Click above to watch video or follow this link below,
http://wgntv.trb.com/wgntv-worldnow-decision2007-flash,0,1446516.teaser?coll=wgntv-promo-layout
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Congratulations Sandi Jackson!
Click above to watch video or follow this link below,
http://wgntv.trb.com/wgntv-worldnow-decision2007-flash,0,1446516.teaser?coll=wgntv-promo-layout
For my little lambchop, here's your extended family!
Supporters of Sandi Jackson, candidate for 7th Ward alderman, get vocal outside the Rebecca Crown Community Center on Tuesday. Jackson is running against Ald. Darcel Beavers.(Tribune photo by Kuni Takahashi)Feb 27, 2007
7th Ward aldermanic candidate Sandi Jackson, (right) and Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., (left) along with their children Jesse Jackson III and Jessica head to Black Magnet School Tuesday morning to cast their votes.(Tribune photo by José Moré)Feb 27, 2007
7th Ward aldermanic candidate Sandi Jackson (center), accompanied by her daughter Jessica (left) and Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., picks up her ballot Tuesday morning at Black Magnet School in Chicago.(Tribune photo by José Moré)Feb 27, 2007
Sandi Jackson for Alderman
CAMPAIGN 2007: CHICAGO'S 7TH WARD
Let's play the family feud
William Beavers, Rep. Jesse Jackson vie for S. Side supremacy through relatives' aldermanic race
By Dan Mihalopoulos
Tribune staff reporter
Published February 23, 2007
Inside the 7th Ward Democratic offices, local boss William Beavers told his campaign workers they are the key to yet another "precinct captains' election" on Chicago's South Side.
"You win it like we're doing it here, the old-fashioned way, putting people on the streets," he said, lighting a Pall Mall cigarette as soon as his men left with glossy pamphlets of his daughter Ald. Darcel Beavers standing alongside Mayor Richard Daley.
Stepping out the door, the 7th Ward workers saw the enemy to their right and left. Within a couple blocks of the ward office in each direction stand two of the ubiquitous billboards featuring Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) and his wife, Sandi Jackson.
Darcel Beavers, Sandi Jackson and two little-known candidates are vying for 7th Ward alderman on Tuesday's ballot.
But the election is more of a proxy battle for South Side political primacy--and a test of whether Jesse Jackson Jr. can take the first steps toward becoming a true Chicago power broker.
After months of threatening to run against Daley, the congressman shied away after seeing internal poll numbers showing he would lose. Instead, he is taking on one of the mayor's closest black allies.
"They've never seen this kind of campaign before," Jesse Jackson Jr. said of the Beavers organization.
If Sandi Jackson succeeds, the Jacksons would have a day-to-day presence in a council that the congressman calls incapable of "providing the necessary debate on the issues." And Jackson Jr. would add a building block to his dreams of positioning himself for a post-Daley future as mayor.
Attacks mayor for 2 years
About two years ago, he began speaking out more on City Hall issues, sharply criticizing the mayor. The son of Rev. Jesse Jackson talked boldly of creating a new local political power structure. The ideal start, he said, would see him head a slate of candidates for city clerk, city treasurer and about 15 council seats.
That didn't happen. Besides his wife, Jackson Jr. has provided significant backing to just one other council challenger, his former aide Kenny Johnson in the 2nd Ward.
The demise of Jackson Jr.'s broader plans left him holding the rights to 1,800 billboards--worth about $400,000--across the city. He had hoped to use them to promote his ticket, but kept his claim only to those that would be useful to Sandi Jackson and a few friendly council candidates.
Sandi and Jesse Jackson Jr. now appear on virtually every billboard in an area bounded by Stony Island Avenue, 67th Street, 106th Street and Lake Michigan.
The scene for the 7th Ward race was set when William Beavers left the City Council last year to replace John Stroger on the Cook County Board. Daley appointed Darcel Beavers to finish her father's term. Railing against political legacies, 43-year-old Sandi Jackson soon announced she would make her first run as a candidate in her husband's hometown.
The Jacksons deride the Beaverses as remnants of City Hall's machine past who gratefully accept whatever Daley can spare for their underdeveloped ward by the lake.
The Beaverses respond that the Jacksons are interlopers whose proper place is in Washington, D.C. They shrug off the Jacksons' complaints about crime in the ward, suggesting that the congressman and his wife are too frightened to walk around their own neighborhood.
William Beavers is unimpressed by all the billboards, the mailers, the phone banks and the campaign manager and other professional staffers imported from Washington.
Jesse Jackson Jr. has invested more than $200,000 into his wife's campaign, state records show.
"He's trying to buy an election, but he can't," William Beavers said.
Williams Beavers is perhaps the city's most outspoken defender of political nepotism and dealmaking in what he calls "smoke-filled rooms." He has decried a federal investigation into city hiring fraud and declared political patronage the best way to conduct hiring for public jobs. He boasts of his role in Todd Stroger's election as County Board president after Stroger's father suffered a stroke.
Daughter takes after dad
Darcel Beavers, 47, said she is proud to succeed her father. She describes herself as more soft-spoken than her father, a former police officer.
"But I also have my dad in me, and I'm not going to let anyone step on me," she said. "He is a strong black man. He says what he means to say. Some people don't like that he's frank, but you don't ever have to wonder where he's coming from. People respect him for that.
"These are average, working people in the 7th Ward. They can detect phoniness."
Darcel Beavers, who is single, said Sandi Jackson is masquerading as a South Sider when her family's real home is the Washington townhouse pictured in the pamplet. Sandi Jackson, who was born in Ohio, works for the Democratic National Committee and sends her 6-year-old daughter to school in Washington.
At his office on East 79th Street last Saturday morning, William Beavers instructed campaign workers to tell voters Sandi Jackson "doesn't live here." He then introduced his daughter.
"I live right around the corner," Darcel Beavers said.
The carpet-bagging charges are meant to deflect attention from William Beavers' poor record, Sandi Jackson responded. She said the 7th Ward's lakefront community is neglected, prime turf for commercial development.
She said she is incensed that she has to leave her ward to make a coffee stop at Starbucks, which she and her staff do twice a day. People in the ward want that kind of business in their neighborhood, she said.
Instead, she said, the business districts along 75th and 79th Streets decay, while drug deals take place "right in front of the aldermanic office in broad daylight."
In the earnest, practiced tones of a debate champion, Sandi Jackson talks of how the South Side has been underserved by a Daley administration focused on glimmering downtown tourist attractions.
"I'd like to see more equitable distribution of that largesse," she said.
Works behind the scenes
Sandi Jackson has a law degree and has worked behind the scenes for national and local politicians for years. She refers to those experiences when a woman in front of a grocery store asks what she has done to deserve her vote.
"If anything, I might be overqualified," Sandi Jackson answered. "This ward needs someone who has been outside the box and can think outside the box."
Also on the ballot are Chicago Police Officer Ronald David, 49, and city worker Eric Brown, 53.
In a series of candidate debates, David has contended his beat-cop experience makes him the real ward expert.
But the real battle for control of the ward is reflected in an ongoing cat-and-mouse game at 71st Street and South Shore Drive.
