Hey Money,

The financial experts say that the Bond insurers crises is much worse than Enron. Unemployment applications up.....

Pulte homes, 800 million dollar write down in Q4.

Consumer spending up only .2%.

Capitalist on CNBC are screaming for greater Fed regulation.

Yet word from MBIA CEO Dunton. The leader in the race to a depression. Causes a 250 point rise in the DOW.

WHY?

Is this institutional manipulation of the market?

Money page. Read the tripe you publish..

With regards to your article on the petro shortage.

Have you been reading the blogs.

We have been shipping California grade fuel to Chile and Asia. Have you questioned as to whether any of this fuel being exported was produced using the Alky process.

Just because a shill for the Multi National petro Czar drops of some ink that looks like good page filler.

Doesn't mean it should be published.

If one drop of alky process fuel is being shipped overseas at a time of war. A time of shortage.

That is treasonous act.

Nationalization of any organization that would put America's security at risk during time of War. Is imperative.

When they were Babies..

I remember awakening in the middle of the night, because they had stopped snoring. I would have to get up out of bed to go feel their breath.

The middle one is now driving. He past his test today.

I am not sure if the freedom from the responsibility of delivering him at his whim.

Will be worth the worry of him out on his own.

Oh well, progress. I guess he deserves to grow up.

Be especially attentive on the Road. There is another TK loose on California highways...

Romney destroys McCain tonight.

Paul twists the knife.

America will not support McCain's 100 year war. This topic of 100 years of war will continue to the end. McCain made a foolish thought public. And will not serve as president because of it.

Paul is right. There is no money for even another year of war at the level we are at today. It is unwise to endorse the impossible.

Don't be fuelish.
 

The American refined gasoline and diesel being shipped to Chile and Asia today. Will be returned to America as pretend Chilean diesel and Asian gasoline.

It will be resold to American's in the spring, at inflated prices, when over 35% of Americans refinery capacity is purposely taken off production.  

This will not be the normal turn around. This will be a purposeful reduction in supply at spring time in America.

The storage capacity on American soil has been surpassed. The shipment of gasoline and diesel for the sole purpose of greed. For the sole purpose of foreign petro Car enrichment.
 

Is a process that must be denied.
 

If necessary it must be attacked by the threat of nationalization.
 

The Czar prayers for the destruction of the American petro infrastructure by hurricanes and foreign wars, have gone unanswered.
 

Their greed is going unsupported by the facts.
 

We must act now.

Round One. National security V. foreign nation interests and greed.

The National security thing to do is to reduce crude imports from our enemies. Reduce imports from Venezuela and their dictator Chavez.

America's Gasolines supplies are at their highest levels since 1994.

'In addition, tankers full of California-grade gasoline are being sent to Asia and other destinations and diesel is being shipped to Chile -- all to shrink supplies, Lipow said. '

The petro czar is raising prices in America. Not securing America's future.
 

From a National economy point of view. You must stop imports from OUR ENEMIES AND FORCE THE PRICE OF CRUDE DOWN.
 

As far as your petro stocks. Keep your stocks. Why would you want to sell them. Under nationalization, petro stocks in Russia are rising in value faster than stocks in multi national foreign owned petro institutions.

Nationalization is not socialization. It is a restatement of the goals of the corporation. It is re-defining the governance of the corporation.

It makes certain that the home nations preservation exceeds the rights of the foreign interests of the corporations. It maintains that the nation must not be denuded of it's value for the sake of the enrichment of a few.

The petro institutions in Russia run in a nationalized capitalist system and are now the most profitable petro corporations on earth.

The State of North Dakota at this moment is in the process of developing a state owned refinery. State run, (government) water, gas and power companies are firmly entrenched in America. The LA Dept of Water and Power a glaring example in our own back yard.

The right wing position on this subject disappoints me. If America has wheat flowing in the streets. Would you import wheat from Castro? From Venezuela's Chavez?

Outside of national security and financial reasons. The next complaint is the obvious lying by the petro Czar. You can not deny that the reason supporting the increased prices of crude of late, has been the perpetual complaint that America has to few refineries.

We have a surplus of supply today. Explain that..
 

I have posted the true statistics since Katrina. I have given the EIA statistics for all to read as proof of my positions.
 

The only period in American history, outside of war, That America has had a true shortage of Crude or refined products is during the OPEC oil embargo of 73-74.
 

