What did the people of the Gulf Coast ask for, WITHOUT THEIR OWN EMERGENCY PLAN, and didn't get?

Workers build a sand berm around the homes on the beach on Dauphin Island, Ala., on June 5. More berms are about to be built in the Gulf just off the Louisiana coast. But some scientists question whether the berms will work in keeping oil off the shore -- and whether they'll survive hurricane season.


Let's get something straight.  The USA military was 'on the job' within days of the initial fire on the Deepwater Horizon.  NO one asked them, except, the President.

The fire began at 9:45 PM, CDT on April 20, 2010.  The Coast Guard, a segment of the USA military was
'on the job' immediately when the fire broke out.

...Within 24 hours of the explosion on the rig, an entry in the logs raises a concern that the oil could pour out at the rate of 8,000 barrels a day in the event of a blowout.
That estimate was raised to a potential leak of at least 64,000 barrels on April 23, showing that first responders began to understand the environmental threat to the Gulf of Mexico when Coast Guard officials detected the first signs of oil appearing on the gulf waters.
The official White House timeline first mentions a leak on April 24, four days after the explosion, when undersea robots discovered a plume of oil coming from the riser on the sea floor....

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/04/us/04coastguard.html


Basically, I don't see the Republicans along the Gulf having respect fotr anyone including their constituencies, except, their own agendas.  I really don't want to hear how statements are 'heartless.'  What is completely heartless are the poor priorities of these States.  When Jindal and Barber want to deal out criticism they can look in the mirror first.

Guard readies as Gulf Coast braces for oil spill

By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
National Guard Bureau
ARLINGTON, Va., (4/30/10) – At least three states along the Gulf of Mexico are preparing for a potential call for thousands of National Guard members as the nation ramps up its response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill today.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal sent letters to federal officials asking them to approve funding to activate up to 6,000 Guardmembers to assist in the response to the oil spill....

http://www.ng.mil/news/archives/2010/04/043010-Oil.aspx


The Gulf States asked for help from the USA military.  Beyond the National Guard, as of today, there are 25,000 people involved in efforts.  Who is paying that bill?  Jindal should have been suing BP, Transocean and Halliburton from the beginning.  His Attorney General hasn't told the Parish Presidents whom to communicate with?  Like the military person sitting in their offices? 

25,000 people is nearly a small city.  When is the Federal Treasury going to be reimbursed from any of the States that are suppose to be receiving 'costs' from BP?  Or, is keeping the monies the Federal Treasury is now doling out part of the 'relief monies' the Gulf States are counting on?  Then there is the cost of the USA miltiary right from the beginning.  Who is paying for that?

TODAY, ...over 1,200 Coast Guardsmen Federal Military), 1,400 National Guardsmen, 21,000 contractors and 700 volunteers....

...400 skimmers on duty and around the gulf, 500 barges, 2,500 government and contract vessels and more than 2,000 vessels of opportunity utilizing local watermen and their knowledge and their vessels, 64 aircraft and 2.7 million feet of boom either deployed or staged and ready to deploy....

2.7 million feet of boom - That circles the Equator of Earth over 108 times.


...We have skimmed, to date, about 18 million gallons of oily water—the oil has to be decanted from that [and] our yield is usually somewhere around 10 or 15 percent on that. We have burned 3.8 million gallons of oil. We’ve applied over a million gallons of dispersant....

I really want them to stop using the dispersant.  A million gallons into the Gulf is over the limit as far as I am concerned.

Canada remained the largest exporter of total petroleum in March, exporting 2.517 million barrels per day to the United States,...

The OTHER exporting countries (in order of gallons per day) providing oil to the USA everyday is Saudi Arabia, MEXICO, Venezuela, Nigeria, Angola, (this was as of March), Iraq (450,000 barrels per day.  Do we pay for that?) , Brazil (Brazilians use a lot of E85 - ethanol 85% - gas 15%)...So, basically, the Brazilians export their oil to the USA to enrich their national treasury while they are burning E85....followed by Algeria, Russia, Kuwait, Colombia, Ecuador, UNITED KINGDOM and lastly the Congo.

But, the Republicans want to chronically scream how the USA has to drill offshore and otherwise in order to stop importing oil. 

Oh.  I'm feeling safer already.  From whom?  Canadians, I suppose. Canada supplies nearly twice the amount of oil to the USA, than Saudi Arabia.

March 2010 Import Highlights: May 27, 2010

Monthly data on the origins of crude oil imports in March 2010 has been released and it shows that three countries exported more than 1.00 million barrels per day to the United States (see table below). The top five exporting countries accounted for 66 percent of United States crude oil imports in March while the top ten sources accounted for approximately 86 percent of all U.S. crude oil imports....

http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html

The whining of the Republicans at any level of government along the Gulf Coast, with the exception of Crist (the guy seems to have some dignity), is POLITICAL.  Congress needs to take that into consideration during their hearings. 

There are many problems in the Gulf of Mexico and along the coastal states, but, 'the response' really isn't 'all that.' 

As of today, Governor Jindal found out that when the State seeks support from BP, rather than pounding away at the Federal government and the Obama Administration, he actually gets what he asks for:

BP First Payment for Barrier Islands Project to Louisiana
Friday June 11th 2010
BP in a letter to Louisiana’s Governor, Bobby Jindal, gave details on their plans to fund the $360 million for six berms for the Barrier Islands Project. BP paid the first payment of $60 million to the State of Louisiana.
With this initial payment Louisiana will be able to begin work immediately on this project. Five additional payments of $60 million each will be paid when the project is certified in 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and finally 100% completion milestones. Instead of establishing an escrow fund BP announced that they will make all the payments directly to the State of Louisiana....

http://www.infotipguide.com/bp-first-payment-for-barrier-islands-project-to-louisiana/846/


WHOM are the laborers for these barrier islands?  Displaced workers from Louisiana?  I hope there is no corruption with those kinds of monies rolling in.

Scientist Warns: Sand Berms Won't Last

by NPR Staff
June 11, 2010
...But some scientists who've spent decades studying the fragile Mississippi River delta aren't sold on the berm idea, and they worry those berms could make things even worse.

