SCV Dems

Ron Paul supports the Occupy Movement

2011-12-30T16:07:00.000-08:00

See for yourself . . .

http://concord-nh.patch.com/articles/ron-paul-defends-occupy-wall-street#video-8518569

Is Pokeman can save the day. . . what else is next . .

2011-12-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

A cookey Republican campaign season

https://my.democrats.org/page/contribute/take-a-look-and-chip-in?source=20111230_bw_nd&utm_medium=email&utm_source=obama&utm_campaign=20111230_bw_nd

SCV Occupy by Carole Lutness

2011-12-20T17:49:00.000-08:00

http://www.hometownstation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27210&Itemid=0

May MR SHUTTLESWORTH rest in peace!

2011-11-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Barbara B.Wilson:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/us/rev-fred-l-shuttlesworth-civil-rights-leader-dies-at-89.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

One of the unsung heroes in the civil rights movement passed away October 16, 2011 Reverand Fred L. Shuttlesworth. IF you recognized the name of only one of the two greats who succumbed to cancer on Wednesday, that’s perhaps because the work of the Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, who died at 89 in a hospital in Birmingham, Ala., was about as low-tech as it gets. Using an operating system of unadorned bodily witness, backed by a headlong courage that often tested the grace of his God, Mr. Shuttlesworth was the key architect of the civil rights revolution’s turning-point victory in Birmingham, the mass marches of 1963. Their internationally infamous climax, the showdown between the movement’s child demonstrators and the city of Birmingham’s fire hoses and police dogs, gave President John F. Kennedy the moral authority he needed to introduce legislation to abolish legal segregation, passed after his death as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. True, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the reluctant leader whom Mr. Shuttlesworth virtually goaded into joining him in Birmingham, got the credit — and the Nobel Peace Prize — for their accomplishment. But that’s partly because Mr. Shuttlesworth was the un-King, the product not of polished Atlanta but of rough, heavy-industrial Birmingham. As the public face of the movement, King was its ambassador to the white world, while Mr. Shuttlesworth was the man in the trenches. But without Mr. Shuttlesworth’s strategic acumen and troops, justice would have been dramatically delayed. And his failure to get his due may be yet another example of the country’s reluctance to face up to the “class warfare” that not only animates the current Occupy Wall Street demonstrations (yet another variation on the Birmingham template), but has long roiled the black community as well. Among his movement colleagues, Mr. Shuttlesworth was known, with exasperation and admiration, as the Wild Man from Birmingham. He had been a lonely pioneer of nonviolent direct action in the 1950s, dispatching his followers to illegal seats in the front of Birmingham’s buses the day after the Ku Klux Klan bombed his bed out from under him on Christmas night in 1956. (“And this,” Mr. Shuttlesworth would later say, “is where I was blown into history.”) He became increasingly frustrated trying to prod King, with whom he and two other black ministers founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, to fulfill their organization’s pledge to “redeem the soul of America.” If King was Hamlet, not quite able to make up his mind and break away from the ceremonial demands of his role, Mr. Shuttlesworth sometimes resembled the Road Runner. “I literally tried to get myself killed,” he said. He was involved in more bodily attacks, arrests, jail sentences and Supreme Court test cases than any other member of the S.C.L.C. Mr. Shuttlesworth, born to young, unmarried parents and raised in hardship, had a long history of challenging not just white privilege but the prejudices of what he called the “tea sippers” of his own race, who had shunned his largely working-class movement until its success appeared inevitable, thanks to his efforts. It was that experience that drove his often-tense relationship with King during the Birmingham protests. At one point the S.C.L.C.’s “Atlanta crowd” had tried to call off the demonstrations while Mr. Shuttlesworth was in the hospital recovering from injuries inflicted by one of the fire hoses of his equally determined nemesis, the arch-segregationist police commissioner Eugene (Bull) Connor. Mr. Shuttlesworth, who readily acknowledged being a “cussing preacher,” used some hurtful profanity in letting King know what he thought of this capitulation — and overruled him, declaring the demonstrations back on. When King traveled to Oslo the next year to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, won mainly because of the success in Birmingham, Mr. Shuttlesworth was not included in the sizable entourage that accompanied him. There is a sense that he was paying the price for being the first S.C.L.C. leader to buck King’s authority — with the added insult of being right. Not surprisingly, perhaps, the man forever being eased out of the limelight had his own passing superseded within hours by the head-of-state mourning that greeted the death of Steven P. Jobs. Mr. Jobs is being remembered as the “the man who invented our world,” in the words of one headline, celebrated for creating objects to which their owners relate as though they were human. Mr. Shuttlesworth’s legacy, though, reminds us of the not-so-distant era when the task of our heroes was to persuade society to regard as human a class of people who had long been treated as things. A few years ago, after Mr. Shuttlesworth had survived a house fire, I teased him about his continuing record of close calls, saying that even though the segregationists hadn’t done him in, somebody was going to get him one way or the other. “Yeah, and when they do,” he replied, “God’s going to say, ‘They got a man.’ ”

"Feeling your Presence"

2011-10-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

This post is from Rosemarie Sanchez and has nothing to do with the Democratic Party but something we believed to be just that a "magnificent" piece of video. . . Hope you enjoy the scenic presentations . . .

http://www.andiesisle.com/creation/magnificent.html

Kucinich Statement on the Announcment to Bring our Troops Home from Iraq

2011-10-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

Click here to view this email in your browser
Share this email: For Dennis Kucinich

Press Release

October 21, 2011
For Immediate Release
Nathan.White@mail.house.gov
(202)225-5871
Kucinich Statement on the Announcement to Bring Our Troops Home from Iraq
Washington D.C. (October 21, 2011) – Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following statement after the President announced that the United States will bring home our troops stationed in Iraq.
“As one of the first Members of Congress to oppose the war in Iraq, I welcome the President’s announcement that he will withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq at the end of the year. The U.S. has spent over $806 billion on a war that was based on lies. The war in Iraq has cost the lives of over 4,421 U.S. troops and an estimated 1 million innocent Iraqis.
“Yet today’s announcement fails to acknowledge that we will simply be replacing one U.S. occupation with another. Under the State Department’s current plans to take the place of the Department of Defense as the main U.S. force in Iraq post-military withdrawal, we are still maintaining a massive presence there, now with the State Department and its heavily armed private security contractors. And it is the presence of armed U.S. contractors that is the problem. It will continue to foment instability and violence in Iraq and the region. We need to get out now, not just trade uniforms and personnel. It is reasonable to ask whether the people of Iraq will notice any change.
“We are also guaranteed to continue to see billions of dollars go unaccounted for. According to the Commission on Wartime Contracting, Congress will need to dedicate even more resources to support State’s increased contracting and personnel costs. At the same time, the Commission warns that the U.S. has already lost between $31-60 billion in Iraq and Afghanistan. At an absolute minimum, Congress must heed the warnings of the Commission and implement significant reforms to the U.S. government’s acquisition process to ensure proper oversight of U.S.-taxpayer dollars and the 8,000 – 17,000 private security and service contractors that will be operating in Iraq.”
###

Ellen Brown and Alan Jackson

2011-10-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

Good Morning,

Well Ellen Brown is "in the house" and back from her "Asian trip and lecturing":

Hi here is my latest article, posted on Asia Times –

"QE4 - forgive the students"
http://atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/MJ21Dj01.html

Best wishes,
Ellen Brown
http://webofdebt.com
http://publicbankinginstitute.org
http://Telaranadedeuda.com

We are happy to hear you are back. Saw you at the Alan Jackson introductory campaign.
This is definitely a campaign to watch for 2012 . . . Comments always welcomed . . . Minerva

"CONSUMING KIDS"

2011-10-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

Brand loyalty for life is a matter of getting children to recognize from cradle to grave and turn them into life long consumers. But have we taken the time to understand the long range effect on our children's self esteem and understanding of who they are?

With their leniency with the Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, ipods, cell phones, computer games, DVD's, text messaging, lunch boxes, back packs, dress appliques, discount coupons, comic books, media literature band items, school walls, school busses, soft drinks, field trip classes, zoos, bathroom mats, towels, pillowcases, sleeping bags, hats, shirts, tee-shirts, bus radio, skateboards, DVD's in cars (to calm them down), Channel One in classes, chat lines, web kids and games sites, advanced academic research projects (in the classrooms), preliminary advertising before movies, magazines, television commercials, focus groups, ethnographic research (filming children as they are eating breakfast, in the grocery stores, wathcing children experience health and beauty products), talking to their friends, friendship circles, classrooms products, Girls Intelligence Agency/"slumber products in a box", other children, friends, and going to the mall exploded the gallant in advertising to children.

My friend forwarded this little nugget on how marketers try to make parents absolutely miserable when children can not have what they need:

"Consuming Kids throws desperately needed light on the practices of a relentless multi-billion dollar marketing machine that now sells kids and their parents everything from junk food and violent video games to bogus educational products and the family car.

PG-13 or R has a whole line of toys for elementary school children, what is wrong with this?

Drawing on the insights of health care professionals, children’s advocates, and industry insiders, the film focuses on the explosive growth of child marketing in the wake of deregulation up to 30% a year or $40 billion dollar a year. Youth marketers have used the latest advances in psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience with "high test blinking tests" to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world."

IS THIS BECAUSE OF THE INTERVENTION OF BIG GOVERNMENT?

OR IS THIS ETHICALLY SOCIALIZING AND MOBILIZING CHILDREN into accept brand name items or none at all?

"Some behavioral scientists argue that anti-social behavior in the event of getting to the product" is really desireable and adds to the increase of symbolic advertising. Symbolic advertising leads to social "coolness". And socialized "coolness" define who you are, is what you wear, what you own, and what you require leading to values.

brands can not make us happy but this is the message that is being conveyed.

Self indulgence and self gratification becomes "me", "me now" and "me and these things".

This is a deservice to children. Because children mistake the items for whom you are.

Early 50's the child wanted to be like their mother and father or other role models.

Early 70's the children were beginning to change regarding their psyche and growing up fast with desires to be older than they were. By the late 80's children started answering the question with "being rich, having a lot of stuff " and being mature faster.

Children 10 and 12 years old are reading Seventeen Magazine.
Belly shirts are seen as "being like" Brittany Spears.

Boys emerged into destruction, shooting, images of power, domination, and virtual reality games. Children learn fighting is needed to resolve differences and watching violence is fun and entertaining!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL2BE2F38D58B82410&feature=player_embedded&v=kKHwZPwI-WQ#!

Now we may have to start seeing this as rights for children to grow up. Parents, Grandparents and guardians must learn to raise their children appropriately instead of selling products and services.

Life should be about human relationships and how we identify our caring for one another . . . wonder why corporations are picking on children to buy their products?

Your comments welcomed . . .

PUTTING THEIR MONEY WHERE THERE MOUTH'S ARE . . .

2011-10-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

FROM Matthew Barzun
National Finance Chair
Obama for America

October 18, 2011 3:38PM . . . .
Friend --If you've been able to sit through any of the Republican presidential debates so far, I commend you for your patience and commitment to the President.With all the talk about "class warfare," "Obamacare," "9-9-9," and how Social Security is a "Ponzi scheme," the Republican candidates have tended to leave very little time to discuss constructive solutions to the actual challenges facing our country.Well, there's another Republican debate tonight in Las Vegas. And if we can't convince the candidates to talk about jobs or how to provide economic security for the middle class, we can hold them accountable for what they choose to talk about instead.The campaign has put together a debate watch game to make sure there's a real cost to all the attacks and nonsense. Here's how it works: You pick a word or phrase from the list below to sponsor, and pledge to give $3 or $5 (or however much you'd like) for each mention. So tonight, as the Republican candidates prattle on about defunding Social Security, ending Medicare as we know it, and everything else they support, they will literally be building this campaign.Check it out, and get your guesses in now before the debate starts at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.Don't worry, you can set a cap on how much you want to give, in case someone (not saying who) says "9-9-9" two dozen times. -- Class warfare -- Repeal -- Obamacare -- Fence -- (De)regulation -- Amnesty -- Socialism -- Romneycare -- 9-9-9We have to assume that the Republicans in this race are sincere about wanting to be President. But when so much of the discussion is about rolling back protections put in place by the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street reform, and instituting a tax plan that would mean middle-class families pay thousands more every year, we can question how sincere they are about helping to solve the very real problems millions of people confront every day.Americans deserve a leader who takes the job seriously.So I'm looking forward to seeing what you think they'll say this time. We should have some fun with this -- it's Vegas, after all.But we're not just doing this for our own entertainment. We're building a campaign that can withstand a barrage of special-interest funded attacks from the other side, and make sure President Obama can continue the important work we have left to do.Any donation you end up making tonight will be put to work right away to that end.So what do you think? Class warfare? Socialism?Make your best guesses here:www.gopdebatewatch.comThanks for playing,
Friend --If you've been able to sit through any of the Republican presidential debates so far, I commend you for your patience and commitment to the President.With all the talk about "class warfare," "Obamacare," "9-9-9," and how Social Security is a "Ponzi scheme," the Republican candidates have tended to leave very little time to discuss constructive solutions to the actual challenges facing our country.Well, there's another Republican debate tonight in Las Vegas. And if we can't convince the candidates to talk about jobs or how to provide economic security for the middle class, we can hold them accountable for what they choose to talk about instead.The campaign has put together a debate watch game to make sure there's a real cost to all the attacks and nonsense. Here's how it works: You pick a word or phrase from the list below to sponsor, and pledge to give $3 or $5 (or however much you'd like) for each mention. So tonight, as the Republican candidates prattle on about defunding Social Security, ending Medicare as we know it, and everything else they support, they will literally be building this campaign.Check it out, and get your guesses in now before the debate starts at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.Don't worry, you can set a cap on how much you want to give, in case someone (not saying who) says "9-9-9" two dozen times. -- Class warfare -- Repeal -- Obamacare -- Fence -- (De)regulation -- Amnesty -- Socialism -- Romneycare -- 9-9-9We have to assume that the Republicans in this race are sincere about wanting to be President. But when so much of the discussion is about rolling back protections put in place by the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street reform, and instituting a tax plan that would mean middle-class families pay thousands more every year, we can question how sincere they are about helping to solve the very real problems millions of people confront every day.Americans deserve a leader who takes the job seriously.So I'm looking forward to seeing what you think they'll say this time. We should have some fun with this -- it's Vegas, after all.But we're not just doing this for our own entertainment. We're building a campaign that can withstand a barrage of special-interest funded attacks from the other side, and make sure President Obama can continue the important work we have left to do.Any donation you end up making tonight will be put to work right away to that end.So what do you think? Class warfare? Socialism?Make your best guesses here:www.gopdebatewatch.comThanks for playing,MatthewMatthew BarzunNational Finance ChairObama for America
Contributions or gifts to Obama for America are not tax deductible.
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The Employment Bill

2011-10-12T14:54:00.000-07:00

FROM JIM MESSINA:

Friend --
Last night, the American Jobs Act was filibustered by Senate Republicans. There was no vote on the actual bill.
But it would have succeeded: the American Jobs Act has at least 51 votes -- a clear majority -- to pass the Senate. And a new poll shows that 63 percent of Americans support it, too.
Today the President recorded a message he wants you to see, laying out where we go from here in the fight for jobs.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/share/president-on-jobs?source=20111012_jm_act&utm_medium=email&utm_source=obama&utm_campaign=20111012_jm_act

The Republicans who voted yesterday to block this bill weren't thinking about middle-class families. In fact, at last night's GOP debate, one of their leading candidates actually refused to say he'd extend a payroll tax cut that puts more than $1,000 in the pockets of everyday working Americans.

They might believe it's in their political interest to oppose whatever the President proposes for the next 13 months, but we know that when it comes to jobs and restoring economic security, Americans can't afford to wait.

The American Jobs Act would get to work now, providing incentives for businesses to hire unemployed veterans, helping hire tens of thousands of teachers, cops, and firefighters, and rebuilding and modernizing our schools, railways, bridges, and airports. Even though it's fully paid for and made up of proposals both parties have supported, Republicans yesterday said no.

Now the President wants you to hear directly from him about what's next.

Watch the video -- and make sure your friends do, too:

http://my.barackobama.com/President-on-Jobs

Thanks, Messina

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-10T06:38:00.001-07:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
I was penned with the pink ribbon in Macy's last Thursday.

If you have every had a family member or friend suffering from breast cancer you know how important it is to assist someone and being there for an individual who is told that they will loose a breast, loose their hair, loose their self esteem,and be mentally challenged with serious contemplation in the will to live.

Yes, it is an ugly wake up call if you take life for granted.
It is also "a true friend tester" when you get the news from a family member or a friend.

This is the advocacy site, which sends updates and news releases on the truth of what breast cancer is and preventative measures:

http://www.breastcancerdeadline2020.org/know/31-truths-2011/email-signup-ty.html

Here is the progress report, which gives you information on how we are progressing in ending the disease with a noble goal of 2020 . . .

http://www.breastcancerdeadline2020.org/2020/progress-reports.html

But the reality is in 2011 alone, "39,840 women and 390 men
will die of breast cancer. While a slight decrease in mortality is an accomplishment, it is far from success". The disease on an average is diagnosed at age 61. The rate is decreasing in white women. It is still very high for urban women and women of color.

Look to our calendar of events for "Breast Cancer Awareness" activities, discussion groups, physical running and walking races in the Los Angeles County region designed to raise funds, awareness, and to build sisterhood networks on breast cancer.

And at your earliest convenience get a mammography exam, become aware of those foods we gorge on that increase cancerous tissues, wear and make your own pink ribbons, learn as much as you can, write a check to a breast foundation, be there for a friend or family member who needs support while going through chemotherapy or other wranglings with cancer. Read a white paper on the features and facts of breast cancer. Volunteer at your local hospital or out clinic and inform others on what you learn. If you have long hair contribute it to a service that makes wigs for patients who loose their hair during treatment, do so and challenge your other acquaintances to do the same. Familiarize yourself with The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (Komen), The American Cancer Society (ACS), the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) to name a few.

Bottomline, do something . . . Peace out, Minerva

Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare

2011-10-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

Healthcare Reform is one of the topics that have been vollied back and forth by both parties. The accusations on what is in place and what is being proposed are worlds apart from what is "REALLY" going on . . .

We encourage you to read the following information directly from the White House on what the Affordable Care Act involves. It is not just "Obamacare", it is People Care and the care we need to keep our nation progressing requires a healthy nation able to take care of its young and its elder populations. We still believe the mark of a nation is how it caters, cares, and communicates to the entire population.

Comments are welcomed as always . . .

Get the Facts Straight on Health Reform
There's a lot of misinformation out there. For too long, too many hard working Americans paid the price for policies that handed free rein to insurance companies. President Obama’s health reform law gives hard working families the security they deserve. The Affordable Care Act holds insurance companies accountable, lowers health care costs, gives Americans more freedom and control in their health care choices and improves the quality of care. Here are some of the myths that the White House provides:

l.) Healthcare reform will not use your tax dollars to pay for abortions.
2.) Healthcare reform will not be taken over by the government. The insurance companies are in partnership to strengthen laws, create exchanges, and to assist employees and employers to receiving tax credits to help the insured.
3.) Companies will stop offering healthcare insurance. Companies do offer healthcare to attract talent, however many companies are hiring more individuals as contractors to also diminish paying insurance, even insurance companies are doing this. However healthcare insurance discounts are being offered if employers work for certain companies as an incentive.
4.) "The individual responsibility provision also enables us to finally ban discrimination against individuals with pre-existing conditions. Without the individual responsibility provision, people could wait until they’re sick or injured to apply for coverage since insurance companies could no longer say no or charge more. That would lead to double digit premiums increases – up to 20% – for everyone in the individual insurance market".
5.) For more details and statistical backup, please see the following link:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/myths-and-facts#healthcare-menu

This Week at the White House

2011-10-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

Updating what is happening at the White House . . .

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/07/west-wing-week-why-white-house-pink?utm_source=100711&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=daily

Cornell West and Tavis Smiley and The Poverty Tour

2011-10-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

Speaking truth to power and speaking the truth to the powerless!

Professor Cornell West and Radio and Television personality Tavis Smiley and the Poverty Tour discuss the challenge of President Obama's not addressing the dignity of poor and working people. Is it a declaration of war? Please review the following video. War is the enemy of the Poor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQJu7ldorbg&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL7AE9F5230AF208D9

LIBRARY BILL IS SIGNED . . .

2011-10-09T08:50:00.001-07:00

October 8, 2011

Wonderful news from Favel Jens:

Thank you for all of your help...emails, phone calls, letters, speaking at meetings, collecting petitions.... YOU DID IT!

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from Cindy Singer, Community Library Manager for LA County Public Library System, upon the Governor's signature on AB 438 [Williams]:

"Librarians and library patrons applaud Gov. Brown for signing AB 438 to protect the public and taxpayers as communities consider library privatization.
"Financial pressures created by a stubborn recession have created an opening for corporations to persuade cash-strapped cities to privatize essential public services such as libraries. AB 438 makes sure these companies deliver on their promises to save money without compromising services. That's the least we should expect from a corporation taking over a public service.

"Throughout this recession, libraries have been the places families could turn to for help with everything from applying for jobs, to learning new skills, using the internet, or getting help in school. When times are tough, public institutions such as libraries prove their worth more than ever.

"Thank you, Governor Brown, for putting taxpayers and the public ahead of the profits of privately held corporations."
---end----
-/-/-/-

The Job Bill

2011-10-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Obama pushes his $447 billion jobs plan again
President Obama held a news conference on Thursday to again urge Congress to pass his jobs bill. This is President Obama's first news conference since July. (Oct. 6) (/CBS News)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/class-warfare-gop-style/2011/09/18/gIQAy0OfdK_video.html

Please check out our local listings . . .
http://www.scvyoungdems.org/jobs.htm

Travel during the holiday season?

2011-10-06T11:10:00.001-07:00

For friends making travel plans. I ran into this little number I thought you would want to know and ponder . . .

http://away.com/top-ten-travel/away.com/features/travel-ta-top-ten-secrets-of-airline-travel-from-the-pilots-themselves-sidwcmdev_154874.html?page=2

"HAPPY LABOR DAY"

2011-09-05T21:04:00.001-07:00

Happy Labor Day!
Namaste to those union workers who still work 40 hours a week, eight hours a day, lunch time and during their break periods. This also allows us time to remember my mother and father who were fighters and recipients of civil and human rights that so many of us take for granted.
My grandfathers were railroad workers during the 1929 strike.
I (Minerva) can remember the stories that my maternal grandmother told me the short summer in 1996 and I will cherish our brief walks and long talks through the Pensacola Mall. She also shared with my cousin and me how she, a Porache Creek Indian, went to school to learn how to “balance a book on her head, sew while her braids were tied to wall wire, and ask for permission to go to the bathroom”. Back then, there were no 40-hour work weeks, eight hours days, lunch and breaks.
What amazes me still are those that wish us to return to a system when these concessions did not exist. I thank a society that will allow us twelve weeks to care of our immediate family members with an assurance our jobs will still be their when we return. I thank the many heroes and sheroes before us whose shoulders we can stand on. What is so sad, are those employers whose greed, selfishness, and inability to see beyond their “capitalistic gains” don’t allow them to realize that love of family, country, and having a morale standard is more important than anything money can buy.
We believe it our responsibility to keep the fight ongoing, even if we don’t work for a union.
Minerva Leah Williams, Vice President and Event Planning
The Democratic Club of the Santa Clarita Valley

Don Bustany on the Middle East

2011-08-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

With everything going on nowadays in the Middle East, it's a wonder the entire region doesn't erupt into one massive war zone. With the recent uprising in Egypt with Mubarak, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Kadafi's gross mistreatment of the citizens of Libya and the seemingly endless violence and military intervention in that part of the world, are we on the brink of another World War? If such questions are troubling to you, please hear the opinion of a true expert on the subject, Don Bustany.

Don Bustany was Born in Detroit to Lebanese-American parents. He and Casey Kasem were co-creators of the syndicated radio program "American Top 40" and "American Country Countdown". Camera coordinator of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "The Bob Newhart Show", and other MTM shows. He produced local talk shows on several LA stations. He has a BA in Liberal Arts, Wayne State University, and an MS in Communications from Syracuse University. Bustany is a Palestinian right of return activist. Since 1996, he has produced and hosted the radio program "Middle East in Focus" on KPFK FM, the LA Pacifica radio network.

His mission is to fill the many gaps left by the mainstream media in their coverage of the Middle East. A member of the advisory committee of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in the 1990's, he served four terms as president of the organization's Los Angeles chapter.

The event will be held at El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant, 19132 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country, CA 91351 on August 18th at 6:30pm.
For directions, see:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=19132+Soledad+Canyon+Rd&city=Canyon+Country&state=CA&zipcode=91351

For more details, please see:
http://www.scvyoungdems.org/events/081811-BustanyAmericasTop40s.pdf

Please bring your questions and inquiring mind...

