The Union complaints about the Affordable Care Act are unfortunate and short lived.

Why am I not surprised these issues are impacting the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. ie: Herman Cain. Cheap labor.

The so called unprecedented challenges to negotiations is because there are State Exchanges and employers want to 'bail' on all health care provisions in union contracts.

The Unions have to demand health care coverage according to the law by these employers. The health plans provided by these employers, including McDonalds, are substandard. The Wall Street 'cheap labor' enforcers have to take on their responsibility and provide health coverage according to the law. This is no brainer. There are plenty of insurance companies willing to underwrite large corporations for their employees as prescribed by the law.

Associated Press – Thu, Mar 1, 2012 12:09 PM EST
RISING PROFIT: Royal Ahold NV, (click here) the owner of U.S. and Dutch grocery chains including Giant and Stop and Shop, says its fourth-quarter net profit soared by 75 percent.

U.S. STRENGTH: Sales in the U.S., where Ahold operates Stop and Shop and Giant, outpaced those in the Netherlands. 

SALES GAINS: Overall sales rose 4.5 percent to €7.3 billion ($9.8 billion) in the fourth quarter compared to a year earlier and net profit jumped to €270 million ($363 million).

If there is enough will by Wall Street the nation can replace The Affordable Care Act with a Single Payer System if they like. It will require political funding for those willing to pass a Single Payer System Bill.

Large Corporations have to outline the states where they carry out their business. The Unions only have to add amendments to any contract for special needs PER STATE. This is not impossible or should it necessitate impasses in negotiations. Albeit, there may be a need for an additional lawyer or two at the bargaining tables, but, this is a non-issue except where companies seek to victimize their employees and their unions.

Contracts have to contain the basics of the law in their demands for health care coverage now with a provision in the contract to revisit the health care coverage after 2014 and 2015 as the law takes effect. The health care provision in these contracts cannot be regressive or eliminate that coverage entirely. The Affordable Care Act does not change the relationship between citizens and their current health care provider EXCEPT it protects them from exploitative practices and demands exchanges for the under and uninsured. 

There is no reason for any controversy in negotiating contracts. This is a significant bill in the USA and it will provide new relationships between employees and their employers, but, there is absolutely no reason for any company realizing tremendous and unprecedented profits to turn away from this challenge.

This is simple. If companies continue to threaten the lives and wellness of their employees demanding unreasonable and unconstitutional concessions from unions in contracts then a strike is called for. The unions are attempting to honor a constitutional law and their members, but, companies are seeking to circumvent their responsibility in this relationship.

King Kullen has a very sentimental beginning. It was begun a long time ago by Michael J. Cullen. Currently, the salary structure is terrible. A Deli Clerk in Sewickley, PA is paid $8.00 per hour according to Monster.com, well below the proposed $9.00 per hour President Obama is seeking in the nation. King Kullen has revenues of well over a half a billion per year. Currently the company is opening and building more and more locations. That's fine, but, they can't do that without providing for the health of their employees and they have to do that constitutionally. Why allow a company to build while their employees are living substandard lives?

Feb. 2, 2010
King Kullen Grocery Co.'s annual sales, (click here) number of corporate stores, top executive, headquarters city and website, as reported in SN's 2010 Top 50 Small Chains and Independents, plus links to other King Kullen stories.

Ranking: 2 
Location: Bethpage, N.Y. 
Top Executive: Bernard D. Kennedy and Ronald Conklin, co-chairs 
No. of Stores: 52 
Volume in $ Millions (est.): 940 
Year-End Date: 10/1/10 
Supplier: Bozzuto’s 
Website: www.kingkullen.com 
Footnote: King Kullen operates 48 conventional supermarkets and four Wild by Nature natural food stores.

STRIKE!!!!!!

SN’s annual list of the Top 50 Small Chains and Independents reflects sales gains at those companies

Elliot Zwiebach

February 13, 2012

The top 50 small chains and independent operators on SN’s annual list are movin’ on up. (click here)
As a group, sales estimates for those companies on the 2012 list rose 6.3% to $29.5 billion, compared with $27.7 billion a year ago.
In addition, for the first time ever, the estimated volumes of the top four companies on the list are at or above $1 billion, with The Fresh Market, Greensboro, N.C., and Grocery Outlet, Berkeley, Calif., each doing about $1.1 billion; followed by Fareway Stores, Boone, Iowa, and Woodman’s Markets, Janesville, Wis., with an estimated $1 billion apiece.
A year ago, sales for those four companies ranged from $970 million to $910 million....

Only until there are no employees on a national basis to provide tremendous and unprecedented profits, will a company finally act responsibly rather than as bullies. 

I would fully expect the NLRB to respect the constitutional demands of the unions according to the Affordable Care Act.

STRIKE and do as unions used to do, ask compassion and support of the community of the members during the time of the strike. Ask the community to support the strike knowing the more disposable income in the hands of their citizens the better the overall economy will be. I think the Unions will find support in these communities for their actions as their members are citizens as well. 

An NLRB ruling to pay back wages during a strike because of the unlawful directives of a company will provide more than enough incentive to end such corrupt corporate practices. 

