Poor management isn't necessarily illegal.

I heard the complaints in the media about how emergency workers could not achieve their usual response times (and that should be in the record, too. Usual response times.) when there was traffic snarled on September 9th. 

Thankfully, there were no deaths or injuries attributable to the lane closures, but, as I stated before the slower response times causing personal pain and suffering could amount to civil lawsuits, but, not necessarily criminal charges. That is up to the US Attorney to decide. I already know the comparison will be made to other cities with slow response times and it could be a viable defense in any criminal charge.

Another defense of the Governor is that he has tripped over his authority before when taking a State Police helicopter to his son's ball game. That is not illegal. There have been others, namely in the State of New York, that have done the same things and been publicly reprimanded for it. So, Governor Christie reacted to the criticism and corrected his path. 

The facts still remain that as a Governor he has been responsive to the people. They might not like all the shenanigans, but, when they balance his response to them they are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has also improved the circumstances in some instances in New Jersey. He hasn't been completely horrid in governing. He knows what the problems are and how to plot a resolve. He has been successful, albeit, not a huggy, cuddly personality, but, successful. 

By Times of Trenton 
Letters to the Editor
January 28, 2014 at 5:27 AM 

Gov. Chris Christie (click here) has led the way on the expansion of drug courts, in which nonviolent offenders can choose the tough love and hard work of rehab and frequent check-ins over prison.

The governor has championed the idea of mandatory treatment for nonviolent offenders to stop the revolving door of prison, parole and then rearrest for the same drug offenses. It’s working, said the governor, reporting an 11 percent drop in recidivism.

“We must reach out a hand of compassion and common sense to those who commit nonviolent crimes,” he said in his State of the State address. “We must do a better job of reclaiming their lives and putting them back on the road to success and engagement with society.”

That attitude is especially necessary as a scourge of heroin overdoses continues in New Jersey. Experts say heroin users often first become dependent on a prescription drug such as OxyContin or Vicodin. When that habit becomes too expensive to sustain, heroin is the next best thing. It’s inexpensive and it’s becoming easier and easier to obtain....

But, I'll say this again; what is hubris isn't necessarily illegal. Considering he was relying on outside agencies (which is a GOP preference) to carry out the distributions of Sandy Aid puts him at a distance to any questions regarding those monies. He is responsible and he has fired those involved in his second term. I believe he'll seek a more hands on approach this time, but, people are winning on appeal and that matters.

I know all this is frustrating, but, was their MALICIOUSNESS in the actions of the Governor? It would not appear to be so. Was he malicious in his hubris? I bet he was, but, that doesn't rise to the level of crime. The entire mess needs to be left up to the US Attorney and if the state investigative panel is providing additional fact finding and the people find it important, then they are doing the right thing. 

But, they should not lose sight of the needs of the state as outlined in the State of the State address. Those problems are also important and I remind, this is the Chief Executive of the State doing his job. These annual speeches to the legislature by any Chief Executive is a matter of pointing to the problems of the people. It is a job requirement and in the job description. Again, he is conducting his responsibilities. If the legislature puts all that on the shelf and the problems surmount the people will be looking at them in the next State of the State.

The legislature also has to realize they have huge problems that are not solved. If they are going to continue to build an additional path between NY and NJ then what are the benefits. Cost benefits. Short term and long term, will the people of New Jersey benefit from it?

Then there is Camden. It is pretty bad and to realize how bad it is only speaks to the fact there has been huge negligence of that city by the state. The State benefits from vibrant economies and to let cities deteriorate and sink into failure only deprives important tax revenues and growing jobs. At this point, I don't believe Camden can recover on it's own. It is going to take recruitment of business interests that would like to live in Cherry Hill and commute to work. The people of Camden are just as worthy of the attention of the state legislature as those of Fort Lee and Hoboken. 

So, the future is not on hold because the politics is thick and advantageous. People need attention and while the past will receive the attention it needs, the future appears to still be waiting. I don't believe that is a good thing. It will be the end of another school year and will there be more or less graduates from Camden's high school? Those young minds are important and right now they aren't feeling important or seeing a solution for their lives. The median age in Camden is 28 years old. That is tragic. It isn't the equivalent to Yemen, but, it is to Algeria.  The median age in the USA is 37.2 years and there are other countries that can top that. This is a real shame in a state with wealth as New Jersey has.

I am not going to forget this fact. I find it completely outrageous. 

