Intuitive blogger

Nuclear concerns following Japan

2011-03-19T22:52:00.000-07:00

If you have a moment, I recommend watching what this guy Ralph has to say about serious concerns for nuclear and what we should really be advocating in future.

Japan

2011-03-19T22:37:00.000-07:00

It is terribly sad and shocking what just happened in Japan. Everyone can help financially (no matter how small a contribution) and should go on line now to the Japan red cross or Save the Children and donate something. Make sure you type in these organization official site names in the top your browser so donations go to the right places.

Wow

2010-06-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

Interesting history on oil spill.

The scales of justice were favorable for the Exxon spill in 1989.
The supreme court "vacated the fine" .Exxon only had to pay one 10th of the sum for "punitive damages" many many years later.

After the Exxon Valdez spill, Exxon fought a $5 billion fine for punitive damages for two decades. It won. The fine was cut down to $4 billion, then to $2.5 billion. The case eventually made it to the Supreme Court, which found that Exxon’s actions were “worse than negligent but less than malicious,” and vacated the fine. The judgment limited punitive damages to the compensatory damages, which were calculated as $507.5 million.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/business/08sorkin.html?bl

Here is a reminder of how much of this deadly stuff gets into the ocean

Most of the spills are from the middle east and Nigeria (this is where most of the oil comes from) but with oil running low, wells are being drilled in deeper oceans. Oil extraction is destined to become more expensive and the BP spill may show to be the pinnacle of when the world realizes we must stop using oil

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What BP does not want you to see

2010-05-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

Before anyone mentions clean up, think again.... these CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS could be the worsted thing ever to try and break down an oil spill!

Renowned Marine Biologist Carl Safina on the BP Oil Spill’s Ecological Impact on the Gulf Coast and Worldwide

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/5/27/expert_ecological_impact_of_spill_could

CARL SAFINA: Well, the dispersant is a toxic pollutant that has been applied in the volume of millions of gallons and I think has greatly exacerbated the situation. I think the whole idea of using a dispersant is wrong, and I think it’s part of the whole pattern of BP trying to cover up and hide the body. They don’t want us to see how much oil, so they’ve taken this oil that was concentrated at the surface and dissolved it. But when you dissolve it, it’s still there, and it actually gets more toxic, because instead of being in big blobs, it’s now dissolved and can get across the gills, get into the mouths of animals. The water below the floating oil was water. Now it’s this toxic soup. So I think that in this whole pattern of BP trying to not let people know what’s going on, the idea of disperse the oil is a way of just hiding the body. But it actually makes the oil more toxic, and it adds this incredible amount of toxic pollutant in the dispersant itself.

How big is the oil spill?

2010-05-25T21:53:00.000-07:00

Really, how big is the spill?

It's hard to get a sense of the true size when it's over the ocean floor. Use the links below to see how large the spill is, as of May 21.

Break out of frame:
http://paulrademacher.com/oilspill/

What is going on with this oil field in the gulf?

2010-05-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

This is just my comment on oil (my 0.2 cents)

So who are we upset with ?

I have so far refrained from comment or criticism over the oil spill in the Gulf. I know huge companies involved have this responsibility to do everything they can to fix this disaster of monstrous proportions. As a result BP are quickly facing fierce criticism from oil consumers around the world - how ironic is that? - from the very consumers who moan when gas prices are high!

But today I felt the urge to comment about this after I came across this report in Business Week:

"If the top kill method fails to halt the spill, BP has “a series of activities that we will do to kill the well for good,” BP Managing Director Robert Dudley said today in an interview broadcast on CNN.

The “best minds” available are focused on the oil flow which, he said, “is catastrophic” for the Gulf region and the company."

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-23/epa-chief-goes-to-louisiana-as-bp-battles-oil-spill-update1-.html

WHAT?????????

Did I understand they are taking approaches to keep the well alive at the cost of destroying the gulf? I think if we join the dots here my intuition says they have been doing everything possible to keep this damaged well functioning at a deadly cost. This dates back to one of my earlier posts when gulf oil was discovered in the Gulf. BP Makes Giant Discovery in the Gulf of Mexico (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a44RUTBIl_3Q). I was talking about the question of reaching peak oil discovery and how this well was being factored into the calculation on numbers to keep the oil discovery production trajectory a-float for a while longer (before declines start to really show). I believe if this well is lost, it will add to the decline in future years sooner, even if we do have extra time due to a recession reducing demand for now.

I think this oil spill represents a big moment for humanity. I think we have finally reached peak oil production and this graphic mess [an oil leak] has clearly shown to the world what it is what we depend on. If we get angry there is only so far we can get angry, as we are all dependent on this oil. While we are reducing global oil demand significantly due to a bad economy caused by a tainted finance industry, the price of oil remains low. This has positive impact to the consumer but it also reduces funds for oil companies to discover more oil fields to put them into production.

Europe is in turmoil and this is not going to increase oil demand any time soon. It is a question of time before this convenient problem goes away....

If the numbers are correct (on how much oil is being spilled into the gulf) then this is how much oil has gone into the ocean to date:

BP says 5,000 per day (enough to power North America for a few minutes)

That would equal to 16 million gallons (388 thousand barrels) of oil since the well started gushing out. That amount is enough to power North America for a few minutes and by June that would equal the entire load of the Exon Valdes spill in Alsaka (enough to power North America for 1/2 half an hour).

I don't have much to conclude except to say the voice of environmentalists about are a reality. This reality has started to show up (literaly) on our door steps (fish markets, holiday vacation spots) and everything we do will require oil BP are currently trying to rescue at the cost of millions of people's livelihoods. This is wrong and I have reason to believe there is a lot of political assessment going on behind the scenes (this whole picture including peak oil) and it is going to require rocket science of epic proportions making NASA look like hobbyists . The damage we see today is a sign of the times we live and speaks volumes on behalf of the environmentalists who have been warning about this for a very very long time!

Sorry to bring itup. This is just my opinion and I believe we are in good hands with the current government in the US but I hope the disaster rings sense into most people for once and for all or else we really are going to find ourselves in trouble.

oil

2010-05-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

Update

2010-05-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

The US seems to have got something right with this massive health care bill.

With an Oil leak reaching Alabama beaches, people around the world seeing these images may start to see clean energy as a top priory too.

Unfortunately for now, England is too busy thinking about who is ruling the country after general election results were too close to call leading to a hung parliament. It may come to the Queen to decide what is next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://ukelection.blogs.cnn.com

There is also the dept crisis with Greece heading for a repeat of 2008?

