of campaign finance reform, and unlike her adversary, is not tied to “big oil” money. Hoping to win representation for the 37th Assembly District is Ferial Masry, who brings a unique perspective to the local political arena with her experience on the international scene. Also, as a high school teacher, she places a high priority on the importance of education. Finally the candidate that I think we should really focus on is Hannah-Beth Jackson, candidate for the 19th Senatorial District. Jackson has a very strong background in the legislature. She has served six years on the State Assembly. During her term she has introduced and gotten signed into law over sixty pieces of legislation dealing with important reforms for education, public safety, consumer rights, health care and protection of the environment.

Jackson has been a resident of the 19th Senatorial District for over 30 years. She has been married to Superior Court Judge George Eskin for 27 years, has a daughter, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.

In recent months, her opposition, Tony Strickland ran a particularly vicious and misleading TV commercial, falsely implying that Jackson supports tax increases. This anti-Jackson ad has absolutely nothing to do with the truth. The ad features a cartoon of a house and a car and makes claims that Jackson has been relentlessly voting to increase taxes. The ad claims that Jackson has voted to increase the car tax, the gas tax and goes so far as to imply she is actually trying to eliminate Proposition 13. In response to this misleading campaign, Jackson sent Strickland a letter demanding he immediately pull the ad and apologize.

To best understand this misinformation, one needs to examine each part: the gasoline tax, the car tax and the alleged “weakening of Proposition 13.”

The first part of the commercial alleges Jackson is responsible for an increase in the gasoline tax. The bills listed in the ad were as follows: AB 16, AB 1058, AB 1706, AB 1707 and AB1740. The purpose of AB 16 is to guard against oil spills, something that is both damaging to the environment and can be very costly to clean up. This bill requires offshore oil producers to transport oil by pipeline rather than by barge. This bill does NOT involve a gas tax of any kind. AB1058 required the Air Resources Board to comply with the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. Again, this bill would have no impact on the gas tax. AB1706 would have required the California Energy Commission to report back to the legislature on ways to lower gas prices. Jackson's vote against this bill was in no way a vote "to increase gas taxes." AB1707 was a bill to protect consumers from the release or sale of private financial information without prior approval. Jackson’s support of this bill again had absolutely nothing to do with gas taxes. AB1740 was simply the state budget for 2000-01. It did not raise gas taxes.

The commercial continues, alleging Jackson has somehow advocated raising the ‘car tax’. There is absolutely no validity to this whatsoever. The only thing cited was a vague reference to the “August 2003 Gray Davis Budget Vote.” This actually deals with the end of a temporary reduction in the vehicle license fee implemented by the State Department of Finance. This reduction was originally made in 1998, during a budget surplus, as a way of returning money back into the pockets of the taxpayers. When the state ran out of funds in 2003, the Department of Finance had no choice but to end this. Jackson did NOT "vote to increase the car tax."

The claim that Jackson “weakened” Proposition 13 is absolutely absurd. Her support of AB94 and AB822 were simply to provide an extension of an earlier court decision that certain jurisdictions could set a slightly higher tax rate to cover "indebtedness" incurred from pensions approved by voters before July 1, 1978. The impact of this extension was miniscule and in no way altered Proposition 13. Since Proposition 13 is part of the state constitution, changing it would require no less than a public election. The implication that Jackson's support of this in any way “weakened” Proposition 13 is ludicrous. Jackson's support of AB81 likewise has very little to do with Proposition 13. It simply dealt with whether property tax assessments on large electrical generation plants should be performed by local county assessors or the State Board of Equalization. It has no impact whatsoever on residential property owners. Perhaps instead of showing a family home, what the ad really should have shown was a big power plant with smoke billowing out of a couple large chimneys.

In a nutshell, what these bills deal with are the reduction of greenhouse gases, guarding against offshore oil spills, ensuring the proper handling of private financial information and guaranteeing retirees continue to receive their pensions.

To be certain, Hannah-Beth Jackson is not the only important candidate, but we most certainly need to give her our support. For us to succeed in taking back the government, we must elect good people at the local as well as the national level.


Todd Hoover
, a resident of Castaic, maintains web pages for numerous local Democratic clubs and serves as a representative on the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee for the 37th Assembly District.

Monday, July 28, 2008

ARE THEY PILING ON?

Are we actually watching ‘Hate’ get played out in the media, add any adjective before it, “black hate”with Jesse Jackson and “white hate” with Reverand Wright, “green hate” enviousness with Geraldine Ferrraro, “intelligence hate” with Rush Limbaugh, Carl Rove and John Hannity. Open your eyes; there is a lot of hating going on people. And they call it politics as usual, the usual that Obama is asking everyone to stop. . .

