Thank you.

I thought the Town Hall Debate was very well done. I also appreciated Ms. Crowley's bravery in keeping the time and discussions moving. I most appreciated her willingness to be brave to speak the truth about the President's words in the Rose Garden. That was the best part.

Well done. 

The militia known as the Taliban has taken responsibility for Malala.

A Pakistani female supporter shouts slogans during a protest procession against the assassination attempt by Taliban on child activist Malala Yousafzai. Photo: AFP


Taliban insurgents (click here) have said that the Pakistani schoolgirl its gunmen shot in the head deserved to die because she had spoken out against the group and praised US President Barack Obama.

Malala Yousufzai, 14, was flown to Britain on Monday, where doctors said she has every chance of making a "good recovery".

The attack on Yousufzai, who had been advocating education for girls, drew widespread condemnation....

There is no such thing as a Taliban insurgent. The Taliban are the students of al Qaeda and seek to overthrow governments. The Taliban is a militia, not an ethnic group. Every Taliban is an insurgent.

There is no such thing as "A" female supporter. All women of Pakistan are supporters of freedom and safety for girls.

Got Science? Not at News Corporation (click title to entry for article - thank you)

According to Chuck Todd this morning on MSNBC the RSO were doing their job.

Evidently, there were two requests for additional security and the first one was granted while the second request hadn't even been delivered to the security officers when the death occurred. There isn't anything else to say. The SROs were doing their job. The reason for the organized attack and whom is behind it has to be conducted. I don't think we know enough to make statements to the perpetrators, any larger dynamic that may be at work or viciousness. 

I sincerely believe the viciousness of the attack was intended to demoralize out State Department. President Obama and Secretary Clinton were all over their staff to hear their concerns. This was more than an attack, it has a level of viciousness one would not expect against a trusted Ambassador.

The question as to personal vendettas has to be asked as well. I mean who knows? But, they knew what they were doing. They knew his movements. They killed his security officers in order to secure access to the Ambassador and then sought him out. A lot of questions to the scope of the militia operations in Libya.

Basically, the circus in the USA surrounding this event is all politics and lacks profound substance in the questions to the State Department personnel at the hearings. In all honesty, where is any opinion from the CIA about this. And if they are not involved then why not?

The political circus surrounding Ambassador Stevens death has to stop, it is portraying a USA vulnerable through its State Department. That is not acceptable. The Republicans are increasing danger to our foreign staff. Knock it off. Everybody is doing their job, there is no reason for all the destructive politics surrounding this.

Hofstra Welcomes Presidential Debate Back to Campus

I wasn't impressed with the forum. I like Town Halls, but, this is about fifty people. I thought there would be more people in the Town Hall than this. I certainly hope the young voters get their questions answered this evening. I don't think they will have the opportunity to ask about their college careers and the viability of furthering education in the USA though. I also doubt they will be able to ask about the 'lost employment of an entire generation.'

Updated 10/15/2012 10:55 PM

Decision 2012: Hofstra University Prepares For Momentous Presidential Debate (click title to entry - thank you)

By: Josh Robin

The eyes of the world will be on Hempstead, N.Y. on Tuesday night, when Presidential Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney debate in Hofstra University. How the candidates answer the questions could sway who becomes the nation's next president.

"We're very grateful to be back at Hofstra. It's amazing to see the set go up and to understand what is going to take place here," said Janet Brown of the Commission on Presidential Debates, as the hall on Hofstra underwent final preparations....

Secretary Clinton is a remarkable woman and I am sure she takes the loss of Ambassador Stevens personally.

But, in all honesty, I do not believe the intelligence was good. The denials for additional security was for Tripoli, not Benghazi. The violence in Benghazi is counter intuitive to the reality there.

The Associated Press
Published Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012 6:21AM EDT 
Last Updated Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012 6:23AM EDT

LIMA, Peru -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (click here) is answering Republican criticism of the Obama administration's handling of last month's attack at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, saying she - not the White House - is responsible for security at all of America's diplomatic missions.

