Sunday, October 31, 2010

                                                                                      2 teeny trick or treaters- that's all. sad really.

Little sweetie and angus

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Stewart Closes Rally With Biting Critique of Media | Rolling Stone Culture

Stewart Closes Rally With Biting Critique of Media Rolling Stone Culture

HALLOWEEN GHOST STORIES - THE TALE OF STINGY JACK aka JACK OF LANTERN on...

First Halloween Song

Dumb Americans

Dumb Americans


worth the time to read!
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/30/restore-sanity-and-or-fear-rallyers-frolic-on-national-mall/?icid=main%7Cmain%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk1%7C181254

Baking Halloween cookies

Angus sleepy on my lap at the computer

Friday, October 29, 2010

Max and angus

Angus

Halloween cupcakes for Mai

My little hippie!
ACLU Nationwide:


 Wondering why your vote matters? Consider this: local, state and federal governments employ over 10 million people, and is charged with making decisions about your neighborhood’s roads, your community’s schools, your family’s financial security, and your country’s safety.

gothic music celtic folklore

Halloween Music Vid - "No One Lives Forever"

holloween music psycho - scary sounds Halloween Horror Movie

Top 10 Halloween Songs

Our Annual Halloween Safety Tips

Our Annual Halloween Safety Tips

Godiva chocolate skull from doug's sister. She rocks!

thank you doug.





HELL EXPLAINED




BY A CHEMISTRY STUDENT



The following is an actual question given on a University of Arizona chemistry mid-term, and an actual answer turned in by a student.



The answer by one student was so 'profound' that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well :



Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)? Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.



One student, however, wrote the following:







First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving, which is unlikely.. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today.





Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.







This gives two possibilities:



1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.



2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.







So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, 'It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you,' and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over. The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct..... .....leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting 'Oh my God.



THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+.

Pittsburgh in the 60’s

Pittsburgh in the 60’s

Thursday, October 28, 2010

http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/sn/video/player/the-ghosts-of-duffys-cut-the-mystery-of-duffys-cut/1155088424/?source=shared
i thought i had seen everything that others do while driving- this afternoon tho-

there was a man in a pickup truck in front of me that was using 1 hand to drive and had one of those shake weight gadgets vibrating in the other hand as he held his arm at an angle!

guess after a bit he'd have switch hands or 1 arm might end up looking like popeye's!

Much closer to the shops and a hotel than it looks

Not sure if it is a gas well rig or not

Looks like a drilling rig for gas above the mall 15 miles from the city

much bigger than my phone makes it seem
TPMDC


5 Constitutional Amendments That Constitution-Loving Tea Partiers Would Change

Brian Beutler
October 28, 2010, 8:41AM137

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A Tea Party Rally in Washington DC.

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14th Amendment, 16th Amendment, 17th Amendment, 18th Amendment, 1st Amendment, 21st Amendment, Jon Kyl, Lindsey Graham, Louie Gohmert, Newt Gingrich, Pamela Geller, Rand Paul, Republicans, Sharron Angle, Tea Party, Tea Party Caucus

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Earlier this week, we looked at many of the various (and popular) long-existing laws that tea parters and their leaders think are actually unconstitutional. They run the gamut from Social Security to civil rights to abolition of the Department of Education and on and on.



But despite all the talk about "returning" to the Constitution, don't confuse tea partiers with Constitutional purists, who happen to read the document in a conservative way. True, about half of the changes they want to make to the social fabric result from a peculiar interpretation of the Constitution as it exists. The other half, though, would actually require Congress and the states to change it altogether.



Here's how tea party candidates and organizers would amend the Constitution.



1. First Amendment



Things get heated during campaign season. Whether by head stomp, citizens arrest of a journalist, swastikas or punches to the face, partisans try to silence their rivals. But this campaign season -- practically the entire month of August, in fact -- the right flank of the Republican party and their tea party faithful took direct aim at the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" in lower Manhattan. Almost all Republicans opposed its construction. Most of them urged the developers to abandon the project of their own volition. But others, led by Newt Gingrich, and far-right activist Pamela Geller, wanted the government to directly intercede to prevent the construction of a house of worship. First, though, you'd have to change that part of the Constitution that reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."



It might seem a little out there... but then the Department of Justice recently had to file an amicus brief declaring that Islam is recognized as a religion following efforts by some conservatives to claim that it isn't in order to get around this amendment.



2. Fourteenth Amendment



The pressure on elected Republicans from tea partiers to curb illegal immigration is so strong that Republican members of Congress -- including one supposed moderate -- briefly considered amending the Constitution to change or eliminate what's known as "birthright citizenship." It started with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) who considered a constitutional amendment, and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), who suggested the amendment process start with congressional hearings.



In all, the birthright citizenship craze spread through a broad swath of the right and the GOP.





3. Sixteenth Amendment



This strikes the core of the tea party's libertarian heart. The 16th amendment provides Congress the power "to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration." All those Republicans -- including Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul -- who envision a world where the income tax is replaced by a national sales tax would really like to see the 16th Amendment repealed. Georgetown Law professor Randy Barnett described that as a "simple solution."





4. Seventeenth Amendment



Republican congressional hopefuls got themselves in trouble during primary season when several of them were revealed to have supported the idea of repealing the 17th Amendment. That's the one that provides for direct election of Senators. The thinking among states-rights oriented tea partiers is that states had more power over Washington when senators were picked by state legislatures, and not by popular vote. But this phenomenon seems to reappear every time the right is out of power -- and the Senate would become more conservative if direct election were scrapped. There's no indication that a Congress controlled by Republicans would pursue an amendment like this, but if they do, conservative Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) already has one drafted.





5. Twenty-First Amendment



This one's a bit out of left right field and there's little indication that a significant subset of the tea party really cares about or supports this. But check out what Nevada Senate Republican hopeful Sharron Angle told Liberty Watch: "I feel the same about legalizing alcohol," she said. "The effect on society is so great that I'm just not a real proponent of legalizing any drug or encouraging any drug abuse."



The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, which instituted prohibition. Just repeal the 21st Amendment and -- voila! -- the 18th is back in effect. Not sure that'd be great for Nevada's struggling, booze-and-gambling-centric economy, tough.

Chaplins Time Traveler


                                          btw- IT'S NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY!!!!

The Great Pumpkin of Aspinwall

can't wait  til all the contruction round here stops. power nail guns and saws and such...!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The Teaparty That The Republicans Don't Want You To See!

RepubliCorp Anthem: "We Will Own You!"

no rain yet but the wind is getting strong!

Lewis Black on Christmas

been cleaning up around here and just watching the weather reports. doesn't sound good!
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/363108/october-25-2010/indecision-2010---revenge-of-the-fallen---sean-bielat---ken-buck
http://www.worldwidehippies.com/?p=13574

Un-American: Rand Paul Thugs Stomping Democratic Woman

well, mr. computer is a little ill but much better. he moves like i do most mornings-slow but with purpose!

going to storm tonight- high winds- i'm glad the dead limbs on the oaks have been cut already!