Taft-Hartley is not the issue and the complaining needs to stop. If Taft-Hartley is brought up as a problem in our modern society the NLRB needs to rule. The Affordable Care Act is law and it is proven to be constitutional law. That has to be respected. If Unions are demanding legal health care coverage there should be no problem. 

The Unions need to begin to provide notice of the impending strike. Do it now and get the ball rolling.  President Obama is not Reagan. He wants an increased minimum wage, health care reform and backs labor. What?

Strikes are vital to the capacity a Union can bring improvements in the quality of life of it's members. There should be no intimidation when Unions are seeking lawful provisions in their contracts. Taft-Hartley is a non-issue. 

Sep. 19, 2013

....“The Affordable Care Act (click here) is presenting tremendous and unprecedented challenges to these negotiations,” Bruce W. Both, president of Local 1500, said in a statement. “The complexity of this 22,000-page law, combined with confusing interpretations of the law by various federal agencies, such as the Department of Labor, IRS and Treasury Department, has left Union negotiators with no choice but to proceed slowly and cautiously as we negotiate the legally required changes.

"The one factor that has not changed during these negotiations, compared to previous ones, is our Union’s commitment to provide the members of UFCW Local 1500 comprehensive health care.”...

One of the reasons the US House is NOT passing a BUDGET is because they are undecided about funding the Patent Office.

Rep. Mike Simpson (click here) is very worried about the funding for the Western USA in regard to the fires and the recovery of the nation. He states long term Continuing Resolutions will remove the funding obtained for the purpose of taking care of the people in Western states. He rather short term and/or individual bills to address the needs of the nation. He believes there are too many problems with any long term Continuing Resolution that will hurt the nation.

 
By Brian Resnick and Steve Ercolani 
September 19, 2013 | 1:01 p.m.

Congress's (click here) ongoing feuds over funding the government and raising the debt ceiling are confusing. 
So don't let anyone mock you at the bar later when you are asked, "What's not to get about a bill to keep funding the government that has been turned into a Republican vessel for an ultimatum to defund the Affordable Care Act?"

For those just tuning in, the basic state of play is this: The House is poised to vote on a continuing resolution that defunds Obamacare and keeps the sequester cuts in place; meanwhile, the Senate is sure to keep funding Obamacare when the CR comes its way. House and Senate Republicans have been bickering over this, with House conservatives saying Republican senators like Ted Cruz won't do enough to fight Harry Reid on the issue.

And, yeah, they need to come to a resolution by the end of the month to avoid shutting down the government. Got it? You can also think of it as a football game. Time's running out in the fourth quarter. The Republicans need to break the Democrats to get the touchdown that will obliterate the ACA. And here's how they can win, or lose. 

Among projects of the USA military possible for reduction of funding is the F-18 program. That project was cited TODAY, September 20, 2013 as a reason to reduce military government spending.

Thursday, May 17, 2007 
by:james_wallace 

...A mechanism inside the wings (click here) of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, manufactured by Boeing Co. , is wearing out prematurely, prompting the Navy to order the company to make changes in the plane’s production as well as retrofit several hundred planes already operating off the decks of Navy aircraft carriers, according to a Navy official.
Officials stressed that they are not considering whether to ground the workhorse jet, because the problem does not affect its operation. Still, the “fatigue life issue,” if uncorrected, would drastically shorten the $50 million aircraft’s life span from 6,000 flight hours to 3,000 hours, the documents warn....

The US House needs to pass bills that supports the work and responsibilities of the nation and not just their political directives. 

Colorado disaster relief needs will more than likely exceed $100 billion State Fund. Colorado is going to need a bill as did New Jersey. I am looking forward to the RIDER on this short term continuing resolution stating severe limits on CO2 and methane emissions in the USA. I do not see ANY emergency funding for any state going forward where caused by the Climate Crisis passing without a provision and/or amendment that defines the limits on CO2 and methane by the entire nation. The 'safe limits' can be defined by the scientific community.

Biomedical Research is cut from the US House Continuing Resolution. 

Colorado floodwaters menace state's $41 billion agriculture sector (click here)

By Keith Coffman

DENVER | Fri Sep 20, 2013 6:22am EDT

(Reuters) - Colorado farmers and ranchers are bracing for widespread damage to the agriculture industry, one of the state's leading economic engines, from deadly floodwaters that already have caused property losses estimated at nearly $2 billion.

The main concern is for the state's No. 1 cash crop, corn, which yields between 140 million and 180 million bushels annually, most of it for cattle feed, according to the growers' trade association, Colorado Corn....

...Agriculture pumps $41 billion a year into the state's economy and employs - directly or indirectly - 173,000 people, according to the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

Cash from Colorado farm receipts alone totals $7.1 billion annually....

House Minority Leader Pelosi calls for unity to pass a bill that will address the needs of the country. She states,  "...this is a measure designed to shut down government, it can have no other reason, it's purpose is clear....it cuts our investments in the future, education, biomedical research, our moralist of funding is being cut...The Repubican directive in defunding the Affordable Care Act is to benefit their crony insurance industry. The bill cuts SCHIP by 70%, a bill that originally passed the House with a veto proof bipartisan majority....This short term Continuing Resolution does not provide for our families and I ask for a no vote...."

I do believe Hassan Rouhani is an earnest President of Iran.

