You Think What? » Democrats

American Actress Farrah Fawcett: An Angel Is Laid To Rest

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:42:53 +0000

Last Thursday, June 25, 2009, Farrah Fawcett, the actress who came to international fame in the role of private investigator Jill Munroe, on the teevee show “Charlie’s Angels” passed away. She will be honored during a private funeral service, today, June 30, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.

Farrah Fawcett born and raised in Texas, came to Hollywood as a young woman and made her mark. At the height of her popularity women everywhere copied her hair style and men purchased her poster making record sales.

Although her fame came through acting in a formulaic series tee vee show Fawcett showed her authentic acting skills performing in dramas on the off-Broadway stage, in feature length films and teevee movies.

For her portrayals of a potential rape victim, a battered wife, the renown photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White, and Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton Fawcett received high critical acclaim.

There were several Golden Globe nominations. We loved her performance as Robert Duvall’s wife in his independent film “The Apostle”.

Beneath the veneer of a pop icon we discovered a great actress whose groundbreaking performances will long be remembered.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations to support cancer research be made to The Farrah Fawcett Foundation, P.O. Box 6478, Beverly Hills, California 90212.

Help Lt.Dan Choi Stay In The U.S. Army

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:11:50 +0000

You may have read our article about U.S. Army officer Lt. Dan Choi. As you may recall Dan Choi, a West Point graduate, fluent in Arabic who is also a combat veteran, refuses to lie about his sexual preference.

As a West Point cadet Dan Choi was trained to forego cheating, lying and stealing. As a commissioned officer Dan Choi is sworn to practice integrity everyday. The powers that be in the Department of the Army, and the Pentagon have taken steps to court martial and dishonorably discharge Dan Choi for doing what he has sworn to do as an officer in the United States military.

On Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 8 a.m., Lt. Dan Choi of the U.S. Army will stand trial for announcing: “I am gay.”

On Tuesday, he will be facing a panel of colonels who will decide whether or not to fire Lt. Dan Choi.– They will consider discharging Lt. Choi for “moral and professional dereliction” under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Dan wishes to remain in the military. Help him to stay. Sign the petition.
We don’t understand why anyone would want to go into military service in the first place. We especially do not unerstand why a gay, lesbian, transgender or bi-secual person would want to present himself for the obvious ridicule and abuse by others in the service. Apparently it is because they have no other alternative.

We do believe someone who is in the army, who has served the nation well, who wishes to remain in service to his country, should be allowed to stay. Dan Choi does not deserve to be disgraced because of a bad law.

We are told by those who know, there are those who remain in all branches of the armed forces who have more serious social issues than simple sexual preference. Horror stories of child and wife beaters, drug and alcohol addicts who were in charge of fixing or flying airplanes, mentally ill officers in charge of many men and women, adulterers, and even a military doctor who was sexually abusing patients, including the widow of a downed pilot. Military officials didn’t throw them out of the service. There is no justice in a gay person being discharged from the military for no good reason.

We’ve said it before, we will say it again,”Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a bad law! it should be repealed, but until it is, do not fire any more gay military personnel for simply being themselves.

When it comes to repealing bad laws the Congress of the United States of America and the President should work together to take this very bad law off the books as quickly as possible..

Other News Besides The Death Of Michael Jackson

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:10:40 +0000

Many have said it, and we agree, there is other news besides the death of Michael Jackson. We recognize that other things have happened in the world.

For example both Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett have died. As did Billy Mays a teevee pitchman for organic cleaners who also began his career just like Johnny Carson’s sidekick McMahon, on the boardwalkd in Atlantic City.

We know there is trouble in Iran, THe Honduran president has been overthrown in amilitary coup.

We know the governor of South Carolina is having some marital troubles along with a lack of support from his fellow Republicans. His actions sure take the heat off another Republican named Ensign.

Silvio Berlusconi’s, “I-Did-Not-Pay-For-Sex” scandal has made headline around the world, too.

To those who are critical of the attention being paid to the passing of international super-star Michael Jackson we say consider the mourning that took place when Ronald Reagan died. He certainly deserved the media attention not because of his exceptinal talent; he was afterall an actor in low budget, “B” movies. it was only because he was president of our nation he received overwhelming, some would say excessive, media recognition upon his death.

We think it is only fitting for a man as generous, as talented, as dedicated and hardworking, who touched the lives of so many and influenced the people of the planet for so many years receive our well deserved love and attention.

Now, in other news……

Michael Jackson Performs With James Brown, Britney Spears

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:37:33 +0000

Michael Jackson has performed live onstage around the world, with nearly every popular artist over the past forty years

Michael Jackson fans, fans who love the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, and fans of Briney Spears look at these performances.

Michael Jackson died on Thursday, June 25, 2009. He was 50 years old. Jackson, who began his music career at the age of 9 with his brothers in a group known as the Jackson 5, is an influential international super-star performer whose contributions have come to revolutionize the entire entertainment industry.

Michael Jackson Rare Video

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:28:08 +0000

See rare footage of an interview with Michael Jackson and his brothers when they were the Jackson 5.

The King Of Pop: Michael Jackson is Dead

admin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:36:24 +0000

Michael Jackson,the world’s most innovative, the creative influence on popular music without equal in the last forty years, is dead.

Michael Jackson, the international super-star who began his career at age nine singing with his brothers, died yesterday at age 50. He will be remembered for his contributions to music, dance, charity, performance, world peace, celebrity and fashion for years to come.

Jackson’s compositions crossed music genre’s and generations. For the past forty years he has been a renown household name around the planet.

We extend our most sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Michael Jackson.

Our video tribute to Michael Jackson follows:
It began like this in Gary, Indiana.

We never can say good-bye to you Michael. Like that other entertainment genius, Sammy Davis, Jr, you, too, never had a childhood. You never were understood. All your millions of fans around the world love you and miss you. Rest in peace.

More Outrage As Bank Of America Rips Off Recipients Of Unemployment

admin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:04:38 +0000

As a public service we bring an update on the latest in excessive fees charged by our favorite financial institution, Bank Of America.

This story comes to us from New Mexico where the state, one of 30 other states, is using banks and credit card companies to disburse unemployment benefits by way of debit cards and direct deposits. State officials, and bankers say debit cards help reduce costs such as postage, paper and “processing”.

According to a Citi-bank spokesperson such programs are designed to supply a savings for the state while providing “added convenience without added expense” for the unemployed. Citi is the facilitator of unemployment benefits on pre-paid cards in Kansas and Maryland. The state of New Mexico reportedly realizes a savings of about $1.5 million annually using this procedure.

Sounds really great, right? Anytime a banking product is proclaimed to be good for the consumer, hold on to your wallets, and your underwear. Get ready for the scam…

Good old Skank-of-America is charging 50 cents for an inquiry about the bank balance, plus another $1.50 for making two withdrawals in one day. On the face of it this does not sound like very much. When one considers the number of unemployed people around the nation, the fact the banks have made out like the bandits they are; the fact it costs about zero dollars for a balance inquiry call or to make a withdrawal, we cry foul!

The Skank -of -America justifies this excessive fee charge by saying its fee schedule is consistent with what other banks charge for such cards. Apparently the way the program is set up in New Mexico you can apply for direct deposit payment of these benefits, but you most likely will be unsuccessful in receiving your benefit in that way. You will be probably be getting paid by debit card. Because such programs are designed to supply a savings for the state while providing “added convenience without added expense” for the unemployed. Obviously the design and purpose of such programs is different than the reality of how they function. Reality indicates a savings for the state which is in collusion with the financial institution to fill its coffers with cash from those who can least afford to pay.

Way to go Bank Of America and your royal skanky sisters whose fees are consistent with BOA! And we’re giving the back of our hand to the government officials in New Mexico too. Way to care for the citizenry!

David Letterman Sometimes Tells Bad Jokes

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:33:25 +0000

We think the latest brouhaha over a couple of jokes told last week by late night comedian David Letterman is much ado about a whole lot of nothing.

Letterman told a joke about Alaska’s governor and her family; he told a specific bad joke about one of her female children. He made a joke about the governor’s appearance, too.

We agree his jokes were not funny. A couple of them were in bad taste. Unlike radio personality Don Imus, David Letterman does not have a history of making coarse, off color remarks about young girls.
All you feminists, both male and female, who are outraged by the poor choice made by a late night teevee comedian to tell a joke that disparages and exploits females, just hold on for one moment.

Other comedians have told similar jokes about the Alaskan first family. Maybe the governor’s hormones were slightly out of balance last week when some Republican agitator told her about the jokes. Maybe some people in the GOP encouraged her to gin up the news to make an issue out of nothing. This is a move guaranteed to get her more face time in the press, the blogosphere and the electronic media.

The subject of the jokes has used her feminine attractiveness to obtain the political office she holds. If you remember she was the so-called “hot one” in position number two on the GOP’s 2008 presidential campaign ticket. We remember a comedian, not Letterman, said the governor and her family in the company of Senator John McCain reminded him of a family of grifters.

The governor of Alaska is, a former beauty queen who knows very well how to use, shall we say exploit, her female comeliness to its best advantage. she was also for a brief time in a small market a teevee personality.

David Letterman did not invent the culture we have today where women and girls are frequently demeaned. He is not the reason those types of jokes are taken as no big deal.

David Letterman is not responsible for the fact the female of our species is exploited for commercial gain, with or without her knowledge or permission in music, film, and every commercial form of enterprise one can name.

We like Letterman. No amount of bashing Dave, or calls for his ouster will change the fact we have a culture that heavily relies upon sex to persuade and influence decisions from which politico we elect to what car or shampoo or dog food we purchase. We say David Letterman is not the source of our society’s problems in respecting females.

To the governor of Alaska we say you can not have it both ways. One day you have your daughters promoting your candidacy; on another day you have the older of the three working as the public spokesman advocating for abstinence among young people. You heavily publicized your son’s military tour of duty during the presidential campaign last fall. You brought your youngest son to nearly every photo opportunity to show how you are a concerned mother with a child with special needs. Then the next time we hear from you, you are saying leave my children out of the limelight.

You can not have it both ways. If you wish your family to be private then do not parade them about in front of the media.

Now let’s compose ourselves and focus on why President Barack Obama is backing off of the corporations, the banks, the doctors and the health insurance companies. This Letterman-Alaska thing is just a distraction. Let’s get down to the real business at hand.

Stephen T. Johns: Holocaust Museum Hero 1970-2009

admin — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:05:40 +0000

“Today and every day, we have an opportunity as well as an obligation to confront these scourges… we have the opportunity to make a habit of empathy, to recognize ourselves in each other, to commit ourselves to resisting injustice and intolerance and indifference, in whatever forms they may take…” President Barack Obama-April 2009 Holocaust Museum Remembrance Day Event.

Stephen T. Johns was a security guard who worked at the Washington, D.C. Holocaust Museum.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Johns was murdered by a very old, very desperate, hate-filled deranged man who has extremely harmful out-dated ideas about people who are Jewish or Black. The man who committed this devastating crime is a menace to our society.

Stephen Johns was a husband. He was a caring father to twelve year-old son, Stephen T. Johns, Jr. and a loving son to his mother. We send our sincere condolences to Mrs. Johns, his wife of just one year; Mrs. Jacqueline Carter, the mother of the deceased Wackenhut security guard; his son, and the entire Johns family and all of Stephen Johns’ friends.

We hope this incident will develop in n Mr. Johns’ young son him a determination courageously chooses to help peacefully rid this society of people like the man who murdered his father. We know it will be challenging to express love. We understand it is not an easy thing to do when all around you are remarking about the coward who committed this heinous crime.

Stephen T. Johns will always be remembered as a hero who saved the lives of many on Wednesday, June 10, 2009.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus the Christ~ New Testament John 15:13

DHS Forewarned DHS Ignored

admin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:40:49 +0000

In recent weeks the Department of Homeland Security gave warning of the possibility of violent right wing activity increasing because of the down economy.

Just as the warning of an attack in September of 2001 was ignored by our government, so this one, too, was ignored. Fortunately the loss of life was not in great numbers. We believe the loss of one life is one death too many. It is unacceptable to allow a violent wrong wing extremist to attack.

We’ve experienced all levels and colors of the rainbow terror alerts for people who have no viable means to come here to harm us.

When there is legitimate reason to believe terrorists, domestic or foreign will do harm to Americans we is our government asleep at the wheel? Are they taking direction from the Joe Scarboroughs of the cable news network world? Scarborough in our estimation is no Fulbright or Rhodes Scholar and he, along with that cry-baby Beck person should be relegated to a program on Public Access tee vee or better yet CCTV.

See how the mainstream media responded to the news from Homeland Security.

GM Files Bankruptcy While Chrysler Reinvents Itself As New

admin — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:53:30 +0000

General Motors has filed for bankruptcy. Chrysler has renamed and reformulated itself to be the New Chrysler Company.

Here’s how Mark Fiore one of our favorite political animated cartoonists, described back in April of this year just what we have going on in our automotive industry today. He calls it Barry’s Auto Emporium.Watch. We think this is funny and very true.(scroll down the page)..

Dr. George Tiller Memorial To Be Held Today In Kansas

admin — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:18:01 +0000

Family and friends will gather to honor the life and contributions to society of the recently slain Dr. George Tiller. Funeral services will be held at College Hill United Methodist Church.

Dr. Tiller was murdered last Sunday as he stood in the foyer at the Reformation Lutheran Church, where he was serving as an usher.

Security is expected to be tight because of the circumstances surrounding the murder of the controversial abortion doctor.

Signatures are being gathered at a web site commemorating more than twenty years of service during which Dr. Tiller and others provided care to women and their families.

Join the thousands who have already sign. Go to Remember Dr. Tiller .
Sign the memorial card. Honor his courage and compassion.

Demetricia C. Patterson Foundation Provides Prescription Meds For Central Florida Seniors

admin — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:16:50 +0000

Three months ago, under the guidance of Demetricia Patterson, Consignment Furniture Etc. opened its doors with its mission to provide one half of the profits toward funding a foundation which gives drug assistance to senior citizens.

Demetricia Patterson is the owner of the consignment store and the creator of the Demetricia C. Patterson Foundation, a non-profit drug assistance program for people age fifty plus.

Ms Patterson says she established the foundation because she has witnessed people in her community who must choose between purchasing necessary medication or buying food.

Ms Patterson says she is dedicated to this cause because many of the people who have to choose between food or medicine are those who helped her in her youth growing up in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. “My heart is full. I have so much gratitude,” says Patterson who helps her older friends with rides, meals and companionship

The Patterson Foundation provides prescription medications for seniors who are afflicted with medical conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, HIV/AIDS, diabetes or cancer.

Donations can be sent by USPS to P.O. Box 1323, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32170. All donations are tax exempt.

You may call 386-428-8222 for the hours of operation of the store, Consignment Furniture Etc, located 628 N. Dixie Freeway .

To receive an application for assistance visit the Patterson Foundation web site.

We commend Demetricia Patterson for the community service she is providing.

Bethune-Cookman University Explorer Program Preps Young Males For College

admin — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:44:46 +0000

Where can a young male between the ages of eleven years-old and 18 years-old, in the Daytona Beach, Florida area go this summer for interesting educational field trips, tutoring in science, math, reading and writing? Where can a youngster who is considered “at risk” go to remove the stigma of that label as he improves himself and prepares himself for his later life at a college or university? What other year-round program offers trips to the Jacksonville Zoo, Epcot and Universal theme parks, the state legislature in Tallahassee with an opportunity to meet the legislators or the Kennedy Space Center?

The answer is Bethune-Cookman University’s Explorer program. On June 8, 2009, from 9am until 1pm orientation for young males who wish to improve themselves as they prepare for a better future will participate in this beneficial program which promotes education and career exploration along with social fun.

It was sixteen years ago when Daytona Beach educator, Frederick T. Milton, heard about a program offered by Florida A&M University designed specifically for young males to prepare them for the challenges of attending and graduating college.

Mr. Milton took action. He wrote a grant proposal and received funding from the state of Florida for what is now known as the Bethune-Cookman University Explorer Program. It’s a mentoring program where the university students provide guidance to younger males to help them add polish to their abilities.

This college preparatory program developed by Mr. Milton provides young males in grades six through 12, a supportive system and an environment filled with the encouragement young males need to progress to adulthood.

The Explorer program is held year-round during weekends; however this year it is being offered as a summer session with the orientation scheduled in the University’s Fine Arts Building, Room 218. There is a fee of $50 for registration and there are scholarships available for applicants who qualify.

For more information call Frederick Milton 386-481-2143 or 386-252-2425

Banks Cash In On Mortgage Modifications And Short Sales Of Real Estate

admin — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:59:05 +0000

As if it weren’t enough to know the banks are getting our money to do with as they please, not as they promised when they came to the government hat in hand; or as we like to say in the Southern parts of the United States, “Hand full of gimme and mouth full of much obliged”, those banking bastids, or financial skanks are set to make even more money from the misfortune of others, which they in part caused.

Word on The Street, Wall Street, that is, and it’s probably true, when banks begin a loan modification, aka loan mod, they stand to earn an extra $2,500, even if the modification is unsuccessful they are paid from our money $2,500. This does not sound like very much when one considers we’ve already been bilked out of Billions and billions of dollars by Sniti Skank, Skank Of America and Wachy Skank; but just think of the number of loans that need modification and we’re talking hundreds of millions of dollars to the skanks that are too big to fail.

