Senator Rubio needs to pay attention to his actions in regard to Immigration Reform.

Senator Rubio is a young Senator. He needs to make it more and more clear when he votes it is based in fact, not populous opinion. It is sound governing practice that will carry his career forward, not populous rhetoric which in time will prove to remove confidence in his ability with voters. I would hope all legislators would want to be considered to be Great Americans, however, what is proving to be more true is the willingness to be elected for their personal wealth. 

Senator Rubio should set himself apart from those carrying rhetoric as their way of being popular in the next election and stand on his accomplishments instead.

Senator Rubio needs to lead and not follow. Rhetorical stands are touted by followers and not leaders.

Jason Easley
April 13, 2013
Sen. Marco Rubio’s approval rating (click here) is six points lower with Hispanics than George W. Bush’s, so the Republican Party thinks it is a great idea to put him on all 5 Sunday shows.

The Republican “rebrand” strategy is centered around making Sen. Marco Rubio the face of immigration reform. The problem is that Hispanics aren’t flocking to the Florida Republican. A new poll from NBC News/WSJ/Telemundo found that despite months of efforts to elevate Rubio, the senator’s approval rating with Hispanics is 23%. Twenty five percent of those polled were neutral, 12% had a negative opinion, and 40% didn’t know him. On the surface, these numbers don’t seem all that bad. The fact that Rubio is a relative unknown could provide upside for his approval.

Republicans might be feeling good about Rubio if the same poll didn’t reveal that George W. Bush’s approval rating with Hispanics is six points higher (29%) than Marco Rubio’s (23%). President Obama’s approval rating with Hispanics is almost three times larger than Rubio’s (64%), but not even the president can match potential 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton’s approval rating of 65%....

Rubio needs to move away from the Republican rhetoric and do what is best for the country. His resistance to vote in effective Immigration Reform is a problem for him. He should not be so worried about what the US House will do, he needs to worry about his own commitment to improving the lives of people longing to be productive members of our country.

May 31, 2013
...The lack of enthusiasm (click here) from Republicans about a McDonnell campaign shows through in numbers that find he is only the fourth choice of primary voters in the state to be their next national standard bearer. 17% support Marco Rubio with Chris Christie at 15% and Jeb Bush at 14% also coming in ahead of McDonnell's 12%. After that it's Rand Paul at 10%, Ted Cruz and Paul Ryan at 8%, Bobby Jindal at 3%, and Rick Santorum at 2%....

Border fences don't work. They have never worked. There is only one thing that stops Mexican citizens or those from anywhere in Latin America, from coming to the USA and that is better quality of life in their homelands. Mexico is proving that to be true. If there are less people crossing the USA southern border is it because they are finding less reason to go north, so much as work at home where their families live.

McAllen, Texas
By Scott Nicol
February 27, 2011
...Nearly 650 miles of solid border wall have already been built, at a cost of $2.6 billion, plus millions more for upkeep and repairs. Unlike the virtual fence, which was scrutinized for a year before being shut down, a recent Government Accountability Office report found that "CBP [Customs and Border Protection] has not assessed the effect of [physical] fencing on border security."...Last month, the Obama administration (click here) finally pulled the plug on the "virtual fence" that was supposed to line the border between the United States and Mexico with cameras and radar towers. After sinking more than $1 billion into the scheme, the Department of Homeland Securitydetermined that it was a complete failure. Mark Borkowski, executive director of the electronic fence program at DHS, summed it up by saying, "It was a great idea, but it didn't work."...

The cost is incredibly ridiculous. This is the cost of a SINGLE line of fence. San Diego claims their fence is effective to 95% effective, however, San Diego has three, COUNT THEM THREE, lines of fence with the second one five feet higher than the first and the third is bent at the top to make it more difficult to climb. All that San Diego's experience proves is that if a state spends enough they will stem the flow of people that cross at that point of the fence. It doesn't mean they have stopped crossing, it only proves they don't cross as frequently at San Diego.

By JULIA PRESTON

Published: October 19, 2011

...In 2009, the Congressional Search Service (click here) reported that the Department of Homeland Security had spent roughly up to $21 million per mile to build a primary fence near San Diego. The cost had ballooned as the fence extended into hills and gullies along the line.

The same year, Customs and Border Protection estimated costs of building an additional 3.5 miles of fence near San Diego at $16 million per mile. Even this lower figure would yield a rough projection of $22.4 billion for a single fence across the 1,400 miles remaining today.