Sitting in a FOX STUDIO (yes of all places to be in) with a live mic on, Jesse Jackson was allegedly recorded as "See, Barack's been talking down to black people ... I want to cut his nuts off."

Again, due to advanced technology we are allowed to see what is really going on behind closed doors. Was this an “OMG” conversation caught on tape. Yeah, it gave Jesse 15 minutes of attention but what does this tell us. Jesse needs attention this bad? Jesse doesn’t believe is passing the torch after 1984 and 1988 bids for the presidential office. Shouldn’t he be passing on the wisdom of his experience to rally with Obama?

I have watched for years the cannibalizing of the young while a graduate student at CSUC. What I couldn’t understand is where are the young supposed to go after they have been selectively nibbled and chomped on? The beauty of Obama has been his ability to awaken these nibbled and chomped on youth to listen, to come out, to register, to vote, to participate, to believe and to energize enthusiastically others to the polling places. The young who have been told time and time again, “watch me” as an euphemism for get out of my way”, or “sit still” for “you are moving too fast for my ability to comprehend and shut you down”, to “you are not ready yet” and meantime “I’m going to steal and take credit for all your ideas because I have run out a long time ago” BUT never taking the time to teach the young the skills they lack, providing the direction and facilitating the guidance to spark alternative approaches to help them get there.

Yes, there will always be those youngsters that misinterpret their teacher’s motivation. But I’m telling you first hand, that Jesse, Tavis, Al, and Cornell need to comprehend that there is a new political movement of assertive, convincing, intelligent, polished, savvy, sharp, spiritual and compassionate young people coming into their own and they aren’t going to be guilted, intimidated and kowtowed by the last generation that “didn’t get it done”. I watched the last generation boast and brag in the few luxuries that were available due to the second call of affirmative action. And for reasons I’m not sure of, they didn’t teach their children what we economically, politically, socially and spiritually moved through to come forward in the 21st Century.

This was a cruel mistake to our young because they have not only become economically bitter when they don’t get “stuff” when they want it, but a harsh realty befalls them that “the world doesn’t owe them” and they must prepare, groom and be ready for opportunity which will often require the assistance of a gatekeeper. When the young degrade their parents, their parents’ friends are often open jawed. I’ve watched this with the children of my own sister, brother and cousins who in their border-line workaholism provided all the materialistic objects they believed they were deprived of. I have seen the effects of not delaying gratification, not appreciating and what happens when they don’t respect their elders. However I don’t believe it makes them experts, but I do believe the experiences that now comfort those of us privy to their shoulders should not go unnoticed. I believe there is this known quantum called “kiss my ring” and pay me homage if you want my support. Yes, I have noticed that Jesse and Sharpton haven’t been out strongly supporting Obama as I would have wished, but maybe Obama knows that African American politics are larger than the two of them. Obama knows that though he is a democrat this world doesn’t run on highlighting only the African American community but a community of disenfranchised, ignored and repelled individuals who too have had generational absence at the polls. I have wondered why it has taken that generation so long to pick up the mantel Martin Luther King, Jr. left where he saw the global picture and saw how collaboration of like minds works better than guilting the masses for the irresponsibilities of those men who haven’t taken on responsibility for their actions, creating another generation of ill equipped, spiritually broken and economically wraught black children.
"For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize," Jackson said in a statement issued to CNN. "My support for Senator Obama’s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment."
"My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility," Jackson also said.

"That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part for the historic event in which we are involved or my pride in Senator Barack Obama, who is leading it, whom I have supported by crisscrossing this nation in every level of media and audience from the beginning in absolute terms."
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get right back to another story we're following. Breaking news, the Reverend Jesse Jackson saying some very, very disparaging words about Senator Barack Obama, even though he supports him for president of the United States. CNN's Don Lemon has been working this story, together with a lot of us. First of all, Don, I know you're watching this story. Senator -- Reverend Jackson is about to join us on the phone. But just remind us, before you start talking to Reverend Jackson, what exactly he said on an open mic that's causing so much distress right now.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Well what he said to me earlier, and we're going to talk to him in just a little bit, we just got him on the phone, Wolf. The crude and hurtful comments he would much rather have made to the senator in private. He did not know the microphone was open. He said it was a hot mike, didn't realize it.

And what he said was that he wanted to -- he thinks that the lectures that Barack Obama has been giving lately to black churches and to black people, he thinks it needs to be a broader context. It's much broader than what the senator is saying.