Rob Young, a coastal geologist at Western Carolina University who's been working in the Gulf for 20 years, says he thinks the man-made sandbars will take six to nine months to finish. And he doesn't think they're going to last....


..."The structure that I see that they're planning to build is going to erode as soon as it's constructed, and it's going to have a tough time making it through a hurricane season that's predicted to be a fairly active one," Young tells NPR's Melissa Block. "I just don't have a very high level of confidence that a project that's going to require a lot of energy and a lot of sand and mobilize a lot of people is going to do what they promise it will do."... 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127774917


Has anyone, I do mean ANYONE, thanked President Obama for holding BP accountable?  Hm?  To Bipartisan an action I suppose.

And last, but, not least Admiral Thad Allen stated today:  (click title to entry - thank you)

...And that will all continue and, as I said, immense operation going on down there and we are also deploying teams today—and will be next week—under Tracy Wareing, [head of] our integrated services team, to take a look at the claims processing, and that continues with our oversight and work with BP....

Now, what was the complaint ACTUALLY ?

What does it take to get through to a Republican, like Billy Nungesser, who is 'gaming' the circumstances in the Gulf of Mexico?

Billy is the one in the suit.  He is an obstructionist.  He is 'gaming' the issue to win some kind of advantage.  He is a parish President in Louisiana and he doesn't know who is in charge yet?  WOW.

He has a four year term that ends in 2011. 

Surprise. 

He states he is unaware as to how to solve the problems his people face. 

Okay, then.

Let's see if we can all get POTUS to dance on hte head of a pin for us.  What do you say?  Sound like a plan?

Corruption takes all forms and playing dumb sometimes works.

Legislative auditor: Nungesser may have violated Plaquemines Parish charter and local ordinances  (click title to entry - thank you)

Published: Thursday, June 10, 2010, 10:00 PM
Updated: Thursday, June 10, 2010, 10:20 PM
 
Jenny Hurwitz, The Times-Picayune
Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser may have violated the parish charter and local law when he independently entered into two hurricane recovery contracts in early 2007 without securing the parish council's approval, according to a legislative audit report....

Birds of a feather.  Politically gaming circumstances like this is more then corrupt, it is immoral.  That goes for hurricanes. too.  I mean why seek to reverse the trend of Human Induced Global Warming if it plays into your wealth quotient? 

Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser refutes the four alleged violations in the legislative auditor's report, attributing the investigation to 'political operatives' who are trying to hurt the parish's recovery efforts to benefit their own political aspirations.

Criminal charges stating Billy didn't even understand the 'RULES' of his own parish; is an effort to effect the recovery efforts. 

I see. 

So, how could that be?  Because Billy states he doesn't know who is in charge in the rescue and recovery efforts, but, yet criminal charges are effecting those directives by his office. 

That makes sense?  It is double talk.

If the recovery efforts in his parish are effected, it sounds like it could be because he is chasing his tail in trying to understand who to speak to, not because his criminal charges are a political burden effecting things. It sounds like Billy has issues he needs to attend to and should resign to allow people who sincerely care without 'dumbing down' the system take over.  Sound like a plan?  How is his parish doing by the way?  Is his incompete,ncy for whatever reason, sincerely effecting the people there?

Is therer ANYONE in Louisiana that sincerely care about the people there? 

Bye, Billy.

I don't care about how many oil disasters there were in the world before the Deepwater Horizon. THIS IS THE WORST. By every standard.

An oil slick near the Chandeleur Islands in Louisiana in May 2010. The Gulf of Mexico spill, already deemed worse than the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, may be the worst environmental disaster the U.S. has ever faced.  (click title to entry - thank you)

This is the USA.  This isn't suppose to happen to us as if we were a third world country.  THAT is insulting to other countries, but, it painfully true.  If the USA is allowing exploitation of its natural resources with abandon, it only sets THE  WORST  INDUSTRIAL  STANDARD on Earth.

The reference by Newsweek that the Gulf of Mexico is 'the gulf of oil' for all the water contamination is probably true, however, just because the Gulf of Mexico was previously contaminated along other coast lines doesn't mean that it is 'OKAY' to now do the same in USA waters.  Nor is it okay to disregard the livelihoods of Americans that utilize the fisheries now drenched with oil.

That isn't all.

The USA has high standards for wildife protections.  It took decades and a lot of US dollars to bring the Louisiana Brown Pelican back from endangered status.  It came off the Endangered List as of November 2009.  The Louisiana Brown Pelican is probably at least 'threatened' all over again, because, they aren't being returned to Louisiana habitat after they are rescued.  I hope the birds are being tagged to return to Louisiana, but, the fact is that a Brown Pelican that lives outside of Louisiana is NOT a Louisiana Brown Pelican.  Not only that, but, even if the rescued birds are alive and tagged in Florida, they will probably be replaced by many generations of pelicans before their former habitat can ever be used for habitat again.

In the meantime, the Louisiana Brown Pelicans that can be saved, should be saved and their offspring followed and tagged in order to return them to Louisiana eventually.  The problem is that they will have to be oriented to new habitat AGAIN and there is always stress on animals when that occurs and there will be unnecessary deaths as they have to learn their new feeding grounds and nesting grounds, etc.  All that takes money and if the Louisiana birds are in Florida, that means the fiscal burden is falling on Florida.  So the actual cost of this oil spill won't be known for decades.

But, that is not all.

THE  GULF  OF  MEXICO  LOOP  CURRENT. 

No matter how Newsweek wants to diss the people in their concern for the CONTAMINATION of the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current, it is no minor matter.  This is one of the few times, to the best of the knowledge of most of us, that such huge amounts of TOXIC oil dispersants have been introduced to the water column for such an extended period of time.  If this is the practice of the Petroleum Industry then governments are NOT doing their jobs in allowing this practice.  And the question is, "Why are they using oil dispersants anyway and where has it been used and how much has been used and what were the outcomes of the industy vs the environment and economies it may have effected?"

This is also the first time the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current has been involved in any oil disaster incident.  Now, if political figures and the media want to 'blow this off' as nothing and hysteria, they are welcome to do, but, this is not a minor incident.  It has the potential to imperil Earth. 

SO.

