Immigration Reform

Does no one HEAR President Obama when he makes statements? No one?

All anyone hears is "Immigration" - OMG "Amnesty." - OMG "Impeachment"

November 13, 2014

By Deborah Hastings

Bloody demonstrations (click here) are taking place across the country, threatening tourism and creating a challenge to President Enrique Pena Nieto. The small town of Iguala, site of the murders, installed a new mayor after the incumbent was arrested for ordering the massacre....

Any of this ring a bell?



The strange garbled sound is wind blowing past the microphone. No bells, huh?

A light went on, maybe?



Still nothing?

President Obama stated the resources at the border are being used to arrest and deport people that aren't a threat while there are other priorities better served.

Any chance anyone remembers that?

If no one heard that but me it is because you are brainwashed by FOX News and the Republicans empty headed politics even AFTER the elections were over.

I'll tell you something, I don't know how anyone can vote for Republicans and really expect to pay them for their antics. The election is over, the country needs governance and the Congress is getting paid for NOT SHOWING up for work for more than 64% of the year. That was SIXTY-FOUR percent of any given year since John Boehner has become Speaker there was no work being done, EXCEPT, to have session called without any business conducted so the recess, WHEN NO ONE WAS THERE BUT THE person with the gavel, was not really a recess.

What President Obama stated is that he is changing the engagement of undocumented workers (UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS - These are people working without papers. PEOPLE WORKING without papers.) so the resources currently doing clerical work can go back to doing important work.

That is what he said. 

Bells? Lights? 

Oh, well.

"Fortunate Son" was first released by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969

"One Extraordinary Year" - John Fogerty (click here)

"Creedence Clearwater Revival" from left to right Tom Fogerty, Doug Clifford, Stu Cook and John Fogerty. This was a rare photo where John actually had a mustache. The year was 1969.

The critics expect all veterans are in favor or war. And that all wars are legal and moral.

Don’t expect John Fogerty (click here) to join the chorus of folks who think it was in bad taste for Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Zac Brown to perform his song ‘Fortunate Son’ at the Concert for Valor on Nov. 11.

Iraq Veterans Against the War (click here)

What I find so interesting is "We are still there." Johnson deployed troops and drafted Americans starting at the age of 19. Vietnam was just as immoral and illegal as Iraq. The civilian body count in Vietnam on both sides of the war is estimated to be 1,600,000 precious lives gone.

American soldiers go where and when they are told. They defend this country. President Obama made a promise to them. He stated American soldiers would always know the reason for war and they would have a clear reason for their service.

There are a lot of reasons why the songs of the 1960s are still relevant today.

Thirty-two years ago today, after a week of honoring American veterans, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. With more than 4 million visitors each year, the Vietnam Memorial is a beautiful tribute to the heroes of the Vietnam War.

No federal funds (click here) were used to construct the wall. Thanks to private contributions from individuals, corporations, veterans and other organizations, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund raised almost $9 million.

"Fortunate Son"

Some folks are born made to wave the flag

Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the Chief"
Oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no Senator's son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the tax men come to the door
Lord, the house look a like a rummage sale, yes

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no

Yeah, some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, "How much should we give?"
Oh, they only answer, more, more, more, oh

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no military son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no, no, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate son, no, no

Cassidy has about $1.5 million more in his campaign fund than Senator Landrieu.

Any vote on Keystone is simply politics and crony politics at that. Although, I am quite sure the only Louisiana political figure running for Senate receiving money from the petroleum industry in regard to this project is Bill Cassidy.

Top 5 Senate Race Contributors

Cajun Industries (click here)     $46,800 (Cajun is a general contractor which includes the energy sector.)

Elliott Management (click here)  $45,900 (Elliott rather not way what they do.)

Koch Industries (click here)  $36,000 (Pipelines and petroleum industry)

Schilling Distributing (click here) $28,100 (Distributor for items like Arizona Iced Tea and wine, beer and spirts.)

