I did not see one Republican President there today. We didn't have First Lady Barbara or First Lady Laura there either. It was noticed.

I hope all are well and in good spirits.

I did notice President Carter, but, I didn't see First Lady Rosalynn. She may have been there, but, I didn't see her though.

Then of course President Clinton and Secretary Clinton was there.

It was a great day. I loved it. I loved the theme and the speeches were incredible.

Today was a pitch perfect day.

I was so proud to be an American. President Obama was inaugurated on Martin Luther King, Jr. It could not be better.

It was just a great day. There isn't anything else to say. It was a great day for all Americans if they cared to realize what truly, truly great country the USA actually is. 

It was an incredible day.

A moral man in the White House.

President Obama has brought the United States of America hope. It is up to the people to stand with him to further the nation forward to the promise given to us as a birthright.

I'll be busy all day tomorrow.

Considering the expediency this was dealt with and the hundreds of lives saved, Algeria should be congratulated and THANKED.

I never thought Algeria was up to it. Their forces performed remarkably. I don't recall hearing of one military casualty. I could be wrong, but, I believe the Algerians were in control the entire time. They knew what they were doing and did it well.

Alleged hostage-taker Abdul Rahman al-Nigeri.
Updated 1 hour 18 minutes ago

Algerian special forces (click here) on Saturday moved in to end the siege in a "final assault" on the BP-owned In Amenas gas complex, in the Sahara desert, where the hostages were being held.

The sequence of events remains unclear but by the end of the operation authorities said 11 militants still at the plant were dead, along with seven foreign hostages.

Since the crisis began last week, at least 23 hostages and 32 militants have been killed.

At least five Britons, five Norwegians and 10 Japanese remain unaccounted for....

NATO could not have done anything about this in the time frame Algeria responded and there would be many more dead and missing than exists today.

Algeria needs to be concerned about the security of it's southern border and how best to minimize infiltration of terrorists again. I think they might be open to suggestions, funding and help. I could be wrong about that though.

The Petroleum Industry is stepping up the drilling in North Dakota since the earthquake was linked to the drilling.

This was from an entry on Facebook.

The petroleum industry is worried about their activity actually having consequences and they won't get their money out of it. So they are kicking their operations in North Dakota into high gear. By doing so they will increase the injection fluid quantity in the ground and cause more frequent earthquakes leading to greater seismic activity.

This activity has nothing to do with need or availability or market supply. It is pure greed. No respect for anything except the money that can be made.

I really, really mean it when I state the petroleum industry is stupid without a conscience.

I guess the reality of the floating oil disaster in the dead of winter off the Alaskan coast was too much for them. Really stupid without conscience.

As you may know, Cruz Construction started a division in North Dakota just six months ago. 

They sent every Kenworth (nine trucks) we had here in Alaska to North Dakota and several drivers.

They just bought two new Kenworth's to add to that fleet; one being a Tri Drive tractor and a new 65-ton lowboy to go with it.

They also bought two new cranes (one crawler & one rubber tired) for that division.

Dave Cruz said they have moved more rigs in the last six months in ND than Cruz Construction moved in Alaska in the last six years.

Williston is like a gold rush town; they moved one of our 40-man camps down there since there are no rooms available.

Unemployment in ND is the lowest in the nation at 3.4 percent, last checked.

See anything in the national news about how the oil industry is fueling North Dakota's economy?

Here's an astonishing read of important and verifiable information:

About six months ago, the writer was watching a news program on oil and one of the Forbes Bros. was the guest.

The host said to Forbes, "I am going to ask you a direct question and I would like a direct answer. How much oil does the U.S. have in the ground?"
Forbes did not miss a beat, he said, "more than all the Middle East put together."

The U. S.. Geological Service issued a report in April 2008 that only scientists and oil men knew was coming, but man was it big.

It was a revised report (hadn't been updated since 1995) on how much oil was in this area of the western 2/3 of North Dakota,
western South Dakota, and extreme eastern Montana.

Very shallow seismic activity. It is completely related to injection water and chemical erosion of the rock.

The depth listed on the MBMG (click here) website is 0.7 kilometers, equivalent to 0.4 miles. It was distanced as 14 miles north of Arnegard and 14 northeast of Alexander.

