This blog started its vigilance of the abuse of government on December 19, 2004.

Previous to that I was active on 'message boards' as soon as the controversy began regarding the elections of 2000 and the Gore Presidency hung in the balance.

Today.

We have a President-Elect, First Lady and their family; that has come to understand us and has placed all else in their lives 'on hold' to return our country to its purpose and soundness under the Declaration of Independence, USA Constitution and Bill of Rights. We can't ask for more than that.

Barak Obama, by every measure, will also be invoking voices from our history that stated, "Four Score and Seven Years Ago...." As Americans we rely on 'truth in government with strong ethical underpinnings.' I believe we will see a remarkable and speedy resolve to many problems that beset this country and hence will return order to global balance.

We face many challenges, including restoring faith in the USA. I believe as a nation we have proven we can overcome our misunderstandings of life and set our country back on its feet by seeking a person to lead us when no one else could. We have taken on the challenge of bringing good government to our country. We are working hard to secure the future for our children.

There is much to do as there are profound problems globally, some of the most troublesome involving human life are the tensions in the Middle East and the difficulties Pakistan has in reigning in its terrorist infrastructure to please and secure India. I am confident, we as a nation of people will find the values to stop the insecurity in the world as we have found the will to take back our country. It was no easy task. The 'learning' curve was masked with all kinds of deceptions, but, we mastered those.

I congratulate all my fellow Americans that stood strong and found the love of their country to seek a return of our souls to this country.

I am going to be traveling for a few days or more and will not be available on a regular basis to comment. With that I welcome the next President-Elect, his able Cabinet and look forward to an America I can recognize as the beacon to the world.

I always check in at Michael Moore's website, as the world is never perfect. I encourage everyone to do the same. (click title to entry - thank you)

11 Days until Inauguration - The Obama Adminisration takes shape. Judges & contract law that works for consumers.

The opposition states there will be an impact on future borrowers? Really? You mean the banking industry is going to attach their losses, the losses they bargained for, on the backs of those that don't even own homes yet?

I don't think so ! It is unethical treatment of the credit market for Americans and in some instances illegal to tack 'unearned debt' to people engaged in 'healthy' economics and home purchasing. There needs to be legislation that protects consumers in the future from such gouging.

This legislation is a 'one time' opportunity for people victimized by the Bush Economic Strategy Against Them to 'survive the day.' This provision is for people that have already spoken with their lending institution, has filed bankruptcy before the date of the legislation and in this case have loans from a bank that has received significant funding through the 'Bush Bailout.'

The banking industry is overreacting and seeks to preserve profits in the light of the poorest of lending decisions since the Great Depression.


Citi backs mortgage relief plan (click here)
US bank Citigroup has agreed to support a proposed change in US bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid losing their homes.
The controversial change, known as "cramdown", would let courts wipe out some mortgage debts.
The legal reform would help "millions of families save their homes", said US lawmakers who proposed the measure.
Opponents say giving bankruptcy judges the power to erase mortgage debt would increase costs for future homeowners.
A similar proposal failed to win approval last year amid stiff opposition from Republicans and some Democrats, as well as banking and housing industry lobbyists because of the possible impact on future borrowers....

Did I say the stream and river guages needed to be monitored by human beings? Didn't I? I thought I did.

Flood water swamps a field south of Olympia. (January 08, 2009)
Mike Kane/Seattle Post-Intelligencer


I-5 blanketed by flood water in Centralia, Wash. (January 08, 2009)
Mike Kane/Seattle Post-Intelligencer




Homes covered by flood waters in Centralia, Wash. (January 08, 2009)
Mike Kane/Seattle Post-Intelligencer


Todd Trepanier with Washington State Department of Transportation surveys damage to an offramp on Interstate 5 near Snoqualmie Summit. (January 08, 2009)
Joshua Trujillo/Seattle Post-Intelligencer


A man takes a break against a traffic sign while wading through floodwater in Snoqualmie, Wash. Rain and high winds lashed Washington state Wednesday, causing widespread avalanches, mudslides, flooding and road closures from rapid snowmelt and the three main highways across the Cascade Range were closed. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) (January 08, 2009)


Blame recurring floods on a triple whammy (click here)
Logging, climate change, developers
By ROBERT McCLUREP
I REPORTER
2006: Flooding throughout Western Washington shuts highways, causes power outages and forces scores of residents to flee their homes. A state of emergency blankets 18 counties....


