West Bekaa MP Jamal Jarrah, who was accused by Damascus of arming and funding anti-regime protesters in Syria, said Sunday the Syrian allegations were aimed at discrediting caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his Future Movement.  Jarrah, a member of Hariri’s parliamentary Future bloc, also said Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has promised to follow up the Syrian allegations with Syrian authorities....To me. This is promising. A Hariri is admired and seeking to continue the freedom movement started by his father. There is support for his hopes for Lebanon. No Caliphate here. Not yet.
Now the king told the boogie men
You have to let that raga drop
The oil down the desert way
Has been shakin' to the top
The sheik he drove his Cadillac
He went a' cruisnin' down the ville
The muezzin was a' standing
On the radiator grille
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
By order of the prophet
We ban that boogie sound
Degenerate the faithful
With that crazy Casbah sound
But the Bedouin they brought out
The electric camel drum
The local guitar picker
Got his guitar picking thumb
As soon as the shareef
Had cleared the square
They began to wail
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
Now over at the temple
Oh! They really pack 'em in
The in crowd say it's cool
To dig this chanting thing
But as the wind changed direction
The temple band took five
The crowd caught a wiff
Of that crazy Casbah jive The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The king called up his jet fighters
He said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the minarets
Down the Casbah way
As soon as the shareef was
Chauffeured outta there
The jet pilots tuned to
The cockpit radio blare
As soon as the shareef was
Outta their hair
The jet pilots wailed The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
He thinks it's not kosher
Fundamentally he can't take it.
You know he really hates it.
 The next morning it was difficult to believe their new reality. Jacksonville, North Carolina is near Camp LeJeune. Many military familes live and work there. The more she looked around the more difficult it was to believe.
The storms launched 241 twisters over 14 states, (click title to entry - thank you) killing at least 44 people from Oklahoma to North Carolina and Virginia. And more weather is moving in.
May and June are usually the height of tornado season in the USA. Considering this tornado season started long before the traditional season, there is every possibility it only gets worse from here.
Yep.
No shade for the summer. Beautiful old tree. Gone.
It will never be the same.
When the President of the USA speaks he is seeking to do a few things, but, the primary purpose to "Presidential Speak" is to relate to the nation there are serious issues or problems we are confronting and this is what it is, etc., etc., etc.
The President asks the country to take a 'topic' seriously. It is to address 'the state of affairs' and how the USA is addressing that concern while the country takes themselves seriously with that issue.
The people are suppose to receive the message that they are protected domestically, etc.
The problem is that Bush was a master 'at it' and could talk the USA into war without end for no cause at all.
The Presidency of the USA is a very powerful place to 'speak from.' So, when citizens are seeking their President they are expecting a person that can lead them into a solid and secure future.
They don't expect a person to tell them how to live their lives or conduct their businesses. They don't expect a 'bailout' for Wall Street at every turn. They want someone who can do the job and do it well.
Why doesn't 'conservative television' seek to 'lead' the media rather than 'drag the public along' in fear? Ask that? Fear is a very powerful thing. Peace, not so much.
Donald Trump has the USA for sale as a "Mercenary Nation" asking allies for money before delivering the goods.
Then on FOX, you know the Murdoch guys they are seeking the only war they can terrify the USA with and that is the drug cartel DISASTER south of our border, then turn around and put a child of Hispanic dissent on television recitiing the Presidents of the USA in chronical order. The child's grandparents probably needed to learn that for their citizen's exam.
Honestly. Do these stations know anything about decency, peace and growing up American? No.
 "The Single Greatest Threat to the USA is al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula !"TELL THAT TO GADAFFI !!!!!!!!!!!
You would think by now the Bush White House would figure out we aren't going to war with Saudi Arabia!
A car lies upside-down (click here) in a field of debris in Boone's Chapel, Ala., in Autauga County Saturday, April 16, 2011 after severe winds hit late Friday night, leaving three people in the area dead. (AP Photo/Montgomery Advertiser, Amanda Sowards) More Dangerous Tornado Season Expected This Year (click title to entry - thank you)...Severe weather season, as it's often referred to by meteorologists, typically peaks during May, when meteorological conditions that lead to the development of dangerous thunderstorms are most abundant. These conditions -- including a sharp north-south temperature gradient -- have emerged early this year and, based on the expected weather pattern, will likely intensify in the coming months.... 
