Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Republicans suggest more corruption to health care as a solution to bi-partisanship

...Representative Paul Ryan, the chairman of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, said he would "absolutely" be willing to negotiate with Democrats, who have hammered his plan to scale back government-run health plans for the poor and the elderly.

With Ryan's plan headed for likely defeat in the Democratic-controlled Senate, that chamber's top Republican said it was time for "an adult conversation" on ways to keep healthcare costs under control.

"Let's just stipulate that nobody is trying to throw Grandma off the cliff," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on "Fox News Sunday."

Health reform is a top sticking point as the two sides try to hash out a budget deal that would give lawmakers political cover to back an increase in the country's borrowing authority.

And as the 2012 election season gets underway, it is shaping up to be a top campaign issue as well.

Ryan's proposal to partially privatize the Medicare health plan for the elderly has already imperiled the presidential hopes of one Republican, Newt Gingrich, who faced a fierce conservative backlash last week after he described it as "right-wing social engineering."

Polls show that Ryan's proposed changes are unpopular with voters, and McConnell said he is not urging his fellow Republicans to support it when it comes up for a vote in the Senate this week.

"We have other budgets that Republicans are pushing," McConnell said. "We're not going to be able to coalesce behind just one."...

Monday, May 30, 2011

Afghan's Heroin Economy is speading HIV / AIDS. It is a public health issue no different than any other nation in the world.

Why are we still in Afghanistan, to fight their drug lords and wars?  I don't think so.

Iran has no problem with sentencing their drug traffikers to to death.  They, however, don't seem to bother with their most dangerous component, the 'high level' drug lords that promote the problem.  Iran is afraid of their own people when they are serving an illegal economy.

Global use of heroin has to stop and stop spreading HIV!!!!

Three hundred drug traffickers (click here) are on death row in Iran, the judiciary said, reflecting Tehran's hard line on narcotics which has added to international concerns over its extensive use of capital punishment, Reuters reported.

"For 300 drug-related convicts, including those who were in possession of at least 30 grams of heroin, execution verdicts have been issued," Sharq daily quoted Tehran prosecutor-general Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi as saying on Monday.

Although the list was long it did not contain any big-time traffickers or ringleaders, he said. All the convicts face death by hanging.

Amnesty International says Iran is second only to China for the number of executions, with at least 252 people put to death last year.

As well as drug trafficking, murder, adultery, rape, armed robbery and apostasy are all punishable by death under Sharia law practised since the 1979 Islamic revolution....

Drug addition spurs demand, shortages of heroin from Afghanistan causes increased costs and in turn twarts the USA efforts to stop the heroin growers to change their crop choice.  It is a vicious cycle no one will stop until it is a global effort.  This initiative has to be an intricate part of "World AIDS Day" (click here) as well as awareness and testing days.  Addition is not a life, it is a surrender.

Afghanistan | 30.05.2011

Growing Afghan intravenous heroin use spurs HIV epidemic (click title to entry - thank you)

Afghanistan's poppy fields are the source of more than 90 percent of the world's opium. The global trade is worth an estimated $65 billion annually, and is a tricky component of the war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

But now the human toll of addiction is becoming visible in the form of an HIV epidemic in war-torn Afghanistan. At only a few dollars per gram on the country's streets, opiates like heroin, provide cheap relief from poverty and distress for a growing number of Afghans.

Between 2005 and 2009, the number of opiate drug users in Afghanistan grew by 53 percent to 230,000, according to UN figures. Of those, some 6 percent are injecting heroin.
Naqi Bullah, a 24-year-old Afghan, has found himself living amid the trash and discarded needles after having become a heroin addict....

Bring the troops home !

Sunday, May 29, 2011

The "W"rong "W"ar at the "W"rong time left 4772 USA military dead with countless civilians.

This is not the failure of American policy.  Where a culture of jihad exists there will always be turbulence and death.

It is time for the USA troops to come home.

We will never forget.

FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, May 29 (click title to entry - thank you)

29 May 2011 19:38

Source: reuters // Reuters


May 29 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq as of 1940 GMT on Sunday.

* Denotes new or updated item.


* BAGHDAD - A political analyst and university lecturer was seriously wounded by a bomb attached to his car in a western district of Baghdad, according to an interior ministry source.

* BAGHDAD - A police lieutenant was wounded when a bomb attached to a car went off in a southeastern part of the capital, according to a security source.