Yet today at a time when Americas security is at it's most endangered, we are purchasing this product from our enemy. Not because of desperation. But because of greed.
 

Explain to me why the Right wing conservative can see the national security threat caused by illegal immigration. But he can not see the threat caused by buying crude from and promoting the world recognition of our enemy nations and their rogue leaders. Crude purchased for the enrichment of individuals. Not because of a need for survival of our nation.
 

This is a horrible period in the evolution of American patriotism. Nary a one thought passes through the mind of the right winger that does not circle up in defense of the Foreign corporation with disregard to the health of the nation.
 

Today our political arena is dominated by the fight between the patriot and the Foreign national Corporations demand to hire illegal slave labor.
 

Today we continue to worship the reign of the petro czar by funneling American cash to these greedy industries.
 

And pouring patriotism down the drain.
 

All the energy information is based on increased consumption. Now that consumption is going down. Why are we ignoring it?
 

At todays rate of usage. America has enough fossil fuels for 250 years. (coal gasification, a well known and practiced process).

This ignores the fact that America has already begun producing automobiles that run on zero fossil fuels (hydrogen). These vehicles have been available to government agencies for a decade in the form of city buses and other personal transportation vehicles. These non fossil fuel vehicles, (hydrogen), are available to the general public this year.
 

These vehicles are superior to fossil fuels in power and environmental issues. They are no more dangerous than fossil fuels and in fact in rate of dissipation of the danger of fire and explosion they are far superior to fossil fuels.
 

Small hydrogen generators are available for home use today. There is no reason a hydrogen infrastructure can not be made available today using existing Natural gas pipelines.
 

The ugly reality is that foreign interests are hindering American prosperity and progress for their own greedy selfish interests.. Degrading American health and Environment.
 

They are promoting nation building. The worst form of nationalism in the history of mankind.. We invade nations under the advisement of those who control Foreign national corporations.
 

The Trillion dollars spent in Iraq to secure oilfields for the petro czar. Would have built a hydrogen infrastructure in America, Canada and Nations around the world.

Don't let patriotism die.

Stop feeding the lions treats.

When you know that in the end, those lions will wish your children on their dinner plates.

You can not satisfy the thirst of greed.

Red, Mexico and Justin here is your proof!!!!

In addition, tankers full of California-grade gasoline are being sent to Asia and other destinations and diesel is being shipped to Chile -- all to shrink supplies, Lipow said.

From:

http://www.ucan.org/gasolin...

Are economists stupid or are they shills for the Blue bloods?

The housing market has tanked. Because the loan industry ran out of buyers. Not the housing industry. Everyone still wants a house. But even the loan industry could not justify loans to the rest of the population not already in a home.

The interest rate could be zero. You could have no down payment loans. Nothing matters.

Because there are no buyers whose income justifies the purchase of a home at even half todays home costs. Even on liar loans.

Over 10% of the people in loans today do not have incomes that justify their purchase.

There is no reason to delay the inevitable. The price of homes must drop dramatically. The wage of American workers must increase dramatically.

Or the housing industry will not recover. Property values will continue to plummet.

Farmers will not be able to float loans to buy seeds for the spring.

Depression will come. Not recession..

California Gasoline inventories highest since 1994....

California Gasoline inventories highest since 1994.... (Remember the Bakersfield Shell refinery fiasco?)
 

Refiners are considering sending surplus gasoline to Asia rather than reducing price in California. 

Per, CNBC 10:04 AM 1/25/2008

West coast Pad Stocks 35.5 million barrels. It has risen every week since March 2007. Yet refinery capacity has been running at less than 90% for most of that time. And Prices have exceeded $3.50 cents /gallon. 

Demand has been down...

Where is the outrage. This is price fixing for sure.. This is manipulation of supply..
 

How much money are the refiners willing to lose. In order that they artificially prop up the price of Gas in California.
 

Transportation of Gas to Asia has a cost. Why should we allow them to dump our fuel in Asia?
 

Californians do as Bush said. Do as the economist say. Do as the petro Czar say.
 

We reduce consumption.
 

Then what happens? The petro Czars ship out the surplus in order that they can pocket unearned profits.
 

The capitalist ideal of supply and demand can not survive in a arena where manipulation of supply is condoned.

How many years have we heard the excuse that No one will allow a new refinery to be built.

Not once were we told that America had to build new refineries to supply Asia.
 

We were told we needed new refineries to supply our own glutenous demand.
 

The first excuse/story resulted in higher prices.
 