PORCUPINES and other Imperfections

2011-07-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Rosemarie Sanchez=Fraser. . .

The parable is worth sharing. But have you ever seen a baby porcupine?!
I would pass it along just for this!

Fable of the porcupine
It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation,
decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one
wounded their closest companions. After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and
they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or
disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds
caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the warmth that came from the others.
This way they were able to survive. Moral of the story: The best relationship is not the one that brings together
perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other
person's good qualities.
The real moral of the story......
LEARN TO LIVE WITH THE PRICKS IN YOUR LIFE.

Obama urges compromise, Republicans set to vote

2011-07-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

Please be sure to click on this link for more recent updates regarding the "debt ceiling debate".

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/29/us-usa-debt-idUSTRE7646S620110729

RHUNIA MOORE May she rest in peace . . .

2011-07-20T22:26:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon All,

We lift up our hearts and prayers
for the family of Rhunia Moore.

Rhunia passed last week. Her
celebration of life will take place
Thursday, July 21st at 11:00 am.
The services will be held at the
Reseda Church of Christ, 7806
Ingomar Street, Reseda, CA.
(South of Roscoe Blvd and North
of Saticoy).

The wake is scheduled for
this afternoon at Rucker’s Mortuary
from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm.

Rhunia is a life time member of the
San Fernando Valley NAACP. She
last served as a member of the
Executive Committee, we resolve.

We also want to be prayerful for
her grandson Russell Baldwin who
has cared tremendously for her in the
past years and her great grand daughter
Jetaya who also lived with Rhunia.

Cards and condolences can be sent to:
The Moore Family
12436 Claretta Street
Pacoima, CA 91331

Sharon Y Garrett
(818) 470-9643

CARMAGEDDON July 16, 17

2011-07-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

Just for the laugh . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S0H6sFIqr0&NR=1

We can only hope that the 405 Freeway closure that has received national news, will be opened on the 18th in spite of the $12,000 per hour penalty that is being fined to the contractors (if not done on time).

It isn't that there isn't enough traffic already, Friday for me was an hour and 1/2 drive from Stocker/Crenshaw to Oakdale Drive in Chatsworth and that was a regular Friday.

We can only pray that Caltrans and their crew members can encourage the contractors completion of the Westside bridge.

Please thank Rosemarie Sanchez Frazier for the posting.

"VOTE FOR THE DOG OF YOUR CHOICE"

2011-07-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

Suggested by Rosemarie Sanchez-Frazier of Friendly Valley,
38th Assembly District Representative wrote:

You are asked to put in your vote for the "Hero Dog Award". Follow the link

http://www.herodogawards.org/

and put in your bid. She offered . . .

I met this woman today at the Doggy Clippery, she was taking her Yellow Lab , named "Atticus," home and was telling the person behind the counter to be sure
to vote for him as a Guiding Eyes hero! Well, you know I could not not get curious so here is the web site to vote for Atticus as a Hero Dog! Once you
get to the web site click onto Vote, then to Category "Guide Dogs." Atticus is coming in 3rd at this time, if you click on the picture of him, his story will
come up. He is a big beautiful sweet dog! Hope you can vote for him and pass this onto your friends.

XXXOOO

Rosemarie

FREE GED CLASSES

2011-07-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

FREE GED CLASSES
Classes offered by El Camino Real Community Adult School. Receive the skills necessary to pass the GED Exam!
Classes will include:
English
Writing
Mathematics

Classes open to students 17 and 10 months years old – Adults
Register Now!!!
Classes begin July 12, 2011
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m.– 7:30 p.m.
6931 Van Nuys Blvd. Suite 201
Van Nuys, CA 91406
For more information please call (818) 786- 4098

From the Mayor's Office

2011-07-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

ASPIRE STIPEND PROGRAM 2011-12
Do you aspire to be the best Early Childhood Educator that you can be? The ASPIRE program will put you on the path to improving your practice and furthering your education by providing you with financial and advisement support.

What is ASPIRE?
ASPIRE is a new statewide First 5 CA professional development program for early childhood educators, also known as CARES Plus. Participants will complete a free on-line training regarding the CLASS observation tool, academic and career advisement, and 3-6 semester units of coursework. By doing so, they can earn a stipend of at least $1,000 in August 2012.

Why ASPIRE?
Working with small children is a joy-filled, yet challenging job. You need all the skills that you can get to be your best. Unfortunately, wages in the field are low and it may not be easy to pay the costs of further training and education. That's where ASPIRE comes in. Not only will you receive free training and advisements sessions, but you will get a nice financial boost on completion!

Who is Eligible?
ASPIRE is open to people currently working in the ECE field who are looking to do coursework and training to improve their practice. For more details on eligibility, visit this website after July 8th for an application. Applications will be due in October 22, 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: Teaching staff who qualify for L.A. County's "Investing in Early Educators" Stipend Program (AB212) are not eligible for the ASPIRE Stipend Program. The ASPIRE Stipend Program Application will provide details on who is eligible for the County program. To visit the website for the L.A. County's "Investing in Early Educators" Stipend Program click here.

###

Sincerely,

Angelica Ayala, MPA
East Valley Area Director
Office of Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
14410 Sylvan St. Room 211
Van Nuys, CA 91401
818-778-4990
818-778-4995 (fax)

405 Freeway try Metrolink Trains

2011-07-09T15:52:00.002-07:00

On Friday, July 15, ramps along the 10 mile closure will begin to be shut down as early as 7 p.m., and closure of freeway lanes will begin at 10 p.m. to ensure full freeway closure by midnight. The closure will continue until 5 a.m. Monday morning, July 18. Ramps and connectors will be reopened by 6 a.m.

Metro will provide free rides on the Metro Red/Purple Line subway, as well as on the Metro Orange Line and select bus lines during the closure weekend to further spur transit trips between the San Fernando Valley and downtown Los Angeles. Valley residents are encouraged to park at available park & ride lots at North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Sepulveda, Balboa, Reseda, Pierce College and Canoga Stations, that together offer more than 4,000 parking spaces, and ride Metro to reach their destinations. Walking, bicycling or taking transit to access stations is also encouraged.

Metro will also add a total of 61 buses to normal Saturday and Sunday schedules for eight major bus lines and up to 16 buses to protect late night and owl services serving key San Fernando Valley/Westside routes to accommodate increased travel times. Both the Metro Red and Purple Lines will operate weekday peak period service levels, or approximately every 10 minutes all weekend, with six and four car trains, respectively. The Metro Green Line will also run every 10 minutes throughout the weekend.

Metro will closely monitor traffic congestion on all routes in the I-405 construction area and will make needed adjustments to bus service based on the current traffic conditions. Transit patrons should, however, anticipate longer trip times to reach their destinations and plan accordingly.

Metrolink will supplement its current weekend schedule by offering seven round-trips on its Ventura County Line and nine additional trips on its Antelope Valley Line during the closure weekend. Metrolink will also offer its $10 Weekend Pass, which enables passengers to ride any Metrolink train, as many times as they would like between Friday night at 7pm and Sunday night at 11:50pm for one low rate.

More information on Metrolink service and affordable ticketing options can be found at www.metrolinktrains.com.

DON"T FORGET THIS WEEK's DRIVE Will be worst than usual

2011-07-09T15:52:00.001-07:00

405 CLOSED JULY 15-17, 2011
The closure of the I-405 between the U.S. 101 and the I-10 will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, July 15th, and end at 6 a.m. Monday, July 18th.

$500 Grants

2011-07-09T15:50:00.002-07:00

Sodexo Youth Grants
Deadline: September 16
YSA will award 25 Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to support youth-led service projects in the United States that address the issue of childhood hunger during National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 13-20, 2011). We're looking for projects that engage your peers, friends, families, neighbors, Sodexo employees, and other community members in creative, youth-inspired solutions to ending childhood hunger in your community. Learn more at www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoyouth

More Service Grants from the LA Mayor's Office

2011-07-09T15:50:00.001-07:00

STEMester of Service Grants
Deadline: July 15
YSA is seeking middle schools with large populations of disadvantaged youth in the 19 states with highest dropout rates (AK, AZ, CA, CO, DE, DC, GA, HI, IL, LA, MI, MT, NV, NM, NY, NC, RI, WA, WY). Grantees will engage students in a STEMester of Service addressing critical environmental and disaster preparedness needs and connecting them to STEM curricula. The $5,000 grant supports sustainable service projects that launch on MLK Day of Service (January 16, 2012) and culminate on GYSD (April 20-22, 2012). www.YSA.org/grants/stemester

Summer Grants w/July 15 Deadline

2011-07-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

Sodexo Lead Organizer Grants
Deadline: July 15
Sodexo Lead Organizers will work with partner organizations to engage at least 600 youth volunteers in learning about and addressing the issue of childhood hunger in their communities, beginning during Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 14-20) and continuing through Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) (April 20-22, 2012). Sodexo Lead Organizers receive a $2,000 planning grant, travel and lodging for YSA's Youth Service Institute, and ongoing training and technical assistance. www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoleadorganizer

July 6th through September 3rd Summer Night Lights

2011-07-09T15:46:00.000-07:00

FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE

SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS
Summer Night Lights is an anti-gang initiative that keeps parks open after dark--during the peak hours for gang activity--with free food and expanded programming. By empowering communities and targeting the traditionally most-violent summer months, Summer Night Lights has become a national model for violence reduction. Since 2008, SNL has expanded from 8 parks to 24 citywide, leading to a 57% reduction in gang-related homicides in SNL neighborhoods.

This year the program has expanded to 32 parks. The program takes place from July 6th to September 3rd, Wednesday through Saturday night from 7pm to 12am throughout the summer.

Come out and visit your local SNL Park:
- Delano (CD 6)
- Hubert Humphrey (CD 7)
- Sepulveda Recreation Center (CD 7)
- Valley Plaza (CD 2)
- Sun Valley (CD 6)
- Lanark (CD 3)

For more information: http://mayor.lacity.org/Issues/GangReduction/SummerNightLights/index.htm

"THE DOCTORS WILL SEE YOU NOW!!"

2011-05-30T06:22:00.000-07:00

Are you concerned with what is happening with our healthcare. It seems there is something in the news almost daily about the battle for people to get the medical care they need, which should be a basic right. For those who are indigent, who have been laid off from their jobs or for whatever reason can't afford coverage, the only healthcare available is a trip to the emergency room. Not only is it bad enough that the Obama healthcare plan has been greatly watered down, but now there's talk about reducing healthcare for seniors with a so-called "voucher" program! The US rates 37th in healthcare, right below Costa Rica. Do we really need to be worse than a third world country!!

If you are concerned, come join us for:

Dinner And Dialogue: "THE DOCTORS WILL SEE YOU NOW!!"

DATE: June 16, 2011

TIME: 6:30pm - 9:30pm

COST: $5 donation requested

LOCATION NAME: El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant, Banquet Room

ADDRESS: 19132 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country, CA 91351

DESCRIPTION: A Community Question and Answer session to explain changes in MediCare, MediCal & Social Security. How do we become more proactive in spite of the economy? What are some of the changes in insurance? From a world view: How lucky are we? What don't we know that WILL kill you? Possible economic and sustainable solutions: What are they? The keynote speaker will be Dylan H. Roby, Ph.D from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and School of Public Health. Also presenting will be: William "Bill" Honigman, MD Emergency Medicine; Gene Dorio, MD. Gerontologist and Senior Advocate Co-host of "The Senior Hour" on KHTS radio; Rosalie Brown-Goldenberg, Legislative Ambassador of the American Cancer Association; Stephen R. Dymtrow from Colonial Penn/Bankers Insurance & Casualty; Joseph Odanga from Helping Hands International; and Edward Villalpando a former Supply Chain Inventory Specialist from Kaiser Permanente Hospital. Allan Cameron and Minerva L. Williams will emcee.

CONTACT: Todd Hoover, crazycatherder@ca.rr.com, 661 295-9318

For more info, please see the: Event Flyer

MAY HE REST IN PEACE. . . Gil Scott Heron

2011-05-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

One of the original “rappers” when political poetry met fusion, blues, jazz, and before it was all “cool” died yesterday at 62 years of age.

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/562.html

Please also check out . . .

Inner City Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drTjTE8MCBU&playnext=1&list=PLF161EDC5363B69A2

“Did you hear what they said?“

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y7lMFEAyI4&feature=autoplay&list=PLF161EDC5363B69A2&index=3&playnext=2

“The Revolution will not be televised” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGaRtqrlGy8&feature=related

The revolution will come about when your awareness level awakens to those activities happening around you and you will act on them but don't expect them to come because of a television news. Read, Explore, Write, Network, and talk to individuals who are NOT in your comfort zone. We can always learn from one another. . .

May Gil Scott-Heron, now rest in peace . . .as we carry the torch onward . . .

V Jesse Smith Observes Memorial Day

2011-05-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

GUEST POST: Self-Improvement Is The Best Way to Honor Our Troops on Memorial Day
by V. Jesse Smith

As we enjoy the blanket of security which has been provided for us by those serving in our four branches of government, we are called by the edict of appreciation and gratefulness to give special thanks to every man and woman who has served and/or is serving in the armed forces.

We are able to enjoy our freedoms because of men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line in order that we might know what freedom truly looks like. We are indeed a grateful nation. As we reflect on this up-coming Memorial Day what we will be doing on that day, and how we will be spending our weekend, we must never forget what that day truly represents.

Memorial Day was recognized as a federal holiday to honor our military service men and women who sacrificed their lives fighting for our protection. Each year we set aside time out of our busy schedules to remember those who gave their lives fighting abroad so that we could live under the protected blanket of freedom in the United States. It is proper that Memorial Day is a federal holiday and that we remember and honor the soldiers we lost on the battlefield and those who are still serving to keep us free and protected under our Constitution.

But, too many of us take Memorial Day as just a day of rest and relaxation. On that day we barbeque, drink, party and engage in the things that we want to because we live in a nation that allows us to do that because of the security that our military troops provide us.

However, what if we acknowledged our troops in another way? What if we truly went after the dreams that lie within us but was always afraid to go after? What if we took advantage of the small business loans that our government provides us to set up the business we have longed to do? What if we went back to school to improve ourselves by getting a degree in Mathematics, Science or Higher Education which in turn will allow us to fulfill a long-desired passion to want to help and inspire children? Our troops are sacraficing their lives on the line everyday so that we can become a better nation and a better people. Their lives and work must not go unnoticed or in vain.

On this Memorial Day, each of us should ask ourselves what we are doing to improve our lives. As you read this article, think about what you always wanted to do in life but never did it because either you were afraid or did not have the resources to do it. Think about what you have always wanted to do in life—whether it was writing a book about something dear to you, starting a business, going back to school, becoming a Doctor, Nurse, Medical Assistant, License Vocational Nurse (LVN), Paralegal or Lawyer—and then ask yourself why haven’t you done it. What’s been stopping you?

American soldiers are giving their lives everyday so that we can live our life every moment. Let us not dishonor them by not doing something to improve our lives everyday. How do you improve yourself? Self-improvement is done by attending seminars that will teach you how to do something; it is done by you learning something new everyday that will improve your physical, social and economic condition in life; it is done by you not constantly focusing on the problem, but you coming up with the solution to the problem. Jim Rohn, a powerful motivational speaker, said it best when he said “Don’t ask for less problems, ask for more skills…don’t ask for less challenges, ask for more wisdom.”

As you start that business that you have always wanted to start, you might very well be in the position to offer a job to some of our troops when they come back from Afghanistan, Libya or Iran. If you write that book that you have been longing to write, it could be the book that our military personnel need to remain inspired, motivated and uplifted while they are engaged on enemy battles.

Yes, the best way to honor our troops on this Memorial Day is to do things that will improve yourself so that you can become a blessing to them as they have been a blessing to us.
About the Author: V. Jesse Smith is a national motivational speaker who conducts Leadership and Self-Improvement seminars throughout the nation encouraging people to live their dreams by improving their skills. He is the president and founder of Heights of Greatness Leadership Institute and can be reached at www.heightsofgreatness.org or vjessesmith@aol.com (661) 992-9052.

2011-05-19T11:22:00.001-07:00

Are we really surprised to hear that the former Governator has sired a child? I am not.
Is this a little titillation? No. Is this a disappointment? No.
In the beginning of Schwarzenegger’s announcement for governor, the public decided to allow him a pass when Maria said, “trust me” and stood by her man and this is after 15 women came forward, some with pictures. Voters gave him a quick wink, an augh “He’s the terminator” and voted him in office anyway.
We believed he had married one of our finest from the famous Kennedy family and Arnold would walk and talk straight. It is called “a second chance”. I saw the ladies of “THE VIEW” hammering away and listened to the exchange between Chris Matthews and Bill Maher about Arnold, see reference sites below.
I am wondering where was the press and political staff that they kept all of this a 14-year secret?
And no one from his staff knew? We learn from the LA Times that http://times.am/2011/05/18/western-media-arnold-schwarzenegger-is-a-liar/, in 2001, “. . . according to Garry South, the strategist for then-Gov. Gray Davis, word got around that Schwarzenegger was mulling a challenge – so South began circulating copies of a Premiere magazine exposé detailing the actor’s alleged groping of women.
“His lawyer sent me a letter threatening to sue me for libel, and he also threatened to sue for copyright infringement if I sent out any part of his letter,” South said.
SO how could the woman stay employed and pregnant in the household knowing her relationship with Arnold while having a presumably very private and close relationship with Maria, I guess we will hear from the tabloids. To hear he has financially assisted the staffer and child however has been great news.
But to hear that this illicit affair occurred with a member of the household staff blows protected sex, “fidelity”, family values and harassment in the work place to an all-time high.
But as they say, Karma will swing you back again and so in January, the housekeeper retires and Schwarzenegger tells the truth. We heard that Maria left but we never knew why.
Life goes on but we hear that The LA Times promised to reveal the truth and hence the news comes forward. As for the girly man, “The Gropenator”, this man vetoed “marriage equality twice”.
He owes Californians’ an apology for putting his political ambitions before his family. There are years of fatherhood that the child has lost. Hope Arnold can live with the hypocrisy and be the manly man to those involved.
As for Maria and the rest of the family, we wish Maria a speedy recovering in reaffirming the family love, stability, trust and moving on with a stellar journalistic career, her Minerva service awards or whatever she decides to do.
REFERENCES:
Chris Matthews with Bill Maher http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/18/bill-maher-schwarzenegger-gingrich_n_863643.html
“The View” Ladies http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/17/arnold-schwarzenegger-the-view_n_863207.html

2011-05-18T22:26:00.001-07:00

Thoughts of Yesteryear
The following story was part of a Volunteer Profile of the Month for January 2004 for "The Mighty Oak", a monthly newsletter of the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center. The newsletter wrote, "Mary and her husband Art moved here in 1998. Art saw a newspaper ad for needed home delivered meal drivers and wanted to volunteer. Mary decided to be his navigator, so off they went to see the person in charge. They have been delivering meals ever since. She's been teaching tap dance at the Center since '99. Here is her story:"

In retrospect, I had the most interesting and exciting childhood because of my parents, although at the time, they were just Mom and Dad.

My father was an accomplished classical musician who had studied in Mexico City and decided to find his fortune in New York City in a time we now know as the Roaring Twenties -- the Jazz era. He quickly had to adjust from playing Bach, Liszt, and Chopin and replaced it with the 12th Street Rag, Sheik of Araby, Charleston, etc. No jobs were available, so he joined the U.S. Army, was placed in Special Services (even played at the White House), and was offered a career if he became an American citizen. He declined the offer, wanted to see the world (Australia in particular), spent some time in Cicero, IL after his stint in the military, and headed for California.

My mother was reared in Tucson, studied music at the University of Arizona, and decided to come to Los Angeles where a brother was already here, to become a piano teacher.

Inevitably the two met in L.A. which in the early 20's was a mecca of the theater. Vaudeville was big in those days -- the only difference was that Spanish was the language. It was the counterpart of American vaudeville with only the best of the musicians, singers, dancers, comedians, and even recitations by the best actors. Work was plentiful and exciting, and the two musicians were married in 1922.

Then, I came along the next year, followed by six more siblings in the next nine years. Mother always loved the theater, and soon I was being taught to sing and dance. There were three theaters on Main Street where Spanish language movies were shown and vaudeville also flourished. I was six years old when I first performed onstage, but I had no fear because my father played in the orchestra pit and Mother was in the wings. I can still see that huge spotlight and the blackness of the audience that I knew was there because of the laughter if I did a comedic number, or the sniffles if I did a heart wrenching tango. Mother even taught me some off-color songs. I had no idea what I was singing as long as the audience liked it. If there were contests for non-pros, I usually won 1st place!

Then came the stock market crash of 1929. I still remember the crowds gathered around the bank in our neighborhood. The Depression hit hard, especially for those in show business. Somehow, Mother managed from the few jobs Dad was able to get. Vaudeville lived for awhile, but started to die during the early 30s. Remember, we now had talking movies. During the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Mother entered my sister and me in a talent contest sponsored by the May Company. I don't remember any money prize, but we were both entitled to a complete physical exam. We won 1st place, and received an engraved silver cup. Once during one of these "contests", I remember getting a disappointing 2nd place with a prize of $5.00, which probably fed the family for a week. First place went to a young violin virtuoso! We had no carfare for the trip back home.

Mother, sister, and I trouped around Southern California putting on shows with circus people -- just any group of folks in order to make a few bucks. In a desperate move to earn more money, Dad accepted a job offer in the International Section of Shanghai, China for a year or so. In the meantime, Mom did what she knew best. In the days before the invention of CDs, cassettes, or portable phonographs, dance teachers needed piano players to conduct classes. Since there was always a piano in our home, one ballet/Spanish teacher had students come to our home for lessons. I just watched them, and soon picked up what the students paid for. A tap dance teacher needed a pianist, and the trade-off was free tap lessons for me. By the time I was thirteen, I was tired of the constant traveling on old cars, always working on weekends just to make a couple of extra dollars. I longed to be like all the other teens I knew.

Dad finally came home on the last ship in 1936, a few days before Shanghai was bombed by the Japanese. Things finally got better as he always had gigs at fine hotels such as the Coconut Grove. Eventually, he landed steady work at the two nightclubs on Olvera Street in Los Angeles: La Golondrina and the Paseo Cafe, where he worked until his retirement.

I finished high school, met and married Arthur (now 62 years of matrimony and going strong) during the days of high anticipation of better times for the Depression kids. We started our family, and then came December 7, 1941! We had two sons when Arthur was drafted into the Navy. Fortunately for us, he was sent to so many schools that by the time he was to be sent overseas as a radioman/gunner on a torpedo bomber, Japan had surrendered after having sustained large casualty numbers. So, we began the struggle to start anew after the war. We somehow managed without complaining since everybody else was adjusting to the hopeful prosperity that lay ahead. We had three more sons, I eventually had to find work for additional income, and was lucky enough to land a job (swingshift, ugh, with kids ranging from 1 to 10 years). I started at the bottom rung, eventually became an executive secretary to the regional manager of a large trucking firm, and stayed employed at that company for 32 years. I continued working until I was 65, retired, and joined a tap class at my local Community Center. Here I was again, performing in recitals that I had done so long ago.

As a young girl, I fell in love with American music. I recall walking past a house that had a radio -- we didn't have one in those days -- and remembered hearing Bing Crosby sing, "Did you ever see a dream walking?" And of course, during my teen years, didn't we have the most wonderful music? It was the Swing Era!!! Once all her kids were grown and gone from home, Mother (always the resourceful person she was) studied hard, passed the tests, and became a successful real estate broker. During the trying times when Dad was in China, we almost lost our home. Some friendly, anonymous person reported our situation to the local welfare agency. We received welfare -- money, food, clothes -- until Dad came home and it wasn't needed anymore. When she was able to (after starting her new career), she checked the family account and repaid IN FULL every cent that L.A. County had given us when it was needed. I'm always proud to mention that!

How many of us have ever wondered, "what if" something different had occurred on our lives? Me too! When I was 9 or 10, Mother entered me in yet ANOTHER contest. The prize was a scholarship to a dance studio in Hollywood. Could it have been the Meglin Studios, from which so many child move actors trained? I recall a large upstairs studio, somewhere on Broadway. There were about twenty other kids competing, with only a pianist, a drummer, and a judge in the room. All we had to do was walk, skip, or hop in a circle, but had to be quick to adjust to a change in tempo. Well, guess who won the scholarship? The dance studio was in Hollywood, we lived in East L.A., and I couldn't go to the dance studio alone. Mom and I always used street car transportation. I remember the red street cars that were open in the center, and how glamorous and new everything looked in Hollywood back then. When we came home, I was told that we could not afford the fare, so I had to drop out. Sometimes I think about that, but not too often.

