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 . . .
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
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 . . .
The Great Depression will become a whimper if we don’t figure this one out and delicately transplant “reason”, “responsibility” and extricate finger pointing. We all knew the expense that would incur due to the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars. We all knew that Bush had taken our foreign policy into “no man’s land”, raising the ire of his own father, who even sent in Gates as part of the Cavalry. We knew that world leaders have spoken out against the Bush Doctrine. We knew “so what” and “so” were pretty much the criterions for many of the decision making that was occurring, while our federal legislatures stood by, watched, gave cursory responses without any teeth and were afraid to speak out for fear of not being re-elected.
Remember the first course of action that Pelosi said after being nominated Speaker of the House was to say that there would be “no impeachment” of Bush. I never understood her rationale and one day when I get the opportunity to speaking to her, I’ll truly ask that question.
Why are we acting so surprised now? Bush has less than 40 days left, yes there will always be those hardliners who can’t find fault in his behavior or decision making no matter how many American leaders from all political persuasions complained, wrote books, lectured, and filed law suits. . Meantime, let’s solidify the country, get the facts together, agree to agree that there are higher proprieties needing solving and the Governor of Illinois just needs to take his ball and bat and go home. Who in the Democratic Party is bold enough to step in and take this “stupid” distraction away? Now they are implying that Obama had something to do with the conversations that “BLAG” has been making regarding the sell of his senate seat? The man brought in $660 million dollars to his campaign for President, why would he need to play games with “BLAG”? Blag has his own agenda and should be STOPPED while the getting is good. Then they need to go and disinfect the entire office and maybe burn some candles and incense to get the “evil spirit” out of its offices. Three governors, all in a row? Something is definitely wrong there. Why don’t all Main street voters agree that we have had enough excuses already and agree to turn the page and extradict the negativity and fraudulent players.
I like what Newt Gingrich said:
In a time when America is facing real challenges, Republicans should be working to help the incoming President succeed in meeting them, regardless of his Party.
From now until the inaugural, Republicans should be offering to help the President-elect prepare to take office.
Furthermore, once President Obama takes office, Republicans should be eager to work with him when he is right, and, when he is wrong, offer a better solution, instead of just opposing him.
This is the only way the Republican Party will become known as the "better solutions" party, not just an opposition party. And this is the only way Republicans will ever regain the trust of the voters to return to the majority.
This ad is a terrible signal to be sending about both the goals of the Republican Party in the midst of the nation's troubled economic times and about whether we have actually learned anything from the defeats of 2006 and 2008.
Yes, I am cheering Gingrich, this time, because right is right and wrong is often very wrong in politics . . .
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Failing Economy
CHAMBLISS BLOG. Depending on what you read, The National Republican Trust PAC seem to present Republican Saxby Chambliss is the “great Republican firewall of hope”, . . . keeping Obama at bay with the US Senate votes”. Maybe they don’t know that in the heavy Republican area that I live in, that Republican voters were hands-on in putting President Elect Barack Obama into office.
Then, I can’t tell if they are baiting Obama to come to Georgia because Sarah Palin is expected to attend several rallies for Chambliss or are they are in need of some stimulus to make Chambliss appear to be at least interesting as the run off between he and Jim Martin’s revved up feverous pitch contentious election. How much you want to bet the media will be analyzing her clothes to see whether or not she still owns the $150,000 RNP wardrobe.
Some people are even delusional that between Palin and Obama that people would pick Palin? Is this Republican claim nothing more than an act of building Palin up to something that she is not and parading her around as the pretty, false hope and leader of the Republican Party, while the real decision makers of the Republican Party wrestle back the reigns of intelligence and common sense?
Maybe Chambliss’s Republican friends have forgotten that Obama is readying himself to lead the nation out of a delicate and cataclysmic political, economic and spiritual state we are feeling. Something our current Republican leader appears to be having difficulty figuring out. One minute Paulsen is saying “bailout”, the next day he is exposing the possibility of “revisiting the funds available”, then a couple days he starts up again with “bailout”. Meantime, we hear the mumbling confusion of the glazed over look, baggy eyed, lame duck Bush exclaiming that he is doing the best that he can. He looks like he needs some serious bed rest. Did however see pictures of him drinking in Peru? I thought he was off of the sauce since he was 40 years old?
If Palin wants to go “save the day” hopefully unlike the manner she practically destroyed McCain’s bid for 2008 Presidency, with the winking, blinking and nodding, so let her go. This should increase Martin’s chances of winning, we can only hope. This should raise the circulation and subscriptions of the local papers, tourism and Republican swag. A good fight often brings the sincerity, focus, and activism out of the voters. . .
