99er, Tier 5, UI Extension, HR589 News and Views from The Blogosphere

The following is a montage of 99er, Tier 5, UI Extension, HR589 News and Views from The Blogosphere.

From thephillyBurbs.com article today: This 99er says her number's up discusses Gerry DePietro who appeared on the "The Ed Show" on MSNBC and told the host that the Great Recession and long-term unemployment have devastated her standard of living.

The article goes on:

The plight of the long-term unemployed deteriorates.

Most of the 99ers are 55 and older, and it is estimated that there are more than 5 million of them.

According to a recent Gallup survey, the long-term unemployed report that they experience "worry, sadness, stress, anger and diagnoses of depression."

"I just talked to somebody (last week) who said they were considering ending their life" because they could not find work, DePietro said.

Now she is a member of the American 99ers Union, which lobbied for yet another extension of unemployment benefits through House Resolution 589. The bill died Feb. 17 but has been resubmitted.

From the Trenches WorldReport.com, as always some great and colorful commentary in: 99ers Supporters of HR 589 How will History Judge Americans of Today?

The resentment against the corporate elite is however growing exponentially, day by day, in its scope and intensity, but they have our people so entranced with pursuing the debt currency in an effort to just survive to the next day, that taking on more in the form of protest or revolution seems to be just too much. Their plan is working perfectly.

We cannot wait until our children are lying in the streets with their stomachs swollen and flies lighting on their open eyes, like the German people did in the Weimar Republic. Our enemies are using the same techniques to destroy us as they did on the German people in the 1930s. Once they have starved us down to apathy and desperation they believe we will gladly accept their one world government and our slavery as compensation for a little nutrition.

99ers we have to stop chasing butterflies and start getting down to brass tacks. This means we have to start arming and training for a revolution that is becoming more inevitable with each passing day. We must steel ourselves to the idea of giving our lives if necessary for the restitution of our beloved Constitution and Republic.

And their article from yesterday: 99ers HR 589 Supporters We Must Take the Lead

“If the mainstream propaganda was true news and the truth was reported as to what is really going on in this country, three quarters of the population would run and hide, while the other quarter would attack Washington DC.

If we 99ers want to get anywhere we have got to break the news blackout that has removed us from the thoughts of everyone but ourselves. If a quarter of the 99ers would just come to a site like From the Trenches and vent their rage every day all day long, our enemies, the elitists in power, would see that we are no longer on our knees begging them for salvation, but rather that we are accumulating in a single place plotting strategies for their demise while getting one another worked up into a frenzy.”

Unemployed but Organized for the 21st Century put it this way:

It's March and March, 2011 has a uniquely perplexing, frustrating sad anniversary. 99ers will begin to celebrate their 1st full year of being a 99er. 52 weeks without unemployment benefits; nearly 3 years without full time employment. Folks out of work due to the offshoring of jobs; over 3.4 million manufacturing jobs lost in the 1st decade of this century. People unemployed through no fault of their own with little hope for reemployment any time soon.

There has been almost no help for 99ers in the last year. A couple of failed attempts at adding some weeks of unemployment insurance, the last being H.R.6556 which is now reincarnated as H.R.589. If H.R.6556 didn't get through the 111th Congress, I don't see how H.R.589 is passed in the 112th Congress. A bill to establish incentives for creating American jobs and penalizing offshoring couldn't overcome a GOP Senate filibuster in the 111th Congress (I'm shocked, shocked I tell you to find gambling in this establishment). So what should a 99er do? Find a way to carry on.

But by far the most unbelievably ironic drivel came from The World New Vine from their article last week - H.R. 589 Extended Unemployment Benefits for 99ers Lacks Republican Support when they opined:

With the nation’s attention focused on preserving the rights of those working Americans at this time, the long-term unemployed are simply out of luck, and out of benefits. With the Republican Majority in the House pushing to cut social programs such as, Women and Infant Children’s Program (WIC), food stamp programs, and other funding to state level welfare programs, the long-term unemployed are now witnessing what masses in other third-world countries have been for years, the lack of caring by upper-class society.

Unfortunately, for the many, a few groups and individuals entered into the quest for assistance for long-term unemployed American workers looking to profiteer and self-promote their own actions. These small time profiteers claimed legal knowledge along with political connections, did nothing more than mislead, misguide, and alienate the masses from Congress. Attempts of coercion and extortion by these groups included actions such as, sending photo’s of persons threatening suicide to congressional members, and backing actions with heavy talk. Again, as unfortunate as the situation is, the actions of the few were not only misguided but illegal as well.