I don't care if there were incidents of oil disasters worse than the BP disaster.  THE FACT that this happened at all in the USA is outrageous.  It has followed a time that regulations and federal infrastructure has been 'culled' by the Bush/Cheney administration and left the USA vulnerable.  The BP disaster is a National Secuity Issue among others thngs.

I don't care if other abandoned oil wells ended up becoming an environmental nightmare, because, of a SIX MONTH 'investigational' moritorium.  If there is an oil well that is being abandoned because of the moritorium and something ADVERSE happens, then the company holding that lease has liability.  I don't think any company wants that to happen and they better be 'manning' all their wells to standard and in anticiaption of either closing them securely or waiting to find out what the USA government is going to do.

I don't care if 'rigs' leave the area because of the moritorium.  It just goes to prove how the USA needs to regulate not just the industry practices of drilling, BUT  ALSO, the industry standards it 'fitness of rigs' that come into our waters.  So, Oil Rigs are going to have to pass safety standards and be maintained well or they don't come into USA waters again.

And if an industry, of any nature, practicing within the USA does not understand or care to understand the high quality standards this country holds for them, then they can leave.  There are independant operators willing and able to meet high quality industry standards and it is those businesses we need to nuture and bring 'online' with businesses and jobs for the USA economy.   Operators with RESPECT for our government, ouir standards of living and THEIR place within all that.  Operators that don't have CEOs seeking a bonus at the cost to national economies.

The BP disaster will never be completely paid for by the company.  It will cost generations of Americans billions US$ and we know it.  In that reality, is it EVER worth allowing any business to practice substandard 'trades' when it will only burden the country with debt unending?

NO. 

It is just not worth it.  The truth of the matter is that oil and gas are as ancient to Earth as the dinosaurs and prehistoric lagoons that supply it.  We need to move on in the USA in order to secure the future generation of Americans and global allies and friends.  The jobs these industries supply aren't worth it and can be replaced with jobs in 'local eocnomies' where artists are valued, craftspersons produce quality products rather than 'K-Mart' Red Light Specials. 

The USA has been indulging corporations under misguided and corrupt Republican leadership and the disasters we are facing as a country today is a direct result of those policies for over 30 years of exploitation.  Heck, even American lives didn't matter to the CEOs of health care insurance corporations.  American lives were just another bargaining chip in the next CEO bonus.

The USA military needs to understand the Oil and Gas Industry, have personnel at the ready to intervene and be able to carry out a 'closure' to any rupture that imperils our country, its populous, its economy and the global ocean circulations.

ENOUGH. 

Ken Arnold, Oil and Gas Consultant has made a mistake. CNN attacks the American citizen and promotes Petroleum Industry standard to exceed the standard of the citizen.

Ken Arnold makes a lot of money from the Petroleum Industy.  (click title to entry - thank you)  He advocated for overriding the 'citizen standard' of the USA by stating the Petroleum Industry KNOWS BEST.

I don't think so.

What does CNN 'follow up' Arnold's appearance with?  Comedy segments.  Hello?

One aspect of this oil rupture in the Gulf that comes to light and why a plutocracy flourishes over the citizen is because the Petroleum Industry 'runs' LOBBYISTS as PR folks such as Ken Arnold.

Basically, the 'citizen standard' is ignored in the "W" economy.  It is 'substituted' for 'be grateful in employment' rather than standards of excellence to PROTECT the citizen from abusive industry infrastructure.

I am not interested in what ARNOLD has to sell.  Thanks, anyway.

Louisiana Governor Jindal states he is in a war against oil. Heck. He should have thought of that one a long time ago before their product lined his beaches and fisheries.

Jindal the inspirational speaker.  Typical Republican lawmaker.  Pander to Wall Street and become the quintessential emergency coordinator when disaster strikes.  Does Jindal EVER reflect on the fact HE is as much Louisiana's problem as BP !!!  PREVENTION.  Think prevention, Louisiana.

..."You know, when you're in the middle of a battle, a lot of times it is easy to be skeptical about victory, " Jindal began as he stood on a makeshift stage at the Fort Jackson Wildlife Center in Buras alongside Saints owner Tom Benson and Coach Sean Payton, among others. "Indeed, we all remember the Saints overcame the odds, they overcame the critics, they overcame the skeptics. . . . We all remember that onside kick. We all remember that interception.

Share "Well, you know what, Louisiana? We're in a battle right now to save our coast. This is a war to protect our way of life in Louisiana. And just like the New Orleans Saints overcame the odds, Louisiana is going to win this battle...

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/06/new_orleans_saints_rally_lifts.html


That is what is amazing about Republicans, they use opportunity to make money of their citizens.  BUT, it ain't taxes, though.

Louisiana doesn't have a Brown Pelican anymore.  The ones still alive are now residing in Florida.

From Melinda Deslatte, June 9, 2010 - 08:05 AM

Lawmakers send Jindal bill to remove $15 license price hike, despite governor's opposition  (click title to entry  - thank you)

By Melinda Deslatte

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The decision of whether to repeal or keep a $15 increase in the price of a Louisiana driver's license now rests with Gov. Bobby Jindal.

The Senate gave final approval to reversing the price increase by a 29-5 vote Tuesday, sending the measure to Jindal, whose administration repeatedly tried to kill the bill as it wound its way through the Legislature.
Jindal wants the $13.6 million to be raised by the license hike annually to help cover costs for state police in the upcoming budget year that begins July 1.
If he vetoes the bill, Jindal will be taking ownership of the price boost even as he has repeatedly talked about opposing tax hikes to fill budget shortfalls and the need for the state to "do more with less." If Jindal lets the bill become law, that shrinks state revenue....

Severe Weather - UNISYS 12 hour loop (click at title to entry - thank you)

June 9, 2010

00:17 GMT

Atlantic Ocean Satellite

The FIRST hurricanes of the season are gaining potential as well. 

Red River Valley is in the path of the potential tornadoes and heavy rain.

The same vortex street is taking a north - east track.  The Jet Stream is becoming dominated by the vortexes again.  The 'heat plume' coming up from the equator is going to reek havoc with the air mass and movement in the central USA.

