Maybe tomorrow...

...I think society moves on to quick these days. There are thousands if not tens of thousands of people dead in the Philippines. Their lives taken from them by a storm every nation that emits greenhouse gases are responsible for. 

I can't move on that quick. I don't believe anyone should. 

I couldn't believe it when nearly 15,000 French citizens died due to heat and the world didn't stand still. The world stood still for an accomplishment when a man walked on the moon, but, not for 15,000 deaths. 

The world stood still when millions were killed in Rwanda, but, not when 56,000 people died in Russian wildfires. 

The world stood still for the release of Microsoft Word 5.1, but, not for the death of Kenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa. 

The world stood still when Katrina killed 1833 people in New Orleans, but, brushed it off and never looked back and certainly never looked back for the destruction of Larson B Ice Shelf in Antarctica or the ice sheets of Greenland and certainly not the melting of an entire ocean in the Arctic. An entire ocean and it is viewed as an opportunity to make money drilling for oil. There is no conscience anymore. No one is appalled at these outrageous thoughts or acts.

I don't know what it is going to take to shake the First World awake anymore. But, the people of the Third World are completely innocent and ravaged. 

I think we are wrong in our focus of what is important politically and I think Americans have gotten used to being handled by political bullies with priorities of Wall Street, faux priorities and false senses of security.

The tidal surge was over 20 feet.

Survivors see their loss, I see water. This ship was lifted high enough to carry it over land once populated and then receded easing it down on top of the rubble. There had to be at least a 20 foot storm surge to do that. That ship was not dragged over land by water. It was not knocked over by water. It was lifted and then settled on land. The water was high enough to pull it off it's moorings and carry it over the structure standing next to it.

The ship has to be removed to find any of those that perished under it. 

My deepest sympathies to the nation of Philippines. There will be great heartache there and in the USA due to this storm.

Survivors (click here) walk past a ship that lies on top of damaged homes after it was washed ashore in Tacloban city, Leyte province central Philippines on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. The city remains littered with debris from damaged homes as many complain of shortage of food, water and no electricity since the Typhoon Haiyan slammed into their province. Haiyan, one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, slammed into central Philippine provinces Friday leaving a wide swath of destruction and scores of people dead. Photo: Aaron Favila, AP

This is so outrageous to state, but, I am going to state it anyway

The red circle marked A is Tacloban,Phillipine.

It is the central islands of the country of Philippines. The global community needs to examine the danger to such island nations and adjust their population distribution. These storms are NOT going end any time soon. 

The Climate Crisis is far from over. There is too much stored CO2 in the oceans and in the troposphere and there is migration of gases in to the tropopause and stratosphere. It is going to be a while before this trend actually becomes a livable planet again. The stored CO2 still has to shift back out of their storage areas into the troposphere again. Measure of gaseous CO2 can be made, are made and should be monitored regularly to find a trend in it's distribution through the Earth's biotic content.

I have am been observing and measuring these storms for well over 11 years. The first two vortices occurred October 4, 2002. These monsterous phenomena have not stopped. Some call them Mid-Latitude Vortexes, but, they don't normally continue day after day. At one time they were occasional weather patterns that were watched closely for volatility. The chronic manifestation is a dangerous troposhere and increases the warming of Earth. Rather than 'still/stagnant' air the vortexes circulate the concentration of CO2.

A victim of the powerful typhoon, one of the strongest ever to make landfall, was carried Saturday in the city of Tacloban. The estimated death toll climbed as the extent of the damage became apparent.

By Jim Gomez
Associated Press
November 10, 2013

TACLOBAN, Philippines (AP) — Corpses hung from trees, (click here) were scattered on sidewalks or buried in flattened buildings — some of the 10,000 people believed killed in one Philippine city alone by ferocious Typhoon Haiyan that washed away homes and buildings with powerful winds and giant waves.

As the scale of devastation became clear Sunday from one of the worst storms ever recorded, officials projected the death toll could climb even higher when emergency crews reach parts of the archipelago cut off by flooding and landslides. Looters raided grocery stores and gas stations in search of food, fuel and water as the government began relief efforts and international aid operations got underway.

