40 passengers and crew died in Shanksville, Pennsylvania and visitors were moved by the news of the death of the perpetrator.

Rain falls on mementos left on the fence in Shanksville, Pennsylvania by visitors who came to look over the crash site of Flight 93 following the announcement that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in Pakistan May 2, 2011. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

...Carrying American flags and newspapers with headlines (click title to entry - thank you) blazing the news of Bin Laden's death, visitors said they were drawn to the crash site in Shanksville to remember those who are forever buried here and take pride in the fact that the man responsible for 9/11 was gone.

"This is one of the things that started the war on terror," said Joseph Osterman, 24, looking out over the abandoned coal mine where the Boeing 757 plunged into the ground almost ten years ago. "Bin Laden's death should serve as a message to terrorists: it may take time but we will get the job done."

Osterman, who served in the Navy until a serious car accident in Pennsylvania forced his retirement, was among a group of veterans suffering from brain injuries who traveled 30 minutes to the site from a brain trauma treatment center in Johnstown....

The response by the young people in Washington, DC recorded by The Washington Post is somewhat of a surprise.

Reuters noted the 'deceased' decree on the FBI Most Wanted List.  (click here)

The young people of the USA are most moved by this death of a global terrorist and murderer.  I am releaved for them.

The most touching picture I found at The Washington Post site was that or a young man mourning at the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington.  He is deep in thought and I can only begin to imagine his solace at that moment.

President Obama, CIA Director Leon Panetta, The Joint Chiefs, Commander Petraeus and all the soldiers from NATO and the USA that supported the Afghanistan effort for all these years have sincere gratitude from the young Americans that first witnessed the attacks of September 11, 2001 as young teenagers.

The world is a better place today and our youngest citizens have faith returned in the belief their country is great.

That is a New York Times headline no one will ever forget.

...In a dramatic late-night appearance in the East Room of the White House, Mr. Obama declared that “justice has been done” as he disclosed that American military and C.I.A. operatives had finally cornered Bin Laden, the Al Qaeda leader who had eluded them for nearly a decade. American officials said Bin Laden resisted and was shot in the head....

I thought Leon Panetta was there somewhere.  It was curious he was made Secretary of Defense until I heard this.  In some ways, the incident with the helicopter pilot makes sense, too.  Either the pilot was told bin Laden was already dead or was about to be captured.  Osama bin Laden had many devotees, regardless of their affiliation with The West.  I am confident most of the American military, NATO, Russia and China have their militaries on high alert for possible retaliaition. 

President Obama says what he means and means what he says.  I congratulate him.  He is the people's champion.  All the pressure to leave Afghanistan after realizing what occurred with corruption after the USA focus moved to Iraq, but, he persisted.  He brought many, many people in this country justice.  The 911 Families need to express their gratitude for a President that loved them enough to give them peace of mind.

New York and Washington, DC must be feeling a sigh of relief.  I am happy for everyone.  Our military is a mighty military.  This is a victory for them beyond any they had before.  It is a victory for allies and friends and those that stood by us from the beginning.  Many questions remain unanswered, but, none when it came to know where the USA stood in the hearts of the community of countries.  I thank them as well.  This is their victory, too.

...He was hiding in the medium-sized city of Abbottabad, home to a large Pakistani military base and a military academy of the Pakistani Army....

I would not call that hiding.  Musharraf and the Pakistani ISI have many questions to answer.  Mr. Self Righteous speaks.  No surprise.

US has violated our sovereignty:  Musharraf (click here)

London: Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf said on Monday he was surprised Osama bin Laden was in Abbottabad, just a short distance from capital Islamabad. He also termed the US strike against the Al Qaeda leader a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty.

"It does surprise me but I don't know the details. I don't know whether he was staying there or was he coming and going from there," Musharraf told a private news channel, after US President Barack Obama announced in Washington that the world's most wanted terrorist had been killed in a US-led operation.