Germany is running away with the competitions. Canada and Germany both have ten medals, but, Germany has seven golds.

The American women's curling team had a better day yesterday. Oddly enough Mrs. Brown returned to her historic performance as her husband arrived in Sochi. I am just sayin'. 

The US Men did well in the short program skating competition, but, the skate today not so much. 

February 13, 2014,
ESPN.com news services

SOCHI, Russia -- U.S. champion Jeremy Abbott (click here) fell hard on an attempted quadruple toe loop Thursday in the men's short program at the Olympics, yet finished the routine.

Abbott crashed to the ice on his first jump and slid into the padded end boards, staying down for an extended period, clutching his right hip. It looked as though he wouldn't get up, and his coaches moved toward the entry door to the ice.

But Abbott, 28, struggled to his feet and, to the surprise of many and the applause of the crowd, resumed skating. And he performed quite well, hitting the rest of his elements.

When his music stopped, the four-time U.S. champ drew a huge ovation from the fans. He hit himself lightly in the head while shaking it, as if to say he couldn't believe what had happened.

He wound up in 15th place....

US Men are still cleaning the chronometers in skiing slopestyle. It is one of the newest Olympic competitions that was very popular in the USA. There is no surprise the Americans are still hanging on to the medals.

it almost seems like cheating, but, then there is Norway that always walks away with gold in so many other of the competitions, like cross country. There are just times in Norway when cross country is the only way of traveling across the terrain. So, these guys grow up being Olympic quality athletes.

By Matthew Tynan
February 11, 2014
The Norwegians dominated the cross-country skiing events (click here) on Tuesday, and they now find themselves on top of the medal standings at the 2014 Winter Olympics with 11 total. Ola Vigen Hattestad took gold in the men's sprint event with a time of 3:38.39, with Sweden's Teodor Peterson (3:39.61) and Emil Jonsson (3:58.13) bringing in silver and bronze....

But, there is hope for other nations, the USA for the first time in Olympic history won a bronze medal in the luge. Yes!

The investigation takes back page news while McCrory seeks a raise in teacher salaries.

Is there any doubt? The retreat from fines to reassessment tells everything. 

I haven't heard how much fiscal and environmental damage occurred either. There is an impoverished population that rely on rivers and fisheries to make a living. Under the previous governors, the state fisheries worked with Duke to secure a native species of oyster to insure the commercial oystermen/women had a viable living. 

The native species had crashed in the late 1980s -early 1990s due to heavy sediments in the river and fisheries. Duke found the most viable species of oyster was the native oyster. Duke also found having breeding stock suspended under docks along the waterways returned the native oyster to abundance. That research occurred quite some time ago and was implemented around 2004. So, the sincere loss by this community of North Carolina citizens may be substantial. These folks won't have money to hire lawyers either, they are easily exploited because they don't have the power to retaliate.

Duke University Marine Division (click here) would have detailed information. The studies most likely are even in the public record as peer reviewed research. It was unique. Duke was actually seeking the most viable species that didn't necessarily mean the native species would do the best, but, everyone was pleasantly surprised at their findings and deployment of the strategy to return the oyster beds.

Michael Biesecker
Associated Press
February 13, 2014

...The subpoenas (click here) were issued the day after the AP reported that environmental groups have tried three times in the past year to sue under the Clean Water Act to force Duke to clear out leaky coal ash dumps. Each time, the state agency blocked the citizen lawsuits by intervening at the last minute to assert its own authority under the act to take enforcement action in state court.
After negotiating with Duke's lawyers in private, the state proposed settlements that environmentalists regarded as highly favorable to the company.

Duke, a company valued at $50 billion, would have paid fines of $99,111 for groundwater pollution leaching from two coal dumps like the one that ruptured in Eden. The settlement would have required Duke to study how to stop the contamination, but it included no requirement to clean up the dumps near Asheville and Charlotte.

Among the documents targeted by the federal subpoenas are the correspondence between Duke and the state environmental agency related to the proposed deal highlighted in the AP's story. On Monday, lawyers for the state asked a judge to disregard the agency's own proposed settlement in the wake of the spill.

Clean water advocates have long complained that state regulators are too cozy with the polluters they regulate. But they say that coordination and cooperation has become even more overt since the January 2013 inauguration of Gov. Pat McCrory, a pro-business Republican who worked at Duke Energy for 28 years. Records show McCrory has benefited from at least $1.1 million in political donations linked to his former employer since 2008....

