Stay A While

2011-05-28T13:50:00.001-05:00

I have moved my blog to Word Press.
Like others, I have had it with Blogger.

My new address is:

jbm479.wordpress.com

2011-05-25T01:42:00.000-05:00

Three Arches Above Utah
Credit & Copyright: Brad Goldpaint (Goldpaint Photography)

Explanation: How many arches can you count in the above image? If you count both spans of the Double Arch in the Arches National Park in Utah, USA, then two. But since the above image was taken during a clear dark night, it caught a photogenic third arch far in the distance -- that of the overreaching Milky Way Galaxy. Because we are situated in the midst of the spiral Milky Way Galaxy, the band of the central disk appears all around us. The sandstone arches of the Double Arch were formed from the erosion of falling water. The larger arch rises over 30 meters above the surrounding salt bed and spans close to 50 meters across. The dark silhouettes across the image bottom are sandstone monoliths left over from silt-filled crevices in an evaporated 300 million year old salty sea. A dim flow created by light pollution from Moab, Utah can also be seen in the distance.

Tim Pawlenty Wants To Be President

2011-05-23T22:15:00.008-05:00

Tim Pawlenty (ex Gov. of Minnesota) announced today he wants to be President of the United States. He may very well have a serious shot at the Republican party nomination. Compared to the bat shit crazies (Palin, Newt, Bachmann, etc.) running for the nomination, he appears to be the sanest of the bunch. So it's time to remind the public of his record.

In short he took Minnesota from a 600 million dollar surplus (when he took office) to a 6 billion dollar debt (when he left office) in his eight years as Governor.

A perfect match with the national Republican party which (during the same years Pawlenty was Gov. of Minnesota) added 6-1/2 Trillion to the national debt. Pawlenty is a real Republican poster boy. In today's press conference, Pawlenty cited his responsible fiscal record as exactly what America needs compared to Obama's dangerous spending.

Pawlenty was one of the Republican politicians who signed the "No New Tax" pledge, and claimed (not true) he never raised taxes in Minnesota. Of course Math being what it is, local property and school taxes have shot up since Pawlenty became Governor.

Minnesota lost its surplus and its top credit rating. Pawlenty did raise taxes, although he called them fees, not taxes, in order to keep his promise to not raise taxes. Services (like snowplowing - in a Winter State) have diminished. Our education standing has dropped. Our bridges are falling down. Our poor were kicked off State medical care, increasing emergency room use at a much higher cost than the cost of insuring those people. He made it illegal to buy drugs from Canada, which was saving Minnesotans millions compared to buying from American companies.

I could go on, but the point is Pawlenty is no different than the Republicans who have brought America to its financial knees. Not once did he try to lead, and explain to the people that we needed to pay our bills. He is the poster boy for irresponsible, negligent fiscal leadership. The irony that he will run on being fiscally responsible, is laughable, and dangerous if he wins office.

He raised the price of a pack of cigarettes one dollar, but claimed that was a fee, not a tax. That money did not go to some fund to pay for the medical costs of smokers, but to the general treasury. So a minority (21% of Minnesotans smoke) are now paying a larger amount than other Minnesotans, to pay for the bills of all Minnesotans. This word game (tax or fee) has helped his reputation in the Republican party.

Tim Pawlenty will be an extension of the proven failure of the Republican fiscal policies of the last 30 years, that have created the 14 trillion dollar debt for America. So before America decides he is the sane Republican nominee, lets publicise his poor, dangerous record and force him (and the Republican party) to defend these insane Republican fiscal policies.

2011-05-19T00:50:00.000-05:00

The Last Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour
Credit: NASA

Explanation: Two days ago, powerful yet controlled explosions rocketed the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final trip into Earth orbit. The above image was taken seconds after liftoff as the massive orbiter and six astronauts began a climb to a height where the atmosphere is so thin it is unbreathable. The shuttle, on mission STS-134, is expected to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) today. The Endeavour will deliver to the ISS, among other things, an ambitious detector called the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 2 (AMS), a detector that over the next few years could detect a significant abundance of specific types of dark matter, charged antimatter, and even a strangely possible variation of familiar matter called strangelets. The very last trip for any space shuttle is currently planned for mid-July when Atlantis will also visit the space station.

The Best Show In Town

2011-05-18T01:02:00.001-05:00

A Starry Night of Iceland
Credit: Stephane Vetter (Nuits sacrees)

Explanation: On some nights, the sky is the best show in town. On this night, the sky was not only the best show in town, but a composite image of the sky won an international competition for landscape astrophotography. The above winning image was taken two months ago over Jökulsárlón, the largest glacial lake in Iceland. The photographer combined six exposures to capture not only two green auroral rings, but their reflections off the serene lake. Visible in the distant background sky is the band of our Milky Way Galaxy, the Pleiades open clusters of stars, and the Andromeda galaxy. A powerful coronal mass ejection from the Sun caused auroras to be seen as far south as Wisconsin, USA. As the Sun progresses toward solar maximum in the next few years, many more spectacular images of aurora are expected.

It's Not A Matter Of Political Philosophy

2011-05-17T09:22:00.000-05:00

Running an efficient government, is not a matter of political philosophy. Choosing priorities, thus charting the direction of the future of the government (and our country) can be political philosophy. But we have a model to follow when making those priorities, it's called The Constitution of the United States; not to mention our other founding documents.

Those documents (the Constitution specifically) state, that this union was set up for the betterment of the people. "We the people.......", is the first line. The "Bill of Rights" are its most important base as a legal document. That is our guide to making priority choices for our government, thus ourselves.

When in question; the slant of a decision goes towards what is best for the people, not some corporation, or economic (capitalism) system.

The words capitalism, capitalist, profit, corporation (get the point) do not appear in the founding documents.

What we spend our money on can be guided by political philosophy, but the responsible action of having a balanced budget, is not a political philosophy, it is just common sense and good business judgment. Something the Republicans have not shown in government leadership for at least 30 years. The proof, is the current financial result of their past fiscal policies.

I laugh at the Republicans who NOW appear to want fiscal responsibility; and their plan will destroy programs that generations of Americans have spent blood, hard work, commitment, and yes their money (higher taxes) to build.

Could we take a different course? Sure, but why destroy a societies progress which has proven to improve the lives within that society, just to cover for one generation of selfish, power hungry Republican politicians?

It's to easy to blame the people. No one wants to pay more taxes. The people have been coned by crooked Republican politicians who promise a "free lunch." Republicans have reaped their political wins at the cost of the future financial health of America. Not once did they try to lead the people, to the idea that we had to pay our bills.

Irresponsible leadership, is the enemy of America. Republicans have been as irresponsible in leading the government, as a drunk deciding to drive a car. And like a drunk driver, they are remorseful now, but the patient is nearly dead. A little late for apologies, which like most drunk drivers, they don't even offer. It's past time, to take their driver's license away.

Doing the right thing can sometimes be a moral question, but the answer will not be found within a political philosophy. The last place you will find morality, is within a group of politicians. Democrats are not any more correct, or moral, but Republicans have been SO wrong and immoral.

The people who have voted for and supported these unethical Republicans, must also take inventory of their morality and character. Do (did) you really believe cutting taxes is the only answer to our national fiscal problems? No, then why support the party whose motto is "Cut Taxes, Cut Taxes - No New Taxes, No New Taxes."

There is a simple reason why our States and our National governments are in debt, because we refuse to pay our bills and the immoral leaders we listened to said that was the right thing to do.

There is blame enough for the people, but the culprits are the irresponsible Republicans.

I'm sure the Republican response to this post will be, both parties are to blame. That is already their excuse to deflect blame. Bullshit!

2011-05-15T00:30:00.002-05:00

The Sombrero Galaxy from Hubble
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA)

Explanation: What's going on in the center of this spiral galaxy? Named the Sombrero Galaxy for its hat-like resemblance, M104 features a prominent dust lane and a bright halo of stars and globular clusters. Reasons for the Sombrero's hat-like appearance include an unusually large and extended central bulge of stars, and dark prominent dust lanes that appear in a disk that we see nearly edge-on. Billions of old stars cause the diffuse glow of the extended central bulge. Close inspection of the bulge in the above photograph shows many points of light that are actually globular clusters. M104's spectacular dust rings harbor many younger and brighter stars, and show intricate details astronomers don't yet fully understand. The very center of the Sombrero glows across the electromagnetic spectrum, and is thought to house a large black hole. Fifty million-year-old light from the Sombrero Galaxy can be seen with a small telescope towards the constellation of Virgo.

Rene Magritte

2011-05-13T13:15:00.000-05:00

Rene Magritte (1898-1967) was a Belgian Surrealist painter who was trained in Brussels and traveled in France, Britain, Germany and Holland. He lived near Paris, 1927 and came into contact with the French Surrealist movement, although he painted some Impressionist-style pictures during World War II. He later lived in Brussels and painted murals for Belgian public buildings. His pale and dryly painted works have a dream-like clarity, with, frequently, an unexpected wittiness. They often have nude women, sometimes accompanied by men in bowler hats, and similar incongruities.

Bud Chapman Golf Holes

2011-05-08T17:30:00.000-05:00

Loyal H. "Bud" Chapman, a native of Minnesota, was born in 1923. He began painting at an early age and played his first round of golf as a caddie at the age of 12 at Interlachen County Club, the sight where Bobby Jones finalized his Grand Slam. During World War II he flew b-29's and created a comic strip called "Willie Washout". After his discharge from the service he attended the Walker Art School in Minneapolis, and later opened his own art studio, starting his career as a commercial artist. In 1972 he started and completed his first golf painting of Victoria Falls Golf Club. 17 more holes followed over the next 10 years that were to be the 18 "Infamous Golf Holes". Check out all his art here.

I am not a golfer, never have been. My brother is obsessed with the game. He will take a jet on a Friday, fly to some nice course in the Southwest United States, play all weekend, and fly back Sunday night. He does this 2 weekends a month, that's what I call obsessed.

I find Mr. Chapman's artwork, great. It also appeals to my surrealistic appreciations.

Planet Gazing

2011-05-07T02:36:00.002-05:00

Dawn of the Planets
Image Credit & Copyright: Luis Argerich

Explanation: This month, four of the five naked-eye planets gather along the eastern horizon near dawn. The celestial grouping is seen here just before sunrise on May 5, from a beach near Buenos Aires, Argentina. Starting near the top of the frame, the brightest beacon is Venus. Mercury is below and right of Venus and brilliant Jupiter is lower still, near image center. Below Jupiter, Mars is relatively faint and struggles the most to shine through a thin cloud bank and the warming twilight glow. Watch, and as the month progresses the tantalizing configuration will change, with Mars and Jupiter moving higher while Venus and Mercury wander through the sky closer to the rising sun.

2011-05-02T00:09:00.000-05:00

Molecular Cloud Barnard 163
Credit & Copyright: T. Rector (U. Alaska Anchorage), H. Schweiker, WIYN, NOAO, AURA, NSF

Explanation: It may look to some like a duck, but it lays stars instead of eggs. In the center of the above image lies Barnard 163, a nebula of molecular gas and dust so thick that visible light can't shine through it. With a wing span measured in light years, Barnard 163's insides are surely colder than its exterior, allowing conditions where gas can clump and eventually form stars. Barnard 163 lies about 3,000 light years from Earth toward the constellation of Cepheus the King. The red glow in the background results from IC 1396, a large emission nebula that houses the Elephant's Trunk Nebula. Finding Barnard 163 in an image of its greater emission nebula IC 1396 can be a challenge, but it's possible.

Sunday Funnies ?

2011-05-01T00:14:00.001-05:00

The First Black President

2011-04-29T10:10:00.001-05:00

A re-post for all the racists out there who now blame Obama for not producing his birth certificate and causing the issue.

If you are a birther - you are a racist!

You can't hide behind the "I'm not a racist, but by the way where is his birth certificate and why did Obama cause this issue.

______________________________________________________

Did you wonder just how racism would rear its ugly head against the first black President?

Racism is is not so overt these days. I didn't expect the Klan to march on the White House with their hoods on. I didn't expect racists to be calling the President of the United States a nigger. I didn't expect business owners to not admit him inside their businesses.

Racists are more backhanded these days. Questioning his birthright, in the face of clear evidence, that he is American born. Just a little slap, to let him know they don't think he is REALLY American, as they feel other blacks are not really American.

Claiming he is a Muslim, when that is totally untrue. Why? Could it be that Americans have a negative connotation of Muslims since 2001? Irregardless that a vast majority of Muslims in the World are peace loving people; a few bad people have hijacked that religion, and are nothing more than murdering terrorists.

We have a few religious terrorists in America who have hijacked the Christian religion for their evil purposes. I doubt most good Christians support those religious terrorists who bomb abortion clinics, or kill abortion doctors who are providing a LEGAL service.

I haven't counted, but I'll bet we have more dangerous religious crackpots in America, than any other Country on Earth.

Don't kid yourself, these are racists. They use different tactics in the 21st century.

Calling him Socialist, Communist, Hitler and every other name in the book, is just another way to try and define him as sub-human.

Since when, if a President wants to try and help the American people, does that make him anti-American.? That's what they say about him. They even concoct their bat shit theories about him being in some secret alliance with Arab States to tear down America.

Call these racists, racists!

Don't let them get away with some bullshit explanations like, "we are just asking legitimate questions." Bullshit!

And those like RN who claim they don't "know" if he is a citizen, or not, or Muslim, or not; are stupid and racist.

Lessons of History

2011-04-25T21:47:00.002-05:00

Last week (April 20) it was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It was also International Cannabis Day, in case you wanted to forget about the Holocaust. Truly an irony of comparison apt to today's World. The hard, violent, angry reality and the self induced fog of passive forgetfulness.

Change is not easy, and is sometimes violent. In fact, if we look at the major changes for good that have happened in our country, few were without violence. The Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the violence to fight for better working conditions in the early 20th century, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam protests, and on, and on. Violence is part of what started this great country, and part of what has kept this great country safe and free. So for all you "peace-nicks" out there that say violence solves nothing, History is not on your side.

This goes for the World at large, whose History is nothing, if not violent and full of death and atrocities. Progress for humanity has been slow and riddled with death and violence. Yes, it seems we do not learn from History, and we continue to keep killing ourselves. There is a common thread to why we have been killing each other for centuries. Religion, and our dispute over its deity, meaning, practices, and laws have been the cause of countless death and wars.

By sheer elimination of the opposition, wars have defined which path humanity would walk. Victors decide the fate of humans and how they will be ruled. This lesson is not lost on those who think their way is the correct way, and therefore should be the path for all, even if it has to be forced on all.

People are basically followers and want to be led. That is the opportunity for those with an ego, to step in and lead people down their path. The abuses of leaders through the centuries is infamous. If people can rise above the fear of confronting power, they will revolt. The most famous revolt (judged by its outcome) in History, is the American colonists revolt and declaration of independence against the king of England.

We still have not learned our lesson from History. Oh sure, the leaders are different, the thugs are different, the criminals are different; but the themes of violence, death, war, egotistical rulers, oppression, and religious differences continue to repeat themselves.

Is it more barbaric to cut a few thousand heads off with a sword, or nuke a few hundred thousand people in an instant. That debate is senseless. We are still killing each other by the millions. Is death less sad if it is done in the name of good, instead of evil.? No. But good must be victorious over evil if we are to improve the human condition.

Over the centuries, we have improved the human condition. Yet, given our current condition, I see no reason to praise the efforts of mankind. If you want to compare us to our distant, barbaric relatives, fine, but our duty is to today and the future.