Even in a nation regularly beset by earthquakes, volcanoes and tropical storms, Typhoon Haiyan appears to be the deadliest natural disaster on record....

That is off topic. These storms are water loving. They rather increase in velocity than find an inland route. That is due to the physics manifested in large oscillations. Do to that fact they reach high velocities. There is every indication that is not going to end. As a matter of fact following this storm I would expect NOAA and NASA to re-evaluate the burgeoning Cat 6 hurricane.

It isn't that these storms don't make landfall, they do and with great force, but, not with the force it had at sea. Superstorm Sandy was evidence of that. But, this storm ran over the center of the country of Philippines on it's way west. It took the path of least resistance while it continued to carry high velocities. The physics of these storms are completely known, they are to take tropospheric heat and drive it into the oceans. The higher the velocity, the deeper the penetration of the storm into the ocean surface and the more heat carried to the oceans. This physics as to why it oscillates over water is that water vapor heats and fuels the storms. So, even though the storm may be following a obvious path, as Katrina did; it skips east, west, north and south as the water vapor coming off the ocean (similar to lake effects weather) concentrates and the heat carries the full force of the circulating air. 

There was recently an east Pacific hurricane near Mexico that literally bounced into higher atmospheric circulating air and skipped over the entire country of Mexico. The patterns of these storms are becoming more and more volatile and can't be ignored. I am sure NOAA and NASA have their hands full evaluating and following the trends of these monsters.

The point is this.

The Philippines need to concentration their nation's people in the north and south islands, but, also increase the structure endurance to high winds. That may very well mean the buildings have a limit to their height. It depends on the architectural design. The Philippines need to consider maintaining the smaller, central islands into tourist areas which can be easily evacuated if the circumstances all for it. 

For as long as I can remember, once I started to study this stuff, the concern of the global community was sea level rise and the island nations. That is still a focus, however, these storms are not an additional focus.

Every nation is important. Every ethnicity of people are important. The sanity and safety of those nations are important. We need to look at the potential of these storms differently and protect from them.

The US Navy may already have a presence in the Phillipines.

I would have expected any ships to set to sea with the storm approaching, but, if they didn't go far (which is difficult with the diameter of the storm) they could already be back at the Philippine coastline. Maybe. 

The best information is going to be coming from government and the military. I don't expect the country's infrastructure to be up to par.  

With thousands dead, Philippine typhoon ‘a great human tragedy’ (click here) 

Devastation Feared Across Central Philippines in Typhoon’s Wake 

Russia Plans to Send 200 Rescuers to Typhoon-Hit Philippines  

Subic Arrival: The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) arrives in Subic Bay, September 16, 2013. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Brian P. Biller 

by Randy V. Datu Posted on 09/17/2013 9:06 AM  Updated 09/17/2013 9:36 AM  

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines (click here) – Two US Navy ships docked at the Subic Bay freeport Monday, September 16, for a port visit and to take part in a joint PH-US military exercise.

US Navy ships, the USS Boxer (LHD 4) arrived Monday afternoon, while USS New Orleans (LPD 18) followed soon after, carrying a total of more than 3,000 American navy and marine personnel.

They are scheduled to participate in the upcoming Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 2014, alongside the Philippine Marine Corps, the US Navy said in a post Monday.

The Boxer is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship which can accommodate and send any type of helicopters in its platform....
           

Either these folks were evacuated to safer ground or there is no alive. I don't see one person in this picture.

Aerial view of damaged coastal houses in wake of Typhoon Haiyan, Iloilo Province, central Philippines, Nov. 9, 2013.

VOA News

November 09, 2013 

A powerful typhoon (click here) that caused massive destruction and hundreds of deaths in the Philippines is now churning towards Vietnam.

Weather forecasters say Typhoon Haiyan could make landfall in the country on Sunday.

Vietnamese authorities have evacuated several hundred thousand people from coastal areas, where the storm's outer bands are already causing high winds and rough seas.

In the Philippines, Super Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda, made landfall Friday as one of the most powerful storms on record, with maximum sustained winds of about 300 kilometers an hour, sending waves up to five meters high crashing through island communities....

The storm surge was at least 20 feet or mroe. The typhoon has no resistance as it passed over the Philippines. I hope the people were evacuated, but, they will be needing shelter until the villages are rebuilt.

