In an address to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, President Obama issued a challenge to states to increase the quality of reading and math instruction to keep American students at pace with other countries and renewed his support for a merit-based system of payment for teachers.
read more | digg story
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Obama Alarmed Over U.S. Nurse Shortage, Health Expansion Cri
President Obama expresses alarm over potential usage of foreign-trained nurses, as the ongoing shortage in nursing threatens to curtail the Democrat's ambitious national healthcare roll-out.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Macon Phillips: Obama's new-media messenger
Phillips works for President Obama as the White House's new-media director, a new job for an administration that embraces technology.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Republicans Unnecessarily Politicize Spending Bill
Jon Kyl of Arizona, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, pushed for an amendment barring any money for relocating refugees from Gaza to the United States. Not that the bill ever designated any money for that purpose. Mr. Kyl just wanted to be extra sure and, in doing so, to force Democrats to take a politically charged vote.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tiahrt, Huelskamp Oppose Sebelius Nomination
Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt and State Senator (and candidate for the KS-01) have both released statements critical of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius's nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary. Why? They both call Sebelius an "abortion extremist."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
RNC Fights Over Dwindling Funds
Republican infighting escalated Monday with allegations and denials over $4 million once destined for the party’s congressional campaign committees.Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele sought to placate critics by giving $1 million to each of his party’s debt-ridden campaign committees...
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
How to Delete Any Online Account
Canceling accounts you've created on the Web isn't always easy. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to ditch social networks, online retailers, blogging services, and more.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
15 Percent of Americans Have No Religion
The percentage of Americans who call themselves Christians has dropped dramatically over the past two decades, and those who do are increasingly identifying themselves without traditional denomination labels, according to a major study of U.S. religion being released today.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Hillary Clinton comes to Europe, Brings the Stupid
Hillary Clinton raised eyebrows on her first visit to Europe as secretary of state when she mispronounced her EU counterparts' names and claimed U.S. democracy was older than Europe's.Clinton added: "I have never understood multiparty democracy."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Don’t Rely on Bush’s Signing Statements, Obama Says
Mr. Bush broke all records, using signing statements to challenge about (!!!) 1,200 bill sections over his eight years in office — about TWICE the number challenged by ALL PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS COMBINED, according to data compiled by Christopher Kelley, a political science professor - Investigate, prosecute and IMPRISON Bush, Cheney, Rove and others
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
McCain's Daughter: Ann Coulter Is a Trainwreck
Meghan McCain ripped Coulter for being "a train wreck" and called her the "biggest culprit" when it comes to perpetuating the negative stereotype of Republicans in her most recent blog post for the Daily Beast.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
iPhone: Renegade app store opens but Apple wants to kill it
Yes, Apple's App Store carries great stuff for your iPhone. But some of the best applications Apple banned from the App Store are now found at an unauthorized store, called Cydia. But Apple is already prepping to send its legal sharks after The Cydia Store by leveraging DCMA in order to push jailbreaking into illegal territory.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, March 09, 2009
White House Budget Director Peter Orszag on Blogging
From The White House:
Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag discusses the value of blogs and plans for his own blog at http://www.OMB.gov
I'm glad to see the White House embrace blogging but I think bloggers should be on the press contact list.
President Barack Obama - 3/7/09: Your Weekly Address
From The Whitehouse:
President Obama capped off a busy week in Washington remarking on new lending guidelines aimed at lowering mortgage payments; an initiative to generate funds for small business and college loans; the release of his administration's first budget which includes $2T in deficit reduction; and the start of long overdue health care reform
New Star Trek Movie Messes-Up San Francisco's Skyline
Follow me on Twitter!
Also read about SF Giants Opening Day: The Party Economy At SFGate.com
I'm looking forward to the new Star Trek movie and the great story and special effects, but I'm not looking forward to how the movie treats San Francisco. It messes up the San Francisco Skyline, making it look like Hong Kong.
If you take a good look at the trailers for the movie, they show how San Francisco will look 300 years from today in the J.J. Abrams version of the Star Trek Universe.
The scene that I focus on in the video above shows what I argue -- but one other disgrees with -- is the San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge. They claim it's the Golden Gate Bridge side, but that's not the point. The point is, the buildings are hundreds of times larger than the structures of today. Question: would San Francisco culture allow such skyscrapers to be created? My answer, and the SFist agrees, is no.
