Iran's strategy is to strike Israel with its first test of its long range missiles. Nothing can be left to chance, stop Iranian aggression.

The Iranian government has proven it has never acted in good faith toward the International Community. It is covert and its aggression is obvious. While 'calm' surmounts reality in an understanding that sanctions will work, even tougher sanctions than has worked to date, there is an element of risk that has to be faced regarding the potential for a 'risky' first strike at the opportunity to test Iranian long range missiles.

In my opinion, the USA has no other choice but to maintain a nuclear submarine presence within striking distance of Iran. The Iranians under its current leadership are too unpredictable, which brings all to clear the uproar following the last elections. The Iranian leadership of the opposition would know of the aggressive strategy against Israel and knows all to well the response by The West and potentially Russia and China in retaliation.

The elections resulted in riots due to the impending doom the opposition realized is inevitable under the current regime.


Sept. 25: A view of what is believed to be a uranium-enrichment facility near Qom, Iran, is seen in this satellite photograph. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Friday the United States, Britain and France would "regret" accusing Iran of hiding a nuclear fuel facility, saying it was not a secret site (Reuters).

Iran plans to test-fire missiles capable of hitting targets (click title to entry - thank you) across the Middle East tomorrow, in a show of defiance before Thursday's pivotal talks on the country's nuclear programme.
The test of the Shahab-3, following trials of short-range missiles today, is likely to raise tensions across the region. Iran claims the missile, based on a North Korean design, has a range of 1,500 miles – far enough to reach Israel and Iran's other Middle East rivals Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey....

The only way the Iranians should be tolerated in allowing any missile testing is for complete and immediate inspection of all its nuclear facilites. The Iran regime in power is completely untrustworthy and all safeguards to prevent confrontation are necessary. Iran cannot be contained without the dismantling of their nuclear intentions. It doesn't need nuclear power for peaceful purposes. Its energy needs can be obtained through solar and wind projects.



If Iran was to be the saviors of the Shi'ite acting in peace they should have never covertly conducted expansion of their nuclear facilities. This is NOT the way to secure a 'Shi'ite' presence on Earth, it is sure to destroy any of its chances at survival.
continued...

"Morning Papers" - Its Origins

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

The graph is independant from the article which appeared in the New York Times as an editorial.

...A survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that (click title to entry - thank you), once again, health insurance premiums rose faster last year than either wages or general inflation. A study by the Treasury Department found that almost half of all Americans below Medicare age have gone without insurance at some point over the last decade.
The Kaiser study, conducted jointly with the Health Research and Education Trust, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association, found that the average premium for a family policy offered at work rose above $13,300 in 2009 — up from $5,800 in 1999. The average employer paid more than $9,800 of that, while the workers contributed more than $3,500. The workers were also hit with larger co-payments and deductibles, while their policies often offered fewer benefits....


There is no way this can be allowed to go on.

The pages 650 through 653 of the House Bill are a completion of the previous provision and it is fairly routine. So the next topic is on page 654 entitled "Public Reporting on Health Care Associated Infections."

Page 655, lines 3 through 18:

‘‘(2) REPORTING PROTOCOLS.— Such information shall be reported in accordance with reporting protocols established by the Secretary through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in this section referred to as the ‘CDC’) and to the National Healthcare Safety Network of the CDC or under such another reporting system of such Centers as determined appropriate by the Secretary in consultation with such Director.
‘‘(3) COORDINATION WITH HIT.—The Secretary, through the Director of the CDC and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, shall ensure that the transmission of information under this subsection is coordinated with systems established under the HITECH Act, where appropriate.

This is a change in the public reporting by the CDC. The infrastructure already exists through previous 'purpose' and legislation, it a matter of requiring public access to SPECIFICALLY "Nosocomial Infections."

Nosocomial infections are defined as "hospital acquired." See example below:


September 22, 2009
Tales from the C. difficile trenches (click here)
Admitted to hospital for pneumonia, the retired man was visited every day by his wife, who helped feed and care for him. Then he contracted Clostridium difficile from a roommate and had to be transferred to intensive care. His wife was later admitted to another part of the hospital – with C. difficile. She was too ill to visit him as he lay dying and too sick to attend his funeral.
A true story, one that Dr. Michael Gardam tells to bring home the human toll of an infection that is so often transmitted in hospital.
“Things like this happen in hospitals and telling them is how we recognize the impact that hospital-acquired infections can have on patients,” explains the director of infectious disease prevention and control at the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion....

The reason, of course, for reporting such events publically is to make all the services to patients better. Easy access to immediate information regarding trends in nosocomial infections will allow for better understanding of the pervasiveness in hospitals and how the hospitals that have low rates combat those problems. These efforts lead to lower health care costs and better patient outcomes.

C. difficile is a bacteria that CAN manifest when antibiotics are administered. The reason it occurs with some frequency in hospitals is due to IV antibiotics and the immediate effects on any bacterial infection. Sometimes it is due to the 'strength' of the medication as well and its overall 'spectrum' of infection fighting capacity. Broad spectrum antibiotics are good for 'immediate' care, but, should be substituted as soon as possible with antibiotics that 'specificially' treat the organism causing the infection. There is no need to treat all infections with broad spectrum antibiotics because that is what caused 'super bugs.'

The reason such measures haven't been conducted before is because it is also 'bad advertisement' for hospitals and health care facilities that have chronic issues with nosocomial infections. Where would you like to be treated? In facilities, including MD offices, where there are very low occurrences of these infections or a place with chronic 'sanitary' issues? You know. The 'persistent' dirt in the corners of public bathrooms, including patient rooms, carry all kinds of 'mess' with it. There are some 'dirty' health facilities in this country. So, those that would 'victimize' the public to promote sales of medications wouldn't want BETTER reporting, because, people might actually stay healthy and alive of all things.


You know the Republicans chronically complain about 'tort reform.' It isn't tort reform that is needed and this is a fine example. Why should any law regarding enforcement of high sanitary standards matter if there is no deterrent. Law suits for unnecessary deaths of patients, due to in this instance, hospital acquired infections are a means of deterrent. When the lives of people being treated mean nothing in the way of fiscal losses to practitioners and facilities because tort reform eliminates liabilty, what does that interpret into in 'the real world?' An ethics violation? So. No MD loses their license due to an occassional ethics complaint because a patient died due to a hospital acquired infection. No hospital is closed due to that reason either. BUT. They pay attention to malpractice costs and payments on lawsuits.


HENCE.


A person's life, no matter where they fall into the socioeconomic strata of the USA has definition. If anyone or any entity screws up and costs a person their life, they will lose millions with potential for billions depending on the extent of negligence or malpractice occurring. It is a 'safety' issue. Tort reform isn't about money. Not really. It is about providing a safety net to medical care.

National Briefing South: North Carolina: Settlement For Transplant Error (click here)
Published: Saturday, June 26, 2004
Duke University Hospital has reached an undisclosed settlement with the family of a Mexican teenager who died after being given a heart-lung transplant of the wrong blood type. The girl, Jésica Santillán , 17, died last year, 15 days after the botched transplant....

There are more words to this provision that insures high quality reporting, annual reporting to Congress, noncompliance and implementation.