Mockler Beverage (click here) $26,700 (Distiller of wine, beer and spirits)

Top 5 Industries contributing to Bill Cassidy for Senate

Health Professional (self explanatory - MDs usually) $630,465

Oil and Gas (the top three above are all oil ans gas) $377,370

Retired (probably living on income dividends) $372,119

Securities and Investments (Wall Street) $360,383

Leadership PACs  $307,000

I thought this was interesting. I suppose he is running for both the House and Senate. He really exceeded his fund raising this cycle. He has spent all but $3 million. 

Hm.

The man likes food, his contributors came to breakfasts, lunches, dinners and simple reception. And he is having an appearance of "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson at a rally. 

If the US House and Senate are going to vote on the KXL they should be stating the FACTS. No lies. No hubris. No deceptions. No rhetoric. I know that is a hard thing to do for those that have friends that want them to vote and make a great argument for voting. But, facts are important.

The US State Department had an estimate of the facts made and according to that report the building of the pipeline would generate 3,900 full time jobs IF completed in one year. If completed in two years it would generate 1,950 jobs. When completed the permanent positions would be about 50 and 15 temporary jobs.

That report was for the ENTIRE LENGTH of the pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast. Today, the southern half is already underway, so those figures for the northern extension would generate about HALF those numbers.

And about those jobs. It might be the jobs are more for WARM WEATHER, so if I were a Congressman or woman I would not be counting on the Canadian Tar Sands as a reliable source of tar or oil.

One of the favorite arguments. 

Oh, think that is just one truck? 

No. 

Here is another one. 

Now, the truth of the matter is this disaster in Canada is exactly that. There is a lot of land lost from these extractions of sands. A lot. And the land is not reclaimable. It is like the Gulf States, in particular, Louisiana and the loss of land from sea level rise but also from oil disasters. The land just isn't the same. Alaska's Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef still has oil that is collected from time to time and that was well over 20 years ago. Actually, let's see, 1989 and today is 2014 means that was 25 years ago. Yep, 25 years ago March. Still problems.

But, the truth of the matter is tar sands is a very poor option for the USA. The pipeline is a disgusting project. I runs right down the middle of the country, through prime farm land, native indian lands, places where there are endangered species and some are only now being re-introduced and then there is the water.

The cost of producing any oil out of those lands is extremely expensive. When the price of oil went up there were small operators all over the oil fields putting up drills and derricks to extract what was left after the major petroleum companies were finished with the old wells. With the drop in prices today and the 'idea' of putting that pipeline down the middle of the country there won't be anymore small operators. To extract the oil costs far more than any will receive in payment and they'll be begging for loans and bailouts. 

That is another thing. When this disaster finally ends up in bankruptcy, who is going to bail them out, the USA or Canada?

The project is NOT Feasible. If the project is not feasible, then why vote on it when the USA is sincerely compromising the land, water and NATIONAL VALUES. Why? Why, indeed.

I could say a lot more right now, but, I don't think that is required at this point. So, the vote in the House and Senate is politics. Pure unadulterated politics for cronies.

Senator Landrieu has about $1.5 million left in her campaign fund. I think she is deserving of re-election. She is dedicated and her interests go beyond oil and gas. Some of her large donations came from lawyers. Most of the lawyers are probably engaged in representing the victims the BP Deepwater Horizon. There are a lot reasons to vote for her, but, so very few to vote for Cassidy. I think the people will be hurt if he is elected their Senator. Senator Landrieu has a long history of supporting the people of Louisiana. Why change now?

Please be careful out there.

November 12, 2014
9:45 AM Est
The Weather Channel 
Current Temperature Map

If anyone is flying in the next week or so, especially a private plane it would be good to pay attention to temperatures.

I realize planes fly in colder temperatures at altitude anyway, but, most if not all the commercial airlines were running a little late today.

No, no, it wasn't because of the snow. It was because of the temperature and ICE that had formed fro water condensation in the air and collection on the wings. Most commercial carriers were DE-ICING their wings before take off today.