DYNAMIC DIPLOMACY: (click here) "We must have hope for diplomacy in the world. There are a lot of very good people in the foreign service. The point is whether they are used properly. The foreign service has no real constituency. But it's important that it further America's influence in the world and continue to communicate the views of other countries to Washington." William Stoltzfus, Jr., former Ambassador to Kuwait, is a long-time Princeton resident.e

As I read his article in the Washington Post Opinion section I found myself wishing there was a US equivalent not tainted by the knowledge of violence so much as the knowledge of the way Syria was before this horrific current history.

One of the greatest Mideast diplomats the USA ever had was William Stoltzfus, Jr.. Mr. Stoltzfus retired many years ago from the US diplomatic corp and is currently 89 years old. I wish he were 20 years younger and the peer of President Rouhani at this moment in time. But, the point is there needs to be people involved in the Syrian negotiations that remember Syria as it was before radicalism took over so much of it's politics and stability. 

One of the follies of President Assad and his predecessors was to continue to claim Lebanon as if still belonging to Syria and allowing Hezbollah to act as it's agent. If there is to be a sincere peace to come out of all this President Assad has to realize he needs to live within his own borders and allow Lebanon it's peaceful place as a nation in the Middle East. 

That said, I believe President Rouhani would be a great help to the peace tables and should be allowed to intercede with the process.

To begin with President Rouhani is eminently qualified. He has engaged in Iran's government in many capacities and until the invasion into Iraq by the USA has been a partner for peaceful use of nuclear capacity in Iran. He resigned positions under the previous President to work as a diplomat within his own country (my interpretation, not his). It seemed as though he became discouraged with President Ahmadinejad and faded into the background. He then served The Supreme Leader directly for a couple years. President Rouhani is an earnest broker of peace in the Middle East, his actions and responsibilities in Iran over time stands testament to that.

There is so much to write about how very qualified this man is to bring people up to speed in thinking about these circumstances as they exist today that it would beleaguer the effort. I think I can put it this way, President Rouhani knows displacement. He was among those that were a part of the Iranian Revolution when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran. He knows how close the Shi'ites came to being eliminated as a peoples in the Middle East. He does not want that threat again and neither should anyone else. I believe he is uniquely President of Iran today because he does understand the deep abiding desire to be a Shi'ite and the need for recognition as a peaceful people. I don't believe he desires to 'play tricks' in any of his dealings. I also believe if the world ignores this opportunity on the timeline of Earth we will have completely missed the opportunity to end violence in the Middle East for generations to come.

These were his words during his Presidential campaign and he is living up to every one of them. We cannot dismiss that.

15 June 2013 9:34

 Fraser Nelson
...“Let’s end extremism,” (click here) he said during a campaign speech. “We have no other option than moderation.” He took swipes at the Basij, the Islamist morality police who go around asking women to veil up. He’s spoken about releasing political prisoners, and lifting internet censorship....

By Hassan Rouhani 
Published: September 19

...We must pay attention (click here) to the complexities of the issues at hand to solve them. Enter my definition of constructive engagement. In a world where global politics is no longer a zero-sum game, it is — or should be — counterintuitive to pursue one’s interests without considering the interests of others. A constructive approach to diplomacy doesn’t mean relinquishing one’s rights. It means engaging with one’s counterparts, on the basis of equal footing and mutual respect, to address shared concerns and achieve shared objectives. In other words, win-win outcomes are not just favorable but also achievable. A zero-sum, Cold War mentality leads to everyone’s loss....

President Rouhani remembers Syria as it was and not as it is. He wants that peaceful, beautiful nation to return to it's standing when there was economic wellness and people were safe within it's borders. He knows where the heart of Syria lies and it would be complete foolishness to disregard his approach and influence.

...Syria, a jewel of civilization, has become the scene of heartbreaking violence, including chemical weapons attacks, which we strongly condemn....

...We and our international counterparts have spent a lot of time — perhaps too much time — discussing what we don’t want rather than what we do want. This is not unique to Iran’s international relations. In a climate where much of foreign policy is a direct function of domestic politics, focusing on what one doesn’t want is an easy way out of difficult conundrums for many world leaders. Expressing what one does want requires more courage....

President Rouhani wrote a book about Iran's nuclear program. It was very transparent. He states that Iran's nuclear ambitions was to define it's capacity as a nation. The Shi'ites were not to be disregarded and accomplishing nuclear capacity helped define the seriousness of the country and it's abilities within it's brain trust and leadership.

He has an approach to authority that has worked for him and for Iran. But there is some degree of faux representation still lingering, unintended as it may be.

Quote: "While we were talking with the Europeans in Tehran, we were installing equipment in parts of the nuclear conversion facility in Isfahan. By creating a calm environment, we were able to complete the work there."

I realize Iran believes they are in a place most needed by the Shi'ites as a homeland within the Shi'ite Crescent. I also realize there is great animosity leading to tensions in the region. But, Iran's actions have to speak as loudly as it's words. Iran's people have a right to be safe within their sovereign nation, but, when it comes to peace and what can be achieved, Iran has to look for reassurances other nations with greater military capacity will never breech a treaty for the sake of power gamesmanship. The USA in recent history has played games with it's power and never should have. I am quite certain in time Iran would have protected the Shi'ites of southern Iraq without the death of so many. Rouhani has to decide about that for himself.