The other talk on The Street, which will soon prove to be true, is that President Obama and his team of economic advisors are encouraging banks to accept less than what is owed on mortgages. This transaction is known as a Short Sale. The obvious and logical incentive for banks is that with each Short Sale transaction they would receive a savings of a minimum of $60,000 to $100,000 . Once again when one considers the number of homeowners eligible for this type of transaction the savings to the lenders is tremendous.

We’re talking money they do not have to spend on lawyers or auction houses only to end up with the property and a big fat loss.

One thing that is important to know is the way the law is written when a homeowner agrees to rid himself of the ball and chain that is his over mortgaged dream nightmare of a house, he is not permitted by law to receive any monetary benefit. No monetary profits over or under the table.

Here’s the part that’s really ironic: the banks will be receiving a $6000 incentive for agreeing to Short Sale transactions.

We think the law could be re-written to benefit the family who has to move out of the home, as mandated by law. Six thousand dollars would be a good way to begin again. The money would be a good way to help families pay off other debts, to move.

We think the bankers have gotten enough of our money. They do not need to capitalize further by allegedly helping consumers out of their homes.

President Barack Obama Proposes Prolonged Detention For Everyone

admin — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:54:56 +0000

Blanche Africa Reilly Dark, mother of our own ace investigative reporter Clark Dark, is our contributing writer today with a few words about her displeasure with America’s first African-American president.

Everyone knows I am as proud of President Barack Obama as if he were one of my children. He elicits the same feeling among older females as does Eldridge Tiger Woods. He’s everyone’s son; or what every mother hopes her son will be. They are both wonderful role models, and our young people can never have enough of those with or without the obvious role models, moms and dads, in the home.

Over the last few days we’ve been all a twitter about Judge Sotomayor, the female jurist who will become the first Latina on The Supreme Court, President Obama’s first judicial appointment since taking office. It’s all very historic. It’s simply wonderful!It has also been a distraction from the latest proposal concerning the rights of humans everywhere as proposed by the leader of the free world.

This latest proposal made by President Obama in his speech at the National Archives in front of the authentic, original Constitution of The United States of America has got me really angry. I’m disappointed, confused and very upset.

After eight years of the Bush administration with an assist from the likes of Vice President Dick Cheney, John Yoo, Alberto “The Torturer” Gonzales and a host of other malevolent academic thinkers and doers in conservative business clothing…these guys are a dominatrix dream; our first president of color suggests detaining people for an indefinite period of time for the harm they may- could-possibly-we’re -not-sure-if-they-might-could-have the potential-to-we-suspect-they-may based on, not even their past behaviors, based on nothing more than, our government thinks they could be a threat to harm Americans. What??!!

It’s hard to reconcile a constitutional law professor proposing bad legislation, the kind that can be harmful to many, many people…oh I forgot about John Yoo wrote the so-called torture memos. Yoo is not only a constitutional law professor, but expert in international law as well as a leading academic.

If I used this logic when I was bringing up my children their shoes would have been nailed to the kitchen floor. They would not have left the house-ever! if I had used the Bush and the Obama administrations’ logic for keeping Americans safe my children would not have gone to school; not to the circus, nor Sunday School; not even when they were getting on my nerves I would not have allowed the little darlings to be away from home because of fear of the harm that may come to them from some nefarious person.

I wonder what Dr. Martin Luther King would think about this terrible turn of events? It’s like a Clarence Thomas moment where the colored guy, the formerly poor guy turns his back on people of color and people who are poor. You have to know this proposal is bad if Republican neo-cons support it saying things like, “See we Republicans had the right idea all along. We simply executed poorly by not having the paperwork to back up/justify our malicious actions.This African Obama guy isn’t so bad after all.”

Vague terms like “prolonged detention” sounds to me like “extraordinary rendition”. Non-specific in defining how long, the president did hint at five or ten years of detaining those suspected of maybe possibly committing a crime. Oh gracious, future crime, arrested not for what is done but for what might be done as in the sci-fi story “Minority Report” of Philip K. Dick !!

It also looks like President Obama is true to historic form. Once power is acceded to government authorities they are not willing to give it back to the people. In most places that means a fight. As the children say, “It’s on!”

Hmmph! I guess the next thing President Barack Obama will do is rescind the Emancipation Proclamation! That’s when we’ll know for certain his white side will be showing.

Sonia Sotomayor President Obama’s Choice For Supreme Court Of United States

admin — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:52:34 +0000

President Barack Obama, whose own life is filled with historic moments, has selected as nominee for his first appointment to the Supreme Court Of The United States Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

When confirmed Sotomayor will fill the seat of Justice David Souter, a Reagan appointee who was confirmed by a Senate vote of 90-9. Souter is retiring after 18 years of service on the court. It is said that he has

Despite the announcement by right-wing Republican activists to oppose her nomination and to make trouble during her Senate confirmation hearing we believe Judge Sonia Sotomayor will be the first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

Memorial Day May 25, 2009

admin — Tue, 26 May 2009 00:03:23 +0000

We honor those who currently serve in the armed forces, as well as those who have served in defense of our nation in the past.

We appreciate the courage shown by the men and women of the military, and we are grateful for the sacrifices made by their families.
We the people thank you.

A Banking Faerie Tale: The Royal Skanks

admin — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:54:48 +0000

As a public service YouThinkWhat presents another article to inform and edify banking consumers. We suspect while we’re all focusing on Gitmo, the auto industry and John Yoo, et al, the bankers, taking full advantage of our attention being diverted from them, are planning their next scheme.

We present A Banking Faerie Tale.

Once upon a time there was a very rich king named Sam Daddy-dearest, who had many daughters. The princesses had names like Skank of America, Sniti Skank, and Wacky Skank.

They were all very rich. Each princess owning her very own kingdom, a domain for which they were in charge with lots of money. Their domain was to collect money from others; just like the aristocracy of old, the counts, the dukes, and the landed gentry who collected taxes, grain, food, livestock and gold from the serfs, except these princesses collected money. But they were not satisfied to have lots of money, and besides they had extravagant habits. They wanted to play skanky banky.

So they met financiers who told them they could multiply their money. They went to these financiers. They followed their advice. They had money for gigolos, gamblers, exotic toilets and all sorts of other useless toys. And because they had more money than brains they multiplied and multiplied, and multiplied their finances until there was nothing left.

They went to their Sam Daddy-dearest, the king crying, “We’ve lost all our money.”

“Oh we can’t have that”, said Sam Daddy-dearest, the king.

And he looked around his kingdom to see where there was some money. He saw all the people with their little bits of money and he said, “There’s some money.” As the king snatched what was left of already meager wages, he declared, “We’ll take that!” He knew individually their funds did not amount to much, but collectively they could support the princesses in the extravagantly excessive manner to which they had, sadly, become accustomed.

So they did. They took money from the people in their father’s kingdom as well as from the people in their kingdoms. The people resisted, but the king said it would be good for them and their children and their children’s children’s children to work two or three jobs. “Your hard work is very rewarding for my daughters. After all they are princesses; they are too regal, too big to fail.”

Someone suggested the money that was taken from the people for use by the Skanks be used to pay off all the people’s debts to the Skanks; so that the people in rescuing the Skanks would have no more debts to them at all.

But the Skanks said, “We can’t have that. If the money we take from the people is used to pay off the people’s debts then we will have no more income at all because there will be no more debt.”

“We need the people to give us this money for free,” said one Skank.

“Yes,” said another, “then we can loan it back to them at a high interest rate…”

“Because,” another Skank reasoned, ” we took all their money. They don’t have any money left and then they can owe us forever!”

This idea was quickly accepted.

They took money from the people in their father’s kingdom as well as from the people in their own kingdoms. The people tried once more to resist, but the king said “It’s good for you. It’s for your own benefit.”

When someone else remarked plaintively, “But our children and their children’s children’s children will still be working at two or three jobs to pay off this debt.”

The king replied, “It is good for them too. Hard work is a character builder. And besides, it’s for the good of your country.”

“Your hard work is very rewarding for my daughters. After all they are princesses . They are too regal, too beautiful, and too big to fail.”

Tugging at her fathers robes one of the daughters said, “But Sam Daddy-dearest the people will hate us.”

“Who cares?” said the king, who should be re-named Dick Cheney in this tale for his callous attitude toward the people.

Another daughter cried as though she were genuinely concerned, “But their children’s children’s children will still be trying to pay off this debt.”

And the king said, “Either you have a problem with that or I don’t see the problem.”

Finally another of the daughters, the one most like her father, chimed in, “It’s not like it won’t get paid off sooner or later.”

“Or,” said another skanky princess daughter, “like they will be working forever or something.”

“Yes, that’s it. We’re providing for future generations,” suggested another Skank. All the Skanks agreed,“Their great- great grandchildren have something to look forward to.”

“Now daughters,” cautioned their Daddy-dearest. “Do not be careless princesses and get caught playing skanky banky. Remember, I am the only one between you and the people with the torches and the pitch forks! Now off with you and good fortune doing what Skank princesses have always done.”

So the royal Skanks continued to live their high life.

The people continued to pay.

And there was a story that went amongst the people that some day ……..

Colbert Discusses OpEd Columnist Yoo and The Philadelphia Inquirer

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:47:54 +0000

Watch this video of Stephen Colbert, of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report”, pronounced Col-bear Ree-poorh, as he takes comedic umbrage with the decision of the venerable newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer for its decision to hire John Yoo, the architect of the Bush administration’s torture policy, to write a monthly column.

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Yes, John Yoo. He is the man who justifies torture. During his 2001 to 2003 tenure in the Office of Legal Counsel as an assistant deputy attorney general, Yoo worked under Jay Bybee in the U.S. Department of Justice. It has bee widely reported Yoo was the author or co-author of the so-called torture memos. These memos provided the Bush White House with the legal advice, read that justification, to use enhanced interrogation techniques.

In one memo John Yoo says:

“The victim must experience intense pain or suffering of the kind that is equivalent to the pain that would be associated with serious physical injury, so severe that death, organ failure, or permanent damage resulting in a loss of significant body function will likely result.”

We agree with Colbert and a legion of other right thinking individuals including Spanish National Court Judge Baltasar Garzon who is spearheading an investigation of what is now known as “The Bush Six”. They are William J. Haynes II, then general counsel to the Department of Defense; Douglas Feith, former undersecretary of defense for policy, John Yoo, Jay Bybee, David Addington, the chief of staff under former Vice President Dick Cheney and our favorite, former Attorney General Alberto “The Torturer” Gonzales. Sadly Dick Cheney former Vice President is not included.

Although these six could possibly face criminal charges in Spain
for enabling torture at Guantanamo and elsewher, (we suggest “The Bush Six” take Madrid off the European itinerary); we are not in favor of seeing them imprisoned or tried. We look forward to see them publicly humiliated, shamed and disgraced for their part in the devastation and disruption of lives around the world.

Florida’s Public Education Crisis: 50th Isn’t Good Enough

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:40:37 +0000

You Think Duh!

According to a flier paid for by Volusia County Florida Council of PTAs, Volusia County Schools, like many public schools in the state of Florida, are facing a funding crisis.

We’ve read and reviewed the information. Our proposals for solution of the situation are as nonsensical as the ones being presented by the
Volusia County Council and the state legislators in Tallahassee.
If we were writing this material here’s how we’d say it:

We agree 50th out of 50 states is not good enough. We’re in danger of becoming number 49. We must take every available step to insure no other state including, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia, can push us out of the bottom slot.

Maximize flexibility and increase local control. Leave it to the local geniuses to reduce school hours to begin at 1100am and end at 2pm with an hour for lunch.

Enact no new K-12 mandates; in fact delay the 2009-2010 school year to begin in autumn 2011, possibly, to be determined.Class size amendment requirements by continuing school wide average. If school wide average must be 25 students per class, and we currently have 100 students per class, then it is necessary to add hundreds of classes with nobody in them until the average is reduced to less than 25. Great savings are to be found here, because there is no teacher, there are no students and there are no classrooms to be heated or cooled. These are virtual classrooms that exist only on paper or the legislature’s imagination, whichever you prefer.

Implement new high school grading and graduation requirements. If you actually get to high school, you automatically graduate.

Implementation of virtual k-8 virtual education. Stay home and learn how to play video games, and when you’re really good at it, we’ll enroll you for a day in high school; you will automatically graduate because you got there!

Expansion of middle school physical education requirements. Having dispensed with any book learning from k to grade 6 learning will be focused on physical education. Reading, writing and arithmetic who needs it?

Potential sources of increased revenue: Elimination of certain sales tax exemptions. Tax every mother-smucker for everything and do not pass it on.

Expanded collection of Internet sales tax revenue. Tax all those children who are no longer going to school and now spend their day ordering things on line.

Raising general sales tax by one percent. These kids are going to be too dumb to work we need to get our income from somewhere.

Repeal reductions in intangible taxes. Intangible taxes are taxes that don’t exist, non-tangible. Repeal their imaginary reductions.

Designation of existing gaming revenue primarily to public education, while tightening the gaming laws and educating the public about the dangers of gambling. This should ensure reduced income.

Increased tobacco and alcohol sales tax by media blitzing the children and adults that they should neither drink nor smoke. Raise the drinking age to 35; raise the smoking age to 40.

The education of the young in Florida is general speaking a complete write off! Forget it they’re too stupid. We propose more bang for the buck. Make the computer smarter. No need to read or write. Teach the computers to understand “you all” ” youse” and other colloquialisms. Teach the computer to read to the students.

Smarter computers are the solution to everything. For example look at how successful our computers have been in the voting industry. This is a growth, meaning win-win, opportunity if you are in the computer distribution industry. As everyone knows computers have to be replaced every four years because they are outdated.

Now that we have computers in the voting industry, in the virtual education, in reading and writing for our children, computer is the industry to be. Like plastics in the movie the “Graduate”.

By insuring our position of 50th out of 50 states we guarantee we will be at the vanguard of popular illiteracy and the computer expansion and distribution industries.

Our children can learn to speak from answering the phones ringing from the telemarketing industry. “Hello. My name is Ravjee and I like would make to you the offer special today….”

Introducing Fantasy Banking!

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:15:51 +0000

Say consumers get in on the latest craze sweeping the nation that’s fun for the whole entire family. It’s called Fantasy Banking! That’s right! Join in on this exciting new way to play like the aristocracy. You can “own” a financial institution.

Just like when you “own” a fantasy sports team you don’t really own a team like the Major League Baseball World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. You are pretending with your friends who are also pretending they “own” teams like Hal Steinbrenner’s New York Yankees; or if you play in a football fantasy league your friend might pretend to “own” the reigning National Football League (NFL) SuperBowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers while you might pretend to “own” the Philadelphia Eagles; or you may have the misfortune to “own” the Detroit Lions, who have the dubious distinction of having the worst record, ever, in the NFL . When you “own” fantasy sports teams you can make decisions just like the real life millionaires and billionaires who have real ownership of real major league sports teams.

That’s how it is when you and your friends play Fantasy Banking.

When you play Fantasy Banking you have a choice to be in the U.S. Banking markets, the South American Banking markets, the Asian Banking markets or the European Banking markets.

Gosh! Golly kids you and your friends can pretend to have more money than you do as you make financial trades around the globe. You can make boneheaded decisions just like the ones Ken Lewis made when he was Chairman and the CEO of Bank Of America. Like Lewis, you, too, can be forced to relinquish your position by irate shareholders.

You can make purchases with cash you don’t have just like real banks do. You’ll approve high risk loans to individuals and companies that will never in a million years qualify to meet conventional credit criteria for granting loans to individual borrowers or corporate entities.

Approve mortgages for overpriced houses. Sell mortgages in a securitized bundle of other toxic assets and see the disaster that ensues.

You’ll be charging excessive fees for nearly any service and everything you can think of while you spend the money in fantastic unrestrained creative ways unheard of by bankers from earlier times. You’ll make so much money from ATM fees alone, you will have to set up a separate corporation just to handle the profits!

And what’s more you can even cause a global monetary meltdown then go to the government and taxpayers for a bailout of more money to stay afloat to either spend recklessly or hoard as you make promises to begin making loans to students, educational institutions, moms and dads for cars and small businesses.

You can drag your feet, cause unnecessary delays on making decisions to help thousands of families in jeopardy of losing their homes. Waste more money by going to foreclosure. Watch the children as they are traumatized by the prospect of not having a home. Decimate communities. See the housing prices plummet because You are the banker.

Or use the newest strategy. When you play Fantasy Banking as a pretend banker you can pretend to help, like real bankers do; every time your bank accepts an application for loan modification you make more money, even if the loan is unsuccessful You still get paid.

It’s a game you can’t lose!

DRM (Digital Rights Management) And Cory Doctorow’s Law

admin — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:37:57 +0000

DOCTOROW’s LAW:

“Any time someone puts a lock on something you own, against your wishes, and doesn’t give you the key, it’s not being done to your benefit.”

Cory Doctorow, an activist for technology issues, is also a science fiction novelist of renown, and a blogger.

We recently discovered video of a presentation he made earlier this year, during the O’Reilly Tools for Change for Publishing Conference, on the subject of Digital Rights Management or DRM.

We liked what he had to say. In fact, much of what he said with regard to copyright, and the recording industry in particular ,are sentiments we have expressed in the past. We fully support sharing music files.

It’s sort of like buying an article of clothing. Once you’ve made the purchase it belongs to you to do as you wish with it. The same applies to books and recordings of music.

