Minerva & Todd's Blog

Social issues are an international problem

Nervie — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:40:02 EST

BLOG December 8, 2008

Just opened a communiqué from Keri Anne, an acquaintance in Canada, which says that in her part of the world they are reviewing international Social Watch reports published by the United Nations and a pattern is increasing exponentially, they are finding:

“The Government of Canada must ensure that the poorest and most vulnerable citizens don’t lose their right to shelter, food, health and education in order to balance the books,” said Nancy Baroni, Gender Budget Coordinator with the Feminist Alliance for International Affairs.

Consequently, the US citizens aren’t the only people on the planet highly concerned over the global financial situation effecting their daily existence. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The North South Institute, and the Feminist Alliance for International Affairs are reporting similar points of view when they speak to heads of state. “The poorest are the most vulnerable” during such recessionary economic times and this goes even beyond Canadian borders and is a great concern in 59 nations. When the economy drops “shelter, food, health and education” needs which are needed considerably in all nations diminish. Those individuals and programs that were sharing and donating become more protectorate of their own home front hence, the charity slows down and those programs dependent on assistance start scrambling for other means of sustenance or disappear. And though the services may disappear the people in need aren’t. Isn’t it interesting that the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights will occur on December 10th., that international budgets are being cut for social services so do we really have much to celebrate? As we wait on January 20th getting here, which isn’t getting here fast enough for some of us, President elect Barack Obama will undoubtedly come into office with the highest need of mounting human services responsibilities in the world, and we don’t see human social needs decreasing anytime soon.

Todd and Minerva Hoover, Santa Clarita Valley

Hasselback and other thoughts

Nervie — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:34:57 EST

BLOG November 28, 2008. I don’t like being petty, but I realize that some television programs have a great effect on their audience. I couldn’t help but notice the innuendo on “The View”, Hasselback is not crazy about Obama being a product. Franklin Mint even has a special 24kt gold coin with JFK on one side and Obama on the other side, I haven’t seen one yet, valued at $9.99/ plus shipping and handling costs. She sees the campaign signing on the podiums as over the top and making it appear as though Obama is a “new brand”. She is complaining that the signs on the podium, US flag perched to the left, opened window with the Capitol building behind his head all indicating that Obama is saying “I’m not the president yet” but I am the “President-Elect”. And this bothers her. Doesn’t seem to bother her that Bush is the President and the country is going down in economic flames. I believe consciously she is still not happy with McCain/Palin’s loss. She admits she is a staunch Republican and even campaigned with Palin when Palin was being attacked by the media regarding her $150,000 wardrobe from Neiman Marcus and Saks; $300 outfit from CBS. Many political pundits, including Republican pundits believe Palin wasn’t ready to be Vice President, due to the answers she was giving; Palin’s inability to accept media invitations without being “schooled” and no history of solving problems or causing legislation to the level of a Vice President. Bottomline, Palin was an unknown to most of America, I still ask why did McCain choose her. Did you see the video of Palin’s news conference when she was “pardoning the turkey”? I thought it was more amateurish that the reporter didn’t allow her to elect the proper background to not distract with the turkey killing in the background. Where was this reporters’ editor or producer of the news program? How was it that the camera operator didn’t realize what was in the background, didn’t they review the footage? I thought strange and of course national reporters made sport of the debacle. This I don’t blame Palin for, but there were several times when she did look over her shoulder and should have seen what was happening behind her. Why didn’t she walk to put this butchery in front of her to at least direct the attention away? I believe a professional politician would have either asked to stop the filming completely or at least immediately “walked through shot” to a different camera angle.

Hasselback felt the media wasn’t giving her a “fair shake” and treated Obama as a “darling” or find Palin as interesting. Well I disagree, because the media and America did find Palin not only interesting, likeable, but emitting an airhead quality, that became fascinating to watch.

Watching the turn of economic, military, and real estate events, Obama is in limbo and time will tell soon enough can Obama meet the road when January 20th gets here. I just wish people would quit implying that he is the messiah and he walks on water. Main Street Americans not satisfied with our government are a huge priority to him and they were his largest supporters during the campaign. But so far we haven’t seen a glimmer of hope our way yet. Only reminders of what he told us. I say, let him get in office first.

We all know that it is not January 21st but there is a line of delineation Obama is making when he has his press moments. Yes, one has to have an ego to run for office in the first place but I have never gotten the impression that OBAMA is egotistical. He is sending a clear, concise, and definitive message and this I believe seems to be bothering Hasselbeck? Yes, I agree with Whoppie (Goldberg) that he is using these signs to indicate that he will be the next in charge, he is not the president right now, help is on the way (My editorial: THANK GOD), and we are well aware of the anxieties that you may be feeling because who would have ever thought that the America would be in the social, financial and spiritual shape that it is in. I agree that he is saying I will have help coming on the way and in these press presentations he is telling us before what those decisions are. If this makes Obama a “media darling” so let it be. I am pleased to see that “he is on it” and realizes to some American citizens, time is running out on their food stamps, foreclosures, tripled-interest rates on credit cards, compounding interest on those who are still in their homes, and increased medical bills, health insurance, and food costs. But some of his choices raises my wonderment of inevitable “change”, I’ll be reviewing the mybarackobama.com website for the “truths vs. myths” regarding the cabinet members

Bill Richardson

Nervie — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:25:47 EST

BILL RICHARDSON is the new member of the Obama Cabinet! I won’t try to be objective here, I like Richardson. He is Latino. He was Energy Secretary in Clinton’s Administration, Governor of New Mexico, and an ambassador for the United Nations. He also spoke up when Hillary was attacking Obama regarding his heritage in the 2008 election campaign. I liked him even more for that.

I remember when he sent to talk to North Korea regarding their weapons program, I remember Bush negating those compromises Richardson offered less than one month later. I watched nervously North Korea say that they didn’t care if the United States won’t assist them with oil, food and agricultural pursuits. Apparently they have little off all three there. This was suppose to be the reason that the sobering was going on. Sounded too simple to me but I also remember an ambassador and a policy wonk coming to our Political Science class explaining how many treaties we had with North Korea and how we had pitted the North and South Koreas against one another. We assist the south, have been asked to leave the region, several times but we insist we are a friendly safety valve for the area and South Korea says for ourselves mainly.

Now Hillary being part of the team! I just hope she remembers team does not mean me, does not mean Bill and me, it means TEAM, all of us! Maybe it was strategical to keep Hillary on Obama’s side. That concept of keeping friends close and enemies even closer seem to come to mind. But I must say again, the attacks Hillary put on Obama as elbowing and calculating as they were, I believe also shored up the attempts that would have come his way if the opposition had attacked first.

Depending on which media source you listen or read, some of these attacks were not new to those close to Obama. They had been perculated, slapped on and executed during his meteroric rise in Chicago’s politics which I understand are serious “rough and tumble”, with that street-city slickness. OKAY so Obama has risen above this and added his main public adversary to the “big political dream team”. From my vantage point, that dream team seems very bloated with experience, expertise, ego and ambition. Obama I’ll be lighting candles on your behalf. Now where did I put that incense burner?

Books to get and consider

Nervie — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:08:29 EST

BOOKS TO GET:

The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Civil War.

Boy in the Stripped Pajamas by John Boyne

Run Like Jager by Karen Bass

Four Steps to Death by John Wilson

Children’s Story by James Clavell

I want to move that Obama inauguration date . . . PLEASE . . .

Nervie — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:11:11 EST

Friday December 5, 2009.

Is the South openly participating in an economic and political cessation at the expense of the North? Let’s observe the response of those Republican representatives, lead by an Alabama Senator, who sat in judgment of the Ford, General Motors and Chrysler automotive industry leader’s hearing yesterday and today? They don’t want to help the BIG THREE. The Big Three automakers are established in the North and predominately in only the Northern States. They are asking the question: “Do we need the BIG THREE?” The republicans are suggesting the need for them to go bankrupt, divest and redesign their business plans and return with another name. It is believed doing this will also nullify the union contracts and require renegotiation. And the underlining of this is to bust the unions hourly wage down so that the automakers make more money? And the auto makers paid $54 million dollars to wrestle one executive away from his previous company and this doesn’t include the bonuses and other perks in the hiring? This doesn’t even count the fact that “the electric car was killed by the big three” and Toyota. But there is mumblings that the BIG THREE are interested in going “green” now to get their hands on that $25 which is now $34 billion.

So why weren’t they studying what the Japanese have been doing for over twenty five years? Arrogance couldn’t possibly be the excuse when you have an opportunity to study your competition or maybe they never saw the Japanese and other European smaller economical cars as a threat. Maybe if they had peaked at the models of the Japanese or Korean automakers, they wouldn’t be wringing their hands for assistance. I understand that the Japanese car makers were offered lowered property and tax levels in exchange for hiring the much needed Southerns who have been working for much lower wage jobs than their Northern counterparts. Adding another wrinkle to this discovery, there has been discussion that employees have also been paid to sit while the company executives decided how the company was going to proceed. But this is still 2008, maybe there will be a change of heart when this fiasco is dumped into Obama’s lap because I don’t see BUSH taking a hands on approach to this at all. But you wait and see January 22, they’ll blame the autoworkers who will be jobless, by then, the fault of Obama for not insisting that the government change the date of his inauguration and move it up to December 22, so the automakers could have had a better Christmas.

PALIN IS BACK . . .

Nervie — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:56:21 EST

CHAMBLISS BLOG. Depending on what you read, The National Republican Trust PAC seem to present Republican Saxby Chambliss is the “great Republican firewall of hope”, . . . keeping Obama at bay with the US Senate votes”. Maybe they don’t know that in the heavy Republican area that I live in, that Republican voters were hands-on in putting President Elect Barack Obama into office.

Then, I can’t tell if they are baiting Obama to come to Georgia because Sarah Palin is expected to attend several rallies for Chambliss or are they are in need of some stimulus to make Chambliss appear to be at least interesting as the run off between he and Jim Martin’s revved up feverous pitch contentious election. How much you want to bet the media will be analyzing her clothes to see whether or not she still owns the $150,000 RNP wardrobe.

Some people are even delusional that between Palin and Obama that people would pick Palin? Is this Republican claim nothing more than an act of building Palin up to something that she is not and parading her around as the pretty, false hope and leader of the Republican Party, while the real decision makers of the Republican Party wrestle back the reigns of intelligence and common sense?

Maybe Chambliss’s Republican friends have forgotten that Obama is readying himself to lead the nation out of a delicate and cataclysmic political, economic and spiritual state we are feeling. Something our current Republican leader appears to be having difficulty figuring out. One minute Paulsen is saying “bailout”, the next day he is exposing the possibility of “revisiting the funds available”, then a couple days he starts up again with “bailout”. Meantime, we hear the mumbling confusion of the glazed over look, baggy eyed, lame duck Bush exclaiming that he is doing the best that he can. He looks like he needs some serious bed rest. Did however see pictures of him drinking in Peru? I thought he was off of the sauce since he was 40 years old?

If Palin wants to go “save the day” hopefully unlike the manner she practically destroyed McCain’s bid for 2008 Presidency, with the winking, blinking and nodding, so let her go. This should increase Martin’s chances of winning, we can only hope. This should raise the circulation and subscriptions of the local papers, tourism and Republican swag. A good fight often brings the sincerity, focus, and activism out of the voters. . .

As an observer many of the attacks on Palin seem, to be coming from those that know her well and are willing to share those experiences with the media. This doesn’t count for the numerous times that Palin wasn’t able to complete a full sentence and change topics to appeal to her intellectual strengths which Republican commentators have repetitively attacked for incoherence.

It was McCain’s people reporting the money being spent on “my lady Palin” and the behind the scenes emotional upheaval you usually don’t know about until it comes book form after the inaugural activities, but apparently the A-team was so bamboozled by Palin’s behavior, the magazines and newspapers received the leaks before the books could be published. Whether or not these incidents are true, well again, it depends on what you read. I believe the Republicans can do better than Palin and maybe this was McCain’s final swipe at the Republican power brokers but who knows, looking forward to reading that book.

This doesn’t exonerate the Democrats however, I believe the Democrats too have a lot of baggage they need to release to clean their mental palates of the past disgusting eight years of snide diplomacy, an out trillions budget and to realize that change will require Democrats too to stop doing business the “ole fashion way” while partisan tit for tat drags the American people further into global economic chaos and contention.

The American people, have spoken, enough already, let’s get serious, roll up our sleeves, tighten our belts and egos, get those sugar plums dancing out of our heads, be ready to negotiate to the highest denominator, use the wisdom, education, experiences of all parties invited to the governing table and set our goals for a more peaceful coexistence with the rest of the world because damn it, there is only one planet to reside on. Amen.

OCCAM's RAZOR

Nervie — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 23:33:03 EST

thought that Obama should apply all aspects of OCCAM’s RAZOR to get to the bottom of how we got in the situation that we are in. I thought I might share what an Occam’s Razor is to the readers of this blog: Main Entry: Oc•cam's razor Variant(s): also Ock•ham's razor ˈä-kəmz- Function: noun Etymology: William of Occam Date: circa 1837 : a scientific and philosophic rule that entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily which is interpreted as requiring that the simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex or that explanations of unknown phenomena be sought first in terms of known quantities also Oc•cam's razor n. A rule in science and philosophy stating that entities should not be multiplied needlessly. This rule is interpreted to mean that the simplest of two or more competing theories is preferable and that an explanation for unknown phenomena should first be attempted in terms of what is already known. Also called law of parsimony. [After William of OCKHAM.]

Now I am on a mission to find out where this concept originated from. Do any of you know the answer to this, please write: minwil2001@yahoo.com Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving y'all. From our house to yours, Minerva and Todd, vegging in Santa Clarita Valley

Open Letter to Timothy Geithner c/o Obama

Nervie — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:56:51 EST

Here is an open letter and 10 cents worth to Timothy Geithner, President of the New York Federal Reserve. Just don’t tell me we are not a corrupt financial bunch.

The amount of money our banks are required to keep in reserve, relative to the amount they are able to loan out, have increased dramatically from 1:15 per actual monetary value to 1:30, and in some cases, even more. Who makes up these rules?

The day before the 9/11/2001 Donald Rumsfeld declared a war on the money waste at the Pentagon and proclaimed it “War on Waste”, armed with stacks of paper work questioning $2.3 trillion, according to Vince Gonzales on a CBS’s “Eye on America” expose. Gonzales said that 2.3 trillion was equivalent to $8,000 for every man, woman and child in America.

Visit this site: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xU4GdHLUHwU

The video will tell you that Jim Minnery of the Defense Department was reassigned when he tried to expose the path of financial allegations at the Pentagon; Franklin C. Spinney, a Dept of Defense analyst, claimed that the numbers for various budgets were “pie in the sky” and never added up. Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan (ret) U.S. Navy asked for oversight in the Pentagon Budget while question $48 billion spent by Pentagon officials. Rumsfeld’s War was interrupted and we have never heard anything more about the escaping billions in the Pentagon’s war chest. Could these same individuals or tactics be what we are witnessing on Wall Street and now affecting Main Street USA?

We have been masking financial chicanery by calling it “derivates”, “subprimes” and “swaps”. In the late 1989’s we called them “junk bonds”. Bush’s new Christian politicians had a baptismal and are calling it them in 2008 “derivatives and swaps”. Neal Bush, his brother, was involved in the savings and loans debacle and so was Jeb of Florida, but the media doesn’t seem to mention this and did Bush before he starts pointing fingers forget the family connection. Dress it up and you call it “Platinum Plungers”, look at the DOW members who are affected by these “pieces of paper”, “High yields” or “risk instruments”,

Bush said unequivocally, the lower middle and poor income Americans are the blame for the catastrophic financial situation affecting the world. Homeowners who exaggerated their incomes, bank accounts, job and credit history purchased brand new homes with escalating interest rates but no money down for the first three to five years (depending on the offering). Mortgage brokers wrote the loans that exaggerated the income, job, bank accounts and credit history of the homeowners. Banks officials accepted the loans that the mortgage brokers wrote that exaggerated the income, job, bank accounts and credit history of the homeowners. Loan bankers took the paper and sold to larger American and foreign banks. These banks in turn bundled these papers as derivatives that the bank officers bundled that were the mortgages of the homeowners. Didn’t anyone notice the sudden rush of individuals and families moving into these brand new developments at unheard of numbers, suspect that something was either “on fire” or “slightly unsual activity” during an economic time that was otherwise relatively flat? Don’t tell me we are not a corrupt financial bunch.

So if these homeowners didn’t have the opportunity to purchase these brand new homes at these extra ordinary rates then, who would have purchased them? Why did the developers build so many units during the time in question and not question how they were going to be able to sell the units? Is there something that the developers knew that the homeowners didn’t know? And didn’t the developers have to find the line of credit to build these huge developments unless they knew that the market was prime for such buyers? So everyone always points their fingers to “the other guy”?

The rest of the world is weaning away from us. We say look north, and the rest of the world knows to look south. We scorched South America and Russia this way which is why they pay attention to our game playing and these people know because we have demoralized their economies and have harmed their financial outlooks. We are not to be trusted.

Using the example of the Philippines, under the guises of spiritually we robbed them materially. We go over to the Islands with the missionaries and ministers and give the natives a few pieces of silver. With the intelligence and knowledge gathered of the area we then send in the business negotiators. We went in demonizing their people, demanding their land and capital resources, militarizing some of their people by providing clothing, shelter, transportation and ensuring that those that we had embraced did in fact deserve more, although the morality and control we held on these chosen few did our bidding and were compensated. This division caused many Filipinos to become jealous, greedy and to fight over market shares.