Monday, October 25, 2010

back-i'm back!!!!
GREAT READ-GREAT MUSIC SITE


http://www.rousefamily.com/rock_roots/?p=4922
grey and rainy- waiting for jordan to see if he can clean up my computer and evict the freaking gremlin!

don't feel like doing much of anything round here
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/25/income_inequality_statistics_tax_code__n_773392.html
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/10/tea-party-groups-obamas-race-factor/
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/10/chairman-joint-chiefs-hugh-shelton-bush-officials-pushed-iraq-war-almost-point-insubordination/
http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2010104222/false-things-public-knows-they-go-vote

Earl "Snake Hips" Tucker

Dad Confronts Abortion Protesters

‎"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.


Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.

Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.

But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” Buddha
looks like rain! my nephew is coming after work to try and capture and evict my computer gremlin!

i might be computerless for awhile.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Jimi Hendrix and Jayne Mansfield ULTRA RARE song 1965 SUEY unheard by mo...

http://addictinginfo.org/news.php?post=28

Rare Jimi Hendrix-Testify

Blue Gal: The Friday Podcast

Blue Gal: The Friday Podcast: "The button below allows listeners to throw a contribution specifically towards the podcast. Thanks for your listenership and suppor..."
Bette Midler :



'I haven't left my house in days. I watch the news


channels incessantly. All the news stories are about

the election; all the commercials are for Viagra and

Cialis.

Election, erection, election, erection –

...Either way we're getting screwed!'
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/8469751.DEPTFORD__Neurofibromatosis___the_illness_your_doctor_hasn_t_heard_of/
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/world/war-logs.html?emc=na
http://desica.dent.umich.edu/faceit/

supporting those with facial deformities

Weekly Address: Letting Wall Street Run Wild Again

WERE YOU MAD WHEN..........? [A must-read for Teabaggers - answer truthfully...]


.by Earlene Williams Hancock on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 12:00pm.After The 8 Years Of The Bush/Cheney Disaster, Now You Get Mad?







You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.







You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate Energy policy and push us to invade Iraq .







You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.







You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.







You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us. You didn't get mad when we spent over 800 billion (and counting) on said illegal war.







You didn't get mad when Bush borrowed more money from foreign sources than the previous 42 Presidents combined.







You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars in cash just disappeared in Iraq .







You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.







You didn't get mad when Bush embraced trade and outsourcing policies that shipped 6 million American jobs out of the country.







You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.







You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.







You didn't get mad when Bush rang up 10 trillion dollars in combined budget and current account deficits.







You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.







You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans drown.







You didn't get mad when we gave people who had more money than they could spend, the filthy rich, over a trillion dollars in taxbreaks. You didn't get mad with the worst 8 years of job creations in several decades.







You didn't get mad when over 200,000 US Citizens lost their lives because they had no health insurance.







You didn't get mad when lack of oversight and regulations from the Bush Administration caused US Citizens to lose 12 trillion dollars in investments, retirement, and home values.







No.....You finally got mad







When a black man was elected President and decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick.







Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, job losses by the millions, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, and the worst economic disaster since 1929 are all okay with you, but helping fellow Americans who are sick...Oh, Hell No!!
http://diffrentstrokes.blogspot.com/2010/10/find-middle.html


my friend, charlie tee
http://muslimswearingthings.tumblr.com/


really
should take a look

Bill Maher's republican commercial

Shocking Fact: There are 2 million registered voters in Connecticut and Linda McMahon has spent 41.5 million dollars to get herself elected Senator.


thanks, sheldon.

Barney Fife and the Preamble to the Constitution

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Frank Zappa's Cheepnis - A Monster Movie Montage (Short Version)

Blue Gal: Gained a little political insight at church today....

Blue Gal: Gained a little political insight at church today....: "Luke 17: 11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria Mexico and Galilee Arizona. 12 As he was goi..."

2 Political Junkies: Hey, Did You Know This??

2 Political Junkies: Hey, Did You Know This??: "From Washington Monthly (quoting the Wall Street Journal):The federal government budget deficit shrank in fiscal 2010, but the big gap was o..."

2 Political Junkies: More Evidence Of Conservative Anti-Intellectualism...

2 Political Junkies: More Evidence Of Conservative Anti-Intellectualism...: "Glenn Beck on Evolution: To be in denial about a central pillar of modern science is simply astonishing to me. And to use, as Christine O..."

"Secret Plan"

Things that get my dainty white lacy Queer panties in a tight little knot.

Things that get my dainty white lacy Queer panties in a tight little knot.

Karl Denninger Calls Out Tea Party | Tea Party Civil War | Video | Mediaite

Karl Denninger Calls Out Tea Party Tea Party Civil War Video Mediaite

Totally 70s Where Are They Now?

Totally 70s Where Are They Now?

Beck Gets It Wrong? Imagine That | worldwide hippies

Beck Gets It Wrong? Imagine That worldwide hippies
put on a pot of sausage and cannelini bean soup with roasted tomato chucks and rice.


i SHOULD be working on a poem but i keep avoiding it!

Let's Learn About: The Sisters of Saint Francis of Millvale

Let's Learn About: The Sisters of Saint Francis of Millvale

last thoughts on woody guthrie

Memory Eternal

George W. Bush Tells Texas Crowd He Misses White House Perks

George W. Bush Tells Texas Crowd He Misses White House Perks


me- geeezzz my heart bleeds for the man

NAACP Issues Report That Links Tea Party Leaders to 'Hate Groups'

NAACP Issues Report That Links Tea Party Leaders to 'Hate Groups'

Tuner wrecks customer's Ford GT, situation devolves from there — Autoblog

Tuner wrecks customer's Ford GT, situation devolves from there — Autoblog

The Funniest Unintentionally Sexual Album Covers Ever (PHOTOS)

The Funniest Unintentionally Sexual Album Covers Ever (PHOTOS)

The Maddow Blog - The scariest thing on our show. . .

The Maddow Blog - The scariest thing on our show. . .




please watch
sunny and cold. hit the high for the day at midnight!

not too much going on today.

my computer is still screwed up and i am not happy at all!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010


I AM SO DAMN SICK OF THIS CRAP FROM THE RIGHT WING !

THE PARTY OF LESS GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE???

BULLSHIT! 

Melissa Morgan - Is You Is Or Is You Ain T My Baby

Apple's New MacBook Airs (PHOTOS): See Release Date, Price, Features, More

Apple's New MacBook Airs (PHOTOS): See Release Date, Price, Features, More

Famed Author Alice Walker Pens Poems For Hard Times : NPR

Famed Author Alice Walker Pens Poems For Hard Times : NPR

Justices Scalia And Thomas's Attendance At Koch Event Sparks Judicial Ethics Debate

Justices Scalia And Thomas's Attendance At Koch Event Sparks Judicial Ethics Debate

Apple launches new MacBook Air - USATODAY.com

Apple launches new MacBook Air - USATODAY.com

Adriana Lima in Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra: $2 Million Dollars, 60 Carats of Diamonds, 1500 Hours - StyleList

Adriana Lima in Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra: $2 Million Dollars, 60 Carats of Diamonds, 1500 Hours - StyleList


me-jingle bells jingle bells...

