Paula Broadwell is not an amanuensis

If all Petraeus needed was a copier of manuscripts, they could have hired a monk and probably should have.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2012, 3:04 PM

A senior U.S. military official (click here) says the author who had an affair with David Petraeus sent harassing emails to a woman who was the State Department's liaison to the military's Joint Special Operations Command.

The official says 37-year-old Jill Kelley in Tampa, Fla., received the emails from Petraeus biographer Paula Broadwell that triggered an FBI investigation....

...The FBI probe began several months ago with a complaint against Broadwell. That investigation led to Broadwell's email account, which uncovered the relationship with Petraeus.

The FBI had to investigate harassment that could have turned into deadly attacks.

Nowak Family / AP

Astronaut Lisa Nowak and her husband Rich pose with their twin daughters on the occasion of the babies' baptisms in the spring of 2002 in Houston.

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
UPDATED: 11:37 EST, 29 July 2011
...Nowak (click here) had flown on the Space Shuttle Discovery in July 2006, working as a robotics arm operator during space walks.

Seven months later, she got into her husband's blue BMW, drove nearly 1,000 miles from Houston to Orlando - allegedly using diapers along the way so she wouldn't have to stop - stalked Shipman throughout the airport and then attacked her in a darkened parking lot.

Nowak denies that she actually wore the diapers.

The attack concerned the affections of fellow astronaut and U.S. Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, who had broken up with Nowak after he met Shipman.

Nowak was fired from NASA shortly after the attack, while the U.S. Navy ended Oefelein's ties to the space agency.

Oefelein and Shipman subsequently retired from the military and married ocala.com reports.

Nowak and her husband, Richard, divorced in 2008....

It is Sunday Night

"Minority" by Green Day (click title for link to website. Billy Joe is hospitalized and the band has a message there.)

I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority

I pledge allegiance to the world
One nation under none
There of which I stand alone
A face in the crowd
Unsung, against the mold
Without a doubt
Singled out
The only way I know

'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority

Stepped out of the line
Like a sheep runs from the herd
Marching out of time
To my own beat now
The only way I know

One light, one mind
Flashing in the dark
Blinded by the silence of a thousand broken hearts
"For crying out loud", she screamed unto me
A free for all
Free 'em all
You are your own sight

'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority

One light, one mind
Flashing in the dark
Blinded by the silence of a thousand broken hearts
"For crying out loud", she screamed unto me
A free for all
Free 'em all
You are your own sight

'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority

be the minority
I want to be the minority
be the minority
I want to be the minority

Veterans Day is not just about the dead. The honor belongs to Memorial Day.

A large sub-population of the homeless in the USA are Veterans.

Profile of the Sheltered Homeless Individual Veterans (SHIV) (click here)

Veterans are overrepresented among the homeless population:

In 2010, Veterans account for 10 percent of the total adult population and 16 percent of 
the homeless adult population.  However, Veterans comprised 13 percent of sheltered 
homeless adults in 2010 and 16 percent of homeless adults at a given point in time.

Secretary Shinseki has brought these studies forward to make a difference in the lives of these Veterans. They should never be ignored. For two consecutive years, 2009 and 2010, there are disproportionate populations of Veterans that are homeless and alone.

Secretary Shinseki has dedicated time and treasure to improving the lives of our Veterans, it is time for Congress to realize this is a sub-population of the homeless in the USA that is simply not acceptable. The Veterans in these dire circumstances receive food stamps, shelter and disability income from the USA federal government. It is time for Congress to show gratitude to these soldiers that stand the line of protecting our sovereignty. They are important people, they have always been important people and allowing homelessness is no way to express our gratitude.

We used to have a GI Bill of Rights that offered home ownership as a reward to their service, it is time that occurs again.

United States Department of Veterans Affairs
National Center for Veteran Analysis and Statistics (click here)

The homeless population of Veterans is not the only statistic we know about the people defending our nation.

The location of the Myanmar earthquake is near a fault.

