After the hurricane.

Is there any aspect of the USA's troubles that hasn't inhibited economic growth in the past four years?

To realize the sincere tragedy President Obama never bargained for as a candidate in 2007, but, has sustained as a President is remarkable.

We cannot afford anyone else in the Executive Branch. He knows the pulse of this nation too well. He is far more dedicated than anyone wants to give him recognition for and simply has completely entrenched his administration in that same dedication. We don't need anyone else and we certainly don't need someone from Wall Street.

September 10, 2012, 7:02 PM

Macroeconomic Advisers (click title to entry - thank you) lowered its third-quarter forecast of GDP growth 0.5% to 1.5% on Monday, citing expectations for a sharp, drought-induced drop in farm inventories beginning in the third quarter.

The U.S. Drought Monitor estimates that up to 80% of the contiguous 48 states faced moderate to exceptional drought conditions over the summer.

A lack of rain coupled with high temperatures severely damaged corn and soybean crops. The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects the corn harvest to fall 13% from last year’s crop, and expects the soybean crop to fall 12%.

“While the farm sector directly accounts for only about 1% of the U.S. economy, the hit to farm output is likely to be large enough to have a noticeable impact on U.S. GDP,” said Macroeconomic Advisers in a press release. “A rise in the price of food late this year and into next year will lower real income and wealth enough to shave an additional one-tenth from GDP growth in the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of next year.”

– Taylor Thomas

...On Friday in Kuala Lumpur in the first ever conviction of its kind anywhere on Earth, Bush, former vice president Dick Cheney, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and five of their legal advisors were found guilty of war crimes for torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners who suffered at the hands of U.S. Soldiers and contractors in Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, and Iraq. The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission convened a five-panel tribunal, and after a week-long trial delivered the unanimous guilty verdicts with full transcripts of witness statements, charges, and other materials being sent to the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the United Nations and the Security Council. The Commission is also requesting that the names of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gonzales, Yoo, Bybee, Addington, and Haynes be entered and added to the Commission’s Register of War Criminals for the public record.

Former vice president Dick Cheney admitted authorizing torture in a nationwide televised broadcast in December, 2008, and said, “I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared, as the agency in effect came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn’t do. And they talked to me, as well as others, to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it.” The former General in charge of Abu Ghraib prison said she saw a memo signed by Donald Rumsfeld allowing civilian contractors to use “harsh interrogation techniques on detainees at Abu Ghraib prison” and instructed Army personnel to take in inmates without registering them. Both of Rumsfeld’s orders are in direct violation of the Geneva Convention and former General Karpinski said she would be willing to testify against Rumsfeld in a war crimes investigation....


Kuala Lumpur is a international and financial city in Malaysia. This is not a minor event, either. Kuala Lumpur is a respected city in the east. I am confident anyone conducting finance in the global economy has respect for it.

I wonder which one will come home with more campaign Superfunds?

That is so damn decent of Former President Clinton to think of everyone, you know? He is no unselfish.

Really, Bill ?!?

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK | Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:05pm EDT

...Obama and Romney (click title to entry - thank you) were invited earlier this summer to attend the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), a summit official said, well before Clinton's Democratic National Convention speech last week where he gave a rousing endorsement of Obama and a detailed attack on the Republican presidential candidate.

Obama and Romney will address separate sessions on September 25, the final day of the three-day summit in New York City that brings together heads of state, business leaders, humanitarians and celebrities to make commitments to tackle the world's woes....

It was not known what topics they planned to speak about.

"I'm grateful that President Obama and Governor Romney are taking time to join leaders from all parts of society who choose to address our greatest global challenges through the Clinton Global Initiative," Clinton said in a statement on Monday....

Self explanatory.

This bothered me. I hope it bothers you. A young man wanted to follow in his father's footsteps but made a mistake.

He demonstrated while an ROTC candidate at Penn State when Paterno was removed. It was a shock to people. ROTC students are suppose to have feelings like other people? Their peers? I find this rather silly. Justin needs to return to his program ASAP. It is not his fault. 

In this 2009 photo provided by Justin Strine, Strine, left, poses with his father, Chief Warrant Officer James Strine and his sister Senior Airman Jacelyne Janoka outside Strine’s home in Hummelstown, PA. The Penn State student’s hopes for a military career as an Army officer ended after he was kicked out from ROTC for participating in a riot at the college after Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno’s firing in November 2011. DONNA STRINE/AP Photo/Strine Family Photo

Everyone see this? I thought that was a rather understated gesture by the President and his daughter.