The system feeding this storm is huge. This is a NOAA water vapor satellite. (click here for loop - thank you)

The Philippines, North Vietnam with flooding in South Vietnam and China are in it's path. 

India just got finished with a Cat 5 storm in Mid-October. They faired better than expected because 800,000 people were evacuated inland. The storm was not this large. This typhoon has the entire Pacific to build and grow velocity with nothing to temper it.

November 9, 2013

...According to the note, (click here) 58 people were killed due to heavy rains that lashed the state Oct 21 to Oct 27. The rains affected crops over 13 lakh hectares. The value of the crop loss was estimated at Rs.3,819 crore....

Reuters is stating 10,000 dead. It's bad, really bad. The velocity of the typhoon never stopped.

3.4 million people, or 1.1% of the U.S. population are of Philippine descendents in the USA.

This is the approximate distribution of the Philippine population in the USA.

These people have strong family ties to the Philippines. They are going to be frantic about their relatives. My instincts says "Twitter" if there is a possibility satellites are still a potential to opening communication. 

There are also American citizens there.

This is the Official Gazette of the government (click here). The Philippine government is identifying the typhoon as Yolanda.

How close is the Navy to the Phillipines?

China and Russia are the closest and Russia is always reading with food. 

The US Army Corp and Russian Forces need to build an Airport, ASAP!

Catastrophic !

Water filtration - Carbon filters by the boat loads. 

Multiple forces in the area will require cooperation in communication so the ships don't run into each other. There should also be coordination of distribution of resources. 

As soon a the airlift is available, MREs.

The Phillipines are such narrow arrangement of islands it never slowed the typhoon. They took a full hit. The lousy typhoon passed over them and kept right on going. The only advantage Asia's east coast has is that there is an inland. There is no inland in the Philippines. 

This is what makes me crazy about removing US forces from these countries. We are too far away to simply respond in these instances and be effective to save people lives. This is the Climate Crisis. Closing US Bases with countries that are allies is often a bad idea. This is a prime example. 

Desalination ! Long term planning, the Philippine government is not going to be able to respond to the people's needs anytime soon.

Pacific Partnership Delivers Reverse Osmosis Water System  (click here)

EBEYE, Marshall Islands - Members of Pacific Partnership 2013 worked with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to deliver a reverse osmosis water system donated by the U.S. Agency for International Development to Ebeye, an island in the Kwajalein Atoll of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, July 7.

The reverse osmosis system, donated about two years ago, was loaded onto a landing craft utility (LCU) in Majuro, the capital city, about 140 miles from Ebeye... 

The response after the 2004 Christmas Tsunami is a model for the response here, except, the Philippines is more of a developed nation. Returning it's economy should be a focus, I just don't know how much infrastructure still stands. 

Quarantined areas might be necessary if the dead are in large number in any area. Sequestering disease will be important to prevent any spread of opportunistic infections, be it fungus, mold, bacteria or virus.

USS Essex Loads Humanitarian Assistance Supplies Bound for Relief Effort in Japan (click here)

By Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Casey H. Kyhl, USS Essex Public Affairs   

USS ESSEX, At Sea - The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) on-loaded humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) supplies March 15 during a replenishment at sea in preparation for aiding Japan after it was hit by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami March 11.

More than 45 pallets of surgical masks, water containers, water purifying tablets, health and comfort packs, blankets, and insect repellant were brought aboard during a vertical replenishment-at-sea with the dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9). Essex can navigate the supplies ashore using its amphibious craft and air assets if tasked to assist with Operation Tomodachi in Japan.

"We are looking at how we can help the Japanese Self Defense Forces and how we can help move much-needed supplies to the people that need them the most," said Capt. Bradley Lee, Amphibious Squadron 11, commander. "As always, the safety of our Sailors and Marines is essential. We will take all the necessary precautions to make sure that we send people into a safe environment and that they are poised for success."

Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) ships are capable of carrying out a variety of HADR operations using helicopters assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and the Navy's Helicopter Sea Control Squadron 25 or amphibious craft assigned to Beach Master Unit 1 and Assault Craft Unit 1... 