Calling it a victory of people, Musharraf said: "He had declared war against Pakistan and many of the terrorist attacks in Pakistan had the hand of Al Qaeda and therefore his hand. This is the victory for the people of Pakistan and all the peace loving people of the world."

Musharraf, who was the Pakistani president when the 9/11 strike occurred, said the operation by US forces was a "violation of our sovereignty"....

He is such a snake.  Violating sovereignty when it comes to achieving justice is something the USA is good at with Pakistan evidently.  British Interpol needs to question him and make it count.  In Pakistan, a shake up of the ISI in order.

The United States of America is a civilized country when lead by decent people and to bury the body as sea was the best that could happen.  Even the most hated murderer in the USA is given a proper burial for the benefit of the family.  I am sure there are witnesses to the events reported by President Obama.  For those that need a 'display trophy,' go earn one.

President Obama lived up to his promise. Osama bin Laden is dead. That is why we went back to Afghanistan.

Thank you.

Pakistan.  Musharraf.  I don't know how many times I stated, "He is living in the basement of the Palace."

...Obama will deliver the news to the nation in an address from the White House, almost 10 years after the Sept. 11 attacks that bin Laden orchestrated. Bin Laden was killed by U.S. assets in a mansion outside Islamabad, Pakistan, along with other members of his family, an official said....

He absolutely had to be in a place where he received his dialysis.  How many times did Musharraf state, "HE  IS  NOT  HERE." 

It needs to be investigated.  There is a reason it took this long. 

We did it.  I'll be damned.

Thank you.  Thank you to all the incredible military and their sacrifice to bring the USA justice for what would seem a war without end.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

"Good Night, Moon"

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Waning Cresent Moon

1% of Full Moon or 99% of New Moon

'Endeavour' stays grounded until part is replaced  (click title to entry - thank you)

By Marcia Dunn, Associated Press, in Cape Canaveral

Monday, 2 May 2011

The space shuttle Endeavour's final launch has been delayed until at least the end of the week because technicians need to replace a crucial component, Nasa said yesterday.

The six astronauts – led by commander Mark Kelly –headed back to Houston. Mr Kelly's wife, the US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, did not join the astronauts in flying back.

Nasa gave up on hopes of a possible launch yesterday once it became clear that extensive repairs would be needed. The trouble prevented the shuttle from blasting off on Friday. The shuttle flight – the second-to-last ever – has attracted intense interest because of Ms Giffords, who was shot in the head nearly four months ago.

Now, don't get me "W"rong. I don't believe Ben Bernanke is a conspirator.

Mr. Bernanke and his spouse.

His words were there for all to hear.  Sometimes it depends on 'what is in the air' between what he states and what others hear that might be an issue, but, I am sure he is sincere.

The problem is that he and The Fed are 'part of the problem' and not part of the solution.  The Fed is a large insitution seeking to 'move mountains' through huge movements of money.  That is missing the mark.  Nearly nothing The Fed has done has improved the circumstances for the average American and I don't care what political party one belongs. 

Movement of huge amounts of money doesn't touch the 'grassroots' of the problem.  Large institutions associate with large institutions.  We already know the large institutions ABANDONED the American citizen as soon as The Fed printed the money for the $700 billion bailout.  And the $1 trillion afterward.  And the Quantitative Easing I and II.

The Fed, up to this news conference, either didn't have a clue, didn't want one or was simply pandering to the Wall Street crowd while ignoring the 'little guy.'  The Fed is hurting our recovery.  It is better to do nothing than to continue to toy with monetary policies that do nothing but provide a 'playground' for the wealthy.  It isn't appreciated and the news conference only validated my opinion of Mr. Bernanke.  He should not have gotten a second term. 

As far as repeating the news conference.  It is more revealing then anyone wants to admit.  Repeat it?  I am not going to answer that.

Is everyone ready for some good news?

The USA is starting to win the 'Alternative Energy' war.