These estimates do not include the costs of acquiring land, nor the expense of maintaining a fence that is exposed to constant efforts by illegal crossers to bore through it or under it or to bring it down. In March, Customs and Border Protection estimated it would cost $6.5 billion “to deploy, operate and maintain” the existing border fencing over an expected maximum lifetime of 20 years. The agency reported repairing 4,037 breaches in 2010 alone....

It doesn't matter that scary rhetoric sounds good to angry constituents, what matters are the facts. The fact currently reflect there are less people crossing the border. There are several reasons for that, including the fact, the Obama administration has deported more persons than any other administration before them.

FACT, no matter how many people the USA sends back or how high it makes the fence or how redundant the number of fences are to prevent crossings, it will never stop drug cartels. The drug cartels use submarines and half submarines to carry their illegal merchandise to the USA. The only country in North America that can afford their addictions to the extent there are those addicted. See, Canada has effective drug recovery programs. Government programs.

Senator Rubio should not dodge the issue, but, take it head on. People welcome to become citizens in the USA have been denied their 'belonging' for a long time, it is time to open the door and let them in. Going through a process will take long enough, but, to pin their hopes on a border fence is more than silly. If the fence never passes some arbitrary idea of performance, they will have spent their lives without opportunity. That is a betrayal. People should not be taken advantage of, so much as guaranteed rights by legislation passed by the federal government.

If these folks are required to wait in line, pay taxes, pay penalties and have satisfied any reasonable demand, but, the border fence doesn't yet work; it isn't their problem, it is the problem of the USA and whether or not there is enough funding for border patrol agents and/or maintenance of the fence. That is tragic and unconscionable. Take a stand and stop having a rubber backbone, Marco!

I don't really welcome ocean warming storms in a hot climate. I like ocean algae too much.

June 5, 2013
1230:18z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you)

There is a chance there will be first hurricanes of the season. I think the circulation center in the eastern Gulf, south of Florida and northwest of Cuba has a higher energy dynamic to produce a hurricane. If there is a hurricane, the chances of tornadoes over land drops.

The Atlantic circulation center is approaching a small island affiliated with the Bermuda Rise. The island itself is a 'heat center' simply because it is in the middle of a cooler water ocean.

Analyzing seafloor sediments from the Bermuda Rise, (click here) scientists concluded that alkenones made off Nova Scotia were transported southward by the Deep Western Boundary Current. Off Cape Hatteras, the current intercepts the clockwise-circulating Worthington Gyre and the counterclockwise North Recirculating Gyre. The two great gyres act like interlocking cogs, drawing Nova Scotian particles from the Deep Western Boundary Current, channeling them eastward between the gyres, and carrying them onto the Bermuda Rise. (Illustration by E. Paul Oberlander, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) Human beings don't create oxygen they collect it. The oxygen found in tanks or oxygen systems at hospitals is from liquified air which has been distilled into liquid oxygen, etc. Humans can't really produce oxygen, unless they intend to use electrolysis to the entire ocean. But, void of plants we are all in rough shape. It is all part of climate, like it or not. About 98% of atmospheric oxygen comes from photosynthesis, the process by which plants produce sugars from carbon dioxide and water. The remainder results from the breakup of water by ultraviolet radiation. It is a lot cooler  today than 2 weeks ago. That is due to the growing hurricane(s). June 5, 2013  1315 gmt The Weather Channel Temperature  Map The temperature difference isn't because Autumn is approaching. It is heat distribution of Earth's physics.

May 20, 2013

2015 gmt 

The Weather Channel Temperature Map

I think I already addressed this. The velocity was so high there were many touchdowns vs return to wall cloud.

It was the high velocity the professionals weren't used to and were caught in the high energy, water vapor saturated heat storm. I did already state that. But, I also stated the weather service would be analyzing the data and presenting it's findings. They did and have confirmed my own prescription to death and disaster. I don't enjoy those analysis either. The El Reno heat storm did not 'make my day.' Quite the contrary. 

However, this proves without a doubt there is solid science used in measuring these storms to understand the profound changes occurring in our climate.

by Bill Chappell
June 4, 2013

The tornado (click here) that struck El Reno, Okla., Friday "is officially the widest known tornado in the U.S.," says the National Weather Service office in Norman, Okla., announcing today that at its widest, the storm stretched across 2.6 miles....