I am not surprised the current governor is touting pay increases to teachers. Currently, the state universities, once considered some of the best in the nation, a huge statement about public universities, have Freshmen enrollments down by 40%. McCrory's abrupt change in policy and fiscal support to the state universities shows. I am very concerned about the state universities, they are among some of the backbone to the nation's brain trust.

McCrory's priority was to defund the public schools and universities and replace them with his friends like those at High Point University, a very expensive private university. I mean this guy is wickedly influenced by his donors and panders to supporting their fiscal viability to continue his political ambitions.

The US Attorney needs to consider reaching out to the Chancellor's of the state universities in reporting their fiscal disasters, the effect on enrollment, the status of the public universities to rankings among others and the future viability they see for their residential students that rely on loans and grants to attend. The students to the NC system, including the famed UNC, don't have families with ready cash to pay even residential tuition rates. These families survive by working two to three jobs and well over 60 hours per week.

By Lynn Bonner and Jane Stancill

February 10, 2014 

JAMESTOWN — The proposal Gov. Pat McCrory (click here) announced Monday to raise the base pay for early-career teachers was met with praise and immediate questions about raises for those with more experience.

Under the plan, teachers with up to 10 years in the classroom – about 42,000 of them – would see their pay rise to $35,000 by the 2015-16 school year. The raises would cost the state about $200 million over two years.

The state’s beginning teachers are among the lowest-paid in the nation, and the current $30,800 beginning salary is not competitive with surrounding states.

“That’s not even enough to raise a family or pay off student loans,” McCrory said in announcing his plan. “How do we expect someone to pay that loan with that starting salary?”...

I wish everyone the best in finally turning around the deterioration of the state and it's precious conservation and environmental assets. The state of NC's economy relies on clean water and viable wildlife. It has a very long coastline, especially when one realizes it has a double coastline in the Outer Banks. The state government, under McCrory, defunded these important conservation and water trust funds. These state funded monies maintained and improved the status of NC's waterways, fisheries, beaches and wildlife areas, some of which contain endangered species. In the past when these monies were threatened by budget pressures, the people have opted for increases in income taxes.

One other aspect to the failure in funding to the state universities, is the fact a great deal of expansion of some of these campuses have occurred over the past decade placing their fiscal viability on the line as well.

The waters of North Carolina and the state universities are very important to the people of the state and they obviously have little to no knowledge of the treats to them and their current deterioration.

I thank the US Attorney for taking a sincere interest in these people and their important economy. I am sure with such competent conservation groups in the state it didn't take much alarm to launch this investigation.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/10/3608266/mccrory-increase-teachers-base.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/10/3608266/mccrory-increase-teachers-base.html#storylink=cp

VW has a problem in Tennesse. The politicians are attacking their business model.

If VW wants a business model whereby their employees are represented at their company table, they have a right to it.

German companies do have interesting business models. They INVEST in their employees. It isn't just VW. Siemans is the same way (click here).

Siemans doesn't necessarily have unions, but, their business model is to treat their employees well with good pay and benefit structure while taking an interest and encouraging the employees' careers. Siemans does not want to lose employees once they hire them. I am quite sure VW sees their employees the same way.

By Scott Martelle
February 13, 2014
Thursday is the second of three days (click here) of a union-organizing vote at Volkswagen’s Tennessee auto assembly plant, and it’s being tracked like a congressional special election. Is it a bellwether for the state of modern labor? Or is it a one-off that says nothing of significance beyond the confines of the VW factory floor?

It’s a bit of both. The vote has attracted an extraordinary amount of outside interest and pressure, including misleading public billboards, bizarre claims on local talk-radio stations and a general frothing from the anti-union right that worker-management cooperation is the first step toward Stalinism. The organizing vote also seems to have brought out the worst in some Republican state politicians, who have threatened future financial help for VW projects if the United Auto Workers wins the election. As my colleague Jon Healey wrote Wednesday, that is an inappropriate threat....

VW's corporate culture is under attack. I realize they want their employees to vote and carry out a democratic process, but, the employees are influenced by politicians rather than those that have their best interest at heart. Americans regularly vote against their best interest because of a 'humbler than thou' life strategy. Most workers in what is considered Red States bow to their paycheck with reverence rather than expecting to receive the payroll and benefits they receive. Most of these states are Right to Work states whereby workers have no rights. Strange name, "Right to Work" which provides no right to the employees and/or unions that act in their best interest.