Last Saturday afternoon, the alderman's Streets and Sanitation superintendent removed Sandi Jackson signs from lampposts there, noting that they are forbidden on city property. By Monday morning, new signs were up in the same spots.
William Beavers shook his head.
"We're going to have to write some tickets then."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0702230095feb23,1,6194707.story?page=1&coll=chi-politics-stories
Let's play the family feud
William Beavers, Rep. Jesse Jackson vie for S. Side supremacy through relatives' aldermanic race
By Dan Mihalopoulos
Tribune staff reporter
Published February 23, 2007
Inside the 7th Ward Democratic offices, local boss William Beavers told his campaign workers they are the key to yet another "precinct captains' election" on Chicago's South Side.
"You win it like we're doing it here, the old-fashioned way, putting people on the streets," he said, lighting a Pall Mall cigarette as soon as his men left with glossy pamphlets of his daughter Ald. Darcel Beavers standing alongside Mayor Richard Daley.
Stepping out the door, the 7th Ward workers saw the enemy to their right and left. Within a couple blocks of the ward office in each direction stand two of the ubiquitous billboards featuring Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) and his wife, Sandi Jackson.
Darcel Beavers, Sandi Jackson and two little-known candidates are vying for 7th Ward alderman on Tuesday's ballot.
But the election is more of a proxy battle for South Side political primacy--and a test of whether Jesse Jackson Jr. can take the first steps toward becoming a true Chicago power broker.
After months of threatening to run against Daley, the congressman shied away after seeing internal poll numbers showing he would lose. Instead, he is taking on one of the mayor's closest black allies.
"They've never seen this kind of campaign before," Jesse Jackson Jr. said of the Beavers organization.
If Sandi Jackson succeeds, the Jacksons would have a day-to-day presence in a council that the congressman calls incapable of "providing the necessary debate on the issues." And Jackson Jr. would add a building block to his dreams of positioning himself for a post-Daley future as mayor.
Attacks mayor for 2 years
About two years ago, he began speaking out more on City Hall issues, sharply criticizing the mayor. The son of Rev. Jesse Jackson talked boldly of creating a new local political power structure. The ideal start, he said, would see him head a slate of candidates for city clerk, city treasurer and about 15 council seats.
That didn't happen. Besides his wife, Jackson Jr. has provided significant backing to just one other council challenger, his former aide Kenny Johnson in the 2nd Ward.
The demise of Jackson Jr.'s broader plans left him holding the rights to 1,800 billboards--worth about $400,000--across the city. He had hoped to use them to promote his ticket, but kept his claim only to those that would be useful to Sandi Jackson and a few friendly council candidates.
Sandi and Jesse Jackson Jr. now appear on virtually every billboard in an area bounded by Stony Island Avenue, 67th Street, 106th Street and Lake Michigan.
The scene for the 7th Ward race was set when William Beavers left the City Council last year to replace John Stroger on the Cook County Board. Daley appointed Darcel Beavers to finish her father's term. Railing against political legacies, 43-year-old Sandi Jackson soon announced she would make her first run as a candidate in her husband's hometown.
The Jacksons deride the Beaverses as remnants of City Hall's machine past who gratefully accept whatever Daley can spare for their underdeveloped ward by the lake.
The Beaverses respond that the Jacksons are interlopers whose proper place is in Washington, D.C. They shrug off the Jacksons' complaints about crime in the ward, suggesting that the congressman and his wife are too frightened to walk around their own neighborhood.
William Beavers is unimpressed by all the billboards, the mailers, the phone banks and the campaign manager and other professional staffers imported from Washington.
Jesse Jackson Jr. has invested more than $200,000 into his wife's campaign, state records show.
"He's trying to buy an election, but he can't," William Beavers said.
Williams Beavers is perhaps the city's most outspoken defender of political nepotism and dealmaking in what he calls "smoke-filled rooms." He has decried a federal investigation into city hiring fraud and declared political patronage the best way to conduct hiring for public jobs. He boasts of his role in Todd Stroger's election as County Board president after Stroger's father suffered a stroke.
Daughter takes after dad
Darcel Beavers, 47, said she is proud to succeed her father. She describes herself as more soft-spoken than her father, a former police officer.
"But I also have my dad in me, and I'm not going to let anyone step on me," she said. "He is a strong black man. He says what he means to say. Some people don't like that he's frank, but you don't ever have to wonder where he's coming from. People respect him for that.
"These are average, working people in the 7th Ward. They can detect phoniness."
Darcel Beavers, who is single, said Sandi Jackson is masquerading as a South Sider when her family's real home is the Washington townhouse pictured in the pamplet. Sandi Jackson, who was born in Ohio, works for the Democratic National Committee and sends her 6-year-old daughter to school in Washington.
At his office on East 79th Street last Saturday morning, William Beavers instructed campaign workers to tell voters Sandi Jackson "doesn't live here." He then introduced his daughter.
"I live right around the corner," Darcel Beavers said.
The carpet-bagging charges are meant to deflect attention from William Beavers' poor record, Sandi Jackson responded. She said the 7th Ward's lakefront community is neglected, prime turf for commercial development.
She said she is incensed that she has to leave her ward to make a coffee stop at Starbucks, which she and her staff do twice a day. People in the ward want that kind of business in their neighborhood, she said.
Instead, she said, the business districts along 75th and 79th Streets decay, while drug deals take place "right in front of the aldermanic office in broad daylight."
In the earnest, practiced tones of a debate champion, Sandi Jackson talks of how the South Side has been underserved by a Daley administration focused on glimmering downtown tourist attractions.
"I'd like to see more equitable distribution of that largesse," she said.
Works behind the scenes
Sandi Jackson has a law degree and has worked behind the scenes for national and local politicians for years. She refers to those experiences when a woman in front of a grocery store asks what she has done to deserve her vote.
"If anything, I might be overqualified," Sandi Jackson answered. "This ward needs someone who has been outside the box and can think outside the box."
Also on the ballot are Chicago Police Officer Ronald David, 49, and city worker Eric Brown, 53.
In a series of candidate debates, David has contended his beat-cop experience makes him the real ward expert.
But the real battle for control of the ward is reflected in an ongoing cat-and-mouse game at 71st Street and South Shore Drive.
Last Saturday afternoon, the alderman's Streets and Sanitation superintendent removed Sandi Jackson signs from lampposts there, noting that they are forbidden on city property. By Monday morning, new signs were up in the same spots.
William Beavers shook his head.
"We're going to have to write some tickets then."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0702230095feb23,1,6194707.story?page=1&coll=chi-politics-stories
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
My decision for President
Since I can't vote for the fictional character of Jack Bauer from "24", I'll be supporting Senator Barack Obama.
Monday, February 26, 2007
It only takes one person to change your life--you. --Ruth Casey
Change is not easy, but it's absolutely unavoidable. Doors will close. Barriers will surface. Frustrations will mount. Nothing stays the same forever, and it's such folly to wish otherwise. Growth accompanies positive change; determining to risk the outcome resulting from a changed behavior or attitude will enhance our self-perceptions. We will have moved forward; in every instance, our lives will be influenced by making a change that only each of us can make.We have all dreaded the changes we knew we had to make. Perhaps even now we fear some impending changes. Where might they take us? It's difficult accepting that the outcome is not ours to control. Only the effort is ours. The solace is that positive changes, which we know are right for us and other people in our lives, are never going to take us astray. In fact, they are necessary for the smooth path just beyond this stumbling block.