...The El Reno tornado's intensity was upgraded to the maximum rating of EF5; the weather agency says its winds reached 295 miles an hour while it was on the ground in the area west of Oklahoma City....

I need to address something, a misuse of the language surrounding these storms. There is a difference between Shelf Cloud and Wall Cloud. If professionals want to be understood by the public they need to be consistent in their use of language.

This is a Wall Cloud. It is unique and only occurs when tornadoes are the prevalent threat. This photo is by NOAA.

Below is a shelf cloud. This one happens to be a thunderstorm. There is a difference. When Wall Clouds are noticed in the area people need to take their safety very seriously. That might be the case with a Shelf Cloud, too, but they do not have the profound danger accompanying Wall Clouds.


Shelf clouds can also result in Roll Clouds. They are all considered Arcus Clouds. They are different from Mammantis Clouds which carry their own prediction capacity.

13 Incredible Arcus Clouds (click here)

But, the public likes to be correct in their language and understanding definitions. It empowers them. As a professional the public should have a place in the definition of the practice. Professionals exist because the public values them.

Northern Europe is flooding.

A cluster of homes are surrounded by water from the Mulde River near Eilenburg.  Jens Wolf, AFP/Getty Images


05/06 04:07 CET

At least 12 people have been killed (click here) in severe flooding that has swamped a large part of central Europe.

The high water is now shifting north from Prague to eastern Germany.

The city of Dresden is inundated. It was last deluged by flood water in 2002.

In the German state of Saxony around ten thousand people have been evacuated from their homes.

Mindful of a looming election, Chancellor Angela Merkel was swiftly on the scene.
“Many people are still in shock from the floods of 2002,” she told the crowd, “and things were just getting rebuilt. The federal government will support the flood-hit areas. For every euro spent by the state, the federal government will give another.”

In Austria, the Danube has not been as high for ten years. 20, 000 emergency personnel have been deployed.

The Netherlands gets ready for floods as river water levels rise (click here)

Monday 03 June 2013

Flood plains along the banks of the Rhine and other major rivers are expected to be under water in places later this week as very heavy rains in Germany have an effect in the Netherlands.

The water in the Rhine at Lobith, where the river crosses into the Netherlands, is expected to reach 13.55 metres above NAP in the coming days. NAP is the base used to measure how high or low water levels are.

A river level of 13.55 metres is considered high but not worrying....

The legislature has no room for criticism of the President for appointing Ambassador Rice to the National Security Advisor. If the legislature is this pathetic about confirmation of very qualified nominees they have no room to criticize anything the President does within his Executive power.

Ambassador Rice does have a more aggressive posture in the United Nations than one might expect.

by Cody Leblanc on Jun 03, 2013

In a welcome move (click here) on May 29, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice called on the Ugandan/African Union mission against the Lord’s Resistance Army to restart operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  In remarks at a U.N. Security Council briefing by Abou Moussa, Special Representative to the Secretary General of the U.N. Regional Office for Central Africa , or UNOCA, Rice implored the U.N. to take more action to prevent the LRA from setting up safe havens in the Democratic Republic of Congo....

...This is a particularly welcome statement, as new information has surfaced that the LRA has moved groups of fighters into the Congo in recent weeks.  This must not become a safe haven for Kony’s dangerous fighters. 

This sounds like a commercial produced by Walmart. Walmart believes they are a career choice.

Here is a hint. A career choice often means possessing a college degree. Folks that go on to higher education have a particular career in mind. I would say that is the case 99% of the time. Now, finding a job in their career choice is another issue, but, considering the most recent generation has been mostly unemployed, it really is an empty debate.

This is a bit besides the point, but there are all kinds of critics regarding college attendance. The reason, of course, is that it is inefficient in planning a life of employment. What is the answer for upward movement when one decides to work instead of attend college? Seriously. What is the alternative? Walmart. The argument they make is completely mute. It has no basis, much as the statement by the Mississippi governor. I call him that very loosely.

But, the idea that the women of Mississippi are abandoning their responsibility to their children by not have enough time to help with their homework in a nurturing way is about as hideous as it comes.

In the USA those educated with a bachelor's degree or higher is 28.2 percent. Those with the same degree level is 19.7 percent. That does not mean parents are capable of assisting with their children's homework. It does mean Mississippi have far, far less women seeking careers measured in a meaningful way. This is what happens when public education is treated as an enemy to the citizen taxpayers.

I don't really want to hear how housekeeping and motherhood is a career choice, it isn't. It is valuable work, but, it is not a career choice. A career choice requires some degree of preparation beyond what an average person would do. I don't recall any Housework University.