The second excuse/story resulted in higher prices.
 

It only follows that there must be another excuse/story to replace the current one. That will result in higher prices.
 

Then some wonder why I claim that nationalization of the petro industry is the only way America can compete in the world market.

It is the only way that America will be able to transform itself into a renewable energy source nation.

Nationalization is the only way.

The important point in this blog is that we have reduced demand.

Stockpiles are at a unmanageable level.

Yet the Petro Czar's solution isn't to reduce price.

Instead he will dump on to Asia.

What should be ours.

The threat of Nationalization is the solution.

If the rules for supply and demand. Aren't weighted against National prosperity. If it is not made clear that the nation comes before the corporation.
 

Then Nationalization is the only way.
 

This is not a new idea for America. It has come to pass in times of trouble. Profiteering at the expense of National security has never been tolerated in America.

We import oil from OPEC.
 

This increases the price of Crude. We then process the crude into gas. And are now considering reshipping this gasoline to Asia.. We are considering doing this because we are facing a unmanageable over supply of gasoline.
 

WHY?
 

This has the effect of creating a faux demand by the U.S. for crude and gasoline. And allows the speculators to raise spot prices by manipulating the minds of Americans.
 

If Conservative America wants to become Secure and free from OPEC. Why would we import crude from OPEC to ship to Asia. That just doesn't make any sense.
 

Why would we insist on opening ANWAR If we are going to continue to import from the OPEC so we can export to Asia.
 

Think American National Security.
 

You can not justify importing OPEC crude for refining and reshipment to Asia. Stop putting the Corporation ahead of the Nation.
 

The point of this post is to make that idea known to as many people as possible. And to stop that reshipment in it's tracks.

If you artificially tax the American consumer by inflating the price of gasoline. You are destroying the American economy. 

California Gasoline inventories highest since 1994.... (Remeber the Bakersfield Shell refinery fiasco?)
 

Refiners are considering sending surplus gasoline to Asia rather than reducing price in California. 

Per, CNBC 10:04 AM 1/25/2008

West coast Pad Stocks 35.5 million barrels. It has risen every week since March 2007. Yet refinery capacity has been running at less than 90% for most of that time. And Prices have exceeded $3.50 cents /gallon. 

Demand has been down...

Where is the outrage. This is price fixing for sure.. This is manipulation of supply..
 

How much money are the refiners willing to lose. In order that they artificially prop up the price of Gas in California.
 

Transportation of Gas to Asia has a cost. Why should we allow them to dump our fuel in Asia?
 

Californians do as Bush said. Do as the economist say. Do as the petro Czar say.
 

We reduce consumption.
 

Then what happens? The petro Czars ship out the surplus in order that they can pocket unearned profits.
 

The capitalist ideal of supply and demand can not survive in a arena where manipulation of supply is condoned.

How many years have we heard the excuse that No one will allow a new refinery to be built.

Not once were we told that America had to build new refineries to supply Asia.
 

We were told we needed new refineries to supply our own glutenous demand.
 

The first excuse/story resulted in higher prices.
 

The second excuse/story resulted in higher prices.
 

It only follows that there must be another excuse/story to replace the current one. That will result in higher prices.
 

Then some wonder why I claim that nationalization of the petro industry is the only way America can compete in the world market.

It is the only way that America will be able to transform itself into a renewable energy source nation.

Nationalization is the only way.

The important point in this blog is that we have reduced demand.

Stockpiles are at a unmanageable level.

Yet the Petro Czar's solution isn't to reduce price.

Instead he will dump on to Asia.

What should be ours.

The threat of Nationalization is the solution.

If the rules for supply and demand. Aren't weighted against National prosperity. If it is not made clear that the nation comes before the corporation.
 

Then Nationalization is the only way.
 

This is not a new idea for America. It has come to pass in times of trouble. Profiteering at the expense of National security has never been tolerated in America.

California Gasoline inventories highest since 1994....

Refiners considering sending surplus to Asia rather than reducing price in California.

Per, CNBC 10:04 AM 1/25/2008

My son wanted to go to Taco Bell. I told him to go to BettyCrocker.com

Ha Ha. I am so funny. I make myself laugh. Ha Ha...

Look at the following  map. All of Kern county will be asked to pay an increased ½ cent sales tax to provide conveniences for those that should have known better. Welfare for those that moved North of the River for the lifestyle. Sorry to say, but traffic congestion is now part of your lifestyle. I say no welfare for you Comrades. Pay for the roads yourself.