It's easy to understand why people escape to the drug induced world of "be happy." I don't believe in utopia. I don't believe in political messiahs. I don't believe in a man who could lead millions, and still be an honest man. Even the 2nd coming of Christ predicts a thousand years of war and death. I don't believe the World will be saved from itself. I believe the World will end. Humanity will kill it one way or another.

What can we learn from God, if he has pre-ordained that we will die by his hand, in another, but Holy Holocaust?

2011-04-24T21:13:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter

Luke 23:46

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said,
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:
and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Luke 24:34

The Lord is risen indeed,
and hath appeared to Simon.

Luke 24:51

And it came to pass,
while he blessed them,
he was parted from them,
and carried up into heaven.

I'm told that these passages define the essence of Catholic faith. More than a statement of a supernatural being, and creator of all things; but a testimony of life from death, personally witnessed by the mere mortals of that day. The ultimate proof of everlasting spirit, which if you obey God, will be given to you, along with everlasting peace and love.

According to the Pope, you have to prove your worthiness. There is a Hell, and you must be good, to be allowed in God's Heaven. Somehow I picture a naughty and nice list, but I don't want to be crass.

Is it vulgar to ask, who is this God? What is his character, what are his morals, and what does he want from us, his creations?

Do you have to prove your commitment to God, by being willing to kill your son? Is eternal adoration of him, all he created us for? Is eternal adoration of God our only reason to exist? That's the reward of hard life on Earth? That's what God wants most of all, a mass of beings adoring him? If true, his ego could be compared to that of a tyrant.

Why would he choose one group of people over all others, declare them his special children, yet proclaim that all who want eternal salvation must come to, and obey him. Is discrimination part of his character? For those who want to believe, isn't making one group of people superior (in his eyes) to all other groups of people, a recipe for jealousy? Isn't jealousy a cause for hate and violence?

If forgiveness is part of his philosophy, why cast out Adam and Eve and allow pain and suffering to be the destiny of the human race? Tough love? Intimidation to obey? He created the serpent and he knew what Eve was going to do. If human being's free will is so disappointing to him, why did he create us that way?

The Bible is a great book, a real page turner; but the contradictions are more than confusing.

In a time of little education, stories taught morals and helped form people's behavior. In a barbaric time of lawlessness, the idea of peace, love, and eternal spirit was euphoric. To identify and define a Creator, how he wanted us to live, and promise a better eternal life after death, was hypnotic.

Why was God so directly involved in the lives of people thousands of years ago, yet has ignored us recently? Wasn't the killing of millions of Jews in WWII a much more violent crime than the slavery of Jews in Egypt? Where are the prophets of our day, and why does God not send them to us? Please don't cite Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Jimmy Swaggert, Benny Hinn, ect., ect..... If those are God's leaders, God has lost.

Set the story, set the rules, and then prove the Creator is supernatural. He can raise people from death, make the blind see, feed thousands on a few fish, walk on water, and other supernatural feats. An all knowing being, that knows your inner thoughts, with the power to create and destroy all things. Such power must be obeyed, and cannot be ignored. FEAR! Are you a good, God fearing person?

If there were no God, would you be a rapist, or a murderer? Can you be a decent human being without knowing God? Must you be told by some God, that you have to treat others as you would want them to treat you? Are humans only good because of the threat of God's dissatisfaction? Is there no reason to be good to our fellow man, unless there is God's eternal promise?

I heard on the radio today that over 90% of Americans claim to believe in God. Where is the reflection of that statistic?

There's more money in this country now, than ever before, yet charitable contributions are down. We cut programs for the needy. We put homeless people in jail because we are afraid to have them sleeping outside. Our heroes are athletes, movie stars, rap singers, and the most popular news is that of the drug and divorce lives of the rich and famous. We are willing to kill to secure oil for ourselves, from those who own it. Success is determined by how much money we have and material goods we own. Our leaders claim to be followers of God to gain our acceptance, but their behavior says something else. I could go on, and on, and on.

If you want to live by the Bible, great. If you want to believe in supernatural fairy tales, fine. But don't claim it, then not live it! Christ didn't die for our sins so we could just keep sinning. We are supposed to change our ways. Our morals are different than our ancestors, but are they better?

The world would be a much better place with less religious authority, and more "due unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Don't wait for God to make things better, God is waiting for you to make things better!

Arp273

2011-04-21T13:28:00.000-05:00

Peculiar Galaxies of Arp 273
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA)

Explanation: The spiky stars in the foreground of this sharp cosmic portrait are well within our own Milky Way Galaxy. The two eye-catching galaxies lie far beyond the Milky Way, at a distance of over 300 million light-years. Their distorted appearance is due to gravitational tides as the pair engage in close encounters. Cataloged as Arp 273 (also as UGC 1810), the galaxies do look peculiar, but interacting galaxies are now understood to be common in the universe. In fact, the nearby large spiral Andromeda Galaxy is known to be some 2 million light-years away and approaching the Milky Way. Arp 273 may offer an analog of their far future encounter. Repeated galaxy encounters on a cosmic timescale can ultimately result in a merger into a single galaxy of stars. From our perspective, the bright cores of the Arp 273 galaxies are separated by only a little over 100,000 light-years. The release of this stunning vista celebrates the 21st anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.

Space Art

2011-04-20T01:10:00.000-05:00

Now that our scientific instruments can see more than 15 billion light years across the Universe, the Earth is indeed a small, fragile planet.

By now you can tell that I appreciate art, especially the surreal and different kind of art that uses optical illusion, and the illusions of the minds of the people that create. So it's not a surprise that I also have an appreciation for Space Art.

Space Art has been around a long time. From the illustrations of a Jules Vern story, to the animation of The Jetson cartoons. Space Art became popular in the 1950's when the imaginary became reality. Space Art today, is more about human interpretation of reality, than an imagination building an unreal world.

Space Art can be generated in minutes on a computer. The pioneers of the medium spent days and days creating the color, light, and composition that was truly their own invention, not to mention that everything was hand painted. The Hubble Telescope creates its own real life space art through its photographic lenses.

The artwork of the space shuttle is merely a full color enhancement of a real mechanical design. The design lost out, that is not what the new shuttle will look like. It is amazing how the old Space Art was so reflective of today's real space technology.

It's the appeal and infinity of space itself, that still allows the imagination of both the artist and the viewer, to be enthralled. As imaginative as these Space Artists are, they can't match the real beauty and oddities of space itself.

Below is Alan Bean's hand painted rendition of what he actually saw as an astronaut.

Below is Norman Rockwell's hand painted rendition of "Man On The Moon"

Can you tell which of these images are hand painted, or digitally (computer) produced?

Just like the old masters, these images are a result of talent, and take us beyond our own little world.

Mindless Idiots, Trolls, And Other Hypocrites

2011-04-17T11:28:00.004-05:00

Have you recently received the commercial add of a new movie posted in your comment section?Are you tired of the comments that don't speak to the issue, but just insult your opinion as being stupid, without proving how you are stupid for holding such an opinion? How many times must you show the facts, before the discussion can be based on the facts? Isn't it funny how all the trolls and annoying ass holes are linked on the same blog(s). Of course those blogs defend themselves by claiming they are civil bloggers, yet, they allow known blog ass holes to participate on their blog, and then defend them as civil bloggers.

I guess my standards are higher than others. I guess I hold to my principles stronger than others. I will not allow known blog ass holes on my blog, nor will I participate in blogs that allow known blog ass holes to participate on their blogs. As for those who support and protect known blog ass holes, they are even worse. They hide behind the false pronouncement of civility, while promoting incivility.

I don't like blog membership groups. It stifles free thinking and promotes group think, a dangerous practice often confused with quality of expression. A false conclusion, totally based on the controllers choice of who to admit as a member. I quit a blog group recently, because, in spite of the proclaimed mission of serious conversation, ideas, and expression, they allowed known ass hole bloggers to be members.

I have been blogging for years (not all under "Stay A While") and I have had the blog of popularity. Hundreds of comments each post, awards, mention by Time magazine and other respectable references, but that popularity came at the expense of allowing idiots, trolls, ass holes, and extremists to participate on my blog. I would not have had such a popular blog without them. People like to see fights and train wrecks.

As fun as it was, I was still empty of quality discussions of issues. Mature people who could defend positions with facts and the view of their principles. People who will not defend the idiots and scums simply because they happen to be friends. Being friends with such people and defending their behavior, only shows they are the same, no matter how loud they scream they are civil and serious. I know it can be fun (been there, done that) but it adds nothing to the discussion of how to solve problems, or have an adult conversation.

This all leads to the problem we have today, the incursion of extremism and idiots into our elected Congress, and why these known irresponsible officials get support at all. It's not that complicated how we got to the mess we have, or how to get out of it. It's not a matter of having differing political viewpoint, or parties.

It is a matter of intelligence, and common sense having left the conversation. It does not take a PHD to know how we got to a 14 trillion dollar debt, and anyone without a high school diploma can tell you what needs to be done to get back to fiscal sanity. Yet, we allow idiots to guide our thinking. Somehow just because they have a platform, they must be serious and therefore listened to, hogwash.

As I am going to practice with blog mindless idiots, trolls, and other hypocrites - just refuse to give them the space, platform, and benefit of your time, blog space, or consideration that they even deserve to be heard.

Extremism is not part of a reasonable discussion. Cultists ideas are not part of a reasonable discussion. Idiots and annoying ass hole should be ignored. Hypocrites who say one thing, but do the opposite, should be identified for others to stay away from.

It can be fun to debate with these fools, but don't kid yourself, you have just lowered the quality and seriousness of the conversation. To not see that, is an intellectual mistake, that leads to opening the door for these fools. That's why we have so many in our politics. We let them in by being conned with the idea they are serious people, or represent serious ideas.

Shutting down the government for over less than 1% of the budget, is extremist bullshit, not a serious position to take about national fiscal policy. To stop funding the government ( not raise taxes) because your sick of irresponsible Congressional spending (which has been going on for 200 years) is childish, not to mention anti-American since the object is to kill off the American government.

Why are these idiot, immature options the center of the debate? Because we allowed these idiots to get political power. If we truly don't know better, we are lost to the leadership of idiot, childish, adults; just as the blogosphere is full of lying, idiot, cultist, hypocrites.

I'm waiting for serious adults to reject these scum. I guess I'll have to wait until more people get sick of them and stop playing with them for some false sense of discussing ideas, as compared to discussing real, worthwhile ideas.

Humor Break

2011-04-14T19:01:00.006-05:00

2011-04-12T19:17:00.002-05:00

50 Years Ago: Yuri's Planet
Credit: ISS Expedition 7 Crew, EOL, NASA

Explanation: On April 12th, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Alexseyevich Gagarin became the first human in space. His remotely controlled Vostok 1 spacecraft lofted him to an altitude of 200 miles and carried him once around planet Earth. Commenting on the first view from space he reported, "The sky is very dark; the Earth is bluish. Everything is seen very clearly". His view could have resembled this image taken in 2003 from the International Space Station. Alan Shepard, the first US astronaut, would not be launched until almost a month later and then on a comparatively short suborbital flight. Born on March 9, 1934, Gagarin was a military pilot before being chosen for the first group of cosmonauts in 1960. As a result of his historic flight he became an international hero and legend. Killed when his MIG jet crashed during a training flight in 1968, Gagarin was given a hero's funeral, his ashes interred in the Kremlin Wall. Twenty years later, on yet another April 12th, in 1981, NASA launched the first space shuttle.

2011-04-11T17:49:00.002-05:00

Otherworldly Planet Rise
Credit & Copyright: Robert Arn (Colorado St. U.)

Explanation: What would a sunrise look like on another world? So far, humanity has only recorded sunrises on Mars and Earth, but it is fun to wonder what they would look like on planets known and yet unknown. Planets far from their parent star would record the rise of an unusually bright point of light rather than a round orb. Although this might appear to be what is pictured above, the careful combination of long exposures and creative lighting is actually based on Venus-rise from planet Earth a few weeks ago, captured through Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA. Picturesque buttes and mesas dot the background landscape. The orange sky is created by air scattering and dust, but is likely reminiscent of dusty skyscapes on Mars. Sunrise was set to occur a few minutes hence, and did indeed involve a round orb.

2011-04-09T14:31:00.002-05:00

Lunar Farside
Credit: NASA / GSFC / Arizona State Univ. / Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Explanation: Tidally locked in synchronous rotation, the Moon always presents its familiar nearside to denizens of planet Earth. From lunar orbit, the Moon's farside can become familiar, though. In fact this sharp picture, a mosaic from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's wide angle camera, is centered on the lunar farside. Part of a global mosaic of over 15,000 images acquired between November 2009 and February 2011, the highest resolution version shows features at a scale of 100 meters per pixel. Surprisingly, the rough and battered surface of the farside looks very different from the nearside covered with smooth dark lunar maria. The likely explanation is that the farside crust is thicker, making it harder for molten material from the interior to flow to the surface and form the smooth maria.

Obama Practices His Lybia Speech

2011-04-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

2011-04-01T11:48:00.002-05:00

It's Raining on Titan
Illustration Credit & Copyright: David A. Hardy (AstroArt)

Explanation: It's been raining on Titan. In fact, it's likely been raining methane on Titan and that's not an April Fools' joke. The almost familiar scene depicted in this artist's vision of the surface of Saturn's largest moon looks across an eroding landscape into a stormy sky. That scenario is consistent with seasonal rain storms temporarily darkening Titan's surface along the moon's equatorial regions, as seen by instruments onboard the Cassini spacecraft. Of course on frigid Titan, with surface temperatures of about -290 degrees F (-180 degrees C), the cycle of evaporation, cloud formation, and rain involves liquid methane instead of water. Lightning could also be possible in Titan's thick, nitrogen-rich atmosphere.

Extremism

2011-03-27T00:45:00.000-05:00

We cannot run our society, or our government on extreme ideologies. Extremism is not compatible with the Constitution. The Constitution is an inclusive set of rules to govern people. Extremism is an exclusive pronouncement of one sides political and/or social convictions. If we are to hold true to the goal of the Constitutions proclamations, then extremism is automatically eliminated as a realistic path to achieving the goals of the Constitution.

Supreme Court Justice Scalia likes to denounce those who describe the Constitution as a "living, breathing" document. He states that legal decisions must be decided by the intent of the founding fathers who wrote the amendments that make up the Constitution. Yet, the founding fathers wrote a document that can be amended, with the obvious understanding that as society changes, so would the laws that society lives by, have to change.

Can we make decisions about gun laws in the 21st century based on the realities of gun use in the 18th century? Is the Constitution to be blind to the progress of humanity? Technological advances, more highly educated people, more freedoms for people, naturally brings different moral and legal questions that could not have possibly been foreseen by people who lived in the 18th century. They understood that, thus a legal process that could, in fact, must be amended.

Extreme view points are and must be protected by the Constitution, but must not be allowed to be the governing ideology simply because they have gamed the system in political activism. We have done much to protect minorities in our society. We must be vigilant in protecting the majority in our society.

The majority is to blame for allowing extreme ideology to gain such a high position in our politics. Their poor voting record and lack of exercising their duty as good citizens is a laziness that endangers a healthy democracy. Money is not the voice of the people, it is the voice of those who understand how to make their voices louder than their actual numbers deserve. Money perverts the system by aiming at the temptations of human greed, not the popularity of their ideology.

Our partisan bickering and party line votes are holding us back from real progress in our society and government. Compromise is no longer a consideration for other viewpoints, it has become a simple defeat by the numbers. Things may change now only because the voting numbers have changed. We still haven't made the hard attempt to pass laws that are not constantly disapproved of by one segment of society, or another.

To have harmony, is to eliminate anger. We will never agree on everything, but to be constantly mad at each other, is to foster resentment, hate, and disunity. Reject the extreme, loud, angry, voices coming from any side.