The median annual income in Mississippi is $38,781 and probably from at least two incomes in the household, while the USA has a median income of $52,762 in the same social dynamic. And that is another thing. The US Census measures median income, but, it does not measure how many jobs the household requires to maintain that income.

So, if the Mississippi governor, I use that term lightly, wants to blame parents for the educational outcomes of their children and nurturing, he can blame it on the fact the household needs at least two or more incomes to sustain themselves in Mississippi while their shopping takes place at cut thoat Walmart and not Main Street.

Results for 

#freebrad (click here)

How completely ridiculous is this! A dress code for the courtroom and secrecy due to the 'nature' of the prosecution.

Nathan Fuller‏@nathanLfuller

'Truth' t-shirts are now banned from the courtroom -- have to turn em inside out or stay out. LOL. #freebrad

It was leaked !!!!!!!!!
By Associated Press, Published: June 4
Updated: Wednesday, June 5, 4:45 AM

...Large parts of the proceedings (click here) are expected to be closed to the public. Many documents have been withheld or heavily redacted. Photographers were blocked from getting a good shot of the soldier and even some of Manning’s supporters had to turn their T-shirts inside out....
Of course, the JAG Corp wants to present material NOT leaked to stress their point of the prosecution in the first place. This is even more hideous than the Senate hearings yesterday with the top brass.

I have a lot of respect for the Late Senator Frank Lautenberg. I am willing to give Governor Christi the benefit of the doubt on this one.

I know that won't go over well and I'll be the most stupid woman on the net. But. That is the way I see it. I sincerely do not believe Governor Christi is being that ruthless about this. As a matter of fact I think he is being more respectful than anyone wants to give him credit.

See, it would be wrong to provide focus on any enhancement to the Governor Race with expectations of 'help' from the Late Senator's seat. I sincerely believe Governor Christi wanted Frank to have his own election.

It is more than that, too.

Governor Christi could have replaced the Late Senator without the benefit of an election for the people of New Jersey until 2014. That wouldn't have been right.

The people of New Jersey loved Frank. I would not want to be the Governor to choose a replacement and then disappoint them because the replacement didn't measure up to Frank. Those shoes are hard to fill.

I find it more pleasant to think about this Special Election as an actual special event for a special Senate seat. I don't really care about the ruthlessness everyone is going to assign this race. The race will be what it will be, but, it won't be coveted for anything else, except, a race that will replace a rather amazing man.

I wish all those running for the Senate seat the best of luck. They will need it. It will be nearly impossible to replace a man like Frank Lautenberg. I suggest they and the media get started to find the best of the political playing field in New Jersey, Frank would want it that way. 

June 4, 2013 
Washington, DC

Chris Christi seems in no danger of losing his re-election bid (click here) this November. But for all of his bipartisan appeal, he does have a way of irking Republicans and Democrats alike. Under New Jersey's murky election laws, Mr Christie had wide latitude to schedule an election for the Senate seat left vacant by Frank Lautenberg's death yesterday. Republicans hoped he would choose November 2014, and then pick a Republican to fill the seat until then. Democrats demanded an election this year, and are still hoping Mr Christie replaces like with like in the Senate....

I think some folks forget who Chris Christi really is sometimes. They don't know him as the US Attorney committed to dealing with corruption. They don't realize how committed he has been to good governance. He is a force to contend with. I think he respected Frank as much as anyone and I dare anyone to say otherwise.

It is time to take a look at Jasper, Texas.

This is the map of the city of 7000 people. The city is 10.4 square miles, so everyone probably knows everyone else. I am quite confident the police know everyone in town. 

It is northeast of Houston. Houston, by the way, has a high murder rate.

I am not surprised the city doesn't think there is anything "W"rong with their social dynamics. That is basically the way racism works in the south. Hate crimes exist, but, it is eliminated from any lingering social reputation because it is assigned to the individual. In other words, when James Byrd, Jr. was brutally murdered in a hate crime, it was ONLY the problem of the murderers, no underlying social condition.

The city is organized around a town council and city manager. 

Currently, there is a Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem, the phone numbers are listed on the city website (click here)

Mayor is Mike Lout - 409-384-2626 (That looks like an easy to remember business phone number actually.)

The Mayor Pro Tem is Raymond Hopson of District 4 - 409-384-6211.

