"Don't be a free rider."

The largest tax increase on the American people was Amendment XVI.


The individual mandate is a penalty in the form of a tax on non-participants. If a citizen opts out of purchasing health insurance for themselves there is a penalty on their incomes tax. It is the only place the federal government can ask each American every year to purchase health insurance. They don't have to, but, in exchange for the understanding uninsured people add to the burden of other Americans by increasing health insurance costs when emergency rooms are substituted for a doctor's office, there is a penalty to be paid for that abuse.


The states do the same thing with their tax forms. Tax forms is an annual event whereby the state, federal government and citizen interface in a way that constitutes exchanges of monies.


In 2014, there will be a new line on the federal tax form. It will ask if a citizen purchased health care insurance. If the answer is yes, proof of that insurance will have to be acknowledged in some way. My guess is if an employee has insurance through their job, the employer will add a box with a check mark to the W-2 form with the period of time covered. If the citizen purchases health insurance independently, the insurance company will probably provide a 1099 or something at the end of the year indicating the cost of the insurance and the period covered.


This is not a tax on everyone, it is a penalty tax on those without health insurance. The debate is silly and superfluous to the issues of our nation.

The USA Trade Deficit with China is about growth for both countries.

There isn't an American today expecting other countries to be the manufacturing countries and the USA, the country of wealth. It is unrealistic, poor policy and offends the USA National Security. ie: military and the example of WWII readiness in the private sector for the USA.


The growth of the sales of GM cars in China is a success story, but, 2.1 million cars sold in a country of 1,338,300,000 people as of 2010 is only a beginning in the potential market in China.


The question in regard to the trade deficit with China and the USA is not about competition so much as what is fair competition allowing both countries to grow while improving the quality of life of the people. The unhealthy relationship in the China-US trade deficit is a self-defeating reality for both countries. If the USA makes China the manufacturing county to the needs of its people, the ability of China to sell their goods decreases with the impoverishment of the American people. 


The USA will never be a country where every American is born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Every child born in the USA is guaranteed a life, an education and the opportunity to work for a comfortable life, all their life. China has yet to reach that dynamic, but, it had not discovered capitalism until a few decades go. The 'belief' surrounding capitalism when China embraced the opportunity for their people was very deceptive as to how everything works to support a global economy. The ability of consumers in The West to purchase foreign products is not a bottomless pit if the trade deficit means removing good paying jobs in substitution for poverty. That is what has occurred over four decades of Republican leadership in the USA federal government. 


When China removes jobs from the USA it also removes that many more people from their consumer base. The same is true for India. It is true for Brazil, Russia or Iraq. When a country willingly takes jobs away from a place they are coveting as a CONSUMER BASE, it is defeating their own market share statistics.

U.S. trade deficit up in 2011; China accounted for three-fourths of rise in non-oil goods trade deficit (click title to entry - thank you)

By Robert E. Scott

February 10, 2012

The U.S. Census Bureau reported today that the U.S. trade deficit in goods and services increased from $500 billion in 2010 to $558 billion in 2011, an increase of $58 billion (11.6 percent). Although the United States had a surplus in services trade, which increased by $33.2 billion (22.8 percent) in 2011, that surplus paled in comparison to the U.S. trade deficit in goods trade, which increased from $645.9 billion to $737.1 billion in 2011 (an increase of $91.2 billion or 14.1 percent)....

When President Obama asks for tariffs or limits on imports to the USA there is a profound reason for that. How is the USA going to be a consumer for any product, domestic or imported, if its people are unable to make a good wage. The focus on trade internationally should not be about high pressure competition to 'take over' a larger and larger slice of the market share. That is a myth CEOs have embraced to achieve their bonuses. It is a failed strategy.

Successful international global market places is about 'fulfilling a healthy SHARE' of the global market place with quality products to support a quality of life for people whom work and comprise the consumer base for that global market place.


This is not that difficult to understand. If the USA makes cars and China purchases them, then the consumers in China are important to the USA. When those consumers are important to the USA because they support our economy in producing cars, the question for President Obama is; "What can we purchase from China that supports the consumers in China that purchase USA cars?" What will keep a good economic balance between China and the USA? It is where the national leadership has to know what they are looking at and how best to balance the trade deficit to benefit their economies while providing a good quality of life to both country's citizens.


