Indian Point

All I want to say is that we are very fortunate that on September 11, 2001 we were attacked by whomever we were attacked by and NOT fanatical, terrorists hell-bent on the destruction of the United States.

If fanatics wanting to destroy the U.S. had attacked, I am sure they would have chosen a much choicer target. Only 24 miles north (upwind) of Manhattan lies the Indian Point Nuclear Reactor facility located in Buchanan, New York just south of Peekskill. If the perpetrators would have chosen Indian Point as the target for two 767s, rather than the World Trade Center, more than 500,000 could have easily died and New York City would have to be permanently abandoned. The 100 mile radius around the plant would be rendered useless for thousands of years.

I know this is no consolation to the families of those that did die on that day or as a result of the events that day. It is my purpose to help bring the real perpetrators of the crime out into the light of day so that hopefully they can be brought to justice.

Aaarrrrrrghhhh!!!!!!!!

Here are a few of my comments I posted in response to other posters regarding this story: Russian special forces storm oil tanker, free ship

Ha Ha Ha! Stavation. Hilarious! Wow. The ignorance and immaturity of the people posting here is truly astounding and I already thought most of the public was just a couple IQ points above taking the short bus to school.

Reading the ignorant & racist garbage posted here, I realize this won't be the most popular post but, I think the Pirates AARRRRRRR AAAAAAAWesome!!!!! The courage it must take of these poor, starving, oppressed people to challenge the ruling powers of the world is amazing. If all of you Einstein’s really want to get rid of them we should look at the root causes. How would you feel if a foreign power came to your country, told you you'd be rich if you let them take your oil and then they take your oil and make billions of dollars and give you nothing while your family starves in a rat-infested cardboard box? Who are the pirates again? The international corporations that oppress and exploit these people are the real pirates.

Al Qaeda is actually on your side folks! Don't you remember the story last week about them rooting the pirates out of their refuges on land? http://www.cleveland.com/world/index.ssf/2010/04/somalia_al-qaida_franchise_pus.html You see Al Qaeda actually works for the CIA. Don't you remember about how they gave us an excuse to go set up our trans-Afghani pipeline & launch Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL)? I dare anyone to find a story about pirates seizing a ship full of oil bound for the U.S. They know better. Quit being so ignorant people and starting paying attention.

That Dag-nabbed Big Gov'ment!

Here is a response I posted to this article; Remodeling costs could jump next week because of new federal rule, contractors say By Stephen Koff, The Plain Dealer on Cleveland.com (The Cleveland Plain Dealer web-site) that I often peruse.


We have the essence of the political/philosophical conundrum in this country all right here in a nutshell. On one hand we have our government stepping up and doing a little (very little) regulating of an industry in the interest of public safety & on the other hand you have private industry (and some consumers) upset that it will drive up the costs.
The usual way this works is industry has an insider in the government making sure these regulations never get written or enforced but this time one slipped through. Whether it is enforced remains to be seen. Now, the next thing to happen will be the industry having it shills go out & convince the public what a bad rule or regulation this is (notice wording of this article's headline). The industry hopes this will cause enough backlash that the rule is rewritten or never enforced. Usually the loudmouths win and "we the people" are once again saved from the evil "big government."
Wake up people! Government regulations are there to protect us from private industry whose ONLY concern is profit. It is the lack of regulations and enforcement that has allowed the energy industry to continue raising our oceans and heating our planet while they continue to make record profits. It is this lack of regulation that has allowed the health insurers to drive up costs over 200%, drop clients and still make record profits. It is this lack of regulation that allows big pharma to peddle every new pill it can (whether it is safe or NOT!) & in many cases has the government do it for them. What new vaccine will we or our kids need next year? It is this same lack of regulation and enforcement that has allowed our financial institutions to play blackjack with our economy while we lose our homes and jobs.
Granted that for regulations to work they must be applied fairly and enforced. But to those that always talk about wanting "smaller government" meaning "less/no regulations" be careful what you wish for because we are living with the results of de-regulation.
As for this particular rule, I have no clue as to what it governs or how it is to be applied even after reading the informative "news" article. One thing is for sure, any extra costs will be passed on to the workers and/or consumers and then we can decide if the industry survives.
Of course I can't leave out the last thing to happen. If this industry is well connected (as most are) and has it's insiders properly in place it can survive by making sure the rules are never enforced or if things go bad enough helping that industry get subsidized or bailed-out.
That's the kind of "big government" I can do without. That's not government at all. That's corporatism. To those running around screaming "socialism" and worried about the government taking over industry, you have got it all backwards. The banks and private industry took over our government long ago.

Healthcare is a ball in the ocean.

There it is! My public option. Also known as the SBX radar, just one part of a $19 billion a year SDI defense system that is a proven failure yet is being deployed anyway. Why do we need this again?

