It's been a while since I poked my nose in here, but I just wanted to give my thought's about Bloomberg:
As a Long Island Ny'ker working in NYC, I (as many NY'ker's ) felt Bloomberg was a pompous, arrogant and condescending individual. However, that changed over time and once I (and many others) saw the changes he implemented, our feelings turned. When I look back at why I didn't like him, it was my ignorance which didn't allow meto see the forest through the trees...after all he had banned smoking in the city and that was just wrong because I was a smoker. And let's face it, ifya can't trust The Doctors and Santa, who can ya trust? In my opinion ya can trust Michael Bloomberg, that's who. While sitting back and letting my thought's flow through my slightly toasted brain cells, it dawned on me "the guy is doing a pretty good job in the city, and he's got a cool few billion, maybe he knows a little more than I do?". Well I have to make a Dr's appt. and start my Christmas list, so until next time kids I bid you farewell.
There's a bill called the which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached
Lifetime TV (I know "guys", Lifetime hates "us"...but this is a good cause) lays out this issue very well ''.
This bill has been introduced during each Congressional session since 1997 (1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005). Each time, unfortunately, the bill dies in committee. It has been submitted again during the current legislative session as ""
Lifetime does have an online petition (much like an email petition), however, there is no way to verify signatures or prevent multiple "signings". A more productive approach to getting this, or any legislation passed would be for interested voters to contact their elected representatives directly. Click the following links for contact information for and .
Those interested in tracking the progress of this latest attempt at passage, can click for Senate action, and for the House version.
The above information came from , and in my opinion does not dilute the importance or effectiveness of Lifetime's petition, it's additional "insurance" and "assurance" of getting the JOB done. Our elected officials are getting the best care available, yet when it comes to us "commoners", it's a crap shoot on the crap table of the insurance companies.
Two years after hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, there are still so manypeople without homes. Robert Greenwald has a new video and message abouthurricane Katrina, and what you can do to help.
Below is quoted from an email sent by Jamiah Adams and Paris Marron of
Tomorrow marks the two year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and still thereare tens of thousands of families without homes. 30,000 families are scatteredacross the country in FEMA apartments, 13,000 are in trailers, and hardly any ofthe 77,000 rental units destroyed in New Orleans have been rebuilt. To sharesome of these people?s stories, we have put together a short film, "Whenthe Saints Go Marching In."
During the making of this video, we heard the heartbreaking stories of goodpeople unable to return home. We have heard the story of the Aguilar family wholost their home to the storm and only received $4,000 in payments from theirinsurance company. We have met Mr. Washington, an 87-year-old man and formercarpenter, who owned three homes prior to the storm. He is still living in aFEMA trailer today. And we've met Julie, who could have returned to her job andnormal life, if the government had opened up the public housing units that shehad lived in prior to the storm
is a site dedicated to helping the victims of Katrina.
'Two years after Katrina and thousands are still w/o homes'
I don't understand how some of our politicians sleep at night, knowing theconditions others are in...and not only in New Orleans, but throughout Our Country.
You can sign a petition for Senator Dodd.
We, the undersigned, urge the United States Senate to pass (S1668) to assist the Gulf Coast region in rebuilding the infrastructure lost after the Katrina and Rita disasters.
Passage of this bill is an important step towards returning the Gulf Coast residents to their homes.
The signing of the petition consists of Name, email and Zip Code.
Recently, an Associated Press-Ipsos poll noted that liberals read more books than conservatives. This combined with a poll noting that in the US did not read any books in 2006 indicates a trend toward sound bites and slogans. Pat Schroeder, head of the American Association of Publishers, has a theory as to why this is the case. Note: The following section may be considered offensive to our conservative readers. Fortunately, according to the AP-Ipsos study, no conservative readers will manage to read this far.
"The Karl Roves of the world have built a generation that just wants a couple slogans: 'No, don't raise my taxes, no new taxes. It's pretty hard to write a book saying, 'No new taxes, no new taxes, no new taxes' on every page."
Once again, we're stuck with a generation of voters on the right side of the aisle that don't want to actually be informed of the very issues that affect their lives. The Right packages up talking point slogans and bores them into the heads of the American people. "Terrorists hate our Freedom. Iraq is making Progress. Democrats want to 'cut and run.' We fight them there so we don't have to fight them here." Without context, these slogans mean nothing. But through the miracle of incessant repetition, people start to buy into it. One poll I would love to see AP-Ipsos run would be applicable only to the population of Americans that still support the president and his war. There only has to be one question; multiple choice of course! Question: Where do you obtain your information on the government and the war? A. Newspapers B. Newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch C. The Internets D. Television News Stations E. Television News Stations owned by Rupert Murdoch F. I read a book about it
See how many of these conservatives want to know more about the world than the sound bites they hear on Fox News.