"I take responsibility," Clinton told CNN. "I'm in charge of the State Department's 60,000-plus people all over the world (at) 275 posts."...

The Regional Security Officers need to submit their decision rationals to find out where this went so wrong. I am sure Secretary Clinton will get to the bottom of it. I trust her and she is not playing politics these days. She could not if she wanted to, the Secretary of State is not available for political volleys and that is according to the law. I think that is why she was happy to accept the position, too.

I half believe the Ambassador and his security personnel went to Benghazi for their own protection. The city and the neighborhood was known for its peaceful content. I think the Ambassador was under surveillance by the militias involved. I have to wonder who exactly was carrying out that level of intelligence and knew his movements.

I also have to wonder why. The USA was an ally. The people treated the USA as heroes. I sincerely believe the ultraconservative Salafists had a hand in this. It makes too much sense. Their social agenda is based in faux religious dogma and in complete opposition to the USA or current government in Tripoli.

None of the violence makes sense. The Libyan government has been reaching out to the militias to come in from the cold. There was an understanding the continuance of militias was unnecessary. Whether that was enough of a threat to inspire an attack is a possibility, but, why the consulate in Benghazi? It seems as though someone organizing the attack knew the popularity and status of Ambassador Stevens in the State Department and the demoralization of the internal workings of that Cabinet Agency his death would bring.

I am more worried about the extent the attack was organized and whom facilitated the intelligence for it to happen than any misstatements by the administration immediately after or since. There are larger issues and the answers seem far more important than misstatements. One has to wonder why the distraction regarding misstatements rather than pressing for facts of the attacks, attackers and their ability to carry it out.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder wants to continue to tax equipment investment.

About a year ago the City of Muskegon took the initiative to help ADAC expand, creating new jobs and expanding the city's tax base with hopes new jobs would also mean home purchases or rental and more stability of their property tax income.

Published: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 6:08 AM     

Updated: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 10:34 AM

MUSKEGON — A leading West Michigan automotive parts supplier (click here) is making a major investment in its Muskegon operations with expectations of creating 130 jobs in the next two years....

Website of ADAC Plastics (click here)

Does it make sense a local municipality would see the PROFIT in this, not just for the company but for the community. This not only increases local growth and property taxes, but, the community merchants benefit as well. Those that live locally will shop locally. The residents will invest in their own best outcomes locally, so it all makes sense, right?

The state profits from sales tax, gas tax, etc. Everything it looking up, right?

Governor Snyder doesn't think so.

Published: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 7:23 PM     

Updated: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 7:39 PM

By Dave Alexander | dalexan1@mlive.com 

...“We have to thank Muskegon (click here) for all of the support we’ve received over the years,” ADAC in-house attorney John Shape told the city commission. “We’ve made a large investment in this community. We plan on being here for a really, really long time.”

The Grand Rapids-based ADAC Plastics – makers of door handles and other plastic body trim assemblies for the largest automakers in the world – has two plants in Muskegon’s Port City Industrial Park. The company will build a 70,000-square-foot addition adjacent to its facility at 1801 E. Keating at an investment of $4.69 million.

New high-tech painting equipment to provide an even better quality product for customers such as Ford, General Motors and Nissan will cost an additional $15.78 million. The expansion and equipment upgrades will require an additional 130 workers, company officials announced....

Now, don't be mistaken, the politics around the expansion is great, even the Lt. Governor thinks so. But, the reason the Lt. Governor is touring the plant isn't because he 'thunk it up,' but, to defend their administration position on a state referendum this November.

By Dave Alexander | dalexan1@mlive.com 
on October 15, 2012 at 3:25 PM

MUSKEGON, MI – Lt. Gov. Brian Calley (click here) makes the case that changes in the state’s business tax, regulatory policies and more stable state finances have led to the beginning of a turnaround in Michigan....

How Calley and Snyder can take any credit here at all is anyone's guess, but, that isn't the best part.

