This month marks the tenth anniversary of the New Lincolnist. What began as monthly "paper" newsletter has evolved into an online source of commentary visited by more than 200 people a month. Ok, so its not the Wall Street Journal, but I like to think of it as a little spot where common sense is still welcome.
When it all began back in 1997 it was meant to be an occassional newsletter and my expectations weren't high. In little more than a year we had 78 subscribers covering North America and Europe. As technology evolved and it became easier to publish online, the newsletter found a new home in cyberspace. Since 2005 this Blog has served as home for the Lincolnist.
Thanks to all of you for your contributions and support over the years.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
A million homeless in America
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development anounced that it has completed its groundbreaking study of homelessness in America. HUD found that on a given day, more than 750,000 people are homeless in this country.
Of the the 750,000 homeless, a full one third of those are families with children. The study also suggested that there may be as many as 250,000 more homeless un-accounted for, which would bring the total closer to 1 million.
Who are the homeless is another question altoghter, but the data suggests that at least a quarter are disabled, some suffer from mental illness and still others are simply homeless because they lost their jobs and had no other source of income.
We should all be outraged at these numbers, not simply because of the sheer numbers, but because America is spending billions on a war, corporate executives and professional athletes are making hundreds of millions of dollars and American's in general seem to be less and less concerned about these critical issues.
As if ignoring this problem would make it go away. American's should be ashamed of these numbers, not just because we live in the wealthiest nation on earth, but because of our collective lack of will to confront homelessness. The government has removed many of the safety nets that were in place to prevent homelessness or to assist people in getting back on their feet.
Studies suggest that many American's are 1 or 2 pay checks away from homelessness so it isn't as if the homeless are somehow unique. They are people just like you and I and that should wake people up, but it doesn't.
American's must be too distracted by American Idol and iPod's to notice that homelessness has become indemic. Instead of creating more focus on the issue, the story was quickly relegated to the back pages so we could hear more about the custody battle over Anna Nicole Smith's child.
As unfortunate as all of this is, I believe the more important issue is that our nation and her leaders have chosen to do very little to address the homeless problem over the past decade. Homelessness is not incurable, but the government is addressing this huge issue with an asprin when open heart surgery is required.
The government has spent more $270 billion dollars on the wars in Iraq and Afganistan or roughly 5 billion a month.
The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness recently annoucned that the Bush Administration had granted 1.4 billion dollars to assist over 150,000 homeless individuals and families. The overall budget for 2008 is slated to be 4.4 billion or less than one month of WAR spending.
The follwing is a link to the ICH website and some of the programs desinged to address homelessness being undertaken by the government.
http://www.ich.gov/
On March 16, 1964 President Lyndon Johnson delivered a speech to the nation in which he announced a "war on poverty", going on to say "because it is right, because it is wise, and because, for the first time in our history, it is possible to conquer poverty, I submit, for the consideration of the Congress and the country, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964."
Over forty years later, the war on poverty in this nation continues, but it continues without adequate funding and without the support of the American people.
So the next time you see a homeless person, don't feel sorry for them as any person with a conscience might, instead you should feel sorry for yourself becuase we've all contributed to the very sorry state of a nation which can pay a CEO 100 million dollars but cannot elevate the condition of his fellow human being even enough to put a roof over the heads of small children.
Of the the 750,000 homeless, a full one third of those are families with children. The study also suggested that there may be as many as 250,000 more homeless un-accounted for, which would bring the total closer to 1 million.
Who are the homeless is another question altoghter, but the data suggests that at least a quarter are disabled, some suffer from mental illness and still others are simply homeless because they lost their jobs and had no other source of income.
We should all be outraged at these numbers, not simply because of the sheer numbers, but because America is spending billions on a war, corporate executives and professional athletes are making hundreds of millions of dollars and American's in general seem to be less and less concerned about these critical issues.
As if ignoring this problem would make it go away. American's should be ashamed of these numbers, not just because we live in the wealthiest nation on earth, but because of our collective lack of will to confront homelessness. The government has removed many of the safety nets that were in place to prevent homelessness or to assist people in getting back on their feet.
Studies suggest that many American's are 1 or 2 pay checks away from homelessness so it isn't as if the homeless are somehow unique. They are people just like you and I and that should wake people up, but it doesn't.
American's must be too distracted by American Idol and iPod's to notice that homelessness has become indemic. Instead of creating more focus on the issue, the story was quickly relegated to the back pages so we could hear more about the custody battle over Anna Nicole Smith's child.
As unfortunate as all of this is, I believe the more important issue is that our nation and her leaders have chosen to do very little to address the homeless problem over the past decade. Homelessness is not incurable, but the government is addressing this huge issue with an asprin when open heart surgery is required.
The government has spent more $270 billion dollars on the wars in Iraq and Afganistan or roughly 5 billion a month.
The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness recently annoucned that the Bush Administration had granted 1.4 billion dollars to assist over 150,000 homeless individuals and families. The overall budget for 2008 is slated to be 4.4 billion or less than one month of WAR spending.
The follwing is a link to the ICH website and some of the programs desinged to address homelessness being undertaken by the government.
http://www.ich.gov/
On March 16, 1964 President Lyndon Johnson delivered a speech to the nation in which he announced a "war on poverty", going on to say "because it is right, because it is wise, and because, for the first time in our history, it is possible to conquer poverty, I submit, for the consideration of the Congress and the country, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964."
Over forty years later, the war on poverty in this nation continues, but it continues without adequate funding and without the support of the American people.
So the next time you see a homeless person, don't feel sorry for them as any person with a conscience might, instead you should feel sorry for yourself becuase we've all contributed to the very sorry state of a nation which can pay a CEO 100 million dollars but cannot elevate the condition of his fellow human being even enough to put a roof over the heads of small children.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Terrorism In Our Time
With the news today that a major terrorist plot was averted, I found myself once again having a very difficult time understanding the mentality and motivation of people who want to take the lives of innocent people.
It is hard to even imagine the hate that these murderers have for their fellow human beings. In the end, killing innocent people does not further any political or ideological goal they might have, instead it makes most American's even more determined.
They have been labeled "fundamental extremist Muslims", but a more fitting label might just be "madmen". I think the religious component works as a convenient excuse and helps these people to indoctrinate others into their dark world of hatred and jihad.
I personally consider war abhorrent and something to be entered into as a last resort and only in defense. However, America is not fighting an enemy who is simply trying to promote a particular political agenda. The enemy is using religious and cultural ideology from a position of pure hatred. They are well funded and even supported by some governments. They’re primary source of funding may even be traced back to US money, spent on oil.
This is not a war we can win with guns alone.
If we are going to defeat terrorism we need to defeat the ideology of hate. I find that prospect somewhat daunting considering we have our own issues with hate in this country. It is hard to teach others to overcome their hatreds when we can’t do the same ourselves. Our own issues not withstanding we still need to defend ourselves if we’re going to survive in this world. We can't overcome our own issues if we're not here to do it.
Here are five steps to a better, safer, freer world.