When we are troubled by circumstances in our lives, a change is called for, a change that we must initiate. When we reflect on our recent as well as distant past, we will remember that the changes we most dreaded again and again have positively influenced our lives in untold ways.
Change ushers in glad, not bad, tidings.
When we are troubled by circumstances in our lives, a change is called for, a change that we must initiate. When we reflect on our recent as well as distant past, we will remember that the changes we most dreaded again and again have positively influenced our lives in untold ways.
Change ushers in glad, not bad, tidings.
Time to Boycott!
Bank of America Announces Credit Cards For Illegal aliens.
Boycott Now!
Major news outlets, such as Reuters and Glenn Beck, broke the news that Bank of America is intentionally offering credit to improve the "quality of life" of illegal aliens.
Even though bank officials say they are just trying to make a buck, their efforts directly undercut Federal efforts to control illegal immigration.
Help make an example of Bank of America to prevent other businesses from encouraging more illegal immigration.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
Nancy Grace appearance at Indiana State University
NancyTV - CNN and CourtTV personality Nancy Grace speaks Tuesday afternoon, at a press conference in the Ohio Building, about how she selects cases for her law-themed 8 p.m. CNN Headline News show. Grace said there is a team of 20 to 25 people who review different cases throughout the country based on media accessibility in the courtroom.Grace: ordinary people can be heroes
By Clay Cunningham
Issue date: 2/21/07 Section: Campus
Well-known TV analyst and former Georgia prosecutor Nancy Grace made her presence known when she visited ISU Tuesday for two separate events.
In an afternoon press conference, Grace spoke about high-profile celebrity cases and the interest they garner, such as Michael Jackson, O.J. Simpson and Anna Nicole Smith."Anna Nicole Smith is symbolic of the legal system," she said. Grace called Simpson's proposed book "If I Did It" an attempt at blood money.
"Justice is blind when it comes to missing persons," she said after being asked about the missing Terre Haute native and ISU student Scott Javins who went missing in 2002. Grace later agreed to look into Javins's case.Grace said the hard-hitting questioning techniques that have made her famous come directly from cross-examinations in the courtroom.
"I feel very strongly that victims don't have a voice in the legal system," she said. "When I see the system fail, I feel like someone kicked me in my stomach."
Grace said that when she's not on television she exercises and reads frequently. Grace went into law after earning a degree in English. She doesn't regret giving up English for law, but still misses it. She recently returned from the Globe Theater in London.
"I miss it very much," she said of her English studies. "But I don't feel I had a choice."Grace defined the American justice system as "a test of truth born out of controversy."Grace said that while in law school, she would sit in church and study her law books. It's something she regrets, but she says she's making up for it by attending church anywhere she is.
Grace doesn't consider practicing law work, but rather something she's deeply passionate about. "It's not like a job where you clock out," she said. "It's something I believe in. You don't just shut it off."
In the evening, Grace conducted a conference in the Tilson Auditorium as part of ISU's speaker series. She entered the stage greeted by a partially standing ovation. She mostly avoided discussing her television persona, electing to talk to the audience about how everyday people can become heroes. Grace said that the opportunity for seemingly normal people to perform heroic acts happen all the time, it's just that many people don't seek these opportunities out.
"It's so easy for ordinary people to do extraordinary things," Grace said. 'The question is not will the call come, but when it comes, will you answer it?"
One story she shared came from her personal life. When Grace was young, she was laying on asphalt when she was confronted by a rattlesnake. Before it could attack her, her mother came from behind with a garden hoe, and stuck it into the snake killing it, and in doing so saving young Nancy's life.
"I felt like I had gotten off the world," Grace said. "It just didn't seem like the world could just keep spinning but it did. The only thing that changed was me."
This incident is what drove Grace to the law, where she would eventually become the first female federal prosecutor in inner city Atlanta. She told colorful stories about her bizarre trials she participated in when she began. She then went into detail about her first murder trial. A mentally and financially challenged woman named Mary had been suffocated with a plastic bag. Her family was unable to attend the trial, because they couldn't afford the cost of a bus ticket to get to the courtroom. Grace said that this was the moment she felt like she was doing something special.
"This is when I got to do something extraordinary," Grace said. "I got the chance to give a voice to the voiceless."
Since this moment, Grace has dedicated her time to defending the rights of crime victims. Though she has had a select few of her convictions overturned, she has never lost a felony case. She closed her speech by re-emphasizing her earlier points about how those can break the restraints of ordinary life and make a true impact on the world.
"I know you think your ordinary, but you're not," Grace said. "Let me ask you to do the good you can, when you can, for as long as you can. This is your race, so run."
The evening concluded with a question and answer session. Grace has come under fire for incidents such as when the mother of a kidnapped baby committed suicide one day after an intense interview with Grace. She has also been criticized for speculating of the guilt of high profile criminal suspects such as Michael Jackson and Scott Peterson, without having concrete evidence to support her claims. While she encouraged people to ask her about these incidents, no one did, indicating that most of her critics stayed home.
Speaking up - Grace, the third speaker in this year's University Speakers Series, spoke Tuesday night in Tilson Auditorium about becoming an everyday hero, as her mother was. She challenged listeners by saying, "Will you hear the call (to be a hero) and will you answer it?" Photos by Sam Allen
Monday, February 19, 2007
This guy is just awesome!
Check out this video at YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfn8Dz_13Ms
I've also posted a photo of this work on my other blog,
http://asunnyworldrevisited.blogspot.com/2007/01/ahhhhhhh.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfn8Dz_13Ms
I've also posted a photo of this work on my other blog,
http://asunnyworldrevisited.blogspot.com/2007/01/ahhhhhhh.html
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Fear
Your Higher Power is your greatest teacher. It willlead you into situations that, once faced, will bring you out theother side a far better person.
In any learning situation there is initially a bit offear. Think back on your life and you will see that the situations from which you gained the most always involved a bit of fear at the onset, from starting a personal relationship to flying in an airplane. Even recovery from addiction involves a great deal of fear in the beginning. But did not all of these result in a gift of some kind?
I believe fear to be a negative response to a positive situation. It is a sign that your Higher Power is about to bestow a gift. Your Higher Power ALWAYS gives gifts wrapped up in a problem. If one can learn to see truly in this way, fear will be seen for what it really is: the beginnings of a learning situation.
We must all learn to 'feel the fear and do it anyway'. If we are to learn anything new, we must leave the familiar path and strike out upon a new one . . .
And yes, we will still be here. But think how much we will have gained thereby.
In any learning situation there is initially a bit offear. Think back on your life and you will see that the situations from which you gained the most always involved a bit of fear at the onset, from starting a personal relationship to flying in an airplane. Even recovery from addiction involves a great deal of fear in the beginning. But did not all of these result in a gift of some kind?