Ya, just got to love the idiocy. "Let's do it again, Bubba, that was fun!"

Check THIS out:

The Bakken is the largest domestic oil discovery since
Alaska 's Prudhoe Bay , and has the potential to
eliminate all American dependence on foreign oil. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates it at 503 billion barrels. Even if just 10% of the oil is recoverable ( 5 billion barrels), at $107 a barrel, we're looking at a resource base worth more than $5.3 trillion.

"When I first briefed legislators on this, you could practically see their jaws hit the floor."

They had no idea.." says Terry Johnson, the Montana Legislature's financial analyst.

"This sizable find is now the highest-producing onshore oil field found in the past 56 years," reports The Pittsburgh Post Gazette .

It's a formation known as the Williston Basin, but is more commonly referred to as the 'Bakken.'

It stretches from Northern Montana, through North Dakota and into Canada.

For years, U. S. oil exploration has been considered a dead end. 

Ya think?

Even the 'Big Oil' companies gave up searching for major oil wells decades ago.

However, a recent technological breakthrough has opened up the Bakken's massive reserves, and we now have access of up to 500 billion barrels. And because this is light, sweet oil, those billions of barrels will cost Americans just $16 PER BARREL !!!!!!

That's enough crude to fully fuel the American economy for 2041 years straight.

And if THAT didn't throw you on the floor, then this next one should - because it's from 2006 !!!

U.. S. Oil Discovery - Largest Reserve in the World

Stansberry Report Online - 4/20/2006

Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world.

It is more than 2 TRILLION barrels. On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction.

In three and a half years of high oil prices none has been extracted.

With this motherload of oil, why are we still fighting over off-shore drilling?

They reported this stunning news:

We have more oil inside our borders, than all the other proven reserves on earth.

Here are the official estimates:

8 times as much oil as Saudi Arabia,

18 times as much oil as Iraq,

21 times as much oil as Kuwait,

22 times as much oil as Iran,

500 times as much oil as Yemen,

and it's all right here in the Western United States !!!

HOW can this BE? HOW can we NOT BE extracting this? Because the environmentalists and others have blocked all efforts to help America become independent of foreign oil!
Again, we are letting a small group of people dictate our lives and our economy. WHY?

James Bartis, lead researcher with the study says we have more oil in this very compact area
than the entire Middle East, more than 2 TRILLION barrels untapped. That's more than all the proven oil reserves of crude oil in the world today, reports The Denver Post .

Don't think 'OPEC' will drop its price even with this find? Think again! It's all about the competitive marketplace, it has to.

Think OPEC just might be funding the environmentalists?

Got your attention yet? Now, while you're thinking about it, do this:

Pass this along. If you don't take a little time to do this, then you should stifle yourself the next time you complain about gas prices. By doing NOTHING, you forfeit your right to complain.

Now I just wonder what would happen in this country if every one of you sent this to every one in your address book.

The biggest con job of all times was when T. Boon Pickens (click here) went to the National Clean Energy Summit and promised Wind Energy was the next greatest energy source in the country.

Then Boone turns around and says, wind and solar are just not cost effective.

Now, I ask you, does a man worth more than the USA Treasury say anything that he doesn't already know how it is going to turn out.

Con man extraordinare.

Before Mr. T. Boone "Slick" Pickens has a chance to roll his millions-billions and put himself out there for public appearance to rehab his image and say how much he loves his grandchildren; there is this.

T Boone Pickens Stock Picks for 2013 (click here)

BP Capital

Last Update: 2012-11-14

Halliburton Company

Valero Energy Corpor...

SandRidge Energy Inc

Anadarko Petroleum C

Southwestern Energy 

Arch Coal Inc

Consol Energy Inc

Transocean Ltd

National Oilwell Var

Canadian Natural Res

McMoRan Exploratio

Weatherford Interna

Apache Corporation

Occidental Petroleum.

Dawson Geophysical C

NRG Energy Inc

Calpine Corp

Laredo Petroleum Hol...

Not one wind company. Not one solar company. Halliburton is at the top of his list. Now. Who is he in bed with really?

By the way, this can be verified. Check it out at the link below !!!
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911> ; <http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asID=1911>http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911<http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911> >

Cruz Construction:
http://www.cruzconstruct.com/ ; <http://www.cruzconstruct.com/services..php> ;
"Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference."