At this time in my life, I would not change anything, except for the tragedies of wars we've had to endure, but over which we have no control. My generation made so many sacrifices during WW2, and our country is still in another war??? I am proud of our sons, they are all college grads, and the combined five have given us 10 grandchildren and 2 greats. In these last years, Arthur and I are so lucky to be in comparatively good health, enjoy golf, and are so happy to live in the Santa Clarity Valley since 1998. We live in Friendly Valley which offers so much to its residents, and enjoy their Little Theater where we both participate in productions. I am especially grateful to the Senior Center for allowing me to teach tap dance and pass on to others what little I know. I'll continue to do it until I'm not physically able.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for those great genes you passed on to me.

Mary M. Alvidrez

WINOGRAD VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Immediately

2011-05-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

Marcy Winograd For Congress 2011 team contacted us today and asks for Volunteers to help in the Volunteering for Harbor Area Phone Banking and Precint Walking assignments at 1300 South Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, CA 90731 (310)508-9234 and email juliandburger@gmail.com.

Janice Hahn (LA City Council) and Debra Bowen (Secretary of State) who both recently won their current positions in the 2011 Midterm Elections are running against Winograd.

Winograd, a Los Angeles high school teacher, has run for this position twice, losing to Janice Harmon who let the position to work with the Woodrow Wilson Foundation less than four months after winning the position.

For more information regarding the campaign contact:
https://www.facebook.com/MarcyWinogradForCongress2011

This posting doesn't indicate the endorsement of the Democratic Club of Santa Clarita Valley we are just providing the information.

It is estimated that it is costing $1.5 million to have this special election since Harmon walked away. What we haven't been advised, is why did Harmon walk away after such a big fight with Marcy in the 2010 Midterms?

There is conversation that Debra Bowen, "the celebrated geek", is highly needed as the Secretary of State and needs to continue her campaign promise to the California people to keep the California voting process as clean and possible. Janice Hahn is from the legendary Los Angeles Hahn political family so many wonder why is she jumping so soon for the Congressional seat.

There is much to pay attention to in these moving parts of a dramatic contest of well qualified, polished and charismatic political women. There are no rookies here.

Do note that all participation in candidate contests can fulfill certified class credits and scholastic needs. Make sure you ask the candidate's campaign or field managers for details . . . Peace out, Minerva

A. Eugene Huguenin

2011-05-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

We received s notice today from the governor's office that Attorney A. Eugene Huguenin, 68, a Democrat of Rancho Murieta is the new appointed member of the California State Public Employment Relations Board. He has owned his own law firm since 2001 and was a consultant for CTA l973 until 1979. The message continues that:

Huguenin was a staff counsel at the CTA from 1979 to 200 and a commissioner on the Fair Political Practices Commission from 2005-299. With the approval of the state Senate, his confirmation and compensation will be $128,109.

2011-05-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

The Playboy Jazz Concerts on the Greens is starting up in Santa Clarita Valley to celebrate the summer days ahread check it out at

http://www.the-signal.com/section/114/article/44745.

Obama on Usama

2011-05-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

We need to give thanks to the men and women who put their lives on the line in the effort to give the fatal blow to those that would try to kill the American dream with random acts of terrorism.
With the death of UBL you might trust that Memorial Day will be even more outstanding and well attended ceremony by local Americans.”

I believe we can all agree that taking options require setting a goal, strategically getting the best information that you can acquire, questioning the strategical options to accomplish the mission, seeking out the opinions of the “best of the best” available to you. Because of the thoroughness required you will be placing Plan A, Plan B and Plan C in place in the event that “Plan A” is compromised. You know that taking a commitment and riding out the consequences of the decision made requires responsibility and steadfastness. We can be proud of hope we have seen in the campaign promise of President Barack Obama to its fruition.

Steve Croft of “60 Minutes” was able to facilitate Obama providing us that “the mood was intense . . . everyone listening, and monitoring in real time. Obama continued, “that one of the great successes of this operation is that we were able to keep this a secret, be cautious and optimistic” at the same time. He offered that any leak not only would compromise the mission, but also, kill the men who were involved.

Nervousness did come into play. Though the strike’s timeline was intended to take 40 minutes, and although short, he said it seemed like a long time.

Obama says that “there are no doubt that we killed Usama bin Laden”. The treasure trove of information is being analyzed and hopefully will lead to high value targets, plots, how they operate, and their methodology of communicating.

Obama exclaimed that the graphic photos of bin Laden being shot in the head would not be used so as not to incite propaganda and make his kill into a “trophy”. Obama says Usama bin Laden got the justice that he deserved. However, we do not need to spike the football and the graphic nature of the photos to create or increase security risks for the troops still in the area.
He stated that in July troops will be drawn down and Americans will be involved in the training Afghanistan has to secure and stabilize their country and to remove our footprint in the country. American soldiers will leave Afghanistan.

In lieu of Pakistan saying that this is an American trick with Al Qaeda members, the signal is that those that are affiliated with terrorist organizations are going to be on the losing side and that they will have more sense to get involved in the political process rather than the methodologies that they have been engaged in.

The hope is that those members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban will not find the country a safe haven for more activities but learn how to get involved in the political building of the country.
Obama said that “We don’t think that a photograph in of itself matters”. He offered that “it was a joint decision to bury him at sea. We tried to consult with experts in Islamic law and ritual that was appropriate and respectful of the body.”

When the mission was over Obama says that he “walked out with my team and said we got him”. His aides and congressional leaders were then told what happened. He congratulated the situation team members who rode out the 45 minutes with him. Obama says that he did not even tell his family members and his closest White House aides. The fact that they were surprised is true.

So now we can wonder whether or not the legislature will continue to supply billions of dollars in aid to the Pakistani people. Even though Pakistan is one of our allies, the fact that we have been able to kill more terrorists on Pakistani soil than any other country raises the country’s loyalty quotient.

But now more than ever we must work more effectively than we have in the past. And in the months to come, Obama says that there were will more assaults.
Obama has subsequently met family members at Ground Zero, visited fire fighters, went to Fort Campbell, Kentucky to meet the helicopter pilots, Special Forces personnel, and the Navy Seals face-to-face.

Unfortunately, American citizens won’t be able to know who the “American heroes” were who did the actual deed but we can say that “Justice was done” and we can soberly move forward with the continued promises of American hope that Obama said “begins with us”.
See you on the 2012 President Obama’s campaign trail. . . more fired up than ever before . . .

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-20060612-10391709.html?tag=component.0

CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING

2011-04-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

REDISTRICTING: How often do you find issues that are only relative to one section of the community and not to another although we are all affected by the change? Well there is a commission that will be shuffling the deck. Do you want in? First of all, Proposition 20 did pass! Now there is an opportunity to have fair redistricting allowing communities to draw their own lines that denote their city, culture, ethnic, economic and county lines and to make their communities whole instead of "gerrymandered". There is no guarantee that the "incumbent protecting plan" will adhere when fair redistricting is put into place. However, the purpose is to represent population changes as derived from the census which is taken every ten years. The hope is that the commission will eventually draw lines that strengthen voters' voices as well as make our leaders accountable to our needs and reflective in the Congressional, Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization districts. We believe the Santa Clarita Valley should be one district. The commission hopes to encourage communities to send in their recommendations and to encourage the citizens to show them where the lines should be around communities instead of through them. There will be public hearings throughout the state. Assistance will be provided to help those who may require services such as wheelchair access, translation, sign language for the hearing impaired and other auxiliary services. Notice is required five days in advance, if you require any of the above services. And foremost, you need to participate. Thursday, April 28, City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, 3rd Floor, LA From 6:00pm to 9:00pm Saturday, April 30, City of San Fernando Hall, Council Chambers, 1117 McNeil Street, San Fernando 91340 From 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, May 1, Sierra Toyota, Antelope Valley Room, 43301 12th Street West , Lancaster, CA 93534 From 2:00pm to 5:00pm Again, the commission requests that you call in your particular need, when you go, five days in advance! The commission consists of a 14-member commission, with 5-Democrats, 5-Republicans and 4- independents. The concern is that the commission will weaken both current political sides because of this equitable weigh-in. Nonprofit groups are strongly being asked to participate in this process. Check out their website: http://www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov/ Phone them at : Janeece Sargis (866) 356-5217 or email them at votersfirstact.crc.ca.gov. No matter how you slice and dice it, yes it is a contest between the Democrats and the Republicans to beat one another back in hopes of gaining leads in federal, state, and local contests. Maybe by also unifying communities the competition will increase in those supporting causes and candidates. The LA TIMES calls the selection process of the commission as a "semi-meritocratic lottery process" and says no matter how you slice it California is a Democratic state and adds that, "Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer defeated their gazillionaire opponents by 1.3 million and 1 million votes, respectively. Democrats held every one of their congressional seats, and actually increased their margin in the Legislature." And what does this say locally, according to the Swing State Project: California's 25th District Buck McKeon (R) Obama 139,488 50% McCain 132,660 48% Change: McCain +0 Demographics: 9% African American, 5% Asian, 27% Hispanic, 55% White Old Demographics: 8% African American, 4% Asian, 27% Hispanic, 57% White Communities of Interest: Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Victorville Status: Likely Republican SUMMARY: This district shrinks as it loses rural areas in the desert and eastern Sierras. It still resembles a tossup because Obama barely won it but this district is strongly Republican. Kerry won only 40% here and McKeon is highly popular. When he retires, a strong Democrat against a weak Republican can win here but although this area is trending Democratic, it is still Republican at a local level. But I do want to note that the Signal article only reflected the opinions of the current Republican leadership. I just thought that I'd add my Democratic voice to the discussion. The final maps are to be presented to the Secretary of State by August 15, 2011. REFERENCES: http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/08/matt-angle-texas-redistricting http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/19/opinion/la-oe-meyerson-redistricting-20101219 http://www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-early-candidates-20110411,0,1629259.story

WE NEED SOLUTIONS

2010-11-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

This country needs solutions to excelling healthcare costs, medical insurance, gas and food prices, mortgage fraud, job layoffs, and immigration by its elected leadership, and I mean months ago.

Those areas where Obama found solutions need to be marketed to the masses because many don’t know what he accomplished in spite of MSNBC and FOX News commentator challenges, “Dancing with the Stars”, and “Who is the Biggest Looser”. I am not against commentator challenges and reality television programming but please, where do you get real news?

We are getting the impression that charismatic President Obama is so clear on governance that he forgot he has a constituency to speak to that needs to be able to share his vision and understand the future as more than a 2010 Midterm Election “shellacking”.

“Leadership isn’t just legislation”—that it’s also “a matter of persuading people ... giving them confidence and bringing them together ... setting a tone,” he said in a 60 Minute interview with Steve Kroft, before leaving for India and the G-20 meetings. However, I have to admit, I never saw Obama as perplexed versus his usual “cool, calm demeanor”. Consequently, you felt that something is going on behind the smiles.

Citizens are concerned that the Bush tax bail out, which is questionable helping a select few but not causing resolve in a very weak economy. In so many words, the effect never trickled down to the rest of us, if anything, the wealthy tightened their belts and make investments elsewhere.

The miserable nick picking of policy by the Republicans and a few Democrats return to resounding “NO, we can’t do that” responses, which override embracing solutions.
We need to review our better communication skills so we are all on the same floating ship and before the passengers start throwing the lawn furniture overboard after hearing the new deficit commission preliminary findings that rise the hair off of our arms.

With loud mouthy highly opinionated Tea Partiers (on the right) and Progressives (on the left) to shake policies up, don’t you just hear the snap, crackle, and pop and I don’t mean Rice Krispies, quaking a Congress next year?
Who, what and where are the hundred million voices of the United States middle that put Obama in office? Please activate.

Elizabeth Moreno Answers Campaign Financing Question

2010-04-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

Randy Hammock Presents

2010-04-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

C Edward Mack Answers Campaign Financing Question

2010-04-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Edward J. Nison Presents

2010-04-20T13:59:00.001-07:00

For Whom Would You Vote Were You Not in Race

2010-04-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

Randy Hammock Answers Campaign Financing Question

2010-04-20T13:58:00.001-07:00

C Edward Mack Answers Campaign Financing Question

2010-04-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Moreno Answers Campaign Financing Question

2010-04-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

Ed Nison Answers Campaign Financing

2010-04-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

Michael Cruz Asks if anyone has asked to be appointed

2010-04-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Alan Cameron Introduces Candidates

2010-04-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

Psalms 109

2009-12-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

November 24, 2009.
Psalm 109:8: the question is whether or not the appearance of the following verse is supposed to be “funny”, sinister or an attention getter in time for the Christmas rush for unique items to buy? Here is what it says: In the New International Version translations, that verse reads:
May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.
But what is creepy about this verse is the passages after it! Go read them for yourself. The passage is supposed to be addressing unjust rulers who should be slaughtered. The Tree of Liberty has to be seen as a loaded weapon. Reflection is operating on a religious level. The Christian Science Monitor questions the use of these verses. What we must ask ourselves is whether this extreme group of the Republican far right is really the American version of the Muslim Jihad? It is believed that their numbers are about 22 million Americans who call themselves conservative, the right majority calling on a Holy War. Christian magazines aren’t asking for why this was even started. This is a holy horror where the leaders of the Christian right are not speaking against this. Those voices aren’t being heard.
Frank Schaeffer, author of
• Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back [ILLUSTRATED] ) ISBN-10: 0306817500; ISBN-13: 978-0306817502
• and Patience with God: Faith for People Who Dont Like Religion (or Atheism) ISBN-10: 030681854X; ISBN-13: 978-0306818547
said on Rachel Maddow show “that these leaders should be made culpable. Before they accused President Barack Obama as a Muslim, then he wasn’t an America. Now he is an unjust ruler. Are evangelical groups enthralled with trawling for an assassin … it is not funny stuff anymore”.

Visit: D.L. Hughley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy1G1qdvIAI; and also please visit:
Rachel Maddow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E1SLJgATvM&feature=related
It will only take one that the threat level is 400% in 52 years of any president so I ask, how in the hell did that couple manage to enter the State Dinner with a Bravo television crew in tow? The Secret Service need to get on their J-O-B-S.
Some friends of mine from the Obama Rapid response team made mention of the alternate verse: There are "Pray for Obama" slogan products that bear an alternative scripture reference: 1 Timothy 2:1-2, which reads in the NIV:
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone
For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Who would have ever thought that the Christian Crusaders and using the Bible hadn’t been eliminated from our political perspective and supplemented with hate? Personally, I like the idea of the separation of Church and State.

I pass on the Kool-Aid

2009-09-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Don ‘t tell me any stories about how “triggers” and “exchanges” are needed to justify a public option.
Obama campaigned on the public option during the 2009 Election Season. Millions of Americans voted to see that happen. The fact is, every time the baby boomers go through a life cycle, everything that they touch becomes larger than any previous generation. So why should healthcare, medical coverage, and pharmaceuticals be any different? Prior conditions should not be a determinant for human medical coverage. Bankruptcy should not be the end all for affordable, adequate and dire medical services because you “love your family member” and want them to live as long as possible.
Preventative care needs to be a requirement. Responsible healthy eating should be an edict. Encouraging varying levels of exercise need to be strongly pursued from birth to the end of life. Instead of the insurance industry investing in medical technologies that often don’t work, they should invest in all of the various levels of prevention, and enhancements for investment purposes. Fact, the healthier we are the more likely we can continuously pay our premiums on time. If insurance companies reward us with lower premiums and cash options because we take good care of ourselves we’ll do it more. Fact, businesses don’t have souls, but the individuals who run them “should”. Call this ethics appreciation for the “common good”, common sense and compassion. I don’t believe medical services should be a commodity for trade. . . Call me stupid, but healthcare professionals do still say a Hippocratic Oath. Right?
Encourage home gardens, family and community outings with full fun body movements, dancing, swimming, climbing, walking, running, skipping, jumping, increased heart rate, fun and excitement! Maybe if we spent more time loving one another instead of killing one another, we might all have better attitudes towards life period. Wednesday evening at 5:00 PM, I’ll be looking forward to President Barack Obama, deliver his address to the full Congress. Your voice should be heard by the editor of this newspaper and our local legislatures. Show how strong, intelligent, articulate, responsible, hopeful, and sustainable you want this society to be. Get FIRED UP and ready to go! I pass on the Kool-Aid and the clicking of the heels, but I’m willing to walk in the park with anyone who is willing to discuss the feasibility of this happening . . .

HOMELESS IN NY

2009-08-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

This morning I decided to listen to the CBS Colorado Progressive Talk AM-760 Radio. Michael Bloomberg, the famous mayor of New York, is sending the homeless a one way ticket to anywhere in the United States to be with their family in order to get them out of the New York homeless shelters. Are the actions of Bloomberg a dangerous microcosm, a way of legitimizing a possible solution for other cities that might take the idea and run with it? What happens if the person doesn’t have family in the US? Will they send them to other countries instead?

Bloomberg says that New York is spending up to $36K on families (for up to 9 months). Couldn’t they use that money and find these individuals jobs? Bloomberg will send families by plane, train or bus with a one way ticket to anywhere in the United States. The money to fund this is tax payer's money. Bloomberg is a billionaire. Doesn’t he have any friends or resources that can hire these people? Is New York City really that strapped?

I understand it is a way to preserve the shelters and save money for the general fund, especially when the population doesn’t like the homeless and they aren’t a voting block.

Years ago, Oregon was doing the same thing by putting the homeless on the AMTRAK train and sending them to Seattle. They found that some of the homeless are mentally ill and on drugs, which would give rise to other problems. But homeless that are women and children need immediate attention and reach.

Homelessness is a societal problem and not just a nuisance. It is a residual of society’s inability to connect with all of its members. Some of the problems of the homeless happen in our own homes but haven’t spilled over into the streets. Many of us are one to two paychecks away from being homeless, especially with the recent losses to pension funds, souring stock portfolios, decreases in home equity, rising college tuition, layoffs and shuttering of many businesses. I won’t even bring up the mental effects of these radical changes . . . headaches, anxiety, anguish, depression, over eating, etc.

Bloomberg says that the general population doesn't like the homeless. He has to defray costs and make draconian cuts to the homeless shelter program because other general fund programs are being cut as well. The New York mayor reports that it is estimated that $36K is spent on each homeless family each year. The average stay of a family in a shelter is now up to about nine months.

To provide them an opportunity to go back to their original homes is a way of getting them out of New York, where everyone knows it is very expensive to live. Some of the questions that crossed my mind were: Why can't they just create jobs for the family with the $36K? Couldn’t he just find a stimulus package for the homeless and assist these families with jobs? Remember Bloomberg being a billionaire has access to barons, movie stars and business owners the rest of the population doesn’t. They can’t get their heads together to help those down on their luck?

This may be great for the family who got stuck in New York or perhaps for the family on the receiving end. But are the families on the receiving end doing any better?

Throughout the country city managers may see Bloomberg’s response as an opportunity to have their homeless to start over again, by sending "them home", to an area that isn't as expensive as their cities? Is this the ultimate "gentrification" project? Is this a way of cleaning up a city?

Are the homeless requesting these cities provide them free passage out of town? Is this a panecea for other cities? Is this the ultimate way of assuring re-election? What is the moral equivalent or shifting responsibility? One of the callers asked if this is another way for the homeless to travel throughout the United States at no charge.

Is this a problem that may snowball to other cities? Is this the real sign of another Great Depression, where people move to an area believed to be full of jobs and opportunity when in reality they were looking for cheap employees? Remember Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath? How many of these people may choose to move to LA or other warmer climates? We all know that the homeless don’t have a large voting block. But where is the outcry from New York's political liberal voices? Aren't we all a paycheck or two from homelessness? Where would we go if we were told "to move back home"? Suppose you are from New York? Let me know what you think . . . HAPPY FRIDAY . . .

Fight for Healthcare Reform

2009-08-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

In creating a future of change, I agree it requires talking to neighbors, friends, family and congressional leaders. The future for our American grandchildren will require healthcare reform. If number crunchers have already determined that in another 15 years our healthcare premium costs will be equal to our take home pay. How are we going to live?

Not all families have the ability to have two or more breadwinners in one family. We are in a day and age of automation. Why should insurance companies utilize 30% of their costs for administrative needs? Why should insurance executives make 10 times the average income of the American citizens that they are fleecing for corporate jets, penthouses, exorbitant bonus plans, elaborate **** luxury resort motivational seminars, and vacation trysts?

Meantime, healthcare needs are minimalized or denied because it will diminish the lifestyles of the stockholders, the insurance executives and their bottomlines? If the insurance companies were truly honest they would accelerate incentives for illness prevention, encourage better eating habits and exercise programs, promote positive lifestyle choices and encourage physical and mental rest to increase healthy clientele. If your clientele were taking better care of themselves and not in need of your services other than for the unexpected things, would not this increase your bottomline and gain the trust of your clients? The question we need to ask ourselves is why would someone who has government tax paid Roll Royce insurance belittle you into believing it isn’t important for you to have affordable, adequate, and accessible medical coverage and a decent delivery system.

To do otherwise is downright “stupid-headed” and does not make much business sense either, if you are truly interested in your bottomline. To know this information is not enough! It is not political; it is human and echoes the sound like the same damn greed the financial institutions just pulled on us with their wholesale bad mortgages! This is what killed the real estate industry. Do not just read this and similar information. Do something to protect your investment in your healthcare future.

Fight for healthcare reform and do not allow others to assume you do not give a damn because you sit around being silent. Didn’t you learn anything from the past eight years? Change demands action.

'Crossed Lines'

2009-07-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the Associated Press interviewed Governor Sanford regarding his extra martial concubine and Argentine soul mate, Maria Belen Chapur as "a love story". Sanford also added details about seven other "relationships". My heart sunk. "Come on guy", I thought, will someone please tell Sanford to shut up! And what do they mean by "crossed lines"?

Unless this guy plans on selling this affair to Hallmark or another cable provider for a few bucks, he had better close his trap and find his spiritual advisor to write his press releases! He is digging the largest hole I have seen in quite some time. OKAY, I admit, I have a little more compassion than my fellow Democratic friends who enjoy watching this human fall out. But from everything that I have learned in college on "remorse" and "love" this situation is very human.

I'm going to say it. This guy is deeply in love with Argentine, Maria Belen Chapur, his mistress for more than a year. He is wrestling with his emotions, which are fighting with his head. My brothers would say "his little head". I know what a difficult time it can be to love the wrong guy. It is painful and raises anxiety off the charts! Everyone around you shakes their heads and fingers at you. "What is your problem? What part of 'no he isn't good for you' don't you get?" Been there, done that. And happily I can say, I am in a fulfilling loving relationships where love goes both ways instead of an undying "he'll finally figure it out one day." Enough about me, but this Republican leader and man of strong virtue is another Republican gift that keeps on giving. Doesn't he realize his children are hearing this saga? Doesn't he have any regard for his wife whom "he is trying to learn to love again"? Learn to love again, I don't think so, we women don't like being humiliated in public. Ask Clinton, Spector, Edwards and Gulianne's wives. And we don't like hearing about how wonderful to the touch the other woman is. We say we want to know, but we really don't want to know. And whatever you tell us, will be used against you, even when we ask for the gory damn details! Trust me, it will come back and bite you in your "arse" (SMILE) and some of us will lay and wait . . . So….

According to the New York Times article, "Mr. Anderson declined to help, noting that he is longtime friends with the South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster". And where is the Republican leader Michael Steele in all this mess? He publically admonished Sanford, but appearing less gutsy recently after the Limbaugh railings, refused to tell Sanford to step down; he doesn't really call it like he used to. Darn it! I enjoyed watching that powerful "I'm in charge", no nonsense leader of the pack, he-man image. So has someone put Steele in a more demur state? A la Palin, "You betcha", wink, wink.

Mr. Bauer's adviser Chris LaCivita alleged to Steele that they needed to get Sanford out, because of the embarrassment. But we also learn that Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is the most likely person to become the next governor if Sanford resigns. So there is a matter of "delicate diplomacy" here. So let's all send in our contribution to the Republican Sanford Appalachians Tour before we start hearing about the real Fourth of July fireworks at his home. And I'm hear to tell you, I can imagine these sparklers here in LA.

Jenny, I feel for you girlfriend. Don't ask me what I would do . . .

CASH FOR CLUNKERS

2009-07-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is a beware notice originally published in CNN News. In case you missed it, if you get a call from anyway saying that they are giving away "Cash for Clunkers" it is a scam to get your personal information! But there is a way to find out more regarding the legitimate program behind this. The real Obama Program is called the "Car Allowance Rebate Program".
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) does have an official web site at http://www.cars.gov/. Their hotline number is (888) 327-4236.

According to the spokesperson for the NHTSA, Patricia Swift-Oladeinde, the "Cash for Clunkers" scams are asking drivers for "personal information, including names, addresses and social security numbers". The government web set will provide you with authorized dealers who do have to be registered to participate so call the above phone number if you have any questions or visit the website.