So you know everyone is on the same page and this isn't 'just my take' on things, page 658, lines 1 through 12:

‘‘(e) HEALTH CARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTION.—For purposes of this section:
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘health care-associated infection’ means an infection that develops in a patient who has received care in any institutional setting where health care is delivered and is related to receiving health care.
‘‘(2) RELATED TO RECEIVING HEALTH CARE.— The term ‘related to receiving health care’, with respect to an infection, means that the infection was not incubating or present at the time health care was provided.


Page 660. lines 1 through 4:


TITLE V—MEDICARE GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION
SEC. 1501. DISTRIBUTION OF UNUSED RESIDENCY POSITIONS.

Page 666, lines 3 through 13;

‘‘(iii) CONSIDERATIONS IN REDISTRIBUTION.—In determining for which qualifying hospitals the increase in the otherwise applicable resident limit is provided under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall take into account the demonstrated likelihood of the hospital filling the positions within the first 3 cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 2011, made available under this subparagraph, as determined by the Secretary.

"The devil is in the details." This provision allows for redistribution of 'effective' residency programs to hospitals actively engaged in conducting them. There is reporting to the Secretary the number of successful engagement of residencies, including, the inability of any hospital to have a successful program. There is opportunity for hospitals to expand their programs as well. Basically, the Secretary wants to be sure, beside quality programs in the USA existing, that they are actually producing the physicians and surgeons needed in the country. It is a quality assurance issue.

Same page, lines 14 through 20:

‘‘(iv) PRIORITY FOR CERTAIN HOSPITALS.—In determining for which qualifying hospitals the increase in the otherwise applicable resident limit is provided under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall distribute the increase to qualifying hospitals based on the following criteria:

Page 667, lines 1 through 5:

‘‘(II) The Secretary shall give preference to hospitals with 3-year primary care residency training programs, such as family practice and general internal medicine.

The provision is very lengthy. There are many quality assurances to implementation of the provision including increasing exposure of residents to non-hospital settings. It all seemed very appropriate, long overdue and carefully thought out. This is page 686, lines 6 through 10:

TITLE VI—PROGRAM INTEGRITY
Subtitle A—Increased Funding to Fight Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
SEC. 1601. INCREASED FUNDING AND FLEXIBILITY TO FIGHT FRAUD AND ABUSE.

Page 687, lines 12 through 16:

Subtitle B—Enhanced Penalties for Fraud and Abuse
SEC. 1611. ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR FALSE STATEMENTS ON PROVIDER OR SUPPLIER ENROLLMENT APPLICATIONS.


Both these provisions provide for increased 'enforcement' to stop abuse of the new health insurance system. There has to be such enforcement and as time goes forward there will be less and less need for it as it is realized there is little 'profit' in fraud as well as high consequences. This will also expose wasteful spending and will provide a means to lower costs of health insurance. Page 688, lines 5 through 16 provides an over view of the provision:

‘‘(8) knowingly makes or causes to be made any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation of a material fact in any application, agreement, bid, or contract to participate or enroll as a provider of services or supplier under a Federal health care program, including managed care organizations under title XIX, Medicare Advantage organizations under part C of title XVIII, prescription drug plan sponsors under part D of title XVIII, and entities that apply to participate as providers of services or suppliers in such managed care organizations and such plans;’’;

Page 689, lines 11 through 13:

SEC. 1612. ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR SUBMISSION OF FALSE STATEMENTS MATERIAL TO A FALSE CLAIM.

Page 690, lines 15 and 16:

SEC. 1613. ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR DELAYING INSPECTIONS.

Page 691, lines 1 thorugh 7;

‘‘(10) fails to grant timely access, upon reasonable request (as defined by the Secretary in regulations), to the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, for the purpose of audits, investigations, evaluations, or other statutory functions of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services;’’; and

The following is a fascinating provision. It regards hospice as a place where quality of care should exist. I remember one of the first 'rantings' of the Republican Right Wing Media was about how the government is going to kill off the aged and dying. Well. It would seem the government, at least the House of Representatives, are more interested in the 'quality of care' provided to those in hospice care. For those in the Right Wing Media that doesn't understand what 'hospice' is? It is the specialized care of the dying. Anytime the Republican Right Wing Media wants to apologize I am sure the nation would be eager to hear it.

Page 692, lines 8 through 24 and page 693, lines 1 and 2:

‘‘SEC. 1819A. ASSURING QUALITY OF CARE IN HOSPICE CARE.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary determines on the basis of a survey or otherwise, that a hospice program that is certified for participation under this title has demonstrated a substandard quality of care and failed to meet such other requirements as the Secretary may find necessary in the interest of the health and safety of the individuals who are provided care and services by the agency or organization involved and determines—
‘‘(1) that the deficiencies involved immediately jeopardize the health and safety of the individuals to whom the program furnishes items and services, the Secretary shall take immediate action to remove the jeopardy and correct the deficiencies through the remedy specified in subsection (b)(2)(A)(iii) or terminate the certification of the program, and may provide, in addition, for 1 or more of the other remedies described in subsection (b)(2)(A); or

Now.

Whom exactly of the Right Wing Media provides QUALITY information? Whom is it that reads every line and understands every word? No one? That would seem to be the 'honest' answer. Whom is guilty AS SIN of lying and deception in the capacity of a licensed media outlet? Hm? Whom might that be? Murdock's tribe? Yeah.

The penalites for actions that jeopardize the care of a hospice patient might be what Murdock's tribe really objects to. Ready? It's interesting. Considering this is in ADDITIONAL to any and all payments a malpractice insurance company has to pay. These penalities aren't covered by insurance, now are they?

Page 693, lines 22 through 25 and page 694, lines 1 through 25 and page 695, lines 1 through 22:

‘‘(b) INTERMEDIATE SANCTIONS.—
‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION.—
The Secretary shall develop and implement, by not later than July 1, 2012—

‘‘(A) a range of intermediate sanctions to apply to hospice programs under the conditions described in subsection (a), and‘‘(B) appropriate procedures for appealing determinations relating to the imposition of such sanctions.
‘‘(2) SPECIFIED SANCTIONS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The intermediate sanctions developed under paragraph (1) may
include—
‘‘(i) civil money penalties in an amount not to exceed $10,000 for each day of noncompliance or, in the case of a per instance penalty applied by the Secretary, not to exceed $25,000, (if it were me, I'd put no limit on it and put them out of business)
‘‘(ii) denial of all or part of the payments to which a hospice program would otherwise be entitled under this title with respect to items and services furnished by a hospice program on or after the date on which the Secretary determines that intermediate sanctions should be imposed pursuant to subsection (a)(2),
‘‘(iii) the appointment of temporary management to oversee the operation of the hospice program and to protect and assure the health and safety of the individuals under the care of the program while improvements are made,
‘‘(iv) corrective action plans, and
‘‘(v) in-service training for staff.
The provisions of section 1128A (other than subsections (a) and (b)) shall apply to a civil money penalty under clause (i) in the same manner as such provisions apply to a penalty or proceeding under section 1128A(a). The temporary management under clause (iii) shall not be terminated until the Secretary has determined that the program has the management capability to ensure continued compliance with all requirements referred to in that clause.
‘‘(B) CLARIFICATION.—The sanctions specified in subparagraph (A) are in addition to sanctions otherwise available under State or Federal law and shall not be construed as lim21
iting other remedies, including any remedy available to an individual at common law.