November 13, 2014
5:15 PM
The Weather Channel 
Current Temperature Map

I'd like to remind the Republicans of the US House...

...when it came to real governing the Hastert Rule was dissolved. The Republican leadership might want to remember that.

I heard the words, "We are going to work hard everyday..."

Really? I am just wondering how many months of a few sessions here and a few sessions there it will take to run through impeachment?

The last time the US House pulled this boner it took two months. If that is what is on the table to defy the President's governance of the United States of America with only 11 session days per month on the average, it might whole year this time.

The tone the Republican leadership took was full of hubris and/or rhetoric. I thought was AGAIN at a Republican convention rather than the US House.

I just don't see anything substantial that will benefit the USA getting done. I do hear a lot of support for crony benefits though.

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

There is doubt about President Obama's adherence to his oath? I don't see it. At least he WAS working hard everyday to get the job done.


Now if Republicans really want to talk about incompetence, I can think of a lot to point to starting with the President's Oath of Office.

In case there are rumors in the vapors of radio and television that China is not a willing partner...

...there is this:

October 9, 2014

By Fayen Wong

SHANGHAI, Oct 9 (Reuters) - China, (click here) the world's top coal importer, will levy import tariffs on the commodity after nearly a decade, in its latest bid to prop up ailing domestic miners who have been buffeted by rising costs and tumbling prices....

The tariff will decrease the amount of imported coal by Chinese power companies. They will have to rely more and more by domestic coal. With that, China then has a reason to relieve the smog covered cities with alternatives. As China moves to alternative methods of energy, the skies of their cities will clear as well. 

...China set out (click here) an ambitious plan in 2011 to build 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind turbines in four years, enough to power 5.4 million homes. With less than 10 percent of that capacity in place, officials now say they won’t meet that goal.

Strong, steady offshore breezes have the potential to become an important source of electricity, but installing jumbo-jet sized gear in the harsh, marine environment is a complicated and expensive endeavor. The slow pace in China is matched by the U.S., which has no offshore wind farms after more than a decade of development efforts.....

...Offshore turbines are insignificant when compared to China’s onshore wind capacity of 77 gigawatts. That’s the most in the world, and the government has plans to install an additional 18 gigawatts this year, according to the National Energy Administration. The cost of power from land-based wind rivals that of coal or natural-gas fired plants....

The coal miners are complaining they have mined in his country for decades and work in extreme circumstances down 2000 feet to supply the USA with energy. That may be true and I am sure they regard their work as important, but, the fact of the matter is THE COAL COMPANIES have told coal miners and coal miner families they are no longer needed because mechanization has taken over. The USA needs to move on and we are doing that. The coal miners need to regard their skills as antiquated that even their employers no longer want.

Yes, the Cockroach Republicans.

The Cockroach Republicans came out of their vermin laden lair immediately after the elections of 2008 funded by the billionaire Koch Brothers. They have been accepted in the national political scene because of the money and POPULOUS they can breed, primarily in the South. 

Currently, any form of extermination has not worked. They are a species of roach that is immune to civilized discourse. 

The biggest of the Cockroach Republicans is Tillis. He stated to the people of North Carolina during a public appearance, "...it is about time to think the Medicaid expansion could help the people of North Carolina...."

What was his answer yesterday when asked how he regards the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act? He stated it has to be repelled because it is unsustainable. 

He is liar and typical of how a Cockroach Republican speaks out of both sides of his mouth. The only way to get rid of Cockroach Republicans is to step on them. That is probably more true in the case of Tillis.

