After some searching, I found the Chrysler Dealerships Closing List posted on the Baltimore Business Journal website. Here is a link to the full list of Chrysler Dealership Closings on their site.
Just right-click the link and choose "Save Target As..." to save it to your computer. It's 41 pages long. (It's a pdf document. You will need Adobe, most computers have it, to read it.) Or you can click to open it now.
I've also downloaded a copy. If the link above doesn't work, let me know in the comments below and I'll load it to one of my servers so you can grab a copy.
After a very quick search, it looks like 21 of the 789 dealerships are located in Indiana.
There might be more. I just used the quick text-search tool... didn't have time tonight to read through the list line-by-line.
From what I understand, GM hasn't yet compiled the list of dealerships they plan to close. They are said to be closing 3,600 franchises from their 6,200 franchise network. I have a feeling the impact of the GM Dealership closings will be felt much deeper considering the numbers... but still, I imagine there are quite a few unhappy Chrysler dealership/personnel upset right now.
I don't blame them.
My hearts go out to each and every one of them.
Imagine, if you dare, that ...say... McDonald's decided to close over 50% of their franchises here in the USA. Can you imagine how many people would be impacted?
You all know my stand on the wasteful Government spending by this Administration since it took over the reigns of governing. And yet, I am shocked and appalled by what they did to Chrysler -- and how they did it.
Look for the story behind the story.
Don't take the 30-second sound-bites from mainstream media as the only story on this. Look deeper, my friends... if you can stomach the ugly truth of what really happened here.
I owned a Chrysler Newport once.
It lasted more than 10 years, was still running even after I pulled it off the road... and was still in great condition with wide front bucket seats that you could snuggle deep into and feel totally safe.
I remember the longest trip I took with it driving 2 days and 2 nights non-stop with the exception of getting gas and a burger at a few truck stops on the way. It was my all time most awesome car.
I once hit black ice on a long hill doing about 70 miles an hour (errrr, probably faster)... As it slid close to out of control, I had a choice. Choose the ditch (beyond which was a mountain side) or the lake (frozen solid beyond the highway barricade).
I chose the ditch and gunned it, because I knew that Chrysler would take me into the ditch and right back out again... it was that solid.
I was right.
Unfortunately, it pulled a 360 degree on me once back on the highway and I ended up slamming right back into that 10 foot snow-drifted-in ditch.
Even so, after being towed out, that car still ran like a dream and there wasn't even a scratch on it.
And then there is another unrelated story about the baby moose that hit my passenger mirror. That was a different place, different time... and the car fared better than the moose, considering there was just a slight dent in the backside of the mirror whereas the baby moose stood stunned for several minutes before ambling off after its mother into the forest.
Those were good times.
Good times.
The story isn't over yet. The article over at the BBJ indicated, "It's expected that the dealers will have a right to appeal Chrysler's decision." [link to full story]
Stay tuned to this one. It ties into my post the other day.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Yes It Is My Birthday
Soon I will be able to say that I witnessed half a century go by on this planet... but not today. I'm one year shy of the big five oh.
Strangely, I don't feel that old.
Even my Wii Fit
said I don't seem that old... it gave me a "Fitness" age of only 39 this morning. Of course, that was before I completed the 30 minute workout in Strength and Yoga exercises that I've been working on.
Now I feel my age in every aching joint and tendon!
So, I'm taking it a bit easy today. I'm reading "The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World"
that my husband and son got me for my birthday. I'm only 59 pages into it and I've already marked 4 quotes that resonate with me.
The last is a quote from Benjamin Franklin who wrote:
Random thought -- did you know that every Tuesday at noon the air raid sirens sound off in San Francisco? Apparently, you can set your watch by it.
Seriously. Check it out:
Did you see this story today? - "Gov't runs April deficit for first time since '83"
Spend, Baby, Spend!
Sheesh!
A friend of mine sent me a link to this video -- a must see: "Is Anyone Minding the Store at the Federal Reserve?"
It is only a little over 5 minutes long, time well spent once you understand the implications for us all.
Actually, it ties into the BIG FAT LIE I've been hinting about since Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
The lie came out. It was neatly and swiftly presented. Most journalists (as I guessed would happen) gave it nothing more than cursory coverage... a mere blip on the radar screen of mass media.
And then... well, then... life went on like nothing happened.
I predict that in about 12 to 16 months everyone is going to start screaming about it. I mean, it was truly quite stunning how deftly they managed to lie with statistics and deliver a completely different painting for the public. They made it look so easy! Seriously. It took my breath away.
If you look at their picture regarding the so-called "stress tests" and then you check around other sites looking at a different point of view regarding total credit exposure, the contrast is really quite stunning.
For one example, here is another stress test result from an independent body that paints an entirely different picture:
Isn't it funny how Goldman Sachs was found to be "healthy" according to the Fed stress tests, and yet, when you look at the above they are the worst of them all?
Look for the story behind the story.
When they scrape more billions from your pockets and don't tell you where they are sliding those billions, keep the above chart in mind.
Hmmmmmm....
You think, maybe, that's where the missing money went from the Federal Reserve?
Nah! That would imply collusion and all sorts of messy legal implications, dontcha think?
You betcha!
SIDENOTE: If you're wondering why I keep using the phrase "you betcha" all the time lately, it's because at my age -- I can wear purple if I want -- and I like getting my little digs in against the mass media that took such glee in steamrolling over Palin and her family. They're still trying to keep her quiet and bashing her every chance they get. I'll have more on that in a future post.
For now, I'm going to wander off humming ..."Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me..."
Strangely, I don't feel that old.
Even my Wii Fit
said I don't seem that old... it gave me a "Fitness" age of only 39 this morning. Of course, that was before I completed the 30 minute workout in Strength and Yoga exercises that I've been working on.Now I feel my age in every aching joint and tendon!
So, I'm taking it a bit easy today. I'm reading "The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World"
that my husband and son got me for my birthday. I'm only 59 pages into it and I've already marked 4 quotes that resonate with me.The last is a quote from Benjamin Franklin who wrote:
"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."I wonder what he would think of today's America and the fact that some appear to believe we need such a massive Government? Would he think we have become corrupt and vicious and therefore in need of masters? Is that what the Washington crowd believes of the rest of the nation? I wonder...
Random thought -- did you know that every Tuesday at noon the air raid sirens sound off in San Francisco? Apparently, you can set your watch by it.
Seriously. Check it out:
Sorry... my mind is wandering a bit today. Too much on my mind to get back on track.Every Tuesday at noon, San Francisco tests the Outdoor Warning System. During the test the siren emits a 15 second alert tone. In an actual emergency, the siren tone will cycle repeatedly for 5 minutes. [link]
Did you see this story today? - "Gov't runs April deficit for first time since '83"
Spend, Baby, Spend!
Sheesh!
A friend of mine sent me a link to this video -- a must see: "Is Anyone Minding the Store at the Federal Reserve?"
It is only a little over 5 minutes long, time well spent once you understand the implications for us all.
Actually, it ties into the BIG FAT LIE I've been hinting about since Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
The lie came out. It was neatly and swiftly presented. Most journalists (as I guessed would happen) gave it nothing more than cursory coverage... a mere blip on the radar screen of mass media.
And then... well, then... life went on like nothing happened.
I predict that in about 12 to 16 months everyone is going to start screaming about it. I mean, it was truly quite stunning how deftly they managed to lie with statistics and deliver a completely different painting for the public. They made it look so easy! Seriously. It took my breath away.
If you look at their picture regarding the so-called "stress tests" and then you check around other sites looking at a different point of view regarding total credit exposure, the contrast is really quite stunning.