Map link:
 

http://static.bakersfield.c...
 

Premiums v. Taxes

You are being have been brain washed. FICA is not a tax. It is a premium for your retirement plan. The Medicaid deduction from your payroll check. Is not a tax. It is a insurance premium for your old age medical care.

The SDI deduction is not a tax. It is a premium deduction for State disability. No different than a premium for your Aflack insurance. You have unemployment insurance that is paid by you with a premium that is part of your employment package.

In a society you don't get to chose if you want to pay for a road a society feels is necessary. You must pay for a bridge when the majority of society says the bridge must be built. You must pay with a premium that resembles the benefits you have achieved from the existence of the society that you live in.

If you get contagious and sick. You must stay out of the public. And society puts a sign on your front door.

In a society. There are rules. You must abide by those rules or step outside the society and be denied the benefits that society may present for it's law abiding members.

This tough guy idea that I can do better than what society can give me. Is not reality. There is no wealth outside of society. There are no friends, there is no happiness outside of society. Reality is that you exchange benefits and labor with society to make society a better place. To maintain a society that is viable and offers you the ability to grow both spiritually and financially.

There are no dead bodies left to rot in the gutters in front of your house. Because society collects a premium to insure it is that way. Do you want a life where the bodies are just swept down the street until someone may concern himself to dispose of the body in the dessert?

Must I remove the corpses, for you, in my pick up truck. Because you do not want to bother with that part of society?

Being a part of society and contributing to it, is not socialism. It is humanity. It is mankind and what we have evolved into. It is what separates us from the animal.

You must contribute to society in proportion to the benefits you receive from society. Because that is capitalism. And that is the economy America has chosen to participate in.

Of course you can always count your wealth in pecans. And safe harbor in the mountains. Please pay cash for a mirror before you go. You may want to pretend you have a friend.

DJIA INDEX 11,457.00 -649.00 12,130.00 12,140.00 11,456.00 03:15

    DOW Futures 

    VALUE     CHANGE   OPEN      HIGH        & nbsp;   LOW        TIME

    11,594.00 -512.00 12,130.00 12,140.00 11,569.00 20:01

http://bloomberg.com/market...

http://commons.wikimedia.or...

From the history books.

Meltzer, who is finishing the second volume of his history of the Federal Reserve, warns that Bernanke is risking a disastrous replay of the 1970s, when high oil prices fueled double-digit inflation. Every time the Fed started to tighten and unemployment jumped, chairmen G. William Miller and Arthur Burns lost their nerve. They lowered rates to boost job growth, and inflation inevitably revived, causing a vicious price spiral. The Fed let the disease rage for so long that it took draconian action by chairman Paul Volcker in the early 1980s to finally defeat inflation. The price was a deep recession, with unemployment hitting 11% in 1982. "The mentality is the same as in the 1970s," says Meltzer. "'As soon as we get rid of the risk of recession, we'll do something about inflation.' But that comes too late."

From:

http://money.cnn.com/2008/0...

P.S. President Carter appointed Paul Volcker.

Who cares what Reagan would say. His legacy is a fairy tale. And history will show that his presidency was mediocre at best. And economically miserable for our nation.

Carter ended the Cold war by enticing Russia to invade Afghanistan and inserting CIA and troops to form a insurgency against their forces.. This was proclaimed to be Russia's Vietnam by the Carter Administration . This lead to financial ruin for the USSR.

There was huge unemployment. 20% + interest, two recessions, a monumental one day drop in the stock market and two housing bubble bursts.

Trickle down tax cuts lead to the largest tax increases in history. And devastating deficits and debt.

As I said, eliminate the fiction. And Reagan was a miserable president.

Theocracy vs. Corporatism. The Republican inner struggle.

Reagan's only real accomplishment was his ability to gather into one flock the single issue voter. For example, gun rights, abortion, religious rights in schools, and reduced reduced taxes.

The Iron curtain solution was a process. Reagan happened to be there at the end.

If we are going to build this man a memorial next to Lincoln. Shouldn't we look at his accomplishments. Not his handlers dreams.

Reagan the Governor was a totally different political puppet than Reagan the President. Yet in either case. His accomplishments are minimal at best. I suppose that a few states still allow the possession of fully automatic assault rifles could be consider a Reagan win. But his reduced taxes and trickle down theory has produced huge deficits and debt. Second only to Bush Jr's trickle down results.