Don’t tell me we are not a corrupt financial bunch.

Our economic future seems to be unraveling a Ponzi scheme and we may never know the pathetic individuals who started it, because they have liquidated their assets, taken their money out of the situation, and run out of the deal. Meantime, we obviously must know they are the ones who can also afford to buy the economic assets at 10 cents on the dollar, receive tax credits to boot under the guises of “helping to stimulate the economy that they originally destroyed”.

The Byzantine Chronicle leads us to an Asian village where this mad woman is walking the streets. She has in one hand a brassier of burning flaming coals, and on the other hand she has a pale of water. So obviously people are asking her, “What are you doing?” She says that she is burning down heaven and extinguishing hell.

Those that sold the mortgages started toe dancing in 2003 and kept expanding and pretty soon they got to the point that the bankers took the limits off. Now those limits have exponentially raised the bottom line beyond corruption. How do you do this and not arrange security on what you are doing? This is no longer merely just an incident of corruption but has become a deliberate effort to destroy the banking system as we know it. This is a rationalization for privatizing the banking system.

I was reading that in 2004 or right about then, that Obama made a presentation to the owners of the automobile industry. He indicated to them that they should alter their auto planning and reorganize for “green industry”. Industry leaders didn’t listen to the skinny young kid with the dumb name from Chicago Illinois or appreciate him telling them what he recommended that they do. Then 4 years later that same skinny young kid with the funny name is now running the country and they have to come with hat in hand asking for his assistance to keep their companies running. Pride comes before a fall, but they arrived in private Lear jets. So to think that they weren’t paying attention to this guy, they must be putting their heads together now saying,

“It wouldn’t have cost us much to be nice to the kid, who now holds our industry’s future in his hands and the 3.5 million people we represent.” Don’t you believe it was only fair that they should have come with their own plans in their hands instead of expecting to receive a $25 billion dollar check? Yes, you walk into a room with millionaires and billionaires, who hold clout with the industry. They believed they had all the aces and to some extent they do, but they didn’t expect “the no”. They had buffaloed him before and now they have been taken aback. Four years ago he didn’t have the power and permission, but now he is President of the United States. Could Obama, with Pelosi’s help, just be allowing them to stew in their own mess? Well, the odds of Obama at that time having any significant influence were very small and the likelihood of his rising any faster was also unknown. But didn’t anyone tell the industry leaders to pay attention and to set aside their arrogance and down right rudeness. Don’t tell me we are not a corrupt financial bunch.

So, I’d rather see Obama take that $8,000 per every man woman and child and send us a bonus check at tax time and let’s see how fast that kick starts the American economy since no one questioned it in 2001 and then call Rumsfeld back to follow the Pentagon trail and find out who started this financial mess.

Rhetoric or Real?

Nervie — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:49:11 EST

Rhetoric or real?

Rumor has it that Arizona Governor Napolitano is being tapped to become the head of Homeland Security and the new American Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) officer. Senator John McCain has even turned in his endorsement letter to this effect. In the meantime we are hearing Amy Goodman interviewing Aarti Shahani, on DemocracyNow! Shahani works for Justice Strategies out of New York University and is warning that she doesn’t believe that Obama has the full vitae of Napolitano. . .

Yes, “Annie Oakley” Napolitano was the Attorney General for the Clinton Administration but Napolitano has also been known to play both sides against the middle by slamming White Supremacists who were willing to police the Arizona border, negating the rise of Proposition 200 in November 4, 2004 to gain political stature by calling it “hateful and wrong”. In a seeming contradiction to this stance she asked for the assistance of Joe Arpaioto, the toughest sheriff in America, who was showcased on MSNBC for feeding prisoners “green baloney” and requiring men (as a form of emasculation) to wear pink underwear. She asked Sheriff Arpaioto to open up his jails to accommodate illegal aliens caught crossing the border. Some civil rights activists believed this to be too harsh. If he was treating American citizens badly, what in the blazes would he do to illegal aliens? Civil right activists didn’t want to allow Arpaioto’s methodology to prevail. Even though the sheriff has incurred more than $11 million dollars in civil rights law suits, Napolitano says she is simply responding to frustrated American citizens who don’t want to see illegal aliens benefitting from their tax dollars. Visit the following site for more background: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24314764/

In addition to this, Border protection laws have been openly discussed by the CNN media giant, Lou Dobbs, in his “Broken Borders” series: http://loudobbs.tv.cnn.com/category/broken-borders/ and also by Governor Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado) http://tancredo.house.gov/issue_details.aspx?IID=7

They both asked what happened to the illegal immigration issue in the 2008 election campaign. Some of us are still waiting to see what becomes of Obama’s special drivers’ license for illegal aliens, investigation of mass detention centers where aliens have died in gang fights, review resources allocated to immigration services paid for by American tax dollars, and the questionable constitutional rights being applied to immigration enforcement. Also discussed is the apparent increase of human trafficking, drug smuggling and gang warfare at the borders with law enforcement. I believe we have a right to keep illegal drugs out of our country also.

I agree that crimes perpetrated against any victim in the United States need to be reported to law enforcement. Whether the victim is legal or illegal should not be in question. Do we deport the victim who is an illegal alien after they have reported a crime? Well this is where the policies and mandates of the Homeland Security come in. All efforts should lead to a serious policy that state and federal law officials need to provide Obama. Guest workers’ rights definitely need to be reviewed and policies need to reflect the real factors that bring “guests” to the United States in the first place.

The Bush administration has always turned a blind eye towards these immigration issues, so hopefully Obama’s administration will be able to turn this around to arrive at a more humane and just policy.

Waiting on my $8,000

Nervie — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:10:07 EST

Here is an open letter and 10 cents worth to Timothy Geithner, President of the New York Federal Reserve. Just don’t tell me we are not a corrupt financial bunch. The amount of money our banks are required to keep in reserve, relative to the amount they are able to loan out, have increased dramatically from 1:15 per actual monetary value to 1:30, and in some cases, even more. Who makes up these rules? The day before the 9/11/2001 Donald Rumsfeld declared a war on the money waste at the Pentagon and proclaimed it “War on Waste”, armed with stacks of paper work questioning $2.3 trillion, according to Vince Gonzales on a CBS’s “Eye on America” expose. Gonzales said that 2.3 trillion was equivalent to $8,000 for every man, woman and child in America. Visit this site: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xU4GdHLUHwUThe video will tell you that Jim Minnery of the Defense Department was reassigned when he tried to expose the path of financial allegations at the Pentagon; Franklin C. Spinney, a Dept of Defense analyst, claimed that the numbers for various budgets were “pie in the sky” and never added up. Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan (ret) U.S. Navy asked for oversight in the Pentagon Budget while question $48 billion spent by Pentagon officials. Rumsfeld’s War was interrupted and we have never heard anything more about the escaping billions in the Pentagon’s war chest. Could these same individuals or tactics be what we are witnessing on Wall Street and now affecting Main Street USA? We have been masking financial chicanery by calling it “derivates”, “subprimes” and “swaps”. In the late 1989’s we called them “junk bonds”. Bush’s new Christian politicians had a baptismal and are calling it them in 2008 “derivatives and swaps”. Neal Bush, his brother, was involved in the savings and loans debacle and so was Jeb of Florida, but the media doesn’t seem to mention this and did Bush before he starts pointing fingers forget the family connection. Dress it up and you call it “Platinum Plungers”, look at the DOW members who are affected by these “pieces of paper”, “High yields” or “risk instruments”, Bush said unequivocally, the lower middle and poor income Americans are the blame for the catastrophic financial situation affecting the world. Homeowners who exaggerated their incomes, bank accounts, job and credit history purchased brand new homes with escalating interest rates but no money down for the first three to five years (depending on the offering). Mortgage brokers wrote the loans that exaggerated the income, job, bank accounts and credit history of the homeowners. Banks officials accepted the loans that the mortgage brokers wrote that exaggerated the income, job, bank accounts and credit history of the homeowners. Loan bankers took the paper and sold to larger American and foreign banks. These banks in turn bundled these papers as derivatives that the bank officers bundled that were the mortgages of the homeowners. Didn’t anyone notice the sudden rush of individuals and families moving into these brand new developments at unheard of numbers, suspect that something was either “on fire” or “slightly unsual activity” during an economic time that was otherwise relatively flat? Don’t tell me we are not a corrupt financial bunch. So if these homeowners didn’t have the opportunity to purchase these brand new homes at these extra ordinary rates then, who would have purchased them? Why did the developers build so many units during the time in question and not question how they were going to be able to sell the units? Is there something that the developers knew that the homeowners didn’t know? And didn’t the developers have to find the line of credit to build these huge developments unless they knew that the market was prime for such buyers? So everyone always points their fingers to “the other guy”? The rest of the world is weaning away from us. We say look north, and the rest of the world knows to look south. We scorched South America and Russia this way which is why they pay attention to our game playing and these people know because we have demoralized their economies and have harmed their financial outlooks. We are not to be trusted. Using the example of the Philippines, under the guises of spiritually we robbed them materially. We go over to the Islands with the missionaries and ministers and give the natives a few pieces of silver. With the intelligence and knowledge gathered of the area we then send in the business negotiators. We went in demonizing their people, demanding their land and capital resources, militarizing some of their people by providing clothing, shelter, transportation and ensuring that those that we had embraced did in fact deserve more, although the morality and control we held on these chosen few did our bidding and were compensated. This division caused many Filipinos to become jealous, greedy and to fight over market shares. Don’t tell me we are not a corrupt financial bunch. Our economic future seems to be unraveling a Ponzi scheme and we may never know the pathetic individuals who started it, because they have liquidated their assets, taken their money out of the situation, and run out of the deal. Meantime, we obviously must know they are the ones who can also afford to buy the economic assets at 10 cents on the dollar, receive tax credits to boot under the guises of “helping to stimulate the economy that they originally destroyed”. The Byzantine Chronicle leads us to an Asian village where this mad woman is walking the streets. She has in one hand a brassier of burning flaming coals, and on the other hand she has a pale of water. So obviously people are asking her, “What are you doing?” She says that she is burning down heaven and extinguishing hell. Those that sold the mortgages started toe dancing in 2003 and kept expanding and pretty soon they got to the point that the bankers took the limits off. Now those limits have exponentially raised the bottom line beyond corruption. How do you do this and not arrange security on what you are doing? This is no longer merely just an incident of corruption but has become a deliberate effort to destroy the banking system as we know it. This is a rationalization for privatizing the banking system. I was reading that in 2004 or right about then, that Obama made a presentation to the owners of the automobile industry. He indicated to them that they should alter their auto planning and reorganize for “green industry”. Industry leaders didn’t listen to the skinny young kid with the dumb name from Chicago Illinois or appreciate him telling them what he recommended that they do. Then 4 years later that same skinny young kid with the funny name is now running the country and they have to come with hat in hand asking for his assistance to keep their companies running. Pride comes before a fall, but they arrived in private Lear jets. So to think that they weren’t paying attention to this guy, they must be putting their heads together now saying, “It wouldn’t have cost us much to be nice to the kid, who now holds our industry’s future in his hands and the 3.5 million people we represent.” Don’t you believe it was only fair that they should have come with their own plans in their hands instead of expecting to receive a $25 billion dollar check? Yes, you walk into a room with millionaires and billionaires, who hold clout with the industry. They believed they had all the aces and to some extent they do, but they didn’t expect “the no”. They had buffaloed him before and now they have been taken aback. Four years ago he didn’t have the power and permission, but now he is President of the United States. Could Obama, with Pelosi’s help, just be allowing them to stew in their own mess? Well, the odds of Obama at that time having any significant influence were very small and the likelihood of his rising any faster was also unknown. But didn’t anyone tell the industry leaders to pay attention and to set aside their arrogance and down right rudeness. Don’t tell me we are not a corrupt financial bunch. So, I’d rather see Obama take that $8,000 per every man woman and child and send us a bonus check at tax time and let’s see how fast that kick starts the American economy since no one questioned it in 2001 and then call Rumsfeld back to follow the Pentagon trail and find out who started this financial mess.

Glass Steagal

Nervie — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:28:22 EST

I do not believe the president is capable of single-handedly turning the entire economy around. Even though the office of the presidency has a considerable amount of influence, it is not enough to completely determine the result of world-wide events. There are currently forces acting on the economy will not be easily reversed and it is my belief that although Obama may be able to markedly improve policy and to a certain extent will be able to mitigate the impact of the current economic downturn, he is not going to be able to reverse the damage that has already been done. The damage has been done by actions taken during both the Clinton and Bush administrations and the leeway they gave to the banking institutions. Near the close of the Clinton administration the Financial Services Reform Act was passed, which effectively nullified most of the provisions of the Glass-Steagall Act which was passed in during the Great Depression to ensure that the financial irresponsibility of the financial institutions during the 20s which lead to the Great Depression we can only hope that Obama can put a stopper on some of the fallout we are seeing now . . .

We need one another . . .

Nervie — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:38:16 EST

If you haven't seen this yet, take 4 minutes and BE STILL . . .

http://www.1800gospel.com/2008/11/bebe-cece-winans-right-now-we-need-one-another/

Peace out, Minerva

WE WILL SURVIVE

Nervie — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:16:23 EST

Lyrics from “I WILL SURVIVE” by Gloria Gaynor

1976 Version by Gloria Gaynor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv6lHwWwO3w

Chantay Savage 1996 version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8PUSg5SL7s&feature=related

or try this version by Diana Ross

To classical friends may appreciate Igudesman & Joo rendition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xui7x_KF7bY&feature=related

To all my anime buddies at CSUC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33uYYfQG2_Y&feature=related

At first I was afraid I was petrified I kept thinking I could never live without you by my side But then I spent so many nights Just thinking how you'd done me wrong And I grew strong I learned how to get along So now you're back From outer space I just walked in to find you here Without the look upon your face I should have changed my f-ing lock I would have made you leave your key If I'd have known for just one second You'd be back to bother me Oh now go, Walk out the door Just turn around now You're not welcome anymore Weren't you the one who tried to break me with desire Did you think I'd crumble Did you think I'd lay down and die Oh no, not I I will survive As long as I know how to love I know I'll be alive I've got all my life to live I've got all my love to give I will survive I will survive Yeah, yeah It took all the strength I had Just not to fall apart I'm trying hard to mend the pieces Of my broken heart And I spent oh so many nights Just feeling sorry for myself I used to cry But now I hold my head up high And you see me With somebody new I'm not that stupid little person still in love with you And so you thought you'd just drop by And you expect me to be free But now I'm saving all my loving For someone who's loving me Oh now go, Walk out the door Just turn around now You're not welcome anymore Weren't you the one who tried to break me with desire Did you think I'd crumble Did you think I'd lay down and die Oh no, not I I will survive As long as I know how to love I know I'll be alive I've got all my live to live I've got all my love to give I will survive I will survive Yeah, yeah

The Acorn Distraction

Nervie — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:58:23 EST

FOUND IN MY FOLDER OF “Blog I need to fine tune”. LOH I have a lot on my mind today. . . . BIDEN’s MESSAGE: I received a short notice from Biden, he calls it a “Reality Check” like all other Obama Supporters, that Obama has established the largest field operation of any candidate, and I agree as a member of that 25th Congressional District field team (Note: Would love to meet the guy one day). Biden reminds us that Gore was 20 points ahead of Bush in 2004 and it didn’t stop Bush from marching all over Gore’s “people win” in the end. Well these aren’t exactly the words he chose, but it does conjure up Greg Palast’s claim that Florida in 2000 was planned and there is reason to believe that Ohio in 2004 was preselected as one of the swing states at the last minute. Lord knows what the next state or states will be McCain seems so desperate to me. I mean, did you take the time to watch the final debate last night. I swear someone was orchestrating McCain in the ear. He came on the set like he was “rapid” dog and determined to break Obama’s spirit. He would have been so much better off just saying to the American people, this is what I am going to do for you with the economy being in the shape that it is in. Come up with some samples of proof, and not sound like a character out of the grumpy old men movie series. I heard one commentator saying he reminded him of “Mr. Wilson” in Dennis the Menace. Boy did I get a hardy laugh out of that one. The Republicans are making this sound like it is the first time they have ever heard of individuals filling out federal or state forms in mass and in error. Didn’t the Democrats learn this from them? Didn’t sound to me that the culprits were that bright or they were even crafty in their pursuit. Where were their managers, OH yeah, this is coming on the wings of mortgage brokers, and real estate lenders, and banks approving bogus loans where it is now affecting the entire global market? Yes, the voter registration office has to work a lot harder to access the pattern, sounds like over time to me, but shouldn’t they have determined this months ago? I remember in 2000 when the same thing was done in Nevada but it was the republicans caught with their hands in the cookie jar and of course they fain they didn’t know the rules either. No, doing this doesn’t make it right, but if I recall correctly, the world is going into a massive recession and we are talking about 2,000 fathom voters who haven’t and won’t vote!! If we all just go a national two-day weekend off with pay, with proper identification, to go to the polls and pull the lever, hit the switch, color the dot, x the scratch, or write in our choice maybe everyone would take the time to go to their local poll. Other European countries do this, why can’t we? We get off for President’s day, we celebrate Valentine’s, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and other commercial madness, why not “President and Vice President of the United States Day”. Now Obama take this to you when you get in the White House. Let’s revise the manner that we vote as a nation. President Jimmy Carter has been raising Caine for years now on the ridiculousness and partiality of it all, even so much that The Carter Center said that international body of legal voting rights wouldn’t even approve what we are doing in the United States, so change this procedure immediately so we are practicing the democracy we crave and rave about. I’m sure we have a few geniuses at Harvard and Stanford that can figure this out. We can’t be complacent and assume because of what the polls are saying that this race is the “slam dunk of the month”. I remember the Bradley factor too. I don’t want to sound pessimistic either but let’s not forget history or it will surface again. Precautionary steps should be made to go back to every Obama supporters that told us that they were going to Vote for Barack and make sure those that had early ballots turned them in. Remind them that leaving them in the out box of their desks will get it to the Registrar’s office. Then we need to check in the local community for those that may need rides to the polls. I’ll be working ours so I’ll know by noon who didn’t show up at our location. At lunch time, I’ll be making phone calls and nagging the mess out of folks that “promised”. Our local Democratic chapter is even asking ladies to make calls at various locations. Sometimes a little nag motivates and make people fill loved! I don’t know about you but I don’t want to see another newspaper come out in three hours announcing to me that there is a discrepancy as to who has won the Presidency. I don’t think my heart can stand the excitement again three times in a row. I believe that ACORN is a distraction, if the person’s handwriting is that evident, pull all of the applications. But isn’t it a matter of who pulls the lever, punches the dot, scratches the dot and x the square that is the real determinant here, not who registered? Admonish the person or people who lied to get paid, and let’s move on. By the way, I don’t believe the guy filling out 73 forms to help the person get paid, could he really make up that many names? Someone had to have paid him under the table and beside, the number 73 doesn’t even ring true to me. And he said he didn’t know this was wrong, OK he got his 15 minutes of national radio and television. Give the rest of us a break!