The answer is not for USA manufacturers to export jobs to China. What occurs then is not expansion of the MARKET SHARE. It limits the market share that will stagnate and implode companies and national treasuries. The employment of people in any country is a matter of national security as much as a quality of life within those countries.


When President Obama defends the economic interests of the USA through balances in trade, he is not interfering in the free market process, he is defending it.

It is a remarkable news day. Something has to be done about Syria. I think Turkey has the catbird seat.

The Republicans stalking President Obama's bus are more an ad for the President than Romney simply because they are lying.


"The job losses in Ohio are higher, the average household income is down SINCE PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK OFFICE."


Exactly.


Since taking office the American Economy has completely turned around to a status than any given year under the Bush Economic Folly.


Since taking office the American Economy has grown past any performance of the Bush Economy.


Since taking office the American Citizen is the focus of the American economy.


Since taking office Wall Street has recovered beyond any expectations in 2008.


Since taking office the American Economy is based in local economic strength.


Since taking office, water and air are cleaner.


Since taking office we have brought troops out of Iraq.


Since taking office President Obama has done nothing short of a miracle in protecting Americans from an economic depression. He has upheld the citizen's dignity, inspired them to be retrained and re-educated for a new job paradigm and guaranteed Americans' health is a priority.


Thank you President Obama

This is a 2010 survey. What has the majority Republican House done to stop outsourcing of jobs since then? 
They had the majority in the US House, but, they did nothing to stop the outsourcing of American jobs.


...In a September 2010 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, (click title to entry - thank you) 86 percent agreed (including 68 percent who strongly agreed) that U.S. companies outsourcing work to foreign countries is one of the reasons for our struggling economy and unemployment. This was ranked the highest of eight reasons tested in the survey....


Today, Romney complains about the Chinese currency, but, he says nothing about outsourcing, stopping it or legislation he will propose on his first day to aid the American worker.

Similarly, in a December 2010 Allstate/National Journal survey, 67 percent thought outsourcing played a major role in high unemployment, compared to just 28 percent who thought it played a minor role and 4 percent who thought it played no role at all.

Not surprisingly, the public wants something done about this problem. In the August 2010 edition of the same survey, 70 percent thought it was either extremely (39 percent) or very (31 percent) important to reduce the number of jobs being outsourced in order to help the U.S. economy recover from the recession.


I really don't want to hear how WIllard Mitt Kardashin can explain how an ignorant American public/electorate does not understand the beauty of outsourcing and how it actually provides companies with a venue to create jobs in the USA. That would a lie. That would be an insult. And that would do nothing to further trust in government.


The American people have had enough of political lies and manipulation.

I want an investigation. If the vote to override Governor Purdue's veto was known to fail before the vote was taken; why was the bill brought to the floor at all?

N.C. Rep. Becky Carney, (click title to entry - thank you) a Democrat, mistakenly cast the deciding vote with Republicans to let hydraulic fracturing move ahead in her state after a marathon legislative session late Monday night....


The Republican majority in the NC legislature knew they never had the votes needed to override the Governor's Veto. Why then bring it to the floor at all?

The practice of correcting a vote cast after the official record has to be applied uniformly or not at all. Changing a cast vote 'at will' whenever it is convenient is unconstitutional. If North Carolina allows for mistakes to be corrected in a vote count within its state constitution or legislative governing rules, it is not a matter of convenience. It applies or it doesn't. I could not imagine this level of corruption even in the best fiction novel. Government is not a matter of convenience, it is a public trust of the people. That is something North Carolina Republicans just doesn't understand. 


This bill was railroaded through the North Carolina State Legislature. The people don't want it. This is the knee deep corruption of the Republican Legislature. They know they might not be back come November for the bizarre legislation they carried out over the past two years.


A prime example of the depth of the Republican corruption is Amendment One. The faithful of North Carolina did not know exactly what they were voting for.


But, in the case of State Representative Carney she stated she was tired because they worked so late. She never misrepresented herself in regard to her intent previous to the vote. 