Photo: President Obama and daughter Malia participate in a service project to commemorate the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance at DC Central Kitchen in Washington, D.C., Sept. 10, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Tomorrow is eleven years. I hear there is a disappointment about the museum opening. Something about money. Some of the families are saying there is not much information in the museum either. I won't know.

Personally, I think the museum should be open on weekends only to begin with. I am confident there will be school trips that will be requested during the week as a trip into history. And appropriately so. Eleven years is half a generation. An eleven year old born on September 12, 2001 would have no sincere experience with the tragedy in our country on that date. 

We celebrate Pearl Harbor. This is the only attack on civilians in USA history from abroad. There was the civil war which involved many civilians and their livelihoods. The civil war is a different paradigm.

The only thing I worry about is the impact on the future generations and the skepticism the events of that may leave behind in an adverse way. See, Pearl Harbor was a military attack. Eleven years ago, it involved civilians. I worry about the future and the footprint such an act will leave on foreign policy and the USA propensity for war. That is probably an unnecessary worry. 

Maybe it takes one Hustler to know another one.

Hustler, 1978

...Larry Flynt and his publication, Hustler Magazine, have taken out a full-page advertisement in today’s Washington Post offering the reward for anyone who can bring them information on Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s “unreleased tax returns and/or details of his offshore assets, bank accounts, and business partnerships.”...

I think Mr. Flynt is going to have a difficult time soliciting help. One million to the Romney crowd is a drop in the bucket. So, to 'fess up' about a peer is not likely.

But, Mr. Flynt has it right when it comes to making a commitment to women. In 1978, Hustler published this cover. Unfortunately, Mormon men rarely, if ever, partake of such indulgences. So, I am confident the former governor didn't read this and as a result he and his running mate along with a number of other Republicans are still putting women through a meat grinder.

Maybe North Carolinians are so estranged and feeling helpless from their government, they figure why bother.

...The number of absentee ballot applications (click title to entry - thank you)  is down by nearly half from 2008. In 2008, election officials had received 37,539 applications compared to 20,695 in 2012, or 45% fewer applications. The number of applications from registered Republicans is down more than Democrats, which are also down. The percentage of registered Republicans declined by 55% while the percentage of registered Democrats declined 35%. Thus registered Republicans composed 51% of the earliest absentee ballot applications in 2008 and 42% in 2012....

This reality is not good. It is not good for either party. 2010 in North Carolina was suppose to bring about an increase in economic vitality. It did not. I hesitate to shrug my shoulders and say, "What is going on?" Instead, realize this. In 2008, North Carolina went Blue. NC has had an oppressive economy for as long as I can remember and I've been involved with all kinds of initiatives since 1996. The standard for most households is lower middle class, IF, they are lucky.

When buyer's remorse set in by 2010 and the Right Wing took over the State House and the economy didn't improve, who now do they trust? I mean that sincerely. Oh, state legislators are stinkers in this state. There is a lot of corruption. This year the NC State legislature delivered NO LIABILITY laws for emergency rooms across the state. Does anyone in the State Legislature actually believe the people in NC feel well served? And no stopped it. 

The average people in NC are sweet people. They are kind, generous to each other in the way of trust and compassion. If hope was ever betrayed in this state by both parties it was since Bush. I sincerely believe NC might be a reflection of a larger apathy neither party can overcome. People are hurt in their trust of government and they take it hard here. I hope I am wrong. 

Mitt Romney is not qualified for President of the USA. He simply is not.

And Congressman Ryan is not qualified to be Vice President.

If a candidate for the highest office in our government cannot conduct an honest and truthful campaign while relying on OPPRESSION of certain classes of Americans in their ability to vote, there is no way. 

The immorality of seeking to lie along with a 'blogger with an idea' and then extrapolating on it to actually give it credence while ignoring the USA Constitution is simply outrageous.

In the case of Ohio military, they are a citizen of that state. They should be voting with the other citizens of Ohio. That means if Ohio military need Monday before the election to poll their ballots, then every other Ohioan has to be offered the same decency.

I do not understand how any American can admire a candidate for President seeking lies and oppression as a way to win the election.

I am more than surprised this is even tolerated. This is freedom of speech? This is yelling fire in a crowded theater. 