But what is much better is probably that we get the words from the Reverend Jesse Jackson right now. Reverend Jesse Jackson is joining us from Chicago. Thank you very much, sir.

VOICE OF REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW/PUSH COALITION: Well, Don, how are you?

LEMON: I'm doing well. How are you is the question -- but first, I want to ask what you said, and why did you say it?

JACKSON: Well, you know, let me say first, this is a sound bite within a broader conversation about urban policy and racial disparities. And I -- feel very distressed because I'm supportive of this campaign and with what the senator has done and is doing.

I was in a conversation with a fellow guest at Fox on Sunday. He asked about Barack's speeches lately at the black churches. I said he can come off as speaking down to black people. The moral message must be a much broader message. What we need really is racial justice and urban policy and jobs and healthcare. There is a range of issues on the menu.

And frankly, I think that is his basic urban policy position. No one else has put one together except him in the situation.

And then I said something I felt regret for -- it was crude. It was very private, and very much a sound bite -- and a live mic. And so I feel -- I find no comfort in it, I find no joy in it. So I immediately called the senator's campaign to send my statement of apology to repair the harm or hurt that this may have caused his campaign, because I support it unequivocally.

LEMON: OK, Reverend.

And Barack Obama's campaign, of course, is saying that they don't have a comment now. And you know how quickly this spreads. We got -- I got the word through another source and then called you. And Wolf Blitzer also tried to get you on the phone.

And Wolf has some questions for you as well -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, why did you say these things? Because it's so crude, we can't even repeat it on the air right now, what you said on this open mike.

What was going through your mind?

JACKSON: Well, when I was asked about it, there was already some kind of (INAUDIBLE) reaction. The appeal in black America is record levels of unemployment, home foreclosure crisis, records of murders, and all kind of reprehensible actions for black America. A million blacks are in jail even as we talk today and 900,000 young black men. So we have some real serious issues, and not just moral issues --

BLITZER: Well then let me interrupt, Reverend Jackson.

JACKSON: -- Structural inequality.

BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, are you suggesting that Senator Obama isn't concerned about these issues? Is that what you are saying?

JACKSON: Not -- by any means (ph). He has dealt with it more effectively than anyone else has. Each time he gives one of these messages at a black church, it appears to be targeted and the media takes it and runs with it as a solution to a structural crisis -- you know -- his moral behavior.

To me it's like putting a size 10 foot in a size eight shoe. You need some structure, not just some challenges on -- which he understands so well, and that's why I regret so much this statement, which could be exploited or could be used to exploit our relationship and the campaign.

LEMON: Reverend -- and I want to jump in here and ask you this question because there has been some talk in the media, and also on the blogs, about the Reverend -- about Barack Obama playing to the middle, and not necessarily addressing issues that are important to the black community as sternly and as matter-of-factly as he should. And in some way, and I don't know if this is your opinion, that he may be shying away from this because he's concerned that it might hurt him in his run for the presidency.

JACKSON: The basic issues he raises about an urban policy and jobs, no one else has addressed, has broad application. The crisis we've faced today, besides, you know, behaving better and doing the right thing, is jobs and investors leaving and drugs and guns are coming. The murder rate is up, taxes up, services down, first class jail, second class schools.

That requires some real heavy lifting that has to take place. When you are speaking to a black church, or to labor hall, or to a university, I'm appealing really for a much broader discussion. And I would say again, probably because of regard for him and the campaign, and I would hate it to be lifted out of context really on a live mike statement.

BLITZER: And -- Reverend Jackson, we're out of time, but a very quick -- if you could right now, speak directly to Senator Obama from your heart, what would you say to him?

JACKSON: That any hurt or harm I caused his campaign, I apologize, because I have such high regard for him. And this redemptive moment. I'm a part of it. And I cherish his role -- the role he's played in making the nation better and making the world rejoice.

BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, thank you for joining us for a few moments. We'll continue to watch this story.

Don Lemon, thanks to you as well.

This is a story that clearly is going to cause some controversy out there.

LEMON: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Thank you.
But I have also said, “does Obama require Sharpton and Jess to welcome him to the party or is Obama attending a soiree that Sharpton and Jesse only wish they could attend?
Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., D-Ill. just released the following statement as a reaction to the crude and disparaging remarks his father -- the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.

Says Jackson JUNIOR in a statement: "I'm deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson's reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama. His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee -- and I believe the next president of the United States -- contradict his inspiring and courageous career. Instead of tearing others down, Barack Obama wants to build the country up and bring people together so that we can move forward, together -- as one nation. The remarks like those uttered on Fox by Revered Jackson do not advance the campaign's cause of building a more perfect Union."