Professor of Economics, MIT, 1997-2014

His specialty is ECONOMIC RESEARCH and HEALTHCARE ECONOMIC RESEARCHER. He is respected voice in the vapors of 'the educated' and in no accounting of his credentials does it say he authored the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, U.S. Treasury Department, 1997-1998

Member, NIH Center for Scientific Review Study Section on Social Sciences, 1998-2002

Co-Editor, Journal of Health Economics, 1998-2001


Co-Editor, Journal of Public Economics, 2001-2009

Inaugural Medal for Best Health Economist Age Forty and Under, American Society of Health Economists, 2006

Named “One of the Top 25 Most Innovative and Practical Thinkers of Our Time” by Slate Magazine, 2011.

Named to 100 Most Powerful People in Health Care in the United States, Modern Healthcare Magazine, 2006 and 2012

Any attack by the Cockroach Republicans is due to the fact they DO NOT VALUE education nor do they recognize educated people as a strength to our country or the larger global community.

I read the law from page one to end and there was nothing wrong at all with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

He is one of the many cockroaches that came out of the right wing woodwork in 2008. Don't worry about it. It's pure slander of Democrats.

"I don't know who he is. He didn't help write our bill," she told reporters at her weekly briefing. (click here)

The Republican cockroaches can take it up with the man who really wrote the bill. My his soul rest in peace. 

Gruber is a paranoid right winger. This is the kind of crap he writes. He's a pundit.

“Does Church Attendance Cause People to Vote? Using Blue Laws’ Repeal to Estimate the Effect of Religiosity on Voter Turnout,” British Journal of Political Science, forthcoming (also available as NBER Working Paper #14303, September 2008) (with Alan Gerber and Dan Hungerman).

Hello? A church is suppose to be a non-profit and it cannot mix prayers with politics. Like I said, this Gruber guy is a pundit.

This paper analyzes (click here) Thailand’s 2001 healthcare reform, “30 Baht”. The program increased funding available to hospitals to care for the poor and reduced copays to 30 Baht (~$0.75). Our estimates suggest the supply-side funding of the program increased healthcare utilization, especially amongst the poor. Moreover, we find significant impacts on infant mortality: prior to 30 Baht poorer provinces had significantly higher infant mortality rates than richer provinces. After 30 Baht this correlation evaporates to zero. The results suggest that increased access to healthcare among the poor can significantly reduce their infant mortality rates.

When the health care law was being written it was long before President Obama came into office. The Democratic legislators had the bill ready to go. I remember being surprised at the level of detail of the legislation and realized it wasn't written overnight. There was a lot of thought that went into it and the MODEL for the national law was the Massachusetts law. So there was no economist involved to the point where he wrote the law. He didn't write the law, he was in places like India while the law was being written.

The cockroach with the fancy education was writing about health care reform in journals in 2009 while the debate was taking place. This article he authored talked about the place where funding could be found for the ACA.

...There are a number of possible sources.(click here)  One is reductions in existing government spending on health care through cost controls. President Barack Obama proposed more than $300 billion of such cost controls in his budget, but it is not clear that either politicians or providers have the appetite to go further. Another is increased taxation of “sin goods” — cigarettes, alcohol, and high-sugar or high-fat foods that cause obesity — whose use raises the cost of health care for all Americans. These taxes make sense, yet it is difficult to raise sufficient revenues from them. The government can also look outside the health care system to increased revenues from taxes on carbon emissions or on other goods and services. But this approach would involve expanding the fight over health care into other realms, compounding the difficulty of passing any legislation.

There is one final potential source: the elimination or limiting of the income-tax exclusion for expenditures on employer-sponsored insurance. Ending the massive tax subsidy for such insurance would result in both the most natural source of financing for health care reform and one of the few that is clearly large enough to finance the necessary subsidies.

The $250 billion per year in foregone revenues attributable to the tax exclusion of employers' health insurance expenditures represents the federal government's second-largest health insurance expenditure (after Medicare). When my employer pays me in cash wages, I am taxed on those wages. But the roughly $10,000 per year that my employer spends on my health insurance is not taxed, and it translates into a tax break for me of about $4,000. To be clear, this exclusion represents a tax break for individuals, not for firms; firms are largely indifferent about whether they pay employees in wages or in health insurance. But employees are not indifferent: they pay taxes on the former but not on the latter....