Coming just after all the controversy regarding 'Dragon Skin' Body Armor forthe military, the Department of Justice is dropping Dragon Armor from their listof "acceptable protective equipment for law enforcement agents". Apparentlyit isn't being dropped for performance, but rather for paperwork reasonsaccording to Pinnacle Armor Inc. (the manufacturer of Dragon Skin)
'' WASHINGTON — Department of Justice researchers have dropped Dragon Skinbody armor from their list of acceptable protective equipment for lawenforcement, the latest setback for the controversial bulletproof vests.
But officials from Pinnacle Armor Inc., which makes the vests, say the moveis a hasty reaction to paperwork confusion about the warranty length of thevests and believe it may have ties to the ongoing fight between the company andArmy researchers over Dragon Skin's effectiveness.
"This armor doesn't fail any (Justice Department) ballistics tests, butthey took it off the list anyway," Pinnacle CEO Murray Neal said."It's something that never should have happened. We just need to getthrough this issue and get this armor back on these cops." ...
It makes you wonder if this is a lead for the military to remove itoff of their listas well after the testing they are performing. 'TheBody Armor Issue' - Round 2 (with Videos) contains all the current links and informationto bring this issue up to speed to this recent issue (post)
Army officials testified that Dragon Skin has failed numerous tests over theyears, saying the ceramic plates fall apart after exposure to extreme heat andcold. All four services have banned use of the armor for general combat use.
According to the Justice Department, Pinnacle has not supplied enoughevidence to support "that the body armor model will maintain its ballisticperformance over its six-year declared warranty period," prompting itsexclusion from the approved vests list.
It seems to me that if the Dragon Skin is the best armor, wouldn't shelf lifecome second to protection of the soldiers and law enforcement agents?Renegotiate the warranty, or replace the ceramic plates as needed.
Once again, take the time to go through this post 'TheBody Armor Issue' - Round 2' (With Videos) and you will have all the information upto this point. And please leave any further information in the comments sectionyou may find.
In my opinion here is another fine example of government officials BS'ing thepublic. Forty Two thousand gallons of crude oil is happily cruising down a rivertowards a lake that supplies drinking water. The officials say "they're notsure of the extent of contamination" and a spokeswoman for the Dept. of EnvironmentalQuality says "the spill isn't expected tohave an impact on the water-supply intakes located below the surface at thesouth end of the lake. She says oil tends to float on the surface of the water,so the quality of water taken from below the surface of the lake should not beaffected." Personally I don't think you can put forty two thousand gallonsOF water in a river and it not have an impact of some sort.
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) - Forty-two thousandsgallons of thick crude oil are nearing an Oklahoma lake that supplies water fordrinking and recreation.
The oil spilled from the Coffeyville Resourcesrefinery in Kansas on Sunday into the Verdigris River. It has been floatingdownstream toward Oologah (OO'-luh-gah) Lake, about 30 miles northeast of Tulsa
Officials say a lot of the oil slick remainson the surface and is visible. They're not sure of the extent of contamination.
A spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department ofEnvironmental Quality says the spill isn't expected to have an impact on thewater-supply intakes located below the surface at the south end of the lake. Shesays oil tends to float on the surface of the water, so the quality of watertaken from below the surface of the lake should not be affected. ... (but this is all there is at this link.)
Then we can go down the list of all the things NOT to worry about:
None of the oil reached Oklahoma's Lake Oologah, a source of drinking water for Tulsa and other communities, Oklahoma environmental officials said Wednesday.
Some workers at the refinery and the fertilizer facility already are returning to work. Others have been told to remain at home until contacted by their supervisors to return.
Lipinski says the company is working closely with city, state and federal agencies engaged in mitigating the environmental impact of the loss and is actively reaching out to those people affected.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, was helping the Coffeyville Police Department to conduct air quality tests for potential hazards
At least 1,000 people have been displaced from their homes throughout southeast Kansas, says the Kansas adjutant general's department
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, KDHE, is distributing tetanus vaccine to prevent the illness in people who have come in contact with the floodwaters
Health officials are warning residents to stay out of the flood waters due to sewage, hazardous materials, and other contaminants. Individuals should contact their nearest health department for a tetanus vaccine if they have had a recent, significant injury or if they have entered the water and have not had a tetanus vaccination in the past 10 years.