At least 30,000 forced to flee from heavy rains and flooding (Click title to entry - thank you)
Puyallup River Valley among evacuation areas
By AMY ROLPH AND JOHN IWASAKIP-I REPORTERS
PUYALLUP -- For thousands of people, home Wednesday night became a church basement or a school gymnasium. Maybe they got lucky and stayed with a relative or friend.
Heavy rain and surging rivers forced more than 30,000 people in Western Washington from their permanent homes. They fled Jones Creek in Acme in Whatcom County and the Puyallup River in Fife and Orting and other rivers in between....

This is how flooding starts and continues to destruction and beyond. The flooding doesn't start simply by one rain storm either. Flooding occurs due to SATURATED ground. There can be flooding that occurs with large storms such as hurricanes when the volume of water is simply more than any river bank can hold, but, the flooding in the Northwest is unrelated to any traditional high volume storms.

The flooding occuring in the Northwest is due to a significant history of high rainfall over the last several years. The ground is saturated and at the first drop of rain the streams and rivers begin to rise. What normally took a extraordinary volume of water to achieve can now be seen with small volumes.

In the series of pictures below, the water rose in the stream, found volumes that challenged the banks, overflowed those banks and began to inundate farms and towns.

continued...

January 7, 2008
Onalaska, Washington
Photographer states :: River waters running through the trees.


Photographer states :: Newaukum River in Onalaska today.


Photographer states :: Newaukum River in Onalaska today.

Photographer states :: This was taken out my front door today. Our driveway is flooding, and there is rivers running through our cow fields.

We have the President we want. Support him.

President-Elect Barak Obama mad a Pre-Inauguration Speech to the nation today. He addressed the profound fiscal and financial crisis the USA faces.

He didn't make a fancy speech with dressed images of loyalty or flag waving. He addressed the 'content' of the focus of his recovery plan, the necessity for uniting the nation's political focus, cessation of the corruption that has pervaded the financial sector of the country accompanied by lack of regulatory capacity that serves the best interest of the nation, its stability and prosperity.

President-Elect Obama spoke about securing our nation, its health care system, the national power grid based in alternative energy sources and he spoke about keeping his campaign promises including tax cuts to the Middle Class.

I applaud him, admire him and long for his inauguration into the leadership of this nation.

12 Days until Inauguration - Americans are taking their country back.

The country belongs to us, OWN IT !!!!!!

U.S. Rates to Stay Low as China Cuts Debt Purchases (Update1) (click here)
By Kevin Hamlin and Judy Chen
Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Treasury yields are unlikely to climb significantly should a decline in China’s foreign-exchange reserves force the nation to scale back purchases of the securities, according to Fitch Ratings Ltd....

The sad truth to the ending saga of the Bush's White House is the demoralizing of the USA and the extent it impacted the global community. How many times did I hear 'The Global Community" as a methodolgy of any Bush strategy. It benefited them personally, including prostitutes for Neil, and I am sure much of that will continue well past W's exit from the Executive Branch.

The Legacy LEFT behind by any of the Bush presidencies are not good ones and in every instance there was a Democrat to pick up the pieces and move the nation into venues of productivity and prosperity. I have no doubt that will be the case with the Obama Administration.

However, with the International Community in disrepair there is no reason to sit back and look for financiers to the new economy we are longing to build. We can finance our own needs through simple purchases of US Savings Bonds. Unless the country completely crashes its sovereignty and even if it does, there are no better methods of supporting the USA economic recovery better (click here).

Purchasing any US Savings Bond can be done at most any bank (click here for example) or Credit Union (click here) or through payroll deduction if you are lucky enough to be employed.

The point is that we must stay on track to recover our economy on our terms and not 'sell out' to priorities that have proven to endanger our country and its people, including future generations of Americans. The sooner the USA economy recovers the sooner the global economy will improve.

Bush's America (click here)

The fact is there is no condition on the Burris appointment and the Senate is wrong to construct any.

...The motion says that no law requires a secretary f state's signature on appointments. They say the signature is only "recommended" by a U.S. Senate rule.... (click title to entry - thank you)

Roland Burris has a rightful place in the US Senate. His appointment is not connected to any corruption. Unless Harry Reid has proof that he can bring forward regarding the Senator-Elect being involved in corruption in any way, then Reid has no right to place 'special conditions' on the appointment by the standing Illinois Governor. In my opinion, Reid can be held personally liable of discrimination if there are 'special considerations' to this appointment.