When Will The Selfishness End

2011-03-25T02:22:00.000-05:00

It's no surprise that the Baby-Boomers elected Reagan, Bush, and Bush. It reflects a selfishness, that is no different than when they were kids. Always out for themselves and their good time.
Well, they have had their good time and their free lunch government. Unfortunately, they have also left future America's government broke.

I don't know what kind of government young people want, or if they even expect anything from their government. They will find out, that they DO need government to get things done, no matter what they hear from the conservatives of the country who would prefer to destroy government as we know it, and as it has produced the greatest country in the World.

Politics is a messy, ugly business and always has been. Promises by a politician, or expectations of a politician are false and always have been. There is no such thing as a political messiah. The young are idealistic and naive. Political hopes are always dashed in some way, or another. In my day, political hopes were dashed by murder and assassinations. Today, political hopes have been dashed by the weak leadership of their candidate.

What we all need (not just the young) is more sales resistance when listening to politicians. We all need to be better citizens. We need to look beyond our own selfish interests and think of what's best for all Americans, especially future Americans. We need to regain the common sense and true compassion Americans were once known for. We cannot simply walk away from the centuries of progress blood and sweat has achieved and just say, we have to stop now, this has all gotten out of hand.

If you think one side, or one person has all the answers to our problems, think again. If you think it's not important to balance (pay as we go) our government budgets, think again. If you think our government should not help, or care about its citizens, think again. If you think all people of the World should live under our kind of government (even if that is not compatible to their culture and society) think again. If you think America is easy, think again.

2011-03-23T23:48:00.002-05:00

MWC 922: The Red Square Nebula
Credit & Copyright: Peter Tuthill (Sydney U.) & James Lloyd (Cornell)

Explanation: What could cause a nebula to appear square? No one is quite sure. The hot star system known as MWC 922, however, appears to be embedded in a nebula with just such a shape. The above image combines infrared exposures from the Hale Telescope on Mt. Palomar in California, and the Keck-2 Telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. A leading progenitor hypothesis for the square nebula is that the central star or stars somehow expelled cones of gas during a late developmental stage. For MWC 922, these cones happen to incorporate nearly right angles and be visible from the sides. Supporting evidence for the cone hypothesis includes radial spokes in the image that might run along the cone walls. Researchers speculate that the cones viewed from another angle would appear similar to the gigantic rings of supernova 1987A, possibly indicating that a star in MWC 922 might one day itself explode in a similar supernova.

2011-03-21T00:23:00.001-05:00

Parthenon Moon
Image Credit & Copyright: Anthony Ayiomamitis (TWAN)

Explanation: Did you see the Full Moon last night? Near the horizon, the lunar orb may have seemed to loom large, swollen in appearance by the famous Moon illusion. But the Full Moon really was a large Full Moon last night, reaching its exact full phase within an hour of lunar perigee, the point in the Moon's elliptical orbit closest to planet Earth. A similar near perigee Full Moon last occured on December 12, 2008. The difference in the Moon's apparent size as it moves from perigee to apogee, its farthest point from Earth, is about 14 percent. Of course, a nearly Full Moon will rise again tonight, lighting the skies on the date of the Equinox or equal night. The Full Moon also looms large in this well-planned, telescopic lunar portrait. Captured earlier this year, the rising lunar orb is dramatically matched to the 2,500 year old Parthenon, in Athens, Greece.

Political Cartoons

2011-03-20T01:44:00.001-05:00

Fascists ?

2011-03-17T16:27:00.005-05:00

So a Republican Governor wants the authority to appoint a person (unelected) who could take over local government, making the local elected officials obsolete. Gee, that's exactly what Hitler did.

Hitler also sent Brown Shirts to town hall meetings to intimidate, start fights, and disrupt, or stop the meetings. Sound Familiar? Conservatives sent people to the Health Care Town Hall Meetings; they did the same things and brought their guns along for extra intimidation.

Hitler said the only responsibility the State has to the people, is to protect them with a strong military. Hitler built the strongest military on Earth. Then he used that army to attack a country that had not attacked Germany. Sound familiar? Republicans state that the government should only protect its people from attack - government should only have a strong military. That was Regan's ideology. Bush used that military to attack a country, that did not attack America.

Oh yes, these are fascists.

Conservatism taken to extreme, is Fascism. Today's Republicans, are extremists.

Once they (Republicans) get done destroying our institutions; they will be surprised to find all that is left, are the people. History records the fact that as all societies fail, what's left are the people who suffered by the excess of their dictatorial leaders. Germany fell, the people lived on. Rome fell, the people lived on. The USSR fell, the people lived on. History shows many examples.

Both in fact and philosophy our Constitution lists the government's obligation to to its people, which goes beyond simple military protection. It has been hailed the greatest guide for a government in all History. One reason is its specific rights to people and the governments restrictions on oppressing its people.

History also records (especially American History) that individuals alone cannot succeed in building a society. Yet, this "go it alone" ideology of Republicans, rejects the reality of how we became a great country. Our schools, police, fire, and other institutions were never an individual effort, and were dependant on communal taxation and human participation.

Communal taxation - what a concept. A means to build for the benefit of all, that which individuals cannot do by themselves. An ideology Republicans reject - with just about every vote they cast in Congress. Social programs are a way to help millions of citizens. We voted for these programs, and have supported those programs for almost a century. Approval by the people, is not the same as some dictated policy. Republicans call our President a Socialist (in the image of Stalin) because he supports these programs, and the welfare of the American people.

We are by definition a progressive society. That which we did not see as healthy for America in the past, we have learned is healthy for America. We eliminated slavery, child (slave) labor, oppression of women, and so much more. And we are a better society for it. Health Care for all, is just another step in making America better for all.

The current protests (100's of thousands of people hitting the streets) are to preserve the status quo. Yet, we have an obligation to future America, to go beyond the status quo and improve America just as our ancestors did. Yes, that means bloodshed at times, and that time may becoming again. These people seek a better America, which is as American as apple pie.

Those whose policies would bankrupt America, are enemies of America. Those whose policies do not defend the vote, are enemies of America. Those whose policies would allow unelected people to dictate decisions that effect the people, are enemies of America. Those who are elected to office by the people, then lie to the people, are enemies of America. Those whose policies would launch military aggression against the World without just cause, are enemies of America.

Patriots fight against the enemies of America, not help them. Patriots speak out loudly against those whose policies would hurt America. Don't be taken in by those who twist words and facts for their own selfish purposes, not for the good of the people.

How Do You Debate?

2011-03-15T19:50:00.005-05:00

How do you debate with someone like Dmarks who states"Unions have nothing to do with the middle class." OR, "there were WMD's in Iraq", even though Bush, his administration, and the U.S. military (after a 2 year search) said there were no WMD's. Or, Clinton never passed a balanced budget, even though the Republican leaders said he did pass a balanced budget, because they were in majority at the time and voted to pass that balanced budget. Yet this idiot Dmarks calls me a racist.

TAO stopped his blog and started a group blog called "Democracy Central" which I was one of the first members. This "Democracy Central" blog did nothing for almost a year, then he lets known, proven trolls and blog attackers guest post. So I quit Democracy Central. I don't want to be a member of a blog that gives voice to such scum. Now TAO says I quit simply because I did not want to talk with this scum, but yet I'm ALL OVER THE INTERNET talking with him.
I am not all over the Internet talking with this scum. I replied to a comment he made to me at ONE other blog, period. Thanks TAO for misrepresenting the facts and supporting a blog attacking troll. Good luck with your year old blog. By the way where is Bluepitbull's guest post?. Check your facts before you spew your garbage.

Of course I have a blog, but will they bring their complaints to ME - NO, the chicken shit cowards. They hide behind their fellow idiots for support and coverage. I would drop dead if one of their buddies had the guts to call their fellow commentators WRONG. So I have the right to believe that they all believe this crap.

RN is so upset about the above facts, that he wrote a post saying how dumb I am. Here's your post in reply since you are to cowardly to come to my blog and make those idiotic statements. I had the guts to write a comment on your blog, but surprise, you refused to publish it as of this post, coward.

There are many more examples (I'd like to hear yours) of these kind of proven false statements, that we are supposed to take as truth, just because they are uttered. BULLSHIT! When are these liars going to be put on the carpet and called what they are, delusional liars.

I don't care if a majority of Americans believe Obama was not born in America, they are wrong, been proven wrong, and are idiot racists.

I don't care if some believe there were WMD's, there were not and these idiots should be identified as liars, yes, even by their fellow blog buddies, or else people have every right to believe these blog buddies also believe this crap. Which makes them idiots, and I will say so.

So have your fun you cowards. You liars. You idiots. You supporters of scum.

I guess what pisses you off most, is that I won't lower myself to your level and believe this crap, keep my mouth shut, let you lie your way around the facts, or follow rules of civility when I am called racist.

You cannot debate with these idiots. They take off without facts and spew their emotions, regardless of the consequences. THIS is why we are in trouble. These idiots believe their own garbage. They believe the country would be better off broke. They believe people do not matter.

Have a nice life living your delusions.

FUNNIES ?

2011-03-12T16:41:00.006-06:00

Political Cartoon

2011-03-06T00:06:00.001-06:00

Republicans Are Idiot Liars

2011-03-03T18:08:00.005-06:00

I'm really tired of all this Republican/Conservative ideological crap. When will reality, facts, and what's best for the American people enter the idiotic discussion going on in Washington and the country?

Show through GNP, GDP (or other magical Math formulas) increased revenues to the government through tax cuts. Who gives a shit about your explanations of Math. WE ARE STILL 14 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT ! After 30 years of your "trickle down" "Voodoo Economics."

The current Republican plan would cut 700,000 jobs. Is that what we need when unemployment is hovering around 9%? (That official number is lower than the actual number of people not working)

There is no proof that giving tax cuts to corporations creates jobs. So why the hell are we giving anyone tax cuts while we are so far in debt?

Scream about the future of our children and grandchildren, then leave them a bankrupt country.

Be anti-abortion. Make idiot laws making getting an abortion impossible, yet, vote against help for single mothers, or families who cannot afford more children.

Scream about keeping the government out of our lives, but tell families what they must do with their sick, dying relatives, or how they must practice their personal sex and reproduction behavior.

Pander to voters by telling them "No New Taxes" and let the debts mount. Where's responsible, honest political leadership in that backwards thinking?

There are other ways to help balance the numbers besides just spending cuts, or raising taxes. How about making sure (corporations and individuals) pay what they owe? No Republicans say. Their plan calls for cutting the IRS staff that goes after tax cheats. Every dollar spent on IRS enforcement brings in ten dollars to the Treasury.

Bust unions. Ask teachers to cut their pay, etc, etc.....BUT still give oil companies (posting record profits for years now) subsidies-our tax money. These are your priorities for our society?

I could go on and on about the hypocrisy of all sorts of issues; the point is, bring on your explanations and debates, just don't expect me (and the rest of America) to swallow you lame, stupid, failed policies and explanations.

Republicans lost the intellectual debate decades ago. They have been gliding on the wins they have made on the emotional debate, with their scare tactics and out right lies to the American people.

Republicans offer us buffoons, bimbos, racists, and hypocrites as their leaders; and the Americans who fall for (vote for) these false leaders, are wrong and hurting America.

Keep the hot air coming out of you mouths (asses) but explain yourselves, with logic and facts, not BULLSHIT.

1954 Cadillac Cabriolet Roadster by Pinin Farina

2011-02-25T01:40:00.007-06:00

(right click on photos to enlarge )

The 1954 Cadillac Cabriolet Roadster by Pinin Farina

My favorite classic car. A masterpiece on four wheels. I wish I had the opportunity to drive this beauty and open her up on a long highway, without a cop around. Blasting great music feeling the road at well over 100 miles an hour. A nice dream. I love driving.

The Italian design house of Pinin Farina first designed for Cadillac in 1931 on a V16 boattailed tiger-hunting roadster for the Maharajah of Orccha. From that moment onward, a mutual esteem and collaboration was born between the directors at GM and Pinin Farina. This rapport was interrupted by the war, but it was reborn as soon as the war ended. In 1947, International Motors of Los Angeles, a Cadillac distributor, asked Pinin Farina to design some special coupe and convertible bodies for General Motors models for Hollywood stars and magnates.

Pinin Farina gladly accepted. He knew that the US was the largest automotive market in the world, and getting a strong toehold could be very lucrative for his company. One of the concept show cars produced by Pinin Farina was this, an extraordinary 1954 Cadillac Cabriolet. The car was exhibited on the show circuit, but only this single version was ever built. And so, today it remains a spectacular one-of-a-kind. It's a very cool car!

2011-02-22T16:15:00.005-06:00

Milky Way Over Switzerland

Credit: Stephane Vetter (Nuits sacrees)

Explanation: What's visible in the night sky during this time of year? To help illustrate the answer, a beautiful land, cloud, and skyscape was captured earlier this month over Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Visible in the foreground were the snow covered cliffs of the amphitheater shaped Creux du Van, as well as distant trees, and town-lit clouds. Visible in the night sky (at midnight) were galaxies including the long arch of the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy, the Andromeda galaxy (M31), and the Triangulum galaxy (M33. Star clusters visible included NGC 752, M34, M35, M41, the double cluster, and the Beehive (M44). Nebulas visible included the Orion Nebula (M42), NGC 7822, IC 1396, the Rosette Nebula, the Flaming Star Nebula, the California Nebula, the Heart and Soul Nebulas, and the Pacman Nebula.

2011-02-21T18:59:00.002-06:00

Botticelli - A Change From Politics

2011-02-20T19:00:00.000-06:00

Living and working during the same time as greats like Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, it would be easy for even a great artist like Botticelli to get lost in that crowd.

Alessandro Filipepi, known as Sandro Botticelli, (1444-1510) began his career during the Italian Renaissance period. Botticelli was born in Florence around 1445 where he would live out the rest of his life. As the youngest of five children, Botticelli’s father, a tanner, allowed him to become an apprentice to a goldsmith. During this apprenticeship, the goldsmith he worked with gave him the name Botticelli, meaning ‘little barrel.’

After a time, Sandro convinced his father that he wanted to study painting and was chosen to be apprentice to the well known painter Fra Filippo Lippi. Lippi was well known for how he used color on church altarpieces and helped Sandro discover a similar style for his own work. Sandro Botticelli developed tender expressions in his subjects face and in their gestures. He also used decorative details that were influenced by his training. Botticelli quickly became recognized as a gifted artist all by himself. By the time he was 15 years old, he was able to open a workshop dedicated to his own work.

In Sandro Botticelli’s workshop, he chose to have many apprentices to help him complete his work. Sandro taught them to set up and prepare his supplies so he could concentrate on painting. When Sandro thought one of his apprentices was ready, he had some of them paint for him under his close supervision. Using these practices, he was able to produce large amounts of commissioned work.

Botticelli’s style evolved into one that was very distinct. His portraits seemed to have a melancholy or sad characteristic to them. Sandro stressed line and detail using them to bring his characters alive – as if acting out a scene. He included in his style a flowing characteristic that would clearly identify work as his. Botticelli also included Neoplatonism in his work. This meant that he would bring together in one painting ideas that belong to both Christianity and pagan ideas which may have included mythology. One theme that Botticelli used over and over again was the idea of a very sad young girl that was detached from what was going on around her. This theme appeared in many of his portraits throughout his career. Another theme Botticelli liked tackling were the roles male and females played in society. Sometimes Sandro would show traditional roles, but other times, he showed females as the dominant, most important figure.