As an observer many of the attacks on Palin seem, to be coming from those that know her well and are willing to share those experiences with the media. This doesn’t count for the numerous times that Palin wasn’t able to complete a full sentence and change topics to appeal to her intellectual strengths which Republican commentators have repetitively attacked for incoherence.
It was McCain’s people reporting the money being spent on “my lady Palin” and the behind the scenes emotional upheaval you usually don’t know about until it comes book form after the inaugural activities, but apparently the A-team was so bamboozled by Palin’s behavior, the magazines and newspapers received the leaks before the books could be published. Whether or not these incidents are true, well again, it depends on what you read. I believe the Republicans can do better than Palin and maybe this was McCain’s final swipe at the Republican power brokers but who knows, looking forward to reading that book.
This doesn’t exonerate the Democrats however, I believe the Democrats too have a lot of baggage they need to release to clean their mental palates of the past disgusting eight years of snide diplomacy, an out trillions budget and to realize that change will require Democrats too to stop doing business the “ole fashion way” while partisan tit for tat drags the American people further into global economic chaos and contention.
The American people, have spoken, enough already, let’s get serious, roll up our sleeves, tighten our belts and egos, get those sugar plums dancing out of our heads, be ready to negotiate to the highest denominator, use the wisdom, education, experiences of all parties invited to the governing table and set our goals for a more peaceful coexistence with the rest of the world because damn it, there is only one planet to reside on. Amen.
SINCE THE WRITING OF THIS: Chambliss won the election. Obama never went to Georgia, he had larger issues to work on, like our failing economy . . .
Then, I can’t tell if they are baiting Obama to come to Georgia because Sarah Palin is expected to attend several rallies for Chambliss or are they are in need of some stimulus to make Chambliss appear to be at least interesting as the run off between he and Jim Martin’s revved up feverous pitch contentious election. How much you want to bet the media will be analyzing her clothes to see whether or not she still owns the $150,000 RNP wardrobe.
Some people are even delusional that between Palin and Obama that people would pick Palin? Is this Republican claim nothing more than an act of building Palin up to something that she is not and parading her around as the pretty, false hope and leader of the Republican Party, while the real decision makers of the Republican Party wrestle back the reigns of intelligence and common sense?
Maybe Chambliss’s Republican friends have forgotten that Obama is readying himself to lead the nation out of a delicate and cataclysmic political, economic and spiritual state we are feeling. Something our current Republican leader appears to be having difficulty figuring out. One minute Paulsen is saying “bailout”, the next day he is exposing the possibility of “revisiting the funds available”, then a couple days he starts up again with “bailout”. Meantime, we hear the mumbling confusion of the glazed over look, baggy eyed, lame duck Bush exclaiming that he is doing the best that he can. He looks like he needs some serious bed rest. Did however see pictures of him drinking in Peru? I thought he was off of the sauce since he was 40 years old?
If Palin wants to go “save the day” hopefully unlike the manner she practically destroyed McCain’s bid for 2008 Presidency, with the winking, blinking and nodding, so let her go. This should increase Martin’s chances of winning, we can only hope. This should raise the circulation and subscriptions of the local papers, tourism and Republican swag. A good fight often brings the sincerity, focus, and activism out of the voters. . .
As an observer many of the attacks on Palin seem, to be coming from those that know her well and are willing to share those experiences with the media. This doesn’t count for the numerous times that Palin wasn’t able to complete a full sentence and change topics to appeal to her intellectual strengths which Republican commentators have repetitively attacked for incoherence.
It was McCain’s people reporting the money being spent on “my lady Palin” and the behind the scenes emotional upheaval you usually don’t know about until it comes book form after the inaugural activities, but apparently the A-team was so bamboozled by Palin’s behavior, the magazines and newspapers received the leaks before the books could be published. Whether or not these incidents are true, well again, it depends on what you read. I believe the Republicans can do better than Palin and maybe this was McCain’s final swipe at the Republican power brokers but who knows, looking forward to reading that book.
This doesn’t exonerate the Democrats however, I believe the Democrats too have a lot of baggage they need to release to clean their mental palates of the past disgusting eight years of snide diplomacy, an out trillions budget and to realize that change will require Democrats too to stop doing business the “ole fashion way” while partisan tit for tat drags the American people further into global economic chaos and contention.
The American people, have spoken, enough already, let’s get serious, roll up our sleeves, tighten our belts and egos, get those sugar plums dancing out of our heads, be ready to negotiate to the highest denominator, use the wisdom, education, experiences of all parties invited to the governing table and set our goals for a more peaceful coexistence with the rest of the world because damn it, there is only one planet to reside on. Amen.