This has caused a fire storm of controversy, and even on my YouTube channel Zennie62, nasty comments, with some calling me names like "douche" and even some racial slurs, sadly. I've removed and banned about 30 accounts to date because of that. We can agree to disagree, but the flaming I will not tolerate.
Period.
Plus, it masks the main point: futurists tend to ignore culture over technology when looking forward and Star Trek is a great example. Now other Trekkers have explained that a nuclear war gave way to a new San Francisco Bay Area, but that doesn't mean people would not want to protect the Bay and our beauty. I just can't see that happening. San Franciscans have fought the "Manhattanization" of the city for years, why should they stop after a nuclear war?
The reality is San Francisco would fight to maintain it's human scale, even in the 23rd Century.
Also read about SF Giants Opening Day: The Party Economy At SFGate.com
I'm looking forward to the new Star Trek movie and the great story and special effects, but I'm not looking forward to how the movie treats San Francisco. It messes up the San Francisco Skyline, making it look like Hong Kong.
If you take a good look at the trailers for the movie, they show how San Francisco will look 300 years from today in the J.J. Abrams version of the Star Trek Universe.
The scene that I focus on in the video above shows what I argue -- but one other disgrees with -- is the San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge. They claim it's the Golden Gate Bridge side, but that's not the point. The point is, the buildings are hundreds of times larger than the structures of today. Question: would San Francisco culture allow such skyscrapers to be created? My answer, and the SFist agrees, is no.
This has caused a fire storm of controversy, and even on my YouTube channel Zennie62, nasty comments, with some calling me names like "douche" and even some racial slurs, sadly. I've removed and banned about 30 accounts to date because of that. We can agree to disagree, but the flaming I will not tolerate.
Period.
Plus, it masks the main point: futurists tend to ignore culture over technology when looking forward and Star Trek is a great example. Now other Trekkers have explained that a nuclear war gave way to a new San Francisco Bay Area, but that doesn't mean people would not want to protect the Bay and our beauty. I just can't see that happening. San Franciscans have fought the "Manhattanization" of the city for years, why should they stop after a nuclear war?
The reality is San Francisco would fight to maintain it's human scale, even in the 23rd Century.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Obama's single-payer health care beats socialized medicine.
Why all the fuss about single payer? Because nearly 1/3 of the health care dollar goes to overhead, currently, while Medicare keeps costs in the 2-3% range. Administering health care is something the U.S. government can do VERY efficiently compared to private insurers, partly because ad campaigns, salaries & bonuses aren't allowed to be outrageous.The only ones who stand to lose are insurance companies and their overpaid execs - even doctors are on-board with this concept.
Do you know what the estimate is for the money that could be saved on paperwork alone? $350 BILLION per YEAR. On paperwork to keep the plethora of insurance forms filled out. All so non-medically trained bureaucrats can make decisions about how much to pay for medical procedures versus how much to pay the insurance executives.
Duke Medical has a ratio of one billing clerk PER hospital bed in their system just to cope with all the insurance forms and rules. That's plain got to stop.
David Frum Says Obama Has Advantage Through 2010
David Frum says that President Obama has an advantage in that he can blame the Bush Administration through 2010. Frum, a conservative, also says that Rush Limbaugh is the figurative head of the Republican Party.
Who's killing the DJIA? Boskin needs a mirror before blaming Obama's budget.
Investors are skittish. Any news about GM, or AIG, or retail sales being weak, or below forecasts, etc., causes them to react. Michael Boskin wants you to hear that Obama's killing the DOW.
Knowledgeable traders with years of experience are killing the DJIA as they react to the aftershocks of the policies Michael Boskin wants to retain. The DOW is a symptom, it's a measure. He's gone so far as
to submit his fear-mongering to the Wall Street Journal, the very same place all the practitioners of derivative voodoo look to when they want to read the tea leaves.
Investors react to fear-mongering by losing confidence - and selling off their stock, which fuels the fears that Boskin has already stoked. When Obama warned people that the other side would use fear to attain their goals, I wonder if he anticipated somebody willing to extend the economic crisis that is causing such suffering in the middle class?
Obama isn't killing the DOW by trying to reverse the momentum of the U.S. economy; we can't survive Boskin's idea, which is to sit by and hope it gets better. That's not how hope gets used, but it's apparently how Boskin uses the WSJ.