Basically, a Right to Work state is a ruthless business model. If an employee has blue eyes and for some reason the employer finds that a liability they can be fired. Employees are not valued on their performance, so much as being given work for them to be grateful for, therefore, employees are under chronic stress on the job to please regardless of the demands. There are no healthy boundaries in the employer-employee in these states. There is no respect for 'the person,' but, the product. The Right to Work states basically pander to employers while viewing the 'citizen workers' as inherently lazy and a financial liability they would not expect the employer tolerate for any reason. It is a really lousy relationship of a human being to their work.

It is not for me to say the motivations of politicians such as Mr. Corker. Interesting name for the quality of leadership he provides. "A real corker," one with a peculiar sense of humor. I mean I don't read minds. But, I have ask myself, why would Corker be so verbose about a company process that is part of their business model? What reward would there be? Other than perhaps an uptick in votes.

Would it not be fun to destroy VW's business model that would carry over into it's operations globally? I mean once VW gets a 'real taste' for higher profits without employee representative it will take off like fire in their global corporation. 

Ah, yes. See Corker knows that the USA has the answer for every profitable operation in the world. Doesn't VW know that? VW must be oppressed as a corporation whereby they have First Amendment Rights in the USA. VW doesn't know what freedom is. Of course they don't know that yet, but, Corker will prove it to them. 

VW has been introduced to the ruthlessness of the American politician with agendas that disrespect human beings. The Corkers in the USA rather austerity even if it means dominating the VW business model. What Mr. Corker doesn't appreciate is that a business knows what works best for their corporate outcomes. Mr. Corker has no respect for the workers VW is employing and it would seem the corporation itself, he only identifies 'the underlying profits' in robbing employees of a life that will contribute to a vibrant economy.

I value VW. I value their employment of American citizens. I think they have a magnificent business model and I hope it catches on across the country, because Americans need to be appreciated again and know they are important to a better and bigger economy. I wish VW the greatest degree of success on every enterprise they engage.

There should be more by the Christie administration regarding high levels of rejection of minority applications.

To begin with Governor Christie has come out demanding help for Camden to improve the education of their children. Now, he can't be concerned about minority children and not be concerned about minority applications.

Most of these instances are involved in an application process that does not take minority issues in importance. I would think the minority applications need to be reviewed as to why there were rejected. Then evaluate them for a better and more equitable outcome even if those making the decisions have to make 'site visits.' Once the problem is understood, then the minority application process and form needs to be reviewed for improvement.

I don't believe there was purposeful discrimination as in bigotry, however, I do believe the application process is insensitive to minority communities and why their applications are failing. 

February 11, 2014
by Ken Serrano
...“We need a recovery that works for Sandy survivors, (click here) thousands of whom have been unfairly denied, treated badly and left to fend for themselves in a bureaucratic nightmare of the state’s making,” said Staci Berger of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey.

Frank Argote-Freyre, president of the Latino Action Network, said minorities have been given short shrift with the state’s housing programs. The Spanish-language information on the state’s website, for instance, was riddled with errors and failed to include information on appeals.

Argote-Freyre underscored racial disparities associated with the housing programs....

Camden's Population 

Hispanic - 38,302 (49.6%) 
Black alone - 33,055 (42.8%) 
White alone - 3,170 (4.1%) 
Asian alone - 1,251 (1.6%) 
Two or more races - 1,209 (1.6%) 
Other race alone - 184 (0.2%) 
American Indian alone - 58 (0.08%) 
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 47 (0.06%)

My first impression with Camden is how many of the children don't read or speak English. It may be the educational system has to address classes in "English as a Second Language." The school system cannot count on parents who may be immigrants to teach their children proper English or the skills they need to succeed.

The demographics of Camden is rather alarming. The average age is 28 years old.  

Estimated median household income in 2011: $21,191 (it was $23,421 in 2000)

Camden:	$21,191
New Jersey:	$67,458

Estimated per capita income in 2011: $11,861

Who owns property in Camden? The residents can't possibly be the primary owners with this kind of income. 