The EPA advises people returning to property that may be contaminated with oil and other contaminants to wear work boots, open doors and windows for ventilation, and avoid taking oil-contaminated items to non-contaminated locations. ...
We all know accidents can happen, but when you look at the list of all the"agencies" working on this one, it is similar to Katrina's crack teamsof crack heads. And when fish, birds and other wildlife start popping up dead,or with more eyes and legs then they really need, then they will create afew more committees to investigate the new situation.
A few more emergencies like this and "we're in big troublemister"...ya see, all our federal funds are a little tied up right nowhelping democratize the world.
And besides, what's the worse that could happen? I ain't no tree hugger!
2003 - ''"Jennifer Ludden reports on the U.S. military's direneed for more translators who speak Arabic and other Middle Easternlanguages."
2005 - ',Morecash and appeals to parents, patriotism haven't reversed trend'"WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials say it's not a crisis, but it is a majorconcern — a battle here at home to win the hearts and minds of potential newrecruits."
2006 -' . Felons, racists, gang members fill in theranks' "After falling short ofits goals last year, military recruiting in 2006 has been marked by upbeatpronouncements from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, claims of success bythe White House, and a spate of recent press reports touting the military'sachievement of its woman- and manpower goals."
2006 - : "As you know, you go to war withthe army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a latertime."
2006 - '' "WASHINGTON - The Army isending its best recruiting year since 1997 and expecting similar success in2007, despite the weight of grim war news from Iraq, Army Secretary FrancisHarvey said."
2007 - '' "With an array of special incentivesfor attracting recruits, the Army managed to recover from a 2005 recruitingslump, but the impact of the Iraq war and the strong domestic economy have madeit difficult to attract enlistees."
2007 - '' "GeneralPeter Schoomaker outlined an unfunded $10bn additional "wish list" ina memo to the congressional military committee" (included $13.3 MILLION forforeign languages translation.)
I think I found some clues where some of the problems lie, AND where GeneralShoomaker's money could have come from...
2007 - ', and Congress members seek hearing' "WASHINGTON:Lawmakers who say the military has kicked out 58 Arabic linguists because theywere gay want the Pentagon to explain how it can afford to let the valuablelanguage specialists go."
''
Since ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ became law, over 11,000 service membershave been discharged because of their sexuality. The number of servicemembers who have left on their own volition, or have decided not tore-enlist because of this law is not documented. The government has spent over$363 million dollars in taxpayer money to implement this unfair legislation. Dozens of other countries, many of whom have fought side-by-side with oursoldiers, allow lesbians, gays and bisexuals to serve openly. Those are thefacts and they have nothing to do with a service members passion and skill toperform his duty.
So I pose this question to each and everyAmerican (civilian and military). Would you feel safer fighting side by sidewith an individual which is capable of telling you "they areyelling, watch out, the bad guys are over there...you should go theother way" OR would you rather be with someone that can tell you thestarting line-up of the NY Yankees?
I wonder how many hungry children (andadults) $363 million would feed? And as far as the argument "themilitary is no place for gays"...well we would probably have to go wayback to the very first army ever formed, then tell the first 10 soldiers"one of you is one of them and this is no place for you".
Ican't even believe that we are still having this conversation with the statethis world is in today.
Most of us have heard the term , some understand it and some don't. so I decided to help thosethat don't and keep it fresh in the minds of those that do. inspired me with their post ''
The easiest way to explain what Net Neutrality is, and the issues surroundingit, is through video 'Save The Internet'. You can go to and click on your state and see where your representatives standon this issue. You can also send them messages through the site. More videos at
Save The Internet (explains Net Neutrality)
Big Ed's Swan Song (their latest video)
We're all guilty of sitting around complaining about issues, but rarely take the initiative to do our part. Let's not be sitting around drinking coffee in 5 years wishing we did our part.
Federal Judge Reggie Walton sentenced Libby to 2-1/2 years in prison for lying and a $250,000 fine, and 2 years probation once his sentence has been served.
also ordered I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby topay $250,000 in fines. Additionally, the former aide will be onprobation for two years following the completion of his prison term.Libby must report to a probation officer within 72 hours of sentencing,unless Walton allows Libby to be free on bond pending appeal of thecase. Court is still in session while the judge considers the request.
