Romney has a really poor history of job growth, especially in manufacturing.

BloombergBusinessweek did an article that is a real eye opener about the ruthlessness of Romney (click title to entry - thank you).


Romney has no right to talk about manufacturing jobs in the USA. He and Bain single handedly used their equity to destroy an entire segment of the USA economy.

Back in 1992, Bain acquired a manufacturer called American Pad & Paper, or Ampad. Bain then used Ampad as a vehicle to buy and restructure similar companies. Following standard “roll-up” strategy, Bain closed factories and laid off workers in anticipation of selling off a leaner, more profitable company via an initial public stock offering.

Two years into the roll up, Bain had Ampad acquire an office supplies plant in Marion, Ind., a manufacturing town 70 miles northeast of Indianapolis. At the time, Johnson worked the night shift making hanging files. “We come back from the July 4th holiday, and this is what we find posted,” Johnson says, producing from the Romney box a one-page notice: “As of 3 p.m. today, July 5, 1994, your employment with SCM Office Supplies Inc. will end.” Most of the 258 employees were allowed to reapply for jobs at reduced wages and benefits. Johnson’s pay fell 22 percent, he says, from $10.05 an hour to $7.88. Dismayed to see their old union contract torn up, the Marion workers negotiated with Ampad management for several months, then called a risky strike. In early 1995, Ampad called the union’s bluff, closed the plant, and laid off the remaining workers.

The strategy was ruthless. No one can deny that. Bain under Romney's direction purchased plants with similar product lines and consolidated them one after another after another, laying off workers, harvesting treasuries and ultimately bankrupting the company and selling off capital investments as part of the bankruptcy.


The primary investment made by Romney with Bain's equity provided elimination of their competition and pushed up the prices of the products. Literally, Bain used the one survivor of their strategy to finance the hostile take over and dissolution of the competition. Some would argue that is very smart and agile to management to eliminate the competition, however, one might want to ask the consumers of the closed plants if it assisted their profit margin. The answer, of course, will be no. As each plant was closed the cost to customers went up. 


What does that mean? 


It means the effect on the American economy was cumulative. It wasn't enough to simply shut down the competition and increase the movement of quantities of inventory while reducing warehousing, the income to the survivor factory was increasing their costs to customers.


When costs to customers went up it contracted the ability of those customers to expand their competitive edge in their businesses. When companies are not competitive they have to evaluate their ability to hire new employees, open new stores and add to the economic growth of the nation's and ultimately the world's economy.


Romney was more than an equity king, he was a draconian element to the USA economy. Add to that the fact he designed 'the outsourcing dynamic' which caused the loss of American jobs over the past decades since he was at Bain and what you have is Romney the Economy Destroyer, not simply a smart businessman. 


Romney thought nothing about the larger picture he was impacting and how it was impacted and how it was destroying lives in the USA. He never stopped to even value the idea the nation's sovereignty relies on a dynamic economy.


He has a lot of nerve coming forward now to actually expect to become President promising to grow the economy of the USA, he has no experience doing so. The quarter billion known to be the base of Romney's wealth, evidently Ann Romney has acted as a facade to more of Romney's wealth and that quantity is unknown, has come from the destruction of the USA economy. He has drained the economic wealth of the country into his own pockets for his own benefit and now he wants to use those monies to take a Presidency away from the Middle Class. 

It is mind boggling to realize the immoral content to his wealth. I take issue with the Republican value system which is expressed as "More power to him." That power of wealth wasn't his in the first place.


Anyone should realize, this dynamic of consolidating USA businesses for equity gains has forced the outsourcing. When Romney increased prices on products of sole survivors of his takeovers it provided a great deal of impetus to look elsewhere for low cost products. Romney literally was the impetus to the China Connection. He not only provided the 'idea' he provided the economic drive to the movement.

Job Growth is not a valid measure of how the future under a Republican would improve.

Many Americans (click here) are aware that George W. Bush has had the worst job creation record since the government began tracking these figures in 1939. But Bush's colossal failure to manage the economy overshadows a much larger story.

Regardless of how Republicans try to make the argument about Job Growth, they have no valid track record for their complaining. As a matter of fact, the current majority House had promised to make a difference and they haven't. That pattern is backed by long standing records in the nation's history of Republican administrations.


President Obama's job record is still impressive in the face of many obstacles to his success.


The Unemployment Rate remains at 8.2% (click title to entry - thank you).


To Note: Hourly earnings are up $0.06 during June.


The challenge to the American people when valuing job growth is to realize what is obstructing that growth. The Consumer Price Index is down in June and that should increase job growth. If people have more money to spend, the more likely they are to purchase new items or items that were unattainable before. So that is a move in the right direction.