US energy is not based on what is possible, what is best or what will provide the best future for our children. US energy is dictated by power brokers and no one else.

"Drill, babe, drill"

"Drill here, drill now"

There have been many firsts surrounding the Presidential inauguration from times past.

Pam Panchak / Post-Gazette

Ruth and Bob Sasser, (click here) left, from Upper St. Clair and Marva Williams from Penn Hills assemble care packages for military families in Pittsburgh at the Homewood AME Zion church in Homewood as part of the National Day of Service in honor of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In 1809. Dolley Madison held the first inaugural ball with James on her arm. The tickets were $4.00 and 400 people attended. Given the cost of inflation that was a very expensive date. The gala was considered a great event for the country.

In 1909, Helen Taft became first, First Lady to ride in the Presidential Inaugural Parade. Previously, the outgoing and elected Presidents rode in the parade together. First Lady Taft decided she would take a seat next to William Howard and a new tradition was born.

In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was considered first to dress for success. Televisions were relatively new to the country and weren't common place until the late 1950s. The televisions in homes were black and white. So, the First Lady wanted to be easy to find in a crowd of dark coats, so she wore a pale gray-beige wool coat with two oversized buttons and a matching pill box hat. 

It wasn't until 1965 the First Lady held the Bible for the swearing in of the President. The First Couple was Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Byrd. Previous to Lady Byrd, the bible was held by a clerk of the Supreme Court assisting the Chief Justice.

And last, the Bible was not always the book of choice for the inauguration's swearing in. In 1825, John Quincy Adams, of the Democratic - Republican Party, swore on a book of law with the intention that he was swearing on the Constitution of the United States of America. Theodore Roosevelt did not use a Bible or book of any kind when taking the oath of office in 1901.

So, given tradition is often dictated or noted surrounding the Presidential Inauguration, the National Day of Service in commemoration of Dr. King may very well become a new tradition in the USA. At the very least, it will be noteworthy to history.

Mark Sanford has a very poor track record in governing.

Mark Sanford, when he was found to be in South America, became a large disappointment to a group of people well invested in his career. Now, one has to ask why would anyone be that upset over a single governor, but, that power structure behind Sanford exits. Sanford wasn't going to disappear forever. It was written in the sanskrit.

BY ED VOGEL
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU

Posted: Apr. 21, 2010 | 11:11 a.m.
Updated: Apr. 22, 2010 | 7:57 a.m.

...Nine of the 11 worst governors (click here) in CREW's opinion are Republicans, including Schwarzenegger and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. Democratic Govs. David Paterson of New York and Bill Richardson of New Mexico also are on the list.

Peter Bjork, a spokesman for the organization, said CREW reviewed the records of all 50 governors in developing the list.

"We are nonpartisan," he said. "We go after both parties equally. If any Democrat or Republican governors were left off the list, we would like to hear suggestions."

CREW calls itself a nonprofit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.

Like Gibbons, two other governors on the worst list, have been accused of infidelity....

Sanford didn't win by a huge margin when first elected as Governor. It wasn't a squeaker, but, it was only about 5 or 6 percent. The point is his chance of winning in the US House again is going to be effected by his lying and infidelity. It was believed Sanford won his governorship because of a fund raising advantage, not the content of his character or his policy agenda for South Carolina. Sanford can be defeated with sufficient funding for the other candidate.

Sanford also had a high unemployment rate, something like 9.5%. He refused the monies from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. He was confronted by the South Carolina legislature after which he relented and requested $700 million from the ARRA.

Sanford stayed through the second term of his Governorship, but, after his infidelity was learned of it didn't help his approval ratings. Oddly or maybe not so oddly, the longer he stayed in the Governorship the more his approval rating dropped.

By fitsnews

August 27, 2010

...According to a new Rasmussen Reports poll, (click here) Sanford’s approval rating currently stands at 47 percent. Meanwhile, 51 percent of South Carolinians disapprove of his job performance. That’s obviously not a favorable position from which to launch another bid for public office – although multiple sources close to the governor tell FITS that’s exactly what Sanford is hoping to do....

...Oh well, guess that whole “dishonesty thing” (a.k.a. “I was hiking the Appalachian Trail“) continues to dog him...