* MASHAHIDAH - Armed men killed an off-duty policeman in Mashahidah, 20 km (12 miles), north of Baghdad , an interior ministry source said.

BAGHDAD - Two bombs that exploded in quick succession near a liquor shop killed one civil defence worker and wounded six other people, including four Iraqi soldiers in Abu Ghraib on the western outskirts of Baghdad, police said. The second bomb went off after army and civil defence personnel had gathered in response to the first blast.

MOSUL - A sticky bomb attached to a car carrying army Major General Khalid al-Ubaidi, a previous nominee for the position of defence minister, wounded the officer and his security guard in the north of Mosul city, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, a local security official said.

Ubaidi had been one of the names initially proposed by the Sunni-backed Iraqiya party in Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's coalition government for the post of defence minister, but his name was later withdrawn.
(Compiled by Baghdad newsroom)

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Remarkable patriots are everywhere this weekend, but, none so wonderful as Max Cleland.

He was returned to us from Vietnam during Operation Homecoming.  He has never stopped his service to the USA as a Geogia Senator and now with the Kennedy Presidential Libary in an effort by Patrick Kennedy to tackle brain science to improve the quality of life of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.

My gratitude to him and all those that serves and served the USA.  Thank you.

Kennedy challenges experts to launch ‘new era of brain science’  (click title to entry - thank you)


07:54 AM EDT on Wednesday, May 25, 2011
...Other conference headliners included Max Cleland, disabled Vietnam veteran and former Georgia senator; Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, the Army’s vice chief of staff; and former Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt, chairman of the Council for American Medical Innovation. Cleland, who lost an arm and both legs in battle, spoke Monday....

Former Senator Cleland's book is above called "Heart of a Patriot."  (click here)   He has authored other books as well.   "Heart of a Patriot" can be purchased on Amazon for as little as $11.70.

I don't believe the "Gordian Knot" of Pakistan is insolvable. It is profound corruption enforced by violence.

The U.S. should speed its withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan but must remain engaged in Pakistan.

I believe Secretary of State Clinton was brave in entering Pakistan after the operation to remove Osama bin Laden.  I am confident, given the current climate between the USA and Pakistan, the Pakistani government was extremely concerned for her safety.  But, Fearless Hillary wasn't going to be intimidated into staying out of the country.  She is committed in every sense to resolution of tensions between the USA and Pakistan.  I am confident she sees this as an opportunity to focus on the corruption within Pakistan and help resolve it.

..."Our counterparts (click here) in the government were very forthcoming in saying that somebody somewhere was providing some kind of support, and they are carrying out an investigation," she said....

I don't see the USA operations in Pakistan to extract bin Laden and weaken al Qaeda as a blatant disregard of Pakistani sovereignty at all, actually.  It was obvious Pakistan either didn't have the will to rid the world of bin Laden and al Qaeda or simply couldn't.  Either way the 'precision' EXERCISE was carried out without engaging Pakistan troops or police officers and with complete secrecy to insure the safety of USA military experts. 

...Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (click here) visited Islamabad on Friday in a bid to ease the mistrust deepened by the secret May 2 raid that killed the al-Qaida chief.

Pakistani leaders see the raid as a blatant violation of their country's sovereignty, and Washington's decision to not inform Islamabad in advance as an example of a glaring lack of trust....

It is time for Pakistan to rid themselves of the corruption that allows such violence within their country, especially considering the assassination of Former Prime Minister Bhutto.  She was very interested in the tribal areas and the security of the people there.  She knew it was a haven for the 'untouchables' within the country.  The comfortable existence of bin Laden within the military complex of Pakistan is simply a reality no major power in the world should accept as 'normal' or an intelligence oversight.  This is an extremely dangerous posture for Pakistan in a Middle East under change at every turn and now Iran is sending troops to Syria to enforce the current government infrastructure.  Pakistan is too vulnerable to internal conflict to allow this covert extremist network to operate within their borders.  They should be commending the USA forces that assisted them in removing one of the most wanted international criminals on the planet.

The work of the USA State Department must go on uninterrupted, but, then so should the intelligence agencies to insure Pakistan is secure enough to conduct a vital investigation the protection of this heinous crimnial and his associaites throughout the country.

Public employees attacked again. Florida's Scott vetoes essential monies to provide added space for training essential personnel.