The remainder of the council members are:

District 1 - Alton Scott - 409-381-1489

District 2 - Randy M. Sayers - 409-384-7711 (That looks like another easy to remember business phone number, too.)

District 3 - Hazel Johnson - 409-384-4270

District 5 - Mitch McMillion - He is also the councilman at large - 409-384-4334 (How about that at least three of these folks have easy to remember phone numbers that would appear to be business related.)

Interim City Manger - Denise Kelley - dkelley@jaspertx.org

Now, I would not be surprised if the council members that have businesses are elected more than any other member in town. I mean they are probably set up to get things done when the city treasury needs spending.

This is the city front page. Interesting. They tout all kinds of welcoming posture, but look, the population hasn't gone up in twenty years. As a matter of fact it has decreased. Aren't there babies born in that town? Twenty years the numbers of people living in Jasper should have gone up far more than this. This is way below the national average. If one looks at the programs touted by the town there are all kinds of equality opportunities including housing, so what's the problem here?

Jasper, Texas is in Jasper County. Is this the county seat?

Jasper County Courthouse

121 N. Austin

Jasper, TX 75951

409-384-6226

I'll be darn. The police in Jasper are big fish in a little pond.

Steve Hollis - Criminal District Attorney (click here) 
Misti Spacek ACDA - District Attorney
Andrea Clinger - Assistant District Attorney
321 N. Austin, Room 101
Jasper, TX 75951
Phone: 409-384-4362
Fax: 409-384-1309

I do believe they have to enlist the local detective to investigate the latest hate crime by the local Jasper police. It could be called police brutality, but, it seems there are questionable problems in arresting someone in the early morning hours over a traffic ticket. Do you mean to tell me in a city relatively close to Houston there isn't anything else for police to do but harass and brutalize the black population in town?

In 1835, the town was renamed after William Jasper, a war hero from the American Revolution who was killed attempting to plant the American flag at the storming of Savannah in 1779.

Jasper has a proud history, that should be something the city should consider a place to gather to appreciate the idea of being an American citizen regardless of race or ethnicity.


The city of Jasper is split nearly 50:50 in racial numbers (click here). It is a poor community. Those men that were fired from the police department are going to feel their lack of employment. I would think they would appreciate their jobs more. But, sometimes poverty lends itself to loose associations to loyalty to work and more toward social dynamics. The rewards of low income demand looking elsewhere.

Median household income is about half of what the State of Texas it. Texas chimes in about $50,000 per year while Jasper is $25,000 with more than 31 percent below poverty level. The population in Texas below poverty is 17%. Governor Perry needs to look into the lag in these small towns to economic growth. They appear to be hurting. It would be helpful to find reasons for a tour stop or something like that.

I can't get over the lack of population growth. The growth nationally from 1990 through 2010 was about 10.5% according to the US Census Bureau. Jasper has negative growth while having more people per mile than the Texas average. Jasper has 7 and a half times more residents per square mile than Texas does. Jasper has 726.6 residents per square mile while Texas touts 96.3. I realize that would be different if Houston was under a microscope, but, it is still densely packed. A square mile isn't that big.

Jasper has a 75% high school graduation rate, but, there are dearly few college grads still living in their home town. I get the idea this little town is rather stagnant in it's population, economy and city income.

About 60 percent homes are occupied with a value of $81,000. That is not much income to that city if it relies on property taxes. Minorities are about 50% of the population, but, only 22% of business owners.

The economy in Jasper is very bad. It is completely stagnant and self-contained. The only college folks that live in Jasper are those with their own businesses. I guaranteed most of the folks that have lived there for most of their adult lives feel trapped to accept 'things as they are.' There is a city economy, stagnant, without options for their residents except poverty, except for those that go to college and don't come back. 

Jasper has problems. The Governor needs to pay attention to these towns and find a way to move along their economies and improve the lives of their citizens and the quality of life of everyone. There is no opportunity in Jasper and race relations show it.

I am quite sure if Governor Perry is stuck on how to improve the quality of life of the people of Jasper, the Obama Administration has plenty of ideas. These folks don't know how to find their way out of a paper bag, yet alone try something different to improve the lives in Jasper. Those in power are happy with their power. Those in poverty are hopeless in their lives. When the two face off in any social setting there is a lot of hostile feelings and it shows up in violence and victimization of the minorities. Perry needs to do something here.