THE BIG THREE

Nervie — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:46:48 EST

Improving the fuel economy and upgrading the practicality of efficient cars was a heavy discussion in the media today.

Japan formerly announced that it is in a recession. Greenland announced Saturday that it too is in a recession. This is the “R” word ladies and gentlemen. So in the meantime, many people are skeptical about the Big Three: Ford, GM and Chrysler.

Questioning the figures? Depending on whom you listen to more than 3,000,000 jobs will be lost which doesn’t include manufacturers and distributors of auto parts. These seems to be a great presentation by GM on YouTube.com Channel earnestly advocating for legislatures and voters to allow them the bailout loan.

Some economists exclaim that the financial and management model the Big Three were using isn’t going to work in today’s economic landscape. Automakers are hoping to borrow and to convince the American tax payer that their auto management and contractors will trickle down their financial success however economists are pointing out that automakers haven’t trickled down any success in the past decade. The big question is the billions and billions in the past haven’t turned the industry around, so why would anyone assume that they’ll do it this time?

Yes workers must be protected, but the tax payer needs to have a say as to whether or not a losing industry maximizes the delicate future by taking more chances that haven’t been paying off in more than a decade?

Personally, I would rather see the banking industry rewrite the mortgages to keep families in their homes. But this seems to be ignored.

Immediate after his election, Obama promised that he was going to review the economy and put the best minds in finance around him. November 6th, according to Sofia News Agency, Emanual Rahm, is the new Chief of Staff and will be joining Obama’s presidential staff in 2009. A little background on Rahm, he went on to serve as a senior adviser to the president from 1993 to 1998 - first as an assistant to the President for Political Affairs and then as Senior Adviser to the President for Policy and Strategy.” As a managing director of a large global investment corporation based out of Chicago, Rahm brings years of congressional experience and adds to the transition team members speaking directly to Paulsen. However Rahm is also known for a “no nonsense approach and tough negotiator”. Hopefully Paulsen and Bush Administration won’t make additional promises that put Obama can’t fulfill. Bush has us in a larger financial bind and is destroying American taxpayers’ strong hope and questioning Obama’s ability to “change” and create situations that can accelerate our investment in the future.

Carlos Gutierrez, the 35th Secretary of Commerce (of the Bush Administration) suggested that the $25 billion dollar energy program already passed could help the green vehicle manufacturers. There is only one glitch, he says, they would have to reword the contractual agreement of the programs” to apply to the BIG THREE, but if I remember correctly, that program was to help automakers retool and die.

It is only practical to question that there is a provision in the loan that the current management will be changed completely and not reshuffled around. One could only wish that true transparency is also required. The sustained borrowing to prompt up failed, non innovational companies, no matter who is running it, must be seriously reviewed and given to an arbitrator who will insist that a full range of plans is implemented before the money is loaned. Is it even possible to find someone who has a continual higher level of ethics and not the ones that some of the corporations utilize? I.e. playing games with the definition of “legal ethics” vs “technical ethics”. Unless it is more of Bush propaganda, go visit: http://www.commerce.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@os/@opa/documents/content/prod01_007514.pdf

I believe that there may be a lot of fault to throw around, but this won’t help those employees who have families, mortgages, car notes, medical prescriptions, college tuition loans, utilities and daily expenses: They need answers now. I can only hope this is the priority in whatever decisions is being made and part of the hope. I have friends you believe the big three is a distraction for the $3 trillion that has been transferred by the Federal Reserve and no one seems to know where that money is going. Is it a symptom? I don’t know if you have been reading everything you can get your hands on, but what seemed even more conversational is the fact that the BIG THREE came to Washington in their separate private Lear jets with tin cups in their hands. How ironic you say … we’re in America where anything can happen. And their public relations directors? Maybe they were on vacation because this definitely isn’t good form.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m concerned about 3 to 4 million people loosing their jobs. I am also concerned about all the subsequent industries who depend on car making, distribution, selling and repairing. The industry won’t be viable as long as people can’t afford cars. The automakers CEO are paying themselves several bonuses and running for the hills before the year is out. Hopefully the Congress can convince the rest of us, before the Christmas season, that $25 billion is just a small focus and a drop in the bucket, and the real concern is who received the $3 trillion? A girl can only dream . . .

The World Wants to know . . . GOT HOPE?

Nervie — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:31:59 EST

JULY 16, 2008

THE WORLD WANTS TO KNOW …GOT HOPE?

By Minerva L. Williams

The world wants to know. . . how many American women will show up to vote in the 2008 Presidential election? It amounts to, will women vote hope as strongly as they are responding in national polls, state rallies and town hall meetings?

Those that supported Hillary are vowing to not even go to the poll or expressing overwhelmingly McCain. Young women are most interested and support Barack Obama. What the pundits see is how largely young women showed up for Obama in Iowa and the same group didn’t show up at all in New Hampshire. So what happened that made the same group of women vote largely the first state and not at all in the second state? Where is the pattern?

The world trade balance is off, economies are low, job rates are inching higher, and the policies of the Bush Administration are still not reflective of the American people’s wants. Bush’s popularity poll numbers are the lowest of any president ever!

Mortgage rates are so over the top that millions are loosing their homes daily. Gas prices are out of site. The cost of food, transportation, and supplies are rising. Media exclaims that McCain is 4 more years of Bush policies. Does anyone want to see more attempts of bankrupting the country? Although the captains of industries appear to be doing a great job. Check out your stock portfolio if you dare.

Am I witnessing the insurgence of the Naomi Klein’s warning of the national “shock and awe syndrome” because the students of University of Chicago’s professor Milton Friedman’s philosophy are coming of professional age hence, it will require another University of Chicago’s professor Barack Obama who believes in community organizing to organize the United States to try to save us from Friedman pirates?

I agree that Obama more forceably needs to address Social security, poverty and minimum wage but he also needs to address the millions of jobs going overseas.

Do check out the interview with Chris Matthews: June 16, 2008 http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2008/6/16/amy_goodman_on_msnbcs_hardball_with_chris_matthews_at_5_30pm_est_repeated_at_7_30pm_est

Women are opposed to war and overwhelmingly so. McCain says he sees Iraqi withdrawal tables non negotiable and dangerous to publically discuss but he says we will be in Iraqi for 100 years, if necessary. Isn’t this a public answer?

How many more women are willing to send their children to a war that obviously was based on a huge lie ala Scott McClellan ,the present bearer of Bush first hand bad news, to satisfy our addiction to oil, at the expense of millions of Iraqi women and children who have had to flee their country due to our bombing and blasting them out of their homes or to increase the Bush family financial legacy?

Isn’t this the same family that benefitted from the economic increases during the German war? Why isn’t the media talking and reminding us of this?

Women under 50 may not know that at one time abortions were illegal and women rights advocacy in the 60’s and 70’s made Roe vs. Wade (1973) overturned. Women under 50 have seen women in powerful positions, heads of corporations, political leaders and may take it for granted that McCain wants to over turn Roe vs. Wade, where back alley abortions were unsafe and the norm. These same young women don’t know when women had to fight for equality in wages although in some industries women still aren’t in parity to their men counterparts.

Check out “Standing up to the Madness” by Amy Goodman, reknowned “DemocracyNow! Radio and television commentator, if you wish to know more details on why so many voters should pay close attention to what is politically going on.

Hillary is out on the trail to shore up her 18 million supporters to encourage them to support Barack Obama the first trip being Unity, New Hampshire this week but the follow through of the ladies and gentlemen of Obama supporters is supreme to the election numbers being not only a big deal but the next four years with a Democrat in office. Some republicans say “let them have it”, while they blame the aftermath of Bush’s policies on the Democrats. You hear this now, with Republican leaders blaming Pelosi and Harry Reid for “the nation falling apart”. And what planet are these Republican leaders on? Are they getting their footage from Mars?

Republicans did their dirty here in California under Pete Wilson’s utilities scandal, Davis never was able to figure it out. Even with the Governator play to the partisan legislators, Californians are still in a tales spin; drought imminent, billions in educational cuts, families loosing their homes to mortgage rate manipulation, jobs being packaged to India and China, and oil prices affecting everything from food supplies, cost of food and traveling expenses. But hopefully with a lot of educational forums, classroom sessions, and family dinner discussions the voting age American women will not only wake up but smell the coffee and take charge to the ballot boxes this November. What does it take to get these women’s attention that their voices must be heard at the ballot box or we are going to be seeing more of the past seven years? The world wants to know. . .Got Hope?

Minerva L. Williams is a freelance writer, residing in Santa Clarita Valley who is a strong advocate of Barack Obama and says change is something you can believe in, because it is inevitable.

Hillary Thoughts

Nervie — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:22:36 EST

BLOG:

February 8, 2008

‘‘Think for yourself and “your own truth” to decide for yourself why enthusiastic, upscale, intelligent, young, bold, and optimistic voters choose the brilliance of Obama”

--- Ophra Winfrey

History does repeat itself. In the 70's there was a spiritual discussion with guest Dr. Florence Kennedy (NY), in the U.C. Riverside student lounge over whether or not African American women needed to align themselves with their men or to align with white women. The brainstorm was whether the advancement of Black women was more important than the advancement of Black men. Emphasis was placed on women having children in and out of wedlock when they chose men who were not breadwinners, not motivated to build strong families, not mentors and teachers, and without strong spiritual centers. In those days, the result of the Moynihan Report was the huge elephant in the room. She cautioned us that Milton Friedman’s economic concept of "the powers that be" would use divide and conquer within the African American community to keep it down as they had done in Hawaii, Guatemala, Panama, the Philippine Islands and other Central and South American countries, now called the “Shock Doctrine” aka Naomi Klein. I have to admit in those days, that I had no idea who economist Milton Friedman was and his working at the University of Chicago but it made sense.

The epidemic of Black women being employed over Black men in the area, caused women to feel like caregivers, pimped for economic resources in exchange for companionship dating back to “slavery time”, and the birth of cognitive dissonance.

Kennedy encouraged us that no matter how much we were sexual drawn to certain men, to resist the urge to go to bed with men just because they flattered us and made us feel good. Men weren't being hired in proportion to their white counterparts but Kennedy assured us this wasn't an excuse for men to use women. We were challenged to think before we acted, to encourage our men to delay sexual gratification, have dreams, make educational strides to improve ourselves, stop the cycle of destruction, trust ourselves, be passionate about their life pursuits, find God or spiritual center.

We were reminded that someone had opened the door for us so we needed to remember this when we entered the labor force, shared information, and supported one another through struggles instead of feeling superior to those less fortunate than ourselves because tomorrow wasn’t promised. We were encouraged to listen to our higher power when making decisions.

We were cautioned to not forget that some people didn't recognize, know or understand opportunity. At times, Kennedy said, we all needed assistance finding the door and walking through with our experience and she offered suggestions, however, we were suppose to be there for those individuals having difficulty but remember we served people best by “walking our talk” or being the example we wanted others to be. We were young in those days and maybe thought this requiring higher responsibility and continuity. And it does. We knew we were standing on the shoulder of those before us, hence we had a responsibility being of the W. E .B. DuBois’s Talented Tenth.

I can't believe I have lived to see this being played out publicly in the questioning of the loyalty of Ophra and Obama. Ophra's years of life contributions (being centered, positive attitude, recognizing our own foolishness and the cycles of self destruction, Angel Foundation, raising children, wearing the appropriate bra, accessing the right pair of jeans, getting off of welfare, voter rights, mental health days, the cost of convictions--the beef debacle—the KKK confrontation, weight loss, being on a budget, book recommendations, accentuating great careers, role models, excellent teachers, life coaches etc. are now being questioned and framed as "loyalty".

I saw the divisiveness of the Clinton campaign. “Those who don't like me are my enemy” is narrow minded thinking. Is this an indication of the Hillary "diplomacy" to come? Many of us knew before this election began that Clinton wasn’t well liked and many Democrats didn’t like her. But those that did were ardent supporters of Hillary, sympathetic to her reaction to Bill’s carelessness and felt she was a “stand up woman” for standing by her man. Personally, I haven’t met her but what I read about her, I am not impressed. I respect that she is a candidate for President and she just might win. But I believe because someone of the same gender, race, religion, sexual preference, etc is running for office doesn’t mean I can't see beyond similarities and dissimilarities.

Hillary’s hidden agenda to thumb her nose at Republicans she admits have been fighting her for sixteen years doesn’t appeal to me but is admirable. I feel that that is her personal pursuit. Notice after the debate she finally started using the word “us” and “we”. Prior she was using the “I” and “me” words. Now she is using “change” and spinning off of Obama’s “yes we can” message with farm worker’s “Si Se Puede” which Hillary has a difficult time pronouncing. Why didn’t her operatives make her practice before making a public embarrassment of the usage?

Obama’s ability to see that our political cause should be larger than ourselves does appeal to me. My position was solidified when Hillary chided Bill was just “out of control” and overly exuberant when he slapped Obama’s record as a “fairy tale”. Her demonstrative zeal to discredit Obama made me rethink Hillary. Bill apologized today that he didn’t know that his hammering Obama to defend Hillary wasn’t the correct response of a spouse, is a little to late too even be believable. The Clintons lost their face and credibility in South Carolina and many voters haven’t forgotten it. Let’s face it the Clintons are professional politicians they know what “push polling” is and know how to plant a negative seed “to meet their goals”. I am voting and responding against that “old school way of doing politics”: demonizing, lying on, and pretending you aren’t aware of your “team members” blatant behavior or pulling out of a situation to show clean hands when everyone in the room knows these are patterns of your behavior.

I believe with Ophra’s resources she sees this and puts her reputation and following on the line. Obama like Ophra brings out the best in folks.

Last Sunday with Caroline Kennedy, Michelle Obama, and Maria Shriver on stage, Ophra (UCLA assembly for Obama 2/3/8) warned us “don’t be played small” because brilliance is what you stand for.

Yes, I believe some people relish pain, fear, denial, at all cost for family dysfunction, competing with the Jones, and hopelessness. I know now to allow them to own it.

Florence Kennedy like Ophra encouraged us to choose leadership that is spiritually based, requiring creative imagination, steeped in wisdom which has no color or gender. And again I became re-juvenated to think for myself and “my own truth” to decide for myself why bold, enthusiastic, intelligence, upscale, young, and optimistic voters choose the brilliance of Obama or Fired up and Ready to Go! because our government depends on the spiritual ground roots in order to change.

McCain and boo hoo money

Nervie — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:41:10 EST

Received a message from Marianne Markowitz, Chief Financial Officer, Obama for America asking for money. Apparently McCain has been sandbagging and will be putting out more than $30,000,000 in the next few days to cross the finish line in advertising and any other thing they can come up with. So I guess this will be the blowout of the campaign century.

Meantime, I'm sure you can remember just a couple weeks ago, all of their crying that their campaign was disappointed in Obama changing his financial stance and the effect it was having on McCain not being able to raise any money. Remember how they were crying that the Obama campaign was a large ATM taking the $5-10 contributions out of American families' livelihood. Well you won't hear about McCain's whining any more because the election will be over by the time the media mentions it. Boo-hoo-hoo!!

Get 'em OBAMA, Change we can believe in . . . remember even McCain starting stealing the "change concept", that wasn't too long ago either. As a friend of mine once said, if you can't improve on it, "steal it", the highest form of flattery. But don't teach this to the kids. . .

McCain and boo hoo money

Nervie — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:40:06 EST

Fear, Anguish and Stupidity

Nervie — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:44:01 EDT

BLOG October 19, Contrarily Obama phone calls are going out in the Butte County area. The secondary situation is that there is a video that is being passed out (in the millions) and mailed out which maligns Obama with the Arabic and Muslim community. It must be part of the new play book of the Republican party, “play them as terrorists and malign the Muslim faith while you are at it”. Why does the Republican party operate at the lowest levels? Fear, Anguish, Stupidity.

The promoters of this drivel chide that they paid a regular advertising fee and mailing fees to get them inserted. This is obviously part of the Republican October surprise. But no surprise that there are so many innuendos and out and out stories being perpetrated to support their candidate of choice, John McCain. The papers should be more mindful of how they are being used to distribute this erroneous information. We understand the freedom of speech and the fact that elections are often very nasty, but who takes responsibility to that speech when one calls out “FIRE” in a crowd at a critical PSYCHOLOGICAL MOMENT!