I want to know when the last time the electronic vote recording system was tested for accuracy. I want to know if the electronic system was tampered with. I wouldn't put anything past the petroleum industry. Knowing Rep. Carney was the decisive vote to defeat the veto, knowing the entire process was railroaded through the State Legislature this session and knowing how this Republican Legislature does not care about the well being of the people of North Carolina; I demand an investigation by the FBI. The SBI isn't good enough. There is something very wrong here and I want to know exactly what happened with the vote which was suppose to protect the citizens from this draconian form of drilling.


Rep. Carney has stated she was tired and she can't really state for sure she actually cast an incorrect vote. I want to know if her vote was tampered with.


The FBI has to investigate because the corruption is so deep in that state there is no justice for the citizens. I have no doubt there will be lawsuits filed against this injustice, but, it is a known fact those lawsuits won't find justice until it reaches the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Courthouse; home of the Fourth Federal Circuit. That is the truth. There is no justice in North Carolina.

The Willard Mitt Kardashian "Restoring Courage" Tour

How many Superpacs does Murdoch contribute to?

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:

* Politico reports that former Massachusetts governor Mitt (Kardashian) Romney told a group of potential supporters last week that he was treading carefully on immigration to avoid looking like a “flip-flopper.” News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch, who supports immigration reform, had pushed Romney to be more aggressive on the issue. He tweeted Sunday that Obama “will be hard to beat unless” Romney “drops old friends from team and hires some real pros” and that the candidate “seems to play everything safe, make no news except burn off Hispanics.”

* Aides confirm that Romney is headed to Israel this summer to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The New York Times, which first reported the news, adds that Romney will hold at least one public event. Romney last visited Israel in January 2011; President Obama also visited the country as a presidential candidate, in July 2008. Romney and Netanyahu have a friendship that goes back to 1976. According to the New Yorker, the White House assumes the Israeli prime minister is rooting for the Republican candidate.

* Republican admaker Fred Davis says he has lost ten pounds since the New York Times leaked his proposal of a super PAC campaign tying President Obama to Jeremiah Wright. “It’s been miserable,” he said. The pitch was an “intriguing way to get your foot in the door,” he told the L.A. Times, and the over-the-top language was not meant for public consumption....

With heat being what it is these days and some infrastructure failures are noted...

Washington Monument Crack after earthquake.


...I have to pause at the integrity of the Washington Monument this Fourth of July.


Many of the buildings in DC are made of marble and granite. They are magnificent and the stones are huge. They are very sound buildings, but, the structural differences between the majority of DC buildings and the Washington Monument is obvious.


The stones are strong, but, they are in a spire structure rather than a sprawling structure. The heat stresses are likely to occur differently. It was obvious when there was an earthquake in DC and a crack at the capstone resulted. It is a stress fracture.


Heating can expand the stones. I haven't been to the Washington Monument since my sons were young teens so I don't know what improvements were made. But, if the structure is air conditioned, the difference between internal temperatures and external heating could result in a funky dynamic. When thick stone gets hot it stays hot for a long time. One might recall the 10 thousand deaths in France when people remained in this stone cottages through a heat event.


I am just hoping the National Park Service has been thorough in evaluating any and all stresses possible in this monument. Places like the Lincoln Memorial will be nearly impervious to damage because it is an open air structure where the temperatures outside and inside are not very different.


Sorry to be so oddly concerned on a National Holiday, but, it is one of those things most folks wouldn't think of especially when the parks might be short staffed today. 


I would think the National Parks would rely somewhat on the USGS to understand the rocks themselves and the US Army Corp to understand the designs of our national buildings/monuments and their stress points.


Heat is a very big deal.


...The white Maryland marbles (click title to entry - thank you) were the first building stones to be shipped in quantity into Washington by rail. After 1840, as the expanding railway system increased the accessibility of stone from other parts of the country, the use of local building stone declined although Seneca sandstone continued to be shipped down the C&O Canal until the 1890's. The Federal Government contracted for marble from a quarry in Hawkins County, Tenn., in 1848. Marble from this quarry, one of the first areas in the country where marble was quarried commercially, was used in many buildings in Washington, most notably in three interior stairways in the wings of the Capitol built around 1855. Marble from Lee, Mass., was also used in the two wings of the Capitol built in the mid - 1850's. The columns of these wings are made from Maryland marble.