...The rise in conventional hydroelectric generation (click title to entry - thank you) was the largest absolute "fuel-specific" increase as generation was up 3,590 thousand megawatthours, or 16.2 percent. The largest rises were in Washington, California and Oregon. NOAA reports that many locations in the west lost snow during what was a dry January, and the drop in snowpack in California was characterized as "significant." The next largest increase was in wind generation, as it was up 27.6 percent or 1,923 thousand megawatthours. Washington, Wyoming, and Colorado showed the largest increases. The higher total in Wyoming is primarily attributable to the generation from the Top of the World and Dunlap facilities, which came on-line in October 2010....

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided incentives for employing 'Green Energy.'

IT  IS  WORKING !

Duke Energy Gets $231 Financing for Top-of-the-World Development  (click here)

...The power company said it has arranged an 18-year non-recourse term loan and nearly $38 million in letters of credit for the massive project near Casper, which launched commercial operation in October, and features 66 GE 1.5MW wind turbines and 44 Siemens 2.3MW turbines....

Ah, so loans, tax breaks and incentives went to a lot of companies and not just GE. 

I see.

It has to begin somewhere !

Buyer demands for NEW auto sales is increasing and there aren't enough USA automobiles to fill in the Japanese import gap? What?

Sales of new cars and light trucks rose by 4.2 percent in Hawaii (click title to entry - thank you) during the first three months of the year, but dealers are concerned that production issues in Japan could reduce the supply of vehicles later in the year when buyer demand is strengthening here.

Local auto dealers sold 8,573 vehicles during the January-to-March quarter compared with 8,229 in the same period a year earlier, the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association said yesterday in its Hawaii Auto Outlook report.

The first-quarter sales increase was smaller than expected and compared unfavorably with a 27.6 jump nationally in auto sales during the same period, according to the report....

This is what GM and Ford are suppose to be waiting for, a jump in car sales due to these hideous gas prices.  They aren't ready?  Why does anyone think I was screaming about limiting production of the Chevy Volt to the USA?  Hello?  NOW.  Now, is the time !!!!  I have to say these things?  I swear USA auto manufacturers are worse at market predictions than Bernanke.

...AutoNation reported net income of $69.4 million, (click here) or 46 cents per share, in the first three months of 2011, up from $55.2 million, or 32 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue increased almost 17 percent to $3.31 billion from $2.84 billion....

See, it goes like this.  If the average American can put together a down payment on a new car that has excellant gas mileage or is electric, they can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel in actually saving for a house.  Simple, but genius.  Americans are wonderful at finding the silver lining of every cloud.

Now, why haven't the USA auto manufacturers prepared for this event.  Granted the earthquake was a surprise.  To some.  But, this was going to happen anyway.  The boom in car sales that is.  So, where the heck are the cars!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, what the government should be doing is offering tax incentives for car manufacturers, any manufacturer for that matter, that sees potential increases in profits coming to increase their capacity to the supply chain by employing AMERICANS and putting the nation back to work at a good wage, with benefits.

There isn't anything difficult about this, EXCEPT, having too many obstructionist Regressive Republicans or 'GOP period' standing in the way of stimulating the economy.  The USA Commerce Department should be tracking these trends in demand for goods while seeking any incentive government can provide to 're-establishing' the labor force in the USA.  The other side of this are domestic supply of goods provided by local economies.  Local economies do not have the transportation costs that would be driving up products.

Example:  A dairy farm with its own milk processing plant 'on site' and its own creamery that churns out handmade ice cream.  A dream you say?  Not so.  "Moomers" of Michigan does exactly that.  A consumer might be slightly offended by the 'barn smell' in the air (the barn is at least a quarter mile away from the commercial enterprise), but, once a taste of 'the goods' is secured all seems worth it.

Local economies are possible, they prosper and residents love it.  The Commerce Department should be assisting in every way possible.  Developing local economies are permanent.  They won't export their jobs or their profits.

Sounds like the definition of The Fed to me.