1. End US dependence on foreign oil.
2. Change a failed US foreign policy to put principle a head of money.
3. Stay the course in the Middle East. Leaving your mess for others is bad form and would create even more chaos and violence.
4. While we’re there, let’s teach democracy, peace and tolerance. I don’t think US soldiers are the best teachers. Keep them there for security, but send the Peace Corps and others for the teaching.
5. Democracy is more important than capitalism, lets make sure we leave the place better than we found it, for the children who'll inherit it.
While these steps might seem like a simplistic approach to a complicated problem, I believe they would improve the overall world situation. The United States is in a unique position to influence the world for the better.
It is hard to even imagine the hate that these murderers have for their fellow human beings. In the end, killing innocent people does not further any political or ideological goal they might have, instead it makes most American's even more determined.
They have been labeled "fundamental extremist Muslims", but a more fitting label might just be "madmen". I think the religious component works as a convenient excuse and helps these people to indoctrinate others into their dark world of hatred and jihad.
I personally consider war abhorrent and something to be entered into as a last resort and only in defense. However, America is not fighting an enemy who is simply trying to promote a particular political agenda. The enemy is using religious and cultural ideology from a position of pure hatred. They are well funded and even supported by some governments. They’re primary source of funding may even be traced back to US money, spent on oil.
This is not a war we can win with guns alone.
If we are going to defeat terrorism we need to defeat the ideology of hate. I find that prospect somewhat daunting considering we have our own issues with hate in this country. It is hard to teach others to overcome their hatreds when we can’t do the same ourselves. Our own issues not withstanding we still need to defend ourselves if we’re going to survive in this world. We can't overcome our own issues if we're not here to do it.
Here are five steps to a better, safer, freer world.
1. End US dependence on foreign oil.
2. Change a failed US foreign policy to put principle a head of money.
3. Stay the course in the Middle East. Leaving your mess for others is bad form and would create even more chaos and violence.
4. While we’re there, let’s teach democracy, peace and tolerance. I don’t think US soldiers are the best teachers. Keep them there for security, but send the Peace Corps and others for the teaching.
5. Democracy is more important than capitalism, lets make sure we leave the place better than we found it, for the children who'll inherit it.
While these steps might seem like a simplistic approach to a complicated problem, I believe they would improve the overall world situation. The United States is in a unique position to influence the world for the better.
Terrorist Plot Thwarted
Today British authorities averted a terrible act of terror that would have been on the scale of 911. Early reports indicate that around twenty nine terrorists planned to use liquid based explosives to blow up nine US bound aircraft. An estimated twenty seven hundred people would have perished in such an attack.
The plot was "intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale," London's Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson stated.
Reports indicate that an under cover agent had penetrated one of the cells and that the US intelligence aparatus helped to confirm "chatter" indicating a plot was underway. British authorities moved in and arrested twenty four suspects, leaving five others still at large.
The plot was "intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale," London's Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson stated.
Reports indicate that an under cover agent had penetrated one of the cells and that the US intelligence aparatus helped to confirm "chatter" indicating a plot was underway. British authorities moved in and arrested twenty four suspects, leaving five others still at large.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
The Blog is back
I had to take some time off from the BLOG....
The news is all gloom and doom...Iraq, gas prices, murder, mayhem...it never seems to be enough for the news outlets.
Anyhow, I bought an iPod.
What a distraction that thing is. Are you aware that you can download video content and watch re-runs of Lost in Space?
In the news....
Bush caught using obscenity on open mic. Apparently, he never noticed the mic was still on. So here's the deal. The word "shit" didn't really bother me coming from the Prez....it was when he uttered the words "Yo Blair" that I really got turned off.
Are we really going to put up with the leader of our nation addressing a fellow leader and ally with the words..."Yo Blair"?
I think the Republicans are going to take a beating this election cycle. Unfortunately, it'll still be a two party system at the end of the day.
More to come later.
The news is all gloom and doom...Iraq, gas prices, murder, mayhem...it never seems to be enough for the news outlets.
Anyhow, I bought an iPod.
What a distraction that thing is. Are you aware that you can download video content and watch re-runs of Lost in Space?
In the news....
Bush caught using obscenity on open mic. Apparently, he never noticed the mic was still on. So here's the deal. The word "shit" didn't really bother me coming from the Prez....it was when he uttered the words "Yo Blair" that I really got turned off.
Are we really going to put up with the leader of our nation addressing a fellow leader and ally with the words..."Yo Blair"?
I think the Republicans are going to take a beating this election cycle. Unfortunately, it'll still be a two party system at the end of the day.
More to come later.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Congress Approves $92 Billion in War, Gulf Coast Funds
The house passed a $92 billion budget for the War, Afganistan and Katrina relief. If you break it down, $67.6 billion goes towards the war effort, while just 19.2 billion will be spent on Gulf Coast reconstruction efforts.
Year to date totals: War $400 billion, Relief/Reconstruction of Gulf Coast $100 billion.
Canadians Sell Military Gear on eBay
Canadian military officials today began an investigation to find out why some of its military equipment and clothing has turned up for sale on eBay. My guess is this is because the Canadians don't really need it anymore. I mean they really don't like war much.
Unlike their neighbors to the south, they've stayed out of most of the worlds conflicts over the years. America could learn a thing or two from Canada.
One in Ten in Indonesia Supports Suicide Bombings
According to a recent survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute found that over 10% of the population of Indonesia believe that suicide attacks, even against civilians, are sometimes justifiable. How low does a society have to sink into darkness to start to believe this?
Not too far since the US government aka some of it's people also believe that mass killing is justified. This fact is supported by the fact that the US has been at war for about a quarter of its history. Let's face it folks, we're a violent Nation in a violent world.
In a related story....
US Opposes Human Rights Council
The US said it didn't like the new Human Rights Council because it didn't do enough to keep human rights abusers off the council and that it wasn't strong enough. The vote went like this, 170 Countries in favor and 4 against...there were 3 abstentions.
The four nations opposed were the United States, Isreal and world power Palau...along with the Marshall Islands. The New Council was created as a response to the discredited commission which was too slow to respond to human rights emergencies and had bungled several intitiatives in recent history.
What happened to America taking leadership on things like human rights? This should be an embarassment to many American's.
Read more at the United Nations website: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17811&Cr=rights&Cr1=council
Fake Billion Dollar Bills Siezed
Tekle Zigetta, 45 was caught by Federal Customs Agents with 250 fake billion dollar bills. They featured President Cleveland and were dated 1934. What gave the bills away was that the government has never issued a billion dollar bill of any sort.
In a related story, the US Government today purchased exactly 250 billion dollars worth of oil rich desert from the Saudi Arabian's.
The house passed a $92 billion budget for the War, Afganistan and Katrina relief. If you break it down, $67.6 billion goes towards the war effort, while just 19.2 billion will be spent on Gulf Coast reconstruction efforts.
Year to date totals: War $400 billion, Relief/Reconstruction of Gulf Coast $100 billion.