Page 698, lines 17 through 19;

SEC. 1616. ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR PROVISION OF FALSE INFORMATION BY MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AND PART D PLANS

Page 700, lines 21 and 22;

SEC. 1618. ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR OBSTRUCTION OF PROGRAM AUDITS.

Page 701, lines 15 through 17;

SEC. 1619. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES FROM PARTICIPATION IN MEDICARE AND STATE HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS.

Page 702, lines 1 through 25 and page 703, lines 1 through 22;

‘‘(4)(A) For purposes of this Act, subject to subparagraph (C), the effect of exclusion is that no payment may be made by any Federal health care program (as defined in section 1128B(f)) with respect to any item or service furnished—
‘‘(i) by an excluded individual or entity; or
‘‘(ii) at the medical direction or on the prescription of a physician or other authorized individual when the person submitting a claim for such item or service knew or had reason to know of the exclusion of such individual.
‘‘(B) For purposes of this section and sections 1128A and 1128B, subject to subparagraph (C), an item or service has been furnished by an individual or entity if the individual or entity directly or indirectly provided, ordered, manufactured, distributed, prescribed, or otherwise supplied the item or service regardless of how the item or service was paid for by a Federal health care program or to whom such payment was made.
‘‘(C)(i) Payment may be made under a Federal health care program for emergency items or services (not including items or services furnished in an emergency room of a hospital) furnished by an excluded individual or entity, or at the medical direction or on the prescription of an excluded physician or other authorized individual during the period of such individual’s exclusion.
‘‘(ii) In the case that an individual eligible for benefits under title XVIII or XIX submits a claim
for payment for items or services furnished by an excluded individual or entity, and such individual eligible for such benefits did not know or have reason to know that such excluded individual or entity was so excluded, then, notwithstanding such exclusion, payment shall be made for such items or services. In such case the Secretary shall notify such individual eligible for such benefits of the exclusion of the individual or entity furnishing the items or services.
Payment shall not be made for items or services furnished by an excluded individual or entity to an individual eligible for such benefits after a reasonable time (as determined by the Secretary in regulations) after the Secretary has notified the individual eligible for such benefits of the exclusion of the individual or entity furnishing the items or services.

Consumers have to be aware that if an individual or entiry becomes ineligible for payment, they could still be held liable for the costs that cannot be gained from a government program. The Secretary under this provision will notify the people receiving services, but, then they have to stop their patronage, or be personally liable for the cost. This will probably be a matter of a public reporting page on the website eventually. The tricky part is confidentiality and being sure there is accurate information in such an instance.

I am going to end it there. The next major section is on page 704, beginning with lines 17 through 18.

Subtitle C—Enhanced Program and Provider Protections

Regards.

It may have been more than one Right Wing Extremists that killed him. A set of milita members, possibly?

The Census is a huge issue for Republicans and the extremists believe in its control. The Extremists of the Right Wing will stop at nothing. "Fed" equates to McVeigh's understanding of the government. If one census worker dies a horrible death supposedly that will stop the census as a threat to all census workers.

How correct does Janet Napolitanio have to be for the nation to realize there is an organized and armed element within its borders that license themselves to be bigots and war mongers?

From archives:

Ex-Aide Says Republicans Killed Census Adjustment; Undercount of Blacks, Hispanics Expected
(click title to entry - thank you)
[FINAL Edition]
Spencer Rich
Jan 15, 1988
Barbara Bailar said yesterday that she quit her post as a high-ranking Census Bureau official last month because she believes Republicans in the Commerce Department had political motives in killing a plan to compensate for an expected severe undercount of blacks and Hispanics in the 1990 census.
Adjusting the official census to compensate for blacks and Hispanics missed by counters on April 1 would benefit Democrats in reapportionment and redistricting of the House and the state legislatures, according to many analysts. The reasoning is that most blacks and Hispanics live in areas that usually vote Democratic. An undercount adjustment would increase the official population of those areas.
[Robert Ortner] said senior officials of the Commerce Department decided against the undercount adjustment because there was no unanimity, even within the Census Bureau, on whether the proposed methodology was adequate, practical and would improve accuracy. "You can't say there was an absolute, airtight case in favor of adjustment," he said.

Expert on Undercount Quits Census Bureau (click here)
[FINAL Edition]
Spencer Rich
Dec 18, 1987

A top Census Bureau official who has supervised the government's effort to develop a way to adjust 1990 census figures to correct an anticipated undercount of blacks, Hispanics and others has abruptly resigned her post and will retire.
According to the methodology worked out under [Barbara Bailar]'s direction, the Census Bureau could adjust the undercount by taking a survey of 300,000 representative households nationwide shortly after the April 1 census, and then comparing the results to see how many people were missed the first time.
TerriAnn Lowenthal, staff director of [Mervyn M. Dymally]'s House subcommittee on the census, said, "We have an awful lot of respect for Barbara Bailar. If, in fact, her resignation was prompted by dissatisfaction with the decision not to adjust, it is a further indication that the decision was made at higher levels of the administration and not by professionals at the Census Bureau."

The decadonal USA Census has been a method of control for the Republican Party as a political strategy to winning elections. They gerrymander and play this idiotic game as if people were cattle to be herded. They have lauded over the Census for a long, long time.

Published on Thursday, May 19, 2005

by CommonDreams.org
The Texas Nexus: Where Racial and Partisan Gerrymandering Came Together (click here)
by Karyn Strickler

Naive American voters still believe that they select their Congressional representatives. Texans are under no such illusion after the bitter redistricting battle that took place there. Partisan and racial gerrymandering has created a situation in Texas and across the nation, where very few U.S. Congressional seats are competitive today -- in effect allowing Congressmen to choose their voters.
U.S. House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay (R-TX), led the way for Republican Congressmen in Texas to pick their voters. The untold story of DeLay’s belligerent power grab in Texas redistricting involves partisan political domination, intrigue, alleged corruption and perhaps most significantly -- minority disenfranchisement.
U.S. Congressional redistricting takes place in state legislatures once per decade, following the decennial census to reflect population shifts, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Tom DeLay led the effort to violate all historical precedent by drawing the Congressional district lines in Texas -- twice....

He states the people are behind the Pakistan Army, yet, he never did anything about the extremists.

He was insuffienct as a leader and allowed the Taliban to flourish.

...To bring stability and peace to Afghanistan, (click title to entry - thank you) "the political element is the most critical," he said.

Nation-builders in Afghanistan need to "look for a homegrown political covenant," he said.

Musharraf endorsed the U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal's plan to put more troops into Afghanistan.

When asked by an audience member whether Pakistan has the "national will" to exercise control over tribal areas like the Swat Valley, Musharraf said the violence in the Swat Valley has turned most ordinary Pakistanis against the Taliban.

"The people of Pakistan are behind the army."

One audience member asked what can be done to purge Paskistan's intelligence services of rogue extremist elements.