Concludes Rep. Jackson, Jr.: "Revered Jackson is my dad and I'll always love him. He should know how hard that I've worked for the last year and a half as a national co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. So, I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself." The Obama campaign issued a statement late Wednesday, accepting the apology but continuing the underlying message. "As someone who grew up without a father in the home, Senator Obama has spoken and written for many years about the issue of parental responsibility, including the importance of fathers participating in their children's lives. He also discusses our responsibility as a society to provide jobs, justice, and opportunity for all. He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Reverend Jackson's apology," said spokesman Bill Burton.


Minerva Williams

Sunday, July 6, 2008

A Walk in the Park – No More

During my afternoon walk I noticed that while walking along part of the perimeter of Castaic Lake park that there was this big fence. It looked like it had just appeared out of nowhere. As I was walking I was wondering to myself if I had just not noticed it before and if it had been there all along. Perhaps it was just something I hadn’t really looked at previously, and now for some reason I was just noticing it. As I was mulling this over and contemplating my apparently not so great memory, I came to a point where I normally enter the park when I take my morning hikes over the weekend. There it was; the entrance was fenced completely off. They sure got this fence up fast! I’d never really thought about it before, but I would have normally thought of a fence like that as something that would take at least a week or so to put up. It sure as heck wasn’t there yesterday. I went out a little later to look at a couple other entrances to the park and they were also fenced off. I was wondering if the hikes I take Saturday mornings would no longer be possible. Will I now have to pay at the gate to walk into the park; I know they have always charged for vehicles to enter, but I’d always thought it was free to just walk or hike through. I then went to the guard at the gate and asked her; she assured me that they were only charging walk-ins for the Fourth of July event tomorrow, but not normally. Is all this new fencing just so they make certain no one gets in free for the Fourth of July event, no matter what! I looked at the fencing and noticed how ugly it looks. I suppose it’s not a total loss; heck with all the carefully guarded entrances and this nice new imposing barrier, maybe they could house inmates to help stem the prison overflow, build a training facility for Blackwater, or maybe if they get really ambitious they could build that ever-elusive Castaic High. All that’s needed is a little barbed wire and a few Rottweilers!

Scenic trails with a view of the lake have always proven excellent for hiking and jogging. Now I’m wondering if these ‘instant’ fences are going to start showing up within the park; so even if you can get past the gate, you’ll still just come to another fence. I am quite disappointed. When I moved here a couple years ago and discovered all the nice hiking trails I figured I’d come to the right place. Now I might as well move back to the San Fernando Valley. The little parks there are canopied with the brown haze of LA smog and are not nearly as picturesque, but at least they’re not all fenced off.

Todd Hoover
Castaic

Sunday, June 29, 2008

THE WORLD WANTS TO KNOW …GOT HOPE?

By Minerva L. Williams

The world wants to know. . . how many American women will show up to vote in the 2008 Presidential election? It amounts to, will women vote hope as strongly as they are responding in national polls, state rallies and town hall meetings?

Those that supported Hillary are vowing to not even go to the poll or expressing overwhelming support for McCain. Young women are most interested in Barack Obama. What the pundits say is how largely young women showed up for Obama in Iowa and the same group didn’t show up at all in New Hampshire. So what happened that made the same group of women vote largely in the first state and not at all in the second state? Where is the pattern?

The world trade balance is off, economies are low, job rates are inching higher, and the policies of the Bush Administration are still not reflective of the American people’s wants. Bush’s popularity poll numbers are the lowest of any president ever!

Mortgage rates are so over the top that millions are loosing their homes daily. Gas prices are out of site. The cost of food, transportation, and supplies are rising. Media exclaims that McCain is 4 more years of Bush policies. Does anyone want to see more attempts of bankrupting the country? Although the captains of industries appear to be doing a great job. Check out your stock portfolio if you dare.

Am I witnessing the insurgence of the Naomi Klein’s warning of the national “shock and awe syndrome” because the students of University of Chicago’s professor Milton Friedman’s philosophy are coming of professional age hence, it will require another University of Chicago’s professor Barack Obama who believes in community organizing to organize the United States to try to save us from Friedman pirates?

I agree that Obama more forceably needs to address Social security, poverty and minimum wage but he also needs to address the millions of jobs going overseas.

Do check out the interview with Chris Matthews: June 16, 2008 http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2008/6/16/amy_goodman_on_msnbcs_hardball_with_chris_matthews_at_5_30pm_est_repeated_at_7_30pm_est

Women are opposed to war and overwhelmingly so. McCain says he sees Iraqi withdrawal tables non negotiable and dangerous to publically discuss but he says we will be in Iraqi for 100 years, if necessary. Isn’t this a public answer?