My friend asked me the other day, “Are the papers now inciting a bunch of flakies to line up on one side and making the probability of them responding in a drastic way? There is a lot of unbalance out there now with the real estate prices falling, gas out of sight, food costs up, the uncertainty of the elections, and the wars raging on. We are hoping this doesn’t mean an organized swipe at OBAMA is to come. Even though we are pleased to hear the endorsement of General Colin Powell on Meet the Press this morning, along with General Wesley Clark and General James P. Hoar. We wonder whether or not this may also amplify the division between the two parties. The 2008 election cycle will end on November the 4th.

The division of the country can go into more conflict being that our financial situation has ignited foreign markets, real estate holdings causing immediate family to disperse, communities falling apart due to job losses and foreclosed homes, and the ongoing war in Afghanistan and Iraq making us all at more risk and vulnerable. We hope the media takes on more extended responsibility and recognize that we are out of balance and that they have control of causing a stronger momentum and climatic outcome of the election.

"REALITY CHECK"

Nervie — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:41:03 EDT

OH I have a lot on my mind today. . . .

BIDEN’s MESSAGE: I received a short notice from Biden, he calls it a “Reality Check” like all other Obama Supporters, that Obama has established the largest field operation of any candidate, and I agree as a member of that 25th Congressional District field team (Note: Would love to meet the guy one day). Biden reminds us that Gore was 20 points ahead of Bush in 2004 and it didn’t stop Bush from marching all over Gore’s “people win” in the end. Well these aren’t exactly the words he chose, but it does conjure up Greg Palast’s claim that Florida was planned and there is reason to believe that Ohio was preselected as one of the swing last time and “let’s create a mess of voter registration state. Lord knows what the next state or states will be McCain seems so desperate to me.

I mean, did you take the time to watch the final debate last night. I swear someone was orchestrating McCain in the ear. He came on the set like he was “rapid” and determined to break Obama’s spirit. He would have been so much better off just saying to the American people, this is what I am going to do for you with the economy being in the shape that it is in. Come up with some samples of proof, and not sound like a character out of the grumpy old men movie series. I heard one commentator saying he reminded him of “Mr. Wilson” in Dennis the Menace. Boy did I get a hardy laugh out of that one.

The Republicans are making this sound like it is the first time they have ever heard of individuals filling out federal or state forms in mass and in error. Didn’t the Democrats learn this from them? Didn’t sound to me that the culprits were that bright or they were even crafty in their pursuit. Where were their managers, OH yeah, this is coming on the wings of mortgage brokers, and real estate lenders, and banks approving bogus loans where it is now affecting the entire global market? Yes, the voter registration office has to work a lot harder to access the pattern, sounds like over time to me, but shouldn’t they have determined this months ago? I remember in 2000 when the same thing was done in Nevada but it was the republicans caught with their hands in the cookie jar and of course they fain they didn’t know the rules either. No doing this doesn’t make it right but if I recall correctly the world is going into a massive recession and we are talking about 2,000 fathom voters who haven’t voted!!

If we all just go a national two days weekend off with pay, with proper identification, to go to the polls and pull the lever, hit the switch, color the dot, x the scratch, or write in our choice maybe everyone would take the time to go to their local poll.

Other European countries do this, why can’t we? We get off for President’s day, we celebrate Valentine’s, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and other commercial madness, why not “President and Vice President of the United States Day”.

Now Obama take this to you when you get in the White House. Let’s revise the manner that we vote as a nation. President Jimmy Carter has been raising Caine for years now on the ridiculousness and partiality of it all, even so much that The Carter Center said that international body of legal voting rights wouldn’t even approve what we are doing in the United States, so change this procedure immediately so we are practicing the democracy we crave and rave about. I’m sure we have a few geniuses at Harvard and Stanford that can figure this out.

We can’t be complacent and assume because of what the polls are saying that this race is the “slam dunk of the month”. I remember the Bradley factor too. I don’t want to sound pessimistic either but let’s not forget history or it will surface again. Precautionary steps should be made to go back to every Obama supporters that told us that they were going to Vote for Barack and make sure those that had early ballots turned them in. Remind them that leaving them in the out box of their desks will get it to the Registrar’s office. Then we need to check in the local community for those that may need rides to the polls. I’ll be working ours so I’ll know by noon who didn’t show up at our location. At lunch time, I’ll be making phone calls and nagging the mess out of folks that “promised”. Our local Democratic chapter is even asking ladies to make calls at various locations. Sometimes a little nag motivates and make people fill loved! I don’t know about you but I don’t want to see another newspaper come out in three hours announcing to me that there is a discrepancy as to who has won the Presidency. I don’t think my heart can stand the excitement again three times in a row.

I believe that ACORN is a distraction, if the person’s handwriting is that evident, pull all of the applications. But isn’t it a matter of who pulls the lever, punches the dot, scratches the dot and x the square that is the real determinant here, not who registered? Admonish the person or people who lied to get paid, and let’s move on. By the way, I don’t believe the guy filling out 73 forms to help the person get paid, could he really make up that many names? Someone had to have paid him under the table and beside, the number 73 doesn’t even ring true to me. And he said he didn’t know this was wrong, OK he got his 15 minutes of national radio and television. Give the rest of us a break!

ACORN AND YOUNG POLITICAL MAJORS

Nervie — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:48:39 EDT

This morning the LA TIMES says that County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky has made a motion to audit and review all of the Mark Jacoby of Young Political Majors voter registration forms received in the Los Angeles County area. The new LA County Voter Registar and Recorder, Dean Logan, will have his hands full on this one. Last night, watching MSNBC Keith Olberman, who announced that some people have noticed the sudden absence of Acorn discussions by Sarah Palin and John McCain on the campaign trail today. “Could it be”, exclaimed Olberman, “that the newest arrest by the owner of the Young Political Majors by the Ontario Police Department is causing some muting?” or is it the possibility that there is another such fraud erupting in McCain’s state of Arizona, where another individual was caught also slamming throughout the state. So now this is giving cause to check all voter registration applications and changes by YPM and the new company He had my attention. I guess it is one thing to snap someone making up ficticious names to increase their voter registration in the same pen at the same address, but for someone to take the campaign information from actual voters and slam them into the Republican party, so they can’t vote as an independent or a Democrat is another story. Bob Walsh, spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state says that there is a difference between voter registration fraud and Voter Fraud. “Voter registration” are imaginary voters; “Voter fraud” are “real people”. Any fraud is wrong. Like at our location, apparently many voters found themselves listed as Republicans because they had signed petitions for “parental permission” if a child was underage trying to seek an abortion. From the information provided these individuals were then re-registered as Republicans. When the voter arrived at the primary election polls, they were told that they couldn’t vote for the Democrat or for any other candidate but the Republican. It is amazing how one would assume that a person who would sign a petition requiring underage children to get permission before they can have an abortion and that that person would not necessarily be a Democrat. Democrats to my knowledge don’t advocate having abortions, they advocate for the women to have a right to choose whether or not she can have an abortion. One of the provisions of the underage abortion petition was that if a child did become pregnant by their parent or other family member, that child doesn’t have any recourse or opportunity to redress the activities of the family member who impregnated her. Yes, if I had a daughter, I would want to know whether or not they were pregnant before they decided to have an abortion, but wouldn’t one pretty much know that something is wrong in the communication if the mother is not told by the daughter if such an event occurred? More than likely there are other problems in the household and I don’t believe Republicans want us to start legislating conversations between parents and children. Do they? Augh, I know I can’t get a fully appreciated discussion here on the subject but it is interesting how the premise of this vote switching occurred, which is why I bring this up. Anyway, in the primary election, Republicans restricted their voters so that they couldn’t vote for any other party. Is this not being restrictive? When voters noticed that they were unable to cast their vote for a Democratic candidate they’d approach and complain to us, the poll workers. Poll workers having little authority but to call their leads and suggest to the voter to either cast a “ ballot” or write a complaint to the Voter Registration Office. Apparently the scurrilous voter register operation was ramped up in Southern California and by the time the claims are sorted out, the 2008 election will be over. Are the Republican knuckleheads banking on the voter not being too zealous and following through or asking questions during the voting process. I would assume so. I witnessed this at my poll location all day in the primary election and I did report this to our LA County Democratic Party. Our immediate supervisor knew and suggested to us to give each voter the preliminary voter form. We heard these complaints all day. The voters usually said “augh forget it” walking out not casting any vote. Hence you chased after them to fill out the form. They responded, “I knew it, my vote doesn’t count anyway” again walking out very disgusted, or you could call the 1800 emailing to LAVOTE.NET, writing a letter, which would be received after the voting; suggesting that they call their member of Congress and Debra Bowen, the California Secretary of State or in some cases the voter would reluctantly just cast a Republican vote. What they also don’t say, is that McCain was involved in the Acorn voter registration drives too, before this information came out from the Republican party screamers. From what I understand that ACORN originated in “1970, the Louisiana-based Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now says it advocates for poor people. This election, some 13,000 ACORN workers have registered an unprecedented 1.3 million people”. All ACORN registrars aren’t as deviant as the few caught, the Republicans can also lift their accusations on perpetrators who registered non existent people, but I guess this is also to close to being decent to commend an organization for 1.3 million new registrants. And it is election time, right, there are some rules against being decent to one another when you are from opposite parties! Is it me, or have you noticed that you hear almost nothing about the Libertarians, Greens or Peace and Freedom Parties?

"YOU SAID WHAT?????

Nervie — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:37:42 EDT

BLOG October 25, 2008 WEDNESDAY, She was groaped, robbed, beat up, eye-blackened, pinned down, had a “B” carved on her cheek as she went to a Citizen’s Bank ATM machine Wednesday night because the mugger, a 6’4” black man, knew she was a McCain volunteer. According to the Spokesperson Diane Richard of the Pittsburg Police department the incident occurred around 9pm. Todd was questioned and all subsequent information was pursued. Todd failed the lie detector test and refused medial assistance but saying she would go the next day. The police saw the visible signs however, they didn’t take a picture. The Pittsburgh Bloomfield area was thrust into the national media. Residents say the incident puts a bad rap on the diverse Bloomfield “safe” neighborhood. Todd told investigators she was attempting to use a bank branch ATM at Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street when the man approached her from behind, put a knife with a 4- to 5-inch blade to her throat and demanded money. She told police she handed the assailant $60 and walked away. Todd’s first told campaign volunteers that she was on a leave of absence and wanted to be part of the McCain campaign. McCain’s Communications director Peter Feldman verified the information to the local WPXI television station caused a racial firestorm with incendiary comments regarding the race of the victim and the alleged assailant. Patrick Graham, President of the Pittsburg’s College Republicans called it a political “hate crime”. Todd was working as a volunteer at the National Republican’s Pittsburg headquarters for a week. She originally said she was a student at Blinn College, then Texas A & M. When asked “why did he attack you, if you gave him the money?” Todd told investigators that she suspected the 6’4” Black man then noticed a John McCain sticker on her car, became angry and punched her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground and telling her "you are going to be a Barack supporter," police said. Todd said he continued to punch and kick her while threatening "to teach her a lesson for being a McCain supporter," police said. She said he then sat on her chest, pinned her hands down with his knees and scratched a backward letter "B" into her face with a dull knife, she said he uttered, “I am going to teach you a lesson for being a McCain supporter” as he cut her face. Todd told police she didn't seek medical attention right away, but instead went to a friend's apartment nearby and called police about 45 minutes later.Wednesday night the friends of Todd said that she was too distraught to talk publically about the incident. Seasoned reporter Ralph Ianotti, for KDKA.com, offered that The McCain/Palin campaign immediately sent out a press release saying that “We’re shaken up by this. It’s sick and disgusting”. Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin contacted Todd and extended their concerns. The Obama campaign released the following statement: "This is a horrendous act of violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery, and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice."Thursday, the Pittsburgh police discover holes and start to unravel the fluidity of the case. The film at the bank didn’t verify the information that Todd was claiming. It didn’t make sense that the person carved a backwards initial “B” in her face, took the $60, didn’t demand more money, didn’t rape her, didn’t kill her or leave her for dead to be possibly identified later. In the original story she said she “stepped away” from him and he ran. Why would he step away if he could apprehend her to the ground. He was she strong enough to fight off a man that size and not have more scarring? Detectives reinterviewed Todd again on Friday, when questioning the scratched reversed “B” on her cheek. Eventually she said she was acting alone. She admits to being the only person in the car.”. Diane Richard, spokes person for the police department says that Todd claims. “she believes the “B”, she may have done it herself, because she was the only person in the car”. Reading from a prepared text, Richard said, “when she looked through her rear view mirror and saw the “B” on her face, she said “she thought of Barack. Maurita Bryant, The Pittsburgh police assistant chief, speaking at a news conference on Friday, “she doesn’t believe that she did this, didn’t know how it happened. Todd admits to having prior mental problems and sometimes she forgets… she was the only person in the vehicle…she was upset with the media blowing all of this up.” Todd eventually broke down and admitted to having prior mental problems. The state Obama spokesperson angrily accused KDKA of being irresponsible to air the McCain spokesperson's incendiary version of events before the facts were fully known. The spokesperson for McCain, Feldman, now calls it a “gaff”. Pittsburgh resident Mark Billings said that “it was bringing attention to the McCain campaign”. Other residents expressed concerned for the woman’s health to even come up with such a story. Other residents commented that perhaps the McCain campaign needed a boost in their ratings and fundraising. After the attack, Texas A & M school officials verified that Todd wasn’t a student there. She was released on a $50K bond. So now Todd is being charged for filing a false police report. Why? There never was an attack!!

VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD IN LA COUNTY

Nervie — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:46:39 EDT

The Statement of LA County Democratic Party Chair Eric C. Bauman on Republican Voter Registration Fraud« Voter Registration Deadline is Monday, October 20 - Register Now to Change America!Statement of LA County Democratic Party Chair Eric C. Bauman
On Republican Voter Registration FraudThe Democratic Party urges LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to audit voter registration forms to protect voters against fraudLOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman today released the following statement on the arrest of Young Political Majors (YPM) voter registration consultant Mark Jacoby in connection to Republican voter registration fraud:“The arrest of California Republican Party voter registration consultant Mark Jacoby, owner of Young Political Majors, in connection with massive voter registration fraud marks one step toward bringing these criminals to justice.“We are glad that after weeks of voter complaints on voter registration issues we received and working with our counterparts and authorities, the voter fraud investigation has led to the arrest. But this is only the tip of the iceberg.“The Republicans are losing ground in California, even in the traditional “red” counties of the state, five of which have shifted from Republican to Democratic majority this year. They will stop at nothing and will do whatever is necessary to deceive voters and strip away their right to vote, even when it means “slamming” voters – fraudulently changing voters’ registration status and party affiliation.“I urge all registered voters in Los Angeles County to double check their registration status by using the online verification system at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s website: www.lavote.net.“And, on behalf of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, I request that Mr. Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, expand his audit and review of voter registration affidavits to include all voter registration affidavits turned in by Young Political Majors that specifically change voters’ party affiliation from Democratic Party or Decline to State to Republican Party, as a measure to protect voters from fraudulent registration. If necessary, we will seek a writ to enforce our request.“An individual willing to personally commit voter registration fraud would certainly feel no compunction about committing a widespread fraud affecting voters’ party affiliation. As I have always said, a citizen’s right to vote is the foundation of democracy and the cornerstone of democracy depends on the integrity of the voting process. We will take all steps necessary to protect the voters’ right to vote, bring voter fraud criminals to justice, and ensure every vote is counted, as cast.” Voters are strongly encouraged to check with the Voter’s Registration Office to see whether or not their registration status has not been changed against their wishes. Voters who wish to vote by mail have until Tuesday, October 28 to request a Vote by Mail ballot for the November 4 election. CHECKING STATUS: Individuals may now log on to www.lavote.net and click on the “Voter Registration Status” button in the “Announcements” section of the home page. The next window asks for the person’s last name, birth date, house number and zip code. The system then searches the RR/CC voter registration database and notifies the individual whether or not they are currently registered. If registered, the voter is provided links to find their polling location, download an electronic copy of their sample ballot, complete an online request for a vote by mail ballot or check the status of an existing ballot request. Voter Registration Request Line (800) 481-VOTE (8683). “NO HABLA ENGLISH??” Persons requiring multilingual assistance in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino or Vietnamese regarding information Call (800) 481-8683. You must be registered to vote before you can change your status to “vote by mail”. “Vote by mail” ballots can be dropped off at your polling site if you forget to mail them in, but you are encouraged to mail them in early.

LIST OF POLLING PLACES can be found by putting in your address at the following URL: http://www.spyfu.com/UrlRedirector.aspx?d=lavote.net

COLIN POWELL ENDORSES OBAMA

Nervie — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:54:08 EDT

Contrarily Obama phone calls are going out in the Butte County area. The secondary situation is that there is a video that is being passed out (in the millions) and mailed out which maligns Obama with the Arabic and Muslim community. The promoters chide that they paid a regular advertising fee and mailing fees to get them inserted. This is obviously part of the Republican October surprise. But no surprise that there are so many innuendos and out and out lies being perpetrated to support their candidate of choice, John McCain. The papers should be more mindful of how they are being used to distribute this erroneous information. We understand the freedom of speech and the fact that elections are often very nasty, but who takes responsibility to that speech when one calls out “FIRE” in a crowd at a critical PSYCHOLOGICAL MOMENT! Are the papers now inciting a bunch of flakey being lined up on one side and making the probability of them responding in a drastic way? We are hoping this doesn’t mean an organized swipe at OBAMA is to come. Even though we are pleased to hear the endorsement of General Colin Powell on Meet the Press this morning, along with General Wesley Clark and General James P. Hoar. We wonder whether or not this may also amplify the division between the two parties. The 2008 election cycle will end on November the 4th. The division of the country can go into more conflict being that our financial situation has ignited foreign markets, real estate holdings causing immediate family to disperse, communities falling apart due to job losses and foreclosed homes, and the ongoing war in Afghanistan and Iraq making us all at more risk and vulnerable. We hope the media takes on more extended responsibility and recognize that we are out of balance and that they have control of causing a stronger momentum and climatic outcome of the election.

