I'M FIRED UP AND READY TO GO!
We raised that battlecry during the election campaign. We gotta raise our voices again in support of the Health Care reform!
How bout you?
"Trinidad-born sailor Jamille Sabga hid with almost 20 crewmates in a cramped metal room next to his ship's engine in 120-degree Fahrenheit heat for hours as pirates seized control of a United States cargo ship in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia. Sabga, 65, was on board the Maersk Alabama, a container ship carrying food aid for Somalians, when it was attacked by heavily armed Somali pirates on Wednesday. Sabga grew up in Trinidad and Tobago and moved to New York, then emigrated to Canada about 25 years ago after marrying a citizen of that country..."
Sabga, 65, was on board the Maersk Alabama, a container ship carrying food aid for Somalians, when it was attacked by heavily armed Somali pirates on Wednesday.
Sabga grew up in Trinidad and Tobago and moved to New York, then emigrated to Canada about 25 years ago after marrying a citizen of that country..."
Read the rest of Curtis Rampersad's Trinidad and Tobago Express newspaper story at this link:http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161464087
Read the rest of Curtis Rampersad's Trinidad and Tobago Express newspaper story at this link:
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161464087
The most amazing sights were seen when President Obama made his first visit to Iraq on Tuesday April 7, 2009 --hard-backed, battle-hardened soldiers crying and rushing forward to hug --in greeting-- their new Commander-In-Chief!
Gotta admit that I was overcome with emotion on seeing the news clips and articles in, for instance, the Huffington Post; so moved, I penned this ode: ON POTUS BARACK OBAMA'S FIRST IRAQI VISTLast time a POTUS on Iraq, a came a-calling,Very quickly the whole world in laughing fits over him began a-falling, Because, then, twice, from flung footwear that POTUS had to duck,Which wouldn't have happened, had he had Obama's luck.For, today, April seventh, two thousand and nine,No shoes were showered on the new POTUS, only greetings benign,As, from all evidence, it's clear only hugs, kisses and smiles went forthTo greet POTUS Barack Obama as, humbly, he entered enemy port.If ever I'm asked to explain what prompted this awesome sight:Of POTUS Obama getting hugged by battle-hardened soldiers with all their might,I'd unhesitatingly venture to say, without fear of being wrong, "Such only happens when, together, the hearts of governed and governor beat, as one."
Maybe we can learn something worthwhile from these experiences, even if we may be of those few who aren't starry-eyed over Barack Hussein Obama's thus far accomplishments.
© Richard Wm. Thomas,
kid5rivers
Five Rivers, Arouca,
Trinidad and Tobago.
At the top of this blog page are to be found these immortal words of Barack Hussein Obama, POTUS 44:I'm asking you to believe, not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington...I'm asking you to believe in yours." Those twenty-four words sum up the essence of what catalyzed us to make this blog the main weapon for initiating the monumental changes we implemented in last November's election.And, when the election was over, we looked forward to continuing the odyseey via this blog.Sadly, I must report that I've lost all belief...and hope...that this blog still is relevant to any such change and, worse yet, that, at any future time, it shall be. Why? Just look at what this blog has become --the moderators have deliberately allowed it to be hijacked by spammers, so, hardly any room is left for bloggers who wish to post anything of benefit. The only possible reason for the moderators' slackness is that NOBODY on the Obama administrative team visits this blog. And, extrapolating, if they don't, then this blog serves no purpose.Therefore, I believe it's time to pull the plug. In any event, The Kid would hardly come visiting in future. Let the spammers run with it!I'm gone!
At the top of this blog page are to be found these immortal words of Barack Hussein Obama, POTUS 44:
I'm asking you to believe, not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington...I'm asking you to believe in yours."
Those twenty-four words sum up the essence of what catalyzed us to make this blog the main weapon for initiating the monumental changes we implemented in last November's election.And, when the election was over, we looked forward to continuing the odyseey via this blog.
Sadly, I must report that I've lost all belief...and hope...that this blog still is relevant to any such change and, worse yet, that, at any future time, it shall be. Why? Just look at what this blog has become --the moderators have deliberately allowed it to be hijacked by spammers, so, hardly any room is left for bloggers who wish to post anything of benefit. The only possible reason for the moderators' slackness is that NOBODY on the Obama administrative team visits this blog. And, extrapolating, if they don't, then this blog serves no purpose.