The response to Japan included a flat top. It was a great idea because the helicopters can bring troops to create camps and distribute supplies. The Japan response was important, but, it was only a partial response to an economically developed nation. The Philippines could easily need far more and extensive support. The USA won't be able to do it all alone. The Japanese disaster had a functional government to still respond and bring survivors away from the radiation and flooding.

There are a million and one reasons for peace to be a priority between nations. This is a catastrophic event and will need the support of East Asia as well as the countries of the Southern Ocean. If nations weren't so dead set on insisting on being enemies, the infrastructure to cooperate and respond could already be established and functional. Peace has a benevolence quotient that should be a priority with a Climate Crisis destroying infrastructure, including crops and clean water. 

The tax commission has returned payments by same-sex couples claiming married status.

Posted: Saturday, November 9, 2013 12:00 am 
Updated: 4:45 am, Sat Nov 9, 2013
By GINNIE GRAHAM World Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY -— The Oklahoma Tax Commission (click here) has returned payments to fewer than 10 same-sex couples, rejecting amended tax forms that had claimed married status.

 
The exact number is not being released because that would de facto identify the filers, said commission spokeswoman Paula Ross.

"It is a very, very low number," Ross said. "The reason could be it is not tax season. Had it been during filing season, the number would probably have been higher."

The tax forms were submitted after the federal Internal Revenue Service in August announced its married filing status would apply equally to married same-sex couples, regardless of where they lived.

It is accepting amended filings for the past few years.

Married gay couples living in Oklahoma wanting to take advantage of this filing status filed jointly on the federal and state forms.

This created a quandary in Oklahoma.

A state law requires Oklahoma residents use the same filing status on state tax forms as they do on federal tax forms, but a 2004 vote changed the state's constitution to ban the recognition of same-sex marriages....

How many are still alive in the Phillipines and where were they when they did survive?

November 09,2013

 The Red Cross (click here) says that more than 1,200 people are confirmed dead as Haiyan, one of the most powerful-ever tropical typhoons, blows through the Philippines. Local authorities earlier put the death toll at nearer 100. 

The Philippines Red Cross has announced that at least 1,000 could have been killed by Haiyan super typhoon in central Tacluban city and the region around it alone, while previously Captain John Andrews, deputy director general of the country's Civil Aviation Authority, reported that 100 bodies had been found on the streets of Tacloban in Leyte province. In the neighboring Samar province 200 are declared dead, Reuters reported the Red Cross as saying,

When asked by ABS-CBN television Saturday about the number of victims of the typhoon, Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla said "I think hundreds."  
The category 5 super-typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest ever registered, has caused havoc in 36 provinces of the Philippines, with gusts of wind reaching the incredible speed of 315 kilometers (195 miles) per hour. The worst affected areas are the eastern islands of Leyte and Samar, which sustained the heaviest damage Friday ....

Health care reform is NOT a luxury.

The government website it not politics. Obviously. The health care exchanges are extremely valuable when they are implemented correctly. The one place in the country that direly needs them are Red States. When the federal site is running at it's BEST, the people now in fear of their well being due to the lack of concern by their governors can put that away, have health care through exchanges with their peers and have peace of mind.

How does the Health Care Law protect me? (click here)

It is now LAW. Health Care can no longer abuse the American people as if chattel in the way they are treated in Texas.  

Wednesday, November 06, 2013 5:12 PM
By Jim Beam / American Press

Obamacare has been a godsend for the media. (click here) It has also helped Republicans recover from the party’s image problems caused by forced budget cuts, the government shutdown and the debt ceiling controversy. Each passing day sees reams and reams of stories, editorials and columns on the shortcomings of one of President Obama’s rare legislative accomplishments....

The criticism of the The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is about politics, not the effectiveness of the new law. The Republicans and the Press are enjoying the dialogue that President Obama is a liar. The dialogue is not about what is best for the American people and the successes of the law, but, about destroying the elections of the USA into polarized stands. The Press and the GOP are more responsible for polarized politics in the USA than any other aspect of a collective understanding of the country. This is just ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY to seek and destroy the benefits of a democracy. This is almost more about 2016 than it is about 2014. They can't complain about war, so this is the next best thing. Forbid, the Red States aren't as dysfunctional as they are to have extremist points of view to keep Wall Street profits perking along.