In response to John Boccieri announcing he'll back health care bill, I say this:

I will still probably support Obama, Kucinich & Boccieri come election time because I feel they will still probably be the far lesser of the two evils but there is no disputing Obama had to twist some arms to get support for this out of Kucinich & Boccieri to get them on board. I applaud them for holding out as long as they did because I do not support this bill. Healthcare reform is desperately needed in this country but this bill doesn't come close to what is needed. This bill will provide no universal healthcare or public option. It will provide a requirement for everyone without healthcare (because they can't afford it) to get healthcare now. It will be just like car insurance. They will have to buy it from the same insurance companies that are jacking up their rates and caused this mess to begin with. I would have much preferred all three of these guys stuck to their principles and rammed a public option plan through congress despite any opposition (just like the Republicans would do under W). It could easily all be funded if we spent a fraction less on the two pointless wars we are still engaging or if stopped spending trillions on developing & deplying defense systems that are no longer necessary or don't even work (i.e., SDI, F22 Raptors & 10 new Ford Class aircraft carriers). It's outrageous that we have people that can't afford medicine or medical care in this country yet we pay for public health care in Iraq & Afghanistan. God bless America! Hope you have some tissue.

Kucinich finally caves...but at he least he put up a fight.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland steps off Air Force One at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Monday. He flew in with President Obama for Obama's visit to Strongsville.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich to vote "yes" on health care

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich waited until Democrats had won last November's health care reform vote before casting his ballot against it on the House of Representatives floor.

This time around -- pressured by everyone from President Obama to Moveon.org -- the Cleveland Democrat had no luxury to dawdle before taking a stance. He announced at a Capitol news conference this morning that he'll vote "yes" on the bill's latest draft.

"I have doubts about the bill," Kucinich said. "This is not the bill I wanted to support. . . However, after careful discussions with President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, my wife Elizabeth and close friends, I’ve decided to cast a vote in favor of the legislation."

Bill opponents pounced quickly. Said an e-mail alert from the National Republican Congressional Committee: "Left-wing icon flips from 'No,' exposes so-called moderates."

Kucinich's move came after months of insisting he'd oppose the bill because it doesn't do enough to curtail insurance company abuses. Kucinich advocates bolstering Medicare and expanding its coverage to include all Americans.

But he acknowledged this morning that his choice now is to either vote "no" on principle, and thereby possibly block the biggest (though imperfect) advance in health coverage in decades, or compromise for the good of the estimated 30 million more Americans who could gain insurance.

"I have taken this fight further" than many other Congress members, Kucinich said, citing his two presidential campaigns in which he advocated universal coverage and his bill introduction and other attempts in the House to get single-payer insurance.

He told reporters that if they want to see first-hand the tough economic and health-care choices that many Americans face, they should "come to the 10th District in Ohio and you'll understand."

Kucinich's field office on Cleveland's West Side routinely helps constituents with their social services needs, and that includes dealing with insurance matters, he said. He cited his own impoverished childhood, saying, "I grew up understanding what it meant to struggling families who did not get adequate care."

"I understand the connection between poverty and poor health care," he said.

As an adult, he has struggled with Crohn's Disease, and although he follows an alternative diet as one way of dealing with it, he also has had "access to the best" health care around.

"I know I have to make a decision, not on the bill as I would like to see it, but as it is," Kucinich said.

His recent criticism of the bill included a column he authored for last Sunday's Plain Dealer, in which he wrote:

"Even with the few modest improvements in the bill, the insurance companies will still have dozens of loopholes to deny care and continue to find ways to leave Americans with the unpayable bill."

But Democrats are struggling to round up the 216 votes they need to pass the bill amid heavy lobbying from its opponents and its supporters, and Kucinich''s arms were twisted.

President Obama personally lobbied for his vote Monday on a ride to Cleveland aboard Air Force One, and at a health care reform rally in Strongsville. Picketers descended on Kucinich's Lakewood office to register their displeasure with his announced opposition to the package slated for consideration this week.

By Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer, March 17, 2010

This is my response to the morons commenting on the story here:

You did all you could Dennis. Holding out any longer would have been pointless. As for you mis-informed masses, Dennis Kucinich has been & still is the best advocate for the working poor this country has. He held out on this not because of the non-existent tax increase or because of the debt burden but because it turns around and hands the same insurance companies that have caused this mess more business. He held out on principle. He wants Universal care for everyone. This bill will not provide that. Keep up the good fight Dennis! I happen to know my opinion is in the minority on this forum but after reading the majority of the previous comments, I am quite proud of that. No wonder things are the way they are here in this country. It seems to me that the majority needs to turn off the Fox & Rush & pick up a book. People of Cleveland! People of America! Educate yourselves! Stop believing the propoganda. Stop voting against your own interests!

Check out Dennis.