SINCE THE WRITING OF THIS: Chambliss won the election. Obama never went to Georgia, he had larger issues to work on, like our failing economy . . .
BiRTH CERTIFICATES AND SIMPSON
There is an appeal being put before the Supreme Court questioning the citizenship
of Barack Obama. A friend called terribly upset over there being a question as to whether or not he is a born citizen of the United States. The question is over whether or not Hawaii was a state at the time of his birth. There has also been a question as to whether or not he is a dual citizen of Kenya which would make him a Brit or not. I thought they vet you with the FBI, Secret Service and the IRS before you are ever even considered as a presidential nominee. Did someone forget to do their homework on this one? I can just see Schwarzenegger’s camp watching and paying close attention to this vetting process.
What will be even more heartfelt is to find a serious historian or political science teacher who can find the copy of the policies between Queen Lili'uokalani the Hawaiian queen who never gave possession of Hawaii to the United States in the first place and then let it be known how Hawaii became the possession of the United States. Now there is a can of worms I don’t think the Defense Department, Dulles, American Fruit Company wants to unearth.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Football famous quarterback O.J. Simpson, 61, got the minimum sentence of 7-½ to 15 years today, instead of the 30 year to life sentence some as some were anticipating. It appears that with no prior criminal record, remember he was found not guilty with the help of the DREAM TEAM lawyer group, so the District Judge Jackie Glass said that she ruled based on the current situation.
Check out the videos:
GUILTY OF ALL 12 Charges http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz1ylfwDWBc
What gets me however, is what kind of friend will set you up to take their property when they knew the property was yours in the first place, video tape your calling the establishment, knocking on the door, roughing up the friends and threatening them with guns knowing that they “your friends” were wrong and had stolen the property from you? So Judge Glass shaved 7-½ years of OJ’s life and is up for probation after 5 years, if he is lucky. The 12 counts were taken concurrently. Boy he got a break on this one! So the lessons learned here is that if someone has possession of your goods consider that you are not above the law to go seize them, even if they are “your friends”. The bottom line is that he went in and took their possessions without legal authority from the courts. Had he called the police department and pressed charges, he would have been able to stop the sale. You can’t take the law into your own hands. In his case Stewart, a mortgage broker, who they say barely knew him, and a couple other buddies drew guns in the motel room full of people.
Discussion has been how could that many large men fit into one room with so much calamity, noise and confusion without anyone getting shot. Yes, we are a country of laws and I believe Simpson got that message loud and clear today. The judge had the ability to show that she was only abiding by the law in her sentencing of what he did in the theft. She made it plain and for public record that any previous problems Simpson had had weren’t being taken into consideration at all. However there is some question that in the appeal that there weren’t any African Americans on the jury. There is also question of a couple comments made by the lead juror implying that he too didn’t want to think about the l994 killing of OJ’s Nicole Brown Simpson, ex-wife and her friend, Ronald Goldman. So if everyone wants to be so objective then why even bring it up? The fact that neither Simpson nor Stewart had had any prior criminal activities was supposed to be why the sentence was more lenient. The media pundits however are at it again, questioning why the underlying circumstances that led to Simpson’s theft ever given sufficient weight. One wonders if Simpson had plea bargained like the other defendants would they have reduced the sentence to probation. But then they say he was already on probation at the time. I can only feel for the children of the Simpson and Stewart families. Stewart hanging his head and barely able to read his concession speech is really behind the eight ball now. The humiliation alone should have allowed him less time, but the judge says “you had possession of a gun”, this is a sign of danger, . . . and had the run gone off and hit a stray tourist walking in the hallway, the case would have been murder” (or words to this effect).
There was discussion that Simpson has severe arthritis and as such requires strong pain killers. Pundits say he won’t be able to bring this medication into the prison system because the narcotics are not allowed. There has also been discussion that because of his popularity that Simpson will also have to be “isolated” from the general population. Remember the “special pillow” he required in the 1994 criminal case. So many people “poo poohed his pillow request” but how many of us didn’t run out and try that pillow to see if it relaxed our necks for a more sound sleep. I see them advertised everywhere now.
