So I've been slacking off at work this afternoon cause well I can do that, and in this slacking I found an interesting site now I could go into detail about this site and how it talks about Infantile Spasms and its in detail account of a families struggle to deal with it....but I wont because this is a link I want you to click on, this is a link I need you to see if nothing else then for the awareness of Infantile spasms.
Did you click it?
Why not? click it already.
Fine a little back ground on the site.. You see its dedicated to a girl named Marissa, she was born November 8th 2008, she has what is commonly refered Infantile Spams also known as West syndrome (named after the Doctor who "discovered" it in the 1840's) now I must confess I knew next to nothing about West syndrome other then it sounded crazy, but after some investagative looking into I couldnt imagion.
Here's a typical story from a family: "At first I thought Chris was just having the little body jerks when he was moved or startled, like my other children had when they were infants. But then I knew something was wrong. The jerks became more violent, and his tiny body was thrust forward and his arms flew apart. They only lasted a few seconds but started to occur in groups lasting a few minutes. It was so hard to see such a young baby having these things."
Anyway look into the link above I think if nothing else it will increase youre awareness for things like this. Oh did I mention a give away for donation? click the link look around you'll see it, somet of the prizes include an Autographed Kotobukiya Steel Spartan 12” Figure, A Guest Appearance in Chronicles of ODS Steve,or Plants vs. Zombies and many more. Anyway get your ass to Mars and donate today. you'll win either way.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Modernize America’s Defenses
ROBERT GATES, the secretary of defense, has proposed a budget overhaul that will go a long way toward improving our national security, I say more can be done, more can be done to meet his long-term goal: creating the right military for the 21st century.
Not since Henry Stimson’s tenure from 1940 to ’45 has a defense secretary been faced to the same degree with simultaneously fighting a war and carrying out far-reaching reforms. Yet there are three major changes Secretary Gates should add to his agenda, and they deserve President Obama’s support.
First, the Air Force should be eliminated, and its personnel and equipment integrated into the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
Second, the archaic “up or out” military promotion system should be scrapped in favor of a plan that treats service members as real assets.
Third, the United States needs a national service program for all young men and women, without any deferments, to increase the quality and size of the pool from which troops are drawn.
Now I relize that these changes are drastic, but concider this, at the moment, the Army, Navy and Marine Corps are at war, but the Air Force is not. This is not the fault of the Air Force: it is simply not structured to be in the fights in Iraq and Afghanistan. While Army, Marine and Navy personnel have borne the brunt of deployments, commonly serving multiple tours, the Air Force’s operational tempo remains comparatively comfortable. In 2007, only about 5 percent of the troops in Iraq were airmen.
Yes, air power is a critical component of America’s arsenal. But the Army, Navy and Marines already maintain air wings within their expeditionary units. The Air Force is increasingly a redundancy in structure and spending. War is no longer made up of set-piece battles between huge armies confronting each other with tanks and airplanes. As we move toward a greater emphasis on rapid-response troops, the Army has tightened its physical fitness regime and the Marine Corps has introduced a physically grueling Combat Fitness Test for all members. Yet an Air Force study last year found that more than half of airmen and women were overweight and 12 percent were obese.
Next, the current military personnel system is a peacetime bureaucratic construct that serves neither national security nor those who wear the uniform. Congress sets the level of manpower for each military service. Within this constraint, military planners have to decide how many riflemen, mechanics, cooks, medics, pilots and such there should be within the military’s job types, known as Military Occupational Specialties. Then the Pentagon has to decide how many people will be retained in the ranks or promoted. The result is an “up or out” system that demands service members move up the ladder simply to stay in the military. Any soldier passed over for promotion twice must leave or retire. Treating service members like so many widgets — in particular, the enlisted men and women who make up 85 percent of the ranks — is arbitrary and bad management.
The military should develop a new accounting and personnel system that tracks the cost of developing its human capital and tallies each service member as an investment with a fixed value based on his education, training, experience and performance. This would reflect the departure of a valued service member as an asset lost, not a cost cut. Why are fit men and women who have served in combat, a human experience that a million dollars can’t buy, being pushed out instead of retained for 15, 20, 30 years?