The former general denied that those elements exist, saying that dissension in the ranks is merely a "perception created by certain Western interests and the media.

"If the army and intelligence services are not leading the fight against extremism in the tribal areas, Musharraf asked, "Who will?"

"We must trust them," he said. "There is a trust deficit. ... This trust deficit has to go."

Obama's General, I plan to watch CBS on Sunday evening.

US Terror Suspect to Face Charges in New York (click title to entry - thank you)
By VOA News 26 September 2009

Prosecutors say an Afghan-born terror suspect in U.S. federal custody spent more than a year plotting a massive attack on the United States with co-conspirators.Najibullah Zazi was transferred Friday from the western state of Colorado, where he was detained, to the northeastern city of New York, where he faces charges of conspiring to detonate bombs.A federal grand jury in New York indicted 24-year-old Zazi on Wednesday, but that was not made public until Thursday. The U.S. government says Zazi received bomb-making instructions in Pakistan in 2008. It also says he bought components to build improvised explosive devices and traveled to New York City on September 10, 2009, to move forward with his plans....

Some of questions they won't ask will probably be, "What are acceptable losses in the war in Afghanistan? Will there be less losses if there are more troops? What is the military advantage to increasing the troop level? When will the USA declare victory over the insurgency? What is a measure of that? Are you confident you are asking for all that it will take or are you wagering on the effort? If given everything you need, when will the war end?"

...There were two battalions to the north of Kandahar city. (click here) Another to the far south. Canadian forces were going to swing to the west. About 5,000 new U.S. troops in all.
"But there, there and there," the officer said, pointing to towns just outside a belt where the Americans and Canadians were stationed, "and there," putting his fist on the city, which with 800,000 residents is the country's second-largest population center, "we don't have anyone."
If more forces are not forthcoming to mount counterinsurgency operations in those parts of the province, he concluded, the overall U.S. effort to stabilize Kandahar -- and by extension, the rest of Afghanistan -- will fail....

Four U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan (click here)

Sat Sep 26, 2009 6:54am EDT

...The eight-year-old war in Afghanistan has been in its deadliest phase for foreign troops since July, when U.S. and British forces launched the biggest offensives of the war.
There are now more than 100,000 Western troops in Afghanistan, about two-thirds of them American.
Their commander, U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal, is expected to ask for thousands more in a request he will deliver to Washington this week. He has said that without additional forces, his mission is likely to fail....

Polling records appear to back fraud allegations in Afghanistan presidential election (click here)
By HAL BERNTON
McClatchy Newspapers

...The records appear to bolster fraud allegations surrounding the Aug. 20 presidential election — which has become ever more critical to the U.S. and its allies in the face of Afghanistan’s increasingly powerful Taliban insurgency....

Officials To Audit Sampling Of Suspect Afghan Ballots (click here)
by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

September 25, 2009

Five weeks after Afghanistan's presidential elections, it's still unclear who will lead the country.
A preliminary tally suggests that incumbent Hamid Karzai is the winner, with 54 percent of the vote. But widespread allegations of fraud and official calls for a recount have stalled the final outcome.
Afghan and international officials are now hoping to break the logjam by agreeing to review ballots at about 10 percent of the nearly 3,100 polling stations flagged as suspicious by a U.N.-backed watchdog....

Doubts raised on Afghan mission ahead of German vote (click here)
SIMON STURDEE

September 23, 2009
Days before German elections, an influential former chancellor on Wednesday slammed the country's unpopular mission in Afghanistan, a foreign policy headache for whoever wins power.
As the race for Sunday's vote heated up, police raided the headquarters of the NPD, a neo-Nazi party with serious financial problems and next to no chance of winning any seats, after offensive letters were sent to ethnic minority MPs.
The election is expected to return Chancellor Angela Merkel to power, but two new opinion polls published on Wednesday confirmed that it is far from certain that she will be able to form her preferred centre-right coalition.
Helmut Schmidt, West German chancellor between 1974 and 1982 and still a respected figure in national politics at age 90, said meanwhile that the aims of Western forces in Afghanistan were "ever blurrier" and "not achievable"....

One question that always crosses my mine when I hear that bin Laden is still propagandizing his allegience to death is, "When will his iconography be too old to use?" Will it 'time out' when he reaches 100 years old or not? And what are the chances he is still alive considering the average longevity in the region?"

Bin Laden seeks to sway German election, Obama debate on Afghanistan (click here)
The new Al Qaeda tape, attributed to Osama bin Laden, coincides with a US policy debate on the Afghan war and a new poll showing the German race tightening.
By Dan Murphy Staff writer 09.25.09

In a new audio tape released Friday by Al Qaeda’s propaganda arm, a voice purported to be Osama bin Laden’s followed up on a series of threats made by more junior Al Qaeda members in recent months against America’s European allies in the Afghan war, warning that if they don’t pull out there will be retaliation against “the oppressor on behalf of the oppressed.”...

President Obama has accomplished nearly the impossible. A return to non-proliferation.

Click on the picture for a view of its 2005 context. Click here for the report.

I congratulate the member countries of the United Nations in bravely addressing, not just nuclear proliferation, but, a global fire storm of 'fear' in countries that are not armed with nuclear weaponry. It is a day that will go down in history as one of civlizations finest initiatives.

What was on Ted's Mind in his final days?

Profound loss in life is often times greeted with a concentration on distraction. Work is frequently a respite from such loss. Ted Kennedy knew the loss of his brothers, beloved sister, Mother and Father, the hardship of injured children and he distracted from his loss with complete dedication to purpose.

A very healthy thing to do. There was no self-destruction. No self-pity.

As he faced leaving behind all those he still loved, he was content to focus on the work that brought him such respite. The People of Massachusetts and the people of the USA. The people his family dedicated their purpose needed directions from their ailing champion.

Ted's dream is almost complete. The Massachusetts' Legislature and Governor Patrick have done themselves proud to a grateful nation.

The Massachusetts state senate has voted to allow the state's governor to pick an interim replacement for the late US Senator Edward Kennedy. (click title to entry - thank you)

Young adventurers send cell phone into space.

Something a little on the lighter side. Some young scientists sent the created their own investigation of Earth by assembling a cell phone transmission from a weather baloon. Genius.

Enjoy the adventure of those inventive enough to satisfy their curiosity. And get this, they got the cell phone back when the weather balloon broke in high altitude before leaving the atmosphere of Earth. And. The cell phone still works.

Dust storm rings alarm bell for environment protection

Australia experienced deadly brush fires last year.

The Australia Drought has been profound for over five years to date.

The dust storm over Sydney, Australia is stated to be the worst ever experienced. Lives are at 'risk' with particles in the air. (click here for photo expose at Sydney Morning Herald)

According to the New South Wales (NSW) Environment Department, (click title to entry - thank you) the dust storm has blown 16,000 tons of dust across the state each hour in the last 24 hours. The dust, the worst since 1939, has affected not only Smith's travel, but also the traffic of the whole city.

The most important words President Obama said were, "threat serious...urgent...swiftly...together...time is running out...we can reverse it...