Savings Bond

Nervie — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:56:55 EDT

THE LIGHTS ARE OUT, IS ANYONE HOME? by Minerva L. Williams The psychological impact of the economy was reflective yesterday when the lights went out at the new mall. I was in JC Penney’s looking at shirts. My boyfriend’s birthday is coming up, so I thought I’d surprise him with a shirt to wear to dinner without coffee, oil or bleach stains. The sales racks indicated cash needy and we aren’t talking at the end of the month either, so I wanted to take full advantage of the designer shirt mark offs were more than 50% off. The lights went out. People around me appeared frozen. You could http://www.blwebdesign.com/ATW/images/bumpercars.jpg hear cursing, shrieking mothers, and men mumbling concerns. I began to move out in the middle of the aisle where some of the emergency lights still illuminated the floor. In mass, shoppers scurried, dragging their kids, thundering their baby buggies and running to their cars. Shoppers appeared to be in frenzy, panicked, and driving like they were at a bumper car meet at a country fair. There was only one catch; you didn’t have to buy a ticket to enter. I chose to sit and watch people were criss-crossing over lanes, bouncing over the speed bumps, screaming on their brakes and yelling with the middle finger salute. There were so many near misses I quit counting. There wasn’t an announcement of poisonous gas being emitted, so I wondered why they were in such a hurry. I sat on the bench outside the store. Yes, I agree, people are on the edge. This began to remind me of the Y2K scare. Now mind you this was in the background of a clear blue sky, 75 degree weather, a soft breeze and mid afternoon. The mall has become a temple for our materialism. Why weren’t they heading for church if they are truly worried? The stretch of the emotions when you don’t have money is even more distorted. The unconscious teacher has been advertising. The prevailing teacher will espouse materialism. Maybe this is why after 9/11 George Bush told everyone “to go shopping”, a safety place? Why didn’t he tell everyone to stay put and to stay home? Why the temple attraction of the mall? What happens when they hear our banks are in more than $30 trillion dollars in debt and that the simple $700 billion dollar legislative bailout is obviously only a tiny hole in the bucket? How do you make a garment of sensibility when such distortion is apparent? We didn’t get here over night. We have had years of over consumption without logic and reasoning, yeah, we should have left the mall decades ago then today’s panicky behavior wouldn’t even be happening. I turn to KFWB 1098, seems like the market went over 800 points from the grim Friday (October 10). I know, I’ll cook a nice rib-eye steak, Mahatma rice, steam vegetables, add candle light, bake a German sweet chocolate cake and wholla, safe one hundred and fifty bucks in the process. And for the record, I’ll go by the bank and find out about a savings bond.

Another 600 points . . . and counting

Nervie — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:11:21 EDT

The market went down another 600 points today and counting, is this the bottom? An economic crisis is what we are watching and having been listening to all week. And all the McCain Campaign can talk about is whether or not Obama knew a guy who was a 60’s radical and a member of the Underground? Give us a break. Then we hear some guy who sounds like he forgot to take is Paxil yelling that “he is madder than hell.” Please give the guy his medication. Why isn’t McCain addressing the current crisis? Why can’t he stay fixed on what he plans on doing to solve the problem? Is McCain not looking at the crisis for fear that people will bring up the demise of the Savings and Loans associations with the Keating Five scandal? Well he doesn’t seem to be having any problems bringing up Obama’s poor house purchase and making Obama sound like he came from another planet implying again that there is something wrong with Obama’s middle name, that he attended Muslim schools and his wife doesn’t love America. Is this because they found Hillary Clinton’s playbook? The Obama campaign substantiated and refuted that months ago. Yes, a senate commission exonerated McCain years ago too, so why doesn’t McCain just simple tell the problem in his own words instead of dodging what “was an accident and poor judgment” and move on. The deregulation of the current banking system is the reason we are all in this mess. We must realize that there was definitely a lot of collaboration for the world markets to get caught up in the fray. Why aren’t they telling us where people are putting the money they are taking out of the stocks? This is what is on my mind.

Ethics, Integrity and Public Policy

Nervie — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:11:33 EDT

These days, ethics, integrity and public policy are definitely in the spotlight. How many people are eating at this trough?

The coagulation of national credit worthiness is affecting the world economy which in many cases is nothing more than paper. The Federal Reserve will hopefully take on more aggressive moves. SEC is looking at institutional toxic waste even though some people have become rich selling the derivatives.

Is it because there is an equity scare going on domestically and Paulsen protecting the tax payers in order to win voters empathy and anx for the 678 drop in the stock market today? And the week isn’t over yet. The industrial averages dropped below the 678 points, that’s scary. We are 30% below liquidity and we have only known to go down to 49% in the past. What will tomorrow bring?

Now that everyone in America is ready to loose their shirts and struggling with their retirement funds and saving assets is the Federal Reserve going to collapse? If the reckless corporations are loosing propositions then where does this place those Americans who work for these corporations? Underwriting the responsibility of the banks that approved these bad loans is not prudent to me. Government intervention may stop the downward spiral but who in the treasury can assure us where the bottom is.? Will the $700 billion bailout stop the hemorrhaging? Every time I look up there is another report that another $35 billion was offered to AIG two days ago.

SO how does McCain fare in the economic picture? In spite of 34% of those polled by CNN say that they had a more favorable response for Obama after the last debate compared to the first one. McCain is calling Obama a “man of the street”, “palling around terrorists” and implying his financial experience isn’t as strong as McCain. The clean race that McCain claimed to run is falling apart. Could this be because Republicans, who are loosing this 2008 presidential bid, are realizing that they have less than 27 days to stop the economic bleeding so we will pay more attention to the Republican contest?

I find the 11 point Obama Gallup lead is causing a “desperate distraction” (as Obama calls it) created on behalf of McCain and being utilized and vocalized by Palin is using the financial crisis to steer up the borderline racism, aggressive name calling, rehashing Hillary Clinton accusations against Obama, encouraging angry letters to the editors and legislators and agitating community rallies attendants into angry attack dogs. Palin said it right, what is the difference between a bulldog and a hokey mom, lip stick. What is the difference between a closet racist and a corporate racist, the corporate racist agitates others into doing their bidding.

Then there is ACORN. Yes, the company that took Motor voter law to court that was represented by a law firm where Obama worked years ago. Obama’s camp says Obama was a community organizer however he never worked for ACORN as we hear FOX, the Republican media, implying. Who does the fact checking at FOX anyway?

The fight is over Ohio and the swing states which are barometers of the Presidential election. Rumor says the presidency has never been won by an individual who didn’t secure Ohio. Is it not a wonder that ACORN is being targeted in OHIO? Exchanges are being shown at rallies for McCain and Palin to be more aggressive. So what does McCain do, he spins on Obama’s non relationship with William Ayres, a member of the Underground terrorist group. Obama was eight years old living in Hawaii when Ayres was a radical 60’s bomber. Quite ironically, Ayres lives on the same street as Obama, happens to be on two boards that Obama sits on but somehow we are to believe that Ayres is influencing his political decisions. I don’t know everyone on my street and I am sure some of us don’t have much in common but to appeal to a rally crowd, isn’t this an indication that McCain is in trouble? Why didn’t McCain bring it up in the debate?

Fox exposed concerns of voter registration today. Apparently practices of the Association of Community Organization for Reform Now also known as ACORN, which is a collaboration of 75 nonprofit groups in ten states and is under heavy scrutiny. ACORN is a known social activist group that uses very radical approaches to express their social and political activism. They are known to block the entry of banks, stand in the middle of mortgage companies with protest signs and loud slogans, as well as having rallies to interrupt business on well-trafficked financial corners. They allegedly express the injustice involved in providing loans to middle and low-income individuals. In some instances they even held public media events accusing bankers of “redlining areas” and deliberately not extending lines of credit to various minority and diverse groups. A second organization is the Woods Foundation.

Registrants say that ACORN employees used bully tactics to force local citizens to fill out voter registration forms whether or not the voter said that they were already registered. We hear on the news today that a woman who didn’t want to be identified said that ACORN canvassers were so in your face that you felt compelled to fill out the information just so that they would go away. The same woman claimed she had filled out five forms.

Several federal raids have been made in Reno, Nevada on ACORN offices. Usually on the state level the violators can be given up to one year of jail. With no prior convictions, this may amount to no or little jail time. On the federal side, Ricoh Statutes call these actions criminal conspiracies and can land violators up to 15 or more years of prison. There have been 12 Boards of Registration being investigated due to ACORN employees coming forward.

What I am able to discern, Congress approved funds for ACORN up to $5,000,000. It is questionable as to whether or not Republican groups were funded through ACORN but so far there hasn’t been any media response to this. What is also alleged is that most ACORN workers were supporters of OBAMA. An ACORN representative says that ACORN workers are bipartisan. There are serious allegations of possible voter fraud throughout the United States if these same employees are responsible for participating in the primary elections in ten other states.

ACORN activists manipulated the Community Reinvestment Act to make banks enter into subprime loans” says Neil Cavoto. His program discussed that the high risky loans are being applied to Democratic leadership who in turn went to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and asked for review of loan practices which lead to the “eventual leniency, which was used to approve loans within the past three years. Chris Dodd is becoming the Democratic poster child and being singled out as one of the key players in the Mac and Mae debacle.

What is in question is whether or not public grants were also used to pay ACORN employees to assist people in voter registration. A legal representative for ACORN alleged that they are bipartisan and all they did is canvass and register citizens. It is believed that in some instances individual’s double registered people in order to make their voter quotas. In some cases legitimate PAC’s also paid ACORN employees to increase their voter files. What is in question is whether or not tax payer’s dollars were used to pay ACORN employees which spell larger federal scandal.

If ACORN representatives did participate in this “ill got gains” than yes, they should be dealt with accordingly. McCain is said to be impatient and once he realizes that he isn’t getting any traction and should be paying attention to solving or presenting his views on the economy maybe he’ll quit. He has also changed positions on those families who are loosing their homes. At first he mentioned to use Hillary’s strategy of freezing all loans and reassessing the cost of the homes and reinstitute that net price and have banks rewrite the loans. There wasn’t any traction here. Then realizing the loss to the banks, McCain changed his position and starting attacking the homeowners for taking out loans that they couldn’t afford in the first place and exclaiming that the banks were giving homeowners the benefit of the doubt. Well, today he changed again, this time he is being empathetic to the homeowners and asking why did Obama vote for the Paulsen bailout?

Based on McCain’s statements today, he would have never allowed these low income families to have these lines of credit. However, if you check the records, many of the homes being foreclosed on are in affluent as well as middle income neighborhoods. I agree we should not make the tax payers be the bail out mechanism for real estate speculators. Home values are dropping more than 25% in our area. Newer home developments in the Inland Empire, for example, are almost ghost towns as property values drop up to 50%.

But at the same time, Republican pundants don’t want to talk about McCain being one of the Keating Five.

Today, General Motors Corporation dropped 31% so that shares are $5.00. Their shares haven’t been this low since the early 1950’s. Ford is in trouble too, dropping 20%. J.D. Powers is predicting that the American auto giants are eventually going to go away on the global market. Crude dropped to a 20% low, dropping 40% since the start of the summer.

Donald Trump says that we will eventual return to the “vanilla loans” our parents had to qualify for, instead of the NINIJA (No Income, No Job or Assurances) risky loans. But to finger point when there were levels of financial restrictions and policies that needed to be ignored at banks and mortgage institutions is pretty shallow in comparison. This incompetency or greed is causing a world market explosion and spins foreign credit exchange on its head. Isn’t this another attempt at changing the subject and to keep blaming while Republican financial leaders take the nation into six trillion dollars of debt?

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Happiness is having sex in the shower . . .

Nervie — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:53:20 EDT

We had a corporate sales meeting for AFLAC last week. The guest inspirational speaker is retiring with a $260K residual income. He said when ALFAC did a poll of what three items Alabamians were afraid of, the poll showed ghosts, dogs and certified mail. When they asked the same question to Californians the response was nuclear holocaust, another 9/11 attack but larger, and being diagnosed with a terminal illness. The speaker commented that knowing this to be the difference between the two areas, he wasn’t sure what topic to speak on because of the sophistication of Californians. But being a Southerner who enjoyed telling great yarns, he continued that he was from Albany, Georgia where 82% of the residents find happiness is having sex in the shower and where 14% haven’t been to prison yet. He said if you drive the speed limit on the highway and decide to blink, you’ll miss the turn off to Albany. It took the audience a few seconds to realize the humor of the joke. He said that Albany is quite famous for breeding bird dogs, high divorce rate and he assured us he wasn’t a slacker. He owned several bird dogs for hunting and had been divorced twice believing he picked the right girl the third time. He added he still hasn’t had sex in the shower however, to maintain his insurance licenses, he can’t have a prison record so in spite of the Albany norm he has done pretty good for himself. And the jokes kept coming . . .

Obama McCain & Healthcare

Nervie — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:47:16 EDT

October 8, 2008:

I was reminded last night watching the Obama McCain debate that Obama encourages national healthcare, especially for children. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. October 17th is Mammography day. And the more recent statistics according to the American Cancer Association indicate:

In 2006, 56% of women of screening age reported that they had a mammogram in the past year, compared to only 39% in 1987. However, a recent trend in mammography rates reflect as much as 4% decline nationwide. Poor women have shown the largest increase in mammography use, especially in recent years. Non-Hispanic black women were most likely to have been recently screened (68%), while screening among Hispanic, Non-Hispanic white, and Asian women lagged behind (59%, 62%, and 55% respectively).

So ladies and gentlemen (too) if you haven’t make an appointment to have your breasts checked.

As I was saying, last night as I watched the debate, I realized that Obama encourages national healthcare and an opportunity for Americans to improve their lives and increase the quality of their lives by having comparable healthcare that legislators and government officials already enjoy. McCain’s practice of being dismissive reminds me so much of the Bush Administration; on the other hand McCain only wants to emphasis the penalties that Obama was going to recommend to those who choose not to provide their children healthcare insurance. By the way does anyone know what those penalties are? You would think with McCain’s personal health issues, his first wife’s accident and health needs of any normal family that being a father and a husband, that he would not only encourage insurance but be the first to recommend health services as a leader.

Obama addressed healthcare again this afternoon at the rally in Indiana. It dawned on me how so many individuals who receive government sponsored benefits, grants and financial assistance are quick to tell the rest of us that we shouldn’t be concerned with government support intervention. Often they even refer to government assistance as some form of socialism. So if this is the case, why are these political leaders accepting the services? Is it me or are others also realizing that the government means our tax dollars providing the financial price, which means it is a “freebie” to political leaders?

Brian Williams of MCNBC in November 2007 produced a special detailing the risk factors for detecting breast cancer. He warned that in all the methodology to gather information on American women by doctors was questionable.

Williams offered, “the misinformation in past breast cancer models are especially taking their toll on African American women”, and he continued with a report by Dr. Nancy Snyderman, the chief medical editor of NBC News. Why? Because the largest studies ever done did not include African American (AA) women at all. I’m sure you can agree with me, that it is usually devastating and scary to hear the words “cancer”. Since 2001, millions of younger AA women being diagnosed with breast cancer are increasing. Awareness by AA women is causing more checking and looking for tell tale signs. More talk show hosts are talking about breast cancer and how to check one’s self. Even Ophra Winfrey has been doing frequent segments on prevention and survivor stories to stress the level of serious care and concern that needs to be taken often inviting celebrities, high profile career profession as well as the lady next door to share their experiences.

On the NBC special when a woman was 36 years old was diagnosed to having the disease, the woman looking wide-eyed and confused thought hearing the words “cancer was so unreal”, she assumed that such a disease only happened to older women, not someone young like herself.

Surreal to me is knowing current statistics on AA women are showing that AA are less likely than Whites to get breast cancer but this is based on an old 1989 study where AA weren’t even used. So finding a new model using African-American women in an initial study on breast cancer is deeply needed. To date these findings are showing AA are usually younger, under the age of 40 years old and the breast cancer is a lot more aggressive than that in their white counterparts. Based on a University of Chicago Medical study, more than 50% AA diagnosed do not live beyond two years. There is question as to whether or not medical detection is less noticeable to AA women or that it is possible that breast cancer in of itself just simple effects black women more harshly and more aggressively. Is it possible that it is a completely different disease in how it spreads in AA women in particular? The jury is still out.

There is question as to whether or not African ancestry is a higher genetic propensity based on Dr. Lisa Newman, leading an ongoing five-year Ghana study, that cancer in black women operates much differently than it does in other women.

As I understand it, African American women under 40 years of age are being asked in the Journal of National Cancer Institute study that introduces updated science that more black women are need to make some definitive questions answered. If anyone knows anything differently, please let me know, williamsminerva20@yahoo.com. AA in particularly, are being asked to consult with their doctors to become volunteers to enter the National Institute’s Cancer study. Early detection in all women is being encouraged. To all women it is recommended that yearly mammograms are taken.