Congress passed the Car Allowance Rebate Program last week. After July 1, 2009 the bill will provide up to $4,500 vouchers to car buyers to replace their gas guzzlers for new fuel efficient cars. If your car is over 25 years old, you don't qualify. Will this boost employment in the automobile making states? Yes, it will. Will this help car dealers? Yes, it will. Will this keep some people on their auto parts jobs? Yes it will.

Will this help our environment? Yes, it will. Does this give you the impression that gas is going up? Oh darn, yes, it does. Do other foreign imports know about this little economic abatement gem to get Americans in the showroom? You bet they do!

Tata Motors of India are bringing over smaller cars and smaller trucks (like the one pictured) along with the new American made suspects

Chevrolet Spark
Chevrolet Volt
Ford Fusion hybrid
GMC Terrain
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Kia Forte
Kia Soul
Nissan Cube
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Routan being made in the USA.

But go to the websites for details . . . References to visit for more details are:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/index.htm?Extkey=SY95PI0&CMP=KNC-CROVMYSSP&HBX_OU=51&PK=yssp

http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/19/news/economy/cash_for_clunkers/index.htm?postversion=2009061915

http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/24/autos/Indian_cars_mahindra/index.htm?postversion=2009062418

2009-06-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

All partisan groups agree that the American $2.5 trillion healthcare system is broken. Why not have everyone agree to agree that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Then let's really roll up our sleeves, put the interest of the patient first, dissect the components, and reclaim a healthy healthcare system. Allow the insurance companies to compete against the Single Payer Healthcare Program. Won't that be a change we could believe in, wink, wink?

However, according to the U.S. Institute of Medicine, the government projects the nation will spend $2.5 to $3 trillion on health care costs this year, compared to $912 billion in 1993. Between 1999 and 2008, the average annual employee premium contribution for family coverage rose from $1,543 to $3,354, the panel said. (Tue Feb 24, 2009). You ask why! Several elements are going on at the same time:

The pharmaceutical companies are upping their costs for simple medications into the stratosphere. So if you require more than one medicine, get ready to mortgage the family heirlooms or reacquaint yourself to friends in Mexico and Canada, where the Pharma is a lot less expensive.

Demographically, the baby boomers are moving through the life cycle snake; ever since WWII we have caused a shift in the economy, education and every other industry we move through because there are so many of us born during the same time period being that need to be accommodated.

The insurance companies are doubling and tripling their premiums because their increasing overhead is 1/3 more than what it used to be. Depending on whom you talk to, they are just plain old greedy!

Preventive medicine is not practiced as it should be in our society, so American takes larger risks, needs major lifestyle changes, and has more accidents.
Litigation is rising because of bad medicine and poor medical practices. Ask a doctor to show you their premiums.

There aren't enough doctors and nurses to go around to care for the seniors and infirm.
And I could go on and on and on but one element, greed is causing lot of headaches, sleepless nights and 75% of the current bankruptcies.

I believe my role in all of this is to educate. I say it constantly, know your opportunities and then make the decision, but you have to go out there and learn, read, discuss and find the knowledge.
I strongly agree, that those that can afford more healthcare privilege, should be allowed to pay for it. Those doctors who are enjoying the high life with the high-income privilege should allow that privilege and billing. This is still a free country, right?

Those that like the insurance that they are currently receiving should be allowed to continue that policy, providing the employers are willing to continue paying the shared costs.
In the meantime, the rest of us, believed to be 80% of the population, who can't afford the "bankruptcy challenge", set up a pool to keep costs down and extend the Medicare/MediCal program. Let's get serious and let's put a stop to the fear mongering being used by the insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

Obama originally told us, if he had it to do all over again, he'd put single payer, also known as universal healthcare reform in place of the chaos we currently have. Obama did accept, it is believed, $41 million dollars from insurance companies. So is he in debt to these folks? You bet he is. There is no mystery, as Obama is informed on the issues, he has changed his position and is leaning to find balance in the debate. But some members of the PDA Progressive Democrats of America believe he should use his popularity capitol and make single payer his mandate.

I would assume anyone in the political profession who is honest may find that campaign promises will get mired in the details, discovery, and often financial reality. Once in office, candidates may need to change promises as one grows to understand, meet, study and become more educated on the policies. Does he want to run for another term? Obama has not said. Will he need the funding from the insurance companies? You do the math. What makes Obama different? The transparency. Is it Single Payer Healthcare? NO! Let me say it again, it is not Single Payer Healthcare! It is a compromise.

He is admitting (and everyone is beating him up on this one) that he is changing course and growing in his understanding of what he "can't immediately change". Something we never heard from the Bush Administration, however, opposition, jealousy, vengeance of people in the party, as well as the opposing party, who are notorious for playing unfair in the political sandbox, are hammering Obama. Okay, the Republicans lost this presidential round, but it doesn't mean they'll be on the "Island of Lost" forever. They'll get their new marching orders, once they determine who the next 60+ male with a wide midriff, receding hairline, angry, carnivore, eye bucking, sneering, snarling fear mongering chauvinist anointed party leader will be. And I am not excusing Michael, just because he happens to be a Black Man. Come on Colin Powell, give up the ghost, and join Arlen Spector's "out of the dark" progressive resurrection. They aren't going to appreciate you. Oops, I deterred.

I can see a single payer healthcare reform occurring in the response to recalcitrant insurance industry from reading everything I can find at this time, I'd recommend any of the following:

1.) Since paying back educational loans is one of the screaming reasons that medical doctors and medical staffers claim they are in need of higher salaries, in addition to the mental sweat, gruesome hours of study, discipline and practice (which are priceless), why not allow subsidies for their medical education. This would reduce new medical staffers educational debt, encourage more individuals to go into the profession (nurses are needed everywhere all the time) and decrease the ratio of patients to care needed in the United States. And while they are at it, I have school loans too that need to be paid. Subsidize education period. I wouldn't mind working three years at any institution if it would defray four years of graduate school loans and I don't mean debtor prison.

2.) Demand a review panel on the legions of malpractice insurance, determine where the holes are in the system, publicize and education the public, then immediately close those holes. The panel should consist of highly knowledgeable bipartisan medical, legal and medical policy experts. Maybe they can solicit the help of former Senator John Edwards since he has been successful in medical litigation. Create a bipartisan medical arbitration board period. Oh, I know I am pissing off some attorneys here, but let's set some limits on the dollar amounts, however, the more egregious the medical crime the greater the reward. That's only fair. Cut the frivolous crap. Yes, the sophisticated crap.

3.) Review the amount of malpractice insurance that practicing physicians have to pay to keep the doors open, have a medical group that reviews these malpractice actions, and release physicians from their oaths who poorly practice medicine. Through these three items, we just might find a way to decrease healthcare and medical costs considerably. Then from JoeJoe's playbook on the American Perspective Blog Site:
Photo Credit: American Prospective

4) Require businesses and other employers to either cover their employees or help finance their health insurance. IF they can't finance health costs for their employees, then allow the employees to participate in a national pool and base the fee on companies comparable to the employees premium cost. Make the companies bid for portions of this pool.

5) Make insurance affordable by creating new tax credits, expanding Medicaid and SCHIP, reforming insurance laws, and taking innovative steps to contain health care costs. Those that chose not to go in would be penalized as they do auto insurance.

6) Create regional "Health Care Markets" to let every American share the bargaining power to purchase an affordable, high-quality health plan, increase choices among insurance plans, and cut % costs for businesses offering insurance. But hold everyone to their commitment. I guess you would need medical police.

7) Make it a mandate that all Americans have health insurance and make allowances for those who make less than $7,000 a year. Yep, I guess I'm pissing off the republicans about now, they hate to be their brother's keepers, why don't their mother's teach this very important Christian lesson, I guess they missed this day in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.

8) Encourage a Federal Health Benefit Program that IS a euphemism for Single Payer, universal healthcare, the Hillary Clinton Plan, the John Conyer's Plan, the California Mark Leno Plan . . . drum roll please . . . done done done done DOOOOONE!

And I understand that this all will take gradual steps to get there. I believe this is where Obama is. Gradually change the system this way so no one is left out of the loop and this will forewarn greedy insurance agents to get their greed in check, find another business profession and realize, health is a human right and it is no longer for sale!
On June 27th, 2009. There were two huge community discussions rippling with questions and answers:

The first Townhall meeting was at 10am at the Venice Peace Center in Justice and the Arts, 2210 Lincoln Blvd. (on the corner of Victoria), Venice, CA and the second townhall meeting at 3:00PM The State Building in Van Nuys 6150 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401. Headlining the event is:

*Dr. Jo Olson: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at USC, Full time practice in Adolescent Medicine at Children's Hospital LA. A grassroots activist, her primary focus is implementation of a single payer healthcare program for all Californians. Past Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party & 42nd AD delegate

*Steve Tarzynski M.D., M.P.H.: Practicing pediatrician. Long time health care reform activist. Board member of California Physicians Alliance (CaPA) the state affiliate of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), a national organization of 16,000+ physicians advocating for a single payer solution.

*Don Schroeder: Emmy award writer, producer, director of the PBS documentary "No Greater Love" on the miracle of organ donations. Will present "California One Care: Full Care, For All, For Less,": Why healthcare system is in crisis and the comprehensive health care system that will save families, businesses government money. Co-founder, SFV chapter of Health Care for All California. Co-Chair of the California One-Care Campaign.

These meetings were designed to draw bipartisan supporting groups emerging in one location to express their positions. We only hope everyone is pretty civil. They even invited AARP. Don't lose the opportunity to understand universal healthcare, single payer healthcare, employee assisted healthcare, insurance option healthcare and all the differences, similarities and confusion.

Confusion you ask? As a girlfriend who is a strong healthcare advocate says:

"Quality and Affordable" are two words that are being thrown around to confuse us. Those two words mean NOTHING and stand only for rejection of any fundamental change, and yet they are propagating wildly in the mass media, driven by slick diversionary ads, and perhaps you have unknowingly and unconsciously even uttered them yourself already. Nobody can "afford" NOT to have health care, regardless of the cost, up to their entire net worth. Believe that there are "quality" doctors and nurses, but note our largest problem is getting "heartless" insurance mega corporations to authorize our quality doctors to treat us. Mortal sworn enemies of real health care reform got together and concocted a deceptive marketing campaign, as they saw that the compelling majority of the American people favored and were pressing for REAL change. They literally sat down in a room to conspire on what marketing words they could use to SELL their status quo system of gouging us as something new and different. The enemies of real change have been trying to brand single payer health care with supposedly negative coined expressions like "socialized medicine", while at the same time branding their own fake reform initiative with those OTHER words (the Q word and the A word), which we must ALL agree to never utter again.

Do you get it? Do you really get it? It is the marketing campaign of our policy change enemies, and for us to prevail, the Q word and the A word must be surgically excised entirely from our own discourse and replaced with the "economical and efficient" mental transplant. Start looking for "efficient" and "economical".

A second healthcare advocate sent me these words:

It is your right as an American citizen to know the healthcare options. It is your health services that are on the table, and to eventually advocate with others who share your point of view. See more at:

http://winograd4congress.com/petitions/single_payer_video.php

A third healthcare advocate suggested these words:

You can tell the Obama people that this is where his campaign promise has got to stick! We want Single Payer and anything short of that is a compromise. We didn't compromise on McCain and Hillary and we won't compromise because he is willing to. We need to bring it to him that Single Payer can't be a compromise and stop calling it as one PDA friend described it: "Universal coverage is not universal care", this is a MISNOMER; we want "H.R.676".

Yes, there is the option to do nothing and allow others to make decisions for you. However, don't accuse others, when you become less accountable and less responsible for actions taken on your behalf and without your permission. The time for complacency is over. An opportunity exists to make changes on what is agreed to be a broken American healthcare system. So now you have it, and I haven't even factored in the Republican

Minerva Williams - Peace out

CHILDREN'S SAFETY PLEASE

2009-06-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

I can only imagine the wretching outcry and the confused anguish in hearing over 100 little voices, ranging from one to five years old, screaming out for help as they are engulfed in a grease fire. Imagine being 4 years old and the windows are too high to reach up, the doors padlocked closed, and the front door locked. You have no idea where your teacher is. Your classmates are all scurrying about running in circles or the more frightened kids are squatting, huddled together frozen in absolute shock under a Playschool bridge. Your heart doubles its beat and you feel fear consuming you as it becomes more difficult to breathe and the plush yellow duck toy isn’t providing any comfort. All you can do is scream out for your mother. But she can’t hear you.

I can only imagine being a parent, getting the phone call at work or on the home phone, running to your car or asking a coworker to drive you to the scene, in any case you can’t get there fast enough. Later you hear that some parents were able to retrieve their youngsters after one man suddenly jumped into his Chevy truck. He rammed the side of the building three times, not anticipating his own injuries or exhaustion, before a section of the building finally gave way, releasing several bricks. Following him, two other parents gun their cars in reverse straight into the fiery building also. The third truck rams open a hole wide enough for several children to scamper out to the opening arms of panic stricken relatives and community members. Imagine seeing the head of your child as he or she escapes from the visible black smoke and the gnawing smell of oil and burning wood. Two children who manage to wonder aimlessly, collapse to the ground as soon as they inhale oxygen; it is more than their little bodies can handle. Screams are echoing in your head, your heart pumps faster, and everything around you seems to go into slow motion as you observe the ambulances, onlookers and frantic parents screaming at the top of their lungs. Your arms almost smothering your youngster. You are both crying from relief.

As you walk away, your feet barely touching the ground you notice the local police running, waving at one another towards the building. Some officers stop to console the crying parents and then out of nowhere large military trucks unload heavily attired military. That’s right, this is the land where gangs play hard ball and anyone can be taken prisoner. But was there someone’s child in the building who is at odds with the gangs? Is the business next door to the day care center owned by someone who hasn’t paid their protection? Is this just a simple mistake of someone with a blow torch who accidently ignited some flammable object in the auto repair shop?

I can imagine seeing a woman fainting from the unbelievable inner pain of such a disaster loss as reported by TV Azteca. She is being fanned, while a woman runs to a nearby leaking faucet, tears from her own blouse and runs back to bring the woman comfort while another woman cuddles her body. But this is what I read, heard and saw this morning while checking “the news”. You continue reading, hearing and seeing the video describing the 31, now 35, and finally 41 tiny lives lost. 27 are on the critical list and there are still questions regarding scrapes and burns on possibly 100 more. It is assumed that there were 142 children registered at this location. One child is burned so badly that they are risking bringing him to Shriner’s hospital in Sacramento. The number of transfers will increase as children are prepped for the risky air travel to a Guadalajara hospital.

But even the onlooker, who has never been in a fire before, who has never had children, who doesn’t live in the neighborhood, who doesn’t know any of the victims can share the human pain and wonderment of whether or not all the children made it out. Who was in charge of this center? What are the building requirements for an educational center for children in Mexico? Where were the teachers? With this many children, why don’t they have floor monitors? Were there any administrators on the site, and if so, why didn’t they get the children out immediately? Had the children ever had a fire drill? Why was the front door locked at all? Why would children be caged in a brick building where they couldn’t look out? They say this was a working class neighborhood. Were children allowed to take phones? My nieces and nephews carried phones when they were young, for the “just in case” call. How does Mexico answer this frantic and horrible situation at a state run daycare center?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/05/mexico.daycare.fire/index.html#cnnSTCVideo
They say the way that a nation treats its youngest and weakest is a strong reflection on their overall attitude towards its people. Are people dispensable in Mexico? The CNN videos brought tears to my eyes and made me think of a long time friend who is teaching in Seoul, Korea. I wondered what kind of building they teach in. Are the windows so high that children can’t peer out? I don’t know about you, but I can remember being one of those dreamy kids that wondered how much longer I’d have to sit in this room and watch this teacher , because by then I know I wasn’t listening to a word he or she were saying. The clock wasn’t moving fast enough; Many times I’d try to count the dots in the white tiled ceiling and for some reason every time I would lay back in the seat to lift my pencil in order to keep the rows straight in the counting and the teacher would inevitably call on me. But that was OK because it seemed like I already knew the answer, which was why I was as frustrated as the teacher in my being in the “required” class. I enjoyed school but I never liked the regimentation part. Why do we have to stand in a straight line? What was wrong with a crooked one? Why did I have to pay attention to the middle part of the back of Kathy red hair. But the building was never on fire and I never had to experience this horrific situation.

SATURDAY, you hear that there is a mass grave being dug for six victims of Friday’s fire. The town 200 miles south of the United States border is in mourning according to varying CNN reports. We learn that some children were taken to ‘Ciudad Obregon’. And two more to Shriner Hospital’s Burn Center in Sacramento. We learn the fire was hot enough to cause the ceiling to collapse. Several more children are reported to have died from the toxic fumes in the ventilation system. CNN reports that “President Felipe Calderon traveled to Hermosillo on Saturday. The president arrived with Interior Secretary Fernando Gomez Mont and Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova to get first-hand updates from doctors and investigators, the state news agency Notimex reported.”

The cause of the fire is still “unknown”. Meantime, Calderon has requested the attorney general to investigate the fire. We learn that six adults were also in the building. There is no mention of their condition either.

Part of this is a composite of the various news releases and the quotes are from the various sources that gave me the idea of pulling these thoughts together.

Sincerely, I wish the parents and family members my deepest prayers and my heart goes out to them for having to experience such a tragedy and the loss of their little ones.

MINERVA LEAH WILLIAMS, is a freelance writer who resides in Santa Clarita Valley. As an avid reader her breath was taken away just reading the accounts of this story.

“Crash Proof: How to profit from the coming economic collapse“

2009-06-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

The book by Peter Schiff, who is called one of Wall Street's chief prognosticators and global strategists, was edited by John Downes and published by John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey, 2007 (ISBN: 9-780470-043608). The contents are a necessary read and predicted over four years ago today's economic troubles.

"We are going to collapse like the 'dot com' bust of the 2000's, but this is going to be more serious then the depression. And the government can't afford to continue bolstering it up for the inevitable . . . they (the government) want everyone drunk on the Kool-Aid so they do not realize what is happening to our economy."

Schiff is president of Euro-Pacific Capital (www.europac.net), a financial broker. He understands the movement of the dollar and sees that it is steadily declining. According to his website, he holds degrees in finance and accounting from U. C. Berkeley along with FINRA series 4, 7, 24, 27, 53, 55, and 63 licenses. Schiff is an economic theorist and specializes in foreign current. He was an economic advisor to the 2008 Ron Paul presidential campaign. Schiff insists that it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. He states that "Inflation is out of control, more severe than perceived. The reality is of course many world economies are going to prosper. Non US dollar investments, foreign equity, stocks and conservative companies against the US dollars will prevail." He understands the weight of the American economy.

He has been writing commentaries for the past four years, constantly updating the newsletters, and offering archives of his writings and radio shows. Research reports are available free. His forecasts are more accurate than the mainstream brokerage firms because they heavily advertise their claims. He wants people to know what he said in the past first, before you call him. But we are on a sinking ship and he is offering a life raft.

Schiff gets to the point, "Fundamentals of the economy are not sound." He believes that Obama is accelerating us into oblivion. If we don't stop protecting companies who lied about their worth and were involved in excessive borrowing and abuse of their lines of credit and don't allow the market to settle the score, we are poised for a serious economic collapse. People laughed and scoffed at him on various talk shows programs such as the December 31, 2006 Biz Alert, the Fox News "More for Your Money" segment, the July 2, 2007 "Inflation Fears" on a segment of Kudlow & Company and the August 18, 2007 Fox Studio's "Bottom line: Subprimes and Hurricanes: Financial store or Opportunity!". Nevertheless, all that he said has now come to roost.

He mentions the financial mismanagement of many corporations was eventually coming and would destroy lending as we knew it. He encouraged bankruptcies so we could determine the bottom and encourage borrowers to be charged at the highest interest rates conceivable to discourage borrowing. He said we needed to tighten up our belts and quit purchasing items that we wanted, knowing that we would have to sacrifice for those items we needed. He cautions that Americans need to stop being such heavy consumers of credit and borrowing when we know we do not have the money or the ability to pay it back. He gave examples of how our spending for new comfort toys would eventually come and haunt us.

So what went wrong and what is the government hiding from us?

Schiff said during the real estate bubble, people were being offered liar and Ninja (No Income, No Job, no Accountability) loans. Naturally the assumption was that the value of the real estate would increase and even if lost, the value would increase according.

We have become the great federal corporate and individual debtor nation. We are running out of "non portable goods" because we do not make anything anymore. To see this, we only need to observe what has happened to what was considered the pride of America, the automobile industry. We have become a nation of consumers, not producers. Our currency is being devalued and decreasing in worth. He said that the real estate was in a bubble and would eventually burst and combined with the over leveraging of mortgages would cause many to lose their homes. I believe that we are now aware of this. Look around in your neighborhood and see how many homes are boarded up, with padlocks on the front doors, lawns yellowed, and for sale signs in front of every other house? Have you looked at your property tax statement recently? We may rejoice at having to pay less in property taxes, but at the same time pine away over the corresponding loss of our home equity.

He offered that we are having our mistakes purchased through borrowing from the Japanese and the Chinese. One day we were going to wake up and realize that we are owned by the Japanese, the Chinese and the Arabians since our money will be worthless. They might then decide to massively dump the US dollar onto the world market and make our currency as worthless as toilet paper. "The world", he exclaimed, "will eventually see the over inflated values and realize there isn't any core to our business operations".

The Consumer Credit crunch was part of the solution. After pages and pages of gloom, he presents economic restructuring to solve the solutions:
Rethink your stock portfolios and invest in foreign currencies, they will provide higher yields.

Review your assets, especially gold silver and fine jewels. They are universally accepted in the place of cash.

Keep a reserve of cash and liquidate everything that you do not need. This may be difficult for those with huge consumption habits. The advantage is that you will be in the position to take advantage of the huge sales that will be around the corner.
In addition, there are more suggestions, but you will need to buy the book to appreciate the pearls of wisdom he avails us.

It was revealed on the recent Jon Daily Show that Schiff is considering a political career and is running against Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT). Schiff has also been featured on CNBC, CNN, FOX News, Fox Business Network and Bloomberg TV. He has had his articles published in Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, The Arizona Republic, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution , The Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, , The Financial Times, The Miami Herald, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. He is the author of "The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets: How to Keep your portfolio up when the market is down", published October 2008 by Wiley and Sons.

His company Europac.net is physically located at 10 Corbin Drive, Suite 3B, Darien, CT 06820; Phone: 203-662-9700 or toll free 800-727-7922. Fax: 203-662-9771 with locations in Los Angeles; Newport Beach; New York, Palm Beach and Scottsdale, AZ.
NOTE: The authors have not received or offered any compensation for the writing of this article.

References:
Commodity Radio: http://www.europac.net/media/schiff%20minesite.mp3, www.europac.net
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=230058&title=peter-schiff

Minerva L. Williams [Formerly of the LA TIMES, BA Journalism, teaching credential] and Todd L. Hoover, [BS in Business Management and BA in Spanish] is a computer system analyst at Northrop Grumman. They are freelance writers residing in the Santa Clarita Valley area of Southern California. They are both webmasters, event planners and avid readers. They enjoy amusing subjects, brainstorming current trends and events, jazz and exploring problem solving.

CALIFORNIA BUDGET

2009-06-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

Summary: http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R906160850/a

A $24 billion problem will add to the California economic problem. This number is exponentially rising and state cash is running out. The Governator says that the public sector jobs are part of the problem and to privatize the state's prisons will lower the costs substantially. So what is the real problem?

"They are smart individuals (legislators)", he says, "who know where all of the bloat, fat, fraud, and other misrepresentations are". He refers to various social services programs and the role the unions play in keeping the state budget inflated.

"The question is whether or not the Democrats are willing to have the guts to make the necessary cuts". Schwarzenegger says, "I'm not concerned about my legacy but I am quick to defend my record".

The California Report states that the budget went up 24% in the first year that Schwarzenegger was in office and has been steadily increasing. Schwarzenegger says that he defends the numbers because he has also been paying down the debt left by the previous administrations. Starting with Reagan, who increased the state budget by 13%, every other governor has increased the annual budget from 3% to 8.5% (each year). In his final days in office, many politicians on either side of the fence say that Schwarzenegger is calling their bluff and only grandstanding to keep the attention on him. The May 19th vote indicated that grassroots Democrats are against increased taxes. Because of cuts on the social services, conservationists http://www.ecovote.org/news/endorse040909.html , Libertarians http://ca.lp.org/pr20090407.shtm and Republicans http://www.electionforum.org/special-may-19th-election-alert.html , http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs012/1100358257512/archive/1102527559657.html all but seem ignored.

"Meantime, the legislature kept borrowing and borrowing from the future", Schwarzenegger said he is trying to stop this but insists that a budget must be reached so the next governor doesn't have to deal with this problem. He is requesting a complete solution on his desk. But is he making this goal to balance the budget so that it will be his legacy?