Summary (click here)

Location and Magnitude contributed by: USGS, NEIC, Golden, Colorado (and predecessors)

General

1000 km

1000 mi

Powered by Leaflet

Myanmar
23.014°N, 95.883°E
Depth: 9.8km (6.1mi)

Event Time

1. 2012-11-11 01:12:38 UTC
2. 2012-11-11 07:42:38 UTC+06:30 at epicenter
3. 2012-11-10 20:12:38 UTC-05:00 system time

Location

23.014°N 95.883°E depth=9.8km (6.1mi)

Nearby Cities

1. 52km (32mi) NNE of Shwebo, Myanmar
2. 64km (40mi) W of Mogok, Myanmar
3. 116km (72mi) N of Mandalay, Myanmar
4. 124km (77mi) NNW of Maymyo, Myanmar
5. 362km (225mi) N of Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

The region has seen devastating events due to earthquakes. 

Mr. Entwhistle should have done the 'honorable thing' BEFORE he used his power to victimize others.

...In a brief statement outside Broadcasting House (click here) in London last night, Mr Entwistle said that he had decided to do the “honourable thing” and step down from his post.

“When appointed to the role, with 23 years’ experience as a producer and leader at the BBC, I was confident the trustees had chosen the best candidate for the post, and the right person to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead,” he said.

“However the wholly exceptional events of the past few weeks have led me to conclude that the BBC should appoint a new leader.”

Standing alongside him, the chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten said it was “one of the saddest evenings of my public life”.

A clearly emotional Lord Patten, who chose Mr Entwistle for the role, said that he had paid the price for the “unacceptable shoddy journalism” on Newsnight. “He has behaved as editor with huge honour and courage and would that the rest of the world always behaved the same,” he said....

Anti-government Iranian Blogger tortured to death.

Mr Beheshti reportedly complained of being threatened the day before his arrest

...Sattar Beheshti, 35, was arrested (click here) in his home on October 30, rights groups said, after receiving death threats due to his anti-government blog. He died in custody, possibly as a result of torture, Amnesty International said in a statement last week.

On Sunday, deputy parliament speaker Mohammad Hassan Abu-Torabi Fard said a special committee would investigate Beheshti's death, according to the Mehr news agency.

"The national security and foreign policy committee of Parliament has investigated this topic and has formed a committee in this regard," Abu-Torabi Fard was quoted as saying by Mehr.

Conservative and outspoken lawmaker Ahmad Tavakoli, who represents Tehran, criticized Iran's judiciary for being silent on Beheshti's death....

Iran has withdrawn from Non-Proliferation talks begun in 2010. Unfortunately, Iranian politically moderate citizens were viewed by the First World as a hope for the country. It would seem as though the hope for Iran is being removed from its citizenry. I hope this is not a growing trend with the Iranian government.

...The meeting — to be held in Helsinki, Finland, by year's end (click here) — was on shaky ground since it was agreed to in 2010 by the 189 member nations of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Its key sponsors were the U.S., Russia and Britain, but they said such as meeting was only possible if all countries — especially Israel —agreed to attend....

Let me guess. Another natural gas disaster.

For some odd reason the media isn't reporting it as a natural gas explosion. 

Interesting. Across the board there is no reporting of the natural gas explosion. None.

I take it the flames were extinguished after the gas line was shut down.

It is amazing how potent the power of the petroleum industry is in the USA. Let me guess, the gas leak came through the kitchen sink which was dripping.

By RICK CALLAHAN Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS November 11, 2012 (AP)

A deafening explosion (click here) that leveled two homes and set two others ablaze forced about 200 people from a devastated Indianapolis neighborhood overnight. Authorities said one body was recovered after the flames were extinguished from the blast that shattered windows, crumpled walls and did other damage to dozens of other homes....
...Complicating the pre-dawn search of the neighborhood, authorities did not know definitively how many people were in the neighborhood when the blast occurred. "People scattered when all this happened, so we're not really sure how many people we're looking for," Hensley said.
Bryan and Trina McClellan were at home their 23-year-old son Eric when the shock wave from the blast a block away shuddered through their home. It knocked the windows out along one side of their home and their first instinct was to check on their two toddler grandchildren in the basement. One was holding his ears and saying "Loud noise, loud noise."...

continued...