There are actually two streets, the ones nearest the equator is primarily stationary.  Those are starting to pick up some minor amount of moisture.  Minor in the sense of 'percent of water vapor to size of vortex.'  With added water vapor there might be some added turbulence and movement in the equatorial systems.

Severe thunderstorms, hail move across St. Louis region

By Lisa Watson

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Tuesday afternoon thunderstorms brought hail to the St. Louis region and are expected to continue through the night.
A flood warning is in effect in St. Charles County, and a severe weather warning has been issued for St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Clair County and Monroe County in Illinois. A storm capable of producing quarter-sized hail was spotted in the region, according to the National Weather Service.
Very large hail is possible, as are strong winds and isolated tornados, according to the National Weather Service. Severe weather moved in from the northwest Tuesday morning, and was expected to bring 1 to 2 inches of rain across Northeast Missouri, West Central and Southwest Illinois.
Globe-Democrat.com spotted dime-sized hail in St. Louis County.
Unstable conditions in the atmosphere and a slow-moving front will keep rain in the forecast through Sunday, according to the Weather Service

http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/jun/08/severe-thunderstorms-hail-move-across-st-louis-reg/

Oil and Gas the safest energy sources on Earth. The latest assessment of the the Hood County gas expolsion is three dead and others missing.

Officials say one person is dead after a gas line explosion and fire near Cleburne, Texas, about 80 kilometres southwest of Dallas. (CBC)

Monday, June 7th, at 2:40 p.m. a natural gas facility in Hood County, Texas exploded. (click title to entry - thank you)  Ten people are missing and three died. The explosion was south of Granbury, near Pecan Plantation.

UPI news says, "Hood County Fire Marshal Brian Fine told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram the workers were missing after a work crew hit a gas pipeline while digging a trench. Officials urged residents to stay in their homes so emergency responders could have full access to the rural roads to the site."
Durango Texas reports, "Firemen from 8 different fire departments have surrounded the site of the explosion. Parkland Hospital, in Dallas, is expecting burn victims to be brought to their specialist burn unit."
Fire crew will have to wait for the gas line to shut off and the fire to burn itself out. Smoke and flames from the fire can be seen for miles.



Company: Workers followed procedure before blast  (link below)

By ANGELA K. BROWN (AP) – 2 hours ago
CLEBURNE, Texas — A utility crew that accidentally struck a natural gas line, sparking a fiery explosion that killed one worker, followed the proper procedures in locating the line before digging, a company official said Tuesday....


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i3fQFROi7EjjP1ifzux9UOPWFP8AD9G7B20G3



Oklahoma Man Dies In Texas Natural Gas Explosion
Posted: Jun 08, 2010 1:07 PM EDT

Updated: Jun 08, 2010 7:46 PM EDT
By Craig Day, The News On 6
RAMONA, OK -- A utility worker found dead several hours after a natural gas line erupted in north Texas is from Oklahoma.
The explosion killed 45-year-old James Neese, from Ramona. Neese leaves behind a wife and seven children, including a toddler and infant. Residents are saddened at the death of a hard working, family man.
While OSHA and National Transportation Safety Board investigators are working to find out how a utility crew ruptured a natural gas line, in Ramona people are saddened to hear the explosion killed one of their own....


http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12614362



2 hurt in W.Va. well blast still hospitalized  (link below)
06/08/2010
UDRL / Associated Press
Three more workers injured in a West Virginia drilling rig explosion have been released from the hospital, bringing the total to five.
By Tuesday afternoon, only two workers remained hospitalized. A spokeswoman for Dallas, Texas-based Chief Oil & Gas LLC says neither has life-threatening injuries.
Seven workers were hurt when a crew with Union Drilling struck a pocket of methane Monday in an abandoned coal mine near Moundsville. Union was drilling a natural gas well in the Marcellus shale formation for Chief.
Union is based in Fort Worth, Texas, but the crew was from Buckhannon. Union has refused comment except to say it's cooperating with investigators.
Chief spokeswoman Kristi Gittins says it's too soon to know how the methane ignited. The gas is still burning.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D9G77NP82.html



Parkland Memorial Hospital Burn Unit is a busy place evidently.


Kitchen Explosion Injures Five At Texas Restaurant

One person was in critical condition Tuesday after an explosion in the kitchen of a Texas restaurant.
DALLAS (June 8, 2010)--A natural gas explosion Monday in the kitchen of a restaurant in Gainesville left one person in critical condition.
Parkland Memorial Hospital officials said Tuesday that four other people are in serious condition after the explosion around 4:30 p.m. Monday in the kitchen of a Mexican restaurant, El Taco Riendo.
Three women, a young girl and a toddler were flown to the hospital with burns after the blast.
Hospital officials would not say which victim is in critical condition.
Fire officials told The Dallas Morning News that they have not determined the cause of the explosion, but most of the damage occurred inside the building.


http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/95866449.html?ref=449


Yep.

Are Natalee's parents still in Aruba regularly? I can't believe Van der Sloot actually pleaded guilty.

I wonder what the penalty for Murder is in Peru?  I would think he would finally confess and tell the Holloways what happened to their daughter.  Is his father a judge or something in Aruba?  And what about the other two men, are they involved or not?  It seems like such a 'huge' crime not that another woman had died.  He could have been stopped.  I can't help but wonder if there are others we don't know about.

New Search to be Conducted for Natalee Holloway's Body  (click title to entry - thank you)

...Arubian authorities told Jossy Mansur, editor of Aruba's Diario Newspaper, they "believe they must have missed something, some kind of evidence" related to Natalee's murder. Natalee, then 18, was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot, then 17....

Further demonstration can be made of the media hatred of Democratic innovation in social content.

Since the Obama Administration has taken office, I have heard over and over and over again how violence rules Chicago youth. 

The other day there was an article in the New York Times about prison, etc. 

In response to rampant urban violence Bob Herbert featured an Op-Ed.  Please see below.

YET.  One of the greatest hopes for reforming the urban violent youth to provide for 'HOPE' in their lives a man by the name of Van Jones and his Green Jobs Economy was 'ridden' by the media in a campaign of harassment that ended his career in the White House to improve the 'chances' the youth of the inner city face everyday and within their culture of violence.