Anderson Cooper Schools Christine O'Donnell On Constitution (VIDEO)

Anderson Cooper Schools Christine O'Donnell On Constitution (VIDEO)

Famous Monsters » Just in Time for Halloween CHILLER Announces a Major Redesign SCARY GOOD

Famous Monsters » Just in Time for Halloween CHILLER Announces a Major Redesign SCARY GOOD

Rich Iott, the Tea Party, and Himmler's Black Legion | The LA Progressive

Rich Iott, the Tea Party, and Himmler's Black Legion The LA Progressive

Actor Who Played Tarzan's Strong Boy Dies at 79 | PopEater.com

Actor Who Played Tarzan's Strong Boy Dies at 79 PopEater.com

Ding Dong the Lease is Dead - PittGirl - October 2010 - Pittsburgh, PA

Ding Dong the Lease is Dead - PittGirl - October 2010 - Pittsburgh, PA

Hilarious Mock Campaign Ad Boasts Platform Of 'Willful Ignorance' (VIDEO)

Hilarious Mock Campaign Ad Boasts Platform Of 'Willful Ignorance' (VIDEO)

Angle displays racial bewilderment, O’Donnell shows constitutional ignorance and Miller exposes his inner thug | worldwide hippies

Angle displays racial bewilderment, O’Donnell shows constitutional ignorance and Miller exposes his inner thug worldwide hippies

Wall Street titans have found a new way to screw over the poor and middle class — as surrogate tax collectors | worldwide hippies

Wall Street titans have found a new way to screw over the poor and middle class — as surrogate tax collectors worldwide hippies
mr. furnace is my friend! he's running right now and my fingers and toes are warming up!
1st cup of coffee and the morning paper read.

pretty much a quiet day planed-tho you never know!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Dan Choi Re-Enlists in the Army in Times Square: DURING & AFTER

The Pearl Necklace You Might Not Wear On A Job Interview

The Pearl Necklace You Might Not Wear On A Job Interview

me- i've seen worse jewelry-but i'm not saying what!

6 Spirited Liquors Worth Tasting | Real Simple

6 Spirited Liquors Worth Tasting Real Simple

Obama Signs Act To Empower Native Americans to Fight Rape : Ms Magazine Blog

Obama Signs Act To Empower Native Americans to Fight Rape : Ms Magazine Blog

The Official Elvira Website

The Official Elvira Website

says she'll be on wtae
got this e-mail from my friend doug-

makes sense to me:


My 20 People "


>

>You're part of my 20 people, hoping you will send

> this on to your 20 so we get this out

>before November.

>

>If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people

>then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message.

> Maybe it is time.





>THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!

>**********************************

> Congressional

> Reform Act of 2010

>

>1. Term Limits.

>

> 12 years only, one of the possible options below..

>

> A. Two Six-year Senate terms

> B. Six Two-year House terms

> C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

>

>2. No Tenure / No Pension.

>

>A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they

>are out of office.

>

>3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

>

>All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security

>system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,

>and Congress participates with the American people.

>

>4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

>

>5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional

>pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

>

>6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the

>same health care system as the American people.

>

>7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

>

>8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective

>1/1/11.

>

>The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen

>made all these contracts for themselves.

>

>

>Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned

>citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

>

>

>If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not,

>just delete



me- i just passed it on to far more than 20!

WorldWide Hippies Rockin For A Free World.

Republicans Prove that Stimulus Works With Their Written Requests | Video Cafe

Republicans Prove that Stimulus Works With Their Written Requests Video Cafe

Joe Miller's private "guards" were active-duty military - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com

Joe Miller's private "guards" were active-duty military - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com

me- people better start paying attention!
Life is a combination of magic and pasta. -


 Federico Fellini

JFK speech about secret societies (480 x 360).mp4

Elvira's Not a Witch

Neo-Nazi Magazine to Feature Obama Assassination Cover | Hatewatch | Southern Poverty Law Center

Neo-Nazi Magazine to Feature Obama Assassination Cover Hatewatch Southern Poverty Law Center

YouTube - Jesse Ventura On Fox And Friends Defending The The Right To Question 911

YouTube - Jesse Ventura On Fox And Friends Defending The The Right To Question 911

Anti-Reid group to Hispanic voters: 'Don't Vote' - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com

Anti-Reid group to Hispanic voters: 'Don't Vote' - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com

Mammogram

geeezzzz my computer is SCREWED UP today!!!!

Prince Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud Guilty of Murdering Servant

Prince Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud Guilty of Murdering Servant

Parents Outraged Over Video of Daughter Dayna Kempson-Schacht Killed in Crash

Parents Outraged Over Video of Daughter Dayna Kempson-Schacht Killed in Crash

How Do I Hire a Workers' Compensation Lawyer? | Calhoon & Associates

How Do I Hire a Workers' Compensation Lawyer? Calhoon & Associates

The Times They Are a Changing - 2008 year in pictures and quotes - Tony ...

Spider Baby

Glenn Beck Hawking Survivalist Disaster Kits | TPMMuckraker

Glenn Beck Hawking Survivalist Disaster Kits TPMMuckraker

Palinisms: The Sparkling Wisdom of Sarah Palin, Republican Aspirant to the White House

Palinisms: The Sparkling Wisdom of Sarah Palin, Republican Aspirant to the White House

Oregon AG sues University of Phoenix for $10 million | kgw.com | KGW Home

Oregon AG sues University of Phoenix for $10 million kgw.com KGW Home

The Maddow Blog - Ms. O'Donnell, meet the First Amendment

The Maddow Blog - Ms. O'Donnell, meet the First Amendment

5 Things You Won't Believe Aren't In the Bible | Cracked.com

5 Things You Won't Believe Aren't In the Bible Cracked.com

me- i knew but a lot of people don't.

neat reading.

The Maddow Blog - Nation on verge of electing extremists for no particular reason

The Maddow Blog - Nation on verge of electing extremists for no particular reason

Rush Limbaugh: President Obama looks 'demonic' - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com

Rush Limbaugh: President Obama looks 'demonic' - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com


me- i think limbaugh has finally jumped the shark with this-

unless he's using drugs again???

Monday, October 18, 2010

Coffee's ready!

