Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee), Northern

Posted September 14, 2009

I'll let you in on my busy schedule lately. My oldest son is getting married on October 3rd and we are holding a Bridal Shower for he and his bride on Sunday. Needless to say it has been a busy and joyful time.

I have some short errands to run and I will return tonight to do some reading of the Current House Health Insurance Reform Bill.

I do want to express sympathy for the loss of Yale Student Annie Le. It is more than sad. According to her roommate, Annie was the kindest person she had ever come to know. The murder has shaken a Yale Campus whom now believe more than ever, a murderer walks among them.

It was a gruesome reality. She was working hard in her lab one minute and killed the next. The building where she was found is one of the most secure buildings on campus with 700 cameras in and around the building. The one place there were no cameras was the basement where her body was found. The murderer knew that building from every angle. We look forward to the good work of the police.

Be back shortly. Staying connected to the Reform and Recovery of my country is important to me. I also want to stay up to date on Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East in general. I believe Secretary Clinton has been addressing the issue of Iran's nuclear program. I want to look for any news about the IAEA, too.

Police find 'person of interest' in Yale slaying (click here)
By RAY HENRY AND SUSAN HAIGH
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITERS
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Police investigating the slaying of a Yale graduate student zeroed in on a "person of interest" Tuesday after keeping tabs on an ever-tightening circle of people connected to the medical lab where her body was found stuffed behind a wall.
Authorities on the case have been tight-lipped almost since the minute 24-year-old Annie Le was reported missing Sept. 8, just a few days before her wedding day. Police say they have ruled out her fiancee, a Columbia University graduate student, but they have provided little additional information - other than to deny reports that a suspect was in custody.
On Tuesday, investigators descended in large numbers on the home of a Yale animal research technician who lives in an apartment in Middletown, about 20 miles from the New Haven campus. Le worked for a Yale laboratory that conducted experiments on mice, and investigators found her body stuffed in the basement wall of a facility that housed research animals.
It was unclear whether the technician was the "person of interest," and whether police were giving the same attention to any others who had access to the lab where Le worked. Detectives have questioned more than 150 people, many of them believed to be connected to the busy medical research building where Le was a rising star....

The poverty rate for children jumped from 16.2 per cent when Clinton left office to 19 per cent when Bush stepped down.

...When Clinton left office in 2000, the Census counted almost 31.6 million Americans living in poverty. When Bush left office in 2008, the number of poor Americans had jumped to 39.8 million (the largest number in absolute terms since 1960.) Under Bush, the number of people in poverty increased by over 8.2 million, or 26.1 per cent. Over two-thirds of that increase occurred before the economic collapse of 2008....



On every major measurement (click title to entry - thank you), the Census Bureau report shows that the country lost ground during Bush's two terms. While Bush was in office, the median household income declined, poverty increased, childhood poverty increased even more, and the number of Americans without health insurance spiked. By contrast, the country's condition improved on each of those measures during Bill Clinton's two terms, often substantially.


Date of chart : 12/31/05 11:57 AM

When George Walker Bush FIRST came into office, he wasted no time in seeking a 'melt down' of the economic infrastructure he and Henry Paulson would harvest just before the second term of Bush was completely. How did he accomplish such a task? By proposing OPPORTUNITY for people unable to sustain it !

George Walker Bush 'legislated' the economic collapse and paid for its deployment out of the coffers of the USA Treasury. All of it was done in the name of Compassionate Conservatism, in the 'flag waving' initiative to 'spread the American Dream' among the impoverished. The global economic collapse cost the American Tax Payer $1.7 billion to get it started in 2000.