Change is in the air

2010-03-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

I say ... not bad for a years work!

US and Russia announce deal to cut nuclear weapons

Obama: 'Nuclear weapons represent... the darkest days of the Cold War'

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev have agreed a new nuclear arms reduction treaty after months of negotiations.

Yes he did!

2010-03-25T10:25:00.001-07:00

Be Part of History

On Tuesday, President Obama signed comprehensive health care reform into law. Supporters now have a chance to add our names as "Co-signers" of this historic legislation -- adding our names next to President Obama's to show our pride in helping bring about this great achievement.

Organizing for America will establish a permanent archive with all the signatures, so that generations to come will have a record of those who stood together in this moment and won this fight for our future.

SIGN IT TODAY: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hccosign?source=www_feature

This took over 45 years

2010-03-23T11:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/health/policy/24health.html

After 45 years of failed attempts, a healthcare bill is signed which will save the lives of many people long after the president has left office. This is big. America has moved out of the dark ages where if you got sick, you could have been left in the gutter even with health insurance.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-03-23-health-poll-favorable_N.htm

Opinions turn favorable on health care plan

WASHINGTON — Americans by 9 percentage points have a favorable view of the health care overhaul that President Obama signed into law Tuesday, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, a notable turnaround from surveys before the vote that showed a plurality against it.

By 49%-40% those surveyed say it was "a good thing" rather than a bad one that Congress passed the bill. Half describe their reaction in positive terms, as "enthusiastic" or "pleased," while about four in 10 describe it in negative ways, as "disappointed" or "angry."

The largest single group, 48%, calls the bill "a good first step" that should be followed by more action on health care. An additional 4% also have a favorable view, saying the bill makes the most important changes needed in the nation's health care system.

From CNN this is what Americans will get from the Bill:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/23/health.care.timeline/

Within the first year

• Young adults will be able stay on their parents' insurance until their 27th birthday.

• Seniors will get a $250 rebate to help fill the "doughnut hole" in Medicare prescription drug coverage, which falls between the $2,700 initial limit and when catastrophic coverage kicks in at $6,154.

• Insurers will be barred from imposing exclusions on children with pre-existing conditions. Pools will cover those with pre-existing health conditions until health care coverage exchanges are operational.

• Insurers will not be able to rescind policies to avoid paying medical bills when a person becomes ill.

• Lifetime limits on benefits and restrictive annual limits will be prohibited.

• New plans must provide coverage for preventive services without co-pays. All plans must comply by 2018.

• A temporary reinsurance program will help offset costs of coverage for companies that provide early retiree health benefits for those ages 55 to 64.

• New plans will be required to implement an appeals process for coverage determinations and claims.

• Adoption tax credit and assistance exclusion will increase by $1,000. The bill makes the credit refundable and extends it through 2011.

• A 10 percent tax will be imposed on amounts paid for indoor tanning services on or after July 1.

• Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get tax credits covering 35 percent of their health care premiums, increasing to 50 percent by 2014.

2011

• Medicare will provide free annual wellness visits and personalized prevention plans. New plans will be required to cover preventive services with no co-pay.

• States can offer home- and community-based services to the disabled through Medicaid rather than institutional care beginning October 1.

• A 50 percent discount will be provided on brand-name drugs for Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage enrollees. Additional discounts on brand-name and generic drugs will be phased in to completely close the "doughnut hole" by 2020.

• Additional tax for health savings account withdrawals before age 65 for nonqualified medical expenses will increase from 10 percent to 20 percent. Additional tax for Archer medical savings account withdrawals not used for qualified medical expenses will increase from 15 percent to 20 percent.

• A plan to provide a vehicle for small businesses to offer tax-free benefits will be created. This would ease the small employer's administrative burden of sponsoring a cafeteria plan.

• The Medicare payroll tax will increase from 1.45 percent to 2.35 percent for individuals earning more than $200,000 and married filing jointly above $250,000.

2013

• Health plans must implement uniform standards for electronic exchange of health information to reduce paperwork and administrative costs.

• Contributions to flexible savings accounts will be limited to $2,500 per year, indexed by the Consumer Price Index in subsequent years.

• The Employer Medicare Part D subsidy deduction will be eliminated. Employers will lose the tax deduction for subsidizing prescription drug plans for Medicare Part D-eligible retirees.

• There will be increases to the income threshold from 7.5 percent to 10 percent of adjusted gross income. Those older than 65 can claim the 7.5 percent deduction through 2016.

• The hospital insurance tax will increase 0.9 percentage points for those earning more than $200,000 ($250,000 for married filing jointly), and it includes net investment income.

• A 2.9 percent excise tax on the first sale of medical devices will be established. Excepted are eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids or other items for individual use.

2014

• Citizens will be required to have acceptable coverage or pay a penalty of $95 in 2014, $325 in 2015, $695 (or up to 2.5 percent of income) in 2016. Families will pay half the amount for children, up to a cap of $2,250 per family. After 2016, penalties are indexed to Consumer Price Index.

• Workers who are exempt from individual responsibility for coverage but don't qualify for tax credits can take their employer contribution and join an exchange plan.

• Companies with 50 or more employees must offer coverage to employees or pay a $2,000 penalty per employee after their first 30 if at least one of their employees receives a tax credit. Waiting periods before insurance takes effect is limited to 90 days. Employers who offer coverage but whose employees receive tax credits will pay $3,000 for each worker receiving a tax credit.

• Insurers can no longer refuse to sell or renew policies because of an individual's health status. Health plans can no longer exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. Insurers can't charge higher rates because of heath status, gender or other factors.

• Health plans will be prohibited from imposing annual limits on coverage.

• Health insurance exchanges will open in each state to individuals and small employers to comparison shop for standardized health packages.

• Credits will be available through exchanges for those whose income is above Medicaid eligibility and below 400 percent of poverty level who are not eligible for or offered other acceptable coverage.

• Medicaid eligibility will increase to 133 percent of poverty for all nonelderly individuals to ensure that people obtain affordable health care in the most efficient and appropriate manner. States will receive increased federal funding to cover these new populations.

• An annual health insurance provider fee will be Imposed across the health insurance sector according to insurers' market share to companies whose total premiums exceed $25 million.

2018

• 2018 Taxing "Cadillac" plans: An excise tax will be imposed on high-cost, employer-provided health plans beyond $27,500 for family coverage and $10,200 for single coverage; it will increase to $30,950 for families and $11,850 for individuals, retirees and employees in high-risk professions.