Last, Mr. Gates should urge President Obama to confer with Congress and introduce national service at age 18 for all Americans. Under such a system, young people from all classes and backgrounds would either serve in the military or do other essential work like intelligence assessment, conservation, antipoverty projects, educational tutoring, firefighting, policing, border security, disaster relief or care for the elderly. The best qualified would be assigned to the military.
The 1.6 million Americans who have served in the current wars represent less than one percent of all citizens. We need to spread the risk and burden of fighting our wars. If more of our national leaders had been in uniform, or knew they might have children at risk in war, their decisions during military confrontations might be better. And this is not just about the struggle against terrorism: would New Orleans reconstruction have lagged so long if we had had a national service program in natural-disaster recovery?
President Obama has the political capital to make these critical changes. Given the urgency of war and money available under the economic recovery plan, now may be our best chance for decades to truly modernize America’s defenses.
Not since Henry Stimson’s tenure from 1940 to ’45 has a defense secretary been faced to the same degree with simultaneously fighting a war and carrying out far-reaching reforms. Yet there are three major changes Secretary Gates should add to his agenda, and they deserve President Obama’s support.
First, the Air Force should be eliminated, and its personnel and equipment integrated into the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
Second, the archaic “up or out” military promotion system should be scrapped in favor of a plan that treats service members as real assets.
Third, the United States needs a national service program for all young men and women, without any deferments, to increase the quality and size of the pool from which troops are drawn.
Now I relize that these changes are drastic, but concider this, at the moment, the Army, Navy and Marine Corps are at war, but the Air Force is not. This is not the fault of the Air Force: it is simply not structured to be in the fights in Iraq and Afghanistan. While Army, Marine and Navy personnel have borne the brunt of deployments, commonly serving multiple tours, the Air Force’s operational tempo remains comparatively comfortable. In 2007, only about 5 percent of the troops in Iraq were airmen.
Yes, air power is a critical component of America’s arsenal. But the Army, Navy and Marines already maintain air wings within their expeditionary units. The Air Force is increasingly a redundancy in structure and spending. War is no longer made up of set-piece battles between huge armies confronting each other with tanks and airplanes. As we move toward a greater emphasis on rapid-response troops, the Army has tightened its physical fitness regime and the Marine Corps has introduced a physically grueling Combat Fitness Test for all members. Yet an Air Force study last year found that more than half of airmen and women were overweight and 12 percent were obese.
Next, the current military personnel system is a peacetime bureaucratic construct that serves neither national security nor those who wear the uniform. Congress sets the level of manpower for each military service. Within this constraint, military planners have to decide how many riflemen, mechanics, cooks, medics, pilots and such there should be within the military’s job types, known as Military Occupational Specialties. Then the Pentagon has to decide how many people will be retained in the ranks or promoted. The result is an “up or out” system that demands service members move up the ladder simply to stay in the military. Any soldier passed over for promotion twice must leave or retire. Treating service members like so many widgets — in particular, the enlisted men and women who make up 85 percent of the ranks — is arbitrary and bad management.
The military should develop a new accounting and personnel system that tracks the cost of developing its human capital and tallies each service member as an investment with a fixed value based on his education, training, experience and performance. This would reflect the departure of a valued service member as an asset lost, not a cost cut. Why are fit men and women who have served in combat, a human experience that a million dollars can’t buy, being pushed out instead of retained for 15, 20, 30 years?
Last, Mr. Gates should urge President Obama to confer with Congress and introduce national service at age 18 for all Americans. Under such a system, young people from all classes and backgrounds would either serve in the military or do other essential work like intelligence assessment, conservation, antipoverty projects, educational tutoring, firefighting, policing, border security, disaster relief or care for the elderly. The best qualified would be assigned to the military.
The 1.6 million Americans who have served in the current wars represent less than one percent of all citizens. We need to spread the risk and burden of fighting our wars. If more of our national leaders had been in uniform, or knew they might have children at risk in war, their decisions during military confrontations might be better. And this is not just about the struggle against terrorism: would New Orleans reconstruction have lagged so long if we had had a national service program in natural-disaster recovery?