So, if cockroach Gruber wants to become a noted expert with the right wing he can find his fame interrupted by THE TRUTH.

This is from January 2011.

The Importance of the Individual Mandate — Evidence from

Massachusetts (click here)

The most contentious aspect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the individual mandate requiring that most documented U.S. residents obtain health insurance or pay a tax penalty. Many experts have long advocated a mandate as a central pillar of private-sector–based health care reform. Others, however, have argued that a mandate is not necessary for successful reform....

...At the beginning of the mandate's phase-in in mid-2007, there was a greater increase in the number of healthy enrollees than in the number of enrollees with chronic illness. When the mandate became fully effective at the end of 2007, there was an enormous increase in the number of healthy enrollees and a far smaller bump in the enrollment of people with chronic illness. The gap then shrank to premandate levels as the remaining uninsured residents complied with the mandate, but clearly the mandate brought many more healthy people than nonhealthy ones into the risk pool. The large jump in healthy enrollees that occurred when the program became fully effective suggests that enrollment by the healthy was not simply slower than enrollment by the unhealthy, but rather that the mandate had a causal role in improving risk selection....

Eat Shit, Boner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At what point in time are your House Republicans going to become civilized ?

This study of the Massachusetts individual mandate PROVES people come to the new health care law to have health care no matter their physical condition AND they maintain their insurance from then forward. There is EXTREMELY healthy balances of income from subscription rates collected to administer to those that need the coverage and it's use. Everyone in an exchange or private employer receives FREE health care when it comes to physical exams and PREVENTIVE health.

I could do this all day long.

The cockroach Republicans can crawl back into their holes now!

I applaud President Obama.

He should never pay attention to the extremist views of the Republican Party. They are a bunch of immoral hoodlums. Their opinions and strong arming the people of this country is at the very least fraudulent.

They have never worked with President Obama and they never will work with President Obama. When President Obama was inclusive in their measures to be placed in legislation they still didn't praise the President. I have never heard one word of praise for President Obama. They can all go to hell. 

November 13, 2014

By Erick Wasson and Heidi Przybyla

Washington — A group (click here) of House and Senate Republicans wants to use spending legislation to block President Barack Obama from easing immigration policies unilaterally, a mechanism the party used last year to shut down the government.

Obama has said he will use executive orders to revise immigration policy by the end of the year.

"There is a debate raging on," said Rep. Matt Salmon of Arizona, who has been pressing fellow Republicans to ensure that legislation to fund the government denies money for actions in a potential immigration executive order.

House Speaker John Boehner told party members Thursday that he doesn't want a federal shutdown, no matter what happens with a spending bill, said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.

Salmon told reporters he agreed with Boehner that "nobody wants a shutdown."...

This is the most incredible accomplishment. Definitely the news of the day.

Rosetta mission’s (click here) safe landing gives scientists their first chance to ride a comet and study close up what happens as it gets closer to the sun

According to the scientists that have achieved this incredible feat, the lander named "Philae" it bounced upon reaching the comet. And the bounce lasted about 2 hours. That means the scientists had the velocity of Philae exactly right and while it wasn't touching the comet it was still traveling EXACTLY at the same speed of the comet.

Philae now travels at the same rate of speed as comet 67P.

I have great optimism Philae will be transmitting information for a long time as it's batteries receive sunlight. What is exciting is to realize Philae will be with comet 67P when it comes close to Earth.

I haven't heard any speculation yet as to whether Philae's interaction with comet P67 caused in change in course. And what is to come of the mother ship. Will it continue to travel alongside Philae relaying information as well?

...The signal broke a seven-hour wait of agonising intensity and sparked scenes of jubilation at the European Space Agency’s mission control in Darmstadt. The team in charge of the Rosetta mission achieved what at times seemed an impossible task by landing a robotic spacecraft on a comet for the first time in history.