The 'thing' with infidelity is the understanding it is an insubordination to the marriage. It is not accepted with acclaim in the USA. Most Americans find infidelity a failure of character. While most people accept infidelity as a personal issue with most elected officials, it does taint the character of a person asking to be re-elected or elected to office again.

The infidelity is not the only character issue with Sanford either. While he was indulging his sexual passions for a woman, he disappeared. People didn't know where he was. If the legislator so desired, they could have impeached him for that reason alone.

Sanford's character issues go beyond that. Speaking to his 'Star Chamber' elections, he abused his power in office for personal benefit and those of his friends. He also violated campaign finance laws when failing to report in-kind contributions and using campaign monies for personal use. Wasn't it he that had to pay back monies to the state or something like that. 

But, he is a fairly shady guy. He really should not be returned to government. If the former first couple of South Carolina is having financial trouble in providing for their comfort and their children and his return to office would satisfy that problem (pure speculation, but, not unreasonable to believe); Jenny Sanford should have run. She has far greater dignity and moral content than her ex-husband. Seriously. She is a heck of a mom, too.

Sandy Hook Actors, Department of Homeland Security Conducted Training in...

This is a set of media insults propagated by Pro-Gun Zealots stating the parents appearing for interviews were "Crisis Actors," from Homeland Security (click here).

Some of this mess is on Facebook and yes, people are actually buying into this. They don't care there are children dead, they are focusing on the anti-government theme to promote defeat of any new gun laws.

How is it the deceased get lost to this level of distraction? There is no reverence for the dead?

The American society is defined by the individual. In that, is the understanding we are all responsible for our own actions. We also define our culture as freedom. The individual is provided a great deal of freedom, including bullying. Actions, even within a great deal of freedom, have consequences. Here again, actions are a part of individual responsibility within our culture of freedom. No different than a car accident whereby there are consequences for 'real property.' Individual actions are like car accidents when they collide and cause emotional and psychological damage.

Living in a human body is an array chemical reactions, including what occurs within our nervous systems and thoughts. They are biochemical interactions, so therefore, there is a physical component to psychological damage. Dispair and stress is not simply intangible. It is real. It is palpable and there are actions by others that can impact the psychi. Fact. Not fiction.

24 Vand. L. Rev. 217 (1970-1971) Civil Liability for Causing Suicide: A Synthesis of Law and Psychiatry; Schwartz, Victor E. 

If suicide is a deliberate act, (click here) intentional act by an individual, how can one person be "civilly liable for the suicide of another?" The paradox suggested by this question has caused many courts to shy away from imposing civil liability for causing suicide. In certain situations, however, a growing number of courts are permitting recovery. Since suicide is on the increase both in numerical terms and in rank as a cause of death in the United States, it can be expected that even more tort claims will be brought by parties attempting to fix civil responsibility on someone other than their beloved decedent.

There are levels of stress that are somewhat invisible. Psychiatrists over the decades have established a profound understanding that interaction and actions of people are not spontaneous, so much as a product of our physiology and life experiences. Nature vs. Nurture. Are we one or the other or is PERSONALITY a combination of both?

Personality is so very tangible in psychology there are Personality Disorders considered diagnosis of which treatment is established. So, the idea a person is set on a path that will ultimately result in a prescribed outcome is completely invalid. People know that as a matter of living, however, there are sound practices of science and applied science called medicine and psychology to prove it. Proof after all is where our courts are established. Justice has to have concrete definition in the USA.

Posted: 01/18/2013 10:11 pm
Aaron Swartz committed suicide last week. (click here)  He was 26, a genius and my friend. Not a really good friend, but someone I had worked with off and on for 11 years, liked a lot, had laughed with frequently, occasionally shaken my head over and deeply admired. When I first met him he looked like this....

Life is complicated. Not only is it complicated, it can be acted on to be more or less complicated by dynamics of living. All that living is a dynamic chemical soup of chemicals and BALANCE.

Thoughts can be directed by imbalances in thinking. The most stressful times in a person's life is often when new things happen. We are surprised and adrenaline kicks in. Fight or flight. Right? So, the human body is set for survival. Often, our visual fields are more important to our survival instincts. People involved in stressful work, such as soldiers train themselves to be reliant on other aspects of senses of hearing, touch and the like. So, the mind is an incredible organ. It dominates the outcomes of the body. There is value in mental health and RESPECTING the limits of the human condition.