Estimated median house or condo value in 2011: $87,000 (it was $40,800 in 2000)

Camden:	$87,000
New Jersey:	$324,900

 

Mean prices in 2011:  

All housing units: $95,545

Detached houses: $129,054

Townhouses or other attached units: $85,093

In 2-unit structures: $106,107

In 3-to-4-unit structures: $241,136;  

In 5-or-more-unit structures: $83,505

Mobile homes: $51,806
Median gross rent in 2011: $783.

The city is not taking in enough taxes to move their educational systems forward. This is a very impoverished city. This has nothing to do with unions. I don't imagine their teacher's pay rates match that of the rest of the state. This is a poor city with poor outcomes for their children.

The city never recovered from 2008's housing bubble. The tax base is lost.

Camden is stranded. Somebody needs to do something like encourage a local economy. 

There are bigger problems to be solved before education can be addressed. Where is the drug economy in New Jersey? The Governor should understand this one. 

Crime Rate Statistics (click here) 

A stranded city taken over by crime. That is what this is. The criminal bedroom community of Philadelphia. There are such communities in California, too. There are cities in and around South Central LA that accommodates criminals that like the suburbs.

No one will like this, but, Cherry Hill should annex Camden and improve the property with additional places for a business community. Gentrification. Get rid of dilapidated buildings with outstanding property tax records first. That is the easiest thing to do to begin some rehabilitation of Camden. With the city being stranded and with such high crime rates the idea of rehabilitating it is remote.

Where problems manifest is when those seeking to improve the city ignores the social responsibility of delicate populations within the city. Low income development has to accompany any new revitalization efforts. 

Forget Hoboken if the city doesn't want the development there is a city across the river from Philadelphia that needs it more.

No one has to be an atheist to understand the truth of evolution.

Happy 205th birthday to the man that took brilliant observations on natural history and expounded on the origin of biodiversity, forever changing not only the realm of biology, but science as a whole.

Charles Darwin: "...from so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."

A Dynamic Earth (click here)
Earth's surface is constantly changing. Mountains are built and rivers cut canyons through them. Wind and water carry rock away and deposit it in new locations. Volcanoes erupt, burying former surfaces under new layers of rock. Flat layers become faulted and folded. Everywhere you look, you can find rocks that show evidence of past geologic events.

Evolution is a survival response to a very dynamic Earth. Darwin never hated god.

Responsible conservation includes the return of recovered animals to their habitat. 
 

Again? These zoo licenses needs to be revoked.

Zoos are not just about breeding. They are suppose express concern for life. Zoos educate the public about their world by having and witnessing direct contact with animals other than the dogs and cats in their neighborhood. Maintaining a breeding program is a deranged purpose for zoos. These animals are not a 'commodity' they are living, breathing beings.

If this is the result of their breeding programs, they don't deserve them in the first place. If these zoos are to maintain their licenses, they have to be suspended from any breeding program. This is completely irresponsible purpose of any zoo.

This form of cruelty is more about the cruelty to those that attend zoos. It exposes some sincere heartache and sorrow to the public. These are not natural deaths of long loved members of the community that attends and supports zoos. This is inhumane from every angle of zoo confinement of these animals whom were born within them.

February 13, 2014
Copenhagen: The Danish Jyllands Park Zoo (click here) said it might put down one of its giraffes, which by coincidence is also named Marius, the same as the giraffe killed by Copenhagen Zoo on Sunday, according to Danish news agency Ritzau.

Staff at Copenhagen Zoo have received death threats after the zoo killed the 18-month-old healthy male giraffe because the animal's genes were already well represented in an international breeding programme that aims to maintain a healthy giraffe population in European zoos.

This is a really cute story in pictures.

Last year Germany (click here) was inundated with water from Hurricane Xavier. The storm was really bad and this dedicated horse owner brought her Arabian horse into the house as security for the animal. Now the horse comes to visit often.

I'd want rubber boots for the hardwood floors, but, if it's house trained, what the heck?

Wall Street demands Control. Why would that be? This really is terrorizing to them.

Premediated, well planned, knowledge of surveillance cameras and they shot up the cooling fins of a substation. It looks like they were determined, right? Could this be another reason for Gun Show Regulation Compliance?

By Richard A. Serrano and Evan Halper

February 11, 2014, 4:00 a.m.

WASHINGTON — They came after midnight, (click here) two or more armed individuals so deft that they cut telecommunication cables in an underground vault and outsmarted security cameras and motion sensors at the power substation in a remote corner of Santa Clara County.