...Political analyst Charlie Cook in his National Journal column said any advantages the Democrats may have enjoyed because of Republican image problems “has been effectively neutralized.”...

Has anyone done an analysis of how the media and the GOP walk a fine line of insuring Wall Street profits? Some call it liberty to not have health care coverage at all. I am quite certain that Senator Paul would defend the idea that lack of health care insurance is an American right. He would be "W"rong and that is more than obvious. Our hospitals have been struggling under the pressure of providing free care. It is NOT liberty to have to bear the burden of poor health and/or the threat of death.

Seven percent of American hospitals have closed since 1991. The number in this study is 369. Hospitals are not minor investments. While 369 may seem like an insignificant number to those expecting thousands, the fact of the matter is there was only 5342 at the beginning of the study. Hospitals are multi-million dollar investments and provide millions of dollars of financial contributions to the USA economy. There is no reason to burden Americans with sparse hospital distribution. 

As a matter of fact, the more the American health care system is burdened with unpaid services, the more the burden turns to government hospitals as private institutions close. So for those stating this is a government take over of health care, that is a lie. If the continued implosion of the American health care system continued at the pace it was proceeding, the government would be exclusively conducting all the practice of doctors. 

Hospital closures is often measured in 'number of hospital beds.' The number of hospital beds reflects the AVAILABILITY of 'treatment beds.' The fewer treatment beds the long it takes to receive health care. Under the Clinton Administration HHS authored a report regarding this phenomena, so this problem manifested two decades ago.

"Hospital Closure 2000" (click here) If one recalls the then First Lady Hillary Clinton lead an effort to bring about a change in health care insurance coverage to the American people, this was one of the reasons. Waiting for treatment of health concerns is not cost effective and worse than that it is deadly. As a result of the defeat of health care reform under the Clinton administration the USA developed an obesity epidemic in children creating a huge problem with sovereignty in the future.

"Getting Low Cost on Coverage" (click here)

When Gingrich's Contract with America delayed the reform of health care insurance in the USA, the concern for the country didn't go away, it continued but not by those seeing political victories at the cost of the lives of the American people. The hypocracy of Gingrich is remarkable. As health care became more and more of a concern over the past two decades, Gingrich decided to profit from the reform the Democrats would ultimately bring and started his own company to provide electronic health records. An amazing man. 

So, all this FUSS over The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is hideous and stupid. But, then so are the politics of the GOP. 

Population of USA in 1991 was 253 million.

Population of USA in 2012 was 313.9 million. 

That is a population growth of 2.9 million per year over the past 21 years. YET, the growth in hospitals is NEGATIVE.

That population growth may or may not include accurate numbers of undocumented workers in the USA. These are figures from the table entitled:

PERIOD OF NATURALIZATION

Universe: Foreign-born population 2008 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

The chart number is B05011.

So, increasingly there are more naturalized citizens to the USA as well as natural born citizens. What does that mean? All to often the folks that aren't born in the USA are less healthy, especially the undocumented. So while the population of the USA is growing, there are services needed to accommodate those coming to the USA to add to the diversity of the nation and fill in our brain trust.

The point is where people are getting healthier with health care insurance as preventive care is guaranteed cost free, there are still needs of those within the borders of the USA that will continue to add to the needs of the people. Additionally, there are more and more sophisticated treatment of illness and cancers. Those require room within the USA health care system to continue to make our nation healthier for a longer period of time.  

The one definitive reason to bring undocumented workers into the US Health Care System it to bring them into the lawful demands of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. They will be required along with all Americans to have health care. It will diminish the drag on the US health care system and increase the competency of the state exchanges.

In addition for making the undocumented responsible for their own health care insurance is the fact many are not paying taxes into the states and federal treasuries, to the tune of over $1 billion per year. So, where they will need subsidies, they also bring a contribution to the federal treasury to pay for it. 