There is a culture of substance abuse at his military base.

By KIRK JOHNSON

Published: November 10, 2012

...Witnesses earlier (click here) in the week talked about the blood-soaked clothes that Sergeant Bales was seen wearing when he returned to his base in Kandahar and his comments to fellow soldiers about having done “the right thing.” There was also testimony about the test for steroids in his system that came back positive three days after the killings.....

There needs to be further investigation into the cultural abuse of steroids among these soldiers. Evidently, they believe they have to be Super-Soldiers to survive the fronts in Afghanistan. It is a mental health issues.

"All In" - Is this for real? What kind of joke is this? Oh, my god, his poor wife.

Please tell me, the USA military didn't pay his mistress while she estranged the man from his family. 

I am sorry, but, she is unprofessional, has no serious boundaries. He is a very interesting man, but, where were her ethics as a journalist and author about a Five Star General. Please don't tell me the USA military provided her with security clearance. Please tell me every man along the way didn't become gaga over her legs, right? Seriously. Hello? Are there any men that know how to protect this country?

How does anyone face his wife after this disaster in her life? This is terrible. I guarantee you this 'thesis' was paid for by the military budget.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (click title to entry - thank you)

This absentee ballot is taking on some brevity. Get this.

Absentee ballots crucial in judge race (click here)

November 9, 2012

By LEVI PASCHER - For the Enterprise

Despite reports Wednesday that there were four winners in the 11-county Fourth Judicial District's state Supreme Court race, one candidate says the final spot on the court is too close to call at this time.

Montgomery County Court Judge Felix Catena said today he leads family court magistrate John Ellis, of Tupper Lake, by only 61 votes.

"The numbers seem to be all over the place from the reporters to the board of elections," said Catena. "As far as we can tell, I am ahead of John Ellis by 61 votes."

Catena said the election results were much closer than previously reported.

According to Catena, he is ahead of John Ellis 135,616 to 135,555....

The Veto Pen

We have danced this dance as Cinderella before, except, the Bush Tax Cuts end on midnight of December 31, 2012.

The House will never be able to enlist the Senate to override President Obama's Veto. 

The Republican House needs to stop acting like spoiled rich kids and get real.

By Mark Felsenthal and David Lawder

WASHINGTON | Fri Nov 9, 2012 4:48pm EST

(Reuters) - Newly re-elected President Barack Obama (click here) said on Friday he was prepared to compromise with Republicans to avert a looming U.S. fiscal calamity but insisted a tax increase for the rich must be part of any bargain.

Obama reminded Republicans that his approach to avoiding steep tax hikes and spending cuts due in January, which could trigger another recession, had just won the backing of Americans at the polls. His spokesman said he would veto any deal which did not include an extra contribution from the wealthiest.

Obama invited congressional leaders to the White House next Friday to discuss the issue, the most pressing challenge as the president starts his second term in office....

And Professor Krugman agrees. It must be a Nobel thing. It isn't easy to herd cats, but, no one said it was impossible.

OP-ED COLUMNIST

Let’s Not Make a Deal (click here)

...So President Obama has to make a decision, almost immediately, about how to deal with continuing Republican obstruction. How far should he go in accommodating the G.O.P.’s demands?

My answer is, not far at all. Mr. Obama should hang tough, declaring himself willing, if necessary, to hold his ground even at the cost of letting his opponents inflict damage on a still-shaky economy. And this is definitely no time to negotiate a “grand bargain” on the budget that snatches defeat from the jaws of victory....

The Republicans should avoid practicing politics at all cost to solve the nations' fiscal problems and get this done now. Seriously. The country is not in the mood for the gaming of the system anymore, regardless, of the hubris of a Koch Brother High by the GOP House. 

It is all laughable. Completely laughable. 

There is a lot of work to do including the Climate Crisis. It is time to get to work.

Sorry to hear he is leaving. He has given exceptional service to his country.