The human condition can be acted on by stressors out of control of a person's life. In 2008, the global population experienced a huge surprise. Alarming. Survival in a civilized world came at populous of many nations like a runaway railroad train. There was dearly nothing anyone could do to stop it. It was happening and in the USA and in the global community we were graced in our lives with a new President with dedication and the ABILITY to take on this huge challenge.

Within the USA, why would President Obama seek to extend unemployment relief, support students, provide food stamps and encourage government spending? He didn't create the problem and by every measure in the USA individuals are responsible for themselves and their lives. He did so because without compassion and identifying the stressors the American people were facing there would a great deal of adverse outcome for them. Right? So, a sense of well being, even as far as where the next meal is coming from is very important.

I don't know the particulars of living for Aaron Swartz, but, he was a human being. I am familiar with his passion. I am not going to debate his stand on a very important issue. Freedom. Freedom of speech is reliant on education. So, there is merit to his focus.

He death was not expected by anyone in his social circles. In his personal life. It was a surprise. Some of the most determined suicides are unexpected and very insidious. It is that insidious nature most important to understand in knowing where the actions of a prosecutor caused Aaron his life. And, yes, I stated 'caused Aaron his life.'

Legal authority is powerful. It is as powerful as a runaway economic train. If that level of stress could cause individuals within a society adverse outcomes, it will cause a person despair leading to suicide. 

People die of suicide for what others perceive as silly. Life is suppose to be so much more valuable than anything else. But, to those effected by stressors life itself becomes less valuable and less valuable as they realize they are unworthy of it.

Suicide is not a minor issue. It is a mental health issue. Stressors causing deterioration of mental health are very important to understand. Those that administer the law are suppose to be well educated. Educated well enough to know what their actions are causing in reaction to those prosecutions.

Aaron Swartz was very high profile. He was an activist. He was a leader. His responsibility to his peers was huge. There is every indication the stressors in his life were out of control to the point where any person experiencing them would result in deterioration of mental health.

The prosecutor in this case knew exactly what she was doing and how hard she was pushing. He was a non-violent protester to a huge institutionalized paradigm with nearly impossible odds to change. His actions were to bring about focus and movement within society in a way to benefit the entire of society and not destroy it.

It is the prosecutor causing Aaron Swartz death. The prosecutor needs to be removed from her position, investigated and assessed to her ability to actually handle the public's interest for their best outcome. She is irresponsible within her capacity, abusive to people in her charge. Her prosecution and/or civil torts need to go forward. The case is there to be made.

The NRA seeks to create 'Wedge Issues' to define it's purpose.

Could there be another mission for the NRA? Sure, but, they wouldn't have the wealth they have now. The NRA's 'take' after each one of these tragedies where they pander to members has to be considerable.

A different NRA? Let's create an new NRA and call it The Association of Rifles Nationally. The ARN.

The mission of the ARN is to provide education to gun owners, competition for sports enthusiasts that like accuracy challenges, to support responsible gun ownership whereby government policy is minimized to what is necessary to insure safety in society, to promote hunting with discounts to members for these activities through affiliations with other product manufacturers and services.

The ARN would never receive the kind of monies the NRA does now. The ARN would be a moral organization that would seek to support families when tragedies happen, work to suppress extremism, minimize gun violence in the media to what is necessary and not shocking or promotes obsession with power. The ARN would never seek promotion of memberships when these gun tragedies strike, but, instead apologize for the failure of their primary mission to prevent extremism. 

The mission of the ARN would be embedded in values very different than what is promoted today. No high caliper ammunition, no military content in gun ownership, safe storage of weapons in the home while still being available for break ins or criminal activities. Safe storage away from the home of weapons and ammunition for owners of many guns and their ammunition to fire them.

Basically, wimpy and practical attitudes rather than tough guy attitudes promoted by fear and faux bravery to any government on Earth. Mostly sports minded activities and FUN.