I would recommend visiting the following web sites also: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/LRN/LRN_0.asp

American Cancer Society- www.cancer.org

California Cancer Registry- www.ccrcal.org

National Cancer Institute- www.cancer.gov

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program- www.seer.cancer.gov

Centers for Disease Control- www.cdc.gov

California Dialogue on Cancer- www.cdoc-online.org

California Department of Public Health- www.cdph.ca.gov

Locally, go visit: Santa Clarita Valley Unit 25020 W Avenue Stanford Unit 170 Valencia, CA 91355 Map Phone: (661)298-0886 Fax: (661)775-9853

AFLAC and other progressive insurance companies have special health events breast cancer programs encouraging early detection. If your insurance company doesn’t inquire at AFLAC (“yes, the duck insurance company”). Women who know they have a high family history of breast cancer are especially asked to take wellness measures by altering their diets, increasing exercise, watching their lifestyle stress levels and early detection.

Gwen Ifill, Palin and Biden

Nervie — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:25:20 EDT

I must comment on Gwen Ifill on Meet the Press Sunday. Ifill said that she enjoyed being played by Queen Latifa on Saturday Night Live and commented on Palin, . “she more than ignored me . . .., “ Ifill said, “she blew me off, I believe that is the technical term”. The rest of us believed or understood that there was going to be a debate. There were so many variables to consider, Joe Biden coming off too strong and intelligent and inflating his language so that you didn’t understand the legal jargon. Then there was Sarah Palin. What can you say, Sarah Palin had had two prior horrific interviews which made you believe she was Bush in a suit with lipstick. Biden decided to debate John McCain and his disagreeable policies which match Bush’s policies and often answering Ifill’s questions. Sarah Palin, on the other hand, was determined to address the American people and looking straight into the camera ignoring Ifill and Biden. The many of questions Ifill says she was asked after the interview were on the 99% charismatic Palin, and there wasn’t much on Biden at all. She says that many Americans were weighing Palin’s maverick themed rhetorical statements. Ifill questions whether or not the true appeal was directed to women who embraced Hillary Clinton, to neutralized Gwen and Joe or all three. Joe kept his points on McCain’s problems which added some level of quality to the debate, however with Palin dodging the questions and grinning to the audience left much unanswered questions. As for transparency, yes it was apparent and through her pronouncement, Palin had no intention on answering the questions. This coming from the individual who is a heart beat away from being the president of the United States and we know we are having the oldest person ever to enter the Presidency who doesn’t have good health, I find frightening and insulting. Run and tell your friends to register and vote, better yet take them to the poll. The future of America really is banking (no pun intended) on your participation. Please vote November 4th

George Lakoff and the voter's mind

Nervie — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:34:03 EDT

"The Political Mind" and "There You Go Again" are two books that professor George Lakoff brings to my attention that the mind of the voter can be often quite predictable.

If you haven't read them, run and find a copy and see whether or not you are seeing the response now in the 2008 Election process. Don't forget to pay attention to these processes on the local election level as well. I can't believe that those political science readings at Chico State is now paying off and coming full circle. So where is this taking you . . . George Lakoff speaks on the concept of reason which is 98% unconscious and requires emotion. Emotion is 98% unconscious. Politics generates morality in the listener. And the brain forms frames which are used in writing speeches. Speeches are written so that the listener is going through concepts of reason, morality and emotions all at the same time. And Lakoff establishes that these mechanisms in the mind of the listener that creates the presentation by the speaker and the writer of the speech is what causes a reaction.

For example, at the last vice presidential speech, Palin was dressed well, she is an attractive woman and to a great extent has a great deal of memory capacity, intelligence, strong appearance. To those watching she appeared to be calm but well aware of what her incapacities were, subsequently, she choose to only tackle those questions she had ready made answers for. She used the concept of the "WHITE FLAG OF SURRENDER" as a pictorial that the Democrats were running away from the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. She mirrored MCain's rhetoric very well but is it enough for them to win over the massive young supporters of OBAMA?

Lakoff also says that there is an intentional creation of mental frames for which speech writers use as an advantage to the listener. He more in details describes all of these concepts in the above mentioned books. Let's wait and see if there is any truth to these theories. Watch how the media takes these statements she made and create "WOW, Palin isn't so bad after all effect, which also indicates the bar for her to rise up to must have been very low". Haven't we had enough of this kind of creation impression with the current President, when is enough enough? Don't allow them to tell us what we saw last night. She was a horrible representation of a Vice Presidential candidate and with McCain's health, she is closer to a Presidential candidate I have ever witness and the conservative side of Republicans know this which is why they are so made at McCain.

Check out http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/09/02

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0670019275?tag=commondreams-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0670019275&adid=1KQ5VVRGF50GXYHQFVNW&

The entire time, I kept wondering, what would have been the case had Hillary been debating this woman?

Peace Out, Minerva and Todd

The opposite of emptiness

Nervie — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:45:32 EDT

The Sunday morning FOX News were talking about the Iranians are turning their missiles towards the Israeli and accusing the Israeli's of an earlier practice bombing run in late June. This is after the Iranians found out that the US made air planes and military hardware was given to Israel. The US gave them the new planes in May and guess who was head of the buying team, remember Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld? Torture Donald. To bomb Iran you don't need a 747, you need a much faster lower flying plane that can drop 10X capacity bomb. Am I the only person watching this program this morning?? Hello out there!

Second thought.

The Great Courses on Buddhism part one and Part two is something I wish I could buy and randomly give to those I know "emptiness". "As your insight into the ultimate nature of reality is deepened and enhanced, you will develop a perception of reality from which you will perceive phenomena and events as sort of illusory, illusion-like, and this mode of perceiving reality will permeate all your interactions with reality. [...] Even emptiness itself, which is seen as the ultimate nature of reality, is not absolute, nor does it exist independently. We cannot conceive of emptiness as independent of a basis of phenomena, because when we examine the nature of reality, we find that it is empty of inherent existence. Then if we are to take that emptiness itself is an object and look for its essence, again we will find that it is empty of inherent existence.

TIGHTEN UP YOUR BELT OBAMA-ITES!!

Nervie — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:35:26 EDT

MAY 20 2008 BLOG: 1:20PM It’s Summertime. Between mortgage percentage increases, increase in air conditioning and $4 per gallon gas bills becoming common place, many individuals are finding ways to reduce their living costs. It is suggested that going to Costco once a month buying food in bulk including juice and milk freeze the difference is saving them up to $35/week. Bring a detailed list and never go to the store hungry. Roma or pump tomatoes are better than heirloom tomatoes. Toiletries are 10 to 20% lower at discount stores. Ready to eat meal are more expenses per item than cooking your food. Buy meat on sell and tight wrap, mark the date and again, freeze the difference. Make sure to get as much air out of your food before you vacuum seal decreases refrigerator burns. Go to the store w/out children and compulsive individuals this reduces impulse buying. Buy fresh produce at your local store to insure quality. Notice that store sales are usually on Wednesday. Gas prices: suspension in gas taxes will provide a psychological uplift but only save us 17 cent a gallon this summer. To some gas users this isn’t relief as oil and gas companies need to be made accountable to the gas gouging. Will legislatures do this remain to be seen? So in the meantime think before you get into the car. Plan your trips so you don’t have to crisscross around town. However, everyone I know is still wondering how much work needs to be done to come up with an alternative fuel. What happened to that old oil and squeezing garbage into a liquid mixture?? With the earth warming and we figure out how to use water for fuel, will that dry us into oblivion even faster??

Urban planning

Nervie — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:02:41 EDT

Well today, Friday April 18, 2008 Citicorp announced the laying off of 9,000 workers. Are the Vikings being layed off too? Word is there may be more to come from other banking institutions, that Citicorp was being bold by come out first. But Bush says we'll weather this storm. No mention that he is the "central cause" of the storm. How many days does he have left?

There was a 5.4 earthquake in Illinois, the first to be recorded in 40 years. People were frightened and didn't know what was going on, many slept through it and their dogs didn't bark. What do they feed their doggies? They would have been howling and running in a circle in California! It must be our water!

Membership, money and confidence is down in the Catholic church. The Pope is traveling around blessing and asking pedophile victims, after years of pundicts decrying priests poaching parishioners was a figment of children's imaginations, to "forgive the church for not responding more urgently". Several years and millions of dollars of litigation later, your honor felt a need to come and do this in person, a little bit way to late? Maybe. Some victims exclaim they feel resolved after meeting the Pope. Bush was ackward as ever and seemingly not sure what to do with his hands. How does Laura put up with him? I'd like to meet her one day, she seems kind.

Oil is $115.57 a gallon. Gas is up to $3.75 locally. Sensei said it would be $4.00 this summer, its almost here. Sensei is leaving Kandahar and on his way to Dubai now. That's one traveling man.

On late night reruns, CSPAN III, which I normally don't have time to watch, a senate committee interviewed the heads of all of the gas companies and asked them didn't they feel the least bit ashamed that they are netting their highest % in years while the American citizens are being "gouged" and travel industry costs are increasing. Trucking and transportation businesses are anguished but passing on their gas costs to consumers or going out of business, truckers are planning strikes, farmers are loosing big time, food costs are escalating and gas is soaring $l.50 more a gallon than last year. And they don't seem concerned? No one said anything for 10 seconds, I know I counted. Heartless executives who eat nails as snacks I don't remember them blinking either!!

To defray costs and over runs, Northwest Airlines and Delta Airlines are considering a merger. Won't this be starting another monopoly?

Locally an environmental waste company that bought a $3,000,000 75-acre site to build a MRF in the middle of an older established neighborhood full of retired non-ambulatory seniors and young children was put on stop. Residents of Canyon Country were up in arms regarding the man having the audacity to even think about doing so. Response, it would be a "clean" MRF: just trash falling off of the back of trucks, roads in need of weekly repair, sour-sweet aroma in the hot Santa Ana winds, congestion requiring ambulances to use sidewalks. Yeah rats, flies, mice, gnats and maggots would have been feasting well everyday now they'll have to find insect food stamps. 500 dump trucks taking two loads a day on a major thoroughfare to hold up traffic was finally heard with a huge outpouring at the last three city council meetings and 100's of letters. So sometimes human outcry works. Didn't the city officials invision this beforehand?

In the meantime, the poor rich owner of the site is exclaiming that he is loosing money since he proposed this third site since 2004. Fire your accountant and get a new one. My realtor friend bet $20 and a Michelob of his choice, that the owner is going to turn around and ask to build luxury homes (which would net him even more money) since the neighbors didn't want the dump and the cost of supplies and land is down right now. Well building those luxury $l,000,000 homes will definitely increase property values, increase the population, cause more congestion, trash, and cars on the streets and the wear on the infrastructure with a possible 1,000 new homes? You got to love urban planning. Minerva

let me hear from you....

Nervie — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:11:42 EDT

Hello Tony, Obama-ites!!

The Pennsylvania primaries will be here on April 22nd, if you know of a party please let us know!!

Regarding the query on Obama getting slammed. Obama will be facing much more harsher criticism as the race get's near the Denver, Colorado national level. You can expect that. Hopefully Clinton is doing all that she is going to have him exercise his ability to fight back but I am beginning to think this isn't an exercise anymore. Bill and Chelsea are stumping hard for Queen Clinton. Bill doesn't even look presidential anymore he is attacking so hard. I believe the repubs will be throwing more than kitchen sink at Obama, they'll be throwing in the furniture as well as the fixtures in the house. Yes, there is a strong gathering of those that don't want to see him win and their ethnicities and economic level doesn't seem to matter. However note, they will be using more "blue collar", NASCAR lovers, whiskey gumping stereotypical looking people in advertising campaigns by McCain and Hillary (she will stop at nothing). Since they believe that Obama comes from the "latte, well educated, white collar/office worker types, with young children and of course progressive liberals". But you can isolate yourself against this, "keep on keepin' on and tell your friends this is what they are doing. Meantime, Clinton wants us to believe that she is the "champion of the poor", that was bill's line, not her's and the "beer drinking, I'm regular, see me take shots of Kentucky bourbon, like a man" facade...how many times do we have to see her remake herself". Keep watching y'all.

Congratulations goes out to Ken Rhude and Cece Koplin!
As the new delegates for the Democratic National Convention in Denver at the Presidential Election. It was a great Sunday for the 25th CD.
Check out our calendar I'll post any parties you know of at http://www.scvyoungdems.org 661-295-9318 minwilli@gmail.com

Please share with me your point of view regarding the Reverand Wright, doesn't he realize we want to elect Obama and to close his mouth? I don't like Hillary taking full advantage of this situation, it has me buggy. Let me hear from you!
Peace Out, Still...Fired up and Ready to Go!!
Minerva and Todd Hoover, Santa Clarita Valley.----------

Anheuser in the White House

Nervie — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:15:18 EDT

Does this mean that if McCain wins his wife is going to encourage other Anheuser-Busch distributors to lower the cost of beer through out the United States? Hummmmmm, what would my college buddies at CSU CHICO say to that little new revelation? Then again, they seem to like Michelob better.

Obama punching back

Nervie — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:39:30 EDT

FINALLY: March 12, 2008. Obama is punching back. Clinton stated that even though she is in second place with the delegates and superdelegates that Obama should still concede to being Vice President and she'll be the President. The pundits are saying that Obama has finally responded to the post-it note she put on him that says "kick me, kick me". Clinton's camp says Obama may not have the international skills but maybe he can acquire them by August Convention time. What an insult! But then again, the spokesperson says "they don't know how". Don't tick your teeth yet, check this out. . . Overall: They just announced on the local news that Eggs are up 66%, cheese is up 16%, vegetables up 25% and gas is up to $3.65/gallon. It is projected that gas will be $4.00/gallon this summer, so get ready! That bike shop down the street says their prices are going up too. People are turning their cars in for the "hybrids" and compacts again. I'm looking for a pair of boot skates. Dining out, the commentator said, is cheaper when you have a large family. The news camera was spanning a large smörgåsbord type place, couldn't see the name of the establishment. This reminded me of one of the "elegant" ladies of the DNC saying this weekend that she had no shame and took some sandwich bags when she went to the Sizzler's, she got get some strawberries, cantaloupe and tomatoes. With these prices farmers are being hit hard too because they are loosing .5% a week because stores aren't buying as much. Imagine what the homeless are feeling.

Don't tick your teeth yet!!

Nervie — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:48:18 EDT

Yesterday, Obama came in first in Mississippi. Hillary says, "they were expecting this"and as usual downplaying the success. Some of her advocates say that it is because of the people's thinking in "those areas" that Obama wins. A little sour grapes?

Clinton claims that the inner city and the rural areas are where she does best. The NASCAR types, the lower income types, those that are unemployed because of factories and manufacturing plants being closed. Give it up Hillary! Last I check Obama's areas were in the rural areas and the city too. Have you been in Wyoming lately? But the truth is Hillary would love to have a recount of Florida and Michigan. You can't blame her, she won when other candidates vowed to not go into those areas because the state operatives moved up their voting dates without the express approval of the DNC, knowing by doing so, would disenfranchise the delegates. Call it a bluff by Howard Dean and the DNC but change the rules in the middle of the game doesn't seem fair. Just because Hillary's delegate numbers are lower than Obama's doesn't mean we rethink the voting rules just because she is number two. I'll admit it hurt last week when we lost Texas and Ohio. But because Hillary is now in second place and adding them will increase her standing sounds like the kind of "change" Obama is exclaiming about, and maybe with so many people watching and involved now, she'll realize that we have awakened to the Billary tactics.

If this is the fairness we can anticipate with Hillary, I don't want to know what she will do when no one is looking and not paying close attention in the White House. Hillary's camp says this is because the Floridians were dogged in 2000. This is because Ohioans were dogged in 2004. How convenient! Why wasn't she scream real loud in the beginning with Barack?

The DNC needs to sit down and reexamine the rules. They need to call in Atlanta's Carter Foundation team and the Republican equivalent (to make it fair) and the top leaders of the Indepdents who are law wise, abiding and fair to see why can't we just have one vote one ballot democratic rule in this country. There seems to be too many people tinckling at our Constitution.

Why do we need superdelegates in the first place? Why do we need delegates? All sounds like elitest. Can't we have a paper-trailed accurate voting computer system that counts everyone.

My ATM seems to work fine. I still can't believe that bubbles at the top of the LA County ballots are making a difference of 18,000 votes not being counted. I worked the poll that day, there were several rules we were never told and we hear some provisional ballots were tossed out too. Hopefully the voter registration office will figure out how to remove Logan and bring a real registar who knows the ins and outs of counting ballots, registering individuals and doesn't have a negative track record from their previous employer.

Why doesn't the DNC also find time to educate the public with advertisements that tell students AI isn't American citizens seeking independence or declining to state or the identification for when you don't want to reveal your party affiliation. AI is a party like the Greens and the Libertarians.

I saw droves of citizens checking and asking for "AI" not realizing what it meant but I couldn't interrupt the voting system educating them that day.

Maybe Obama's campaign can take that little project by explain that before the General Election.

The media says alleged that African Americans will vote for the first Black President of the United States because it is historical. As though it is a given that all African Americans will vote for a black person just because he or she is Black. African Americans are voting for Barack Obama for the same reason that every one else is. Because they believe in his message of hope, they believe he is the best choice for today's government. Barack Obama also won overwhelmingly in Wyoming, I guess the Black people did that too. Wrong. African Americans aren't even 2% of the population there. The same case Obama won in Iowa and Wisconsin.

People are awakening and saying that they are tired of being taken for granted by the "status quo". Get a clue Hillary.