For one example, here is another stress test result from an independent body that paints an entirely different picture:
Isn't it funny how Goldman Sachs was found to be "healthy" according to the Fed stress tests, and yet, when you look at the above they are the worst of them all?
Look for the story behind the story.
When they scrape more billions from your pockets and don't tell you where they are sliding those billions, keep the above chart in mind.
Hmmmmmm....
You think, maybe, that's where the missing money went from the Federal Reserve?
Nah! That would imply collusion and all sorts of messy legal implications, dontcha think?
You betcha!
SIDENOTE: If you're wondering why I keep using the phrase "you betcha" all the time lately, it's because at my age -- I can wear purple if I want -- and I like getting my little digs in against the mass media that took such glee in steamrolling over Palin and her family. They're still trying to keep her quiet and bashing her every chance they get. I'll have more on that in a future post.
For now, I'm going to wander off humming ..."Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me..."
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mothers Day Humor
To lighten things up on this special day, here is a little mother's day humor. Mom's you're going to LOVE this video:
If you're getting this by email and the above embed code doesn't work, here is the direct link to watch it on YouTube.
And a little fun from the children...
WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside, she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.
And here are a few more thoughts for Moms on Mothers Day...
MOTHERS
Real Mothers don't eat quiche;
they don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough
doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what
the vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'
and get their answer when a little
voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth
is not measured by height or years or grade...
It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...
The Images of Mother
4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she
shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
Happy Mothers Day!
If you're getting this by email and the above embed code doesn't work, here is the direct link to watch it on YouTube.
And a little fun from the children...
WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside, she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.
And here are a few more thoughts for Moms on Mothers Day...
MOTHERS
Real Mothers don't eat quiche;
they don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough
doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what
the vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'
and get their answer when a little
voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth
is not measured by height or years or grade...
It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...
The Images of Mother
4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she
shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
Happy Mothers Day!
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Defending American History
“Local school boards may not remove books from school library shelves simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books …”
— U.S. Supreme Court in Board of Education, Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982)
Well, America -- they've found another way to take away your books.
Hazardous Books to be Removed!!!
America -- whether you choose to believe it or not -- you are being raped of your history.
The loose definition of BOOK BURNING is:
I'm a writer... so maybe I'm just a wee bit more appalled by the new law slipped quickly and quietly through your Congress than most.
Here is what happened to me today.
A last minute switch had me working at the Elementary school today for my volunteer day (instead of tomorrow)... and by Divine Providence I was present on the very day, at the very time, the order came down.
The order was given, and as the volunteer today, I had the woeful task of going through books in the classroom looking for the dates they were printed and removing all books printed prior to 1985.
My eyes welled with tears as I saw treasured and worn books, obviously well used and loved, like Dr. Seus and The Cat In The Hat, Charlotte's Web, Alice in Wonderland... the list goes on, and on, and on... and place them (albeit gently) into the box for discard/removal from the classroom.
Apparently this is taking place clear across the country.
Any and all books printed prior to 1985 are to be removed from all classrooms and libraries -- historical tombs, many now out of print, might be gone forever, never to be seen, read, or taught from ever again.
And I wonder...
How Many Bibles Were Printed Prior to 1985?
Imagine -- just think -- how many books no longer in print will never be seen by your children ever again?
Do you care?
Do you wonder what your children might miss?
Do you wonder how the many volumes of books built up over the years by teachers everywhere, priceless books that will now have to be replaced somehow, some way?
How many can never be replaced?
Do you care...? ...a bit? ...at all?
New Federal Law Makes It Mandatory!
Here is the reasoning behind the new law:
And yet, after finding out about this ridiculous law today, I went online and found a few blogs/articles on the subject where commenters have actually said that yes, they've seen their kids eat books.
My words to them -- WHY THE HECK DID YOU LET THEM????
Did you not stop to think that you could teach them NOT to EAT the freakin' books??
Just because a few stupid parents are incapable of looking after their kids and/or teaching their kids not to eat freakin' books now the entire country has to suffer because of their pathetic stupid incompetent parenting skills? You are stupid and deserve to suffer ....not push your suffering on the rest of the country. Go get some friggin' help!!!!! IDIOTS!!!! In fact, maybe child services should be taking your kids away from you?
Whew! Sorry about that...
Okay, didn't mean to call a bunch of parents with bookeating kids stupid. Maybe lacking in common sense, but not stupid.
But seriously... the next thing you know, they'll be asking the Feds to outlaw lead pencils. Because, hey, people just can't think for themselves in this country... so, you know, there just has to be a Federal law, dontcha think? (sarcasm intended)
Sheesh!
I'm guessing far more kids chew on their pencils than slurp or eat their books. In fact, I'm guessing when they erase mistakes on their homework they might be tempted to lick their fingers or thumbs and wet the paper to make the eraser work better. Ever seen that happen?
I'm guessing there's far more lead content in a lead pencil than there is in an old book... but I might be wrong.
The Stupidity Behind The New CPSIA Law
Here's some of the stupidity behind the new law:
I am not a partisan voter...
But I gotta tell 'ya...
They are doing absolutely everything in their power to turn me into one.
One more insult on my intelligence after another after another after another...
To be fair, the CPSIA started work on this legislation back in August of 2008 although it wasn't finalized and written into law then. I'm still trying to find out when the hammer came down and books were added. (I'll bring you more on this -- for sure -- along with the NAMES of the PERPETRATORS of this CRIME against humanity!)
I grew up so deep in the bush that even as a 4 year old child I had to learn how to think fast and think on my feet. Common sense gets drilled into your head early when you are in the wilds.
It's a pity that common sense is not a skill taught to children here.
Or at least, that's the way it appears to me...
Think about it. See a baby bear cub in the bush, there has to be a protective mommy bear somewhere near, 'ya think?
When I look at the Constitution and witness first-hand the Fed's overstepping their authority in this way -- dictating to States across the nation -- even authoring laws that amount to book burnings in this country... I shudder to think where you are being led.
Enjoy the rose colored glasses.
Ten years from now, they are going to be way out of fashion and you just might find yourself looking pretty stupid in them.
As far as I'm concerned, Google can add another notch onto the book burning timeline -- and the real shock is that the book burning is taking place this time in the United States of America.
God Bless America -- we need a little Divine Intervention here.
Pray for us.
On another subject...
The BIG FAT LIE Came Today
But I'm too upset about the book burning thing to go into details for you.
Sorry.
I'll be back tomorrow on that.
Related Articles and Stories across the country:
Oregon Education - Lead is feared in children's books
SCtimes - A danger within children's books?
Change.org - Save Small Business from the CPSIA
Lifestyle - Some History on Book Burning
CPSIA - Comments & Observations - Share your viewpoints regarding the recent CPSIA decisions.
The Bookshop Blog - Book burning on Feb. 10th 2009 due to CPSIA
PS: I oh-so-very-much-wish I had known about this sooner. I missed it, like so many others did. Where the heck was the media coverage on this one?!?
— U.S. Supreme Court in Board of Education, Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982)
Well, America -- they've found another way to take away your books.
Hazardous Books to be Removed!!!
America -- whether you choose to believe it or not -- you are being raped of your history.
The loose definition of BOOK BURNING is:
Book burning (a category of biblioclasm, or book destruction) is the practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, one or more copies of a book or other written material. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and CDs have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded. The practice, usually carried out in public, is generally motivated by moral, religious, or political objections to the material.You might choose to disagree, but in my humble opinion what happened for me today is just as horrific as any book burning held in any country in any of those historical occasions mentioned above.