Apparently, anything smaller than the $24 Billion solution won't be enough. To date $7 billion worth of cuts have been proposed. The Governor's goal is to accomplish much more than this. "We are in an economic crisis, and a revenue crisis. We need to solve the problem and cut the size of our spending," he offered.

"Kicking the can down the alley is what they have been doing for years and years. I have held up the budget because of this. They would eventually have to make the cuts. They originally tried to solve the problem with money we don't have. The State Controller, John Chiang (pictured to the left) says we will run out of cash in July. Yes, we need a grant and they (legislators) know what needs to be done. http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/cat_controller_john_chiang.html

In the meantime, the credit rating of the state, the seventh largest economy in the world, has been deteriorating since February http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123370579471145581.html

"They are smart people. It has more to do with their will. They know exactly where the fat, fraud and abuse in government is, but they need to make the decision as to what is more important: to serve the people who need the services or to serve the needs of those people providing the services.

Schwarzenegger states that "February was a good middle ground solution", but to balance the budget and to find a combination of a solution to oil, tobacco, tax spending, revenues and credits, needs to be more wisely determined."

This isn't the first time that this question of taxes and cuts has come up. After 18 years of no tax increases, the problem has become one of revenue. So that now an increase in taxes needs to be made. All four legislative leaders realized and promised that the financial problem would get worse and bottom out if they didn't come up with solutions. So now they're going to work on obtaining short-term cash and revenue and make further cuts in the May.

As for the possibility of having extensions, Schwarzenegger said, "we didn't know the word 'extend' at that time, because everyone was clear, no more taxes or fees with cuts." He said all four legislators knew what California was up against. We can't go back."

The California Report agreed that during the Pete Wilson Administration, they didn't want more taxes but they kept spending and not living within their means. We need to be more responsible. People rearranged things in order to stay in business and provide the important services and then it is up to the legislators to trim the fat out of the bloated programs.

Trimming the fat entails looking at what you have available and seeing which parts you can do without. You might even have to come up with new legislation to reach those goals. But you also have to have a plan. Stick to those goals and execute them with determination. He gave an example of how they change the way the state pays brokers. Brokers' compensation was reduced and the savings ended up netting the state 60% to 70% more revenue. Schwarzenegger believes this type of action can occur across the board.

He said that cuts to the CALWorks and Healthy Families programs are not something that can be done easily. California Report asked him "why not more temporary solutions instead of wholesale cuts?" Schwarzenegger says that there are many additional monies that can be taken out of these two programs if we research how they are run. We could take $200 million from in-home health services and prisons, which are two big items where we are spending billions of dollars. Because of how prisons are run, they are very inefficient. We could make them more efficient by privatizing them. He insists that if we are willing to change the law regarding how these institutions are built and run, we could realize significant cost savings.

"The way the laws are written all I can do is straight cuts and they know this. They have to rattle the cages, take the options and change the way things are done," he added.
Spending limits and tax increases will eventually cause the bottom line to improve. He makes the correlation that "when you lose sometimes, you may had to review what you did, take the hit but you never give up. No one will fault you for trying." He believes he is doing this by requiring the legislators to come up with a "solution" and not another Band-Aid response that will require them to have to return to the table again in another three to six months. He believes California residents deserve no less. He implies that we also need to re-examine capital gains tax.

"We don't have much of a rainy day fund and we need to remedy this. We need to redo our taxes", he offers.

When questioned regarding his legacy, he says that he is not concerned about his legacy. He believes his mission to reform the budget is more important. He had hoped to fix the budget so we don't have these drastic fluctuations. "Even when I am gone, I will continue to fight for the stability in the budget."

"It is unfair to say that I have made the problem worse. I have increased the budget less than any previous governor. They have been picking the numbers that they want to include in the budget. When we came into this office there was a huge debt."

The state had been borrowing from pension funds, local government funds, and transportation funds. All these acts needed to be rectified because they were illegal. The State had to repay these other entities. To have pay them back is now considered spending, but it is not."
Schwarzenegger insists that these numbers are distorted. "The current budget is low revenue income with 3.5 -3.7% spending," he said. Davis couldn't get spending cuts, raise taxes and balance the budget at the same time, hence Schwarzenegger says he was voted out of office. "Both houses were fighting him", he said, ". . . the next governor, " he adds, "I don't care whether the next governor is Republican or Democrat, but the next governor will require the best person with the greater vision of California", and that is the person he says he will campaign for and support.

"I enjoy thoroughly the campaign, have a vision, goal and plan to get there. They can say whatever they want, if it helps them by criticizing me, if it helps them accelerate their future political careers, so let it be, but it will require working together to get there", and this is all he says he is working towards.

You be the judge and see how the budget is met, whether or not the two legislatures of the state compromise and how those compromises are accomplished. Action requires that the citizens of California pick up their phones and start calling their legislators. The cost of running the state is increasing, the deadline for solutions is almost up and the Governator doesn't want to be known as the California Terminator.

By Minerva and Todd Hoover, Freelance writers, Santa Clarita Valley

Death Penalty Forum

2009-06-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES, CA. Sunday May 31st. Proponents of abolishing the death penalty, those convicted under the “three strikes” law for petty crimes or for exhibiting mental disorders, and inmates needing drug rehabilitation may be thanking their lucky stars for the possibility an early release because of the effort currently underway to solve California’s budget problems. At least this was what was expressed by several speakers at the Fame Renaissance Center of the First AME Church, located at 1968 West Adams Blvd.

California has the seventh largest economy in the world. Will the federal government ignore California’s desperate plea for backing on short-term loans necessary to continue to meet its critical financial obligations? This was one of the questions being asked in the Death Penalty presentation.

In attendance were guests Judge Mike Davis, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, State Senator Gloria Ramirez, actor Mike Farrell, assembly district delegates from the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, representatives from the ACLU, community advocates, and local citizens.

Congresswoman Maxine Walters opened the meeting by introducing the impressive list of guest speakers: Gloria Ramirez, Charles Ogletree, Jon Streeter, Gloria Killian, and Azim N. Khamisa.

State Senator Gloria Ramirez announced her bid for California State Superintendent of Schools and provided statistics on the amount of taxes allocated for education versus the prison system. “They’d rather spend money incarcerating our children rather than educating them. The number of prisoners who cannot read and write is staggering”. She pledged to remedy this situation whether she wins the position or not.

The prominent law expert, Dr. Charles J. Ogletree Jr., who was born and raised in Merced, California, was the facilitator. Many in the audience knew the Harvard civil liberties law professor. He estimates that the death penalty is costing California taxpayers $1.9 billion a year. Ogletree offered, “The death penalty needs to be abandoned in this state because it is categorically immoral, wrong and financially expensive . . .now to find 25 more items like this in the budget might solve California’s budget crisis.” Snickers and claps of approval engulfed the room.

Jon Streeter, Ph.D. from the American Bar Association and mentee of Ogletree when he was a student at Stanford University reflected on the years that it takes death penalty cases to run through the judicial system, “it is slow, a labyrinth of technicalities and requires attorneys who are diligent and understand the various levels and the procedures”. He added that the expense is enormous, and the wrong attorney can greatly increase the prisoner’s chances of a life sentence, while many attorneys do not have a good understanding of the process.

Gloria Killian was a law student when she was implicated in a robbery and murder. She fought for over 15 years to get the case overthrown. She at least understood the judicial process when she was wrongly accused. Her incarceration however, did inspire her to help win exoneration for other women prisoners who couldn’t read, write or understand their cases. Since her release, she has started a nonprofit organization and often assists female prisoners on a “pro bono” basis.
All speakers provided riveting commentary and testimony, however one stood out more. The wisdom provided by Azim N. Khamisa, an attractive, humble and serious speaker against the Death Penalty because of its spiritual impact.

Spiritual impact - now there was a different concept. What does spirituality have to do with our economy?

“January 21, 1995”, Khamisa lowered his voice and pulled up on the podium, “my life was changed forever; it was the most that I could do, to get out of my bed after hearing such bad news”. He explained the grief, disappointment, and anguish he went through when Tariq, his only son, was robbed and killed. His son was charismatic, handsome, full of life, 21 years old (at the time), a senior at San Diego State University, and engaged to be married. “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time”, as he calmly states the facts of the situation. A silence fell over the audience, and you could hear a pin drop.

Khamisa was and still is a successful international investment banker, so he had the money to provide his son with all the luxuries of life but “my son was determined to work and save his own money for college the following semester”.

Khamisa looked forward to sending him to Harvard University, Khamisa’s alma mater. “My son had a promising future. He had the determination, grades, drive, discipline and the support of a proud mother and father. He would decide whether he wanted to become a successful banker, like his dad or an attorney. He hadn’t made up his mind yet, which profession, but he knew, he was going places”. Friday and Saturday pizza delivery didn’t pay exceptionally well, but it is what was available, and allowed Tariq freedom, some loose change and the enjoyment he got from meeting other people.

Along the way, Tariq met Tony Hicks, a 14-year old gang banger. Tony was to rob and kill the pizza man. Neither person knew one another and that opportunity never came. Tony did not have the promising career, the education, nor a life of luxury. His mother had him at 15 years old, his father had long gone, and he wasn’t doing well in school. Instead, he was being initiated into one of San Diego’s roughest gangs and Tariq was the initiation victim.

Khamisa said he beat himself up trying to figure out what he could have done differently so that the situation wouldn’t have happened. Khamisa put his deepest thoughts together in a book called “The Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit: How to bounce back from Life’s hardest hits. ISBN: 9781741757934; Published by ALLEN & UNWIN April 2009. The book is co-authored by the renown spiritual advisor and radio host, Jillian Quinn, who also shares her personal experiences. The book assures you that our thinking can also cause us to “create our own reality, and that you can use it to take control of your life”.

According to the book’s preface (http://www.bulletproofspirit.com/) here are some of the topics:

The potentially damaging mental routines you’re running on autopilot
the vital connections between your upbringing and your “resiliency quotient”
spiritually affirming thoughts that may help you make more spiritually empowering choices.

Khamisa offers that he had to go through three steps to be able to forgive his son’s killer.

“First”, he said, “you have to admit that you have a tragic loss and you can’t change what has occurred. You have to give yourself time to grieve”. Time he said is “relative”, some people take longer than others. He assured us that you have to get to the place where you realize what happened, and that denial does not help the process.

“ Second”, he said, “you have to give up the resentment, rage and revenge. You have to learn to replace it with love and forgiveness.

Then the third stage, he said, is where you must reach out to the offender that has caused you wrong with unconditional love and compassion. You must learn to forgive.

Khamisa, a peace activist, insists that life is not a destination; it is a voyage that no matter how hard you might think you control the elements in the universe, the universe provides you with lessons that make the journey tug at your intellectual, emotional and financial heartstrings. He offers hope in this book of “thirty essential keys to emotional and spiritual resiliency.”

He offered that we need to be careful with resentment, quoting Nelson Mandela, who didn’t originate the words, but who made the quote famous. “Resentment is like drinking the poison and waiting for or expecting someone else to die or expecting it to kill your enemies”. I knew I had heard this quote before, but it seemed like he had added some additional resentment to the quote.

At the presentation, Khamisa insisted that the world is not kind and maybe was never intended to be, but it does offer those of us who believe in a higher authority the wisdom to grow. We are here to help one another, to be more grounded in our spiritual selves, and to allow the universe to use us for love and compassion. I believe we are here to help someone else who is not as advantaged as we see ourselves. And like Khamisa, I too don’t believe in the Death Penalty nor capital punishment and could understand that the death of his son only challenged him to be more still within himself, allowing the arms of God to envelope him until the explosion subsided and he was able to heal.

So how did Khamisa respond to the death of his son?

First, he had to get to the point of understanding, which isn’t easy for many family members to realize that “no matter how angry and disappointed I was, I couldn’t bring my son back”. He was determined that Tariq’s death was not going to consume his every waking hour. He admitted that it took him five years before he could go and meet the child who was now 19 years old. He said he looked him in his eyes and he felt he touched his soul. “There wasn’t a murderer there,” he offered, “he saw a victim of a gang initiation, a victim of society and he realized that he, Khamisa, had to take responsibility for his share of the child not having the guidance he needed”. He got to know Tony and met his family. He wrote to the young man and offered him not only hope, but also a job so that whenever he is released, he has somewhere he can go and call home.

Khamisa became a surrogate father to Tony. He provides him with materials to read, and has encouraged him to finish his GED. He also began to realize that Tony had lost a father at an early age. While he no longer had a son, Khamisa did not stop at just helping Tony.

Khamisa started the Tariq Khamisa Foundation to break the cycle of youth violence. He said the foundation has helped six million children in the past 13 years to teach forgiveness. He has six programs at the foundation. He has hired a staff of recently released prisoners, provided them with counseling, job placement, housing, and an opportunity to get a new lease on life. Several of these individuals are now spiritual counselors and motivational speakers. They can speak firsthand of the mistakes that they made in life. They can relate to young adults in a way Khamisa says that he cannot. Their life experiences can relate to the feeling of being a lost, hopeless, and isolated. Tony is scheduled to be paroled in 2027, when he will be 40 years old.

I agree with Khamisa that we all have an opportunity to study ourselves and our children to determine what is it in our society that causes us to be ‘so mean, hateful, full of rage, and constantly believing in destroying people, objects, and ideas that we don’t appreciate’. It is worth the challenge to watch television without the sound and observe how many negative messages are in two commercial hours of evening programming. Take time to check out the movie offerings. Which ones net the highest income? Listen to the songs on the radio. What messages are being relayed? We are a morally poor, spiritually bankrupt, and a corrupt society. Is this why some countries balk at the idea of American products?

While driving home Todd and I took a look at the reasons for our economy faltering. Does greed, lying, stealing, exaggerating costs, finding loopholes, abandoning financial discretion, blaming others, misleading investors, hiding fine print, rushing the sale, withholding the truth, passing the buck, cronyism, self righteousness, lack of spending limits and budgets, Ponzi schemes, hidden interest rates, and hidden fees all seem too familiar?

That is because these are the basis for which many American corporations are driven to achieve their business practices. No, not all Americans are doing this, but someone in the ivory castle has pulled the wrong levers and we are not only suffering in the United States, but causing others to suffer throughout the world.

It may seem odd that financing the death penalty has come on the table, not because we spiritually know that it is wrong, but because financially, we just cannot afford to spend $140K - $170K more in court costs, housing inmates and providing “special facilities”. We were told to multiply this number by 621 inmates. Only seven on death row are from families of means who can pay these costs. The rest are poor, mentally ill, or completely indigent. Over half (65%) are African Americans. “Don’t tell me race doesn’t matter”, Khamisa declared.

Nevertheless, deep inside we can only hope that Khamisa is right. The universe is teaching us that the transformative power of forgiveness is a lesson, that taking someone else’s life for whatever revengeful feeling we may have requires a spiritual re-evaluation. We are not God.
I am looking forward to Khamisa’s accepting my invitation to come to the Santa Clarita Valley so we can hear him firsthand.

REFERENCES AND NOTES:

NOTE: Charles Ogletree, 54, is a prominent Harvard Law Professor, founder and executive director of Harvard Law’s Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice. He was a mentor to Michelle and Barack Obama when they were Harvard students and is part of the Obama Administration’s inner circle. He is known for his frankness and outspokenness regarding legal theory, complexities in legal issues, racism in America and civil rights. He is often referred to by colleagues as “Tree”.

Quinn lives in Dutchess County, New York and is a wife and mother of three young children. She is a radio host on WHVW 950AM, excellent speaker, teacher, workshop facilitator and an associate minister at the Interfaith Temple in New York City (http://www.jillianquinn.com/).

Khamisa Is CEO and Founder of Sovereign Capital Markets, Inc. He has conducted business ventures in Africa, Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Americas. Mr. Khamisa was educated in England in Mathematics & Finance and is a well-traveled multilingual U.S. citizen residing in La Jolla, California. He received the Search for Common Ground's prestigious international award for building Peaceful Communities, along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In 2006, he received the Circle of Courage Award from Reclaiming Youth International. Azim is also the recipient of the California Peace Prize.

For more information visit: http://www.tkf.org/; http://www.azimkhamisa.com and http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4833368n. Also, check out his other book, From Murder to Forgiveness.

MINERVA LEAH WILLIAMS is a freelance writer and enjoys reading on subjects that stimulate the gray brain matter. Formerly of the LA Times, she resides in Santa Clarita Valley with her life partner Todd Hoover, a computer technician. They both oversee several websites and enjoy writing on interesting people and topics.

GUILTY LIBERALS

2009-04-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

BLOG: Tuesday, January 13, 2009. Anne Coulter is explosive and with her latest book published by Random House, Guilty: Liberal "Victims" and Their Assault on America ,
ISBN 13: 9780307353467; ISBN 10: 030735346x. If one has a question as to whether or not provocative sales, this lady proves it. . .

Her other best seller books are: High Crimes and Misdemeanors: the Case against Bill Clinton, published in August 1998. Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right, published June 2002; Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism, published June 2003; How to talk to a Liberal: If you Must, published October 2004. Godless: The Church of Liberalism, published June 2006; and If Democrats Had any Brains: They’d be Republicans, published October 2007.

This time, Some critics say her attacking is over the line. From the various programs that I watched, she is either fanning to be having a nervous breakdown before our very eyes, or either, and you’d have to give it to her, she is over the top and just marketing of her tell all 300 page book, and it just may be another New York Times best seller in the works . . What I can’t understand is she supposes to be a serious political pundit or is this lady a sit down comic. Here is some of her “whimsical” (and I am being nice here) comments:

Ann Coulter believes that Scott McCullum, Bush’s admission of having used cocaine and is disgraceful for writing his book on Bush. She documents in her book the number of Republicans who write against their republican bosses and managers after they go for years taking their paychecks, confidence and wonders why they keep doing this.

Coulter says that “Daniel Moynihan, a democratic cultural analyst said that single parenthood is hurting the US economically. However, when Republican say the same thing they are attacked by the media”. She gives the example of how media went “nuts behind the comment made by Dan Quail toward the Murphy Brown Show.

Scathing criticism of Ann Coulter has been happening all week and it wasn’t any less on Huckabee’s Show but perhaps more amicable. Coulter comes on the show and immediate tells her host he is “too liberal” for her. She says that the watch dog media went after Palin’s family members as soon as we she announced. What was more interesting she says the media didn’t even know her. Her son was accused of being a juvenile delinquent until the media found out that he was on his way to the military. They accused her of her last son not being Palins’ but her daughter’s other child.

Coulter was shown footage when she was called in on the “Huckabee Show” where she called Huckabee “the Republican Jimmy Carter”, and referred to him as “Stupid” and the video added that “he would be great as an evangelical, if he weighed 300 pounds”. Whether she realized that Huckabee had made a large effort to loose weight before entering the presidential race was not mentioned but must have been quite a slap on Huckabee.

Coulter and Huckabee agreed that they want to enlighten the “fair tax” theory that the Republicans wish to implement because the theory does not raise taxes. The fair tax is very conservative approach and the US government shouldn’t raise money off of the American people and the government would have to be more prudent with how they spend tax payers money. Coulter added that “they are stealing from us know. You wouldn’t have so many people not willing to pay their taxes because they would feel the level of payment due was fair across the board and this would cause people to believe the government is being fair. Right now, one person could be paying one amount and another paying a second amount and both would have the same income. If one person has someone instructing them on various loopholes than they may fair better than the person who doesn’t know the loopholes.

Huckabee asked her about being stupid. He asked “Ann, you called me stupid. Am I stupid? And if you think so “look me into my eyes and tell me that I am stupid”. A little giggle, hair flipping later and readjusting her posture she said “No, but you said. . . “ and she trailed off, he asked her again. He offered “Frank Rich, New York Times, the most liberal drama critic likes Huckabee. If he was stupid he would say so. The audience begins to jeer and hiss her. She offered, “you are witty and quick, I’ll take that back and say that instead”. He asked her what was she basing her opinions on. She said, “You were for immigration, that’s what it was. . . you wanted anyone that wanted to come over here to have jobs”. He countered, “I didn’t ever say that, I said that the manner in which we treat people, is the way we can show civility in our Nation”. And he asked again, “what does that have to be with being stupid?” He paused, then sighed running his fingers to the next marker in the her book, “I was supported by Duncan Hunter, Ann and you know how well respected he is in the Republican party”, he waned off, “do you think Ann that with his supporting me that Hunter is also “stupid” because he supported me?”.

She responded, “but you wanted to ban smoking in everyone’s home, that was going to be one of your policies”, before she could finish the sentence he was raising his voice, but not yelling, “Ann, Ann, Ann, I never said that, I never said that. I said that the Federal smoking band in employment would cut down on second hand smoke, I never said that individuals couldn’t smoke in their own homes, not in people’s home”. Shaking his head, Coulter offered that the media doesn’t tell all of the stories and were hammering away at Republicans family members. Giving the example that Joe Biden’s son was being sued by a business partner but it was never mentioned in the campaign. Bottom line she says it is alarming how some presidential candidates were revealed by the media and others were not.

Seemingly ignoring her statement completely, Huckabee offered “I am a conservative just like you Ann”, and he suggested to her read his book which describes him more fully. He then offered, “I am pro life. Here in your book you say I believe in sodomy. Where did you get that from? This is just wrong Ann, Just plain wrong.” She responded, “I heard you were pro choice”. He offered, “Ann, I am pro life. I am not pro sodomy”. Again he said angrily, “If I ever run again I will run as a conservative and he explained that “that when she writes about him that she gets it straight. He exclaimed that she should go after the liberals not him. . “If you have any questions regarding what I believe in, read it, if you have any questions call me, don’t write that I am stupid”. She countered with “well, you sound like you are going to run for office again, are you?” The audience clapped and he responded, “I might run in 2012, but you are not helping me when you write such things”. The audience continued to clap, it was apparent that Huckabee was more disgusted with her then she realized but the program ended amicable. . .

When asked on other shows how she feels regarding Obama, Media, Blago, Bush and Female Victimization this is a sample of her responses:

OBAMA: “You can’t keep voting present, now”.(giggle, giggle giggle).

MEDIA: The main stream media hates conservatives and says so. We didn’t concentrate on the issues. Obama wasn’t asked the issues. He should have been made to address the issues of this country and that should have been the media’s responsibility.

BLAGO: About her opinion of Governor Blagojevich’s impeachment.
“They are all democrats and I don’t care.”

BUSH: We don’t know what the President elect is going to do regarding certain situations we just have to wait the next four years and find out. She never answered the question.

VICTIMIZATION: The best example of this was viewed on “THE VIEW”. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-a-palermo/ann-coulter-on-emthe-view_b_157345.html
The main stream media and liberals want to destroy America. An example of this is the exhalation for the past 30 years of single womanhood. This has been manufactured as a good thing as a result it is destroying America, increasing prison population and destroying the nuclear family.

On “The View” after dodging many of the questions put before her by bringing up “you are attacking me, you are attacking” she gave another name for “female victimization” and the ladies of The View” weren’t buying into her flipping hair, baby do eye routine and dropping her head. It was on . . I guess Whoppi summed it up best, “you can dish it, but you can’t take it”. Where I come from this implies that Coulter is really a big bully but after she attacks, she fails to finish the dozen game she starts and runs off exclaiming she is hurt. Go figure on this one. . .

Coulter is a honors graduate of Cornell University School of Arts & Sciences, and received her J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, where she was an editor of The Michigan Law Review. She is a legal correspondent for Human Event Magazine and writes a syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate.

Why did I spend this much space on this gutsy woman? BLOG: Tuesday, January 13, 2009. Anne Coulter is explosive and with her latest book published by Random House, Guilty: Liberal "Victims" and Their Assault on America ,
ISBN 13: 9780307353467; ISBN 10: 030735346x. If one has a question as to whether or not provocative sales, this lady proves it. . .

Her other best seller books are: High Crimes and Misdemeanors: the Case against Bill Clinton, published in August 1998. Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right, published June 2002; Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism, published June 2003; How to talk to a Liberal: If you Must, published October 2004. Godless: The Church of Liberalism, published June 2006; and If Democrats Had any Brains: They’d be Republicans, published October 2007.

This time, Some critics say her attacking is over the line. From the various programs that I watched, she is either fanning to be having a nervous breakdown before our very eyes, or either, and you’d have to give it to her, she is over the top and just marketing of her tell all 300 page book, and it just may be another New York Times best seller in the works . . What I can’t understand is she supposes to be a serious political pundit or is this lady a sit down comic. Here is some of her “whimsical” (and I am being nice here) comments:

Ann Coulter believes that Scott McCullum, Bush’s admission of having used cocaine and is disgraceful for writing his book on Bush. She documents in her book the number of Republicans who write against their republican bosses and managers after they go for years taking their paychecks, confidence and wonders why they keep doing this.

Coulter says that “Daniel Moynihan, a democratic cultural analyst said that single parenthood is hurting the US economically. However, when Republican say the same thing they are attacked by the media”. She gives the example of how media went “nuts behind the comment made by Dan Quail toward the Murphy Brown Show.