Kweezy Returns!!!

I've been taking a break from blogging about all the problems of the world for a little bit in order to pursue another creative outlet of mine. I used to make these tapes of really crappy home-made music. The last was "released" in 1997. I produced these little creations under the name of Kweezy.

My recording technology consisted of a tape-recorder & a stereo. I'd record something on the tape & then I might play that back on the stereo really loud & play along with that & record that too. I could get two dubs on one tape. Any more than that and the background noise & hiss would make everything else barely audible. Just one or two dubs sounded bad enough.

So now that I have access to a computer & free downloadable recording programs on the web, I have decided to revisit this old past-time of mine and try my hand at recording digitally.

I really have no idea what I am doing but I am definitely having a lot of fun with it. My whole life it seems, I have heard music/songs in my head. Fleeting moments of inspiration would come out of nowhere at the least expected times and then suddenly disappear. If the moment isn't captured somehow then the potential masterpiece could be lost forever. I am sure all artsy types of people experience this & know what I mean. If you're a writer you can jot it down or type it out. Hopefully you can keep up with your thoughts. A painter can make a sketch or doodle. A musician/song writer has to record it unless they happen to know how to actually read & write in musical notation. I don't & most of your favorite music was probably not written on a piece of paper (except the lyrics).

I used to console myself by saying, "well if I forgot it then it must not have been worth remembering." Their may be some validity to this but certainly not always. Often I will hear a whole song with rhythm changes and different harmonizing melodies. Its hard to just remember all of it and how they fit together.

So now I finally have a set up in my basement that will allow me to record these moments when they arrive (if I'm at home). At least that's the theory. Technology still kicks my ass quite a bit but I am slowly figuring it out. You can check out my stuff here.

I got my Tin Hat buckled on tight for this one.

Did the U.S. Navy cause the Haitian earthquake?

Yes, my Tin Hat is on way too tight but my tongue is only half in my cheek on this one. One thing I will not argue against is that the earthquake in Haiti was a terrible tragedy. Something just seems fishy about the whole thing though. Some of the poorest people on the planet. Way too easy to exploit. It just seems like the country is an easy target. I don't know for what or why. Did you notice that almost as soon as the earthquake happened, all the "news" agencies started speculating on the inevitable looting. The Looting! THE LOOTING! They were all talking about looting before there were any reports of looting. I still don't think there have been any reports of a large-scale looting problem. I mean, a city has just been shattered & thousands of people are dead and they are worried about looting? Of course we must send the troops in!

"Others are engaging even in an eco-type of terrorism whereby they can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes remotely through the use of electromagnetic waves." -Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, April 28, 1997, 8:45 AM EDT

Source: The United States Department of Defense, Transcript of DoD News Briefing by Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, April 28, 1997. http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=674
January 12, 2010, The magnitude 7.0 quake -- the most powerful to hit Haiti in a century -- struck shortly before 5 p.m. and was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. It could be felt strongly in eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away, witnesses said. -CNN

Read a brief history of U.S. & European exploitation of Haiti in The Gleaner, The Hate & the Quake, Sir Hillary Beckles, January 24, 2010.

I realize that we do have the technology to create earthquakes through certain types of drilling or maybe even with powerful transmissions of a certain frequency but I don't think that is what happened in Haiti despite whatever Venezuela's president might say. I like him though. He's hilarious. Here's a quote of his taken from his 2006 address to the UN.

CHAVEZ (through translator): "Representatives of the governments of the world, good morning to all of you. First of all, I would like to invite you, very respectfully, to those who have not read this book, to read it. Noam Chomsky, one of the most prestigious American and world intellectuals, Noam Chomsky, and this is one of his most recent books, 'Hegemony or Survival: The Imperialist Strategy of the United States.'" [Holds up book, waves it in front of General Assembly.]

"It's an excellent book to help us understand what has been happening in the world throughout the 20th century, and what's happening now, and the greatest threat looming over our planet. The hegemonic pretensions of the American empire are placing at risk the very survival of the human species. We continue to warn you about this danger and we appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our heads. I had considered reading from this book, but, for the sake of time," [flips through the pages, which are numerous] "I will just leave it as a recommendation.
It reads easily, it is a very good book, I'm sure Madame [President] you are familiar with it. It appears in English, in Russian, in Arabic, in German. I think that the first people who should read this book are our brothers and sisters in the United States, because their threat is right in their own house. The devil is right at home. The devil, the devil himself, is right in the house.

"And the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the devil came here. Right here." [crosses himself]

"And it smells of sulfur still today."
Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world.
You can read the rest of his awesome speech here.
Anyway... All I'm saying is that the U.S. may not have caused the Haiti disaster but I can guarantee that U.S. corporations will see this as another great opportunity for exploitation of this poorest of countries that is physically right in our backyard.