...Included in the governor's cuts was $750,000 (click title to entry - thank you) for an expansion of Santa Fe's Kirkpatrick Center.
The center holds classes for law enforcement and corrections officers, emergency medical technicians and paramedics. College officials say it is so cramped students must be turned away....

This is the contorted logic of the Republican Party these days.  Scott figures if Florida expands the training facility to accommodate more students for police and emergency workers, the public works of any city or state agency will hire them.  If the employees can't be hired, the public doesn't have to pay them and they can find other ways of fill a community needs or NOT.

Currently, the Florida State Police have ongoing hiring processes.  The attack on public employees by Governor Scott should be met with recall elections. 

The inability to be trained for a profession and enter the work force is a direct assault on the USA economic recovery.  Basically Governor Scott is undermining Florida's recovery by not empowering new public employees from taking their place to protect tourists in an essential role.  Businesses throughout Florida, with an area of 58,560 Square Miles, will have to rely more and more on private emergency and police services if they were counting on public employees to fill that need.  With the assault on the public training facilities it is doubtful even private employees will be sufficient in numbers to hire.  If the idea is to have private education academies, they probably already exist and if they don’t that is more delay in providing essential services.  This is crazy.  A Governor should never just stop increasing the education potential of so many for the jobs of police and emergency workers. 

Friday, May 27, 2011

How happy are Americans with President Obama and the majority Democrats of 2008? Very happy.

When they looked at the Ryan Plan that literally demolished Medicare as it is today and realized the alternative to funding the wealthy and war; they ran in droves the other way.

Today, in Paul Krugman's Op-Ed an interesting statisitic is revealed.

...Tuesday’s special election in New York’s 26th Congressional District.  (click title to entry - thank you) It’s a very conservative district, so much so that last year the Republican candidate took 76 percent of the vote....

New York 26 not only abandoned the Republican Ideology but did it in a wave that is unmatched in Republican politics.  Even if the Republican candidate received the Tea Party 9%, which is never going to happen, she still would have lost constituents.  How many constituents?  Nearly a full quater of all voters in that district.  That is not a loss, that is a stampede.

To begin New York 26 is not exactly ONLY a Republcian stronghold, so the voters there are conservative and like conservative values, but, they ARE NOT rhetorical Republicans SET IN STONE no matter the subject.

They remind me of an electorate opened minded enough to BE AFRAID.  Michael Moore frequently has stated in his political perspective, "Be afraid, be very afraid." and that is exactly want happened in NY 26.

If I may?

Outside the federal House election, and not speaking to the State of New York House and Senate, NY 26 has not damaged the Democratic Candidates running for federal office.  The Huffington Post did a very good analysis and I have posted in below, Gillibrand and Schumer faired very well.

New York 26 Special Election: What To Watch For  (click here)

According to the Huffington Post both Gillibrand and Schumer saw over 50% of the vote.

As to why Republicans will never ABSORB the Tea Party Vote is because they aren't Republicans.  They are a singular party entrenched in regressive analysis of the country and they will NEVER, and I do mean never re-enter the Republican Party.  They don't believe in Republican methods and the attack on Ryan and House Speaker Boner is an important example of that.  The Tea Party is trying to 'get it right,' but, lack the ability to move outside their own ideologies to achieve good goverance and good policies  for the USA.  They will never step aside to a Republican; they are to invested both in philosophy and finances to ever make that jump.  If the Republicans are waiting for The Tea Party to apologize and come home it will never happen.

I have said it before and I will say it again, the Tea Party is an autonomous party and simply finds it convenient to use Republican monies after they win their primaries.  There are actually three parties in the federal House of Representatives, the Republicans, the Tea Party Republicans and the DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY.  Allowing the RNC to actually claim the Tea Party as their own has caused nothing but battles for power within the House between the two autonomous entities and a lot of lousy governance with defeats of completely bizarre concepts in the way of House Legislation. 

President Obama has been magnificent through all this in an economy that is finely balanced and continues to recover.  President Obama has reached out a hand to every Republican in the House and Senate as they represent Americans seeking solutions and he has been remarkably transparent in his methods of doing so.  All any patritoic American has to ask themselves is "Are we better off today than we were in 2008?" and the answer will be yes with a President that never ignores his responsibility or the demands of the American people and was dealt a really lousy hand coming into his presidency.  I admire President Obama and he has acted more than admirably through one of the most difficult times in this country.