Canadians Sell Military Gear on eBay
Canadian military officials today began an investigation to find out why some of its military equipment and clothing has turned up for sale on eBay. My guess is this is because the Canadians don't really need it anymore. I mean they really don't like war much.
Unlike their neighbors to the south, they've stayed out of most of the worlds conflicts over the years. America could learn a thing or two from Canada.
One in Ten in Indonesia Supports Suicide Bombings
According to a recent survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute found that over 10% of the population of Indonesia believe that suicide attacks, even against civilians, are sometimes justifiable. How low does a society have to sink into darkness to start to believe this?
Not too far since the US government aka some of it's people also believe that mass killing is justified. This fact is supported by the fact that the US has been at war for about a quarter of its history. Let's face it folks, we're a violent Nation in a violent world.
In a related story....
US Opposes Human Rights Council
The US said it didn't like the new Human Rights Council because it didn't do enough to keep human rights abusers off the council and that it wasn't strong enough. The vote went like this, 170 Countries in favor and 4 against...there were 3 abstentions.
The four nations opposed were the United States, Isreal and world power Palau...along with the Marshall Islands. The New Council was created as a response to the discredited commission which was too slow to respond to human rights emergencies and had bungled several intitiatives in recent history.
What happened to America taking leadership on things like human rights? This should be an embarassment to many American's.
Read more at the United Nations website: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17811&Cr=rights&Cr1=council
Fake Billion Dollar Bills Siezed
Tekle Zigetta, 45 was caught by Federal Customs Agents with 250 fake billion dollar bills. They featured President Cleveland and were dated 1934. What gave the bills away was that the government has never issued a billion dollar bill of any sort.
In a related story, the US Government today purchased exactly 250 billion dollars worth of oil rich desert from the Saudi Arabian's.
Monday, March 06, 2006
In Honor Of Kirby Puckett
There will be no postings for at least 24 hours on The New Lincolnist in honor of Kirby Puckett, one of my favorite baseball players of all time.
As I sit here tonight, saddened by our loss I am reminded of these words...
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops. Today, October 2, a Sunday of rain and broken branches and leaf-clogged drains and slick streets, it stopped, and summer was gone." - A. Bartlett Giamatti
Thursday, March 02, 2006
15 days blog free
Has it really been since Valentines Day since my last blog? Wow, time really does fly.
Sadly, in that time we've seen the arrival of the Portgate. I'm calling it "Portgate" for now since that seems like the most appropriate name for it.
Anyway, I plan to write more about that later, but the much more important is the beginning of the baseball season. I watched the Twins play the Red Sox tonight on TV in a spring training game and now I have the fever again. I can't wait for the season to start.
Looks like the Twins will have a nice squad this year if Mauer can stay healthy and we keep up the quality pitching.
In a seperate, but related note I'm thinking of selling off part of my baseball collection.'
Have a nice day.
Sadly, in that time we've seen the arrival of the Portgate. I'm calling it "Portgate" for now since that seems like the most appropriate name for it.
Anyway, I plan to write more about that later, but the much more important is the beginning of the baseball season. I watched the Twins play the Red Sox tonight on TV in a spring training game and now I have the fever again. I can't wait for the season to start.
Looks like the Twins will have a nice squad this year if Mauer can stay healthy and we keep up the quality pitching.
In a seperate, but related note I'm thinking of selling off part of my baseball collection.'
Have a nice day.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Valentines Day News
Former Dictator Hussein Announces He's On Hunger Strike
Hussein announced he and his co-defendants had been on a three day hunger strike to "protest against the treatment of you and your masters." he stated.
Both Saddam and his half brother, the former chief of intelligence, have taken to wearing their underwear to court. Hussien has often grinned or laughed at the disruptions being caused in the court.
We at the New Lincolnist would like to thank the former ruthless Dictator for providing some entertainment in what clearly could have been a very boring trial. No Mr. Hussein, your no O.J. Simpson, but keep trying we enjoy the antics.
SWAT Team Gets Robbed In San Antonio
A rental car was broken into and weapons, a police badge and laptop computers were stolen. All belonging to a Virginia Beach SWAT Team in town for some training.
In a related twist of irony, the Vice President of the United States shoots a fellow hunter while aiming at a quail.
Katrina Findings Causes Major Finger pointing
"The preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina should disturb all Americans," the report said.
Last week in Senate testimony, FEMA Director Michael Brown said that the Homeland Security Department and its chief, Secretary Michael Chertoff, were part of a muddled bureaucracy that slowed relief to the Gulf Coast.
Both the White House and Homeland Security responded by labeling Brown a renegade who didn't follow his chain of command.
Later in the day, doctors in a local Washington clinic say they treated dozens of politicians who were suffering from teflonitis. Telflonitis is an incurable disease which covers the skin with an almost frictionless, non-stick coating.
Muslim Protestors Topple American Monument
In protests related to the Danish Cartoon controversy, Muslim protestors attacked a KFC, McDonalds and Citibank in Pakistan. We at the New Lincolnist strongly protest these attacks on our American institutions of capitalism.
However, to the delight of many American's, including those of us here at the New Lincolnist, we thank our neighbors in the east for doing what we have not been able to do here at home, topple the ubiquitous Ronald McDonald life sized clown.
Once relegated to the Wal-Mart McDonalds, these fiberglass figures perched on park benches, have spread throughout the world like bird flu. With eyes that follow you everywhere and a grin that says "I'm Lovin It", these ugly monuments to fast food culture have long been an eyesore on the American landscape.
Thank you anti-American militant protestors, you finally got it right. Now wouldn't it be great if we could settle all our differences by vandalizing life-sized fiberglass clowns?
Hussein announced he and his co-defendants had been on a three day hunger strike to "protest against the treatment of you and your masters." he stated.
Both Saddam and his half brother, the former chief of intelligence, have taken to wearing their underwear to court. Hussien has often grinned or laughed at the disruptions being caused in the court.
We at the New Lincolnist would like to thank the former ruthless Dictator for providing some entertainment in what clearly could have been a very boring trial. No Mr. Hussein, your no O.J. Simpson, but keep trying we enjoy the antics.
SWAT Team Gets Robbed In San Antonio
A rental car was broken into and weapons, a police badge and laptop computers were stolen. All belonging to a Virginia Beach SWAT Team in town for some training.
In a related twist of irony, the Vice President of the United States shoots a fellow hunter while aiming at a quail.
Katrina Findings Causes Major Finger pointing
"The preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina should disturb all Americans," the report said.
Last week in Senate testimony, FEMA Director Michael Brown said that the Homeland Security Department and its chief, Secretary Michael Chertoff, were part of a muddled bureaucracy that slowed relief to the Gulf Coast.
Both the White House and Homeland Security responded by labeling Brown a renegade who didn't follow his chain of command.
Later in the day, doctors in a local Washington clinic say they treated dozens of politicians who were suffering from teflonitis. Telflonitis is an incurable disease which covers the skin with an almost frictionless, non-stick coating.