AT last - a fairer health system in America

2010-03-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

ANJALI KAMAT: In a historic vote, the House has approved an overhaul of the nation’s healthcare system that expands coverage to more than 30 million uninsured Americans while forcing millions to purchase private health insurance. The House voted 219 to 212 along party lines. Thirty-four Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the bill.

After approving the legislation, the House adopted a package of changes to it by a vote of 220 to 211. That package now goes to the Senate for action as soon as this week. It then goes to President Obama, who would sign it into law in the final step of a bitter legislative battle that began over a year ago.

A public option is critical

2010-03-11T18:34:00.000-08:00

A public option is critical

Victory for President Barack Obama

2009-11-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is big news!

In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nancy-pelosi-democrats-pass-sweeping-health-care-reform/story?id=9027367

We have to creat jobs soon

2009-10-22T13:21:00.001-07:00

Man California has lost lots of jobs...
http://tipstrategies.com/archive/geography-of-jobs/

Singing Healthcare

2009-10-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

When are we going to say enough is enough?

I just heard Obama won the Nobel peace prize... Some say this is a little early but I think there is more hope for peace now than Armageddon just a year ago with Bush/Cheyey. Obama arrived 8 years late... I hope he gets to catch up and undo every single thing Bush f*cked up ...putting it mildly>>>

A film that sums up my entire blog

2009-09-29T00:44:00.000-07:00

I watched the preview of this movie in Hollywood. It is an amazing documentary!
It depicts everything I have been trying to describe in this blog related to finance over the past two years. GO and watch it, you will be amazed.....

USA number 37 rank for healthcare

2009-09-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

USA number 37 rank for health care
Hear this dreadful song to see who is number 1 :)

Republicans: against saving lives (health care)

Democrats: against killing lives (war and lies)

joewilsonisyourpreexistingcondition

9/9/9 turning point on health care

2009-09-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Can you forward this note from the President to your friends, family, and neighbors?
As many voices as possible speaking out to make this happen are needed to make this possible--

Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.

Since Republican Congressman Joe Wilson shouted out that President Obama had offered a "lie" during his speech to Congress last night, his Democratic challenger has raised more than $200,000, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tells CBS News.

The media snow ball effect - How many students watched Obama's school speach?

2009-09-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

This educational speech incident shows how things can snowball out of context in a very short time --the parody video is funny to watch but this kind of footage (that regularly comes from network stations like Fox) can often miss lead a section of the public, especially if some are less educated. I believe this is happening with the health care debate and there is no time to lose.

http://www.examiner.com/x-23185-Seminole-County-Democrat-Examiner~y2009m9d8-Jim-Greers-sleight-of-hand: Jim Greer, the head of the Florida Republican Party is backing off his initial charges toward the President of scurrilous behavior and is trying to save face after making a public disgrace of himself and a mockery of his leadership of the state GOP.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the entire incident is the rapidity with which Greer was able to fan his flames of crackpot dissent into a national concern supported by right-wingers across the nation.

His efforts were aided by the immediacy of the Internet and text messaging, and paint a sad future for American culture. Rather than serious debate and the time needed for it to develop into true causes, it seems we will now be experiencing more and more "flash fires" over issues that quickly immolate and then die out.

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Back to School Event

Arlington, Virginia
September 8, 2009

The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

Ted Kennedy

2009-08-26T23:02:00.000-07:00

After hearing the news of the death of Ted Kennedy today, I watched as usual, a decent broadcast of quality journalism from Democracy Now and I have only just come to realize just how great Ted Kennedy was, especially for health care. I share this piece with you as I think it is worth watching:

Also, I received an email from Barak Obama on vacation. This guy has been working tirelessly to not only win an election campaign but to take on a dire situation and add a fresh boost to rebuild trust lost by the previous administration. I can tell you, in historical context, we will be shocked for years to come by what happened between 2001-2008. I am not going to write about this today but in time, there will be things we read from the Bush era that will seem fictitious by comparison to the world I think we will be living in.

OK, here is the email that I hope Obama does not mind intuitive blogger sharing...

Roger -- Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me. In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy. I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom. His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family. Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still. Sincerely, President Barack Obama

Just watch this

2009-08-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

If you missed the radio interview Thursday, it is worth listening and here it is

Alternative health insurance is a British passport:

2009-08-16T01:01:00.001-07:00

I have no time to blog this week, but want to share this interesting comment I received on my health care blog (from Monday, July 20, 2009):

I believe Barak Obama is doing and amazing job as he is swimming against a huge tide of fearful people who don't understand what it means to have health care for all. He is taking the first critical step making sure that one serious illness does not bankrupt a whole family. He is working hard to allow people to be treated for pre-existing conditions if they have to change insurance (for what ever reason, relocating to a new State or changing a job). There is so much to be done that even with the will of the people today, it will take years to go in the right direction.

This health debate is critical and if it does not go through, this will be a country divided. In my opinion the health care situation here will resemble the third-world country as far as the individualistic health care system is concerned and we will not only see 45 million people sick and unable to receive healthcare, but millions of aging middle class people sick with huge bills to pay running into bankruptcy and unable to contribute to cure a weak economy.

This issue is critical, please send your comments here, people are reading this blog!

Sarah Palin Rest In Retirement

2009-07-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the lovely poem Sarah, enjoy your retirement.

Sarah's Palin's farewell Speach:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0u5mOXzCKA#t=1m30s

William Shatner reciting Sarah's speach as a poem (verbatim):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol6GxAYw2gM#t=0m43s

(A youtube direct comparison between William Shatner poem and Sarah Palin)

Here is what she has to say:

..soaring through nature's finest show. Denali, the great one, soaring under the midnight sun. And then the extremes. In the winter time it's the frozen road that is competing with the view of ice fogged frigid beauty, the cold though, doesn't it split the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs? And then in the summertime such extreme summertime about a hundred and fifty degrees hotter than just some months ago, than just some months from now, with fireweed blooming along the frost heaves and merciless rivers that are rushing and carving and reminding us that here, Mother Nature wins. It is as throughout all Alaska that big wild good life teeming along the road that is north to the future. That is what we get to see every day. Now what the rest of America gets to see along with us is in this last frontier there is hope and opportunity and there is country pride.

If you appreciated this check this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/27/sarah-palin-vs-that-crazy_n_245779.html

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You will need a big knife to slash $26 billion dollars from your budget!