White House Aide to Convicted Felon
Libby was convicted in March on four felony charges -- claiming he liedto the FBI and a grand jury, as well as obstructed justice -- relatedto the CIA Leak probe, the three-year investigation that revealed thebehind-the-scenes workings of the White House's inner circle. ...
: Blogged trial and sentencing. ''
It's sentencing day today for I. Lewis Libby. Today, Judge ReggieWalton will sentence Libby based on his conviction on multiple felonycounts after a trial and conviction before a jury of his peers.
, , they continue through 8. They give a play by play.
As far as I'm concerned, they can continue to round up the criminals on the Hill and keep locking them up. And I'd really like to see the excuses stop by their party members. On that note, Jefferson should be rammed into a freezer with his money.
I may have overdone the images, but these type of issues really chap my ass.
is looking better to me everyday, and for that reason I decided todedicate a post to him...the country's pAL.
First lets take a look at Al's new book ''. The Guardian p from his book.
'A drive for global domination has put us in greater danger'- Moral authority, which is ourgreatest source of strength, has been recklessly put at risk by this willfulpresident
The pursuit of "dominance" in foreign policy led the Bushadministration to ignore the UN, to do serious damage to our most importantalliances, to violate international law, and to cultivate the hatred andcontempt of many in the rest of the world. The seductive appeal of exercisingunconstrained unilateral power led this president to interpret his powers underthe constitution in a way that brought to life the worst nightmare of thefounders. Any policy based on domination of the rest of the world not onlycreates enemies for the US and recruits for al-Qaida, but also undermines theinternational cooperation that is essential to defeating terrorists who wish toharm and intimidate America. Instead of "dominance", we should beseeking pre-eminence in a world where nations respect us and seek to follow ourleadership and adopt our values. ...
Time Online posted an from 'The Assault on Reason'
Not long before our nation launched the invasion of Iraq, our longest-servingSenator, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, stood on the Senate floor and said:"This chamber is, for the most part, silent—ominously, dreadfully silent.There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the nation the prosand cons of this particular war. There is nothing. We stand passively mute inthe United States Senate."
Why was the Senate silent?
In describing the empty chamber the way he did, Byrd invited a specificversion of the same general question millions of us have been asking: "Whydo reason, logic and truth seem to play a sharply diminished role in the wayAmerica now makes important decisions?" The persistent and sustainedreliance on falsehoods as the basis of policy, even in the face of massive andwell-understood evidence to the contrary, seems to many Americans to havereached levels that were previously unimaginable. ...
We constantly hear the broken record words of Sean Hannity trying to get that "Gore is a hypocrite" regardingGlobal Warming.
Joseph Palermo wrote on .
In today's New York Times, right-wing columnist and perennialyakking head, David (Bobo-in-Paradise) Brooks, trashes Al Gore's newbook, The Assault on Reason. Brooks labels Gore "a radicaltechnological determinist" because the former Vice President draws upon thescholarly work of Marshal McLuhan, Neil Postman, and others to conclude that theprinting press, radio, and television have had an enormous impact on ourpolitics. "Gore's imperviousness to reality is not the most strikingfeature of the book," sniffs Brooks, "it's the chilliness andsterility of his worldview."
Toward the end of his mushy-headed indictment of Gore, Brooks snivels:"Utterly at a loss when asked to talk about virtue and justice, [Gore andothers] try to shift attention to technology and methods of communication. Theyimagine that by altering machines they can alter the fundamentals of behavior,or at least avoid the dark thickets of human nature."
It's funny that someone like Brooks, who calls himself a"conservative" and an "intellectual" would be so downrighthostile to The Assault on Reason. After all, aren't people like Brookssupposed to admire the framers of the Constitution and other people who havecontributed to defining our nation's creed?......
It really doesn't matter if you like Gore or not, butit is difficult to disagree with his points of view both politically and environmentally.What once turned me off from Gore was his articulate, intelligent and almost condescendingattitude, is now something I embrace. He stayed the course and proved to us thathe really does care about the people, the country and the earth.
Gore Says Bush is an Un-American , Heretic
Al Gore 'The Assault On Reason' ~ Countdown w/Obermann Part1
Al Gore 'The Assault On Reason' ~ Countdown w/Obermann Part2
Al Gore ~ Religion/Founding Fathers - Larry King 5/22/2007
This post isn't a "The Blue State Supports Gore", this was solelyto condense a wealth of information in a single post about Al.. I am an Obama o8kinda guy, but would love a Gore/Obama ticket, and would like Richardson onGore's cabinet. If all goes well, perhaps an Obama 2012?
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