The rate of growth in health care spending in the U.S. (click here) has out paced the growth rate in the gross  domestic product (GDP), inflation, and 

population for many years. Between 1940 and 1990, the annual rate of 

growth in real health spending per capita ranged from 3.6% in the 1960s 

to 6.5% in the 1990s. Correspondingly, the share of GDP accounted for by health care spending rose from 4.5% in 1940 to 12.2% in 1990. In 2005 health care spending was nearly $2 trillion, or $6,697 per capita, which represents 16% of GDP (Catlin et al., 2007). The sustained increase in U.S. health spending over the previous four and half decades is likely to continue, and total spending on health is projected to reach $4 trillion, 20% of GDP, by 2015. 

The figures within this paper predicting 
20% GDP by 2015 is based in 'sick care' and not 'preventive care.' So, while the population of the USA grows the demand for 'preventive care and treatment' will grow, it will be less than 'sick care.'

So those that favor the growth of Wall Street literally wants 'sick care' rather than 'preventive care.' It is highly immoral and an outrage to the idea the USA protects all it's people and not just the wealthy.

The cost comparison of 'sick care' over 'preventive care and treatment' is noted best in the cost in the USA compared to other nations considered peers of the USA.

Additionally, the USA has a high percentage of 'chronic care' medical issues today, that will diminish into 'genetically predisposed' statistics as the nation becomes healthier through preventive care.

And no genetically predisposed will not result in eugenics in the USA as predicted by Senator Paul. Genetic counseling in the USA is already in practice in the USA long before The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed. Genetic counseling provides a high risk couples information about their predisposition of dangerous diseases in their children. It is ultimately 'the couple' that decides to have children in the face of odds of adversity for them and the child. There are no laws in the USA stating BREEDING of Americans is more important than love.

One HAS TO REALIZE the importance of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to the devoutly religious where birthing any child to the world is important. The children regardless of their congenital status will receive care and only adds to the narrative that the Right Wing demands prohibition of abortion and contraception, yet stands in ridicule of the fact they care nothing about the child once born. If the Right Wing sincerely was Pro-Life it would demand The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and not ridicule it in the face of it's importance. It is called, "Quality of Life."

There are no worker rights in Texas. There are lawsuits for those that can afford them, which in most cases is none.

Last Updated: 06/24/2013

Texas Partnership for Legal Access

www.texaslawhelp.org

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS OF UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS (click here)

I.What employment rights do undocumented workers have?

With only a few exceptions, all workers, including those who are undocumented, have the same basic employment rights as other workers, regardless of their immigration status. There

are several different laws which provide for these rights. This section will provide a general summary of some of these laws....

We know Texas is a human rights abuser. The rights undocumented workers have in Texas is provided by federal laws. There are no Texas state laws that protect people from work injuries or abuses of any kind, documented or undocumented. And forget about health insurance.

There is a reason for that. What poor and low income people have money for lawyers? The answer, none. So, why pass laws that hack away at profits when those dependent on work have no power in the first place. 

One of the laws mentioned by the list of so called rights of undocumented workers above are the laws that protect or at least seek to protect migrant workers. There is no surprise there either, it is a federal statue.

The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) (click here)

That is the place where our 43rd President called home. He was even governor there. When he sent the troops into battle in Iraq they didn't even have armor sufficient to protect them. 

If you want the USA to be a shining example of human rights and stewardship of higher values, it's leaders have to reflect that as well. 

And what is Florida doing to be proud of?

Published time: November 08, 2013 22:29
Edited time: November 08, 2013 23:06 

A panel of Florida lawmakers (click here) heartily defeated Thursday a measure to repeal the state’s Stand Your Ground law, though it did approve legislation to expand the law’s protection to those who fire a warning shot.

The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee killed the bill by a vote of 11-2 after a five-hour hearing attended by around 300 people, according to The Miami Herald.
 
Many in attendance signed up to opine on the controversial law that cast a long shadow on the recent case against George Zimmerman, the community patrol volunteer who was eventually acquitted for the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin....

Kindly excuse the indelicate words, but, Florida's Stand Your Ground Law has turned the state into Baghdad, except the shooter gets to fire a shot into the air while yelling, "Run, N*g$r, Run!

I guess homelessness is such a diffuse reality there is inconsistency in reporting it.

This is a report by PBS.