Publishing houses, recording companies and their distributors would have you believe different.

Not only do they want control of the creator of the art form, the author of the work, be it music composer, lyricist or novelist, by wresting ownership of the creation and paying a small amount of the proceeds from the sale of that creation to the originator; they also want to and have begun to have control over the consumer as to how much we pay, how much and how long we have access to the material once we have purchased it. It’s just another example of the world of economic predators. We know a woman who speaks of them as economic terrorists.

Watch the video. It runs about 20 minutes; we believe it is worth your time.

Florence Nightingale Happy Birthday To The Founder Of Nursing

admin — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:49:27 +0000

Today is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the woman credited with founding modern nursing, the reformation of the hospital system and the mathematician.

Florence Nightingale was a pioneer in her time. Women of her upper economic class did not generally attend university nor embark on professional careers.

Her father believed women should be educated, so his daughters learned Italian, Latin, Greek, history, and mathematics. Florence in particular received excellent early preparation in mathematics from her father and aunt. Later she was also tutored in mathematics.

Florence Nightingale is acknowledged for her work in the Crimean War. It is there she conducted statistical research later used for reform of the British military health-care system. While caring for the wounded and dying she noted, by utilizing techniques of statistical analysis, the incidence of preventable deaths in the military. She made the connection between sanitary conditions and healing, an association that became an established standard.

Her insistence on adequate lighting, diet, hygiene, and activity shows she understood the mind and body work together. She promoted cleanliness, a predecessor to the clean and sterile techniques of today. In doing so Nightingale gave proof sanitary conditions are a major barrier to infection, which is also condusive to healing.

During the American Civil War, Florence Nightingale was called upon by the Union government as a consultant in organizing field medicine. Despite being a published author, and a well known expert for her work in nursing in combat conditions, her suggestions to the government officials were met with resistance. Once again Nightingale’s work inspired the creation of a volunteer group, the United States Sanitary Commission which became an official agency of the government through legislation signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861.

Florence Nighingale is renown for her two crowning achievements –establishing nursing as a highly respected profession, not an easy task in the Victorian era; and hospital reform a no less daunting project at the time. Nighingale is also the inventor of the polar-area diagram which she used to prove social phenomena could be measured objectively and subjected to mathematical analysis. Nightingale, the Lady with the Lamp, is hailed as an innovator in the collection, tabulation, interpretation, and graphical display of descriptive statistics as well as her contributions to healthcare and the field of nursing.

Wanda Sykes: Was She Too Much For The Room?

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:27:04 +0000

Over the past weekend the White House Correspondents held their annual dinner. Only 14 presidents, beginning with President Calvin Coolidge in 1924, have attended this grand affair.

The White House Correspondents Association is in charge of the planning of the event. After all it is their dinner where reporters receive awards for journalism and students receive scholarships. They choose the hotel venue, the menu and the evening’s comedy host. It is a tradition since the 1940s for the correspondents and their guests-usually actors and other entertainers along with politicians to be entertained by the witty observations of the evening’s featured hired speaker.

This year their choice was Emmy Award winning writer, actor, comedian and author Wanda Sykes. Mostly known for her stand-up comedy Sykes is a talented graduate of Hampton University who has been lauded for smart comedic delivery by her peers. In fact she’s rank among the Top 25 Funniest People in America by Entertainment Weekly.

Some media types are saying Wanda crossed an imaginary line of good taste when she made some barbed remarks about Rush “I hope the Obama administration fails” Limbaugh.

We think Wanda Sykes gave the White House Correspondents their money’s worth. If you are the President or the First Lady you may have been a bit uncomfortable in response to some comments she made about the loud mouth fat guy on the radio who resembles, and we believe, is often confused with, the mascot for the Grand Old Part (GOP)–the pachyderm.

Watch the video. You decide if Wanda was out of line. Then make your comments here. We’d love to know what you think.

Lt. Dan Choi Gay U.S. Army Arabic Linguist: You Didn’t Ask, He Told, He’s Fired!

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:26:13 +0000

Just imagine you are a West Point graduate who is also an officer in the Army National Guard. You are fluent in Arabic and you recently came back from a tour of duty in Iraq. Then you received notice the military is about to fire you. You’re going to be getting a pink slip because you disclosed your sexual preference. You announced you are gay.

That’s what happened to Lt. Dan Choi. He is one of the founding members of Knights Out, an organization of 35 gay and lesbian military officers , graduates of West Point, America’s prestigious military academy for Army officers, who say they refuse to live a lie. The incongruity is astounding when you consider they’ve been trained as West Point cadets to not lie, to not cheat and to not steal.

These GLBT officers say the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law is illegal, immoral and unethical. They say it’s just plain bad law.

President Barack Obama agrees. The president has stated he “intends to fulfill my commitment by repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” He says it will take some time because the congress is involved in changing the law.

We think that is a too convenient cop out. If over the past eight years the office of the president used its powers to harm people and disrupt lives by using written presidential directives, we believe this administration is compelled to use the same powers to restore lives.

The military officers and troops, more than 1100 dismissed so far this year alone for disclosing their sexual orientation, each deserve to receive an honorable discharge and associated benefits for service to their country.

Are we so top heavy in Arabic linguists we can afford to be firing any of them who can best demonstrate our sincerity to re-establish good will in the Middle East?

A law that forces men and women to live a lie in order to express love of their country is wrong and should be repealed.

Jacob Zuma New President South Africa And Husband To 3 Wives

admin — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:00:44 +0000

That’s right. Jacob Zuma, who served time in a South African prison along with former President Nelson Mandela, is now the President of South Africa. Mr. Zuma is the fourth democratically elected president of South Africa since the end of apartheid. As they say in the vernacular, “That’s all good.”

The real, important news is the fact President Jacob Zuma has three wives. Polygamy is legally recognized in South Africa.According to news reports all three Mrs. Zs attended the official inauguration on Saturday, May 9, 2009.

Nevermind that Trevor Manuel, the longest serving finance official in the G20, has been promoted to a more powerful finance position in Zuma’s cabinet; or that after fifteen years South Africa’s unemployment rate is a whopping 23 per cent plus.

What is seemingly more news worthy is the fact Zuma has been married five times, and one of his former wives, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is even in the cabinet. They are still friendly, though some who claim to know them describe their current relationship as “frosty”.

What’s a nation to do when the chief executive has three wives simultaneously?

Which one is the real First Lady?

Will the role of First Lady be rotated among the three Mrs. Zumas?

Who goes first and how long will her turn as First Lady last before it’s time for the next Mrs. Zuma to assume the role of First Lady?

By our American standards this man,

President Jacob Zuma, South Africa has three wives

with not one, not two, but three wives, an ex-wife in the cabinet, domestic issues and domestic issues of state, should not be smiling.

U.S. Patriot Act: North Carolina Teen Caught In Federal Web Of Protection?

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:16:15 +0000

From the “Hey-This-Is-America-They-Can’t-Do-That” Department of YouThinkWhat comes a story that is shocking news to most.

The news piece you are about to view deals with one North Carolina suburban teen and his family’s encounter with law enforcement.
The first part of this story shown in the preceding video deals with the Patriot Act, the fact it was sold to Americans as the panacea for all things pertaining to terrorist acts…especially acts perpetrated by foreign terrorists; or so we thought. The way the law was composed it never specified foreigners, we assumed it was a law to protect us from “them”. It was easy to sell the legislation to the American people at a time following the tragic events of September 11, 2001. It was the time of red, yellow, magenta and other rainbow pastel color alerts to keep us in a heightened state of fear. Fearful people are easiest to control than defiant people. We did not realize the “them” we were being protected from is really “us”….you and me. Regular John Q. and Jane Q. Public and all the little Publics, too are the targets of this very bad legislation..

The second point in this news story is that it is apparent the government investigators, FBI, Homeland Security, are not up to speed on the latest technology used by criminal types in the 21st Century.

It does not come as a surprise to us a federal agency or two tasked with keeping us safe knows nothing about a technological advance known as spoofing currently in use by nearly every business enterprise from corporate collection agencies to the little genius down the block with entirely too much time on his hands.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo: What It Is

admin — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:16:20 +0000

Cinco de Mayo, Spanish for May 5th, is a holiday that is more celebrated in the United States than it is in Mexico where the reason for celebration originated.

Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican celebration of independence from Spain. Mexican Independence Day is September 16th.

In 1862, in the city of Puebla, the outnumbered Mexican Army defeated the French who had invaded Mexico late in the previous year to force payment of an outstanding debt. The victory by the Mexican Army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín, is noted because they not only conquered the larger, better trained and better equipped armed forces from France, they vanquished an army that had not been defeated in fifty years.

The Mexican defeat of the French attack at Puebla was a short lived success. In 1863 France invaded and occupied Mexico City, installed Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph, an Austrian, Maximilian I as Emperor of Mexico.

May 5th, however, is commemorated for its historical significance, though not a federal holiday in Mexico, it is proudly celebrated in the City of Puebla, as well as cities across the United States and a few locations around the world.

Bankers Gone Wild In California!

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:55:58 +0000

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, YouThinkWhat has video from California documenting the destruction of homes.

These homes have been destroyed because of the decision by the bankers. That’s right… bankers. The decision was made by the bankers, encouraged by avaricious politicians to destroy new homes. You may wonder why the bankers and the politicians are demolishing homes when so many are being dispossessed of their homes, but students of U.S history and especially the history of the Great Depression will understand that while people were starving in the Great Depression large oversupplies of food grown were being dumped into the ocean.

There are more than 100,000 people who are homeless in the City of Los Angeles alone. It is very strange that all this talk of surplus and excess homes seems to result in more and more people dispossessed.

If you believed the hype there should be two homes for everyone, at least that would make more sense than knocking them down, but not when you have bankers to rescue.

Here’s the story as reported by Patrick Thatcher of VVDailyPress.com

“Victorville-The housing collapse is taking a literal form for one bankrupt housing development.
Four model homes and 12 nearly finished spec homes at Bear Valley Road and Highway 395 are being demolished.
The developer filed bankruptcy about 18 months ago and the foreclosed property went to Guaranty Bank in Irvine.”

Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc is a holding company of Guaranty Bank which received a portion of the $750 Billion taxpayer bail out money last fall.

We did not support the bail out then. Sadly we are seeing the result of throwing more and more good money into the sewers, as if money could rescue money if only the pile is high enough.

The executives at Guaranty Bank led by Kenneth R. Dubuque, President and Chief Executive Officer in association with Chief Financial Officer Ronald D. Murff and Mark A. Crawford, Chief Risk Officer have as their core values conducting business “with the highest degree of integrity, honesty and efficiency.”

Watch the video you’ll see some of those core values being demonstrated as new homes are demolished because the decision makers at Guaranty Bank decided their “only option is to tear new buildings down.” If you think like a Guaranty banker you’ll conclude there’s no good reason why a good property should be sold at a loss allowing someone else to benefit, when it can be reduced to rubble allowing no one to benefit.

Tear it down they say. It’s their way of having a “significantly positive impact on the community….”.

It’s part of their strategy to show mutual respect, be passionate about business, playing to win, scorched earth style “Take no Prisoners”!

Rapunzel Rapunzel throw down your hair. The prince climbed up to the top of the tall tower, but when he got to the window he was met by a greedy banker who pushed him backwards down into the thorns where he was blinded.

The greedy bankers and politicians only hope we will be blinded, wandering confused, without memory or direction.

Support Great Kids Explorer Club Volusia County-Invest In Our Future

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:59:03 +0000

There’s good news for great kids and parents of great kids in Volusia County Florida!

Great Kids Explorer Club, a not-for-profit 501(C)(3) organization is partners with Volusia County schools, churches and civic organizations in order to provide no charge after school programs for elementary school youngsters who are considered at-risk and economically disadvantaged.

The Great Kids Explorer Club programs are designed to inspire children of elementary school age to improve their lives through building a better self image, improved behaviors, more productive attitudes toward learning, developing the ability to handle life’s challenges and strengthen their academic skills. Important qualities such as self-respect, respect of others, and a desire to do their best are instilled in these youngsters through interaction with teams of dedicated, passionate volunteers.

In the free program the youngsters learn skills useful for a lifetime. Among those skills the ability to deal positively and effectively with difficult issues they are confronted with now and those they will face in the future. The great kids who participate in the club have shown impressive improvement. They earn better grades, and they are more confident. These students are better equipped to make healthy decisions. We are hoping with this training they’ll be able to make better decisions that will determine their income and lifestyle as adults.

Through positive reinforcement and acknowledgment of good behavior, interesting group activities and tutoring at no charge, provided by a team of reliable volunteers from across Volusia County, these children receive the tools they need to be successful productive adult citizens.

We hear the Great Kids organization has given hundreds of low-income children tutoring in reading and math. These are essential skills many adults do not have. We think there ought to be a Great Grown-ups Literacy Club for adults who lack these basic abilities.

We’ve been told how the club’s volunteers teach life skills, and supply social skills training to these elementary school children. It’s all done at no cost to the schools or the families served.

Friends of the organization tell us that in 2008, in the “Bridges for Success” education project of the Great Kids organization, there were 187 children enrolled in tutoring and enrichment Great Kids programs across Volusia County, including programs in Ormond Beach and Port Orange.

We’ve heard that because funding is a problem there is no program for schools in Daytona Beach at this time. If you are a teacher, parent or otherwise interested adult who knows students in elementary school who may qualify to be in the Great Kids Explorer Club program and you can provide transportation for their participation contact the club.

Funding is always an issue for an all volunteer program. That is why this Sunday afternoon, May 3, 2009 at 1pm at the Pirate’s Island Miniature Golf Course, located 3420 S Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach, Florida 32118; there will be a fund raising event for this organization which fulfills an important need. Tickets are $10 and include snacks and soft drinks. We think that’s a minuscule amount to pay for an investment in the children, our future.

For more details contact Great Kids Explorer Club Volusia County. Telephone 386.676.0276 and ask for Sandy Rakes, the Executive Director. She’ll give you information about this event and the Cinco de Mayo fundraiser on Tuesday, May 5, 2009.

By the way, we think all kids are great kids. They just need access to opportunity, guidance and a reliable, consistent support system to reach their full potential.

U.S. Government And U.S. Banks In Collusion To Rip-off Consumers?

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:24:54 +0000

“Say it ain’t so, Joe” was a popular saying during a baseball scandal back in 1919. The same can be said today in reference to the current banking scandal.

Last fall it was announced, among other proclamations pertaining to the economic crisis and the banking industry, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-FDIC, would increase by double the amount of money covered in the event a bank defaulted. Everyone cheered. Bankers, government officials and the banking public were delighted and relieved.

Every week, since last October, banks continue to default .

We have been told up to $250,000 U.S. in our accounts would be protected. This change in policy was received as wonderful news, and the general public is confident without knowing it is a temporary condition. It is a false confidence.The fact is this fantastic insurance benefit is not perpetual. It is a limited time offer good only through the end of 2009.

We’ve been convinced it’s a pretty good deal, and it is at first glance a unique selling proposition designed to lure customers into making deposits into those greedy, sleazy banks that continue to mishandle our tax dollars and our personal money.

And the U.S. government is in on the campaign that is only “good until December 31, 2009.” It’s something not many bankers nor government officials are talking about.

Arlen Spector Switch To Dems A Wake Up Call To GOP

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:59:49 +0000

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector resigned from the Republican Party to join the Democrats.

This is how we imagine it might have taken place:
GOP National Committee Receptionist: “Hello it’s a great time to be a Republican. The party of Lincoln. My name is Cheryl. I can help you.”
Senator Arlen Spector, former Republican, now Democrat from Pennsylvania: “Uh-hello. This is Arlen Spector. Is Michael Steel available? I must speak to him.”

GOP National Committee Receptionist: “No, Senator. Mike’s not able to take a phone call right now. He’s out parking Rush’s car. I can help you.”

Senator Spector:“Just take a message for me. Tell Chairman Steel I’m switching parties. I’m announcing as soon as possible. Tell him it’s too bad he has to hear about it from a phone message. I’ve tried to arrange an appointment with him, to tell him in person of my intention to leave the GOP. But he’s always busy doing some minimum wage task for some wealthy Republican like Lady Lynn de Rothschild.”
That’s the way we imagine things are happening over on the dark side of town in D.C That’s the way we think it happened behind the scenes of this historic event.

There are, no doubt, some who believe Spector’s recent cancer battle may have affected his decision to change parties. We suspect it may be the wrong thinking backward moving strategies of the party of Lincoln that brought on his change of political heart. Spector has bumped heads with the party leadership on several issues in the long ago past and the very recent past. Spector’s actions should come as no surprise to the GOP leadership

Arlen Spector has always been for many of us an admired public servant. He is a bright, skillful and clever politician. From his early days as a registered Democrat who ran on a Republican ticket to win the election over his form boss; to his terms as District Attorney in Philadelphia to his chairmanship of such senate committees as the Select Committee on Intelligence, Committee on Veterans Affairs, and the Senate Judiciary Committee ,Arlen Spector has consistently proven himself to be dedicated to the task of representing his constituency. As a result he enjoys great popularity among them. In 2006 Time Magazine selected Spector as one of the ten best senators in the country.

We like the guy. We’re happy to see he’s fully engaged in the game.

We said this move by Spector is a wake up call for the Grand Old Party. It’s another wake up call signalling the party is over. New game. New rules. Get into the game or you will be extinct.

Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup And Bank of America Present Fun With Numbers

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:29:39 +0000

In our continuing effort to take every opportunity presented to hammer away at the banking industry the staff of YouThinkWhat will now suggest they way we see this whole banking debacle….or is that boondoggle (??)

After we seeing the reports of the amazing profits made by the likes of major surviving banking institutions Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and, our very special favorite, Bank of America we wondered why the banks have not used the same enchanting number manipulation on the mortgage, credit card or checking accounts of John and Jane Q. Public.Wouldn’t it be just swell to know the entire month of say, December, with all the regular bills for necessities like food, shelter, utilities and clothing that came due, plus all the money that was spent for the children’s holiday presents, and associated celebration activities, when those bills came due in January they were simply Poof! disappeared!?

That’s what Goldman Sachs did. Goldman Sachs changed its reporting calendar thereby, obliterating a huge, what would be considered a really big loss, in the minds of mere mortal beings, of a $1.5 billion during that thirty-one day period.

We know a man who is a sleight of hand artist. His name is Mystical Mel. I bet he’d give anything to be able to perform a feat of that magnitude of amazement.

Our favorite financial skank establishment, Skank of America sold its shares in China Construction Bank. That’s perfectly legal we are told by experts in the matter. To have the esteemed banking executive Ken Lewis say the profit from the transaction isas “a testament to the value and breadth of the franchise” is just os much hooey!

According to Sydney Finkelstein, professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, Bank of America booked a $2.2 billion gain by increasing the value of Merrill Lynch’s assets acquired last fall to prices consderably higher than Merrill had rated them.

Professor Finkelstein, says this strategy is legal but he believes it is also,
“perfectly delusional, because some day soon these assets will be written down to their fair value, and it won’t be pretty.”

That’s why we ask, “Why should the banks be the only ones to benefit from all this fancy mathematical cipherin’?” Let the common man and woman derive some of the perks of this convoluted arithmetic.

We realize it’s this kind of record keeping that got us in this economic banking crisis predicament, but why should the bankers be allowed to have all of the fun? if we’re going to hell in a hand basket let’s make the most of it and happily boogie our way to the final financial disaster.

About Torture: America Does Not Do It!

admin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:57:43 +0000

We believe it is up to the people of the world, led by us, the people of the United States of America to demand to go forth with a campaign to shame and disgrace the administrators of torture. We believe this is the right thing to do.

We believe it is right because we can take a stand to make amends for the many times in history where it seemed expedient to allow the perpetrators of the most heinous crimes to not only go free, but continue with their liberty and dignity intact without criticism of their acts; no public fault finding of their behavior as shameful. They were not humiliated, nor made to feel remorse; They were not given any indication how extremely offensive their behavior was to the population of the planet. Their crimes against humanity were totally unacceptable and repulsive.There are several examples of this so called “free-pass” from social/political leaders. The result of turning a blind eye to bad behavior remain with us today in the crimes of the Turks against the Armenians; the crimes of the British Empire, all the nations of Europe against every sovereign nation ever invaded especially in Africa and Asia. There are the crimes of the Americans with their unique form of slavery along with all the countries that pursued slavery, and all those sovereign places that still continue to enslave human beings.

There are few in this world who have the courage to take a stand for what is right. We must do what is right. We must, for the sake of those who gave their lives, stand up to say, “Torture is wrong. America does not do it!” Those who did must be publicly shamed.

We can only think of one instance where a nation was roundly criticized and the perpetrators of horrendous inhumanity were brought to justice by trial with tremendous publicity. The judgment at Nuremberg at the end of World War II is the only time we know of when an entire nation was made to feel shame for the horrific acts of its leaders.

If the same kind of judgment had been rendered by the nations of the world toward the U.S. after its war in the 1860s over slavery, there probably would not be any extended discordant discussion about race in America; there would probably be fewer instances of racist incidents because of the shame associated with slavery’s inhumanity. We’d probably be having our
tenth elected black president. The issue of race would possibly be of minimal concern.

Torture is an inhuman act with its purpose to psychologically humiliate, demean and physically harm the victim. It’s control and power over another human for vicious reasons.

The government of the United States, under the recent Bush administration approved torture. The agents of the United States of America performed torture at the behest of the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the head of the CIA, and certain Justice Department officials. Many are called upon, even compelled to be accountable for the pain, suffering and disruption of millions of lives around the world.

We believe the world public should know who they are. We believe they should be publicly reviled for their actions.

Florida Voters Just Say No! To Repressive Voter Legislation

admin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:29:23 +0000

As Yogi Bera would say, “It’s deja vu all over again.” Florida legislators are poised to enact what many are calling “the most horrific voter suppression legislation seen in many years”.

According to sources such as the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, the proposed law set for a vote in the Florida State legislature today, Friday, April 24, 2009, the new law will make it harder for citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote.The bill known as SB 956 / HB 7149 covers every aspect of voting in Florida from soup to nuts. We’ve looked over it and it simply means more hoops to jump through for the citizens who wish to express their political opinion in Florida at the polls. This is more bureaucratic red tape for Florida voters.

We urge you to contact your Florida State Representative or your Florida State Senator today. Tell him or her you are a constituent and that you’d like the Representative/Senator to vote “NO” for bill SB 956 / HB 7149. You may want to remind the staff person as a constituent you’ll be watching the performance of the elected official who is to represent your interests in the state legislature. Remind him/her if they perform well, do a good job, they’ll get to return to Tallahassee following the next election; if not they will join the millions of Americans seeking other employment.

Earth Day 2009 Make Everyday A Day To Love The Planet

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:45:55 +0000

Today, April 22, 2009 is Earth Day.

In the United States and all over the world people are creating ways to conserve the planet’s natural resources. Nearly forty years after the first Earth Day commemoration we are still trying to save the planet.

Over the years since the very first Earth Day we’ve managed to develop more gas guzzling vehicles, more dangerous pesticides harmful to people as well as to insects and other pests, more non bio-degradable products and an entire economy that is petroleum based from fertilizers to milk containers, carpets and clothing. We’re just been plain old disrespectful to Mother Earth.

Here’s hoping we can restore what has been lost and that everyday will be celebrated as Earth Day.

Playing For Change Teaching The World To Sing

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:52:15 +0000

“Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast”

wrote the popular late 17th Century English poet and playwright William Congreve.

A friend to, and a contemporary of Jonathan Swift, William Congreve’s words have not been more true since they were first written and first spoken on stage in his tragic play The Mourning Bride in 1697.

With all the drama, trauma, wars, rumors of wars, natural weather disasters and the economic hell some predatory humans put other humans through; making it unnecessary to experience punishment in an afterlife when there is hell on earth as reality. The existence of an organization known as Playing For Change which offers welcome musical relief is a soothing balm for our world weary souls.

Watch this beautiful video from a group of artists and inspired people who have come together to connect the world through music. It illustrates the power of music and it soothing, joyful, communicative effect on human beings.

Playing For Change | Song Around The World “Stand By Me” from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

The tune is “Stand By Me” written by Ben E. King who originally recorded the tune in 1961. In this version it is performed by musicians from around the world.

Join the movement to provide resources to musicians and their communities around the world Playing For Change.

Article based on an email from Mystical Mel

Time Warner Wants You To Pay More For Internet Use

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:14:22 +0000

As if American consumers weren’t dealing with enough high costs associated with living free in the U.S. of A. The author of the bumper sticker phrase “Freedom Isn’t Free” was correct on so many levels.

The word is out about how Time Warner that mega entertainment communications conglomerate wants you to pay more for usage of the Internet. This plan to squeeze more money from your already tight budget comes from the Cable Division of the Time Warner company.According to reports from Free Press Time Warner has already announced plans to impose unfair Internet metering fee as a penalty in parts of Texas, North Carolina and upstate New York.

Reportedly the plan would cost customers $15 per month for one gigabyte — the equivalent of one 30-minute HD television show — with a penalty fee of $2 for every additional gigabyte over the limit. This fee would be added to whatever Time Warner Cable charges as your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for access to the Internet.

It is believed this plan is devised to make customers reconsider canceling cable TV service and finding the shows they want online to view at their convenience.

We encourage you to contact your congressional representative to urge him/her to join other representatives in a call for an investigation of Time Warner Cable’s plans to impose an unfair penalty against Internet users.

By congressional mandate the Internet has been made available for widespread use, an affordable and free-flowing means of communication for our economic recovery. Free Press says “Time Warner Cable’s price-gouging scheme limits consumers at a time when we need Internet access the most. ”

We agree. We, the people, through a congressional investigation into Time Warner Cable’s anti-competitive practices should be pro-active in this issue. Let’s find out about this price increase before it becomes an industry-wide, nationwide problem.

California Phone Attack Highlights Big Hole In TeleCom Net

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:51:58 +0000

The feds say there is no indication Thursday’s attack on the fiber optic cable belonging to telecomunications giant AT&T was an act of terrorism…

We do not know if this was an act of terrorism, the domestic kind. We can say unequivocally it was an act vandalism. It was an act that put the lives of thousands of Californians in jeopardy; in addition to affecting the wheels of commerce and interrupting the social activities of many on the Left coast.

High levels of inter connectivity and the knowledge there is no back up or safety net for this integral system, means Thursday’s incident brings to the attention of all the authorities the extent to which our telecommunications is exposed and is completely vulnerable.

What will they do to protect us?

UPDATE: Comment On USDA Subsidy Limitations

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:07:28 +0000

We just received an update from Food Democracy Now
informing us Dan McGlynn has been on vacation since last Thursday.

“Unfortunately, due to the high volume of responses, Mr. McGlynn’s USDA email box has exceeded capacity. This is highly unusual, but a testament to our successful efforts.”

Today, Monday, April 6, 2009 is the last day for the comment period on payment limitations in order that your voice be heard, the USDA has provided an alternative email address to send your comments.

Send comments to: Dan McGlynn via Mara Villegas at: mara.villegas@wdc.usda.gov

Just as President Obama believes this is an important issue we, too, believe this matter is of great importance. We appreciate your continued efforts and support.

To insure your opinion is expressed:

1. You can resend your comments to mara.villegas@wdc.usda.gov
2. Fax the letter to: (202) 690-2130
or
3. Visit Regulation.gov and send your message using the form on the website.

URGENT Need To Close The Corporate Farm Subsidy Loophole

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:47:15 +0000

The deadline for sending to the USDA your comments on the farm payment limitation rule is the close of business today Monday, April 6, 2009.

Add huge multi-millionaire corporate farm businesses to the growing list of industries– banking institutions, auto manufacturing companies, drug makers and insurance companies, that are daily exploiting Americans.

Who among us regular folk does not want to stop corporate welfare? You can join the effort to close the loophole for millionaire corporate welfare to agri-businesses where more of our really big taxpayer bucks are given to the big time farm businesses that are putting small family owned farms out of business.

Time is of the essence. Sign the petition or send a message to Dan McGlynn, Acting Deputy Director in charge of this matter at dan.mcglynn@wdc.usda.gov

President Obama in his recent speech to both houses of the federal legislature called for ending “direct payments to large agribusinesses that don’t need them.” In the president’s 2010 budget he has proposed phasing out direct payments in an attempt to save about $1 billion over the next ten years; this is seen as an indication of presidential advocacy on behalf of farm families rights to have access to and fully participate in fair market conditions

The farm Bill of 2008 provides subsidies. The money, millions of dollars, is awarded to millionaires. The subsidies, our tax dollars provide profitable corporate farms with cash that has been used to buy out family farms.

For years billions of dollars have been paid to the largest and richest farm businesses in the country.

The identities of those who have benefited from the receipt of this federal money have been obscured by way of clever business structures to hide their personal claims to the federal money derived from taxpayers.

Writer Lola Wheeler, in a July 2007 article wrote about the then proposed Farm Bill stating:

“Eligibility for farm subsidies is determined not by income or poverty standards but by the crop that is grown.

Growers of corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans, and rice receive more than 90 percent of all farm subsidies, while growers of most of the 400 other domestic crops are completely shut out of farm subsidy programs. While the farm bill is a big bonanza for large producers of favored crops such as corn, soybeans, and cotton, small family farms are shortchanged. It is no exaggeration to say the new farm bill gives away the farm.

Further skewing these awards, the amounts of subsidies increase as a farmer plants more crops.

Thus, large farms and agribusinesses–which not only have the most acres of land, but also, because of their economies of scale, happen to be the nation’s most profitable farms–receive the largest subsidies.”

Wheeler went on to report family farmers receive little or nothing in subsidies. Instead of being a safety net for poor farmers, farm subsidies comprise America’s largest corporate welfare program.

Put an end to this loophole.

The deadline for sending to the USDA your comments on the farm payment limitation rule is the close of business today Monday, April 6, 2009.

Send a message to Acting Deputy Director Dan McGlynn
dan.mcglynn@wdc.usda.gov that you urge the USDA to close the “actively engaged in farming” management loophole in order to strengthen family farms, rural communities and help restore integrity to a program which is abundant with instances of abuse.

Tell the USDA to require those who qualify solely by providing active personal management and no personal labor to:

1. Provide at least half of the total management required to run the farm;
or

2. Provide at least half of the total management that would be necessary to conduct a farming operation commensurate in size with his/her requisite share of the operation.

Do it by the close of business today. Help the small farmers.

Michelle Obama Encounter With QE II

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:02:18 +0000

We want to weigh in on the non-controversy, a matter we believe is a further distraction from the important issues discussed during the President and First Lady’s recent travels abroad. An example of what we consider important is whether or not the U.S. dollar will remain worldwide currency. In our opinion this is a topic of far greater concern

than Michelle Obama’s sleeveless style or Mrs. Obama alleged breach of protocol by touching a British royal; a touch which was reciprocal, since the Queen initiated the touchy-feely expression

In fact we think the current flap is to distract from something far more reprehensible. No, it’s not racism; though some observers can not stomach the idea of a black touching a member of the royal family in a way that displays affection and caring.

We found this video explanation from The Daily Show’s resident expert on all things British, John Oliver, who tells us the real reason to never touch a British royal

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

The Poisonous Queen

comedycentral.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Economic Crisis

Political Humor

Banking Industry Bail Outs Versus Auto Industry Bail Out

admin — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:44:28 +0000

The big question pertaining to the economy among the YouThinkWhat staff is, “Why is the government forcing the auto industry to be accountable for the taxpayer dollars it has received, but the banks have been allowed to do whatever they wish with the corporate welfare money they’ve been given?”

We have had much discussion about the disparity of treatment of two industries. The chief executives in both the banking and the auto industries have made major mistakes in handling the money. Poor decisions abound.

We offer our explanation of the reason for the different treatment of the two major businesses.

Americans can understand what the auto industry produces. CARS. Americans understand the car manufacturers have provided employment for several generations of citizens to become middle class and to improve their way of life. Immigrant families, minorities and women have prospered from employment in the auto industry and its associated industries. Auto manufacturing is the backbone of American industry.

On the other hand with financial institutions, the banking industry, few people really understand what the banking industry produces. It’s too complicated to try to understand. That is why it is easier to just give them the money and not try to monitor what they do with it; because if we monitor their activities we would have little comprehension of what bankers are doing with our tax dollars and we would not be able to know when they are doing something wrong or foolish.

Besides, in the era of Obama, the rules of engagement have changed from the BushCo era where banks could do as they wish and no one questioned their activities.

Under the Obama administration banks must be accountable. They must open their records to government scrutiny if they wish to retain the bail out dollars. It is for this reason many banks, among them Bank of America, Citi-Group or Citi-Corp or whatever name they are going by these days; along with several other familiar smaller banking companies, are returning the money they received last fall.

We suspect the bankers have held the money just long enough to have invested and gotten a small return on the funds they received from taxpayers. Bankers often know where to get a good return on their investment. The profit part they will keep for themselves. Think of it as a short term loan with no interest paid to the government.

The long and the short of it is this: We know the auto manufacturers produce cars and pay union wages. There are many among us, rightly or wrongly, who blame unions for the condition of the American economy. Everyone who has ever owned an American made vehicle can tell of an unpleasant experience with a car dealership during the purchase or service to the car, truck, SUV, wagon or van .

Even though we know about excessive fees accessed by the banks on our accounts and transactions, none of us can accurately say what banks do. Can you say what product banks produce?

The banks have never been forced to tell us where they invest the money we give them or the results of those investments. We dare say there are millions of dollars in speculative, risky transactions made by U.S. banks that have been unsuccessful. As consumers we are not asking about them because we do not, for the most part know such transactions exist. We do not have a clue about them, and the banking officials are not telling us about them.

It’s kind of like when the spouse who’s been cheated on finds out they’ve been the sap. That is why President Obama can tell bankers: “My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks.”

It’s traditional to let the banks have their way. In Roman times the emperor went to extraordinary lengths to save the banks; but that is the difference.

While General Motors is the largest corporation in the world, $20 million was spent to send its CEO packing while sparing the institution from extinction. A more than adequate amount of money has been given to the banks to save those financial institutions. Save the banks. Ditch the bankers.

Scott Bateman Political Cartoonist Responds To President’s Auto Industry Speech

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:38:19 +0000

One of our favorite political cartoonists, Scott Bateman, has crafted a clever and interesting response to President Obama’s auto industry speech.

Bateman asks if we remember the Ford Pinto as he wonders if he’ll ever get a car loan again.