How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Robber Barons | Mother Jones

How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Robber Barons Mother Jones

'Sister Wives' True Story -- 'I Married My Younger Sister's Husband' - Lemondrop.com

'Sister Wives' True Story -- 'I Married My Younger Sister's Husband' - Lemondrop.com

Oklahoma Earthquake 5.1 Magnitude: Quake Activity Related to Natural Gas Drilling? | DBKP - Death By 1000 Papercuts - DBKP

Oklahoma Earthquake 5.1 Magnitude: Quake Activity Related to Natural Gas Drilling? DBKP - Death By 1000 Papercuts - DBKP

Five Best Recipe Search Tools

Five Best Recipe Search Tools

More Tea Party Hilarity -- RollingStone.com

More Tea Party Hilarity -- RollingStone.com

Santorum says vote Toomey because Obama = Hitler

Tea for Toomey

Do the dead greet the dying? - CNN.com

Do the dead greet the dying? - CNN.com

Planet Spaghetti Western | The Spaghetti Western Blogosphere at your fingertips

Planet Spaghetti Western The Spaghetti Western Blogosphere at your fingertips

Exclusive Excerpt: America on Sale, From Matt Taibbi's 'Griftopia' | Rolling Stone Politics

Exclusive Excerpt: America on Sale, From Matt Taibbi's 'Griftopia' Rolling Stone Politics
Labor Dept. stats going back to 1945 show payroll expansion highest under 1) Clinton 2) LBJ, 3) Truman. Worst: 1) Ford. 2 & 3 both Bushes

Raese Joins The Tenther Chorus Claiming Minimum Wage Is Unconstitutional

Raese Joins The Tenther Chorus Claiming Minimum Wage Is Unconstitutional

another rich old souless prick!

This Week: In Memoriam | Crooks and Liars

This Week: In Memoriam Crooks and Liars

Universal Health Care: Is It Constitutional? - Garrett Epps - National - The Atlantic

Universal Health Care: Is It Constitutional? - Garrett Epps - National - The Atlantic

UAE Men Can Beat Wives And Children, But Cannot Leave Marks

UAE Men Can Beat Wives And Children, But Cannot Leave Marks

Angle to Hispanic children: "Some of you look a little more Asian to me" - Politics: Ralston's Flash - Las Vegas Sun

Angle to Hispanic children: "Some of you look a little more Asian to me" - Politics: Ralston's Flash - Las Vegas Sun

Apple Pie Five Ways - Tablespoon

Apple Pie Five Ways - Tablespoon

State of Belief - Religion and Radio done differently.

State of Belief - Religion and Radio done differently.

IT’S ALWAYS BACON O’CLOCK

IT’S ALWAYS BACON O’CLOCK

Joseph Campbell Foundation

Joseph Campbell Foundation
nothing much going on today-got some chili from the freezer-that will make for a good dinner-salad and some bread-good for cold weather.

Christian Right Insiders Reveal Racism, Virulent Anti-Immigrant Attitudes and Homophobia in Prominent Religious Group | | AlterNet

Christian Right Insiders Reveal Racism, Virulent Anti-Immigrant Attitudes and Homophobia in Prominent Religious Group AlterNet

Key depression gene identified

Key depression gene identified

2 Political Junkies: Cleaning Up Toomey's Crap

2 Political Junkies: Cleaning Up Toomey's Crap: "Crooks and Liars has the text:I'm Joe Sestak and this is Belle. My family loves Belle. But she can make a mess. And we have to clean it up...."

Miller security guards handcuff journalist: 2010 Alaska U.S. Senate election | adn.com

Miller security guards handcuff journalist: 2010 Alaska U.S. Senate election adn.com


me-THIS sort of thing has to be nipped in the bud!!!

BBC - Earth News - Sparrows identify 'troublemakers' from innocent birds

BBC - Earth News - Sparrows identify 'troublemakers' from innocent birds

Female Veterans Without a Place to Call Home - Oprah.com

Female Veterans Without a Place to Call Home - Oprah.com

Learn About World Menopause Day - AOL Hot Searches

Learn About World Menopause Day - AOL Hot Searches

Keeping Fear Alive: Stephen Colbert's 17 Best ThreatDowns (VIDEO)

Keeping Fear Alive: Stephen Colbert's 17 Best ThreatDowns (VIDEO)
another monday. cold!

but, i've got a turtleneck on and my heavy boots so i'm comfortable.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

When Did You Choose to Be Straight?

Citizens United: An Unprecedented Threat to Reproductive and Sexual Justice | RHRealityCheck.org

Citizens United: An Unprecedented Threat to Reproductive and Sexual Justice RHRealityCheck.org

BILL MOYERS JOURNAL | Rage on the Radio | Full Segment | PBS

Return of the Secret Donors - NYTimes.com

Return of the Secret Donors - NYTimes.com

"Tron" Inspired Jewelry and Fashion

"Tron" Inspired Jewelry and Fashion



me- WTF!!!

$12 Million Blue Diamond BVLGARI Ring to Be Auctioned by Christie's

$12 Million Blue Diamond BVLGARI Ring to Be Auctioned by Christie's


just in case the pink one is gone santa...

Rare Pink Diamond Could Be One Of The World's Most Expensive Stones

Rare Pink Diamond Could Be One Of The World's Most Expensive Stones


me- jingle bells jingle bells- hey santa...

Tim Walberg Called Social Security "Socialism"

Homeless vets need our help!

Homeless vets need our help!

Joel Burns tells gay teens "it gets better"

Death of a Fulton Fish Market Fixture - NYTimes.com

Death of a Fulton Fish Market Fixture - NYTimes.com

Sestak for Senate: He's the voice of reason in a season of anger

Sestak for Senate: He's the voice of reason in a season of anger

Cute baby hedgehog!!!

Fascism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fascism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


doesn't sound like me -or the president either.

does sound a bit like beck and limbaugh and some republican pols tho!

Supplier recalls frozen vegetables due to glass fragments - CNN.com

Supplier recalls frozen vegetables due to glass fragments - CNN.com

fox news The Daily Show Lewis Black Back in Black Saddam, Bin Laden, and...

Two choir boys sing the meow song

Leo Buscaglia - The Art of Being Fully Human (1 of 4)

fox news The Daily Show Lewis Black Back in Black Saddam, Bin Laden, and...

Report: Chemicals found in NE Pennsylvania water wells - CNN.com

Report: Chemicals found in NE Pennsylvania water wells - CNN.com

Tom Savini on Machete, Filmmaking, Rodriguez & Tarantino - HorrorMovies.ca

Tom Savini on Machete, Filmmaking, Rodriguez & Tarantino - HorrorMovies.ca

JOHN TRUDELL 1- Where Spirits Get Eaten/Drunken Indians

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Top 10 Interesting Abandoned Places - Top 10 Lists | Listverse

Top 10 Interesting Abandoned Places - Top 10 Lists Listverse

Hippie.TV

Hippie.TV

The People Speak – Sundance Film Festival – Benjamin Bratt

The People Speak – Sundance Film Festival – Benjamin Bratt
had a nice evening-pizza and CLASH OF THE TITIAN'S on dvd. read thru a few of my cookbooks-hot shower and a splash of vodka in some ginger ale over ice!