So as the wheels of justice move, Simpson should have gone to court even though he believed he had title. So from the legal point of view the thieves had ownership or possession of the Simpson memorabilia. He said he knew these guys. The question is does he have any avenue for appeal. Las Vegas prosecutors say when you have a gun in the process of a criminal activity, you go straight to jail. The point that OJ was contesting the possession of those materials didn’t matter but that he had every opportunity to seek the assistance of the Las Vegas Police Department. But what sickened me even more about this case, Goldman, who many have always said is starved for attention and for the money he believes Simpson has stashed away, was sitting in court like a vulture waiting for some financial windfall. So aren’t there laws against people stalking you?
of Barack Obama. A friend called terribly upset over there being a question as to whether or not he is a born citizen of the United States. The question is over whether or not Hawaii was a state at the time of his birth. There has also been a question as to whether or not he is a dual citizen of Kenya which would make him a Brit or not. I thought they vet you with the FBI, Secret Service and the IRS before you are ever even considered as a presidential nominee. Did someone forget to do their homework on this one? I can just see Schwarzenegger’s camp watching and paying close attention to this vetting process.
What will be even more heartfelt is to find a serious historian or political science teacher who can find the copy of the policies between Queen Lili'uokalani the Hawaiian queen who never gave possession of Hawaii to the United States in the first place and then let it be known how Hawaii became the possession of the United States. Now there is a can of worms I don’t think the Defense Department, Dulles, American Fruit Company wants to unearth.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Football famous quarterback O.J. Simpson, 61, got the minimum sentence of 7-½ to 15 years today, instead of the 30 year to life sentence some as some were anticipating. It appears that with no prior criminal record, remember he was found not guilty with the help of the DREAM TEAM lawyer group, so the District Judge Jackie Glass said that she ruled based on the current situation.
Check out the videos:
GUILTY OF ALL 12 Charges http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz1ylfwDWBc
What gets me however, is what kind of friend will set you up to take their property when they knew the property was yours in the first place, video tape your calling the establishment, knocking on the door, roughing up the friends and threatening them with guns knowing that they “your friends” were wrong and had stolen the property from you? So Judge Glass shaved 7-½ years of OJ’s life and is up for probation after 5 years, if he is lucky. The 12 counts were taken concurrently. Boy he got a break on this one! So the lessons learned here is that if someone has possession of your goods consider that you are not above the law to go seize them, even if they are “your friends”. The bottom line is that he went in and took their possessions without legal authority from the courts. Had he called the police department and pressed charges, he would have been able to stop the sale. You can’t take the law into your own hands. In his case Stewart, a mortgage broker, who they say barely knew him, and a couple other buddies drew guns in the motel room full of people.
Discussion has been how could that many large men fit into one room with so much calamity, noise and confusion without anyone getting shot. Yes, we are a country of laws and I believe Simpson got that message loud and clear today. The judge had the ability to show that she was only abiding by the law in her sentencing of what he did in the theft. She made it plain and for public record that any previous problems Simpson had had weren’t being taken into consideration at all. However there is some question that in the appeal that there weren’t any African Americans on the jury. There is also question of a couple comments made by the lead juror implying that he too didn’t want to think about the l994 killing of OJ’s Nicole Brown Simpson, ex-wife and her friend, Ronald Goldman. So if everyone wants to be so objective then why even bring it up? The fact that neither Simpson nor Stewart had had any prior criminal activities was supposed to be why the sentence was more lenient. The media pundits however are at it again, questioning why the underlying circumstances that led to Simpson’s theft ever given sufficient weight. One wonders if Simpson had plea bargained like the other defendants would they have reduced the sentence to probation. But then they say he was already on probation at the time. I can only feel for the children of the Simpson and Stewart families. Stewart hanging his head and barely able to read his concession speech is really behind the eight ball now. The humiliation alone should have allowed him less time, but the judge says “you had possession of a gun”, this is a sign of danger, . . . and had the run gone off and hit a stray tourist walking in the hallway, the case would have been murder” (or words to this effect).
There was discussion that Simpson has severe arthritis and as such requires strong pain killers. Pundits say he won’t be able to bring this medication into the prison system because the narcotics are not allowed. There has also been discussion that because of his popularity that Simpson will also have to be “isolated” from the general population. Remember the “special pillow” he required in the 1994 criminal case. So many people “poo poohed his pillow request” but how many of us didn’t run out and try that pillow to see if it relaxed our necks for a more sound sleep. I see them advertised everywhere now.
So as the wheels of justice move, Simpson should have gone to court even though he believed he had title. So from the legal point of view the thieves had ownership or possession of the Simpson memorabilia. He said he knew these guys. The question is does he have any avenue for appeal. Las Vegas prosecutors say when you have a gun in the process of a criminal activity, you go straight to jail. The point that OJ was contesting the possession of those materials didn’t matter but that he had every opportunity to seek the assistance of the Las Vegas Police Department. But what sickened me even more about this case, Goldman, who many have always said is starved for attention and for the money he believes Simpson has stashed away, was sitting in court like a vulture waiting for some financial windfall. So aren’t there laws against people stalking you?