Let's settle this now.

“In their lawsuit, the Obama campaign and the DNC argue it is ‘arbitrary’ and unconstitutional to provide three extra days of early, in-person voting to military voters and their families. At least 20 times in their legal papers, they argue that there is no good reason to give special flexibility to military voters – and that this policy adopted by the Ohio legislature is so wrong it is unconstitutional.”

-- Memo from Katie Biber, general counsel for the Romney campaign, Aug. 5, 2012

Above is from the previous article in The Washington Post. Below is the Equal Protection Claus of the United States Constitution.

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Below is Cornell University Law School.

...Generally, (click title to entry - thank you) the question of whether the equal protection clause has been violated arises when a state grants a particular class of individuals the right to engage in an activity yet denies other individuals the same right....

Then comes the Fact Checker at The Washington Post.

Romney threw in with them. He threw in with Brietbart. No fact checking. No understanding of constitutional law. He simply decided this was 'good enough' to exploit as a character assassination of President Obama. Amazing. I had to do a double take. I thought it was Mr. O'Reilly at first, as if one might in the butt by Breitbart wasn't enough for him. But, low and behold the man that wants the USA to 'trust him' as a man of magnificent character throws in with liars. Okay then.

...The takeaway is that the Obama campaign likes the later deadline but wants it applied to all Ohio voters.

Romney suggested that the Democratic complaint undermines the rights of military members. But the military groups essentially conceded that this is not the express purpose of the lawsuit. Here’s an excerpt from their filing:

“Although the relief Plaintiffs seek is an overall extension of Ohio’s early voting period, the means through which Plaintiffs are attempting to attain it -- a ruling that is arbitrary and unconstitutional to grant extra time for early voting solely to military voters and overseas citizens -- is both legally inappropriate and squarely contrary to the legal interests and constitutional rights of Intervenors, their members, and the courageous men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.”

Translation: the Democrats only want to extend the civilian deadline, but their legal arguments could be used to deny military voters of special privileges -- collateral damage.

At the end of the day, the Romney campaign has to rely on a slippery slope argument. But there’s really no end to how far politicians can carry this type of logic. Besides, the fact remains that the Democratic lawsuit does not seek to change voting privileges for service members....

Character issues abound.

I am getting a little tired of the lying. This is the Breitbart cite.

This deception is still making its way around the internet. Facebook, too. It is more than a deception, this site was the one that victimized an African American woman working in the US Department of Agriculture. 

...On July 17th, (click title to entry - thank you)  the Obama for America Campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and the Ohio Democratic Party filed suit in OH to strike down part of that state's law governing voting by members of the military. Their suit said that part of the law is "arbitrary" with "no discernible rational basis."...

Whoever expected this to come up again, right Mr. O'Reilly? The problem is when sites like this deliberately lie to the public it doesn't really go away. There are people that live on the internet and they are under informed about the truth.

July 21, 2010 |  6:46 pm

Fox News host Bill O’Reilly (click here) offered a rare mea culpa Wednesday, apologizing for airing a controversial tape of a speech given by a black U.S. Dept. of Agriculture official that was edited to make it appear she was racist.

Shirley Sherrod was forced to resign Monday after conservative activist Andrew Breitbart posted a video clip of Sherrod’s speech at an NAACP dinner on his website BigGovernment.com in which she appeared to say that she had once discriminated against a white farmer....

It is Monday Night.

Leave Well Enough Alone by Dee Harvey

The Chicago Teacher Union strike is legitimate and Rahm needs to realize his options at this point.

The Chicago teachers strike (click title to entry - thank you) isn't only about pay and work hours. The union also opposes merit pay and stricter evaluation of teachers. The strike's outcome will influence the future of a national movement for accountability of public school teachers.

If I remember correctly and I haven't followed up on this yet, but, Florida evaluations were found to be unconstitutional.

The first bill Gov. Rick Scott signed into law, (click here) SB 736 rewrote how teachers are paid and retained across the state.

The Florida Education Association has filed a lawsuit challenging the law, arguing the law unconstitutionally strips teachers or their ability to negotiate pay....

There is absolutely NO REASON for any teacher to be retrained. That is a hideous concept. It is inept actually. Teachers are certified through state examinations. Teachers have to attended ACCREDITED colleges and universities and IT IS NOT CHEAP to be educated to be a teacher. That 'degree program' qualifies a teacher to sit for an exam to be certified to teach. The candidate for the exam also has special courses in college to approach the qualifications for teaching. 