If President Obama is not able to solicit benevolence from the Republicans for all his trying at Bipartisanship, it is up to the American people to seek the root of the problems to job growth and correct it. If federal legislators can't or won't get out of the way for their own reasons yet to be understood, political pressure into November can be effective.


There are obstructions and the Department of Labor have recognized some of them.


One of the areas the Department of Labor has been examining as an impact on the Producer Price Index are the Airline Fees. These fees effect Small Business people and tourism. The more a consumer has to spend on fees to fly the more inhibited growth in other areas of the economy.



One important way airlines have generated additional revenue (click here) is by adding surcharges and/or increasing ancillary fees for optional services or a la carte pricing. As an example, rather than airlines passing on higher fuel costs in the form of fare increases, fuel surcharges may be less noticeable. Passengers may be more likely to accept increases in 
fares if they know that fuel prices and fuel surcharges are rising in tandem. In addition, airlines have optimized capacity by eliminating and/or reducing the number of flights 
between some origins and destinations. These strategies have reduced the supply of available airline seats, giving airlines additional pricing power....


Chart 1 of this article shows exceptionally high increases in baggage and cancellation fees. In realizing the airline industry has dense costs in fuel, the idea the USA military could share its use of a combination fuel with their jets that is equivalent to E85 in automobiles might help the fuel costs to airlines. 


Additionally, the airlines should realize their increased fees are actually working against their advantage. Noted in this article highlighted by the Department of Labor is the fact the airlines are also reducing their number of flights into and out of certain areas of the country. I have to ask if this is due to reduced ridership on airlines due to higher prices charged for fees or is this simply a long term trend of ridership in these areas that dictate limiting the number of flights?


This is just one example of how private industry is increasing incomes, but, limiting their own capacity to grow and add jobs. 


These fees are particularly egregious because they are not only limiting ridership to airlines, they also limit tourism and local economic growth. So, what seems like a prudent increase in costs to bring higher cash reserves to airline treasuries there is also a larger picture to why jobs are not increasing in local economies. ACCESS to local economies is just as important as the local economy itself. 


Railways are still more fuel efficient to moving people. They have access to nearly any area of the country when it is matched with bus service. There are plenty of roads, arguably too many roads, but, unless a consumer can absorb the increased fuel costs 'road trips' could be prohibitive.


It is dynamics like this causing problems Americans can identify and seek input to their Congresswoman or Congressman to move them to act to improve the performance of the nation's economy.


I return to the fact the hourly rate for the employed has increased by $0.06 in June. That is an impetus to job growth. More money in the hands of the Middle Class dictates a greater potential to the USA economy.

I really would not expect a speedboat to go to Blueberry Island on Lake Winnipesaukee (click title for video - thank you)

I have a little trouble with the Romney's extravagance. He'd run over top of Manatee and not think twice. They're regatta boats. I feel like the children were human shields for propaganda.

Crimson win Harvard-Yale Regatta (click here)

First contested in 1852, annually since 1859 except during major wars fought by the United States is America's oldest collegiate athletic competition, originally rowed on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire,


The first Harvard-Yale boat races were on Lake Winnipesaukee. The Regatta Boat raced by Harvard and Yale are powered by human beings. Rowing. But, Regatta Clubs exist all over the USA. There are power boats, like the ones the Romney's own, or sail boats or row boats. But, they are all competition boats. 

Blueberry Island Eagle Update #2 (click here)

published by admin on Thu, 04/28/2011 - 12:00pm

NH Audubon senior biologist Chris Martin sent us another update on the progress of the Blueberry Island eagles. Here is an excerpt of his April 20 e-mail.

For those of you who may be more interested in the status of the Blueberry Island nest on Lake Winnipesaukee, observer Iain MacLeod has confirmed a new male in the pair wearing a red leg band, and that the birds are currently incubating in a nest re-built since early March in the same tree used in 2010. (Click on the photo for the full-size version.)
Our next update will probably be distributed in early May. Thanks for your continued interest!


This project is made possible through a grant from the Merrimack River Bald Eagle Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. NH Audubon's Conservation Department is conducting this work under supervision of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the N.H. Fish & Game Department.

The thing is, the Eagles dive in the lake to find fish and feed their young. Somehow a speedboat/regatta boat doesn't fit well into that picture. Oh, well.

Jul 5, 2012 2:10pm

WOLFEBORO — Mitt and Ann Romney (click title to entry - thank you) took one of their large speedboats out for a spin this afternoon here on Lake Winnipesaukee loading on several grandchildren, all five sons, and coolers full of snacks before driving off.

It was just around 12:45 p.m. when Romney, wearing a dark blue shirt and black shorts, was seen lugging what appeared to be a heavy white cooler over to his three-boat garage.