Snyder administration against all state ballot proposals except emergency financial manger law, Lt. Gov. Calley says (click here)

By Dave Alexander | dalexan1@mlive.com 
on October 15, 2012 at 5:44 PM

...When it comes to the six statewide ballot proposals before voters Nov. 6, the Snyder administration’s position is pretty easy to remember, Calley said.

“We like to say Proposal 1 is a yes and then no to the rest,” the lieutenant governor said of support of the new emergency financial manager law up for referendum in Proposal 1.

But when it comes to the remaining five propoals, Snyder and Calley ask voters to reject all of them.

After the election, the administration will continue its moves at state business tax reform and begin to unveil the governor’s policies on energy and the environment, Calley said.

A major proposal to eliminate Michigan’s personal property taxes on manufacturing equipment will be pushed for final passage in the Michigan Legislature, Calley said. The personal property tax bills have already passed the Senate and are awaiting action in the House, he said.

The Snyder administration, which already pushed through the elimination of the Michigan Business Tax in favor of a new corporate income tax, is now targeting the $1.3 billion state tax on business equipment. However, simple elimination of what Calley calls “a tax on investments” would cripple many of the state’s cities, townships and counties if replacement revenues are not found.

Muskegon City Manager Bryon Mazade used some time with Calley on the ADAC Automotive tour to lobby for full replacement of the personal property tax revenues as the city of Muskegon has nearly 20 percent of its property taxes coming from the personal property tax. In cities like Whitehall, the percentage is more than 40 percent....

So, let me get this right. Snyder wants to eliminate 20 percent of Muskegon's tax base and 40 percent of Whitehall's tax base while imposing emergency manager rules on the state. Really?

The Supreme Court is completely incorrect about the personification of corporations.

Romney's logic is grossly flawed when he states corporations are people my friend. To begin that is not being a friend except to wealth merchants, which he is one.

Corporations have on vote in the USA except with their bank rolls. If they are ever granted a representative vote by some bizarre reason, like blood pressure don't mean one is human, then it is duplicity in voting. One person, one vote. If corporations are given a right to a ballot it would mean the employees and stockholders would be given two votes and not one.

The entire concept of corporations being people is a coupe against the USA Constitution and every state and local constitution and charter.

This is the most ridiculous complaint I have ever heard.

Campaign lawyers for President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney (click here) have reportedly expressed concerns that Candy Crowley, CNN's award-winning chief political correspondent, will ask questions in her role as moderator of Tuesday's town hall-style presidential debate.

The report on Time Magazine's website indicated the lawyers expressed concern to the Commission on Presidential Debates after an interview in which Crowley described her role as the debate's moderator....

President Obama can't set the record straight if Ms. Crowley redirects the intent of the person asking the question? Mitt Romney certainly will do as he pleases. The person asking the question isn't given a muzzle after asking their question are they?

The complaint is about power, not about communication. It is hideous.

I am quite sure President Obama would clear the question with the person asking it, not Ms. Crowley. Who knows what Romney will do, probably call in the polygraphers to determine if the questioner is lying about the original wording of the question.

I can hear Romney now, "Corporations are people my friend, I wish one was here tonight."

Non-Zero Sum Solution. That's right he read Robert Wright's book. It was after this speech I bought the book to read and it is still on the book shelf.

Compare President Clinton's world view compared to "The Axis of Evil" speech. One is a formula for peace the other war. North Korea returned to its centrifuges after Bush's speech. Iran expanded its nuclear program after the Bush speech and has not returned to any other path because of the pure free that Iran is the sanctity of the Shi'ites.

The differences between Republican and Democratic world views are huge. They are opposite ends of the spectrum. The Republicans have no path to peace or method to achieve it.

Game theory is mainly used in economics, political science, and psychology, as well as logic and biology.

I am a biologist by degree along with other specialties, but, this is important to me to keep current. This used to be called Zero Sum Game. Remember Clinton's book? Yep. Game Theory is the next step, sorta. But, President Clinton's book was more about peace than just picking winners.The Dayton Accords I believe.