President Obama has the political capital to make these critical changes. Given the urgency of war and money available under the economic recovery plan, now may be our best chance for decades to truly modernize America’s defenses.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
BCS
Now I have no love for the BCS (Bowl Championship Series), but there is no reason at this time for Rep. Barton (R- Texas) who by the way is the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, to introduce legislation that would force college football (Div 1) to adopt a playoff to determine the national champion. Do we have nothing more to do in government anymore then to come down on sports both professional (see Baseball) and collegiate? Are there not more important things to do like figuring out how to ease the economical stress the average American is experiencing? Would we not be better severed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee if they looked into more important matters like how to ‘kick start’ the economy into adopting next generation energy technology, so we as Americans can become and stay energy independent?
Apparently, no. It is by Rep. Barton’s (R-Texas) estimation that because the unreliable way the BCS ranks the schools "In some years the sport's national championship winner was left unsettled, and at least one school was left out of the many millions of dollars in revenue that accompany the title,'' Barton said in a statement released ahead of the bill's introduction. "Despite repeated efforts to improve the system, the controversy rages on.'' Well said Rep. Barton but might I ask your solution to the problem? Well according to the legislation he submitted to the Committee there is nothing specific in what sort of playoff he wants — only that the BCS should go to that format. However in surprisingly strong language, in which he also named the co-sponsors of the legislation Reps. Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat, and Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, This “will prohibit the marketing, promotion, and advertising of a postseason game as a 'national championship' football game, unless it is the result of a playoff system. Violations of the prohibition will be treated as violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act as an unfair or deceptive act or practice.''
Now I can kinda understand the reason behind the legislation in that the ‘wealth of the bowl games’ are not being evenly distributed among the schools. If this is the sole reason why Rep. Barton is looking into this legislation I can get beside it, it doesn’t mean that I like it, but I get it there are deserving schools who won’t get a shot at the National Champion title because they are a smaller school or from a smaller conference even if they went undefeated. There are large schools or large conferences that have teams looking in from the outside because of a late season loss or some other team gets hot even if they lost earlier in the year. Look if it fixes the broke system great if this is a tactic to get the focus off the economical woes or the ineffectual ability for the government to govern then shame on you sir. Shame on you and your compatriots for trying to sham the people with busy work.
Apparently, no. It is by Rep. Barton’s (R-Texas) estimation that because the unreliable way the BCS ranks the schools "In some years the sport's national championship winner was left unsettled, and at least one school was left out of the many millions of dollars in revenue that accompany the title,'' Barton said in a statement released ahead of the bill's introduction. "Despite repeated efforts to improve the system, the controversy rages on.'' Well said Rep. Barton but might I ask your solution to the problem? Well according to the legislation he submitted to the Committee there is nothing specific in what sort of playoff he wants — only that the BCS should go to that format. However in surprisingly strong language, in which he also named the co-sponsors of the legislation Reps. Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat, and Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, This “will prohibit the marketing, promotion, and advertising of a postseason game as a 'national championship' football game, unless it is the result of a playoff system. Violations of the prohibition will be treated as violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act as an unfair or deceptive act or practice.''
Now I can kinda understand the reason behind the legislation in that the ‘wealth of the bowl games’ are not being evenly distributed among the schools. If this is the sole reason why Rep. Barton is looking into this legislation I can get beside it, it doesn’t mean that I like it, but I get it there are deserving schools who won’t get a shot at the National Champion title because they are a smaller school or from a smaller conference even if they went undefeated. There are large schools or large conferences that have teams looking in from the outside because of a late season loss or some other team gets hot even if they lost earlier in the year. Look if it fixes the broke system great if this is a tactic to get the focus off the economical woes or the ineffectual ability for the government to govern then shame on you sir. Shame on you and your compatriots for trying to sham the people with busy work.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Revolution
They’re calling it Stonewall 2.0.
I call it about time. I do not share the same views as my cohort RA, as such I think that’s what makes us an interesting pair of pseudo-journalists. You see her take on same-sex marriage although an interesting one built of convictions and such is far from my view on the subject. However that’s not what I’m here to talk about today. I want to talk to you about this “new wave of advocates” this cultural revolution of sorts; you see some California voters were outraged by the Prop 8’s passing. There is nothing better than the youth of America becoming outraged at a moral or cultural situation. If there hadn’t been these pioneers and their outrage today’s America would be a very different one. The cultural revolution of our parents during the 60’s and 70’s changed the path of America. In the sixties you had the Rise of feminism which brought the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Chicano movement which among other things saw to the rise of the MALDF in 1968, the counterculture/social revolution you know Hippies. Together they created a new liberated stance for society, including the sexual revolution, the youth of America began demanding more freedoms and rights for women, homosexuals, and minorities. The seventies saw more social progressive values that began in the sixties, the rise of Environmentalism and the United States celebrating its first Earth Day on April 22 1970. Civil Rights took a severe blow with the deaths of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. and Senator Bobby Kennedy, but continued to march on.