2009-07-23T00:06:00.000-07:00

Go for it Arny Mr. Austrian Republican, let's see what you can do to slash the budget by $26 billion. Good luck with the suggestions people send you.

The governor posted a video to his Twitter account in which he is seen holding and admiring a large hunting knife.

In the video the governor thanks Californians for all the great ideas his office has been receiving about how to fix California’s budget crisis.

“Hey, guys, I just want to say thanks for all the great ideas you’ve given me. ... I love your ideas, give me more of those ideas, we need it,” Schwarzenegger said.

One of the brilliant ideas Schwarzenegger mentions he received was to sign state cars and sell them since he is not only governor, but a famous actor. The autographs may increase the value of those vehicles!

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/07/22/2009-07-22_california_gov_arnold_schwarzenegger_says_thanks_for_ideas_to_fix_budget_crisis.html#ixzz0M41v4mQs

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/07/22/2009-07-22_california_gov_arnold_schwarzenegger_says_thanks_for_ideas_to_fix_budget_crisis.html

Healthcare

2009-07-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the civilized world America!
It's a start. A weak start, but a start.

"America's Affordable Health Choices Act" (1000 page PDF):
http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf

I am very pleased to hear they are adding in some serious consumer protections:
http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-CONSUMERPROTECTIONSINSURANCEREFORMS-071409.pdf

Out-of-pocket can't exceed 5k (individual) or 10k (family) per year to prevent bankruptcies from medical expenses

Insurers can only drop coverage in cases of fraud

Insurers can't exclude/deny coverage because of preexisting conditions

Insurers won't be able to charge different rates based on gender, health status or occupation

Age can only affect rates by a certain margin (rate ratio is limited to 2:1 band)

It's about damn time. Let's see how much of this bill survives until it's all done and the whole thing goes into effect.

http://www.metafilter.com/83259/It-Begins

Arnold Bucks! IOU Crisis in California

2009-07-08T22:27:00.000-07:00

This is just unbelievable!
California is printing IOU money!
(over $3.3 billion dollars already!)
...but not for much longer!

More info here: http://www.couragecampaign.org

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IOU time

2009-07-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

"That's as good as money sir. Those are I.O.U.s"
Dumb & Dumber

Bank of America said it will accept IOUs from existing customers until July 10, with no dollar limits. Wells Fargo and Bank of the West have not yet decided whether to accept them.

Wow.... so what happens after July 10th? (I wonder...?)

Read on:

California plans to begin issuing billions of dollars in IOUs today to scores of creditors, including private businesses and county governments.

Bank of America said it will accept IOUs from existing customers until July 10, with no dollar limits. Wells Fargo and Bank of the West have not yet decided whether to accept them. About 19 California credit unions will accept the IOUs, including Chabot in Dublin, Contra Costa in Martinez, SRI in Menlo Park, Provident in Redwood City, San Francisco in San Francisco and Kaiperm Diablo in Walnut Creek."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/02/MN3E18HI04.DTL&tsp=1&ref=patrick.net
--

California's Judgment day

2009-06-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

It seems many people are living a life style set not only beyond their own means, but beyond the means of this earth. If we start to look at patterns around the world, it seems the biggest sign of madness was relying on false speculation to support a life style that is unsustainable.

Well.... it seems like a movie (but apparently it is real life) it looks like California's Judgment day will be August 1st 2009.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) California nears financial "meltdown" as revenues tumble

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE55974820090611

What is happening bloggers?
Tell us your stories... Comments open here!

No more Hummers

2009-06-01T07:26:00.001-07:00

Wow, things are changing fast.... So many layoffs, people moving away from California. It is becoming noticeable although the bitter-sweet story is there will no longer be HUMMERS made, following the formal bankruptcy filing of General Motors today. These cars are huge and dangerous on the roads.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/31/business/main5052840.shtml?tag=breakingnews

Remember these tshirts?

Well, here is more good news:

Now, four months into his presidency, Obama has elevated energy and climate issues to near the top of his agenda; he has made them pop by packaging them as ways to create "green" jobs and reduce U.S. dependence on imports of foreign oil. Favoring pragmatism over moral suasion, the president is attempting to make a sharp shift in national policy on an issue that many voters have yet to embrace as a priority, advisers and lawmakers say.

His efforts, combined with those of congressional Democrats, have already pushed forward groundbreaking initiatives. February's stimulus act lavished money on projects for renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy research. This month, the White House announced that it had negotiated corporate, state and environmentalist support for higher fuel-efficiency and tailpipe-emissions standards that would clamp the first nationwide limits on greenhouse gases.

Finally, the House Energy and Commerce Committee on May 21 approved a bill that would take a cap-and-trade approach to curtailing greenhouse gas emissions, inching closer to a domestic legislative compromise that has eluded climate activists for the dozen years since the adoption of the international Kyoto accords.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/30/AR2009053002068.html?hpid=topnews

Blogging can be for everone!

2009-05-08T01:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a fine example showing how bloggers can contribute and influence the world we live in ;- )
I am blogging about this so if you are reading this, I say, 'how cool is that?' :)
You just learned it is cool to have your say and blog it out ;)

Challenging times indeed...

2009-04-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

You don't have to have a mortgage to be in dept...

A child born today in Britain owes £20,000
(equal today to $29,598)

The voice of hope

2009-04-22T14:13:00.000-07:00

Just when everyone is getting laid off during the biggest
downturn since the 1930s great depression, out comes
an amazing voice of hope:

Susan Boyle sings in a interview on the Today show With Paul
Uploaded by malinoss

Bubbles Bubbles Bubbles

2009-04-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Bubbles always have at their heart some big idea, and in this case, obviously, that idea was twofold: housing prices could keep going up indefinitely, and our new instruments for managing risk meant that investing in housing was effectively risk-free. But while this veneration of real estate was central to the bubble, its effects were amplified by specific institutional and cultural factors that led the financial industry to make what amounted, ultimately, to the worst bet in history. In the US, most big financial institutions in effect wagered the value of their entire companies on the housing market. It's when those bets started going bad that the current crisis began.