I believe fear to be a negative response to a positive situation. It is a sign that your Higher Power is about to bestow a gift. Your Higher Power ALWAYS gives gifts wrapped up in a problem. If one can learn to see truly in this way, fear will be seen for what it really is: the beginnings of a learning situation.
We must all learn to 'feel the fear and do it anyway'. If we are to learn anything new, we must leave the familiar path and strike out upon a new one . . .
And yes, we will still be here. But think how much we will have gained thereby.
It is a long baptism into the seas of humankind, my daughter. Better immersion than to live untouched. --Tillie Olsen
We have each had days when we preferred hiding under the covers, avoiding life at all costs. And in times gone by, we did just that, sometimes too frequently. What we didn't always know, and what we still forget on occasion, is that we have a ready and willing Partner who will join us in every pursuit.The more fully we commit ourselves to one another and to all our experience, the closer we will come to the very serenity we long for. Serenity accompanies our increasing understanding of life's many mysteries. It's easy to cheat ourselves out of the prizes any day offers us. Fear fosters inertia, leaving us separate, alone, even more afraid. But we have an appointment with life. And our appointment will bring us to the place of full understanding, the place where we'll be certain, forever after, that all is well. And that life is good.
Today's appointments are part of the bigger plan for my life. I will face them, enjoy them, and reap their rewards.
Today's appointments are part of the bigger plan for my life. I will face them, enjoy them, and reap their rewards.
I believe that everyone needs a mentor. --Harry Bartholomew
We have all had mentors -- many of them, in fact. We might not have labeled them as such, but throughout our lives we have been picking up ideas and mannerisms from many people. From some, we sought to learn specific skills, perhaps on the job or while in school. A few inadvertently became our mentors simply because of our proximity to them. Along the way, we may have chosen some mentors impulsively and to our detriment. The process of mentoring is how most of us learn, ultimately. Have we forgotten that we, too, have served as mentors for many others who have shared our journey?We obviously are not through living yet. Thus we are not through mentoring either. Every encounter we have with someone is mentoring in action. One moment we're on the learning end; the next, perhaps we're acting as teacher. Mentoring has always been a two-way street.We have never been able to control another's mentoring, but we have always been free to choose or refuse to follow his or her example. What we can control, and this has always been true, is the content of our own mentoring. Are we satisfied that we've done our best?
Today I'll remember that my role as mentor isn't over yet.
Today I'll remember that my role as mentor isn't over yet.
Nothing happens to any man that he is not formed by nature to bear. --Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
Reflecting on the past reveals that indeed we do find the strength and the ability to cope with whatever experience ripples our calm. Moreover, we have come to accept that these tides of turmoil wash in new awarenesses, heightened perceptions, and measurable calm.Tragedies are guaranteed to trigger first pain, then perceptible growth, and finally, tranquility. Over and over again we pass through these stages that are designed to nurture our fuller development as healthy human beings. Over and over we see that the tough times teach us what we're ready to learn.We can look to the day ahead fully expecting to be strengthened enough to handle whatever we've been readied to experience. Nothing will present itself that can't be coped with.
Today I can be certain of growing. I will meet the challenges in unison with my inner strength.
Today I can be certain of growing. I will meet the challenges in unison with my inner strength.
Friday, February 16, 2007
My horoscope for today...hmmm
Every relationship you have is a partnership -- be aware of power issues today.
A new idea has definite possibilities -- but move slowly. Remember, some situations need to simmer or else they can boil over. Work with it as it appears and let it develop in its own fashion and on its own schedule.
They say pride goes before a fall, but it's pride that needs to be set aside prior to falling in love. Assess yourself and your situation realistically. Cultivate openness and acceptance. Be humble.
Every relationship you have is a partnership of one kind or another -- and in every partnership, there's a balance of power to be considered. Today you will be especially aware of these power issues, although there will not necessarily be any type of battle. Just understanding the give and take of every exchange you have with someone will help prepare you for potential clashes. The more prepared you are, the shorter these future conflicts will be.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
How brutally honest are you?
| You Are 80% Brutally Honest |
 Most of the time, you tell it like it is. Even if it's hard for people to hear. Sometimes you hold back though, because you never want your honesty to be hurtful. |
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Look, the wind vane fluttering in the autumn breeze! Look how it takes hold of certain things that cannot be held. --Feng Chih
When we think we are losing our grip, we have good reason to look up. Consider the moon suspended in the sky, how it continues to come and go, follows its natural law, and never really loses face. Consider the sun, the stars, the seasons, how they refuse to abandon us, to let go of their hold on our lives. And come closer to home. We can marvel at the magic of small efficient things--the toaster and stove, the light in the room, the words in a good book that are permanent, faithful, and clear. We can consider how music, without saying a word, still speaks to us, and how a few friends, maybe miles away, continue to hang on to the strength of our small and faithful words.
We can keep in mind that we are part of a complex and loving system, and our grip can never be lost.
We can keep in mind that we are part of a complex and loving system, and our grip can never be lost.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Cops: Homeless patient 'dumped' on Skid Row
Cops: Homeless patient 'dumped' on Skid Row
POSTED: 10:32 a.m. EST, February 9, 2007
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A hospital van dropped off a paraplegic man on Skid Row, allegedly leaving him crawling in the street with nothing more than a soiled gown and a broken colostomy bag, police said.
Witnesses who said they saw the incident Thursday wrote down a phone number on the van and took down its license-plate number, which helped detectives connect the vehicle to Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, the Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site.
Police said the incident was a case of "homeless dumping" and were questioning officials from the hospital.
"I can't think of anything colder than that," said Detective Russ Long. "There was no mission around, no services. It's the worst area of Skid Row."
The case comes three months after the L.A. city attorney's office filed its first indictment for homeless dumping against Kaiser Permanente for an incident earlier last year.
In that case, a 63-year-old patient from the hospital's Bellflower medical center was videotaped wandering the streets of Skid Row in a hospital gown and socks.
An after-hours call Thursday to Hollywood Presbyterian seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Kaylor Shemberger, the hospital's executive vice president, told the Times the incident was under investigation.
"Obviously we are very concerned about the information that has been presented to us," Shemberger said. "If some of the facts are correct, it is clearly not in line with our policy of handling these types of patients."
City officials have accused more than a dozen hospitals of dumping patients and criminals on Skid Row. Hospital officials have denied the allegations, but some said they had taken homeless patients to Skid Row service providers.
In 2005, Hollywood Presbyterian was accused of homeless dumping.
At the time, a top executive denied the charge, but said Skid Row service providers offered treatment and care for some patients who had nowhere else to go.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/09/homeless.dumping.ap/index.html
POSTED: 10:32 a.m. EST, February 9, 2007
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A hospital van dropped off a paraplegic man on Skid Row, allegedly leaving him crawling in the street with nothing more than a soiled gown and a broken colostomy bag, police said.
Witnesses who said they saw the incident Thursday wrote down a phone number on the van and took down its license-plate number, which helped detectives connect the vehicle to Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, the Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site.
Police said the incident was a case of "homeless dumping" and were questioning officials from the hospital.
"I can't think of anything colder than that," said Detective Russ Long. "There was no mission around, no services. It's the worst area of Skid Row."