Scathing criticism of Ann Coulter has been happening all week and it wasn’t any less on Huckabee’s Show but perhaps more amicable. Coulter comes on the show and immediate tells her host he is “too liberal” for her. She says that the watch dog media went after Palin’s family members as soon as we she announced. What was more interesting she says the media didn’t even know her. Her son was accused of being a juvenile delinquent until the media found out that he was on his way to the military. They accused her of her last son not being Palins’ but her daughter’s other child.

Coulter was shown footage when she was called in on the “Huckabee Show” where she called Huckabee “the Republican Jimmy Carter”, and referred to him as “Stupid” and the video added that “he would be great as an evangelical, if he weighed 300 pounds”. Whether she realized that Huckabee had made a large effort to loose weight before entering the presidential race was not mentioned but must have been quite a slap on Huckabee.

Coulter and Huckabee agreed that they want to enlighten the “fair tax” theory that the Republicans wish to implement because the theory does not raise taxes. The fair tax is very conservative approach and the US government shouldn’t raise money off of the American people and the government would have to be more prudent with how they spend tax payers money. Coulter added that “they are stealing from us know. You wouldn’t have so many people not willing to pay their taxes because they would feel the level of payment due was fair across the board and this would cause people to believe the government is being fair. Right now, one person could be paying one amount and another paying a second amount and both would have the same income. If one person has someone instructing them on various loopholes than they may fair better than the person who doesn’t know the loopholes.

Huckabee asked her about being stupid. He asked “Ann, you called me stupid. Am I stupid? And if you think so “look me into my eyes and tell me that I am stupid”. A little giggle, hair flipping later and readjusting her posture she said “No, but you said. . . “ and she trailed off, he asked her again. He offered “Frank Rich, New York Times, the most liberal drama critic likes Huckabee. If he was stupid he would say so. The audience begins to jeer and hiss her. She offered, “you are witty and quick, I’ll take that back and say that instead”. He asked her what was she basing her opinions on. She said, “You were for immigration, that’s what it was. . . you wanted anyone that wanted to come over here to have jobs”. He countered, “I didn’t ever say that, I said that the manner in which we treat people, is the way we can show civility in our Nation”. And he asked again, “what does that have to be with being stupid?” He paused, then sighed running his fingers to the next marker in the her book, “I was supported by Duncan Hunter, Ann and you know how well respected he is in the Republican party”, he waned off, “do you think Ann that with his supporting me that Hunter is also “stupid” because he supported me?”.

She responded, “but you wanted to ban smoking in everyone’s home, that was going to be one of your policies”, before she could finish the sentence he was raising his voice, but not yelling, “Ann, Ann, Ann, I never said that, I never said that. I said that the Federal smoking band in employment would cut down on second hand smoke, I never said that individuals couldn’t smoke in their own homes, not in people’s home”. Shaking his head, Coulter offered that the media doesn’t tell all of the stories and were hammering away at Republicans family members. Giving the example that Joe Biden’s son was being sued by a business partner but it was never mentioned in the campaign. Bottom line she says it is alarming how some presidential candidates were revealed by the media and others were not.

Seemingly ignoring her statement completely, Huckabee offered “I am a conservative just like you Ann”, and he suggested to her read his book which describes him more fully. He then offered, “I am pro life. Here in your book you say I believe in sodomy. Where did you get that from? This is just wrong Ann, Just plain wrong.” She responded, “I heard you were pro choice”. He offered, “Ann, I am pro life. I am not pro sodomy”. Again he said angrily, “If I ever run again I will run as a conservative and he explained that “that when she writes about him that she gets it straight. He exclaimed that she should go after the liberals not him. . “If you have any questions regarding what I believe in, read it, if you have any questions call me, don’t write that I am stupid”. She countered with “well, you sound like you are going to run for office again, are you?” The audience clapped and he responded, “I might run in 2012, but you are not helping me when you write such things”. The audience continued to clap, it was apparent that Huckabee was more disgusted with her then she realized but the program ended amicable. . .

When asked on other shows how she feels regarding Obama, Media, Blago, Bush and Female Victimization this is a sample of her responses:

OBAMA: “You can’t keep voting present, now”.(giggle, giggle giggle).

MEDIA: The main stream media hates conservatives and says so. We didn’t concentrate on the issues. Obama wasn’t asked the issues. He should have been made to address the issues of this country and that should have been the media’s responsibility.

BLAGO: About her opinion of Governor Blagojevich’s impeachment.
“They are all democrats and I don’t care.”

BUSH: We don’t know what the President elect is going to do regarding certain situations we just have to wait the next four years and find out. She never answered the question.

VICTIMIZATION: The best example of this was viewed on “THE VIEW”. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-a-palermo/ann-coulter-on-emthe-view_b_157345.html
The main stream media and liberals want to destroy America. An example of this is the exhalation for the past 30 years of single womanhood. This has been manufactured as a good thing as a result it is destroying America, increasing prison population and destroying the nuclear family.

On “The View” after dodging many of the questions put before her by bringing up “you are attacking me, you are attacking” she gave another name for “female victimization” and the ladies of The View” weren’t buying into her flipping hair, baby do eye routine and dropping her head. It was on . . I guess Whoppi summed it up best, “you can dish it, but you can’t take it”. Where I come from this implies that Coulter is really a big bully but after she attacks, she fails to finish the dozen game she starts and runs off exclaiming she is hurt. Go figure on this one. . .

Coulter is a honors graduate of Cornell University School of Arts & Sciences, and received her J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, where she was an editor of The Michigan Law Review. She is a legal correspondent for Human Event Magazine and writes a syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate.

Why did I spend this much space on this gutsy woman? BLOG: Tuesday, January 13, 2009. Anne Coulter is explosive and with her latest book published by Random House, Guilty: Liberal "Victims" and Their Assault on America ,
ISBN 13: 9780307353467; ISBN 10: 030735346x. If one has a question as to whether or not provocative sales, this lady proves it. . .

Her other best seller books are: High Crimes and Misdemeanors: the Case against Bill Clinton, published in August 1998. Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right, published June 2002; Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism, published June 2003; How to talk to a Liberal: If you Must, published October 2004. Godless: The Church of Liberalism, published June 2006; and If Democrats Had any Brains: They’d be Republicans, published October 2007.

This time, Some critics say her attacking is over the line. From the various programs that I watched, she is either fanning to be having a nervous breakdown before our very eyes, or either, and you’d have to give it to her, she is over the top and just marketing of her tell all 300 page book, and it just may be another New York Times best seller in the works . . What I can’t understand is she supposes to be a serious political pundit or is this lady a sit down comic. Here is some of her “whimsical” (and I am being nice here) comments:

Ann Coulter believes that Scott McCullum, Bush’s admission of having used cocaine and is disgraceful for writing his book on Bush. She documents in her book the number of Republicans who write against their republican bosses and managers after they go for years taking their paychecks, confidence and wonders why they keep doing this.

Coulter says that “Daniel Moynihan, a democratic cultural analyst said that single parenthood is hurting the US economically. However, when Republican say the same thing they are attacked by the media”. She gives the example of how media went “nuts behind the comment made by Dan Quail toward the Murphy Brown Show.

Scathing criticism of Ann Coulter has been happening all week and it wasn’t any less on Huckabee’s Show but perhaps more amicable. Coulter comes on the show and immediate tells her host he is “too liberal” for her. She says that the watch dog media went after Palin’s family members as soon as we she announced. What was more interesting she says the media didn’t even know her. Her son was accused of being a juvenile delinquent until the media found out that he was on his way to the military. They accused her of her last son not being Palins’ but her daughter’s other child.

Coulter was shown footage when she was called in on the “Huckabee Show” where she called Huckabee “the Republican Jimmy Carter”, and referred to him as “Stupid” and the video added that “he would be great as an evangelical, if he weighed 300 pounds”. Whether she realized that Huckabee had made a large effort to loose weight before entering the presidential race was not mentioned but must have been quite a slap on Huckabee.

Coulter and Huckabee agreed that they want to enlighten the “fair tax” theory that the Republicans wish to implement because the theory does not raise taxes. The fair tax is very conservative approach and the US government shouldn’t raise money off of the American people and the government would have to be more prudent with how they spend tax payers money. Coulter added that “they are stealing from us know. You wouldn’t have so many people not willing to pay their taxes because they would feel the level of payment due was fair across the board and this would cause people to believe the government is being fair. Right now, one person could be paying one amount and another paying a second amount and both would have the same income. If one person has someone instructing them on various loopholes than they may fair better than the person who doesn’t know the loopholes.

Huckabee asked her about being stupid. He asked “Ann, you called me stupid. Am I stupid? And if you think so “look me into my eyes and tell me that I am stupid”. A little giggle, hair flipping later and readjusting her posture she said “No, but you said. . . “ and she trailed off, he asked her again. He offered “Frank Rich, New York Times, the most liberal drama critic likes Huckabee. If he was stupid he would say so. The audience begins to jeer and hiss her. She offered, “you are witty and quick, I’ll take that back and say that instead”. He asked her what was she basing her opinions on. She said, “You were for immigration, that’s what it was. . . you wanted anyone that wanted to come over here to have jobs”. He countered, “I didn’t ever say that, I said that the manner in which we treat people, is the way we can show civility in our Nation”. And he asked again, “what does that have to be with being stupid?” He paused, then sighed running his fingers to the next marker in the her book, “I was supported by Duncan Hunter, Ann and you know how well respected he is in the Republican party”, he waned off, “do you think Ann that with his supporting me that Hunter is also “stupid” because he supported me?”.

She responded, “but you wanted to ban smoking in everyone’s home, that was going to be one of your policies”, before she could finish the sentence he was raising his voice, but not yelling, “Ann, Ann, Ann, I never said that, I never said that. I said that the Federal smoking band in employment would cut down on second hand smoke, I never said that individuals couldn’t smoke in their own homes, not in people’s home”. Shaking his head, Coulter offered that the media doesn’t tell all of the stories and were hammering away at Republicans family members. Giving the example that Joe Biden’s son was being sued by a business partner but it was never mentioned in the campaign. Bottom line she says it is alarming how some presidential candidates were revealed by the media and others were not.

Seemingly ignoring her statement completely, Huckabee offered “I am a conservative just like you Ann”, and he suggested to her read his book which describes him more fully. He then offered, “I am pro life. Here in your book you say I believe in sodomy. Where did you get that from? This is just wrong Ann, Just plain wrong.” She responded, “I heard you were pro choice”. He offered, “Ann, I am pro life. I am not pro sodomy”. Again he said angrily, “If I ever run again I will run as a conservative and he explained that “that when she writes about him that she gets it straight. He exclaimed that she should go after the liberals not him. . “If you have any questions regarding what I believe in, read it, if you have any questions call me, don’t write that I am stupid”. She countered with “well, you sound like you are going to run for office again, are you?” The audience clapped and he responded, “I might run in 2012, but you are not helping me when you write such things”. The audience continued to clap, it was apparent that Huckabee was more disgusted with her then she realized but the program ended amicable. . .

When asked on other shows how she feels regarding Obama, Media, Blago, Bush and Female Victimization this is a sample of her responses:

OBAMA: “You can’t keep voting present, now”.(giggle, giggle giggle).

MEDIA: The main stream media hates conservatives and says so. We didn’t concentrate on the issues. Obama wasn’t asked the issues. He should have been made to address the issues of this country and that should have been the media’s responsibility.

BLAGO: About her opinion of Governor Blagojevich’s impeachment.
“They are all democrats and I don’t care.”

BUSH: We don’t know what the President elect is going to do regarding certain situations we just have to wait the next four years and find out. She never answered the question.

VICTIMIZATION: The best example of this was viewed on “THE VIEW”. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-a-palermo/ann-coulter-on-emthe-view_b_157345.html
The main stream media and liberals want to destroy America. An example of this is the exhalation for the past 30 years of single womanhood. This has been manufactured as a good thing as a result it is destroying America, increasing prison population and destroying the nuclear family.

On “The View” after dodging many of the questions put before her by bringing up “you are attacking me, you are attacking” she gave another name for “female victimization” and the ladies of The View” weren’t buying into her flipping hair, baby do eye routine and dropping her head. It was on . . I guess Whoppi summed it up best, “you can dish it, but you can’t take it”. Where I come from this implies that Coulter is really a big bully but after she attacks, she fails to finish the dozen game she starts and runs off exclaiming she is hurt. Go figure on this one. . .

Coulter is a honors graduate of Cornell University School of Arts & Sciences, and received her J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, where she was an editor of The Michigan Law Review. She is a legal correspondent for Human Event Magazine and writes a syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate.

Why did I spend this much space on this gutsy woman?

ARGENTINA DON'T CRY FOR UNCLE SAM

2009-04-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

Milton Friedman may be rolling over in his grave in excitement but in the meantime I received part one of a video from a friend on an international economist named Adrian Salbuchi- he said don’t walk, run and get your money out of the bank, buy anything that you like of value in your culture, don’t leave it to them (the financial institutions) to leverage with your money. “Take your money out”.
Based on what I can remember in finance class Friedman was the father of the Argentina economic currency problems. Salbuchi says we are seeing the whole Global financial system melting down due to extreme capitalism that Friedman wrote about. He says that Argentina has gone through this very flawed financial model three times. He says when the Finance system has usurped the real economy, trouble will always follow.

Salbuchi says that “capital finance versus economics is a tumor and it has matisticized in the United States. It will implode on itself, guaranteed. Maddoff perpetuated a Ponzi Scheme and he is certainly not the only person who has done this, he is just one more prolific and most “revealed”.

Salbuchi continues that Maddoff and Associates discovered the flaw in the capitalistic system, took full advantage of it, and became not only greedy but he became greedy with other people’s money. Salbuchi says that a pyramid has a base of four sides. He exclaims that the first side in the pyramid is called the “Planned money inefficiency side” which is determined by the State (or government) and is based on legal tender. The planned side is the actual value or face value of the item being placed on the market. The US naturally does this by the instructions of the Federal Reserve Bank which isn’t a federal reserve or a bank and the US Central banks. The money is supposed to be equal to the items being exchanged. He moves on . . .

2nd side of the pyramid is “base private money”. The private banking system exerts power over the bank. It will always be fractionalizing compared to the reserve system with huge interest being charged on the money that is being borrowed against. The down side of this system is the bank can determine at what level they will charge the individual, institution or corporation for the money needed. Often this percentage or interest rate is based on the demand of the market for money. He adds . . .

3rd side of the pyramid is called the “funny-money side”. The objective is to do everything by debt, as long as the banker or other financial institutions are able to determine the individual, institute or corporation’s worth. The amount of money being issued will vary according to the borrower’s proven past experience or wealth. The system’s down side is to keep the consumer in debt and hand them credit. If the government has to do anything here, it assists the banks in increasing the indebtedness of its citizens with the banks. If the individual is insisting upon having certain services and products then the bank will allow the individual to have the money based on their future ability to pay the money back or knowing that the individual has something else in exchange for the amount of money being requested. Being that the consumer has the opportunity to go to more than one institution for the funds, the consumer must remember that “they will have to pay it back, someday, some how”. The down side to this part of the system, the individual or institutions may be greedy and be requesting more than what they can afford, leading to bankruptcy and the same bank having the ability to buy back their assets for penny’s on the dollar.

He continued that “You may remember the old adage, your eyes are as big as your stomach. With this ability, the financial institution is in the position to sell the items seized to their more profitable debtors who can afford to buy the seized items in bulk. The indebtedness will also keep pushing the interest rates on top of the actual money that was borrowed.

What I have learned is that 20 years ago there wasn’t a derivative market. Some were called swaps. By September 2008, there were $531 trillion dollars in derivatives that equates to 10x’s the world gross domestic and the American base is 40x’s America’s world gross domestic product.

Salbuchi says that even with Obama’s best intent, “There is no way that Obama can be solve this crisis”, because the product and services are not available to fill this inflated gap, Obama can only hope that people and institutions go back to saving, utilizing their assets with great caution and that slowly institutions who have borrowed extremely high to their means, dissolve, and fade away. The problem Salbuchi says with this concept, is that the borrowing is so gigantic, the indebtedness is so incredibly complicated and interactive, that no one in the American government is willing to say so. So, the bottom must be found to develop a “zero”. We can start from some semblance of zero and rebuild with prudence and certainty, however when we know the banks, Federal Reserve and corporate leaders aren’t willing to be ethical or provide the truth where do you begin?
The 4th side of the pyramid or he calls the “privatization of the channels for the private sector”, is when the market gets to the point of exploding on itself and collapses completely. This is when socialization comes in, the government lends from the Federal Reserve bank, central bank and individual taxes are heavily utilized to match the market requirements.

Salbuchi says that Argentina has gone through this process three times and they know the effects of the “great Ponzi scheme”, it will lead to a run on the banks. The devaluing of the currency, the changing of the currency (to wipe the past away) and to reissue currency.

Every since Reagan there has been a cabal of individuals who have been trying to take over the privatization of American markets. Salbuchi believes, they had already taken over the banks, go do your homework on how the Federal Reserve Bank was acclimated with Roosevelt in the early 1920’s he suggests. “Be mindful of where the economic stimulus package funds are coming from,” he offers.
An Argentine opinion on the Global Financial Crisis, is basically describing the whole Global Financial System, which is only one vast Ponzi Scheme. You get yours before the person down the food change get’s theirs is what I gathered from the video’s Part one. What I concluded from all that I have read is to make sure I am financially solvent, that I am not in debt at all and if I do have debt, that it is not in the form of high interest credit card loans. If I have any high interest loans, try to pay them off immediately and with my decent credit, find a lower interest consolidated loan and don’t miss any payments. This is how the rich get richer!

RESOURCES: Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlDNMB6wYmI
Part Two: http://video.aol.com/video-detail/global-financial-collapse-salbuchi-part-2/4262926377

When you finish watching these let me know what you think . . . Minerva

RUSH OR STEEL

2009-04-06T14:08:00.001-07:00

You won’t have the last word with the person with the microphone and in this technological world you would think that Michael Steele would know this. However the Democrats are spending money on a billboard in Rush Limbaugh’s home town admonishing him for the comments he made about Obama’s Administration hopefully failing. The billboard I find a total waste of time and money and when asked in a special poll, I said so. But I didn’t stop there; I told them where they could have spent the money. Whether or not they listen, come on, you know they won’t but I felt good filling out the email form saying so.
When you don’t know the head of your party, inner turmoil and spinning out of control seem to be most visible and this is what we are watching. Rush has become the voice of the Republican Party. Can you believe this? Many commentaries are saying that this was the worst start for Steele, the new Chair of the Republican National Party. Saying that his job was to tick people off was obviously a mistake, even though he was being frank. Michael Steele made another mistake of taking his eyes off of his role as chair of the Republican party by taking on Rush publicly. The transitional role that Steele needs to include to stop the in-house fighting, however having him head of the party is still questionable as to whether it indicates that the party will make them appear to be diverse.
Tavis Smiley approached the subject and added that Symbolism does matter but is weak without substance. The policies the Republican Party have missed the representation of the American people. They have been acting more like obstructionist with the economic stimulus rather than getting over the election results and realizing we are all in this economic soup together. Smiley says The Covenant, was book # 1 explored these concerns; the second book was the Covenent in Action. ISBN-13: 9781401918521; ISBN-10: 1401918522; Publisher: Smiley Books; Date: February 2007; Page Count: 190. And the third book in Smiley’s trilogy is called Accountable, Making America as Good as Its Promise. Accountable (with co-author Stephanie Robinson) lays out Obama’s policies, framework for the assessment, and yard stick of celebration, providing Obama does all that he says he was going to do while campaigning. Published in February 2009; ISBN-10:1439100020; ISBN 13: 9781439100028; Suggested price $19.99
The question is, will Obama be able to fulfill those policies. Tavis says that Obama has to be accountable for the next moves of the nation. . . The promise of and possibility of America are still as divisive as ever before but something that we all have to strive to correct. . .
Do I think that Tavis is in love with Obama? No! I believe he hopes that Obama can overcome the obstacles against him, but no one expected the global economy to be one of those obstacles, remember in those days, it was ending the disputable Iraqi War. Tavis was a Hillary and Bill Clinton fan. Saving the world, well I believe Obama will have to find that superman suit because the residuals involved in some people’s money is quite tricky and more contentious because it hits at the heart of all of 300,000,000 Americans, not just 5,000 men and women in military uniform not receiving proper medical care and insurance.
Making America accountable is the final book of a trilogy addressing the problems in America. Tavis’s books can be found purchased through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, in audio and on Kindle. John Thune is another person in the Republican party, whose name has been bantered back and forth as the new voice for the Republican Party, is implying that Michael Steele may be asked to step down. We’ll have to stay tune on this political outcome.

Steele enjoys playing chess with the Big Boys

2009-04-06T11:21:00.001-07:00

BLOG Wednesday, March 25, 2009 I caught a video conversation Don Lemon of CNN news was having with Wolfe Blitzer. Lemon says that his response with Michael Steele, RN chair was quiet revealing when Steele offered that “I’m a cause and affect kind of guy”. Steele says that there is a logic behind his attacking Rush Limbaugh a couple weeks ago. Steele says that when he did this he was testing the landscape. He wanted to know who would yell the loudest as well as support him. He says he sees his next move as understanding his position on the chess board. At first, he said he wanted to see “Who are inside the tent with him and who are not”. By his testing the waters, he has a better understanding as to “how strategically he needs to play his next move. “ Lemon says that when asked whether or not Steele was interested in being a Republican Presidential candidate, Steele says that “if that is where God wants him to go, after conversation with his wife and children”. Steele continued that politics aren’t what they use to be. “There are so many moving parts and often you can’t keep up with everything that is going on so far in advance.” So is Michael Steele seeing that if the landscape was good enough for Obama that the landscape is good enough for him? For is Steele just drumming up support in a “stealthy way”?

BLOG: 8:40AM March 26, 2009. Received from Barbara, who is traveling this past month to a couple Mental Health Conference and visiting her mother. I t

2009-03-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

A stranger was seated next to a little black girl on the

Airplane when the stranger turned to her and said,

"Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker

If you strike up a conversation with your fellow

Passenger." ?The little girl, who had just opened her

Coloring book, closed it slowly and said to the stranger,

"What would you like to talk about?" ??"Oh, I

Don't know," said the stranger. "Since you are

a Negro, do you think that So -called President Elect Barak

Obama is qualified for the job?" and he smiles?

"OK", she said. 'That could be an interesting

Topic. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow,

And a deer all eat the same stuff - grass -. Yet a deer

Excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty,

And a horse produces clumps of dried grass. ? Why do you

Suppose that is?"? The stranger, visibly surprised by

The little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and

Says, "Hmmm, I have no idea."? To which the little

Girl replies, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss

President Barack Obama... When you don't know shit?"

BLOG March 27, 2009 BY “ALAN” GUEST WRITER:

2009-03-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

To all those below who have expressed their ideas so beautifully, I would like to add my 2 cents worth. I have been banished from the universe by the great and all knowing LL so this may be my last communication before the firing squad. Is this intemperate talk, YES? Nevertheless, we are locked in a struggle for America, ours and our president or the Cons. His budget is under intense fire from the Cons and also from some Democrats. Has anyone remembered what Reagan spent on rearmament & doing such moronic things as decommissioning the US Missouri? The cost was 3 trillion bucks. Does anyone remember Chip O`Neal saying the most stupid political move he ever made was letting Reagan talk him into deregulating the Savings and Loan business which ended up costing the taxpayer’s 800 billion? And has anyone added up what Bushes Iraq war has cost thus far?

Has anyone paid attention to the fact that we spend 4 times as much as any other country in the world on guns. Does anyone remember Eisenhower warning about the Military/Industrial Complex just before leaving office? The intelligence services in our country knew the Soviet Economy was falling apart as early as the late sixties?

(Pictured: David Halberstam) * So why have we allowed the Cons to run up trillions in guns to fight boogymen that don`t exist? MONEY. Read The Mission by Dana Priest, a reporter for the Washington Post and then read House of War ,a story of the growth of the Defence Department and supporting evidence of Priest`s belief that the Defence Dept runs our Foreign Policy. And does anyone remember Hitler, Stalin,Tojo and others that rose up out of economic chaos, and will rise again. We need somehow to reacquaint the American people with the fact that the cost of worldwide chaos and war and especially human suffering will cost K-trillions. What Obama spends in reversing this slide towards depression will be nothing compared to what the cost will be to fix things then. I get a little exasperated with all the call for political niceness and politeness when we are dealing with the likes of Canter and the other Ideologists in the Con party. They won`t listen to us no matter what. They only respond to Power and Money. We need to permanently take both of these away from them. And yes our party is as guilty as the Cons & if you don`t believe this, read The Best and The Brightest by David Halberstam.

