Disaster in the Soviet Union The Chernobyl Nuclear Meltdown

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by Grace Chen

In the Western region of the former Soviet Union, at that time the only Superpower in the world other than the United States, disaster struck the sleepy Ukraine town of Pripyat. On April 26, 1986, in the cold early morning hours, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded. The resulting disaster hit a level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the only incident in the history of atomic energy to do so. Following the initial explosion, fire and subsequent explosions from the site sent radioactive plumes of smoke into the air and contaminated much of the surrounding area. Reports came from many European countries of increased radioactivity levels in the atmosphere, and detailed reports thereafter picked up changes in the radioactivity as far away as the United States. It is estimated that the fallout was up to forty times that of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb.

How It Happened

Reactor 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was scheduled for a shutdown to perform routine maintenance on April 25th, the day before the disaster. This shutdown was to take place, in part, so an experiment could be undertaken. The engineers at the plant intended to test the turbines running the generators in the reactor to see if they would continue to run even if there was an external power outage. This would be an important safety component, as the reactor type used at Chernobyl requires a constant spray of water in order to remain cool. Of course, the turbines could not turn forever under their own momentum (or else there would be no need for a nuclear power plant). There was a forty second delay between the shutdown of the electricity and the initiation of the backup generators. The engineers needed to test if the turbines could continue to turn for a minimum of forty seconds, thus producing a seamless transition in the event of a power outage.

In a twist of fate, the grid controller in the area requested that the reactor stay online, however, rather than decreasing power output. This was due to a regional power station gong offline that day, and the controller anticipating the need for the electricity during the peak hours of the day. Chernobyl agreed, and the power decrease did not start until nearly 11:00 that night. Thus, the safety test was put into the hands of the less experienced and understaffed night shift. The new crew was not made aware of the fact that they had postponed the power decrease, and thus followed the plan for shutdown as if it had been decreasing throughout the day.

Without getting into the scientific aspects of the disaster, suffice to say that this lack of knowledge (and the plant's unacceptable safety systems), led directly to the meltdown. While trying to complete the experiment, the staff removed the manual control rods for the reactor, since they were not getting the desired results from their shutdown. The reactor, set inexorably towards a runaway reaction, was left without anything to prevent it. By the time systems began to show instability on the computers, it was too late. The staff tried to reinsert the rods, but they melted and broke. Fire and explosion quickly blew the roof off the reactor, and a disaster was born.

Taking The Measure

The Chernobyl disaster and its aftermath has been difficult to quantify. Conflicting reports exist as to the extent of the damage. It is known that there were fifty-seven deaths as an immediate result of the radiation, mostly concentrated on power plant staff and fire and rescue workers who were not told of the severity of the risk. Almost five miles of forestry in the vicinity of the plant changed colors and died due to the radiation. The animals were destroyed. It has been estimated that as many as 10,000 cases of fatal cancer among the surrounding residents as a result of the contamination, making it one of the most deadly manmade accidents in history.

The incident slowed greatly the Soviet Union's abilities to carry on with a nuclear program, and it forced the government to be more open in future dealings with the press. The disaster may have been less serious had the government been prompt with its acceptance of what had happened and dispersed correct information more rapidly.

It is interesting to note that it was not until the year 2000, some fourteen years after the incident that Chernobyl finally shut down. Today, workers are still there around the clock, as the nuclear core cannot be left unsupervised. The town of Pripyat has been a ghost town ever since, and has actually become a haven for wildlife in the absence of humans.

Learn more about the Chernobyl disaster by visiting http://www.rememberchernobyl.com

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Protect Our Oil Supply

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by melpol

The costs of running America have been rising with higher oil prices. Trucks that ship food products across the nation are paying more for diesel fuel. This means consumers will also be paying higher prices for food. Keeping a home warm in the winter, and cool in the summer, now costs extra money. And those costs will also be going up. Filling a twenty gallon automobile tank will soon cost eighty dollars. People are getting angry and they want our government to do something about it. That is what the war in Iraq is about.

It doesn't take a financial wizard to know what will happen to the American economy and its people if oil prices go up much further. We would experience an inflation that has never been witnessed before. Our dollars will buy much less food and our heating and cooling costs will become unaffordable. Bicycles will have to be used by workers who couldn't afford the expenses of getting to their job. It sounds like a nightmare but all these problems and much more will happen if energy costs keep rising.

The Middle Eastern countries are sitting on more than half of the known oil reserves; fortunately it is controlled by fair minded business people that keep the price of oil as low as possible. But if these oil supplies would ever fall into the hands of radical politicians they would charge as much as they can get for the oil. It would make the radical politicians rich and destroy the economies of the rest of the world. This would be bad news and it must not be allowed to happen.

Radical Arab politicians are calling for unity. They want to establish an Iranian Empire that would encompass the oil rich nations of the Middle East. Only a fool can be blind to their motives. They promise their poor followers riches beyond their wildest dreams. They say it would be possible if they could own the oil fields. They are liars because if successful these politicians would follow their Arab brothers who keep the billions in oil profits for themselves. The poor would remain poor.