The republican party has now moved to the point where the word democracy exists. It just has no meaning. It is a tool to inspire flag waving at most.

The major powers in the republican party are now in a Theocracy vs. Corporatism struggle. Unwilling to admit that capitalism is a economic theory not a government. That  religion is a matter of faith. Faith based on many different Bibles. On many different GODS.

America needs to return to a Representative democracy. We need to get a leader in office. Not a CEO. Not a Preacher..

What follows is some food for thought.

Stagflation began during the oil embargo of 1973 under Nixon. Not Carter.

There was absolutely no recession or economic down turn during the Carter term.

Carter Appointed Paul Volker. Not Reagan.

Even with double digit interest rates. More homes sold under Carter than today under Bush with record low interest rates.

There were two home bubble bursts under Reagan. One under Jr.

There was absolutely no stability in the stock market.

The Reagan 401k's and IRA's created a false impression of wealth and inflated the stock market to unreasonable levels. Pricing stock at levels determined by the availability of liquidity. Not the performance of a Company. Not the invention of earth shattering ideas.

There were two recessions under Reagan. And there will be two under Bush Jr and their trickle down economics.

Taxes were increased after JFK's tax cuts, (1968 10% War tax). And after Reagan, (Sr. Read my libs tax increases). There is no doubt ,taxes in some form, will be increased after the Jr. tax cut fiasco.

Less than 5% Cal Vet loans and 20% T-bills and CD's 8 million new jobs in 4 years and wages and jobs growing at record pace.

Of course Carter didn't provide the stock market with a unreasonable, inflated money supply. He expected a stock to make it on it's merits not federal intervention.

If you could get money compounded daily. On 20% CD's and T-bills. Were would your money be on Monday.

There are people whose entire retirement were earned during the Carter period through 1983. There has never been such a safe investment period in the history of the world.

Just put it in the bank and watch it grow.

Instead of gradually backing down from that type of situation. Reagan/Volcker INDUCED A RECESSION. Which of course brought down interest rates. And also killed the housing market.

Interesting thing about the housing market and interest rates. There is really no connection.

The housing market runs on consumer expectations. If you know you have a job. And you know that wages are rising. Then you also know that your mortgage rate can be renegotiated. You would like the lowest interest available. But you know you can qualify for lower rates in the future. So you buy no matter the rate today. That's what happened during the Carter years. The greatest housing expansion period in American history.

If you are unsure of your job or future pay increases. You know nothing and have no guarantee that you will be able to afford future mortgage payments. Let alone renegotiate interest rates.

That is what happened during the Reagan years and again today.

We did not reach 21% mortgage rates until 1983. Well into the Reagan years.. Under Paul Volker. Reagan lowered mortgage rates by creating a recession. Suppose you like that well enough…

I liked the CD’S and T-Bills.. Prior to Reagan and Volker starting the recession…

One thing is for certain.. Carter did not stoop to trading Weapons for hostages.. Too bad Reagan did not apply the American policy of not negotiating with terrorists.. A policy the Jr. has steadfastly stuck to in Iraq.

The result of Reagan’s arms deals. Crime, Corruption and disgrace..

95% of the weapons deployed during Iraq War one and two. Had funding initiated or development started or completed during the Carter presidency..

They include the Cobra helicopter, the Warthog , the Humvee and the Abrams tank… Carter was responsible for three. aircraft carriers. Reagan one…

Black Thursday. The largest decline in Stockmarkert history???? You got it Reagan..

Two, yep not one, but TWO housing bubble bursts…

Reagan destroyed the Unions and served over the largest influx of illegal aliens in the history of the world….

Reagan Destroyed the Houston Texas economy…

Reagan plunged America into what was at the time, it’s greatest debt in history. This World record was only surpassed by Jr….

Immigration?? Outsourcing??

Check out what has happened to the sheep industry. Sheepherders were imported from Peru. They were lucky to receive 600 dollars/ month a trash trailer and a water wagon. They lived in the worst conditions imaginable.

What was the result of this horrible sacrifice.. New Zealand and Australia still dominate the Sheep and wool industry.

The countries that our clothing industry moved to. Have living conditions not much better than those I described for the sheepherder.

Do you suggest as Volcker does. That, so we may continue to work, we should live in sub poverty?

Do you suggest that Americans work for pennies.

It’s not going to happen.

Jefferson spoke of revolution. It was his form of redistribution of wealth. Lets hope the men today are wiser than Jefferson.