I continue to applaud Paul Currier for his intelligence and hard work .He is the first human dynamo. So maybe he can find a way to let the American people know this most important history at least as I see it. I think it provides a challenge to the Cons when they say Obama is going to destroy our country, when they have come as close to doing this in the last 8 years as has ever happened.

Thanks & I`m out of here.

Alan

Robert A.Schweissinger, MD schweisr@yahoo.com

Resources: Picture: http://www.americanwriters.org/classroom/resources/tr_halberstam.asp;

Book Covers:
The Best and the Brightest: by David Halberstam (Author) Publisher: Random House Publishing Group; Pub. Date: October 1993; ISBN-13:9780449908709; 20th Anniversary Edition; 720pp

House of War: The Pentagon and the Disastrous Rise of American Power by James Carroll (Author) Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Pub. Date: May 2006; ISBN-13:9780618187805; 672pp

The Mission: America's Military in the Twenty-First Century by Dana Priest (Author); Publisher: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.; Pub. Date: March 2003; ISBN-13:9780393010244; 384pp.

Supreme Court Confronts a Mystery

2009-03-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

Was looking for news today and ran into Elizabeth de la Vega’s, “The Supreme Court Confronts a Mystery”, found in the on-line blog “truthout.org”. It is a story that conjured up nightmares of the Scottsboro Boys case and the discussion on whether or not the courts should have declared a reversal of findings. Even when the evidence was apparent.

William Osborne, 36, was convicted of rape, kidnapping and assault in 1993. (Photo: Bill Roth / Anchorage Daily News) the court still ruled that a rape had taken place although one of the girls in question said “it never happened”. When I ran into the Osborne case, I began to wonder who was the attorney for this case and why weren’t we hearing more about it in the commercial news? Personally, I get tired of seeing the repeat of finding men trying to molest children as a weekly diet of “news”. If anything it should be quite simple. Read them their rights, provide the evidence (the film) and prosecute accordingly, I don’t need to see repeat performances and seeing men in the process of rape is not entertaining. Maybe I’m stretching it, but my point is, someone is serving time for evidence that is available and apparent but not being used. The Osborne case does make you scratch your head and say, “what were they thinking” or ask yourself “is Alaska in the United States of America where they hide the evidence”? http://www.truthout.org/030309J

And to think this man has been incarcerated without due process with the evidence against him for years. You might join me in paying attention to the Supreme Court ruling on this one. . .

JUNE CROSS REVEALED

2009-03-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

A fellow Democrat sent me a copy of Women network blog. In it was a little gem regarding a PBS Frontline story “Secret Daughter” June Cross, who happened to be the stepdaughter of Norma Greaves-Cross, the wife of Larry Stroch from F –Troop, is showcased. The subtitle tells it all, “A mixed raced daughter and the mother who gave her away”. Published by Viking Press, #ISBN 067088555X

Cross says her mother referred to “Surrendering her upbringing”, meant pretending to be adopted when she would visit her mother. The problem was a discussion on how many individuals who had children in and out of wedlock from bi-racial parents and parents who had children from other racial makeup’s. I had to keep remembering how miscegenation was prevalent and extremely frowned on in the American culture especially in the 40’s and 50’s.

During the summer months when June went to visit her mother in Hollywood, as a little girl, she would refer to her white mother as ‘Aunt Norma’ so that the friends and neighbors didn’t know that she was in fact her daughter. June is also the daughter of James Cross, an African American Vaudeville actor. The picture to the left is a recent picture of Cross with Larry Stroch.

According to my Hollywood sources complications may have been in effect when Peggy Ryan married James Cross in 1945; they were divorced in 1952. Peggy Ryan was also known by her maiden name Margaret O'Rene Ryan on 28 August 1924 in Long Beach, California - but who died on 30 October 2004 from a stroke in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ryan was also known for her high kicking American dancing and costarred in a series of movie musicals at Universal Studios tapping with Donald O'Connor. Sorry I digressed but the point was, the company that her parents kept would have been legendary had she had the opportunity to benefit from their resources, however, even though Cross was raised by a middle-income African American family located in Atlantic City. She was able to attend Harvard University, became a journalist and a documentarian. After the documentary aired according to cross, many of her mother’s friends who were liberal distanced themselves from her saying she misled them. While her conservative friends felt empathy for her. Cross apparently thought the mother’s friends would only find compassion for her discretions. Cross says the book and documentary have been therapeutic to her and her mother.

My mother used to say to me all the time, what happens in the dark, will eventually come to light, be sure whatever you do, it is something that you will not be ashamed of once it is revealed. So walk like God is always present was advice that I never forgot and am pleased that text messaging and videoing isn’t as prevalent as it is now. . .
I can only assume now that we have am African-American president who is too a product of a mixed-racial relationship that we will be hearing more stories and “confessionals” that will strike the compassionate chord in all of us. . . Peace out, Minerva

REFERENCES:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/secret/discuss/react1.html
http://www.secretdaughter.com/
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=3951

EARNED INDIGNATION

2009-03-18T14:44:00.000-07:00

There has been increasing disgust towards AIG in the past week. You would have to say that AIG earned the indignation considering the federal bailout and that the same division that almost bankrupted the company is now receiving bonuses for their risky and flagrant behavior. Because the employees almost succeeded at destroying the company, they are revered. Maybe the goal was to show, that even if they did destroy the company, that being so large the American people and our American government, who are so enamored over the glorification of money, would worship these employees. Who took the short bet that the demise of Mega Corporation would only make our government comfort and protect all them from normal bankruptcy laws, and keep them afloat? I bet you wish you had a stake in it.

As one commentary read in Salon Magazine, “Life was really sucking chicken boogers” and then the hilarious review on AIG came along causing him a gutbucket-laughing season that many similar readers needed. I was not able to laugh; maybe I take losing millions of hard working Americans’ money too seriously.

Obama may change his slogan at the bequest of Jay Leno on next Thursday with, “Oh, no you don’t”. Moreover, I would second that recommendation. In addition, I hope Leno is able to hear a candid Barack Obama commit on this incident.

Maybe I should not be so harsh considering I got a call from them the other day, asking if I were interested in immediate employment. I asked, “But aren’t you guys going bankrupt?”
“No”, the enthusiastic head hunter replied, “that’s the media for you, they say the funniest things you know . . .” I held on to the line not knowing whether to sigh or ask more questions. I did neither; she continued, “Will you please send your resume to the following fax number and we’ll call you back for an interview”. I wrote the fax number down but still have not faxed the resume.

We need to stop idolizing people who make their money off the backs of those who do not know the meaning behind the “fine print”. We need to reassess our cultural adaptation that lucre is not filthy that it purchases us prestige, power, and respect. We need to address our narcissistic morality that only applies when our reckless attitudes and behavior puts the spotlight on us. Or maybe we need to recommend that those financial planners involved in the economic disaster hold hands aligning Wall Street and take a huge suicide pact at noon, then we won’t have to put their parents, family members, and neighbors through the humiliation of seeing them answering to grand juries, trials, and media empathy. While we are at it, allow the insurance companies to pay the widows, widowers and beneficiaries unless they too are in the financial industry. This would solve some economic problems; it would stimulate the funeral industry and all of the supportive small businesses: floral shops, limousine services, casket makers, the Neptune society, black ready wear, mortgage lending, church services and the divesting of property. Need I say more? This might also send a message to those who are supposed to be in the people business that they have an obligation to the people they serve. However, you know this will not happen, because we revere moneychangers. Maybe Jesus knew what he was doing when he turned over their temple tables. I can think of a couple 401K portfolio planners’ asses I would like to kick also especially when you know they had to know.

Minerva Leah Williams

WHAT NO ONE KNEW

2009-03-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

“Don’t you destroy enough dough on your own show” says Stewart referring to Jim Cramer. . .(Thursday, March 12, 2009)

“Don’t you destroy enough dough on your own show” says Stewart referring to Jim Cramer. . .(Thursday, March 12, 2009). Not wasting any time or jokes, John Stewart, host of the Daily Show, introduced Jim Cramer, “How the hell did we get here?” I just want you to know that after receiving some cream pie on your jacket that the question of the economy is not being personally directed to you but it remains to be seen how no one knew what was going on in the money markets.”

The show having been billed as “Brawl Street”, the 12 minutes is becoming a Favorite “go time” episode on Twitter. Presumably angry with John Stewart, who has been reaming the entire news and financial networks for not warning the American public of the economic condition the United States is now under. Jim Cramer walking to the guest chair, donning one of his signature blue wrinkled shirts, rolled up sleeves and pink tie swaying replies, “We should have seen it coming more and it is a terrible one and everyone got it wrong . . . no one should be spared.” Cramer, who is a political humorists normally bearish and host of CNBC “Mad Money” Show spoke towards the economic mess we are all in.

“The gap between the CNBC snake oil, as a vitamin tonic is real in America”, says Stewart. “There are two types of people who are financial professionals and exposing transactional markets and those that will come on the program and lie when you ask them the direct questions,” responded Cramer.

“We are capitalizing your venture”, said Stewart, “a game that you know well, and you go on a television network and pretend it is not going on. News mediums should call out shenanigans, uptake rules, and designing hedge funds.” Stewart went on to show a segment where Cramer tells another commentator on another financial show that “hedge funds regulate great excitement”. Cramer smirking at Stewart drops his head and wrings his hands, the first open sign of guilt.

“I’ll try doing that, I’ll do better, I promise”, says Cramer.

The financial news is often omission of the facts and how the facts are attained. Having CEO’s come on any show lying will make you remember the tobacco companies in the middle 90-s lying about smoking does not harm your health. The current situation is not any better, i.e. Bear Sterns, AIG, Countrywide, Bank of America, Lehman Brothers and other markets knew they are engaging in risky business and packaging their product to foreign markets is just as despicable and we wonder why the world thinks we are arrogant, heartless and obsessed with materialism. Yeah, and it looks like we will bend any established rule to get to the soul of the issue” to possess money and power” at anyone’s expense.

Yes, Cramer may make finance entertaining and interesting to watch but Stewart told him “it is not a game when you are taking someone’s hard earned money, life savings and making a game out of it”.

Without question, there was little concern and care about the American public while the money lenders not only took risks with American capitol but they also earned huge bonuses and pensions for themselves some even admitting that it was the most money they had made in their lives. Cramer confessed that he did not think that Bears & Stern were going to take America in.

Stewart continued, when the banks are trading our assets at 35:1, you do not think that something is going to break in the process? Cramer retorted, well from 1999 through 2006 people were making money hand over fist and no one was complaining. You would have thought someone was asking questions then, but as long as Americans were making money, no one cared. Stewart responded, “Selling the idea that you don’t have to do anything, sit back and we’ll do it for you is wrong”. Therefore, what it was worth, Cramer eventually admitted that he and many of his financial friends knew that something terribly was wrong and he too failed to admit it on his financial show!

Many of the people that were fleeced will not have time to make that money back and then who will take care of them in their old age. Stewart went on to say that “you can draw a straight line from some of the situation on your show and see those same behaviors were going on in the larger market and weren’t those markets huge. Trillions of dollars”,

“Where are the indictments for AIG?” says Cramer, looking wide-eyed and confused. Not losing a beat or allowing for empathy, Stewart continued, “It seems like your show” and those shows like yours “need to reconcile knowing that they were aware that the financial industry was on a Sherman March with our pension plans, savings, and 401k plans and selling the idea of don’t do anything, sit back and we will take care of you.

Someone needs to be made accountable for what has happened. Reactivating the * Glass-Steagall Act may not be enough. Since ethics went out the window long time ago, we need to rewrite the relationships between the Security Exchange Commission, the brokers, corporations they regulate, the markets they oversee and a whole new crop of regulators need to be heavily screened and hired. Anyone who participated in the debacles need their licensed retired forever. However, will we ever see such strong retribution? Not likely. Unfortunately, President Obama is trying to put a harness on the moving locomotive and find the brakes, but there does not seem to be a caboose on the train either which is why the Republicans rationalize, they do not want any parts of the stimulus package. Nevertheless, where were they when the train was being signaled on to the tracks? Maybe like some Democrats who were too busy running to the bank?

We can only pray that there is at the next station and an experienced brakeman can stop the train. . .

RESOURCES:
1. See: http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=220533

2. See http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=220534&title=intro-brawl-street-get-ready-to&byDate=true

3. What Does Glass-Steagall Act Mean? An act passed by Congress in 1933 that prohibited commercial banks from collaborating with full-service brokerage firms or participating in investment banking activities.

Watermelons on the White House Lawn

2009-02-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

According to the Orange County Register, he didn't send in in his official capacity however, but Dean Grose, the mayor of Orange County obvious thought there was "real humor" behind emailing this to a Keyanus Price, African American business woman.

Read the article, then get back to me . . .

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/mail-price-public-2317355-apology-people

Mayor Dean Grose's apology letter to the City Council, Price and her boss

I am deeply embarrassed in receiving your email, and for any harm or hurt that it may have caused. It was poor judgement on my part and was never intended to be offensive to Ms. Price, your company or anyone in the African American Community. I have exchanged emails with Ms. Price in the past.

I can fully understand your concerns and comments. Please be advised that I have left a voice mail for Ms. Price and will also be sending her a separate email with my apology. You can be assured that I will not allow this to happen again. I in no way was representing the City of Los Alamitos, or my role as a council member in sending this out and it went via my private business email. That doesn't justify the fact that it was sent, however, we gratefully appreciate the contributions that your company makes to our community and I wish to publically apologize to anyone within the firm or organization that may have been offended.

I am truly sorry.

Dean Grose

Well the ACLU doesn't think it is funny either . . . And someone asked me, "since Obama is in the White House, you don't need Black History any more, do you?" I'm waiting for that apology also. . . Peace Out,

2009-01-31T10:42:00.000-08:00

BLOG: Saturday, January 31, 2009. I’m happy to hear that on last Thursday, the United States Senate followed the United States House in passing a reauthorization of a child health insurance bill. I do remember twice Bush vetoed this bill. Just imagine 4 million more children in America will have access to health insurance, isn’t that a huge post Bush phenomenon. Another positive sign that the boat has oars with a new helmsman! Right on Obama.

Hope springs eternal and that even the Republicans are seeing change by having former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, an African American at the lead. Depending on which Republican media pundit you listen to, they would have you believe that Steele’s role is just for PR purposes. Bull. Last I heard the person sitting on the top of the Republican Party had to be a “damn good fundraiser”, and in this economic market where money isn’t falling from the trees anymore, even banks are standing in line begging for governmental support. Now how effective Steele will be with his moderate views makes politics so interesting. Yes, bedfellows in politics get a little weirder and weirder if you take the time to read, to listen and to watch.

Some republicans are trying to say that media commentators weren’t saying that Mr. Blago Bully was a democrat. Blago was voted out of office and out of politics by a group of his own peers and the fallout from the criminal charges are still left to be resolved. Yes, he is a democrat and his behavior based on the information that we were provided was horrible. But I don’t remember anyone NOT saying he wasn’t the democratic governor from Illinois. What does raise my eyebrows was that Democratic strategist James Carvell originally poo-pooed the idea that Blago was under scrutiny in the first place and he said “there is wheeling and dealing going on all the time”. So is this why Blago doesn’t think he did anything wrong?

Hopefully there won’t be large court scenarios but the way Blago went out was heartbreaking to see a man who doesn’t know when he is caught. And if in fact this was politics as usual, I’m sure there are folks scrambling to clean house. Speaking of cleaning house. . . How many flaws can you find in this write up? On reading the White House Blog I found this little gem:

43. GEORGE W. BUSH 2001-2009
George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, was sworn into office on January 20, 2001, re-elected on November 2, 2004, and sworn in for a second term on January 20, 2005. Prior to his Presidency, President Bush served for 6 years as the 46th Governor of the State of Texas, where he earned a reputation for bipartisanship and as a compassionate conservative who shaped public policy based on the principles of limited government, personal responsibility, strong families, and local control.
President Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, and grew up in Midland and Houston, Texas. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University in 1968, and then served as an F-102 fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. President Bush received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1975. Following graduation, he moved back to Midland and began a career in the energy business. After working on his father’s successful 1988 Presidential campaign, President Bush assembled the group of partners who purchased the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989. On November 8, 1994, President Bush was elected Governor of Texas. He became the first Governor in Texas history to be elected to consecutive 4-year terms when he was re-elected on November 3, 1998.
President Bush worked with the Congress to create an ownership society and build a future of security, prosperity, and opportunity for all Americans. He signed into law tax relief that helped workers keep more of their hard-earned money, as well as the most comprehensive education reforms in a generation, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This legislation ushered in a new era of accountability, flexibility, local control, and more choices for parents, affirming our Nation’s fundamental belief in the promise of every child. President Bush also worked to improve healthcare and modernize Medicare, providing the first-ever prescription drug benefit for seniors; increase homeownership, especially among minorities; conserve our environment; and increase military strength, pay, and benefits. Because President Bush believed the strength of America lies in the hearts and souls of our citizens, he supported programs that encourage individuals to help their neighbors in need.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked our Nation. President Bush took unprecedented steps to protect our homeland and create a world free from terror. He was grateful for the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform and their families. The President believed that by helping build free and prosperous societies, our Nation and our friends and allies can succeed in making America more secure and the world more peaceful.
President Bush is married to Laura Welch Bush, a former teacher and librarian, and they have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. The Bush family also includes two dogs, Barney and Miss Beazley, and a cat, Willie.

I thought it was an amazing play on wording and one day maybe I’ll meet the wordsmith who must have been having a hard time putting this together.
See y’all later, Todd says there is no maid here, so I have a house to clean today . . . Minerva

A PICTURE SAYS A MILLION WORDS . . .

2009-01-30T07:58:00.000-08:00

BLOG January 30, 2009. If you want to see an awesome picture of the inaugurational address, please check out Photographer David Bergman who is putting the “aweeeeeee luckie here” in a photo:

http://www.davidbergman.net/blog/2009/01/22/how-i-made-a-1474-megapixel-photo-during-president-obamas-inaugural-address/

I was totally surprise to find this little gem. He took a gigapan imager that consists of 220 shots all integrated into one enormous photograph. In his own words:
“My final photo is made up of 220 Canon G10 images and the file is 59,783 X 24,658 pixels or 1,474 megapixels. It took more than six and a half hours for the Gigapan software to put together all of the images on my Macbook Pro and the completed TIF file is almost 2 gigabytes.”
You can use the controls to zoom and pan around the photo.
You can also double click to zoom in and double click again to get even closer and see the scene in amazing detail and clarity.
And you can see close-up the expressions of your favorite — and least favorite — politicians and dignitaries as Obama makes his inaugural address.
After viewing this for over 30 minutes, I found the picture will take you into the crowd that is so vivid you will get to feeling of the largeness of the audience, expressions on people’s faces, and an instant in time. I’m sure you’ll never think of a photograph as “just another shot again”. The high resolution was astounding to me. The shot is also for sale framed, with and without the logo and in full color! I encourage you to go see this for yourself. ---- Minerva

HISTORICAL BLAGO

2009-01-29T13:24:00.000-08:00

BLOG January 29, 2009. The historical impeachment trial is underway in Illinois’ State Senate. 47 minutes of closing arguments were made by GOVERNOR BLAGO calling the whole procedure “a shame”. However, the senators will either “quit” or “acquit”.

Blago earnestly presented himself as “the man of the people” and he says this is what led to his being overwhelming nominated in 2000 and 2006 “by the people”. We learn Blago’s lead attorney asked him not to do a media blitz and consequently the attorney quit his representation.

Blago wasn’t under oath today, however, he presented himself as an anti tax guy, pro healthcare and an advocate of veterans, poor and the mentally ill. Depending on whom you listen to Blago seems to be milking the press, stroking what is left of a huge ego, and possibly connecting to those individuals he has helped in the past, who may eventually be called upon for jury duty. In all of his conversation selling Obama’s senate seat never came up.

We learn previous allies are distancing themselves for Blago and have asked Blago to simply resign, save him and the state more embarrassment but up to now Blago refuses to step down. It also came up that Andy Stern, President of the SEIU, met with Blago November 3rd. Blago had been an ally of the union. Stern agrees Blago came into public office with definitive comfortability and states that he wonders what caused Blago to start calling in “financial deals” and wonders what will happen and be said in a criminal court. News commentators speculate the reason he was making these deals is because Blago only had two years left in office. And he and his wife were shoring up “new opportunities” to keep them financially secure and in the political and power mix in Illinois.

It is believed Blago’s goals were always to be President of the United States. If he simply resigned and then work on rebuilding his credibility, over time, but Blago refuses to do this also. Instead Blago seemed to emphasize that he isn’t being given the opportunity to hear all of the Federal Prosecutors allegations. He seems to be confusing the procedures of a court of law which would allow him the opportunity to defend himself and then work through that court to determine his guilt or innocence. However, the senatorial process acts as a grand jury and isn’t based on due process of law. It is based on a hearing of enough charges to indicate that an excessive amount of behavior has been proven. The current procedure however, does have a clause that they can insist that he no longer enter political office ever again.

The 6th Amendment right Blago keeps referring to may seem confusing to the layperson listening to his claims. And the 6th Amendment is based on a criminal case. The senatorial procedure is not considered a criminal case, however some of the evidence found may be used in the case. So other pundits believe that Blago’s “running the mouth” is to denounce “a few open minds” or “cause a shadow of doubt” to any possible listening juror that may be called on when he goes to a criminal trial. Although Blago seems to be quite astute of law, some pundits believe that he is deliberately doing the media blitz to cause the future juror to believe he was treated unfairly. The Senatorial procedure is also reviewed by legislative officials, as a group of his peers, that are held to a much higher standard and ethic. The four incrimination tapes and the media blitz this week also doesn’t necessary waiver truth in Blago’s claims. Being a governor is not a right, but it is a responsibility and privilege which jurors must understand.

Blago’s name dropping by mentioning Oprah for senator and discussions with Edward M. Kennedy, Barack Obama and John McCain as well as releasing photographs and short videos with respected Democrats and Republicans is believed to not save him in a court of criminal law. An FBI representative read a series of allegations before the senate. David Ellis rebutted the allegations by the FBI and Blago. The Chief Justice of Illinois presided over the procedure. The question still remains will they deliver a “death sentence” which is an expression which means “a sentence to no longer run for any political office” to Blago. For a person who was desirous of running for President of the US this must be a major blow. The question is want antics will Blago bring up when he does answer criminal charges. Will he throw in the towel? The other question is Pat Quinn. Pat Quinn is the political outsider and stands to be the next presumptive Governor of Illinois. He has been the thorn in the side of the Democrats for many years and the question is “will he come out and play fairly as the new governor?”

The First Day of Obama

2009-01-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

This is from the White House Blog enjoy:

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 at 1:27 pm
President Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

Yesterday, President Obama delivered his Inaugural Address, calling for a "new era of responsibility."

Inaugural Address

By President Barack Hussein Obama

My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you've bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.

I thank President Bush for his service to our nation -- (applause) -- as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.

So it has been; so it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many -- and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met. (Applause.)

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation. But in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. (Applause.)

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops, and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip, and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions, greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week, or last month, or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. (Applause.)

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift. And we will act, not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We'll restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched. But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity, on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. (Applause.)

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers -- (applause) -- our Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man -- a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake. (Applause.)

And so, to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are ready to lead once more. (Applause.)

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet.

We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken -- you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. (Applause.)

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. (Applause.)

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. (Applause.)

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the role that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who at this very hour patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.

We honor them not only because they are the guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service -- a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.

And yet at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do, and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.

What is demanded, then, is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall; and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served in a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. (Applause.)

So let us mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At the moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words to be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America: In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

FINAL PARDON?

2009-01-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

With 189 Pardons and 11 commutations under his belt Bush has granted lessening sentences to the two border patrollers who in 2005 hid the shooting of admitted drug dealer, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila in the buttocks as he was running across the Rio Grande from a van loaded with marijuana.

The officers were convicted with 1.) Assault with a dangerous weapon and 2.) With serious bodily injury, 3.) Violation of civil rights and 4.) Obstruction of justice. The first three charges were upheld on appeal. The obstruction charge was never refuted. However covering up the evidence and lying about the shooting was really what was in question. Their arrests caused a huge media debate over immigration laws and border patrol. Ignacio Ramos’s and Jose Compean’s sentences have now been commuted by Bush to two more months. Clemency was being requested from Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders for months after the convictions, saying the court didn’t take into consideration that they were following orders and simply doing their jobs.

Meantime the pardoning of I. Lewis Scooter Libby, Cheney’s chief of staff, is still a wait and see. Bush’s executive commutes end at noon of Tuesday, January 20th. The real question remains, why didn’t Bush do these three years ago?

Morning of a New Day!