Week of 6.26.09
  
...How is the recession affecting homelessness? (click here)
The recession will force 1.5 million more people into homelessness over the next two years, according to estimates by The National Alliance to End Homelessness. In a 2008 report, the U.S. Conference of Mayors cited a major increase in the number of homeless in 19 out of the 25 cities surveyed. On average, cities reported a 12 percent increase of homelessness since 2007.
Although homelessness is a difficult number to measure definitively, it appears that more people—especially families—are sleeping in shelters, living in their cars, and taking up residence in tent communities....

Yet, this is a chart from USA Today siting improvement in homelessness. (click here) This chart is interesting, but, everyone remembers the effects on homelessness with the 2008 global economic collapse; tent cities. The chart does not reflect an increase in 2008 and 2009, it shows a continued decrease. Odd.
 

And the description of the homeless in this July 2009 report is hardly accurate. There are many families living out of a car or worse. So, while these circumstances are dealt with on a city by city basis, the overall understanding of homeless and the way to decrease it and/or eliminate it is not consistent. 

Published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, July 2009 (click here)

...On an average night in the 23 cities surveyed, 94 percent of people living on the streets were single adults, 4 percent were part of families and 2 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Seventy percent of those in emergency shelters were single adults, 29 percent were part of families and 1 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Of those in transitional housing, 43 percent were single adults, 56 percent were part of families, and 1 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Those who occupied permanent supportive housing were 60 percent single adults, 39.5 percent were part of families, and .5 percent were unaccompanied minors (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2008)....

This report is out of a conference of mayors in the USA. Is the reporting more political or more the case of denial?

Would the world exist today without the Non-Proliferation Treaty?

The New York Times has a graphic that is basically Iran Enrichment 101. (click here)
Iran needs to be serious about oversight, because, if they violate the agreement it will be the straw that broke the camel's back. No insult intended.

Iran today has enough enriched uranium and centrifuges to produce fuel for a weapon — a nuclear breakout — in between one and two months, according to a study by the Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington-based group that has been skeptical of Iran’s peaceful claims. Despite Iran’s ability to produce fuel quickly, according to the study, it would take additional time to make a reliable warhead for a missile.

I am not familiar with the ISIS, (click here) so I can't sincerely accept their assessment. The IAEA is the authority most countries recognize in relation to compliance by any nation in regard to their nuclear capacity in energy and otherwise. I see no reason to escalate tensions. As example is Syria and the willingness of it's government to disarm from chemical weapons. It was a very pleasant surprise and that is how this works. It is how diplomacy achieves it's goals. The invasion into Iraq is not diplomacy, nor prudent foreign policy. Diplomacy is suppose to work. War is the result of failed diplomacy. So, if those involved with Iran are coming to an agreement, that is a very pleasant surprise and is what is suppose to happen. It is also a great of hope that will change the relationships of nations in the Mideast as well as The West.

I don't expect Israel to embrace any of this, simply because they have been the focus of sincere threat by an Iranian President. I realize the new President is more than anxious to stop any hostilities, but, that still doesn't erase what has happened in less than a year ago. It is up to Iran's Foreign Minister and President Rouhani to begin talks with Israel to normalize relations. It won't happen overnight, but, it should happen. There should be movement toward that mutual respect and recognition in the future. I am sure Palestine is on the lips of President Rouhani, but, he also needs to realize the sooner there is a healthy relationship with Israel, the sooner those words regarding Palestine can be part of a dialogue. 

I do expect Israel to respect the decisions of the global community. I don't expect Israel to act without reason, either. 

There are documents established July 1, 1968. They mean something. 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN IRAN (click here) AND THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY FOR THE APPLICATION OF SAFEGUARDS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

When one considers this has been going on since 1968 and Iran doesn't have nuclear weapon capacity, the previous documents seemed to have sustained their importance to date. I know the Iranian Revolution occurred in 1979, but, that doesn't mean it dissolves Iran's sovereign authority, including treaties and debt.

Iran is in the situation it is in because of extremist actions and words. The overthrow of the Shah set the country into a definition of rouge nation. Yet is was The West imposing the Shah on this Shi'ite nation as the true authority, a monarchy in the face of their own democracy. President Ahmadinejad never made peace easier and Bush practically declared war on them. It is now a matter of trustworthiness. It is up to Iran to prove it's peaceful intentions realizing the five nuclear nations would rather reverse the trend in nuclear arms stockpiling. 