Lloyd Shapley raises his arm after being notified of winning the 2012 economics Noble prize. Photo: Reuters

October 16, 2012 - 10:09AM

Michael Feller

Rational markets (click here) can be efficiently designed, most economists will concur. And by using complex algorithms and models, efficient markets can become ever more rational.

That was essentially the premise behind awarding this year's Nobel prize in economics – the Sveriges Riksbank prize – to two American luminaries of game theory, Alvin Roth and Lloyd Shapley.

Designing systems to efficiently match students with schools, organs with recipients and husbands with wives, among other things, Roth Shapley have independently advanced the science of co-operative game theory to improve markets and keep pushing out the "efficient frontier"....

It makes a difference whom the professor is.

ECON 159: Game Theory (click here)

About the Course

This course is an introduction to game theory and strategic thinking. Ideas such as dominance, backward induction, Nash equilibrium, evolutionary stability, commitment, credibility, asymmetric information, adverse , and signaling are discussed and applied to games played in class and to examples drawn from economics, politics, the movies, and elsewhere.

There is a lesson to be learned from Bainport.

Workers should never compromise and should always organize. There is no reason not to. The venture capitalists aren't in business to sustain jobs for Americans. If they want to buy and sell American labor without loyalty, then workers need to change their strategy in achieving wealth. Work for the maximum monies one can get and don't look back knowing the short term duration of the employment. Don't seek pensions, take 401Ks that can be transferred when the plant closes. Beat them at their own game.

FREEPORT, Ill. — French Samsonite (click here) workers who were laid off and robbed of their severance pay by Bain Capital will join Freeport Sensata workers for a rally at “Bainport” in Freeport, Ill., at 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13.

The rally is in protest of Bain’s decision to close the Freeport, Ill., Sensata Technologies plant and outsource 170 jobs to China. The plant is set to close in November.

“We’re coming to Bainport to show our support for American workers fighting against the same economic model that destroys good jobs likes ours in France,” said Samsonite worker Brigitte Petit. “The struggle to save these Sensata jobs from outsourcing is a struggle on behalf of good jobs across the globe.”

Sensata Technologies, 2520 S. Walnut Road, Freeport, which was created by Bain Capital in 2006, develops, manufactures, and sells sensors and controls for major auto manufacturers such as Ford and General Motors.

Despite rising profits, the company plans to institute the final layoffs in November. The workers are training their Chinese replacements, who have been flown to Illinois by the company....

American workers need to set their price and take fistfuls without looking back. If a company goes belly up that is there problem, not ours. The sooner Americans replace venture capitalists with wealth enough to rebuild our sustainable economy the better.

The translation from French to English states, "Bain (port) stands with French workers."

Everyone needs to keep looking. Two thousand people are a lot of people.

Not their fault, the media has been only broadcasting the information regarding spinal injections. It seems as though it is any steroid injection that could be in play.

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials (click here) have tracked down 12,000 of the roughly 14,000 people who may have received contaminated steroid shots in the nation’s growing meningitis outbreak, warning Thursday that patients will need to keep watch for symptoms of the deadly infection for months.

“We know that we are not out of the woods yet,” Dr. J. Todd Weber of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said as the death toll reached 14.

Of the 170 people sickened in the outbreak, all but one have a rare fungal form of meningitis after receiving suspect steroid shots for back pain, the CDC said. The other case is an ankle infection discovered in Michigan; steroid shots also can be given to treat aching knees, shoulders or other joints.

Fungus has been found in at least 50 vials of an injectable steroid medication made at a specialty compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts, investigators said. Health authorities haven’t yet said how they think the medication was contaminated, but they have ruled out other suspects — other products used in administering the shots — and the focus continues to be on that pharmacy, the New England Compounding Center....

Malala is such a cute name. She is in Great Britain for a lengthy rehabilitation.

Neurological injuries can take a long time to recover from, ask any wounded warrior.

RAWALPINDI: The police (click here) said on Friday that they had made several arrests in connection with the Taliban's shooting of Malala Yousafzai, a 14-year-old education activist who was critically injured, but militant commanders in northwestern Pakistan reiterated their intention to kill the schoolgirl or her father. 