Volusia County Council and Local Mayors: Show Them Some Appreciation

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:41:20 +0000

In the previous post we told you about Monday night’s F.A.I.T.H. Action Assembly meeting in Daytona Beach.

In that post we encouraged you to contact the representatives who were not present to ask them what their position is on issues of county community concern such as employment, affordable housing, childcare, crime illegal use of drugs and the incarceration of the mentally ill in the county prison facility.

It occurred to us we should give out a few “at-a-boys” to the members of the Volusia County Council and to the mayors from the cities in Volusia County who took the time to be present at that important assembly on Monday evening.Positive feedback is as important to our legislative leaders as the negative critiques. Everyone likes to know when they’ve done at least one thing right. We must let them when they are doing a good job. Tell them we appreciate them doing their jobs. We appreciate and support them as they represent the interests of the common John or Jane Q. Public, and we want them to continue to perform the job they were “hired”/elected to do the way they promised they’d do it.

We want to give a thank you shout out to Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno; to the “new kid” on the council Josh Wagner, District 2; Andy Kelly, of District 1 and Carl Persis, who represents District 4.

Elected officials from Daytona Beach, Deltona, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach and Port Orange deserve a pat on the back for attending a meeting where hundreds of constituents witnessed the mayors make their commitment, along with assurances from the county representatives, to work for the betterment of the community on the issues of greatest concern.

If you are pleased with their performance contact these elected officials to tell them.

We believe if there is an important matter you believe needs attention in the county or your city contacting these representatives could be beneficial. They may be able to help you.

Volusia County Council
Thomas C. Kelly
Administration Center
123 W. Indiana Ave
DeLand, Fl 32720

Frank Bruno, County Council Chairman
386-626-6582

Josh Wagner, District 2
386-239-7745/fax 386-304-5536

Andy Kelly, District 1
386-740-5224

Carl Persis, District 4
386-740-5224/fax 386-676-1389

The City Mayors

Daytona Beach
Mayor Glenn Ritchey
301 S. Ridgewood Ave.
Room 200
Daytona Beach, Fl 32114
386-671-8007/fax 386-671-8015

Deltona
Mayor Dennis Mulder
2345 Providence Boulevard
Deltona, Fl 32725
386-878-8100/fax 386-878-8501

New Smyrna Beach
Mayor Sally MacKay
210 Sams Avenue
New Smyrna Beach, Fl 32168
386-424-2112/fax 386-424-2109

Ormond Beach
Mayro fred Costello
City Hall P.O. Box 277
Ormond Beach, Fl 32175
386-677-0311

Port Orange
Mayor Allen reen
1000 City Center CIrcle
Port Orange, Fl 32129
386-506-5501/fax 386-756-5208

Volusia County Florida Fighting Against Injustice Towards Harmony-F.A.I.T.H.

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:00:39 +0000

On Monday evening in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida the local interfaith group known as F.A.I.T.H. , (Fighting Against Injustice Towards Harmony), held its annual Action Assembly hosted by First Baptist Church.

The activist group, comprised of more than two dozen Volusia County area faith-based organizations, was formed in 1996 and held its first meeting in 2000. Each autumn F.A.I.T.H. holds its Annual Assembly where is votes on the top five issues of community concern to be addressed in the coming year.

It is proof Roman Catholics, joining with members of Temple Israel, Methodists, Baptists, both black and white, and nearly every protestant denomination including the Unitarian Universalist Society of Daytona Beach can provide positive results for the communities and cities of the County of Volusia. These faithful people know they can make a difference in the improvement of the quality of life for all county residents.

Hundreds of residents were in attendance at the meeting to hear elected officials give their response to major county issues such as jobs, high unemployment, affordable housing, crime, illegal drug use, and help for the county’s mentally ill population, many of whom are wrongly held in the county prison facility.

To begin the momentous event a very inspiring explanation of the reason and purpose of the gathering was presented by the pastor of the New St. James Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. C.L. Robinson of Daytona Beach.

Pastor Richard “Bud” Murphy of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Daytona Beach represented county citizens as the questioner of the elected officials on local hiring for employment and affordable childcare a necessary component to successful employment practices.

Featured elected officials were Volusia County Council Chairman Frank Bruno; attorney Josh Wagner, who is newly elected to the Volusia County Council, representing District 2; Andy Kelly, District 4 and Carl Persis, District 4.

The mayors from Daytona Beach, Deltona, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach and Port Orange were present as well.

All of the elected officials present gave their verbal support and committed to do their part in consulting with representatives from F.A.I.T.H. to make a difference in the lives of the residents of the county when drafting or approving legislation to resolve the issues of greatest concern to all.

Conspicuous in their absence were Volusia County Council members Joie Alexander, Vice Chairman; Jack Hayman, representative District 3 and Pat Northey who represents District 5.

If you live in the areas represented by the officials who were absent from this important meeting call them and ask why they were not present and inquire about their position on the issues.

Joie Alexander, Vice Chair
386-740-5224/fax 386-604-55517

Jack Hayman, District 3
386-740-5224/fax386-423-7123

Pat Northey, District 5
386-789-7200/386-740-5247
fax 386-789-7501

Or send letters by snail mail to:

Volusia County Council
Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center
1223 West Indiana Avenue
DeLand, Florida 32720

U.S. Congress Proposes Food Safety Admin To Protect The Public Health?

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:36:02 +0000

“To establish the Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the public health by preventing food borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from
intentional contamination, and for other purposes.”

H. R. 875 proposed February 4, 2009 to be enacted by the United States House of Representatives and the Senate.

Read the proposed “Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009″ here.

This seemingly innocuous proposed bill, also known as the “Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009″, has started a firestorm of controversy among many American citizens who are proponents of organic gardening.

The federal legislative bodies are in a rush to get this bill passed. It is has the support by major chemical companies such as ADM, Monsanto and about thirty other companies with a vested interest in making sure the nation continues to use the petroleum based fertilizers and growth chemicals already in use. Chemicals that have over a period of years have contributed to the erosion of the public health.
There is grave concern should this bill be approved, with its requirement organic farms to use specific fertilizers and harmful insect sprays as dictated by the newly formed agency to “make sure there is no danger to the public food supply”, more harm than good will be done to the population.

Do you recall how tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, mushrooms and any number of varieties of produce grown using petrochemicals–fertilizers and pesticides, have been recalled or banned because of contamination most often from the run off of contaminated water coming into contact with our least expensive food supply.

Even back yard gardens, which are making a resurgence due to the down economy, in which food is grown for family/personal use only, and not for sale will be affected. If this bill is passed no longer will so-called clean heirloom seeds be available. The only seeds available to the general public and big farm business will be Monsanto genetically altered seeds that are now manifest unexpected diseases in humans.

And as if the contaminated water supply of many urban and rural areas isn’t enough to make the public cry out and demand purification standards be increased; (Prozac, birth control drugs and other prescription medications have been found in the water supply of major cities; natural water supplies in rural areas have been contaminated by industries such as oil and coal mining.) there is a suspicion this proposed legislation, the “Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009″ is part of a greater nefarious plan to control the people. As one writer stated “putting chemicals in foods is a huge business and a tactic to use in order to keep a population chemically subdued. It is a way to drug a population so those in power have an easier path to do what they want. The chemicals break down the will of the people and their health.”

Any time the federal government is in a rush to pass a law there is cause to investigate to find out why the rush to pass a new law.

Remember the rush to pass the financial bailouts bills for the banking and automotive industry where the banks got a pass, the auto companies got a lemon and the consumers got more federal debt? Or how about the telecommunications legislation of recent years; you know the ones where the major telephone companies that helped spy on citizens private communications will not be nor can they be held accountable in a court of law for the breach of our constitutional right to privacy.

Read the proposed “Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009″ here.

Contact your U.S. Congressional legislator or your U.S. Senator

Tell them you want food grown without chemicals and pesticides. Tell them their jobs depend on properly representing the public interest and not the interests fo the lobby group with the most cash and perks.

U.S. Proposes To Ban Organic Farming

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:46:21 +0000

THIS IS NO APRIL FOOL’s DAY PRANK

Another insanely Orwellian titled piece of legislation will soon be presented to the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate for a vote. It is a bill to ban organic farming.

Organic farming produces fruits and vegetables without pesticides or other harmful chemicals.

The House the proposal, known by the innocuous title “Food Safety and Modernization Act” (Bill HR 875), not surprisingly has the support of Monsanto, a giant American chemical and engineering corporation.

More on this potentially dangerous law in another post.

John Hope Franklin 1915-2009: Historian For All People

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:37:39 +0000

We treasure the wisdom of the elders. We hold in high esteem their life experience; that is why we celebrate the life of the late John Hope Franklin who departed this existence on March 25, 2009. He was 94 years old.

The late John Hope Franklin was a chronicler of American history and a civil rights activist.

He was president of Phi Beta Kappa, the Organization of American Historians, the American Historical Association, and the Southern Historical Association. He was Professor Emeritus of History at Duke University.

Franklin is probably best known for his work “From Slavery to Freedom”, first published in 1947, and regularly updated. This historic writing has sold an more than three million copies have been. In 1995, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

“My challenge was to weave into the fabric of American history enough of the presence of blacks so that the story of the United States could be told adequately and fairly.”
~ John Hope Franklin, PhD

John Hope Franklin began his illustrious career at Fisk University where he received his undergraduate degree in 1935. He later attended Harvard University where he was awarded a masters degree in 1936 and five years later he became Dr. Franklin when he won his PhD in history.

Franklin was a prolific chronicler of the American saga with emphasis on the American south.

He taught in countries all over the world from China, to the then Soviet Union; from Australia to Zimbabwe.

John Hope Franklin is survived by his son.

John Hope Franklin is the reason we can say with pride black history is American history.

John Hope Franklin Overcame Obstacles To Attain Highest Levels Of Achievement

admin — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:29:47 +0000

Recently John Hope Franklin the American historian and activist died at the age of 94. His life and times are a reminder to all of the complete history of the United States of America.

John Hope Franklin recorded the American experience from the black perspective in order to give the world and its future generations the full story of this incredible nation.

“My specialty is the history of the south. That means I teach the history of blacks and whites.”~ in a 1990 interview, John Hope Franklin , historian

Franklin, himself, was born in a flourishing, separate black area of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father, Buck Franklin, was a lawyer and his mother, Molly Parker Franklin, was a teacher.

We can not think of anyone better equipped to become the historian of note on the subject of race in America than the young John Hope Franklin who experienced first hand the trauma of hateful acts when his father’s law office was burned down during the shameful riots in Tulsa during 1921. About the same time Franklin and his mother were thrown off a train when she refused to accept accommodation in an overcrowded Negroes only carriage. It was at this time as they walked back home he was challenged by his mother to “prove you’re as good as any of them.”

After graduation from a segregated high school, Franklin went on to attend the historically black Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. After graduation he went on to study at Harvard University to receive both a masters and a doctorate in history. By 1941 he was Dr. John Hope Franklin, and husband to his college sweetheart, whom he married in 1940. Aurelia Whittington, librarian became his wife and his editor. Upon her demise in 1999 they had shared a life together as husband and wife for nearly sixty years.

Franklin returned to Tennessee to teach at Fisk. While researching his first book at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, he was forbidden to to approach white female librarians, or to use the library’s cafeterias or washrooms. The book being researched at the time was “The Free Negro in North Carolina”. Published in 1943 it dispelled many ill-perceived notions about life in the segregated southern U.S.

Four years later the ground breaking “From Slavery To Freedom” was published. In 1947 Franklin’s book was received as innovative not just because it was written by a black scholar, but because as a chronicler of American history he refused to concede to the idea the African slaves in the United States and their descendants a history separate and distinct from the rest of Americans.

More than ten years later, in 1956, Franklin wrote of the sixty year period 1800 to 1861 in which he suggested the heinous institution of slavery increased and promoted, even stimulated a violent mindset among some whites.

It can be said John Hope Franklin through his books and articles helped to formulate many of our ideas about and policies toward race in America.

The John Hope Franklin Collection for African and African-American Documentation resides at the Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library and contains his personal and professional papers

He is the recipient of the nation’s highest civilian honor. In 1995, in a special ceremony, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

John Hope Franklin, 1915-2009: An American Scholastic Treasure

admin — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:45:03 +0000

John Hope Franklin a revered American academic, teacher and historian died last week at the age of 94.

Among his academic achievements and scholarly awards:

The first black man to deliver a paper to Southern Historical Association. In 1970 he was elected president of the previously segregated organization.

The first black president of the American Historical Association.

He was instrumental in the opening of the first chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa “honor society” - a national organization which inspires academic excellence - at historically black university, Fisk University, where Franklin began his own higher education.

In Britain, he held the Pitt professorship of American history and institutions at Cambridge University.

Franklin taught all over the world - in China, the Soviet Union, Australia and Zimbabwe.In 1976 he became the first African-American to deliver the National Endowment for the Humanities Jefferson Lectures, which was the basis for his book, Racial Equality In America.

In 1983Dr. John Hope Franklin returned to Duke, where he courageously held out against discrimination 40 years before; this time as James B Duke professor of history; a position he retained as emeritus after 1985, when he “retired” to teach legal history at Duke’s law school.

Forty years of work concluded in the publication of his biography of George Washington Williams, a self-educated soldier and minister who is said to have coined the term “crimes against humanity” after visiting the Belgian Congo in 1881.

In 1995 President Bill Clinton awarded Franklin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Two years later, Franklin was named head of Clinton’s Initiative On Race. when Franklin’s report was published, it was criticized, both by other minority groups, supporters and conservatives.

It is interesting to note in The Color Line, Franklin’s 1993 book, he argues that America’s greatest challenge remains providing equality in the 21st century. Franklin further stated this notion be considered in the light of his own scholarship into black achievement under trying circumstances.

According to Walter Dellinger, his former colleague at Duke University in North Carolina, Dr. Franklin, like many Americans, was astonished by the presidential nomination of Barack Obama.

“I never expected to live 90 years, but even if I had, I still would not have thought that would be long enough to see this happen.”

John Hope Franklin American Historian

Cartoonist Scott Bateman On Banking

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:21:53 +0000

Even before this massive economic fuster cluck became evident to the masses we were writing complaints about the system and well known banking companies like Skank of America.

The following is another in a continuing series to educate and inform visitors to this site-consumers, about the banking/financial industry especially in America.

Today we are pleased to present Scott Bateman a political cartoonist of renown. We’re fans of Scott. We hope you will be joining us as we follow his political cartoons.

Here now Scott Bateman provides answers to a 1947 film that promotes the idea that all of us should be to going to the bank.

Jon Stewart And Jim Cramer Perfect Together!

admin — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:36:01 +0000

Recently we witnessed the interview by Jon Stewart, comedian and host of Comedy Central’s Daily Show, a basic cable service program known for its send up of the news; of Jim Cramer, CNBC’s Mad Money man, the guy in whom, according to the cable financial news network we should put our trust.

Firstly, that the serious interview can only come on a comedy news program is almost a tragedy and says loads about where we are in this country concerning money matters.

Secondly, that only on a comedy show, and on a basic cable comedy show, is it being mentioned and even admitted this financial crisis was no accident but something those in the industry could see coming and have been building towards for more than 10 years, speaks to the deliberate ignorance and deceit in which the public is kept.

Thirdly, that these financial reporting experts, with their own financial experts not only knew what was going to happen, but planned it to happen, and then turned around and blamed the ordinary homeowners, the ordinary Americans who no one ever claimed or expected should be knowledgeable in finances–that’s why they trust experts–while taking none of the blame themselves, speaks of unmitigated gall, indecency and should arouse, but for some reason does not, true outrage.

The average American is so financially astute that there are many people who can not make correct change from a dollar when the item costs thirty-nine cents. There are unprecedented numbers of people who do not have a clue about the economy, or banking which is the way certain people in our society like it.Back to the ground breaking eye-opening interview about this current money crisis. Stewart nailed it when he stated Cramer, CNBC and all the financial news reporters and economic experts knew this bubble could not last. They knew it would come to an end at some point. They just did not know when. So they rallied everyone who could to continue to invest in shaky instruments for unrealistic rewards and profits.

Cramer said he did not know Bear-Stearns was going to go under. He says he expressed concern when the stock price dropped to forty; but false assurances from a top Bear Stearn s CEO who knew better, a man whose word Cramer says he trusted and therefore this CEO’s words justified his faith that the end of the rally was not near.

Cramer ran a hedge fund several years ago. He knows the ins and outs of the money business. Cramer knows how the money was stolen, where the bodies are buried and who the criminals are.

We are grateful to Jon Stewart for taking a stand against the money guys who ripped us off. We are glad he’s let them know and the news agencies that are supposed to be asking the questions on our behalf, that we know they were all complicit in their complacency if not in their enthusiastic support of the theft that took place. When it comes to Ponzi scheme thievery Madoff is small time compared to some of these guys .

Venus’ And Serena’s Father/Coach Getting Married

admin — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:32:37 +0000

Read the latest about the pending marriage of Richard Williams to Lakeisha Graham. In case you didn’t know Richard is the father and coach of internationally known tennis sensations sisters Venus and Serena Williams.

WAL-MART The Bank??

admin — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:23:46 +0000

There are many people who believe the idea of a Wal-Mart Bank is really scary.