Sandro Botticelli’s work was most in demand by the Medici family. The Medici’s were a very rich and prominent member of the Florence society. Botticelli is thought to have used them as subjects for a large number of his works. They traveled in very important circles and introduced Botticelli to some of the most influential people. In these different settings, Sandro gathered material to use in his portraits and scene portrayals. The Medici family would pay huge sums of money for Botticelli’s work.

In 1481, Botticelli was invited to Rome to take part in the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Sandro joined artists such as Perugino, Ghirlandaio and then Michelangelo in contributing to the most well known piece of Italian art. While there, Botticelli worked on several pieces in the Chapel. In all, Botticelli painted three large pieces, as well as seven papal portraits in the Sistine Chapel.

As Sandro grew older, his style underwent a remarkable change. Sandro became a follower of the monk Savonarola who was a prominent civic leader in Florence. He stressed giving up all worldly things. He was very charismatic and often spoke of death and God’s wrath upon the people. Many of Botticelli’s previous paintings were considered ungodly and were burned along with objectionable books and playing cards. When Savonarola’s popularity ended, he was burnt in the center of Florence. Many followers fled the city, but Botticelli stayed and continued to paint. Many of his works contained a very religious feel to them. Sandro included highly religious symbolism in his paintings; they seemed to be telling a story. Sandro became known as an excellent altarpiece painter and earned large amounts of money through those commissions.

Botticelli’s later years seemed to be a disturbing time for him. As times changed in Florence, Botticelli tried to keep up. He often took on difficult commissions that other painters turned down. His rotating style reflected that Botticelli was struggling as a painter. His paintings were full of emotion raging from violence to grace and compassion.

Even though Sandro was trying to keep up his status as a painter, he was still recognized with the honor to be part of the committee that chose the spot where Michelangelo would place his statue David.

Sandro Botticelli died at the age of 65. Some say Sandro was poor and unaccomplished at his death. This could be attributed to the rising popularity of new and contemporary artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo Da Vinci. Even though his work is now thought to be among the most masterful of his time, his work lay forgotten for over 400 years after his death. Looking back at history, he now has the respect he earned through a lifetime of achievement. Sandro Botticelli contribution to the Italian Renaissance period was one of great distinction.

A Walk In The Dark Night

2011-02-18T14:03:00.003-06:00

A Walk In The Dark, Dark Night

At dusk, the fog rolls in just as the Sun hits the horizon.
Making the sky a grayish green, like an ancient plague from God.
I look down the valley of rolling hills, and see nothing.
There are no stars, there is no Moon.
The wet air chills to the bone.
As I walk, it's like walking through a cloud. The quiet is eerie.
The birds are asleep, the animals too.
The creatures of the night have decided to stay home.
I have my mission. I gave my promise to my loved ones.
Strangely, I'm enjoying the murky atmosphere.
There is a restfulness to it, that comforts me.
Still, I dream of sitting in front of a roaring fire,
my dog at my side.
I have reached the graveyard.
The fog seems to be coming out of the ground.
I can hardly see three headstones ahead of me.
The rain starts to fall, like a spray bottle mist.
I hear the Moody Blues in my head.
But all I can think about is my twin brother, who now, is dead.
My shock is gone. There are no more tears.
But the memories flood my mind, unchecked.
The burial is in 16 hours.
My job, to set the simple identifying ground stone,
which I made myself.
Then to cover the hole so it won't be water filled by burial time.
It's raining harder now, but I do my simple, dreary tasks.
From dust, to dust?
He will be going back to be part of the Earth again.
The Earth will engulf him, for it's own purposes.
He was a good man, but I'm not one for saintly eulogies.
I start back. The rain has washed away most of the fog.
The mud is thick now, making my legs tired.
In all this dreariness, I feel good.
The seemingly simple but important task for the family is done.
The weather has matched the atmosphere of the night.
Tomorrow the Sun will be shining.
I will stand in the same place I stood tonight.
I will think good thoughts then,
but tonight I walk in the dark, dark night.

The People Demand

2011-02-13T02:32:00.002-06:00

Last week in Egypt we saw the patience of the Egyptian people finally ran out; and they demanded their leader give up his power. What do they want, and will they get it? Their demands seem clear. It's not an American democracy they wish for, but a better life and opportunity for their families. An end to corruption and oppression from their government. Leaders of all nations should take note, including the leaders of America. I wonder when the American people will show the same courage and demand our government end its corruption and oppression?

The governments of Egypt and America are not comparable, but it's past due, that Americans demand from their leaders an end to their politicians self interests and start promoting the best interests of the American people. Our government is not a capitalistic institution (if it were they have failed miserably) and it should stop behaving like one.

Communal taxation is not Socialism; it is a fair way to build a better society for all. Criminal negligence, is elected leaders pushing policies that bankrupt the country. Like a 14 trillion dollar debt. Government waste and bloat, is the fault of those elected to oversee the departments spending our tax money. The answer to waste in a government program that serves millions of our citizens well, is not to just stop funding that program and break the promise between the people and government.

Citizens have to take blame for not participating, supervising, and holding elected officials responsible. Citizens have to sacrifice their money (pay taxes) when they demand services from their government. Any change in our tax laws, is a "shifting of wealth." Legislative political majority usually decides which way the shift goes, but simply not paying our bills is unacceptable.

We have a responsibility to leave this country in better shape than it was given to us, for the sake of future generations of Americans. We have failed in that task. Shame on us. When will this generation (as every other generation before us) make the hard sacrifice to make America a better country? What's needed now is a monetary sacrifice, not a military sacrifice.

Reagan cut taxes by 30%. Why is it a surprise that's when we started building debt by multi-trillions of dollars? The previous generation paid taxes at the rate of between 60 to 90%, but we had no debt and paid off some of the biggest debts known to humankind (WW II debt, Marshall plan, Highway system, schools, police and fire services, libraries. etc., etc.)

What kind of government do you want? How much are you willing to pay for government? We get the government we vote for. We get the services we pay for. What do we, as Americans, demand from our leaders? Seems we are not demanding enough, given the poor state of our current situation.

Celebrate Regan ? - Mondale Was Right

2011-02-07T18:35:00.001-06:00

National Debt Figures

At present (2009) the national debt stands at a little over 12 trillion dollars.

As you look at these two graphs you will notice two obvious similarities. The massive multi-trillion dollar debts started to build during Reagan's first term (1983). During that same time, we cut our taxes by quite a bit.

Pretty simple Math, for a policy that Reagan is held in high esteem for. Yet, for 200 years before the early 1980's, we did not build a debt of even 1 trillion dollars. The kind of Math president Bush called "Voodoo Economics" and the media and public called "Trickle Down Economics." No matter what it was called, it is a proven failure.

The growth created by cutting taxes, did not even come close to generating enough income to pay our bills. Some would say that we did not also cut spending and government, as Reagan said we should. Ah, but Reagan did not cut government, or spending, because it would have been political suicide to do so. So his ideology was flawed to begin with, and a failure before he even started.

Another comparison to notice, is that between 1948-1980 we built the greatest middle class and living standards the World had ever seen. The kind of growth that made us the greatest super power in the World, proved that a free society was better than any other kind of government, we paid off our WW II debts, and rebuilt Europe and Japan, all at the same time.

During that same time (as the graph shows) we were taxing ourselves at twice the rate, that we tax ourselves at now. Proving that higher taxes do not inhibit economic growth.

So we have historic evidence that cutting taxes does not generate enough economic growth, and higher taxes does not inhibit economic growth.

So which ideology should we follow, to help get us out of the massive debts the Republican ideology has driven us to?

You will also notice that the only downturn in the debt from 1983 to today, was during (1998-2000) the only democratic presidency during this 29 year period. When President Clinton raised taxes, yet again, business growth was not only not effected, it was going great - just look at the technology businesses at the time.

I'd like to point out two other facts about the Tax graph.

Notice the high tax rates during and after WW I. That generation taxed itself enough to pay off the debts of WW I, they did not pass that debt onto their children.

Notice the low tax rates during the 1920's. Just before the great crash and depression.

President Coolidge (Ronald Reagan's idol) also believed tax cuts would create growth. President Coolidge also had the help of Wall Street types inventing valueless stock schemes that brought down the economy at that time.

What do companies do with the tax cuts they get from government? Usually, they invest in technology , that helps them cut labor force expenses (unemployment rises). They invest in opportunities, that create more profits. Human investments like better wages and benefits, do not give a financial return for that investment. It does give quite a return on other conditions like a healthy, happy, more productive workforce, a healthier economy as workers live and spend, but that return is not as clear as a dividend check.

If we had continued to tax ourselves at the rates before Reagan cut those tax rates, we would not have a 12 trillion dollar debt, and would not find ourselves in this financial mess. Regulations could have helped, but if we were not borrowing for every expenditure or inventing valueless profit making schemes, regulations would not be so imperative.

Even today (12 trillion dollars in debt) Republicans continue to say that cutting taxes is the answer, even though we have proof that , that has not, does not, and will not, work.

Lets use that old saying we all know - if you do the same thing over and over again and get the same negative results...........It's also irresponsible, dangerous leadership.

How much do we truly care about America, if we continue to lead with policies we know will not work, and in fact, hurt us?

Mondale was right when he said we had to raise revenues to balance the "Voodoo Economics" of President Reagan. Republicans are still wrong to believe that tax cuts will create enough growth to ensure a healthy economy either now, or for our children and grandchildren.

2011-02-04T18:57:00.002-06:00

Zeta Oph: Runaway Star
Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, WISE Team

Explanation: Like a ship plowing through cosmic seas, runaway star Zeta Ophiuchi produces the arcing interstellar bow wave or bow shock seen in this stunning infrared portrait from the WISE spacecraft. In the false-color view, bluish Zeta Oph, a star about 20 times more massive than the Sun, lies near the center of the frame, moving toward the top at 24 kilometers per second. Its strong stellar wind precedes it, compressing and heating the dusty interstellar material and shaping the curved shock front. Around it are clouds of relatively undisturbed material. What set this star in motion? Zeta Oph was likely once a member of a binary star system, its companion star was more massive and hence shorter lived. When the companion exploded as a supernova catastrophically losing mass, Zeta Oph was flung out of the system. About 460 light-years away, Zeta Oph is 65,000 times more luminous than the Sun and would be one of the brighter stars in the sky if it weren't surrounded by obscuring dust. The WISE image spans about 1.5 degrees or 12 light-years at the estimated distance of Zeta Ophiuchi.

CARTOONS

2011-02-03T21:37:00.004-06:00

2011-02-03T10:24:00.002-06:00

Moon and Venus Over Switzerland
Credit & Copyright: David Kaplan

Explanation: Sometimes a morning sky can be a combination of serene and surreal. Such a sky perhaps existed before sunrise this past Sunday as viewed from a snowy slope in eastern Switzerland. Quiet clouds blanket the above scene, lit from beneath by lights from the village of Trübbach. A snow covered mountain, Mittlerspitz, poses dramatically on the upper left, hovering over the small town of Balzers, Liechtenstein far below. Peaks from the Alps can be seen across the far right, just below the freshly rising Sun. Visible on the upper right are the crescent Moon and the bright planet Venus. Venus will remain in the morning sky all month, although it will likely not be found in such a photogenic setting.

We Have Heard This Before

2011-01-26T09:37:00.006-06:00

Continue the Bush tax cuts, including for the wealthiest Americans.

When our country is 14 trillion in debt.

I wonder how we are going to pay for these new "investments" for our "Sputnik" moment?

Repeal government regulations.

In what department?

Like the Republicans repealed regulations in the banking industry.

Allow more oil drilling.

How will less regulations help us fulfill a new , cleaner energy policy?

Stop medical malpractice lawsuits.

Sounds like a line from the last 4 Republican election cycles.

The CBO has stated that would save us less than 2% of of medical costs.

Fine, 2% is 2%, but who's lawsuit is frivolous?

Is it frivolous to the guy who had his kidney removed instead of his lung, which was supposed to be removed?

Top of the class

Instead of no child left behind?

What % of federal money goes for education? 3%?

What is the largest part of your State/local tax bill? Will that change?

Lets work together

I guess he hasn't had enough evidence from the opposition, that they will just say NO.

The war in Afghanistan is going well.

As soon as we train enough Afghans to secure their own country, we will leave.

Sound familiar?

Consolidate Federal Departments and Programs

The poor Salmon.

Lets make the Defense department part of the State Department.

I thought I was listening to a Republican (Bush) President.

Meanwhile, the Republicans are busy defining their lie, that Democrats are responsible for our economic problems.

We continue to pander to get the votes of those, who have stated they will not for for policies, even if they were originally their policy ideas.

The health care bill was compromised to a point of little help.

We bailed out corporate America, yet our people continue to suffer. Is that trickle down (Regan) economics?

How are we going to make Medicare solvent? I missed that.

How are we going to make Social Security secure for the future? I missed that also.

I'm still waiting for a Democratic President with Democratic solutions to our problems. We have had Republicans ideas, that's what got us into this mess.

I'm still waiting for some common sense reality.

How do we pay for our government when we continue to give tax cuts, especially in the "future" when this administration will tackle our infrastructure and other problems?

I guess Democrats now believe what Republicans have always believed; no need to ask Americans to pay for their government, we will just put it on our credit card, then raise our own credit limit.

My taxes bailed out my bank, then my bank cut my credit limit, even though I have A plus credit.

Cut Social Security ?

2011-01-26T09:02:00.002-06:00

Pawlenty eyes limits

on Social Security

benefits

By PHILIP ELLIOTT , Associated Press

Last update: January 25, 2011 - 9:35 AM

BEDFORD, N.H. - Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty says limiting Social Security payments to wealthier Americans could help the nation confront its mounting national deficit.

Pawlenty, a potential 2012 presidential contender, told an audience in the early voting state of New Hampshire that annual increases in payments to wealthier Americans could be ended. The Republican says wealthier Americans don't rely on such cost-of-living adjustments.

Pawlenty says drawing lines between classes is not ideal, but the nation faces a mathematical reality in what it can afford. He calls the step reasonable but not enough to solve the entire national deficit.

Pawlenty is visiting New Hampshire as part of a book tour. He says he will decide whether he will seek the White House in the coming weeks.

TOM:

WOW, a common sense idea from a Republican. Now if he would come out and be willing to tax (for Social Security) income over $106,000. maybe we could save the program for those who NEED it. Insurance program, not a pension program. Needs testing for other government programs would help. Imagine that, a republican who cares about our 14 trillion dollar debt the Republicans are responsible for.

Partisan Politics At The Supreme Court

2011-01-24T09:27:00.003-06:00

Rep. Bachmann(Rep. MN) is giving the Tea Party rebuttal to President Obama's State of the Union address. Fine.

Rep. Bachmann is holding a "Conservative Constitutional Seminar" and Supreme Court Justice Scalia, is going to address that constitutional seminar. Fine, but those who claim Justice Scalia is playing politics, are correct.

It is not the tradition, or practice of Supreme Court Justices, to jump on a political bandwagon.

It is interesting that Justice Scalia thinks the Tea Partiers, have the key to Constitutional insight and correctness. Although, not surprising.

When was the last time a Supreme Court Justice went (spoke) to a Democrat, or Republican party official function?

I like the tradition of my Supreme Court Justices staying out of politics.

It's no secret justices have political viewpoints, but those viewpoints should not guide their judicial decisions.

Justices in the past have changed the court, but in its proceedures and operations, not its political stance, or political participation.

I guess interceeding in Florida's election process and appointing Bush President in 2000 was not political enough for Scalia.

We need good, fair justices on the Supreme Court, not politicians, or puppets of political parties.

Where is the Courts leadership? Chief Justice Roberts could easily say to Justice Scalia, "I don't think this is a proper appearence for a Supreme Court Justice."