And now we have a new wave of advocates, shaken out of a generational apathy, having pushed to the forefront of the gay rights movement, using freshly minted grass-roots groups and embracing not only new technologies but also old-school methods like sit-ins and sickouts. You see a Mr. Palazzolo (32 year old male from California), recently founded the group Equal Roots Coalition with some friends stating “I’d been focused on other things in my life, then November fourth happened, and it woke me up.” Isn’t that often how it is? The youth and it’s political inexperience making social change because of some other social awaking. The youth trying to make a difference, not just for one’s self but for the community. This isn’t just for the realm of gay rights, but this new awakening can mean a leap for civil rights for everyone. Let us hope that this is the case, and not a flash in the pan situation that our generation is known for.
I call it about time. I do not share the same views as my cohort RA, as such I think that’s what makes us an interesting pair of pseudo-journalists. You see her take on same-sex marriage although an interesting one built of convictions and such is far from my view on the subject. However that’s not what I’m here to talk about today. I want to talk to you about this “new wave of advocates” this cultural revolution of sorts; you see some California voters were outraged by the Prop 8’s passing. There is nothing better than the youth of America becoming outraged at a moral or cultural situation. If there hadn’t been these pioneers and their outrage today’s America would be a very different one. The cultural revolution of our parents during the 60’s and 70’s changed the path of America. In the sixties you had the Rise of feminism which brought the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Chicano movement which among other things saw to the rise of the MALDF in 1968, the counterculture/social revolution you know Hippies. Together they created a new liberated stance for society, including the sexual revolution, the youth of America began demanding more freedoms and rights for women, homosexuals, and minorities. The seventies saw more social progressive values that began in the sixties, the rise of Environmentalism and the United States celebrating its first Earth Day on April 22 1970. Civil Rights took a severe blow with the deaths of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. and Senator Bobby Kennedy, but continued to march on.
And now we have a new wave of advocates, shaken out of a generational apathy, having pushed to the forefront of the gay rights movement, using freshly minted grass-roots groups and embracing not only new technologies but also old-school methods like sit-ins and sickouts. You see a Mr. Palazzolo (32 year old male from California), recently founded the group Equal Roots Coalition with some friends stating “I’d been focused on other things in my life, then November fourth happened, and it woke me up.” Isn’t that often how it is? The youth and it’s political inexperience making social change because of some other social awaking. The youth trying to make a difference, not just for one’s self but for the community. This isn’t just for the realm of gay rights, but this new awakening can mean a leap for civil rights for everyone. Let us hope that this is the case, and not a flash in the pan situation that our generation is known for.
Fake plumber is too fake author as Idot is too...
Hey, Joe the Plumber is back. Come on you remember Joe, aka: Joe Wurzelbacher, yeah the unlicensed plumber who Senator McCain used as a prop. You know the guy who told Katie Couric he was upset by the answer he got from then Senator Obama, when they met on the campaign trail, to his question about the Democratic presidential nominee's tax plan. "And unfortunately I asked the question but I still got a tap dance. Do you -- almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr." Yeah that one, see you remember. Well guess what, he’s got a book out. [Insert sarcastic response] And in the fine tradition of “shoving it to the man”, he’s biting the hand that fed him. Or perhaps snarking down the whole arm. You see the book’s not quite out yet. He’s just promoting it, and in doing so he went on Glenn Beck’s [insert something about a moron here] radio program yesterday ((12/9/2008) to discuss “Fighting for the American Dream”. Now what is it we can expect from the unlicensed brain of a plumber [insert snide remark about the unlicensed brain part]? Why the vaunted “inside look” at the campaign. Why? Because, according to Mr. Plumber he’s smarter than most. “I like to think I’m a little more educated than some out there in politics just because it is interesting to me,” he said. Just cause it’s interesting to you? I’ve got an interest in global warming does this make me smarter then you? Well according Joe yes. Hard to argue I guess. However since there are so very few other people interested in politics ((or global warming)) it should be a page turner of enlightenment.