What Does Monetary Policy Mean?The actions of a central bank, currency board or other regulatory committee that determine the size and rate of growth of the money supply, which in turn affects interest rates. Monetary policy is maintained through actions such as increasing the interest rate, or changing the amount of money banks need to keep in the vault (bank reserves).

One has to wonder why Mr. Bernanke BOTHERED holding a news conference.  Very few of the questions were tough and certainly didn't bring light to the topic of the economy.  In my opinion, the news conference, including the opening statement, was more political than serving any other purpose. 

In support of President Obama, it was obvious from Mr. Bernanke's statements he instilled a sense of prolonged recovery.  But, then that is an excuse for Republicans to have a poor performance record since 2010 elections as well.  I wasn't thrilled with the statements by the Fed Chair and I remain very skeptical regarding the decisions by this institution to actually providing valuable policy for a sagging USA economy.

Monetary policy is made by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), (click title to entry - thank you) which consists of the members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and five Reserve Bank presidents. The FOMC holds eight regularly scheduled meetings during the year, and other meetings as needed....

Housing. What are all the contractor folks doing for an income?

Home prices in Philadelphia (click title to entry - thank you) continued to decline in the first quarter, but at a slower pace than in any three-month period since 2007, according to an analysis by Econsult Inc....

With home prices falling one would expect Americans to be scoffing them up in order to insure their piece of "The American Dream." 

They aren't.  They can't.  And it has nothing to do with their credit rating either.  The cost of purchasing a home and the American income is not coming together.  The cost of living in regard to transportation is skyrocketing and American incomes, especially disposable income, is shrinking.

There is something very, very "W"rong with this picture. 

Home contractors, such as door and window manufacturers like "Champion," are exploiting every opportunity that walks into the showroom door.  They don't care whom you are or what you do for a living, if you have a home, they will sign a contract to finance work to be done to that home realizing there is probably some kind of equity to insure their business' income.

They are hungry and desperate.  They don't care.  One of the most vulnerable members of society that own their homes, many times, without an existing mortgage are the elderly.  They have equity.  So, roofers and siding contractors are making house calls and pouncing on any person that walks into the showroom for a maximum sale at any cost.  I know.  It happened to my mother, if I hadn't stopped a 76 year old widow.  If these businesses can't survive without exploiting people that can't sincerely pay for their product and sincerely don't need it, then they should not be in business. 

The housing market is grossly diminished in the USA from the sheer fact there are too many houses, not enough qualified buyers and certainly a growing number of Americans unable to even achieve a down payment on shrinking salaries and increasing transportation costs.

Mr. Bernanke prides himself on being a 'central bank' on a global basis. He repeatedly referred to the global economy.

NEW YORK: Central bankers (click title to entry - thank you) around the world are at different stages when it comes to combating price pressures, but all of them are keeping a close watch on wages for early warning signs of future inflation.

Brazil's central bank last week expressed growing concern about above- inflation wage deals and said interest rates will remain high for a long time to counter the inflation threat.

In the United States, meanwhile, wages have been largely stagnant due to stubbornly high unemployment. That's one reason Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke thinks the oil-related jump in inflation will be fleeting and interest rates can stay at record lows....
...Average hourly earnings are expected to rise just 0.2 percent in April after being flat in March, hardly the stuff of an inflationary spiral.

"It's still very suppressed," said Slok. Without a pick-up in wages, he said, it is hard to see troubling inflation taking hold unless the U.S. dollar took a larger hit.

So far, there is no evidence higher prices have lifted wage demands, according to researchers at the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

The open question is how much pressure there will be on wages in the future once slack in the U.S. economy subsides, said Michael Gapen, an economist at Barclays Capital.

In the past couple of decades, inexpensive labor from emerging markets helped keep a lid on U.S. wage pressures, but those times may have changed....

Ya, think.