How many more women are willing to send their children to a war that obviously was based on a huge lie ala Scott McClellan ,the present bearer of Bush first hand bad news, to satisfy our addiction to oil, at the expense of millions of Iraqi women and children who have had to flee their country due to our bombing and blasting them out of their homes or to increase the Bush family financial legacy?

Isn’t this the same family that benefitted from the economic increases during the German war? Why isn’t the media talking and reminding us of this?

Women under 50 may not know that at one time abortions were illegal and women rights advocacy in the 60’s and 70’s made Roe vs. Wade (1973) overturned. Women under 50 have seen women in powerful positions, heads of corporations, political leaders and may take it for granted that McCain wants to over turn Roe vs. Wade, where back alley abortions were unsafe and the norm. These same young women don’t know when women had to fight for equality in wages although in some industries women still aren’t in parity to their men counterparts.

Check out “Standing up to the Madness” by Amy Goodman, reknowned “DemocracyNow! Radio and television commentator, if you wish to know more details on why so many voters should pay close attention to what is politically going on.

Hillary is out on the trail to shore up her 18 million supporters to encourage them to support Barack Obama the first trip being Unity, New Hampshire this week but the follow through of the ladies and gentlemen of Obama supporters is supreme to the election numbers being not only a big deal but the next four years with a Democrat in office. Some republicans say “let them have it”, while they blame the aftermath of Bush’s policies on the Democrats. You hear this now, with Republican leaders blaming Pelosi and Harry Reid for “the nation falling apart”. And what planet are these Republican leaders on? Are they getting their footage from Mars?

Republicans did their dirty here in California under Pete Wilson’s utilities scandal, Davis never was able to figure it out. Even with the Governator play to the partisan legislators, Californians are still in a tales spin; drought imminent, billions in educational cuts, families loosing their homes to mortgage rate manipulation, jobs being packaged to India and China, and oil prices affecting everything from food supplies, cost of food and traveling expenses. But hopefully with a lot of educational forums, classroom sessions, and family dinner discussions the voting age American women will not only wake up but smell the coffee and take charge to the ballot boxes this November. What does it take to get these women’s attention that their voices must be heard at the ballot box or we are going to be seeing more of the past seven years? The world wants to know. . .Got Hope?

Minerva L. Williams is a freelance writer, residing in Santa Clarita Valley who is a strong advocate of Barack Obama and says change is something you can believe in, because it is inevitable.

Friday, April 4, 2008

DUMBO OR PINOCCHIO

MEDIA PRESSURE: Does the media 24 hour pressure and no off camera moments everywhere cause politicians to make hyperbolic, lying, making up the truth, mistruths, stretching the truth, fast and loose with the facts, malicious misleading statements act like Dumbo or Pinocchio? Well I started paying attention to this recently.

HILLARY—In a CBS poll 48% say she is honest, 42% say she is phony.
Clinton’s staff claimed Obama is a Muslim and only changed his religiosity when he decided to run for President of the US. Obama is apparently making a deal with African Somalian leaders because a picture of him trying on a turban, Somalian dress, and adjusting a sword all part o a gifted outfit when he was visiting the country. Obama was taught at an early age to hate Americans by his mother and father enrolling him in a madrassa school; this was why in kindergarten he wrote an essay “Why I want to be President”. He must have some tie to the bin Laden 9/11 plot because his middle name is “Hussein”. Do you know how many people in the world have Hussein in their names? His stepfather was a Muslim so he was being raised as a Muslim too. He was possibly selling drugs when he was a community organizer, Wink! Wink! Nod…says by Bob Jones, former founder of BET. She lies on herself too. She had to duck and cover to get to an awaiting car when she arrived in Beirut during the fall of the country to meet the U.S. troops, so she is “battle hardened” well Chelsea was there too, what does that make her a stellar member of Black Water now?

OBAMA--Father’s trip to the US was funded by the Kennedy family. A misspeak? Why even say it? 1965 March on Selma inspiring his parents to fall in love with one another however 4 years before that is when Obama was conceived. Although Reverend Wright was his mentor and great spiritual advisor and friend “like an Uncle to me” for years, he never heard him make accusations that “the US be damned” and other diatribes against the US domestic and foreign policies?
What about Experience and Readiness for office, isn’t this more important that what my minster said today? Doesn’t his legislative record in Illinois count for anything, don’t they vet candidates anymore? Compared to Clinton’s claims if she was Pinocchio should have a tree encircling her head.