So how did good ol’joe like the campaign? “I honestly felt more dirty after I was on the campaign trail and saw some things that took place [sic]” Wurzelbacher said. Such as? Well Joe really doesn’t say. Why? Well you see kiddos he’s doing the “promote-a-book” thing where you tease someone with enticing parts so they can get you to buy the book (which is out later this month). The problem is, he didn’t really have anything enticing to say. So Beck [insert snide comment about crap journalism] pushed him on it: “Tell me something about John McCain that I don’t know.” Radio silence. Followed by a lot of “uhhhh, ummmm, uhhhhh, well, uhhhhhhh…..” Finally, [read about time] he came up with the bailout. Yeah, good job Joe that’s showing the masses you’re above average intelligence when it comes to politics, way to stay topical, that’s the ticket. So what about that bailout Joe? “When I was on the bus with him, I asked him a lot of questions about the bailout because most Americans didn’t want it to happen - yet he voted for it,” he said. “At the same time he’s talking about making someone famous if they even think about putting pork in the bill. We all know how much pork was in the $700 million bailout package. Why did he vote for it?” uh-huh what else? “I asked him pretty direct questions, and some of the answers you guys are going to receive … they appalled me,” he said apparently alluding to the promise that his book will be a tell-all. “I was angry. I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him.” So why didn’t you? “Because the thought of Barack Obama scared me even more,” he says. Hmmmm…. OK, Joe. We’ll see if your strategy of throwing Senator McCain under the bus works out - even if he didn’t discard you when he could have. You see ABC’s Jake Tapper [reason for this blog] hit the nail on the head this morning when he reminded us that McCain stood by Wurzelbacher even when the faux plumber astoundingly began dispensing foreign policy advice. Let us recall that McCain stood by Wurzelbacher even after he agreed that a vote for Barack Obama is a vote for the “death of Israel,” prompting Fox News’ Shep Smith to say of Wurzelbacher, “it just gets frightening sometimes.” Well said, well said indeed.
So how did good ol’joe like the campaign? “I honestly felt more dirty after I was on the campaign trail and saw some things that took place [sic]” Wurzelbacher said. Such as? Well Joe really doesn’t say. Why? Well you see kiddos he’s doing the “promote-a-book” thing where you tease someone with enticing parts so they can get you to buy the book (which is out later this month). The problem is, he didn’t really have anything enticing to say. So Beck [insert snide comment about crap journalism] pushed him on it: “Tell me something about John McCain that I don’t know.” Radio silence. Followed by a lot of “uhhhh, ummmm, uhhhhh, well, uhhhhhhh…..” Finally, [read about time] he came up with the bailout. Yeah, good job Joe that’s showing the masses you’re above average intelligence when it comes to politics, way to stay topical, that’s the ticket. So what about that bailout Joe? “When I was on the bus with him, I asked him a lot of questions about the bailout because most Americans didn’t want it to happen - yet he voted for it,” he said. “At the same time he’s talking about making someone famous if they even think about putting pork in the bill. We all know how much pork was in the $700 million bailout package. Why did he vote for it?” uh-huh what else? “I asked him pretty direct questions, and some of the answers you guys are going to receive … they appalled me,” he said apparently alluding to the promise that his book will be a tell-all. “I was angry. I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him.” So why didn’t you? “Because the thought of Barack Obama scared me even more,” he says. Hmmmm…. OK, Joe. We’ll see if your strategy of throwing Senator McCain under the bus works out - even if he didn’t discard you when he could have. You see ABC’s Jake Tapper [reason for this blog] hit the nail on the head this morning when he reminded us that McCain stood by Wurzelbacher even when the faux plumber astoundingly began dispensing foreign policy advice. Let us recall that McCain stood by Wurzelbacher even after he agreed that a vote for Barack Obama is a vote for the “death of Israel,” prompting Fox News’ Shep Smith to say of Wurzelbacher, “it just gets frightening sometimes.” Well said, well said indeed.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The Big Three
I came across this interesting article that I had to share with you dear readers. The first question in this article sparked this rant, “Does the auto industry deserve a bailout? “ No, why should they? The auto industry saw the change in the market to smaller more economical cars, the hybrids, electric, hell even the pipe dream that is E85 were all there. Japan and Germany were making these cars long before the “Big three” had even brought it up to the American consumer. They instead continued to make the big SUV’s, trucks, the non fuel efficient car. While oil prices continued to skyrocket, they did nothing. While the hybrid cars were selling before they could be put on the lot, they did nothing. Well that’s not true they introduced a few alternative fueled cars and still others with better mileage but it was too little too late.