The chart below tracks with the alarming statistics regarding the average Pre-tax income.  The 'median' wage for most Americans was $15 to $16 per hour.  If the person is working a 40 hour work week that is a gross income of about $600 for that week.  That amounts to about $30,000 per year, a little more maybe.  Take away taxes and that is a relatively poor nation.

Now, how exactly is the USA suppose to recover its economy if the average citizen cannot purchase more than groceries, gasoline, housing and clothing?  You want to tell me that?  With falling wages in the USA, while recovering in Europe, where did all those Quantitative Easing funds go?

"The Fed" is not about the average American.  It is about opening all possibilities to corporations increasing their bottom line.  It did exactly that, what is not translating well into the USA economy is increased income and well being to the Middle Class.  The USA Middle Class is disappearing because of out sourcing and cheap foreign labor markets. 

What Mr. Bernanke is UNABLE to resolve is the fact that Americans are on a slippery slope of an economy because there is LITTLE to NO disposable income in this country anymore.  None.  It is the 'many pennies' of the Middle Class that drives the USA economy.  When the Middle Class in the USA is exploited by speculators that Mr. Bernanke has buoyed all to well the purchasing power to expand the economy is shrinking at a fast and furious rate.

An Overview of U.S. Occupational Employment and Wages in 2009  (click here)

Now, the stigma that the Regressive Republicans want to portray is laziness results in food stamp use.

Why not tell that to the working Middle Class, or better put, the AT ONE TIME Middle Class.

By Cy Ryan

Friday, April 29, 2011

1:10 p.m.

CARSON CITY (click title to entry - thank you)  – Some state workers would qualify for food stamps if proposed cuts in pay and benefits are approved, a labor representative says.

Kevin Ranft of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said a bill to reduce overtime pay, sick and annual leave was “another attack” on state workers. He and others testified today before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee to oppose Assembly Bill 560, which would also continue suspension of merit and longevity pay....

...The Republican war on women (click here) is more than just cutting off access to reproductive rights, health care, and birth control.  Now it's becoming more and more clear that every platform they push is in some way an assault on women's lives and ability to raise their families.

Even in the GOP proposal to "reform" food stamps.

Judy Molland reported earlier in April about the Ryan budget plan's plank to turn food stamps into a block grant that would be handed to the states, opening them up to the possibility of reallocating the funds to places other than their original purposes: feeding the hungry.... 

Mr. Bernanke manipulates the amount of USA dollars in the open market.

One of the first questions he was asked was in regard to the value of the USA dollar.

He stated the USA dollar value was determined by The USA Treasury Secretary.

Really?

Fed Plans to Inject Another $1 Trillion to Aid the Economy  (click title to entry - thank you)

By EDMUND L. ANDREWS

Published: March 18, 2009

 

...Having already reduced the key interest rate it controls nearly to zero, the central bank has increasingly turned to alternatives like buying securities as a way of getting more dollars into the economy, a tactic that amounts to creating vast new sums of money out of thin air. But the moves on Wednesday were its biggest yet, almost doubling all of the Fed’s measures in the last year....

So, if the USA Treasury Department sets the 'value' of the USA dollar, than printing all this money was simply putting more into circulation because the 'old stock' was wearing out, right?

I mean, according to Mr. Bernanke printing dollar bills had absolutely no effect on its value.  So, if I recall what he stated at the time, "...to make sure everyone had what they needed to boost the economy." 

What Mr. Bernanke has done chronically since the economic collapse of 2008 is print more dollar bills that has made it increasingly impossible to survive in the Middle Class of the USA.

Before taxes, 47.1 percent of households in the USA earn more than $50,000. (click title to entry - thank you)

That leaves the remainder of the country, households not persons, earning less than $50,000.

Of the remaining household earning less than $50,000 before taxes a full 33% earn less than $25,000.

These are 2009 statistics.

Of that 33%, a full 15.6% earn less than $5000 per household before taxes.