Therefore, I believe it's time to pull the plug. In any event, The Kid would hardly come visiting in future. Let the spammers run with it!
I'm gone!
What's the point of having a moderated blog if yall are not on the ball? What am I talking about? I talking about how in tarnation these (robot?) spammers are constantly permitted to jam up our blogsite with their stupid posts linking back to hundreds and hundreds of urls?This is our blog!
What's the point of having a moderated blog if yall are not on the ball? What am I talking about? I talking about how in tarnation these (robot?) spammers are constantly permitted to jam up our blogsite with their stupid posts linking back to hundreds and hundreds of urls?
This is our blog!
I'd kinda touched on this in a previous post, but the situation has become so unbearable that it needs again to be addressed.Dear President Obama,On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of adoring fans of yours in my homeland --Trinidad and Tobago-- I'm begging that you ignore the callousness of Prime Minister Patrick Manning's administration --they insist that you shall NOT be allowed to meet and openly mingle with the good people of Trinidad and Tobago when you come visit for the Fifth Summit of The Americas.Please feel free to and insist that you must contact ANY citizen of Trinidad and Tobago that you care to meet. It's most important that you so do, as my homeland is the first black country you'd be visiting in your presidential term. Therefore, the significance of how our population greets you cannot be underestimated.Again, please ignore and override Prime Minister Manning's dictatorial behavior in the above regard! As soon as you touch down, make it abundantly clear that you want to meet the good people of Trinidad and Tobago and, especially, the kid5rivers himself. (Forgive the personal plug there, okay?)God bless! kid5riversFive Rivers, Arouca,Trinidad and Tobago.
I'd kinda touched on this in a previous post, but the situation has become so unbearable that it needs again to be addressed.
Dear President Obama,
On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of adoring fans of yours in my homeland --Trinidad and Tobago-- I'm begging that you ignore the callousness of Prime Minister Patrick Manning's administration --they insist that you shall NOT be allowed to meet and openly mingle with the good people of Trinidad and Tobago when you come visit for the Fifth Summit of The Americas.
Please feel free to and insist that you must contact ANY citizen of Trinidad and Tobago that you care to meet. It's most important that you so do, as my homeland is the first black country you'd be visiting in your presidential term. Therefore, the significance of how our population greets you cannot be underestimated.
Again, please ignore and override Prime Minister Manning's dictatorial behavior in the above regard! As soon as you touch down, make it abundantly clear that you want to meet the good people of Trinidad and Tobago and, especially, the kid5rivers himself. (Forgive the personal plug there, okay?)
God bless!
...have nothing at all to do with the Prime Minister of my country, Patrick Manning, or his Finance Minister, Karen Nunez-Tesheira, for they represent everything that you do not, that you dedicated your life's struggle to combat.
In case you don't know, sir, right now, in my native land, Trinidad and Tobago, these two -and others like them- are regarded with derision everywhere they go. Their ways have brought our beloved country to its knees with corruption, mismanagement and scandal in every nook and cranny.
Presently, vociferous calls for the Minister of Finance to resign go unheeded. These calls are being made because we, the people, recently discovered that she hid from us the fact that she has millions invested in the biggest local financial company, CL Financial Holdings -it's also the largest in the Caribbean- which just got a bailout with taxpayer dollars -we don't know what the final figure would be, as the last revelation hinted at $14 billion and counting, which, by no stretch, is chump change. (Read this Trinidadian journalist, Richard Lord's, MSNBC report about calls for Nunez-Tesheira to resign.)
It is also clear that these people have serious ethical issues, for they insist that they did nothing wrong, even though the records show that just before announcing the bailout, Nunez-Tesheira and her immediate family members prematurely withdrew their fixed deposits with CLICO Investment Bank -one of CL Financial Holdings subsidiaries- and they so did at considerable loss of interest, just because they wished not to suffer the fate of thousands of ordinary citizens whose small deposits are now stymied because the government has seized control of the bank and is refusing to allow anyone to withdraw their monies before maturity.