At daylight, FBI agents began poring over time-lapse photographs from the surveillance cameras. But the photos revealed only staccato muzzle flashes from a semiautomatic weapon and sparks as shots hit rows of transformers. There was not a face, not a shadow, of who was doing the firing.
The shooters disappeared into the gloom minutes before the first police car arrived....

The perpetrators are not going away for life, okay? Probably not long enough to even stop them while on probation. I would not expect this a high priority for most law enforcement DETECTIVES either. I mean, they fixed it, right? Okay, then, good.

Yellow Alert, Yellow Alert, Wounded Cooling Fins at Substation

I am serious, I think someone is trying to either create a stupid political wedge issue, or stick it to consumers to carry the cost of security to prevent repairs. Honestly. Why not control the guns? Substations need to defend themselves. It gets really silly when one stops to realize how Americans are motivated to act. Can we all be a little more practical. Maybe we need terror analysts that special in substations now. NOT.

AB 1514 (Lowenthal) – Publicworks: excavations: violations (click here)

As introduced: January 13, 2012

One needs a grid if there is no independence in energy production. The cost of natural gas is skyrocketing, who can't afford to seek independent and local energy alternatives? Get this stuff done. Find a way. Talk to the Mayor and Council in town.

Who knows why they did it. It was probably a Wall Street covert team. Amazingly the FBI has not a clue. Okay. A good place to start is with folks that might have intimate knowledge of the facility, including the CEO. Why doesn't the FBI simply state, "We are looking for killers right now?" I realize killers don't really effect the profit structure, but, for most Americans it is kinda important.

Solar Store (click here)

Here is something else one might want to know about VULNERABLE cooling fins.

The damage done below is from LIGHTNING. It isn't just guns that causes problems. Okay?

The walls of the tank (click here) were comprised entirely of thin-walled cooling fins and their sides were no longer flat, but had been slightly bulged at their mid–way between their base and their outer-edge by the explosive expansion of the heated oil from the lightning strike (see the arrows).

Maybe Wall Street is tired of the repair costs and is trying to terrorize the public to take responsibility for guards and all kinds of stuff. This ISN'T all that just because it is guns in the surveillance cameras. This is American where isn't there guns. It could be lightning mimic by guns.

The American consumer needs to realize how much infrastructure actually costs and it's repairs over the cost of 'Terror Surveillance." This is fear mongering. Get over it.

The 14th Amendment of the US Consitution declares, the validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law,... ...shall not be questioned....

Democratic Retreat on Policy (click here)

Opportunity Agenda rather than an Opportunity Gap - Everyone of Our Issues have a Poll Approval Sentiment of over 70% with the American People - "We (Democrats) are not going away on these issues."

Economic Security for All Americans - A lively exchange of ideas - President stated, "You are getting a raise..."

Full Faith and Credit of the USA (The above title is section four) - Confidence in Our Economy

A Year of Work and Year of Action and not Shut Down Politics

Raise Minimum Wage for all Americans - "It lifts the floor for all Americans."

Resume Unemployment Insurance - "Currently American People Out in the Cold both figuratively and literally because of unemployment insurance and minimum wage. We cannot be indifferent to them."

Equal Pay for Equal Work (Pay Equity)

Paid Sick Leave

Fix a Badly Broken Immigration System

When Women Succeeds, America Succeeds and Men do Too

Children Learning and Parents Earning - Quality Affordable Child Care

"Public sentiment is everything." President Lincoln and his birthday is February 12th.

Young People can Make It in America - End Economic Stranding

Reform Broken Tax Code (Rigged to help very powerful special interests at the expense of the rest of the country, including incentives to ship American jobs overseas and to move their tax shelters overseas rather than in the USA to help American workers. Encourage investment in USA.)

Rejection of the Current Form of Camp Baucus

...There are no Democratic co-sponsors in the House, (click here) at least 150 Democrats who have signed a letter opposed to Fast Track, and somewhere between 20 and 30 Republicans who are also opposed. And many of the rest are deliberately quiet on it....

Free and Fair Trade is important - Export products overseas and not jobs 

Affordable Care Act is going to get better every month - Total 3.4 million on the federal exchange out of a total of 12.5 million enrolled - 1.1 million in January alone - Ages 18 - 34 enrollment increased rate 65% over last month

The Legislative Year is Not Over - "Just because the debt ceiling is lifted doesn't mean the legislative sessions is over." - "The Congress needs to do more." - "All that we've discussed here have a majority in the US House." - "These measures would have an immediate impact American lives for the better tomorrow should they be passed."