Chart: Glenn Beck’s Hot Topics

Chart: Glenn Beck’s Hot Topics

Country Joe McDonald - "Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die"

Toot Toot Tootsie, Goodbye by Pearl Bailey

Pearl Bailey - That's Good Enough For Me

"A Guy What Takes His Time" Mae West

Sippie Wallace I'm A Mighty Tight Woman

Ruth Brown, If I can't sell it, I'll sit on it

MLK's desperate prayer – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

MLK's desperate prayer – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

Rally to Restore Sanity

Rally to Restore Sanity

Painting 100 Million Sunflower Seeds: A Futile Art Endeavor? : The Picture Show : NPR

Painting 100 Million Sunflower Seeds: A Futile Art Endeavor? : The Picture Show : NPR

Geoffrey Dunn: Palin Takes Cheap Shot at Michelle Obama

Geoffrey Dunn: Palin Takes Cheap Shot at Michelle Obama
New: The 244 ACCOMPLISHMENTS of PRESIDENT OBAMA


.by Peggy Wilson on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 11:41am.ETHICS



• Ordered the White House and all federal agencies to respect the Freedom of Information Act and overturned Bush-era limits on accessibility of federal documents (2009)



• Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible (2009)



• Placed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House (2009)



• Placed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration (2009)



• Signed a measure strengthening registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists (2009)



• Ordered that lobbyists must be removed from and are no longer permitted to serve on federal and White House advisory panels and boards (2009) * Note: After saying he would not hire lobbyists, a few have been hired in the Administration



• Companies and individuals who are delinquent on their taxes or owe back taxes are no longer allowed to bid for federal contracts (2009)



• Initiated the “e-Rulemaking Initiative” (in cooperation with Cornell University) to allow for online public “notice and comment” of federal laws and initiatives (2010)



• Issued the “Open Gov Directive” ordering all Cabinet departments to promote transparency and citizen participation in their policies (2010)



• Signed extensions on banning lobbyists from serving on agency boards (2010)



• Developed the “Don Not Pay List” with data on contractors and recipients of federal funds who are deemed to be ineligible because of fraud and abuse (2010)







GOVERNANCE



• The White House website now provides information on all economic stimulus projects and spending, along with an unprecedented amount of information on our government (2009)



• Ended the Bush-era practice of circumventing established FDA rules for political reasons (2009)



• Ended the Bush-era practice of having White House staff rewrite the findings of scientific and environmental regulations and reports when they disagreed with the results (2009)



• Limited the salaries of senior White House aides (salaries cut to $100,000) (2009)



• Has urged Congress to adopt “Pay-Go” (whereby each dollar of spending is offset by a dollar in cuts or revenues, which was used in the `90s but abandoned in the `00s) (2010)



• Has been holding open meetings with Republican leaders, although they complain of a lack of access and information (2010)



• Signed the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (2010) * Note: To curb wasteful spending



• Tasked federal agencies to develop plans for disposing of unneeded real estate and then to eliminate unnecessary or non-economical lands, properties, etc. (2010)







NATIONAL SECURITY



• Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane (which wasn’t even used in Iraq/Afghanistan) and other outdated weapons systems (2009)



• Announced his intention to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay (2009) * Note: The closure has been delayed due to massive opposition but it remains on the agenda.



• Stated his interest in housing terrorists at a new federal “super max” facility in the US (2009) * Note: this has been delayed in the face of massive opposition but it remains on the agenda



• Cut the expensive Reagan era missile defense program, saving $1.4 billion in 2010 (2009)



• Cancelled plans to station anti-ballistic missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic (2009)



• Replacing long-range, expensive missile systems with more efficient smaller systems (2009)



• Increased US Navy patrols off the Somali coast in response to pirating (2009)



• Established a new cyber security office and appointed a cyber security czar (2009)



• Ordered the first nation-wide comprehensive cyber threat assessment (2009)



• Instituted a new Nuclear Posture Review, revising US nuclear deterrence policy to encourage more nations to join the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (2010) * Note: Components of the policy include: a pledge to stop nuclear testing; a pledge to not build a new generation of nucs; identifying nuclear terrorism, rather than a launch from another nuclear state, as the major threat; a pledge to not use nucs on a non-nuclear state in a conventional conflict; etc.



• Executive orders to block payment, transfers, exports, etc… of individuals and organizations support the regimes of North Korea, Iran, Somali pirates, and other foreign threats (2010)



• Presidential Memoranda to extend certain provisions of The Trading with Enemies Act which was to expire in September 2010 (2010) * Note: This includes freezing assets and banning trade that benefits the Cuban regime; however further efforts at normalizing travel to Cuba are supported



• Signed bill for southwest border security and increased funds and agents on the Mexican border (2010)



• Signed the Comprehensive Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act to deal with foreign regimes like Iran and North Korea (2010)







IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN



• Began the phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq (2009); continuing the withdrawal (2010)



• Changed the US military command in the Afghan conflict (2009)



• Tasked the Pentagon to reorganize US policy in Afghanistan; the new policy includes 30,000 additional troops deployed, priority training of Afghan forces, developing agriculture and infrastructure, limiting aerial bombing, etc. (2009)



• Ordered the Pentagon to send additional helicopters to assist US Marine units and Special Forces in Afghanistan (2009)



• Increased unmanned drone strikes on Taliban and al-Qaeda targets in Afghanistan (2009)



• Ended the Bush-era “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date (2009)







MILITARY & VETERANS



• Ordered the Pentagon to cover expenses of families of fallen soldiers if they wish to be on site when the body arrives back in the US (2009)



• Ended the Bush-era “blackout” imposed on media coverage of the return of fallen US soldiers (2009) * Note: The media is now permitted to cover the story pending adherence to respectful rules and with the approval of the fallen soldier’s family



• Ended the Bush-era “black out” policy on media coverage of war casualties (2009) * Note: Full information is now released for the first time in the War on Terror



• Ordered better body armor to be procured for US troops (2009)



• Funding new Mine Resistant Ambush Vehicles (2009) * Note: The old Hummers were very vulnerable to roadside explosives and an alarming percentage of our soldiers lost in Iraq were on account of IEDs



• Working to increase pay and benefits for military personnel (2009)



• Improving housing for military personnel (2009)



• Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses (2009)



• Ordered that conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other neglected military hospitals be improved (2009)



• Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military to a post-Cold War, modern fighting force (2009) * Note: Bush announced in 2001 his intention to do this but backed off the reforms after 9/11, which include: new procurement policies; increasing the size of Special Ops units; deploying new technologies; creating new cyber security units; etc.



• Ended the Bush-era practice of awarding “no-bid” defense contracts (2009)



• Improving benefits for veterans as well as VA staffing, information systems, etc. (2009)



• Authorized construction of additional health centers to care for veterans (2009)



• Suspended the Bush-era decision to purchase a fleet of Marine One helicopters from suppliers in favor of American made helicopters (2009)



• Ordered a review of the existing “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military (2010)



• New GI Bill for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan (2009)



• Signed bill providing assistance for caregivers of veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan (2010) * Note: The omnibus bill does the following: Training, funding, and counseling for caregivers; promoting pilot childcare programs for women vets under treatment at the VA; independent oversight to prevent abuse; readjustment counseling for National Guard and reservist units; etc.