So, there you have it. The fear agenda of the National Rifle Association, the NRA, has a purpose and it is wealth beyond what is reasonable for any sincere organization interested in the well being of their members. The mission and political activities of the NRA are also illegal. The NRA website states www.nra.org. DOT ORG? Really? I though political action committees were 501(c)4 not 501(c)3. 

You know, Mr. Rove has the same problem with his non-profit status.

The NRA is raising money at the expense of children's death.

These are not new members, they are 'upgraded' members. If the reports are correct and there has been activity to enroll 250,000 members or in this case re-enroll them, that is whole lot of money.

If one third of these members are paying $300 to upgrade their membership to life memberships, that is a tally of $25,000,000. Add to that the remainder of the 250,000 enrolling for only one year, equates to $5,833,333. So, the grand total is nearly $31 million and probably much, much more.

The people taking advantage of this promotion in the face of the deaths in the USA are doing so to prevent paying regular annual memberships, STATUS as a Lifer and for the discounts afforded them by participating merchants from all venues of products and services.

How can anyone provide any brevity to the stand of the NRA if all this is about is money and nothing more. The NRA uses these horrific tragedies as a method to raise money through scare tactics as if the government is actually seeking to take away their guns. Their members anticipate this pandering and jump on it when it is offered knowing full well after every such event this is a methodology for money. Like, what? Wow.

This is outrageous. This is outrageously immoral. This is an outrageous campaign, both the money campaign and the campaign for military style weapons in our society. This is outrageous in complete disrespect for human life and this time is it children and their educators.

The NRA is immoral, opportunistic, exploitative and a threat to a civilized society.

Jan. 10, 2013 @ 10:36a

A lifetime membership (click here) with the NRA is normally $1000, but the NRA has relaunched their $300 Life Membership offer at NRA - We the People.

Unlike in some previous years, where this had to be done over the phone, this is completely online.

The form at this site requires the NRA Member ID, email address, and ZIP code of an existing Life Member, as well as a Security Code (which is shown on the page to prevent bots from submitting the form).

Updated:

You (or a Life Member) must enter an existing Life Member's information (Member ID, email address, and ZIP code) and the Captcha-type Security Code - then click "Continue". Don't click "Not a member? Join here."

The second page will ask if you want to upgrade the membership of the Life Member whose ID was entered to Endowment. Unless you wish to do this, just click "Continue".

The third page will say Give a Gift Membership. On this page, select the Life Membership in the first drop down list, and enter the name and other info of the new/to-be-upgraded member - not the Life Member that provided the ID.

Select Review & Complete Your Transaction. You should be able to enter all relevant credit card info there.

Starting to get that 'Here come the planes' feeling? There is a 12 step program for you, too.

Lawyers (click here) for 9/11 Truth member Ferdinando Imposimato takes the duty seriously, and is requesting that the International Criminal Court commence a trial concerning 9/11.

The GOP needs to get ready to carry the cross in 2014.

FRIDAY, JAN 18, 2013 02:55 PM EST

BY ALEX SEITZ-WALD

We’ve been writing (click here) a lot about the conspiracy theories surrounding the Sandy Hook school shooting — some say too much. “Why you’re giving these Sandy Hook truther media whores the time of day. Ignore them and they go away [sic],” one reader emailed.

Unfortunately, that’s probably not the case. The genie is already out of the bottle and this myth will likely only heat up as the debate over gun control does. “It’s by far the hottest topic of the moment,” David Mikkelson, the co-founder of the myth-debunking website Snopes.com told BuzzFeed. As the site’s Ben Smith and CJ Lotz wrote today, “Some of the factors that can bring theories in from the fringe appear to be driving its unexpected surge this month: A connection to America’s intensely polarized political culture in general, and a message that appeals to a longstanding fear among gun owners, in particular.”...

                                       Ah, the ratings war. 

Leadership is not about indulging the extremists, it is about protecting the majority.

The reason leaders in the GOP are ineffective is because they allow lies to exist to benefit them politically. It has been a long practice of the GOP to indulge the public rather than educate them. That venue of power has served them well. We can afford lies in our country anymore.

President Obama is a strong and determined leader. He is brilliant. When he seeks to address the political differences between the Democrats and Republicans that actually serve the nation; he meets up with the political enforcement of lies with the Republicans. The gerrymandering has to be overcome. The people within this dynamic are caught up in a void of effective policy. The gerrymandering has gotten to be more than an odd corrupt political strategy; it is adversely effecting people's lives and quality of life. I always thought the USA was founded in trust, truth and justice. It is time those values are actually returned to everyone.