Other members of the family filed in and aboard, and what appeared to be a few camera flashes could be seen from afar as they readied the boat.

And then they were off, this time with Mitt at the wheel and Ann by his side, her hair clipped up, and at least 10 grandchildren with life vests on peering over the front of the boat. More children – and Romney’s five sons and one of his daughter-in-laws – were also on board. About 25 people in total seemed to be on the boat....



I'll tell you something here. Romney is a very spoiled man that cannot say no to himself. Lake Winnipesaukee is all of 71 square miles. Those boats can easily go up to 90 miles per hour. They aren't lake boats. Not in the way I think about lake boats and waterskiing. The regatta boats of the Romney's reminds me of the car elevators in that they are out of place for the neighborhood. I really don't see any kind of high speed pursuit on that lake. 

If one realizes this lake is not a flat mirror, it makes a really clear picture of boats out of place.


The navigable lake surface is limited. There are many islands within the lake and a regatta boat would not have a straight shot at speed at any particular place on Lake Winnipesaukee. If it did, it would have to be a competition whereby there was supervision of other boats.


There are many boat launches along the lake because it is surrounded by large highways, so it is easy to get to. I really don't know how a boat that powerful actually justifies its upkeep.


The Romneys are used to having their way iwth most everything in life. There are no financial hurdles for them. It is my guess when complaints come about their activities when they are 'over the top' there are lawyers and bankrolls to make objections go away. 


I don't know if the lake monitors the boat use by permit or not. I don't know if the Romneys received special consideration for their boat preference on the lake. But, the other boat in the film clip looks like a fishing boat of one kind or another. Probably takes folks out for a price to go fishing. I really see those boats as an imposition on the others on the lake. I just don't see fisherman and regatta owners have much in common.

3.0 lb. Landlocked Salmon caught by Brendan Kelly fishing in Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire at the Winni Derby on 05/16/08 (click here)

Ya know what I mean? It just doesn't work for me. Call me crazy.

"Don't be a free rider."

The largest tax increase on the American people was Amendment XVI.


The individual mandate is a penalty in the form of a tax on non-participants. If a citizen opts out of purchasing health insurance for themselves there is a penalty on their incomes tax. It is the only place the federal government can ask each American every year to purchase health insurance. They don't have to, but, in exchange for the understanding uninsured people add to the burden of other Americans by increasing health insurance costs when emergency rooms are substituted for a doctor's office, there is a penalty to be paid for that abuse.


The states do the same thing with their tax forms. Tax forms is an annual event whereby the state, federal government and citizen interface in a way that constitutes exchanges of monies.


In 2014, there will be a new line on the federal tax form. It will ask if a citizen purchased health care insurance. If the answer is yes, proof of that insurance will have to be acknowledged in some way. My guess is if an employee has insurance through their job, the employer will add a box with a check mark to the W-2 form with the period of time covered. If the citizen purchases health insurance independently, the insurance company will probably provide a 1099 or something at the end of the year indicating the cost of the insurance and the period covered.


This is not a tax on everyone, it is a penalty tax on those without health insurance. The debate is silly and superfluous to the issues of our nation.

The USA Trade Deficit with China is about growth for both countries.

There isn't an American today expecting other countries to be the manufacturing countries and the USA, the country of wealth. It is unrealistic, poor policy and offends the USA National Security. ie: military and the example of WWII readiness in the private sector for the USA.


The growth of the sales of GM cars in China is a success story, but, 2.1 million cars sold in a country of 1,338,300,000 people as of 2010 is only a beginning in the potential market in China.


The question in regard to the trade deficit with China and the USA is not about competition so much as what is fair competition allowing both countries to grow while improving the quality of life of the people. The unhealthy relationship in the China-US trade deficit is a self-defeating reality for both countries. If the USA makes China the manufacturing county to the needs of its people, the ability of China to sell their goods decreases with the impoverishment of the American people. 


The USA will never be a country where every American is born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Every child born in the USA is guaranteed a life, an education and the opportunity to work for a comfortable life, all their life. China has yet to reach that dynamic, but, it had not discovered capitalism until a few decades go. The 'belief' surrounding capitalism when China embraced the opportunity for their people was very deceptive as to how everything works to support a global economy. The ability of consumers in The West to purchase foreign products is not a bottomless pit if the trade deficit means removing good paying jobs in substitution for poverty. That is what has occurred over four decades of Republican leadership in the USA federal government. 


When China removes jobs from the USA it also removes that many more people from their consumer base. The same is true for India. It is true for Brazil, Russia or Iraq. When a country willingly takes jobs away from a place they are coveting as a CONSUMER BASE, it is defeating their own market share statistics.