What drives me even crazier is how our tax dollars seems to be the answer to the debilitating economic crisis that is our current condition. Once again it’s the “throw money at the problem and hope it goes away” method. What happened to personal reasonability? What happened to “owning ones mistakes”? As stated in the article we the taxpayers “should definitely not be on the hook to bail out companies that have made terrible decisions time and again.” As in the paragraph above the Big Three have made these horrible decisions with their product time and again. There were so many times in the last few years alone where they could have made a positive business decision and pushed the hybrid car out sooner yes it would have cost more than the traditional car and some consumers would have bought the cheaper car but as with everything the longer the product is out there the cheaper it gets the more profit the maker of that product gets, and then guess what….more money for everyone, because we the consumer are not trying to figure out if our kid should eat this week or the electricity gets paid, or if we can put enough gas into the car to get to work! What makes this even worse is how the auto industry has treated it labor unions. Now don’t get me wrong I believe that a union is necessity for many industries. The auto industry being one of them, they provide a much needed check and balance system, but at the same time some unions, or rather some people in the unions, put such a lean on the industry that it makes it harder to make a profit, and let’s face it we are in business to make a profit. Confused? Let me simplify for you, GM has a rule that it can’t layoff a worker, well they can, but not really. You see when you get laid off from GM you can still get ninety percent of your pay check till the end of your contract. How may I ask did this pass into a rule? A labor union. Now I’m all for not getting laid off without just cause but this is kind of strange don’t you think? Paying people not to work, wow.
What should we do for the auto industry? Well my first thought is to allow them to file bankrupt, let them cut the current contracts with the unions and restructure a more realistic business model before they start talking to the unions for labor contracts this time with more again realistic models for the contracts. What happens when the government gives them money? It will delay the inevitable with bad business models and these crazy contracts with the labor unions it is just a matter of time before we are handing more money to them…..But what do I know.
What drives me even crazier is how our tax dollars seems to be the answer to the debilitating economic crisis that is our current condition. Once again it’s the “throw money at the problem and hope it goes away” method. What happened to personal reasonability? What happened to “owning ones mistakes”? As stated in the article we the taxpayers “should definitely not be on the hook to bail out companies that have made terrible decisions time and again.” As in the paragraph above the Big Three have made these horrible decisions with their product time and again. There were so many times in the last few years alone where they could have made a positive business decision and pushed the hybrid car out sooner yes it would have cost more than the traditional car and some consumers would have bought the cheaper car but as with everything the longer the product is out there the cheaper it gets the more profit the maker of that product gets, and then guess what….more money for everyone, because we the consumer are not trying to figure out if our kid should eat this week or the electricity gets paid, or if we can put enough gas into the car to get to work! What makes this even worse is how the auto industry has treated it labor unions. Now don’t get me wrong I believe that a union is necessity for many industries. The auto industry being one of them, they provide a much needed check and balance system, but at the same time some unions, or rather some people in the unions, put such a lean on the industry that it makes it harder to make a profit, and let’s face it we are in business to make a profit. Confused? Let me simplify for you, GM has a rule that it can’t layoff a worker, well they can, but not really. You see when you get laid off from GM you can still get ninety percent of your pay check till the end of your contract. How may I ask did this pass into a rule? A labor union. Now I’m all for not getting laid off without just cause but this is kind of strange don’t you think? Paying people not to work, wow.