Starting in the 1850's, granite quarried at Dix Island, Maine, was shipped by sea to Washington and was used for facings and columns in the Treasury Building. Granites from New England, Georgia, and North Carolina and marbles from Vermont, Tennessee, and Georgia were used for almost all government buildings after the Civil War until the First World War....

Joe Walsh doesn't like women in general. He never got along with his wife and then never paid support.

At this meeting with constituents he attacks Senator John McCain stating he should have retired fifteen years ago.


At 07:00 Walsh becomes physically aggressive against a woman constituent. Following that when a man starts to take the same point of view he starts yelling at the constituents. Joe Walsh has a short fuse. But, it is only the woman constituent that is physically confronted when her views are different than his.


Joe Walsh has no respect for women. His voting record reflects that. His attacks on Tammy Duckworth are nearly expected. He has no respect for people in the military involved with government and no respect for government.

By Katherine SkibaTribune reporter

10:22 p.m. CDT, July 3, 2012

Republican Rep. Joe Walsh (click title to entry - thank you) came under Democratic fire Tuesday over remarks that appeared to question whether challenger Tammy Duckworth, a Black Hawk helicopter pilot who lost her legs in combat in Iraq, was a "true hero."

Duckworth's campaign called the comments an insult to veterans, while Walsh insisted that his words were being distorted and that he indeed believed she was a war hero....

Rep. Joe Walsh is rude. He likes being rude and he believes being rude is showing he is a tough guy. I'll tell you want being a tough guy is. A tough guy is fighting for your country, losing both your legs, coming home without bitterness and then seek to be elected to the USA Congress to continue to make a difference. 


Tough is being a woman setting an example for other women and being an icon for young women. Tough is being proud of the country you fought for and not being ashamed to talk about it.


Joe Walsh is not a tough guy, he is a rude and nasty man that expresses some real hostility toward women while being as irresponsible as any man could be to an estranged spouse trying to raise his children alone and without support.


Mr. Walsh needs to stick to the issues and his record. He needs to stop attacking Tammy Duckworth's character because the truth be known, he has no character to speak of at all. If elections were held tomorrow and moral character were the only measure of worthiness, he wouldn't get one vote. So, he needs to move on from cutting down heroes in the USA.

Millionaire Donald Trump didn't ask Justice Roberts for his birth certificate? Amazing.

I apologize for the link to Murdoch's FOX and Friends at the title to this entry, but, they are the only ones covering this junk.

Donald Trump does come out of his tower when he wants to have an irrational hissy fit.

To Trump everything is politics. The Supreme Court Justices enjoy a lifetime appointment. Chief Justice Roberts had no reason to make a ruling about the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act with a political deference. Just once I would love to hear real logic come from Trump, but, when one lives his life making money when other people lose to the odds there is no reason to be logical or moral for that reason.

By MJ LEE 

7/2/12 8:37 AM EDT

Donald Trump is leaving no stone unturned in his criticism of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Robert’s vote to uphold President Barack Obama’s health care law, calling the decision “extremely disloyal” and accusing the justice of wanting to be “loved by the Washington establishment.”

“It’s a disaster and obviously it would have been better if it was knocked out, but Justice Roberts wanted to be loved by the Washington establishment. And by the way, he is now loved,” Trump said on “Fox & Friends” Monday morning. “Because the way they’re talking about him, it’s unbelievable. So he is a beloved man to the liberals and to the Washington establishment."...

Did you hear about the lie regarding President Obama in Paris for the Fourth of July. I'll tell you what, even if it were true I would not have a problem with that because The Revolutionary War may not have been won if the French weren't our ally. If one 4th of July by one USA President was actually held in Paris, it might be very appropriate and a show of gratitude long overdue. 


Millionaire Donald Trump OWES Chief Justice Roberts an apology.


Who does he think he is, an ex-apprentice?


The Plutocrats really do want to own the country. They want their entitlements their way.

The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land.

The new Republican argument against The Affordable Care Act has no validity with voters. They are debating the idea the fee is a tax and therefore what?  If the RNC thinks they are developing still another wedge issue of the fact the fee is a tax to show President Obama is a tax man, they are wasting their time. I don't even know why they are going down that path. It is not important.

President Obama does not want the Bush Tax Cuts renewed. They expire at midnight of New Years Eve 2012 and good riddance. The USA needs to address the National Debt and not The Bush Tax Cuts. We need permanent Income Tax Reform.