The economy no matter how people try to say differently. Works in a micro environment.. Good for some, bad for others…

The national economy is a sum total of these micro environments. Not an average..

For a great number of Americans, the Carter years were the greatest earning years of their lives. And a huge relief from the disastrous Nixon/ Ford years.. (A $1000 earned $200 dollars in one years interest. Wages at all time highs During the Carter years)…

American’s after decades of experiencing war.. Had a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel….

Then Came the hostage crises….

Special report for drill n crude. AKA Drill von Goebbels

The CIA's anticommunist jihad

President Jimmy Carter immediately declared that the invasion jeopardized vital U.S. interests, because the Persian Gulf area was "now threatened by Soviet troops in Afghanistan. But the Carter administration's public outrage at Russian intervention in Afghanistan was doubly duplicitous. Not only was it used as an excuse for a program of increased military expenditure that had in fact already begun, but the U.S. had in fact been aiding the mujahideen for at least the previous six months, with precisely the hope of provoking a Soviet response. Former CIA director Robert Gates later admitted in his memoirs that aid to the rebels began in June 1979. In a candid 1998 interview, Zbigniew Brezinski, Carter's national security adviser, confirmed that U.S. aid to the rebels began before the invasion:

According to the official version of history, CIA aid to the mujahideen began during 1980, that is to say, after the Soviet army invaded Afghanistan [in] December 1979. But the reality, secretly guarded until now, is completely otherwise: indeed, it was July 3, 1979, that President Carter signed the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. And that very day, I wrote a note to the president in which I explained to him that in my opinion this aid was going to induce a Soviet military intervention.... We didn't push the Russians to intervene, but we knowingly increased the probability that they would....

That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap.... The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter: We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam War."

The Carter administration was well aware that in backing the mujahideen it was supporting forces with reactionary social goals, but this was outweighed by its own geopolitical interests. In August 1979, a classified State Department report bluntly asserted that "the United States' larger interest...would be served by the demise of the Taraki-Amin regime, despite whatever setbacks this might mean for future social and economic reforms in Afghanistan." That same month, in a stunning display of hypocrisy, State Department spokesperson Hodding Carter piously announced that the U.S. "expect[s] the principle of nonintervention to be respected by all parties in the area, including the Soviet Union."

From:

http://www.thirdworldtravel...

Carter had American troops in Afganistan before He left office. Reagan funneled the Money and Stinger missiles to  Osama.

Carter had on going negotiations with Iran until Reagan's behind the scenes ILLEGAL private negotiations with Iran. That  episode lead to the indictment and conviction of many Reagan regime cronies. (Drugs for Guns)

Reagan supported Sadaam militarily by providing him tons and millions of dollars worth of weapons.

The embargo and gas lines were during the Nixon admin during 73-74. The embargo in fact was the only period in history when America as a whole suffered gas lines and rationing during peace time.

The Highest inflation in America came during 82-83 during the Reagan Admin While Paul Volcker was the Fed Chief.

America or the world have never lost the Panama Canal. The lease entered into in 1904 was refered to as a perpetual lease.

That is illegal under both world wide and American lease law. A Lease must be for a period of time less than a lifetime. This is identified as less than 99.5 years.

In fact every aspect of America's intervention into Panama was illegal. We infact stole the country.

Theodore Roosevelt, who became president of the United States in 1901, believed that a U.S.-controlled canal across Central America was a vital strategic interest to the U.S. This idea gained wide impetus following the destruction of the battleship USS Maine, in Cuba, on February 15, 1898. The USS Oregon, a battleship stationed in San Francisco, was dispatched to take her place, but the voyage — around Cape Horn — took 67 days. Although she was in time to join in the Battle of Santiago Bay, the voyage would have taken just three weeks via Panama.

Roosevelt was able to reverse a previous decision by the Walker Commission in favour of a Nicaragua Canal, and pushed through the acquisition of the French Panama Canal effort. Panama was then part of Colombia, so Roosevelt opened negotiations with the Colombians to obtain the necessary rights. In early 1903 the Hay-Herran Treaty was signed by both nations, but the Colombian Senate failed to ratify the treaty.

In a controversial move, Roosevelt implied to Panamanian rebels that if they revolted, the U.S. Navy would assist their cause for independence. Panama proceeded to proclaim its independence on November 3, 1903, and the USS Nashville in local waters impeded any interference from Colombia (see gunboat diplomacy).