U.S. trade deficit up in 2011; China accounted for three-fourths of rise in non-oil goods trade deficit (click title to entry - thank you)

By Robert E. Scott

February 10, 2012

The U.S. Census Bureau reported today that the U.S. trade deficit in goods and services increased from $500 billion in 2010 to $558 billion in 2011, an increase of $58 billion (11.6 percent). Although the United States had a surplus in services trade, which increased by $33.2 billion (22.8 percent) in 2011, that surplus paled in comparison to the U.S. trade deficit in goods trade, which increased from $645.9 billion to $737.1 billion in 2011 (an increase of $91.2 billion or 14.1 percent)....

When President Obama asks for tariffs or limits on imports to the USA there is a profound reason for that. How is the USA going to be a consumer for any product, domestic or imported, if its people are unable to make a good wage. The focus on trade internationally should not be about high pressure competition to 'take over' a larger and larger slice of the market share. That is a myth CEOs have embraced to achieve their bonuses. It is a failed strategy.

Successful international global market places is about 'fulfilling a healthy SHARE' of the global market place with quality products to support a quality of life for people whom work and comprise the consumer base for that global market place.


This is not that difficult to understand. If the USA makes cars and China purchases them, then the consumers in China are important to the USA. When those consumers are important to the USA because they support our economy in producing cars, the question for President Obama is; "What can we purchase from China that supports the consumers in China that purchase USA cars?" What will keep a good economic balance between China and the USA? It is where the national leadership has to know what they are looking at and how best to balance the trade deficit to benefit their economies while providing a good quality of life to both country's citizens.


The answer is not for USA manufacturers to export jobs to China. What occurs then is not expansion of the MARKET SHARE. It limits the market share that will stagnate and implode companies and national treasuries. The employment of people in any country is a matter of national security as much as a quality of life within those countries.


When President Obama defends the economic interests of the USA through balances in trade, he is not interfering in the free market process, he is defending it.

It is a remarkable news day. Something has to be done about Syria. I think Turkey has the catbird seat.

The Republicans stalking President Obama's bus are more an ad for the President than Romney simply because they are lying.


"The job losses in Ohio are higher, the average household income is down SINCE PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK OFFICE."


Exactly.


Since taking office the American Economy has completely turned around to a status than any given year under the Bush Economic Folly.


Since taking office the American Economy has grown past any performance of the Bush Economy.


Since taking office the American Citizen is the focus of the American economy.


Since taking office Wall Street has recovered beyond any expectations in 2008.


Since taking office the American Economy is based in local economic strength.


Since taking office, water and air are cleaner.


Since taking office we have brought troops out of Iraq.


Since taking office President Obama has done nothing short of a miracle in protecting Americans from an economic depression. He has upheld the citizen's dignity, inspired them to be retrained and re-educated for a new job paradigm and guaranteed Americans' health is a priority.


Thank you President Obama

This is a 2010 survey. What has the majority Republican House done to stop outsourcing of jobs since then? 
They had the majority in the US House, but, they did nothing to stop the outsourcing of American jobs.


...In a September 2010 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, (click title to entry - thank you) 86 percent agreed (including 68 percent who strongly agreed) that U.S. companies outsourcing work to foreign countries is one of the reasons for our struggling economy and unemployment. This was ranked the highest of eight reasons tested in the survey....


Today, Romney complains about the Chinese currency, but, he says nothing about outsourcing, stopping it or legislation he will propose on his first day to aid the American worker.

Similarly, in a December 2010 Allstate/National Journal survey, 67 percent thought outsourcing played a major role in high unemployment, compared to just 28 percent who thought it played a minor role and 4 percent who thought it played no role at all.

Not surprisingly, the public wants something done about this problem. In the August 2010 edition of the same survey, 70 percent thought it was either extremely (39 percent) or very (31 percent) important to reduce the number of jobs being outsourced in order to help the U.S. economy recover from the recession.


I really don't want to hear how WIllard Mitt Kardashin can explain how an ignorant American public/electorate does not understand the beauty of outsourcing and how it actually provides companies with a venue to create jobs in the USA. That would a lie. That would be an insult. And that would do nothing to further trust in government.


The American people have had enough of political lies and manipulation.

I want an investigation. If the vote to override Governor Purdue's veto was known to fail before the vote was taken; why was the bill brought to the floor at all?

N.C. Rep. Becky Carney, (click title to entry - thank you) a Democrat, mistakenly cast the deciding vote with Republicans to let hydraulic fracturing move ahead in her state after a marathon legislative session late Monday night....


The Republican majority in the NC legislature knew they never had the votes needed to override the Governor's Veto. Why then bring it to the floor at all?