Knowledgeable traders with years of experience are killing the DJIA as they react to the aftershocks of the policies Michael Boskin wants to retain. The DOW is a symptom, it's a measure. He's gone so far as
to submit his fear-mongering to the Wall Street Journal, the very same place all the practitioners of derivative voodoo look to when they want to read the tea leaves.Investors react to fear-mongering by losing confidence - and selling off their stock, which fuels the fears that Boskin has already stoked. When Obama warned people that the other side would use fear to attain their goals, I wonder if he anticipated somebody willing to extend the economic crisis that is causing such suffering in the middle class?
Obama isn't killing the DOW by trying to reverse the momentum of the U.S. economy; we can't survive Boskin's idea, which is to sit by and hope it gets better. That's not how hope gets used, but it's apparently how Boskin uses the WSJ.
Martha Stewart and Lucaris Have Lunch - Seriously
Here I am having Lunch yesterday with Ludacris (Chris Bridges). We had a nice salad, paella, and chocolate cake for dessert. He is a nice young man and very, very busy. He is extremely excited about his new flick and new album. Ludacris also really liked the chocolate cake!But why is this not part of her overall image? A good question that begs for an answer!
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn) Thinks You Should Die If Your Poor
More at Video Cafe” Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn) thinks health care is something for the rich, calling it a "privilege" on MSNCB. I can't figure out what's worse, the comment or the fact that he was serious about it. Is this the kind of person Tennessians want representing them when they need access to health care?
Chevron Wins in Judge's Decision To Deny New Bowoto v. Chevron Trial
This was a major victory for Chevron, which was falsely accused of violating the civil rights of Larry Bowoto and bis friends in the Niger Delta region. Here are my thoughts:
Here's the news story as seen in the SF Chronicle:
A federal judge on Wednesday upheld a San Francisco jury's verdict that cleared Chevron Corp. of wrongdoing in the shootings of Nigerian villagers who occupied an offshore oil barge in 1998 to protest the company's hiring and environmental practices.
U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, who presided over the four-week trial in November, denied a request by the villagers' lawyers for a new trial and ruled that there was evidence to support the verdict.
About 150 tribesmen from the oil-rich Niger Delta occupied a barge tethered to Chevron's Parabe platform in May 1998, saying the company's Nigerian subsidiary had refused to meet with them and hear their complaints that drilling and dredging were polluting their wells and killing trees and fish.
The villagers said they were unarmed and peaceful, but Chevron's witnesses said the protesters threatened violence, held crew members hostage and demanded ransom. After three days of negotiations, Chevron summoned Nigerian security forces, who killed two men and wounded two others.
The suit was filed under a law passed by the first Congress in 1798 that allows foreigners to seek damages in U.S. courts for violations of international human rights.
On Dec. 1, a nine-member jury unanimously rejected the plaintiffs' claims that Chevron was responsible for assault, inhumane treatment, torture and wrongful death.
Chevron has asked Illston to order the villagers to reimburse the company for $485,000 the company spent defending against the suit. The judge did not address that request in Wednesday's ruling.
In seeking a new trial, plaintiffs' lawyers said Chevron never contradicted testimony that three villagers were shot, beaten or tortured without justification. But Illston said jurors could have had doubts because of contradictions in the testimony.
She also said the jury could have found that the company was not responsible for the actions of military forces, citing Chevron testimony that its Nigerian subsidiary did not control the security forces and that its main concern was the safety of its workers.
Chevron, based in San Ramon, said it was pleased with the ruling. Plaintiffs lawyer Theresa Traber said the villagers would appeal.
Zane Vergie - CNN REPORTER LIVE "Peanuts" Error
I think someone may have messed with Zane Vergie's teleprompter. In this video she replaces Peanuts with another word that describes an organ.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Bi-partisan support for Volunteerism: the Serve America Act
Citing links between unemployment and murder rates, among others, two Congressmen (one Dem, one Rep) demonstrate that violent crime rates are tied to relative poverty - and the U.S.A. ranks highest among developed nations in its inequality levels and poverty rates. We've got a problem. They're supporting the bi-partisan Kennedy-Hatch SERVE AMERICA ACT. Are you?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Michael Jackson? CNN, I Will Not Impersonate Michael Jackson
The CNN iReport team came up with this wild idea to ask iReporters to dance like Michael Jackson. I'm not going to do that. No way. I have a reputation to protect. So as you can see in this video, I protect my image:
Click for CNN iReport version here.