China is becoming a major player in the reversal of Human Induced Global Warming. Now, the two greatest contributors to the Earth's warming problem, China and the USA are partners in the future of generations.

I want to thank the Chinese people and their government for taking their responsibility so seriously and I want to thank President Obama and the Democratic leadership for setting an example of urgency the global community is taking seriously.

...China's President Hu Jintao (click title to entry - thank you) announced plans to cut emissions significantly by 2020...

There are deaths in Georgia. I don't know why. The rain has lasted for eight days. I mean when do people see the creek rising?

Do NOT wade into waters !

Nothing else to understand. DO NOT allow waters that are overflowing their banks to come in contact with your skin and if you do, go to a shelter immediately and ask for access to clean and dry clothes following a shower with soap and water.

END OF DISCUSSION !

In Atlanta, Raw Sewage In Chattahoochee River Adds To Flooding Woes (click title to entry - thank you)
By Mark Memmott
Torrential rains that have already led to at least half a dozen deaths in the Southeast have now produced flooding that overwhelmed a water treatment plant in Atlanta this morning, "causing a massive dump of raw sewage" into the Chattahoochee River, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
According to the newspaper, "the R.M. Clayton plant is the largest in Georgia with capacity to treat 240 million gallons of sewage a day."
One bit of good news: Lake Lanier, which supplies most of Atlanta's water, has been partly replenished.

What the hell is going on in this country? Have people become complete baffons? When there is this amount of rainfall it didn't happen without warning?

What is everyone saying? "Gosh, Martha, we got a little of rain outside?" Is that the kind of idiocy that exists these days. Waiting for someone to tell you it is time to hit the highway and get out of Dodge? Think people, there are scalebacks in government and the Sherrif might not be coming to the neighborhood to rescue you when the OBVIOUS is all around.

The 'deluges' of water from the sky will result in huge accumulations of water very, very quickly actually. My insulting remarks is to get the point across, people HAVE TO think and react to such dire consequences as they happen. This is an extremely different climate and there is no time to waste when 'tropical rainfall' hits downtown Atlanta and the suburbs. YES, that is correct. The deluges are the equivalent of a tropical rain event.

Rainfall totals released by Weather Service (click here)
By Mike Morris
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The National Weather Service has released some rainfall totals measured at selected measuring sites for the 8-day period ending at 8 a.m. Tuesday:
Canton -- 17.14 inches
Doraville -- 13.88 inches
Chamblee -- 13.19 inches
Lafayette -- 12.73 inches
Sautee -- 11.47 inches
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport -- 11.23 inches
Dallas -- 11.09 inches
Gainesville -- 10.27 inches
Cartersville -- 7.59
Macon -- 9.46 inches
Athens -- 8.72 inches

Septermber 22, 2009
15:30:14z
UNISYS North and West Hemisphere Water Vapor Satellite (click here for 12 hour loop)




In the satellite above, there is a profoundly simple identification of the mixture of hot tropical air from the Equator mixing with cold Arctic Air over the USA. I would not expect this weather pattern to change in the near future.

September 21, 2009
Suwanee, Georgia
Photographer states :: Suwanee Creek Greenway flooding

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Wind Chime) is warm and seasonal.

Local Time: 7:51 AM AKDT (GMT -08)

Lat/Lon: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Elevation :: 33 feet

Temperature :: 46 F

Conditions :: Overcast

Windchill :: 45 °F

Humidity :: 93%

Dew Point :: 45 F

Wind :: 4 mph from the NE

Pressure :: 29.83 in (Rising)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds :: Overcast 1100 ft
(Above Ground Level)

Last updated September 18, 2009 6:43 p.m. PT
Pollock survey shows fewer fish than anticipated (click title to entry - thank you)
By MARY PEMBERTON

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Pollock numbers in the Bering Sea continue to remain depressed despite expectations from government scientists that large amounts of young fish were growing to harvestable size.
Two surveys provide a dim outlook for the bland, white fish that accounts for the largest commercial fishery by weight in the United States worth about $1 billion after processing. The meat is used mostly in fish sticks and fish-fillet sandwiches and to make imitation crab meat.
The 2009 survey data was presented Friday at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Seattle. While preliminary, it confirmed the pollock population remains low.
Doug DeMaster, director of NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, said the pollock spawning biomass has declined below target levels.
"Fewer young fish entered the population between 2001 and 2005," he said.
The surveys were 24 percent below what scientists expected, said Jon Warrenchuk, a fisheries biologist for conservation group Oceana who attended the meeting.

"This is the lowest survey biomass they have ever seen, which is kind of worrisome," he said.
Pollock population estimates were low even before Friday's news. The previous assessment indicated that the 2008 spawning biomass was at its lowest level in nearly 30 years....

I need to finish a thought before I go on with the health care bill.

This was 1968. The Mexican Games. Olympics.

Tommie Smith and John Carlos, gold and bronze medalists in the 200m, stood with their heads bowed and a black-gloved hand raised as the American National Anthem played during the victory ceremony.

These men bravely allowed their fame and stature to speak to the world regarding a profoundly important fact about the USA. They did it in protest. Their reputations will always have that 'stigma' attached to it. They stood for the reality of oppression of the minorities in the USA. They did the 'right thing.' They should never be ashamed of those stands and the willingness to express the 'unspeakable.'

I am so pleased we have a President in the Oval Office that sincerely loves this country and the people that live within its borders. I am more than pleased he is billiant and genuine. I am also elated that he seeks out ways of honoring the minorities in this country that have been forgotten. I am happy about his minority choices.

One thing we know for sure and why the nomination and confirmation of Sonya Sotomayor was so very, very important is that oppression is actually a window to the people that experience it. When a person is going through the 'rungs' of the American Dream to achieve its pinnacle, but, is impeded for reasons that do not make sense, there are realities that accompany that no one else can understand or explain except those going through it.

It is vitally important that this minority President seek the place of minorities to be influential in ways others do not have the insight. It is important for them to bring their wisdom to this government. Now, is the time. I hope the 'rantings' of the bigoted in this country do not AGAIN cause oppression so many have worked through the ranks to find their place among the people most needed to bring our country equity.

I think the words I remember as a child go like this, "Sticks and stones can brake my bones, but, words will never hurt me."

Those that seek oppression of the appointees of President Obama are bigots. They don't understand nor do they want to understand the sacrifice of those that brought about change through their own sacrifice. Please, don't succumb to people that hate.

From "The Dallas Morning News?" Really ! Did the editors do this willingly?

