Georgia on Every One’s Minds …

Posted: August 19, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Georgia on Every One’s Minds …

Issues of Obama’s electability are highlighting the importance of his vice presidential pick. He’s said to be ready to announce and appear on Saturday with the poor person who has to make some room in the same area as the Obama swollen head.  Some of his VP antics are also bringing about more comparisons to the Dubya administration.  Today, Obama announced the hiring of a speech writer for his yet unnamed VP choice.  He has already hired an assistant for his VP pic.  This harkens back to the tight control of message imposed by Rove on the Dubya campaign.  One wonders what kind of VP candidate will want to walk into their position “surrounded” with folks telling them where to go and what to say?

This at a time when the VP pick may be more crucial than ever.  Recent polls show by that US voters want a Democractic President by a healthy margin of 10%.   Why, then is Obama loosing ground to MCain and considered barely ahead or neck and neck in the polls?  The answer this time is not the economy stupid, but it appears that is is Mcain and the question is who do you want answering that phone at 3 am?  The more Georgia stays in the headlines, the more McCain makes hay out of Obama’s lack of experience and knowledge.  The Three Hundred advisors supposedly schooling Obama right now on the many things of which he has no knowledge can not replace the sagacity that comes with age and experience.

Today, McCain was a little downwind of me on an Oil Platform talking up offshore drilling after thrilling a group of Vets and clearly charming the audience in that Values Shakedown.  Obama may have more things to say, but McCain fewer words with more substance and impact.  While the press (most notably the LA TImes) has been trying to say that negative campaigning on the part of McCain is having an impact on Barracks standing, it’s clearly the recent events and comments by the candidates themselves that are leaving an impression on voters. At this point, Obama needs a clear foreign policy guru at his side.  However, can some one like a Biden be corralled and kept on the Obama message?  Or for that matter a Sam Nunn?  Clearly all the foreign policy big thinkers in the DNC will not like to have their staff and speech writers pre-vetted and be scripted by a less authorative top of the ticket.  If Obama chooses the foreign policy virgins on the short list like  Claire, Kathy, and Tim, the DNC ticket will lack gravitas.  Meanwhile, McCain can afford to search out a governor or business person to pick up the economic and domestic policy partner that he requires.  As long as Dubya and Cheney are sent into the den’s of the raw meat craving Republicans and kept away from the general populace,  things are shaping up rather nicely for McCaine.

So, NOW WHAT? DISCUSS …

Posted: August 14, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment

AUGUST 14, 2008, 10:50 AM
Clinton’s Name Will Be Put in Nomination

By JEFF ZELENY
WASHINGTON – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s name will be placed into nomination at the Democratic National Convention, a symbolic move approved by the Obama campaign in an effort to soothe a lingering rift with Clinton supporters.

The decision was reached this week, according to Democratic officials, and will be announced later today. It comes after long negotiations on both sides, with many backers of Mrs. Clinton vigorously pushing for her candidacy to be validated by giving her delegates the chance to support her through a roll call vote.

For Democrats inside the convention center in Denver, as well as the television audience at home, it could create some interesting moments. After the state-by-state roll is tallied, Mrs. Clinton is expected to turn over her cache of delegates to Senator Barack Obama.

So how will Mrs. Clinton, who is a superdelegate herself, vote?
Associates say she will throw her lot behind Mr. Obama and ask her supporters to follow suit. To see if it unfolds as the Obama campaign hopes – free of acrimony – tune in on Wednesday, Aug. 27

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/clintons-name-will-be-
put-in-nomination/

Not exactly sure how to do this …

Posted: August 4, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments

But to say that RW who posted here frequently and vehemently about Senator Obama took his life yesterday.  I’ve known RW for some time as a fellow Buddhist-although he practiced the Thai traditions and I follow the Tibetan traditions.  I know that he was always looking for the peace for himself after going through the Vietnam War.