SHOE THROWN . . .
SHOE THROWN: December 14, 2008 Is a day that I will also remember. We finished decorating our Christmas tree. We learn today that George W. Bush was making his fourth and final visit to Baghdad and had two size 10 shoes thrown at him as a sign of disapproval and contamination at a surprised news conference with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. They were signing a peace security document.
Associated Press picture
and see the link;
http://baghdadbureau.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/podcast-an-account-of-the-shoe-throwing-incident/?ref=middleeast
Apparently one of the journalist sitting in the middle of the room yelled out in Arabic, “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog” and threw his shoes at Bush, barely missing his head. The same journalist yelled again, “This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq,” after which he was strongly held by the Iraqi audience as the police were being summoned. Before the journalist could be apprehended Maliki shielded Bush’s face with his hand. One must understand in the Muslim culture to have a shoe thrown at you means that there is pollution in the general direction of the speaker and impurity. The journalist was eventually wrestled to the ground with several men pulling at his hair and clothing. According to Bloomberg.com the journalist was Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi- owned station based in Cairo, Egypt. Bush says that he didn’t feel threatened by the shoe thrower. He alluded to al-Zeidi’s actions as a political outburst that are found in America. But I don’t remember anyone ever throwing a shoe at a politician, do you?
As the video shows Bush continues to stand in the front of the podium and the American secret serviceman positions himself next to Bush. I wondered why wasn’t Bush swished away? How did they not know that there could have been other disgruntled individuals in the audience? Why Bush would ever think that now that he could sit down with Iraqi’s after all that has transpired is beyond me. He was there to tout the success of the surge in Iraq, which Bush says is providing Maliki the opportunity to put new policies in place with Adil Abd al-Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashimi as the two vice presidents and members of the Iraqi Presidential Council, to lower the deaths of Iraqi’s in the area even though the war in Iraq isn’t over.
Apparently soon after this, Bush was swished away to an eager and enthusiastic group of American soldiers. He referred to the surge as, “one of the greatest successes in the history of the United States military.” He continued, “Thanks to you,” he told the soldiers, “the Iraq we’re standing in today is dramatically freer, dramatically safer and dramatically better than the Iraq we found eight years ago.”
Remember last Thanksgiving Bush stating that he wanted to thank the troops himself, he was swished unannounced again to Iraq under other ruses to get him into Iraq and out before anyone had time to know it. However he referred to this year’s visit, according to the Reuter’s report, “calling the security agreements “a reminder of our friendship and as a way forward to help the Iraqis realize the blessings of a free society.” What kind of friendship would cause you to sneak in and out of a country if you are so beloved? Is this man a glutton for punishment or does he believe he really can go to Iraq and say that he is sorry for the anguish, pain, death and discord he has caused this country? I heard that Carl Rover, et. al are busy rewriting history to accommodate Bush’s legacy but this takes the cake. I’ve also heard of photo ops also, but to put himself in harms way knowing that the people in Iraq don’t like him; I believe is as outrageous as the shoe being thrown at him. Secret Service may use a metal detector to identify a knife, a gun, noonshuckers, spurs, etc. But who would ever think to prepare for a “flying round toed shoe”?
Associated Press picture
and see the link;
http://baghdadbureau.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/podcast-an-account-of-the-shoe-throwing-incident/?ref=middleeast
Apparently one of the journalist sitting in the middle of the room yelled out in Arabic, “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog” and threw his shoes at Bush, barely missing his head. The same journalist yelled again, “This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq,” after which he was strongly held by the Iraqi audience as the police were being summoned. Before the journalist could be apprehended Maliki shielded Bush’s face with his hand. One must understand in the Muslim culture to have a shoe thrown at you means that there is pollution in the general direction of the speaker and impurity. The journalist was eventually wrestled to the ground with several men pulling at his hair and clothing. According to Bloomberg.com the journalist was Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi- owned station based in Cairo, Egypt. Bush says that he didn’t feel threatened by the shoe thrower. He alluded to al-Zeidi’s actions as a political outburst that are found in America. But I don’t remember anyone ever throwing a shoe at a politician, do you?
As the video shows Bush continues to stand in the front of the podium and the American secret serviceman positions himself next to Bush. I wondered why wasn’t Bush swished away? How did they not know that there could have been other disgruntled individuals in the audience? Why Bush would ever think that now that he could sit down with Iraqi’s after all that has transpired is beyond me. He was there to tout the success of the surge in Iraq, which Bush says is providing Maliki the opportunity to put new policies in place with Adil Abd al-Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashimi as the two vice presidents and members of the Iraqi Presidential Council, to lower the deaths of Iraqi’s in the area even though the war in Iraq isn’t over.