The case comes three months after the L.A. city attorney's office filed its first indictment for homeless dumping against Kaiser Permanente for an incident earlier last year.
In that case, a 63-year-old patient from the hospital's Bellflower medical center was videotaped wandering the streets of Skid Row in a hospital gown and socks.
An after-hours call Thursday to Hollywood Presbyterian seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Kaylor Shemberger, the hospital's executive vice president, told the Times the incident was under investigation.
"Obviously we are very concerned about the information that has been presented to us," Shemberger said. "If some of the facts are correct, it is clearly not in line with our policy of handling these types of patients."
City officials have accused more than a dozen hospitals of dumping patients and criminals on Skid Row. Hospital officials have denied the allegations, but some said they had taken homeless patients to Skid Row service providers.
In 2005, Hollywood Presbyterian was accused of homeless dumping.
At the time, a top executive denied the charge, but said Skid Row service providers offered treatment and care for some patients who had nowhere else to go.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/09/homeless.dumping.ap/index.html
Dedicated to Gina
Yarra River, from Warburton to Upper Yarra Reserve to Kane's Bridge near Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
I'd love to see more scenic photos of the area surrounding Melbourne.
More thoughts...
Do you think the fight against political correctness is causing hate to be taught to our children? What has happened to acceptance, tolerance, and love for every human being? Why can't we just let people live their lives the way they want? Is it really that bothersome what someone is doing behind closed doors? What happened to freedom of expression? Why can't all religions coexist? We should be able to let Joey carry his Bible, Saeed carry his Quran, and Raven carry her Book of Shadows, let David read his Torah, let Shih Chang consult his Buddhist scrolls. What's most important is how we teach our children. They are the world's future leaders and we need to impress upon them moral and ethical values.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
I'd like to know your thoughts on this
These are not my words. This was sent to me through a social networking web site. I'd like to know your thoughts on this. Leave comments please.
{Definition of Political Correctness
"Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous liberal press which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end!"
Perhaps a better definition would be from the Bible - Isaiah 5:20 ("Woe unto you that call good evil, and evil good.....")
When the liberals:call our soldiers "terrorists" and the terrorists "freedom fighters"call our president a "dictator" and say "Iraq was better off with Saddam"accuse our soldiers at Gitmo of torture and abusing the terrorists as the terrorist spit at and throw feces at our troopscall the deserters "heroes" and our soldiers "mercenaries"when they say "I support the troops" and say they "are uneducated, school rejects"say that terrorist are "good" and our country is "evil"
This could go on and on................
Political Correctness also says you can't pray in school and you can't spank but you can hand out condoms and teach kids the Islamic religion and the ACLU is the supreme authority not GOD. You can't have a bible but you can have the Koran or a book with witchcraft spells in it. Then they wonder why schools are getting shot up by Gothic devilish little thugs and illicit sex and drugs are rampant and kids are not learning. It is obvious except to the people that look at things through the spectacles of political correctness.}
{Definition of Political Correctness
"Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous liberal press which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end!"
Perhaps a better definition would be from the Bible - Isaiah 5:20 ("Woe unto you that call good evil, and evil good.....")
When the liberals:call our soldiers "terrorists" and the terrorists "freedom fighters"call our president a "dictator" and say "Iraq was better off with Saddam"accuse our soldiers at Gitmo of torture and abusing the terrorists as the terrorist spit at and throw feces at our troopscall the deserters "heroes" and our soldiers "mercenaries"when they say "I support the troops" and say they "are uneducated, school rejects"say that terrorist are "good" and our country is "evil"
This could go on and on................
Political Correctness also says you can't pray in school and you can't spank but you can hand out condoms and teach kids the Islamic religion and the ACLU is the supreme authority not GOD. You can't have a bible but you can have the Koran or a book with witchcraft spells in it. Then they wonder why schools are getting shot up by Gothic devilish little thugs and illicit sex and drugs are rampant and kids are not learning. It is obvious except to the people that look at things through the spectacles of political correctness.}
In defense of 24 (thanks Phil)
I only hope that more Muslims as well as other Arabs will have the courage to say what the author below stated so eloquently.
In Defense of '24'
BY EMILIO KARIM DABUL OpinionJournal.com of the Wall Street Journal February 7, 2007
I am an Arab-American as well as a fan of "24." The two things are not mutually exclusive, despite what the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other such groups have to say about this season ' s opening episodes possibly increasing anti-Muslim and anti-Arab prejudice in American society.
Most of the terrorists represented in "24" through the years have been Arab Muslims. Why? Well, probably because most terrorists today are, in fact, Arab Muslims. As a descendant of Syrian Muslims, I am very well aware that the majority of Muslims world-wide are peaceful, hard working, and law abiding. That still does not change the fact that the greatest terrorist threat to the U.S. today comes not from the ETA, the IRA, etc., but from one group: Islamic terrorists.
And this is what makes "24" a compelling drama every week. Instead of pretending Islamic terrorists don ' t exist, the show presents frighteningly real worst-case scenarios perpetrated by Osama bin Laden ' s followers. So CAIR thinks it ' s over the top for the terrorists in "24" to blow up Los Angeles with a nuke? Please, if bin Laden and his crew had nukes, most of us would be way too dead to argue over such points.
There is a dangerous trend in the U.S. today that involves skirting the truth at the risk of offending any individual or group. When Bill Cosby talks to African-Americans about self-respect and responsibility, and says publicly what many have been saying privately for years, he ' s branded a "reactionary," "misinformed," "judgmental," and so on. When "24" confronts America ' s worst fears about al Qaeda--whose goal remains to kill as many Americans as possible whenever possible--the show is said to be guilty of fueling anti-Muslim and anti-Arab prejudice.
Well, here ' s the hard, cold truth: When Islamic terrorists stop being a threat to America ' s survival, viewers will lose interest in "24," because it will have lost its relevancy. Until such time, I will continue to watch "24"--because, believe it or not, the idea that there are Jack Bauers out there in real life risking their lives to save ours does mean something to me.
And as for "24" causing a possible backlash against Muslims and Arab-Americans, where ' s the evidence of that? The show is now in its sixth season and there hasn ' t been one recorded incident of any viewer ever slurring or attacking any Muslim or Arab-American because of something that happened on the show. More to the point, in the latest episode President Palmer stated, "The American Muslim community is the greatest line of defense against these terrorists." He advocates strengthening ties with Islamic leaders across the U.S. , and is opposed to measures that would in any way infringe upon the constitutional rights of Arab Americans.
That said, I would certainly welcome more characters in movies, TV programs and novels who reflect the overall Arab-American experience. Truth is, most of us don ' t have bomb-making skills or a desire to become human missiles. And there are Muslim and Arab-American CTU heroes out there, as well as doctors, superdads, women scientists, etc. But just as it took Saul Bellow to give literary voice to the Jewish-American experience, we need our own storytellers to weave the pastiche of tales that make up Arab-American life. In the meantime, the next time a journalist decides to report on Arab-American concerns about shows like "24," maybe he could actually talk to someone other than CAIR and the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and seek out Arab-Americans with a different point of view. We actually do exist.