Nov 5, 2012 1:00 AM EST
1. Lead by example (click here) from the front of the formation. Take your performance personally—if you are proud to be average, so too will be your troops.

No doubt, retirement will enhance his relationship with his spouse. I wish them well.

Sounds as though Governor Cuomo needs to break up the utilities companies.

The Governor has an opportunity to identify the regions of the state underserved. He should disenfanchise the companies unable to provide good service and find smaller companies that can competently take over the responsiblity. I hope he does something to end the large corporations that are unable to provide expert service. 

Originally published: November 8, 2012 12:49 PM

Updated: November 8, 2012 6:57 PM
By LAURA FIGUEROA  laura.figueroa@newsday.com

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, calling the state's utility system "archaic and obsolete," continued to blast LIPA officials for a "failed" and slow-moving response, as tens of thousands of customers remained without power Thursday. News 12 Long Island (Nov. 8, 2012) (November 8, 2012 8:42 PM

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, (click here) describing the state's utility system as "archaic and obsolete," continued to blast LIPA officials for what he called a "failed" slow-moving response as tens of thousands of LIPA customers were still without power Thursday.

"They have failed the consumers," Cuomo said. "The management has failed consumers."

While 90 percent have power back since Sandy hit last Monday, Cuomo said it meant little to the 10 percent of customers still left in the dark....

It sounds like Iran is inching up on Kuwait air space.

The USA was involved in the Persian Gulf War I because of infringement on Kuwait. We do not want another incursion into an allies air space or otherwise. The USA has the responsibility of surveillance in regard to our allies. Iran has no right to interfer. We do not want another ground war over Kuwait. We also don't want jet confrontations with Iran rather than sending drones. The last time USA jets flew in this region regularly, it was to enforce a north and south no fly zone over Iraq. We don't want to go back there, again.

Posted November 9, 2012

11:00 AM (UTC-4)

Iran has confirmed a Pentagon report (click here) that two Iranian warplanes fired on an unarmed U.S. drone in the Persian Gulf last week.

Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi was quoted on the Iranian Students' News Organization website as saying that Iran's armed forces took action against an anonymous plane that entered the country's airspace – countering the Pentagon's contention that the U.S. aircraft was over international waters.

Iran also vowed to confront any other aircraft that enters its airspace. According to FARS news agency, Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Massoud Jazayeri said Iran would “give a decisive response to any aerial, ground or sea aggression.”

Pentagon spokesman George Little said Thursday that the unmanned Predator was outside Iranian waters on a routine classified surveillance mission on November 1 when an Iranian military plane fired at, and missed, the drone....

Iran needs practice more than they know. They need to practice on STAYING IN THEIR OWN AIR SPACE!!

Iran to hold air defence drill (click here)

Thursday November 08 2012

Iran's military is to hold "massive" air defence manoeuvres in the east, starting this weekend.

Farzad Esmaili, head of Iran's air defence headquarters, said the drill will include Iranian jet fighters, drones, air defence systems and about 8,000 troops.

He is quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying that the area of the war games will cover nearly the entire eastern half of Iran. The exercise will start on Saturday and last seven days....

Iran doesn't know how to conduct themselves with these exercises? They are playing with fire. Iran needs to conduct themselves as professionals and not type casting for Top Gun.

Speaker "Bay-Near" (as in the bay meets the ocean) has the tax increase completely "W"rong.

House Speaker John "Bay-Near" states he is relying on the ideas of Ernst and Young to stop any and all tax increases. He states there is going to be 700,000 jobs lost.

Ernst and Young (click here) is not the source of information we need. Ernst and Young is an accounting firm. It is Wall Street. Evidently, the Republicans were all set to turn the government into a private sector disaster if Romney were in the White House. I don't think so.

No one hates to say  this more than me, but, Bernanke may be doing something to help return function to the banking system. When purchasing toxic assets (which he wanted to do from the beginning in 2008 but never had the time to establish it) will provide room within the banking structure to lend to businesses to expand their markets and drive employment.