More change

2009-03-29T16:02:00.000-07:00

The Bush era wanted to name the new trade center building "The Freedom Tower" just as they renamed French Fries to Freedom Fries. (By the way, when I order french fries, I make sure to say FFFRench fries please :)

Good news is a decision has been made to change this new building name to One World Trade Center which I consider positive. I just hope they mean one world and not just a world for a small minority.

http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/friday/news/ny-nyfree2712590972mar27,0,6084299.story

11:08 PM EDT, March 26, 2009

Artist's rendering of the 1,776-foot building originally called 'Freedom Tower'. The building's name was changed to 'One World Trade Center', the Port Authority said Thursday. (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Image / June 28, 2006)

The Freedom Tower is out. One World Trade Center is in.

The Port Authority, the agency that owns the building at Ground Zero, said Thursday that the signature skyscraper replacing the Twin Towers destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, will be more commonly known as One World Trade Center.

The reason for the name swapping? One World Trade Center is more marketable, said Steve Sigmund, a spokesman for the Port Authority.

"We believe there's been a good response in the marketplace toward it," Sigmund said Thursday.

Spanish judge to hear torture case against six Bush officials

2009-03-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

Legal moves may force Obama's government into starting a new inquiry into abuses at Guantánamo Bay and Abu Ghraib

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/29/guantanamo-bay-torture-inquiry

Change is needed and I am hopeful we will be seeing this post 2008!

--

We need change and I hope we get change!

2009-03-26T12:39:00.000-07:00

This is incredible! Here are some melodies derived from Stock Charts (arranged with Songsmith, the Microsoft Composition Tool) showing the most expensive Music in the World.
By Johannes Kreidler. www.kreidler-net.de

It seems many people are living a life style set not only beyond their own means, but beyond the means of this earth. If we start to look at patterns around the world, it seems the biggest sign of madness has been relying on false speculation to support a life style that is unsustainable. If we continue this way I can see all this madness coming to a grinding halt. Fortunately, there are a growing number of people who are becoming aware of this. The earth only has limited resources.

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Big Ben talks

2009-03-16T03:32:00.001-07:00

Arse hole on the left

2009-03-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

Jon Stewart:" But honest or not, in what world is a 35 to 1 leverage position sane?"
Jim Cramer: "The world that made you 30% year after year after year beginning from 1999 to 2007"

It is no surprise 1999 to 2007 was almost exactly during the 8 GEARGE W BUSH years!
This greed including the war over oil has cost me over $30,000.00 in my pension and I will continue footing this bill for years and years in taxes.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Jon Stewart: I gotta tell you. I understand that you want to make finance entertaining, but it’s not a f*cking game. When I watch that I get, I can’t tell you how angry it makes me because it says to me, “You all know.” You all know what’s going on. You can draw a straight line from those shenanigans to the stuff that was being pulled at Bear and at AIG and all this derivative market stuff that is this weird Wall Street side bet.
JC: But Jon, don’t you want guys like me that have been in it to show the shenanigans? What else can I do? I mean, last night’s show---
JS: No, no, no, no, no. I want desperately for that, but I feel like that’s not what we’re getting. What we’re getting is… Listen, you knew what the banks were doing and yet were touting it for months and months. The entire network was and so now to pretend that this was some sort of crazy, once-in-a-lifetime tsunami that nobody could have seen coming is disingenuous at best and criminal at worst.
Jim Cramer: But Dick Fogle(sp?) who ran Lehman Brothers, called me in when the stock was at 40 because I thought that the stock was wrong, I thought that it was the wrong place for it to be. He brings me in, lies to me, lies to me, lies to me. I’ve known him for twenty years.
JS: The CEO of a company lied to you.
JC: Shocker stock trading.
JS: But isn’t that financial reporting? What do you think is the role of CNBC?
JC: Look, I have called for star chambers—I want kangaroo courts for these guys. I have not seen any indictments. Where are the indictments? Where is the indictments for AIG? I told the Justice Department, “Here’s the way you get the indictment.”
JS: It’s very easy to get on this after the fact. The measure of the network, and the measure of mess. CNBC could act as—No one is asking them to be a regulatory agency, but can’t—but whose side are they on? It feels like they have to reconcile as their audience the Wall Street traders that are doing this for constant profit on a day-to-day for short term. These guys companies were on a Sherman’s March through their companies financed by our 401ks and all the incentives of their companies were for short term profit. And they burned the f*cking house down with our money and walked away rich as hell and you guys knew that that was going on.
JC: I have a wall of shame. Why do I have banana cream pies? Because I throw them at CEOs. Do you know how many times I have pants CEOs on my show?
JS: But this isn’t, as Carly Simon would say, this song ain’t about you.
JC: Okay. All right. You’re right. I don’t want to personalize it. I think we have reporters who try really hard. We’re not always told the truth. But most importantly, the market was going up for a long time and our real sin I think was to believe that it was going to continue to go up a lot in the face of what you just described. A lot of borrowing. A lot of shenanigans and I know I did, I’ll bring it up, I didn’t think Bear Sterns was going to evaporate overnight. I didn’t. I knew the people who ran it, I always thought they were honest. That was my mistake. I really did. I thought they were honest. Did I get taken in because I knew them from before? Maybe to some degree. The guy who came on from Wichovia(sp?) was an old friend of mine who helped hire me.
JS: But honest or not, in what world is a 35 to 1 leverage position sane?
JC: The world that made you 30% year after year after year beginning from 1999 to 2007 and it became— Intuitive Blogger: Surprise surprise.... 1999 to 2007 --during the 8 GEARGE W BUSH years!
JS: But isn’t that part of the problem? Selling this idea that you don’t have to do anything. Anytime you sell people the idea that sit back and you’ll get 10 to 20 percent on your money, don’t you always know that that’s going to be a lie? When are we going to realize in this country that our wealth is work. That we’re workers and by selling this idea that of “Hey man, I’ll teach you how to be rich.” How is that any different than an infomercial?
JC: Well, I think that your goal should always be to try to expose the fact that there is no easy money. I wish I had found Madoff (sp?)—
JS: But there are literally shows called “Fast Money.”
JC: I think that people…There’s a market for it and you give it to them.
JS: There’s a market for cocaine and hookers. What is the responsibility of the people who cover Wall Street? Who are you responsible to? The people with the 401ks and the pensions and the general public or the Wall Street traders, and by the way this casts an aspersion on all of Wall Street when I know that’s unfair as well. The majority of those guys are working their asses off. They’re really bright guys. I know a lot of them. They’re just trying to do the right thing and they’re getting f---ed in the ass, too.
JC: True. True. I think as a network we produce a lot of interviews where I think that we have been—there have been people who have not told the truth. Should we have been constantly pointing out the mistakes that were made? Absolutely. I truly wish we had done more. I think that we have been very tough on the previous Treasury Secretary, very tough on the previous administration how they didn’t get it, very tough on Ben Vernaky (Sp?). But at the same time.
JS: But he’s the guy who wrote the rule that allowed people to over-leverage.
JC: I trash him every night. I’ve called him a liar on TV. What am I going to do? Should we all call him liars? I’m a commentator. We have—and you can take issues with the fact that I throw bulls and bears and I can still be considered serious.
I’m not Eric Severat (sp?). I’m not Edward R. Morrow. I’m a guy trying to do an entertainment show about business for people to watch. But it’s difficult to have a reporter to say I just came from an interview with Hank Wilson(Sp?) and he lied his darn fool head off. It’s difficult. I think it challenges the boundaries.
JS: Yeah. I’m under the assumption, and maybe this is purely ridiculous, but I’m under the assumption that you don’t just take their word for it at face value. That you actually then go around and try and figure it out. So, again, you now have become the face of this and that is incredibly unfortunate.
JC: I wish I had done a better job trying to figure out the 30 to 1 and whether it was going to blow up. It did. Once it did I was late it saying it was bad.
JS: So maybe we could remove the financial expert and the “In Cramer we Trust” and start getting back to fundamentals on reporting as well and I can go back to making fart noises and funny faces.
JC: I think we make that deal right here.
JS: Mad Money airs on CNBC weeknights at six.