A patriotic American's worst option in politics is to engage in the rhetorical rant of the Republican Party Primary.

They have nothing factual to say.  I do mean nothing.  It is more of the same ole, same ole denial to propagate populous lies to factiliate a victory in the 2012 in states across the USA.  The campaign for President by the GOP is nothing more than 'more of the same' to try to repeat the worst ideas any American every voted for in 2010.

On Medicare, the Ryan Plan is a dreamscape for the private insurance industry, more military, more taz breaks for the wealthy and more burden on the people of our country that are unable to sustain their lives without a compassionate and empower country.

Since taking office President Obama has extended the Medicare plan by twelve years.  END OF DISCUSSION.  One President, one act of Congress, and one signature after a year of vigorous debate has extended the solvency of the Medicare Plan of the USA for twelve long years.  If he can repeat that again after his re-election of 2012 he will have saved Medicare for an entire generation of Americans.  Everything else is simply horse play by the greedy to reverse the progress President Obama and the majority legislature of Democrats have made in one full year of debate.

Since taking office in January of 2009, President Obama has kept his promises to the American people on many venues, including removing troops from Iraq, re-engaging Afghanistan to effectively remove the 'figure head' of al Qaeda.  He has brought a dialogue of openness and freedom to the Middle East.  We are witnessing for the first time in history the fact ordinary people in Middle East countries are finding their 'voice' stronger than weapons while rejecting 'jihad' as an answer to misery.  None of that is bad.  Paradigm shifts are never easy to understand as to what the final outcome will be and it requires someone who can navigate the 'straits' of that transition to insure the outcomes are beneficial and 'peaceworthy.'  President Obama has proven himself to be that vital person to the outcome of peaceful processes in international venues.  We cannot do it without him and I have never felt more strongly about that statement in my life.  The Republican idea of paradigm change in the Middle East is more war and more killing.  That is not a solution.  It never was.

President Obama promised to move the USA forward on energy needs of the Americna people.  Within the American Recovery and REINVESTMENT Act he empowered the Alternative Energy Industry to make a lasting footprint on the energy needs of Americans.  That industry now has a voice at the table, a vital voice that keeps growing and proving to be worthy of that voice.  President Obama has taken the Climate Crisis seriouslly and sees a path to reducing carbon dioxide contributions by the USA by empowering the EPA.  The EPA has never before been so empowered to make rulings on these sciences that will bring about CO2 reductions Earth needs.  There is not one, not one Republican willing to permit the EPA to back up the science, instead, they want to role back that authority and allow windfall profits at the cost of LIVING AMERICANS in the path of record breaking storms and heat.  We need more from the EPA and the Interior Department to stem the GROWTH of fossil fuels, not less.  They have to empower the Alternative Energy Industry as it GROWS into an Americna Dream when it comes to energy use.

The Interior Department of the USA has to be empowered to continue to protect the Wildlands of the USA.  It has done a remarkable job of protecting our nation's forests while setting aside vital links for wildlife and birds that pass through the USA in internatinoal migrations.  The Interior Department has taken on the challenge of returning endangered and threatened species in recoverable initiatives and that has to continue.

On the wellness front, the First Lady has been pounding the pavement to bring enlightment to good nutrition and return activity to the lives our nation's children.  At a time in our history when childhood obesity and diabetes has never been so prevalent and 20% of our young people are suffering from hypertension they are allowoing themselves to be entertained by 'screens' rather than 'streams' and they need to return to healthful activity in the outdoors where they can engage nature.  Our First Lady has also found service to military familes as a vital capacity to our nation's national defense.  We are longing for and finding military commitments that provide for the heroes of Seal Team Six.  Their families and that commitment means a great deal to our cournty adn our First Lady along with our Second Lady makes it a priority to know where their lives can be unburdened from dedicated service to the USA.

I could go on and on with the changes that have occurred under the Obama Administration and his eager willingness to serve the best interests of the American people.  He has passed essential legislation during only two years of his Presidency that was never enjoyed by this nation of any Republican President.  The current lack of motivation found with controlling speculation is 'excused' by the powers that be in victiminizing the Middle Class all the more and stating their retirement funds and mutual funds are vitally linked to high fuel costs.  That has to change.  No one wants to see mutual funds deteriorate, but, when the Middle Class and Poor are asked to pay for their retirement in ways that are incideously going to cost the American economy progess and jobs that is no longer a vital role for the energy sector.  The energy sector based in fossil fuels has become draconian and not beneficial as a method of providing a retirement benefit for Americans.  We need this paradyme change and we need it now, not the next time a Repbulican Senator, House or Governor obstructs more vital legislation to make the lives of Americans better while fulfilling dreams of generations.

