Yes ! Small Business has a home in Illinois ! Now, we have a country. Oh, yes we do !

Illinois State Rep. Mary E. Flowers 

The Community Bank Of Illinois: A Banking "Public Option"?

After the imprudent and possibly illegal behavior of America's largest banks sent the nation into a deep recession and necessitated a massive bailout at taxpayers' expense, Wall Street firms have rebounded nicely. In the first quarter of 2010, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and CitiGroup have all posted sizeable profits.

The same can't be said for many businesses on the South Side of Chicago, where financing is hard to come by and unemployment is staggeringly high. Residents fighting for their homes aren't getting much assistance either, as banks spend more of their time fighting sensible foreclosure prevention bills than refinancing home loans. "A lot of people are angry and upset," said Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) in an interview last week. "The people of the state don't feel like we've gotten much of anything out of the deal."...

Dr. Cavuto and Senator Byron Dorgan had a nice chat about issues facing the country and legislature

The language that was engaged during that conversation was broader in scope, didn't have 'catch phrases' and opened the door to wider issues and discussion.  When Mr. Cavuto engages Republicans the language is limited and the focus specific to deliver messages rather than opening conversation and discussion.  

If the Murdoch media would review the difference in those exchanges and realize the limited language they use, they might understand better why their 'messaging' can trigger behavioral reaction rather than engagement of conversation.

Violence with animals is a criminal act in all fifty states.

Dog Fight State Law Fact Sheets (click here)

First Amendment Rights are important and documentaries help bring such issues to light.  If the law was too draconian then it needs to be written again with protections for 'appropriate' use of such visual cues.

One aspect of this that cannot be forgotten is the very real fact that some killers learn their lessons at an early age from seeking pleasure where no pleasure should be found.  

A civilized society should have pride in the 'quality' of its entertainment.  

The more distance there is between humans and cruel treatment, the less likely a nation will find problems with such issues.  The American society has enough violence in its entertainment and children are exposed to it, we don't have to go out of our way to make more available to young minds.

All such videos should have a category of worse than XXX.  Extreme cruelty and violence should be categorized in a highly restrictive manner along with sexually cruel videos of women.  

Where such trade finds its way into the American culture there should be restrictions.  Not every aspect of commerce is desirable.  

In the case of Mr. Stevens, he personally made the videos, he still broke the law.  The only aspect of his crimes that were removed from his criminal behavior was the aspect of commerce.  The actual acts that resulted in the successful film for distribution were still criminal.

...The ruling was a victory for Robert Stevens of Virginia, (click title to entry - thank you) who made and sold three videos of pit bulls fighting each other and attacking hogs and wild boars....

There is no dignity in Wall Street. All the investment banks suffered declines in their stock prices with the announcement by the SEC.

Yet with increased revenues facilitated by the USA Treasury, Goldman Sachs can't simply own up to the crimes against the people of this country?

I realize the legislation that bailed out the financial giants within the boundaries of the USA stated there would be no criminal prosecution of anyone involved, however, with a civil suit filed to recognize the tyrannical nature of these investment banks, they have absolutely no humility in their wrong doing.  

That really is a crime.  A moral crime.  They won't own up to any of it and only seek to exonerate their egotistic righteousness at any cost.  

How can any political party justify deregulating a financial market place as immoral and corrupt as this one?  Kindly explain how any elected official at any level of government actually finds enough virtue in this commodity within the USA Economy to actually believe there could never be a government infrastructure sufficiently engaged to stop the level of risk to every citizen when everyone knows they 'play to the risk' while keeping in mind they have safeguards to fall back on?  Where does that justification come from?

Imagine a plutocracy made of nothing but these bozos.  Now, tell me that citizens of countries would be safe in their day to day lives with men such as this in control of market outcomes.  I want someone, maybe Chief Justice Roberts.  I want someone to completely justify a society dominated by this level of immorality. 

Very nice additon to the news today. Thank you.

Civil rights leader Dorothy Height dies at 98

As a nation we cannot deny our past, but, we can repent from it.

Iceland exists because of volcanos. One day at a time. One hour at a time. The airline industry doesn't have emergency protocols?

Iranian cleric 'blames quakes on promiscuous women'

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Wind Chime) is warming :

Arctic Circle investigates the impact of global warming in the north (click title to entry - thank you)

Posted by digitalhome on April 19, 2010 

In some of the world’s most desolate and stunning locations, the damaging impact of human activity is evident; climate change is hitting the Arctic harder and faster than any other region on Earth. Although the North may seem remote from the population centres of the world, this sensitive ecosystem is already under tremendous pressure from the build-up of carbon in our atmosphere.
This week, Discovery HD presents “Arctic Circle”, (click here) a two-part documentary series co-produced by the National Film Board of Canada and NHK Japan takes a look at the impact man is having on the north.
In part one “On Thin Ice”, the show, shot entirely in high definition, chronicles the effects of climate change on Arctic land and animal inhabitants and meets an international team of scientists who are vividly demonstrating how global warming threatens the very existence of polar bears, seals and other creatures.
In part two, “Battle for the Pole”, the show looks at an international race to claim mineral resources below the Arctic seabed and the long term impact it could have on the Arctic environment and its inhabitants.
Part one and two of Arctic Circle airs on Discovery HD on April 21st and 28th at 7pm ET.
Discuss in Digital Home’s What’s on Canadian Specialty Television discussion forum.

Local Time  ::  2:36 AM AKDT (GMT -  08)

Lat./Lon.  ::  58.8 degrees North / 137 degrees West

Elevation  ::  33 feet

Temperature  ::  43 degrees Fahrenheit

Condtions  ::  Overcast

Windchill  ::  41 degrees Fahrenheit

Humidity  ::  87%

Dew Point  ::  39 degrees Fahrenheit

Wind  ::  4mph from the Northwest

Pressure  ::  29.70 inches (steady)

Visibility  ::  10.0 miles

UV  ::  0 out of  16

Clouds  ::  Mostly Cloudy

                  Overcast  5500 feet

                 (Above Ground Level)

The solution of any cyber attack on the energy grid. Jeeze ! Hello America?