After Friday prayer, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf visited Yousafzai's family at a heavily guarded military hospital in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where doctors were considering whether to send her abroad for treatment. 

"The next 48 hours will be critical," Ashraf told reporters. Extremists targeted Yousafzai, who was shot in the head while riding in a school bus on Tuesday in Mingora, because, he said, "they were scared of the power of her vision." 

"She is the true face of Pakistan," he added....

Republicans want a return to war. Everything Graham states here is rhetoric for election purposes.

When Republicans state President Obama is leading from behind they are stating, "We are not engaged in war and leading the conflict." We all know where this got us in Iraq. Conveniently, Graham forgets all that. Graham believes the USA is entitled to engage any country anywhere 'for the sake of national security.' 

"W"rong!

There are many countries involved with Libya, many of them are allies from Europe. Graham is war mongering to win elections. There is no basis of fact in anything he says. Does FOX challenge his statements to bring him back to FACTS. No. FOX leads from behind and allows Graham to grandstand rather than being a Martha Raddaz with experience and knowledge to pin point facts and force a focus on it.

FOX is a propaganda network and anyone can interview Senators and Congressmen so long as there is no reality checks for them.

The USA has enough 'mission creep' already; there are two USA ships off the coast of Libya. 

"Morning Papers" - It's Origins (click here)

The Rooster 

"Okeydoke"

"Good Night, Moon"

New Moon

29.0 days old

0.3 percent lit

When there is a new moon and it can be seen by the naked eye, it can be a result of 'Earth Shine.'



Northern spring is the best time to spot one of the loveliest sights in the heavens: Earthlight reflected from the Moon. (click here)

Jonathan Allen 
Reuters
October 14, 2012

New York (Reuters) - Meteorites from Mars (click here) and the biggest piece of the Moon ever offered for sale went on the block on Sunday in New York in what organizers billed as history's largest meteorite auction, which brought in over $1 million.

More than 125 meteorites were offered in the private sale, from gray pockmarked lumps of iron to highly polished slabs glittering with extraterrestrial gems. But many of the big-ticket items, estimated to sell for $50,000 or more, did not find buyers.The most expensive items on offer were four pounds (1.8 kg) of Moon rock that were once embedded on the dark side of the Moon before an asteroid sent them hurling into space. They sold for $330,000 after the auction's end. The rocks went for $10,000 less than the low-end, pre-sale estimate, organizers said....

The Mideast today is different since the Arab Spring.

The leadership is more representative of their people. The extremist violence groups are now taking their places within their government structure, many for the first time.

I also believe there are power vacuums since the transition of the powers in these newly governed and long standing allies of the USA.

There won't be a caliphate. There simply won't be although the Salafists would seek that as a goal. The new leadership must bring their people together in an understanding of tolerance. Egypt's President is off to a good start, but, here again he is in this capacity for the first time. He has set a precedent to bring the people of Egypt together in tolerance. He is attempting to be the President of Egypt, not just the Muslim Brotherhood and he has a lot of interesting folks in his Parliament to get along with while attempting policies that will work for Egypt.

Israel is a political pawn. It is debatable as to the final outcome to these politics, but, they can't be taken lightly. Iran rejected peace with the USA once the Shah was removed. The Shi'ites of Iran cling to their faith while seeking to protect their interests everywhere on the planet.

Iran has made Israel a political pawn within the country and to that end the leadership is backed into a corner of inflammatory rhetoric with no way of actually making amends to The West to remove the sanctions. I believe Iran has to stop any advance to nuclear weapon capacity. If anything the people of the USA know while rhetoric might be dismissed as political volleys, it isn't necessarily and definitely can have negative impacts.

The Salafists have emerged as the baseline populous of al Qaeda. If anything al Qaeda grew out of this extremist faith. I believe they are very dangerous, involved in destroying cultures to insure their own domination and I believe  they were involved in the death of Ambassador Stevens and his three colleagues. I also believe it is convenient for the Salafists to hold on to their extremist ideology because it gives permission for violence. The Salafists have also proven when their ideologies don't work for them, as recent as 2000, they discard these priorities for more modern approaches.