Saturday April 16, 2011 — Raleigh, North Carolina
Tornado moved from 440 Beltline in NNW direction towards 540 Beltline severly damaged homes along Skycrest, New Hope, and Buffalo Road. Large Utility lines down, large trees down, overturned vehicles, flattened and severely damaged homes are prevalent in affected areas.
A section of Big Bend Road in Richmond Heights, Mo., is abandoned Monday during the usual morning rush hour after overnight storms knocked down a series of utility poles.
Saturday April 16, 2011 — Batesville, VA
A fast moving line of storms came through and swelled the normally peaceful (2-foot-wide) stream to this torrent. 20 minutes later the bridge was passable.
I don't believe anyone should be accepting this as status quo. The 'entrance' to the Afghan Forces should be a priviledge met with great honor.
Why aren't the Afghan troops not attending 'deprogramming' religious training for six months and continuing during their service?
The USA military has ministers/priests and all denominations of soldier to council and pray with during their deployments. I would think the Afghan Forces would realize how there are radical elements in their villages. In realizing that I would hope any recruits would attend religious training with a distinguished Imam able to instill 'the truth' to the troops rather than extremism. When troops leave the Afghan military after enlisting for their agreed time, they can then return to their lives and know a truth their villages can begin to appreciate.
Why isn't this a priority considering the Taliban are absolutely extremists set on destroying the people and government of Afghanistan? It should be and a high priority at that.
Sympathies to all the families of the dead. Why is this still continuing? I thought the Taliban were being accepted as peaceful people in Afghanistan? If not, then why not?
...Officials say at least five NATO service members and four Afghan soldiers (click title to entry - thank you) were killed and another eight people , including four translators, were wounded in the attack.
The attack coincides with a number of efforts on the diplomatic front to bring a close to the nearly 10 year old conflict.
In what is one of the worst attacks on NATO forces in months a man reportedly wearing an Afghan uniform infiltrated security at the base outside Jalalabad in the early morning hours Saturday.
The attack comes just a day after another bomber claimed the life of the Police Chief of Kandahar in Southern Afghanistan....
That is how I received the 'new' that the UK and the USA and every other "Western" country needs to heed the call of treason.
This is nothing but junk. If there is a wrongful death in the police system in Dubai then the appropriate State Department and Embassy needs to be noticed. One of the first things military personnel are taught about their deployment in the Middle East, is that the laws, customs and culture is very, very different than that of their 'homeland.'
This is discriminatory in its context and completely outrageous to believe there will be a 'conversion' of the USA Constitution when there are elections and not a dictatorship that governs the land.
This current POLITICAL FEAR is about as hideous as it comes.
The laws of the USA were CLEARLY developed to be separate from that of religion. It is why there is NO method of law that can be adapted to reflect a singular religious preference.
If anyone in the electorate wants to understand why there are clear dividing lines between church and state and why elected representatives should have a separate personal life from their RESPONSIBLITY as a representative, senator or president, this is a PRIME example of poor judgement in the electorate and their ability to be deceived into understanding of their own rights. Sometimes their hatred is choice as well.
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE is necessary in any multi-national country where freedom of choice is required. I don't approve of Faith Based Funding and I never will.
We are NOT the world's police.
I suppose this is a good reason why the women are so intent on being involved in the demonstrations currently in the Middle East.
God help them.
The "fear mongering" that exists within the states are due to the Regressive Right Wing and have no measure i constitutional law. It is politicking to INFLUENCE the elections where ballot provisions regarding outlawing Sharia Law from any government 'rule of law' is taking place.
It is a dangerous trend. It could lead to oppression of cultural practices within the Muslim faith, which could be extrapolitated to a 'right to control' religious practice of any faith.
