Yes ! Small Business has a home in Illinois ! Now, we have a country. Oh, yes we do !

Illinois State Rep. Mary E. Flowers 

The Community Bank Of Illinois: A Banking "Public Option"?

After the imprudent and possibly illegal behavior of America's largest banks sent the nation into a deep recession and necessitated a massive bailout at taxpayers' expense, Wall Street firms have rebounded nicely. In the first quarter of 2010, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and CitiGroup have all posted sizeable profits.

The same can't be said for many businesses on the South Side of Chicago, where financing is hard to come by and unemployment is staggeringly high. Residents fighting for their homes aren't getting much assistance either, as banks spend more of their time fighting sensible foreclosure prevention bills than refinancing home loans. "A lot of people are angry and upset," said Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) in an interview last week. "The people of the state don't feel like we've gotten much of anything out of the deal."...

Dr. Cavuto and Senator Byron Dorgan had a nice chat about issues facing the country and legislature

The language that was engaged during that conversation was broader in scope, didn't have 'catch phrases' and opened the door to wider issues and discussion.  When Mr. Cavuto engages Republicans the language is limited and the focus specific to deliver messages rather than opening conversation and discussion.  

If the Murdoch media would review the difference in those exchanges and realize the limited language they use, they might understand better why their 'messaging' can trigger behavioral reaction rather than engagement of conversation.

Violence with animals is a criminal act in all fifty states.

Dog Fight State Law Fact Sheets (click here)

First Amendment Rights are important and documentaries help bring such issues to light.  If the law was too draconian then it needs to be written again with protections for 'appropriate' use of such visual cues.

One aspect of this that cannot be forgotten is the very real fact that some killers learn their lessons at an early age from seeking pleasure where no pleasure should be found.  

A civilized society should have pride in the 'quality' of its entertainment.  

The more distance there is between humans and cruel treatment, the less likely a nation will find problems with such issues.  The American society has enough violence in its entertainment and children are exposed to it, we don't have to go out of our way to make more available to young minds.

All such videos should have a category of worse than XXX.  Extreme cruelty and violence should be categorized in a highly restrictive manner along with sexually cruel videos of women.  

Where such trade finds its way into the American culture there should be restrictions.  Not every aspect of commerce is desirable.  

In the case of Mr. Stevens, he personally made the videos, he still broke the law.  The only aspect of his crimes that were removed from his criminal behavior was the aspect of commerce.  The actual acts that resulted in the successful film for distribution were still criminal.

...The ruling was a victory for Robert Stevens of Virginia, (click title to entry - thank you) who made and sold three videos of pit bulls fighting each other and attacking hogs and wild boars....

There is no dignity in Wall Street. All the investment banks suffered declines in their stock prices with the announcement by the SEC.

Yet with increased revenues facilitated by the USA Treasury, Goldman Sachs can't simply own up to the crimes against the people of this country?

I realize the legislation that bailed out the financial giants within the boundaries of the USA stated there would be no criminal prosecution of anyone involved, however, with a civil suit filed to recognize the tyrannical nature of these investment banks, they have absolutely no humility in their wrong doing.  

That really is a crime.  A moral crime.  They won't own up to any of it and only seek to exonerate their egotistic righteousness at any cost.  

How can any political party justify deregulating a financial market place as immoral and corrupt as this one?  Kindly explain how any elected official at any level of government actually finds enough virtue in this commodity within the USA Economy to actually believe there could never be a government infrastructure sufficiently engaged to stop the level of risk to every citizen when everyone knows they 'play to the risk' while keeping in mind they have safeguards to fall back on?  Where does that justification come from?

Imagine a plutocracy made of nothing but these bozos.  Now, tell me that citizens of countries would be safe in their day to day lives with men such as this in control of market outcomes.  I want someone, maybe Chief Justice Roberts.  I want someone to completely justify a society dominated by this level of immorality. 

Very nice additon to the news today. Thank you.

Civil rights leader Dorothy Height dies at 98

As a nation we cannot deny our past, but, we can repent from it.

Iceland exists because of volcanos. One day at a time. One hour at a time. The airline industry doesn't have emergency protocols?