Thank you.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The GOP was once "The Gallant Old Party."

That is hardly true today.

The GOP is simply bizarre and always has been.

Lincoln from the time he was young was a great man.  No one could deny that, but, the year he was elected there were four candidates running for office, each from a different party.

When President Lincoln won the White House he did so with 40% of the vote.  The other 60% was divided between the three other parties.

Think about it.

Lincoln was elected with 40% of the vote and the Republican Base, even today, never reaches greater than 35% in any poll, while the Democratic Party is always a solid 46%-47% of the electorate. 

Odd. 

If there weren't four parties running for the office of President that year, we may not have had a President Lincoln.  After he won office he was brought to Washington, DC under a false name to insure his safety.

The longing for abolishment of slavery dates back to the beginning of the USA as thirteen colonies.

George Washington so much found distain in slavery that he once attempted to sell all his land but the one where his home was built to emanciate his slaves.  He was not able to carry out the emanciation of his slaves because enough sufficient renters and buyers for his land were unavailable.

Abraham Lincoln was the 'manifest destiny' of the words and desires of President George Washington, whom is attributed to say:

Not only do I pray for it, on the score of human dignity, but I can clearly forsee that nothing but the rooting out of slavery can perpetuate the existence of our union, by consolidating it in a common bond of principle.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, attributed, John Bernard's Retrospections of America

Here is some trivia that isn't trivial.

The first elected Republican to office was Abraham Lincoln.

President Obama was sworn into office on the Lincoln Bible.

There were three children born in the White House.  Not one was a Republican.

The first child born in the White House was James Madison Randolph, son of Martha Jefferson Randolph, daughter of Thomas Jefferson.

Esther Cleveland, second child of President Stephen Grover Cleveland and Frances Cornelia Folsom, was the second child of a president born in the White House. She was born on September 9, 1893, during Clevelands second stint in the White House.

Patrick Bouvier Kennedy was the last child of a United States President to be born during his father's time in office. He was born on August 7, 1963 and only lived two days. Patrick was the youngest child of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and brother to Caroline Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. He was born five and a half weeks prematurely by emergency caesarean section at the Otis Air Force Base Hospital in Bourne, Massachusetts. A funeral Mass was held on August 10, 1963 and his body was finally laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. (JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy also had a stillborn daughter, Arabella, born in 1956, when JFK was still a senator.)

Sarah Palin's Fire in the Belly...



...is every Right Wing Extremists Fire in the Belly. It is another Anti-Abortion gab at women.

My Fire in the Belly is...





...over 200 death and at least that many missing !  When are the politics of the USA going to 'GET REAL?'

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Sarah Palin probably isn't running for office, but, only for President.

 


If I thought she was sincere for one minute I would have expected her to consider running as an Independent, but, if that is the case she won't finance herself. Additionally, if she sincerely has an interest in actually serving in the Presidency, she should reflect on her interview with Charles Gibson of ABC News.(click title to entry - thank yoiu)   This is the interview she failed so poorly in when she stated Russia could be seen from Alaska, that her record on energy was a leg up for the USA and her 'mavericky' tendencies is what 'the mood' of America is looking for.  


If Sarah hasn't improved her credentials over 2008, which she hasn't, she has even left government all together and pre-maturely besides; then she could never be serious about a campaign.  This reeks of Rove more than anything else, whom is stumped about how to bring the Chrisitan Conservatives and money on board.  Can 'The Party" actually do without her?

Sarah Palin launching multi-city tour amid 2012 buzz  (click here)

CNN
1:31 p.m. CDT, May 26, 2011

...CNN has learned that Palin has quietly laid the groundwork for a nationwide tour, beginning this weekend in the nation's capital, that will once again thrust her into the national spotlight as she decides whether to seek the GOP nomination....

Posted by Picasa

No one is more happy for the Democrats and their new House member than me, but, I also believe House Minority Leader is correct in being prudent about the topic of Medicare.

The Democrats have a challenge to prove to the American people they have the best idea for reducing the American National Debt.  That includes the knowledge that increases in the cost of living adjustment to SSI has not increased from the third quarter of 2008.  That is due to the economy, but, also indicates there are changes in the economy that can be factored into the budget regarding federal spending where COLA applies.