Roberts cannot force Scalia, but it is in his lead position, to make the statement.

2011-01-18T20:12:00.002-06:00

A Total Eclipse at the End of the World
Credit & Copyright: Fred Bruenjes (moonglow.net)

Explanation: Would you go to the end of the world to see a total eclipse of the Sun? If you did, would you be surprised to find someone else there already? In 2003, the Sun, the Moon, Antarctica, and two photographers all lined up in Antarctica during an unusual total solar eclipse. Even given the extreme location, a group of enthusiastic eclipse chasers ventured near the bottom of the world to experience the surreal momentary disappearance of the Sun behind the Moon. One of the treasures collected was the above picture -- a composite of four separate images digitally combined to realistically simulate how the adaptive human eye saw the eclipse. As the image was taken, both the Moon and the Sun peaked together over an Antarctic ridge. In the sudden darkness, the magnificent corona of the Sun became visible around the Moon. Quite by accident, another photographer was caught in one of the images checking his video camera. Visible to his left are an equipment bag and a collapsible chair.

2010-12-28T22:51:00.002-06:00

Sideways Orion Over Snowy Ireland
Credit & Copyright: Brendan Alexander (Donegal Skies)

Explanation: Orion always comes up sideways ... and was caught in the act earlier this month by over a snowy landscape in Donegal, Ireland. To compose this serene picture, the photographer found a picturesque setting to the east, waited until after sunset, and then momentarily lit the foreground with a flashlight. The three bright stars in Orion's belt stand in a nearly vertical line above the snow covered road at the bottom. Hanging from his belt, the stars and nebulae of the Hunter's sword are visible lower and to the right. Yellow-orange Betelgeuse is the brightest star on the image left. As winter progresses in Earth's northern hemisphere, Orion will rise earlier and so appear continually higher in the sky at sunset.

This Is What It's All About

2010-12-25T18:32:00.001-06:00

Christmas is a religious Holiday. It is a birthday. The birth of Jesus. Of course no one knows if the 25th of December was the actual day of his birth. Some don't believe at all, that Jesus was the son of God, or that God even exists, and that's OK. Yet we should not try to redefine the day.

Why can't we have that good Christmas feeling all year round? Seems there is more generosity and love among us during the Christmas season. Hopefully a tribute to Jesus to honor what he preached and stood for, on his birthday. We try a little harder to be tolerant towards our fellow human beings believing that what Jesus preached (love, peace, forgiveness) is a goal to be admired, even if we fall short much of the time. Certainly one does not have to believe in Jesus, or God, to believe in that philosophy towards our fellow human beings.

Yet (in my opinion) we have turned the birthday of Jesus into a materialistic event, based on the ability to purchase gifts to give each other. Embarrassing those (and there are many today) that do not have the financial means to participate in the kind of Christmas celebration we have invented, good intentions, or not. This can be hurtful to those in a frugal situation, unable to meet the expectations of their loved ones who see other people giving gifts, to their loved ones.

If we truly want to honor what Jesus preached, we should give more of ourselves. That is the gift that keeps on giving. Give of ourselves to help our fellow humans, not just friends and family members.

That is my opinion. I am satisfied that people ARE nicer to each more than at any other time of the year. Even if Christmas forces some to be nicer, that has value. Sometimes we have to force a smile, even if we don't feel like smiling, and surprise ourselves that the forced smile did make us feel and act better.

We should aim our good Christmas will at those who need it most. Children, those who are ill, those who have less, those who are lonely or away from their families, those who need a friend, those who need something other than a store bought gift.

2010-12-21T18:32:00.002-06:00

A Lunar Eclipse on Solstice Day
Credit & Copyright: Jerry Lodriguss (Catching the Light)

Explanation: Sometime after sunset tonight, the Moon will go dark. This total lunar eclipse, where the entire Moon is engulfed in the shadow of the Earth, will be visible from all of North America, while the partial phase of this eclipse will be visible throughout much of the rest of the world. Observers on North America's east coast will have to wait until after midnight for totality to begin, while west coasters should be able to see a fully darkened moon before midnight. Pictured above is a digital prediction, in image form, for how the Moon and the surrounding sky could appear near maximum darkness. Rolling your cursor over the image will bring up labels. Parts of the Moon entering the circle labeled umbra will appear the darkest since the Sun there will be completely blocked by the Earth. Parts of the Moon entering the circle labeled penumbra will be exposed to some direct sunlight, and so shine by some degree by reflected light. The diminished glare of the normally full Moon will allow unusually good viewings of nearby celestial wonders such as the supernova remnant Simeis 147, the open star cluster M35, and the Crab Nebula M1. By coincidence this eclipse occurs on the day with the shortest amount of daylight in the northern hemisphere -- the Winter Solstice. This solstice eclipse is the first in 456 years, although so far it appears that no one has figured out when the next solstice eclipse will be.

There Was A Time......

2010-12-11T13:27:00.004-06:00

There was a time when the American people understood, that government and the services we demanded from our government, had to be paid for, and we taxed ourselves for those costs.
There was a time when capitalism and capitalists understood, that they owed a responsibility to the society that they were operating within.
There was a time when Americans cared about, and were willing to pay taxes, to ensure the health and welfare of their fellow countrymen.
There was a time when communal taxation was used to better America and its people.
There was a time when corporations were responsive to the needs and complaints of their customers.
There was a time when compromise in Washington meant no one was happy, but bills passed did enhance the American society.
There was a time when we understood, that a thriving middle class was the key to our country's growth and security.
There was a time when American military might, was used to suppress oppressive and aggressive forces trying to control, or destroy humans.
Those were the times when America was a great country. Those times are gone.
It was the Republican policies of the last 30 years, that changed it all.
Are we better off now, than we were 30 years ago? If you look at the important factors; I don't understand those who are happier now with our situation as a society, than our situation as a society before the Regan revolution.
What is our motivation now; for war policy, tax policy, and the help we offer our fellow citizens through our government?
I won't be around to pay the price of the failed policies of the last 30 years, and shame on this generation for believing, thinking, and voting for this change in the American character.

2010-12-01T04:51:00.002-06:00

A Massive Star in NGC 6357
Credit: NASA, ESA and J. M. Apellániz (IAA, Spain)

Explanation: For reasons unknown, NGC 6357 is forming some of the most massive stars ever discovered. One such massive star, near the center of NGC 6357, is framed above carving out its own interstellar castle with its energetic light from surrounding gas and dust. In the greater nebula, the intricate patterns are caused by complex interactions between interstellar winds, radiation pressures, magnetic fields, and gravity. The overall glow of the nebula results from the emission of light from ionized hydrogen gas. Near the more obvious Cat's Paw nebula, NGC 6357 houses the open star cluster Pismis 24, home to many of these tremendously bright and blue stars. The central part of NGC 6357 shown spans about 10 light years and lies about 8,000 light years away toward the constellation of the Scorpion.

Andromeda

2010-10-27T14:45:00.003-05:00

Ultraviolet Andromeda
Credit: UV - NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler (GSFC) and Erin Grand (UMCP)
Optical - Bill Schoening, Vanessa Harvey/REU program/NOAO/AURA/NSF

Explanation: This stunning vista represents the highest resolution image ever made of the Andromeda Galaxy (aka M31) at ultraviolet wavelengths. Recorded by NASA's Swift satellite, the mosaic is composed of 330 individual images covering a region 200,000 light-years wide. It shows about 20,000 sources, dominated by hot, young stars and dense star clusters that radiate strongly in energetic ultraviolet light. Of course, the Andromeda Galaxy is the closest large spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way, at a distance of some 2.5 million light-years. Just slide your cursor over the image to compare the appearance of this gorgeous island universe in optical light with its ultraviolet portrait.

Under Construction

2010-10-13T12:27:00.001-05:00

Life On Another Planet ?

2010-10-03T12:59:00.003-05:00

Zarmina's World
Illustration Credit & Copyright: Lynette Cook

Explanation: A mere 20 light-years away in the constellation Libra, red dwarf star Gliese 581 has received much scrutiny by astronomers in recent years. Earthbound telescopes had detected the signatures of multiple planets orbiting the cool sun, two at least close to the system's habitable zone -- the region where an Earth-like planet can have liquid water on its surface. Now a team headed by Steven Vogt (UCO Lick), and Paul Butler (DTM Carnagie Inst.) has announced the detection of another planet, this one squarely in the system's habitable zone. Based on 11 years of data, their work offers a very compelling case for the first potentially habitable planet found around a very nearby star. Shown in this artist's illustration of the inner part of the exoplanetary system, the planet is designated Gliese 581g, but Vogt's more personal name is Zarmina's World, after his wife. The best fit to the data indicates the planet has a circular 37 day orbit, an orbital radius of only 0.15 AU, and a mass 3.1 times the Earth's. Modeling includes estimates of a planet radius of 1.5, and gravity at the planet's surface of 1.1 to 1.7 in Earth units. Finding a habitable planet so close by suggests there are many others in our Milky Way galaxy.

Michelangelo's Most Powerful Statue

2010-09-28T15:45:00.000-05:00

Moses (1545, Carrara marble, twice life-size, San Pietro in Vincoli Church, Rome)

The angry Patriarch has just seen his people worshipping the Golden Calf and he is about to throw down the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments that God has given him.

And the horns? Moses had horns after seeing God according to a medieval tradition based on what scholars say was a mistranslation of the Bible. Later translations speak of a saintly radiance or rays of light.

People have always admired Moses’ beautiful arms and hands, as well as his long, soft beard. “One might almost believe that the chisel had become a brush,” says Vasari. But some have found fault with the strange outfit he is wearing—imitated perhaps from antique statues of barbarians.

This Moses is the central figure of the tomb of Pope Julius II.

Michelangelo began many figures for the Pope’s tomb but one after another they were scrapped or sold. The commission kept changing. Originally there were going to be forty statues and Pope Julius would have had the most spectacular mausoleum in the world. But he cancelled the first project and later versions by his heirs got smaller and smaller. This is the final, almost pitiful, result. Yet the single statue of Moses, one of the most impressive figures ever carved, is enough to perpetuate Julius’ memory.

2010-09-24T00:08:00.000-05:00

Starry Night Over the Rhone
Credit: Vincent van Gogh, Wikipedia; Acknowledgement: B. Schaefer (LSU)

Explanation: How can the majesty of the night sky best be captured in a painting? This was a continual challenge for Vincent van Gogh, a famous painter in the late 1800s who pioneered stirring depictions of star filled skies into several of his works. Pictured above is van Gogh's Starry Night Over the Rhone, where the French town of Arles is depicted complete with gas lights reflecting off the Rhone river. van Gogh's night sky appears alive with turbulent stellar images contrasting with lofty dark blue hues. Above the river, one can discern the stars of the familiar Big Dipper asterism. Following a line connecting the two Big Dipper stars on the right, the North Star Polaris could be easily found, the height of which can then be estimated and actually gives the latitude where the painting was created.

AUTUMN - in Paint and Photographs

2010-09-20T13:00:00.000-05:00

My Favorite Treats - What Are Yours?

2010-09-19T13:32:00.000-05:00

Haagen Das
Chocolate
ice cream

Chilled
seedless
navel
Oranges

Fresh
Strawberries
dipped in
chocolate

Hot roasted
and salted
almonds

Popcorn
with plenty
of butter
and salt

Chocolate
Truffles

Caramel
Apples

Fresh
Cherry
Pie

Many of these treats are expensive, which only shows how popular they are. What are some of your favorite treats? Did I make you hungry? Sorry.

2010-09-16T11:32:00.002-05:00

Clouds, Birds, Moon, Venus
Credit & Copyright: Isaac Gutiérrez Pascual (Spain)

Explanation: Sometimes the sky above can become quite a show. Last week, for example, the Moon and Venus converged, creating quite a sight by itself for sky enthusiasts around the globe. From some locations, though, the sky was even more picturesque. In the above image taken last week from Spain, a crescent Moon and the planet Venus, on the far right, were captured during sunset posing against a deep blue sky. In the foreground, dark storm clouds loom across the image bottom, while a white anvil cloud shape appears above. Black specks dot the frame, caused by a flock of birds taking flight. Very soon after this picture was taken, however, the birds passed by, the storm ended, and Venus and the Moon set. The Moon and Venus have now separated, although Venus will remain visible at sunset for the rest of this month.

2010-09-05T15:51:00.002-05:00

GRO J1655-40: Evidence for a Spinning Black Hole
Credit: April Hobart, CXC

Explanation: In the center of a swirling whirlpool of hot gas is likely a beast that has never been seen directly: a black hole. Studies of the bright light emitted by the swirling gas frequently indicate not only that a black hole is present, but also likely attributes. The gas surrounding GRO J1655-40, for example, has been found to display an unusual flickering at a rate of 450 times a second. Given a previous mass estimate for the central object of seven times the mass of our Sun, the rate of the fast flickering can be explained by a black hole that is rotating very rapidly. What physical mechanisms actually cause the flickering -- and a slower quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) -- in accretion disks surrounding black holes and neutron stars remains a topic of much research.

Coffee Addict

2010-09-01T16:26:00.000-05:00

Years ago when I had a desk job, I used to drink 3 pots of coffee before lunch and another 2 pots by the end of the day. It was commercial, not so good, coffee. When I left that job, I quite drinking coffee.

About ten years later, I started dating a clerk that worked at an independent, very nice coffee shop. They had their own roaster and high quality coffee beans. You guessed it, I started drinking coffee again. This time it was great coffee, not the commercial stuff at the office job.

I like a very strong Columbia, or espresso with equal amounts of water and espresso. I add sugar, no cream. For a while I got back to drinking coffee all day, not quite as much as I drank on the office job, but to much.

I got into buying beams, grinding them at home, had a French press, became a gourmet coffee person. A couple of years later, I cut back on my coffee consumption. These days, I have only one cup of coffee in the morning. It has to be good coffee, or I will just skip it.

I have to have my cup of coffee. It's like a smoker bringing his habit down to one cigarette a day, but I have to have that one. I'm glad I got turned onto good coffee. I'm glad I only drink one cup a day (maybe 2 on Sunday). In the early days, I was addicted to coffee, no doubt about it. I'm still addicted, but my addiction is to only one cup a day.

I no longer wake up late, leave the house half dressed, gulping coffee in the car all the way to work. These days I get up earlier, do my personal things, get dressed, and make my coffee. No newspaper, no TV, sometimes some music, but usually I sit and just stare out the window watching the wildlife wake up, and savor my one cup.

To all you other coffee addicts out there, I understand. I would only advise, to stick with good coffee, and maybe that will help you cut down the amount you drink. Enjoy!

My Dinner RecommendationTonight

2010-08-27T10:11:00.000-05:00

Orange Stuffed
Rock Cornish Game Hen

One of my favorite dishes, and very simple to do.

You will find most game hens frozen, but if you can buy fresh, that would be better. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator 24-48 hours, or run under cool water until thawed. This recipe will be for two hens, about 1-1/2 lbs each. That's the normal store bought size.

Remove the gizzard package in the bird. You can pan fry these parts in butter for a snack, they will not be part of this recipe.

Wash the hens inside and out with cold running water.

Remove any large bits of fat, especially around the neck.

What you need:

Two Rock Cornish Game hens
Roasting pan with rack
Peanut (or corn) oil
6 medium size oranges
salt
pepper

Prepare:

Coat the freshly washed hens with peanut oil. It's messy, but best done by hand.

Set the oiled hens on the rack in the roasting pan.

Rind the 6 oranges. There are many ways to rind an orange, anyway your comfortable with is fine.

You only want the meat of the orange. We will not use the rind.