And maybe that same reporter could take a closer look at CAIR. Ask CAIR about the Holy Land Foundation and its support of Hamas. Ask it about the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the CAIR board member who was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in that case--yet still sits on CAIR 's board. Look a little closer, and maybe you 'll find that CAIR has good reason to get nervous about shows like "24."
Because terrorists and their supporters continue to hide among us in plain sight, we need Jack Bauer, now more than ever.
Mr. Dabul is a free-lance writer and the author of "Deadline," a novel about modern terrorism.
In Defense of '24'
BY EMILIO KARIM DABUL OpinionJournal.com of the Wall Street Journal February 7, 2007
I am an Arab-American as well as a fan of "24." The two things are not mutually exclusive, despite what the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other such groups have to say about this season ' s opening episodes possibly increasing anti-Muslim and anti-Arab prejudice in American society.
Most of the terrorists represented in "24" through the years have been Arab Muslims. Why? Well, probably because most terrorists today are, in fact, Arab Muslims. As a descendant of Syrian Muslims, I am very well aware that the majority of Muslims world-wide are peaceful, hard working, and law abiding. That still does not change the fact that the greatest terrorist threat to the U.S. today comes not from the ETA, the IRA, etc., but from one group: Islamic terrorists.
And this is what makes "24" a compelling drama every week. Instead of pretending Islamic terrorists don ' t exist, the show presents frighteningly real worst-case scenarios perpetrated by Osama bin Laden ' s followers. So CAIR thinks it ' s over the top for the terrorists in "24" to blow up Los Angeles with a nuke? Please, if bin Laden and his crew had nukes, most of us would be way too dead to argue over such points.
There is a dangerous trend in the U.S. today that involves skirting the truth at the risk of offending any individual or group. When Bill Cosby talks to African-Americans about self-respect and responsibility, and says publicly what many have been saying privately for years, he ' s branded a "reactionary," "misinformed," "judgmental," and so on. When "24" confronts America ' s worst fears about al Qaeda--whose goal remains to kill as many Americans as possible whenever possible--the show is said to be guilty of fueling anti-Muslim and anti-Arab prejudice.
Well, here ' s the hard, cold truth: When Islamic terrorists stop being a threat to America ' s survival, viewers will lose interest in "24," because it will have lost its relevancy. Until such time, I will continue to watch "24"--because, believe it or not, the idea that there are Jack Bauers out there in real life risking their lives to save ours does mean something to me.
And as for "24" causing a possible backlash against Muslims and Arab-Americans, where ' s the evidence of that? The show is now in its sixth season and there hasn ' t been one recorded incident of any viewer ever slurring or attacking any Muslim or Arab-American because of something that happened on the show. More to the point, in the latest episode President Palmer stated, "The American Muslim community is the greatest line of defense against these terrorists." He advocates strengthening ties with Islamic leaders across the U.S. , and is opposed to measures that would in any way infringe upon the constitutional rights of Arab Americans.
That said, I would certainly welcome more characters in movies, TV programs and novels who reflect the overall Arab-American experience. Truth is, most of us don ' t have bomb-making skills or a desire to become human missiles. And there are Muslim and Arab-American CTU heroes out there, as well as doctors, superdads, women scientists, etc. But just as it took Saul Bellow to give literary voice to the Jewish-American experience, we need our own storytellers to weave the pastiche of tales that make up Arab-American life. In the meantime, the next time a journalist decides to report on Arab-American concerns about shows like "24," maybe he could actually talk to someone other than CAIR and the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and seek out Arab-Americans with a different point of view. We actually do exist.
And maybe that same reporter could take a closer look at CAIR. Ask CAIR about the Holy Land Foundation and its support of Hamas. Ask it about the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the CAIR board member who was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in that case--yet still sits on CAIR 's board. Look a little closer, and maybe you 'll find that CAIR has good reason to get nervous about shows like "24."
Because terrorists and their supporters continue to hide among us in plain sight, we need Jack Bauer, now more than ever.
Mr. Dabul is a free-lance writer and the author of "Deadline," a novel about modern terrorism.
Are you a Manly Man???
I borrowed this from my friend Twin1. Thanks!
Here are 11 questions that will determine whether you are a true Manly Man, or some other type of girlie-man,euro-man, boy toy, or other meaningless subservient type.
NOW..Don't scroll to the answers til you've chosen, and be sure to write down how many you got correct.
1. A Manly Man cuts his steak with: A - Steak Knife B - Buck Knife C - Swiss Army Knife D - None of the above
ANSWER 1. A, B, C - Wrong. A Manly Man eats his steak with his hands. The only knives he needs are his teeth. D - Correct. A Manly Man doesn't need sissy utensils to eat meat in the first place.
2. My favorite footwear is: A - Penny Loafers B - Steel Toed Wolverines C - Topsiders
ANSWER 2. A - You're kidding, right? Penny loafers are for shoe clerks, not Manly Men! B - Correct. Good for work, good for play, good for kickin' some pansy ass too... C - Maybe for your yacht, rich boy, but that's no Manly Man shoe.
3. A perfect woman is: A - 36-24-36, blonde, blue eyes B - Career-oriented and self-motivated C - 5 feet tall, no teeth, flat head
ANSWER 3. A - No doubt a blonde, blue eyed 36-24-36 type is a good-looking woman, but not perfect. B - What, can't support yourself so you're planning on riding on her apron strings? C - 5 feet tall = the perfect height. No teeth = you know why. Flat head = somewhere to put your drink and ashtray.
4. The Manly Man Saturday consists of: A - Watching football B - Playing football C - Coaching football
ANSWER 4. A - Wrong. Watching is for spectators, and spectators watch Manly Men. B - What else is there when rugby season is over? Correct! C - Wrong. Those who can - do. Those who cannot - teach.
5. The Manly Man's Favorite Store is: A - Tools R Us B - Lowe's C - Sports Town
ANSWER 5. All of the above
6. For entertainment, a Manly Man prefers: A - "Dirty Harry" B - "The Longest Yard" C - "Debbie Does Dallas"
ANSWER 6. A - Correct. All of these answers are correct, but this one kicks the most ass, making it the most correct. B - All of these answers are correct, but "Dirty Harry" kicks the most ass, making it the most correct. C - Correct, and what a plot! But, Dirty Harry kicks more ass, making it the most correct.
7. A Manly Man expresses himself... A - With warm, outward emotional displays. B - Through poetry, song and art. C - From behind the wheel of his classic '70's muscle car.
ANSWER 7. A - Incorrect. Listen up all you Euro-wimps and '90's guys! B - Not a chance. Manly men are too busy fighting wars to bother with poetry, song and art. C - Bingo. Talk to my GTO if you need more input about my inner person.
8. A Manly drink is... A - A shot and a beer B - Gatorade C - Spring Water
ANSWER 8. A - Correct. Extra credit for a "boilermaker". B - Wrong. Even if Michael Jordan drinks it, this is still the drink of skeletal, long distance runners C - No way! Anything that would wash down goose liver pate is anti-Manly.
9. Beneath his jeans a Manly Man wears: A - Boxers B - BVD's C - Nothing
ANSWER 9. A - No. Boxers are for fashion models. B - Wrong. A Manly Man package is not comfortable restricted to a tight fit like this. C - Correct. Manly Men, well-endowed, swing in the breeze.