He is a great leader of his people, both Iranian and Shi'ite. The negotiations going forward need him within the scope of all that is possible. I believe he will lead with sincere meaning and actions. 

If Iran is to be considered a great nation it has to be an honest and forthright broker. I believe it can be and I believe President Rouhani can be that leader. I believe we need to trust him, but, he has to act to validate every reason for that trust. The previous President of Iran did a great deal of damage to the image of Iran, it will up to President Rouhani to bring about the peace he seeks and bring about sustainable trustworthiness so Iran is never questioned to it's intentions, willingness or integrity.

I wish him well and look forward to a far more peaceful region of the world. I believe he can accomplish it. 

From The Jerusalem Post:

By JPOST.COM STAFF

09/20/2013 03:13

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (click here) has offered on Thursday to help in peace talks between the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and its opposition.

Rouhani continued what Israel calls his "charm offensive" on Thursday night in an op-ed column he wrote for the Washington Post ahead of his visit to New York to speak at the UN General Assembly next week.

"I announce my government’s readiness to help facilitate dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition," he wrote.

In his column, the Iranian president urged the international community to put an end to the unilateral approach "which glorifies brute force and breeds violence" and instead adopt his offered approach of "prudence and hope" in which others' needs are considered "on the basis of equal footing and mutual respect."

Rouhani also stressed the importance of Iran's nuclear program , saying that generating nuclear power "is as much about diversifying our energy resources as it is about who Iranians are as a nation, our demand for dignity and respect and our consequent place in the world."

I don't think this is legal, but, it is incredible. The raptor has a territory.

The eagle is patrolling his territory for prey and invaders. Kind of interesting when one realizes how limited the territory for this large and important bird actually is and why conservationists get upset when it is impinged upon by human activity.

Home range sizes of bald eagles vary widely depending on the area, season, availability of and distance to food resources, and the breeding status of the individual (Buehler 2000). Breeding adults in Saskatchewan utilized home ranges no smaller than 1,730 acres in size (Gerrard et al.1992a). Garrett et al. (1993) reported that average home range sizes during breeding season on the Columbia River, OR, was 5,337 acres.

Predators are important to ecosystems. The territorial demands in this video remind me of the cheetah. They move so fast their territory seems small to them. They have to covet enough territory to support themselves, their mates and their fledglings as they learn to hunt and thrive. Fascinating video. Important birds on all continents are protected by the MBTA (Migratory Bird Treating Act).

The massive Plant Scherer near Juliette, Ga. puts 21.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the air every year, more than any other power plant in America. (AP Photo/Gene Blythe)

September 18, 2013

by John Light

Our energy (click here) comes from 6,000 power plants which together produce about 40 percent of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas driving climate change. But a handful of very large, very dirty plants are responsible for a disproportionate share of the problem.

A new report from two think tanks — the Frontier Group and the Environment America Research & Policy Center — takes a look at this small group of heavy polluters. The researchers found that the 50 dirtiest power plants in the U.S. are responsible for 30 percent of the energy industry’s CO2 emissions, and a full two percent of all emissions worldwide — these 50 plants were responsible for more climate change than all but six countries in the world.
The top 100 dirtiest plants in America produce 3.2 percent of the world’s carbon emissions — or roughly the same amount as all passenger vehicles in the U.S... 
 
Contributor to the study is Jeff Deyette. A brilliant man that deserves respect.

...He co-authored the UCS book (click here) Cooler, Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living and numerous UCS reports, including Ripe for Retirement: The Case for Closing America’s Costliest Coal Plants. He has also written extensively for UCS and various renewable energy industry publications on the consumer, employment, and environmental benefits of increasing our renewable energy use....

Select Publications

Deyette, J. 2012. Ripe for Retirement: The Case for Closing America’s Costliest Coal Plants. Union of Concerned Scientists. Cambridge, MA.

Deyette, J. 2012. Cooler, Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living. Union of Concerned Scientists. Cambridge, MA.

Deyette, J. 2011. A Bright Future for the Heartland: Powering the Midwest Economy with Clean Energy. Union of Concerned Scientists. Cambridge, MA.

Deyette, J. 2011. Tapping Into Wind Power. Union of Concerned Scientists. Cambridge, MA.

Deyette, J. 2010. Burning Coal, Burning Cash: Ranking the States that Import the Most Coal. Union of Concerned Scientists. Cambridge, MA.

Deyette, J. 2009. Clean Energy, Green Jobs. Union of Concerned Scientists. Cambridge, MA.

America’s power plants (click here) are among the most significant sources of carbon dioxide pollution in the world. The 50 most-polluting U.S. power plants emit more than 2 percent of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide pollution – or more pollution than every nation except six worldwide.... 

...The top 100 dirtiest plants in America produce 3.2 percent of the world’s carbon emissions — or roughly the same amount as all passenger vehicles in the U.S.
Ninety-eight of the top 100 plants burn coal — the other two use natural gas — and currently there aren’t any standardized limits on the amount of emissions these plants spew out....