• Eliminated co-payments for veterans who are catastrophically disabled (2010)



• Fulfilled campaign promise to have combat troops (90,000) out of Iraq by August 31, 2010 (2010)



• Established a new interagency task force to assist veterans owning small businesses (2010) * Note: The efforts include promoting federal contract opportunities, improve access to loans and capital, mentor assistance programs, etc.



• Signed The Families of Fallen Heroes Act, which covers the moving costs of immediate family members of those lost in service (military, intelligence, and security personnel) (2010)







FOREIGN POLICY



• Closed the Bush-era “secret detention” facilities in Eastern Europe (2009)



• Ended the Bush-era policy allowing “enhanced interrogation” (torture); the US is again in compliance with Geneva Convention standards (2009) * Note: Obama has permitted some controversial interrogation techniques to continue



• Restarted international nuclear non-proliferation talks and reestablished international nuclear inspection protocols (2009) * Note: Bush withdrew from non-proliferation talks and dismantled the inspection infrastructure



• Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009) * Note: These were suspended under Bush



• Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions (2009) * Note: These were suspended under Bush



• Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office (2009)



• Banned the export of cluster bombs (2009)



• Overturned Bush-era plans to increase the US nuclear arsenal (2009)



• Authorized the Navy SEALS operation that freed by force the US shipping captain held by Somali pirates (2009)



• Restored the US commitment to the UN population fund for family planning; overturned the ban on providing funds internationally for family planning (2009) * Note: The family planning efforts were suspended under Bush



• Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit families (2009)



• Extended an offer of engagement (free from sanctions and penalties) to Iran through December 31, 2009 (Iran did not accept the offer) (2009)



• Sent envoys to the Middle East and other parts of the world, reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy (2009)



• Authorized discussions with North Korea and the private mission by former president, Bill Clinton, to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons (2009)



• Authorized discussions with Myanmar and the mission by Senator Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive (2009)



• Renewed loan guarantees for Israel (2009)



• Signed the USIFTA trade agreement with/for Israel (2009)



• Authorized a $550m advance for Israel (six months prior to the scheduled date) in order to accommodate Israeli’s economic and financial needs (2009)



• Continued agreements with Israel for cultural exchanges, immigration, etc. (2009)



• Spoke on Arab television, spoke at an Egyptian university, and met with Arab leaders in an effort to change the tone of US-Arab relations (2009)



• Ordered the US to finally pay its dues to the United Nations (2009)



• Attended the Summit of America’s meeting in Trinidad and Tobago (2010)



• Dispatched several envoys and initiated talks with numerous nations (2010)



• Signed a nuclear limitation treaty with Russia (2010) * Note: The agreement calls for both countries to reduce their nucs by one-third (1,500) and launch systems by half (800)



• Hosted nuclear non-proliferation summit for several nations (2010)



• Executive Order to establish support offices in the State Department to assist the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan (2010)



• Presidential Memoranda to continue drug interdiction support with Columbia (2010)







ECONOMY



• Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) (2009) * Note: Bush was the first president since Herbert Hoover to not make infrastructure a priority



• Authorized the US auto industry rescue plan and two GMAC rescue packages (2009)



• Authorized the housing rescue plan and new FHA residential housing guarantees (2009)



• Authorized a $789 billion economic stimulus plan (2009) * Note: 1/3 in tax cuts for working-class families; 1/3 to states for infrastructure projects; 1/3 to states to prevent the layoff of police officers, teachers, etc. at risk of losing their jobs because of state budget shortfalls



• Instituted a new rule allowing the public to meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (in as quickly as one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying (2009)



• Authorized a continuation of the US financial and banking rescue plans initiated at the end of the Bush administration and authorized TARP funds to buy “toxic assets” from failing financial institutions (2009)



• Authorized the “Cash for Clunkers” program that stimulated auto sales and removed old, inefficient, polluting cars from the road (2009)



• Convened a “jobs summit” to bring experts together to develop ideas for creating jobs (2009)



• Ordered the FDIC to beef up deposit insurance (2009)



• Ended the Bush-era policy of protecting credit card companies (2009) * Note: In place of the old policy, new consumer protections were instituted and the industry’s predatory practices were banned



• Authorized the federal government to make more loans available to small businesses and ordered lower rates for federal loans to small businesses (2009)



• Placed a 35% tariff on Chinese tires and a few other products such as pipes after China was found to be illegally “dumping” exports below cost (2009) * Note: Clinton, Bush I, and Reagan all refused to “get tough” on China’s predatory trade practices; Bush II refused four times during his presidency



• In November 2009, Obama extended unemployment benefits for one million workers



and expanded coverage for some existing homeowners who are buying again (2009)



• Called on Congress to deliver a “Jobs bill” (2010)



• Credit card companies are prohibited from raising rates without advance notification or arbitrarily if customers are paying bills on time (2010)



• Signed a bill to extend unemployment benefits set to expire (2010)



• Signed historic Wall Street reform bill (2010) * Note: Designed to reregulate and end abusive practices and promote consumer protections



• Signed the HIRE Act to stimulate the economic recovery (2010) * Note: The bill includes: tax cuts for small businesses who hire someone unemployed for at least two months; small businesses can write off their investments in equipment this year; etc.



• National Export Initiative established to enhance federal support (technical assistance, training, trade missions, etc.) and coordination efforts to help US businesses export products and services (2010)



• Initiatives to promote a “Wireless Broadband Revolution” (2010) * Note: Among other things, broadband is finally being considered as necessary infrastructure, with efforts to expand use, access, and spectrum…



• Expanded agricultural credit to farmers during current economic crisis (2010)



• Signed bill - US Manufacturing Enhancement Act (2010)



• Signed bill - Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance (2010)







TAXES



• Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks to permit the US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals (2009)



• Ended the Bush-era policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs (2009) * Note: The new policy promotes in-sourcing investments to brings jobs back to the US



• Signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which provides small tax cuts for 95% of “working families” (2009) * Note: The tax cuts were not as big as was suggested during the 2008 campaign



• Convened an advisory board that is looking into simplifying the tax code (2009)



• Ordered the closing of offshore tax safe havens (for individual and business tax evaders) (2009)



• Reduced taxes for some small businesses to stimulate the economic recovery (2009)



• Extended the Home Buyers Credit for first-time home buyers (2009)



• Proposed doubling the child tax credit (2010)



• Called for the repeal of the capital gains tax for small businesses (2010)



• Proposed rolling back the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans (2010) * Note: This would be for families earning over $250,000/year and would return their tax rates to the 1990’s level







BUDGETING



• Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut federal spending (2009)



• Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify wasteful spending and practices (2009)



• Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient (2009)



• Overturned the Bush-era practice of not listing certain federal programs in the federal budget (2009) (2010) * Note: Bush did this (so did Reagan) in an effort to hide programs and make the budget look smaller; such “off budget” items are now included in the annual budget