Table 1. Income Distribution Measures, by Definition of Income: 2009  (click here)

CAUTION: Whenever a base of an income distribution is relatively small, the medians, means, and percent distributions are extremely unreliable because of the limited size of the sample. Pay particular attention to the standard errors for small population estimates, especially if the base is less than 75,000.

Bernanke stated a few things (yes, i wanted the entire press exposure of The Fed chair) that were obviously populous.

He focused on jobs and inflation, but, the entire time he was more Republican than a Chairman to an institution that profoundly effects the USA and global economy.

To begin with his 'rhetoric' was completely populous.  He stated the same 'supply and demand' rant regarding oil we have heard for some time now, probably years if the truth be known.  I was stunned.  There is no supply problem, Saudi Arabia stated same and has cut back production due to that fact alone.  So, what newsprint does Bernanke read and why would newsprint superimpose his knowledge of the actual markets.

Oil isn't a viable resource anywhere in the world.  That is to begin.  The USA reserves are full and the national security interests of the country are served, beyond that offshore USA oil should be left alone. 

I wasn't impressed, Mr. Bernanke.  Sincerely, wasn't.  But.  I am profoundly worried.  This is a Fed Chair that has no clue about why the USA economy is in the condition it is and only marches to the rhetoric of his Republican peers.

On Standard and Poor's putting U.S. debt on a negative watch:  (click title to entry - thank you) "it didn't really tell us anything" because everyone knows the U.S. has a long-term problem.

Socio-economic pressures have played into a women's decision to have an abortion for millennia.

Worldwide, 38% of pregnancies are unintended (some 80 million unintended pregnancies each year). Unintended pregnancies result in about 42 million induced abortions per year, and 34 million unintended births.

Politicizing such issues without sincerely acting to remove the economic pressure of unwanted pregnancy is not only "W"rong, but, removes the 'vital' link in the equation that provides for women to maintain their equality in the market place.

This entire "Pro-Life" mess, or better put, "Anti-Abortion" mess is just that.  There is no place for government to intercede in abortion or the privacy of women.  It is just that simple.  So long as huge insitutions such as "The Fed" continue to destroy the economy there is absolutely no place in privacy issues for government.  There are no alternatives and the invasiveness of government to these decisions needs to end. 

Based on two lies, (click here) that 90% of what Planned Parenthood does is abortions and that Planned Parenthood uses Federal funds to provide abortions, the Republicans have declared war on Planned Parenthood. Their fringe has even circulated the idea that Margaret Sanger was a communist who advocated abortions for ethnic cleansing. I ran into that one on the Yahoo comment stream yesterday....

I understand why "The Fed" rarely does news conferences.

I don't know where to begin so why don't I just do this one topic at a time.

Riskier assets (click title to entry - thank you) hit a post-crisis high last week in the wake of tepid growth figures signaling still-loose monetary policy. A combination of low interest rates and steady but unspectacular growth proved a perfect mix to feed the risk appetite of investors.

Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, gave his first press conference on Wednesday and emphasised that, while the $600 billion quantitative easing programme would end as stated in June, the Fed saw enough weakness in the US economy to suggest that price pressures were “transitory”, and the Fed would not be reducing the size of its enormous balance sheet. This pushed US stocks to their highest level since June 2008, a few months before the collapse of Lehman Brothers. It also propelled commodities, especially precious metals.

In the currency markets, the US dollar continued its decline last week hitting a three-year low after the Fed confirmed market suspicions that it would not be ready to tighten monetary policy for some time.

It's Sunday Night

The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love (Live)

"Can't buy me love" by The Beatles (Written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon)

Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love

I'll buy you a diamond ring my friend
If it makes you feel all right
I'll get you anything my friend
If it makes you feel all right
'Cause I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love

I'll give you all I've got to give
If you say you love me too
I may not have a lot to give
But what I've got I'll give to you
I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/beatles-lyrics/can_t-buy-me-love-lyrics.html]
No no no, no

Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love
No no no, no

Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love, oh