With only the meat of the fruit, squeeze the orange over the hens and stuff the remains inside the hen.

Use 3 oranges per bird. Stuff the bird tight with the meat of the orange, after you squeeze the juice over the hens.

Salt and pepper the hens, liberally.

You do not have to tie the legs.

Cover the hens.

Aluminum foil is fine, better if you have a roasting pan with a cover.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour

Remove the cover, and baste the hens with the drippings in the pan.

Let the hens cook UNCOVERED for another 1/2 an hour, or until golden brown.

That's it.

Wine recommendation: Pinot Noir

Side dish recommendation: Asparagus and Au Gratin potatoes

Enjoy.

Lemon Chicken

2010-08-26T13:05:00.001-05:00

If you Google "lemon chicken" you will get over 6 million references.
Here's my recipe for Lemon Chicken, simple and tasty.

What you need:

1-lb of thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2- lemons

4- tablespoons of butter

4 ounces (1/4 cup) water

Bread crumbs

garlic salt (optional)

salt and pepper

Baking dish-9x9 cake pan - use Aluminum foil to cover

OR

a 10" oven proof skillet with cover

Preparation:

In your baking pan or skillet - melt 4 tablespoons of butter - turn off the burner.

Cut the chicken breasts in half, you will have 6 pieces of chicken.

Salt, pepper, and garlic salt (optional) the top side of the chicken breasts.

Put the chicken breasts salted side down, in the melted butter, and move around in the butter.

Salt, pepper, and garlic salt (optional) the bottom side of the chicken breasts, now bottom side up in your pan.

Flip the chicken breasts over and move around in the melted butter.

Both sides of your chicken breasts should now be salted and buttered. Your chicken breasts should now be top side up in the pan.

Add 4 ounces (1/4 cup) of water. Do not pour the water on top of the chicken, add it on the side.

Cut your lemons in half, and then cut in half again.

Squeeze the quartered lemon segments over the chicken.

Do not add the lemon rinds (put the rinds in the garbage disposal, it will eliminate bad odors from the garbage disposal).

Sprinkle and thinly cover the chicken breasts with bread crumbs.

Cover you baking dish, or oven skillet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes UNCOVERED, until golden brown.

Serve with the pan sauce/drippings. Do not pour the drippings on top of the chicken, pour around the chicken on the plate.

That's it.

Enjoy.

Recommended side dishes: Buttered Sweet Corn - Baked Potato

Wine recommendation: A good dry Riesling

Seems We All Love Berries

2010-08-25T12:55:00.000-05:00

Humans

Squirrels

Mice

Wolves

Moose

Birds

Monkeys

Raccoons

Especially Bears!

This bear is not waiting around to be served.
He's going out to find his own berries.

He's looking. He smells them.

Ah! Yes! BERRIES !!

Funny ?

2010-08-22T00:54:00.000-05:00

Americans Are Wrong Sometimes

2010-08-19T16:57:00.003-05:00

We were wrong not to outlaw slavery in the original Constitution. We were wrong to keep women as second class citizens for 150 years. We were wrong on so many issues of individual rights and freedoms.

We still try and progress today. It's a slow process, not of law, but of people's beliefs. The law can say it's wrong to discriminate, but that doesn't protect people from being discriminated against, it just allows for justice to be sought.

Those who say the Constitution must be read and applied as the founding fathers originally intended, must be pro slavery, anti-women, and believe we should not, or cannot progress and mature as a country, over the centuries.

The harm done to those minorities while we wait for "the majority" of Americans to embrace inclusion, is outrageous.

It is a lesson we must learn again and again. Japanese were interned during WW II. Nearly every ethnic group to come to America was at one time discriminated against. Like a rite of passage, or a frat house initiation, it always gets ugly.

The enemy, as usual, is within us.

It is not the Muslim who seeks to be a good American while keeping their faith and culture (as all immigrants have done for centuries) but the fear. An irrational fear enhanced be the forces who seek political power. That is evil.

Most disturbing, are my fellow countrymen who would discard the Constitution in favor of their own hate and prejudices.

Ah Sunday

2010-08-15T04:19:00.000-05:00

What Does This Have To Do With Anything ?

2010-08-14T15:30:00.003-05:00

In the absence of any constructive ideas to help the nation; the Republicans have fallen back on their tried and true strategy of bringing up issues that divide America and have nothing to do with solving our current problems.

Of course in their usual character, they bring their bigotry to the issues. Now it's religious intolerance. A Mosque is a Mosque? It must be stopped, in the country of religious freedom. We hear the "fear" and the justification for not protecting the right of people to express their religion.

We hear the cry of changing the Constitution. Just as we did during the false flag issue. The abortion issue, and other attemps to distract from the hard decisions needed on our current problems. It was the conservatives who pushed for prohibition. One of the big mistakes in trying to edit the document written by the best minds of the 18th century.

The Republicans would prefer exclusion rather than inclusion. A position they are famous for, and are not shy about stating their discriminatory views publicly. At least they are open about their bigotry, and Americans have the right to follow them.

Other Americans have the responsibility to expose the evil that would rot our idealistic goals of equal opportunity for all. So lets do our job and expose the evil that the Republicans stand for.

To Fend Off Friday The 13th - Another Post

2010-08-13T13:13:00.001-05:00

ABOUT THIS IMAGE:

A long-exposure Hubble Space Telescope image shows a majestic face-on spiral galaxy located deep within the Coma Cluster of galaxies, which lies 320 million light-years away in the northern constellation Coma Berenices.

The galaxy, known as NGC 4911, contains rich lanes of dust and gas near its center. These are silhouetted against glowing newborn star clusters and iridescent pink clouds of hydrogen, the existence of which indicates ongoing star formation. Hubble has also captured the outer spiral arms of NGC 4911, along with thousands of other galaxies of varying sizes. The high resolution of Hubble's cameras, paired with considerably long exposures, made it possible to observe these faint details.

NGC 4911 and other spirals near the center of the cluster are being transformed by the gravitational tug of their neighbors. In the case of NGC 4911, wispy arcs of the galaxy's outer spiral arms are being pulled and distorted by forces from a companion galaxy (NGC 4911A), to the upper right. The resultant stripped material will eventually be dispersed throughout the core of the Coma Cluster, where it will fuel the intergalactic populations of stars and star clusters.

The Coma Cluster is home to almost 1,000 galaxies, making it one of the densest collections of galaxies in the nearby universe. It continues to transform galaxies at the present epoch, due to the interactions of close-proximity galaxy systems within the dense cluster. Vigorous star formation is triggered in such collisions.

Galaxies in this cluster are so densely packed that they undergo frequent interactions and collisions. When galaxies of nearly equal masses merge, they form elliptical galaxies. Merging is more likely to occur in the center of the cluster where the density of galaxies is higher, giving rise to more elliptical galaxies.

This natural-color Hubble image, which combines data obtained in 2006, 2007, and 2009 from the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys, required 28 hours of exposure time.

Meanwhile............

2010-08-13T01:18:00.000-05:00

No Sign Of Leadership

2010-08-12T17:41:00.003-05:00

As Rep. Pelosi calls the House back from recess (good for her) there is no sign of leadership from the Republicans. They are still playing the "NO" political game. It is an insincere no, because many of the issues Republicans have voted yes on before.

The Congress should not go on recess while millions of Americans are in serious trouble. The Republicans would have us think this depression is no big deal, we will grow out of it. Meanwhile millions go homeless, without health care, without food, and still the Republicans unabashedly say no to extending unemployment, or any other kind of help for the people.

They instead think it is more important to change the 14th amendment to the Constitution. The Republican party is truly from another planet. I would think it a given, that the American people would soundly reject them, but they have not before, even though this lunacy by Republicans has been going on a long time.

The Republicans will be falling stars. More falling stars than the meteor showers happening lately (see post below). The people who will vote for them are just as cold about peoples plight. They are out golfing in the heat wave, then coming home to nice cool air. Do they have a clue what it is like to live through this heat wave without air conditioning, or like millions homeless, outdoors?

They complain that the meager few bucks people get from government allows them to sit home, watch TV, eat steak, and live like them. Like they could live on under 1000 dollars a month. Single men might get 450 dollars a month. And that's for people who have been paying taxes for decades! Then they have to listen to these Republicans call them bums. The only bums are the representatives with the name Republican attached to their party affiliation.

2010-08-12T09:22:00.002-05:00

Perseid Prelude
Credit & Copyright: Tamas Ladanyi (TWAN)

Explanation: Each August, as planet Earth swings through dust trailing along the orbit of periodic comet Swift-Tuttle, skygazers can enjoy the Perseids Meteor Shower. The shower should build to its peak now, best seen from later tonight after moonset, until dawn tomorrow morning when Earth moves through the denser part of the wide dust trail. But shower meteors have been spotted for many days, like this bright Perseid streaking through skies near Lake Balaton, Hungary on August 8. In the foreground is the region's Church of St. Andrew ruin, with bright Jupiter dominating the sky to its right. Two galaxies lie in the background of the wide-angle, 3 frame panorama; our own Milky Way's luminous arc, and the faint smudge of the more distant Andromeda Galaxy just above the ruin's leftmost wall. If you watch for Perseid meteors tonight, be sure and check out the early evening sky show too, featuring bright planets and a young crescent Moon near the western horizon after sunset.

Are Republicans Patriotic Americans ?

2010-08-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

"We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom - and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside."

President John Kennedy 1961

One of my favorite quotes by President Kennedy.

It describes and reminds me, of the current day Republican party. Seems Republicans are not supporting their own freedom. Their crazy talk about ignoring Constitutional amendments. We cannot pick and choose which amendments in the Constitution we will adhere to, or not.

It certainly seems to me that the Republicans are riding the tiger (policies of hate and disinformation to get votes by making Obama appear inept) and they will end up inside.

They are supporting their party, not the Constitution, or the American people. Is that patriotic? NO. It is selfish partisan politics. The same kind of politics they have been practicing for decades.

The Republicans need another Ike, but all they offer are bimbos, liars, and power thirsty maniacs void of real ideas. We need serious people, to solve serious problems. What serious, realistic ideas have Republicans offered, to help solve the problems we have today? I always have to add, the problems they created.

When will Republicans get back to the party of Lincoln, TR, or Ike? Not that I would support Republican ideology, but I have voted for the man over the party in the past. I have even voted for one Republican for President. Can you guess which one?

I do believe the American people have caught on and are fed up with the Republican tactics on how they talk to and treat the American people. They will not get the usual bump in the mid-term elections. In fact, if they are not careful, they will end up a dead party.

Oppose Democrats, of course. Oppose the Constitution and gamble appearing un-American. Go beyond just appearing un-American and gamble the future of Republican party, not just the next election. Many Republicans have gone beyond just appearing un-American.

So Republicans, invoke religious intolerance, dismiss the Constitution, use bigoted media talk hosts to spread your message of exclusion, embrace the mistakes of the founding fathers, try to stop human rights progress, bring your guns to public meetings, it all shows Americans, that you are not the leaders, or leadership we need.

Just a little advice from a liberal.

Heavenly

2010-08-09T18:08:00.002-05:00

IRAS 05437+2502: An Enigmatic Star Cloud from Hubble
Credit: ESA, Hubble, NASA

Explanation: What's lighting up nebula IRAS 05437+2502? No one is sure. Particularly enigmatic is the bright upside-down V that defines the upper edge of this floating mountain of interstellar dust, visible near the image center. In general, this ghost-like nebula involves a small star forming region filled with dark dust that was first noted in images taken by the IRAS satellite in infrared light in 1983. Shown above is a spectacular, recently released image from the Hubble Space Telescope that, although showing many new details, has not uncovered a clear cause of the bright sharp arc. One hypothesis holds that the glowing arc was created by a massive star that somehow attained a high velocity and has now left the nebula. Small, faint IRAS 05437+2502 spans only 1/18th of a full moon toward the constellation of the Bull (Taurus).

Only Time To Post These

2010-08-08T13:39:00.004-05:00

If You Don't Agree With Them - They Attack You

2010-08-05T08:10:00.003-05:00

Due to Rational Nation attacking my blog with vulgar comments, I have had to install comment moderation. Assholes are everywhere. It would be fine with me if everyone posted vulgar comments on his blog.

Sorry to Sue who had Rational Nation posting those messages on her blog, just to get to me.

This happened before with Bluepitbull. They give up after a while. They have the attention span of children. Now you know how these bastard Republicans treat people.

This is the 4th person (that I met on Pam's blog) that has attacked and harassed my blog.

These are people with unstable minds. People that fly off the handle when you disagree with them. People who go postal. People who literally destroy those who think differently. Racists who lynch blacks. Bigots that kill gays. Violent people who will not allow different thinking.

Of course they practice censorship, vulgarity, and personal attacks. The scum of the net.

Republican Liars Are Ruining America

2010-08-04T13:08:00.004-05:00

Nixon was of course, the poster boy for Republican liars. They model themselves after him. They call Obama a Communist; there could be nothing closer to Stalinist behavior, than the Saturday Night Massacre. Forced to leave office in disgrace, he will go down in History as the crookedest President of them all.

Ford takes the Presidency and pardons Nixon for all crimes against America, but he did not, yet, know what crimes Nixon had committed. Nothing like party loyalty to cover up some of the biggest political crimes in U.S. History.

Reagan I guess will be excused for his lies, because he had a disease of the mind, but wait, that did not show up until years after he left office. Arms for hostages? He cut taxes by half, but never cut spending and started the build up of multi-trillion dollar debts that have not stopped for 30 years. Although his economic advisor said the country runs better when it has debt. Which they totally believe proven by the fact that they have done exactly that ever since.

Then Bush (I) comes along. Proving his leadership skills by his first decision; picking Dan Quayle for his VP. Who will forever be the laughing stock of American politics. I wonder if his son (running for office) has the same laughable traits? If you have been reading this week about the ties between the Bush family and Hitler, well you know what kind of people you are dealing with. Dishonest people.

Then we get Bush's son who wants redemption for his daddy and invents a reason (a lie to the American people and the World) to invade (unprovoked) Iraq and capture Saddam. He says Saddam has Weapons of Mass Destruction and is ready to attack America with nukes. One of the biggest lies since Nixon said, "I am not a crook." He took a balanced budget to a 6 trillion dollar debt having never vetoed one spending bill, yet, he and his party claiming to be spending hawks. Now we are 13 trillion in debt after 30 years of Republican economic policies (all lies) and they have the audacity to blame it all on President Obama.

Even without the White House, or majority, republicans are still telling Americans some of the biggest whoppers (lies) since Mark Twain told us about Huckleberry Fin.

This would all be funny, if it was not ruining America. Some of these guys are, or were, or will be in jail, but the damage is done. We are swimming for our lives, and Republicans (who created the mess) just sit there saying no. Typical reaction for lying hypocrites.

This is all to remind you what YOU can do. Don't vote for them in any office. Don't be fooled, that they may be different now than before. I only went back 44 years. I could go all the way back to the beginning of their party.

These are not misguided people. They believe in their own lies. Like Hitler, that makes them dangerous. Like Hitler they are a little crazy and making dangerous mistakes. Like Hitler, they have good people believing them. Come on people, do you really think listening to a convicted felon is the way to fix America's problems? Are the uneducated, racist spokespeople for this party of liars, the people you want to believe are the best and the brightest?

If the question is, are you better off now than the last election, the answer is a resounding yes. But the question is, will we allow these dangerous liars back into majority power? The answer is a resounding NO!

B

2010-08-04T04:42:00.001-05:00

Opinion Is Not Fact

2010-08-03T10:46:00.009-05:00

As I go round and round with the right wingers, I have to admit my frustration with their thinking. They believe opinion is fact. I guess that's to be expected after decades of cable news (opinion) reporting. They probably think Bill O'Riely is the best newsman since Edward R. Murrow, and Rush is their Walter Cronkite.