So, this is no small matter and to think a Medicare Flunky, now Governor Rick Scott, believes he is all powerful to change all that is involved here is hideous. It is political demagoguery. To put it as plainly as I can put it, Scott is full of manure! And that is being nice. Basically, Scott and his peers need to go back to school to LEARN public policy making and how demanding a change is the educational system can be. 

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING !!!!

Rahm should know better than this and he is heading for the NLRB if he doesn't come to terms with the limits he has as a mayor to actually implement changes in evaluation, even without a union. The union is protecting the teachers credentials as well as their financial interests. There is a lot to changing evaluations. It is not simple. The Florida case is the first to sincerely reach the courts after the 2010 extremists were elected into office.

It is easy for a politician, an under qualified politician like Scott, to tout he will implement changes, etc. But, it is a completely different process to actually do it. Republicans are a joke when it comes to all their bulloney about education. It is all anyone can do to sit back and wait for the process to finally 'hit the fan.'

If I were a new mayor in Chicago, I would ask for a well constructed and non-threatening paragraph in the new contract to require a commission of Chicago government, teachers, teacher union officers and / or leadership, legal council and accreditation authority to examine the process leading to poor outcomes by certain teachers. Including in the commission activities is the right to examine particular problematic records without a person's identity to legitimately seek 'a parent and child's RELIEF' from lousy education. It is not about the standards being problems, it is individuals that consistently prove under performance to even minimal 'standards of practice.'

No one will get an argument from me about COMPETENCY. That is not even a question. Our nation's security and economy relies on quality education of our people. But, for arbitration to iron out this mess within our educational system is not realistic. Quite frankly, it is taking INNOCENT TEACHERS hostage and that is not fair, moral or practical.

The commission to convene and reach conclusions is what the arbitration should hold with recommendations for effectively elevating the education of all children in the Chicago schools. Accountability should be an aspect to raises, but, there is a lot involved and it is a complex problem that will be inhibited by the courts at every step if it is not addressed correctly. Florida is a stark example. It is correct Florida is being held responsible for its punitive attitude with teachers. Florida has done it all "W"rong. It is time for Rahm to make the Chicago Contract work for the parents and students. Having legal challenges is not the way, it will inhibit the process and not facilitate it.

I used to be involved with union leadership. In most all cases the union wants their membership to be the best in the business and not the worst. Representation has to be real, especially when it comes to children. Union lawyers are blasted good at what they do, it is best to listen to objections by the leadership and work it out. The Union and Government want the same end result. I promise that, but, arbitration of a contract is not the place for these vital changes. No one is taking the time to think it through. It is all political fluff for the GOP. Completely dysfunctional.

Go, Rahm, Go.

These are a little different than the Barrel Bombs on CNN and the civilian army is stating it is from Iran.

I think. He might have said it is not Iranian, but, I am not sure. At any rate when one traces some of the markings in other videos, they lead to technical information and shipping lists of very old Russia munitions.

Example:

Onopoyka BPX is referred to in the index as being on page 334 (click here).

These are all news articles about old Russian activities. Very old, like decades old, like Cold War old.

onopa bpx has no meaning in the Russia language, so these are old Russian munition designations and machinery parts. The description here lists all kinds of parts in both English and Russian to types of machinery.

onopa bpx is within the text of this old CIA report. (click here) Of course, the numbers on the 'barrels' are simply the manufacturing number and stock number of the particular item so it can be used efficiently.

I sincerely object to any indication this is Iranian in source. It does not appear at all to be. I truly believe these are old munitions and construction items Syria has stored somewhere. If one recalls, NATO strongly objected to any munition sales to Syria and I think this is clear indication those objections are being honored. Assad's military is taking whatever they can find and fashion parts for improvised explosive devices.

I do not believe Iran is involved with Assad to kill the people. I believe when Iran is asking for their nationals trapped in Syria it is a sincere asking and more than likely Assad is using those people as hostages for sales of munitions. I truly believe Iran is not involved with Assad, but, is seeking relief from him. NATO can and should approach Iran through their Swedish ambassadors to find out the ongoing relationship and if there is pressure on Iran to assist killing the Syrians. This is evidence Assad is running out of options and not receiving new munitions.