Iranian cleric 'blames quakes on promiscuous women'

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Wind Chime) is warming :

Arctic Circle investigates the impact of global warming in the north (click title to entry - thank you)

Posted by digitalhome on April 19, 2010 

In some of the world’s most desolate and stunning locations, the damaging impact of human activity is evident; climate change is hitting the Arctic harder and faster than any other region on Earth. Although the North may seem remote from the population centres of the world, this sensitive ecosystem is already under tremendous pressure from the build-up of carbon in our atmosphere.
This week, Discovery HD presents “Arctic Circle”, (click here) a two-part documentary series co-produced by the National Film Board of Canada and NHK Japan takes a look at the impact man is having on the north.
In part one “On Thin Ice”, the show, shot entirely in high definition, chronicles the effects of climate change on Arctic land and animal inhabitants and meets an international team of scientists who are vividly demonstrating how global warming threatens the very existence of polar bears, seals and other creatures.
In part two, “Battle for the Pole”, the show looks at an international race to claim mineral resources below the Arctic seabed and the long term impact it could have on the Arctic environment and its inhabitants.
Part one and two of Arctic Circle airs on Discovery HD on April 21st and 28th at 7pm ET.
Discuss in Digital Home’s What’s on Canadian Specialty Television discussion forum.

Local Time  ::  2:36 AM AKDT (GMT -  08)

Lat./Lon.  ::  58.8 degrees North / 137 degrees West

Elevation  ::  33 feet

Temperature  ::  43 degrees Fahrenheit

Condtions  ::  Overcast

Windchill  ::  41 degrees Fahrenheit

Humidity  ::  87%

Dew Point  ::  39 degrees Fahrenheit

Wind  ::  4mph from the Northwest

Pressure  ::  29.70 inches (steady)

Visibility  ::  10.0 miles

UV  ::  0 out of  16

Clouds  ::  Mostly Cloudy

                  Overcast  5500 feet

                 (Above Ground Level)

The solution of any cyber attack on the energy grid. Jeeze ! Hello America?

Murdoch is pushing buttons. Are we going to have hospitals under seige now?

Public safety personnel swarm the patient discharge exit of Parkwest Medical Center after a shooting Monday, April 19, 2010 in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Knoxville News Sentinel, Michael Patrick)

 By Beth Rucker

Associated Press Writer / April 19, 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—A gunman took a taxi to a hospital Monday and then opened fire, killing a woman and injuring two others before committing suicide, police said....

...Police are still trying to determine a motive, but it did not appear that any of the victims were related to the suspect or that there was any connection between them, spokesman Darrell DeBusk said. Police also didn't think the suspect was ever employed at the hospital....

There is ONE CONNECTION and only one, the CULTURE OF HATE !!!!!!!!!!

Liars, liars, pants on fire. Representative Gingrey has decided it is okay to 'spin' the Murdoch lies to increase fear of the Obama Administration.

Today during the Cavuto hour on Murdoch's network the lies of the Right Wing Republicans took on a new trejectory.

It stated last week with the "Fear Zone" with O'Reilly and it is continuing this week with the 'Infotainers' of the Murdoch political war machine.

Robert Gibbs this morning clearly stated there is no National Sales Tax (Value Added Tax) in the works.  Yet.  The Murdoch network is promoting that as if a realty.

They have no balanced approach to such a subject as the nations of Europe that have such a tax are far smaller than the USA both in geographic area and population and do not have the tax base of the USA.

The entire subject is closed and there is no further reason to discuss it as if it is a reality by this administration.

Murdoch does nothing than propagate lies and the public gets confused regarding the issues.  This is a news organization to value?  Could have fooled me.
 

Tax writer Levin: Bank tax weighed but no VAT  (click title to entry - thank you)

(Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers are still mulling a tax on banks to recoup government bailout funds but a value-added tax was a nonstarter, the acting chairman of the tax-writing panel in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Monday.

The idea of a value-added tax, or VAT, has gained attention recently after Paul Volcker, an adviser to President Barack Obama, repeated his backing for it.
Republicans have been blasting Democrats for suggesting new taxes, citing the VAT in some cases, but the top House tax-writer said it would not get support.
"I've heard almost nobody within our ranks discuss it," Representative Sander Levin, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee told a press lunch in Washington, saying if it did come up it would be a "goner."
He also said that Obama officials did not seem to be seriously considering a VAT....