The practice of correcting a vote cast after the official record has to be applied uniformly or not at all. Changing a cast vote 'at will' whenever it is convenient is unconstitutional. If North Carolina allows for mistakes to be corrected in a vote count within its state constitution or legislative governing rules, it is not a matter of convenience. It applies or it doesn't. I could not imagine this level of corruption even in the best fiction novel. Government is not a matter of convenience, it is a public trust of the people. That is something North Carolina Republicans just doesn't understand. 


This bill was railroaded through the North Carolina State Legislature. The people don't want it. This is the knee deep corruption of the Republican Legislature. They know they might not be back come November for the bizarre legislation they carried out over the past two years.


A prime example of the depth of the Republican corruption is Amendment One. The faithful of North Carolina did not know exactly what they were voting for.


But, in the case of State Representative Carney she stated she was tired because they worked so late. She never misrepresented herself in regard to her intent previous to the vote. 


I want to know when the last time the electronic vote recording system was tested for accuracy. I want to know if the electronic system was tampered with. I wouldn't put anything past the petroleum industry. Knowing Rep. Carney was the decisive vote to defeat the veto, knowing the entire process was railroaded through the State Legislature this session and knowing how this Republican Legislature does not care about the well being of the people of North Carolina; I demand an investigation by the FBI. The SBI isn't good enough. There is something very wrong here and I want to know exactly what happened with the vote which was suppose to protect the citizens from this draconian form of drilling.


Rep. Carney has stated she was tired and she can't really state for sure she actually cast an incorrect vote. I want to know if her vote was tampered with.


The FBI has to investigate because the corruption is so deep in that state there is no justice for the citizens. I have no doubt there will be lawsuits filed against this injustice, but, it is a known fact those lawsuits won't find justice until it reaches the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Courthouse; home of the Fourth Federal Circuit. That is the truth. There is no justice in North Carolina.

The Willard Mitt Kardashian "Restoring Courage" Tour

How many Superpacs does Murdoch contribute to?

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:

* Politico reports that former Massachusetts governor Mitt (Kardashian) Romney told a group of potential supporters last week that he was treading carefully on immigration to avoid looking like a “flip-flopper.” News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch, who supports immigration reform, had pushed Romney to be more aggressive on the issue. He tweeted Sunday that Obama “will be hard to beat unless” Romney “drops old friends from team and hires some real pros” and that the candidate “seems to play everything safe, make no news except burn off Hispanics.”

* Aides confirm that Romney is headed to Israel this summer to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The New York Times, which first reported the news, adds that Romney will hold at least one public event. Romney last visited Israel in January 2011; President Obama also visited the country as a presidential candidate, in July 2008. Romney and Netanyahu have a friendship that goes back to 1976. According to the New Yorker, the White House assumes the Israeli prime minister is rooting for the Republican candidate.

* Republican admaker Fred Davis says he has lost ten pounds since the New York Times leaked his proposal of a super PAC campaign tying President Obama to Jeremiah Wright. “It’s been miserable,” he said. The pitch was an “intriguing way to get your foot in the door,” he told the L.A. Times, and the over-the-top language was not meant for public consumption....

With heat being what it is these days and some infrastructure failures are noted...

Washington Monument Crack after earthquake.


...I have to pause at the integrity of the Washington Monument this Fourth of July.


Many of the buildings in DC are made of marble and granite. They are magnificent and the stones are huge. They are very sound buildings, but, the structural differences between the majority of DC buildings and the Washington Monument is obvious.


The stones are strong, but, they are in a spire structure rather than a sprawling structure. The heat stresses are likely to occur differently. It was obvious when there was an earthquake in DC and a crack at the capstone resulted. It is a stress fracture.


Heating can expand the stones. I haven't been to the Washington Monument since my sons were young teens so I don't know what improvements were made. But, if the structure is air conditioned, the difference between internal temperatures and external heating could result in a funky dynamic. When thick stone gets hot it stays hot for a long time. One might recall the 10 thousand deaths in France when people remained in this stone cottages through a heat event.


I am just hoping the National Park Service has been thorough in evaluating any and all stresses possible in this monument. Places like the Lincoln Memorial will be nearly impervious to damage because it is an open air structure where the temperatures outside and inside are not very different.


Sorry to be so oddly concerned on a National Holiday, but, it is one of those things most folks wouldn't think of especially when the parks might be short staffed today. 


I would think the National Parks would rely somewhat on the USGS to understand the rocks themselves and the US Army Corp to understand the designs of our national buildings/monuments and their stress points.


Heat is a very big deal.