What should we do for the auto industry? Well my first thought is to allow them to file bankrupt, let them cut the current contracts with the unions and restructure a more realistic business model before they start talking to the unions for labor contracts this time with more again realistic models for the contracts. What happens when the government gives them money? It will delay the inevitable with bad business models and these crazy contracts with the labor unions it is just a matter of time before we are handing more money to them…..But what do I know.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Alaska the Florida of the north
Senator Ted Stevens (R- AK) was convicted of seven counts of violating federal ethics laws. All in an effort to cover up hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and work on his Alaskan home from an oilfield contractor at the center of a corruption investigation in the state. Yet he is just (by three votes) trailing the democratic challenger Mr. Begich, the mayor of Anchorage. Just trailing? How good sir is it that you are “just trailing” Mr. Begich? How is it that you’re able to run for office? Oh that’s right after being pronounced guilty by a jury, Mr. Stevens you went around telling Alaskans that you had “not been convicted of anything yet” — a pointless twist of the law rooted in the technicality, that since you have not yet been sentenced, you are not yet guilty of violating the ethic laws.
Wow, it is amazing the level of dishonesty you lay at the feet of the voters of Alaska Mr. Stevens. So what happens Senator when you are sentenced? What happens to your seat in the Senate, when the judge comes back and gives you the maximum of thirty-five years for all counts? What will be running in that head of yours as the gavel strikes home and the bailiff takes you away to begin the long years that await you in prison?
I’ll tell you Senator, I’ll read into the future and tell you that you’re going to give those big crocodile tears and that you’re going give some statement about how you’re going to fight this all the way to the top. Your seat, heh, well Senator from what I can gather no one wants you down in D.C. anymore. President Elect Obama said that Stevens needed to resign to help "put an end to the corruption and influence-peddling in Washington”. Hell even your own party members don’t want you Senator McCain said of you "[Senator Stevens] has broken his trust with the people and needed to step down”—a call echoed by his (then) running mate, and your current Governor Sarah Palin. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as fellow other Republican Senators Norm Coleman, John Sununu and Gordon Smith have also called for you to resign. Senator McConnell said there would be "zero tolerance" for a convicted felon serving in the Senate—he then went on to strongly hint that he would support your expulsion from the Senate unless of course you were resigned first. On November 1, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid confirmed that even he would schedule a vote on your expulsion, saying that "a convicted felon is not going to be able to serve in the United States Senate." Oh and just to let you know no sitting Senator has been expelled since the Civil War, and they got ousted because of “conspiracy against the government”, you’re getting kicked because of your inability to be truthful. How lame. The seat, well that’s easy there would be a special election held for the remainder of your term guess who would be the Republican nominee? I’ll give you a hint she isn’t the Vice-President Elect right now. Yup that Gov. Palin would be the nominee, it’s scary how she asked for you to step down kind like she knew the McCain/ Palin ticket didn’t stand a snowballs chance, and now she’s all over the news with what’s she going to do next watch. Yup that’s one crafty hockey mom. As for what happens as that gavel hits? Well that’s a personal thing for you Senator. I’d imagine though it would be something like your years and years of work for the United States flashing before your eyes, the six decades of public service blown away like a house of cards by your greed. It would finally dawn on you as the last pound echoes that everything you did in the service to your country has meant nothing. Or rather that it means nothing anymore. Amazing still that you even have the audacity to run for office, even more astonishing is the fact that you can run! Let’s say that in some odd way that you were allowed to keep your seat, Senator, You would be the only convicted felon to my understanding that would be able to vote. Or hold a government job without a special waver. “But Bob I’ve got a friend of a friend whose brother is in the Army, and he is a convicted felon and that would be a government job.” Right you are reader the military service is a government job as for your friend of a friend brother, well look RA loves to site things and link things to support her statement…..I’m lazy so go look it up yourself, and when you find that a convicted felon can’t serve in the military do me a favor, smack yourself, find your friend, smack them, and then smack your friend of a friend.
So what did if anything did we learn?
Crime does pay. I wouldn’t for a moment think that Senator Stevens is not going to get pardon by President Bush, I also wouldn’t for a moment think that most of the money he has made over the years wasn’t by some ill-gotten gain, he’s got a really nice house now, and judging from the narrow margin the Democratic challenger has I would have to say that Senator Stevens could run for office again.
P.S.