Iran's Nuclear Summit - Annouced the day after President Obama convened the USA summit.

Iran lashes out at U.S. during Tehran nuclear summit 

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls the U.S. the world's 'only nuclear scofflaw' for its advocating of arms control while having a huge stockpile and for accepting Israel's atomic arsenal.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-iran-nukes18-2010apr18,0,3590707.story

I think we need to hold the participants of the Iranian Nuclear Summit to their promises.  That includes NO enrichment facilities.  

 There must be a clear definition to PEACEFUL USE OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY.  That definition MUST include no enrichment facilities.  It is an overt sign of a peaceful intention.

The IAEA must make recommendations for the modification to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to include the definition of peaceful use as demonstrated by lack of enrichment facilities.  Otherwise, it is obvious there is military aspirations intended.  There has to be that delineation, otherwise, there is too much uncertainty and covert activity, including the exclusion of IAEA inspections.

Tehran summit calls for nuclear disarmament  

Published 18 April, 2010, 21:37

As a nuclear summit in Tehran drew to a close on Sunday, the participants agreed on the need to observe the three tenets of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Non-proliferation, disarmament and the right to peacefully use nuclear technology are the three pillars of the treaty that Iran’s foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, stressed during his closing statement after a two-day conference attended by nearly 60 international experts and delegates.

Mottaki also stressed that the treaty was in a need of a “fresh perspective.” “This is the common opinion of all the conference participants,” Mottaki added.

http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-04-18/iran-tehran-nuclear-summit.html

The Republican Crackpots are still on the loose only this time its financial reform.

April 18, 2010

McConnell: There's a bailout fund in current Wall St. reform bill

Posted: April 18th, 2010 12:01 PM ET

The Republicans are bent out of shape because the new financial reform bill allows for 'bailout fund.'  Perhaps McConnell and Bohner (AKA Boner !) would like to roll back the FDIC as well.

The 'bailout fund' will work extremely similar to the FDIC concept, but, it bails out the banks instead.  The difference is that depositors are not the focus.  FDIC, as most adults in the USA know, provides insurance for depositors of banks.  It has been used widely in the past.  The funds in the FDIC was used to bailout the Savings and Loans during "H.W." years in the White House because Neil Bush had managed to push the S&Ls over the edge while Dad was in the White House.

But, the FDIC has paid depositors of hundreds (I don't think it ever reached a thousand.  Maybe, but, I don't recall that as the truth.) of banks in the last Bush Money Scandal of 2008, that included Goldman Sachs' Paulson, then USA Treasury Secretary.  In case folks forgot, they are REPUBLICANS.  Corrupt.  REPUBLICANS.

At any rate, the 'Bank Bailout Fund' will be accumulated by deposits to the fund by the banks themselves.  I have no doubt as soon as the REPUBLICANS can get back a majority of power again, the same thing will happen when they rollback protections of consumers enough to allow a scouring of the new 'bailout fund.'  The banks will 'play' to that end, no different than a gambler that can't find a bus ticket out of a casino.

33 States Reported Job Growth in March

Republicans don't believe in science and scientists? Everyone during the birth of the country did.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin

Page 23 of The Correspondence of Richard Price, Volume II: March 1778–February 1786 speaks about Dr. Franklin in detail.  

Benjamin Franklin was a scientist.  He studied oceanography and was the first to predict the arrival of ships to and from Great Britain.

John Boehner is a crackpot and a threat to human life on Earth.  It is all about crony money and nothing else.

60 votes needed in the Senate, Lisa.  SIXTY. 

...House Minority Leader John Boehner (click title to entry) of Ohio and other key Republicans plan to unveil a formal resolution that would effectively veto EPA's "endangerment" finding. That determination, issued last December, finds that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare, and allows EPA to move forward with a suite of rules aimed at curbing those emissions....

There are reports of interruption in communications and satellite signals, KLM better be cautious. (click title to entry - thank you)

It is North American Plate.  It is pushing everything around.  Earthquakes and now this.   It is a huge land mass and it simply lost its ice anchor.  Welcome to the Climate Crisis.