The moment the tension broke came shortly after 1600 GMT when the Philae called home. “We are there. We are sitting on the surface. Philae is talking to us,” said a jubilant Stephan Ulamec, Philae lander manager at the DLR German space centre. “We are on the comet.”

Andrea Accomazzo, the Rosetta flight operations director, added: “We cannot be happier than we are now.”...

Nothing short of a miracle in Mexico as well. Jose Diaz-Balart is witnessing bravery by the people of that country for the love of their children.

Telemundo anchor José Díaz-Balart (click here) will take over MSNBC's 10 a.m. timeslot when Chris Jansing leaves in June.

MSNBC announced the news in a statement on Tuesday. Díaz-Balart currently hosts the news on Telemundo, and anchors the network's Sunday public affairs show "Enfoque." He will host his MSNBC show from Miami, and continue his current role at Telemundo.

The tragedy of this story is the loss of so many students at the hand of their government. Mexico has been plagued with instability due to drug cartels and now there is evidence the government is entrenched with the cartels at least at the local level.

How are people going to stop deadly corruption when their own government is a part of the cartel?

The parents of the dead cannot change the outcomes of the Mexican people alone. They need a global community to take notice of what chronic supply of small arms has done to an entire country that is only south of the USA. 

The global community has to find a way to limit or end the movement of arms to these dangerous cartels. The cartels have ingrained themselves into Mexico and over most of Latin America to the extent they are the ruling class.

Taking a moment to realize what has occurred here can only be realized to the very troubling reality of the good people that seek nothing but peace and prosperity to their for themselves and their country. The deaths over the years of innocent people are enormous when realizing the drug cartels have control. 

A mayor's wife became annoyed with the students attempting to raise money for their activities. She then told her husband, the mayor, to get rid of the students. The mayor then calls upon the drug cartel in the area to carry out the final act of his wife's wishes to 'get rid of them.'

The request of the mayor's wife proves a class struggle within the corruption by cartels. She has no patience, interest or priority to the students that are the future of the country. The annoyed her and that is all anyone in power needed to know.

It is not unusual to have communities relinquish their own power to gangs with guns. It can be noted on every continent on this planet. What is especially notable about this event in Mexico is that it is just south of the USA borders. This is tragic beyond the deaths of these students. Why would anyone want to live in such circumstances, but, only to find a way across the border to find a safe place to live. To just live.

This event cannot be ignored. These students were the future of their country and with these deaths that future is delayed by their loss. This is a sovereign issue in Mexico. It goes beyond police. Police die at the hands of the cartels. The police have learned their lessons well to survive the corruption. There needs to be a permanent method to end the threat of cartels in Mexico.

Landing on a comet. Amazing.

Live Streaming Event from NASA (click here)

On 12 November, (click here) Rosetta’s Philae probe is set to make the first-ever landing on a comet when it touches down on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

Senator Sanders has the right idea, capitalize on the rest of the year.

It is unethical for Republican Senators to threaten the Democrats. The Republicans have no interest in being serious about good will for next year, only threatening any remaining authority of this session of Congress. 

November 10, 2014

By Burgess Everett

...“Let’s clear the decks, (click here) unless we can get some agreement with Republicans,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “We should stay all night and all weekend getting the president’s nominees on the job.”

Added independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont: “We still have the majority. I think we should be as aggressive as we can.”...

The two nominees to the cabinet have to be voted through to start the new year out right. And Majority Leader Reid may want to check with President Obama regarding any measures that have to be handled in this session. President Obama has come home with very promising foreign policy with China in regard to a peace initiative along China's sovereign shoreline. He also has landed a direly important agreement between the two country in regard to the climate crisis. Senator Reid has to act on this before the next session of Congress. The urgency of these measures cannot be measured in time. There is no more time to wait for either the nominees or the President's accomplishments.

Alaska seems to have decided Dan Sullivan is the new US Senator.