It is more than obvious, the Senate Democrats aren't interested in following Constitutional law so much as 'playing along' until an up tick of public opinion following the outcome of the vote in the Illinois House regarding impeachment. The impeachment proceeding in Illinois has NOTHING to do with the Burris appointment. Nothing. They are two separate issues.

If the impeachment of Blagojevich goes forward there then has to be a trial, FINALLY, in the Illinois Senate. Even if the Illinois Senate finds him guilty and allows the impeachment to go forward that has absolutely no brevity on the outcome of the federal complaint in Fitzgerald's office. This is not good government, it is however political theater to please someone's idea of justice.

Only in America.

13 Days until Inauguration - No one can pin the "T" word on Obama.

President-elect Barack Obama, flanked by Budget Director-designate Peter Orszag (left) and Deputy Budget Director-designate Rob Nabors, speaks to reporters after a meeting Tuesday with his top economic advisers at his transition office in Washington. (Gerald Herbert/AP)

(click title to entry - thank you) ...Obama told reporters that the deficit will probably hit $1 trillion this year and that "potentially we've got trillion-dollar deficits for years to come, even with the economic recovery that we are working on."
Eight years ago the federal budget ran a surplus, and the deficit on Sept. 30 was about $455 billion. Obama promised to make difficult choices and to "eliminate outmoded programs and make the ones we do need work better," but did not specify which programs might be trimmed or eliminated....

President-Elect Obama began his run for the White House years ago. It was a difficult run including 'political land mines' everywhere. He over came every one. With the same style and grace he conducted his campaign he is now taking on the profound problems of the USA left by exploitive Republican administrations, some dating back over thirty years ago with environmental legislation, while good for 'the times' is grossly outdated today.

The current problems we face are immense in their planning to resolve, their cost to that end and the actual acts needed to navigate to come out with a world worthy of the world's children's futures.

He is up to it.

However, there is no way the cost of any of the recovery or the deficit can be pinned on his administration. The assault on this country was and is based in Republican values that simply don't work. They have never worked, but, were allowed to exist because it served to be a 'difference' between two American political parties. The Republicans established their principles in greed and privitization at any cost, including the health of Americans.

To prove how much of this is 'inherited' from the Bush/Cheney Executive Branch all one has to do is look to Bush's speech following his election of 2004 where he called for $2 Trillion US to 'remodel' Social Security. Those words and numbers rolled off that man's lips like it was casual conversation over morning coffee.

The Obama Administration will prove how to 'rescue' an economy exploited beyond imagination and will do it successfully.

The principles are easy.

No corruption.

Sound values in decision making to sculpt a 'socially moral, lasting and free future' for all Americans.

No greed to derail frugal decision making to squeeze every advantage out of every penny we spend along the way.

And last, but, never least. Public awareness and involvement.

The electorate has participated to elect this President, there is no reason to believe involvement ends there. It is up to us to monitor progress and help form decision making in using public funds to their best end.

I have a great deal of confidence we will succeed, "Oh, yes we can."

Creative Ways to Wage War on a US Senator.

Let's just say the OBVIOUS here.

"Innocent until Proven Guilty."

The very people that would play political football with Senator-Select Burris's nomination, like Mary Brigid Kenney, are participating in a public lynching of a qualified U. S. Senator without abiding by her own rules.

Mary Brigid Kenney resigned after Roland Burris ignored her plea that he was prosecuting an innocent man. (Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times, AP

The U. S. Senate was correct in that they need complete paperwork to seat the Senator-Select and to date that has yet to be forthcoming. Either one abides by the rules of one doesn't.

Ms. Kennedy would like to 'cite' ethics as an issue and poor judgement on Burris and somehow intertwine some wrongful decision making by Burris decades ago as a very good analogy to the circumstances today.

Huh?

...Ultimately, Cruz was acquitted. By then, DNA evidence linked Brian Dugan to the murder. Dugan, who is serving a life sentence for two other similar murders, is now awaiting trial in that case....

Evidently, after DUE PROCESS occurred Ms. Kennedy's defendant was found innocent. I'll be darn, the process actually works.

What that has to do with any of the issues regarding this Senator-Select candidate and the Illinios Governor is beyond comprehension.

Ms. Kennedy, with a recognizable name, is a prime example of the lynch mob attitude surrounding the 'complaint' by Patrick Fitzgerald against Gov. Rod Blagojevich. She would like all of us to understand her superior intellect in citing an innocent person that was prosecuted. IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME !!!!