Click for CNN iReport version here.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
More Charges Linked to 'Racial Profiling' in San Jose
More at New American Media: “Latinos living in San Jose have a higher risk of being charged with resisting arrest than in any other California city, according to data recently obtained from the state Department of Justice. The data comes on the heals of a major public outcry and subsequent creation of a city-appointed task force over the suspiciously high and racially disproportionate arrest rate for another charge: public intoxication in San Jose. ”
Chris Brown | Rihanna: Brown charged with 2 felonies; details of pop star girlfriend Rihanna's assault revealed
More at NY Daily News: “Disturbing details of Rihanna's car ride from hell were revealed Thursday after R&B singer Chris Brown was charged with beating up the pop star as they drove home from a pre-Grammy Awards bash.
"I'm going to beat the s--t out of you when we get home," Brown screamed, according to an affidavit. "You wait and see!"
But almost immediately Brown began raining blows on Rihanna, who was identified as Robyn F. in the court papers.”
-- This reveals a sick, controlling person who should go to jail for what he did. Ramming her head into the passenger window. Trying to kick her out of his rented car. It goes on and is a terrible story.
"I'm going to beat the s--t out of you when we get home," Brown screamed, according to an affidavit. "You wait and see!"
But almost immediately Brown began raining blows on Rihanna, who was identified as Robyn F. in the court papers.”
-- This reveals a sick, controlling person who should go to jail for what he did. Ramming her head into the passenger window. Trying to kick her out of his rented car. It goes on and is a terrible story.
Chris Brown / Rihanna: Brown charged with two felonies; details of pop star girlfriend Rihanna's assault revealed
More at NY Daily News: “Disturbing details of Rihanna's car ride from hell were revealed Thursday after R&B singer Chris Brown was charged with beating up the pop star as they drove home from a pre-Grammy Awards bash.
"I'm going to beat the s--t out of you when we get home," Brown screamed, according to an affidavit. "You wait and see!"
But almost immediately Brown began raining blows on Rihanna, who was identified as Robyn F. in the court papers.”
-- This reveals a sick, controlling person who should go to jail for what he did. Ramming her head into the passenger window. Trying to kick her out of his rented car. It goes on and is a terrible story.
"I'm going to beat the s--t out of you when we get home," Brown screamed, according to an affidavit. "You wait and see!"
But almost immediately Brown began raining blows on Rihanna, who was identified as Robyn F. in the court papers.”
-- This reveals a sick, controlling person who should go to jail for what he did. Ramming her head into the passenger window. Trying to kick her out of his rented car. It goes on and is a terrible story.
"Midnight Cowboy" Featured By Directors Guild of America Theatre in New York City
I got an email from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that they are going to screen the classic "Midnight Cowboy" in New York City, March 16th. You can gain a "taste" for the film from this fan-made trailer:
The tickets are cheap: $5 and the DGA Theatre is located at 110 West 57th Street in New York City. The box office opens at 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved, which means get their early. For more information, call (212) 821-9251
The Academy reports: "The 1969 Best Picture winner “Midnight Cowboy” will screen for New York audience as part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Monday Nights with Oscar®” series on Monday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in New York City.
"Academy Award®-winning producer Jerome Hellman will join Academy Award-nominated actress Sylvia Miles in a post-screening discussion. David V. Picker, the executive-in-charge at United Artist during the film’s development, will moderate the onstage conversation, which also will include actor Bob Balaban, cinematographer Adam Holender, composer John Barry and costumer designer Ann Roth.
“Midnight Cowboy” stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight as two mainstream society outcasts who forge an unlikely friendship on the lonely and unforgiving streets of New York City. The film endures as a powerful story of friendship, compassion and redemption.
The tickets are cheap: $5 and the DGA Theatre is located at 110 West 57th Street in New York City. The box office opens at 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved, which means get their early. For more information, call (212) 821-9251
Terrell Owens Released (Cut) By The Dallas Cowboys Today
After three years, 3857 yards and 38 touchdowns, the Dallas Cowboys released wide receiver Terrell Owens. Rhis was a mistake as Owens is an exceptionally talented athlete who has no off-field problems and years left in him
Terrell Owens Released (Cut) By The Dallas Cowboys Today
After three years, 3857 yards and 38 touchdowns, the Dallas Cowboys released wide receiver Terrell Owens. Rhis was a mistake as Owens is an exceptionally talented athlete who has no off-field problems and years left in him
Let's Talk About Race: Zennie To Baratunde and Cenk
Cenk Ugkar and Baratunde Thurston have engaged in a great conversation about race in the wake of the NY Post Cartoon matter. I disagree with both and think the cartoon is exemplary of a breakdown in social civility.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Michelle Malkin Reports Twitter Problems; Punishment For Following Rush Limbaugh
She reports
"Having twitter problems. Anyone else?"