Some particular cases of book burning are long and traumatically remembered - because the books destroyed were irreplaceable and their loss constituted a severe damage to cultural heritage, and/or because this instance of book burning has become emblematic of a harsh and oppressive regime. Such were the destruction of the Library of Alexandria, the burning of books and burying of scholars under China's Qin Dynasty, the destruction of Mayan codices by Spanish conquistadors and priests, and in more recent times, Nazi book burnings and the destruction of the Sarajevo National Library. [emphasis added - link to more detail]
I'm a writer... so maybe I'm just a wee bit more appalled by the new law slipped quickly and quietly through your Congress than most.
Here is what happened to me today.
A last minute switch had me working at the Elementary school today for my volunteer day (instead of tomorrow)... and by Divine Providence I was present on the very day, at the very time, the order came down.
The order was given, and as the volunteer today, I had the woeful task of going through books in the classroom looking for the dates they were printed and removing all books printed prior to 1985.
My eyes welled with tears as I saw treasured and worn books, obviously well used and loved, like Dr. Seus and The Cat In The Hat, Charlotte's Web, Alice in Wonderland... the list goes on, and on, and on... and place them (albeit gently) into the box for discard/removal from the classroom.
Apparently this is taking place clear across the country.
Any and all books printed prior to 1985 are to be removed from all classrooms and libraries -- historical tombs, many now out of print, might be gone forever, never to be seen, read, or taught from ever again.
And I wonder...
How Many Bibles Were Printed Prior to 1985?
Imagine -- just think -- how many books no longer in print will never be seen by your children ever again?
Do you care?
Do you wonder what your children might miss?
Do you wonder how the many volumes of books built up over the years by teachers everywhere, priceless books that will now have to be replaced somehow, some way?
How many can never be replaced?
Do you care...? ...a bit? ...at all?
New Federal Law Makes It Mandatory!
Here is the reasoning behind the new law:
Writers of new child-safety legislation that sailed through both houses of Democrat-controlled Congress added children's books to the list of "banned hazardous substances," unless they're proved to be lead-free. Let's protect kids, right? Maybe they should have considered this: Kids don't eat books.Now, I don't know about you, but I've seen far more lead pencils with chew marks on them in classrooms than I've ever seen kids slurping or chewing on books. In fact, I've never seen one kid yet (except maybe a baby) ever reach to chew on a book.
The new CPSIA law bans all books printed before 1985 from resale or distribution because they might contain small amounts of lead in the ink. Hundreds of thousands of books have already been destroyed, even though there's no proof that a child could be harmed by them. This law could effectively gut every library and every school in the state, who along with thrift stores are subject to horrendous fines if they sell or distribute pre-1985 copies of books like "Velveteen Rabbit" and "The Little Engine that Could" or "Little Golden Books" that contain lead. [link]
And yet, after finding out about this ridiculous law today, I went online and found a few blogs/articles on the subject where commenters have actually said that yes, they've seen their kids eat books.
My words to them -- WHY THE HECK DID YOU LET THEM????
Did you not stop to think that you could teach them NOT to EAT the freakin' books??
Just because a few stupid parents are incapable of looking after their kids and/or teaching their kids not to eat freakin' books now the entire country has to suffer because of their pathetic stupid incompetent parenting skills? You are stupid and deserve to suffer ....not push your suffering on the rest of the country. Go get some friggin' help!!!!! IDIOTS!!!! In fact, maybe child services should be taking your kids away from you?
Whew! Sorry about that...
Okay, didn't mean to call a bunch of parents with bookeating kids stupid. Maybe lacking in common sense, but not stupid.
But seriously... the next thing you know, they'll be asking the Feds to outlaw lead pencils. Because, hey, people just can't think for themselves in this country... so, you know, there just has to be a Federal law, dontcha think? (sarcasm intended)
Sheesh!
I'm guessing far more kids chew on their pencils than slurp or eat their books. In fact, I'm guessing when they erase mistakes on their homework they might be tempted to lick their fingers or thumbs and wet the paper to make the eraser work better. Ever seen that happen?
I'm guessing there's far more lead content in a lead pencil than there is in an old book... but I might be wrong.
The Stupidity Behind The New CPSIA Law
Here's some of the stupidity behind the new law:
It requires UNIT testing. The final product must be tested from each batch. It doesn’t matter if all the components going into it are certified and have been tested as having no lead, it still must be tested for lead.The freakin' Dems were so eager to concoct a lie saying Palin was banning books from the library in Alaska, and then... once in full and complete power... they choose to add this piece of crap legislation that amounts to nothing more than a book burning! (IMHO)
Here’s an example. You publish textbooks for 4th graders. You publish a science textbook. You publish a spelling book. They are printed with all the same materials, on the same day, on the same press, with the same crew manning it. You must test the science book and the spelling book separately because they may contain lead!
This basically seems to imply that somehow alchemy works. Non-lead containing item + non-lead containing item= LEAD! [link]
I am not a partisan voter...
But I gotta tell 'ya...
They are doing absolutely everything in their power to turn me into one.
One more insult on my intelligence after another after another after another...
To be fair, the CPSIA started work on this legislation back in August of 2008 although it wasn't finalized and written into law then. I'm still trying to find out when the hammer came down and books were added. (I'll bring you more on this -- for sure -- along with the NAMES of the PERPETRATORS of this CRIME against humanity!)
I grew up so deep in the bush that even as a 4 year old child I had to learn how to think fast and think on my feet. Common sense gets drilled into your head early when you are in the wilds.
It's a pity that common sense is not a skill taught to children here.
Or at least, that's the way it appears to me...
Think about it. See a baby bear cub in the bush, there has to be a protective mommy bear somewhere near, 'ya think?
When I look at the Constitution and witness first-hand the Fed's overstepping their authority in this way -- dictating to States across the nation -- even authoring laws that amount to book burnings in this country... I shudder to think where you are being led.
Enjoy the rose colored glasses.
Ten years from now, they are going to be way out of fashion and you just might find yourself looking pretty stupid in them.
As far as I'm concerned, Google can add another notch onto the book burning timeline -- and the real shock is that the book burning is taking place this time in the United States of America.
God Bless America -- we need a little Divine Intervention here.
Pray for us.
On another subject...
The BIG FAT LIE Came Today
But I'm too upset about the book burning thing to go into details for you.
Sorry.
I'll be back tomorrow on that.
Related Articles and Stories across the country:
Oregon Education - Lead is feared in children's books
SCtimes - A danger within children's books?
Change.org - Save Small Business from the CPSIA
Lifestyle - Some History on Book Burning
CPSIA - Comments & Observations - Share your viewpoints regarding the recent CPSIA decisions.
The Bookshop Blog - Book burning on Feb. 10th 2009 due to CPSIA
PS: I oh-so-very-much-wish I had known about this sooner. I missed it, like so many others did. Where the heck was the media coverage on this one?!?
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Now It Is Serious
One more BIG FAT LIE is headed your way courtesy of Washington and Wall Street, but I'm not going to talk about that today. You will see it -- and YOU WILL recognize it -- when it comes.
First...
There are three other stories I've been following that are more urgent today. Not sure I have time to fit them in because I'm expecting a lumber delivery in about 45 minutes. (Long story.)
UPDATE: The lumber came and the delivery guys went -- and I never had the chance to post this yesterday, so I'm updating it a bit to post it today.
Back on point, here are the 3 urgent stories that I'm following.
First Story - Swine Flu
With confirmed cases in the USA now up to 68 (and rising as test results come in) there was an important stat that I missed yesterday when I was quickly collecting info on this story.
The majority of deaths caused by this flu strain -- H1N1 -- range in ages between 22 and 45. Now THAT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL.