09/21/2009
A sampling of editorial opinion around Texas:
Sept. 20
Austin American-Statesman on Congress and health care: (click title to entry - thank you)
You should probably think of U.S. Sen. Max Baucus' health care reform proposal as a sacrifice bunt. It's fairly obvious that Baucus, who heads the Senate Finance Committee, won't see the legislation he unveiled last week become law, but it advances the issue....
...One fair criticism of the plan is that it is more an attempt at insurance reform than health care reform. There is a difference, although the distinction gets lost in the superheated rhetoric generated since President Barack Obama proposed an ambitious overhaul of the health care system this spring.
In fact, the superheated rhetoric is driving the legislation, and that is no way to approach this most important topic. Senate Democrats and the White House are reacting to unfounded beliefs that the legislation will kill Grandma or lead to a government takeover of the health care industry and rationed health care. "Socialized medicine" was a refrain heard in 1964 when Medicare and Medicaid legislation initiated by the President Lyndon B. Johnson was making its way through Congress. Health care is rationed now -- by your insurance carrier, if you are lucky enough to have one.
If reform is to be meaningful, access to health insurance and access to primary health care have to be aggressively attacked....
...Mark-up on the bill begins this week, and all of us should hope that legislators focus on real issues and not cave into the hysteria that has dominated the debate.
The stakes are real. Health care costs are skyrocketing. Even those lucky enough to have a job find health insurance premiums taking bigger divots out their paychecks. According to a study released last week, family health care premiums in Texas rose about 4.6 times faster than their incomes between 2000 and 2009....
...Even if you are insured, access to care may be difficult if you live in a rural area or even in the wrong ZIP code of a metropolitan area....
...One solution would be granting nurses and nurse practitioners diagnostic and prescriptive authority. "Scope of practice" is what political pros call that type of legislation, and it is usually left to state legislatures to deal with. Those fights are usually brutal. It's time Washington weighed in....
Those issues are just a few that must be addressed in a serious discussion of health care reform.
We'll find out how serious Congress is this week.
URL: http://www.statesman.com

I left off with Page 625 of the House Bill.

I want to reflect on a trend in the bill incase I am the only one that picked it up. Not likely.

So far, through 625 pages of approximately 1100, there has been a new provision introduced approximately every 30 pages or so. The majority of the bill is redundant in that when a new provision is rendered, there needs to be whom will have authority to carry it out, whom will have oversight, when the bill will take effect and what laws it will replace or amend. So, if that trend continues for the entire '1100 some' pages (I am assuming the reports of 1100 pages are correct.) then there are approximately 33 provisions in the bill. Hardly what I would call earth shaking or radical.

Page 626, lines 19 through 24;

‘‘SEC. 1193. GAO EVALUATION OF DATA COLLECTION PROCESS FOR QUALITY MEASUREMENT.
‘‘(a) GAO EVALUATIONS.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct periodic evaluations of the implementation of the data collection processes for quality measures used by the Secretary....

Very straight forward, the Government Accounting Office will track the quality measures in the bill and report on the completeness of the Secretary's work.

Page 628, lines 1 through 5:

SEC. 1443. MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PRE-RULEMAKING INPUT INTO SELECTION OF QUALITY MEASURES. Section 1808 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b–9) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:...

This section is still about 'quality control.' It explicitely states the public is to have transparency in knowing what the 'quality measurements' consist of and if they are meaningful to the national health care need. This tone of transparency is true, so far, throughout the bill. It goes to extremes to 'de-paternalize' government and make the public an active 'quality control officer' themselves. It is the venue of the media and where needed editorials by qualified folks dedicated to inform the public of what is going on in their government.

Maybe a more unkind description is that it ENCOURAGES 'WATCH DOGS' of and/or by those in the public. It's a good thing. There are also official mechanisms to bring complaints and/or changes to the quality issue. There are also 'stakeholders' that will have active roles in carrying messages to government in regard to quality. Below is a list of 'shareholders' to the quality issues:

Page 630, lines 9 through 24 and Page 631, lines 1 through 9:

‘‘(6) MULTI-STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.—For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘multi-stakeholder groups’ means, with respect to a quality measure, a voluntary collaborative of organizations representing persons interested in or affected by the use of such quality measure, such as the following:
‘‘(A) Hospitals and other institutional providers.
‘‘(B) Physicians.
‘‘(C) Health care quality alliances.
‘‘(D) Nurses and other health care practitioners.
‘‘(E) Health plans.
‘‘(F) Patient advocates and consumer groups.
‘‘(G) Employers.

‘‘(H) Public and private purchasers of health care items and services.
‘‘(I) Labor organizations.
‘‘(J) Relevant departments or agencies of the United States.
‘‘(K) Biopharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of medical devices.
‘‘(L) Licensing, credentialing, and accrediting bodies.

There is an interesting use of the word, "Shareholder" that might be obsure. Shareholder is not the same, AT ALL, as Stockholder.

Example:

Every American is a Shareholder in their government.

The USA is run on a treasury of all the people as stipulated in the laws of this country. We are not 'Stockholders' although with the latest collapse it could be said that we are due to all the 'private industry' bailouts.

A shareholder is simply a person that has 'an interest' in a particular aspect of government or other issues. In the venue of conservation, there are shareholders that come together every time the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority - click here) meets or monitor the rivers and streams that contribute to the dams of their electrical production. The waterways sometimes are effected by weather and dam levels and backwash and all sorts of 'physics' that occur with these huge power producers. As a result even the average citizen can have a say in what is occurring with the operation of the TVA. So, there are many 'shareholders' in its operation and there are ways of accessing the power structure to be sure all parties/shareholders are heard and taken into account.

...The quality of the water in the Tennessee River system (click here) affects not only the people who live in the Valley but also business and industry and the plant and animal life that are part of the river ecosystem....

That is a shareholder. Shareholders are more important than stockholders. Far more important because their 'contribution' to any issue is 'real' and brings about the reality we all live within.

This provision goes on to state more of the obvious and where current laws will be amended to allow these changes.

Page 635, lines 1 through 10:

Subtitle D—Physician Payments Sunshine Provision
SEC. 1451. REPORTS ON FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF COVERED DRUGS, DEVICES,BIOLOGICALS, OR MEDICAL SUPPLIES UNDER MEDICARE, MEDICAID, OR CHIP AND PHYSICIANS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE ENTITIES AND BETWEEN PHYSICIANS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE ENTITIES.

Boy, oh boy, this is a good one. All those 'freebee' trips to the Bahamas that come along with writing 500 perscriptions of a new medication on the market will have to be 'transparently' reported. Wow !

Oh. Not everyone knew that went on, huh? Where ya been?

Page 635, lines 22 through 25 and Page 636, lines 1 through 25 and Page 637, lines 1 through 2:

‘‘(a) REPORTING OF PAYMENTS OR OTHER TRANSFERS OF VALUE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in this subsection, not later than March 31, 2011 and annually thereafter, each applicable manufacturer or distributor that provides a payment or other transfer of value to a covered recipient, or to an entity or individual at the request of or designated on behalf of a covered recipient, shall submit to the Secretary, in such electronic form as the Secretary shall require, the following information with respect to the preceding calendar year:

‘‘(A) With respect to the covered recipient, the recipient’s name, business address, physician specialty, and national provider identifier.
‘‘(B) With respect to the payment or other transfer of value, other than a drug sample—
‘‘(i) its value and date;
‘‘(ii) the name of the related drug, device, or supply, if available; and
‘‘(iii) a description of its form, indicated (as appropriate for all that apply) as—
‘‘(I) cash or a cash equivalent;
‘‘(II) in-kind items or services;
‘‘(III) stock, a stock option, or any other ownership interest, dividend, profit, or other return on investment; or

‘‘(IV) any other form (as defined by the Secretary).

YEP.

Want to know why?

There is a good reason.