I do believe President Obama advocates The Buffet Rule. That is a tax.


Shhhh....I guess the Republicans haven't figures that out yet.

published online: 7/3/2012

By NOAM N. LEVEY
Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - In the wake (click title to entry - thank you) of the Supreme Court's decision to largely uphold President Obama's health care law, a majority of Americans now want to put the fight over the Affordable Care Act behind them, a new national survey indicates. 

Fifty-six percent of Americans believe opponents of the law should "stop trying to block its implementation and instead move on to other national problems," according to the poll by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. 

By contrast, just 38 percent said those opposed to the Affordable Care Act should "continue trying to block the law from being implemented."...

It is not a child's sport. It is a dangerous sport.

...Jet skis and other personal watercraft (click here) also offer plenty of fun during summer months. However, as designed many jet skis and personal watercraft have inherent flaws which can lead to serious injuries and death. Many jet skis are grossly overpowered and often come to be out-of-control in the hands of inexperienced or younger riders. This creates risks not only for the users, but for those in the area. The problem is further exasperated if the jet ski does not automatically deactivate. Another concern with many jet-propelled watercraft is the water propulsion system itself. When users are thrown from or fall off such jet skis, the water from the jet propulsion system can cause severe orifice and internal damage....


According to the Coast Guard the number one accident types is collision with another vehicle and personal watercraft, such as jet skies ranks second in causing deaths right behind open motorboats. In 2011, personal watercraft caused 44 deaths including 18 drownings and 764 injuries. (click title to entry - thank you)


Eighty-two (82) of deaths are caused by vessels less than 16 feet in length. The greatest number of deaths are between the ages of 36 to 55 with greater than 55 coming in second. Oddly enough overconfidence can cause greater numbers of death. The greatest number of deaths in this group have 101 to 500 hours of experience. The largest number of deaths occur with one person on the vehicle, with two persons on board having the second highest number of deaths. Personal watercraft causes 41% of all deaths.


Accident, casualty and damage, including property damage resulted annually is $52,198,658.


Personal watercraft cause (these are ranked by frequency) broken bone(s), bruise, lacerations, sprain, concussion, internal organ injury, dislocation, spinal cord injury, shock, amputation(s), burns and hypothermia. Due to the fact these watercraft are open air there is no carbon monoxide concerns. 

Alcohol contributes to 16 percent of all deaths and 8 percent of all injuries. Seriously, alcohol causes twice as many deaths than injuries. Alcohol is not the primary reason for these incidents, though. Drug use is virtually non-existent in the statistics. The leading reason for danger is 'improper lookout.'


Improper Lookout is defined by the USA Coast Guard as: "Just as an operator must pay attention, it is also imperative to keep a proper lookout." In other words, a personal watercraft operator has to pay attention to where the vehicle is steered and what is in the water ahead of the path. The problem with these vehicles, similarly with snowmobiles, the speed over takes the operators ability to maintain good lookout. The machine has more capacity for movement than the operator's ability to keep up with that capacity.


Have a safe holiday. People tend to mimic what their leadership does. Please be careful when boating. The best enjoyment of a holiday are memories and returning home safe and sound to talk about it with friends and family. No one needs a thrill a second. All anyone needs fun.

The Andy Griffith Show: Andy Discovers America - Season 3, Episode 23 (1...

Andy Griffith is a North Carolina icon. He will be missed in that state.

He received the President's Medal of Freedom. He was born and died in North Carolina and is a favorite son.


He and Ron Howard were always in touch with each other regarding family.

Andy Griffith liked the Democrats and was featured in commercials with winning Governor's Mike Easley and Bev Purdue. He spoke at both their inauguration ceremonies. He was onced asked to run against Jessie Helms, but, declined the request. He also promoted Medicare with ads for seniors.


It is well known within The Andy Griffith Show there is a town called Mount Pilot. It was adapted from the famous icon of North Carolina Pilot Mountain. The theme of the show was very much 'tiny town' USA where everyone knew each other, tolerated each other in joy of living and honored each other by upholding moral values.



Andy Griffith was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The town enjoys that iconic status with an annual celebration called, "Mayberry Days." This year Mayberry Days is in September from the 27th to the 30th.