With reports surfacing of 2 (possible) deaths in California traced to this flu, there's more to this story than meets the eye. California has declared a state of emergency.
Now that it has been officially reported here in my hometown state of Indiana, I'll be keeping a very close eye on what happens next. I also heard today that Kilmer Elementary School in Chicago (Illinois) is being closed because of a 'probable case' of swine flu. Other cases are also suspected in Illinois.
Fox Business put out a brief report that there is now officially one confirmed death, a 23-month-old baby in Texas.
Not sure of the full story, but will post more on this when I have time to dig much deeper into it.
What doesn't surprise me is the source for the virus that is currently being investigated by the UN. If the power of the CAFO industry holds up, chances are high that the results of the investigation will not be conclusive. The CAFO-style BIG-AG industry has been covering things like this up for decades.
Why would a little swine flu outbreak stop 'em?
I'm talking about the "industrial farm" (for those that don't know -- here in the USA it's called a CAFO) in Mexico, owned by Smithfield Farms (the same guys that own a bunch of them in North Carolina). Quote:
I've warned before that CAFOs could very well lead to the next pandemic... but nobody is listening. And, as I've said before, nobody will listen. I suspect there will be a massive cover-up even if proof is found. There are just too many CAFOs spread around our planet these days to clean things up.
From what I understand, a young 5-year-old boy, Edgar Hernandez, has been identified as "patient zero" in the swine flu outbreak, the first person infected by the disease once it made the pig to human leap. [link]
Even there, the poor little child's family is being vilified while the CAFO gets to walk.
I've also received one unconfirmed report that a municipal health official from the area of the outbreak has stated that preliminary investigations indicate that the disease vector was a type of fly that reproduces in pig waste and that the outbreak was linked to the pig farms. [link]
So, eventually, they'll probably blame it all on the flies, right?
One way or another, IMHO, you can bet your bottom dollar that the factory farms will walk away from this unscathed other than for a short term drop in sales for their pork.
For more on what is happening in Mexico regarding this strain (H1N1) of swine flu, you can check out this link -- Swine flu: Doctors' diary
On a different note, I see that the crisis has resulted in a quick installation for Kathleen Sebelius who was sworn in last night as the Health and Human Services Secretary, the final Cabinet member for the Obama Administration.
Second Story - The Specter Spectacle
A friend of mine was on the phone with me when this story was breaking and he was surprised that the news didn't shock me one bit. Having followed the bailouts and spending madness going on, and Specter's part in it, it was a given that he would have to switch parties. There is no way in h&## that he would be allowed to remain much longer in his own party.
The proof of this is in his own words. Quote from the New York Times:
Now the big question on this one is whether or not the voters in his area will recognize the emperor in his new clothes.
There's one critical piece missing to his argument to jump ship into a Democratic Party lifeboat. The tea parties, as much as the Administration would like to believe differently, were NOT just REPUBLICANS protesting about the outrageous spending in Washington. There were plenty of Independents (like me) and Democrats on that side of the ocean too. Mr. Specter might find himself up the creek without a paddle come election time when the voters remember he does, indeed, have a price. (See this link to a previous post to know what I mean.)
What is the reaction in PA? Here's one side of the reaction.
On the other side, I understand that Obama is thrilled. Guess his Stimulack bribe worked. I picture a cartoon of Specter being asked to vote for the spending bill and him saying he will, but only if they'll bail him out when he needs it most.
Just another Washington bailout. he-he-he
I'm wondering if Snowe and Collins will be joining him in his new life raft?
We're in for some interesting Politics ahead.
I wonder... Does mud still stick?
In related news, while all the above was going on to take your attention off of what REALLY MATTERS, here is what Washington was up to:
During the 2008 Presendential Election campaigns, the Republicans adopted the slogan -- "Drill, Baby, Drill"
Now, reaching his 100th day in office, based on his decisions and actions of his party, we can officially change the Democratic slogan to read -- "Spend, Baby, Spend"
It's insane! (IMHO)
Our lenders in other parts of the world probably won't take too kindly to the new slogan... nor the actions that have created it. (More on that in a future article I'm working on.)
Does it affect you directly?
If you are in a middle income home, just wait until you see the massive tax hikes coming your way in 2010. It's going to blow your mind! (I'll bring you more details on this later, too.)
Mid sized business and s-corps might want to think about getting ready to pack up and head to nicer business climates by then. Just a thought.
And now, thanks to a cute little filibuster proof legalese inclusion stuffed inside the budget, I get a front row seat to watch how Washington screws up your health care system. (Oh goodie! Sarcasm intended.)
Third Story - What They Are Not Telling You
Patterns. I like watching for and finding patterns.
They can tell you a lot about trends, markets, people, societies, politics, potential problems, potential possibilities... and so much more.
For example, I like using Candlestick Charts for patterns.
And I like following stories that reveal results -- such as the mortgage assistance thing.
And sometimes, through following a sequence of events, other patterns can also emerge. Like, for example, the butterfly effect.
(If you like "connect-the-dots" kind of articles and don't mind a few profanities, you might enjoy this one: 6 Random Coincidences That Created The Modern World)
My point is that sometimes, even things that seem like random events can be a pattern in disguise that leads to a foregone conclusion -- a predictable result.
There's a quiet anger building up in this country. Although it is not quite rage yet, I'm absolutely convinced that the Democratic Machine is going to find a way to channel it to their own advantage. I'm almost positive of it.
And so, I'm watching for patterns that will prove me right.
I could be wrong, you know.
But I could be right.
You don't want to miss my article on this subject.
I've made some alarming discoveries.
Stay tuned.
First...
There are three other stories I've been following that are more urgent today. Not sure I have time to fit them in because I'm expecting a lumber delivery in about 45 minutes. (Long story.)
UPDATE: The lumber came and the delivery guys went -- and I never had the chance to post this yesterday, so I'm updating it a bit to post it today.
Back on point, here are the 3 urgent stories that I'm following.
First Story - Swine Flu
With confirmed cases in the USA now up to 68 (and rising as test results come in) there was an important stat that I missed yesterday when I was quickly collecting info on this story.
The majority of deaths caused by this flu strain -- H1N1 -- range in ages between 22 and 45. Now THAT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL.
With reports surfacing of 2 (possible) deaths in California traced to this flu, there's more to this story than meets the eye. California has declared a state of emergency.
Now that it has been officially reported here in my hometown state of Indiana, I'll be keeping a very close eye on what happens next. I also heard today that Kilmer Elementary School in Chicago (Illinois) is being closed because of a 'probable case' of swine flu. Other cases are also suspected in Illinois.
Fox Business put out a brief report that there is now officially one confirmed death, a 23-month-old baby in Texas.
Not sure of the full story, but will post more on this when I have time to dig much deeper into it.
What doesn't surprise me is the source for the virus that is currently being investigated by the UN. If the power of the CAFO industry holds up, chances are high that the results of the investigation will not be conclusive. The CAFO-style BIG-AG industry has been covering things like this up for decades.
Why would a little swine flu outbreak stop 'em?
I'm talking about the "industrial farm" (for those that don't know -- here in the USA it's called a CAFO) in Mexico, owned by Smithfield Farms (the same guys that own a bunch of them in North Carolina). Quote:
United Nations food inspectors are going to Mexico to investigate reports that industrial pig farms were the source of the swine flu outbreak, the BBC reports.Long time readers of my blog know very well my stance on CAFOs.