The American Media drove a man of 'Hope' out of the White House with complete disregard of his work, his hopes for the youth in the USA and what would be the result of such actions.  They got ratings, they got gratification of the 'hate mongering' and they relished the 'power' of undoing the Obama Administration at every turn.

Did they care about this country?  NO !  Resoundingly.  NO !

I could go on and on and on with examples of every kind to prove exactly the level of hatred the media has for Democratic innovation and problem solving.

THE  TRUTH.  If it doesn't serve Wall Street, it doesn't matter !

If Wall Street or the American Media don't have hope and solutions for USA inner city youth, then they need to SHUT UP, because, they are only making it worse. 

When a 'role model' and 'hero' such as Van Jones is 'shot down' by the American media it tells the young men of the inner city just how insignificant they are and how they are doomed to live within the culture of violence they were born into. 

So, don't tell me about how the Democratic innovation that can actually solve the problems of this country is treated 'as a game toy' for political volleys and Republican Fervor.  During the harassment of Van Jones there was NO  REPUBLICAN to be found because they were to busy 'obstructing' the votes of the Senate and chronically campaigning for their majority return without a single answer for the problems the USA is facing, but, plenty of rhetoric !




Van Jones is a globally recognized, award-winning pioneer in human rights and the clean-energy economy. Van is a co-founder of three successful non-profit organizations: the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change and Green For All. He is the best-selling author of the definitive book on green jobs: The Green-Collar Economy. He served as the green jobs advisor in the Obama White House in 2009.
Van is currently a senior fellow at the Center For American Progress. Additionally, he is a senior policy advisor at Green For All.
Van also holds a joint appointment at Princeton University, as a distinguished visiting fellow in both the Center for African American Studies and in the Program in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs....

http://www.vanjones.net/



...If a stranger or someone (click title to entry - thank you)  from a rival clique steps on your clean, white sneakers, or makes a crack about your manhood, or laughs at you, putting a bullet in his heart or his head is seen by an awful lot of young people as an appropriate response. This is a form of crazed thinking that needs to be confronted and changed.

Dr. Gary Slutkin, an epidemiologist who began focusing more than a decade ago on urban violence as a public health matter, has developed a program that is making progress in altering such behavior, and thus reducing the violence. Antiviolence initiatives that actually work are desperately needed to cut down on the slaughter that continues with numbing regularity, year after tragic year....



Chicago Violence: At Least 27 People Shot Over Memorial Day Weekend
First Posted: 06- 1-10 01:48 PM

At least 27 people were shot, two fatally, over the long weekend in Chicago, and police are blaming gang violence for more than half of the incidents.
Between noon on Saturday and noon on Sunday, at least 22 people were shot in the city, the Chicago Tribune reports. One of those wounded was a woman who was eight months pregnant.
"Fortunately, she only suffered a graze wound," Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis told the Tribune. "But it could have been much worse."
The violence continued through Memorial Day into early Tuesday morning, when five more people were shot in separate incidents. One of those wounded died from his injuries early Tuesday.
The Tribune reports that no one is in custody for any of the shootings.
On Sunday, Weis told reporters that half of the 15 separate shootings appear to be gang-related, including the 19-year-old's murder. He also said several victims refused to cooperate with police "which makes the job of our detectives ... far more difficult," he told the Tribune.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/01/chicago-violence-at-least_n_596335.html

BP has given up on capping the disasterous human induced Oil Seep, the economy of the Gulf Coast is lost and BP's CEO is confident all with the company will be well.

This DOES  NOT  NEED  NUCLEAR  MATERIAL TO WORK.

It would be insane to use nuclear material for such a methodolgy.

JERKS !!!!!


It is "W"rong for the media to imply a 'nuclear option' would be the result of such a method.  FEAR.  The Americna Media will do anything to instill FEAR into the electorate when it comes to DEMOCRATS AND THEIR 'INNOVATION.'

The TRUTH is that this tragedy may never end.  That is the truth with a human induced oil seep one mile below sea level. 

That reality dictates a vastly different course of action as the actions of BP now endangers the entire health of the global oceans.

The sea bed surrounding the "exporatory" drill has to be displaced.  In order for this procedure to work the explosives have to be set at an odd number of places and not equi-distant.  The charges have to be placed at different depths within the rock and have varying levels of explosive capacity.

THE ROCK where the explosives are placed has to accounted for in calculating the amount of explosive material needed.

The more 'tight' the molecular structure of the rock the better, but, when the fisile nature of the rock increases, the more explosive material that is necessary. 

Why?  That should be fairly obvious.  The explosion will be absorbed by very fisile rock while the 'energy' from the explosion will be more distributed and be able to 'act on' the concrete and steel within in the densest molecular structure.

The USA military uses explosives all the time, including bullets in guns and cannons.  They should already have information within their 'knowledge base' of what it takes to 'act on' concrete and steel.  They can work with USGS to determine the layers of 'sea bed' that would be best to accommodate the explosives to 'close the space' at the interior of this drill hole.

There is too much methane coming through the drill hole for any conventional methods to work as well as its location one mile down.

SERIOUSLY !!!!!!

Give me a minute.

To begin with the entire coast of Louisiana and the off shore geological content is well known to the USA military.

There has been a lot of money spent on those wetlands by the people of the USA to protect fisheries, etc.

The point is the geology of this region is well known and the seismic activity of the offshore areas is required to be well known in order to drill at all.

This region has to take top priority in national security and any and all available resources need to be dedicated to it.

Now while BP states there is no way this can be handled differently, I have a very difficult time believing that.  The 'strata' of geological layers in this picture does not illustrate the current status of the well in the Gulf.

The drill casing is made out of steel.  There is usually cement poured around it to reinforce the drill hole.  BUT, the center of this 'structural hole' is empty.  It is hollow.  It is highly vulnerable to collapse.  All that has to occur is a blast strong enough to displace the geological structure surrounding this 'hole' and the cement that reinforces the VOID of structure ENOUGH  to collapse it.

What does that mean?  Easy.

At places in the geological layers of strata surrounding the well there needs to be drilled, NO DIFFERENT THAN THE WELLS DRILLED PARALLEL TO ABANDONED OIL WELLS THAT CHILDREN FALL INTO,  holes to have placed in them highly explosive devices to be ignited to displace the concrete, steel and strata at the place of the well.