The banks of 2009

2009-03-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

The banks of today.

Warning: This is f*ing funny and contains a few f words...

Well, not that funny as it is to close to reality and also, I think the people depicted in this video are just the kind who would have either voted for Bush in the first place or who believed in the corrupt system that has now imploded.

I re-read my first blog the other day and can see how we got here!

Watch more funny videos

Time for action in 2009

2009-02-26T00:35:00.000-08:00

And for those who missed the last post here is what has to be fixed....

GO OBAMA!

Obama's congressional speech earns rave reviews:
The president's already high approval ratings jump as millions tune in to watch address before Congress:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/25 /obama-administration-barack-obama

How does a financial collapse happen?

2009-02-24T11:06:00.001-08:00

This animation explains how we got here:

Last post: Wanda Sykes:'Like welfare for the rich'

Bailout Plan by Wanda Sykes!

2009-02-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

"Like welfare for the rich"

Intuitiveblogger: For those who have followed my blog we have begun our kondratieff-winter.
I ask again, will the next summer be green, with green energy and no more stupidity?

We all have to participate to make a difference and not leave it up to just governments. I like the one we have elected, but unfortunately this team has been left carrying a burden of years of greed (and stupidity).

Again, energy and water are going to be bigger issues than the financial disaster. This is just the tip of the iceberg, so recycle, or even better pre-cycle. This term is the new catch phrase of 2009. Instead of recycling, don't even consume it unless it is essential.

I found this from www.greendaily.com.

Precycling is trying to reduce waste by "pre-thinking" our purchases. While recycling is, of course, a positive thing, it still requires energy to transport the materials, melt them down and then re-manufacture items. Precycling tries to avoid the amount of stuff that gets chucked into landfills AND the recycling bin to begin with. Here are some tips:

Buy in bulk, avoid individually wrapped items.
Buy items that come in recyclable packaging instead of non-recyclable.
Avoid junk mail. (You can subscribe on line to many places to have it stopped)
Use a computer instead of reading "real" magazines and newspapers.
Bring your own utensils with you instead of using plastic ones.
Use cloth handkerchiefs and napkins.
And of course, reduce and reuse as much as you can, first!

Use plastic bags: http://greenazine.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

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Tide of mortgages

2009-02-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

Please don't forget to bookmark the News and Resources page!

After checking out http://mrmortgage.ml-implode.com I noticed there is a long way to go before introductory mortgages finish resetting. This suggests the possibility of further failed credit repayment to the banks.

To me, house prices are due to come down even further in 2009 and 2010 and if the baby boomers who are now retiring decide to cash out of their real estate investments in the next 5 to 10 years, this will further depreciated the value of homes.

Global recession - where did all the money go?

2009-01-31T14:29:00.000-08:00

Monetary union has left half of Europe trapped in depression:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/4278642/Monetary-union-has-left-half-of-Europe-trapped-in-depression.html

"The banks are fucked, we're fucked, the country's fucked.":
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jan/19/economy-banking

Davos finds no answers to crisis:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/davos/7863684.stm

For many people, hearing that the money system is about to collapse, seems ridiculous. A year ago, I used to say banks have no money and assets were over priced by over a factor of ten. I also stated a modern run on the bank was likely. Today I have unfortunately gained myself credibility and this chart created by the Guardian explains just how bad things are in the banking world.

The Guardian's interactive display of invisible money:

Watch this slide show below:

Click next above to see all slides.

Full article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/dan-roberts-on-business-blog/interactive/2009/jan/29/financial-pyramid

As an Intuitive blogger, I think people are going to realize quickly that this bank theory has now become a living reality. We hear about it in the mainstream news every single day after all.

"So what are we going to do about?" I hear you think!

Well, I believe we have already started to do something. Following eight long harmful years of a neoconservative right wing Bush Cheney mafia in power, we have managed to stand up . These evil fear mongering crooks sitting in office trying to brainwash people saying "either you are with us or against us" did not stay in power quite long enough to make this neoconservative regiem irriversable. We showed no fear. We actually did something, against all odds, and did it peacefully. We stood up.... We discussed... We blogged.... We campaigned.... We wrote songs... We listened to DemocracyNow.org and Michael Moore. We did something quite unbelievable. We did not let this tyranny win. We have managed in 2009 to put an end to an illegal torture prison in Guantanamo Bay. We started to bring back real values. This is the beginning of a new revolution. We will see dozens and dozens of changes in the near future, positive in the long run, but for now we are in a bloodbath of financial disaster,with a loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs. People are losing their jobs every day around the world. The situation is as bad as 1982 but looking more and more like the statistics of the Great Depression of the 1930s or even worse. We are in a polluted and corrupted state and it has got to change fast and it will. This is it folks. I had unfortunately seen this coming and we're living this unfortunate situation today. Obama is calling for middle class Americans to go green and go back to traditions of the past. We are extremely fortunate to have such a great figure to represent the world during this hard time. Hardships can bring a sense of unity and we're seeing this every day. The tone of news is changing and patriotism has demonstrated itself with a milder tone, but it will also see struggles. Saving money and becoming resourceful is no longer for greens or hippies, it affects everyone. Everyone is showing acknowledgment to the years and years of recovery it will take to hopefully recover from the damage created of madness these past years. Hang in there is all I can say as an intuitive blogger!