These individuals led a group of people suffering down a road that led to nothing more than a dead-end. Some of these individuals cannot even present themselves in person to lawmakers as they are perceived as a threat. One can only ask themselves why, anyone would enter into a humanitarian cause seeking aid and comfort for the masses when in fact, were simply attempting to make a buck from a horrible situation.

EXCUSE ME BUT.... Wasn’t it the owner of that publication WorldNewsVine, Mr Grone himself who manipulated the long term unemployed into paying for his luxury Washington DC petition delivery “get away” last June that was a complete and total BUST? Talk about the POT calling the Kettle BLACK!

99ers What have You Done Lately to HELP Yourselves?

99ers What have You Done Lately to HELP Yourselves? This is the question you must answer even before continuing to beg Congress and the Obama administration for additional aid.

In a letter from a former resident/business owner in Washington DC, I received the following insights:

I think that there is a slim possibility that the extensions might be enacted if there is pressure from the grassroots on Congress and Obama to enact them.

I know you probably think by pressure, that I mean from the unemployed in a united effort to pressure Congress. While I think that may have some effect on the Democrats, including the President, it will not likely sway the Republicans.

The groundswell of pressure I was referring to deals with the local agencies and NGOs that serve the homeless population. Even in very conservative areas like FL, the homeless and their plight do make the local media and the regional media and national media at times. When these organizations serving them are overwhelmed, these organizations have the contacts built up to be able to get a story in the paper almost overnight. What I suggest that the unemployed do now, especially the 99ers, is go ahead and start overwhelming these local homeless assistance agencies and NGOs (including churches) with requests for assistance NOW. If this is done concurrently across the country, then these organizations, who are respected by local government officials and some state and federal elected officials as well, will start putting pressure on governments at all levels for more funding and maybe even for an extension of unemployment benefits for the 99ers.

If the unemployment benefits extension is not enacted, you are going to have to do this (appeal for help and/or become homeless) in a few months. Start the process now.

Have you ever taken a good look at the YouTube video: What is Ucubed? [see video below] This explains just how the U-Cubed model for activism is set up to work from within each community in the USA and build outward into a force to be reckoned with that cannot be ignored by Washington DC.

If you are not yet engaged in U-Cubed Please DO SO TODAY:

U-Cubed on:

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/ucubed

TWITTER: @U_Cubed

WEBSITE: http://www.unionofunemployed.com

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Your Government has FAILED YOU BADLY! MAKE them HEAR YOU NOW!!!! You cannot rely upon anyone else to do this for you. YOU MUST FIGHT FOR your own SURVIVAL now or continue to suffer the "Congressionally imposed poverty" that is the 99er reality today.

U-Cubed Powerful TV Commercial:



[The donation button below is for Paladinette. If you like what I write please donate so I can keep on fighting for the 99ers! Thank You!]

U-Cubed Fights on for American Jobs in latest Press Release

"Have a friend who is unemployed? Tell Congress to Stop talking numbers and start talking JOBS."

The following was released last week in response to the DOL's latest "fairy tale" about the jobs situation in America:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Union of Unemployed Facebook Campaign Demands a New Focus on Jobs

Washington, D.C., March 4, 2011 - In response to the Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment report, Ur Union of Unemployed (UCubed) urged our nation’s leaders to stop destroying good-paying American jobs and start creating millions of them.

UCubed has launched an aggressive ad campaign on Facebook, asking users to click “Like” if they agree it’s time Congress stop talking numbers and start talking jobs.

“The government’s rose-colored jobless numbers are falling on deaf ears,” said UCubed Acting Executive Director Rick Sloan. “When you’re out of work for months and in many cases years, the only number you care about is ONE: yourself.”

“The little to no change unemployment rating means no real job growth during the month of February,” said Sloan. “Only 192,000 new jobs were created. Meanwhile, nearly 29 million unemployed and underemployed workers are still without work.

“The jobless want to go back to work. And they want to go back today. It’s time our state and federal leaders delivered on their promise of jobs, jobs, jobs - and stop playing Nero in these incendiary times.”



See UCubed's ad campaign on Facebook.

Ur Union of Unemployed, or UCubed, is a community service project of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) designed to assist the millions of unemployed and underemployed Americans, and to provide them with a structure that allows them to take advantage of their growing numbers. For more information, visit Ur Union of Unemployed.