Nope! Michelle, that's what you get for blindly following Rush Limbaugh!
Jill Tubman Asks You To Help Set the Agenda at Netroots Nation 2009
More at Jack & Jill Politics Jill Tubman at Jack & Jill Politics wants you to help her and others establish the agenda at Netroots Nation. Here's what she wrote:
Click on the link above to help out.
In the next 12 months, we’ll be working together more than ever to push progressive policy into legislation. And there’s no better place to strategize our priorities and plan how to make them a reality than at Netroots Nation, the grassroots event of the year.
In order to create the most well-rounded agenda possible, we need your input. Will you help us develop and organize the sessions that you’ll attend at Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh—and help shape the dialog for progressives in 2009?
Click on the link above to help out.
Stimulus plan: Invest in our country
It’s small businesses that will put people back to work; that’s how we’re going to get this country back on its feet. It’s entrepreneurs and small business owners who respond with enthusiasm that are key. Big, established, "trusted" companies dug this hole by defining success in terms of short-term profits on their bottom line that do little if anything to protect American jobs or the well-being of their employees.
When we see bulldozers
and excavators moving dirt for new construction, when we see trucks hauling instead of sitting idle at auction sites, then we'll know things are turning around.
While Bush was pushing privatized retirement plans, we were all being set up to fund Wall Street bonuses. We need lenders to play fair, not slap new fees and payments on consumers. More regulation of lending practices, not less, is critical to our economic health.
Bottom line: The new administration needs to reverse the trend of layoffs and plant closures; our government needs to work for the people by rebuilding economy and the American Dream - by putting Americans back to work.
When we see bulldozers
and excavators moving dirt for new construction, when we see trucks hauling instead of sitting idle at auction sites, then we'll know things are turning around.While Bush was pushing privatized retirement plans, we were all being set up to fund Wall Street bonuses. We need lenders to play fair, not slap new fees and payments on consumers. More regulation of lending practices, not less, is critical to our economic health.
Bottom line: The new administration needs to reverse the trend of layoffs and plant closures; our government needs to work for the people by rebuilding economy and the American Dream - by putting Americans back to work.Obama Citizen's Briefing Book Has Not Reached President's Desk
More at techPresident According to techPresident, the Obama Citizen's Briefing Book of suggestions by Obama supporters during the transition period never made it to President Obama's desk.
What the hell happened?
That's a lot of hard work by people who may have submitted the one method that gets us out of this mess. Someone in the Obama Administration, please get this to the President ASAP!
What the hell happened?
That's a lot of hard work by people who may have submitted the one method that gets us out of this mess. Someone in the Obama Administration, please get this to the President ASAP!
YouTube's Steve Grove - 3 things on 3/3
YouTube's Steve Grove announces the online events for March 3rd:
Three things to check out on YouTube this week:
1 - Senator of the Week, Claire McCaskill, asks YouTube about wasteful spending:
http://www.youtube.com/senatehub
And Representative of the Week, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, asks about nationalizing 401K plans: http://www.youtube.com/user/househub
2. Did you know the GOP does weekly response to the President's weekly address on YouTube? Check out last weeks from Senator Richard Burr:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gTUP5...
3. One of the best videos I've seen in awhile comes from Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times:
Hurray for Hollywood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4EsR6...
Rush Limbaugh Is Wrecking The GOP And I LOVE IT!
http://www.zennie62.com -- Rush Limbaugh's idiological rants are out of touch with an economic reality that will keep The Democrats in power for at least the next 10 years. The reason is the economy itself and the need for government investment.
Between 1960 and 1999 the U.S. Economy added 20 million new jobs every 10 years, but from 1999 to today, only about 4.7 million new jobs. What happened to the 15 million jobs? They went overseas to countries like India, France, and north to Canada. And with jobs goes wealth. It's a key reason America's now the 3 largest exporter whereas we were number one for years, until 2004. We're now behind Germany and China.