Muslim Protestors Topple American Monument
In protests related to the Danish Cartoon controversy, Muslim protestors attacked a KFC, McDonalds and Citibank in Pakistan. We at the New Lincolnist strongly protest these attacks on our American institutions of capitalism.
However, to the delight of many American's, including those of us here at the New Lincolnist, we thank our neighbors in the east for doing what we have not been able to do here at home, topple the ubiquitous Ronald McDonald life sized clown.
Once relegated to the Wal-Mart McDonalds, these fiberglass figures perched on park benches, have spread throughout the world like bird flu. With eyes that follow you everywhere and a grin that says "I'm Lovin It", these ugly monuments to fast food culture have long been an eyesore on the American landscape.
Thank you anti-American militant protestors, you finally got it right. Now wouldn't it be great if we could settle all our differences by vandalizing life-sized fiberglass clowns?
Monday, February 13, 2006
News of the Day
Vice President Shoots Fellow Hunter
Is it really a surprise that the Whitehouse waited more than a day to release this information?
In this age of modern technology (the internet) this is equivilant to waiting a week in the days of the Nixon Administration. It takes time to gather all the lawyers and get your stories straight.
Katrina Failures Mount, Millions of Dollars Wasted
A congressional report today is quoted as stating the following, "Our investigation revealed that Katrina was a national failure, an abdication of the most solemn obligation to provide for the common welfare."
In other reports released by the Government Accountability Office and the Homeland Security Department's office of inspector general outline a series of accounting errors, fraud or mismanagement of some of the $85 billion in federal aid.
Reports found that as many as 900,000 of the 2.5 million applicants who received aid under FEMA's emergency cash assistance program might have been fraudulant. Some of the funds were obtained using false social security numbers or names.
Thousands of dollars were spent on hotel rooms for evacuees that were paid at retail rather than the contractor's lower estimated cost. They included $438 rooms in New York City and some beachfront condominiums in Panama City, Florida, costing as much as $375 a night, according to the audits.
United Nations Investigation, US Commited Acts of Torture at Guantanamo
The report says that the United States violated the detainees' rights to a fair trial, freedom of religion and access to health care.
"The apparent attempts by the U.S. administration to reinterpret certain interrogation techniques as not reaching the threshold of torture in the framework of the struggle against terrorism are of utmost concern," the draft report said.
The State Departments response said the most significant flaw of the report was that it judged U.S. treatment of detainees according to peacetime human rights laws. The United States contends it is in a state of conflict and should be judged according to the laws of war.
Sadly, this interpertation is made even though there has been no official declaration of war against anyone or any country, not even Iraq.
The US argues that it offered investigators access to Guantanamo, but the invitation was declined. However what the official fails to mention is that they were invited to the facilities, but would not be able to speak with the prisoners.
Jefferson's Neighbor Dead at 77
Franklin Cover who stared as George and Louise Jeffersons nieghbor, had been in show business for more than 50 years.
He is survived by his widow, Mary, a son and a daughter.
Is it really a surprise that the Whitehouse waited more than a day to release this information?
In this age of modern technology (the internet) this is equivilant to waiting a week in the days of the Nixon Administration. It takes time to gather all the lawyers and get your stories straight.
Katrina Failures Mount, Millions of Dollars Wasted
A congressional report today is quoted as stating the following, "Our investigation revealed that Katrina was a national failure, an abdication of the most solemn obligation to provide for the common welfare."
In other reports released by the Government Accountability Office and the Homeland Security Department's office of inspector general outline a series of accounting errors, fraud or mismanagement of some of the $85 billion in federal aid.
Reports found that as many as 900,000 of the 2.5 million applicants who received aid under FEMA's emergency cash assistance program might have been fraudulant. Some of the funds were obtained using false social security numbers or names.
Thousands of dollars were spent on hotel rooms for evacuees that were paid at retail rather than the contractor's lower estimated cost. They included $438 rooms in New York City and some beachfront condominiums in Panama City, Florida, costing as much as $375 a night, according to the audits.
United Nations Investigation, US Commited Acts of Torture at Guantanamo
The report says that the United States violated the detainees' rights to a fair trial, freedom of religion and access to health care.
"The apparent attempts by the U.S. administration to reinterpret certain interrogation techniques as not reaching the threshold of torture in the framework of the struggle against terrorism are of utmost concern," the draft report said.
The State Departments response said the most significant flaw of the report was that it judged U.S. treatment of detainees according to peacetime human rights laws. The United States contends it is in a state of conflict and should be judged according to the laws of war.
Sadly, this interpertation is made even though there has been no official declaration of war against anyone or any country, not even Iraq.
The US argues that it offered investigators access to Guantanamo, but the invitation was declined. However what the official fails to mention is that they were invited to the facilities, but would not be able to speak with the prisoners.
Jefferson's Neighbor Dead at 77
Franklin Cover who stared as George and Louise Jeffersons nieghbor, had been in show business for more than 50 years.
He is survived by his widow, Mary, a son and a daughter.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
News of the Day
Ken Doll Fully Embraces Shallow American Culture
Mattel anounced today that Ken has gone through a significant makeover in order to win back Barbie, who he split with a couple years ago.
Mattel stated in February 2004 that Barbie and Ken had split after 43 years because they wanted to spend some time apart. However, it was widely reported in the tabloids that Barbie busted Ken in the sack with Malibu Stacy and GI Joe and had finally had enough.
Ken had let himself go. Now in his forties, overweight and balding he was drinking heavily, taking prescription drugs for depression and living in a 1970's ranch style split level.
Rumored to be in Tibet this past two years, Ken appeared before the press today and revealed he'd been mis-quoted, stating he told the reporter he was working with Tae Bo guru Bill Blanks no the Dali lama.
"I knew I was headed for trouble so I got into Hazelten, dried out and then started to put my life back together" stated Ken.
The new buff and stylish Ken is completely free of any body hair and always smells great. He sports a great new wardrobe, luxury sports sedan and fantastic new six figure job.
For her part Barbie is optimistic. "If he can support my breast augmentation and cosmetic surgery habit, I think I can over look a few past mistakes".
First Grader Suspended For Harassment
The idiots in a Brockton, Massachusetts school suspended a 6 year old for sexual harassment after he touched a classmate’s waistband and the girl complained to the teacher.
The mother, Berthena Dorinvil, said her son told her he touched the girl's shirt, not her skin, after the girl touched him. "He was playing with her," Dorinvil said.
School officials at Downey Elementary School declined comment, citing the child's age. Dorinvil said the school principal, Diane Gosselin, telephoned her to pick up her son. She said her son asked the principal if the police were going to come get him.
They really know how to handle first graders at Downey Elementary School. In a related story, the the schools lunch lady was fired after she inappropriately mixed corn and peas.
Mattel anounced today that Ken has gone through a significant makeover in order to win back Barbie, who he split with a couple years ago.
Mattel stated in February 2004 that Barbie and Ken had split after 43 years because they wanted to spend some time apart. However, it was widely reported in the tabloids that Barbie busted Ken in the sack with Malibu Stacy and GI Joe and had finally had enough.