Oh, by the way, these are the states complaining about food stamps, welfare and the Affordable Care Act, yet they can't improve the quality of life of their citizens. Typical southern economic strategy - starve the beast until those at the bottom of the social ladder die of starvation or end up in prison for stealing the bread off the grocery shelf. Economies like this breed crime and given the high crime and murder rate in Texas, this violence in Jasper is no surprise.

Good night.

President Putin should come to North Carolina to visit the wild horses there. We don't have tigers, except, for those in the zoos. But, we have wild horses. We have bears, too.


President Putin should also consider having his own brand of microbrew. President Obama has his.

Microbrewing could be an entirely new industry for Russia, especially Moscow. He should come to tour our microbrews in the USA, they are quite good and add to a local culture and economy.

Maybe there could be beer concessions at the Olympics, too. I assume there are adults that come as tourists, yes?

I am not at all surprised Steven Seagal would be a welcome populous figure in Russia.

To begin, I'd rather have Russian drinking beer than vodka. It would reduce the dangers to Russian livers. Glasses of beer rather than shots of vodka can deter some levels of alcoholism. It makes drinking more social, too.

But, if I am not mistaken President Putin is quite the martial arts expert. Steven Seagal fits well into that picture.

Russia really is not an enemy to the USA. If it wanted to be it could have been far more an enemy than currently postured. Some of the misinterpretation of Russian within international relations is due to having a convenient enemy for politicians on both sides to point to for blame than accepting responsibility for wayward policy decisions.

I hate to disappoint anyone, but, Russia is not much more than a hand shake away from coordinated efforts to stem terrorism and find partners to peace. Economics could be different for any country if Russia was not forced into being THE balance of power in the world.

I don't want to hear any two-faced mumbo-jumbo from these folks either. They met with people in Russia that helped and that is what I want to hear them say to their constituents and THE PARTY as well. 

Abby Ohlheiser 
June 2, 2013

A group of GOP-led congressmen, (click here) with Steven Seagal as tour guide, have wrapped up a fact-finding trip to Russia, where they apparently failed to find any significant clues related to the radicalization of the brothers behind the Boston bombings. But the mission had a secondary effect: it looks like the group, which included Rep. Michele Bachmann, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, and Rep. Steve King, have found some rhetorical common ground with Russian officials.

Seagal is pals with a handful of influential Russian officials, as Michael Weiss at the Atlantic explained earlier this week. And it sounds like the actor called in a bunch of favors to get the congressmen access to officials they wouldn't have otherwise spoken to — including members of the the Federal Security Service, known as the FSB. The lawmakers were impressed, as evidenced by the Associated Press story on the trip:...

Syria is an excellent place for the UN Treaty on Guns. There are child soldiers. Without guns, children could not be this victimized.

4 June 2013 Last updated at 08:42 ET

...Children have been taken hostage (click here) or forced to watch torture, it says, while others have been killed while fighting.

It says it suspects there are "reasonable grounds" to believe chemical weapons have been deployed.

And it urges foreign powers not to increase the availability of arms in Syria.

The issue of arms has been high on the international agenda of late, with the EU lifting an embargo on the sale of arms to Syria while Russia has insisted it is going ahead with the sale of an advanced S-300 surface-to-air missile defence system to Syria.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the contract had not yet been fulfilled and Russia did not want to "disturb the balance in the region".

He said he was "disappointed" by the EU move.

The international powers are struggling to set a date for a peace conference on Syria, where the conflict is believed to have cost at least 80,000 lives....

None, too soon. Make them sit at the table. Both sides of the equation have to put down their arms and negotiate a future for their children without first killing them in a hideous and heinous civil war.

This is a war of ethnicity. It is more than sectarian. The Taliban are sectarians, but, this Syrian war is one of ethnicity. If one group is armed in favor of another it would mean ethnic cleansing. That can't be tolerated by any nation, including the European Union.

The first order of the peace process is to bring humanitarian assistance to all those that need it. The desperation of food, water, shelter against the elements and medical supplies has to end to first place an incentive for peace. All impetus to war has to be addressed, but, ending the neediness of the people for a day to day survival is paramount before any of them will be willing to negotiate.

By Evan Bleier, Tue, June 04, 2013

The Obama administration has decided (click here) that it will sign a new U.N. treaty on arms regulation despite resistance from members of Congress who are concerned the new resolution will lead to stricter gun control in the United States.

Secretary of State John Kerry made the announcement on Monday, saying the U.S. "welcomes" the next phase for the treaty.