There are rules to be followed in every venue regarding these circumstances. The judge overseeing the complaint by Mr. Burris regarding the insubordination of the Secretary of State of Illinois needs to rule so that it can be moved to the US Supreme Court. There is no way that a Secretary of State should have veto power over a freely elected Governor still legally in office. It's an outrageous reality to consider and perhaps when the interpretation by the US Supreme Court convenes the 'Secretary of State' requirement will be removed completely.

Mr. Burris is taking the only reasonable path to his seat at the US Senate and there are greater ethics at play here. The ethics that demand the people of the State of Illinois be represented at the US Senate as soon as possible. The delay is silly. If the signature of the Secretary of State of any state is not a Constitutional requirement than it should be rescinded. Absolutely.

Roland Burris is perfectly qualified and there is absolutely no question he is above reproach.

INNOCENT until PROVEN GUILTY. That is the law of the land as opposed to the laws of Great Britain where one is guilty until proven innocent. There is a reason for all that and Ms. Kennedy should be ashamed of herself in attempting to indicate that the laws of our country don't matter in light of her past success in proving her client's innocence.

It is amazing the degree of hubris that exists in Illinois at all levels of society with the election of their Senator to the Presidency. Ms. Kennedy is wrong and she owes the US Constitution an apology.

This is where the IDF always gets in trouble. The UN and children are not the enemy.

The USA needs to provide advisors to Israel and not just stand by and preach to some kind of outcome.

Sincerely.

Being an ally is one thing, but, allowing mistakes to occur only compounds any 'peace' resolution or end to the destruction. I know Hamas has to be stopped, but, these targets aren't anywhere near a Hamas missile site.


Israeli mourners comfort each other during the funeral of Staff Sgt. Nitai Stern, 21, who died in an operation in the Gaza Strip on Monday, during his funeral at the Mt. Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. Stern and two other soldiers were killed by an Israeli tank shell in an apparent friendly-fire incident, Israeli sources said. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

A Palestinian carries a wounded girl who according to Palestinian medical sources was injured in Israeli forces' operations in Gaza, to Shifa hospital in Gaza City, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. An Israeli bombardment hit outside a U.N. school where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge on Tuesday, and Palestinian medics said at least 34 people died as international outrage grew over civilian deaths. (AP Photo/AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

14 Days until Inauguration - The 'fallout' from the Bush White House and the Israeli - Hamas War has questionable reasoning.

There is disturbing news from the Middle East in reaction to what might be a burgeoning strategy against the USA due to its backing of the Israeli-Hamas Conflict.

The 'under currents' to the potential for troubles to the USA, begins with opposition by countries seeking control over the issues in Gaza in inappropriate measures as if 'boycotting' American industries. That to me seems an extreme, especially for Kuwait, but in some ways this is an example of a bigger issue resulting from the "W"rongful invasion of Iraq.

Basically, the Middle East and Arab nations are tired of having Western entities in the region. When the destruction of al Qaeda was abandoned for the war in Iraq (Saddam to many was considered a brother regardless of how The West viewed him.) the burden of 'maintaining the peace' in these countries was placed directly on the soveriegn leadership. Not an easy job and certainly one that even threatens their lives.

The USA will suffer economically and militarily, including National Security if these countries do not get relief from the terrorist elements that continue to plague them. They will have to be assured by Obama that there is relief coming and there will be an end to al Qaeda and 'the influence' that taints civilization when it comes to groups such as Hamas.

Standing by Israel is important, but, it is also important to put an end to 'the terrorist influence' that allows 'elements' to survive and continue to reek havoc with sovereign authority.

The larger picture has to include a Palestine without violence that recognizes Israel and seeks peace through economic strategies and negotiations. I still see Jerusalem as an International City. Iran also plays into this and has to stop emulating violence against Israel and The West as a strategy for their own National Security.

Worse Case Scenario and I sincerely believe this is not the case, is that The Arab League is seeking control over The West's alliance with Israel due to the Gaza Conflict and will move against the forces of the USA in Iraq as well as any Israeli forces in Gaza. Ultimately. The West might be looking at Arab alliances with Russia to engage in a larger conflict to remove The West from the region and secure its coveting of their natural resources away from any possibility now or in the future.

Best case scenario : Kuwait has better ideas and better offers it is considering.