Ken had let himself go. Now in his forties, overweight and balding he was drinking heavily, taking prescription drugs for depression and living in a 1970's ranch style split level.
Rumored to be in Tibet this past two years, Ken appeared before the press today and revealed he'd been mis-quoted, stating he told the reporter he was working with Tae Bo guru Bill Blanks no the Dali lama.
"I knew I was headed for trouble so I got into Hazelten, dried out and then started to put my life back together" stated Ken.
The new buff and stylish Ken is completely free of any body hair and always smells great. He sports a great new wardrobe, luxury sports sedan and fantastic new six figure job.
For her part Barbie is optimistic. "If he can support my breast augmentation and cosmetic surgery habit, I think I can over look a few past mistakes".
First Grader Suspended For Harassment
The idiots in a Brockton, Massachusetts school suspended a 6 year old for sexual harassment after he touched a classmate’s waistband and the girl complained to the teacher.
The mother, Berthena Dorinvil, said her son told her he touched the girl's shirt, not her skin, after the girl touched him. "He was playing with her," Dorinvil said.
School officials at Downey Elementary School declined comment, citing the child's age. Dorinvil said the school principal, Diane Gosselin, telephoned her to pick up her son. She said her son asked the principal if the police were going to come get him.
They really know how to handle first graders at Downey Elementary School. In a related story, the the schools lunch lady was fired after she inappropriately mixed corn and peas.
Finding Cindi Lauper
I'm trying to find Cindi Lauper. I'd like to talk to her.
I want to tell her I like her music.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
News items
February 2, 2006 Saint Paul, Minnesota
Tax cuts passed while deficit soars.
Two days after President Bush called for more bipartisan cooperation, the Senate debated trivial procedures while passing a 70 billion dollar tax bill. The Alternative Minimum Tax, which threatens to raise taxes for millions of people is gradually hitting middle class Americans. Senators also rejected a bid by Sen. Nelson, D-Fla., to give senior citizens and the disabled additional time to enroll in Medicare’s prescription drug benefit.
With record deficits and mounting war costs, leadership once again failed the American people.
Bush asks for more war dough.
The Bush Administration today announced that it will ask Congress for 120 billion more dollars for the war effort in Iraq and Afganistan.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that $320 billion has been spent on Iraq and Afghanistan since the attacks of 911.
Corrupt U.S. Occupation official guilty of theft.
A former U.S. occupation official in Iraq, Robert J. Stien, pleaded guilty today to stealing $2 million and rigging bids on $8.6 million in reconstruction contracts.
Mr. Stien stated that he and his coconspirators smuggled millions of dollars out of Iraq into the United States aboard commercial flights and laundered cash through accounts in Switzerland, Amsterdam and Romania.
Stein, a Defense Department employee served as a contract official for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and had control of more than $82 million in funds which were for rebuilding efforts in Iraq.
Mr. Stein could face up to 32 years in prison on bribery and money-laundering charges and firearms violations.
Tax cuts passed while deficit soars.
Two days after President Bush called for more bipartisan cooperation, the Senate debated trivial procedures while passing a 70 billion dollar tax bill. The Alternative Minimum Tax, which threatens to raise taxes for millions of people is gradually hitting middle class Americans. Senators also rejected a bid by Sen. Nelson, D-Fla., to give senior citizens and the disabled additional time to enroll in Medicare’s prescription drug benefit.
With record deficits and mounting war costs, leadership once again failed the American people.
Bush asks for more war dough.
The Bush Administration today announced that it will ask Congress for 120 billion more dollars for the war effort in Iraq and Afganistan.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that $320 billion has been spent on Iraq and Afghanistan since the attacks of 911.
Corrupt U.S. Occupation official guilty of theft.
A former U.S. occupation official in Iraq, Robert J. Stien, pleaded guilty today to stealing $2 million and rigging bids on $8.6 million in reconstruction contracts.
Mr. Stien stated that he and his coconspirators smuggled millions of dollars out of Iraq into the United States aboard commercial flights and laundered cash through accounts in Switzerland, Amsterdam and Romania.
Stein, a Defense Department employee served as a contract official for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and had control of more than $82 million in funds which were for rebuilding efforts in Iraq.
Mr. Stein could face up to 32 years in prison on bribery and money-laundering charges and firearms violations.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
State of the Union
The annual State of the Union address went exactly as expected. 51 minutes of occasional misdirection, self-congratulatory political rhetoric, but I wouldn't have expected anything else.
Tough on terrorism, grow the economy, honor the troops.
Perhaps the only surprise was the Presidents, 10 years too late, admission that America is addicted to oil. Quite an observation given the fact we've known this since the 1970's. Anyone remember the gas lines?
I'll address some of the Presidents comments here.
On one hand he calls on us to confront our nation’s issues head on as a team.
"To confront the great issues before us, we must act in a spirit of good will and respect for one another — and I will do my part.”
Then he fails to address the record deficits the country is facing because of the tax policies he has advocated.
He also fails to address how we should overcome the partisan political ideology that has been used so skillfully by both parties to further their agenda. Divide and conquer seems to be the order of the day in Washington.
"Abroad, our nation is committed to an historic, long-term goal -- we seek the end of tyranny in our world."
Yet we fail to confront the worlds real villains like China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Again and again we fail to stand up to the worlds worst bullies.
"Once again, we accept the call of history to deliver the oppressed and move this world toward peace."
Funny thing is America isn't so great at peace itself.
The United States of America has been involved in a major conflict (be it foreign or domestic) 49 of its 229-year existence. This country averages a major war every ten or so years. As a matter of fact the USA is one of the most violent nations on the planet.
1,267,046 Americans have given their lives in wars this country has fought. We are hardly the poster child for world peace.
"To overcome dangers in our world, we must also take the offensive by encouraging economic progress, and fighting disease, and spreading hope in hopeless lands. "
I hate to be cynical here, but this statement roughly translated is:
"Build a Wal-Mart in Baghdad, get the locals to buy drugs from my buddies in the pharmaceutical industry and teach those bastards what it means to want a mid-century ranch style house for $450,000."
Solid American values no doubt.
"If there are people inside our country who are talking with al Qaeda, we want to know about it, because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again. "
Classic fear motivation. Why not sacrifice our personal freedoms for that warm and secure feeling you get from knowing the government is watching you.
"Our economy is healthy and vigorous, and growing faster than other major industrialized nations. In the last two-and-a-half years, America has created 4.6 million new jobs -- more than Japan and the European Union combined."
Unfortunately, 4.2 million of those new jobs were at Wal-Mart. Ok, maybe not, but the point is we are replacing decent good paying jobs with service jobs that don't even provide basic medical insurance.
"The American economy is pre-eminent, but we cannot afford to be complacent. In a dynamic world economy, we are seeing new competitors, like China and India, and this creates uncertainty, which makes it easier to feed people's fears."
Feeding peoples fear seems to be convenient for this Administration when necessary. No, Mr. President the fear is real when your job gets outsourced to Bangalore or your company shuts its doors because a company in China that uses slave labor to produce inexpensive products has a red carpet rolled out to them by the major US retailers.