"We look forward to signing it as soon as the process of conforming the official translations is completed satisfactorily," Kerry said. He called the treaty "an important contribution to efforts to stem the illicit trade in conventional weapons, which fuels conflict, empowers violent extremists, and contributes to violations of human rights."

Countries that accept the treaty would be required to establish regulations for transferring conventional weapons and arms components, and to control arms dealers. The treaty will not control the use of weapons in any country, but gun-rights advocates are concerned that it will lead to further gun regulation....

With any of this is the responsibility of chain of custody.

I find it more than interesting Justice Scalia has dissented. But, anytime there are procedures to be carried out by government, including police departments, it adds to their budget. In the case of DNA testing it is a matter of chain of custody to be then validated by a second or third test before being entered into a data bank. I don't see this as an issue of evidence gathering, so much as reliability and cost.

While Justice Scalia has ruled as he should in concern for the individual, he is also correct in worrying about false arrests and victimization of the data. One has to also question the prudent expense of such evidence. I think fingerprints are still unique. We don't have clones and even if that occurred regularly in the USA, DNA testing would not help.

What this decision does do is validate the legitimacy of the evidence when DNA is collected. This is new confidence in the judicial system that DNA is a reliable indicator as evidence. But, in all honesty, it is duplication where fingerprints serve the same purpose. The difference with fingerprints and DNA is the 'reading' of the evidence. Fingerprint analysis is far less complicated then DNA interpretation. So, here again, there is expense that might not be prudent or necessary.

The judicial system has also exonerated innocent people from crimes they never committed using DNA evidence. I am sure those folks would state it would have been better to be innocent from the beginning rather than far later in the appeals process. Scary stuff actually, to think our judicial system can go this far afield.

Changing technology is always a concern. The acceptance of the telephone over the telegraph was not convincing at first either. The thing about DNA evidence is the matching to the correct person, therefore, there has to be redundancy in the process. DNA has to be matched with fingerprints and extracted on more than one occasion to prove it's accuracy. I mean, the first time through it could be the wrong person if the fingerprints and DNA are removed at the same encounter. The more frequently the test is performed on different occasions the more positive the results and the more reliable the evidence.

There is also the issue of (monozygotic) identical twins. Monozygotic twins have different fingerprints, which is a more than interesting reality. The small space in the womb between the two genetically identical fetus provides enough environmental difference to produce different fingerprints. Given the different fingerprints, there are probably extremely minor differences in genetic fingerprints or DNA, but, whether or not that is always extracted is another question. I am not sure there is research on a large enough scale to actually validate the difference in the two as a consistent measure of individuality.

There is also the concern of manipulation of the crime scene now that DNA is a form of reliable evidence. Will perpetrators actually plan for these occasions? If they do where does that put the defendant if DNA becomes the prime evidence in any case? I still believe fingerprints outweigh DNA. There are definitely cases such as rape where the DNA is most dominate to any other evidence.

Part of the uncertainty that still requires 'old school' evidence is the fact this is suppose to close the gap on doubt about the death sentence. Recently we have noted Governor Kasich, in good conscience, stated he lacked confidence in the death sentence due to flaws within our justice system. To some death penalty advocates, DNA closes that gap. Not really. There are still margins of error to the reality. 

Old fashioned evidence gathering and critical analysis of the entire crime has to be employed even with DNA as a basis of evidence gathering. To my way of thinking, it is only another tool in the tool box, but, it is not the do all or end all to solving a crime. If this validation of DNA as a tool truncates the investigative process and prosecutorial process then greater injustice will result and the margin of error in finding innocent persons guilty increases.

DNA is another measure of guilt, however, it cannot be the only measure of guilt. All the pieces have to fit together, not just one, otherwise our judicial system will become a house of cards. So, while this is an interesting 5-4 decision it still has disadvantages in application to crime analysis and prosecution processes.

The cost of obtaining this evidence can be pinned on those arrested, but, that really isn't realistic. I mean DNA evidence should not be used for jay-walking, okay? The brevity of the evidence has to fit the crime.

By Pete Williams and Erin McClam, NBC News

The Supreme Court on Monday (click here) upheld the police practice of taking DNA samples from people who have been arrested but not convicted of a crime, ruling that it amounts to the 21st century version of fingerprinting.

The ruling was 5-4. Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative, joined three of the court’s more liberal members — Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan — in dissenting.

The five justices in the majority ruled that DNA sampling, after an arrest “for a serious offense” and when officers “bring the suspect to the station to be detained in custody,” does not violate the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches....