"Providers" will be 'causing' the cost of health care and health insurance to either increase or decrease. If manufacturers or suppliers are 'supplementing' the income and/or status of a provider (Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Hospital CEO, etc.) the 'behavior' of that provider will be affected. If a Provider decides to perscribe a new and 'brand name' medication for the patient because they get a 'bonus/otherwise known as a 'kickback' the cost to the government and/or insurance company will go up.

So.

If the Providers are required to report income outside that of the 'payment' for the service to the consumer, those 'incomes' can counter balance the 'payment' to the provider. In other words, we 'ain't' gonna pay for a medication or product or service because it favors the 'wealth' of a Provider. The Provider will have to accept a reduction in 'REAL MONEY' payment in lieu of his 'other reimbursement' from other sources.

It isn't right that the cost of medicines or treatment goes up while Providers bask in exploitation of the consumer to receive additional compensation.

This mess goes on all the time. It is a marketing strategy.

Page 638, lines 21 and 22:

‘‘(5) DELAYED REPORTING FOR PAYMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO CLINICAL INVESTIGATIONS.—In...

I am a little concerned regarding any 'draconian' measure in regard to 'clinical trials.' While any trial should not provide a huge return for the cooperating Provider, there should be some leeway when 'clinical trials' are VALID and provide a 'graditude' for cooperation with a manufacturer or distributor. I don't know if distributors will be involved all that much in clinical trials, but, certainly when a Provider is cooperating with a clinical trial that will bring new and better products to the consumer there should be some understanding that an 'appreciation' for cooperation can be allowed in moderation.

Clinical trials need to be defined in this section as well, with clear indications as to what comprises a clinical trial and what does not. Perscribing an established but new medicaiton is NOT a clinical trial.

The provision provides for confidentiality in reporting.

There is a reassertion beginning on Page 639 regarding the reporting of ownership interests in hospitals and other entities including those of immediate family members. I am assuming immediate family members are spouses and children or siblings and parents.

More transparency on a website.

Accurancy in reporting, special rules for drug samples, special rules for national provider identifiers, penalties for noncompliance, blah, blah, blah...

On this is different. The Secretary is going to be able to ask State Attorney Generals to bring charges. Interesting. That is probably going to over like a 'fart in church.' I think that ? might ? be questionally constitutional.

Page 645, lines 23 through 25 and Page 646, lines 1 through 6:

‘‘(4) ENFORCEMENT THROUGH STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL.—The attorney general of a State, after providing notice to the Secretary of an intent to proceed under this paragraph in a specific case and providing the Secretary with an opportunity to bring an action under this subsection and the Secretary declining such opportunity, may proceed under this subsection against a manufacturer or distributor in the State.

Although. ?????? In that context is seems pretty legal and correct, actually.

I am criticizing for no reason. Here it is.

Page 646, lines 20 through 24 and Page 647, lines 1 through 7;

‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
‘‘(1) APPLICABLE MANUFACTURER; APPLICABLE DISTRIBUTOR.—The term ‘applicable manufacturer’ means a manufacturer of a covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply, and the term ‘applicable distributor’ means a distributor of a covered drug, device, or medical supply.
‘‘(2) CLINICAL INVESTIGATION.—The term ‘clinical investigation’ means any experiment involving one or more human subjects, or materials derived from human subjects, in which a drug or device is administered, dispensed, or used.

That is typical of the Bill. It repeats that context throughout each provision.

Legal clarifications.

Page 648, lines 23 through 25;

‘‘(7) KNOWINGLY.—The term ‘knowingly’ has the meaning given such term in section 3729(b) of title 31, United States Code.

Page 649, lines 10 through 25 and Page 650, lines 1 through 21;

‘‘(9) PAYMENT OR OTHER TRANSFER OF VALUE.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘payment or other transfer of value’ means a transfer of anything of value for or of any of the following:
‘‘(i) Gift, food, or entertainment.
‘‘(ii) Travel or trip.
‘‘(iii) Honoraria.
‘‘(iv) Research funding or grant.
‘‘(v) Education or conference funding.
‘‘(vi) Consulting fees.
‘‘(vii) Ownership or investment interest and royalties or license fee.
‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS.—Subject to subparagraph (C), the term ‘payment or other transfer of value’ includes any compensation, gift, honorarium, speaking fee, consulting fee, travel, services, dividend, profit distribution, stock or stock option grant, or any ownership or investment interest held by a physician in a manufacturer (excluding a dividend or other profit distribution from, or ownership or investment interest in, a publicly traded security or mutual fund (as described in section 1877(c))).
‘‘(C) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘payment or other transfer of value’ does not include the fol11
lowing:
‘‘(i) Any payment or other transfer of value provided by an applicable manufacturer or distributor to a covered recipient where the amount transferred to, requested by, or designated on behalf of the covered recipient does not exceed $5.
‘‘(ii) The loan of a covered device for a short-term trial period, not to exceed 90 days, to permit evaluation of the covered device by the covered recipient.

It goes on from there. The federal laws will supercede the state laws and the transparency of all the reporting is restated in this provision. This provision ends on page 653 and Page 654 begins with this topic:

Subtitle E—Public Reporting on Health Care-Associated Infections

And that is where I will end for tonight.

Quite a Sunday morning in the USA. President Obama appearing on five television stations at 9AM.

President Obama is attempting to answer the questions the people of the nation have if only the news media asked them.



September 21, 2009
Top 10 Reasons Obama Did Letterman (click here)
10. Heard the lady with the heart shaped potato was gonna be here. (a reference to a woman in the audience).
9. Thought it would be fun to watch someone else get heckled.
8. Something to do with that whole cash for clunkers deal.
7. Every president since Teddy Roosevelt has done it.
6. Someone offers you 600 bucks you take it ladies and gentlemen.
5. We told him Megan Fox would be here.
4. Needed some time to hang out before check in time at his hotel.
3. I have no idea.
2. Said yes, without thinking, like Bush did with Iraq.
1. Wanted to congratulate Dave on the big Emmy win....

President Obama spoke on five separate Sunday morning programs to achieve the nation's attention. He spoke of more than health care. He willingly fielded questions regarding all kinds of issues, including that of racism which he ducked quite eloquently on Letterman. However, he did state, he didn't feel the heckling was about racism, so much as opposing points of view. I believe we can trust his judgement.

Barak Obama has never been one to put himself in the spotlight for the sake of being in the spotlight. He has been there and continues to be there for the nation and a return of decency to government.

Obama Takes to Airwaves to Push Health Care (click here)
By Paula Wolfson

Washington

20 September 2009
U.S. President Barack Obama took his campaign for health care reform to the nation's airwaves Sunday. In a series of interviews with five television networks he made the case for reform and tried to ease the angry tone of the debate. He touched on foreign policy matters as well.
President Barack Obama It was a media blitz for the president - the latest step in his effort to sell his health care reform plan to a skeptical public. On all five programs, his message was the same....

I will say this, I do believe the Former President James Earl Carter is also a good judge of the Republican Party and if he strongly feels there are issues of racism with the party then is. There are definately elements of this society that clearly demonstrate their hatred of anything except Right Wing Extremism which includes the dynamic of viewing the country out of control because a black man sits in the White House. Former President Carter is correct about that.