Dow Chemical to pursue legal options on Kuwait deal - Update 1 (click title to entry - thank you)
1/6/2009 7:47 AM ET
...The Midland, Michigan-based company last month was informed by its partners at the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, or KPC, and Petrochemicals Industries Company, or PIC, about a decision made by the Kuwait Supreme Petroleum Council, to scrap the agreement between Dow and PIC to form K-Dow Petrochemicals, a 50-50 joint venture company valued at $17 billion....

A little history:

Kuwait to Pay Dow $9.5 Billion in Plastics Venture (Update7) (click here)

By Jack Kaskey

Dec. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Kuwait agreed to buy 50 percent of Dow Chemical Co.'s commodity-plastics unit for $9.5 billion, the biggest overseas investment by a Kuwaiti company.
Dow, the largest U.S. chemical maker, rose the most in five years in New York trading after announcing it will form a joint venture with Safat, Kuwait-based Petrochemical Industries Co. Dow generated 22 percent of sales last year from the unit, Midland, Michigan-based Dow said today in a statement.
Persian Gulf states, flush with oil revenue, have doubled their overseas investments to a record $74.5 billion this year, including today's deal, Bloomberg data show. Dow Chief Executive Officer Andrew Liveris said the venture will provide the world's largest plastics business with cheaper raw materials. Dow plans to use the cash to buy specialty-chemical assets.
``It's a decent deal,'' Steve Hoedt, an analyst who helps manage $34 billion in private investments at National City Corp., including 2.4 million Dow Chemical shares, said today in a phone interview....

Result of Kuwait's Decision goes beyond Dow Chemical as it generally diseffects the industry:

CHEMICAL GIANT NEARS CHAPTER 11 (click here)
Bankruptcy's effect on Houston operations of LyondellBasell unclear
By BRETT CLANTON Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Jan. 6, 2009, 6:49AM

...A tough year
The filing would come after a difficult year for the chemical industry. In 2008, record oil and natural gas costs ate into profits, credit markets tightened and a global recession gutted demand for everything from auto parts to building supplies — all heavy users of plastics, nylons and other products derived from chemicals.
Dow, BASF, DuPont and other major chemical producers have responded by slashing production at plants worldwide and cutting thousands of full-time jobs and contractor positions.
In November, LyondellBasell announced plans to cut 15 percent of its global workforce of 16,000 employees and reduce output at factories worldwide, including sites on the Gulf Coast. But in bankruptcy, the company may be forced to go further....

Financial crunch has limited effect on Equate -- Qattan (click here)

..."Kuwait National Petroleum Company supplies us with gas under long-term contracts, so the company was able to avert the impact of the fluctuating prices of oil," Al-Qattan explained.
Global industrial standardization agencies gave Equate an advanced rating in recognition of its performance in all activities, he pointed out.
Equate started operating its major project dubbed EQUATE 2 which aims to double the output of the company and add new products to the market.
The construction works of the project started in 2004 at a total cost of USD 2.5 billion contributed by several local, regional, and global partners and banks.
The project produces basic ingredients for producing nylon such as polyethylene and polypropylene, and ethylene glycol which is a key ingredient in the production of polyester and nylon as well as plastic industries in general.
The production capacity of the project amounts to 2 million tons a year, Al-Qattan disclosed.
The company's ethylene glycol unit, one of the world's leading producers of this material, has become operational last August.
The unit will add 600,000 tons to the current 550,000-ton output of the company, he revealed, noting that the unit passed all necessary technical tests.
A new ethylene producing unit has also become operational with a total capacity of 850,000 tons a year. The production capacity of the unit can be expanded further to one million tons....

Leon Panetta, is an excellant choice when one is seeking loyalty and trustworthiness.

Feinstein is "W"rong in this instance. Hayden was never a good choice and will compromise the war strategies of the new administration. Hayden has to go !

Bill Clinton needs to be involved with the confirmation process for the Obama White House. He and Carville to insure that the transition proceeds with qualified people regardless of the 'policial dog and pony show' the Republicans will try to make it.

It also won't be a bad 'idea' to have some very loyal and trustiworthy agents and former agents be a part of an advisory committee to the Director. People like Joe Wilson, Valerie Plame, Retired Colonel W. Patrick Lang, Larry Johnson and Jim Marcinkowski.