The fear is real.
Because America needs more than a temporary expansion, we need more than temporary tax relief. I urge the Congress to act responsibly, and make the tax cuts permanent.
Translation: "I'm pretty sure the deficit will be on the backs of the next generation, not ours."
"Keeping America competitive requires affordable health care."
Sure it does.
"Third, we need to encourage children to take more math and science, and to make sure those courses are rigorous enough to compete with other nations."
I can't believe this isn't happening already, after all we cut the arts, added fees to sports and every year I take out a loan to buy my kids school supplies...public school.
"As we recover from a disaster, let us also work for the day when all Americans are protected by justice, equal in hope, and rich in opportunity. "
I can only assume here that the President is talking about his Administration. Ok, that was a cheap shot, but I couldn't resist.
Things I liked about the Presidents State of the Union Address:
"Fellow citizens, we've been called to leadership in a period of consequence. We've entered a great ideological conflict we did nothing to invite."
I agree. However, one could make the argument that violence invites violence.
I appreciated the Presidents recognition that America is addicted to oil and his initiatives to help the country develop alternative sources of energy.
"A hopeful society depends on courts that deliver equal justice under the law. "
While I agree with the President on this point, I find his appointments to the Supreme Court to be to biased toward his particular ideology. But that is a Presidents prerogative and they all have this opportunity.
"America is a great force for freedom and prosperity. Yet our greatness is not measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we treat one another. So we strive to be a compassionate, decent, hopeful society."
These were my favorite lines in the entire speech. They were hopeful and filled with simple truths. I really wish that Washington would set the example, but I know that ordinary American's must take action in this area and look past political ideology to that which elevates us as a nation.
That's all for now. I'll end on a positive note.
Tough on terrorism, grow the economy, honor the troops.
Perhaps the only surprise was the Presidents, 10 years too late, admission that America is addicted to oil. Quite an observation given the fact we've known this since the 1970's. Anyone remember the gas lines?
I'll address some of the Presidents comments here.
On one hand he calls on us to confront our nation’s issues head on as a team.
"To confront the great issues before us, we must act in a spirit of good will and respect for one another — and I will do my part.”
Then he fails to address the record deficits the country is facing because of the tax policies he has advocated.
He also fails to address how we should overcome the partisan political ideology that has been used so skillfully by both parties to further their agenda. Divide and conquer seems to be the order of the day in Washington.
"Abroad, our nation is committed to an historic, long-term goal -- we seek the end of tyranny in our world."
Yet we fail to confront the worlds real villains like China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Again and again we fail to stand up to the worlds worst bullies.
"Once again, we accept the call of history to deliver the oppressed and move this world toward peace."
Funny thing is America isn't so great at peace itself.
The United States of America has been involved in a major conflict (be it foreign or domestic) 49 of its 229-year existence. This country averages a major war every ten or so years. As a matter of fact the USA is one of the most violent nations on the planet.
1,267,046 Americans have given their lives in wars this country has fought. We are hardly the poster child for world peace.
"To overcome dangers in our world, we must also take the offensive by encouraging economic progress, and fighting disease, and spreading hope in hopeless lands. "
I hate to be cynical here, but this statement roughly translated is:
"Build a Wal-Mart in Baghdad, get the locals to buy drugs from my buddies in the pharmaceutical industry and teach those bastards what it means to want a mid-century ranch style house for $450,000."
Solid American values no doubt.
"If there are people inside our country who are talking with al Qaeda, we want to know about it, because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again. "
Classic fear motivation. Why not sacrifice our personal freedoms for that warm and secure feeling you get from knowing the government is watching you.
"Our economy is healthy and vigorous, and growing faster than other major industrialized nations. In the last two-and-a-half years, America has created 4.6 million new jobs -- more than Japan and the European Union combined."
Unfortunately, 4.2 million of those new jobs were at Wal-Mart. Ok, maybe not, but the point is we are replacing decent good paying jobs with service jobs that don't even provide basic medical insurance.
"The American economy is pre-eminent, but we cannot afford to be complacent. In a dynamic world economy, we are seeing new competitors, like China and India, and this creates uncertainty, which makes it easier to feed people's fears."
Feeding peoples fear seems to be convenient for this Administration when necessary. No, Mr. President the fear is real when your job gets outsourced to Bangalore or your company shuts its doors because a company in China that uses slave labor to produce inexpensive products has a red carpet rolled out to them by the major US retailers.
The fear is real.
Because America needs more than a temporary expansion, we need more than temporary tax relief. I urge the Congress to act responsibly, and make the tax cuts permanent.
Translation: "I'm pretty sure the deficit will be on the backs of the next generation, not ours."
"Keeping America competitive requires affordable health care."
Sure it does.
"Third, we need to encourage children to take more math and science, and to make sure those courses are rigorous enough to compete with other nations."
I can't believe this isn't happening already, after all we cut the arts, added fees to sports and every year I take out a loan to buy my kids school supplies...public school.
"As we recover from a disaster, let us also work for the day when all Americans are protected by justice, equal in hope, and rich in opportunity. "
I can only assume here that the President is talking about his Administration. Ok, that was a cheap shot, but I couldn't resist.
Things I liked about the Presidents State of the Union Address:
"Fellow citizens, we've been called to leadership in a period of consequence. We've entered a great ideological conflict we did nothing to invite."
I agree. However, one could make the argument that violence invites violence.
I appreciated the Presidents recognition that America is addicted to oil and his initiatives to help the country develop alternative sources of energy.
"A hopeful society depends on courts that deliver equal justice under the law. "
While I agree with the President on this point, I find his appointments to the Supreme Court to be to biased toward his particular ideology. But that is a Presidents prerogative and they all have this opportunity.
"America is a great force for freedom and prosperity. Yet our greatness is not measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we treat one another. So we strive to be a compassionate, decent, hopeful society."
These were my favorite lines in the entire speech. They were hopeful and filled with simple truths. I really wish that Washington would set the example, but I know that ordinary American's must take action in this area and look past political ideology to that which elevates us as a nation.
That's all for now. I'll end on a positive note.
Friday, January 27, 2006
War in Iraq
This subject is difficult for me. I am a Veteran, I am an American,On May 1, 2003 President George W. Bush declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq.
US Casualties (Reported by DOD)
US Deaths 2239
US Wounded 16420
Iraqi Casualties (Civilian/Combatants)
28, 000 - 32,000 estimated
The U.S. and British militaries don't count civilian casualties from war, stating only that they try to minimize civilian deaths.
I'm not concerned with political ideology when it comes to the death of human beings. Politics seems such a small thing when compared with a persons life.
War rarely produces good results, mostly it causes great death and destruction. The war in Iraq is no different.
We continue to pursue the agenda of politicians who are guided by the false notion that war is a reasonable solution.
War is the admission that we have failed. We failed with diplomacy, we failed to act compassionately, we failed to act intelligently. War is a failurer.
Is all war bad?