For those not following the post-election elections it seems that Senator Stevens has lost his bid to become the first felon to be elected to the Senate, and while this was a slim victory by the challenger, it is still a victory. My question to you Alaska is clear "How?" How could you let a slim victory be possible? How could you "almost" allow a person who has betrayed your trust for his own selfish needs to continue in a place of power that, requires trust? A "w" is a "w" as far as sports goes, it doesn't matter the score of the game, but this is politics should it not matter? Doesn't the vote have voice? And should it have a voice what does this say about us as Americans?
Wow, it is amazing the level of dishonesty you lay at the feet of the voters of Alaska Mr. Stevens. So what happens Senator when you are sentenced? What happens to your seat in the Senate, when the judge comes back and gives you the maximum of thirty-five years for all counts? What will be running in that head of yours as the gavel strikes home and the bailiff takes you away to begin the long years that await you in prison?
I’ll tell you Senator, I’ll read into the future and tell you that you’re going to give those big crocodile tears and that you’re going give some statement about how you’re going to fight this all the way to the top. Your seat, heh, well Senator from what I can gather no one wants you down in D.C. anymore. President Elect Obama said that Stevens needed to resign to help "put an end to the corruption and influence-peddling in Washington”. Hell even your own party members don’t want you Senator McCain said of you "[Senator Stevens] has broken his trust with the people and needed to step down”—a call echoed by his (then) running mate, and your current Governor Sarah Palin. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as fellow other Republican Senators Norm Coleman, John Sununu and Gordon Smith have also called for you to resign. Senator McConnell said there would be "zero tolerance" for a convicted felon serving in the Senate—he then went on to strongly hint that he would support your expulsion from the Senate unless of course you were resigned first. On November 1, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid confirmed that even he would schedule a vote on your expulsion, saying that "a convicted felon is not going to be able to serve in the United States Senate." Oh and just to let you know no sitting Senator has been expelled since the Civil War, and they got ousted because of “conspiracy against the government”, you’re getting kicked because of your inability to be truthful. How lame. The seat, well that’s easy there would be a special election held for the remainder of your term guess who would be the Republican nominee? I’ll give you a hint she isn’t the Vice-President Elect right now. Yup that Gov. Palin would be the nominee, it’s scary how she asked for you to step down kind like she knew the McCain/ Palin ticket didn’t stand a snowballs chance, and now she’s all over the news with what’s she going to do next watch. Yup that’s one crafty hockey mom. As for what happens as that gavel hits? Well that’s a personal thing for you Senator. I’d imagine though it would be something like your years and years of work for the United States flashing before your eyes, the six decades of public service blown away like a house of cards by your greed. It would finally dawn on you as the last pound echoes that everything you did in the service to your country has meant nothing. Or rather that it means nothing anymore. Amazing still that you even have the audacity to run for office, even more astonishing is the fact that you can run! Let’s say that in some odd way that you were allowed to keep your seat, Senator, You would be the only convicted felon to my understanding that would be able to vote. Or hold a government job without a special waver. “But Bob I’ve got a friend of a friend whose brother is in the Army, and he is a convicted felon and that would be a government job.” Right you are reader the military service is a government job as for your friend of a friend brother, well look RA loves to site things and link things to support her statement…..I’m lazy so go look it up yourself, and when you find that a convicted felon can’t serve in the military do me a favor, smack yourself, find your friend, smack them, and then smack your friend of a friend.
So what did if anything did we learn?
Crime does pay. I wouldn’t for a moment think that Senator Stevens is not going to get pardon by President Bush, I also wouldn’t for a moment think that most of the money he has made over the years wasn’t by some ill-gotten gain, he’s got a really nice house now, and judging from the narrow margin the Democratic challenger has I would have to say that Senator Stevens could run for office again.
P.S.
For those not following the post-election elections it seems that Senator Stevens has lost his bid to become the first felon to be elected to the Senate, and while this was a slim victory by the challenger, it is still a victory. My question to you Alaska is clear "How?" How could you let a slim victory be possible? How could you "almost" allow a person who has betrayed your trust for his own selfish needs to continue in a place of power that, requires trust? A "w" is a "w" as far as sports goes, it doesn't matter the score of the game, but this is politics should it not matter? Doesn't the vote have voice? And should it have a voice what does this say about us as Americans?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)