As I wrote yesterday, based on some excellent reporting in Grist and elsewhere, local residents in La Gloria, Mexico, where the swine flu outbreak may have originated, suspect that the source is the Granjas Carroll industrial pig farm. The facility is half-owned by U.S.-based Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork processor. [link]
I've warned before that CAFOs could very well lead to the next pandemic... but nobody is listening. And, as I've said before, nobody will listen. I suspect there will be a massive cover-up even if proof is found. There are just too many CAFOs spread around our planet these days to clean things up.
From what I understand, a young 5-year-old boy, Edgar Hernandez, has been identified as "patient zero" in the swine flu outbreak, the first person infected by the disease once it made the pig to human leap. [link]
Even there, the poor little child's family is being vilified while the CAFO gets to walk.
I've also received one unconfirmed report that a municipal health official from the area of the outbreak has stated that preliminary investigations indicate that the disease vector was a type of fly that reproduces in pig waste and that the outbreak was linked to the pig farms. [link]
So, eventually, they'll probably blame it all on the flies, right?
One way or another, IMHO, you can bet your bottom dollar that the factory farms will walk away from this unscathed other than for a short term drop in sales for their pork.
For more on what is happening in Mexico regarding this strain (H1N1) of swine flu, you can check out this link -- Swine flu: Doctors' diary
On a different note, I see that the crisis has resulted in a quick installation for Kathleen Sebelius who was sworn in last night as the Health and Human Services Secretary, the final Cabinet member for the Obama Administration.
Second Story - The Specter Spectacle
A friend of mine was on the phone with me when this story was breaking and he was surprised that the news didn't shock me one bit. Having followed the bailouts and spending madness going on, and Specter's part in it, it was a given that he would have to switch parties. There is no way in h&## that he would be allowed to remain much longer in his own party.
The proof of this is in his own words. Quote from the New York Times:
Mr. Specter said that while Democrats had been urging him for years to switch parties, he had “never started talking seriously until yesterday.” His decision came after polls, including one conducted by his own campaign, showed a precipitous drop in his approval ratings among Republicans because of his vote in favor of President Obama’s stimulus package.No, it is not surprising to me at all that he would want to switch to a stronger party with more political clout. Although he denies this is about saving his own political arse, methinks he doth protest too much.
As recently as the November election, he recalled, he had received standing ovations from conservative audiences as he traveled the state with Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee. But his stimulus vote in February was “a watershed.”
“It all turned on that,” he said. “The pollsters have never seen that kind of precipitous drop. It’s stark.”
He did not provide specific numbers but said the drop was on the order of 30 percentage points over a few months. He had maintained as recently as two weeks ago that he would not switch, but he said his own poll, finished late last week, convinced him to do so. He spoke with his family over the weekend about it and “slept on it” on Sunday night. [link to full story]
Now the big question on this one is whether or not the voters in his area will recognize the emperor in his new clothes.
There's one critical piece missing to his argument to jump ship into a Democratic Party lifeboat. The tea parties, as much as the Administration would like to believe differently, were NOT just REPUBLICANS protesting about the outrageous spending in Washington. There were plenty of Independents (like me) and Democrats on that side of the ocean too. Mr. Specter might find himself up the creek without a paddle come election time when the voters remember he does, indeed, have a price. (See this link to a previous post to know what I mean.)
What is the reaction in PA? Here's one side of the reaction.
On the other side, I understand that Obama is thrilled. Guess his Stimulack bribe worked. I picture a cartoon of Specter being asked to vote for the spending bill and him saying he will, but only if they'll bail him out when he needs it most.
Just another Washington bailout. he-he-he
I'm wondering if Snowe and Collins will be joining him in his new life raft?
We're in for some interesting Politics ahead.
I wonder... Does mud still stick?
In related news, while all the above was going on to take your attention off of what REALLY MATTERS, here is what Washington was up to:
The House approved a $3.5 trillion federal budget on Wednesday as Democrats raced to cap President Obama’s first 100 days in office by adopting a fiscal blueprint laying out the path for his chief policy initiatives.
The vote of 233 to 193, closely following party lines, demonstrated again the deep ideological divisions in the House, as Republicans rejected the spending plan en masse, joined by 17 Democrats. [link]
During the 2008 Presendential Election campaigns, the Republicans adopted the slogan -- "Drill, Baby, Drill"
Now, reaching his 100th day in office, based on his decisions and actions of his party, we can officially change the Democratic slogan to read -- "Spend, Baby, Spend"
It's insane! (IMHO)
Our lenders in other parts of the world probably won't take too kindly to the new slogan... nor the actions that have created it. (More on that in a future article I'm working on.)
Does it affect you directly?
If you are in a middle income home, just wait until you see the massive tax hikes coming your way in 2010. It's going to blow your mind! (I'll bring you more details on this later, too.)
Mid sized business and s-corps might want to think about getting ready to pack up and head to nicer business climates by then. Just a thought.
And now, thanks to a cute little filibuster proof legalese inclusion stuffed inside the budget, I get a front row seat to watch how Washington screws up your health care system. (Oh goodie! Sarcasm intended.)
Third Story - What They Are Not Telling You
Patterns. I like watching for and finding patterns.
They can tell you a lot about trends, markets, people, societies, politics, potential problems, potential possibilities... and so much more.
For example, I like using Candlestick Charts for patterns.
And I like following stories that reveal results -- such as the mortgage assistance thing.
And sometimes, through following a sequence of events, other patterns can also emerge. Like, for example, the butterfly effect.
(If you like "connect-the-dots" kind of articles and don't mind a few profanities, you might enjoy this one: 6 Random Coincidences That Created The Modern World)
My point is that sometimes, even things that seem like random events can be a pattern in disguise that leads to a foregone conclusion -- a predictable result.
There's a quiet anger building up in this country. Although it is not quite rage yet, I'm absolutely convinced that the Democratic Machine is going to find a way to channel it to their own advantage. I'm almost positive of it.
And so, I'm watching for patterns that will prove me right.
I could be wrong, you know.
But I could be right.
You don't want to miss my article on this subject.
I've made some alarming discoveries.
Stay tuned.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Swine Flu and Virus Mutations
I've received several emails over the weekend asking me why I haven't brought up the swine flu subject -- ie. "Why aren't you writing about this?!?"
Long time readers of this blog know that I have already written about it...
Or at least, I wrote about what could happen.
Back on May 7, 2006, I wrote:
"How do low pathogenic avian viruses become highly pathogenic?"
And now, 3 years later --- here we are --- with a swine flu virus that CDC Officials say they cannot contain.
According to the WHO and CDC websites, there are 20 official laboratory confirmed cases in the United States of the new mutant virus they call "swine influenza A/H1N1" and they also state "the Government of Mexico has reported 18 laboratory confirmed cases of swine influenza A/H1N1."
The number above is already low, as 20 new cases were just reported today in New York (versus the original 8 that reported when the above WHO/CDC numbers were made public) and an afternoon broadcast has indicated there are a total of 40 confirmed cases in the USA now.
Thus far, the confirmed cases have been found in the following states:
The WHO website states:
Concern but not Alarm
Meanwhile, according to President Obama, the swine flu situation is a cause for "concern but not alarm."
As of this morning -- "WHO is not recommending any travel or trade restrictions."
Meanwhile, in Europe today -- "The European Union's health chief advised travelers on Monday not to go to areas affected by swine flu." [link]
While here in the USA -- although they had no travel advisory on their site when I was posting this blog item, the CDC was just now on Fox News recommending people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico at this time.
Sixteen deaths from this particular swine flu strain have been reported in Mexico but no deaths at this time have been reported here in the U.S.A. (all of the original 20 diagnosed-case patients have recovered with only one of those infected hospitalized).
Meanwhile, in Texas, a string of 20 schools have been shut down for the week to hopefully prevent any spread of the virus.