Burning of any religious symbol that defines a religion, regardless of a Bible, Koran or otherwise should be viewed as an expression of a 'hate crime.'
I realize burning a flag is sometimes exampled as a reason why burning a Koran is nothing more than an expression of freedom of speech, however, the American flag is backed up by a miliitary and national guard and a constitution while Muslims are human beings with the ability to die without notice due to hatred of others.
Burning a religious symbol in a country where the practice of freedom of religion is a freedom the entire can enjoy or not; should be seriously viewed as a "Hate Crime." There are real people, including young people and children that can fall victim to these bigots and it needs to stop.
Religion is a 'core belief' of a person and should never be met with an expression of hate, so much as tolerarnce from others.
This mess of turning religion into a 'choice' for victimization is actually choosing whether or not human beings can be a victim as well. When will people learn the lessons of the Holocaust? The 'idea' that a civilied society could never turn into a land of hatred and victimization is a sincere myth. Diveristy is more than a 'word' it is recognition of tolerance and tolerance is not an 'exercise' but a method of civil discourse.
I find these videos very offensive, presented in a way to control and victimize and not empower. Very sad. Very, very sad.
One other thing:
This not only validates hate by the Right Wing, but, also raises the question as to why they are so intent on controlling other faiths besides Christianity and demanding Charter Schools replace public schools?
In this Jan. 28, 2011 file photo, the East Branch of the Penobscot River is seen near land owned by conservationist Roxanne Quimby, the founder of Burt's Bees cosmetics company. The river flows through some of the thousands of acres that Quimby wants to donate to the federal government for the creation of a North Woods National Park. Members of Maine's congressional delegation have reacted cooly to Quimby's proposal. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
Roxanne Quimby is attempting to set aside acreage in Maine's wildness to create a National Park to honor the conservation efforts, including a visitor center dedicated to Henry David Thoreau.
Oddly, Thoreau was a revolutionary. His works regarding the power of the citizen were inspiration to many others. The Tea Baggers, the extremists of the Republican Party, are now revealing their agenda for change, excoriate decency and exploit all that is tolerated.
The Tea Baggers are capitalists that have been unbale to gain control of substantial power to 'have their way' or have support from businesses that are unsuccessful in their own right, but, make money to go bankrupt later. Sort of like "W" and his multiple tries at being an oil barron or Cheney and his failing Halliburton in need of a war to reverse their ill fortunes.
The extremist Governor in Maine and his legislature are now giving a reason to Mr. Quimby's efforts by attempting to destroy the very wilderness she is proposing to save. Looks like there are legal battles ahead as Ms. Quimby has already approached the National Park Service for a 'special status' to these lands.
...Weeks after he was sworn in as governor of Maine (click here), Paul LePage, a Tea Party favorite, announced a 63-point plan to cut environmental regulations, including opening three million acres of the North Woods for development and suspending a law meant to monitor toxic chemicals that could be found in children’s products....
This form of 'deregulation' is familiar to those that follow conservation and protection of our nation's lands and waterways. See, there aren't real 'ideas' with Republicans, there is only deregulation to stimulate TEMPORARY jobs. After all, when the trees are all gone there won't be any more to cut.
A few decades ago, the American fisheries were awesome. They could feed the nation and then some. But, due to Republcian deregulation that allows failing business people to have 'at it' the fisheries of the country are no longer strongly viable. There is stress throughout the entire three coasts of the USA, the latest being the "BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster."
When the fisheries were deregulated before there was a significant increase in the number of fishing vessels allowed to take fish everyday. That increased numbers CAUSED the crash of several species of fish that were favorites in the American diet. Eventually, as the fish wane the people that were bad business people before the deregulation went bankrupt walking away with whatever monies they managed to take and the number of sincere fisherman (Families in the business for decades) returned to normal.
This is the same thing that is going on now with the Republican Governors. They have no 'ideas' for jobs. They aren't pounding the pavement for businesses to come into their state that will provide sustainable jobs with longevity. We saw all this during the Bush years when construction was funded by the Republican majorities with every legislative measure passed. The Bush White House and their majority legislature spent monies on illegal wars and they spent monies on infrastructure construction at every turn. They funded housing construction to the point of market collapse for the over abundance of homes and commercial buildings.