I had the pleasure of introducing my beloved French Quarter to Bob one time on a tour he took to meet a few of us that knew him from an on-line Buddhist discussion group.  He was very proud of both his children.  His daughter was a virtuoso on the violin.  He also had 2 sons.  He took care of his elderly father until he passed a few years ago and was fixing up his old family home. When I met him about 12 years ago, he was coming off of a very bad divorce and was always talking about taking monk vows.  He never did.

No matter what difference we had about political candidates, we always had a lot of respect for each other.  I just talked to my lama and just hoping we can finally get him to a place of peace.

Om mani padme hum

kat

We have NOT come a long way, baby

Posted: July 30, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: Hillary Clinton: Her Campaign for All of Us, U.S. Economy, Uncategorized, Women's Rights | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on We have NOT come a long way, baby

I’m the stereotypical PUMA.  I came of age in the 70s and joined the UWAG (University Women’s Action Group) while at the University of Nebraska working on the first of several degrees.  I remember fighting hard to get tougher rape laws in place including getting officers assigned to rape cases out of the Property Crimes Department and lobbying for laws that would let raped wives charge their husbands with rape.  This was not possible at that time.  We’ve made considerable progress on that front.  We now don’t need two to three people to witness rapes in order to get rapists prosecuted.  We also can charge our husbands with rape.  Violet crimes against women are no longer consider property crimes.

I also worked hard for the ERA.  That failed to pass although I travelled to both Missouri and Oklahoma to try to get the last few states to pass it.  I also was trying to fight Nebraska’s attempt to take back it’s pro-ERA vote sponsored by my local state senator who was also a neighbor and father to two of the least popular guys in my high school.  I always thought he’d sponsor the bill because neither of his sons had much luck getting dates back in the day.  He was mad that women could actually support themselves and therefor not have to marry the first thing that comes along to survive their adult lives.

I’m now an economist, and perhaps Equal Pay for Equal Work is the subject that is nearest and dearest too me.  We have another chance to right this problem.  What amazes me is that the current pay gap faced by my young daughters today –one being 25 and in her last year of med school and the other 18 and heading to university–is the same pay gap I faced at their age. This is one legacy I’d rather not leave to them. Women still earn 77 cents to men’s $1 for the same job with the same qualifications.  There is not one state in the country where women have gained traction on men’s pay.  There is an act now in Congress seeking to right this wrong once in for all,  it is called the Paycheck Fairness Act.

The Paycheck Fairness Act would “close loopholes that have allowed employers to avoid responsibility for discriminatory pay” and strengthen accountability in the workplace. The legislation increases penalties for sex discrimination in pay unless the company has a business-related reason for the inequality in wages. The PFA puts gender discrimination sanctions on equal footing with other forms of wage discrimination ­ such as those based on race, disability, or age, allowing women to file lawsuits for compensatory and punitive damages. The bill also prohibits employers retaliating against employees who share salary information with their co-workers. The legislation also strengthens opportunities for women. The Act requires that the Department of Labor “improve outreach and training efforts to work with employers in order to eliminate pay disparities” and “creates a new grant program to help strengthen the negotiation skills of girls and women.”

Source: From the Progress Reporthttp://pr.thinkprogress.org/

So think about which Senators would be most likely fighting for gender equality that would be the sponsors of the bill?   Yup, it’s our Hillary again. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) put this bill into play

The Institute of Women’s Policy Research found that this wage disparity will cost women anywhere from $400,000 to $2 million over a lifetime in lost wages. An April Senate report found that in contrast to previous slowdowns, the current economic downturn “is hitting women harder than men. They are suffering more job losses and larger reductions in wages than the general population.” 

I, like any parent, want to leave my children in a better position in life.  Just by having daughters instead of sons, I know they will suffer the same paycheck inequality that I have endured throughout my adult life.  This is yet another reason to thank Hillary and to write your Senators and Congress to support this Bill.

The senators that are sponsoring this bill:

The Paycheck Fairness Act is co-sponsored by Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Russell Feingold (D-WI), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Harry Reid (D-NV), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Bernard Sanders (I-VT).

Also, NOTICE who’s name is missing?  