It was the damn oil that set everything in motion so long ago, but, every nation bought into it. It sincerely makes no difference, the nuclear power is a blight on this Earth. It is that which is most dangerous and requires adherence to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The treaty is clear. Nuclear weapons are only permitted among the five nuclear nations outlining the balance of power in the world. All other nations were entitled to peaceful use of the technology. The reason the non-proliferation treaty was initiated was because of the strongly encroaching reality of human annihilation.

The Middle East must be nuclear free and Iran has to adhere by the treaty. The tensions between the nations of ethnic and religious bias has to be settled between those nations, but, the determination of nuclear capacity is dictated by a larger global community. 

Iran has to resign itself to conventional weapons and seeking to be a neutral nation that is a homeland to it's people. This will be a good beginning for Iran to redefine it's right to exist and it's desire for quality of life for all it's people.

...“There are important gaps that have to be closed,” Mr. Kerry said upon arrival in Geneva, seeking to temper rising expectations that a deal was close.

“I want to emphasize: there is not an agreement at this point in time,” Mr. Kerry told reporters at his hotel. “There are still some important issues on the table that are unresolved.” 

But the mere fact of Mr. Kerry’s presence here suggested that the United States believed that a deal was within reach, and that it required higher-level participation to resolve the remaining issues.

Mr. Kerry was meeting on Friday evening with Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, who oversees the multiparty negotiations.... 

There are talks ongoing between Saudi Arabia and Iran to share technology and eliminate fossil fuel energy production. There is every indication Iran has plans for peace and not mutual annihilation.

 Updated September 2013) (click here)

• Saudi Arabia plans to construct 16 nuclear power reactors over the next 20 years at a cost of more than $80 billion, with the first reactor on line in 2022.
• It projects 17 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2032 to provide 15% of the power then, along with over 40 GWe of solar capacity.

In December 2006 the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Oman – announced that the Council was commissioning a study on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. France agreed to work with them on this, and Iran pledged assistance with nuclear technology.
Together they produce 416 billion kWh per year (2009), all from fossil fuels and with 5-7% annual demand growth. They have total installed capacity of about 90 GWe, with a common grid apart from Saudi Arabia. There is also a large demand for desalination, currently fuelled by oil and gas....
In February 2007 the six states agreed with the IAEA to cooperate on a feasibility study for a regional nuclear power and desalination program. Saudi Arabia was leading the investigation and thought that a program might emerge about 2009....

To complete the picture of peace's potential is to realize Israel and Palestine have to come to terms with each other and allow the Palestines to have a homeland no different than Israel.

The actions by Iran to be a part of a larger picture in a way that is benevolence adds brevity to the agreement regarding it's commitment to Non-Proliferation. 

The Red States need the website as the other states have their own website.

The Republicans have no right to complain. They gave that up when they refused Medicaid expansion and refused to provide their own state exchanges and websites. They have no moral authority to complain about any aspect of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It is the people that need their health care insurance. It is them that is important.

Nov. 6, 2013 at 9:39 AM ET
Maggie Fox, NBC News 

The Chief Information Officer (click here) for the agency running the troubled health insurance website has resigned, officials confirmed on Wednesday -- but they wouldn't say whether he was a casualty of the messy rollout.
Tony Trenkle, the CIO for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, "made a decision that he was going to move to the private sector," CMS spokeswoman Julie Bataille told reporters.
Members of Congress have been calling for someone to be fired to take responsibility for the embarrassing debut of the centerpiece of health reform -- many even calling for Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to resign. Bataille would not say whether Trenkle had been asked to resign....

HealthCare.gov (click here)

I still don't understand what Sebilius was thinking. She hired someone who had been fired by Canada. I just shake my head. She had like no clue how ruthless this industry has been? Not the computer industry, although there is plenty of that, but, the healthcare insurance industry. She is disconnected, or at least she was, from the reality of why this law was passed in the first place. I would have never provided waivers for anyone. She states she has served as an insurance commissioner. It seem to prepare her so much as oriented her to why pandering to insurance companies are necessary.