This is the 'same ole,' 'same ole' being seen by a different name. The Bush White House offered businesses perks they didn't know what to do with and wasn't interesting to them in the first place. That is all the Regressive Republicans have to offer. The same old failing economic infrastructure with the same sad scenario over and over and over again. Americans never learn. they will fund economic collapse after economic collapse after economic collapse at the hand of bad government forever.
DEREGULATION leads to EXPLOITATION and FAILED BUSINESS MODELS and GOVERNMENT FUNDING OF THE FAILED.
WHERE HAVE WE HEARD THIS BEFORE?
EVERY CHILD is what education is about. There are school districts that are better performing than others. There is a reason for that and it is predominately due to 'socio-economic' status.
The unions for Teachers have to take control of this hideous Regressive agenda. They need to assess the perform of children across the USA, find the areas where they are struggling, find the reason and submit a bill to the President and Secretary of Education for "Reform Where Necessary" we know will work. The "Reform Where Necessary" will work because it will be a bill written by those most qualified to make recommendations. TEACHERS !!!!!
Nonpartisan analysis shows taxes would increase for poor people under Wisconsin gov's budget (click title to entry - thank you)From The Associated Press, April 15, 2011 - 4:33 PM
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A new nonpartisan analysis of Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal shows that it would raise taxes for poor people, while decreasing taxes overall.
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau report shows that taxes for low and moderate income people would increase more than $49 million over two years. The largest increase comes to families who qualify for the earned income tax credit and homeowners who receive a homestead tax credit.
Overall, net taxes would decrease nearly $34 million under his budget while fees would go up by nearly $110 million, with the bulk of that due to tuition and fee increases at University of Wisconsin campuses.
Walker promised during the campaign not to raise any taxes.
Democratic legislative leaders say Walker has broken his word.
And / OR...
...approach the high and mighty in their struggle to improve education in the state with a State Bill that will ensure the improvement of STATE standards in STRESSED areas.
Ask people like the Mayor of Newark to speak to the needs of his city's children and work with them to improve what can be improved, while the State Burea of Investigation shuts down the drug lords that prey on the youth of the inner city.
Sounds like a plan. Yes?
...the new Chair of the Democratic National Committee.
And.
Oh, by the way, the Republicans are running on the economy.
What. no war mongering?
...Tuesday afternoon, (click title to entry - thank you) the former governor tweeted "I'm running!" with a link to a video on his freshly launched campaign website.
Kaine also announced to staff members his immediate resignation as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, a DNC official confirmed....
The Capitol Building (click here) in Washington, DC. At least half of it is FOR SALE. The question is does Goldman-Sachs have the mortgage bundled with the Washington Monument?
The President outlined how the USA can reduce the Nation's Debt without draconian measures that would not refuse the recession.
How many times do I have to say, the Regressive Republicans have NO IDEAS? How many times before the picture is crystal clear?
What is ALWAYS the Republican agenda? ALWAYS. WITHOUT FAIL. What is there agenda?
Tax cuts for the wealthy, victimizing the Middle Class and destroying the 'base' of the USA economy, SSI and Medicare and Medicaid. The one place the Republicans can never 'get their hands on the money' is the entitlements the American people contribute ALL THEIR LIVES.
THE ONE PLACE.
Where Republicans 'can't run game' are the entitlements.
So what did Ryan's plan do that passed the House of Represenatives today? What did it do?
...Obama contrasted his debt reduction plan (click title to entry - thank you) with one proposed by Republicans, saying the latter will gut Medicare and other necessary programs while preserving tax breaks for the rich....
No surprise here, the Republican GREED machine is alive and 'digging in.'
..."This is the same guy (Ryan) that voted for two wars (click here) that were unpaid for, voted for the Bush tax cuts that were unpaid for, voted for the prescription drug bill that cost as much as my health care bill -- but wasn't paid for. So it's not on the level," he said at another event, remarks that were unknowingly fed back to reporters in Washington....