2009-01-20T08:17:00.000-08:00

BLOG January 20, 2009. The historic majesty of the transition has finally come.
President elect Barack Obama will be taking the oath of office with Abraham Lincoln’s Bible. We just heard that the Obama’s, Biden’s and Bushes are having coffee and Danishes at the White House this morning. Obama choose to have the direction of the event doing to the west consequently they are able to put more people on the dais and in the Mall area. Michelle arrived in a sheath fitted golden brocade dress with matching ¾ length jacket with a soft bold chiffon scarf made by a Cuban American designer. She was stunning, noticeably nervous, and all smiles. Barack was daper and calm as ever in a black cigarette-styled full length camel coat and dark suit. It is estimated that there are more than 3 million people there. Bush had on a dark blue suit, and blue dotted tie. His face is worn the years hadn’t been kind. Mrs. Bush was poised and smiling with a nicely fitted grey-double breasted knit dress and her hair was smooth and shiny.

Several camera vantage points shows little specks of blues, yellows, reds and occasional whites which are excited people who have been partying and waiting in the mall. As the camera spans across the lawn area you see chain link fencing separating the various sections for crowd control, seemingly pleased you see some people jumping up and down, others clapping their hands, hugging one another and others swaying to keep warm in the 50 degree weather.

All of this seems surreal to me because I could only hope all these months that this would even happen. Eight years ago Obama addressed the Democratic Party and his speech was well received and astonished some of us who had heard him for the first time. I remember telling my roommate at the time, “have you heard of that guy before?” He responded, “yes and said that his son believed he had the ability to be the next President of the United States that on meeting him he was in absolute awe. He taped it and I remember playing again and again in my bedroom later that day, hearing the deliberate choice of words the young man had chosen. Damn he has a great speech writer I remember thinking. My roommate’s son doesn’t get excited or impressed by much anymore, he said but he called while the speech was going on and we both found his enthusiasm refreshing because up to then, I only found him happy in the greater comfort of hiking difficult trails under snow and blistering wind conditions. Man and nature and a group of friends one would say. So I remember becoming interested in Obama then and asking, why hadn’t Ebony magazine done any special on him in the past? But they hadn’t. Of course after that speech everyone was talking about the new junior senator from Illinois and his face was plastered on all media.

Crowds surround both sides of the motorcade. Hearing the history of slaves building the White House, the MLK, Jr. “I have a dream speech”, hearing recaps of seeing President Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II taking the oath of office don’t compare to what I believe I am witnessing this morning. I still can’t cry. But my chest is full and my head is ringing from the inner excitement that I have lived to see this day.

The story goes that Dick Cheney pulled his back out while moving boxes so he will be in a wheelchair, but so far this morning we haven’t seen him yet. With his heart problems you would think that he would hire someone to move boxes for him. Meantime you hear CNN commentator saying that Bush told the media corp “you never clapped for me” and the media responded with a roaring laughter. Maybe this is the start of something different. Word is that the last time the media did clap was when Bill Clinton would appear. I’m sure Bush has much to think about, a legacy which he started rewriting weeks ago because he wants us to understand that there was purpose behind his actions. That is quite another story and I won’t taint the provocative moment with Bush thoughts.

I can only imagine the photo opportunity the photographer is having. Perfect for the moment is what Obama is described by the media representative from CNN. They are calling the color guard, I have to go and watch this. . . will be back in a few . . . Oh what a day, Oh what a day. . .

BURRIS SWORN IN

2009-01-17T07:19:00.000-08:00

Well it is official! Democrats control the senate 58 to 41. In spite of the fact that the Senate told Blago not to appoint anyone, that anyone appointed would be rejected, because Blago was under a huge cloud of “selling Obama’s office to the highest bidder” and there are many recordings made by the Federal investigation team, Burris was cleared and sworn in today.

Yes, Former Attorney General of Illinois, Roland Burris is the official Senator representing Illinois in the 111th United States Congress, taking over the seat vacated by President Elect Barack Obama and sworn in by Vice President Dick Cheney while his wife, Berlean, held the Bible. He grinned through a standing ovation by Republican and Democratic Senators. (Note: Picture from the Associated Press photo file). According to CBS News today:

Reid and Durbin initially balked at accepting the appointment, and Obama, too, made his displeasure known. But Burris hung in. He testified under oath that he promised nothing in return for the appointment, and he got his Illinois paperwork in order. After a week of tangling, Burris got Senate Democrats to accept the appointment on Monday.

He will finish out Obama's two-year term as among the lowest of the lowly freshmen in the Senate hierarchy.

If Burris expects to win the seat outright in two years, he'll need to quickly win over leaders of his party whose blessing can help raise campaign cash. That's a tall order considering he has little if any legislative experience. And some Senate Democrats are still smarting over being all but forced to seat him.

Trust me, we haven’t heard the end of this little fiasco. Enough said. . . oh by the way, I voted “I have mixed feelings”. Peace out,
Minerva

OBAMA TEAM COMES TO TERMS WITH APPOINTMENTS

2009-01-17T07:03:00.000-08:00

John Kerry calls it “a definite embarrassment”, however it is difficult for the IMF to determine their tax levels. Senator Harry Reid calls it a “hiccup”. John Kyle said a thorough investigation is needed. MSNBC said that Obama’s transition team announced it “as a common mistake” and that Tim is human, also agreeing that individuals who work in the International Monetary Fund underestimate the taxes and what they owe. The new selection of Tim Geithner doesn’t negate the quality of the man’s skills, acumen, and proficiency in understanding finances, as well as, the Treasury Department and how the systems work. An admitted “embarrassed” Wall Street player Timothy Geithner paid $34,000 in back taxes and late charges yesterday. He paid on the audited years and hadn’t paid on the unaudited years. He has experience with large bailouts and major financial trades. The Alabama Senator poised with Obama and Biden, representing the Republican Party said “it is not the time for a gotcha” over a situation that can be easily remedied, and as a party they aren’t interested in pointing fingers. He continued, “There is way too much at stake at this time for any of us (Republicans) to do this”. Obama cynics are still questioning whether or not this is the right person you would want to be collecting taxes for Americans who is not capable of filing his own. Apparently the Obama team knew this for five weeks and asked the Republicans for an extension of this appointment and to please be quiet about it. Republicans say they don’t want any more money being printed and passed out. Although originally Obama said he wanted to have his Secretary of the Treasury with him on Inaugural Day to calm Americans’ fears regarding the economy, we learn this today. To do so, he indicated that his team “was on it” and implementing measures for a serious financial stimulus.

Hillary Clinton has obviously gained the respect of the Republicans and there was some contention with Senator Lugar and Senate Vetter regarding the amounts of money that Bill is receiving from his library foundation. Mike Allen from Politico.com calls the response by the republicans more of “a belly scratch” given to a puppy. They seem thrilled that Clinton is the Secretary of State pick for the Obama team. MOU’s have been looked at broadly. There isn’t any intention of changing the MOU. Hillary says that no president has ever disclosed the amounts and identification, she said her husband provided, which was unprecedented. Clinton’s Global Initiative has always been public.

Steve Jobs dismissed the rumors that he has serious health conditions and some economists wonder if this is reason behind the Apple stock dropping also. Having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the past, the rumor is that the condition has returned.

Lesson here: As much as Obama may mean well, he can plan for the good, but sometimes negative situations have to be cleaned up first, quickly, and concisely, which may also slow the original course. And last that I checked, as long as you are dealing with other humans, he can expect sometimes they may “hiccup”.

PROJECT CENSORED

2009-01-14T15:45:00.000-08:00

We went to an International program that presented information regarding the stories that received the least amount of media attention in 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to inform those present that the media should have focused on several events and didn’t. The articles explain why the stories weren’t taken seriously. In some categories the stories were covered by the big ten papers. He strongly recommended that we become familiar with BBC News, Aljazeera, Associated Press, Reuters and The Christian Science Monitor for starters. In some instances, important stories ran on page 84 of the LA TIMES or page 44 of the Seattle Times. The speaker, Dr. Peter Phillips, felt some of these stories should have been first-page news.

Dr. Phillips, a sociologist, emphasized the point that these anthologies were made by a group of undergraduates in journalism from Sonoma State. The 31st and 32nd edition of the book, The New American Censorship, was outside of the sanctuary for review, book signing and purchasing. The organization said that this was the largest turnout, especially for a Friday night that the group had ever hosted. Believe me the room was packed, the seats were filled to capacity. There were a few nicely dressed young people, a few admitted old hippies, college professors, and teachers, motherly and grandmotherly types. Some people insisted on coming in, so they sat on the floor in the outer aisles. I saw a couple people sharing seats. I remember seeing at least 10 entries on the event from various sites, so personally I thought it would be a good draw. My intent in going was to hear the message, meet the speaker and try to find out if such a group already existed in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“International issues are affecting us financially and businesswise and no one seems to talk about it in our local paper”, he started out. “We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg in relations to the economic fall out to come”. Then he gave us some sites to check out. He spoke the recent erosion of “posse comitatus” and “habeas corpus”, due process of law and the Constitution in general. He warned us about an Executive Order that is in place, being fought by the ACLU, but not being able to be heard in the Supreme Court yet, regarding the President having the right to take an individual or groups up to 1,000 and incarcerate them. He said Halliburton has been building prisons for over 15 years. The detention camps have barbed wire fencing around them, state of the art security and they are out in remote areas of the desert areas of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and California. Now you know I will be checking this out.

I thought, isn’t this what all the uproar is all about regarding the Guantanamo hearings?

He also assured us that the military, CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, State militia and local police officers have untested agreement program with corporate executives, “elite citizens” and government agencies where they can round up individuals if they believe they are a threat to the USA. Under this program, they can seize your property and your inheritance as well. He said with so many individuals being unemployed, it was a great outlet for employing mercenaries and retired military, police and individuals from the National Guard. He asked us to check out a couple web sites if we didn’t believe him.

He recommended 13 media sources to add to our daily news diet. Offering these sites as tested media sources that get it right. He said the responsibility of the media is not only to provide information from various points of view, but to at least tell the people what they need to know in order to make good concise and well thought out decisions. Several mentions were made that American media is sanitized and that some journalists want to tell the story, but are afraid that they’ll get demoted, loose their jobs, get sued, and “accidently die”, if they tell “too much of the truth”. Examples were given of journalists who met their maker early in life for having done so.

What was interesting was that the stories in the book were written by undergraduates in journalism. What I didn’t understand was why the students weren’t there to present the material. It would have given an added dimension to the validity of the writing. Our speaker was angry and insisted that if Americans knew what was going on in their names, they would appreciate why Europeans believe “we are coddled to sleep or entertainment”. He mentioned how Americans seem too interested in Paris Hilton, American Idol, and all the other “reality television” out there.

“We are being entertained instead of given the news”, he hammered away. Several individuals asked questions afterwards. Many guests took the side door out but a large group was forming around the book signing table in the foyer.

ONE PRESIDENT AT A TIME

2009-01-08T15:07:00.000-08:00

Bush is still the President of the United States until January 20, 2009 which is in 13 days. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Meantime, ladies and gentlemen there is only one President in the United States at a time.

The fact that the media is constantly asking President Elect Barack Obama or members of his staff for Obama’s point of view is staggering. Why aren’t the cameras and microphones still rolling on Bush’s face and demanding answers from him for his numerous discretions? Could it be that someone is worried about Obama not continuing the Bush Administrations “shoot them up” conciliatory reaction to the Israeli government on the Palestinians?

We are talking about the same Bush Administration who couldn’t find room at the Blair Manor inn, 35 rooms and 34 bathrooms in a 70,000 sq. ft. home with its own florist designated for heads of state when they are visiting White House officials. Knowing that the Obama girls needed grounding to prepare for school, the Bush Administration, gave the excuse that “because the place the was booked already” they could not be accommodated”. So even though this request was sent to the Bush staff by the 15th of December, the Obama family moved to another hotel across the street from the White House. Now we learn Monday night from the New York Times and from reporter Carlson, that there wasn’t anyone at the Manor at the time and that “the past” Australian leader, was staying only on one day, isn’t due to be here until the 13th of January was asked to come by Bush once they realized that there could be a check. Bush couldn’t find a room at the Hilton for this guy? He isn’t a head of state now. Makes you wonder what is really behind the Manor excuse? Why isn’t the media slamming Bush for this?

“The coalition of the willing” is supposed to be behind the loyalty to the Australian leader but rumor has it that Bush is meeting with this leader in order to coerce him into accepting the prisoners of Guatanamo since Obama plans on closing Guatanamo. Allegedly the purpose is to move the prisoners so that they don’t have media contact or the possibility of speaking to any members of the Obama team who are believed to have suffered torture, waterboarding, and maiming.

CBS “Hot Sheet” reports today that President elect Barack Obama is deflecting responses regarding the Israeli and Hamas violence and killing with the following comments:

"We can't have two administrations running foreign policy at the same time. We simply can't do it," Mr. Obama said. "Until I take office, it would be imprudent of me to start sending out signals that we are running foreign policy."

On a follow-up, he was asked whether how his silence on the issue should be interpreted.

"I can't control how people interpret what I'm saying," he said. "The silence is not a consequence of lack of concern."

Israel needs to open up Gaza and allow the residents to move back and forth over the border, especially to acquire food, medicine and business. There needs to be a discussion over the representation of the Palestine community. Why did the people choose Hamas to represent them?
Why does Israel always use military means to negotiate? Haven’t we learned that war should be the last resort? A master negotiator needs to come forth and find a means to this never ending saga.

Imagine the mentally instability of all the families in this region. We see the whole mental health community turn out in our area when a child dies. We are talking about hundreds of children dying from both sides of the conflict.

This morning on CNN Lee Hamilton says that the “opportunity to move decisively needs to be addressed and he hopes that based on Obama’s response to other situations that he will be as concise and deliberate in responding to the Israeli situation. He believes the Bush Administration have performed poorly in this regard.”

THE BURRIS DILEMMA

2009-01-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

Yes I understand it is the Constitutional right as governor of a state to appoint a qualified individual when a seat is open, however Obama’s Senatorial seat is still causing uproar and no drama Obama is not in agreement with the appointment.

It appears that with Burris’ impressive resume, Burris will meet with Harry Reid on Wednesday morning. Legally Burris is legit, however he is poison because he is BLAGO’s appointment. Will someone in the media just say the words, “ethical”? What is the ethical way of handling this situation? And why didn’t the Democratic Party just hold the special election in the first place? Because Illinois is economically strapped? Or is it that Blago is very savvy on the political chess board?

Has Burris’s firm contributed to any of Blago’s appointments, yes. It is believed to be $140K. Did Burris run against Blago, yes. And he lost. Is Burris aware of the letter of the law, yes. He is an accomplished attorney and was the Illinois State Attorney General. Has Burris been known to be given to drama in the past. Not as of this writing, but I am researching the topic. Is Burris playing the racial card, maybe. Fact, the racial component with the 111th Congressional Assembly is that there aren’t any African Americans in the senate now that President elect Obama’s seat is up. Does this in of itself seem odd? Yes. That in 2009 there aren’t any other African American senators in the United States Congress. You bet and that may be one of the “wake up calls” that Burris is quietly holding in his arsenal.

Obama says that Burris should not be seated in a previous statement but agrees Burris is an accomplished man. The done deal would be to tell Burris that he can’t run for office in 2010 because of the “taint” of the appointment in the first place. However it would also give validity to Blago’s appointment. Burris says that he won’t promise to be a “seat filler” up to the 2010 election. He says that he wants to openly run for the seat in 2010 because his supporters and friends told him to do so.

Has Reid revealed his hand on whom he would prefer to see taking the seat. Yes. Both are accomplished women but neither to my knowledge is African American.
As for Blago, I can see him now sitting in his den eating popcorn watching the fall out of his actions on the evening news. Will this current scenario effect the federal investigation against Blago’s previous behavior? Maybe, but the Democratic Party is full of attornies who “know the game” and know how it is played. Will Blago eventually be indicted, who knows, but to have asked for a thirty day extension seems to indicate that this is a serious case Fitzgerald does not intend on loosing. Do you believe that Blago should be shaken by this? Based on the released tapes, Maybe, Maybe not!.
But we are talking about someone who believes he has the political system by the (BEEP) and they have several recordings of this. Don’t you just love technology?

What I question is the wisdom of a man who would take such an appointment when even he was complaining of Blago trying to sell the seat in the first place. Unless he is in deep need of attention, or believes he is executing an act of Solomon (biblical wise king mentioned in the Bible) why would one’s ego take on such an appointment in the first place? It was mentioned for the first time by interviewing reporters in the airport that another person was originally appointed the position before Burris, who turned it down.
You could tell by the expression on Burris’s face that either he didn’t know this or expect the reporter to ask.

Also in the range of additional senatorial fiasco’s, funny man Al Franken didn’t show up to work today either. It appears the Coleman attorneys are requesting that all of Coleman’s court actions be answered before Franken is sworn in. Meantime, because Coleman’s term ended last Friday, this is one less member of congress from Minnesota in chamber today and the office is still closed.

Well, I’m on my way to meet with my three Republican business partners, I know I won’t hear the end of this drama and mess behind the senate appointments. Again “ready for television movies” and we can only hope for the better. . . Peace Out, Minerva

SENATORAIL SHORTAGE

2009-01-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

One more senatorial situation, Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minne), 7 weeks later, after the certification in voting was announced today by the Minnesota Canvassing Board, has lost to Al Franken, the “Saturday Night Live” funny man. But it is not over yet according to Coleman. For 62 days 3 million ballots were hand counted and inspected and Franken says “it leaves me not only humble but proud because the margin was so close to his being the next Minnesota Senator. “ Franken, not joking or projecting the usual sarcasm said that “the challenge he hopes has made the country grow”.

“We have a lot of important work to do. I am ready to go to Washington and get the country moving in the right direction. Our economy is the worst since the Great Depression. The situation in the Middle East is ready to explode (referring to the Israeli and Hamas fighting).” Franken hopes to provide the residents of Minnesota with continued great services without interruption and mentions the task now is to get the middle class working again.

Meantime, the Republican Governor will not sign off on the Canvassing Board’s results. In addition to this, the Republican Senatorial leader says that they will not accept Franken when the senate rejoins on Tuesday, until all of Coleman’s Supreme Court motions have been answered. The Coleman campaign attornies. Fritz Knaak and Tony Trimble, say they still have 700 absentee ballots and 133 ballots before the courts and believe that 133 ballots were double counted on Franken’s behalf. Legal experts say that Coleman would be pulling a rabbit out of a hat if Coleman believes he can counter Franken’s success. It is still up for scrutiny whether or not this week, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie will co-sign the certification. Republican insiders say the keys have to be handed over first. Today Monday, the offices were closed. According to the Huffington Report, Franken has 1,212,431 votes to Sen. Norm Coleman's 1,212,206 votes, a 0.0077 percent margin of victory. Marc Elias, Franken's lead recount attorney, announced that Franken won by 225 votes.

If all of the disclosures of Coleman are weighted on and reviewed the results may take months to resolve. So this too is a stay tuned senatorial situation . . .

Peace out, Minerva

PLANTATION POLITICS

2009-01-05T11:43:00.000-08:00

“Plantation Politics” is what Illinois Bobby Rush is calling the embattled Illinois governor Blagojevich’s appointment of Ronald Burris. Burris, who says he is taking over Barack Obama’s federal senate seat on Tuesday is possibly “ole school, grand standing” even though, he has been voted into office four times and has served the state of Illinois in varying positions for twenty years. Former Illinois Attorney General Burris calls himself “the solution to the people of Illinois’ problem” and in spite of all the media attention, he warns that if he is not seated, the senate will be hearing from his attorney. Burris, an attorney himself, served as Attorney General for Illinois. Others wonder why he didn’t turn down the appointment knowing that Blagojevich was asked not to appoint any senatorial replacement because of his own questionable “pay to play” taped conversation and the apparent selling of Obama’s vacated senatorial seat now being heavily investigated by Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. The entire scenario has been named “Bleep Gate” due to the many curse words found on the tapes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpZHNb1DuGo

Meantime, the outmaneuvered Senate leader Harry Reid called Burris Sunday asking Burris to withdraw his acceptance of the seat. At Burris’s news conference at the airport this afternoon, while on his way to the Washington DC, he said that he is enjoying all the media attention and has no intent to challenge Reid through the media. Cameras are rolling from every major American news group to visually chronicle the possible unfolding episode. Yes, don’t be surprised that this becomes a “Hallmark, made for television movie”.

To date little has been said by Senior Senator Dick Turbin.

The Secretary of State of Illinois Jesse White, who is black, has not signed the certificate of election. Burris is calling the inaction an affront on the 13 million Illinois residents and plans on going to Washington anyway.

Will Reid have the sergeants at arm apprehend Burris when he stands with other junior senators? Will there be a behind the door deal made between Burris and Reid before they reach the senator floor Tuesday morning? Reid has said he is a trial attorney and willing to negotiate. Will the Democratic leadership reconsider the appointment being that Burris had a huge public send off by his “old guard” Black Democratic supporters? Supporters say that Burris is of outstanding character and shouldn’t be judged by BLAGO’s problems.

What I wish to address is Rush’s inflammatory usage of the Senate not seating Burris as the "the last bastion of racial plantation politics in America . . . we are just faced with a hard-headed room of people in the Senate who want to keep an African American out of the Senate." He referenced the 111th Assembly not having one African American in the entire chamber.

Is Rush seeking publicity, making misguided statements, spurring Obama’s ascension to the Presidency or just causing us to keep the situation under close scrutiny?

Washington Monthly states that the situation is: “strategically, a race-based strategy isn't just offensive; it's likely to be counter-productive. I seriously doubt Harry Reid is going to respond well to these kinds of accusations, especially when Reid has Barack Obama taking the same position.

Burris and his supporters who want to see him fill the vacancy have a far better option: emphasize the rule of law. Remind the political world, Illinois voters, and reporters that, like him or not, Blagojevich is the duly-elected governor, he has the sole authority to fill this vacancy, and he enjoys the presumption of innocence. Burris is unrelated to the governor's scandal and he's fully qualified and eligible to serve. The Supreme Court precedent in the Powell case seems to back them up.

What's that old law-school adage? "When you have the facts, argue the facts. When you have the law, argue the law." My advice to Burris and his surrogates: skip the Bull Connor nonsense and go with the more compelling argument."

Where is Jesse Jackson when you need him? Why didn’t he find a way to end the impasse caused by this situation? Could it be that he prefers to stay out of it because he is hopefully that his son may be eligible and he doesn’t want to taint the waters? Or is this just an example of Burris pushing the envelope to fullest extent of the law because he isn’t under scrutiny Blagojevich is?

As of this writing the Secretary of the Senate has rejected Burris’ application as the junior senator appointment. Burris exclaimed at the conference that “What has been done is legal,” adding, “I am the junior senator of Illinois”. He says the drama must be for the media to maintain their job and is coming from the media not him although he called the media conference.

Meantime last week, Burris filed a motion to the Illinois Supreme Court regarding his appointment being challenged. Also, last Friday he filed another motion asking the Supreme Court to “hurry up” on that motion, “so that he could take care of the people business of Illinois”.

Burris is 71 years old, in spite of his twenty years of service in the most recent few years; he has run for governor twice and lost and in his last bid, he ran for Mayor of Chicago also and lost. If he has lost the past three bids for elected positions the question remains is he the best candidate for this position or is this a ploy by Burris to increase the odds of being elected to the position when the term is up?

Well Tuesday morning will be “an event” to watch as to whether or not Burris is seated.

2009-01-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

BLOG January 4, 2009: Day four of the New Year and 16 days before Obama becomes the official President of the United States. When a country doesn’t have formal military forces, how are they supposed to defend themselves, especially when their country is occupied by a foreign nation? Will someone please answer this for me?

Why isn’t this a normal legal procedure. They are violating the use of court using military means. Is this because the United States did this for 9/11 to justify invading two countries? And guess what; the United Nations can’t make a decision on what is the proper process, in spite of it being in plain view, at least as seen through the perspective of FOX and CNN.

Governor Richardson of New Mexico declined the Secretary of Labor position. Richardson is one of the highest ranking Latino Americans in the Democratic Party, so we are talking a huge loss here.

NewsMax and the Republicans are calling it a second example of “Pay to Play”, The Governor Blago situation being the first example.

Apparently a California contractor won a $1.34 million transportation project in New Mexico, raising eyebrows because the company is also cited as having been a large campaign donor for the Richardson for President 2008 campaign. Citing that “to not interfere with the current economic situation and requiring a couple months to clear” it would also slow down any actions Obama will be required to take to solve the various labor plans.

Where is Bush? Has he disappeared off the radar? It frightens me to think what he might be up to.

Cheney is still trying to convince us that his neocon buddies need to provoke Iran so he can upset the entire Middle East before he goes out of office. Call it World War III.

2008-12-18T16:57:00.000-08:00

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.

Cut the Crap . . .

2008-12-17T11:33:00.001-08:00

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 . . .

2008-12-17T11:33:00.000-08:00

Failing Economy

2008-12-14T18:32:00.001-08:00

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

2008-12-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

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.
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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 . . .

2008-12-14T18:14:00.000-08:00

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”?