Obama is punching back after Clinton's statement that her being in second place with delegates and superdelegates that Obama should concede to being Vice President and she'll be the President. The pundits are saying that Obama has finally responded to the post-it note she put on him that says "kick me, kick me". Clinton's camp says Obama may not have the international skills but maybe he can acquire them by August Convention time. What an insult! But then again, the spokesperson says "they don't know how".

As another black candidate once said, "keep hope alive" and Bill once said, "go with the man with the hope whenever in doubt". Maybe he forgot to share this little gem with his wife, Hillary. Don't tick your teeth yet, you will hear more snide condescending comments before this process is over in August. And we still haven't seen what the republicans have in store for us. Kind of make you wonder why they don't teach this process too closely in public schools under "Social Studies" because it is truly an interesting examination of social interaction. Not.

NOT OFF KEY OR FLAT

Nervie — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:17:42 EST

Monday, February 25, 2008 NOT THROATY OR OFF KEY:

Clinton is going aggressive, hard and personal again. At the debate Thursday she was playing the valedictorian, “I am honored to be sharing the stage with you” or words to that effect.

Saturday after Obama released a flyer explaining their differences in their universal healthcare policies she exclaims “”shame on you”, because she doesn’t like his “campaign tactics”. Being that she is always trying to explain the negatives of his policy, it would stand reason that he would publish his own perception of what his policy says and he doesn’t need Hillary’s or Bill’s permission. Bill reportedly in the meantime had six events lined up in Texas on Saturday as if he he is running for office, which pundits alleged he had more events lined up in one day than all the two candidates running for office to date. So whose’s campaign is it anyway?

Today, sounding pretty desperate, Bill and Hillary say Obama is getting a pass by the media and being treated as a “darling”, however the gushing and positive reporting is due to the incredible campaign Obama is running. Maybe the media is expecting Obama to act like Hillary but so far Obama chooses the high road which is incredible in of itself.

Three time Presidential candidate looser Ralph Nader, 75 years old, has suddenly decided to get a little attention again. I’ll say he looks wonderful for his age. He is great in policy and showing the flaws of government so why doesn’t he just decide to run as an Independent instead of popping up after the horses are out of the gate? If he would start the contest with the other runners maybe he would be taken more seriously. Look at the advantages of the “green technology” and environmental education he has advocated for for the past twenty years. To pull the spotlight on himself after the contest is narrowing out to the front runners from the republican and democratic parties makes me take pause and wonder what is his purpose. A little attention?

Well with the 11 wins in a row and Ted Kennedy’s throaty, off-key and flat singing in Spanish campaigning on behalf of Obama, the Obama camp definitely has cause to “boogie back to Texas” and hopefully will win over those tough Texans next Tuesday.

“Out of the many are one because we are all connected”, says Obama, and maybe the celestial choir won’t come out ala Clinton, but celestial spirits are actively moving the hearts and minds of Americans who are clamoring for change, hope and an incredible journey for peace. For your information Clinton, there is an Awesome God. Maybe you will make a few slams about Him also to increase your numbers with the atheists. You seem to be loosing your spiritual core or maybe it is desperation we are observing. Looking forward to March 4. Where did I put that Obama watch party invitation?

Peace Out, Nervie and Todd, Santa Clarita Valley.

"Fat lady dances before she sings"

Nervie — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:33:13 EST

If it weren’t for Time Warner Cable I wouldn’t have realized that I hadn’t written a Blog in a few days. The system is down; the television is off also, so I am winging it. It was suggested to me “to start off the dance on the right foot: Step, flaupe, drag, step, flaupe, drag then you alternate with the left foot. You keep alternating this process until the music stops.” This greeting was given to me by an old friend when he was awakened and he started discussing McCain-Feingold Campaign money bill and Samantha Power, International situation advisor for Obama with her new book “Chasing the Flame”. My buddy suggested that I run to the B & N (Barnes and Nobles) and get her book. He shared with me that McCain wrote two letters to the FCC hearing office which were improper to encourage a city’s station to be allowed to go private.
Apparently in 1997 McCain was chairman of the Senate Communications Board of the Republican Party. My friend says when this dastardly deed gets into the public realm it will make McCain’s transparency bill look comedic. He has over 57 lobbyists working for him now that he is running for President. I promised him that I’ll go look it up before I go further. Funny, I liked McCain before he started that “Bomb Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran” jingle and declared that we can be in Iraq 100 years if necessary "we aren't going to cut and run". So much for McCain being a moderate and thinking clearly and to think he and Hillary are friends? Politics does draw strange bedfellows and "friends". I haven’t had my fix of “Democracy Now!” for about a week. so I’ll goggle it before I go to bed tonight.

The media says Hillary was waiting for Obama to make a mistake last night at the University of Texas debate. All I could see is that Obama had a pretty bad head cold and was sitting in a draft, which just proved to Hillary that he is “human” and his speeches aren't a Xerox. She seemed to be grinning too much. I never did understand all that smiley wiley stuff she was conveying. I still feel as though Bill was running the show behind the scenes. She didn’t sound genuine when she was chastising him about using some phraseology he received from one of his senior staff advisor. The audience booed her. But I noticed in the media releases so far this morning, the media doesn’t play the “booing” part, they tell you instead. Most people won't appreciate the affect unless they hear it. For the past eight years, I have never figured out why the media has a need to tell you what you will see and what you will hear instead of just playing the “darn tape” all the way through. Then comment, if they must.

Hillary reversed her previous complaining and extended her hand after having made a “nice” conciliatory closing speech, the media is calling it her “valedictorian” presentation. Obama not only didn’t lower himself to her personal attacks, but made it clear, “I disagree” and he moved on. You got to love him for his diplomacy, congeniality, and civility. . . Now who looks Presidential?

So as I said, you Start off the dance on the right foot: Step, flaupe, drag, step, flaupe, drag then you alternate with the left foot. You keep alternating this process until the music stops.” I hear the fat lady warming up Hillary . . . Stay tune, Nervie

Minerva Williams,
<b><a href="http://home.ca.rr.com/toddsdomain">Mighty Thunder</a></b>

Si' Se Puede!

Nervie — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 01:37:22 EST

OBAMA 2/13/08 New York Daily News Viva section writer, Dolores Prida, offers some common sense and great advice, why not have Latina, Latino reporters speak on the wave of increasing Hispanic voters necessary to the Texas Democratic presidential campaign coming up soon? They know the culture, language and the people. Latinos who understand the geography of the Barrio instead of the frat boys use demeaning, stereotypical descriptive (often wrong) to posture the “we” and “them concept” into the Clinton and Obama contest. “I had never heard that the brown man would never vote for the black man until the frat boys came along”, she says. I agree. I grew up in Riverside where African Americans and Hispanic speaking families lived next door to one another. Our commonality was that we were all “making it” and “sharing resources” and information whenever we could. It wasn’t such a big deal for the Avilas to come over and it was better having meals at their houses then ours because they had been eating “soul food” and didn’t know that that was what it was called and Mexican dishes were new to us but Delicioso, heck yeah! And tastier, because it was different, varying textures, sauces, crispiness, and the varying layers of cheese and sautéed vegetables! The Avilas was three different homes all members of the same family who owned the local gas station, grocery store and auto repair shop. They even eat chit’lin’s to my chagrin. My mother couldn’t get us to eat them, but we had plenty neighbors who ate our share. You add bleach, onions, and white or apple vinegar I still won’t eat them. But I digressed.

Obama is frightening the old traditionalists. Media and shameless Democrats have attacked ‘his well-crafted speech writers”, accused him of “trying to be like Martin Luther King, Jr.,” as the great orator; they have attacked his color, his name, religion, loyalty, patriotism, the man is running for President of the United States, what are they talking about. His lineage (he’s part white and African, but he isn’t an African American; I thought that is what made us African Americans that Heinz 57 blood line combination with the brown outer coloring and having accepted certain language, style and culture on the outside. I even heard our 25 Congressional District leader referring to him in public, as a “brown man”. Whatever that meant! Let’s face it; this man is bringing out the “rawness” in a lot of folks. And this is coming from Democrats. Lord help us when the Republicans jump into this fray, but maybe they’ll play nice this summer, since they have as much contempt for McCain as they do for Hillary. But you have to admit, this man has everyone “rocking, talking, responding and most of all VOTING”. And they thought young folks weren’t paying attention and didn’t care. We never gave them a reason to care; now they do. ROCK ON, ROCK ON, ROCK ON OBAMA….yeah. Si’ Se Puede!

Wesley and the Constitution

Nervie — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:59:31 EST

February 1, 2008 ABC News just announced that actor Wesley Snipes' jury made a judgment in Florida that Wesley is technically only being charged for three misdemeanor charges totaling $21,000,000 in charges for not filing tax returns in six years. The two felony counts were dropped.

Is he being slapped on the wrists? The Moral conscientiousness of having to pay taxes is under the microscope. I didn't know there was a serious movement out there to let people know that paying taxes is unconstitutional. OK I heard about it from my friend George but never took it seriously. Snipes was to be serving a 16-year sentence with extra penalties for $12,000,000 for tax evasion charges. The jury technically agreed that he can't defraud if he doesn't file the taxes because then there is no proof of intent. Depending on which news channel you listen to, they say that the prosecutors in the case didn't have a strong enough case and presented it poorly. So this gives him time to file? So is he off the hook?
I wish Wesley well. I love his movies. The largess Black strong, physical man, persevering against the many odds, even when he was the evil drug dealer, "just making a living". Being the creepy "savior of man" in the blood-letting movie "Blade" was a little bit weird. I can only imagine the anxiety he is going through considering where he has been in life from the ghetto to the movie star. Where was his business manager or accountant in all of this? Are they being penalized? No mention of them in the recent media outbursts. I'll have to look this one up. And then the real question revisited is whether or not the Constitution says that Americans are required to pay taxes on wages or not. Some people point to paying taxes as a secret created at Jekyl Island by a distinguished group of financial men, who control our federal reserve system also. It is purported by Irwin Schiff and Banister with a group of retired IRS agents that there isn't anything in the Tax Codes supporting such investigations. There was suppose to be more retired agents ready to come forward at Snipes case but the judge stopped that parade. Have you noticed this isn't covered in the media with the fervor as the Democratic debates?
Former IRS Agent Banister in the film by Aaron Russo, "America: Freedom to Fascism", which is the authorized final director's cut, in essence says that "there are 3 to 4 million Americans that don't pay taxes at all". Is it because they know this little known secret? WOW, to hide $12,000,000 when the rest of us little people can barely make $40,000 a year!! Shoot I have been looking for a "decent job" since my 1996 layoff. Where are you human resource officer?
Come on OBAMA get into office and put your economic stimulus package to work and I don't mean borrowing trillions from China and Japan either. Don't they hold enough of our debt? If not I'll have to start learning Chinese instead of struggling through Japanese. Go after that elusive 5%-10% of the tax paying population that Warren Buffett was suggesting. Say Snipes how are employment opportunities at your foundation? But take those taxes and FICA out of my check; I can't afford a good tax attorney like you can. Yes I have to believe that there is change to believe in, it can't get any worse. Can it? Oh by the way, Obama, I did apply to your campaign, three times and made phone calls, never heard from them . . .
Nervie, Santa Clarita Valley

You're Fired

Nervie — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 20:07:14 EST

What’s on my mind today . . . January 15, 2008.

Lately you hear a lot of implied economic “Repression” situations. The media announced that Citigroup took its largest hit today. 22,000 individuals are being laid off. Boy I know how that feels.

Talk about looking grim out there. It is speculated that shoppers were holding back in December. January after-Christmas sales aren’t robust, if anything they are flat. What will it require to jump start the economy?

From my reading, while Bush was in Dubai, he was telling the tribal councils to invest in their ally, the U.S. of A. Isn’t that like saying “lower my oil rates or give me some cash”? Then Bush continued that we are spending our resources to protect your “ass-sets” from the big mean Iranian tyrannical government. The Bush occupation war is killing our economy to the point of “depression” as was predicted by his father’s buddies, who couldn’t see a way out of the situation. If he (Daddy Bush) had gone after Saddam during Desert Storm, he believed that the U.S. would have gone bankrupt because there weren’t enough allies backing the U.S. So this is why Daddy Bush left well enough alone when it turned out that Kuwait (our ally) was trying to siphon Iraq’s oil pipelines, using Halliburton oil technology?

The next president of the United States has got to have a strong economic team to get our behinds out of this mire! You know we should start burning incense and candles now. If the American economy continues to falter what does this say for the rest of the world powers that depend on us? There is discussion that some Americans are feeling the pinch and hence have started pulling out their credit cards. Gold consortiums are encouraging citizens to get an edge by buying gold coins and bullion. Silver is even up! Wouldn’t you just love to see a television sequel where Donald Trump walks into the White House and tells Bush “You’re fired”. I wonder what the ratings would be?

Is Obama being pushed?

Nervie — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:23:05 EST

Monday, January 14, 2008:

OK, yesterday I didn’t write, I needed to rest. The day before I went to a Ventura County central committee training session. Todd and I learned we have a lot of reading, learning and comprehending to do if we are going to be fully capable of leading a couple precincts and being able to intelligently speak on the voting issues on this years’ ballot. People shared talking points and books to read. Where is my yellow highlighter pen, six-inch ruler, cup of java, 3X5 cards, Barnes and Noble’s Namaste bookmark and ahhh my Tocasta strawberry Viennese wafers (at Costco’s ladies)?

I’m back from listening to the FOX, MSNBC, CBS and CNN.politics.com

Today most of the news is pretty grim. Crude is floating between $95-100 per barrel; hence, gasoline will hit $4.00/gallon by spring time. We are being advised to get the car tuned up, drive at a continual speed, instead of fast stops and fast starts, keep tire pressure up, and tires balanced. As for travel, book early for any flights, hotel rooms, rental car services and anticipate higher costs overall. Go to AAA or other motor club, MapQuest™ or internet map search for directions instead of driving 10-20 miles out of the way (calling it sight seeing) to keep costs down. That’s enough to make you stay home and enjoy the local park.

The recalls for toys are going to be continuous however Congress is looking at improving and increasing toy standards. I still can’t believe that Mattel didn’t care enough to be on top of this one don’t they consider whom they are passing out contracts to? Couldn’t they find a small town in the USA to paint their toys and bring the manufacturing back home?

No surprise to most people, ID theft is on the rise and legislation will be introduced by Congress on the reduction of requiring social security number usage. And to think that Hillary was even thinking about giving New York immigrant’s identification cards. Think about it, all the immigrants needed to do is find out where the cards were being issued and move to the next state and get another one which wasn’t “temporary” and become a legitimate US citizen with our poor tracking system. And then after the media badgered her for a response, she changed her mind? Who forgot to help her think that one through fruition? Bill must have been on speaking tour. Yeah, I said it.

There is discussion on CBS that social security number theft is becoming a problem. I remember my first reaction to learning that the university’s in Florida was using student’s social security numbers as their student identification number, “because it was much easier to process financial aide and to keep track of the student’s income, paper work, etc”, as the admissions clerk explained. In fine print in the back of the admission’s catalog you could have requested a ‘special number’ but they required you to get a request by an attorney stating your reasons, which costs money and only draws more attention to your admission status. I didn’t have anything to hide. However, I don’t remember any thefts there either. The next university I attended the computer geek stole the privacy files before anyone in administration knew it. You’d hope the university would value admission privacy but this guy programmed the system. Rumor among the geeks was that he wanted an increase in pay, they turned him down and he stole 10,000 gems on the way out. Sweet revenge you’d say. Eventually they did send out notices to students and staffs that we needed to check our credit periodically because there is no telling where those numbers were being harvested. Maybe he went to work at FaceBook…

Speaking of thefts, last night on “60 Minutes” Diane Sawyer did a piece on FaceBook. The owner’s expansion was conducted by “acquiring” the names and “entering” the system at the university he was attending. I guess he got a light suspension or maybe that is why he left Harvard? With deadpan expression, he seemed unmoved by Sawyer asking “this is stealing, right?” Was it any surprise that he also has colleagues suing him for using their collective computer concept now worth, industry specialists say, $15 billion, rivaling Goggle? He was offered $1 billion in cash for the business but said he had an obligation to the 400 employees, some moving on skates, skateboards, and unicycles and sleeping on thin cots adjacent to their desks. How is that for work dedication? The place looked like a huge unkempt fraternity or dorm room without walls. He said, even at 23 years of age, he lives in a modest 1-bedroom apartment. I wondered about the tax incentives in buying several huge mansions in an isolated cul-de-sac and offering the employees an option to create Facebook Home Village.

It is predicted on several channels that oil, bakery goods, vegetables, fruits and any products requiring transportation from the manufacturer will be going up by 3-4% in the grocery stores. So tighten up the belt and engage restraint says Harry. Being fresh out of college this won’t be difficult, but isn’t this the purpose of college to learn delayed gratification so when you graduate you can award yourself with those items coveted on TV, in magazines, on the net, and people sitting across from you in Starbucks while you nursed your $2.10 large cup of medium roast?

But the real discussion to me or is it much to do about nothing? Obama is being pushed to respond to the overt race question. Obama doesn’t want the conversation. The feeling is that the Clinton campaign is bating Obama to talk about this? No focus on race is necessary because we don’t want to focus on gender in regard to Hillary do we?

Tony Martin of CNN called it ‘chippy” but “this is rough and tumble” as the two camps are vying for the undecided African American votes in South Carolina. Unlike New Hampshire and Iowa African Americans, usually staunch Democrats, weren’t in the election equation. In South Carolina, won by Edwards in 2000, Black talk shows and blogs are going back and forth in chats and group discussions on the issue of why isn’t the black candidate discussing race and isn’t this an obvious subject? The “Shuck and Jive” comments by Andrew Como also have ignited discussion. Does Obama believe in government set asides for minorities? Should there be special provisions for people of color? Should there be a continuation of Equal Opportunity guidelines relegating percentages of employment, contracts and monies for the enhancement and equalizing of government funds and projects?