And in Mexico, all schools have been shut down until May 6, 2009.
What Makes This Swine Flu Unique?
For starters, keep in mind that this particular strain spreads from human to human. (You don't need to get it from contact with pigs.) That's a red flag as my previously referenced blog post indicated.
But what truly makes this virus mutation unique is that it was morphed from 4 different virus strains. ANNE SCHUCHAT, MD, Director for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases states:
Now if you read my earlier blog items on influenzas and how they can mutate, this quite possibly poses quite a mystery for health officials as the the source -- the original mutation -- from whence this particular strain came.
Was it first mixed through a combination of avian and swine which then morphed in a human that had contact with the animals? Or, was it first in a human which was in contact with swine? Or...
The possibilities are mindboggling -- not because it has morphed and is being spread human to human -- but because it is so scattered, without any apparent concentration to any specific localized source.
When you consider the distances between reported cases, it really is remarkable IMHO that it has stretched so far and wide.
No Cause for Alarm or Something to Fear?
Frankly, based on what I've seen/heard/read thus far, I personally think (my humble opinion only) that the Bird Flu H5N1 was (could still be?) far more serious with a potential for higher devastation (owing to its human kill rate)... BUT ...what does concern me at this point is what if this particular strain of swine flu morphs one more time?
It truly is alarming to me that there are 4 different segments/sources for this strain.
And such a diverse mix of 4... Europe, Asia, North American swine, North American avian... consider the odds of the four segments coming together, mixing and eventually mutating into a human to human spread virus.
What if, for example, someone sick with something else entirely contracts the virus and it mutates just one more time?
As it stands right now for this current form of swine influenza A/H1N1, the survival rate is quite high here in the USA as of today.
But what if it morphs...??
Just one more time...??
The bottom line here is this.
I find myself in the very unusual position of being in full agreement with President Obama on this one. I agree with him in that yes, it is a cause for concern but not alarm.
So, don't panic.
At least, not yet.
Long time readers of this blog know that I have already written about it...
Or at least, I wrote about what could happen.
Back on May 7, 2006, I wrote:
"How do low pathogenic avian viruses become highly pathogenic?"
And now, 3 years later --- here we are --- with a swine flu virus that CDC Officials say they cannot contain.
According to the WHO and CDC websites, there are 20 official laboratory confirmed cases in the United States of the new mutant virus they call "swine influenza A/H1N1" and they also state "the Government of Mexico has reported 18 laboratory confirmed cases of swine influenza A/H1N1."
The number above is already low, as 20 new cases were just reported today in New York (versus the original 8 that reported when the above WHO/CDC numbers were made public) and an afternoon broadcast has indicated there are a total of 40 confirmed cases in the USA now.
Thus far, the confirmed cases have been found in the following states:
- California
- Kansas
- New York City
- Ohio
- Texas
The WHO website states:
"On Saturday, 25 April, upon the advice of the Emergency Committee called under the rules of the International Health Regulations, the Director-General declared this event a Public Health Emergency of International Concern." [link]
Concern but not Alarm
Meanwhile, according to President Obama, the swine flu situation is a cause for "concern but not alarm."
As of this morning -- "WHO is not recommending any travel or trade restrictions."
Meanwhile, in Europe today -- "The European Union's health chief advised travelers on Monday not to go to areas affected by swine flu." [link]
While here in the USA -- although they had no travel advisory on their site when I was posting this blog item, the CDC was just now on Fox News recommending people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico at this time.
Sixteen deaths from this particular swine flu strain have been reported in Mexico but no deaths at this time have been reported here in the U.S.A. (all of the original 20 diagnosed-case patients have recovered with only one of those infected hospitalized).
UPDATE: Just now Reuters is reporting that the Govt. of Mexico is raising the number of suspected deaths relating to this virus to 149.One school has been shut down in New York (St. Francis in Queens) where some cases have been reported and they are now scrubbing the school down.
Meanwhile, in Texas, a string of 20 schools have been shut down for the week to hopefully prevent any spread of the virus.
And in Mexico, all schools have been shut down until May 6, 2009.
What Makes This Swine Flu Unique?
For starters, keep in mind that this particular strain spreads from human to human. (You don't need to get it from contact with pigs.) That's a red flag as my previously referenced blog post indicated.
But what truly makes this virus mutation unique is that it was morphed from 4 different virus strains. ANNE SCHUCHAT, MD, Director for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases states:
"We know so far that the viruses contain genetic pieces from four different virus sources. This is unusual. The first is our North American swine influenza viruses. North American avian influenza viruses, human influenza viruses and swine influenza viruses found in Asia and Europe.
That particular genetic combination of swine influenza virus segments has not been recognized before in the U.S. or elsewhere. Of course, we are doing more testing now and looking more aggressively for unusual influenza strains. So we haven't seen this strain before but we haven't been looking as intensively as we are these days.
The viruses are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine anti-viral drugs but they are sensitive or susceptible to oseltamivir and zanamivir, the newer anti-viral drugs for flu. And at this time we don’t know exactly how people got the virus. None of the patients have had direct contact with pigs.
You can get swine influenza without direct contact but it's a bit more unusual. And we believe at this point that human-to-human spread is occurring. That's unusual. We don't know yet how widely it's spreading and we certainly don't know the extent of the problem." [link]
Now if you read my earlier blog items on influenzas and how they can mutate, this quite possibly poses quite a mystery for health officials as the the source -- the original mutation -- from whence this particular strain came.
Was it first mixed through a combination of avian and swine which then morphed in a human that had contact with the animals? Or, was it first in a human which was in contact with swine? Or...
The possibilities are mindboggling -- not because it has morphed and is being spread human to human -- but because it is so scattered, without any apparent concentration to any specific localized source.
When you consider the distances between reported cases, it really is remarkable IMHO that it has stretched so far and wide.
No Cause for Alarm or Something to Fear?
Frankly, based on what I've seen/heard/read thus far, I personally think (my humble opinion only) that the Bird Flu H5N1 was (could still be?) far more serious with a potential for higher devastation (owing to its human kill rate)... BUT ...what does concern me at this point is what if this particular strain of swine flu morphs one more time?
It truly is alarming to me that there are 4 different segments/sources for this strain.
And such a diverse mix of 4... Europe, Asia, North American swine, North American avian... consider the odds of the four segments coming together, mixing and eventually mutating into a human to human spread virus.
What if, for example, someone sick with something else entirely contracts the virus and it mutates just one more time?
As it stands right now for this current form of swine influenza A/H1N1, the survival rate is quite high here in the USA as of today.
But what if it morphs...??
Just one more time...??
The bottom line here is this.
I find myself in the very unusual position of being in full agreement with President Obama on this one. I agree with him in that yes, it is a cause for concern but not alarm.
So, don't panic.
At least, not yet.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
FDIC Friday Brings Four More Bank Closings
It's time to update the FDIC bank closings list. You might recall me writing about it two weeks ago in "FDIC Friday and Glimmers of Hope?" when the number of banks closed by the FDIC in 2009 was only 23 total.
Well, we have now officially set a new record -- passing the entire year of 2008 -- the number of bank closings by the FDIC has risen to 29 banks closed thus far in 2009.
Four more banks were closed by the FDIC yesterday, as follows:
- First Bank of Idaho, Ketchum, ID
- First Bank of Beverly Hills, Calabasas, CA
- Michigan Heritage Bank, Farmington Hills, MI
- American Southern Bank, Kennesaw, GA
And here is the running "tickertape" on the parade of bank closings:
Total Bank failures in 2005: 0
Total Bank failures in 2006: 0
Total Bank failures in 2007: 3
Total Bank failures in 2008: 25
Total Bank failures (as of April 24) in 2009: a whopping 29 banks
The year isn't over yet, folks. We still have another 8 months to go... that's another 35 FDIC Fridays to go... 34 if you don't count Christmas Day.