All of that wealth lost has resulted in wrecked credit over time. We have to have jobs to afford our mortgages and our population did not stop growing through this period. But what happened was that we started to lose jobs from the remaining stock of them. Remember, we have millions of people that aren't even being counted in our economy -- they don't exist for employment purposes. The "Joe The Plumbers" of today are the steel workers of yesterday. With a thriving growing manufaturing industry, we were able to employ Americans and jobs were plentiful. Not today.
With this weak World Credit system we need government spending to replace the private investment spending that's gone. Indeed, with fewer businesses there's less private investment spending -- goverment must catalyze the growth of business.
All of this calls for an activist government and that's something -- that need -- will keep The Democrats in power for years to come.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Is Tom DeLay Out Of Touch Or Just Plain Stupid?
I'm watching MSNBC's Hardball and Chris Matthews has two Republicans on his show: Michelle Wallace who played a key message-crafting role in the McCain Campaign last year, and former Representative Tom DeLay. I'm sitting here totally dumbfounded over DeLay's insistence that former President Bush was "innocent" of blame for our current economic disaster.
Indeed, PBS's Frontline has a great series on this called "The Meltdown" which places blame for our current wave of bank failures right in the lap of them-Secretary Henry Paulsen, who famously let his own idiological moorings get in the way of good policy, when he refused to put the Government in position to buy Lehman Brothers thus causing a wave of failures that extends to today. According to Frontline, Paulsen was getting advise from Republicans to let businesses fail, and that's what he did.
What Paulsen didn't count on was a wave of market failure such that on September 18th, 2009, the American Economy as we know it came close to a complete death. Paulsen was placed in a role he didn't want or agree with, making government work rather than doing nothing. He failed.
Now, here we have DeLay out there on Hardball and Chris Matthews does an at best feckless attempt at countering Tom's claim that President Bush had nothing to do with this. Meanwhile when Matthews does take him on, he resorts to a quote in the Wall Street Journal.
Give me a break.
Indeed, PBS's Frontline has a great series on this called "The Meltdown" which places blame for our current wave of bank failures right in the lap of them-Secretary Henry Paulsen, who famously let his own idiological moorings get in the way of good policy, when he refused to put the Government in position to buy Lehman Brothers thus causing a wave of failures that extends to today. According to Frontline, Paulsen was getting advise from Republicans to let businesses fail, and that's what he did.
What Paulsen didn't count on was a wave of market failure such that on September 18th, 2009, the American Economy as we know it came close to a complete death. Paulsen was placed in a role he didn't want or agree with, making government work rather than doing nothing. He failed.
Now, here we have DeLay out there on Hardball and Chris Matthews does an at best feckless attempt at countering Tom's claim that President Bush had nothing to do with this. Meanwhile when Matthews does take him on, he resorts to a quote in the Wall Street Journal.
Give me a break.
Hudson River Plane Landing (US Airways 1549) Animation with Audio
This amazing "Black Box Real Time Matched" video animation by Scene Systems was just aired on "The Rachel Maddow Show" and it gives one a real good idea of just how fast events unfolded in the water landing of US Airways Flight 1549.
It also is a testimonial to just how talented and heroic Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger III's efforts were as well as those of the entire crew of Flight 1549.
Congratulations to Scene Systems for a timely recreation of events.
Chevron:Starts Nigeria Community Development Program
More at CNNMoney.com: “LONDON (Dow Jones)-Chevron Corp. (CVX) is in talks with the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, and other organizations to liaise on programs fostering peace in the oil-rich Niger Delta, a company manager has told Dow Jones Newswires.
The statement comes as the Nigerian government and militants have made no progress solving the three-year conflict but as some grass-root Nigerian initiatives have been successful.
"We have been having discussions with USAID on cooperation with some programs" Chevron or the U.S. aide agency sponsor "to transfer knowledge and make sure our efforts are complementary," said Dennis Flemming, a community development manager at Chevron's Nigeria operation.”
The statement comes as the Nigerian government and militants have made no progress solving the three-year conflict but as some grass-root Nigerian initiatives have been successful.
"We have been having discussions with USAID on cooperation with some programs" Chevron or the U.S. aide agency sponsor "to transfer knowledge and make sure our efforts are complementary," said Dennis Flemming, a community development manager at Chevron's Nigeria operation.”
Michael Steele Turns Whus, Balls Fall Off
Steele Takes On Rush Limbaugh: "Ugly," "Incendiary" (VIDEO): “"My intent was not to go after Rush - I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh," Steele said. "I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. ... There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership."”