....for a nominee who would not be tainted by support for the CIA's secret detention program for terror suspects and the use of controversial interrogation techniques, including waterboarding.
Current CIA director Gen.
Michael Hayden has steadfastly defended the programs, which Obama criticized during the presidential campaign.... (click here)



...But immediately, someone as important as California's Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the incoming chair of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, raised serious doubts publicly. "My position has consistently been," she said, "that I believe the Agency is best-served by having an intelligence professional in charge at this time."... (click here)

Served with "Writ of Mandamus"

Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State

15 Day until Inauguration - Secretary of State Clinton needs a quick 'up tick' to her nomination.

A menacing danger to the USA takes place with a transition to power. Iran being the solely Shi'ite Nation will look for any and all weaknesses in the USA Defense Department to exploit and move forward an agenda of its own.

It currently is seeking to stabilize its oil prices to 'buffer' the effects of International Sanctions. Iraq is primarily a Shi'ite nation and seeks those alliances. The provinces will split. I don't believe it can be stopped and any US Secretary of State has to be prepared to confront that reality, right Joe Biden?

Al Maliki during his meeting with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran on Saturday. (click here title to entry - thank you)

UPDATE 1-Iran budget to be based on oil price of $37.5-report (click here)

Sun Jan 4, 2009 1:09pm GMT

TEHRAN, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Iran's 2009-10 budget is expected to be based on an oil price of $37.5 per barrel, a "logical" level in view of last year's price fall, Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari was quoted as saying on Sunday.
An Iranian newspaper last month said the government and a parliament committee had an initial agreement to base the budget starting in March on an oil price of $45, lower than previously suggested.
"The price of oil in next year's budget has been envisaged at $37.5 (per barrel) which seems to be a logical price considering the drop in prices," Nozari was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr News Agency....

Iran says OPEC plans emergency meeting in February (click here)
3 hours ago
TEHRAN,Iran (AP) — Iran's state television says OPEC countries have decided to hold an extraordinary meeting on falling oil prices in Kuwait in February.
The Monday report quotes Iran's OPEC governor, Mohammad Ali Khatibi, as saying the organization planned to hold a regular meeting in March. But he says the "trend of oil prices" calls for holding a meeting a month earlier.
Khatibi says the exact date for the meeting is not fixed and members of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries haven't received an invitation, yet.
Iran supports a reduction of oil production to increase oil prices, which provide some 80 percent of its foreign revenue.
The price of oil has plunged from $147 a barrel in July to around $40.

Everyone getting the picture yet? Governor Richardson was also President of the National Governor's Association.

It's a shame that yet another scandal has emerged involving Democrats. If the trend continues, voters may soon forget why they voted out all those Republicans. That is, until they're reminded of the war in Iraq, the gas price spike, and loss of civil rights under Bush, or so I would like to think. (click title to entry - thank you)


The Republicans are desperate and Bush/Cheney are pulling strings all over the nation with 'ANY' potential 'slighting' of Democrats. The Illinois Governor is the same exact 'motive.' Bush/Cheney and their Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff are inappropriately using their powers to play political games to cause fear and regret in the electorate. It is the only tool they have and I guarantee you IF there are any grounds for this investigation, Richardson knew nothing about it.


This is going to be a chronic problem and I have yet to see a Republican ANYWHERE be investigated to disaffect their re-election in 2008 or pending future election.


The Executive Branch currently 'occupying' the White House is scared. They talk tough and act as though they have legitimate grounds to carry out any 'nasty' agenda they want, GOING FORWARD. The 'remnants' of the Republican Party still in the House and Senate will continue to attempt to do NOTHING but derail the new administration and seek to defeat any progress the Democratic majorities put forward.


The Republicans don't care about the country, they care about their political power that leads to their money. They are scared because of what is yet to be discovered from their administration and the potential international consequences. It is why everyone needs to be careful that the current conflict between Israel and Hamas remains contained. Bush, at some level is hoping it isn't and he'll be able (under a Patriot Act Provision) continue in a third term. THAT reality has Vladimir Putin more than intrigued as his return as well.

The Republicans are also witnessing the 'self-destruction' of their party. The election in Georgia was a joke, every member of the party had to be there to 'pheonix' the election. Even the RNC Chair. Hello, America? Why continue with such hideous choices and just reclaim the country. Chambliss is an OLD world and OLD war Republican.


Speaking of money...something occurred to me while watching Tom Cruise's Valkyrie last night (click here). As a side note, Cruise gave a 'great' performance, it is a great film of men sincerely 'sick and tired' of a dictator that was leading THEIR Germany DOWN the "W"rong path, discovering the concentration camps and the continued genocide.