For more information please go to Senator Clintons site:

http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=272301&&

Does Big Brother Prefer an aisle or window seat?

Posted: July 19, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Does Big Brother Prefer an aisle or window seat?

Just when you thought it was safe to board that airplane again,  a new restraint saves you from that odd looking seat mate.  Will it be some one who is some what middle eastern looking?  Is it some one who utters a prayer in an indistinguishable language before take off?  Will these security measures saves you from the next terrorist or will it be those security measures identifying you as the enemy?  What about the air flight attendant who thinks you look a bit odd?  Perhaps the navigator that thinks you look a little radical for his tastes? Maybe it’s just a flight attendant that is extremely tired of that screaming toddler in the seat next to yours?  Who will get control of this button?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/aviation-security/2008/Jul/01/

I hate to see this article labeled aviation security because it seems a lot more Orwellian to me.  The headline actually read:

Want some torture with your peanuts?

“Just when you thought you’ve heard it all…

A senior government official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expressed great interest in a so-called safety bracelet that would serve as a stun device, similar to that of a police Taser®. According to this promotional video found at the Lamperd Less Lethal, Inc. website, the bracelet would be worn by all airline passengers (video also shown below).

This bracelet would:

• Take the place of an airline boarding pass

• Contain personal information about the traveler

• Be able to monitor the whereabouts of each passenger and his/her luggage

• Shock the wearer on command, completely immobilizing him/her for several minutes

The Electronic ID Bracelet, as it’s referred to, would be worn by every traveler “until they disembark the flight at their destination.”  Yes, you read that correctly. Every airline passenger would be tracked by a government-funded GPS, containing personal, private and confidential information, and would shock the customer worse than an electronic dog collar if the passenger got out of line.

Clearly the Electronic ID Bracelet is a euphemism for the EMD Safety Bracelet, or at least it has a nefarious hidden ability (thus the term ID Bracelet is ambiguous at best). EMD stands for Electro-Musclar Disruption. Again, according to the promotional video, the bracelet can completely immobilize the wearer for several minutes.

So is the government really that interested in this bracelet?

Apparently so.

According to this letter from DHS official, Paul S. Ruwaldt of the Science and Technology Directorate, office of Research and Development, which was written to the inventor whom he had previously met with, Ruwaldt wrote, “To make it clear, we [the federal government] are interested in . . . the immobilizing security bracelet, and look forward to receiving a written proposal.”

The letterhead, in case you were wondering, is from a U.S. Department of Homeland Security office at the William J. Hughes Technical Center at the Atlantic City International Airport, or the Federal Aviation Administration headquarters.

In another part of the letter, Mr. Ruwaldt confirmed, “In addition, it is conceivable to envision a use to improve air security, on passenger planes.”

Would every paying airline passenger flying on a commercial airplane be mandated to wear one of these devices? I cringe at the thought. Not only could it be used as a physical restraining device, but also as a method of interrogation, according to the same aforementioned letter from Mr. Ruwaldt.

Would you let them put one of those on your wrist? Would you allow the airline employees, which would be mandated by the government, to place such a bracelet on any member of your family?

Why are tax dollars being spent on something like this?

Is this a police state or is this America?”

I’m quoting Fox News, so be very afraid.  Homeland Security thinks this is “interesting”.  These EMD bracelets seem way over the top to me. But, maybe I read 1984 too many times.  What do you think?

I don’t think it’s really yellow journalism.  That’s what really scares me. Are we tracking luggage here or giving  some sadist flight attendant a way to get a thrill or worse yet a device to punish the socially or religious unknown for first amendment protected behavior?  Perhaps this button’s use will be extended to not cleaning up after yourself in those nasty bathrooms or trying to join the mile high club!  Frankly, I could see it being used for children dragged on airplanes by parents who put them into situations that are age inappropriate.

Just exactly how far will folks allow their civil liberties to be destroyed in the hope that we can be saved from terrorism?  Or is this some one’s way of finding peace from all of those screaming children and ineffective parents that find their way onto airplanes?

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