 

Volcano in Iceland is more than active  (click here)

In brief: Icelandic volcano continues to bear more and more problems to the Europeans, activity of volcano grows.

...Flights canceled, many airports are closed, there were problems with the satellite signal and communication....

Illustration of Mid-Atlantic Ridge from USGS  (click here)

I don't know what the Senate will do without him? Anyone else would gladly give up the job.

I believe if DC is to have its own Representation, but, prefers to regulate gun control, it is a matter of extending a 'State's Rights' provision, in that, it should have the self determination power of any other 'entity' that has federal representation.  

There should not be an elected federal authority for DC that is controlled easily by legislative pressures.  There would be no other federal elected official within the voting body that would have dictates upon them by federal regulation.  It is a prejudice that should not hold up to judicial scrutiny.

Or/Also, once there was an elected official from DC in a federal legislative body, that person could add an amendment to reverse the previous 'gun bias.'  Either way, it is still risky business until authority were returned to DC as if it were a State.

...The Senate took up legislation early in Mr. Obama's presidency that would expand the House of Representatives to 437 members. One member would represent Washington, D.C., and the other would represent Utah -- bringing that state's number of representatives from three to four. This move brought some bipartisan support to the bill since members expected D.C to elect a Democrat and Utah to elect a Republican.

The bill changed dramatically when the Senate added an amendment to its D.C. Voting Rights bill sponsored by Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) that would force the District of Columbia to weaken its gun control laws. It stated that the District of Columbia could not "unduly burden" residents from owning guns. That amendment passed 62 to 36 in February 26, 2009, and the entire bill passed the Senate that same day.

Adding that language stalled efforts in the House to bring the voting bill to the floor. The move outraged the Washington City Council, the mayor and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (the city's non-voting delegate in the House).

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has been asked repeatedly by local press since that time when the House would take up the measure. He was forced time after time to give the same answer that they were working on a compromise, but no deal was imminent.

Anti-gun Democrats, including Norton herself, now accept that November elections are coming fast and this may be the last chance for some time to pass the bill. "There is nothing left to do but make the hard decision," Norton said in a statement. "I believe residents would not want us to pass up this once-in-a-life-time opportunity for the vote they have sought for more than two centuries."...

Nevada casino winnings jump 14 percent in February

Harry Reid (b. 1939) is an influential United States Senator from Nevada and former chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission.

Born in Searchlight, Nevada, Reid attended high school in Henderson before getting a bachelor's degree from Utah State University. After graduating from George Washington University law school, Reid worked as an attorney before embarking on a career in politics. Serving as a state assemblyman in the late 1960s, Reid was catapulted onto a larger state with his 1970s election as lieutenant governor.

Reid, a Democrat, was chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1977 to 1982, when he was elected to the House of Representatives. Four years later, he moved to the Senate, where he held a succession of leadership position, culminating in his 2006 elevation as Majority Leader of the Senate.

Throughout his public life, Reid has been a voice in Nevada and on Capitol Hill for the hundreds of thousands of people whose jobs are supported by gaming entertainment, and for communities where gaming entertainment provides a strong economic foundation.

2008 - House makes progress, Senate a bust

The House of Representatives in 2008
proved to be a true ally to liberals,
passing an extraordinary amount of good
legislation only to be stymied by a small
band of Republican obstructionists in the
Senate....

2007 - Even before there was Obama, Harry Reid was seeking to bring the military home from Iraq.

Posted: Thursday, September 06, 2007 3:29 PM by Mark Murray

Senate leaders are likely to move a defense measure on the week of the 17th that essentially calls for a withdrawal to begin later this year, but drops language that would require completion by April 30, 2008. "We are not backing off anything," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters today, while adding in the next breath that "we need 60 votes" -- a threshold that they have been repeatedly unable to meet this year on war votes. "There is nothing off the table on Iraq," he said.


The sixty vote threshold has been an issue.  It inhibited the 2006 Democratic majority and it is a problem yet today.  The health care vote brought focus to it, but, it was there as an issue the entire time.