If you are not yet a part of this growing community of activists, PLEASE JOIN TODAY and help make it work of all of us (it is completely free).

[The donation button below is for Paladinette. If you like what I write please donate so I can keep on fighting for the 99ers! Thank You!]

Terrell Owens Tweets To Zennie62, On Mike Lombardi Of NFL Network

Yesterday, this blogger posted a blog entry attacking NFL Network Analyst and former Oakland Raiders exec Mike Lombardi for a set of mean-spritted comments Lombardi made regarding Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Terrell Owens (photo by UPI.com).

To briefly recap, on Saturday night's NFL Total Access show, and in response to NFL Network Anchor Scott Hansen's question on T.O.'s future, Lombardi went off, bellowing a new version of the same old media song about Owens being a lockerroom disruption.

Lombardi completely ignored Owens 2010 output of 72 receptions for 983 yards and nine touchdowns over just 14 games, as well as the fact that Terrell was the Bengals leader in catches. Lombardi's take was on the scale of a rant, and delivered with such assertion and yet without concrete facts, Mike seemed to have a bias against Owens.

But Lombardi's biggest mistake was in using an unconfirmed quote from Bengals Quarterback Carson Palmer to issue a "diss" against Owens that's at best questionable and at worst criminal. Lombardi said "Well, talk to Carson Palmer. Owens wasn't always in the right position." But there no evidence of Palmer actually saying that, and to restate my point, Owens was a new player in the offense, so he would be expected to make a mistake or two; his incredible production more than made up for it.

Terrell Owens Responds On Twitter

Today, about 20 minutes ago as of this writing, Owens issued a Twitter tweet to explain to this blogger at Zennie62.com, it was "all good," and first, Owens guarantees he had made the least of mistakes, second, that he picked up the Bengals Offense in one month. Here's the tweet:

@zennie62 all good!! Sum ppl rn't even worth responding 2. I guarantee I had the least of mistakes & I learned tht offense n a month's time

As I said in my tweets back to Owens, he has a great attitude about the whole thing. Moreover, there are media types who do have Owens back, like me.

Stay tuned.  

Celebrity Apprentice Star Gary Busey Weighs In On Wisconsin Protests

To say that Celebrity Apprentice star Gary Busey is outspoken is an understatement. Just ask him for his view on The Wisconsin Protests, as this blogger did at the Night Of 100 Stars Oscar Party last Sunday. Here's Gary, with fellow acting legend Ed Asner at the Oscar Party, below.

 Busey's take on Wisconsin starts at the 3:56 mark, but he says "I think America is finally learning to turn the dump over, and get rid of the bull BEEP, and turn it on the people who are part of the middle class, and celebrate being part of this country."

That's just a taste of the Gary Busey you're going to see on Celebrity Apprentice tonight on NBC. But if you're wondering what all of the fuss is about over the legend that is Busey, here's another taste.

Gary's known for being in over 120 films, such as A Star is Born, as "Buddy Holly" in The Buddy Holly Story, for which he earned a "Best Actor" nomination in 1978.  Of late, he's taken a number of roles where he plays himself, the most recent example the reality TV show by Donald Trump.

Off-camera Busey's known for his off-center, free-sprited, yet interesting personality. He's also known for a motorcycle accident in 1988, where he almost died because he wasn't wearing a helmet.

Fortunately Busey survived, and is now enjoying an entertainment rebirth of sorts on The Celebrity Apprentice.

Oakland's Desley Brooks Cannabis University Degree Hits Internet

To some this Oakland story is a big deal but to others, not. Still, the fact is that certain people connected with the Oakland "University of Cannabis" are now pushing a video showing Oakland Councilmember Desley Brooks (District 6, Central East Oakland) getting a "Diploma of Certified Seedling," from the Oakland-based institution called UniCann is interesting. Especially since Councilmember Brooks got (earned?) the degree last year in June.

Oh, and what's the University all about? Well, according to its website, the chancellor is none other than former Oakland City Councilmember Vice Mayor Leo Bazile. According to search results, Bazille started teaching "Marijuana University" just over a year ago and is featured in this video from the website:

But three Twitter accounts - @GroMaster, @M24Cabbage, and @calpotnews - have posted two video links featuring Councilmember Brooks on March 1st and March 4th. The first video shows Brooks receiving a diploma from a man named Dhar Mann. The Unicann website reports this person to be the founder of Cannabis University; he's also the founder of the marijuana supply store WeGrow. The same organization who's business has been hampered by the Federal Department of Justice's crack down on attempts to promote the production, use and legalization of pot, particularly in Oakland.