Apparently soon after this, Bush was swished away to an eager and enthusiastic group of American soldiers. He referred to the surge as, “one of the greatest successes in the history of the United States military.” He continued, “Thanks to you,” he told the soldiers, “the Iraq we’re standing in today is dramatically freer, dramatically safer and dramatically better than the Iraq we found eight years ago.”
Remember last Thanksgiving Bush stating that he wanted to thank the troops himself, he was swished unannounced again to Iraq under other ruses to get him into Iraq and out before anyone had time to know it. However he referred to this year’s visit, according to the Reuter’s report, “calling the security agreements “a reminder of our friendship and as a way forward to help the Iraqis realize the blessings of a free society.” What kind of friendship would cause you to sneak in and out of a country if you are so beloved? Is this man a glutton for punishment or does he believe he really can go to Iraq and say that he is sorry for the anguish, pain, death and discord he has caused this country? I heard that Carl Rover, et. al are busy rewriting history to accommodate Bush’s legacy but this takes the cake. I’ve also heard of photo ops also, but to put himself in harms way knowing that the people in Iraq don’t like him; I believe is as outrageous as the shoe being thrown at him. Secret Service may use a metal detector to identify a knife, a gun, noonshuckers, spurs, etc. But who would ever think to prepare for a “flying round toed shoe”?
Monday, December 8, 2008
I’m sure you have noticed the amazing decrease in the price of oil lately. Today you can find gas at almost anywhere in Southern California for $1.43 to $1.89 a gallon. When I filled up my “on fumes” car yesterday, at Valerio, which is usually less expensive than “American name brands”, the car only needed $18.00. I looked at the 7-11 attendant waiting for the other shoe to drop and the pump was correct. I can remember when I barely got ½ a tank and coasted in hilly areas to save gas.
According to 60 Minutes transcripts:
Saudi Aramco was originally an American company. It goes way back to the 1930s when two American geologists from Standard Oil of California discovered oil in the Saudi desert. Standard Oil formed a consortium with Texaco, Exxon and Mobil, which became Aramco. It wasn't until the 1980s that Saudi Arabia bought them out and nationalized the company. Today, Saudi Aramco is the custodian of the country's sole source of wealth and power.
Over 16,000 people work at the company's massive compound, which is like a little country with its own security force, schools, hospitals, and even its own airline. According to Abdallah Jum’ah, Saudi Aramco's president and CEO, Aramco is the world’s largest oil producing company. And it's the richest company in the world, worth, according to the latest estimate, $781 billion.
Last night, the Saudi sheik in responding to Leslie Stahl’s “60 Minutes” question on “what is the foreseeable cost of oil in six months” said that if Ali Al-Naimi, the oil minister of Saudi Arabia who ran Saudi Aramco for 11 years before it was nationalized. He said if he knew what the cost would be, he would be in Las Vegas placing his bet. The special entitled, “The Oil Kingdom” produced by Richard Bonin and Kathy Lui was alarmingly frank about the recent increase in petroleum finds in Saudi Arabia, also known as “the Kingdom”.
Stahl’s concern of course was that recently the price of oil had spiked to $147/barrel. We were paying almost $4.35 a gallon for regular in July through October, in November there is a sudden decrease. He responded that their fear was that oil in Saudi Arabia was believed to be at a premium. Saudi Arabia had peaked out with available oil in reserve. However a new gusher has come in that rivels anything that the Kingdom has ever seen before. There is an increase of 260,000 billion barrels in the kingdom and that 200,000 billion more with a second discovery.
One is located in Shaybah, which means "Empty Quarter." is estimated at 18 billion barrels, under very soft red sand dunes, which is four times more than the 100,000 million barrels that the United States has in Alaska. 750,000 miles deep of highly concentrated Arab extra lite crude. So in 2009 the new facility will be implemented.
Khurais is the second location, lead by Khalid Abdulqader, project leader. It is larger than Shaybah and is scheduled to be the next 2,000,000 barrels a day still more than the total reverses in the United States. It is believed that it will take over 50 years to deplete the usage at Khurais alone. To get an idea of the size, it is larger than Indonesia and Quitar produce put together. 84 million gallons of sea water will be injected into the ground to get the oil to rise.