The victorious Panamanians returned the favor to Roosevelt by allowing the United States control of the Panama Canal Zone on February 23, 1904, for US$10 million (as provided in the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, signed on November 18, 1903).

The takeover

The United States formally took control of the French property relating to the canal on May 4, 1904, when Lieutenant Jatara Oneel of the United States Army was presented with the keys; there was a little ceremony.

The newly-created Panama Canal Zone Control came under the control of the Isthmian Canal Commission during canal construction.

Theocracy vs. Corporatism. The Republican inner struggle.

Reagan's only real accomplishment was his ability to gather into one flock the single issue voter. For example, gun rights, abortion, religious rights in schools, and reduced reduced taxes.

The Iron curtain solution was a process. Reagan happened to be there at the end.

If we are going to build this man a memorial next to Lincoln. Shouldn't we look at his accomplishments. Not his handlers dreams.

Reagan the Governor was a totally different political puppet than Reagan the President. Yet in either case. His accomplishments are minimal at best. I suppose that a few states still allow the possession of fully automatic assault rifles could be consider a Reagan win. But his reduced taxes and trickle down theory has produced huge deficits and debt. Second only to Bush Jr's trickle down results.

The republican party has now moved to the point where the word democracy exists. It just has no meaning. It is a tool to inspire flag waving at most.

The major powers in the republican party are now in a Theocracy vs. Corporatism struggle. Unwilling to admit that capitalism is a economic theory not a government. That  religion is a matter of faith. Faith based on many different Bibles. On many different GODS.

America needs to return to a Representative democracy. We need to get a leader in office. Not a CEO. Not a Preacher..

What follows is some food for thought.

Stagflation began during the oil embargo of 1973 under Nixon. Not Carter.

There was absolutely no recession or economic down turn during the Carter term.

Carter Appointed Paul Volker. Not Reagan.

Even with double digit interest rates. More homes sold under Carter than today under Bush with record low interest rates.

There were two home bubble bursts under Reagan. One under Jr.

There was absolutely no stability in the stock market.

The Reagan 401k's and IRA's created a false impression of wealth and inflated the stock market to unreasonable levels. Pricing stock at levels determined by the availability of liquidity. Not the performance of a Company. Not the invention of earth shattering ideas.

There were two recessions under Reagan. And there will be two under Bush Jr and their trickle down economics.

Taxes were increased after JFK's tax cuts, (1968 10% War tax). And after Reagan, (Sr. Read my libs tax increases). There is no doubt ,taxes in some form, will be increased after the Jr. tax cut fiasco.

Sorry buds. You didn't have the Brilliant Disguise.

Waitin' on a sunny Day

It's going to be a long walk home..

A gray area of Socialism.

I wonder why when foreign sovereign investment funds, (government owned investment fund), Buy American financial corporations. It's not called socialism.

My 'To do' list.

I should banish Gray. And recognize only the black and white.

I will allay the doubts born of the wink and a nod.

I will decree that a smile, need not bring forth a boisterous laugh.

I will strive to be plain. Rejoice in the mediocre.

My life will be like a star in the sky. 

Not a burning ember in the wind.

I will understand that life must be like Heaven one day.

And hell in only another breath.

I will cherish my hopes, dreams and determination.

I will leave you all the drama you aspire.

Schwarzenegger's budget. It's going to be a real Freakers Ball.

We have our honor. We have no new taxes. We have left nothing for our children's future but debt and despair.

France best, U.S. worst in preventable deaths

British study's rankings based on access to timely and effective health care

updated 6:44 a.m. PT, Tues., Jan. 8, 2008

WASHINGTON - France, Japan and Australia rated best and the United States worst in new rankings focusing on preventable deaths due to treatable conditions in 19 leading industrialized nations, researchers said on Tuesday.

If the U.S. health care system performed as well as those of those top three countries, there would be 101,000 fewer deaths in the United States per year, according to researchers writing in the journal Health Affairs.

Researchers Ellen Nolte and Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine tracked deaths that they deemed could have been prevented by access to timely and effective health care, and ranked nations on how they did.

They called such deaths an important way to gauge the performance of a country’s health care system.

Nolte said the large number of Americans who lack any type of health insurance — about 47 million people in a country of about 300 million, according to U.S. government estimates — probably was a key factor in the poor showing of the United States compared to other industrialized nations in the study.