We are witnessing the rise of the oppressed in the Middle East. The trend has lasted for decades and is finally taking its final form. 

There are many educated people with these new administrations across Arabia. They are interested in the future and the well being of their countries. While sorting through the extremist agendas of the current collection of leaderships, eventually it will be worth the tolerance of their changing paradigm.

The only aspect to the Arab Spring that concerns me are the Salafists and their direct influence on growing al Qaeda. Now that they are among those elected and able to make policy there is no clear understanding they are seeking tolerance so much as indulgence. The Salafists have to move into the year 2012 with expediency before war results and they are again victimized for their beliefs.

See, that is what had them trapped in oppression in the first place. Retaliation as oppressors themselves will not achieve the goals they are looking for.

And leave the Shi'ites of Iraq alone. They have long had exceptional leadership and until the marshes were drained lived under the Southern No Fly Zone. They will be stable far sooner than any other populous in the region. They'll be fine and they have their marshes back, happiness knows no end with the Iraqi Shi'ites.

I didn't discuss the Kurds as they are well on their way to autonomous regions where they can finally raise their children without fear. The Kurds have always turned to the USA for support and lived happily under the Northern No Fly Zone.

Turkey will become an invaluable ally to many of these transitioned countries. The region has yet to stabilize due to Assad, but, that won't last all that much longer.

The Arab Spring erupted. It wasn't a coupe, it was a transition.

Maria Al-Massani

The women activists (click here) of the Arab Spring converge in Cairo for the first Yahoo Change Your World Summiton the Arab Spring, opened by Mona Al-Tawhary, Egyptian Activist, Manal al Sharif, reknown Saudi activist leader on the campaign for women’s right to drive, Maria Al-Mansani of Yemen Right Monitor, Nobel Prize Nominee Asma Mahfouz of Egypt’s April 5 movement, Maryam al-Khawaja of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, and Darya Mohammed of Libya....

The impetus to this movement were women. In Egypt, it was a woman with a cell phone calling in her peers of both genders to stand up for their freedom. They were oppressed by the regimes placed there by external forces. 

This is a report written by "The Combat Terrorism Center of West Point" in December 2008.

More than likely it was prepared for the transition of President Obama to the White House.

A - Campaigns or Waves - (click here) 

For the Nation or from the Movement. The truck bomb A ‐ Campaigns or Waves – For the Nation or from the MovementThe truck bomb attack against the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, in August1998 that killed 213 individuals, including twelve American and thirty‐two local employees of the embassy, and injured 4,000 others was undertaken by Sunnijihadi terrorists hailing from Arab countries. They were encouraged and abetted by senior members of al‐Qa’ida, with extensive organizational capacity still resident in Khartoum, Sudan.between Sunni and Shi’a radicalism manifest themselves in Salafi‐jihadistterrorism’s wave‐like ebbs and flow, while Shi’a terrorism appears as campaigns in support of Iranian national objectives or the organizational objectives of Hezbollah.

The Salafi‐Jihadist variant of Sunni terrorism pursues the broad ideological aims of reactionary Sunni Islam. Its orientation is toward a stateless, Sunni Islamic caliphate stretching from Morocco to Indonesia and even the Philippines. Its methods tend to feature boundless violence and terror, while its declared approach since Usama bin Ladin’s 1998 fatwa has been to drive out the western“far enemy” from Muslim lands in order to expose and topple the corrupt “nearenemy” of Islamic state leaders from power....

The report is 75 pages in length. It is plainly obvious the terrorist groups of today post Arab Spring have been around for a very long time.

It is also apparent these groups are transitioning into political groups now that the Arab Spring has occurred. 

There are also stark differences between the underlying reasons for Sunni and Shi'ite violence. The Shi'ites seek to defend their land and their right to practice their faith upon it. The Sunnis are definitely more aggressive to other faiths and ethnicities. It is the Sunnis that have yet to prove their are interested in peace and international relationships.