Bakersfield Boomers - AudreyB's Blog - Bakersfield.com

Situational Ethics = Hypocrisy

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:13:40 PDT

The latest catch phrases coming out of Washington DC, "nuclear option", "up or down vote", "deem or pass" are further proof of Congresses inability to govern itself.

Before you get your drawers in a wad let me say that the hypocrisy comes from both sides of congress.

Americans are hungry for the truth! Why can't we get congress to treat us with respect and forego the game playing, the half truths, the outright lies, the power jockeying, the situational ethics?

http://www.cnn.com/video/

Dedicated to all Irish bloggers...an Irish Rhapsody

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:27:25 PDT

what's your favorite Irish song, lullaby or piece of classical music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_78HXBjtuQ

If my nasturtiums are in bloom can spring be far behind?

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:10:51 PDT

Scenes from my yard taken on Sunday. I was sitting, pulling weeds next to the nasturtium bed when I decided to take a picture of them. They are going overboard this year, along with everything else in my yard.

I hope you guys like the pictures.

Church Abuse Scandal Reaches Pope's Brother

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:29:30 PST

Church abuse scandals in Germany have reached the older brother of Pope Benedict XVI and are creeping ever closer to the pontiff himself.

While there has been no suggestion of wrongdoing by Benedict, the launch of an inquiry by German Catholic officials after his brother admitted he slapped children years ago is stirring Vatican fears of a major crisis for the papacy.

Benedict, 32, was archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982 when he was brought to the Vatican to head the body responsible for investigating abuse cases. During that time, he came under criticism for decreeing that even the most serious abuse cases must first be investigated internally.

Since then he has taken a strong stand against abuse by clerics in the Roman Catholic Church.

Obama more popular than Congress

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:23:34 PST

AP-GfK Poll: Obama more popular than Congress

LIZ SIDOTI

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Americans have come to detest Congress ever more deeply as it nears the end of a nasty fight over health care. But more than half still back President Barack Obama, a bright spot for a Democratic Party counting on its leader to help stave off expected losses in elections this fall.

The latest Associated Press-GfK poll found that fewer people approve of Congress than at any point in Obama's presidency. Support has dropped significantly since January to a dismal 22 percent as the health care debate has roiled Capitol Hill. Neither Republicans nor Democrats are safe; half of all people say they want to fire their congressman.

Conversely, Obama's job-performance standing is holding fairly steady at 53 percent. And over the past two months, the Democrat has gained ground on national security issues, specifically the subsiding Iraq war and the escalating Afghanistan war, as he has spent most of his time , at least publicly , on domestic matters like the economy and health care. On those issues, he still has the support of about half the people.

......Obama remains far more popular than House and Senate members as he leads a Democratic Party facing a volatile election-year environment that, so far, seems to be trending in Republicans' favor. Judging by his standing at this point, Obama seems to be an asset for his rank and file.

Obama's overall standing hasn't really moved since January. Neither have his ratings on health care and the economy.

But his marks have jumped on Iraq and Afghanistan. More than half of people approve of how he's handling the wars, with 55 percent backing him on Iraq and 57 percent supporting him on Afghanistan. That's compared with 49 percent for each two months ago. The new poll was taken during weekend elections in Iraq, where a U.S. troop drawdown is under way, and in the midst of a buildup in Afghanistan, as the U.S. notches victories in rooting out suspected terrorists.

By comparison, Congress' approval rating has dropped 10 percentage points since January, perhaps an indication that people are blaming lawmakers more than the president for gridlock that has paralyzed Washington on a host of fronts.

It is quite unusual for voters to tear down their own member of Congress. People often dislike the institution of Congress but usually support their own representatives. But not this year. Half said they wanted to elect someone other than their current congressman; only 40 percent wanted to re-elect their lawmaker.

As poor as the ratings are for Congress in general, people seem slightly more unhappy with Republicans than Democrats , another bit of potentially good news for Obama's party.

Just 30 percent approve of how Republicans in Congress are doing their jobs compared with 36 percent for Democrats.

Republicans still trail Democrats on the question of who should win control of Congress come November; 44 percent say Democrats, 38 percent say Republicans.

And the GOP has a slight disadvantage on two issues that voters deem among the most important , the economy and health care.

The AP-GfK Poll was conducted March 3-8, 2010, by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. It involved landline and cell phone interviews with 1,002 adults nationwide, and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

7 year old boy saves family from armed robbers in a dramatic 911 call.

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:25:01 PST

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/35794674#35794674

Bunning Whines About Missing Basketball Game, Tells Dems ‘Tough [edit.]' On Unemployment Benefits

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:08:29 PST

Friday 2/26/2010

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed an extension of unemployment benefits on a voice vote.The Senate, however, has yet to act on the same measure, as various senators are throwing up procedural roadblocks. On Wednesday night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) asked for unanimous consent to approve an extension, only to see the motion blocked by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) over a dispute over how [the bill] should be funded.”