Housing: Help low-income purchasers, and housing developers
Bush’s main proposals on housing:
Creation of an “American Dream Downpayment Fund” to allow low-income families to use HUD rental vouchers to make a down payment on a home. Bush says this could help as many as 650,000 families become homeowners.
A tax break aimed at real estate investors that would provide them with tax credits of up to 50% of costs, totaling $1.7 billion over five years. This tax credit would provide incentives for private investors to redevelop single-family housing or build new homes for low- and moderate-income Americans. Bush said he expects this plan would build or rehabilitate 100,000 homes in five years.
Individual development accounts giving tax credits and other financial incentives for low-income families to save money for a home purchase, for education costs, or to start a business.
Source: Washington Post, p. G5 Oct 28, 2000

Recession's toll: more Americans in poverty, without health insurance (click here)
By Mike Swift and Steve Johnson
Mercury News
Posted: 09/10/2009 07:57:44 AM PDT
Surveying the pain of the first full year of the recession, a new U.S. Census Bureau report shows that household income has dropped, millions more are in poverty — and for the eighth year in a row, fewer Americans are covered by private health insurance.
Given the rising job losses in 2009 that could very well continue into 2010, more people could lose private health insurance and fall below the poverty line, continuing the grim trend, economists and analysts said Thursday....

Former Carter press secretary Jody Powell dies

Nelson said Powell had been working with firewood with a helper who briefly stepped away. Powell was discovered a short time later on the ground. Powell was said to have had a previous heart attack, but that it was some time ago in the early or mid-1990s.

Sad news: Jody Powell (click title to entry - thank you)


I had intended to finish up a big "how to think about the Chinese tire tariff" item, when instead I heard the news that Jody Powell had died. This is sad in its own right, and when coupled with the death last year of Hamilton Jordan is unexpectedly poignant. Jimmy Carter, who will soon turn 85, is in the position every parent dreads, that of outliving the children.

Powell and Jordan were of course only virtual children to Carter, slightly older than his real offspring and having a work-centered relationship with him. But they'd driven with him across Georgia in the early days and to fund raisers and stump speeches when he was starting his improbable run for the presidency. In the public imagination they survive as the jaunty young characters -- "jaunty" to their friends, "cocky" to their detractors -- they were when Carter took office, as captured in the classic Rolling Stone cover published 32 years ago....

Thank you.

..."At issue," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said earlier, "is whether we are able to proceed with a degree of civility and decorum that our rules and our democracy contemplate and require."
Wilson, speaking after Democrat Hoyer, refused to back down. "I think it is clear to the American people that there are far more important issues facing this nation than what we're addressing right now." He said Obama had "graciously accepted my apology and the issue is over."...

There is much more 'at issue' than civility in Congress. This measure comes at a time in the USA when decorum within any political spectrum is being assaulted with escalating tones of anger. I believe this measure was more than appropriate.

General Motors Company slated to save the economic growth in the USA.

I'll be back to resume the 'reasonable' approach of actually reading legislation and looking at the facts as they actually exist.

Oh.

My the way.

Did everyone notice the sale of Opel?

I want to thank all those that believe agreements between 'peoples of countries' and 'companies in need' that work together to save economies and improve opportunities for workers is important. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is about time, citizens and businesses truly appreciate the dynamics of the decisions and promises they make to each other.

EU won't block Opel deal: Magna's Wolf (click title to article - thank you)
“The whole idea is based on economics, and I cannot imagine that someone has something against economics,” co-CEO Siegfried Wolf says

The co-chief executive of Magna International Inc. (MG.A-T47.00-0.23-0.49%) said Tuesday that he doesn't believe the European Union will block his company's acquisition of a majority stake in Opel.
“The whole idea is based on economics, and I cannot imagine that someone has something against economics,” Siegfried Wolf said at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show where Opel debuted a new version of its Astra, its mainstay in European markets.
Mr. Wolf's comments came as a German government official met with representatives of six other European countries that host Opel factories to discuss sharing the burden of the €4.5-billion ($6.55-billion U.S.) in state guarantees needed to launch the new Opel....

The GOP is waiting for the dawn of a new day. Won't happen. Yesterday's event.

While listening to 'Talk Radio' yesterday I marked an event.

It occured at 3:26 PM on September 9, 2009.

It occured while listening a Murdock production.

It occured while listening to Shea Hannity.

Mr. Hannity stated, "Later in the program I will show you how there is domination by a Conservative, White nation in the USA."

When is this going to stop? When is this 'reference' to skin color going to stop. Mr. Hannity stated it very quickly and for the most part would have gone unnoticed, but, it alarmed me and I looked at the clock to make the occassion.