The reason it takes a long time in Alaska is because of the large land area and distant towns. There are many who mail in absentee ballots; currently there have been 12,541 mailed. Those using absentee ballots in Alaska have up to 15 days after the election to be legally received and counted.

But, that is not all.

November 6, 2014
By Shushannah Walshe 

...There are also an unknown (click here) amount of provisional ballots, which are ballots that may have been cast at an incorrect polling location or if a poll monitor couldn’t find a voter’s name, amongst other possible irregularities. In 2010, there were about 13,000, but they have no idea if the number will be the same. The ballots are currently being reviewed for eligibility. There are also an additional 2,651 statewide early votes that remain to be counted. On top of those votes, there are absentee ballots coming in daily from Alaska’s over 200 in-person voting locations. Some that arrived before Election Day have been counted, but none of the ballots coming in from as many as 120 rural communities have been tabulated yet. The number of those are completely unknown. In addition to these ballots there are about 2,000 urban early votes that have yet to be counted. They will be counted on November 11th, 14th, and then from the 17th through the 19th if necessary. Remember in Alaska, absentees are sent in from remote locales so these races may not be called for quite a while....

The USA and China are jointly leading to a climate of hope. This is amazing. Thank you.

November 11, 2014
By Mark Landler

...Administration officials (click here) said the agreement, which was worked out quietly between the United States and China over nine months and included a letter from Mr. Obama to Mr. Xi proposing a joint approach, could galvanize efforts to negotiate a new global climate agreement by 2015....

Thank you. China does want to be a good partner. 

...It was the signature achievement of an unexpectedly productive two days of meetings between the leaders. Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi also agreed to a military accord designed to avert clashes between Chinese and American planes and warships in the tense waters off the Chinese coast, as well as an understanding to cut tariffs for technology products....

Magnificent.

...A climate deal between China and the United States, the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 carbon polluters, is viewed as essential to concluding a new global accord. Unless Beijing and Washington can resolve their differences, climate experts say, few other countries will agree to mandatory cuts in emissions, and any meaningful worldwide pact will be likely to founder.

“The United States and China have often been seen as antagonists,” said a senior official, speaking in advance of Mr. Obama’s remarks. “We hope that this announcement can usher in a new day in which China and the U.S. can act much more as partners.”

As part of the agreement, Mr. Obama announced that the United States would emit 26 percent to 28 percent less carbon in 2025 than it did in 2005. That is double the pace of reduction it targeted for the period from 2005 to 2020....

Welcome home, Mr. President.

Governor Nixon is afraid of his own people.

November 11, 2014

By Jim Salter

WELDON SPRING, Mo. (AP) — Police (click here) will work to protect peaceful protesters after a grand jury's decision in the Michael Brown shooting case is announced, but those who cross the line into violence will face consequences, Missouri Gov.Jay Nixon warned Tuesday.

More than 1,000 police officers have received special training ahead of a decision expected later this month about whether Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson, who is white, will face criminal charges for fatally shooting Brown, 18, who was black and unarmed....

The protesters will no doubt want to bring attention to the injustice of the death of Michael Brown, Jr. But, parents of unjustly dead young black men have already moved to seek understanding in the human rights violation.

November 11, 2014
Brandie Piper
GENEVA – The parents (click here) of Ferguson teenager Michael Brown have testified before the United Nations Committee Against Torture. Brown's parents are urging international human rights experts to help make changes in the United States. Committee members will review their concerns and if they deem it necessary, determine if recommendations need to be made about how matters are being addressed in Ferguson, Missouri.

The UN Committee Against Torture reviews the federal government's compliance with the Convention Against Torture. The convention against torture is an international human rights treaty that outlines specific guidelines to prevent governments from taking part in any kind of torture, or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment....

The wager Putin believes he has to play is energy dependence. It is winter. Putin believes he can simply walk all over sovereignty of Ukraine and put missiles in the middle of NATO because of energy issues in Europe and Ukraine. 