Late last night, Democrats made repeated attempts to pass the extension by unanimous consent, and Bunning blocked them all. He then complained that the Democrats’ insistence on trying to ensure that unemployment benefits not expire had caused him to miss a college basketball game.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/02/26/bunning-basketball/

Cat....Vanity....plant enthusiasts? I need your help

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:32:45 PST

What is this?

I bought it at the Rose Societies annual plant sale on Saturday. Whoever donated it didn't have it correctly identified. IMO I don't think its an ageratum.

The leaves are about two inches long. Deeply loped green with brown/purple edges. I believe that it will be a woody upright shrub. Not very pretty at the moment, but it may turn out to be nice.

Any ideas?

The four most alluring words in the English Language "I need your advice".

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:23:07 PST

I missed our last PBVUSD retired women's lunch because of a prior commitment.

In my absence they appointed me to set up our next lunch in March. That'll teach me to be absent.

I thought it would be fun to check out the Brimstone in the Padre, but after 4 calls, 3 ended in hangups and one was a call back (that never did), I gave up on the Padre.

So I need an idea for lunch.

We usually have a group of 12 - 16 ladies. They're not demanding but they do want decent food and GOOD service. We usually spend $10 -12 dollars on lunch including the tip. We are loud and stay waaay past our welcome.....

I'm the most adventurous one of our group and will eat almost anything but most of the ladies seek out a Chicken Salad (or a turkey sandwich) to order.

In the last year we've tried

Plumberry's
Bit O Germany
Champ's BBQ
Moo's Creamery
The Hour Glass
Red Lobster
some hole in the wall on 18th street
a Mexican place on Calloway and Hageman
and several others I can't recall

I'd like something new.

Has anyone eaten at Desi's on Panama and Stine?

Any ideas??

Help!

House Democrats want 5 major health insurance comapnies to explain exorbitant premium increases

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:32:49 PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asked the heads of five major health insurance companies on Wednesday to meet with her next month to explain why their premiums are on the rise.

Sebelius' move came as Democrats stepped up attacks on the health insurance industry ahead of a bipartisan health care summit Thurday they hope will jump-start President Barack Obama's stalled overhaul legislation.

At a contentious House hearing, Democrats confronted executives of one company that has sought rate increases of up to 39 percent in California and accused them of purging their sickest customers while spending millions on exorbitant salaries and retreats at ritzy resorts for executives. And the House neared a vote on revoking health insurers' antitrust exemption.

Sebelius wrote to the chief executives of UnitedHealth Group, WellPoint, Aetna, CIGNA and Health Care Service Corporation. She asked them to come to a meeting March 3 on recent rate hikes.

"I hope this meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss why your premiums are climbing and how health insurance reform can bring down health care costs and fix our broken health insurance system," she wrote.

Rep Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said at a hearing on WellPoint Inc. that his panel's investigators had received internal company documents showing that in 2008, 39 company executives received salaries of $1 million or more. And in 2007 and 2008, it spent $27 million for 103 executive retreats, which Democrats said included stays at fancy resorts in Hawaii and Arizona.

"Corporate executives at WellPoint are thriving, but its policyholders are paying the price," said Waxman, D-Calif.

WellPoint owns Anthem Blue Cross, which wants to raise rates on individual policyholders in California and blames those increases on rising medical costs. During a break in the hearing, a WellPoint executive said eliminating the executive salaries and retreats would have no impact on its rates.

"What's driving these rate increases are the underlying medical costs," said Brad Fluegel, WellPoint's chief strategy officer. He also said some of the retreats were for insurance agents and brokers who sell the company's products.

Angela Braly, president of WellPoint Inc., blamed the increases on the growing price tags for hospital care and pharmaceuticals. She also cited the ailing economy, which has caused many younger, healthier people to save money by dropping coverage, leaving her company covering an older, sicker population.

Democrats on the panel said the company seemed to be driven mostly by a desire for profits, and said the spending for meetings at resorts symbolized how insurers have money to spare.

Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., who chairs the oversight subcommittee holding the hearing, cited company documents saying the company was seeking a 7 percent profit in California for this year. He said that seemed to show the company was raising rates to gain profits, not because of growing medical costs.

Cynthia Miller, WellPoint's chief actuary, said the company ended up building a profit margin of less than 2 percent into its California rates. Braly said it was acceptable for the firm to have an "appropriate profit," which she said was lower than that it is for other segments of the health care industry.

Republicans on the committee said little to defend Anthem, but noted the hearing's timing just before what Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, called Obama's "six-hour photo op."

After its rate announcement generated criticism, Anthem said it was postponing the increase from March 1 until May 1 while it is reviewed by California regulators.

Anthem covers more than 8 million Californians, including about 800,000 who buy their policies directly. It is on those individually covered people that Anthem has proposed rate increases of up to 39 percent, though the company says the average increase is 25 percent — which the company says is in line with competitors.

Braly said the company lost $10 million on individually insured Californians last year.

In a report earlier this month, the Obama administration cited WellPoint's reported profit of $2.7 billion in the fourth quarter of last year as evidence that insurers' rate boosts need to be curbed.