Hillary says though she has all the respect in the world for Dr M. L. King, Jr. his efforts would not have been realized if it hadn’t been for the President L.B. Johnson. What? Does she fail to say that it hasn’t stopped African Americans for having to apply for full citizenship every twenty years? Mrs. (Bill) Cosby thinks it is abominable that this hasn’t been corrected. Has Hillary spoke to this little faux pau? I don’t think so. Does anyone remember Hillary was a “Republican Goldwater Girl” during this time? I don’t think so. If it had been dependent on Hillary at that time, the civil right’s battle may not have been to fruition because she wasn’t even a Democrat at the time.

Obama, a biracial contender, may not want to get involved in this election discussion, but 40% of Black women in South Carolina are the undecided real prize. It was suggested that Howard Dean take a statesmen role and stop their public bickering. To date he hasn’t weighed in on the issue. If this is not bad enough, Associated press has now picked up the comments made by Bob Jones, senior advisor of the Clinton campaign and former creator of BET (Black Entertainment Television), whose reflections imply that Obama was dealing drugs while he was Chicago organizing. These kinds of comments are now being disputed over what was intended when Jones said it, subsequently Hillary has fired him. Yes, she may have fired him, but in her campaign’s Rove-style attacking it has left an impression on the minds of those who were privy to the original conversation. Does Jones really believe that Obama was dealing drugs as part of his Chicago organizing? In Obama’s book, he admits to understanding how easily he could have continued to slide into the drug world’s slippery slope but the point is he didn't. How did Clinton miss the compassion in his sharing these thoughts? She amazes me and seems to be a constant disappointment to mothering, being a woman and expressing empathy. Those qualities she needs to work on.

Can we go back and ask her does she not remember Bill’s “I didn’t inhale” when he admitted to experimenting with marijuana when he was bidding for the Presidency. Was she not inhaling with him or is she squeaky clean? Can we return to bill’s relationship with Lewinsky which we know is in the back of many of our minds? If the Clinton’s don’t want to address the obvious, can’t we just move on to the real issues at hand.

We are entering a recession, admit it; We’re trillions of dollar in the arrears. More than ½ of our national debt is owned by foreign countries, some we aren’t that friendly with. Immigrants are crossing the borders in the hundreds and there aren’t any safeguards and serious provisions or homeland security efforts saying “Mexico, be responsible and stop it”. Oil prices, travel, and the cost of food that use oil by products are escalating. The writers and producers on strike are causing some entertainment dependent industries to layoffs, to go out of business, or to join the unemployment lines.

The mortgage interest rates are rising for millions of homeowners who are loosing their dwellings. Countrywide the largest mortgage lender in the USA is subject to be bought out by Bank of America because BOA is covering their ownership in the Countrywide stock.

Bush is playing around in the Middle East encouraging other Moslem nations to stand as allies to the US, the Navy is out practicing war maneuvers (cat & mouse games) in the “neutral” waters of the Strait of Hormuz antagonizing the Iranians (into getting into a war) to rationalize his over spending and lying about the Iraq war in the first place. Bush has chosen to not negotiate with Hamas, which has been instrumental in driving Condoleezza to bring the Israel’s and the Palestinian people to the negotiating table. Hamas does the guns and militarily understanding and impatience to keep the Israel’s at bay. The media hasn’t discussed the “peace group on the Palestinian and Israel’s side” that demanded there be a truce. The media doesn’t amplify the various soldiers on the Israel side that have refused to fight because they too questioned the futility of deaths. When will the media finally say, no war ever ended at the end of a barrel, it ended in negotiations with a pen and paper. Maybe the Facebook guy could work on creating that site. Meantime, can Super Tuesday get here fast enough? Before Bush is crowned King of the United States. Did I say that out loud. Peace Out, but stay tuned.

Jesse Jackson and Kerry

Nervie — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:32:32 EST

STRANGE BEDFELLOW?

Washington Post (washingtonpost.com) announces today that in spite of the Hillary rah rah acceptance speech in New Hampshire last Tuesday. Insiders of her campaign say that Hillary was not expecting to win in the New Hampshire primary therefore the acceptance speech was a last minute write. Maybe that was the reason for the tears, she was told she wasn’t going to win anyway?

Meantime, I saw the DemocracyNow! presentation on Jesse Jackson, Sr. expressing his desire to work with the Obama campaign but not being asked. Since when does a civil rights/political leader have to be asked? You’d think he’d jump into the fray and suggest how he could help the cause. Jackson assures Amy (Goodman) his current task is to help out 3,000,000 homeowners who are having serious mortgage rate adjustment problems. Right on Jesse, I worked on your campaign too in the day, but weren’t you friends with those individuals in Illinois who were against Obama’s first election run (which Obama lost) because they were saying “he’s not black enough” to represent the African American community? I never did understand the ignorance of this statement towards Obama which surfaced again in his current run. Or is this a battle of the pride, “he didn’t ask me”. Be the statesman you are Jesse and bridge the split in the Black vote for the next President of the USA because we all know Hillary isn’t the answer, she polarizes. Jesse you have to admit Obama is more qualified than any other African American that has taken this bid since you. You know the drill, pass on the mantel it is the elderly thing to do and be there for him.

Edwards’ shows his Presidential elegance in response to Obama getting the endorsement of wooden John Kerry, not the most popular Democrat, the presidential hopeful in 2004. Question is why didn’t he endorse Edwards, his prior running mate? I worked my tail off for Kerry and Edwards in 2004; I wanted Bush to loose so badly, missed classes (I felt for a good cause) and recruited over 50 students to help out. And then it happened again, Ohio’s voting system was tainted and the Kerry-Edwards’ bid went down in flames. We wished Kerry waited for the investigation, Nancy and I left Moxie’s in good spirits wondering if we’d hear good news the next morning. We believed that he would hold out and the investigation would reveal the culprit. Kerry is from the established team; amazingly he didn’t endorse Hillary either. Media says it doesn’t matter that Kerry has done this. I believe every bit added up is a positive for the Obama team. I have to run and make 50 phone calls before noon and finish four flyers. Stay tuned.

Rambling thoughts

Nervie — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:48:44 EST

My thoughts for the day:

“Feriously independent” is the media’s representative phrase to describe the New Hampshire voters today.

ABC, CCN and MSNBC Media pundits agree it hasn’t been since 1952 and 1928 that the media didn’t know who would be the most likely candidate for the Republican or the Democratic Party nomination. So they have to wait like we do, I love it. I heard that Iowan voters and the New Hampshire (NH) voters haven’t chosen the same top candidate for either party in twenty years. One pundit said he wonders if NH deliberately chooses someone different just to keep the “wave of enthusiasm” and “difficulty in speculating” an element in voting. A possible factor?

Looking for the bounce towards Obama is said as nonexistent now because even though he was 2 digits behind Hillary at the beginning of the month, the final numbers didn’t reflect the Obama poll 3-19 point spread predicted 24 hours prior to the election. So did several respondents lie? Or did many voters rethink their choice within the 24 hour period? A possible factor?

Exit polls didn’t agree with the final numbers, I’d like to see those numbers.

I read that the overwhelming support from Iowans was the fact that Iowans are smarter, more educated, more time to meet the candidates, more students had registered than New Hampshire or the fact that New Hampshire students are still home and haven’t returned to school. A possible factor?

A New York reporter states that Clinton’s campaign must be in crisis. After speculations, Carvell announced that he wasn’t working for Hillary nor planning on jumping on her team, he was too busy. However we did hear that if Hillary fired the present campaign manager he might consider. Podesta, another democratic campaign captain, wasn’t available for comment. Today we hear no talk about any Hillary campaign changing members, I wonder why.

Funny how Chris Matthews was questioning Hillary’s communication director yesterday who was trying to project Hillary as behind until yesterday. Matthews took her to task raising his voice and strongly questioning what poll was she referring to. Although she never answered the question, she fained that Matthews was attacking when he kept asking her, “where are you getting your information from”. Maybe she isn’t the main communication’s director or missed a few memos? A possible factor.

Turbin, an Illinois Obama supporter, says that the enormous poll leads seemed off kilter to the Obama campaign inner circle. Senator Dick Turbin says that Hillary was two digits ahead of Obama in New Hampshire before the returns in Iowa. I felt great hearing this, so loosing wasn’t a huge surprise as it was for me hearing all the poll numbers. He credits this to people being questioned enjoying proving the poll experts wrong, but I believe only loosing by 7,000 votes only shows the closeness that this horse race has become to all those speculating.

Turbin says that “the battleground states” is where this campaign is going.

He says the campaign teams wasn’t surprised by the returns but do feel they close the margins. I believe that Obama brings people positively together. Hillary alienates. It has nothing to do with her being a woman, I believe women can lead this country. What is interesting however, why doesn’t anyone mention that fact that Shirley Chisholm was the first person to run for President of the USA? A black woman?

There are now 19 Obama state offices running full time in the battleground states. So there are opportunity for those fire up.

As for Hillary tearing up, maybe the question of “how do you keep this up” hit a soft spot, but as the seasoned Huffington female reporter says “so long feminism” and instead says, hello thirty years of denial. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

Jessie Jackson, Jr. says there shouldn’t have been a surprise of the polls, because people will usually tell strangers what they think they want to hear, versus the final count because once an individual can go into the booth and pull the curtain, they will vote their core self.

Voters ethics are being challenged.

Approach to change requires real restoration and security for the poor and middle Americans. This election addresses many points:

* racism hasn’t gone away,

* gender preference hasn’t gone away

* poverty hasn’t gone away

* solutions to the Iraqi War are still up for grabs

* faith and elitism hasn’t gone away

* and seeing ourselves as One Nation, One Constitution, Under God hasn’t gone away either. Possible factors?

I disputed with a politio-file friend of mine, “so you wondered if Iowans voting for Obama was more of a “what you aught to do” rather than a “could do” because the voters had to stand for the candidate and verbally rationalize to the other individuals in the room, why you are standing for that candidate? A Possible factor?

Now that doesn’t require a paper ballot, that can be lost of altered; that doesn’t require an electronic vote, that can be programmed to only assign so many counts per push. Maybe the whole voting process should be a caucus, then take the raw count and forget the electoral process completely. This gets rid of the 16 point count spread you have one final number.

I noticed the plug for Dunkin donuts and their “new retail” coffee aisle advertisements ironically going on in California. Hillary serving me breakfast, that’s a nice touch. Hearing Hillary referring to the election process as not a game but a sincere connection by the service leader, who requires staying grounded and connecting to their base. Yeah, you have to travel a great deal, taking time out to go home and taking a deep breath and resting was a lesson on election common sense.

I am hearing from Amy’s Obama Rally for culinary workers union who consist of hotel, laundry, doormen and maid service workers in Nevada with crowds stretching three to four city blocks. Obama he is still an election Rock Star even with the unions. A Possible Factor?

Hillary’s campaign exclaim that they knocked on 90,000 doors. So inspite of email, phone calls, forums, debates and literature drops the old fashion “reach out and touch” door to door works best. And eventhough Romney shedded a few tears and no one seem to put that on the front page of the newspaper, Hillary’s tearing up just may have worked.

We learn today, the lady that asked the question causing her to tear up voted for Obama. Hillary says that she “has found her own voice”. Interesting in all of the election training I have taken and campaigns I have watched and participated in, the candidate usually knows this before they start campaigning. Now whom is gaming whom? I’ll admit working with candidates finding their voices takes weeks to check and recheck, write and rewrite and they encourage you to practice using it when introducing yourself. You are advised to keep it down to 50 words and to be able to articulate it in less than 2 minutes. And Clinton after 35 years she didn’t know her voice. After 35 years aren’t you a professional politician? A possible factor?

I wondered if Bill’s “biggest fairytale I’ve ever seen” and distorting Obama’s record got Hillary any brownie points. He didn’t sound like a prior president but a “man whose wife was being scorned”. Maybe Edwards and Obama were too hard on her at the debate Sunday night but let’s face it, she was the one throwing the rocks. And when the retaliation came, she folded and ran to him for cover? I wondered.

And where is Guiliani? Is Romney over produced, note he has perfect hair like Edwards and they aren’t attacking his stylist or hair costs.

“Signed Sealed Delivered, I’m yours” by Stevie Wonder is still the campaign election song. And eloquently Obama responds, that though he didn’t win in New Hampshire, you want to play Stevie whether you win or loose.

Obama has always known who he was, he didn’t have to invent himself. He unites, inspires and causes people to think, to act, and to vote. I believe he also brings the best out of all of us even making Hillary be a better person. I noted today she is even using the “we” “you” and “us” words in her speeches instead of “I” word. So stay tuned, we have next Tuesday’s debate in Las Vegas.

I’ll be working the polls in Santa Clarita on Super Tuesday. Yes, I’m still Fired up, Activating and Ready to Go!

Thoughts to think about

Nervie — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:35:38 EST

My thought for the day:

"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

Robert F. Kennedy
Day of Affirmation Address
Capetown South Africa
June 6, 1966

Right on Kucinich!!!

Nervie — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:40:29 EST

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

What can I say, got up this morning to hear that Dennis Kucinich is recommending his constituents to vote for Obama if he (Kucinich) doesn’t yield 15% of the votes at the Iowa caucuses. Now that should be a given. So as not to create a Nader mishap Kucinich is going the higher road. Second good news of the day, Clinton, never referred to as original or authentic is now softening her Iowa speech to include “hope and change”. Turn your head from the TV set and you would think an Obama precinct captain was speaking. Maybe she has figured out that it is better to join them than to keep attacking, especially when your opponent is eating up your lead. I can’t predict tomorrow’s election returns, but I love it that the media is “clueless” and saying so. If only the young people would blow all politicians’ minds and come out in huge numbers. I do pray, I do hope and I am fired up! Hay I have to check and see who is having the local Watch Party.

Wellstone Training Camp

Nervie — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:21:05 EST

WOW it has been a week since I went to the Wellstone Training camp in Long Beach. The little green school bus wasn’t there, many attendees were looking for it. They didn’t have the green silver and white balloons either but the information, it was phenomenal.

Well worth the money and they passed the plate at the end, kind of reminded you of “church”. When I become rich and famous I’ll remember to make sure I send them a “big check”. The attendees were kind, compassionate, varied in age, and eager to learn. The facilitators were giving, patient and enjoyed what they were sharing, an inspiring event.

Every one should have an opportunity to check it out whenever they come in your area. After a weekend of them and six days later I am more fired up than I have ever been. Interestingly, most of the faciliatators were Obama fans!

Imagine that, progressive thinking advocates are Obama fans. I knew I was in the right pew. ------Peace Out, Nervie

Loosing a Friend

Nervie — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 17:14:52 EST

One of our Obama leaders quit last week.

Caused a surprise considering how enthusiastic and sincere this person is about the campaign. We are getting a new group leader but it is hard to shove new friends aside when they "walked the talk" and showed balance. Hope to keep her abreast of all new occurences, who knows maybe she'll surprise Todd and I and resurface as the campaign gets closer to the primaries.

Meantime we just heard that someone is publishing information with Republicans on it, saying they are the best and approved by Democrats, turns out the assembly office this came from in Covina doesn't know anything about the mailer. Just two days before the local city election and no time to rebutt with information! Politics, there is never a dull moment.

Viva Obama!!!

1 day before the great Fun Raiser

Nervie — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:10:52 EDT

We are praying along with our hoping that it doesn't rain tomorrow. There is the nation wide Saturday October 13th canvass activity going on and we have the Audacity to Win Fun Raiser 7PM tomorrow night at the Valencia Country Club Home Owners Association 24060 Oak Vale, Valencia 91335 to help build up our Santa Clarita Valley young people's program, candidate's assistance and general mailing. So far we are all excited about the number of responses that we have had so far.

Many people RSVP'g aren't individuals that we know but responses to a mailing list that was acquired through a Burbank political mailing house. So our flyer is working. Cross your fingers. Spoke to Susan Christopher our fearless leader who called 54 folks already. And there are apparently 120 more where that comes from, so I have a lot of calls to make to get additional support.

Why do people have email when they don't open it for over 14 days?? Unfortunately those individuals we haven't phone numbers for.

Keep praying that it doesn't rain... Hay, what's happenin' in your neck of the woods?

Peace Out, Nervie

SUNDAY Sept 30th meeting.

Nervie — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 14:21:04 EDT

I just received word today that the

25th CD Volunteer Meeting will be SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 30th!!!

Susan Christopher, Obama Campaign Manager, whom I recently met is calling the

meeting. She is the Santa Clarita Valley regional coordinator and can be reached at

dmattorney@sbcglobal.net. Yeah folks, that is Sunday, Sept 30th from 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

at the It's A Grind Coffee Shop located in the Hasley Hills Shopping Center

Hasley Canyon & The Old Road. The agenda includes:

Short Organizing
Socializing Time
Distributive Phone Banking Training
30 Minutes of Phone Banking
Bring your cell phones if you have free weekend minutes
Bring your laptop computers if they have wireless internet access!

29641 The Old Rd, Castaic, CA 91384

Hope all that are out there that may read this will try to come, give support and suggestions on how to make OBAMA the man in 2008.

I can't believe what America has endured these past seven years.

Please wake me up and let me hear Bush was just a bad dream.

Meantime, I'll be busting my hiney for OBAMA.

Peace Out, Minerva and Todd