Aren't 'ya just super duper relieved that all them thar 18 banks the Feds stress tested turned out so well?
Uh, yeah, okay.
The Federal Governments "chosen few" -- let's call them The Golden Ones -- represent only .002% of all banks here in the USA.
If that isn't enough to make you shudder, new info dug up by Bloomberg might:
Indeed!
Well, we have now officially set a new record -- passing the entire year of 2008 -- the number of bank closings by the FDIC has risen to 29 banks closed thus far in 2009.
Four more banks were closed by the FDIC yesterday, as follows:
- First Bank of Idaho, Ketchum, ID
- First Bank of Beverly Hills, Calabasas, CA
- Michigan Heritage Bank, Farmington Hills, MI
- American Southern Bank, Kennesaw, GA
And here is the running "tickertape" on the parade of bank closings:
Total Bank failures in 2005: 0
Total Bank failures in 2006: 0
Total Bank failures in 2007: 3
Total Bank failures in 2008: 25
Total Bank failures (as of April 24) in 2009: a whopping 29 banks
The year isn't over yet, folks. We still have another 8 months to go... that's another 35 FDIC Fridays to go... 34 if you don't count Christmas Day.
Aren't 'ya just super duper relieved that all them thar 18 banks the Feds stress tested turned out so well?
Uh, yeah, okay.
The Federal Governments "chosen few" -- let's call them The Golden Ones -- represent only .002% of all banks here in the USA.
If that isn't enough to make you shudder, new info dug up by Bloomberg might:
April 24 (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve took on more than $74 billion in subprime mortgages, depreciating commercial leases and other assets after Bear Stearns Cos. and American International Group Inc. collapsed.Bloomberg obtained the details after they sued Nov. 7 under the Freedom of Information Act on behalf of its Bloomberg News unit. QUOTE: The public is an "involuntary investor" in the nation's banks, according to an April 15 court filing by Bloomberg.
In its biggest disclosure of the securities accepted to stabilize capital markets, the Fed said yesterday it had unrealized losses of $9.6 billion on the assets as of Dec. 31. The bonds, swaps and notes were taken in from Bear Stearns, once the fifth-biggest Wall Street firm by capitalization, and AIG, which had been the world’s largest insurer. [link to full story]
Indeed!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tea Party Backlash
Is the White House trying to give a token response to the Tea Parties held last week (tax day April 15, 2009)? Is the $100 Million expense-cutting target their answer to the protests of wild spending they launched their Administration with?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Personally, I hope not.
You see, I truly hope they take the situation more seriously than that.
Why do I say this? Because if that is their response to the tens of thousands who showed up in hundreds of cities across the country, it's not only patronising, it also mocks each and every citizen who did show up.
The following graphical representation drawn up by heritage.org might give you a better idea of why I say this...
If that tiny dot at the top vs the massive ballooning circles of Obama Administration spending below it are any indication of the "message" that Washington received from Tax Day Tea Parties, I'm thinking the Administration missed the mark... by a long shot!
I guess we're seeing that little scalpel of his going to work.
While Obama's at it, why not cut out wifey's full-time hair stylist/make-up artist as part of his travelling entourage (another Presidential FIRST):
Hah! And the mainstream media had a fit over the Palin wardrobe thingy during the 2008 campaigns.
Uh... okey dokey... righty-oh... That makes it all soooooo much better, doesn't it?
Funny how they didn't mention about the Palin '08 campaign clothes going back and/or being auctioned off for charities.
But then, we all know how incredibly unethical most of the mainstream media has become, don't we?
While Katie Couric dances up to get her Walter Cronkite journalism award for her abomination of an interview on Palin, the only journalist to stand up against what amounts to the height of journalistic deceit (in my humble opinion) is handcuffed on the sidewalk leading into the event.
Draw your own conclusions on that one.
To me, it makes a bold statement of how, whether you like it or not, you will bend to your knees and praise their mess-I-Yah, just as they do -- or else they're comin' to get 'ya!
One of the best interviews that sums it up, is the one video that CNN tried so desperately to yank from YouTube. CNN lost the fight on that one owing to "Fair Use" laws. I'm talking about CNN's Susan Roesgen's glaring display of tea party bashing, using the camera and her position of influence on their Network to paint such an obviously flawed report of what was going on. (Check out the backstory on that one here.)
But Susan Roesgen is not alone using the power of the media to sway the minds of the masses to their way of thinking -- and try to cut the growing outrage against the massive wall of debt the current Administration is busy cementing while Obama does his best to tear down and rebuild this nation in his own image.
For example, Vanity Fair's Christopher Bateman chose to select the best of the many far left-wing columnists and bloggers while taking a brief stab at Fox News to draft his brief article on tax day -- while many of the tea parties were still going on. (Fox is one of the few Networks that actually "reported" on what was going on at some of the larger tea parties out there.)
Uh, yeah, there's "Politics and Power" at work for 'ya.
This tea has been brewing for some time in this country. And surprisingly, one of the sparks can be traced back to a possibly not-so-well-known case of Kelo v. New London -- possibly one of the first "wake up" calls that drew protest and alarm from all political backgrounds; Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians alike.
Surprisingly enough, in that little incident, it was the far left-wing elitists again that went against the masses -- and not so surprisingly, got their way.
It's a sad story... you can read about it here.
What the far-left elitists (most of whom are in the "Power" seat now) fail to see is that tea parties are about the silent majority, all of those who have felt disenfranchised, like they have no voice... those who would not normally take to the streets. It takes an awful, awful, awful lot to make many of them "stand up" and join their voices with others.
The tipping point, the way I see it, came with the Bush bailouts... when the giant snowball was finally finished. The snowball got pushed off the top of the mountain the minute Obama requested the final TARP funds be released before Bush stepped down. And the momentum has been fed by bailout, after bailout... spending bill after spending bill... wads of future cash (in the form of a mushrooming debt and deficit) being stripped from the taxpayers to go for paying off the mistakes of others.
That's KEY here -- "for paying off the mistakes of others."
Permit me to repeat it just one more time.
"For paying off the mistakes of OTHERS!"
Whether the so-called mainstream media like to admit it or not, that snowball is now rolling down the mountain side -- growing in size and speed.
The tax day tea parties were not an end to the outrage being felt by honest, hardworking, tax paying, law-abiding citizens... folks who have spent most of their lives trying to "do the right thing" for their family, their communities, their country.
The tax day tea parties were just a beginning, IMHO.
July 4, 2009 might very well be bringing on a much bigger show that the mainstream media can scoff, laugh at, dismiss and/or mock. It won't matter what they say now. Their credibility has been stripped away. Their agenda now lays naked for all but the most impaired to see. They're already on the wrong side of the story.
In the interest of full disclosure - I'm a registered Independent and my husband is a registered Democrat.
Imagine that!
PS: I mentioned in my last post that I would be back to post the tea party poem I wrote... but I'm holding back for a bit on that. My apologies to those of you who were looking forward to it. The "editor" in me wants to tweak it a bit more before I unveil it here. Hope you can understand. Please forgive the delay.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Personally, I hope not.
You see, I truly hope they take the situation more seriously than that.
Why do I say this? Because if that is their response to the tens of thousands who showed up in hundreds of cities across the country, it's not only patronising, it also mocks each and every citizen who did show up.
The following graphical representation drawn up by heritage.org might give you a better idea of why I say this...