This is also an opportunity to 'fine tune' any spending that is disadvantageous to Medicare payments such as drug costs.  But, more importantly, rather than discussing how the 'spending side' of the National Debt has to be addressed, first the TAX RATIO of income to citizens and businesses has to be adjusted to pay down that debt.  Under the previous administration there were huge tax breaks for the wealthy that has created no new jobs, nor stimulated the economy to generate jobs, that is a disadvantage to the nation and it should be viewed as a 'gift' rather than an income at a time when the nation is still at war and paying billions to support troops.

I don't know how any House Member can look themselves in the mirror, yet alone their constituencies, and ask Senior Citizens on fixed incomes to pay more for their health care while the wealthiest citizens in the country have more than they need to plan for their futures, so long as Wall Street doesn't take another tumble and then where will they be when that all goes south again.  I sincerely believe to protect Medicare and the future of investment for those that don't need Medicare we need very competent people in the new consumer bureau. 

I don't see why Medicare is viewed as unsustainable.  We are not going to be at war forever, unless one is a Republican, and the solvency of all the entitlement programs can be extended once the military costs are reduced as we bring troops home and close down massive spending.  Some of that spending was questionably entered into by engaging in an unnecessary war with little to no benefits to the USA of any kind.  Even the Halliburton oil fields are not bringing relief to the American Consumer. 

War is not suppose to be forever, but, Medicare is.  Somebody's priorities are very, very misguided.

Democrat Wins Special Election for NY House Seat  (click here for video discussion and angry town hall with Tea Party House Representative regarding Medicare)
...Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul defeated Republican state Assemblywoman Jane Corwin, capturing 47 percent of the vote to 43 percent for Corwin, to win the seat in the 26th Congressional District. A wealthy tea party candidate, Jack Davis, took 9 percent....


Pelosi Downplays Potential Impact Of Medicare On 2012 (click title to entry - thank you)

Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 12:43PM

By Philip Bunnell

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) urged Democrats today not to read too much into the impact House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) Medicare plan may have had on the special election held in New York’s 26th district.

“This is an issue that emerged in this district,” Pelosi told reporters during her weekly briefing. But, she said, “every race is a different one.”...

The law states, for decades, employers are not suppose to hire illegal immigrants. But, they have and it is time for that practice to end.

Arizona immigration bill woes: Carmen Trejo, 34, of Phoenix, cries after learning the outcome of the Arizona state senate vote on a new immigration bill Monday, April 19, 2010, in Phoenix. Arizona lawmakers approved a sweeping immigration bill Monday intended to ramp up law enforcement efforts even as critics complained it could lead to racial profiling and other abuse. The state Senate voted 17-11, with two not voting, nearly along party lines. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

 
There have been issues of Racial Profiling in Arizona.  But, what is more fascinating is the fact that illegal immigration has become a real profit for some American law enforcement officers that tried to HIDE behind EXTREMIST positions.  There is an entire American culture surrounding illegal immigration that does not lend itself well to laws.  And where is all this corruption?  Oh, Arizona.  Where too many laws are frowned upon as GOVERNMENT INTRUSION.  I see.

Tea Party Sheriff’s Officers Busted For Drugs, Human Trafficking  (click here)

May 25, 2011 10:41 am

ARIZONA - The group mostly moved heroin, according to investigators, and officials suspect each of the arrested sheriff’s employees played a crucial role in moving the drugs and hiding the illicit profits. Authorities say the ring moved about $56,000 worth of heroin a week through the Valley.

“The fight against drugs, illegal immigration and human trafficking is important not only to me but the citizens of Arizona,” Sheriff Joe Arpaio said. “That a deputy sheriff would provide information and associate with these drug and human traffickers is despicable.”

Stopping the employement of illegal immigrants will begin to end the problem, but, where free lancing drug activities propagate its support, the problem will never end if the root causes aren't dealt with, including corruption and crime in the USA and lack of quality of life in Mexico.

Supreme Court sustains Ariz. employer sanctions law  (click title to entry - thank you)

...By a 5-3 vote, the court rejected arguments from a coalition of business and civil rights groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and ACLU, that the Arizona law conflicts with overriding federal immigration policy and could lead to race discrimination....

A sad note about Joplin.