There is a profound problem within the Republican Party in the USA. They are too rigid in the views and their party platform is highly bigoted. It discriminates against the GLBT community (click here), it discriminates against any other 'religion and/or belief' system other than Conservative Christian.

Hate crimes plague Hispanic community (click here)
Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportune time to rethink racism
Derrick Skaug
The Daily Evergreen
...In this country of tolerance, Jose Osvaldo Sucuzhañay walked the streets of Brooklyn on Dec. 7, 2008, never expecting his life was about to end. Sucuzhañay, a 31 year-old Ecuadorian and father of two, was walking home from a church party arm in arm with his brother, according to The New York Times.
Two men drove up to the brothers yelling anti-gay and anti-Hispanic slurs. Sucuzhañay was struck down to the ground after a beer bottle was smashed against his head. Another attacker proceeded to bash his head in with an aluminum baseball bat. The attackers kicked and punched him as he lay motionless on the ground. Suffering severe head fractures and extensive brain damage, he died two days later....

They are chronically complaining, ALWAYS angry, they propagate hate and breed killed such as Timothy McVeigh, Eric Rudolph and James von Brunn just to new a very, very few.

Freedom is speech is limited. It begins with yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater when there is no such fire. It causes reaction. The Talk Radio ignites hatred and propagates intolerance. When are we going to put an end to the exploitation of supposed 'political opposition' that does nothing but increase the intolerance of decency and spreads lies, hate and anger. When it this going to stop?

The intolerance of the GOP on so many social issues reflects 'poor' choices in options for government focus. They attack nearly half the population of the USA on social issues for the sake of being elected, when they should be addressing their own issues, such as how do they allow their party to conduct poor oversight of economic structures that allow the implosion of an entire global framework?

How doee that happen? By mistake? "On a drunk." Or is there something profoundly "W"rong with 'platform' of the Republican Party. The answer to that question is that there is something PROFOUNDLY "W"rong with the Republican Party and their ? Political Platforms ?.

Correct me if I am wrong, but, the economic collapse occurred while the Republicans had exploited the powers of the USA Legislature since 1998 and continually deregulated the Finance Industry to the point where government oversight meant absolutely NOTHING. The implosion of the fiscal infrastructure of the entire global market place plummeted out of greed and corruption and I dare anyone to state otherwise.

The Republican Party 'hides' their incompetency by screaming about social issues and their 'corruption' of the youth of the country as if it were the truth. They interlace their political priorities with that of ???????? religious bias ???????? as if they were on the Panel of Cardinals to the Pope.

This is a political movement? No. It is a dead edifice of a 'movement' of continual corruption.

Not in any of their political venues is there open-mindedness. There is no movement of acceptance of difference. There is only anger and hate and more it everytime their 'wallets' feel a little pinch of taxation.

That isn't a political party. That is a manipulative movement built on indulge of cronies by their elected authority. It has to stop.

Being 'out of order' during a speech by The President in a joint session of Congress is only a futher demonstration of the continued "Anarch Advocacy" of these people. They aren't political anything. They are hate mongerers. They can't deny it. They hate and free any PEOPLE that are Gay. They hate and fear all those that aren't marching to The Pro Life Movement and they hate and fear anyone with ideas that a meltiing planet should have priority in the future of our children, HENCE, therefore an economic issue that should actually cause them more taxes. The hate and fear any form of government control that actually brings more opportunity to people through health, wellness and a change in direction of our economy.

There is more than little 'validation' of the positions of the Republican Party and their punits in the year 2009, so much as continued DOGMA of the same old rhetoric of anger and hate. They don't have solutions to modern problems, they have only the emotional tirade of people UNWILLING to participate in government in a manner that promotes acceptance of differences, brings people together to open a new understanding of common values and move the country forward on venues of economic growth and opportunity, including the opportunity to have a safe and sane health care insurance system.

Heckling a President of this country in an accepted place of civility was the last straw. It is over for the GOP and their extremist base !

It was an outrage and absolutely appalling. What is more incredible is the Right Wing Political Pundits are heralding Wilson a hero.

House of Representatives

...With two simple words - "You lie."... (click title to entry - thank you)