There is no reason to believe this hole is going to get any bigger than it is.  The 'induced seismic' action will dislocate the concrete, steel and surrounding layers of Earth under high PSI at one mile down and cause a collapse of the 'space' that the oil and methane gas are escaping from.  There are no ADJOINING cavities to the well to allow any methane to escape into the holes were explosive devices are placed.  And to insure the explosion don't move UPWARD rather than OUTWARD, the top of the drill holes with the explosive devices has to be sealed with the geological earth that has been removed to create them.  The PSI of the sea water and the movement of the earth itself will take care of this mess once and for all.

The DRILLED HOLES (at least four if not six or eight) have to go deep 'enough' to place the explosives and NOT, definately NOT, near the vat of oil currently ruptured by BP.  Basically, 'shake' the hole to implosion.  It is a highly viable SOLUTION to the problem.  The explosions have to be strong enough to displace the geological rock horizontally.

As the Nation's largest (click title to entry - thank you) earth-science and civilian mapping agency, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) works in cooperation with many Federal, State, and local organizations to provide reliable and impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and others throughout the country. This information is gathered in every state by USGS scientists to minimize the loss of life and property from natural disasters, contribute to the conservation and sound management of the Nation's natural resources, and enhance the quality of life by monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral resources. This Fact Sheet describes some of the USGS activities in Louisiana. 
 

Atchafalaya Basin Management

The Atchafalaya Basin (fig. 1) in south-central Louisiana is the largest river-bottomland hardwood swamp in the Nation. The USGS, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), is monitoring the basin to determine environmental effects of flood-management practices. Physical and chemical-related properties being monitored include continuous velocity and stage, specific conductance, pH, dissolved-oxygen (DO) concentrations, water temperature, and sediment deposition....

Louisiana has 25 percent of the forested wetlands and 40 percent of the coastal wetlands in the 48 contiguous States but accounts for 80 percent of wetlands losses....

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-019-99/

A lot of nasty turbulence. A street of vortices north of the equator. When has that ever happened? Wow.

The current 'heat' across the country mixed with colder air around the Great Lakes.

The vortex street above the Equator is primarily stagnant air simply spinning due to high heat content. The only movement of the equatorial phenomena is Coriolis.

The Jet Stream is running north of the vortex street.  It was the Jet Stream that 'mixed' portions of each air mass to bring high turbulence to the Great Lakes where colder air would cause quick changes in 'static' conditions.

Earth is a very hot planet due to high carbon dioxide levels and the deaths related to these tornadoes can be attributed to the Climate Crisis. There is nothing 'normal' about those patterns.

WOW.

UNISYS 12 Hour Loop (click here)

Above is the GOES  EAST  SATELITTE and below is the GOES  WEST  SATELLITE.

Article published June 06, 2010

Child among 5 killed in overnight tornadoes, storms


Gov. Strickland visiting Lake Twp; Dundee Twp declares emergency
 
BLADE STAFF
Two waves of storms slammed northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan late Saturday and early Sunday, spawning at least two tornadoes, killing five people, including a child, and canceling two high school graduations....

...Three of the deaths happened in Millbury, a town of some 1,200 about 10 miles southeast of Toledo. Authorities have identified five people killed in Lake Township as:
• Bailey Bowman, 21, of Walbridge, who was picked up and tossed by the tornado as she, a male companion, and her small child were trying to take refuge at the Lake Township police station;


• Ted Kranz, 46, a Millbury resident who reportedly stepped outside of his home during the storm and was struck when part of the house fell on him;


• Hayden Walters, 4, and his mother, Mary Walters, also Millbury residents. The boy was killed during the tornado and Mrs. Walters died later at a Toledo hospital.


• Kathleen Hammitt, a Wauseon woman in her 50s, who was struck by airborne debris while driving on State Rt. 795....

...Tornado touchdowns were confirmed for 11:30 p.m. Saturday in Wood County's Lake Township and 2:17 a.m. Sunday in Dundee in Monroe County, Mich....

...By 10:30 p.m. Saturday severe thunderstorms with rotations capable of spawning tornadoes roared eastward through the region. A second wave of the storm came through a few hours later.

Toledo Edison reported about 4,000 customers without power throughout northwest Ohio. Crews from Ohio Edison were headed to the area Sunday morning to assist with restoration.


Detroit Edison on Sunday reported 28,000 of its 2.1 million customers experienced outages, about 15,000 in Monroe County, 1,400 of which were in the Dundee area. Consumers Power in Michigan reported 475 customers without electricity in southern Monroe County....

...In Ottawa County, sheriff's deputies reported six houses "totally wiped out" and eight to 10 others with damage in the hamlet of Martin and along Trowbridge Road in Allen Township. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
In Fulton County, a Swancreek Township woman suffered cuts on her foot and shoulder when the storm destroyed a home at 1520 County Road 7 between County Roads A and B, Fulton County authorities said early Sunday morning. The injured woman was struck by flying debris as she, two children, and a friend fled to a neighbor's house before the storm reduced the other residence to rubble, authorities said.

Numerous homes were damaged in the same rural residential area, the Sheriff Darrell Merillat.
At County Roads C and 3, several trees were strewn across the roads, Chief Deputy Roy Miller said. The area also was littered with metal roofing that had been ripped from barns and other structures.
Nearby in Lucas County, damage was reported in Providence Township....

...Tornado sirens first sounded across northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan after 10 p.m. as thunderstorms with strong rotations moved from Williams and Hillsdale counties to Fulton, Henry, Lucas, and Wood counties.
Sirens could be heard across Lucas County about 10:30 p.m. Sirens sounded again about 11:05 p.m. and again before 3 a.m.
Toledo police reported deep water covering roads as the storms brought heavy rain.

It is traditionally the time I say 'good night' so why change a good thing?

I still have some ground to cover. 

Until later...

Holder. Hm. I would like to see him become a legislator after his term as Attorney's General.

He ain't no Gonzalez. 

Gratefully.

The criminal investigation into the Gulf tragedy is a given. 