Mayberry Days (click here) is a festival for the whole family with activities and events for the fans who long for the days when life was simple and the sheriff didn't carry a gun. Enjoy a bottle of pop while playing checkers, relax to music from many local bands playing the same songs that Andy grew up with and performed on The Andy Griffith Show. There is so much to do during the festival such as watching the parade, meeting the Special Guests, laughing at Colonel Tim's Talent Time, placing the high bid at a Silent Auction or taking in all of the music at the many venues. Remember to to take time to slow down and enjoy what Mayberry means to you.


Kenneth "Otis" Junkin and David Browning "The Mayberry Deputy" on parade.


While Andy Griffith was best known for his role in the town of Mayberry, he had a very distinguished, interesting acting career. While playing the Sheriff of Mayberry his training showed through. He was adaptable to many tones throughout the TV series. He was the most flexible of all the characters and why the show revolved around him.

...If he had done nothing else, “The Andy Griffith Show” was great, (click title to entry - thank you) enduring television. On the surface, it was about a bunch of rubes in small-town North Carolina and their comic situations. But everybody who watched the show knew it was really about friendship, family, and doing the right thing. It was very smart, and it was very funny. There are many  reasons why it has endured for a half-century in reruns while so many other shows came and went without leaving footprints.

The folks of Mayberry had their flaws, flaws they couldn’t always recognize in themselves. In other words, they were like all of us. But when push came to shove, they always looked out for each other. It was something viewers connected to no matter where they lived. And it’s a hard to imagine a more likeable pairing of actors could ever exist than Griffith and Don Knotts....


Andy Griffith was genuine. Andy Griffith was a one of a kind. Andy Griffith will be missed.

This is a great standard for an insurance company. I have had Allstate insurance in the past. I simply don't right now.

The 'standard' illustrated by this Allstate commercial is based in sound medical application. A child will seek comfort in happy thoughts when in distress. They are so adaptable and this is an incredible level of healing Allstate is illustrating.


In places I have worked it was 'standard practice' to have donated plush toys at hand when children were part of the landscape. I worked in a profession where discomfort and scary stuff was part of the child's experience. An adult world can be a very scary place for young minds and hearts. Toys and play are a very important aspect of caring for children.


I applaud Allstate for this standard in their practice. And to realize all the children survivors received this from Allstate is also a healthy bonding experience for those children. They have friends automatically when they can identify a familiar form of comfort in the Teddy Bear. The friends and Teddy Bears are an important part of healing. I thank Allstate for taking their practice that much more forward to an excellent result. They didn't have to do that, but, they did and it matters.

The deadliest year for tornadoes in the USA was 2011. (click title to entry - thank you)

...For this map shows the course of every single tornado that has hit the U.S. over the last six decades,...


The tone of the article is to warn those afraid of tornadoes to move their lives to the western part of the nation. There are many aspects to consider including flooding and other natural disasters occurring in the western part of the country. This map is helpful but I wish it were more interactive to allow viewing of the dynamic on a year by year analysis. I still find it very helpful.


The graphs in the left lower corner shows statistics, but, not annual analysis. They are good graphs and helpful. 


Noted in eastern part of the map are dark areas where tornadoes are less dense. Those are the mountains.  


Florida is really interesting. The state illustrates tornado activity except for the Everglades where higher water vapor exists. The water vapor dissipates the heat the fuels the tornadoes. If one will note, in the Tornado Map above, there is a straight line across the entire center of the State of Florida. The straight line goes from the Space Coast to the Gulf Coast. 


Climate folks already know where this discussion is going. I mentioned the other day, it is up to the cities to protect their citizens from the extreme heat we are seeing these days and mentioned the idea of plant gardens dominating the sides of buildings and large open fountains and waterfalls adding water vapor to the atmosphere in the cities. I called the cities Heat Islands. 


Central Florida has a large populous with roads connecting them. It is very commercial. I know because I have traveled that area when my children were younger. We went to the Space Coast, Orlando and then to a lazy little town on the Gulf Coast called Cedar Keys. So, there is a lot of concrete and asphalt in Central Florida.


There is a road running from east to west in Central Florida, it is Route 50. I prefer that road rather than the interstates. Route 50 can be noted in this map. To note also are the other major highways in and out of this area. 