Just because Ryan isn't a stated candidate for office doesn't mean the Republican election campaign hasn't started. Ryan is surrogating for whomever is coming to the platform in Florida. Ryan's extremist bill will serve as a sounding board for the "Regressives" to measure the public's reaction and then modify it into a palatable sounding agenda for Gingrich, Romney, Palin, Huckelberry or Trumped.
Where are their DEBT reduction plans? Don't the people voting in the upcoming primaries want to know what the PLAN IS? Or will Ryan's do?
I looked for the Trump Plan. I thought 'for sure' he would have a website that stated, "Donald Trump for President 1012." Didn't find one. Found this (click here)
The House Republicans are running game on the people of the country. Their bill is ideological and is designed to attrack and excite the base.
Anyone surprised that the USA House is being used for political purposes? I'm not.
Wednesday April 13, 2011 — wisconsin rapids, WI
My view upon waking this morning! The flooded walking path is actually the Wisconsin River Trail which is part of the Ahdawagam Trail System in central Wisconsin
Add some rain to this mess and it will be awhile before relief is realized.
Chance of rain by tomorrow (click here)
Residents of Oslo, Minnesota (click here) on Wednesday walked levees and waited out massive flooding that has turned their community into a tiny temporary island in the Red River for a third year in a row, Mayor Scott Kosmatka said....
There is flooding in Canada, too.
To right is the UNISYS Enhanced Infrared of the north and west hemisphere. (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you) There are significant storm systems over Canada and the Midwest.
April 14 2011
0730.15z
Published: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 11:59 p.m. MDT
SALT LAKE CITY — Another overnight storm (click here) threatening more snow in the mountains added to already ample fears that flooding could be widespread and problematic this spring.
Flooding hotspots identified by weather watchers include Cache County in the communities of Wellsville and Hyrum, in Morgan County, western Weber County communities, northern Davis County and Salt Lake County.
Multiple cities and counties have taken steps to prepare for flooding. In Salt Lake County, crews have filled 5,000 sandbags and 100,000 sandbags have been stockpiled. Another 100,000 have been ordered. An estimated 400 tons of large, angular rocks are on hand to be placed in streams as part of flood control efforts....
(To Left) the densely forested slopes of the Appalachian Mountains in southern West Virginia is a layer cake of thin coal seams.
April 8, 2010
"Coal Controversy in Appalachia" (click here)
 Hobet Mine in West Virginia on September 17, 1984. This 1984 picture shows rivers and streams that still had clear, beautiful water with abundant wildlife. The mining companies have destroyed any beauty of these areas while destroying the tourism possible. The polluted waters have added dangers to the citizens of the area while contaminating their soil and water.
WHEN IS ENOUGH finally ENOUGH?
The rolling, stream-creased mountains of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains are blanketed by forests that have some of the highest biodiversity outside the tropics. Hundreds of thousands of acres of these forests have been lost or degraded by mountaintop removal mining. Not long after this photo of the mountains north of the Mud River in Boone County was taken in July 2005, an expansion of the Hobet-21 mine cleared and leveled large areas in the foreground and middle-ground of the photograph. (Photo ©2005 Vivian Stockman)
When one contemplates why the Climate Crisis exists; consider the loss of the beauty of the Appalachians and their carbon sinks.
...The series leads (click title to entry - thank you) with a hum-dinger: “With all due respect, does compromise have a place in your administration? Please give examples of big compromises you made.”...
Ever wonder why "No Child Left Behind" was an abject failure?
Wonder where the Republicans parlayed No Child Left Behind to scapgoating teachers?
MSNBC's Ed Shultz had a remarkable program and through the panel discussions a lot of reality over two hours started to take shape.
Without getting into a lot of history and drama the educational process in the USA has definate failures in areas where low income and minorities live and conduct their lives.
It comes down to this.
The Republicans under George Walker Bush 'lumped' all the low performing 'socio-economic' areas in with areas of the country already performing at standard or higher and called it a 'program.' That put all American students 'at risk' for lower standard performance and decreased the competency of the country's educational 'processes.'