But, what occurred to Germany's Old Deutsche Mark after WW I (currently Euro) was its lose of value. I don't believe the USA will achieve that degree of difficulty in today's markets, but, what needs to be examined by international agencies is the 'unilateral' slide of the currencies across the globe with the 'BUSH PANIC' surrounding the collapse of the American Banking Network. By all right, the USA Dollar should have 'tanked.' The sincere sovereignty of the USA should have come into question while military armaments globally were unable to be secured in their capacity due to the lack of capacity of the US Dollar to achieve markets for supplies.

That didn't occur.

I don't buy it that the 'emergency' in the USA Banking System was a surprise so much as a 'front' to a 'plan' to sink currency globally in intricately laced 'fiscal' dependancies. What I believe occurred was corruption within the Executive Branch to cause devaluation globally and seek to 'sink' currencies while exorbitant budgets were put forward in the USA.


Strategically, the global currency and their relationship to the USA Dollar should have and in many instances, ie: Pakistan and Ukraine, challenge the sovereignty of most other governments, WHILE, primarily 'one entity' - namely Goldman Saks survived the day. IN THAT survival they now 'free handedly' serve global investors with advise as to where and how to place their investments. That advise LACKS 'trustworthiness' in realizing the source and its relationship to the US Treasury.

Bottom line is that the USA 'has to' recover its economy to prevent 'the rise' of another and riskier Right Wing Republican Neocon in any aspect of its government. By the Republicans seeking now to destroy 'Democratic Political Estates' they are attempting to weaken the resolve of the Obama Administration while destroying Democrat (LIBERALS) reputation to replace them with new faces and of course a new strategy (Contract with America Stuff).

The problem with the current and somewhat 'catering' of the Obama Transition Administration and its leaning toward Governor's agendas for an Economic Stimulus, is that the Republicans in seeking 'weakness' will exploit that and turn the Obama Economic Stimulus into the Rove Economic Stimulus. What will emerge is the Republican agenda for the USA and its lack of 'regulatory capacity' will be reigned in through 'W'rong headed direction of funds to the tune of $750 billion.


Obama cannot forget he is the President of "Change" in a country that has been held hostage to war, environmental demise and greed. He has to maintain the integrity of his country and his promise and the future of Americans at every turn.

Quite frankly, the Democratic Party is under seige!

Israel and the United Nations should consider building 'secure access to aid' behind the Israeli 'military lines'

U.S. Government Contributes $85 million to UNRWA (click here)
The U.S. Department of State announced today a contribution of $85 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Of this, $25 million will support the emergency needs of Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank via UNRWA's 2009 Emergency Appeal. Another $60 million will support UNRWA's General Fund....

Mars rovers roll on to five years - An ? economic ? space program? Hm.

Durable, reusable equipment. Too good to be true.

A 'design idea' that has more merit than just Rovers.

Materials and Engineering that actually lasts longer than their perscribed use. Nice.

Of course the 'weather' on Mars is kinder to anything built on Earth. So long as they don't need 'shade' that is.

..."These rovers are incredibly resilient considering the extreme environment the hardware experiences every day," said John Callas, project manager for Spirit and Opportunity at Nasa's Jet Propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California.
"We realise that a major rover component on either vehicle could fail at any time and end a mission with no advance notice, but on the other hand, we could accomplish the equivalent duration of four more prime missions on each rover in the year ahead."...

16 Days until Inauguration

In this Nov. 16, 2008 file photo, Rev. Dean Snyder speaks to his congregation at the Foundry United Methodist Church during a service, in Washington. The church will contribute to a collection of sermons and orations relating to the 2009 presidential inauguration, being gathered by the Library of Congress. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez, File)

"...The folks at the library's American Folklife Center (click title to entry - thank you) are soliciting churches, synagogues, mosques and others for copies of sermons or passionate speeches that focus on the significance of the Jan. 20 inauguration of Obama as the country's first black president...."

17 Days until Inauguration - Amid the Turmoil, we have a celebration. Michelle Obama is about to make history.

It's no exaggeration to say that any American designer would be thrilled to create an inaugural gown for Michelle Obama. The dress she wears to the official balls will be enshrined in history. If tradition holds, it will be donated to the First Ladies Collection at the National Museum of American History to hang alongside gowns worn by Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton....(click title to entry - thank you)

The Current Leaders SAFELY residing in The West Bank and other provinces of Palestine need to realize Israel was the first strike...

