Friday, January 30, 2009
Douche Bag of The Week Award
THE AWARD GOES TO: Dick Armey (R-Tx)...and Rush Limbaugh
From Think Progress:
Armey to Walsh: ‘I’m so damn glad that you can never be my wife'.
Recently on MSNBC’s Hardball, Salon editor-in-chief Joan Walsh and former Republican House majority leader Dick Armey engaged in a heated exchange on Rush Limbaugh and his recent controversial comments. Walsh repeatedly condemned Limbaugh’s remarks, saying that conservatives should stand up to the hate radio host. Toward the end, the conversation turned sexist when Armey said he was glad he wasn’t married to Walsh:
ARMEY: 'I’m so damn glad that you can never be my wife because I surely wouldn’t have to listen to that prattle from you every day.'
WALSH: 'Boy, that makes two of us sir. That was really an outstanding comment.'
ARMEY: 'That’s what I’m talking about — she’s making a political malarkey here.'
WATCH HERE
Even when Republican politicians are discussing Lush Bimbo they can't be civil... not even on TV. I know it's only been a week, but do you think Obama gets it yet? That he should just steamroll through his agenda and say to hell with the GOP?
*Politico reports that New York Times columnist Bob Herbert told host Chris Matthews that Armey "was so far out of line in the last segment with his sexist comments, and he owes Joan Walsh and your viewers an apology." Matthews called the comments “overboard” and apologized on Armey's behalf.
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act - A Move Forward
Lilly Ledbetter (pictured above)
President Obama signed his first piece of legislation before a cheering crowd of women union workers in the White House yesterday: a law giving women the right to equal pay when they do the same job as men.
The star of the event, who stood by Mr Obama as he declared it a “wonderful day”, was Lilly Ledbetter, the Alabama woman after whom the new law was named because of her equal-pay crusade against the Goodyear Tire company.
Mrs Ledbetter, 70, discovered after 19 years working at a Goodyear plant in Alabama that she had been paid significantly less than men at the factory who did the same job. She found out that she was the lowest-paid superviser there, despite having more qualifications and experience than some of them. She sued, but the US Supreme Court ruled that she had waited too long to bring her lawsuit.
This legislation side steps the Supreme Court previous ruling precluded lawsuits by plaintiffs who alleged ongoing pay discrimination but who did not discover it until years after This law was enacted in response to Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 550 U.S. 618 (2007),
Justice has been done here.
Mrs Ledbetter's case became a cause célèbre, especially after Republicans in Congress - including John McCain, Mr Obama's presidential opponent - blocked efforts by Democrats to pass an equal-pay law. McCain said that he opposed the bill even back during the campaign that seeks equal pay for women because it would lead to more lawsuits. Another reason we should be thankful Darth McCain is not our President.
President Obama, You did your Mother and all women proud. This is truly the peoples work and we thank you. Lilly Ledbetter is to be commended for the fight that so many of us have to make. I can assure you that Cady Stanton, Abagail Adams and even the President's own Mother are smiling down on this achievement.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Althorp 2008 Visit
My friend Louise took these pictures when she visited Althorp. She did a super job putting this together.
Rest in Peace Princess Diana
To Digital T.V or not to Digital T.V. When is the question?
The February 17 nationwide switch to digital television is still on-at least for now-after the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday failed to pass legislation that would have delayed the transition date to June 12.
The bill, backed by President Obama and passed Monday by the U.S. Senate, failed to get the two-thirds House majority required to pass under special rules established for the vote. The legislation is an attempt to buy more time for the 13.5 million U.S. households that use antennas to receive analog broadcast signals. An estimated 6.5 million of those homes haven't received a converter box to get digital broadcasts, and their TVs will go dark after the February switchover, consumer groups fear.
Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein has also asked for a deadline extension, stating that the U.S. is ill-prepared for the switch. The government has run out of $40 vouchers that would defray the cost of the converter boxes. Each household can order up to two vouchers each, but anyone who tries to apply now at the government's dtv2009.gov Web site or via a phone number (888/DTV-2009) will be placed on a waiting list.
The U.S. House vote split mostly along party lines, with Republicans blocking the delay proposal. Some GOP lawmakers argue that a switchover delay would only worsen confusion for owners of analog TV sets. They also point out that local TV stations are ready for next month's change, and that a postponement would mean additional power and maintenance costs for broadcasters.
So what's next? The Democrats may rework the proposal that would enable it to pass the House with only a simple majority, according to Reuters. But if that bill passes, it would have to return to the Senate for final approval.
Stay tunned as they say for further updates...
Mail Delivery - Cut Back To 5 Day Delivery?
Massive deficits could force the post office to cut out one day of mail delivery per week, the postmaster general told Congress on Wednesday.
Postmaster General John E. Potter asked lawmakers to lift the requirement that the agency deliver mail six days a week.
Faced with dwindling mail volume and rising costs, the post office was $2.8 billion in the red last year and, “if current trends continue, we could experience a net loss of $6 billion or more this fiscal year,” Potter said in testimony for a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee.
Total mail volume was 202 billion items last year, more than 9 billion less than the year before, the largest single volume drop in history. And, despite annual rate increases, Potter said 2009 could be the first year since 1946 that the actual amount of money collected by the post office declines.
“It is possible that the cost of six-day delivery may simply prove to be unaffordable,” Potter said. “I reluctantly request that Congress remove the annual appropriation bill rider, first added in 1983, that requires the Postal Service to deliver mail six days each week.”
If the change is made, that doesn’t necessarily mean an end to Saturday mail delivery. Previous studies have looked at the possibility of skipping some other day, such as Tuesday.
“The ability to suspend delivery on the lightest delivery days, for example, could save dollars in both our delivery and our processing and distribution networks. I do not make this request lightly, but I am forced to consider every option given the severity of our challenge,” Potter said.
That doesn’t mean it would happen right away, he noted, adding that the agency is working to cut costs and any final decision on changing delivery would have to be made by the postal governing board.
If it did become necessary to go to five-day delivery, Potter said, “we would do this by suspending delivery on the lightest volume days.”
The Postal Service raised the issue of cutting back on days of service last fall in a study it issued. At that time the agency said the six-day rule should be eliminated, giving the post office, “the flexibility to meet future needs for delivery frequency.
A study done by George Mason University last year for the independent Postal Regulatory Commission estimated that going from six-day to five-day delivery would save the post office more than $1.9 billion annually, while a Postal Service study estimated the saving at $3.5 billion.
The next postal rate increase is scheduled for May, with the amount to be announced next month. Under current rules that would be limited to the amount of the increase in last year’s consumer price index, 3.8 percent. That would round to a 2-cent increase in the current 42-cent first class rate.
The agency could request a larger increase because of the special circumstances, but Potter believes that would be counterproductive by causing mail volume to fall even more.
Elderly Man Freezes To Death
BAY CITY, Mich. - A 93-year-old man froze to death inside his home just days after the municipal power company restricted his use of electricity because of unpaid bills, officials said.
Epic Failure
Marvin E. Schur died "a slow, painful death," said Kanu Virani, Oakland County's deputy chief medical examiner, who performed the autopsy. Neighbors discovered Schur's body on Jan. 17. They said the indoor temperature was below 32 degrees at the time, The Bay City Times reported Monday.
Israel's Chief Rabbinate Severs Ties With Vatican
JERUSALEM – Israel's chief rabbinate severed ties with the Vatican on Wednesday to protest a papal decision to reinstate a bishop who publicly denied 6 million Jews were killed during the Holocaust. The Jewish state's highest religious authority sent a letter to the Holy See expressing "sorrow and pain" at the papal decision.