There are several good reasons why a Wal-Mart Bank would work. The economic times have changed requiring radical solutions. A Wal-Mart Bank is one result of “thinking outside the box”.It is reported that nearly two years ago Wal-Mart withdrew its application to become an industrial loan company due to the overwhelming opposition it faced from the usual anti-Wal-Mart interest groups, as well as the Federal Deposit insurance Corporation and other banks such as Bank Of America. They all feared the possibility Wal-Mart could decimate the local banks and be a substantial competitor to the bigger banks because Wal-Mart is financially healthy. As we all well know many of the largest U.S. banks, Citi and BOA, are not.

There are 4,200 Wal-Mart stores–see them as branches, in the United States. Wal-Mart already has some financial service systems in place. It would be very easy and cost effective for the company to adapt its technological infrastructure to becoming a bank; it could be more than just a clearing house for payments from customers, wholesalers and suppliers as are some of the existing money institutions like Skank Of America.

David Reilly, a columnist at Bloomberg, says,

“The cost to investors of insuring against a default by Wal- Mart on its debt, a sign of its perceived risk, is a fifth that of Citigroup Inc. and about 40 percent lower than that of JPMorgan Chase & Co.”

Wal-Mart has a banking license in Mexico. So the company has experience.

We are certain there are many more reasons why Wal-Mart as a bank isn’t such a terrible idea. We laso realize there are organizations like Skank Of America that support the statu quo. Among them are the National Association Of Realtors and the United Food & Commercial Workers Union; both groups support leaving our nation’s economic matters in the hands of the traditional banking companies.

Today Wal-Mart says they have no “strategy for banking”. Warren Buffet, super-de-duper investor expert says among other things, “This is a great time to be in banking.” We bet if given the opportunity Wal-Mart decision makers would be totally onboard.

Any company that does not have old toxic loans would find banks’ cost of capital is low when compared with the interest they can charge for loans. This would mean higher profit margins. There is opportunity to make a profit.

Bank Of America CitiGroup Bad News

admin — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:30:45 +0000

Unconfirmed word on the Street–Wall Street, is that Bank Of America and CitiGroup may be removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

The Dow or DJI is one of several stock market indicators, created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company co-founder Charles Dow during the 1800s. It is a way of showing how certain stocks have traded.
Dow compiled the index to gauge the performance of the industrial sector of the American stock market. After the Dow Jones Transportation Average, which Dow also created it is the second-oldest U.S. market index.

You would think after taking as much of our money as both Skank of America and Shiti-Group have taken they could hold onto their positions as leading indicators of the U.S. economy…

Credit Crisis: A Simple Explanation

admin — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:53:10 +0000

From Jonathan Jarvis, a Los Angeles, California based designer, comes The Crisis of Credit Visualized. Jarvis has taken an extremely complex topic and in this animation provides the essence of the situation for those who are unfamiliar and uninitiated.
The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Bank Of America’s Newest Product To Protect Your Money Not So Secure

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:14:26 +0000

Here’s news you Bank Of America customers can use, if there are any of that vanishing breed left, especially if you regularly bank online.

In keeping with its image, BAnk Of America, “the bank that cares”, presents its newest security product called SafePass® which promises to be “Bank of America’s strongest protection in guarding against Online Banking fraud and identify theft.” BoA’s strongest protection to guard against fraud and identity theft is like using a condom with a hole in it. Since they are selling identity theft protection it makes sense they’d offer an innovative product that would increase the reason for purchasing an ID theft protection program.According to information found on the Bank Of America web site , “With SafePass, you get a 6-digit, one-time passcode sent as a text message1 to your mobile phone or generated from a convenient wallet-sized card2. ” (sic)

This is the part that solidifies the stringent precautions Skank of America is taking to protect your money and your privacy:

“Since the passcode is sent privately to your personal device, you get an unrivaled extra layer of security when authorizing sensitive transactions (Note: the code is temporary and expires as soon as you use it). With this convenient added layer of protection for Online Banking, you can be confident that only you are authorizing new payees in Bill Pay and adding new accounts for online transfers. SafePass also enables transfers with higher daily and weekly limits as well.”

Aside from the fact sending a passcode or any other sensitive private information to a cell phone is not advised by experts, there has recently been publicized a new way to gain illicit access to web sites that are using Secured Socket Layer protection.

Once again Bank Of America provides the answer to the question asked by Virginia Hammerness, the granddaughter of its founder, “What kind of idiots are running that bank?!”

We’ve observed they are the kind who once they get your money, treat it like it’s their own, because it is!

Bank Of America Ken Lewis In The News Again!

admin — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:23:18 +0000

Our favorite bank, Bank Of America, along with our favorite Banking Chief Executive, Kenneth D. Lewis are in the news again and the news is not good for the bank.

We’re hoping the scandals surrounding the banking institution some are calling SKANK of America, will somehow eventually resolve into benefits for the American consumer.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has issued a subpoena in his ongoing investigation of Bank Of America Corporation to get the names of Merrill Lynch executives who received $3.6 billion in year-end bonuses.
It seems Chief Executive Ken Lewis failed to provide those details during a lengthy deposition Thursday evening.

Lewis said he “answered the questions that were asked to the best of my knowledge.”
The New York Attorney General is looking into the timing of Merrill Lynch’s bonuses and whether proper disclosure was made to shareholders about the size of the bonuses. Not only were the bonuses granted just before Bank of America’s acquisition of Merrill closed, but just as that bank was seeking additional government aid on top of $25 billion it had already received.

Take note of more “in-your-face-arrogance” on the part of BoA CEO Kenneth Lewis. At a time when bailed-out banks face extreme scrutiny over executives’ use of private corporate aircraft Ken flew to New York on the company’s private jet.

The contemptuousness displayed by Lewis for the American public is an attitude that is part of Bank Of America’s corporate culture. It trickles down into the banking centers and is apparent in the telephone customer service conversations.

A company spokesman says it was due to the timing of the meeting, “…we felt it was necessary to use corporate aircraft.” Really? Is that so? We presume Lewis would be traveling from the corporate headquarters in North Carolina. Are there no commercial flights from Charlotte, North Carolina to New York City? Was it possible to hire an SUV and driver to bring Lewis to New York?

Too bad being prompt for the meeting did not have the same level of priority as giving important details at the meeting. Details we agree should be disclosed.

There are reports that New York’s Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is disappointed and frustrated with the lack of cooperation his investigators are receiving. Obviously Cuomo does not have banking business with Bank Of America. Being uncooperative is something they do very well.

Bank Of America is headquartered in North Carolina. There is no safety in that state from investigation; in fact North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper has demanded information about the bonuses, who received them and how much they got.

Bank of America has repeatedly said Merrill Lynch was an independent company last year, and its board of directors had ultimate approval over how much to pay employees. It has not been publicly disclosed whether Lewis had the authority to stop the bonuses from being issued.

Stay tuned as the thick plottens for one of our favorite banking institutions….

Bank Of America Heiress Critical of Executives

admin — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:32:28 +0000

The woman who is heir to the Bank of America fortune, Virginia Hammerness, revealed how she really feels about the executives in charge of the bank started by her grandfather.She asks the question we, ourselves, have asked so many times: “What kind of idiots” are running the bank founded by A.P. Giannini who set up shop in California in a saloon in 1904, and continued to overcome obstacles despite his bank being destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

The 75 year-old Hammerness says her grandfather would be turning over in his grave with the knowledge of the quality of decisions being made by modern day bank CEO Kenneth Lewis.

When asked if she keeps her money at Bank Of America Hammerness confessed she does only because it’s convenient. She’s like many of us.

“… I have no loyalty to it. It’s just there because I’m too lazy to go somewhere else… That’s the honest to God truth, just too lazy to move it somewhere else.”

Although she now expresses concern the bank’s continuing decline may leave little of the family fortune for future heirs, we can not help but wonder why as someone who holds a significant number of shares in the bank she did not speak up sooner about the caliber of personnel being hired as managers.

The Economy: Jon Stewart Has A Better Idea

admin — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:30:48 +0000

Last month Jon Stewart, the affable host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, made a suggestion during his interview with guest Gwen Ifill, of the serious news program Washington Week, as to how the economic crisis in the United States can be resolved.

We think Jon’s idea, like Ifill’s new book about political breakthroughs in this country, is indeed an idea to promote an economic advance in our system.Basically Stewart proposes the feds give the bail out money to the consumers to pay off debt; money specifically designated to pay off mortgages and other consumer debt. We, consumers, give it to the banks; the lenders wipe the slate clean. The banking institutions get the funding they need to make loans for college tuition, mortgages, new cars and businesses. It’s a winning idea for everyone.

We think the Obama administration and the Congress should implement this idea, make it policy as soon as possible.

Watch the video. Jon makes his proposal around five minutes into the interview.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Gwen Ifill

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Funny Political News
Joke of the Day

Black History Is American History

admin — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:47:32 +0000

February is the month in which many Americans, especially Americans of African descent, celebrate the history of coming to America.

February was chosen , not because it is the shortest month, but because it is the month of the birth of Abraham Lincoln the president who emancipated all the slaves. Not every person who was a slave was Black or Native American. Many whites were indentured slaves. Today the financial institution executives have made many of our citizens modern day indentured slaves.

Included in that history are the trials and tribulations of being enslaved; but the joyful part of the history is the celebration of the achievements of the progeny of former black slaves.

At YouThinkWhat we acknowledge the successes and the triumphs in the face of extreme adverse conditions faced by men and women who despite those obstacles have contributed to the culture that is known around the planet as being uniquely American in its style.

Bank Of America More Bad News, Part 2

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:27:53 +0000

Will the utter reckless spending never end at Bank Of America? Reports of excess spending of the taxpayer bailout money at Super Bowl XLIII has been explained as being part of Bank Of America’s growth strategy.

Really? Would that be growth at the expense of the shareholders and depositors?

Bank Of America is reportedly in negotiations with the New York Yankees for sponsorship of Yankee Stadium.

According to ABC News Bank Of America spent $10 million to sponsor the 850,000 square foot event at Super Bowl XLIII known as the NFL Experience.

Sports related sponsorships combined with the current free checking campaign are the ways to lure unsuspecting consumers into the BOA vortex of financial terrorism.

Heed this warning Sam and Sue sports fan: Party today with BOA, you’ll be paying excessive fees, and in other ways unbeknown to you, ripped off for your hard earned dollars at the altar of Bank Of America tomorrow.

If you wish to apply public pressure to Kenneth Lewis and his thuggish associates for the thoughtless decisions they are making about how they spend our money send an email from here
http://www.bankofamerica.com/state.cgi?section=contact&update=&cookiecheck=yes&lob=general

Send Bank Of America a message. We are sure the bank that cares would love to hear what you think.

Bank Of America The Bad News Bank

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:57:49 +0000

We are unashamed of our unabashed continuous bashing of Bank Of America. As a woman we know would say, “They are financial terrorists.”

We concur. What they do as perpetrators of financial terror is akin to strapping on a bandoleer of explosives and detonating them in your home as physical terrorists would do causing harm, serious injury, even death to you and your family.

That is why we continue to alert the banking public to the actions of the largest bank in the U.S. by assets; assets that come from your deposits and excessive fees paid by you the depositor.Myriad lawsuits have been filed against Bank Of America. We think the Sklar case filed in New York’s federal court last month will have some traction. Just as we believe the University of California’s fraud case against former Enron Corporation banks which includes Merrill Lynch now owned by–that’s right, Bank Of America, will be successful.

Last month the general counsel for the UC asked for court permission to amend its securities-fraud complaint. The university will want to proceed individually with the state claims only if the court rules against it on a request by the lenders to dismiss federal, class-action securities-fraud claims, according to the filing.

It’s getting to the point if there is fraudulent activity in the air you’ll find Bank Of America there.

BTW if you have a few extra dollars you may want to buy some Bank Of America stock. According to Bloomberg Bank of America Corporation. (BAC US) slipped 3 percent to $6.39, and earlier dropped as much as 8 percent, the most in three days.

President Barack Obama said some banks remain “very vulnerable” and it’s likely they haven’t fully disclosed all of their losses. The president said that banks getting relief would have to abide by certain conditions on executive compensation.

Hmm sounds to us like Bank Of America could be one of the banks the president is referencing.

More Bank Of America News…

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:33:57 +0000

Last month a Bank Of America Corporation shareholder initiated a lawsuit charging the largest U.S. lender by assets it did not inform investors about the more than $15 billion in losses sustained by Merrill Lynch & Company before they voted on its acquisition last December 5, 2008.

According to a complaint filed in January 2009 by bank shareholder Steven Sklar in federal court in New York, the October 31, 2008 proxy statement on which the vote was based had not been revised to account for the investment firm’s poor performance in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Sklar said in his complaint, “Despite his knowledge of Merrill Lynch’s staggering losses,” Bank of America Chairman Kenneth Lewis didn’t relay that information to the bank’s investors and allowed the deal to close.

Just one more service Bank of America, “the bank that cares” provides for the public as a courtesy.

Named as defendants in Sklar’s lawsuit are Kenneth Lewis and John Thain, the final chairman of the securities firm who redecorated his office for more than one million dollars including the purchase of a $35,000 crapper that can not be used for the alleged purpose for which it was designed; the filing seeks class-action, or group, status on behalf of all Bank of America shareholders who were eligible to vote on the acquisition, plus unspecified money damages for the loss of value of their holdings.

We suggest if you or a loved one have been the victim of this kind of financial terrorism by Bank Of America you may want to contact Levin Papantonio a law firm we have heard is accepting cases for Bank Of America shareholder losses. We’ve also heard the firm’s total settlements have exceeded one billion dollars

We’re also told Peter J. Mougey a shareholder with the Pensacola, Florida law firm of Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Echsner & Proctor is head of the Business Torts Department at the firm. He concentrates his practice in the areas of securities arbitration and litigation as well as commercial, antitrust, and construction litigation.

His nationwide practice includes the representation of several state and municipal pension funds in various investment disputes.

In addition, Mr. Mougey has represented more than a thousand securities fraud victims in state and federal court and securities arbitrations across the country. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (”PIABA”)

You are encouraged to seek reparation for yourself or loved ones if you as a shareholder have been victimized by the financial terror tactics of Bank Of America.

The case is Sklar v. Bank of America Corp., 09cv580, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

Bank of America Sued For Aiding Ponzi Scheme

admin — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:49:36 +0000

YouThinkWhat presents,as public service for consumers, another report about our favorite bank Bank Of America…the bank that cares….. less! The following report from ConsumerAffairs.com

Victims of an Internet-based Ponzi scheme have filed a lawsuit against Bank of America and the organizers of the scheme in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Using elaborate misrepresentations, including numerous video postings on YouTube, organizers induced victims from around the country to purchase so-called “ad packages” from the following entities: AdSurfDaily, AdSurfDaily Cash Generator, Golden Panda Ad Builder, and La Fuente Dinero. The scheme promised that participants could earn large rebates for viewing web advertisements and commissions for referring additional participants.

Hundreds of millions of dollars were collected from approximately 140,000 victims across the country, in amounts ranging from $500 to $250,000 at large rallies and through online deposits…

At least one other financial institution closed the accounts of the organizers for suspicious activity, according to a sworn government complaint. VISA also considered the enterprise suspicious and would not process charges directed to the scheme by would be victims. And the very popular PayPal payment system rejected efforts by participants to purchase “ad packages” using their system.

Beginning in November of 2006, Bank of America allegedly allowed the scheme’s main perpetrator carte blanche at the bank. The complaint claims the scammers opened and maintained at least 10 separate accounts for running an unlawful Ponzi scheme. These accounts were opened at a tiny Bank of America branch in Quincy, Florida under various “doing business as” designations.

The suit claims Bank of America looked the other way when these accounts amassed deposits in the tens of millions of dollars from thousands of individual transactions.

There is an established range of regulations requiring oversight from bankers over activities like these. Most require reporting suspicious activity to the Feds. Surely looks like someone in the food chain at BofA was looking the other way.

You haven’t closed your Bank Of America account, yet? What are you waiting for?

Lilly Ledbetter: From Loyal Employee To Labor Activist

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:55:43 +0000

The first piece of real legislation Barack Obama signed as the 44th President of the United States, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, is named for a woman who was paid less than her male co-workers at a Goodyear tire factory in Alabama.

Ledbetter’s intention was not to be an activist; hers was a personal quest at the start, but after the Supreme Court ruled against her, she decided it was time to become a labor activist for the sake of her daughters and the daughters of working people everywhere.

As you read this woman’s story keep in mind she was employed by
Goodyear an international company named by Fortune magazine as the World’s Most Admired Motor Vehicle Parts Company in its 2008 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. The publication also ranked Goodyear No. 1 in innovation, people management, use of assets and global orientation. The company is also listed on Forbes magazine’s list of the Most Respected Companies in America and its list of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America. CRO magazine–the publication for executives charged with Corporate Responsibility, ranks Goodyear as number 72 of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens. Goodyear employs about 70,000 people and manufactures its products in more than 60 facilities in 25 countries around the world.

Ledbetter, a 70 year-old widow whose husband died last December, was hired in 1979 to work as an overnight supervisor from 7PM to 7AM at the Goodyear plant. She worked for nearly twenty years and says with reference to her work ethic,”There was nothing I wouldn’t do, no matter how dirty or hard.”

During her career at Goodyear, Ledbetter experienced sexual harassment and day-to-day discrimination. In her testimony before Congress in 2007Ledbetter told how a supervisor once asked for sexual favors in return for good job performance evaluations. After Ledbetter complained about the supervisor to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), he was reassigned, but Ledbetter said she felt isolated at work and experienced a long-term pattern of discrimination.