“I wouldn’t say it (the last-place ranking) is a condemnation, because I think health care in the U.S. is pretty good if you have access. But if you don’t, I think that’s the main problem, isn’t it?” Nolte said in a telephone interview.

In establishing their rankings, the researchers considered deaths before age 75 from numerous causes, including heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, certain bacterial infections and complications of common surgical procedures.

Such deaths accounted for 23 percent of overall deaths in men and 32 percent of deaths in women, the researchers said.

France did best — with 64.8 deaths deemed preventable by timely and effective health care per 100,000 people, in the study period of 2002 and 2003. Japan had 71.2 and Australia had 71.3 such deaths per 100,000 people. The United States had 109.7 such deaths per 100,000 people, the researchers said.

After the top three, Spain was fourth best, followed in order by Italy, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, Austria, Germany, Finland, New Zealand, Denmark, Britain, Ireland and Portugal, with the United States last.

Previous rankings
The researchers compared these rankings with rankings for the same 19 countries covering the period of 1997 and 1998. France and Japan also were first and second in those rankings, while the United States was 15th, meaning it fell four places in the latest rankings.

All the countries made progress in reducing preventable deaths from these earlier rankings, the researchers said. These types of deaths dropped by an average of 16 percent for the nations in the study, but the U.S. decline was only 4 percent.

The research was backed by the Commonwealth Fund, a private New York-based health policy foundation.

“It is startling to see the U.S. falling even farther behind on this crucial indicator of health system performance,” Commonwealth Fund Senior Vice President Cathy Schoen said.

“The fact that other countries are reducing these preventable deaths more rapidly, yet spending far less, indicates that policy, goals and efforts to improve health systems make a difference,” Schoen added in a statement.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id...

I'm not one to complain . BUT.

My son could make Crisco stick to a Teflon pan.. :>)

I got the dish washing blues.

Chili beans

Need I say more?

Bush, How far have we come?

I believe the world is burning to the ground.  You haven't made me feel safe.

In addition to being connected to Panama and Noriega. And:

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has just announced that State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel has been indicted by federal jury on cocaine distribution charges. Ravenel, who was elected last fall, was named the Chairman of presidential candidate Rudy Giualiani’s (R-N.Y.) South Carolina campaign in April.

Said Giuliani at the time, “I’m looking forward to working with Thomas to continue sharing my vision across the state.” He may very well regret those words.

And:

nominee in 2004 for Homeland Security, Bernard Kerik, is going to be indicted

Guiliani's firm was  charged with white washing the illegal sales of Oxicontin.:

Oxycontin

Giuliani helps defend a drug maker under scrutiny

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, second from left, takes part in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the DEA Museum. DEA administrator Asa Hutchinson is on Giuliani's right. Former Attorney General John Ashcroft is on Giuliani's left. U.S. drug czar John Walters is on Aschcroft's left.

Connecticut drug manufacturer Purdue Pharma hired Giuliani Partners in May 2002 as the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration began investigating a wave of overdose deaths attributed to the firm's powerful and lucrative painkiller, OxyContin. The agencies had started looking into the pain product's illicit use as a recreational drug, and probing lax security at the company's manufacturing plants in New Jersey and North Carolina. A week before the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the former mayor joined then-DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft for the opening of new exhibit at the DEA's traveling museum and lent his star power to luncheon that day that raised about $20,000 for the DEA Foundation. In June 2004 U.S. prosecutors announced that the Purdue Pharma affiliate that ran the Totowa, New Jersey plant would pay $2 million to settle the investigation and the drugmaker would not have to admit wrongdoing or take its product off the shelf.

Bush, Of this I am proud.

So should the world. So should you be proud.

THE BOOK on President Bush's foreign policy victories won't be long. But one fair-sized chapter will be his leadership record on AIDS.

From:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-b...

I caught my son and daughter smoking.

Yesterday, I picked up a 100 cigarette butts off the yard.

It makes me very sad when I think of all the fights Teri and I had over her throwing butts down on the Yard.

All the time, it was you kids, and your friends, making the mess. Teri, not once. Pointed the finger at any of you.

All you kids, saw the fights. All of you knew you were partially at fault. Yet, you did not stop.

Now that Teri is dead. I will never be able to tell Teri I am sorry for accusing her. I am sorry for the fights. I will think of the arguments and they will make me cry.

Stop smoking while you can. Stop smoking before it kills you. Stop smoking before you are sick. Stop smoking before its too late to say you are sorry.

Stop making me cry..