I was reviewing the aerial pictures at The New York Times (click title to entry - thank you) and it appears as though the 'debris field' is very wide.  I know there are people searching for 'the missing.'  The tragic reality is that they could be anywhere or nowhere.  In one case, there was a car found of someone missing, that doesn't mean they are in that vicinity, but, it is definately prudent to start looking there.  I state this in hopes 'the searching' can be expedited rather than stunted by narrower points of view in hopes of finding 'the living.'

I remind much of the area is not 'hooked up' necessarily to media or communication to facilitate 'reporting' of any finding in the debris field.

Bosnia war crimes suspect held (click title to entry for video - thank you)

Serbian President Boris Tadic announces, in Belgrade, the arrest of war crimes suspect Radko Mladic.

...Gen Mladic, 69, was found in a village in northern Serbia where had been living under an assumed name.

He faces charges over the massacre of at least 7,500 Bosnian Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995.

He was the most prominent Bosnian war crimes suspect at large since the arrest of Radovan Karadzic in 2008....

NATO is delighted the new government is doing so well.  On a timeline of history the governments in that region are in their infant stages and able to carry out intelligence to capture notorious criminals.  Well done by all.

Analysis  (on same epage as article above - thank you)


It is hard to overstate the importance of this arrest here in Serbia. Many people feel the destiny of their country was held hostage by Ratko Mladic. Their hopes of joining the EU were ruled out by Brussels while Mladic was at large....

Did Obama handle Libya’s no-fly zone the right way?


A:  82.08% - Yes

B.  17.92% - No

An unscientific poll from "US News and World Report." (click title to entry - thank you)

Is it time for the Libyan Rebels to call it a victory and seek power sharing agreements with Eastern Libya?

As President Obama vows (click title to entry - thank you)  'We will not relent until the shadow of tyranny is lifted', Gaddafi's Prime Minister offers Nato a ceasefire, amnesty for rebels, reconciliation, constitutional government – and an exit strategy.

...The Independent has obtained a copy of a letter from the country's Prime Minister, Al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, being sent to a number of foreign governments. It proposes an immediate ceasefire to be monitored by the United Nations and the African Union, unconditional talks with the opposition, amnesty for both sides in the conflict, and the drafting of a new constitution....

Currently, in Egypt, former President Mubarak is charged with deaths to unarmed protesters.  If the people of Libya want to iron out their differences in a power sharing agreement the court systems could begin the process of examining the history of Colonel Gaddafi and any abuses against the people of that country.  It may be the best of removing Gaddafi without risking more innocent lives.  The Colonel has lost a son and if he is the same man he was decades ago when he lost other family to USA air strikes then he is more than willing to resolve the war.

I believe the proposal should be evaluated for its merits and I am confident the Gadaffi government is expecting a reply with conditions as an accestance of their proposal.  The United Nation's Security Council should determine whether it is more prudent to leave Gadaffi to the people of Libya or demand his arrest to the International Courts.  There are issues regarding international assaults that cannot be ignored by any proposal by the current government, but, in the same instance there are innocent people in western Libya that have fought and sacrificed for liberty from their oppressive circumstances.  I do not believe the rebels should be punished for the international crimes of Gaddafi.

This is the UNISYS Water Vapor satellite of the USA currently. The 'stangnant' air system is still there but diminished. (click title to entry fpr 12 hour loop - thank you)

UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of USA
May 26, 2011
1230:13z

Below is the UNISYS North and West Hemispheric Water Vapor satellite.  There is a huge air mass pushing in from the Pacific.  But, the eastward movment of the air mass is completely blunted by the stalled dynamics in the Atlantic.  That Atlantic air mass is essentially in the same location as two days ago. 

The air coming from the Paicific is warmer air so that will not meet up as much turbulence as there has been, but, the solar energy is still going to heat things up.  On loop of the hemispheric satellite the frigid air is mostly sequestered to the north over Canada.  (click here for 12 hour loop)  There is a vortex forming south of Alaska that will result in cold air distribution to lower latitudes, but, that is not an immediate concern.  Three is also an intense high pressure over the Gulf of Mexico, when it starts to dissipate there will be 'added' moisture from the South American Tropical Rainforests to the dry interior of the continent.  It isn't hurricane season yet, but, there is a spontaneous tropical wave that appeared briefly south of Mexico in the Pacific.


UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of north and west hemisphere
May 26, 2011
1230:13z