Support Diversity on our Country's Judicial Bench - Currently a List of 13 African Americans with Sterling Credentials Without Action for Two Years that need a Full Senate Vote.

The level of expertise in these Olympics is incredible. The competiton is gruelling.

The medals are being won. If anyone missed the Figure Skating Pairs, they didn't appreciate some of the most beautiful forms of figure skating. The competition was incredible. The level of difficulty was unbelievable. It was intense. I didn't envy any of the pairs for the level of expertise they all faced in their performance on the ice. There are many new skating pairs, too. That was nice to see.

There has been a return to classical performance, but, there is nothing old about it. It was all fantastic to watch and much of the music was modern.

The Woman's Downhill was brutal. There were seasoned competitors that found themselves without nothing else to do but open themselves up to pure speed and the hill won. 

There weren't injuries, but, the more former champions opened themselves up to speed to win the medals the more the hill demanded expertise over speed. The fastest skiers were those with balance, mastery of their skis and the edges. The former champions were too desperate for speed as a method to win. The course demanded a perfected skier to allow the fastest speeds, not just the ability to stand up on skies and survive the speed the hill could deliver. 

These competitions are won by mastery of the sport and not by complete extremism. Some of the skiers reminded me of something one would do on the X-Games and not Olympic ski courses. 

There were high emotions and tears no matter what the sport.

February 13, 2014 9:07am
SOCHI - There were roars and tears (click here) as Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov produced a stirring show to become the first figure skaters to capture two gold medals at the same Olympics by winning the pairs title on Wednesday.

Three days after capturing the team event, Volosozhar and Trankov kept up Russia's gold rush at the Iceberg Skating Palace with a 'Jesus Christ Superstar' free program that left the couple in tears and the home crowd in raptures.

The world and European champions obliterated the opposition with a total score of 236.86 to give Russia their 13th Olympic pairs title.

Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov made it a 1-2 finish for the hosts, albeit 18.18 points behind the champions, while Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy finished third despite two falls.

"I was crying because I felt so many emotions, nerves, concentration. I'm still nervous and shaking but I'm also so happy," said Volosozhar whose make-up was streaked by her tears....

I watched some expert competition in curling and it was more than interesting. 

The United Kingdom is being battered by hurricane force winds. No end in sight.

They have to be concerned about their very infrastructure. The best of buildings have their limits in high sustained winds.

This is the latest, but, there is another high velocity storm on the way.

12 February 2014  
Last updated at 19:57 ET
 

A man has died apparently (click here) trying to clear a fallen tree as hurricane-force winds batter parts of the UK.

The dead man, believed to be in his 70s, was killed after the tree brought down power cables in Wiltshire.

Gusts of over 100mph were recorded as Met Office "red warnings", the first of the winter, were issued. Sixteen severe flood warnings remain in place. 

Power and transport networks have been badly hit, in what has been called an "almost unparalleled natural crisis".

Residents in many parts of the UK have been warned not to go out. Severe flooding.
 
Wiltshire Police say the dead man was killed in a suspected electrocution in Bremhill, a village between Calne and Chippenham, on Wednesday afternoon....

Met Office Europe Infrared satellite animation (click here for 24 hour loop)
February 13, 2014
1100 utc 

The Independent
February 13, 2014

...Today, (click here) engineers are working to restore power to the 80,000 homes still affected and further travel disruption is expected.

Gusts of 112mph were recorded in Aberdaron in North Wales, the strongest so far in the storm on the day dubbed "wild Wednesday". Work to clear the debris and damage caused by these winds has begun this morning

Britain remains on alert with the River Thames expected to rise to its highest level in more than 60 years and more than 400 flood warnings in place across England and Wales....

UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite (click here for 12 hour loop)
February 13, 2014
1130z  

Europe is at the latitude where the polar winds are continual. The USA is only starting to see a vortex system again after about a week or so of straight line winds. The temperature differences over the oceans cause the vortexes to form. The oceans are warmer than the air. Currently the vortex over North America is at the east coast ocean land border.

The vortexes travel from that ocean/land border across the Atlantic and slam right into the UK. They collect velocity over the open ocean.

Met Office: Europe/Africa Infrared Satellite Disc (click here for 24 hour loop)
February 13, 2014
1500 utc