America's Fifty Dirtiest Power Plants (click here for interactive)

Number 1 is Scherer, Georgia Power Company with 21.3 million metric tons of CO2 in 2011

Number 2 James H. Miller, Jr. of Alabama Power Co.,
20.7 million metric tons of CO2 in 2011

Number 3 Martin Lake of Luminant Generation Company, LLC (of Texas), with 18.8 million metric tons of CO2 in 2011

Governor Ultrasound !

Annual Exams for Women (click here)

AGE 18 — 39

Pelvic exam and Pap smear

• Screening should start within 3 years after first having vaginal intercourse or by age 21.
• Beginning at age 21, women should have a pelvic exam and Pap smear every 2 years to check for cervical cancer.
• If you are over age 30 or your Pap smears have been negative for 3 times in a row, your doctor may tell you that you only need a Pap smear every 3 years.
• Women who have had a total hysterectomy (uterus and cervix removed) may choose not to have Pap smears.
• Women who are sexually active should be screened for chlamydia infection. This can be done during a pelvic exam. 
• Health care is important for young men and women. They are at risk for problems. Being healthy on your wedding day is important. 
• Young men face the possibility of testicular cancer. That scared me as a mother when I realized this terrible disease was most prevalent in young men. My sons were educated about the warning signs and the received their regular check ups.
• Young people should not be suckered into fearing their own best interests. They are smarter than that. The PACs have to spend their money on something otherwise why would they exist. It's all propaganda. These ads are promoting potential illness and death; not health.

America's Cup: Oracle win race 12 (click here) 
8:42 AM Friday September 20, 2013
By Dana Johannsen

And still we wait. Poised on match point in the America's Cup, Team New Zealand could not close out the finals in race 12 this morning, as Oracle pulled off a wire-to-wire win in what has become a do-or-die series for them from here on in.
There will be no panic in the Kiwi camp - they still hold a 8-2 lead in the series and have immense confidence in their boat. But that will be of little consolation to impatient New Zealand fans eager to kick of celebrations....

I want to hear Speaker Boner state he is going to pay for indulgences for private industry with record profits while he can't even pay for health care, food for the hungry and wants to end SSI and Medicare. I want to hear that.

It is the character of our society, not the stigma of the mentally ill.

The idea of a Mental Health Data Base is a dreamscape and contains to real basis of practicality. It is not workable.

The mentally ill are not the problem. The guns are the problem.

Go ask Facebook to provide the service that LaPierre will pay for with his Life Long Membership Dues. After all, I am sure the NRA believes in self-reliance and private industry. Go do it. LaPierre needs to stop sounding like the mentally ill in blaming the government for all the problems in the country.

He has been an active partner to the violence in our society, it is time to give back and end this hideous danger because of the industry he represents and a membership that sees themselves as barricaded in their homes or in their vehicles or on the job or at the bar or at the kid's little league game. 

Go build a Mental Health Data Base and stop complaining.

The American people aren't going to do this for a private industry. It is out of the question. The entire idea is stupid and only escalates the violence in our society. 

 

LaPierre could not think himself out of a paper bag. 

I am NOT doing this anymore because the idiot at the NRA wants to sell guns and not insure the non-gun owner their privacy or any degree of safety. 

End of discussion.

I really like this Pope. He is a great man.

In an interview with La Civilta Cattolica, the newly appointed pope said that members of the church should focus on members who feel slighted or have left entirely, and should also re-focus on the basic principle that 'Jesus Christ has saved you' rather than giving so much attention to divisive issues.


By Corky Siemaszko
New York Daily News
September 19, 2013

Pope Francis (click here) has a blunt new message for his flock — enough with all the yammering about gay marriage, abortion and contraceptives.

"It is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time," the Pope said Thursday.

Francis, in a lengthy and remarkably candid interview with an Italian Jesuit magazine, said the Catholic Church needs to find a balance between its divisive rules, and the need to be merciful and welcoming.

I don't believe the government doesn't understand this message.

'Better off this way' carved into Navy Yard shooter's gun (click here 

Published: Sept. 18, 2013 at 5:47 PM  

...Citing sources it did not identify, the network said the phrase "My E-L-F weapon" was carved into the stock of the shotgun Alexis used in Monday's rampage, which ended when he was killed in an exchange of gunfire with security personnel. It wasn't clear what "E-L-F" stands for, though ABC said its law enforcement sources said there was speculation it could stand for "extremely low frequency" since Alexis allegedly had talked about hearing voices and having "vibrations sent to his body" by a " microwave machine." Investigators said they were analyzing whether "better off this way" meant Alexis knew he would die, ABC reported....

ELF?

Extremely 

Low 

Frequency 

THE EMERGENCE OF LOW–FREQUENCY ACTIVE ACOUSTICS AS A CRITICAL ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE TECHNOLOGY (click here)

The government knows what ELF is. They know what the message is about, too. Why play the American public for fools as if that can't be confirmed.

Aaron Alexis was troubled. He isn't alone. There are many troubled people in the USA able to problem solve within their own hearts and minds. They have access to weapons. There is only one way to end this type of destruction within our society and that is with gun control.

If whales and dolphins can die of ELF, why can't people?