• Full appropriations for war are now included in the budget (2009) (2010)* Note: Bush did not list many of the appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, and War on Terror



• Funds for emergency appropriations are now included in the budget (2009) (2010)



• Proposed a three-year freeze on federal discretionary spending beginning in 2011 (2010)



• Is in the process of cutting 120 federal programs identified as either wasteful or unnecessary (2010)



• Established a bipartisan commission on fiscal responsibility, staffed by House and Senate members and private citizens, tasked with submitting proposals to balance the budget (2010) * Note: In the face of Republican opposition, the powers of the commission were watered down



• Established a bipartisan commission on the future of Social Security, tasked with submitting proposals to preserve and strengthen Social Security (2010) * Note: In the face of Republican opposition, the powers of the commission were watered down



• Cut $20 billion from federal budget and has pledged to cut at least this much every year (2010)



• Ultimately decided to cancel planned new presidential helicopter fleet and stick with marine One (2010)



• Freezing all discretionary spending for next three years, except on national security (2010)



• Presidential Memoranda to freeze discretionary awards, bonuses, etc. for federal political appointees (2010)



• Beginning to use “Pay-As-You-Go” (Pay-Go) to offset budget expenditures with budget cuts or revenue enhancements (2010)







HEALTHCARE



• Removed Bush era restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research (2009)



• Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research (2009)



• Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children (2009)



• Established an independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare (2009)



• Reversed some of the Bush-era restrictions that prevented Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical firms for cheaper drugs, allowing government to again competitively bid (2009) * Note: Obama had promised to lift all restrictions but, while he did negotiate with drug companies for them to lower their costs the deal only lifted some restrictions



• Expanding government vaccination programs (2009)



• Issued new disease prevention guidelines and priorities for the CDC (2009)



• Authorized the FDA to finally begin regulating tobacco (2009)



• Tasked federal labs to prioritize research on and deployment of H1N1 vaccines (2009)



• Asked multiple congressional committees to bring forward a healthcare reform bill; held dozens of public hearings and town halls on the issue (2009) (2010)



• Established a new council on National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health to be chaired by Surgeon General and charged with promoting healthy lifestyles and integrative healthcare (2010)



• When accusations to the contrary arose, an Executive Order was signed to reaffirm that federal funds are not to be used for abortion services (2010)



• Historic healthcare reform bill signed - $940 billion over 10 years (2010)* Note: 32 million additional Americans will receive healthcare coverage and costs will be lowered for most Americans, but many of the goals are phased in over four years



Components of the bill



- Prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals/family members with pre-existing health conditions; a temporary plan is being developed to cover high-risk individuals with pre-existing conditions until the full reforms go into effect in 2014



- Prevents insurance companies from placing lifetime limits on benefits



- Bans “rescission” so insurance companies can’t cancel coverage if individuals keep their policies current or if they become ill



- An individual’s out-of-pocket healthcare expenses are capped



- Closes the “donut hole” (Part D) for Medicare prescription drug coverage (under Bush, Medicare helped pay for drugs up to $2,600 and above $4,550, but individuals had to pay 100% of the costs in between these amounts); now Medicare helps cover costs irrespective of the amount – seniors will now pay only 25% of drug costs up to $4,550 and only 5% of drug costs above that amount



- In 2010, an emergency provision will offer seniors a $250 rebate on the costs incurred within the “donut hole”



- Individuals living at or below the poverty line were eligible for healthcare under Medicaid, but by 2014 individuals/families living slightly above (making up to $14,404/$29,327) the poverty line will also be eligible for benefits



- Individuals/families making less than $43,320/$88,200 per year will qualify for government subsidies to help purchase health insurance



- All individuals must have health insurance or face a government fine; all large (over 50 employees) employers must offer health insurance to employees or pay a fine



- Small businesses can get a tax credit if they offer health care



- There are hardship exemptions if individuals can’t afford health insurance



- Families can keep their children in college on their plans through age 26



- Promotes health insurance “exchanges” so consumers can buy “wholesale”



- Creates consumer assistance offices to help consumers file complaints or appeal decisions from insurance companies; beginning in 2011, insurance companies can no longer make excessive rate hikes without justification and approval, and those doing so may be barred from participating in new health insurance exchanges



Funding sources:



- Large employers (over 50 workers) that don’t offer health benefits will be charged a $2,000/worker fee; if the employer offers coverage but employees instead purchase federally subsidized insurance the fee is $3,000/worker receiving federal subsidies or $750/worker (whichever is lower)



- Annual fees on pharmaceutical companies ($27 billion), health insurance companies ($60 billion), and medical device-makers ($20 billion)



- Annual penalties on individuals who do not have health insurance (up to a maximum of $695/person)



- Increase in the Medicare payroll tax from 1.45% to 2.35% for individuals making $200,000+ and families making $250,000+



- 3.8% tax on unearned income for millionaires



- Insurance companies will be subject to a tax on each high-end insurance plan (so-called “Cadillac” plans) they offer



Miscellaneous:



- Illegal immigrants are not eligible for insurance or subsidies



- By Executive Order, such federal funding can’t be used for abortion



- The federal government will assist states by covering all of the increased expenses of expanding Medicaid coverage (90% of costs after 2020)







ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT



• Removed a ruling that now allows individual states to enact automotive fuel efficiency standards above federal standards (2009)



• Offered attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles (2009)



• Overturned Bush-era rule that weakened the Endangered Species Act (2009)



• Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government (2009)



• Ended the Bush-era policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions (2009)



• Signed a measure requiring energy producing plants to begin producing 15% of their energy from renewable sources (2009)



• Announced that the federal government would reengage in the long-delayed effort to clean up “Superfund” toxic waste sites (2009)



• Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s energy reform was killed by Senate Republicans



• Proposed a new refuge for wild mustangs (2009)



• Cancelled several Bush-era mountain-top removal and mining permits (2009)



• Reengaged in international treaties and agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009)



* Note: Bush had withdrawn from such efforts



• Asked Congress for an energy reform and “cap and trade” bill (2009) * Note: The Congress failed to pass such a bill



• Developing plan to lease US coastal waters for wind and water-current energy production (2009)



• Overturned Bush-era policies that allowed uranium mining near national parks such as the Grand Canyon (2009)



• Expanded the Petrified Forest National Park (2009)



• Signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act that protects millions of acres of scenic, historic, and recreational lands and trails (2009)



• Requiring that government buildings and facilities be retrofitted to save energy costs (2009) * Note: These green retrofits are moving very slowly



• Authorized studies in several western states to determine how to support large-scale solar installations (2009)



• Attended the Copenhagen talks and, after the talks were stalled, negotiated an international (voluntary) agreement on reducing carbon emissions and raising funds to assist developing nations in offsetting carbon emissions (2009)



• Banned importation of pythons in response to a growing population of pythons damaging the Florida Everglades (2009)