"It will be very difficult for the chief rabbinate of Israel to continue its dialogue with the Vatican as before," the letter said. Chief rabbis of both the Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews were parties to the letter.
The rabbinate, which faxed a copy of the letter to The Associated Press, also canceled a meeting with the Vatican set for March. The rabbinate and the state of Israel have separate ties with the Vatican, and Wednesday's move does not affect state relations.
Pope Benedict XVI, faced with an uproar over the bishop, said Wednesday he feels "full and indisputable solidarity" with Jews and warned against any denial of the full horror of the Nazi genocide.
Bishop Richard Williamson, who told Swedish TV in an interview broadcast last week that evidence "is hugely against 6 million Jews being deliberately gassed." He said 300,000 Jews were killed at most, "but not one of them by gassing in a gas chamber."
Oye Vey REALLY? Then why did the Pope reinstate him?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Is Big Brother Watching
Take A Look at SIM
Images and imaging, particularly that from distances have become increasingly better, sharper, more detailed over the years.
This is a N.A.S.A. video..feel free to forward it to about half way. The punch line so to speak is at the end.
Such is the case involving optical interferometry. The idea for this came from Radio Astronomy to increase the resolving power of radio telescopes (the ability to "see" finer detail) by linking two dishes a distance apart. Simply put optical interferometry involves two images taken from two (or more) mirrors or lenses with the resultant combined, interpreted and enhanced by computers to produce a picture that would not be possible with a single optical instrument.
Using two lenses or mirrors or combinations of them separated by a distance (a few meters to many meters and eventually possibly kilometers), astronomers are able to measure and indeed, image objects that heretofore were thought to be too small to be seen within the theoretical limits of a single collective system.
Optical interferometry is just out of its infancy having been born in the late 70s, unofficially. The technology of the mid 80s was extreme at the time with tremendous optical breakthroughs in resolution of detail from great distances including satellites in Low Earth Orbit.
While the data of the 80s and 90s were phenomenal for the time, that of today is remarkable and data still to come may border on magic.
This video from the Jet Propulsion Lab offers a glimpse of what can be expected in the immediate future, although stories abound that some of this already exists. Believe what you will.
With SIM, PlanetQuest shows what can be done astronomically. Reading between the lines, one can infer what can be done militarily...or covertly...or maybe has been done.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Air and Simple Gifts
Yesterdays specially composed and performed music was just beautiful. I am happy the occassion brought this level of class to the event. Music is the universal language that transcends all. Here is some background on the piece from Variety.com:
A classical quartet gets the prime spot between the swearing-in of Vice President-elect Joseph Biden and that of President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday. And along the way, a 56-year-old musical injustice will be rectified. Two of the nation's most familiar classical artists -- cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Itzhak Perlman -- will be joined by Metropolitan Opera clarinetist Anthony McGill and Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero in performing a new piece by composer John Williams.
(Mr. Williams has composed many of the most famous film scores in history, including the Indiana Jones series, Star Wars, Superman, Born on the Fourth of July and Harry Potter. )
It's called "Air and Simple Gifts," the centerpiece of which will be "an exuberant rendering," in Williams' words, of traditional Shaker hymn "The Gift to Be Simple," which Aaron Copland made famous in his 1944 ballet "Appalachian Spring."
Williams surrounds "Simple Gifts," as the tune is also called, with an original, hymn-like theme.
The president-elect asked Perlman and Ma to perform, and they in turn called Williams -- a frequent collaborator with both artists -- "to help them prepare something to play." Ma chose the other two performers, Williams told Daily Variety.
Knowing of Obama's appreciation for Copland, they chose the Shaker hymn, which Williams arranged for this unusual quartet, and then composed "a reflective and prayerful theme" as musical bookends.
Since Ma was in L.A. last week to perform with the Philharmonic, he visited Williams on Saturday to run through the piece. The quartet played it for the first time on Tuesday in New York and will rehearse again and record it with Williams on Sunday. Chamber groups are not usually "conducted," so Williams will not be seen on Tuesday (although he said he may attend as part of the crowd).