http://www.careermeta.com/layoff-tracking.html

Recent Job Cut Headlines

Foxconn Technologies announced layoffs of up to 5% of its worldwide workforce,more than 450,000 in China alone. - 12/23/2008
Dow Chemical to lay off 5,000 workers, close 20 plants in attempt to save $700 million by 2010 - 12/18/2008
Omnicom Group (ad industry holding company) To Lay Off Roughly 3,500 Worldwide - Washington Post 12/18/2008
Western Digital to Cut 2,500 Jobs - Bloomberg 12/17/2009
Aetna Eliminates 1,000 Jobs to Reduce Costs for 2009 - Bloomberg 12/17/2008
Bristol-Myers will layoff yet another 10%, bring the total to 8,000 layoffs. - FiercePharma 12/17/2008
Sony to Cut 8,000 Jobs - 12/9/2008
Wyndham Hotel Group to cut 4,000 jobs - 12/9/2008
Anheuser-Busch InBev To Cut 1,400 US Jobs - CNBC 12/8/2008
Bank of America Corp. to cut 35,000 jobs as it acquires Merrill Lynch & Co. - 12/4/2008
AT&T Job Cuts to Include 12,000 Layoffs - 12/4/2008
JPMorgan Chase to cut 9,200 WaMu jobs - CNN 12/1/2008
GM to Close Nine Plants, Lay Off 30,000 - Fox News 11/22/2008
Citigroup to Cut Another 52,000 Jobs, 20% of its workforce. - Fox News 11/17/2008
Sun Microsystems cutting up to 6,000 jobs - Mercury News 11/14/2008
Applied Materials outlook weak, to cut 1,800 jobs - Reuters 11/12/2008
Google Layoffs: 10,000 Jobs Being Cut - PC World 11/24/2008
DHL announced 9,500 job layoffs as it plans to cease air and ground delivery services in the United States by January 30, 2009. The actual cut is cut almost 15,000 people. - 11/10/2008
Merck Plans to Cut7,200 more jobs, 12% of Work Force as Its Sales and Profit Fall - 10/22/2008 NY Times
EBay to lay off some 10 percent of its workforce, roughly 1,000 full-time employees and hundreds of temporary workers. - 10/6/2008
HP to cut nearly 25,000 jobs by 2011 - Computer maker to trim 7.5% of its payroll with half of cuts coming in the United States as it integrates outsourcing giant EDS. - CNN 9/15/2008
Starbucks cuts 1,000 jobs - 7/30/2008
Bank of America Corp to cut 7,500 jobs as part of its acquisition of Countrywide Financial Corp. - Business Journal 6/27/2008
American Airlines expects to cut nearly 7,000 employees - 6/3/2008 NY Times
NASA May Cut 8,000 Jobs From Space Program - Fox News 4/2/2008
Yahoo to lay off 1,000 as profit drops - CNet News 1/29/2008

Layoff Tracking Websites

Many bloggers are tracking layoffs and jobcuts in more detailed level. If you are interested in full picture of industry-wide, global scale job cuts, they following blog are for you to enjoy. Take it easy, don’t be depressed by the bad news. Someday in the relatively near future, things will turn around for sure. Here are the layoff tracking blogs:

TechCrunch Layoff Tracker - http://www.techcrunch.com/layoffs/
LayoffBlog - http://layoffblog.wordpress.com/Layoff Tracker - http://layofftracker.blogspot.com/
Screwdd -http://www.screwdd.com/
F’ed Startups - News, Startups, Technology, Layoffs
Vault Layoff Tracker - http://www.vault.com/companies/layoffs.jsp
Layoffs and buyouts at U.S. newspapers - http://graphicdesignr.net/papercuts/
CNET Tech layoffs Scorecard - http://news.cnet.com/tech-layoffs/

The Job-Cuts List

Top 5 layoffs of 2008 - by FiercePharma
The Layoff Kings: The Companies That Cut The Most In 2008 - by 247WallSt
Recent layoffs at area technology companies - by Seattle Post
Layoff List by Forbes
Layoff List by Wired
ClickZ’s Layoff Tracker for Digital Marketing Jobs
The Web’s Top 10 Layoff Sites

http://www.nowpublic.com/tech-biz/layoffs-list-job-losses-2008-and-2009-ongoing

Expected job losses in 2009

Japan's top 12 automakers - 25,000 combined layoffs expected
Caterpillar - 20,000 layoffs
KBG Toys - 15,000 expected layoffs
Sprint Nextel - 8,000 layoffs (14% of staff)
Pfizer Pharmaceutical - 8,000 layoffs (by end of 2011)
Home Depot - 7,000 layoffs
ING - 7,000 layoffs
Phillips Electronics - 6,000 layoffs
Intel - 6,000 layoffs (second round)
Whirlpool - 5,000 expected layoffs
Microsoft - 5,000 layoffs
Ericsson - 5,000 layoffs
General Motors - additional 2,000 layoffs over 2008 total
Bell Canada - 1,500 early retirement buy outs
Harley Davidson - 1,100 layoffs
United Airlines - 1,000 layoffs
BigLots - unspecified number of expected layoffs
AK Steel - unspecified number of expected layoffs
Waterford/Wedgewood - unspecified number of layoffs

A new chapter

2009-01-27T10:46:00.000-08:00

The cleanup begins...

The Government has been ordered to release the minutes of two key Cabinet meeting discussions which paved the way for the invasion of Iraq

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/4361267/Government-ordered-to-release-Iraq-minutes.html

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair meeting soldiers at the Shaiba Logistics Base in Basra, Iraq in 2005 Photo: PA

Downing Street refused to reveal whether it would comply with the ruling by the Information Tribunal, which follows a long-running legal battle to keep details of the meetings secret.

Obama Revokes Bush Executive Order on Presidential Archives

2009-01-25T00:29:00.001-08:00

This could be interesting....

http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2009/01/11919_executive_order_13233_revoked_obama_bush_sue_me.html

On his first day in office, President Obama put former president Bush on notice. His administration just released an executive order that will make it difficult for Bush to shield his White House records--and those of former Vice President Dick Cheney--from public scrutiny by invoking the doctrine of executive privilege. Shortly after taking office, Bush handed down his own executive order, amending the Presidential Records Act to give current and past presidents, along with their heirs, veto power over the release of presidential records, which are considered the property of the American people.