• Committing the federal government to increasing research and use of renewable, clean energy sources such as wind, biomass, etc. (2009)



• Executive orders establishing a federal initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all federal operations (2009) (2010)



• Called for exploring the possibility of additional off-shore oil drilling in the Gulf, Atlantic, and off Alaska (but not in ANWR) (2010)



• Agreed to consider increases in nuclear energy production and requested a study on the feasibility of nuclear power plant construction (2010) * Note: Nearly all energy initiatives were defeated by Republican opposition in Congress



• Increased investment in clean energy projects (2010)



• Executive Order to develop a new strategy for and commitment to ocean and lake resources, and for scientific research on water quality (2010)







RIGHTS



• Instituted enforcements for equal pay for women (Lilly Ledbetter Bill) (2009)



• Appointed Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina, to the Supreme Court (2009)



• Held the first Seder in White House (2009)



• Appointed a diverse Cabinet and diverse White House staff (2009)



• Spoke at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization (2009)



• Signed the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation that includes acts of violence against gays under the list of federal hate crimes (2009)



• Reversed the Bush-era practice of politicizing Justice Department investigations and prosecutions against political opponents (2009)



• Pushing for some of the 9/11 perpetrators to be tried in federal court (2009) * Note: The process has moved at a snail’s pace and, in the face of opposition, Obama has remained quiet



• Signed an extension of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Bill to provide federal research and support for treating the disease (2009)



• Allowed the State Department of offer same-sex benefits for employees (2009)



• Proposed that the Pentagon repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; placed a “freeze” on current efforts to remove alleged homosexuals from the military (2009)



• After eight years of neglect, the Justice Department and EEOC are again enforcing employment discrimination laws (2009)



• Convened the White House Tribal Nations Conference, inviting representatives from 564 federally-recognized Indian tribes (2009)



• Provided increased school projects for Indian lands and increased funds for the Indian Health Service (2009)



• Signed an Executive Order mandating that his Cabinet develop plans to work with and consult Indian tribes on issues impacting Indian lands (2009)



• Commissioned a study to develop alternatives to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)



• Called for federal agencies to look into recognizing gay partnerships in terms of benefits (2010)



• Signed an Executive Order for the President’s Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)



• Increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)



• Signed Executive Order to promote the federal government as a “model employer” when it comes to hiring the disabled (2010) * Note: This includes new efforts to increase the recruitment, hiring, and training for the disabled



• Programs to assist Spanish speakers with the US Census (2010)



• Elena Kagen appointed to Supreme Court (2010)



• Tasked all federal agencies to develop new strategies to address HIV/AIDS (2010)



• After organizing studies on the topic in 2009, tasked the Pentagon to eliminate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)



• Signed Fair Sentencing Act (2010) * Note: The Administration continues to deescalate marijuana interdiction and raids; increased dramatically the amount of cocaine one must possess to be sentenced to jail; eliminated mandatory sentencing for first-time drug abusers and simple possession







EDUCATION



• Authorized construction funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access in K-12 public schools (2009)



• Increased funding for school construction (2009)



• Increased funding available for student loans (2009)



• Expanded the national youth service program (2009)



• Streamlined the federal student loan process to save $87 billion over the next 10 years (2009)



• Changed the rule to allow students struggling to make college loan payments to refinance their loans (2009)



• Beginning discussions with Congress for education reform (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s education reform has been sidelined by opposition in Congress



• Initiated a “Race to the Top” competitive federal grant program for states who develop innovative policies (2009)



• Instituted a “judgment review” allowing families with student loans to petition to have their current financial status determine the loan rather than the previous year’s finances (2009)



• Launched “Educate to Innovate,” a public/private partnership making $236 million available for science, mathematics, and technology education programs (2009)



• Proposed capping the maximum amount students must pay on student loans (as percentage of their income) (2010)



• Proposed reducing student loan obligations for individuals going to work in community and public service jobs (2010)



• The federal government will offer direct student loans, cutting out the cost of private banks (“middle man”) who increase the costs in order to make a profit (2010)



• Increased investment in technologies for schools/education (2010)







DISASTER RESPONSE



• Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness (2009)



• FEMA once again reports directly to the president (2009) * Note: Bush removed FEMA (prior to the Hurricane Katrina disaster) from this status



• Demonstrated an immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters (2009)



• Ordered that funds be released and red tape be streamlined for the ongoing Hurricane Katrina recovery effort in the Gulf Coast (2009)



• Timely and massive relief effort in response to the January 2010 earthquake and ensuing humanitarian crisis (2010)



Components of the response:



- The FBI’s National Center for Disaster Fraud was tasked to look into possible fraud with organizations soliciting funds for relief



- Announced the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund



- Established an emergency Haiti Task Force in the State Department



- Established a website with information, resources, and a posting of a “person finder” online to help families and friends to locate loved ones



- Joint aid and relief planning with the U.K.



- Sponsored a resolution in the UN Security Council for additional security and police forces in Haiti



- Dispatched the US Navy floating hospital (USNS Comfort) and, within 5 days, 9 naval and relief ships, 5 Coast Guard cutters, 8 Coast Guard aircraft, and 12,000 US military personnel



- Initial dispatch of several ships and cargo planes full of humanitarian aid and supplies, 6 search/rescue teams (500 personnel), and 265 Department of Health & Human Services personnel for emergency medical and aid support



- Established a mobile US air traffic control center at the destroyed airport in Port-au-Prince



• After the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a freeze was placed on new deep water projects (2010)



• Executive Order to establish new security measures to minimize accidental release of bio and chemical agents; new strategies for public health and bioterrorism response (2010)



• Established a national commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon spill to examine facts and report a plan of action; new efforts to prevent offshore spills (2010)



• After a slow start in responding to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the White House is promoting a long-term plan to reconstruct the damaged Gulf and negotiated with BP the establishment of a multi-billion dollar trust fund for victims of the spill (2010)



• Extended national flood insurance program for those in need during current economic crisis (2010)







OTHER INITIATIVES



• New federal funding for science and research labs (2009)



• Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program (2009)



• Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program (2009)



• Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud (2009)



• Ordered the DEA to stop raids on medical marijuana usage (2009)



• Ordered a review of existing “mandatory minimum” prison sentencing (2009)



• Signed an order to limit airport tarmac delays and the time passengers had to sit in the plane/on the tarmac during delays (2009)



• Restored the EPA to “Cabinet level” status (2009) * Note: Bush removed the EPA from this status



• Beginning discussions with Congress for comprehensive immigration reform (2010)



* Note: Much of Obama’s immigration reform had been stalled by opposition in Congress



• Commissioned expert panels and reports from NASA; announced a new direction for human space flight that involves funding a new heavy lift-launcher and jettisoning the Ares 1 program; boosting NASA’s budget by $1 billion in 2011 (2010)



• Ordered a ban on text-messaging for all commercial truck and bus drivers (2010)



• Signed bill – FAA Air Transportaiton Modernizatin and Safety