McCain Al-Queda is a threat to Iraq and will do everything possible to take over the country. A larger misspeak to cause individuals to say he is now the McBush? And we all know that following Bush’s plan is not well respected of likened by either side of the aisle. However when the candidate is charming, well liked by the media these kinds of comments are slimed down to “obnoxious, overly optimistic and controversial statements. Then I heard a revelation: Trustworthiness and strong leadership qualities are the key factors voters will be looking for in the Pennsylvania contest April 22nd, 2008. Thank God, I thought it was going to be “the greatest story ever told”.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

This morning, Alex Benepe, intercollegiate Quidditch commission oversees kids at Princeton and Middlebury playing a championship Quidditch at Amherst College (estab.1821). To date there are eighty college locations where participants challenge one another with this game.

Yes, Harry Potter’s 400 million worldly books has spawned a strategic air broom game to a new fantasy amazing “ground” sport not played by “magicians” but young college athletes. Keeper or goalie protects the three golden rings; Chasers take the soccer looking ball and passes it back and forth to their players to throw it through the hoops to make points. Seekers are the people opposing the Chasers. Meantime everyone must keep a broom with one hand in between their legs. The Beater with the bludger (person with red ball) hits the seekers and chasers so they must run back to their perspective goal post and run around the post before reentering the game. The Snitch (representative of the golden ball that everyone was pursuing) is a guy with a sock tucked into his back waistband that is the gold sock is last object to attain to running over the goal line and winning the game. What you say? This is a combination of Dodge ball, soccer and rugby without the pads or helmets but gloves, a pair of cleats, shorts and great running quickness definitely suggested. How’s that for sport?


I got weepy watching a 10-year old brain cancer daddy’s girl seeking her “last wish” to have 20 minutes with her father, who was in a minimum security federal prison miles away. His sentence ends in August, mind you this is March. He was serving a five year sentence for drug possession. The warden said they allowed him free phone calls to the hospital (but we don’t know how many). The family apparently financed four visits to the hospital during this grave period. Why didn’t they allow this man to go to a supervised halfway house within walking distance? American compassion? And you still don’t believe the stories at Guantanamo? Think again.


At last night’s meeting, our resident attorney in the our local democratic club brought up last night that that 49.8% of the vote is what is separating Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton! If not we stand to have McCain referred to now as McBush for another 8 years with 2 more Republican selected Supreme Court judges. The Democratic candidates’ personal attacks are demoralizing voters to possibly go to McCain. Remember once upon a time McCain was revered by Feingold, Clinton and Kennedy. 800 Superdelegates are believed to be deciding whom they are supporting. 350 still haven’t said whom they are pledged to but before the July national convention scheduled in Denver Colorado, 450 superdelegates are poised to cast their votes. Howard Dean met with the two candidates but no one is saying what the outcome is. Meantime McBush is running all over the world looking presidential and vomiting Bush’s rhetoric of “democracy for all”. Democrats, this isn’t watching sausage anymore this is borderline party suicide. To hell with the egos the party needs unity. The Green party is looking for new registrants, what did I do with that membership envelope?

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Time For New Leaders (Santa Clarita)

HOSPITAL PARKING: TimBen Boydston expressed the city and county formulas regarding the "lack of adequate parking" for the hospital. If you have used the hospital campus facility you factually know this. Adjacent residential neighborhoods are being daily inconvenienced with the hospital overflow in the front of their homes.
G&L Realty isn't responsible for the lack of parking at the hospital but they are in the position to remedy it. G&L is a business so their interest is in getting their financial return for keeping the hospital afloat. Unfortunately the really don’t exhibit goodwill towards the citizens of Santa Clarita. However the hospital is still in the arrears. The hospital staff were asleep at the switch when prior hospital expansions were made, so inadequate parking is exponentially lacking at approximately 500 spaces. You ask why would a business not want to make it convenient for customers? Because the business is lopsided in their thinking, that of only making money. Parking needs to be remedied.

HOSPITAL BUILDING: Speaking of money, Seaver is anguished over the City Council fight and the G&L Realty medical business venture which require tight rope walking to keep the hospital afloat with hundreds of millions in the red each year. The "outsider" realty group controls the hospital and interested in making a profit by creating medical buildings to attract other professional medical practices and clinics. It is presumed once built; they will encourage the sale of the hospital. Without the medical buildings G & L says the hospital isn't a buyer’s magnet. The City is willing to bail out the hospital if it guarantees that a prenatal section, improved surgical care, and needed beds are added immediately. However, G&L says this isn’t a selling point. Consequently, the hospital's future is in the hands of ‘a white knight outsider’ who rescued the hospital from closure. The community demands more beds, improved services, and more medical professionals and experts that otherwise are located in communities 20 and 30 miles away. To establish these businesses locally you need added incentives to bring them here.