I think Mr. Werfel did really well at the hearing yesterday. Rep. Issa needs to take his advise.

If the House wants to cut the spending of the IRS then they need to leverage against that budget, but, don't tell me for one minute this wasn't complete indulgence of the agency for political pandering while the rest of the nation faced The Sequester.

Some of the budget provided to the IRS was to prevent political backlash by a very powerful government agency. The IRS budget is cowardice more so than the agency leadership misspending their budget. It is a strategy to saturate the IRS with monies for indulgence of their power. We saw the same mess with the Minerals and Mining Management. The agency was treated like Astor's Pet Bulldog to keep the government off the back of the petroleum industry. So, Rep. Issa can stop acting as though this is a surprise. The House holds the budget strings. They could have controlled this a long time ago, but, haven't.

Additionally, the leadership of these agencies are oriented to the fact their spending adds to any economic paradigm. Basically, these budgets are also used as government stimulus. So, the government officials making 'Shame, shame," at the IRS meetings, need to point the responsibility at themselves.

Additionally, these conferences are planned years in advance. So, what is being observed actually started long before 2010. The "Shame, shame," needs to stop and the House needs to take up their own responsibility for this mess. Let's face it, if the IRS could be pursued to cater to special interest groups through indulgence this would never be an issue in the first place. All this mess went on a long time before Minerals and Mining Management was found out, too.

The oversight of the government agency spending for necessary conferences needs to have citizens sitting within a panel, too. That is the problem here, it is a closed loop between government and agency without a panel of citizens oversight as well. There are many shareholders within all these agencies and they are not a part of the process that lends itself to this type of exploitation of taxpayer monies.

So, while Rep. Issa is playing "Shame on you" with the IRS he is also not proposing changes that are meaningful.

...Adding to the recent IRS woes (click here) is an upcoming inspector general’s report expected to show that the agency spent an estimated $49 million on at least 220 conferences over a three-year span beginning in fiscal 2010. The House oversight committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on that matter Thursday....

I am looking forward to the Christi appointment to the vacant seat of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. I have no doubt any appointee will seek to work across the aisle and bring bipartisan resolve to many issues including immigration reform. I have confidence the Christi appointee will seek to bring an end to divisive party politics in the legislature. It would be a disappointment of that weren't the case.

Bradley Manning prevented Eric Prince from leaving the USA while being investigated. He did that. He loved his country. He was not about to let someone like Prince escape accountability for the violence Blackwater caused in Iraq. The government has no case against Bradley Manning.

I congratulate the House of Representatives on an absolutely magnificent session today.

There was a session in the US House which was incredible to watch for the bipartisan support today for legislation which would have received the enthusiasm of the late Senator Lautenberg.

Today, the House passed a bill for the Department of the Interior that would provide electronic purchase of The Duck Stamp. It passed with 401 "Yes" votes with no opposition to the bill. Two appropriate amendments were included to aid the wild horses of the North Carolina Coast and increase the size of the Alamo National Historic Park.

It was wonderful to watch today. It was a delight. I watched the session.

The second bill was to provide a fee on the purchase of animal medications to benefit the FDA. Very nice. The FDA is important.

After the second vote a deeply respectful tribute to Late Senator Lautenberg was conducted by the NJ House. It was wonderful. I thank you. A copy of the resolution passed to honor him will be sent to the family and a longer recollection of the Late Senator Lautenberg will be conducted next Tuesday in session in the House. 

I congratulate the House today. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to witness such function in the House today. If the Late Senator can inspire such bipartisan work, then please remember how that worked so well today as we go forward after his honor today. 

Even Representative Waxman made Climate Change a focus of today's House.

Frank Lautenberg was a Great American and today he would be smiling to realize how much of an impression his work made on his peers and colleagues.  Well done, today.

"We formed an effective trio, (click here) with complementary strengths--me in accounting, Joe in organization, and Frank in marketing--and very compatible in personality and business 
style."  – Henry Taub, Founder of ADP, Inc.

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADP) was founded in 1949 by a Patterson, New Jersey businessman named, Henry Taub under the name of Automatic Payrolls, Inc.  The company’s first account was New Era Dye and Finishing in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.  In 1958, the company changed its name to Automatic Data Processing and began using new technology for its time like punch card machines, check printing machines, and mainframe computers.  ADP’s  first full-time salesman was future U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg.  In 1961, ADP became a public company....