10. Why did the Manly Man cross the road? A - What's it to you? B - To get to the other side. C - To beat the crap out of some sissy boy.
ANSWER 10. A - Right. Now get outta my face. B - Wrong. A Manly Man would demand the other side come to him. C - Wrong. A Manly Man could beat the crap out of some sissy boy without crossing the road.
11. A Manly Man gets a woman's attention by: A - Grunting loudly in her ear B - Ripping off her dress C - None of the above
ANSWER 11. A - Wrong. This could be misconstrued as whispering sweet nothings. B - Wrong. You're confusing getting attention with foreplay. C - Correct. A Manly Man already has a woman's attention.
How'd you do?
1 CORRECT - Pass the mascara girlie man!
2 CORRECT - Eek! A mouse!
3 CORRECT - How's that skirt fitting these days?
4 CORRECT - You could pass for a bull dyke.
5 CORRECT - It would be fun kicking your pansy ass!
6 CORRECT - Moving out of the math club group
7 CORRECT - Wimpy, but with potential.
8 CORRECT - With work, you could be a boy...
9 CORRECT - A manly man junior varsity player.
10 CORRECT - With a little work, you too could be a manly man.
11 CORRECT - You, fine sir, are a prime example of a manly man!
12 CORRECT - You're cheating, lying scum!
OK....so nobody said this was fair! hehe
Here are 11 questions that will determine whether you are a true Manly Man, or some other type of girlie-man,euro-man, boy toy, or other meaningless subservient type.
NOW..Don't scroll to the answers til you've chosen, and be sure to write down how many you got correct.
1. A Manly Man cuts his steak with: A - Steak Knife B - Buck Knife C - Swiss Army Knife D - None of the above
ANSWER 1. A, B, C - Wrong. A Manly Man eats his steak with his hands. The only knives he needs are his teeth. D - Correct. A Manly Man doesn't need sissy utensils to eat meat in the first place.
2. My favorite footwear is: A - Penny Loafers B - Steel Toed Wolverines C - Topsiders
ANSWER 2. A - You're kidding, right? Penny loafers are for shoe clerks, not Manly Men! B - Correct. Good for work, good for play, good for kickin' some pansy ass too... C - Maybe for your yacht, rich boy, but that's no Manly Man shoe.
3. A perfect woman is: A - 36-24-36, blonde, blue eyes B - Career-oriented and self-motivated C - 5 feet tall, no teeth, flat head
ANSWER 3. A - No doubt a blonde, blue eyed 36-24-36 type is a good-looking woman, but not perfect. B - What, can't support yourself so you're planning on riding on her apron strings? C - 5 feet tall = the perfect height. No teeth = you know why. Flat head = somewhere to put your drink and ashtray.
4. The Manly Man Saturday consists of: A - Watching football B - Playing football C - Coaching football
ANSWER 4. A - Wrong. Watching is for spectators, and spectators watch Manly Men. B - What else is there when rugby season is over? Correct! C - Wrong. Those who can - do. Those who cannot - teach.
5. The Manly Man's Favorite Store is: A - Tools R Us B - Lowe's C - Sports Town
ANSWER 5. All of the above
6. For entertainment, a Manly Man prefers: A - "Dirty Harry" B - "The Longest Yard" C - "Debbie Does Dallas"
ANSWER 6. A - Correct. All of these answers are correct, but this one kicks the most ass, making it the most correct. B - All of these answers are correct, but "Dirty Harry" kicks the most ass, making it the most correct. C - Correct, and what a plot! But, Dirty Harry kicks more ass, making it the most correct.
7. A Manly Man expresses himself... A - With warm, outward emotional displays. B - Through poetry, song and art. C - From behind the wheel of his classic '70's muscle car.
ANSWER 7. A - Incorrect. Listen up all you Euro-wimps and '90's guys! B - Not a chance. Manly men are too busy fighting wars to bother with poetry, song and art. C - Bingo. Talk to my GTO if you need more input about my inner person.
8. A Manly drink is... A - A shot and a beer B - Gatorade C - Spring Water
ANSWER 8. A - Correct. Extra credit for a "boilermaker". B - Wrong. Even if Michael Jordan drinks it, this is still the drink of skeletal, long distance runners C - No way! Anything that would wash down goose liver pate is anti-Manly.
9. Beneath his jeans a Manly Man wears: A - Boxers B - BVD's C - Nothing
ANSWER 9. A - No. Boxers are for fashion models. B - Wrong. A Manly Man package is not comfortable restricted to a tight fit like this. C - Correct. Manly Men, well-endowed, swing in the breeze.
10. Why did the Manly Man cross the road? A - What's it to you? B - To get to the other side. C - To beat the crap out of some sissy boy.
ANSWER 10. A - Right. Now get outta my face. B - Wrong. A Manly Man would demand the other side come to him. C - Wrong. A Manly Man could beat the crap out of some sissy boy without crossing the road.
11. A Manly Man gets a woman's attention by: A - Grunting loudly in her ear B - Ripping off her dress C - None of the above
ANSWER 11. A - Wrong. This could be misconstrued as whispering sweet nothings. B - Wrong. You're confusing getting attention with foreplay. C - Correct. A Manly Man already has a woman's attention.
How'd you do?
1 CORRECT - Pass the mascara girlie man!
2 CORRECT - Eek! A mouse!
3 CORRECT - How's that skirt fitting these days?
4 CORRECT - You could pass for a bull dyke.
5 CORRECT - It would be fun kicking your pansy ass!
6 CORRECT - Moving out of the math club group
7 CORRECT - Wimpy, but with potential.
8 CORRECT - With work, you could be a boy...
9 CORRECT - A manly man junior varsity player.
10 CORRECT - With a little work, you too could be a manly man.
11 CORRECT - You, fine sir, are a prime example of a manly man!
12 CORRECT - You're cheating, lying scum!
OK....so nobody said this was fair! hehe
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
24: Aqua Teen Hunger Force...classic!
If you are a fan of the show 24 and you heard about Cartoon Network's tactics in Boston recently with advertising for "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" then you would definitely appreciate this video. Just follow the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWUaQVZHzyI
Thanks to Youtube and 24Fan blog for the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWUaQVZHzyI
Thanks to Youtube and 24Fan blog for the video.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Terror-Free Oil
Here is a friend & fellow 24 fanatic, MJ.Photo by Mike Berens
Gas Station To Offer Terror-Free Oil
February Grand Opening Planned
POSTED: 4:48 pm CST January 18, 2007
UPDATED: 8:53 am CST January 22, 2007
OMAHA, Neb. -- Area drivers will soon be able to fill up with gasoline made from "terror-free oil."
A gas station about to open near 129th and Q streets is named Terror Free Oil, and the idea is to offer consumers petroleum products from countries that do not sponsor terror.
The gas station is associated with the Terror-Free Oil Initiative. The group's objective is to encourage Americans to buy gasoline that originated from countries that do not export or finance terrorism. A representative said that Omaha's will be the first of several terror-free oil gas stations to open across the country. "The terror-free oil initiative is dedicated to encouraging Americans to buy gasoline that originated from countries that do not export or finance terrorism," according to the group's Web site.