I think the Huffington Post has a point when they call for a 'Temporary Receivership' for BP.

He needs to write an ethics manual for Rahm.  Rahm is screaming for guidance.  It's all that Ritalin he takes.

He doesn't take Ritalin? 

Oh.

I mean there are reports of him unable to keep his clothes on at times.  Sounds a little maniac to me.


Jun 4, 2010
US Attorney General Urges OECD To Do More To Fight Corruption


By Samuel Rubenfeld, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder called on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to do more to combat corruption, in a speech Monday in Paris.
Holder said that although the group has led the response to a global problem that the World Bank says costs 3% of world gross domestic product, some member countries still haven't convicted anyone. He acknowledged that it is difficult to investigate and prosecute corruption because it requires "more will, resources, experience and effort" than most crimes.
"It involves gathering evidence from foreign jurisdictions, pursuing wealthy and powerful individuals, and enduring lengthy challenges in the courtrooms," Holder said. "I urge the countries...to deepen their commitment to this global effort by dedicating the appropriate resources, such as prosecutors and investigators focused exclusively on foreign bribery cases, and by prioritizing the prosecution of corruption, no matter where the evidence leads."


http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201006011809dowjonesdjonline000420&title=us-attorney-general-urges-oecd-to-do-more-to-fight-corruption

If there is one Obama Cabinet member that really, really wanted the job is was Solis,

When is the last time the USA has had a pro-labor Secretary of Labor?

Can't remember when.

I'm glad she is there.

Do you there are four wind power assembly plants in Michigan? 

Blew me away.

The problem is this, this is NOT a jobless recovery, but, the media should likes to look at it that way.  The problem is that jobs are being lost as fast as they are being created and it is impossible to stabilize the employment dynamics of the USA.  The losses aren't really at the fault of the Labor Secretary or anyone else either.

Flood Related Unemployment Numbers Rise



Posted: Jun 05, 2010 10:13 PM EDT

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- A record 4,400 Tennesseans have filed for unemployment in the weeks following the flood.
State labor officials believe this is a sign of just how widespread the damage was and the number of industries impacted. That number jumped this week after Gaylord Opryland said they were laying off more than 1,700 people.
Across the state, 416 self-employed workers and small-business owners have also sought relief from the Unemployment Assistance program.

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=12601679

And then there is the Gulf Coast.  The unemployment is huge.  Besides fishermen, there is tourism taking a big hit as well.  So, this whole 'jobless' recovery is mostly bozo stuff as far as I am concerned. 

The complaints about an improvement in unemployment due to the Census is stupid as well.  The Census workers count.  It is not a volunteer effort.  They are doing valuable work that will directly effect the election dynamics of our democracy, so I really don't want to hear it.

The media discusses this as if it were artifical monies coming back into the economy.  It isn't.  The monies people are earning is infusing the economy no different than any other job would.  People are spending and/or saving their incomes and contributing to stimulating the economy. 

I do believe most small business owners are correct to underestimate any recovery and hold back on stocking shelves and employing more people.  This are scary times.  Modest improvements in business is a good thing.

Baby steps, if you will.

So, given the mess at the beginning of this President's term and the continuing ups and downs, I don't really think there are clear indications to economic growth and vigor.  There just isn't. 

I heard Bernanke is 'bummed out' by the unemployment and stating it is reeking havoc on him.  Too bad.  Call it a 'bad hair year' or something.  Better yet, recall some of the money you've printed.

So, if there was any kind of uptick in May in employment and/or the economy it was as real as any development to date.

Ah, don't ask me. But, this is our Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack. I guess he's promoting honey.

This has got to be the easiest job in the Obama Cabinet right now.  No issue with oil, except, used cooking oil.  And he is 'the guy' that can make IT all happen.  'Ethanol,' 'biodiesel' from Prairie Grass.

Do you know that Prairie Grass is NOT on the commodities exchange.  The most valuable commodity for an American OPEC and it isn't even on the Stock Exchange?

Secretary Vilsack has some homework to do. 

...Former governor and current U.S. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, current Governor Chet Culver, and Congressman Leonard Boswell, all Democrats, joined together today to say Iowa is heading toward an economic recovery. Vilsack touted the impact of federal recovery dollars on Iowa.
Vilsack says in Iowa “it’s fairly clear” 31,000 jobs were retained or created by the economic recovery act. “That’s roughly two-point-three percent of Iowa’s workforce. In other words, our unemployment rate, which is relatively low, relative to other states, would be two-point-three-percent higher but for the recovery act,” Vilsack said....

http://www.radioiowa.com/2010/06/04/ag-secretary-vilsack-governor-culver-say-iowa-economy-improving/

I am glad he brought up that 'economic recovery' thing.  I wanted to talk about that a bit.

I never trust a guy in a cowboy hat. I used to wear one by the way, until 2000. I gave it away.

At the Interior Department website though, he is wearing a baseball cap similar to Michael Moore.  So, he is getting more credibility.

The Interior Department has announced plans to reorganize its Minerals Management Service, which is the agency charged with royalty collections on tribal and federal land. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar signed a secretarial order May 19 that will lead to restructuring of the agency, “and the division of its three conflicting missions into separate entities with independent missions,” according to a release from the department.

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/politics/95611179.html



...Seven species of penguins in the Southern Hemisphere will receive protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act as a result of a settlement reached in federal court in San Francisco.
U.S. District Judge Samuel Conti on Thursday signed off on a settlement reached between the U.S. Interior Department and two conservation groups.


The groups are the Center for Biological Diversity, based in Tucson, Ariz., and the Turtle Island Restoration Network, based in Olema, which sued the government earlier this year.
Catherine Kilduff, a lawyer in the center's San Francisco branch office, said, "Penguins are poster children for the devastating effects of climate change."...

http://sfappeal.com/alley/2010/06/sf-based-court-settlement-mean-new-protections-for-seven-penguin-species.php


He was right to lose the cowboy hat.  Now, if he could simply 'take control' of the image of the department, its credibility and stop the petroleum industry from walking all over Americans, it would be nice.