I would be a crying Seaver also with this dilemma. But in my humble opinion, having a major “insider” Santa Claria player buy out G&L Realty, sell bonds, whatever it takes and complete the needs of SC with a nonprofit hospital that needs biotechnological updating, specialized medicine, and state of the art customer care.
Second, buy out the MRF builder project and put the bed expansion project in Canyon Country, an area in desperate need of medical attention.

Third, take the space that G&L owned and put your hospital parking spaces there. Plan and build to the least amount of congestion on the back side of the hospital, more hospital beds. Do not remove or kill the trees. Come to a firm conclusion of the parking structure's height and build the medical office space in Newhall, near enough but where the increased revenue will rejuvenate a dying economic area. Put jobs up for bids, rookies need not apply, cut out the cronyism, set a deadline and demand the builders stick to it.

Do not put Ender on the City Council. She is not her own person or up on the issues. I can't believe Congressman Buck would demean her publicly by saying she is the instrument which he can use to deal with CEMEX. The woman isn’t a dummy she just isn’t up on the ramifications of large issues. Give her time to grow more
Remember Feinstein said even if CEMEX is bought out, another entity can come in and buy that same space and the city will have to revisit the issue again. Understandably, the City doesn't have the money to purchase the CEMEX mine. Find a mega billion dollar environmental entity to buy out CEMEX that isn't interested in the mines contents, but for the sake of the residents (yeah I maybe dreaming here) and then have the city to purchase the mine outright.

Release Kellar from the City Council so he can make personal money in real estate; continue developing huge community fundraisers and building the Art Center with the assistance of his realtors for a City War Chest. Recognize that Bob Spierer is a great manager not a leader and encourage him to make money with Kellar building the Art Center, a state of the art police station and developing community safety fundraisers.

And last but not lease, vote a third time for Maria Gutzeit, an independent chemical engineer, a policy wonk, who has carefully representing the interests of this community and doesn't mind stepping on a few toes because she is not owned by any of these aforementioned groups.

And then let's figure out in two years how to sweep out the disgusting obnoxious behaving of Mayor pro tem Frank Ferry from the City Council and the Lauren "taming of the shrew" West. Then let us put our heads together to find two financial law-abiding, tested, compassionate leaders that Santa Clarita who we can be proud of. TimBen will you be available in two years? Now who is the second person?

Minerva Williams,
Mighty Thunder

Red Phone Scipt

Believe it or not Casey Knowles, 17 years old, who appears as an 8-year old sleeping in Clinton’s red phone advertisement, is a Precinct Captain in Washington for Obama 2008.

The actually stock footage purchased by the Clinton campaign from Getty Images is ten years old. Her brother recognized her from the 10-year old advertisement footage, originally intended for a railroad commercial. Knowles suggests taking the edginess off of the Clinton advertisement by putting her in an ad with Obama today. At this writing however, I haven’t heard whether or Knowles’ request has been answered to appear in a 2008 Obama advertisement.

So from this I gathered the following . . . where the commercial ended with the beautiful bedroom scene of the child dreaming from the red phone advertisement slowly you see the sun rising throughout the room, birds chirping, toilet flushing, car starting up, sound of fried bacon and the mother comes back into the room.
Mother: Wake up Kasey!

Kasey: (Kasey looks up slowly to a sweetly smiling mom) “Good morning mom”. (17 years old wrestles out of bed puts on her slippers).
Camera: Pans the room with usual teen paraphernalia on the walls Stevie Wonder, other current rock stars, models, snow globe collection, jewelry, makeup, stockings around the mirror, and panning ends at a picture of Obama “Change you can believe in Poster”.

Mother: (Walks out of the room, dropping off a pile of clothes and closes the door).
Set:

Camera: Focuses on Kasey’s face only. (Increase sound of teen rock music from 94.7 or other Power station, door slams. Camera moves to a hurried silhouette of Kasey walking to the bathroom. cuts to the sight out of her window of paper boy on a bike, kids walking in pairs with backpacks, a mother standing in a doorway bending over zipping a jacket.
Voice over: So what happens to a dreaming 8-year old having a fearing parent concerned about the red phone ringing in the White House? The child wakes up from the nightmare, the next morning and is an active, latte liberal of hope for Obama in the 2008 Presidential Campaign.
Kasey: (Putting on her Obama gear, phone to the ear). “Brianna, Boy did I have a bad dream, will tell you about when I see you. I’ll be there within the hour, check with Michael we’ll pick him up too”.
Camera: Fades slowly but follows Kasey running down the stairs.
Kasey: (She runs down the stairs w/backpack on her shoulder. Kisses her mom and dad. She plobs down. She grabs a piece of toast, several pieces of bacon, some jam. Camera pans the table showing a brother, a sister, mom and dad all energic interacting, seeming as though they are all having a healthy but hectic breakfast of cantelope, scrambled eggs, wheat toast, honey, bacon, slices of oranges on a plate and a bowl of grapes.
Next scene: Kacey in a room full of Obama workers making phone calls, serious looks on their faces while talking on the phone (inaudible).
Camera pans to clip shots on a long wall:
A.) A huge rally showing Obama and Michelle on stage waving to the crowd.
B.) Democratic leaders are shown interacting with Obama.
C.) Young students, young professionals of various diversities exchanging campaign materials for Obama.
D.) Crowds standing in line at polling center.
(Cheering crowd noise in the background very low then up to audible).
Voice over: Fear mongering is for kids…7 years of manufactured fear from the Republican party. Change we can believe in. Then read Obama’s credentials or accomplishments, (choose only three) then end “with Diplomacy, intelligence and compassion. He’ll lead us with progressive qualities strongly needed.
Need we say more . . .”

Fade to Obama for Change you can believe in poster, freeze frame.

End of story.

.

Clinton's Long Nose

“I remember landing under sniper fire”, says Hillary at a St. Patrick’s Day rally. With the caption “Ready to Bring our Troops Home” on the front of the podium. Jeff Greenfield says “this is a misstatement of fact”. Keeping track of the “embellishing”, The Washington Post says that Clinton has given 4 misstatements so far.

If she were Pinocchio would her nose be a twig by now? Or maybe she is a fan of Groucho Marx who said, “Are you going to believe me or your lying eyes” regarding her trip to Bosnia March 25, 1996. In her book she recalls the situation but doesn’t say anything about sniper fire.

Sinbad says that “all they were worried about was when we were going to eat lunch”.There were children all around her. Her daughter was even with her. Yes the military was visibly everywhere but she is the First Lady with child going into Tuzla, Bosnia after the war was over but to encourage the troops during the clean up.

Cheryl Akis, the young impressionable CBS embedded journalist on the trip that day, says that Clinton may be taunting battle-tested experience but riding with Clinton she remembers a completely different story and provided the film. Admitting that the media had received reports from the military that there were hostilities still going on miles away in the hills, but not Clinton’s account, “I remember landing under sniper fire”. (There was no sound of sniper fire). “It was suppose to be a some kind of greeting ceremony at the airport but instead we just ran with our heads down to get the vehicles so we could get to our base”. You didn’t see any one running or any quick movement. She walked casually with Chelsea to waiting soldiers. There was a young child handing her some flowers which Clinton bent over and accepted. She posed for a picture with the child and other young people. You see Clinton smiling. No signs of stress whatsoever. You see Chelsea and her walking and greeting more troops. Later at the Navy base you see her walking up stairs to the stage mike. Clinton is smiling, waving and greeting the troops. Later you see footage of her singing at the show. Again, no visible signs of stress, anguish or worry. She appears with Cheryl Crow and Sinbad (the comedian). This is supposed to be a battle testing experience?

This is to make it appear that she is the person to call at 3:00am in the morning? This is the person running for President of the United States who is giving an example and recalling her tough foreign ability stance. So far I haven’t heard any media response of this incident with Cheryl Crow who was also on the plane.

Later on the news, Lissa Muscatine, her wide eyed staff person says it really isn’t a misstatement because there was sniper fire that you could hear in the mountains surrounding the area that they were having to land in where the reception was supposed to occur. After reviewing the video footage and interviewing the CBS media that was on the plane with Clinton, she has subsequently said that “I misstated”. Feigning that it was a while ago and maybe she doesn’t remember it with such clarity. The real question is “why lie in the first place?” Did she really believe that the media wouldn’t fact check? Cheryl Akis, doing the fact check, simply says that ‘politics should match the video tape’.

Well in defense of Hillary, because I am a Democrat, did Hillary think that the media wouldn’t be doing their job considering the performance of the media for the past seven years and the “free passes” they constantly have given Bush. You might think this gives her fodder for thinking this. So is this exactly what she was counting on, “a free pass”?

Come on Obama, the Hope we are looking for, bring it on . . . I’m going to say the word. We are sick of this “lying”. Now I said it. “Li-yar Li-yar pants on fi-yar”.

Minerva Williams,
Mighty Thunder