Anyone besides me get the impression capitalism is a bunch of horseshit?

I think we need a twelve step program for capitalists.

War instead of peace.

One of the reasons it is so easy for the USA to have Wall Street wars is because of the impoverishment of Africa as a chronic state of being. It is difficult for any African nation to mount a serious defense of itself, even from terrorists within.

Poverty is a convenient strategy for The West when it comes to Africa.

So, what the Algerians have been able to do to end the infiltration of terrorist attempts in their country is very impressive. I sincerely didn't expect it. They did very well for themselves.

What did those actions sincerely mean?

It means The West has no right to invade their country as the USA invaded Iraq and the Algerian people will not face the nightmare of war and death. That is what that means.

As noted in Mali, there was one incident, virtually unnoticed by the world which caused a huge instability in Mali. That one incident was viewed by the people as the beginnings of a tyrannical regime taking over their lives. The Mali people believed they would be facing another Darfur. Hence, the terrorist network gained validity and grew.

Now, because al Qaeda has a valid and growing presence in Mali they have become a threat to The West. They are not a threat by name only, they are a real threat. France did not send jets into Mali because it was 'al Qaeda' with a larger membership, it is because al Qaeda IN ITS ROLE IN MALI, is blaming The West for the people's problems. The march north by al Qaeda in Mali is no accident. Al Qaeda in Mali is a rudimentary force that puts their lives on the line for their purpose. They believe they have a noble purpose. What they actually have is gross negligence of The West for a need for their own national security.

Why gross negligence? Why not? It is cheap. The West knows the economic uptick it receives from war. So, what difference does it make that seventeen holy men were killed out of some kind of 'telephone chain' authority without clear national security directives. So what if the holy men were left to solicit a well traveled truck driver for a lift through the rigors of check points? So what? That is not The West's problem. After all we have jets and bombs; who in Africa has room to do anything about it?

Ah, Russia. China. But, alas they aren't sincerely there in a way that matters because The West out guns them too.

Do yourself a favor and ask why the peace movement is viewed as a weak defense of the USA?

Have a better day. It would be nice if Africa did.

Northern Africa is a security issue for Europe.

Alliances with countries such as Algeria should exist long before a need results. The Algerian government and people will carry out the security of their own nation.

If the British are going to pump oil out of the ground in Algeria, they should have offered an alliance with military assistance long before the oil companies established their their first well.

This backward approach to protecting Europe causes wars with people that don't deserve them. There is much in the way of foreign relations that have lacked with African nations for a very long time. 

The terrorists succeeded. They were able to secure weapons and take hostages. Europe needs to work with North Africa to push that reality a long way back on the timeline. An EU military base in Algeria could have collected intelligence and interceded with the Algerian government to prevent the spread of such power among the people. This is anarchy. Terrorist networks are a manifestation of anarchy. Preventing anarchy is a basic understanding of sovereignty. 

Algeria ended the danger to its nation very successfully. They were correct. The EU and USA have no place on Algerian soil unless they are invited. 

Now.

Is Europe invading Algeria? They have no basis for it.

When it comes to Africa, The West has been doing national security 'on the cheap.' I don't recommend it.

As allies, Algerians should have their own military and own intelligence. Until they are up to speed, the EU could provide value support to achieve it, but, not when there is a venue of war already begun. That would be nothing more than escalation.

I happen to think the Algerian government took the absolutely best action regarding terrorists.

Chaos has to be dealt with so it doesn't grow. I don't know of any better way to handle chaos when it results in the increase of terrorist infiltration then to end it. What did anyone believe Algeria was going to do wave a magic wand? They have to preserve their own sovereignty and their own military forces. No hand holding. End of discussion.

Where does any First World nation 'get off' criticizing Algerian forces when there are French jets dropping bombs and killing people? Where does that come from? There is a war being conducted. Someone is delusional as hell and it isn't the Algerians.

Gee whiz, it must not be directly out of the Pentagon's play book. Too bad it ain't their country.