Ledbetter received periodic pay increases. She even received an award for Top Performance in 1996. But just as she was about to take early retirement in 1998 an anonymous co-worker slipped a note into Ledbetter’s mailbox at work comparing her pay to the pay of three other male counterparts. Ledbetter filed a complaint with the EEOC and was then assigned to lift heavy tires, which she felt was retribution. (Ledbetter was making $3,727 per month, while men doing the same job were paid $4,286 to $5,236 per month.)

She sued Goodyear, which claimed it paid Ledbetter less than other male workers because she was not a good worker. A jury awarded Ledbetter about $3.3 million, but the amount was later reduced to around $300,000. Subsequently, the Supreme Court, in May 2007 voted 5-4 that Ledbetter was not entitled to compensation because she filed her claim more than 180 days, six months, after receiving her first discriminatory paycheck.

“A worker knows immediately if she is denied a promotion or transfer, if she is fired or refused employment. And promotions, transfers, hirings, and firings are generally public events, known to co-workers. When an employer makes a decision of such open and definitive character, an employee can immediately seek out an explanation and evaluate it for pretext. Compensation disparities, in contrast, are often hidden from sight.”
— Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, dissenting with the majority opinion that found Ledbetter’s case was invalid, May 29, 2007

Ledbetter says she lives paycheck to paycheck and has no expectation of ever getting any restitution from Goodyear Tire.

Lilly Ledbetter met President Obama when he was a senator and campaigned on his behalf. Obama and the future First Lady talked about Ledbetter regularly on the campaign stump and the Alabama native rode with Obama as he took a celebratory train trip to Washington, D.C. before the inauguration. Ledbetter attended the inauguration and danced with the President at a ball afterward.

With reference to the fact her retirement benefits are based on the discriminatory pay she received from Goodyear Tire, Ledbetter says, “I will be a second-class citizen for the rest of my life … It affects every penny I have today.”

The new bill, named for Ledbetter, changes the Civil Rights Act so workers can sue up to 180 days, six months, after receiving any discriminatory paycheck.

Daytona Beach Florida King Birthday Celebration Ecumenical NOT Interfaith

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:59:39 +0000

A report from Clark Dark’s mom, Blanche Africa Reilly Dark on her experience of Martin Luther King’s Birthday celebration in Daytona Beach, Florida.

I had the pleasure of being in central Florida during the days leading up to the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama. As you know the day before this momentous occasion was the official federal holiday celebration of the birthday the slain civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who would have been eighty years-old.

I was invited by friends to join members of the Daytona Beach community at a breakfast, march and church service sponsored by the good people of the Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church where Father Phil Egitto is the pastor.We arrived for breakfast in the church social hall around 845 on the morning of January 19. The menu was simple with church ladies assisting by serving the guests coffee, water, breakfast quiche, grits and corned beef hash along with assorted pastries.

Father Egitto blessed the meal with a prayer that not only sounded Baptist in its delivery but gave me the idea he just might deliver a sermon before the meal.

After we went directed to the sanctuary to receive our instructions for the march which would begin at 930AM.

Our Lady of Lourdes offers a beautiful sanctuary of modern design. For this very special occasion on the wall at the front of the church was a painting of a black Jesus with broken chains and shackles on His wrists. The pulpit area was also decorated with boat sails of African patterned cloth symbolic of the ships that brought people from Africa against their will to these shores more than 400 years ago.

While we waited for marching instruction we sang with the church and school choir in an atmosphere that was tinged with excitement, warmth and love. It was a beautiful thing to see and experience. There were blacks and whites, people of goodwill all gathered together at this place of worship.
Continued next post

Rod Blagojevic Ex-Governor Illinois: It’s Not Over

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:29:41 +0000

It’s finally happened. It was almost like waiting for your cousin to give birth to a new baby by C-section. You know she’s going to give birth on a specific date and time. You may even know the sex of the child.

That’s what happened when the Illinois state legislature conducted a very public impeachment trial of former Governor Rod Blagojevich. We knew, as did the governor, when he was arrested on December 9, 2008, that it was just a matter of time before he was ousted from the office with much fanfare. The publicity, flamboyance and circus atmosphere surrounding Blagojevich’s actions while governor and his subsequent trial were equal to the way he conducted himself while governor.

We have no fault with what he did. As far as we can see he did nothing wrong. No lives were lost; no one was irreparably harmed. Yet on Thursday, January 29, 2009 the Illinois State Senate voted unanimously, 59-0, to remove Rod Blagojevich from the office of governor, never to hold public office in the state again, for abuse of power.

We want to say we like Rod Blagojevich. What would our American politicians be without the ability to leverage, negotiate to get people and laws into place that will benefit the people to whom they are accountable? Blagojevich was just doing what every other politician does. It’s just that while doing his job he angered, annoyed and blocked some opposing legislators; we suspect some of these people may have had it in for him because of his immigrant heritage, his administrative style and his political success.

We want to say, as that famous Hispanic-Jewish tee vee reporter said, Blagojevich got a raw deal. He never committed a crime. His discussions by phone or in person were sometimes profanity laced rants that can also be described as passionate for the topic of a vacated U.S. Senate seat. Acknowledging the value and stating his reluctance to give it up for nothing does not necessarily mean he was trying to sell the seat for cash.

We believe Rod Blagojevich is another in a long list of distractions for the American people. True he’s a former Illinois prosecutor, congressional representative with lots of experience in the law and politics, a bigwig whom many believe should have his comeuppance.

But we find his trespasses are far less offensive to us than those of say, Karl Rove, who was instructed by the Bush administration lawyers to ignore any subpoenas to escape being accountable for his part in the illegal Bush administrations’ activities–think Valerie Plame out CIA operative; or Dick Cheney who arrogantly disclosed in television exit interviews his part in the decision to go against treaty agreements that prohibit torture. Or for that matter the former occupant of the White House George W. Bush, himself, who is responsible for the deaths of countless numbers of young Americans and Iraqi civilians. Talk about abuse of power. GWB lied and provided false evidence to start a war that no one wanted.

We think the actions by state Attorney General Lisa Madigan–look for her in the future as a candidate for governor; federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, and the legislative leaders in both state houses, who told Blagojevich in December that if certain things did not happen he’d be removed from office, (they were using their political leverage), are more offensive to us than anything the former governor said or did.

Just know that if it can happen to him. It can happen to you. We still do not know how it is the ex-governor’s actions came to the attention of the federal prosecutor who on December 9, 2008 at a news conference about the then governor’s arrest behaved as though the federal part of this case had been held with a favorable verdict for the government and the case closed. We had believed in the past Fitzgerald was fair. Guess we were wrong about that assessment.

We expect Rod Blagojevich’s federal case to never come to trial; just like Elliot Spitzer’s federal case. We find it interesting how certain governors are removed from office amid lots of scandalous publicity, federal charges of wrong doing and nearly 24/7 news coverage mostly to keep the public from questioning the real crimes being done in business and government while determining, once the subject has been removed from the power position, there is no point in going forward with the trial on federal charges.

We expect to hear more from private citizen Blagojevich. We hope he and his family will do well.

The Price And The Promise Of Citizenship, The Source Of Our Confidence

admin — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:02:12 +0000

Excerpt of the Inaugural Address delivered by Barack Obama, 44th President Of The United States on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it).”

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Barack Hussein Obama 44th President Of The United States of America Sworn Today

admin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:01:45 +0000

At high noon today, Tuesday, January 20, 2009 in the crisp cold air of the capital in Washington, D.C. the 44th POTUS was inaugurated.

In the presence of members of both federal legislative bodies, the members of the Supreme Court, with the presidential oath of office administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States as prescribed by the U.S. Constitution, Barack Obama became the first Black African American of our era to become the leader of the free world.Millions of U.S. citizens filled the national mall to witness this monumental moment in history as millions around the planet were also witness to this remarkable event.

We offer our proud, excited congratulations and best wishes to the new president, his cabinet and his wife and family as he begins this journey to lead our nation from the depths of despair to attain the highest levels of achievement as our national reputation and respect is restored among in the nations of the world.

Happy Birthday Michelle Obama-Future First Lady

admin — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:31:29 +0000

Happy birthday, Michelle Obama! Congratulations and best wishes are in order for the future First Lady of our land.Today is the day Michelle Obama was born. She is President-elect Barack Obama’s wife, and best friend for sixteen years. Michelle is the love of his life, the mother of his daughters and she is his not so secret weapon. They are partners in life and in politics.

We are happy to know we will be seeing an openly affectionate married couple in the White House; a couple that is not as demonstrative as Tipper and Al Gore, but a couple anyone can clearly identify as rock solid stable.

We are thrilled to know this graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law will restore elegance and style to the White House while being the national ideal model loving, supportive wife and nurturing caring mother.

What an awesome birthday celebration this is for Michelle Obama with her husband traveling to Washington, D.C. to be installed in a new job as President of the United States, and all of the festivities that go along with venerable tradition.

This just has to be the best birthday ever.

U.S. National Security Agency Outsources Surveillance on Citizens

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:28:16 +0000

Last October in an interview (shown below) with Democracy Now! journalist, author and former intelligence analyst for the United States Navy during the Viet Nam war, James Bramford, discussed his latest book on his favorite topic the National Security Agency (NSA).In his new book titled Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to Eavesdropping on America, Bramford explains how the NSA has outsourced the job of surveillance to companies overseas.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born This Day 1929

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:35:08 +0000

The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on this day, January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia.

As Americans we are compelled to have long holiday weekends. The King holiday is no exception and with the upcoming presidential inauguration of the first non-white, African American the next few days will be filled with national celebration.All Americans should know had it not been for the willingness of Martin Luther King, Jr. to serve his fellow man by speaking out about the injustice being done to a race and a class of people we would not have the strong feeling and evidence of unity in our country today.

It is because of the sacrifices of Martin Luther King, Jr. and other courageous individuals who participated in the Civil Rights Movement that we stand at the threshold of a new era in American history and politics.

Finally Obama Family Moves To Traditional Presidential Guest House

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:42:23 +0000

Finally, just five days before moving into the White House, Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and their two daughters, Malia and Sasha will be moving into the traditional executive guest house known as Blair House. This news comes from Rachel Swarns of the New York Times Politics Blog.It’s a petty matter that it speaks volumes about the Bush administration’s feelings toward the President-elect and his family. The Obamas had made a request to stay at the historic Blair House just across the street from their soon to be official presidential residence 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The parents had hoped to stay there as their daughters were to begin attending the prestigious Sidwell Friends School earlier this month.

White House staffers informed the Obamas Blair House would not be available until nine days after, because it was booked for a diplomatic guest, even though the State Department, folks who should know, said there was no dignitary expected to arrive to stay in Washington. Blair House is often used to house visiting diplomats and dignitaries.

Turns out the visiting foreign guest is a former prime minister of Australia. Say what?! That’s right in the world of diplomacy a foreign former head of state trumps our president-elect.

Instead of the Obamas staying in a hotel why couldn’t this former head of Australia, John Howard, a close ally of George Bush, be made comfortable in a hotel instead of the Obamas? Don’t the same rules apply as when guests come to your home? We think John Howard is a bad guest. He should have shown deference to the incoming president and his family by stating he’d be comfortable in a hotel. We are sure that just as for the president-elect luxurious comfort, security, extra rooms and even floors are part of the booking arrangement.

George Bush is in search of ways to clean up his record before he says his final good-bye to the nation. There were no hard feelings on the part of the Obama family. Barack Obama displayed his usual adroitness. We believe George Bush putting up his friend John Howard in a hotel would not have caused an international scandal; in fact it would have helped to leave a less bitter taste in the mouth of Bush critics worldwide. If John Howard had acquiesced to the request of a family for its children his actions would have shown him to be gracious, considerate and understanding.

We bid a fond farewell to George and his international cronies.

Damon Weaver 10 Year-Old Florida Reporter Gets Obama Inaugural Press Credentials

admin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:39:10 +0000

Congratulations to cub reporter Damon Weaver! The young Florida elementary school cub reporter has received press credentials from the official Inaugural Committee for the historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on January 20, 2009 in Washington, D.C. As you may recall two weeks ago we reported on Weaver’s quest to get those credentials and an interview with President-elect Barack Obama.

Damon has received the press pass to attend the event. Now he needs to secure the interview with Mr. Obama. To encourage a favorable response from Obama and advisors Weaver has asked an NBA expert to give him an assist with his request. Take a look….

Please, Mr. Obama won’t you make some time for Damon Weaver, the boy some refer to as “The Future of Journalism” , to ask the important questions of interest to us all, especially his peers?

Obama Inauguration To Be Seen In 27 U.S. Theaters

admin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:08:46 +0000

According to reports from New York City President-elect Barack Obama is on his way to the big screen, thanks to a deal between MSNBC and Screenvision that will put the news channel’s inaugural coverage in 27 theaters around the country.

Free tickets are being handed out via MSNBC.com to see the inauguration and parade from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET at the 27 theaters run by 11 exhibitor partners in 21 markets. Midday Tuesday isn’t necessarily a big movie time, so it helps to fill the theater — and boost popcorn and soda sales — at a time when it’s not usually busy.Screenvision was approached by MSNBC last year about carrying the coverage in some of the same theaters that take Screenvision’s preroll video, executive vp exhibitor relations Darryl Schaffer said. Since August 2007, Screenvision has had an alternative programming division that has exhibited New York Mets baseball games, operas and other events live via movie theaters. Schaffer said that Screenvision had the capability to do as many as 200 locations, though MSNBC was looking for a smaller event than that.

We say wait just a minute MSNBC this is a monumental event in American history. There is technology to support nearly ten times the number of theaters reserved but “MSNBC was looking for a smaller event”! If this is true we think someone over at MSNBC dropped the ball.

We want our inauguration in as many outlets as possible!

For Rev. Rick Warren: What Would Jesus Do?

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:07:00 +0000

Much controversy continues to surround president-elect Barack Obama’s choice of Rev. Rick Warren to give the invocation at his upcoming inaugural ceremony on January 20, 2009.

Warren is very popular among the Christian right. He is the California mega-church, anti-gay marriage pastor, who during the campaign last fall held a meeting at the Saddleback church which featured the Republican candidate and President-elect Obama.Warren is the Christian leader who equates committed gay relationships to incest, polygamy and “an older guy marrying a child.”

We believe Warren’s selection is merely symbolic. It’s a political token to those who despite casting a vote for Barack Obama support California’s Proposition 8, banning gay marriages, and other similar legislation abridging the rights of all homosexual citizens.

We think lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender folk must consider the quality of Mr. Obama’s policies. The character of his religious advisors, whether Rev. Jeremiah Wright or Rev. Rick Warren, is not the reason he was elected.

As the gay citizens reflect upon that point we believe Rev. Warren and those who agree with him should reconsider their position. Warren could help unite our nation by becoming less of a symbol and provide more substance by behaving more like Christ. He should recant his reprehensible remarks.

We believe Jesus would exhibit more tolerance, more compassion, and understanding. Most of all we believe He would be more loving toward gay citizens. That’s what we think Jesus would do.

That’s what we think Rev. Warren and his cohorts must do to make ours a more perfect union.

No More Support For Israel

admin — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:21:54 +0000

We agree with " target="_blank">the writer, “Chilean Jew” at the Daily Kos who said on Sunday, December 28, 2008, “Today I end my support of Israel.” There are many Americans, as individuals and as organizations, who support Israel. A few of the groups and individuals who provide funding to Israel are not Jewish or Zionist organizations. We are not Zionists. We can not continue to support a country unwilling to grant self-determination to a neighboring people. We’re done tolerating the slaughter, the murders and barbaric occupation of an impoverished people, the utter disregard for human life.

We see the recent so-called defensive attacks by Israelis on the Palestinians as excessive. Sort of like if someone, a Palestinian for example, talks trash about harming you, tosses several paper missiles at you (Israel) and misses every time. You respond by blowing up his home and killing his family. We say this action is retaliatory, excessive and wrong.

Our understanding is the attacks by a rebel faction of the extremist Palestinian group Hamas could be considered a mere annoyance since their missiles are inaccurate and have not killed or injured anyone in Israel. We think the Israeli government’s reaction is one of overkill and very inappropriate.

We say it is time for the U.S. Department of State to show some courage and strength of conviction by telling the Israelis they must stop their contribution to the chaos in the Middle East.

Whether or not they wish to acknowledge it, the other nations of the world know the government of Israel responds to directives from Washington.

The Israeli government must be told to end the bombing and killing in the Gaza Strip or there will be consequences and repercussions from the United States government.

We hope the new administration, along with international governments who say they abhor violence, will have the courage to do what is right, using some leverage with both sides, in order to bring an effective peace accord to that particular part of the world.

Thursday, January 1st 2009-Happy New Year: A New Beginning

admin — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:36:38 +0000

Happy New Year 2009 to the whole planet! We believe more than in spring the New Year is a time for renewal and restoration.

We are happy and glad to see the entire year 2008 as part of the past. We look forward to improving on every level during this brand new year.

We hope for the very best we can offer our fellow inhabitants of this world to make all our lives more tolerable here on earth.

Happy New Year 2009 to everyone!

Send Damon Weaver KEC-TV Student Reporter To Obama’s Inauguration

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:04:18 +0000

Damon Weaver is a student reporter at the Katherine E. Cunningham Elementary School in Canal Point, Palm Beach County, Florida.