So, aside from the speculations, (click here) I want to know if anyone here is familiar with the ELF frequencies, where tests are conducted, howcome underwater bases are sending ELF waves at 200+ dB into the ocean, killing the water animals that live there, such as whales and dolphins?

Aaron Alexis was problem solving. I am sure he thought he was acting in the only way left open to him. He wasn't going to be deterred. He had problem solved all he was going to.

I think everyone knows full well what that message is about. It was carved into the only weapon he felt was going to be his answer. Unfortunately, the mentally challenged live in a very violent society that don't provide anything but violence and weapon availability as an answer. 

A man without a job is doomed anyway. 

Anyone going to appeal this further?

By Mike Snyder, Patricia Kilday Hart 
September 19, 2013 
Updated: September 19, 2013 11:30am

...DeLay, 66, (click here) a conservative Republican from the Houston suburb of Sugar Land, ran an exterminating business before being elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1978 and winning a seat in Congress in 1984. He rose rapidly through the House leadership and was elected majority leader in 2002. DeLay earned the nickname "the Hammer" for his fierce political tactics.
In 2005, a grand jury indicted DeLay on charges that he had conspired to violate campaign finance laws. DeLay reportedly sought donations to his political action committee from Enron and other corporations to help bankroll the redistricting of Texas to favor the election of more Republicans. DeLay denied the charges but resigned as majority leader.
The executive director of Texans for Public Justice, the group that filed the complaint that led to DeLay's indictment, suggested that the Republican judges who issued Thursday's ruling were influenced by politics.
"He (DeLay) was wrong on the law and wrong on the facts, but politics bailed him out," said TPJ's Craig McDonald. He said he hoped that the Travis County district attorney's office would appeal the ruling to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Two co-defendants in the case pleaded guilty and paid fines. John Colyandro, who ran Texans for a Republican Majority, pleaded guilty in 2012 to a misdemeanor charge of accepting illegal political contributions and received deferred adjudication, which means there will be no final conviction if he completes probation. He also was fined $8,000.
Jim Ellis, a DeLay staff member, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of making an illegal campaign contribution. He received four years' probation and a $10,000 fine. Ellis and Colyandro were accused of scheming to funnel illegal corporate contributions into state races.
Their political efforts produced a Republican majority in the Texas House, paving the way for a controversial mid-decade redistricting effort that helped win more congressional seats for the Republican Party from Texas.
Former U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, who lost his office due to the controversial redistricting plan, reacted with disappointment.
"When people don't follow the rules, there needs to be some kind of recourse. There are any number of instances in which DeLay didn't follow the rules with regard to the politics of our country," said Lampson, who ironically won the seat left open by DeLay's resignation in 2006. (He was defeated two years later.)
"He brought significant change in the politics of our state and our country that has brought us to greater polarization and a crisis period with our Congress," said Lampson.

The opposing sides in Syria need to agree to a ceasefire and talks to resolve the upheaval within their country.

One billion dollars in order to destroy the chemical weapons in Syria.

Assad is correct by the way. There is no reason to transport any of the chemical weapons across land or sea; they have to be destroyed where they lie. That is why the United Nation's inspectors placed seals on similar weapons in Iraq. There are no guarantees there won't be a spill that kills thousands and perhaps more people somewhere along the transit route.

He is also correct when he states HIS proposal/resolution to the UN to disarm the entire Middle East of WMD in 2003 was rejected. It never went forward. Assad did propose the resolution.

President Assad is also correct in that he does not have to answer to the American people. They are NOT his colleagues. judge or jury. The American people are spectators to the United Nations at this point. He has no obligation to show where the chemical weapons are or are not or that they are being destroyed. That is up to the United Nations to report on a regular basis to the body of the UN that oversees these processes. The idea Assad has to accommodate an American demand for their personal investigations conducted by so called credible media is outrageous. Somewhere FOX got the idea they were king of the world. 

This is not Maury Povich attempting to determine paternity. 

The idea the UN report can be disputed is irrelevant. The UN stated there was a chemical weapons exposure that killed many people. This sounds hideous and blatantly cruel, but, so what? If Sarin was used by either the rebels or Assad it was legal at the time. It is no longer legal since Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention. While it is important to determine the death of innocent people and allow the United Nations to determine any atrocities the Sarin was legally deployed by either side in Syria at the time regardless of how heinous a weapon it was.

It is known Assad did not consent to the use of the Sarin and he explicitly told his military it was out of the question. The problem lies not with him but his chain of command if there was use or a release of Sarin gas. Assad cannot be held responsible if his military mutinied their use of it. So, the UN will no doubt look at all the evidence by any country that has it and determine how it all happened. Either that or nations will present their information to the governing body of human rights and war crime treaties. And Assad has his own information that he may or may not submit to scrutiny.

It doesn't matter if Assad agrees it is a war crime. It is whether or not the World Court states there are criminal actions and whether or not people can be held responsible. It is a court. There has to be evidence. It has to be as accurate as possible. It is fine if the UN believes there are war crimes. Can they hold those responsible accountable by proving it? That is the issue, it is not whether Assad agrees or disagrees about atrocities. 