I had an exchange with one who told me 234 years of Supreme Court decisions, Congressional laws, and the American people's thinking, were wrong. He will trust in his ability to define the truth; which is of course his opinion, not backed up by facts. Because the facts are that 234 years of Supreme Court decisions, laws by Congress, and the acceptance by the American people of those decisions, is overwhelmingly approved of, and opposed to his conclusions.

And as RN likes to say (he says it all the time) if you think differently than him you are an idiot. No matter that 95% of the people disagree with his OPINIONS, that means 95% of the people are idiots. It's quite an egotistical position to say that you are smarter than 95% of all people, or that your conclusion on an issue is more correct than 234 years of Supreme Court decisions, Congressional laws, or the position of the American people for 234 years.But then cultists are narcissistic.

I've said it before; you cannot debate opinions. You can discuss opinions, but you cannot claim an opinion as truth, or fact. And anyone who thinks they are right and everyone else is wrong, well a basic psychology book will give you the definition of that person. As the saying goes, "You are entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts."

Of course RN demands links and documentation from me, yet, he never gave either when making his false claims. I have posted about these issues, yet, he never commented on my posts. That's common for these righties. Bluepitbull refused to comment on my blog. He preferred to hide behind Pam at her blog.

My being banned from RN's blog, is under consideration currently. I will let you know. I hope he does not. I like making them look hypocritical. I'm being banned for calling them liars, but of course, it's fine for RN to call me stupid and lots of other insults, which I ignore. I guess he cannot ignore a slight of the same kind. Do as I say, not as I do. Typical for conservative demands and superior attitude.

Superior attitudes from Republicans is one reason we are in this mess. They don't care about the average American, and it does not bother them to lie, or whatever is needed to promote their agenda. If that means thousands of Americans die in Iraq, that's OK. If that means bankrupting America with a 13 trillion dollar debt, so they can get votes for the win, that's OK also. If that means taking one incident by a few people, then claiming a whole group of people are the same, so the can demonise a culture and spread false fear, well I guess that's OK for them also.

I used to think not all Republican/conservatives are like this. Experience is changing my mind. So is the block voting by Republicans in Congress meant only to obstruct. It's hard not to notice that they voted for issues when Bush was President, now they vote against the same issue with Obama as President.

RN has an attitude. I ran into him at Pam's blog months ago. He started out by screaming at me and calling me names. I can take that, but that's the way he always addresses me, so, fuck that. A person who gives no respect, does not deserve any. I'm all for nice, but not being a pushover.

Having Fun Yet ?

2010-08-02T21:00:00.000-05:00

In The Begining

2010-08-01T17:24:00.000-05:00

I sure am glad that I do not live in the America of 1776, or 1789. I'm glad that women have the right to vote, slavery is illegal, and all the other equal rights that our citizens have been given through the legal process of either amending, or defining the Constitution.

Conservatives and strict constructionists would like to go back in time, to the original intent of the Constitution. Leaving millions of people without the status of being an American citizen, with full rights and opportunities. After all, the founding fathers intended to not give women the vote, and intended that blacks should be slaves.

They claim there is no more racism institutional, or otherwise. There is no need for affirmative action, or special laws protecting minorities. The motivation to kill a gay man, is no different a motivation to kill a straight man, even if they are yelling fagot while they beat him to death. It's not ancient History (just a few years ago) that a black man was dragged behind a speeding truck until he was dead. How naive of them. How uneducated of them.

Are whites still the majority power holders in both business and politics? Are minorities (especially blacks) still suffering the results of being denied equal opportunity for centuries? Is there not (in almost all categories) a deep gap of equality? Has this country recently paid for the discrimination of the Japanese that we wrongfully imprisoned? How are Native Americans doing in our society?

These acts are not long ago acts by a less educated society. They are 21st century discrimination and racism of the most violent kind. Prosecutors and judges find the motivation for a crime most important in deciding punishment.

Lets not look to the past for the meaning of what rights an American has. Lets continue to enhance and include all citizens in the full umbrella of rights and opportunities. Why would the founding fathers include an amendment process, if they did not believe we could do better in future generations?

Cartoons ?

2010-08-01T00:39:00.001-05:00

My Andy Rooney Blog

2010-07-30T20:54:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered:

Why people wear heavy, or hooded coats when it's 100 degrees outside?

Why people wear their belt/waistline under their buttox?

Why people listen to their car stereos so loud, they can be heard blocks away?

Why people buy lotto tickets with a one in a one hundred eighty MILLION chance of winning?

Why someone would leave their child/pet in a car when it's 100 degrees outside?

Why people buy houses they cannot afford?

Why people have their cell phone ring on loud enough to hear it throug a solid brick wall?

Why someone would start a charcoal grill and grill inside their garage?

Why a credit card company who have sued you for a $4,000.00 balance, then offer to accept $2,000.00 to clear your account, IF you open an account with another one of their credit cards?

Why, if your relative murdered someone (beyond doubt) that you would sacrafice everything you have (including your home) for bail, just so they could be out of jail until the trial?

Why Republicans lie?

Why people vote for these Republican liars?

Why Republican talking heads like Hanity and others, do not have a college education, but are followed by millions of Americans who think they are the smartest people on Earth?

Why Republicans think social programs are a give away, after all of us have spent decades paying taxes for those programs?

I could go on, but it will just make Republicans look dumber and dumber.

Why Andy Rooney is still on television?

Show Us That Smile

2010-07-30T01:09:00.001-05:00

Republicans Economics

2010-07-29T01:01:00.000-05:00

Republicans and other conservatives say Obama is a Socialist, or a Communist. He is not an American citizen. He is bankrupting America, and so many other lies, it's not funny. It gives the public a false sense of the true facts and a lack of confidence (undeserved) in the President. If these people ever read a book on American History, they would be shocked at the truth.

Is Obama instituting the policies of LBJ, or FDR?

The New Deal, or the Great Society projects might be called Socialist, except they worked, served millions of Americans well, raised our standard of living and life expectancy, created the great middle class, and are one of the reasons we call our country great.

That we could end centuries old problems like early death among our senior citizens, starvation, bad medical care, massive homelessness, child (slave) labor, and pay wages enough to allow even the poor to have the basics of life.

It was not like that before these social programs, not at all.

It was the key to creating the great middle class, which was the key to our fantastic growth and financial stability from 1948-1983.

That all ended in 1983 when the Republican President (Reagan) cut our taxes in half. GREAT ! We all hate paying taxes!

Then the debts started to grow. 3 trillion under Reagan. 13 trillion by the time Bush left office. Then the overevaluation of homes and property. Then the frauds of Wall Street. Then the unemployment. Then the crash.

It is a lesson from History we did not learn. Similar situations happened just before the Great Depression. Read the History. Except, back then there were no safety net programs. That's the difference between now and then.

Didn't your parents ever tell you there was no such thing as a free lunch?

Who in the Hell did you think was paying the bills of America while the Republicans were promising you tax cuts?

How in the Hell can we pass this debt onto our children and grandchildren?

Who in the Hell are we (baby boomer generation) to pass on an America that is worse off than it was given to us?

It Would Be Funny If It Were Not So True

2010-07-28T04:34:00.002-05:00

New Blog - A Year Ago

2010-07-27T12:10:00.001-05:00

One year ago today !

I have turned into writing about only politics. That is not what I intended, but what seems to interest people. Up until my surgery, I posted many things. Food, cars, space, politics, and commentary. Now, it's mainly commentary. I suppose that's because it's easier.

Below is a re-post of my first post. Peruse the archives to see what kind of ride it has been.

Thank you all for your interest, especially rockync, my first reader and still reading (I think).

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I just started this blog today, July 27, 2009.

I call it "Stay A While" for no real reason, but I hope you will.

I like many things.

Politics is fine, but there are so many other things in life I find more interesting. I am a moderate. I like President Obama, but not all his policies. I do not want this blog to be a place where fights and name calling over politics is the main offering. It's probably inevitable to have disagreements, and although I am not a prude, vulgarity and personal attacks will not be allowed on this blog.

I like sports, but at my age watching is the way I participate. I will not bore you with my past athletic glories, but I did have them.

I like cars, especially antique cars. You will see me post pictures and my dreams of owning a great classic car.

I love music of all kinds, but I guess I'm a little old to appreciate Rap, or Hip Hop. I listen to a lot of classical, Rock, Jazz, and Blues. I love the big band sound. I grew up with Folk music. I might consider putting a "play list" on this blog, but not right away.

I have a primitive computer set up. I am a dial up customer and rarely download videos, it just takes to long. I cannot download music. Photographs post fine, and you will see those. I do not have call waiting and my friends know enough to email me when they get a busy signal. I always check my email (hint).

I like going to antique shops and second hand stores. I stay away from the big malls. I am a frugal person, or as my family says, CHEAP. I cut coupons, buy on sale pretty much exclusively, two for one deals, I'll eat anything so I buy what's on sale. I'm proud that my cable is $9.99 a month. My phone is $25.00 a month. My electric bill is below $80.00 a month.

I have been into photography for 50 years and actually worked in the profession for a few years. This blog will not be a photo blog, but occasionally I will post some of my photo's.

I read dry stuff like History, Biography's, Poetry, Science. I will post poems once in a while.

I like space and the NASA program. That's space fact, not fiction. I track the Hubble telescope. As soon as I get this blog together, you will find links to space projects and the Hubble.

I like movies, old and new. Movies of all kinds, but comedies are my favorite.

I do not have a green thumb, and over the years have given up on growing inside, or outside flowers. I plant shrubs.

Well that's enough. This blog will change daily, as I get it to what I want.

I will gladly add your site as a link, or you can add yourself as one of my followers.

Feel free to comment. I am not judgmental, but will delete pointless vulgarity. That does not mean you cannot use a bad word once in a while. I'm old enough to not be shocked and you do not have to agree with me to state you honest thoughts. I will post my honest thoughts, and do not mean to offend anyone.

2010-07-27T08:17:00.002-05:00

The Milky Way Over Bryce Canyon
Credit & Copyright: Ben Cooper

Explanation: What are those strange rock structures? They are towers and walls of sedimentary rock that are particularly plentiful in Bryce Canyon in Utah, USA. The rock columns may rise higher than 50 meters and are called hoodoos. On the far left is Thor's Hammer, perhaps the most famous hoodoo. The tall rock columns were carved, most typically, when a unusually dense cap of rock provided a layer of protection to rock underneath from rain-based erosion. In the above panoramic picture taken earlier this month and compressed horizontally, the foreground rocks were momentarily illuminated by a roving spotlight. Visible in the background are a few water clouds a few kilometers away hovering over the nearby Earth. Visible well beyond that are thousands of individually discernible stars averaging a few hundred light years away in the nearby Milky Way Galaxy. Far in the distance lie billions of stars that are thousands of light years away and compose the faintly glowing arch that is the visible central band of the flat disk of our Milky Way. Over many years, wind and rain will eventually cause the tops of the hoodoos to topple, whereafter the underlying column will likely completely erode away.

It's My Money !

2010-07-25T16:13:00.003-05:00

If you were homeless, where would you go? What would you do? Where would you sleep? Most cities have laws against sleeping in parks, or outside. You cannot just hike in and sleep in a federal park. You need money. You need to pay a fee every night. It's not that you mind sleeping outside, but you cannot. Didn't you pay taxes for 35 years to pay for those parks?

Didn't you pay taxes for 35 years to pay for welfare programs? Now (and you never thought you would) you need those programs, but the hoops you have to jump through are crazy. You are treated like a criminal by the system. The public thinks your a bum and just ripping off the system. And the money to help, is not enough to get buy in the current economy.

Didn't you pay taxes for 35 years for Social Security? Now your told that there will probably not be money left in the fund when you retire. If the politicians were negligent with that money, is that your fault? Doesn't the government still owe you that benefit? After all, if you were not paying taxes for that program, you could have saved for yourself. And if the Congress had not spent that money on everything except what it was supposed to be for, there would be more than enough for everybody.

These programs were and are good ideas. Politicians have screwed it up. Mainly by sending the money somewhere else. People believe they are "entitled." They paid the taxes, now they need the service. Politicians put the money somewhere else, and now they say "sorry" we don't have the money. Of course after paying taxes for 35 years, the Republicans (who created the 13 trillion dollar debt) say the government should not have safety net programs. A little late! Now that they got your money, then spent it on something else, they tell you they don't believe in those services and your out of luck.

People talk about not giving hard earned money to help others. Well it's already been done. The same people needing help now, have been paying taxes (from their hard earned money) for decades. Some cannot bring themselves to ask for the help they already paid for, and others get insulted and frustrated by the system. This is not a give away! These are programs we have been paying for. After decades of paying to support these programs, now the politicians say no, we won't.

Put yourself in the place of those who need help and paid taxes for programs that helped millions over the decades, and now you need that help. You don't want to beg friends , or family, or a church you don't believe in; and if you accept government money there is a public shame attached to it. WHY?

Do we feel shame when we use tax funded military weapons in anger? Do we feel shame when we use tax funded roads and highways? Do we feel shame if we use a public library, call a cop, or a fireman? It's all the same. Using communally taxed services, knowing full well what those services are and who can use them.

You want to stop those programs, I disagree with that philosophy, but at least give me my money back! With interest please.

Republicans Fixing Their Own Mess?

2010-07-22T14:26:00.003-05:00

I've been repeating myself a lot lately. Mostly against those who refuse to admit the Republicans have brought us to bankruptcy; and the Historical fact that tax cuts DO NOT grow the economy, or create jobs as I showed in my "Mondale Was Right" post last year.

President Obama is not a political messiah. He is a good politician, with all the good and bad that implies. He compromises to much, especially since his party has majority in Congress. He wasted his time and votes trying to get bipartisan votes in Congress. He's not using his "bully pulpit" strategically enough. He's not keeping control of the ultra left in his administration. I could go on, but he's still a far sight better than the last President.

The banks and corporations are the Scrooges in this mess. They are not helping America by simply cutting costs and employees to make higher profits, or keeping credit lines high and stunting growth of small business. There is more of an obligation for businesses in America, than just making money.

Republicans are right in one sense; it's business that has to restart this economy. So why aren't they? And if they do not, are we to let Americans linger in poverty, while denying them help from the federal government?

Republicans cry they won't support any legislation that is not paid for. I sure wish they had that attitude for the last 30 years. They put America 13 Trillion dollars in debt, while pandering to voters by saying "No New Taxes." What hypocrites, and dangerous leadership too. It's no surprise that we are in a bad way, and no surprise Republicans are blaming Obama. That's taking responsibility?

If you are not smart enough to educate yourself with the facts, then bow out, go play tennis. But don't spew lies that foster false facts and turn a decent debate into a Jr. High School discussion. If you attack peoples blogs. or bloggers personally, well that's grade school stuff and you deserve to be show up for the jerk that you are. And those who befriend that kind of behavior should not be surprised to find yourselves without readers.

So all you Republicans lets set the discussion on a higher level. What should we do to erase the bad policies of your party, that has built this 13 trillion dollar debt and high unemployment?

Leave out how badly you think Obama is and tell me what your national Republican party leaders should do about the serious mess your party and its leaders have gotten us into.

So far your leaders are saying no to everything and blaming Obama for the mess. That's grade school stuff.

Got any better ideas, or behaviors?