Mind you, this bailout was speedily arranged just after they refused to assist another major financial instution -The Hindu Credit Union (HCU)- on the pretext that the laws did not permit the government to assist!
Mr. President! Have you ever heard such nonsense, such contempt: that anything could prevent a government from helping the people when the people are in distress? Furthermore, sir, I need to point out that, to help out CL Financial Holdings, the government had to rush new laws through Parliament. They could have done the same thing when HCU buckled. But they didn't. Why? The only plausible explanation is that Cl Financial Holdings was rescued because the Finance Minister -and bigwig friends of those in government?- had millions/billions tied up in CL Financial Holdings, but not a cent in the HCU! (Read a related Trinidad Guardian article about the need to amend laws to permit the government coming to HCU's assistance.)
And all this has been happening against the backdrop of an ongoing Commission of Inquiry into massive corruption, insider trading and wheeling and dealing that, for many years, under Prime Minister Manning, has been taking place within a state-owned company named the urban Development Company of trinidad and Tobago (UDeCoTT). Billions and billions and then some, have been spent by this company without a satisfactory account -via our Parliament or otherwise- for any cent being to us, the people.
As citizens of a former European colony, we know full well that many of our own people who offer to lead us merely wish to get in power to fill their pockets at our expense. We know you understand fully what I mean. But, like i said, we know that you are not of that mold.
What we also know -and hope you, too, know- is that every oppressed person in the world regards you almost with messianic fervor. And why shouldn't we, given the reality as just described? It is a destiny you cannot shirk Mr. President. And you need to remember that, even if we were legally-barred from voting for you, our efforts -whether urging friends, family or strangers, whether relentlessly blogging in your cause and defence, whether embarking on fasts and invocations for your success and protection, whatever!- combined to topple the walls of Jericho so you could enter the White House.
Thus, the bond between us is sacred, even if not individually-recognized; and, being sacred, cannot ever be broken. Unless who break it wishes to embrace the whirlwind of vengance that surely would follow?
So! Yes, Mr. President! When you come to my native land, Trinidad and Tobago, for the two/three-day Summit, please DO NOT HOBNOB with those characters! You would lose a lot of our respect, love and goodwill if you do. Indeed, what we'd love very much for you to do is to call them out when you speak -you are a fearless man, plus, one who is feared by leaders such as those who currently, blight Trinidad and Tobago. And indeed, we urge you and The First Lady to bask in the warm hospitality of the common people of my native land, to share a meal at any of their humble tables -you may get one right next door to the Port of Spain Hyatt, at the waterfront Breakfast Shed (which some know-it-all heartless person contrived to rename as "Chateau des Femmes") if your tight schedule denies you the chance to mingle with us.
But, for Heavens sake, DO NOT HOBNOB with these people!
On behalf of the many, many, many thousands of Obamamanians in Trinidad and Tobago, please, sir, I beg of you to take the herein-offered advice.
And, may God bless you and guide you, always!
Kid5rivers,
PS: Trinidad and Tobago's official language is English English, not American English, so, get accustomed to the way I spelt certain words, okay?
The entire speech! They just began!
See it here: http://www.cspan.org/Watch/C-SPAN_wm.aspx
Wasn't Governor Jindal in Congress when the Republicans were in control of the House? Didn't he vote for all the spending? He helped to create the deficit problem! Jindal was a Washington Republican!
Taken from Huffington commentary section.
52 times President Obama speech to the Joint Session was interrupted by sustained applause!!!! 52 times!!!! Now that has got to be a record!!!
Then the President said, "I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work."The camera quickly flashed to one of those skeptics: a wistful-looking Sen. John McCain."That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort," the president continued, "because nobody messes with Joe."
Then the President said, "I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work."
The camera quickly flashed to one of those skeptics: a wistful-looking Sen. John McCain.
"That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort," the president continued, "because nobody messes with Joe."
I mean, President Obama's speech to the Joint Session of Congress must have been interrupted by applause at least thirty times!!!????I think the longest came when he saluted the troops out there on duty. Then, coming to the end when he spoke of Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from the school in Dillon, South Carolina who sent Congress a letter that says, "We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters.