The United Nations will make their stand on Principle. The Nuremberg principles to be exact. There were no war crime conventions before WWII in a way that would allow the prosecution of Nazi war criminals. The Nuremberg PRINCIPLES were a set of guidelines for determining what constitutes a war crime. 

There are seven principles applied through the Nuremberg Principles that were allowed through a UN resolution.

Under General Assembly Resolution 177 (II), (click here) paragraph (a), the International Law Commission was directed to "formulate the principles of international law recognized in the Charter of the Nuremberg Tribunal and in the judgment of the Tribunal." In the course of the consideration of this subject, the question arose as to whether or not the Commission should ascertain to what extent the principles contained in the Charter and judgment constituted principles of international law. The conclusion was that since the Nuremberg Principles had been affirmed by the General Assembly, the task entrusted to the Commission was not to express any appreciation of these principles as principles of international law but merely to formulate them. The text below was adopted by the Commission at its second session. The Report of the Commission also contains commentaries on the principles (see Yearbook of the Intemational Law Commission, 1950, Vol. II, pp. 374-378). 

The problem as I see it is whether or not the establishment of Geneva Conventions and Chemical Weapons Convention overrides the possibility of carrying any trials regarding Syria's Sarin gas under Nuremberg Principles. Syria, at the time of the release, was not a signator nor ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention AND only belonged to the earliest section of the Geneva Conventions. It is up to the World Court to determine the 'jurisdiction' of the war crime charge and then proceed. This is not simple. This is a court of established law, these are international venues of sovereign nations.

A sovereign nation has a right to it's laws and leaders. A World Court has to have sound principles to proceed because otherwise it would be more of a political doctrine and not that of legal proceedings. 

Look, "W" withdrew from the Geneva Conventions before he attacked Iraq. So, don't even try it. The USA is not a nation with a lily, white soul. "W" withdrew from treaties in many places for reasons to open venues of war. So don't even try to say that Assad is not on solid ground just because this was heinous. "W" sits in his home along with Cheney in his completely confident they can never be charged with war crimes for the reason of resigning from treaties and conventions. Get over it. They were horrible men and they didn't give a damn about the life and death of others. For God sakes, they used White Phosphorus in Fallujah. I guess they didn't care about President Assad's proposal to ban WMD from the Middle East, now did they?

And don't think for one minute Assad can't bring that before a World Court stating non-participation in treaties and conventions protected some of the worst war mongers in the USA. He can and then Americans wonder why the USA has to 'that country that does everything correctly.'

Assad also makes an interesting point about the rebels in that there are known jihadists involved. The thing is this; those jihadists are not necessarily engaged in a civil war other than for the reason of jihad. It is fine for a rebel force to have allies and fighters that provide services that benefit them. Every man is important as witnessed in Libya. No one is going to dictate what a rebel is and is not except the rebels themselves, but, there are elements providing questionable outcomes to this civil war. I am not justifying anything, but, simply pointing to a reality that is not discussed.

When the USA went into Afghanistan in October 2001 we stumbled across something. We stumbled across an American already engaged in jihad and didn't really have a clue about the war he was involved with. John Walker Lindh went to Pakistan to carry out his honor to his faith on the battlefield. There is that element in Syria and any other countries where there is a war of volunteers under the flag of religious obligation. Their victory does not necessitate a stable nation. Those fighters are not pledged to be Syria's next military that will protect the sovereign borders. That can't be ignored. 

In Libya, the leaders recognized by The West do not have control over their nation. They eliminated Gaddafi's army and now have multi-militia in their place. The militia provide their own reasons for protecting their territories. Some are loyal to the current leadership and some are too scared to 'give it up' and become part of a sovereign military in fear of Gaddafi II occurring.

In the Middle East, there are issues such as warlord status, too. The militias have loyalties to warlords and that change. Members can move between warlords to improve their economic status. The real question is how is all that balanced out if the rebel forces win? 

Where the rebels and/or jihadists are getting their money is irrelevant. The fighters are there and they may or may not be paid and only seek food and shelter as compensation for their status. So, that's an odd question and I don't think it is measurable. These rebels don't have a sovereign treasury to draw on. And we know there are ways of making money including the poppy fields of Afghanistan.  

The 100,000 or 110,000 dead are not all innocent people. 15,000 Syrian military are dead and there is no accurate accounting for rebels and/or the difference between rebels and innocent citizens. The American Civil War was the same way. There are mass graves in Arlington National Cemetery marking those dead in the civil war. Some of this might be interesting to ask, but, there not necessarily answers. There were plenty of innocent people killed in Iraq, but, that body count is still in dispute.

There are innocent people dead in Syria. There is no doubt about that, at the very least there are children. But, no one is saying Assad's forces are trained in urban warfare so much as warfare. The questions are American questions and they are misleading to say the least. The questions are so bring doubt to what Assad is stating. There are no reasonable answers to those questions in a way that would relate Assad has knowledge of what is occurring every inch of every attack. There are Generals and Commanders coming to the podium to report on progress or lack of it. 

"...This is war...you don't have good war...." Ah, but, see the USA ALWAYS has good war.