...The white Maryland marbles (click title to entry - thank you) were the first building stones to be shipped in quantity into Washington by rail. After 1840, as the expanding railway system increased the accessibility of stone from other parts of the country, the use of local building stone declined although Seneca sandstone continued to be shipped down the C&O Canal until the 1890's. The Federal Government contracted for marble from a quarry in Hawkins County, Tenn., in 1848. Marble from this quarry, one of the first areas in the country where marble was quarried commercially, was used in many buildings in Washington, most notably in three interior stairways in the wings of the Capitol built around 1855. Marble from Lee, Mass., was also used in the two wings of the Capitol built in the mid - 1850's. The columns of these wings are made from Maryland marble.


Starting in the 1850's, granite quarried at Dix Island, Maine, was shipped by sea to Washington and was used for facings and columns in the Treasury Building. Granites from New England, Georgia, and North Carolina and marbles from Vermont, Tennessee, and Georgia were used for almost all government buildings after the Civil War until the First World War....

Joe Walsh doesn't like women in general. He never got along with his wife and then never paid support.

At this meeting with constituents he attacks Senator John McCain stating he should have retired fifteen years ago.


At 07:00 Walsh becomes physically aggressive against a woman constituent. Following that when a man starts to take the same point of view he starts yelling at the constituents. Joe Walsh has a short fuse. But, it is only the woman constituent that is physically confronted when her views are different than his.


Joe Walsh has no respect for women. His voting record reflects that. His attacks on Tammy Duckworth are nearly expected. He has no respect for people in the military involved with government and no respect for government.

By Katherine SkibaTribune reporter

10:22 p.m. CDT, July 3, 2012

Republican Rep. Joe Walsh (click title to entry - thank you) came under Democratic fire Tuesday over remarks that appeared to question whether challenger Tammy Duckworth, a Black Hawk helicopter pilot who lost her legs in combat in Iraq, was a "true hero."

Duckworth's campaign called the comments an insult to veterans, while Walsh insisted that his words were being distorted and that he indeed believed she was a war hero....

Rep. Joe Walsh is rude. He likes being rude and he believes being rude is showing he is a tough guy. I'll tell you want being a tough guy is. A tough guy is fighting for your country, losing both your legs, coming home without bitterness and then seek to be elected to the USA Congress to continue to make a difference. 


Tough is being a woman setting an example for other women and being an icon for young women. Tough is being proud of the country you fought for and not being ashamed to talk about it.


Joe Walsh is not a tough guy, he is a rude and nasty man that expresses some real hostility toward women while being as irresponsible as any man could be to an estranged spouse trying to raise his children alone and without support.


Mr. Walsh needs to stick to the issues and his record. He needs to stop attacking Tammy Duckworth's character because the truth be known, he has no character to speak of at all. If elections were held tomorrow and moral character were the only measure of worthiness, he wouldn't get one vote. So, he needs to move on from cutting down heroes in the USA.

Millionaire Donald Trump didn't ask Justice Roberts for his birth certificate? Amazing.

I apologize for the link to Murdoch's FOX and Friends at the title to this entry, but, they are the only ones covering this junk.

Donald Trump does come out of his tower when he wants to have an irrational hissy fit.

To Trump everything is politics. The Supreme Court Justices enjoy a lifetime appointment. Chief Justice Roberts had no reason to make a ruling about the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act with a political deference. Just once I would love to hear real logic come from Trump, but, when one lives his life making money when other people lose to the odds there is no reason to be logical or moral for that reason.

By MJ LEE 

7/2/12 8:37 AM EDT

Donald Trump is leaving no stone unturned in his criticism of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Robert’s vote to uphold President Barack Obama’s health care law, calling the decision “extremely disloyal” and accusing the justice of wanting to be “loved by the Washington establishment.”

“It’s a disaster and obviously it would have been better if it was knocked out, but Justice Roberts wanted to be loved by the Washington establishment. And by the way, he is now loved,” Trump said on “Fox & Friends” Monday morning. “Because the way they’re talking about him, it’s unbelievable. So he is a beloved man to the liberals and to the Washington establishment."...

Did you hear about the lie regarding President Obama in Paris for the Fourth of July. I'll tell you what, even if it were true I would not have a problem with that because The Revolutionary War may not have been won if the French weren't our ally. If one 4th of July by one USA President was actually held in Paris, it might be very appropriate and a show of gratitude long overdue. 


Millionaire Donald Trump OWES Chief Justice Roberts an apology.


Who does he think he is, an ex-apprentice?


The Plutocrats really do want to own the country. They want their entitlements their way.

The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land.

The new Republican argument against The Affordable Care Act has no validity with voters. They are debating the idea the fee is a tax and therefore what?  If the RNC thinks they are developing still another wedge issue of the fact the fee is a tax to show President Obama is a tax man, they are wasting their time. I don't even know why they are going down that path. It is not important.

President Obama does not want the Bush Tax Cuts renewed. They expire at midnight of New Years Eve 2012 and good riddance. The USA needs to address the National Debt and not The Bush Tax Cuts. We need permanent Income Tax Reform.