The point to all this is clear. The map at the top of this entry is about the density of tornado occurrence in the past sixty years. Easily discerned in the eastern area of the USA there are 'cool spots' for that activity. It is easy to discern there are 'hot spots' for tornado activity on the same map. In Florida there is both. The most intense tornado activity in Florida clearly is in a place were 'heat islands' occur and their connecting infrastructure. The "Florida Dynamic" clearly shows why nature has to be appreciated over and above the infrastructure humans design as ways of 'living, working and getting around.' It is easiest to think about as a 'concrete footprint' and its result in providing high turbulence in the air temperatures CREATING dangers. 


The Central Florida Corridor proves human development of land is done very poorly and without reverence to the fact human beings are biological in need of a benevolent environment surrounding them. This reality is a every real aspect of the Climate Crisis which dictates the certainty of the fact Anthropogenic Global Warming is real and contributes in large measure to the Climate Crisis.

Congratulations to Mother Jones. This information must be a relief to the Anti-Abortion / ProLife Right Wing

The Anti-Abortionists / ProLifers and their legislators in the House and Senate are fanatical about separating federal monies from any form of abortion funding. This information should give them great solice to know about Romney's abortionist company, "SteriCycle." 


I can't imagine the concern for their souls in devotion to the unborn they would feel if indeed this information was not afforded them before Election Day.


Can you imagine? An Anti-Abortionist / ProLifer pulling the level for a man that had earned bloody money in his work.


My, my; what a quandary if they learned about this after the vote. It would be catastrophic.


"Stericycle" is a global company. It is in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom. (click here)


The link above goes to a webpage where a special button connects anyone with Stericycle.


This is the phone number:  1-800-643-0240 x2096


This webpage provides a free No-Commitment Quote.

Stericycle: We focus on your medical waste disposal so you can focus on your core business (click here)

At Stericycle, our mission is to protect people and reduce risk. We provide comprehensive medical waste services to ensure your business has a convenient and worry-free solution. We’ve got your office covered with a service that goes well beyond the pickup of a box.

Flexible Scheduling. Thousands of Stericycle trucks crisscross the nation every day. With more trucks in our fleet, our network can easily accommodate your needs.

Professional Drivers. Our knowledgeable drivers are skilled professionals who are trained to collect and transport your medical waste. You'll find your Stericycle driver is a trusted resource for reliable, discreet and courteous service.

Collection and treatment. Vertically integrated process allows us to manage your medical waste from collection to treatment disposal. Our direct management and responsibility means reduced risk for you.

Compliance. Your business reputation is at stake, and we take our compliance commitment seriously.  Our experienced team of regulatory experts stay abreast of federal, state and local requirements to help keep your business or practice in compliance.

Additional compliance services. Our Steri-Safe OSHA Compliance programs makes staying in compliance with OSHA and other regulatory bodies easy. All the tools you need are available in a user-friendly online system.

No one has helped more healthcare practices and other businesses manage their medical waste than Stericycle. You can count on us to be there for you and protect your business.

continued...

The banks are out of control.

The picture above shows the fall of Barclays stocks on June 29, 2012. The loss was about 3 billion pounds, which is about $4.7 billion US. Not quite the losses of JP Morgan, but, the final word probably is not in on this either.

Below is Barclays stock price over the past three months.

The banks may believe they are in familiar territory, but, they've never had the volume of liquid assets before which they have today. Their cash holdings are significant since the bailout and the quantitative easing, etc. The banks are run by people and people are not computers, they cannot control the outcome of the computers dominating the financial sector. We saw this dramatically with JP Morgan.

Barclay's decided it was above the law since they had so much money their excess takings would never be found. Evidently, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The bankers are unable to control their own infrastructure and impulses. Evidently, the world needs them more than they need us.

"You'll pay for this," David Cameron tells Barclay's bosses. (click here

)

 

Friday, June 29, 2012

Britain's biggest banks are facing the prospect of criminal investigations, enormous fines and civil lawsuits from customers over the developing scandal of rigging interest rates.

The Prime Minister urged banking regulators to use "all the powers at their disposal" to pursue Barclays after it was fined £290m for manipulating bank lending rates. "This is a scandal. It is extremely serious. They've had a very large fine and quite rightly. But frankly the Barclays management team have some big questions to answer," David Cameron said. "How did this happen? Who was responsible? Who's going to be held accountable for it?"...