The Former President also knows the Republican Party does not delineate between people that hate that side with their party in 'their base' and those that would be decent people that view the dynamics of economics wrongly. The Republicans completely cater to all those that would vote for them, including the extremists. That was completely evident during the Bush/Cheney years and those remnants in the House and Senate remain. So, the Former President Carter is correct on recognizing the ability of elected members of the Congress to be willing to 'appear' bigoted for the sake of their electorate.

The Former President is also correct in stating President Obama may try to solicit support for much needed reform in the health insurance debate from the Republicans, but, he should not expect it and settle his expectations to have the much needed reform carried completely by the Democratic Party.

Steven Dick wrote an interesting editorial in the Muskogee Pheonix. I found it to reflect what is a profound reflection of the 'State of Race' in the USA. I agree with Steven Dick in that the Republican Party cannot deny the use of race 'as a tool' in elections, ie: Willy Horton.

There has been a 'back sliding' of belief in President Obama and there is a reason why so many want to say he is 'over exposed.' I don't believe he is. I sincerely believe he is attempting to reach the people that were lied to and are afraid to 'trust' again.

During the 2008 presidential campaign (click title to entry - thank you), much ink and breath were spent talking about race. Most of it, after the nomination of Barack Obama, was positive, marking the historical significance of a black nominee and exploring the possibilities of a post-racial country.

There were still members of the right-wing fringe who said they would never vote for a black man. But most Republicans who, in the past, never hesitated to use race as an election edge held their tongues from overtly attacking Obama for his race.

But it didn’t take long for racial animosity to rear its ugly head.

To be sure, Bill Clinton faced lynch mobs on the right at every move. But he didn’t face crowds that said things like, “We want our country back.”

Conservatives would say this is a reaction to Obama’s perceived liberalism, but look at what the president is doing. He seeks to make nice with Republicans and still believes in bipartisan problem solving. There is no liberal revolution going on. The deadheads who populate the tea baggers want their country returned to white conservatives.

A woman called the office last week upset about a pro-Obama editorial. "I’m tired of all that black stuff," (over exposure, I suppose) she huffed.

Not just Obama, she added, but pictures of blacks, presumably of her fellow community members. She hastened to point out that she had nothing against black people, to which I responded that it sure seemed like she did.

Take the case of Van Jones, a black man who just lost his Obama administration job because he had some choice derogatory names aimed at Republicans and lent his name to a Web site that seeks an investigation of the Bush administration’s possible role in the Sept. 11 attacks.
I can remember when a repugnant representative from Indiana, Dan Burton, called Clinton a scumbag. Burton, who is white, keeps getting elected.

Now conservatives are going after Mark Lloyd, (It worked on Van Jones, so now there is blood in the water and the feeding frenzy is on.) a staffer at the Federal Communications Commission who is critical of corporate-owned media and right-wing dominance of talk radio. Rush Limbaugh thunders into his microphone that Lloyd will bring back the Fairness Doctrine (which would be a great idea since the public owns the airwaves), but Lloyd has no policy power. He is black, though....

I wouldn't say Mark Lloyd is another Michael Powell, but, I sure as hell wish he would be and draconianly revert the rights to the airwaves back to the spirit of HONESTY and TRUTH. I like the idea of a strong black man able to handle the worst of the Right Wing 'Mean Machine.'

While President Obama is saying what he needs to in delivering the agenda of the people of the USA; Steven Dick said what needed to be said and I thank him for it.

Seriously good news. A Russian leader that wants to speak to the free world. "Go Russia" (click here)

I believe as the years with President Obama progress we will not only make enormous strides in returning to a viable economy, affordable health insurance, a workable national immigration policy, but, also 'Peace between Russia, China and the USA.'

I guarantee that in only one year in office, The West will come to find out they share a great deal in common with The East and it will bring the relations between these powers into a solid understanding of peaceful progress to nuclear disarmament.

It is a very exciting time on the International Front for President Obama. We will be involved with new agreements and treaties that will expand the horizons of possibilities for economic opportunity between countries as the USA rehabilitates its manufacturing sector.

I sincerely believe as the gap of misunderstandings closes between these powers, there will realizations of how far civilization has come and how well we have accomplished peaceful co-existance between sovereign nations; finding no reason ever again to 'chance' danger to their populous, their allies or returning to rhetoric that casts suspicion on the good intentions of treaties.

Vice President Biden should extend a more welcoming word to Russia as he is underestimating the resolve of this allie. He is wrong, his criticism uncalled for and it is very dangerous. Every country on Earth has weaknesses and the USA has many. There are no words that can cast 'shadowy' images on Russia that could not be cast on the USA as well.

Russia, under President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, has made enormous strides in global leadership, including near border countries to the USA. I would never underestimate their resolve or ability nor especially the longed lived intention of Russia to see an Earth intact and people of all nations living viable lives.

Currently, the issue of alcoholism plagues Russia. It has for sometime. It is one of the resolves of President Medvedev to stop this egregious habit of the Russia people.

I have a suggestion.

Perhaps one of the best places President Medvedev can begin to change the 'social conscience' of Russia regarding the use of alcohol, is in relation to the very sad syndrome called "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome." Certainly, every Russia obstetrician that gives care to women, wants nothing but healthy babaies born without the threat of diminished mental capacity.

Bringing social conscience to the Russian people regarding the dangers to their unborn would be a way of raising concern for pre-natal care and the understanding drinking alcohol during pregnancy harms a fetus and ultimately an infant. It is vitally important to stop the abuse of alcohol within a society at a point where the most innocent of lives are effected due to adult over indulgence. I wish the Russian medical society great success in regard to their unborn and ultimately their population. The USA went through a similar awakening some time ago.

There is much Russia, China and the USA already share in the way of space exploration and the opportunities to 'bond for THE FUTURE'S benefit' are endless. All one has to do is recall the recent 'short fall' of funding to NASA to realize how much cooperation between nations can change the possibility of deep space travel. I mean, there is no reason for a 'space race' to Mars, is there? The dangers far exceed the reasons for lack of cooperation between these nations.

I believe when these leaders are finished we will know a peaceful and sustainable resolve in the Middle East, a reasonable reduction in nuclear armaments and a return to The Non-Proliferation Treaty; where there are only a few nuclear nations with plans for none.

The future of the people of Earth all line on the same path. A sustainable planet with nations of educated and employed peoples able to support their country. There is some work to be done, but, not as much as one might expect. I believe many 'leaps of faith' can begin as a reassurance to more and more cooperation as time goes on and the trust between nations grows. I would like to see a strong return to peaceful economic cooperation in the years of the Obama Presidency with most achieved in the first term.

Our planet is tired. It needs stewardship to renew its biotic ability to sustain and propagate life. It is achievable and I believe Russian leaders are more than ready to step into the light with renewed dignity and commitment. They have many, many 'Firsts' in Russia, including being a major power to sign the Kyoto Protocol. Perhaps it is time for Russia to act within its "Friendship Pact of 2000" with China to pursue cooperation with Kyoto?

I completely reject any septicism of Russia and welcome the people of Russia as friends.