Assad made a statement at the end of the interview that flaws his defense within his civil war. He states 'opposition' is a political status. Correct, however, this civil war started as peaceful demonstrations in 2011 until the demonstrators had to defend themselves. That is how he loses his status and how there needs to be a political resolve to this conflict. The Syrian military fired the first shots to end what was viewed as an uprising similar to that realized in Egypt. He has sound reasons for seeking to stabilize his nation, however, it has turned into an asymmetrical civil war with an unknown outcome. There will no doubt be a shared governance sought. The reason for a shared governance is to keep this from occurring again.

McCain's Op-Ed should be entitled, "Superpower Bombs are Blessed by the Pope" and God is on OUR side.

What does this have to do with Syria?

Is McCain running for office in Russia? No? Could have fooled me. I suppose the Russia people are as stupid as the American in Arizona and they need to understand their lives better.

It's okay, John (pat on the head) we all understand hatred and the desire for WWIII when we see it. It's going to be okay.

My God, peace is about to break out and McCain can't handle it. "But, my defense contracts, my defense contracts, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, no, no my defense contracts....."

Senator John McCain: Russians deserve better than Putin (click here)

19.09.2013

When Pravda.ru editor, Dmitry Sudakov, offered to publish my commentary, he referred to me as "an active anti-Russian politician for many years." I'm sure that isn't the first time Russians have heard me characterized as their antagonist. Since my purpose here is to dispel falsehoods used by Russia's rulers to perpetuate their power and excuse their corruption, let me begin with that untruth. I am not anti-Russian. I am pro-Russian, more pro-Russian than the regime that misrules you today....

Oh, this is beautiful.

...They write laws to codify bigotry against people whose sexual orientation they condemn. They throw the members of a punk rock band in jail for the crime of being provocative and vulgar and for having the audacity to protest President Putin's rule....

This is so very perfect. The hypocrisy of the USA is only denied because it can drop bombs on every other nation if defied. I am not going to debate the merits of each case, because the point is the USA doesn't follow it's own rules and has no right to point a finger.

Sergei Magnistky wasn't a human rights activist. He was an accountant at a Moscow law firm. He was an ordinary Russian who did an extraordinary thing. He exposed one of the largest state thefts of private assets in Russian history. He cared about the rule of law and believed no one should be above it. For his beliefs and his courage, he was held in Butyrka prison without trial, where he was beaten, became ill and died....

And it is so much better in the USA where the 99% are pawns of Wall Street Capitalists. It depends on how one defines corruption. Crashing and trashing the Middle Class and the American Dream ain't any better.

...He has given you an economy that is based almost entirely on a few natural resources that will rise and fall with those commodities. Its riches will not last. And, while they do, they will be mostly in the possession of the corrupt and powerful few. Capital is fleeing Russia, which - lacking rule of law and a broad-based economy - is considered too risky for investment and entrepreneurism. He has given you a political system that is sustained by corruption and repression and isn't strong enough to tolerate dissent....

I am still looking for McCain's rebuttal of President Putin's position on Syria, not yet, still anticipating something genius and classified.

How has he strengthened Russia's international stature? By allying Russia with some of the world's most offensive and threatening tyrannies. By supporting a Syrian regime that is murdering tens of thousands of its own people to remain in power and by blocking the United Nations from even condemning its atrocities. By refusing to consider the massacre of innocents, the plight of millions of refugees, the growing prospect of a conflagration that engulfs other countries in its flames an appropriate subject for the world's attention. He is not enhancing Russia's global reputation....

Nope, nothing genus only more rhetoric. This is McCain calling the kettle black. It wasn't Russia that invaded Syria. It was the USA that illegally and immorally invaded Iraq. Russia is stepping in to prevent the same type of carnage experienced in Iraq from the nation of Syria. Hello?

Why do people like McCain get this confused about what world affairs is all about? Oh, yeah, the Superpower is the ONLY moral voice in the world. Russia is stepping in with Syria to prevent further instability in the Middle East. Oh, wait, least I forget American bombs solves everything. If the region becomes more unstable then there are always more American bombs and when that won't work there is the necessity to send in the troops.

I do believe in you. I believe in your capacity for self-government and your desire for justice and opportunity. I believe in the greatness of the Russian people, who suffered enormously and fought bravely against terrible adversity to save your nation. I believe in your right to make a civilization worthy of your dreams and sacrifices. When I criticize your government, it is not because I am anti-Russian. It is because I believe you deserve a government that believes in you and answers to you. And, I long for the day when you have it.

John McCain's idea of 'self-governance' is anarchy at the end of a military style weapon. So, instead of the government having control, each citizen is suppose to be their own sheriff.

If McCain wants to make an argument to the Russian people, he really needs to clean up his act at home. 

Jeb Bush is the best reason for peace treaties should take place with Obama.

...Jeb-ster (click here) is now saying that Immigration with a path to citizenship is NOT something he would support. Last summer he said the opposite. He is postioning himself to the right of Marco Rubio, who is currently writing legislation with Democrats to reform immigration WITH a path to ciizenship.

Don't these guys EVER learn? Mitt Romney showed the GOP that the path to the White House does not lead through the Tea Party. The right wingnuts do not offer any White House hopefuls ANY chance for general election success if the candidates have to start spouting right wing policies during the primaries. The American people do not buy those views and values in a general election. There are far too many minorities out of work to make those unpopular views fruitful to a candidate in a general election....