I mean, President Obama's speech to the Joint Session of Congress must have been interrupted by applause at least thirty times!!!????
I think the longest came when he saluted the troops out there on duty. Then, coming to the end when he spoke of Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from the school in Dillon, South Carolina who sent Congress a letter that says, "We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters.
President Obama! The man for the moment! God bless America!
Barack Hussein Obama, President No. 44 of The United States of America, rocks!
"...I think about Leonard Abess, the bank president from Miami who reportedly cashed out of his company, took a $60 million bonus, and gave it out to all 399 people who worked for him, plus another 72 who used to work for him. He didn’t tell anyone, but when the local newspaper found out, he simply said, ''I knew some of these people since I was 7 years old. I didn't feel right getting the money myself."I think about Greensburg, Kansas, a town that was completely destroyed by a tornado, but is being rebuilt by its residents as a global example of how clean energy can power an entire community – how it can bring jobs and businesses to a place where piles of bricks and rubble once lay. "The tragedy was terrible," said one of the men who helped them rebuild. "But the folks here know that it also provided an incredible opportunity." And I think about Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, South Carolina – a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She has been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this room. She even asked her principal for the money to buy a stamp. The letter asks us for help, and says, "We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters..."
"...I think about Leonard Abess, the bank president from Miami who reportedly cashed out of his company, took a $60 million bonus, and gave it out to all 399 people who worked for him, plus another 72 who used to work for him. He didn’t tell anyone, but when the local newspaper found out, he simply said, ''I knew some of these people since I was 7 years old. I didn't feel right getting the money myself."
I think about Greensburg, Kansas, a town that was completely destroyed by a tornado, but is being rebuilt by its residents as a global example of how clean energy can power an entire community – how it can bring jobs and businesses to a place where piles of bricks and rubble once lay. "The tragedy was terrible," said one of the men who helped them rebuild. "But the folks here know that it also provided an incredible opportunity."
And I think about Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, South Carolina – a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She has been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this room. She even asked her principal for the money to buy a stamp. The letter asks us for help, and says, "We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters..."
Today, at 4:03 pm EST (daylight saving time), in the US House of Representatives (HOR), House Resolution (HR) No. 132 was passed without objection and with the required special majority.The resolution was an attempt by the US Congress to set a major wrong right, by giving honorable recognition to the life and contribution of Geronimo.Geronimo (Chiricahua: Goyaa 2 é, "one who yawns"; often spelled Goyathlay or Goyahkla in English) was born on June 16, 1829 in what is now called Clifton, Arizona, USA.He was a prominent Native American leader of the Chiricahua Apache who, for several decades, fought against Mexico and the United States over their expansion into Apache tribal lands.The resolution was introduced by the Representative from Guam, Representative Madeleine Bordallo. (Picture below). GERONIMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The resolution was an attempt by the US Congress to set a major wrong right, by giving honorable recognition to the life and contribution of Geronimo.
The resolution was introduced by the Representative from Guam, Representative Madeleine Bordallo. (Picture below).
From the Huffington Post: Obama On Republicans: 'I'm An Optimist, Not A Sap'
From the Huffington Post:
Obama On Republicans:
'I'm An Optimist, Not A Sap'
Barack Hussein Obama:
SAP extraordinaire!
Suave Articulate Prudent
What do you think?
Click on the pic for its link!
Click on pic for its link!
American novelist Tom Perrotta, in a BBC World Service Quicktime podcast, advocates a yearly Grievance Day and Apology Day. On Grievance Day, anyone would be able to complain about a grievance which they suffered to the person they see as the perpetrator. The 'victimiser' would have the right of reply but only after three months have elapsed: that's when Apology Day would be.His ideas are certainly worth exploring. Click >>here<< if you wanna listen.
American novelist Tom Perrotta, in a BBC World Service Quicktime podcast, advocates a yearly Grievance Day and Apology Day. On Grievance Day, anyone would be able to complain about a grievance which they suffered to the person they see as the perpetrator. The 'victimiser' would have the right of reply but only after three months have elapsed: that's when Apology Day would be.His ideas are certainly worth exploring.
Click >>here<< if you wanna listen.