By Joshua Zumbrun - Sep 13, 2012 6:46 PM ET

...Bernanke is enlarging his supply of unconventional tools (click here) to attack unemployment stuck above 8 percent since February 2009, a situation he called a “grave concern.” The decision immediately provoked a renewed backlash from Republicans, including Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, who said Bernanke’s policies damage the Fed’s credibility while doing little to spur the economy.

The FOMC also said it would probably hold the federal funds rate near zero “at least through mid-2015.” Since January, the Fed had said the rate was likely to stay low at least through late 2014. The Fed said “a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate for a considerable time after the economic recovery strengthens.”

So, once again, the Republicans have it "W"rong and the USA needs to raise taxes on those most easy to pay them to PAY THE BILLS !!!

It would appear as though the liquidity of money to lend is a hurdle yet to be adequately addressed and perhaps this is the real progress we need. Bernanke wanted this earlier, but, never engaged it in a way that mattered before. The Republicans are wrong. There is no reason to wait to raise taxes. 

End the Bush Tax Cuts.

President Obama should never pull his punches on Cabinet Appointments

The USA needs wonderfully talented people to lead it's Executive Branch, Susan Rice is one of those people.

The controversy surrounding Benghazi, Libya is not about the truth or improving the circumstances of our ambassadors, it is about politics.

There are members of the Intelligence Community in the USA that have openly stated, the TIMELINE, of the Benghazi uprising was in line with the idea the film caused violence. The Egyptian riot at the USA Consulate started hours before the Benghazi attacks.

Ambassador Rice was more than correct in her assessment of the situation with the information available to her and the speculation by USA intelligence as being unable to rule out the film as an impetus to the violence. 

The fact there are organized militias in Libya allowed for what appeared to be al Qaeda, but, it has been proven to be something different. These militias, especially those of the extremists, were virtually unknown to global intelligence. They were spawned by the People's Revolution in Libya. 

Previous to the recent violence in the Middle East, the Salafists were always known to be pacifists within the conservative religions. This is a drastic change in their priorities. They have never been political or violent.

The attacks by the right wing political animals in the USA is about the elections of 2016 and the fact there is a Clinton at the top of the State Department. It has absolutely nothing to do with the United States and national security. It was about destroying the legitimacy of Secretary Clinton and any future political aspirations even though she has said otherwise. 

I know how these people work. The very high political directive of the Republicans is to destroy the brain trust of the Democrats and any other political opposition to their continued power grabs. Their attacks span decades, not simply within a political campaign for office.

President Obama needs to believe in his expertise and the people within his values for the USA. Ambassador Rice is every bit the qualified person she needs to be. She is well respected in the international community and brings a wonderful personality to her job. I encourage him to make the appointments and nominations he needs to for his new Cabinet. I am sure Secretary Clinton has her recommendations as well for her successor. 

I wish all well and thank Secretary Clinton for her dedication to her country. If political aspirations are to be her future I hope she reflects on those possibilities and makes the best decision for herself, her family and her country. 

We need the best, not just the politically acceptable.

Tribute to the Captain of the ship.

There is much chat about the emotional speech to the President's Re-election Staff. That is a bit of a window on his soul. He takes his place in history very seriously. He is alone. He knows the brevity of his decisions and the place where the American people find themselves. It isn't just about minorities. It is about the struggle. He accepted his place in the timeline that is this democracy. He cares about everyone of us. I know that for a fact. His policies have never been about anything except expanding the longevity of this democracy and the private industries within it. He is an incredible person. We are lucky he came to the decision to make his expertise count among us and not making a six or seven figure salary at a high end law firm touting their minority numbers. We are very lucky to have him. President Obama needs to continue to speak to the people that need him the most and setting the ship back on its course.

Karl Rove opposes freedom of speech while failing to satisfy customers.

Karl, Megan's question is "What can you do about that?"

Remember Karl, you are the guy with all the big bucks that can buy any election. So, in the face of failure, short of ending freedom of speech, what's the deal already?

Karl. Your million-billionaires were unable to destroy Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid in their bids. When will you learn there is a negative effect on Republican outcomes when you are involved?