Chris Decker, professor of economics with the University of Nebraska-Omaha said the idea may make for good marketing.
"From a business perspective, it's kind of a neat way to differentiate yourself from the competition. To me, that sounds an awful lot like what we in environmental economics refer to as eco-labeling. Like, when you purchase a can of tuna with a symbol that there was no harm to dolphins to catch the tuna," Decker said.
Will drivers make a special trip? Mary Ann Buscher said the station got her attention, with its bright red, white and blue advertising, but she isn't sure when or if she'll stop there.
"I wouldn't go out of my way to go there, probably. No, I wouldn't," she said.
The grand opening is Feb. 12.
http://www.ketv.com/automotive/10786780/detail.html
Sunday, February 04, 2007
U.S. in Afghanistan May Mean Harder Line
Canadian soldiers of the NATO -led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) stand guard on the main road after a suicide attack on the out skirts of Kandahar province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007. A suicide bomber in an explosives-filled car attacked a NATO convoy outside the town of Kandahar, said Haji Razaq Khan, a police official. No NATO troops were injured in the blast, he said. (AP Photo/Allauddin Khan)U.S. in Afghanistan May Mean Harder Line
Sunday, February 4, 2007 4:04 PM EST
The Associated Press
By JASON STRAZIUSO
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Gen. Dan McNeill, the highest ranking U.S. general to lead troops in Afghanistan, took command of 35,500 NATO-led soldiers on Sunday, putting an American face on the international mission after nine months of British command.
The transition comes after a year of sharply increased violence following the alliance's push into the Taliban's southern heartland, and military officials said privately they expect McNeill to take a harder line with militants than his predecessor, Gen. David Richards.
Richards backed a peace deal in the southern town of Musa Qala that crumbled in his last days in command when an estimated 200 Taliban fighters overran the town on Thursday.
NATO said a targeted airstrike Sunday killed a key Taliban leader causing the upheaval.
One American military officer who labeled McNeill a "warfighter to the bone" said his arrival likely signals the end of such deals, saying they would go under "much greater scrutiny." The official asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.
A senior Afghan military official, meanwhile, said the Defense Ministry expected McNeill to implement a policy of "strong military action." Other American officials said they expected a stronger approach under McNeill without specifying what that would be.
The appointment of McNeill, one of only 11 four-star generals in the Army, raises the profile of the American mission here two weeks after the Defense Department extended the tour of 3,200 10th Mountain Division soldiers.
There are now 26,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the highest number ever. About 14,000 American forces fall under the command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force; 12,000 troops focused on training Afghan forces and special operations fall under the U.S.-led coalition.
By comparison, there were only about 9,500 troops in Afghanistan in 2002, the year after the Taliban's ouster.
Col. Tom Collins, an ISAF spokesman, said McNeill's arrival and the increased troop levels underscored the American commitment.
"Last year was a very tough year in Afghanistan and the enemy was able to make some gains in the south," Collins said. "We have a lot of work that still needs to be done. ... It's important we get more forces here. The United States has stepped up."
McNeill takes command after a bloody 2006 in which insurgents launched a record number of suicide and roadside bombs. About 4,000 people died in insurgency-related violence last year, according to an Associated Press count based on numbers from U.S., NATO and Afghan officials.
McNeill — a veteran of five foreign conflicts, from Vietnam to Afghanistan, where he served in 2002-03 — said at a handover ceremony Sunday that ISAF's mission was to facilitate reconstruction so Afghans "might enjoy self-determination, education, health and the peaceful realization of their hopes and dreams."
"We will quit neither post nor mission until the job is done or we are properly relieved," McNeill said.
Ninety minutes before the ceremony, a NATO airstrike killed a Taliban leader in Musa Qala, where an October peace deal between village elders and the Helmand provincial government prevented NATO, Afghan and Taliban fighters from coming within three miles of the town center.
Mohammad Wali, a Musa Qala resident, said the airstrike killed a militant named Mullah Abdul Gafoor and some of his associates while they were riding in a truck just outside Musa Qala. Collins did not name the person killed, saying officials wanted to be certain of his identify.
Another resident, Lal Mohammad, told The Associated Press on Saturday that the Musa Qala militants were being led by Gafoor, the hardline militia's corps commander in western Afghanistan during the Taliban regime.
Musa Qala saw intense battles between Taliban fighters and British troops last summer and fall. The fighting caused widespread damage to the town of around 10,000 inhabitants, most of whom were forced to leave. British forces withdrew after the truce, which turned over security to local leaders.
Richards defended the deal on Saturday, saying it had caused a split between locals and Taliban fighters and that it was a classic tool of counterinsurgency warfare.
Richards oversaw NATO's largest-ever ground battle, a fight in the southern district of Panjwayi in September that NATO says killed over 500 fighters. Military officials say the Taliban thought they could drive out NATO forces right as they moved into the south.
The United States supplies the largest number of foreign troops backing the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai, followed by Britain (5,200), Germany (3,000), Canada (2,500) and the Netherlands (2,200). Thirty-two other countries provide some troops.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Guilty
Cold is my shattered heart
Dark is my broken mind
Once I had an abounding love
I could never seem to find
I hoped your love was true
I thought you were right
Pulling in two directions
You hurt me out of spite
You built me up too high
Made me think you're good
Feelings spilling like the waterfall
Oh I'm sorry you misunderstood
I meant what I said
I gave you my word
Let's be friends you say
To me that's absurd
But you know how I am
I will do what you say
Holding you in my heart
I love you every day
You could never do anything
To make me stop loving you
My love is unconditional
My heart and love are true
Maybe one day you will realize
How much you truly mean to me
I have waited this long
I can wait for an eternity
If you are an obsession
Then I'm guilty as sin
Because what's in my mind
I will always keep within
They say it's too soon
Well maybe that's true
All I've known for years
Is that I've always loved you
Dark is my broken mind
Once I had an abounding love
I could never seem to find
I hoped your love was true
I thought you were right
Pulling in two directions
You hurt me out of spite
You built me up too high
Made me think you're good
Feelings spilling like the waterfall
Oh I'm sorry you misunderstood
I meant what I said
I gave you my word
Let's be friends you say
To me that's absurd
But you know how I am
I will do what you say
Holding you in my heart
I love you every day
You could never do anything
To make me stop loving you
My love is unconditional
My heart and love are true
Maybe one day you will realize
How much you truly mean to me
I have waited this long
I can wait for an eternity
If you are an obsession
Then I'm guilty as sin
Because what's in my mind
I will always keep within
They say it's too soon
Well maybe that's true
All I've known for years
Is that I've always loved you
Friday, February 02, 2007
My absence
Sorry I've been gone, my youngest daughter has been very ill this past week.
Thanks to Phil and Donna Kay for the well wishes.
Thanks to Melynda for the "nursing" support.
Now all I need is a psychiatrist!
Thanks to Phil and Donna Kay for the well wishes.
Thanks to Melynda for the "nursing" support.
Now all I need is a psychiatrist!
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