That is a ridiculous gamble and he has to be stopped. Energy issues are completely different than nuclear capacity missiles. If Europe wants to 'wait and see' than I don't believe the USA has to be vigilant to a NATO outcome.

I am sure Norway has plenty of capacity for Europe, they have to be asked. Norway's sovereign waters could easily become another front as well. There were the fly overs with drones in France and military maneuvers adjacent to Europe's borders. He is attempting to weaken resolve because no one wants war. The 'mind tricks' have to stop and real military strength has to take over. This is crazy to believe Putin isn't going to take on Europe. He and China both for all we know. 

October 19, 2014
By Peter Walker

...Sweden’s military has spent three days (click here) scouring the waters off Stockholm for what has so far been officially described only as “foreign underwater activity”. However, intelligence briefings to local newspapers suggest a Russian submarine might have had mechanical problems while on a secret mission in the region.

In scenes reminiscent of the 1970s and 80s – when neutral Sweden regularly hunted for Soviet spy submarines in the Baltic Sea around the capital – 200 service personnel were mobilised along with helicopters, minesweepers and an anti-submarine corvette fitted with stealth-type anti-radar masking.

The operation began late on Friday following what Sweden’s armed forces said was a reliable tipoff about something in the Stockholm archipelago, which has 30,000 islands and rocky outcrops around which a submarine could lurk. The officer leading the operation declined to give more details, saying only that there had been no armed contact....

Put unlimited war in the middle of this and what comes of this "new power agreement?" Either Beijing is attempting to lull the USA to sleep or China is scared silly about Putin and Russia.

November 9, 2014
By Jane Perlez

BEIJING — When Xi Jinping (click here) stood next to Hillary Rodham Clinton and addressed a high-powered lunch audience on the seventh floor of the State Department nearly three years ago, he was still China’s vice president and only the heir apparent to the Communist Party leadership. But even during that visit he spoke expansively of forging a “new type of great power relations” with the United States....

Now that Mr. Xi is president and has consolidated power as China’s undisputed leader, that phrase has taken on new significance....

There is nothing like launching short range nuclear missiles into Syria and Iraq while USA troops are deployed there. The Crimea is located in an area where short range nukes could be launched throughout Europe and into the Middle East.

President Obama has a reason to talk to Putin now. He is completely dissolving any reasonable adherence to the original treaty with Ukraine and the West.

I don't believe it is too early to state we have another Cuban Missile Crisis. I don't know what the leaders of NATO are thinking at this point, but, they have to act to match Putin's aggression. That would mean cooperation with Ukraine to stabilize it's border with Russia and end the migration of deadly serious weapons into Crimea.

November 11, 2013
NAPLES, Italy — NATO’s top commander (click here) says Russia is reinforcing its bases in disputed Crimea, but there is no clear assessment of whether that includes deployment of nuclear weapons.
U.S. Gen. Philip Breedlove said Tuesday that Russian forces “capable of being nuclear” are being moved to the Crimean Peninsula, but NATO doesn’t know if nuclear weapons are actually in place.
Breedlove also told news agencies at a NATO base near Naples that about eight Russian battalion task groups have been sighted along the border between Ukraine and Russia. Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Ukraine despite a cease-fire proclaimed weeks ago....

It doesn't matter if 'the real nuclear thing' is being moved into Crimea, it is an overt threat to Europe and puts Russian missiles right in the middle of NATO. This type of blatant aggression cannot be allowed. NATO has to seek permission from Ukraine to move it's military assets into the country. Putin has to be stopped. 

Does it risk war? You betcha. But, war is obviously what the Russia President has bargained for. It is best to mount an offensive with conventional weapons now while it is only begun in Ukraine than risk nuclear exchanges later. The interceptors will have to go into the region and the conventional weapons of NATO will have to be deployed to stabilize the border with Russia. I don't see there is a choice. Putin has stepped over the line. The sanctions were to bring back stability without war, but, this is an overt threat that sanctions are meaningless.

No can be a dove when vultures are gathering.