Amur leopard survey in the province's Changbai Mountain area

Updated: 2012-04-20 08:00

By Wu Yong and Liu Ce in Shenyang and Han Junhong in Changchun (China Daily)

The population of the Amur leopard, (click here) the rarest cat in the world, is showing signs of recovery, according to a report from the forestry department in Jilin province and the World Wide Fund For Nature.

"Thanks to (China's) enormous efforts to protect forests and crack down on poaching, the big cat appears to be rebounding in China," said Jiang Jinsong, an official from Jilin provincial forestry department....

The Marines have landed in Darwin.

Ready, aim ... Lance-Corporal Carlos Vasquez of Fox Company USMC takes part in combat marksmanship training at Kangaroo Flats, south of Darwin. Photo: Glenn Campbell


Fighting heat and food, the marines have landed (click here)


April 20, 2012

THEY will stay for years, number up to 2500, possibly have their own aircraft and artillery, train with the Aboriginal-dominated Norforce unit and drop in to help in Asia-Pacific disaster zones alongside Australia's Diggers.

But whatever you do, don't call the Marine Rotational Force in Darwin part of a US base.

''No, no again,'' said Lieutenant-Colonel AnDroy Senegar when pressed on how much his operation looked like the forerunner of an official base.

Advertisement: Story continues below

''We will build no infrastructure. We will subsist on Australian food. We will be part of the community. It will be a partnership. We will not be intrusive.''...

The federal government is about SERVICE, not efficiency.

June 21, 2011

Pass-a-Grille FL

Last day at Pass-a-Grille (click here)

..."It's sad," said Marsha Anderson, who has lived here for 35 years. "It's like a funeral. It's part of our street. Our downtown is going to change."

"It made us a small town," said Amy Loughery, who owns Bamboozle, a clothing store next door to the post office. "It was real."

Photo credit: Postal clerk Dick Weber pausing before locking the door of the post office for the last time Friday afternoon.

If the Senate does not act to prevent insolvency of the USA Post Office the economy will suffer. It already has in some places since closures around the country, but, who cares about that? 

The USA is bending over backwards to make sure the entire country is 'connected' with internet access and one of the reasons is to increase opportunity to small business owners. So, if the USA Post Office is forced to close more facilities why bother with internet connections?

Wall Street is about profits. The federal government is about service. It is sad, but, true, but Republicans just don't "GET IT !"

...Owners of small companies in cities like Tulsa, Okla., (click here) fear that their businesses will suffer if their local mail-processing and distribution centers are shut down.

Some areas have already faced closures in the past year, and small firms there are going through a difficult adjustment.

The more than 100-year-old post office in the beach town of Pass-a-Grille, Fla., closed last June.

As a popular tourist destination, Pass-a-Grille has a bustling small business community, with many stores lining either side of its 8th Avenue main street, designated as the shortest main street in America.

But when its post office closed, it caused problems for some of its small businesses. That's because the next closest post office in the area is about four miles away....

Lying is a reason for dismissal. Since when is lying permitted in a federal regulatory position. Since, Minerals and Mining parties with the oil industry maybe?

Commissioner Kristine L. Svinicki as Nuclear Regulatory Commission Holds Public Meeting On Japan Nuclear Event

...On Wednesday afternoon, (click here) Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson sought to clear up the mystery. Svinicki, 45, is being shot down, he said, because she lied. "Senator Reid opposes Commissioner Svinicki's re-nomination because she lied to Congress about her past work on Yucca Mountain," Jentleson said. "Furthermore, Commissioner Svinicki has an abysmal record on nuclear safety, demonstrating that she puts the interests of the nuclear industry ahead of the safety of American citizens. Senator Reid has consistently supported qualified Republicans for the commission and is open to supporting others, but Commissioner Svinicki has disqualified herself and does not deserve to be re-nominated."...

...At Svinicki's first Senate confirmation hearing in 2008, Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) asked Svinicki if, during her time at the Energy Department, Svinicki worked on Yucca Mountain.

Svinicki gave a drawn-out answer, which Boxer interrupted to ask: "So you didn't work directly on Yucca?"

"I did not, no," Svinicki responded.

Subsequently released administration emails and documents showed that Svinicki was very much involved with Yucca while at the Energy Department....

Today is Romney-Care's Anniversary

Does anyone know who Mitt Romney is?


I don't.


I have never witnessed a Presidential candidate where there is no identifiable position when it comes to his career.  He has changed his view of the world more often then any nominee ever. He bought his nomination. It is indisputable. And yet there is dignity in that? Romney is not the conservative candidate the Republicans want and yet his ambitions won't let them find a candidate they can identify with like Santorum. Sincerely. 


Romney is a shape shifter. He has no foreign policy experience. He will be a nightmare with foreign policy. I can actually see him drawing his guns at every turn out of pure unadulterated fear of not knowing what to do and fearing to alienate his base for his next election.


I don't know how anyone can call him trustworthy.


I don't know why his opponents haven't pointed to the fact he is like Palin. When she was Governor she was a somewhat reasonable person, but, as soon as the Executive Branch was within reach no one recognized her. Romney was Governor for one term. He then set his sights in the Presidency and has been running for office ever since. As soon as the Executive Branch is within reach, no one recognizes him anymore.


1/20/2012 @ 4:32PM 

I have two young daughters. (click here) When they left Brazil in 2010, they had no U.S. health insurance. One has a mild case of childhood epilepsy. Lucky for my daughters, they live in Massachusetts.

The state’s  healthcare reform has no serious opposition. Individuals and businesses, by a large margin, agree that the program may not be perfect, but it has been successful as measured by the people, including many middle income families, who would not be able to afford health insurance otherwise....

Palin became a corporate executive after she ran for office, she was all about pulling strings for Republican elections and keeps a high profile on the Today Show now, so she can still effect elections.

I think of her and Romney the same way, as weather vanes, whichever way the wind blows. Let me that isn't true. Go ahead.


How can anyone state "Romney is a good man," if he can't even define who he is without changing his position 30 minutes later. He has no backbone, he portrays no strength and he seeks only political pandering as a definition to his Presidency. He is a mystery to everyone and is not qualified to lead this country. 

Sullivan needs to be replaced.

The problem is whom replaces him.  The FBI still has Muller and the question is, does the Secret Service has personnel to replace Sullivan.


There have been many occurrences of 'concern' with this Director and it is time to do an honest assessment of his leadership and effectiveness.






..."Perhaps it (click here) would be in the interests of a complete and thorough and fair investigation not to make determinations about the conclusions of an investigation before they've even been reached," Carney said. "That's the president's position."...


I can understand the patience the President has shown to be sure there is fairness in the investigation, but, this has been mishandling in a long string of them. 


There have been party crashers, car crashes a stolen van and now this. I don't believe there is dedication to purpose within the culture at the Secret Service and I believe Sullivan's leadership has been responsible for it.