In the course of human events it has become necessary to fight for a "noble" cause. Those are causes such as liberty and freedom. There are times when, as a last result, human beings collectively take up arms to end oppression and tyranny. There may even be times when America could use its vast might to influence positive change in other parts of the world.
America fights wars for far less noble reasons these days. We seem to fight for political gain, ideological supremacy, world domination, oil and sometimes far, far less.
It would be terrible enough if our nation only fought wars for selfish reasons, however it is much worse than that, for every war we fight based on poor logic, we ignore the worlds real villians. Yes, there are real villians still out there. Villians like China, North Korea, Suadi Arabia and several African nations who commit barbaric acts of genocide routinely.
We go to war for the wrong reasons and try to disguise it with words like "liberation" and "fight against oppression".
Soldiers are sacrificed, innocent people are killed and inured. Children die.
It seems these days that greed is only surpassed by man's inhumanity to man.
I thought my country was better than this.
I dreamed as a child of a nation that elevated the condition of its fellow man. A nation which held truth to be sacred. Where we would expect honor and humility from our leaders and from each other.
It's not easy to do the right thing, but too often these days it seems the easy way is chosen and our country is paying the price, again.
Does any of it matter anymore? Are we so consumed with the pursuit of personal gain that we have lost sight of the priciples which give our lives true meaning?
I don't understand war, I never have and I hope I never do.
Anthem for Doomed Youth
by Wilfred Owen
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,--
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Bush spy games
Bush defends domestic spying.
Yes, what the Administration did was technically illegal, but was it wrong?
Will the President end up in jail for his actions, of course not. Which just goes to prove that this Adminisrtation continues to believe it is above the law, because it is.
The duplicitous conduct of the Bush Administration is slowly erroding sacred liberties in the name of national security. By leveraging the events of 911 and the fear that followed, the Adminstration quickly siezed the opportunity to radically change many laws with the passing of the Patriot Act.
Clearly, anyone with a sixth grade understanding of civics knows that warrants must be obtained through a legal process.
As I was listening to a CSPAN briefing the other day by Lieutenant General Michael Hayden, former Director of the National Security Agency from March 1999 to April 2005, it struck me that he was being pressed about this issue, but could give no concrete answers. It is within the authority of the NSA to spy on those outside the US, but not within it unless they've obtained the proper legal clearence through a process called a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) warrant.
The Bush Administration clearly understood that their legal arguments in this area were weak and intellectually dishonest. So instead of following the legal avenue to obtain the proper warrants they acted in secret and misled the nation. Not even the most conservative legal scholars will say these actions were within the law.
If you listen to the White House breifings, you'd think that this domestic spying was absolutely necessary to save the Nation from some imminent attack. Perhaps it was, but that doesn't mean that important laws, designed to safeguard our freedoms should be tossed aside. If that were the new standard I would fear my own government much more than I fear the terrorists. Because essentially, this says to me that "we know your guilty, so we'll dispense with any pesky due process".
Yes, what the Administration did was technically illegal, but was it wrong?
Will the President end up in jail for his actions, of course not. Which just goes to prove that this Adminisrtation continues to believe it is above the law, because it is.
The duplicitous conduct of the Bush Administration is slowly erroding sacred liberties in the name of national security. By leveraging the events of 911 and the fear that followed, the Adminstration quickly siezed the opportunity to radically change many laws with the passing of the Patriot Act.
Clearly, anyone with a sixth grade understanding of civics knows that warrants must be obtained through a legal process.
As I was listening to a CSPAN briefing the other day by Lieutenant General Michael Hayden, former Director of the National Security Agency from March 1999 to April 2005, it struck me that he was being pressed about this issue, but could give no concrete answers. It is within the authority of the NSA to spy on those outside the US, but not within it unless they've obtained the proper legal clearence through a process called a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) warrant.
The Bush Administration clearly understood that their legal arguments in this area were weak and intellectually dishonest. So instead of following the legal avenue to obtain the proper warrants they acted in secret and misled the nation. Not even the most conservative legal scholars will say these actions were within the law.
If you listen to the White House breifings, you'd think that this domestic spying was absolutely necessary to save the Nation from some imminent attack. Perhaps it was, but that doesn't mean that important laws, designed to safeguard our freedoms should be tossed aside. If that were the new standard I would fear my own government much more than I fear the terrorists. Because essentially, this says to me that "we know your guilty, so we'll dispense with any pesky due process".
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Issues of the Day
Pat Robertson says Sharon had stroke coming.
Proof that you can still be really stupid and garner the worlds attention.
Iran ignores world, continues to pursue nuclear weapons.
Hmmmm....fundamentalists with an atomic weapon, I wonder what Pat Robertson thinks?
Vermont Judge hands down 6 week sentence to child molester.
Man who preyed on girl for 4 years gets 6 weeks of jail, then treatment. Makes you wonder what Pat Robertson thinks?
President Bush hails progress in Katrina rebuilding effort, says boom is on the way.
Bush also proclaims man will live on mars within six months.
Many US cities now criminalize homelessness.
Coupled with the ever expanding US greed and overwhelming waste of the general public, this is perfectly logical. Who want's to see the actual effects anyway.
Here are the five worst cities to be homeless in (acording to National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty):
1. Sarasota, Florida
2. Lawerence, Kansas.
3. Little Rock, Arkansas
4. Atlanta, Georgia
5. Las Vegas, Nevada
US Army cancels Lockeed Martin contract to build spy plane.
Army says 8 billion is just too much. Instead that buys us 9.5 more days in Iraq.
Detroits answer to slumping auto market?
Build more muscle cars. Why not, we just opened a large part of Alaska to oil drilling. Happy days are here again.
Proof that you can still be really stupid and garner the worlds attention.
Iran ignores world, continues to pursue nuclear weapons.
Hmmmm....fundamentalists with an atomic weapon, I wonder what Pat Robertson thinks?
Vermont Judge hands down 6 week sentence to child molester.
Man who preyed on girl for 4 years gets 6 weeks of jail, then treatment. Makes you wonder what Pat Robertson thinks?
President Bush hails progress in Katrina rebuilding effort, says boom is on the way.
Bush also proclaims man will live on mars within six months.
Many US cities now criminalize homelessness.
Coupled with the ever expanding US greed and overwhelming waste of the general public, this is perfectly logical. Who want's to see the actual effects anyway.
Here are the five worst cities to be homeless in (acording to National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty):
1. Sarasota, Florida
2. Lawerence, Kansas.
3. Little Rock, Arkansas
4. Atlanta, Georgia
5. Las Vegas, Nevada
US Army cancels Lockeed Martin contract to build spy plane.
Army says 8 billion is just too much. Instead that buys us 9.5 more days in Iraq.
Detroits answer to slumping auto market?
Build more muscle cars. Why not, we just opened a large part of Alaska to oil drilling. Happy days are here again.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
My Position on Issues of the Day
January 11, 2006Saint Paul, Minnesota
At the encouragement of some fellow citizens, I make the following statements:
Death Penalty - Don't believe in it. (See Row v Wade)
Row v. Wade - I believe in the Right to Life, all life.