Currently there are more than 26 contracts, 106 subcontrators, and thousands of employees involved in this excavation. The construction steel needed alone is approximately large enough to make two San Francisco Golden Gate bridges. Cost $60,000,000,000 in cash to build the production field. The area is 300 ft across, requiring over 400 miles of pipeline. When this oil area was discovered in 1968 the sand dunes were too high and the economics to get to it was financially exorbitant to reach. Then along came the newest technology using the increased improved horizontal drilling process now making the oil more accessible.
The price of oil is a concern. The Saudis not allowing anything to be “jammed down their throat”, have agreed with OPEC to cutting their production by 1.5 million barrels a day. Iran wanted them to cut it even more and double the costs to bank roll their countries survival. And with all of this, we are lead to believe that price of Oil is NOT supposed to be a political bargaining tool. It costs Saudi Arabia nearly $2/barrel of oil. They want the cost to sell up to $75/barrel. They need $55/barrel to cover the cost to run the country and this price is where 75% of where their income comes from. The Oil minister stated that in all honesty, the “price must be good for the investor, consumer and producer”.
He believes responsible leaders of the financial market used measures to stabilize the banks activities and he will use the same measures to stabilize the oil market. Using those tools available to him to move forward and keep the oil market bountiful are his business concerns.
The question by Leslie Stahl to the sheik is, “Do they want to keep America addicted to oil?”
I believe with the cold winter coming up in the middle and eastern sections of the United States that you have to know that their response is “an overwhelming yes”. They are responsible business men seeking a profit and the they have the money and technological skills to modernize many nations.
Jum'ah said that they have invested $400 million in an experimental car with a combustion engine that reduces CO-2 emissions, increases gas mileage, and makes driving “more green”. This green technology they believe will assist America, their largest oil client, in conserving fuel consumption and their dependence on oil. I believe one would only need to recognize the amount spent on the experimentation. Yes, maybe Al Gore can continue to educate us on the effects of CO-2 emissions and the weather changes and then maybe the Kingdom may decide to invest in car production also and give the Big Three automakers a lifeline.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Voter Fraud
MSNBC’s Keith Olberman announced tonight that some people have noticed the sudden absence of Acorn discussions by Palin and McCain on the campaign trail. Could it be that the newest arrest by the Ontario Police Department is causing some muting he exclaimed?
He had my attention. I guess it is one thing to snap someone making up fictitious names to increase their voter registration in the same pen at the same address, but for someone to take the campaign information from actual voters and slam them into the Republican party, so they can’t vote as an independent or a Democrat is another story.
Bob Walsh, spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state says that there is a difference between voter registration fraud and Voter Fraud. “Voter registration fraud” involves imaginary voters; “Voter fraud” involves “real people”. Any fraud is wrong.
Like at our location, apparently many voters found themselves listed as Republicans. Apparently they had signed bogus petitions for requiring “parental permission” for underage children seeking abortions. From the information provided, these individuals were then re-registered as Republicans. When the voter arrived at the primary election polls, they were told that they couldn’t vote for the Democrat or for any other candidate but the Republican. It is amazing to me how one would assume that a person who signs a petition requiring underage children to get permission before they can have an abortion would not necessarily be a Democrat. Democrats to my knowledge don’t advocate having abortions, they advocate for the women to have the right to choose One of the provisions of the underage abortion petition was that if a child did become pregnant by her parent or other family member, that child doesn’t have any recourse or opportunity to redress the activities of the family member who impregnated her. Yes, if I had a daughter, I would want to know whether or not she was pregnant before she decided to have an abortion, but wouldn’t one pretty much know that something is wrong in the communication if the mother is not told by the daughter if such an event occurred? More than likely there would be other problems in the household and I don’t believe Republicans want us to start legislating conversations between parents and children. Do they? Augh, I know I can’t get a fully appreciated discussion here on the subject but it is interesting how the premise of this vote switching occurred, which is why I bring this up.
Anyway, in the primary election, Republicans restricted their voters so that they couldn’t vote for any other party. Is this not being restrictive? When voters noticed that they were unable to cast their vote for a Democratic candidate they’d approach and complain to us, the poll workers. Poll workers having little authority but to call their leads and suggest to the voter to either cast a “ballot” or write a complaint to the Voter Registration Office.
Apparently the scurrilous voter register operation has been ramped up in Southern California and by the time the claims are sorted out, the 2008 election will be over. Are the Republican knuckleheads banking on the voter not being too zealous and following through or asking questions during the voting process? I would assume so. I witnessed this at my poll location all day in the primary election and I did report this to our LA County Democratic Party. Our immediate supervisor knew and suggested to us to give each voter the preliminary voter form. We heard these complaints all day. The voters usually said “augh forget it” walking out and not casting any vote. Hence you chased after them to fill out the form. They responded, “I knew it, my vote doesn’t count anyway” again walking out very disgusted. You could suggest they call the 1 800 number, email LAVOTE.NET, or write a letter, which would be received after the voting; you could suggest they call their Congressman, Debra Bowen or the California Secretary of State. In some cases the voter would reluctantly just cast a Republican vote.