I do believe President Obama advocates The Buffet Rule. That is a tax.


Shhhh....I guess the Republicans haven't figures that out yet.

published online: 7/3/2012

By NOAM N. LEVEY
Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - In the wake (click title to entry - thank you) of the Supreme Court's decision to largely uphold President Obama's health care law, a majority of Americans now want to put the fight over the Affordable Care Act behind them, a new national survey indicates. 

Fifty-six percent of Americans believe opponents of the law should "stop trying to block its implementation and instead move on to other national problems," according to the poll by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. 

By contrast, just 38 percent said those opposed to the Affordable Care Act should "continue trying to block the law from being implemented."...

It is not a child's sport. It is a dangerous sport.

...Jet skis and other personal watercraft (click here) also offer plenty of fun during summer months. However, as designed many jet skis and personal watercraft have inherent flaws which can lead to serious injuries and death. Many jet skis are grossly overpowered and often come to be out-of-control in the hands of inexperienced or younger riders. This creates risks not only for the users, but for those in the area. The problem is further exasperated if the jet ski does not automatically deactivate. Another concern with many jet-propelled watercraft is the water propulsion system itself. When users are thrown from or fall off such jet skis, the water from the jet propulsion system can cause severe orifice and internal damage....


According to the Coast Guard the number one accident types is collision with another vehicle and personal watercraft, such as jet skies ranks second in causing deaths right behind open motorboats. In 2011, personal watercraft caused 44 deaths including 18 drownings and 764 injuries. (click title to entry - thank you)


Eighty-two (82) of deaths are caused by vessels less than 16 feet in length. The greatest number of deaths are between the ages of 36 to 55 with greater than 55 coming in second. Oddly enough overconfidence can cause greater numbers of death. The greatest number of deaths in this group have 101 to 500 hours of experience. The largest number of deaths occur with one person on the vehicle, with two persons on board having the second highest number of deaths. Personal watercraft causes 41% of all deaths.


Accident, casualty and damage, including property damage resulted annually is $52,198,658.


Personal watercraft cause (these are ranked by frequency) broken bone(s), bruise, lacerations, sprain, concussion, internal organ injury, dislocation, spinal cord injury, shock, amputation(s), burns and hypothermia. Due to the fact these watercraft are open air there is no carbon monoxide concerns. 

Alcohol contributes to 16 percent of all deaths and 8 percent of all injuries. Seriously, alcohol causes twice as many deaths than injuries. Alcohol is not the primary reason for these incidents, though. Drug use is virtually non-existent in the statistics. The leading reason for danger is 'improper lookout.'


Improper Lookout is defined by the USA Coast Guard as: "Just as an operator must pay attention, it is also imperative to keep a proper lookout." In other words, a personal watercraft operator has to pay attention to where the vehicle is steered and what is in the water ahead of the path. The problem with these vehicles, similarly with snowmobiles, the speed over takes the operators ability to maintain good lookout. The machine has more capacity for movement than the operator's ability to keep up with that capacity.


Have a safe holiday. People tend to mimic what their leadership does. Please be careful when boating. The best enjoyment of a holiday are memories and returning home safe and sound to talk about it with friends and family. No one needs a thrill a second. All anyone needs fun.

The Andy Griffith Show: Andy Discovers America - Season 3, Episode 23 (1...

Andy Griffith is a North Carolina icon. He will be missed in that state.

He received the President's Medal of Freedom. He was born and died in North Carolina and is a favorite son.


He and Ron Howard were always in touch with each other regarding family.

Andy Griffith liked the Democrats and was featured in commercials with winning Governor's Mike Easley and Bev Purdue. He spoke at both their inauguration ceremonies. He was onced asked to run against Jessie Helms, but, declined the request. He also promoted Medicare with ads for seniors.


It is well known within The Andy Griffith Show there is a town called Mount Pilot. It was adapted from the famous icon of North Carolina Pilot Mountain. The theme of the show was very much 'tiny town' USA where everyone knew each other, tolerated each other in joy of living and honored each other by upholding moral values.



Andy Griffith was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The town enjoys that iconic status with an annual celebration called, "Mayberry Days." This year Mayberry Days is in September from the 27th to the 30th.


Mayberry Days (click here) is a festival for the whole family with activities and events for the fans who long for the days when life was simple and the sheriff didn't carry a gun. Enjoy a bottle of pop while playing checkers, relax to music from many local bands playing the same songs that Andy grew up with and performed on The Andy Griffith Show. There is so much to do during the festival such as watching the parade, meeting the Special Guests, laughing at Colonel Tim's Talent Time, placing the high bid at a Silent Auction or taking in all of the music at the many venues. Remember to to take time to slow down and enjoy what Mayberry means to you.