The chart below is from 2009 (click title to entry - thank you). It shows the assets of the world's 50 biggest banks. The pale sky blue color is the United Kingdom and Barclays is among the largest.

Barclays was fixing interest rates. There is a system in the UK whereby a daily interest rate is set. The system is called London Interbank Offered Rate also known as "Libor." It is a system where the major banks determine the interest rate of the day. Barclays was cheating and taking money from customers. The banks are going to be investigated now. This is different from Morgan's Folly. It is actually against the law in the UK. 

I sincerely believe the banks are too big to manage. Morgan was floundering for a month before advisers found the problem. If a bank does not have the 'in house talent' to understand what is occurring, how can they say they are a secure commodity in the market place? The banks think they know what they know, but, the fact over and over is proving they are unwieldy. While Morgan is too big to fail by its sheer size, it is too big to manage. 

The question arises; if a bank has enormous assets should it be allowed to freewheel the market places of the world knowing it can sustain a blow in the billions US? I don't abide by the idea Romney stated as justifiable, "The money went somewhere." I do believe that attitude demonstrates clearly the ego of those whom believe they are in control of the assets of their companies.

There are problems. 


The USA Republicans would call it liberty. Liberty isn't about playing with fire. While US Republicans would see the JP Morgan Folly as none of the government's business; Morgan or Barclays don't print their own money yet. The activities and monetary policy and value is the business of the government. Absolutely. When Morgan and Barclay have their own sovereign nations, they can do as they please.

The New Republican Poll Tax.

I could not believe this when I read it. The author isolated the word "poll" and decided The Affordable Care Act applies to this meaning.


...The word “poll” (click title to entry - thank you) in this context means “head"; a poll tax is also known as a “tax per head” or “capitation tax,” that is, a tax in which every person pays the same amount. That makes it a regressive tax; poor people pay a higher fraction of their wealth than rich people do. Poll taxes have been unpopular since ancient times....



My understanding of a Poll Tax is a dollar amount applied to each adult in the same amount before they vote. Extrapolating that meaning is disrespecting the freedom and liberty involved in with the right to vote. One person, one vote.


The 24th Amendment ended the Poll Tax in the USA.


Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

If the Affordable Care Act were a poll tax, it would be unconstitutional. It is not unconstitutional, so I fully expect that reality to end this silly debate.

Honestly. It didn't work last time, why would it work this time?

Look at that guy. Does he look like an untrustworthy, underhanded, sneaky hoodwinker? 


Shame on Willard Mitt Kardashia

My Irish Grandmother once told me, "You can always tell a gentlemen by the friends he keeps? Associations matter. Romney played the Wall Street Game and made lots and lots of money. Businesses were shuttered, jobs were outsourced, what else is there to know? It is a character issue. It is a value issue and when the two candidates are lined up side by side there is no doubt who carries the best interest of the American people in his value system.


Do I have to list the accomplishments of President Obama since taking office? They are considerable and he is well respected internationally, too. That matters. Recently, a newly re-elected Russian President Vladimir Putin trusted President Obama enough to turn a ship of attack helicopters around from arriving in Syria. That didn't happen by chance. President Putin trusts President Obama. 


June 22, 2012 
7:44 AM
Report: Romney Talks Tough on China, but, Bain was key player in outsourcing trend (click title to entry - thank you.

UPDATED 3:45 p.m. ET

(CBS News) While Mitt Romney campaigns on "getting tough" with China, the firm he founded nearly 30 years ago, Bain Capital, was a key player in the acceleration of the outsourcing trend that has shifted millions of American jobs overseas, the Washington Post reported Friday, citing its analysis of the financial company's securities filings with the government.

"While Bain was not the largest player in the outsourcing field, the private equity firm was involved early on, at a time when the departure of jobs from the United States was beginning to accelerate and new companies were emerging as handmaidens to this outflow of employment," the newspaper wrote....

Romney FOUNDED Bain Capital. He laid the framework for its business model and policies. He was CEO. There really isn't anything else to say.


Romney makes me laugh out loud when he says, "President Obama showed no leadership." There is an interpretation to that statement. In reality it means, "President Obama didn't cower to every Republican demand to show leadership."