...and they were to be the second and not the last. Hamas has grand ideas, that defeating and capturing Israel would lead to greater access to advanced weapons. No one is safe, especially the current leadership of Palestine.

Abbas and Erekat need to advocate for their people, but, Hamas needs to be disarmed. Erekat takes the position that this is some kind of gross misjustice to Hamas and the people under their control. This isn't injustice, it is necessary. If Hamas has its way there will be no Erekat in the way of their ambitions. They aren't reasonable.

Erekat: Abbas heads to New York soon (click title to entry)
www.chinaview.cn

2009-01-02

23:32:33
RAMALLAH, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat announced that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would leave later on Friday with other Arab leaders for New York to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.
"President Abbas will head to News York with other Arab leaders to achieve an Arab consensus to oblige Israel to achieve an unconditioned immediate stop of the offensive on Gaza," Erekat told reporters in Ramallah....

Two Russian planes arrive in Moscow with Gaza evacuees (click here)
11:21
03/ 01/ 2009
MOSCOW, January 3 (RIA Novosti) - Two planes carrying Russian and CIS nationals, evacuated from the Gaza Strip following Israeli airstrikes, have arrived in Moscow, the emergencies ministry said on Saturday.
The two flights carrying 102 Russians and 76 nationals from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Moldavia were evacuated from Gaza by bus on Friday and taken to Jordan for the onward flights to Moscow.
Some 250 Russians, mainly the wives and children of Palestinians who studied at Russian universities, live in the Gaza Strip.
Israel began a massive air offensive on Gaza last Saturday in what it called "an all-out war" against the Islamic militant group Hamas which controls Gaza.
Some 403 Palestinians have been killed in the airstrikes, with over 2,000 injured.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier instructed the Foreign Ministry to provide aid to Russians in Gaza and evacuate them if necessary amid Israel's air offensive on the region.

Death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza rises to 440 (click here)
17:44
03/ 01/ 2009
BEIRUT, January 3 (RIA Novosti) - The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip rose to 440 Palestinians with some 2,285 people injured as the conflict entered its second week, Lebanon's Al-Manar TV reported on Saturday.
Over the past week Israel's controversial bombing campaign has destroyed more than 750 facilities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which according to Israel were connected to terrorist activities.
In response Palestinian militants launched 500 rockets on Israeli border towns killing four people.
Analysts believe that Israel is preparing to launch a ground assault on the Gaza Strip amid concerns of a humanitarian catastrophe in the densely-populated region.
Robert Serry, UN special coordinator for the Middle East said on Friday "We are gravely concerned" that a ground operation "would just mean another cycle of violence and a further escalation of the conflict. "It is absolutely imperative now that we find an immediate and lasting way out to avoid an even deeper and deadlier conflict," he said.
The Russian embassy in Egypt said on Saturday some 60 tons of humanitarian aid, including foodstuffs, medicine, bedding and tents, had been delivered to the Gaza Strip.
And two flights carrying 102 Russians and 76 nationals from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Moldavia evacuated from Gaza Friday arrived in Moscow earlier on Saturday.
Some 250 Russians, mainly the wives and children of Palestinians who studied at Russian universities, live in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas 'rockets' weren't firecrackers as some would like to report.

The rockets Hamas was firing reached to Tel Aviv. They were medium range rockets believed to be manufactured in China. The misinformation that is supposed to raise sympathy for Hamas in Gaza should not exist.

Jan 1, 2009 1:13

Updated Jan 1, 2009 11:15
Latest rockets manufactured in China (click here)

By YAAKOV KATZ
The Grad-model Katyusha rockets that were fired into Beersheba on Wednesday were manufactured in China and smuggled into Gaza after the Sinai border wall was blown up by Hamas in January, defense officials said.

The Chinese rockets have a range of 40 kilometers. They are very similar to the 122 mm Soviet-made Katyusha that was used extensively by Hizbullah during the Second Lebanon War and are slightly more sophisticated than an Iranian-made Grad-model Katyusha that is also in Hamas's arsenal.
The four rockets that hit Beersheba this week were filled with metal balls that can scatter up to 100 meters from the impact site, officials said. These rockets have also been fired into Ashkelon and Ashdod.
The three countries that manufacture Grad-model Katyushas are China, Russia and Bulgaria....