In other words, pot farms are illegal.

Here's Brooks getting her diploma from Dhar Mann:

That's the video currently being pushed by GroMasters on Twitter. The other video, tweeted by calpotnews, shows Councilmember Brooks talking about her new redesign of the ordinance that, if passed by the Oakland City Council, would permit the legal cultivation and sale of marijuana in Oakland, even as California voters rejected Prop 19 last November, which would have made such effort legal in California.

Now, even with a warning letter from U.S Attorney Melinda Haag, that said "individuals who elect to operate 'industrial cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facilities' will be doing so in violation of federal law," and that the Justice Department was "carefully considering civil and criminal legal remedies regarding those who seek to set up industrial marijuana growing warehouses."

Which by extension means Brooks could be identified by the Feds as an accessory to such efforts.

Here's the video where Brooks explains her new ordinance and says that the Oakland City Attorney's office is blocking a legal review:



Brooks claim that Oakland City Attorney John Russo's blocking review of her ordinance is really not the case at all, because it implies that Russo wasn't in support of the legalization of the use of pot, and that he contacted the Federal Government on his own, without City Council direction.

First, here's my video from last year, where Russo wanted the public to know of his support for Prop 19, which, if passed would have paved the way for Oakland's pot growing efforts (a video with over 4,000 views as of this writing):



Obviously, Russo had a reason to be compelled not to steer the City of Oakland to the point where some Oakland Councilmembers seem bent on placing it as of this writing: as working to flout Federal law.  The reason was Prop 19's election loss.

Brooks and Mayor Jean Quan have said to some media types they can't get Russo to review the new ordinance and that he contacted the Federal Government on his own.

But The Bay Citizen reports otherwise, quoting Russo as stating "The City Attorney wrote to the US Attorney’s office at the direction of the City Council. The Council directed this office to get specificity about the concerns of federal officials and this letter is the result.

It looks like the Oakland Council - or some of them - are trying to throw Russo under the bus.  Any claim that Russo contacted the Feds on his own is obviously playing tricks with the truth, but this blogger's question isn't "Why?"

 It's this:

With an unemployment rate near 20 percent and people trying to find jobs, what the hell is the Oakland City Council, or at least Councilmembers Kaplan, Brooks, and Mayor Quan, doing spending so much time and energy on an effort the Federal Government has issues with, even to the point of trying to work against their own lawyer? If the persons investing in the establishment of pot farms need to take their money where there is, as Scott Hawkins, who worked as a consultant to medical cannabis pioneer Richard Lee, put it "Right now Oakland is far too visible for this kind of investment. Investors don't want to risk their capital in this situation unless things can get worked out between the city council and the Department of Justice and the city attorney's office."

Not to mention public opinion. If the public were behind the legalization of pot, this blog post would not have seen the light of day. But Prop 19 lost and people need jobs. It seems like the City of Oakland is more concerned with growing weed than growing jobs, and that's the saddest news of all.

Ah...Next to the fact that Russo's fired his client, the City of Oakland, and has sought employment as Alameda's next City Manager.  

If Russo goes out, it sends a message to the nation that Oakland's not the place for a competent lawyer to work.  Think about it.  Mayor Quan has said she wants an appointed lawyer under control of (presumably) the Mayor and the City Council.  So, in this "pot case," the Mayor and Council would expect that person to guide them into a position of violating Federal and State laws?   That's not what a good lawyer will do; apparently Oakland doesn't want one of those.

Stay tuned.

Tuesday: International Women's Day

In 1910, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day to press for their demands. The idea was approved unanimously by the 100 women from 17 countries in attendance; International Women's Day is the result.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

As you can see from the chart below, hundreds of events will occur during the month of March celebrating the contributions of women to our lives, as well as their economic, political and social achievements throughout history.

Gender issues persist both locally and world-wide; progress starts at home.

What will you be doing Tuesday?

Political Correspondent Thomas Hayes is a former Congressional Campaign Manager; he's a journalist, photo/videographer, entrepreneur, and communications consultant who contributes regularly on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community, who incidentally stands in solidarity with the citizens and workers in Wisconsin refusing to let their Governor's self-created budget "crisis" and new spending priorities be re-cast as a reason to undermine contractual obligations and collective bargaining agreements.

You can follow Tom as @kabiu on twitter. Tweet