In No Child Left Behind, schools were held responsible for teacher performance. The schools exhibiting poor teacher performance were victimized rather than analyzed. They were excluded from monies rather than infused with monies and experts to attempt to resolve problems. While New York City schools, under the direction of a Republicans mayor, may have made changes that brought a reality about teachers with problem records, it also had assets and income to draw on to work on troubled areas that many other school systems around the country, especially in the southern states, did not.
The reality began to play out again, that 'those that have, get.' It is a reality in the USA. If a city, county, state have monies that support their improvements and concentrate experts positive outcomes occur. If they don't and are an impoverished area of the country they require 'outside' interest to improve their standard of living. The most extreme example of success are the Appalachian communities which required an act of congress to assist them to a higher standard of living.
After Bush left office and "Race to the Top" became the 'standard' for improving the public school system, the program did not 'go away,' it was incorporated into the strategies of the Regressive Republicans. They continued to 'target' teachers as 'the problem;' generalizing the problem as they always do to win 'every man's support' rather than speaking 'the truth' in that No Child Left Behind never worked and was a racist program in origin.
The teachers throughout the country have become victimized by the Regressive Republicans as their scapegoats to solve budgetary problems. I have said it over and over, the Republicans do not have ideas, they do not have good policies because they play politics rather than seeking solutions. When solutions are evasive because the politics have proven the 'electorate' had the wrong idea, it is easy then to say, "That didn't work," and continue to receive consent by the electorate to keep trying while victimizing whomever they can along the way as 'the real reason' this isn't working. Basically, 'difficult people belong to Democratic organizations and principles.'
So long as we continue down this path with Regressive Republicans playing politics with the nation now entrenched in profound problems inherited from the previous administration we will get nowhere. The troubled areas of the USA are still as troubled as they were before Bush took office. Actually, they have more troubles. What occurred were 'Charter Schools' with 'themes' that were sure to work rather than infusing expertise, monies and solutions into failing areas of the country. Charter schools have been marginally successful, but, today they are 'thought' to be the solution to dissolving the public school system and destroying the unions that have supported teachers and the Middle Class.
The Regressive Republicans have been successful in fooling the people of the USA into believing 'their value system' is the problem and not their party. It is outrageous, it is failing and it will continue to fail unless they are stopped.
The Value System the Republicans have advocated to replace the decency of the Middle Class is a dance linking government and business in priorities for the country. It will continue to victimize the country rather than solve its problems. The Recall Votes have to go forward. It is unfortunate this is an issue as private sector 'out of state' interests are 'paying' plenty for defeat of the teachers and their unions in the recall elections.
...The Journal of the American Medical Association (click title to entry - thank you) reported that certain woman who used only estrogen during the study had markedly reduced risk for breast cancer and heart attacks.
Confused?...
Actually, no.
Previous to the Women's Health Initative there were doctors still concerned about women. It took the Women's Health Initiative, an independent body to actually weed through the 'good' aspects of therapy and the bad ones. Previous to that physicians were left to accept research by pharmaceutical companies and the occassional study out of univeristies. Women and minorities have not been a priority in setting standards of care.
However.
In the 1980s I did a brief study in a hospital library about estrogen and what exactly if anything was being said. Actually, there was a lot being said.
The method of communicating between physicians regarding women's health were symposiums.
In the early 1980s there was a dedicated symposium to estrogen alone and with every paper presented the evidence was overwhelming.
Ready?
Women live two-thirds of their lives with 'tissue' supported by circulating estrogen. At advanced age, then in the 70s, it was felt there was dramatic changes in women's health due to loss of significant estrogen levels. Every body system in a women't body was effected. There was higher incidence of athlosclerosis, heat disease, bone deterioration, gastrointestinal 'tone,' nervous system depletion accompanied by mental deterioration.
Oh, yeah, loss of urinary tract tone and function as well.
It was a foregone conclusion women that received estrogen replacement therapy were healthier and happier for a long period of time.
Then, the major setback was thrombosis. Blood clots in the legs, which can be deadly.
Have a better day.
|