In January 1953, Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" was scheduled to be performed at Dwight Eisenhower's inaugural concert but was banned at the last minute when an Illinois congressman complained about Copland's liberal politics. Later that year, Copland became a target of Joe McCarthy's Communist witch-hunt.
In time, Copland was "completely rehabilitated," Williams noted, performing at the White House and eventually receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. The performance at this inauguration of "Simple Gifts," a piece widely associated with Copland, "describes a completed circle of events that is nice to think about," the composer said.
"We all feel a sense of great privilege to be able to contribute in a very small way, musically, to an event like this," Williams added. "It's a great moment in our history."
This was not the first President for which Yo-Yo Ma has performed. At age seven, he played for President and Mrs. Kennedy in a televised concert hosted by Leonard Bernstein.
"Bye-bye" Bye-bye" Some Are Priceless!
Inauguration: $150 Million
New dress for Inagural Parties:$345
New shoes, purse and gloves: $475
WATCHING THIS: PRICELESS!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
President-elect Obama's Weekly Address 01-17-09
The very last weekly speech from President-elect Obama. On the 20th he will become our nations President. It is indeed a day of celebration and reverence for the peaceful transfer of power we all enjoy. God Bless him as he works to make a difference and much like President Lincoln, save the Union.
With his inauguration...The Civil War is over.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Mr. Still President - Jon Stewart
Mr. Still President -- Six Days, Seven Nights -- Jon Stewart covers his recent "Final News Conference"
"President Bush is suddenly doing press as though January 20th is the day his album drops"
This is really, really, REALLY painful to watch...
This man is pathological, it is quite obvious. He is incapable of remorse or cohesive. little alone coherent thinking and speaking.
His remarks on the wars, the economic collapse and Katrina are indicative of souless sick S.O.B. he is, and I do mean mental health sick here. He not once mentions responsiblility for September 11th. How dare he campare himself to Abraham Lincoln. Historians are most likely to remember Bush for how close to danger and complete destruction he took our country...and we how long it took us to pull out of this God awful tail spin we are in. So if Bush is happy he didn't have to sell his soul for popularity? Good, cause he didn't have too. Oh don't worry history will write his obituary.
"President Bush is suddenly doing press as though January 20th is the day his album drops"
This is really, really, REALLY painful to watch...
This man is pathological, it is quite obvious. He is incapable of remorse or cohesive. little alone coherent thinking and speaking.
His remarks on the wars, the economic collapse and Katrina are indicative of souless sick S.O.B. he is, and I do mean mental health sick here. He not once mentions responsiblility for September 11th. How dare he campare himself to Abraham Lincoln. Historians are most likely to remember Bush for how close to danger and complete destruction he took our country...and we how long it took us to pull out of this God awful tail spin we are in. So if Bush is happy he didn't have to sell his soul for popularity? Good, cause he didn't have too. Oh don't worry history will write his obituary.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Israel and Palestine - The Story Behind the War
Here is a piece that gives great detail on the conflict. I invite you to visit the site. The video is user friendly and does not take long.
Check It Out
Israeli Hamas War Taken to the Internet
The Israeli-Hamas War in Gaza war also being waged in cyberspace. People are launching attacks from their blogs on MySpace, Facebook and even YouTube.