Republican Logic

2010-07-21T16:26:00.001-05:00

Lightning

2010-07-21T00:20:00.000-05:00

Lightning Over Athens Credit & Copyright: Chris Kotsiopoulos

Explanation: Have you ever watched a lightning storm in awe? Join the crowd. Oddly, nobody knows exactly how lightning is produced. What is known is that charges slowly separate in some clouds causing rapid electrical discharges (lightning), but how electrical charges get separated in clouds remains a topic of much research. Lightning usually takes a jagged course, rapidly heating a thin column of air to about three times the surface temperature of the Sun. The resulting shock wave starts supersonically and decays into the loud sound known as thunder. Lightning bolts are common in clouds during rainstorms, and on average 6,000 lightning bolts occur between clouds and the Earth every minute. Pictured above, an active lightning storm was recorded over Athens, Greece earlier this month.

Secret America

2010-07-19T14:23:00.003-05:00

Top Secret America grows out of control

DANA PRIEST and W ILLIAM M. ARKIN, Washington Post

The top secret world the government created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work.

These are some of the findings of a two-year investigation by the Washington Post that discovered what amounts to an alternative geography of the United States, a Top Secret America hidden from public view and lacking in thorough oversight. After nine years of unprecedented spending and growth, the result is that the system put in place to keep the United States safe is so massive that its effectiveness is impossible to determine.
The investigation's other findings include:

• Some 1,271 government organizations and 1,931 private companies work on programs related to counterterrorism, homeland security and intelligence in some 10,000 locations across the United States.

•An estimated 854,000 people, nearly 1 1/2 times as many people as live in Washington, hold top secret security clearances.

• In Washington and the surrounding area, 33 building complexes for top-secret intelligence work are under construction or have been built since September 2001. Together they occupy the equivalent of almost three Pentagons or 22 U.S. Capitol buildings -- about 17 million square feet of space.

• Many security and intelligence agencies do the same work, creating redundancy and waste. For example, 51 federal organizations and military commands, operating in 15 U.S. cities, track the flow of money to and from terrorist networks.

• Analysts who make sense of documents and conversations obtained by foreign and domestic spying share their judgment by publishing 50,000 intelligence reports each year -- a volume so large that many are routinely ignored.

These are not academic issues; lack of focus, not lack of resources, was at the heart of the Fort Hood, Texas, shooting that left 13 dead, as well as the Christmas Day bomb attempt near Detroit thwarted not by the thousands of analysts employed to find lone terrorists but by an alert airline passenger who saw smoke coming from his seatmate.

They are also issues that greatly concern some of the people in charge of the nation's security.
"There has been so much growth since 9/11 that getting your arms around that -- not just for the DNI [Director of National Intelligence], but for any individual, for the director of the CIA, for the secretary of defense -- is a challenge," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in an interview last week.

At the Defense Department, where more than two-thirds of the intelligence programs reside, only a handful of senior officials -- called Super Users -- have the ability to even know about all of the department's activities. But as two Super Users indicated in interviews, there is simply no way they can keep up with the nation's most sensitive work.

"I'm not going to live long enough to be briefed on everything" was how one Super User put it. The other recounted that for his initial briefing, he was escorted into a tiny, dark room, seated at a small table and told he couldn't take notes. Program after program began flashing on a screen, he said, until he yelled, "Stop!" in frustration.

Underscoring the seriousness of these issues are the conclusions of retired Army Lt. Gen. John Vines, who was asked last year to review the method for tracking the Defense Department's most sensitive programs. Vines, who is familiar with complex problems, was stunned by what he discovered.

"I'm not aware of any agency with the authority, responsibility or a process in place to coordinate all these interagency and commercial activities," he said in an interview. "The complexity of this system defies description."

The result, he added, is that it's impossible to tell whether the country is safer because of all this spending and all these activities. "Because it lacks a synchronizing process, it inevitably results in message dissonance, reduced effectiveness and waste," Vines said. "We consequently can't effectively assess whether it is making us more safe."

The Post's investigation is based on government documents and contracts, job descriptions, property records, corporate and social networking websites, additional records, and hundreds of interviews with intelligence, military and corporate officials and former officials. Most requested anonymity either because they are prohibited from speaking publicly or because, they said, they feared retaliation at work for describing their concerns.

The Post's online database of government organizations and private companies was built entirely on public records. The investigation focused on top secret work because the amount classified at the secret level is too large to accurately track.

Gates said that he does not believe the system has become too big to manage but that getting precise data is sometimes difficult. Singling out the growth of intelligence units in the Defense Department, he said he intends to review those programs for waste. "Nine years after 9/11, it makes a lot of sense to sort of take a look at this and say, 'OK, we've built tremendous capability, but do we have more than we need?'" he said.

CIA Director Leon Panetta, who was also interviewed last week, said he's begun mapping out a five-year plan for his agency because the levels of spending since 9/11 are not sustainable. "Particularly with these deficits, we're going to hit the wall. I want to be prepared for that," he said. "Frankly, I think everyone in intelligence ought to be doing that."

In an interview before he resigned as the director of national intelligence in May, retired Adm. Dennis Blair said he did not believe there was overlap and redundancy in the intelligence world. "Much of what appears to be redundancy is, in fact, providing tailored intelligence for many different customers," he said.

Blair also expressed confidence that subordinates told him what he needed to know.
Weeks later, he mused about the Post's findings. "After 9/11, when we decided to attack violent extremism, we did as we so often do in this country," he said. "The attitude was, if it's worth doing, it's probably worth overdoing."

The intelligence complex

Outside a gated subdivision of mansions in suburban McLean, Va., and past the armed guards and the hydraulic steel barriers, at least 1,700 federal employees and 1,200 private contractors work at Liberty Crossing, the nickname for the two headquarters of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and its National Counterterrorism Center.

Liberty Crossing is at the center of the collection of U.S. government agencies and corporate contractors that mushroomed after the 2001 attacks. But it is not nearly the biggest, the most costly or even the most secretive part of the 9/11 enterprise.

In an Arlington, Va., office building, the lobby directory doesn't include the Air Force's mysteriously named XOIWS unit, but there's a big "Welcome!" sign in the hallway greeting visitors who know to step off the elevator on the third floor. In Elkridge, Md., a clandestine program hides in a tall concrete structure fitted with false windows to look like a normal office building. In Arnold, Mo., the location is across the street from a Target and a Home Depot. In St. Petersburg, Fla., it's in a modest brick bungalow in a rundown business park.

Every day across the United States, 854,000 civil servants, military personnel and private contractors with top-secret security clearances are scanned into offices protected by electromagnetic locks, retinal cameras and fortified walls that eavesdropping equipment cannot penetrate.

This is not exactly President Dwight Eisenhower's "military-industrial complex," centered on building nuclear weapons to deter the Soviet Union. This is a national security enterprise with a more amorphous mission: defeating transnational violent extremists.

Much of the information about this mission is classified. And that lack of specifics is one reason it is so difficult to gauge the success and identify the problems of Top Secret America, including whether money is being spent wisely.

A vast budget

The U.S. intelligence budget is vast, publicly announced last year as $75 billion, which is 2 1/2 times the size it was on Sept. 10, 2001. But the figure doesn't include many military activities or domestic counterterrorism programs.

At least 20 percent of the government organizations that exist to fend off terrorist threats were established or refashioned in the wake of 9/11. Many that existed before the attacks grew to historic proportions as the Bush administration and Congress gave agencies more money than they were capable of responsibly spending.

The Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency, for example, has gone from 7,500 employees in 2002 to 16,500 today. The budget of the National Security Agency, which conducts electronic eavesdropping, doubled. Thirty-five FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces became 106. It was phenomenal growth that began almost as soon as the Sept. 11 attacks ended.

Nine days after the attacks, Congress committed $40 billion beyond what was in the federal budget to fortify domestic defenses and to launch a global offensive against Al-Qaida. It followed that up with an additional $36.5 billion in 2002 and $44 billion in 2003. That was only a beginning.

With the quick infusion of money, military and intelligence agencies multiplied. Twenty-four organizations were created by the end of 2001, including the Office of Homeland Security and the Foreign Terrorist Asset Tracking Task Force. In 2002, 37 more were created to track weapons of mass destruction, collect threat tips and coordinate the new focus on counterterrorism. That was followed the next year by 36 new organizations; and 26 after that; and 31 more; and 32 more; and 20 or more each in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

In all, at least 263 organizations have been created or reorganized as a response to 9/11. Each has required more people, and those people have required more administrative and logistic support: phone operators, librarians, carpenters, construction workers, mechanics and, because of where they work, even janitors with top-secret clearances.

With so many more employees, units and organizations, the lines of responsibility began to blur. To remedy this, at the recommendation of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, the George W. Bush administration and Congress created an agency in 2004 with overarching responsibilities called the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to bring the colossal effort under control.

Not as planned

While that was the idea, Washington has its own ways.
The first problem was that the law passed by Congress did not give the director clear legal or budgetary authority over intelligence matters, which meant he wouldn't have power over the individual agencies he was supposed to control.

The second problem: Even before the first director, John Negroponte, was on the job, the turf battles began. The Defense Department shifted billions of dollars out of one budget and into another so that the ODNI could not touch it, according to two senior officials who watched the process. The CIA reclassified some of its most sensitive information at a higher level so the National Counterterrorism Center staff, part of the ODNI, would not be allowed to see it, said former intelligence officers involved.

To be sure, the ODNI has made some progress, especially in intelligence-sharing, information technology and budget reform. But improvements have been overtaken by volume at the ODNI, as the increased flow of intelligence data overwhelms the system's ability to analyze and use it.
Every day, collection systems at the National Security Agency intercept and store 1.7 billion e-mails, phone calls and other types of communications. The NSA sorts a fraction of those into 70 databases. The same problem bedevils every other intelligence agency, none of which has enough analysts and translators for all this work.

Among the most important people in this enterprise are low-paid employees carrying their lunches to work to save money. They are the analysts, the 20- and 30-year-olds making $41,000 to $65,000 a year, whose job is at the core of everything Top Secret America tries to do.

At its best, analysis melds cultural understanding with snippets of conversations, coded dialogue, anonymous tips, even scraps of trash, turning them into clues that lead to individuals and groups trying to harm the United States.

Their work is greatly enhanced by computers that sort through and categorize data. But in the end, analysis requires human judgment, and half the analysts are relatively inexperienced, having been hired in the past several years, said a senior ODNI official. Contract analysts are often straight out of college.

When hired, a typical analyst knows very little about the priority countries -- Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan -- and is not fluent in their languages. Still, the number of intelligence reports they produce on these key countries is overwhelming, say current and former intelligence officials who try to cull them everyday. The ODNI doesn't know exactly how many reports are issued each year, but in the process of trying to find out, the chief of analysis discovered 60 classified websites still in operation that were supposed to have been closed down for lack of usefulness. "Like a zombie, it keeps on living," one official said.

The overload of hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and annual reports is counterproductive, say people who receive them. Some policymakers and senior officials instead rely on personal briefers, and those briefers usually rely on their own agency's analysis, re-creating the very problem identified as a main cause of the failure to thwart the attacks: a lack of information-sharing.

The ODNI's analysis office knows this is a problem. Yet its solution was another publication, this one a daily online newspaper, Intelligence Today. Every day, a staff of 22 sorts through more than two dozen agencies' reports and 63 websites, selects the best information and packages it by originality, topic and region.

Still building

A $1.7 billion National Security Agency data-processing center will be under construction soon near Salt Lake City. In Tampa, Fla., the U.S. Central Command's new 270,000-square-foot intelligence office will be matched next year by an equally large headquarters building, and then, the year after that, by a 51,000-square-foot office just for its special operations section.
Meanwhile, five miles southeast of the White House, the Department of Homeland Security has broken ground for its new headquarters, to be shared with the Coast Guard. DHS, in existence for only seven years, already has a 230,000-person workforce, the third-largest after the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

The $3.4 billion showcase will be the largest government complex built since the Pentagon, a major landmark in the alternative geography of Top Secret America and four times as big as Liberty Crossing.

2010-07-17T13:13:00.000-05:00

OMG ! He Tells The Truth

2010-07-16T12:24:00.003-05:00

Sunset Eclipse

2010-07-15T08:17:00.005-05:00

Andes Sunset Eclipse
Credit & Copyright: Janne Pyykkö

Explanation: On July 11, after a long trek eastward across the southern Pacific Ocean, the Moon's shadow reached landfall in South America. In a total solar eclipse close to sunset, silhouetted Moon and Sun hugged the western horizon, seen here above the Andes mountains near the continent's southern tip. To enjoy a good vantage point, the photographer hiked to a windy spot about 400 meters above a lake, Lago Argentino, climbing into the picture after setting up his camera on a tripod. At left, the sky outside the shadow cone is still bright. Below, the lights of El Calafate, Patagonia, Argentina, shine by the lake shore.

Cry Of Government Waste

2010-07-12T16:29:00.003-05:00

Republicans really have a lot of gall to be screaming government waste about social programs (like food stamps) after they put this country into bankruptcy paying back their corporate buddies with tax breaks.

WASTE.

The investigations and screams should be aimed at corporations like Haliburton (Cheney's old firm) for the waste in government contracts they received. Not only did this company get rich on the war, they did it at the expense of the lives of our soldiers.

Showers that electrocuted soldiers. Water that made soldiers sick. Food that made soldiers sick. Defective supplies, that did not work. After documented negligence like these, they got their government contracts renewed.

But, of course, food stamp fraud (about 5% of the fraud in Defense contracts) is more important than soldiers lives.

These Republicans are playing sick political games. Trying to get the public to forget about their fraud, and use their positions of authority and bully pulpits to raise public anger against liberal government help programs.

They not only helped kill our soldiers with their negligence and fraud, but they now attack the programs millions of Americans are depending on, to get them through this depression that the Republicans created.

Takes a singular sick bastard(s) to behave in such a manner.

Of course food stamp fraud is happening. It has since the food stamp program started. There is fraud in every government program since they all started. That does not mean these programs do not serve the people well, they do.

What kind of politician would put the small amount of food stamp fraud as a priority over the much larger abuses, that killed our soldiers?

Playing politics with our soldiers lives, AGAIN.

These Republicans have no morals. They have no conscience. They don't care if American soldiers die for their selfish purposes. They only know the politics of fear and hate. That exposes a weak opponent, which means a weaker majority leadership.

If Democrats cannot use the true facts to convince Americans what Republicans have done to America, has hurt America, then they deserve to lose majority.

Capitalists Are Supposed To Be Americans Too

2010-07-10T10:44:00.006-05:00

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot help the few that are rich."

President Kennedy - 1961

I'm sure rich people read this as the Democratic entryway to Socialist government. But it is a true statement. If the poor are to poor, where will the rich get there money from?

The rich need us poor folk!

It's way past time we start using that leverage. Actions of customers (boycots, negative press, 100's of thousands of complaints, etc) will have a greater effect on large business, than trying to get elected representatives to stop bending to corporate bribery.

Capitalism still works. Companies still listen to the demands of customers. So lets start demanding.

Companies bet on quiet voices, to pass their bullshit onto the public. If your upset about the oil spill, stop buying BP gas and products. If you want to end fosil fuel usage, then pay more to buy alternative products.

Of course the key is getting a large minority to do the same. No company is going to change, if only 5% of its customers complain about something.

We have to become activist consumers and citizens. Flood Congress with calls and letters, and the same with companies.

If capitalism has a national, patriotic responsibility (I believe it does) it is to fill the needs of the people at affordable prices. Just because a company can survive serving the needs of a small minority (rich and well off) doesn't mean it's helping America. Making money was/is never the total object, or goal of a company within a capitalistic system.

Companies have a responsibility to provide for its employees and customers a business atmosphere that enhances the society they do business in, that includes a small consideration for what's best for the country they do business in, America.