-- Wow, talk about losing your will. Republican Chairman Michael Steele lost his balls and turned whus after appologizing to blowhard radio talk shww host Rush Limbaugh. Man, but it's good for Democrats because it means the party will be slip between Steeleheads and Dittoheads, neither of which are electable.
-- Wow, talk about losing your will. Republican Chairman Michael Steele lost his balls and turned whus after appologizing to blowhard radio talk shww host Rush Limbaugh. Man, but it's good for Democrats because it means the party will be slip between Steeleheads and Dittoheads, neither of which are electable.
Obama Offered Deal to Russia in Secret Letter To Medvedev
More at NYTimes.com: “WASHINGTON — President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia’s president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday.”
-- This is a bold first step and it will give President Obama an immediate idea where the Russians are with respect to relations and his administration. Interesting.
-- This is a bold first step and it will give President Obama an immediate idea where the Russians are with respect to relations and his administration. Interesting.
BARE Magazine Launch Party, Berkeley, CA 2-28-09
I attended a great launch party of a new and innovative magazine called BARE. It was started by UC Berkeley student Doreen Bloch and captures the Bekeley fashion style, but also taps into the lucrative college student fashion scene.
BARE Magazine Launch Party, Berkeley, CA 2-28-09
I attended a great launch party of a new and innovative magazine called BARE. It was started by UC Berkeley student Doreen Bloch and captures the Bekeley fashion style, but also taps into the lucrative college student fashion scene.
Monday, March 02, 2009
Zennie's Gold Card Song A Hit On CNN and iReport
On Saturday I for some reason as I was showering started thinking about the song "The Sound of Silence" and then how my friend Russo has a tendency to sing these songs with a weird voice, so then I was thinking of a submission to the iReport on what I've given up to save money, and that led to my American Express Gold Card which I'd stopped using. I had all of those thoughts in one minute of shower time, then I started thinking about the lyrics to the song.
See, American Express, or AMEX, is trying to go back to its old business model where you as a card holder never had a balance, you just paid what you owed each month. So it's sacking the balance-holding accounts regardless of whether you paid on time or not. My account wasn't "sacked" but I had seen first the establishment of a credit limit then decreases in that limit which caused AMEX to ask for more money for no logical reason -- to me. So I figured why keep using it? Save money.
Thus the song.
And this YouTube video:
Which I also uploaded at iReport here:
And that version was seen over 69,000 times in one day because CNN elected to post it at CNN.com and well it went from 25 views to 15,000, to 69,000! But I didn't know it was going to be on television and that happened Sunday as I was in the gym. And then I've gotten facebook messages from people and texts and phone calls, so I figured I should share the video and lyrics for anyone who wanted to sing a silly song. I've got another song somewhere in me, but it works better when it's not forced out into the open!
See, American Express, or AMEX, is trying to go back to its old business model where you as a card holder never had a balance, you just paid what you owed each month. So it's sacking the balance-holding accounts regardless of whether you paid on time or not. My account wasn't "sacked" but I had seen first the establishment of a credit limit then decreases in that limit which caused AMEX to ask for more money for no logical reason -- to me. So I figured why keep using it? Save money.
Thus the song.
Goodbye Gold Card my old friend! We've seen good-eats on the high-end..
People tell me AMEX has crashed. People say their credit is
smashed. But I'll tell you, that's not going to happen to me; I'll
set you free. And use, my cash! Well, ok and my PayPal and gift
cards, and other things.
And this YouTube video:
Which I also uploaded at iReport here:
And that version was seen over 69,000 times in one day because CNN elected to post it at CNN.com and well it went from 25 views to 15,000, to 69,000! But I didn't know it was going to be on television and that happened Sunday as I was in the gym. And then I've gotten facebook messages from people and texts and phone calls, so I figured I should share the video and lyrics for anyone who wanted to sing a silly song. I've got another song somewhere in me, but it works better when it's not forced out into the open!
Deputy Paul Schene Shown Kicking Black 15-Year Old Teen Girl
From the AP:
Surveillance video released in an assault case against a King County, Wash. sheriff's deputy shows him kicking a young girl, slamming her to the jail cell floor and striking her repeatedly. The deputy has pleaded not guilty in case
This is racist and terrible. She's a 15-year old girl. Deputy Paul Schene apparently claimed she kicked a shoe but the tape does not show that. Another "Oscar Grant" example of a cop acting out of racist intent. We must punish officers who behave this way with jail time of their own. She is defenseless and did nothing wrong.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)