Kenneth "Otis" Junkin and David Browning "The Mayberry Deputy" on parade.


While Andy Griffith was best known for his role in the town of Mayberry, he had a very distinguished, interesting acting career. While playing the Sheriff of Mayberry his training showed through. He was adaptable to many tones throughout the TV series. He was the most flexible of all the characters and why the show revolved around him.

...If he had done nothing else, “The Andy Griffith Show” was great, (click title to entry - thank you) enduring television. On the surface, it was about a bunch of rubes in small-town North Carolina and their comic situations. But everybody who watched the show knew it was really about friendship, family, and doing the right thing. It was very smart, and it was very funny. There are many  reasons why it has endured for a half-century in reruns while so many other shows came and went without leaving footprints.

The folks of Mayberry had their flaws, flaws they couldn’t always recognize in themselves. In other words, they were like all of us. But when push came to shove, they always looked out for each other. It was something viewers connected to no matter where they lived. And it’s a hard to imagine a more likeable pairing of actors could ever exist than Griffith and Don Knotts....


Andy Griffith was genuine. Andy Griffith was a one of a kind. Andy Griffith will be missed.

This is a great standard for an insurance company. I have had Allstate insurance in the past. I simply don't right now.

The 'standard' illustrated by this Allstate commercial is based in sound medical application. A child will seek comfort in happy thoughts when in distress. They are so adaptable and this is an incredible level of healing Allstate is illustrating.


In places I have worked it was 'standard practice' to have donated plush toys at hand when children were part of the landscape. I worked in a profession where discomfort and scary stuff was part of the child's experience. An adult world can be a very scary place for young minds and hearts. Toys and play are a very important aspect of caring for children.


I applaud Allstate for this standard in their practice. And to realize all the children survivors received this from Allstate is also a healthy bonding experience for those children. They have friends automatically when they can identify a familiar form of comfort in the Teddy Bear. The friends and Teddy Bears are an important part of healing. I thank Allstate for taking their practice that much more forward to an excellent result. They didn't have to do that, but, they did and it matters.

The deadliest year for tornadoes in the USA was 2011. (click title to entry - thank you)

...For this map shows the course of every single tornado that has hit the U.S. over the last six decades,...


The tone of the article is to warn those afraid of tornadoes to move their lives to the western part of the nation. There are many aspects to consider including flooding and other natural disasters occurring in the western part of the country. This map is helpful but I wish it were more interactive to allow viewing of the dynamic on a year by year analysis. I still find it very helpful.


The graphs in the left lower corner shows statistics, but, not annual analysis. They are good graphs and helpful. 


Noted in eastern part of the map are dark areas where tornadoes are less dense. Those are the mountains.  


Florida is really interesting. The state illustrates tornado activity except for the Everglades where higher water vapor exists. The water vapor dissipates the heat the fuels the tornadoes. If one will note, in the Tornado Map above, there is a straight line across the entire center of the State of Florida. The straight line goes from the Space Coast to the Gulf Coast. 


Climate folks already know where this discussion is going. I mentioned the other day, it is up to the cities to protect their citizens from the extreme heat we are seeing these days and mentioned the idea of plant gardens dominating the sides of buildings and large open fountains and waterfalls adding water vapor to the atmosphere in the cities. I called the cities Heat Islands. 


Central Florida has a large populous with roads connecting them. It is very commercial. I know because I have traveled that area when my children were younger. We went to the Space Coast, Orlando and then to a lazy little town on the Gulf Coast called Cedar Keys. So, there is a lot of concrete and asphalt in Central Florida.


There is a road running from east to west in Central Florida, it is Route 50. I prefer that road rather than the interstates. Route 50 can be noted in this map. To note also are the other major highways in and out of this area. 


The point to all this is clear. The map at the top of this entry is about the density of tornado occurrence in the past sixty years. Easily discerned in the eastern area of the USA there are 'cool spots' for that activity. It is easy to discern there are 'hot spots' for tornado activity on the same map. In Florida there is both. The most intense tornado activity in Florida clearly is in a place were 'heat islands' occur and their connecting infrastructure. The "Florida Dynamic" clearly shows why nature has to be appreciated over and above the infrastructure humans design as ways of 'living, working and getting around.' It is easiest to think about as a 'concrete footprint' and its result in providing high turbulence in the air temperatures CREATING dangers. 


The Central Florida Corridor proves human development of land is done very poorly and without reverence to the fact human beings are biological in need of a benevolent environment surrounding them. This reality is a every real aspect of the Climate Crisis which dictates the certainty of the fact Anthropogenic Global Warming is real and contributes in large measure to the Climate Crisis.