What they also don’t say is that McCain was involved in the Acorn voter registration drives too, before this information came out from the Republican party screamers. From what I understand that ACORN originated in “1970, as the Louisiana-based Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now” and is said to advocate for the poor. This election, some 13,000 ACORN workers have registered an unprecedented 1.3 million people”. All ACORN registrars aren’t as deviant as the few caught, the Republicans can also lift their accusations on perpetrators who registered non existent people, but I guess this is also to close to being decent to commend an organization for 1.3 million new registrants.
And it is election time, right? There are some rules against being decent to one another when you are from opposite parties! Is it me, or have you noticed that you hear almost nothing about the Libertarians, Greens or Peace and Freedom Parties?
He had my attention. I guess it is one thing to snap someone making up fictitious names to increase their voter registration in the same pen at the same address, but for someone to take the campaign information from actual voters and slam them into the Republican party, so they can’t vote as an independent or a Democrat is another story.
Bob Walsh, spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state says that there is a difference between voter registration fraud and Voter Fraud. “Voter registration fraud” involves imaginary voters; “Voter fraud” involves “real people”. Any fraud is wrong.
Like at our location, apparently many voters found themselves listed as Republicans. Apparently they had signed bogus petitions for requiring “parental permission” for underage children seeking abortions. From the information provided, these individuals were then re-registered as Republicans. When the voter arrived at the primary election polls, they were told that they couldn’t vote for the Democrat or for any other candidate but the Republican. It is amazing to me how one would assume that a person who signs a petition requiring underage children to get permission before they can have an abortion would not necessarily be a Democrat. Democrats to my knowledge don’t advocate having abortions, they advocate for the women to have the right to choose One of the provisions of the underage abortion petition was that if a child did become pregnant by her parent or other family member, that child doesn’t have any recourse or opportunity to redress the activities of the family member who impregnated her. Yes, if I had a daughter, I would want to know whether or not she was pregnant before she decided to have an abortion, but wouldn’t one pretty much know that something is wrong in the communication if the mother is not told by the daughter if such an event occurred? More than likely there would be other problems in the household and I don’t believe Republicans want us to start legislating conversations between parents and children. Do they? Augh, I know I can’t get a fully appreciated discussion here on the subject but it is interesting how the premise of this vote switching occurred, which is why I bring this up.
Anyway, in the primary election, Republicans restricted their voters so that they couldn’t vote for any other party. Is this not being restrictive? When voters noticed that they were unable to cast their vote for a Democratic candidate they’d approach and complain to us, the poll workers. Poll workers having little authority but to call their leads and suggest to the voter to either cast a “ballot” or write a complaint to the Voter Registration Office.
Apparently the scurrilous voter register operation has been ramped up in Southern California and by the time the claims are sorted out, the 2008 election will be over. Are the Republican knuckleheads banking on the voter not being too zealous and following through or asking questions during the voting process? I would assume so. I witnessed this at my poll location all day in the primary election and I did report this to our LA County Democratic Party. Our immediate supervisor knew and suggested to us to give each voter the preliminary voter form. We heard these complaints all day. The voters usually said “augh forget it” walking out and not casting any vote. Hence you chased after them to fill out the form. They responded, “I knew it, my vote doesn’t count anyway” again walking out very disgusted. You could suggest they call the 1 800 number, email LAVOTE.NET, or write a letter, which would be received after the voting; you could suggest they call their Congressman, Debra Bowen or the California Secretary of State. In some cases the voter would reluctantly just cast a Republican vote.
What they also don’t say is that McCain was involved in the Acorn voter registration drives too, before this information came out from the Republican party screamers. From what I understand that ACORN originated in “1970, as the Louisiana-based Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now” and is said to advocate for the poor. This election, some 13,000 ACORN workers have registered an unprecedented 1.3 million people”. All ACORN registrars aren’t as deviant as the few caught, the Republicans can also lift their accusations on perpetrators who registered non existent people, but I guess this is also to close to being decent to commend an organization for 1.3 million new registrants.
And it is election time, right? There are some rules against being decent to one another when you are from opposite parties! Is it me, or have you noticed that you hear almost nothing about the Libertarians, Greens or Peace and Freedom Parties?
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