Interestingly, an August 2007 Zogby poll has found 26.4% of Americans believe the US Bush administration allowed the September 11 2001 attacks following imminent intelligence threats to proceed for political reasons, but another 4.8% of Americans believe certain US government officials actively assisted in the attacks:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/Unanswered-9-11-Miracles-a-by-Allen-L-Roland-090123-116.html
"Hopefully this year, Pandora's Box will be fully opened regarding the abuses of power by the Bush/Cheney administration. Eventually, their treasonous 9/11 cover-up will be revealed and the world will reel in shock and disgust : Allen L Roland"

I am just glad the BUSH era is completely OVER as this was NOT America!

A brief time line of the Bush Years

FROM: WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?
http://www.esquire.com/the-side/george-bush-timeline-011509
(2000 Dec 13)

The U.S. Supreme Court stops the Florida recount, handing the presidency to George W. Bush. The Dow closes at 10,794.

2001

January 15: Wikipedia is founded.
June 7: The Bush tax cuts become law.
September 9: Ahmed Shah Massoud, commander of the anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan, is assassinated.
September 11: Nearly 3,000 die in the 9/11 attacks.
September 18: The first anthrax letters are mailed.
September 20: The Office of Homeland Security is announced.
October 7: The United States invades Afghanistan.
October 26: The PATRIOT Act is signed into law.
November 25: CIA interrogator Johnny Michael Spann is killed in Afghanistan; he is the first U.S. casualty in the war on terror.
December 2: Enron files for bankruptcy.

2002

January 1: The Euro enters circulation.
January 23: Daniel Pearl is kidnapped in Pakistan.
May 30: Clean-up operations at Ground Zero are completed.
October 2: Congress passes a joint resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq at the president’s discretion.
The Beltway sniper attacks begin.
October 4: The Dow closes at 7,528.40, in what will be its lowest ebb in the post-Internet-boom recession.
December 9: United Airlines files for bankruptcy.

2003

March 20: Coalition troops enter Iraq.
April 9: U.S. forces seize Baghdad.
April 14: The Human Genome Project is completed.
May 1: President Bush delivers his "Mission Accomplished" speech.
June 3: The Dow closes above 9,000.
August 14: A major blackout leaves 40 million Americans in eight states without power.
December 11: The Dow closes above 10,000.
December 13: Saddam Hussein is captured.

2004

March 11: 190 die in the Madrid train bombings.
April 28: The Abu Ghraib scandal is revealed.
July 27: Barack Obama delivers his "Audacity of Hope" speech at the Democratic convention.
August 19: Google goes public.
September 8: The U.S. death toll in Iraq reaches 1,000.
November 14: Colin Powell resigns as Secretary of State.

2005

February 15: YouTube goes online.
May 31: Mark Felt is revealed to be "Deep Throat."
July 7: 56 die in the London subway and bus bombings.
September 28: Tom DeLay is indicted on conspiracy charges.
October 19: Saddam Hussein goes on trial.
October 2: The U.S. death toll in Iraq reaches 2,000.

2006

February 14: The Dow closes above 11,000.
February 22: The al-Askari Mosque in Samarra, Iraq, is bombed, triggering Sunni-Shia ethnic cleansing across the country.
June 7: A U.S. airstrike kills Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
October 17: The U.S. population reaches 300 million.
October 19: The Dow closes above 12,000 for the first time in history.
November 5: Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death.
November 8: Donald Rumsfeld resigns as Secretary of Defense.
December 30: Saddam Hussein is executed by hanging in Baghdad.
December 31: The U.S. death toll in Iraq reaches 3,000.

2007

January 9: The iPhone is introduced.
April 25: The Dow closes above 13,000 for the first time in history.
July 19: The Dow closes above 14,000 for the first time in history.
July 21: The final book in the Harry Potter series is released.
October 9: The Dow reaches what will be its all-time high unto date, closing at 14,164.53.
October 18: Benazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan.
November 3: Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf declares a nationwide state of emergency.
November 23: The Dow closes below 13,000.
December 27: Bhutto is assassinated.

2008

January 2: Oil hits $100 per barrel for the first time.
February 19: Fidel Castro announces his resignation.
March 7: The Dow closes below 12,000.
March 23: The U.S. death toll in Iraq reaches 4,000.
July 15: The Dow closes below 11,000.
September 15: Lehman Brothers files for Chapter 11 — the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.
September 16: The Federal Reserve lends $85 billion dollars to AIG — the largest such intervention in U.S. history.
September 25: Washington Mutual collapses — the largest bank failure in U.S. history.
October 6: The Dow closes below 10,000.
October 9: The Dow closes below 9,000.
November 4: Barack Obama is elected president.
November 19: The Dow closes below 8,000.
November 20: The Dow closes at 7,552.29, its lowest point to date in the global financial crisis.
December 4: In Iraq, parliament passes a law forcing all U.S. troops to leave the country by January 1, 2012.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED IN JUST 8 YEARS?

Now check out what happened only this week... this is amazing:

How Obama set the tone for a new US revolution
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/25/obama-white-house

Action!

2009-01-24T19:50:00.000-08:00

This sounds like action to me!

Obama had a constructive week (I would say)

2009-01-24T00:09:00.000-08:00

Tuesday (Inauguration day)

One of the new President's first acts was to suspend the Guantanamo Bay military tribunals for 120 days.

Wednesday

Circulates plan to shut Guantanamo in a year. Orders pay freeze for senior White House staff. Orders restrictions on lobbyists. Opens government agencies to public scrutiny. Chairs economic and security briefings. Hosts "open house"at White House with Michelle Obama. Telephones Middle East leaders.

Thursday

Orders the closure of Guantanamo in a year and a prisoner review. Also closes secret CIA prison network. Bans torture and rendition.

Names the Middle East and Aghanistan/Pakistan envoys at event also attended by the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Tours the White House press room.

Friday

Lifts abortion funding restrictions. Meets Congress leaders oneconomic rescue package. Telephones Gordon Brown.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/washington-feels-the-whirlwind-of-change-1514531.html

-

At last

2009-01-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

20th Jan 2009

2009-01-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

If you have a fast internet connection, you can zoom very close and see this picture in such detail, including the music scores the musicians were reading!

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Obama's Inaugural Speech: Part I