Racism - Fight it. Always. Yes it still exists.
Patriot Act - Don't like it at all. Any law which might erode our freedoms is a bad one. Law's born from fear are even worse.
NAFTA - No thanks. I don't believe American's have gained much benefit from it.
Immigration - About a 160 years ago a refugee of the potato famine in Ireland named Patrick O'Meara found his way to Minnesota and I thank him for that. "Thanks Grandpa"
Election Reform - We need it. Desperately. See http://www.massvoters.com/MVFE/
Favorite Political Party - Independence. http://www.mnip.org/
Religion - The kind that lets you question it.
People you respect/admire - My Mother, Martin Luther King, Henry David Thoreau, Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Stewart, Tommy Mischke, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Thomas Paine, Jesus Christ, Jimmy Carter, Rosa Parks, Bruce Springsteen, Susan Owings, Bob Dylan, William Shakespeare, Anne Frank, Carl Sandberg, Rembrandt Van Rijn, Edward Murrow, David Kriesman, Fred Rogers, Nathaniel Owings...and many other mostly everyday people.
Favorite Music - The kind with meaning.
Favorite Films - It's a Wonderful Life, Clerks, Harold and Maude, Field of Dreams.
Favorite Sport - Baseball.
Favorite Book - Walden.
Favorite 20th Century Invention - NASA.
Favorite 21st Century Invention - Peace?
Favorite Food - Most of it.
Favorite Country - Good ol' USA, but Canada isn't far behind.
Wine - Yes.
Beer - Yes.
Martini - Not so much.
Free Agency - Sure, why not.
Building a Stadium with Tax Payor $$$ - Not a chance.
War in Iraq - How bout standing up to some of the worlds real villians like North Korea, China and Saudi Arabia.
Fossil Fuels - Running out. Develop and use alternative energy sources. Helps America, ends dependence on Foriegn Oil.
Hockey - Oh yeah.
Chick flicks - Why not.
Protestants or Catholics - Peace man, peace.
Israel or Palastine - Ditto.
Confirming Supreme Court Judges
January 11, 2006
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Thoughts of the day.
Supreme Ccourt nominee confirmation process. A farse.
I mean do we really trust a guy named "Spectre" anyway?
This is almost too weird to be real. Alito's wife breaks down in tears and leaves hearing after her husbands past record is taken to task by commitee Democrats. Sen Orrin Hatch remarked "She’s sick and tired of the mistreatment of her husband".
Take heart Mrs. Alito, I'm sure you'll feel better in the limo ride home to the mansion.
I'll admit I don't know much about Alito or his thoughts about Row v Wade, because he won't answer that question. I've heard that he has a certain reverance for the Executive Branch. I can appreciate a healthy respect for the ideals of the office, but the men who have filled it recently would not exactly evoke "reverance" on my part.
The partisanship has reached extreme levels. The process is a joke.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Americans, Drugs and Politics
January 10, 2006St.Paul, Minnesota
Are American's too dependent on drugs for dealing with everyday life? Ask yourself why?
Many will argue that drugs such as antidepressants have enabled many people to escape the nightmare of depression and live normal healthy lives. I won't disagree that this might be true for a percentage of those stricken with serious depression or obsessive compulsive disorders. Instead I'd like to focus on the large number of American's who are being manipulated into using these drugs simply to avoid everyday stress or other normal life issues.
I discovered some data I thought was interesting on this subject and helps to highlight a growing American dependency on prescription drugs. From everything to mild situational depression and full a blown psychosis to erectile dysfunction, drugs are being prescribed to American's at an alarming rate.
A survey of office-based physicians conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ that measured drugs prescribed found that Psychiatrists had the largest increase in drug prescriptions, jumping from 82 prescriptions per 100 visits in 1985 to 178 drugs per 100 visits by 1999.
Just six therapeutic classes of drugs accounted for 80% of the increase in the overall drug mention rate. Those classes include central nervous system drugs, hormones, respiratory medications, pain relief agents, metabolics/nutrients and cardiovascular-kidney drugs.Antidepressants accounted for 13.5% of the increase in overall ambulatory drug prescribing.
The pharmaceutical companies have been relentless in their use of marketing to promote their products. Just watch an hour of television and you'll see advertisements for drugs that treat allergies, yeast infections, menopause, osteoporosis, erectile dysfunction, urinary issues and heart burn.
American's are taking more drugs now than ever before in their history. People actually inject themselves with a popular poison called BOTOX in order to look younger. We treat male baldness as if it were a life threatening disease with a battery of products that promise us youth, vitality and sex.
The American pharmaceutical industry spends more on marketing today then it does on actual drug research according to at least one expert on the subject. Dr. Marcia Angell, former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine states in her book The Truth About Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It that the top U.S. drug makers spend 2.5 times as much on marketing and administration as they do on research. She contends that the industry has become a marketing machine that produces few innovative drugs and is dependent on monopoly rights and public-sponsored research.
Dr. Angell says that at least a third of the drugs marketed by industry leaders were discovered by universities or small biotech companies, but that they’re sold to the public at inflated prices. She cites Taxol, the cancer drug discovered by the National Institutes of Health, but sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb for $20,000 a year, reportedly 20 times the manufacturing cost. The company agreed to pay the NIH only 0.5 percent in royalties for the drug.
The drug companies can't do it all alone so they have enlisted some powerful partners in Washington. The Bush administration has been working hard to make sure that drug companies are immune to lawsuits by patients. Part of the reason for this may be due to the fact that many of the policy makers in the Bush administration are former top executives in pharmaceutical companies. For example, Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, is former drug maker executive himself.
Of the key legislative initiatives promoted by the Bush administration from 2000 to 2004 half of these could actually be considered multi-billion dollar government subsidy programs designed to generate profits for the pharmaceutical industry. The most publicized of these initiatives might have been the Medicare drug discount card, which actually isn't a discount at all, and is more of a system that pushes elderly consumers who are dependent on prescription drugs into buying from monopoly-controlled U.S. drug outlets.
Its a simple fact that the pharmaceutical industry has donated far more heavily to the Republicans in the recent presidential election campaign than to Democrats.
Real prevention and eradication of diseases will never be in the interests of the drug industry, because that is not the way to make money. To make money they need to increase the number of customers who are purchasing their drugs. Asking the drug companies to clean up their act is very similar to asking the tobacco industry to police itself. It just isn't going to happen.
One might be tempted to label the whole mess a conspiracy except that no one is trying to hide their actions. The drug companies make no secret that they are out to "improve" share holder value, translation = sell more drugs. Could American's have actually been duped into taking ineffective or even dangerous drugs? The answer is YES...and in greater and greater numbers.
If you thought children might be off limits to the drug companies, don't fool yourself. They even have drugs for a disease called Attention Deficit Disorder. In the old days, when I was a kid they had a really good prescription for ADD, it was called a kick in the ass...and it actually worked. Apologies to all my sensitive liberal friends.
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