One of the aspects of The West global terrorist networks count on is whining that goes on when people are taken hostage. They use it to reign terror and propagate their power. The only way to stop terrorism is to end it. Just that simple.

By Jeffrey Fleishman

January 18, 2013, 2:57 a.m.

CAIRO -- International officials Friday (click here) questioned the Algerian military's storming of a natural gas plant in the Sahara Desert that led to a firefight with Islamic militants and the deaths of an undisclosed number of hostages, including Westerners and Asians.

There was no clear indication of exactly how many hostages were killed or wounded in Thursday's assault. Conflicting reports continued to emerge. The Algerian government said the army raid had ended while the British Foreign Office said the "terrorist incident remains ongoing."

The chaos along the Algerian-Libyan border left the U.S.,Britain, France and other countries worried about their citizens while questioning what appeared to be Algeria's rushed strike against the kidnappers without consulting foreign capitals. One unconfirmed media report suggested that 35 foreign hostages were killed by gunfire from Algerian helicopters during the raid....

The IOC has a responsibility to investigate the sport.

The International Olympic Committee (click here) claims it is "premature" to even consider cycling's future in the Games following the Lance Armstrong scandal.

The IOC member Dick Pound, a former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, claimed cycling might have to be dropped from the Olympics if Armstrong implicated the International Cycling Union (UCI) in a cover-up of his systematic doping....

Lance Armstrong is the era of the corporate take over. There was a time when Olympic athletes did not receive monies from anywhere to participate in the sports. It was considered the execution of the sport at the purest level. For decades there has been a move by corporations to seek to create icons for their products and services. That is not an amateur athlete.

Everything in the world is big business as if that is the only reason people are motivated to live a life. It is the worst set of values ever held. Commercial focus brings corruption. Lance Armstrong and his rivals are suppose to be amateur athletes. The best in the world. The question is given the extremes they were achieving in competition when were by going to start using replacement parts for joints operated by distant computer?

The USA has seen sport after sport dominated by corruption. There is far less moral content in sports today than ever before. When a star athlete is motivated by imagination of a woman struggling for her life there is something sincerely wrong with the value system 'of the expectations' of the people appreciating the sport. The fans have a problem, too.

Corruption happens and values change because everyone is 'on the take' at some point in the food chain. The IOC has to examine the impact of corruption on the sport of cycling and reset the expectations of competitors at the amateur level. Armstrong effected the records of the sport for nearly a decade. There is a lot to reset to allow those that follow to actually achieve a real statement about the capacity of the sport.

Mr. Te'o stated after having experienced the death of his grandmother and imaginary friend in  the same day, "...there is a reason why I am at Notre Dame..." The implication is god has his hand on  the life of Mr. Te'o and will have his hand on him no matter where he is playing football. Does it sound familiar? I don't begrudge Mr. Te'o his faith or his career, but, his 'iconic image' is drenched with Christian focus which has become a political football in the USA. The entire 'money ball' is a mess, disaster and highly manipulative  as a power play throughout the spectrum of USA society. Even religion has become corrupt with wealth. Where does it stop?

The government investigation needs to look past the imaginary friend 'thing' and examine the potential it was a goal by a competitor. In other words, if Mr. Te'o were in a draft who would replace him in potential and/or money if he was defamed and removed as a guarantee commercial bet.

Algeria had every right to act to stop terrorists within their borders.

I have no idea whom the Americans or Europeans were, but, I can guess.

Halliburton (click here) currently has the following openings in Algiers. Algiers jobs vary from time to time based on our current openings. Please check back often for new Algiers job openings to find a career that is right for you. Thank you for considering a career in Algiers at Halliburton.

People working in dangers areas of the world accept the fact they are in dangerous areas of the world. My sympathies to the familes of those that perished at the hand of those seeking power over civilization.

There is a very good chance the identities of the individuals taken hostage that would never have survived anyway will never be known.

HALLIBURTON (click here)

Halliburton Camp: Route Rhoude El Baguel Km 15, BP 421 Hassi Messaoud Algeria Tel: 213 29 73 92 05 Fax: 213 29 73 92 49 E-Mail: Web: www.halliburton.com  Liaison Office Algiers: H�tel Sheraton B.P. 62, Staoueli Algiers,Algeria Tel: 213 2137 72 40 & Fax: 21321 37 72 48