You may have seen Damon’s interview of Vice-President-elect Joe Biden during a campaign visit to Palm Beach County last fall. Now Damon wants an interview with President-elect Barack Obama. Watch this video request:
Damon along with, KEC-TV News Director/teacher Brian Zimmerman, and many of his fellow students, including those who work with him at the school news broadcast outlet, parental and teacher supporters and his many fans across the Internet, would love to see Damon secure an interview with President-elect Barack Obama during the week of the inaugural.

The problem is the adults who make such decisions have rejected Damon’s request and the deadline to receive such credentials has passed. We’d love to see Damon covering the news story, an interview of Mr. Obama

Here’s the introduction and the Biden interview done last fall.

Million Airways Takes Hassle Out of Being Hassled When You Fly

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:32:26 +0000

The new private jet charter airline Million Airways announces “hassle-free flying” for your flight travel convenience.

That’s right, no more standing in line while listening to the oft-repeated announcement that passengers are only permitted to take on board three ounces or less of liquid…any liquid in a see-through plastic container. No more worries that your designer fragrance at $70 an ounce will be confiscated and tossed into a plastic bin with hundreds of other captured cosmetics. Now you can fly on charter flights and never again worry about the Department of Homeland Security inspections.

Fly anywhere, anytime without waiting in long airport security lines. And that’s not all…No extra charge for overweight baggage or more than one checked item. No charge for de-boarding the plane or using the toilet facility in-flight. No charge for reclining your seat during your flight.

Look forward to having a truly pleasant flight on the new Million Airways where you receive five star elite treatment from a staff dedicated to providing exceptional service.

Make your booking today. Be sure to have your pre-approved bank loan statement when you do. Enjoy the benefits of private jet travel. Operators are standing by. Million Airways. Call today to arrange your elite flight.

There Is More Than One Way To Get A Guv’ment Subsidy: GMAC Becomes A Bank

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:28:53 +0000

General Motors Acceptance Corporation, GMAC, is now a bank.

On Wednesday, December 24, 2008 The New York Times published a report stating Federal regulators have approved the section of General Motors that handles financing, for cars and for homes, to become a bank in order to access billions of dollars of government subsidies, an action believed by the Fed Res to be a crucial step to insure the company’s survival.The Federal Reserve approved, by a vote of 4 to 1, GMAC’s application to transform itself into a bank holding company “in light of the unusual and exigent circumstances” affecting the financial markets. The Federal Reserve approval will allow GMAC to receive as much as $6 billion of government bailout money. The approval came as GMAC bondholders were facing a Friday, December 26, 2008, deadline to vote to approve a complex transaction that would significantly reduce the company’s outstanding debt.

GMAC has been hit with huge losses in both its mortgage and auto loan businesses.

Didn’t we tell you just a short while ago to organize your friends and become a bank to get some of that free guv’ment money? Seems somebody out there was paying attention to our advice.

Now what’s next? Could AT&T, and Verizon become bank holding companies in order to get a piece of the federal bailout rock? Stay tuned!

Paris Hilton And Leo DiCaprio

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:29:20 +0000

There’s news about Paris Hilton, our favorite hotel heiress and actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Get the details here.

Eartha Kitt Activist, Singer Dancer Dies

admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:59:39 +0000

Read the details of the life of Eartha Kitt who passed away on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

Merry Christmas 2008

admin — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:43:38 +0000

Merry Christmas to everyone around the world.

At this time of year there is much talk about a star. We turn our eyes toward the heavens.

Here is Robert Frost’s poem about a star.

CHOOSE SOMETHING LIKE A STAR

O Star (the fairest one in sight),
We grant your loftiness the right
To some obscurity of cloud –
It will not do to say of night,
Since dark is what brings out your light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn
In your reserve is not allowed.
Say something to us we can learn
By heart and when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says “I burn.”
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.
It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats’ Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.

- ROBERT FROST -

Bernie Madoff Swindle Affects ACLU

admin — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:29:23 +0000

The Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme of $50 Billion has adversely affected two foundations that have been generous, longstanding supporters of the national security and reproductive freedom work performed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The two foundations have been damaged by the Madoff scandal — forced to close their doors and terminate their grants.
According to Alma Montclair, Director of Administration and Finance for the ACLU $850, 000 from the two now terminated grants will not be received in 2009. Despite the bad news, Montclair says the good news is the organization is committed to continuing their critical work in the areas of national security and reproductive freedom because people are depending on the ACLU to help protect their rights. Basically the ACLU needs money and they are hoping you and your friends and family can help them to help us stay free by making a donation by year’s end.

If you are unfamiliar with the work done by the American Civil Liberties Union take a look at this informative video.

Naughty Or Nice: Santa’s Official Review

admin — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:50:33 +0000

We recently found this item on the Internet(s) while doing our Christmas shopping.

The folks at the R+M Design agency say this review is the same one Santa Claus uses to determine what gifts to give good or bad boys and girls of all ages.

See what your Christmas will look like when you click on the NAUGHTY or the NICE buttons. Click on the Christmas tree or on the presents under the tree. Have a Merry 2.0 Christmas!

BREAKING HOLIDAY NEWS! Boulder, Colorado Komarnitsky Family Christmas Lights Wins KFC Contest

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:05:31 +0000

This just in:
Congratulations to Alek Komarnitsky the winner of the 2008 Kentucky Fried Chicken Original Holiday Traditions contest - screenshot.

Kentucky Fried Chicken ran a nationwide Holiday Traditions Contest and Colonel Sanders has selected the Controllable Christmas Lights for Celiac Disease as the winner.

Since 2002 the Controllable Christmas Lights for Celiac Disease are an annual tradition on the Internet. Over the years, millions of people worldwide , one hundred forty-eight countries so far in 2008 have viewed the more than twenty thousand Christmas lights by way of three live webcams on the Komarnitsky’s web site.
Visitors can add to their holiday fun by using the website’s X10 controls to turn the over-the-top Christmas display ON & OFF … plus inflating/deflating the giant Santa, Frosty, Elmo, SpongeBob, and even Homer Simpson.

Alek says he is tempted to use the $1,000 grand prize to buy even more Christmas Lights, he has asked KFC to donate the cash prize directly to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. KFC has agreed and the money has been given to the research center.

The total raised so far to help find a cure to benefit his two sons, Dirk and Kyle, both have the painful stomach disorder, is $35,000.

Reports abound with the news of Alek looking forward to a year of free KFC including many Two Piece Originals Meals and his favorite, numerous Buckets of Extra Crispy Chicken!

For The Drunk-Driving Lush Who Has Everything

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:02:49 +0000

For the one person in your circle of friends who doesn’t believe driving drunk is dangerous a new accessory for the iPod or iPhone was designed to help that person make the decision whether or not to drive after downing a few cocktails or beers at the office holiday party, before climbing behind the wheel.

David Steele Enterprises’ calls it the iBreath ($79). This accessory lets iPod or iPhone users test their own blood alcohol content. This is not a joke.

It’s easy to use. Connect this accessory to the bottom of the iPod or iPhone (all current models supported except iPod Shuffle), fold out the “blow wand” and exhale for a minimum of five seconds. In as little as two seconds later, your blood alcohol level will be displayed on the LCD screen to advise you whether or not you’re okay to drive. There’s even a convenient built-in timer that can be set (from 1 minute to 8 hours) to remind users to take the test again.

David Steele Enterprises has designated the accessory as a safety device. The iBreath measures your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) range within 0.000 - 0.100 percent. Some report the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving worries that kids might use it to play drinking games.

Batteries are NOT required for the iBreath iPod Breathalyzer. This terrific gadget comes with a wonderful bonus: it also doubles as an FM transmitter, to transmit your music to an unused spot on the FM dial on your car stereo so you can hear your tunes through speakers instead of wearing earbuds.

Alek Komarnitsky’s Controllable Christmas Lights for Celiac Disease

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:50:52 +0000

One of the things we enjoy the most about this time of year is Alek’s Controllable Christmas Lights. You may recall last year we told you about Alek and his lovely wife Wendy how they raise money for Celiac Disease research at the University of Maryland. They do this because they have two sons who live with the disease, a digestive disorder in which foods containing gluten cause an immune-mediated toxic reaction if eaten. The disease affects almost one percent of Americans, though it is believed to be under-diagnosed.

Over the years millions around the world have viewed the Komarnitsky’s lighting display. This year so far they count viewers from 148 countries have seen the more than twenty thousand *lights used in the displays.

*Note for the ecologically minded: The lights are wind powered and carbon neutral.

According to Alek, electronic lighting mastermind, former admitted prankster, husband to Wendy, and father of two great boys, Dirk and Kyle, who assist their father in the lighting design,; the good news is Celiac Disease is treatable when following a special diet, “…but the (gluten-free) diet is a pain in the butt.”

The great thing about this Colorado family is they help others by spreading holiday joy and raising money and awareness of this disorder while they help themselves by supporting research that will someday provide a cure so the children can eat and enjoy a not so stringent diet.

Take time to visit Alek’s site. Remember they are in Boulder, Colorado in Mountain Standard Time. If you’re on the East Coast and it’s dark at 530pm it’s still daylight in Colorado ’cause it’s only 330pm there. Have some family fun playing with the lights then make a Tax Deductible donation.

Christmas Comedy At The White House Starring Barney T. Terrier

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:01:00 +0000

This is the Bush family’s final Christmas in the White House. As their gift to the nation along with a failing economy and two wars in far away places that our country can not possibly win without completely obliterating the planet, the family has recently released a video of the White House holiday environment from the canine viewpoint of Barney–White House terrier and his companion female terrier.

The video has high quality production values, great seasonal music plus Barney gets an assist from his humans, who just happen to be the members of the immediate Bush family.

This video also features some very physically fit special guests.
This production reminds us of the tee vee holiday specials we grew up watching each year.

Take a look. Have some eggnog to dull the pain and to help kick-start your laughs as you watch. It must be comedy. They couldn’t possibly be serious.

Sock And Awe New Video Game Is A Hit!

admin — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:40:00 +0000

If you are like us and the millions of other Americans who were shocked, awed and disappointed when Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi missed his target after he tossed both his shoes at George Bush during a recent news conference in Baghdad we are happy to report there is a way to relieve your frustration and disappointment.

There is a new game online called Sock and Awe from PopJam. The object is to see if you can hit President Dumbya with a shoe. As of this writing more than forty Million folks around the planet have successfully tossed and struck the agile Internet Bush. There’s even a listing of the Top 25 “Bush Shoe-ing” Countries with the United States ranked number one–*chants of USA! USA!*, France in the number two position and Venezuela in last position.

Try it…right now…you know you want to…go ahead chuck a few at the Commander-In-Chief.

Architect of Rwandan Massacre Convicted Of Genocide Receives Life Sentence

admin — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:56:56 +0000

Widely circulating reports from Arusha, Tanzania say a former Rwandan Army official who planned and executed the 1994 slaughter of more than 500,000 people was convicted of genocide today. The high ranking military officer is sentenced to life in prison. Experts say this is the most significant verdict of a U.N. tribunal set up to bring the killers to justice.

The court said Col. Theoneste Bagosora used his position as director of Rwanda’s Ministry of Defense to direct Hutu soldiers to kill Tutsis and moderate Hutus thus finding him guilty of crimes against humanity.
See the 2004 historical drama film “Hotel Rwanda” starring Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina the heroic hotel manager who saved more than 1,200 lives during the conflict.

There is great significance in the capture, trial and conviction of another deadly brutal megalomaniac. It has been proven Theoneste Bagosora is indeed accountable for his crimes. This verdict has even more significance for the people of the United States in light of the recent disclosures made by Vice President Cheney and President Bush in their recent television exit interviews.

In his CNN interview with Candy Crowley Bush displayed an attitude he must have picked up from the Dick Cheney book “I Don’t Give F@!k About What I Do In The Name Of The American People”, as he explained why he took the alleged war on terror to Iraq.

In an interview with ABC News’ Jonathan Karl, Vice President Dick Cheney acknowledged playing a central role in clearing the CIA’s use of an array of controversial interrogation tactics, including a simulated drowning method known as waterboarding. “I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared,” Cheney said. He was directly involved in approving severe interrogation methods used by the CIA.

Cheney admits he approved the torture techniques used to allegedly keep American combatants in Iraq safe. According to military officials, CIA operatives in the field, the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice such interrogation techniques proved to increase the risk of American lives. In fact the torture is attributed to the loss of the lives of many American soldiers. Finally we have received confirmation of what we suspected was the case.

We think Bush and Cheney have exposed themselves to a fate similar to that of former military official Col. Theoneste Bagosora.

We wonder why the Cheney acknowledgment isn’t as big a news story as the activities of governors in Alaska, New York or Illinois? Or even the shoe tossing incident in Iraq? No one died in those situations.

Isn’t Cheney’s admission as deserving of the same amount of coverage as the conviction of another murderous official in Africa?

Bagosora, Bush and Cheney have all committed crimes against humanity. The Bush/Cheney invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq wherein many more have died than the half-million or so souls killed fourteen years ago in Rwanda. We think Bush and Cheney deserve to be tried just like other international criminals in recent memory Bagosora, Hussein, Milosevic, Ceausescu and Pinochet.

Will Americans have to wait as long for Bush and Cheney to be brought to trial for their crimes against humanity?

For The Season of Peace 10 Million Clicks

admin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:11:02 +0000

The project began more than two years ago on September 11, 2006.

10 Million Clicks For Peace was founded by, Julian Kalmar and co-founders Rick Beneteau, Jim Namaste, and Peter Ayers.

The mission, as described by Kalmar, known for his “happiness teachings” along with a highly dedicated group of internet professionals, is to use the latest technology to indeed Click for Peace. Taking their vision one step further, they have asked the world’s great “teachers of peace” to show donors and supporters how to create more personal peace. These men and their supporters believe in order to create peace, you must involve a country’s citizens not just its leaders; and that further more countries filled with peaceful people, simply don’t start wars or participate in violence.

10 Million Clicks For Peace is an international program to show people how to live peacefully. It is available to every world citizen.

We urge you to consider giving a Click For Peace and passing it on to your friends, co-workers and family.

We can not think of a better way to celebrate the birth of one who holds the title “The Prince Of Peace”.

Celebrate King Day With Free Washington, D.C. Concert Featuring Aretha Franklin

admin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:26:22 +0000

Read the latest details of the King Birthday celebration Free Concert on Monday, January 19, 2009 in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

If you plan to attend the Presidential inaugural the following day you may want to arrive a few days early to participate and enjoy all of the historical entertainment events associated with the swearing-in celebration.

Florida Governor Crist Marries Socialite Carole Rome

admin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:43:07 +0000

For the first time in 42 years a sitting governor of the great state of Florida got married.

On, Friday, December 12, 2008 in an early evening ceremony in St. Petersburg, Florida Republican governor Charles Crist exchanged vows with socialite millionaire Carole Rome. Crist promised to love, cherish and honor his new wife, the president of her family’s Halloween costume company, in the presence of family, friends and political associates at the First United Methodist Church.

This is the second marriage for both the governor and the former Ms Rome.

While invited guests helped the newly weds celebrate their union, a few protesters organized by Impact Florida gathered in the park across the street from the church to demonstrate their displeasure with the fact gays in Florida can not enjoy the same freedom to marry the one they love.

Merry Christmas To Mother Hunter, Love and Charity Mission, Racine, Wisconsin

admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:20:09 +0000

We’re sending holiday blessings along with best wishes for the season to our friends at the Love and Charity Mission in Racine, Wisconsin and Love and Charity Mission II in Memphis, Tennessee.

picture credit: Jim Bovin-Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mother Louis Hunter-Milligan is the founder and leader of the mission, who for more than forty years has made a positive and lasting impression upon hundreds, if not thousands of less fortunate men, women and children, people who have passed through the doors of this charitable mission.

“Mother Hunter seems to have a aura of God,” says the Reverend Dennis James Woods. Woods is the author of the griping biography “Love and Charity: the life and story of Louise Hunter and the Love and Charity Homeless Shelter”. Rev. Woods says Hunter’s whole life has been devoted to this ministry and her community; and Mother Hunter concurs: “This really is my life. It has been a blessing for me to help others,”

Mother Hunter’s energy is endless. In the late 1990s she opened a sister shelter, Love and Charity II, in Memphis, Tennessee. This legendary American humanitarian still begins her day at five o’clock in the morning—ready to greet anyone who comes to Love and Charity with a warm meal and an open heart.

We quote Mother Louise Hunter, a champion for the socially disadvantaged:

“Love and Charity is a ministry. It’s a hard ministry at times. People don’t even realize that tonight somebody is sleeping outside. Somebody’s child. So I try to do all I can.”

We encourage you to make this holiday season a blessing for the people of the Love and Charity Mission in Racine, Wisconsin by sending your contribution to:

Love and Charity Homeless Mission
1031 Douglas Avenue
Racine Wisconsin 53403
Or telephone: 262-634-7059 to offer your assistance in person to the helpers and those who benefit from the help you provide.

Iraqi Reporter Tosses Shoes At U.S. President Bush

admin — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:03:11 +0000

An Iraqi news reporter tossed two shoes at American President George W. Bush during a news conference during his most recent secret trip to Iraq.

We believe no insult was intended, even though security dragged the reporter away. We think it’s cultural; a different way of saying good-bye to a beloved dignitary.