Let’s review his tenure as a member of Obama’s cabinet.
He assumed the post in January 2009, knowing that during six of the last eight years, his department was run by Gale Norton, a political hack who fled to take a cushy job at Shell Oil.
Further, there’s a scathing 2007 report sitting on his desk that says the Minerals Mangement Service office in Denver is "a dysfunctional organization that has been riddled with conflicts of interest, unprofessional behavior and a free-for-all atmosphere" that included some of your employees doing drugs and having sex with the very people they’re supposed to be keeping an eye on.
But instead of taking a blowtorch to the infected parts of the operation, he scooted about the country doing photo opportunities in front of really groovy places run by his National Park Service.


In March 2009, he called the controversy surrounding an 11th-hour Bush administration decision to allow people to carry concealed, loaded guns in national parks a "distraction" to Americans and his department.
The folks who know better--the ones who raise money for parks and former employees--disagreed. The National Parks Conservation Association and the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees filed suit, asking that the no loaded guns policy established under the Reagan administration be restored.
Salazar hired Sylvia Vaca, a former BP executive, to be deputy administrator for land and minerals management.
Meanwhile, the MMS allowed the operators of the BP Deepwater Horizon rig to cut corners.


And even with oil erupting into the Gulf, Salazar's underlings approved other underwater drilling permits.
Last week, the Inspector General issued another MMS report that found employees in Louisiana took tickets to sports events, indulged in free lunches and other gifts from oil and gas companies. Thirteen employees had porn on their government computers and others did drugs.
Salazar called the report, "deeply disturbing."...

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/blog/2010/06/obama_should_fire_ken_salazar.html

Ah, yes. Secretary Geithner. Didn't know how to spell his name when he took the job. Wall Street. In many ways, his White House job made him find Main Street.

This is the part that is really scary about Tim.  I mean besides his chronic 'finger' language.

...Mr. Geithner joined the Department of Treasury in 1988 and worked in three administrations for five Secretaries of the Treasury in a variety of positions. He served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs from 1999 to 2001 under Secretaries Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers....

http://www.ny.frb.org/aboutthefed/orgchart/geithner.html

But, at the same time, it is what makes him the perfect choice.  He was there before the corruption that manifested as deregulation beginning in 1998?  Is that the correct date?  He was there through the height of the misguided Republican agenda and he saw the disasterous end.

See, many including me, saw Tim as the man who caused the problem.  The only thing that can really be said about Timothy Geithner at the NY Fed was that he was as stymied by the 'corruption machine' as anyone was.  It was the 'risk' that everyone wanted to believe was uncorruptable.  In actuality, it is the 'risk' that corrupts most absolutely.

Under the direction of Republican influence, 'risk' became the word and 'investment' disappeared off the books.  "How Risk Destroyed the USA Economy."  If there is a book Secretary Geithner can write, that would be it, more than likely.

I heard a recent testimony by him.  He has changed from his previous appointment at the NY Fed.  He has discovered the power of 'destruction' and 'devastation' to the American Landscape in a way that caused him pause at his reflection in the mirror. 

Yep, it was Tresury and not Commerce.

Geithner asks China to adopt flexible exchange rate policy



6 Jun 2010, 0103 hrs IST,AGENCIES
BUSAN: The United States again urged the world’s biggest exporters to boost domestic demand to provide an impetus to the global economy...
 
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/the-sunday-et/dateline-india/Geithner-asks-China-to-adopt-flexible-exchange-rate-policy/articleshow/6016212.cms
 
 
Geithner Tells G-20 Reliance on U.S. Will Curb Growth (Update2)
June 05, 2010, 5:05 AM EDT
June 5 (Bloomberg) -- Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told his Group of 20 counterparts that the pace of the global recovery depends on domestic demand in Japan and Europe, and countries shouldn’t rely on spending by U.S. consumers.
“The necessary shift towards higher savings in the United States needs to be complemented by stronger domestic demand growth in Japan and in the European surplus countries, and sustained growth in private demand” and end to the yuan peg in China, Geithner wrote in a letter before a two-day G-20 meeting in Busan, South Korea that ended today.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-05/geithner-tells-g-20-reliance-on-u-s-will-curb-growth-update2-.html

One of the most important people of the Obama Cabinet and we never see this guy. He doesn't like interviews or the press just doesn't like him?

His Dad was a Small Business Owner.  I do believe he understands the USA economy as it relates to 'local economies' intimately.

...As the first Chinese-American to hold this post in a president's cabinet, Locke has a distinctly American story. His grandfather emigrated from China to Washington state, initially finding employment as a servant, working in exchange for English lessons. Locke's father, also born in China, was a small business owner, operating a grocery store where Locke worked while receiving his education from Seattle's public school system. His strong work ethic and determination eventually took him to the highest office in the state of Washington....

He even gave Americans their own Commerce Department Blog. 

The Commerce Blog


http://www.commerce.gov/blog


Where is everyone?

There is an "i6 Challenge."  Hello?  This isn't new, this was announced in March.  Is the Commerce Department under Obama the 'dead zone' or something?  It sure wasn't under Evans.  He was corrupt as hell.

EDA Announces Competition to Bring Innovative Ideas to Market


Submitted on May 3, 2010 - 10:20am


http://www.commerce.gov/blog/2010/05/03/eda-announces-competition-bring-innovative-ideas-market


What gets me is that I would think the media would be all over this guy because of his China connections.  You know, there has to be something to do this, right?  Who ever expected a Chinaman to be USA Commerce Secretary.  Scary, isn't it?  Then again, maybe not.\


Secretary Locke Honors U.S. Companies with Highest Presidential Award for Exports

Submitted on May 13, 2010 - 4:15pm

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today presented 22 companies and organizations with the 2010 Presidential “E” Award and “E” Star Award for outstanding contributions to growing U.S. exports, strengthening the economy and creating American jobs. The Presidential “E” Awards are the highest U.S. government honor for increasing exports.
These are the first “E” and “E” Star Awards given out since President Obama announced the National Export Initiative, which aims to double American exports and support two million U.S. jobs by 2015....

http://www.commerce.gov/blog/2010/05/13/secretary-locke-honors-us-companies-highest-presidential-award-exports


How is the Chinese currency holding out, anyway?  Oh.  Maybe that is Treasury.