If that tiny dot at the top vs the massive ballooning circles of Obama Administration spending below it are any indication of the "message" that Washington received from Tax Day Tea Parties, I'm thinking the Administration missed the mark... by a long shot!
I guess we're seeing that little scalpel of his going to work.
While Obama's at it, why not cut out wifey's full-time hair stylist/make-up artist as part of his travelling entourage (another Presidential FIRST):
According to stylists who have worked with presidential wives over the past 16 years, Michelle Obama is the nation's first First Lady to add a full-time makeup artist to her traveling entourage.
"No other first ladies have consistently traveled with a makeup artist," said hairdresser Bernard Portelli, who styled Hillary Rodham Clinton's blond mane in 1993 and tracks trends in first-lady style. [link]
Hah! And the mainstream media had a fit over the Palin wardrobe thingy during the 2008 campaigns.
The Obamas privately paid for the travel expenses of the styling team, according to a spokeswoman for the first lady.
Uh... okey dokey... righty-oh... That makes it all soooooo much better, doesn't it?
Funny how they didn't mention about the Palin '08 campaign clothes going back and/or being auctioned off for charities.
But then, we all know how incredibly unethical most of the mainstream media has become, don't we?
While Katie Couric dances up to get her Walter Cronkite journalism award for her abomination of an interview on Palin, the only journalist to stand up against what amounts to the height of journalistic deceit (in my humble opinion) is handcuffed on the sidewalk leading into the event.
Draw your own conclusions on that one.
To me, it makes a bold statement of how, whether you like it or not, you will bend to your knees and praise their mess-I-Yah, just as they do -- or else they're comin' to get 'ya!
One of the best interviews that sums it up, is the one video that CNN tried so desperately to yank from YouTube. CNN lost the fight on that one owing to "Fair Use" laws. I'm talking about CNN's Susan Roesgen's glaring display of tea party bashing, using the camera and her position of influence on their Network to paint such an obviously flawed report of what was going on. (Check out the backstory on that one here.)
But Susan Roesgen is not alone using the power of the media to sway the minds of the masses to their way of thinking -- and try to cut the growing outrage against the massive wall of debt the current Administration is busy cementing while Obama does his best to tear down and rebuild this nation in his own image.
For example, Vanity Fair's Christopher Bateman chose to select the best of the many far left-wing columnists and bloggers while taking a brief stab at Fox News to draft his brief article on tax day -- while many of the tea parties were still going on. (Fox is one of the few Networks that actually "reported" on what was going on at some of the larger tea parties out there.)
Uh, yeah, there's "Politics and Power" at work for 'ya.
This tea has been brewing for some time in this country. And surprisingly, one of the sparks can be traced back to a possibly not-so-well-known case of Kelo v. New London -- possibly one of the first "wake up" calls that drew protest and alarm from all political backgrounds; Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians alike.
Surprisingly enough, in that little incident, it was the far left-wing elitists again that went against the masses -- and not so surprisingly, got their way.
It's a sad story... you can read about it here.
What the far-left elitists (most of whom are in the "Power" seat now) fail to see is that tea parties are about the silent majority, all of those who have felt disenfranchised, like they have no voice... those who would not normally take to the streets. It takes an awful, awful, awful lot to make many of them "stand up" and join their voices with others.
The tipping point, the way I see it, came with the Bush bailouts... when the giant snowball was finally finished. The snowball got pushed off the top of the mountain the minute Obama requested the final TARP funds be released before Bush stepped down. And the momentum has been fed by bailout, after bailout... spending bill after spending bill... wads of future cash (in the form of a mushrooming debt and deficit) being stripped from the taxpayers to go for paying off the mistakes of others.
That's KEY here -- "for paying off the mistakes of others."
Permit me to repeat it just one more time.
"For paying off the mistakes of OTHERS!"
Whether the so-called mainstream media like to admit it or not, that snowball is now rolling down the mountain side -- growing in size and speed.
The tax day tea parties were not an end to the outrage being felt by honest, hardworking, tax paying, law-abiding citizens... folks who have spent most of their lives trying to "do the right thing" for their family, their communities, their country.
The tax day tea parties were just a beginning, IMHO.
July 4, 2009 might very well be bringing on a much bigger show that the mainstream media can scoff, laugh at, dismiss and/or mock. It won't matter what they say now. Their credibility has been stripped away. Their agenda now lays naked for all but the most impaired to see. They're already on the wrong side of the story.
In the interest of full disclosure - I'm a registered Independent and my husband is a registered Democrat.
Imagine that!
PS: I mentioned in my last post that I would be back to post the tea party poem I wrote... but I'm holding back for a bit on that. My apologies to those of you who were looking forward to it. The "editor" in me wants to tweak it a bit more before I unveil it here. Hope you can understand. Please forgive the delay.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
More tea parties across the nation
Alamo tea party:
Wilmington, DE party moved indoors because of rain:
Denton tea party in distance:
Provo tea party:
Seattle tea party:
Augusta, GA tea party:
Bakersfield, CA:
Santa Fe tea party:
The NYC stage at their tea party:
And how about a few costumes?
From Piscataway, NJ:
From Astoria, OR:
And in Everett, WA:
Back to signs, here's a great Barney sign from Seattle:
And from Augusta, GA:
That's it for the tea party pics today.
I've written a small poem for the day... will post it tomorrow.
Until then.
Be kind to yourself.
Be kind to your neighbor.
God Bless America!
Peace.
Out.
Wilmington, DE party moved indoors because of rain:
Denton tea party in distance:
Provo tea party:
Seattle tea party:
Augusta, GA tea party:
Bakersfield, CA:
Santa Fe tea party:
The NYC stage at their tea party:
And how about a few costumes?
From Piscataway, NJ:
From Astoria, OR:
And in Everett, WA:
Back to signs, here's a great Barney sign from Seattle:
And from Augusta, GA:
That's it for the tea party pics today.
I've written a small poem for the day... will post it tomorrow.
Until then.
Be kind to yourself.
Be kind to your neighbor.
God Bless America!
Peace.
Out.
More tea party updates
Apparently someone dumped a box of tea bags over the fence... that's the reason given for the White House tea party evacuation? Will probably find out more on O'Reilly when Laura Ingram is on??
Now on to a few more pics.
Here is St. Paul:
Tuscaloosa:
Knoxville, TN:
Orlando City Hall:
Arlington (with a Politician?):
Bloomington, Indiana:
Richmond, VA:
New Orleans:
Dallas:
Memphis, TN:
Little Rock:
Riverhead:
Portsmouth:
Bay City Rollers at the OC tea party:
Shreveport:
Tulsa:
Charleston:
Birmingham/Shelby Co:
Another great shot of the MI State Capitol tea party (WOW!):
New York City:
Fun, funny and thought provoking signs.
Here's one from the Austin tea party:
Here's a great one from Clayton:
And from Franklin:
Piscataway, NJ:
And from elsewhere...
More coming soon...
Now on to a few more pics.
Here is St. Paul:
Tuscaloosa:
Knoxville, TN:
Orlando City Hall:
Arlington (with a Politician?):
Bloomington, Indiana:
Richmond, VA:
New Orleans:
Dallas:
Memphis, TN:
Little Rock:
Riverhead:
Portsmouth:
Bay City Rollers at the OC tea party:
Shreveport:
Tulsa:
Charleston:
Birmingham/Shelby Co:
Another great shot of the MI State Capitol tea party (WOW!):
New York City:
Fun, funny and thought provoking signs.
Here's one from the Austin tea party:
Here's a great one from Clayton:
And from Franklin:
Piscataway, NJ:
And from elsewhere...
More coming soon...
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