Catch This Incoming Rocket
People are showing their true colors, the colors of hate, not peace. The colors of misinformation. Even Sein Fein in Ireland has jumped on the bandwagon raising the Palestinian flag in support of Hamas. Organizing marches. One does wonder if they aren't in it for the free press. Countless people have been the targets on online bullying and downright threats. All this in the hopes for peace? Not hardly, say one Jewish blogger. 'These people are almost fanatical in their hatred towards Jews and Israel.' The blogger who wanted to remain anonymous for safety reasons says some people seem to be blaming Jews and Israel for the economic meltdown as well as all the deaths in Gaza. All Hamas has to do is stop firing rockets into southern Israel. It doesn't take a genius to figure this out.' he said.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Ex -Presidents Eat Lunch - Joe The Plumber Deals with Middle-East Conflict
The Daily Show covers "Burger at 1600" (and Joe the Plumber goes to Gaza)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Let's Pretend
From: Naomi, Tatjana and Cenika
My love, my hope, my prayers are with you Eretz Israel,and with the men and women of the IDF in these hard times. Shalom aleichem
We're living in a reality which none of you could have stand. Try to be in our shoes for just a second.
My love, my hope, my prayers are with you Eretz Israel,and with the men and women of the IDF in these hard times. Shalom aleichem
We're living in a reality which none of you could have stand. Try to be in our shoes for just a second.
Israeli Doctors Save Gaza Child
by Maayana Miskin
From:
(IsraelNN. com) As operation Cast Lead continued in Gaza and Hamas fired rockets on the south, Israeli doctors worked to help their Gaza counterparts save a newborn baby. The baby, Jafar el-Khoudry, was born with a severe heart defect and needed immediate surgery.
A Gaza doctor who realized the gravity of Jafar's situation contacted Dr. Akiva Tamir of Save a Child's Heart. The call came in at 11 a.m. Monday last week, and by the evening Jafar had been transferred to the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.
Doctors performed an emergency catheterization on the week-old baby, after which he spent several days in intensive care. His grandmother stayed with him in the hospital, while his parents remained with the rest of their family in Gaza.
Save a Child's Heart was created with the goal of improving medical care for children with heart conditions worldwide. “We really do not differentiate people by their source or their religion or what their parents do,” Dr. Tamir explained.
The group has operated on approximately 2,000 children, half of them Arab children from areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Seventy of the children treated are from Iraq.
Save a Child's Heart is currently treating more than 20 children, including eight from Zanzibar, eight from Iraq and three from areas controlled by the PA.
Besides providing free surgery, the group runs a free weekly clinic for Arab children from PA areas who suffer heart problems that cannot be treated at PA hospitals, sends surgical teams abroad to teach and to operate on sick children, and runs an training program for foreign cardiologists in Israel.
As a member of Hadassah a great deal of the money I raise goes to the hospital where this child was saved. It is important to served everyone in the area. Some of us are working towards that goal everyday.
From:
(IsraelNN. com) As operation Cast Lead continued in Gaza and Hamas fired rockets on the south, Israeli doctors worked to help their Gaza counterparts save a newborn baby. The baby, Jafar el-Khoudry, was born with a severe heart defect and needed immediate surgery.
A Gaza doctor who realized the gravity of Jafar's situation contacted Dr. Akiva Tamir of Save a Child's Heart. The call came in at 11 a.m. Monday last week, and by the evening Jafar had been transferred to the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.
Doctors performed an emergency catheterization on the week-old baby, after which he spent several days in intensive care. His grandmother stayed with him in the hospital, while his parents remained with the rest of their family in Gaza.
Save a Child's Heart was created with the goal of improving medical care for children with heart conditions worldwide. “We really do not differentiate people by their source or their religion or what their parents do,” Dr. Tamir explained.
The group has operated on approximately 2,000 children, half of them Arab children from areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Seventy of the children treated are from Iraq.
Save a Child's Heart is currently treating more than 20 children, including eight from Zanzibar, eight from Iraq and three from areas controlled by the PA.
Besides providing free surgery, the group runs a free weekly clinic for Arab children from PA areas who suffer heart problems that cannot be treated at PA hospitals, sends surgical teams abroad to teach and to operate on sick children, and runs an training program for foreign cardiologists in Israel.
As a member of Hadassah a great deal of the money I raise goes to the hospital where this child was saved. It is important to served everyone in the area. Some of us are working towards that goal everyday.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
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