But Braly cited a one-time sale of an asset and said the profit excluding that was $380 million after taxes. She said even if the company returned that profit entirely to its customers, they would each receive an average $5.13 per month.

House passes legislation to repeal health insurance industry's antitrust exemption

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:13:04 PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to repeal the health insurance industry's exemption from federal antitrust laws, giving Democrats an easy win on health care a day ahead of President Barack Obama's bipartisan health summit.

The vote was 406-19, with most Republicans siding with majority Democrats against a widely unpopular industry which has been under attack by Democrats and consumer advocates for recent rate hikes.

Republican lawmakers complained, though, that the legislation passed Wednesday was largely symbolic and would have little real impact since states already regulate health insurers.

Independent experts largely share that view. Democrats, however, contended that the bill would help consumers by increasing competition.

Prospects are dim in the Senate.

The Second Annual Topless Toboggan Run Took Place in Germany Over the Weekend

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:27:36 PST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8K63Agv2EY

Shwaine Asked for A Quiz for Bloggers. I found one. Hope you like it Shwaine.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:13:23 PST

What is your Blog IQ?

http://www.chatterbean.com/fun-quizzes/blog-iq/

Colin Powell Rejects Dick Cheney's Claims, Says U.S. Is Not Less Safe Under Obama

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:46:58 PST

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/21/colin-powell-rejects-dick_n_470802.html

Sarah Palin Unable to Tell Katie Couric Which Hand She Reads

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:44:05 PST

Sarah Palin Unable to Tell Katie Couric Which Hand She Reads

Political pundits everywhere are buzzing about Saturday's appearance by Sarah Palin at the National Tea Party Convention. The former Alaska Governor spoke to an adoring throng of 1,000 tea partiers, but in a post-speech Q&A session, Palin was caught referencing crib notes she had written on her hand.

In a surprising move, Palin then granted Katie Couric a followup to her September 2008 interview. Apoliticus has obtained transcripts of several excerpts below:

Couric: So, when a political ally is pitching softball questions at you, what sorts of hands or other body parts do you read?

Palin: I read most of them, y’know, with an emphasis on those things written on skin, or on my dermis, which, as you know, is visible from my house…

Couric: So, there’s not one particular hand…

Palin: Geez, Katie, y’know, the world doesn’t revolve around you!

Couric: You’ve also recently defended Rush Limbaughuse of the word “retard,” after calling for Rahm Emanuel’s firing…

Palin: Well, as you know, Katie, Rush was being satirical…

Couric: Tell me what “satirical” means to you.

Palin: In what respect, Charlie?

Couric: My name isn’t Charlie. What do you say to parents of children with disabilities, who feel your defense of Rush is a betrayal of their children?

Palin: I’d say they just don’t get it. Maybe they’re slow or something.

Palin then cut the interview short, explaining that it was the best thing she could do for CBS News.

Posted by Tommy Christopher on 2/10/10 • Categorized as Political Satire

120 Republicans - Highway Hypocrites

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:55:42 PST

Democrats Take Aim at G.O.P. on Stimulus Aid

By CARL HULSE

After months of being on the defensive over stimulus spending, Democrats think they have finally been getting some offensive traction with their efforts to show that many Republicans who had nothing good to say about the economic stimulus bill were still very eager for its money to be steered to their districts.

So the Democratic National Committee is going to step up the effort, labeling such Republicans “highway hypocrites” for trying to get a share of the cash even as they lambasted Congressional Democrats and the White House for excess spending.

Party officials say they have identified 120 Republicans lawmakers and governors who they see as engaging in double talk on the issue. They plan to enlist party organizations and activists to push the theme via the Internet, beginning with a web ad. But Democrats say a television or radio commercial is not out of the question.

While not all the project funding sought by Republicans was for roads and bridges, Democrats said they didn’t think that level of specificity matters when it comes to the highway hypocrite theme. They say their ultimate objective is to make the Republicans into political road kill.

McCain, in trouble with Teabaggers rewrites history to appease them.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:46:49 PST

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#35530682

Move over Trekkies. You have serious competition for the "Geek of the Week" trophy.

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 08:40:20 PST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk2vR8w2sjc&feature=player_embedded#

How have race relations changed in the last 15 years in America?

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:40:39 PST

This question was left as a comment on my blog "What are the 5 most defining moments in your Life".

I was surprised at the comment because its something I've been thinking about for the last few months and I wondered if anyone else has thought about it as well.

So is there more, less or the same amount of racial tension in America since the Rodney King beating?

What are the five most defining moments of your life.

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:00:32 PST

If you lucky enough to reach the ripe old age of 50+ you have probably lived through some life changing moments in history.

I'm not talking about your own personal traumas or triumphs, I'm talking about historical events which you can recall in detail.

My list would include

1. JFK's assassination

2. Men landing on the moon

3. The Berlin Wall coming down

4. September 11, 2001

5. A black man being elected president

Lesser events include

The Kern County Dust storm of 77-78

K Mart opening in Rosedale (that was only the start)

etc