It is the duty of world leaders to prevent the oil fields in the Middle East from falling into the hands of radical politicians. If they let that happen they are neglecting their responsibilities to the people. There are those that say that we should get out of the area and let the radical politicians take possession of the oil fields. I am sure that our wise leaders would never let that happen. We must be prepared to stay in the area until the price of oil is sure to be affordable.
melpol

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Protect Our Oil Supply

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by melpol

The costs of running America have been rising with higher oil prices. Trucks that ship food products across the nation are paying more for diesel fuel. This means consumers will also be paying higher prices for food. Keeping a home warm in the winter, and cool in the summer, now costs extra money. And those costs will also be going up. Filling a twenty gallon automobile tank will soon cost eighty dollars. People are getting angry and they want our government to do something about it. That is what the war in Iraq is about.

It doesn't take a financial wizard to know what will happen to the American economy and its people if oil prices go up much further. We would experience an inflation that has never been witnessed before. Our dollars will buy much less food and our heating and cooling costs will become unaffordable. Bicycles will have to be used by workers who couldn't afford the expenses of getting to their job. It sounds like a nightmare but all these problems and much more will happen if energy costs keep rising.

The Middle Eastern countries are sitting on more than half of the known oil reserves; fortunately it is controlled by fair minded business people that keep the price of oil as low as possible. But if these oil supplies would ever fall into the hands of radical politicians they would charge as much as they can get for the oil. It would make the radical politicians rich and destroy the economies of the rest of the world. This would be bad news and it must not be allowed to happen.

Radical Arab politicians are calling for unity. They want to establish an Iranian Empire that would encompass the oil rich nations of the Middle East. Only a fool can be blind to their motives. They promise their poor followers riches beyond their wildest dreams. They say it would be possible if they could own the oil fields. They are liars because if successful these politicians would follow their Arab brothers who keep the billions in oil profits for themselves. The poor would remain poor.

It is the duty of world leaders to prevent the oil fields in the Middle East from falling into the hands of radical politicians. If they let that happen they are neglecting their responsibilities to the people. There are those that say that we should get out of the area and let the radical politicians take possession of the oil fields. I am sure that our wise leaders would never let that happen. We must be prepared to stay in the area until the price of oil is sure to be affordable.
melpol

http://www.associatedcontent.com/melpol

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Protect Our Oil Supply

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by melpol

The costs of running America have been rising with higher oil prices. Trucks that ship food products across the nation are paying more for diesel fuel. This means consumers will also be paying higher prices for food. Keeping a home warm in the winter, and cool in the summer, now costs extra money. And those costs will also be going up. Filling a twenty gallon automobile tank will soon cost eighty dollars. People are getting angry and they want our government to do something about it. That is what the war in Iraq is about.

It doesn't take a financial wizard to know what will happen to the American economy and its people if oil prices go up much further. We would experience an inflation that has never been witnessed before. Our dollars will buy much less food and our heating and cooling costs will become unaffordable. Bicycles will have to be used by workers who couldn't afford the expenses of getting to their job. It sounds like a nightmare but all these problems and much more will happen if energy costs keep rising.

The Middle Eastern countries are sitting on more than half of the known oil reserves; fortunately it is controlled by fair minded business people that keep the price of oil as low as possible. But if these oil supplies would ever fall into the hands of radical politicians they would charge as much as they can get for the oil. It would make the radical politicians rich and destroy the economies of the rest of the world. This would be bad news and it must not be allowed to happen.

Radical Arab politicians are calling for unity. They want to establish an Iranian Empire that would encompass the oil rich nations of the Middle East. Only a fool can be blind to their motives. They promise their poor followers riches beyond their wildest dreams. They say it would be possible if they could own the oil fields. They are liars because if successful these politicians would follow their Arab brothers who keep the billions in oil profits for themselves. The poor would remain poor.

It is the duty of world leaders to prevent the oil fields in the Middle East from falling into the hands of radical politicians. If they let that happen they are neglecting their responsibilities to the people. There are those that say that we should get out of the area and let the radical politicians take possession of the oil fields. I am sure that our wise leaders would never let that happen. We must be prepared to stay in the area until the price of oil is sure to be affordable.
melpol

http://www.associatedcontent.com/melpol

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Longmont Colorado

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by Roberto Bell

Longmont, Colorado is the 13th largest city in Colorado. It is located 31 miles northwest of Denver. The name comes from Longs Peak, which is a mountain located in Colorado and mont from the French word meaning mountain. Today, it is said to be more of a residential and a very quiet area than what you would find in most city neighborhoods.

Longmont has a total area of 21.8 square miles, and only .05% of this land is covered by water. The city is an exurb of Denver. By 2016, it is said that the city will be the endpoint for the FasTracks commuter rail in Colorado.

In June of 2006, Longmont was named the All-America City by the National Civic League. Money Magazine also ranked it number 61 out of 100 of the best places to live in the US. Longmont is also a sister city of Chino, Japan and Guzman, Mexico.

The city was founded in 1871 by a group of people from Chicago. This group had traveled and decided to find a new town in Colorado. Founded in 1871, the city was first known as the Chicago-Colorado Colony. Membership to enter the town was required and many sold and purchased land in order to live in the town. The town became the first planned in Boulder County.

The town was one of the firsts to use ditches as a way of irrigation. The ditches were used to bring water from the rivers to the fields of the farmers. The town's streets were created in a grid plan, and soon the city began to grow very rapidly. The town flourished agriculturally and the community grew even more when the Colorado Central Railroad was built.

During the 1940s, the city became too populated and grew outside of its limits. In 1941, over 2,000 soldiers from Longmont served in WWII. With the imprisonment of Japanese-Americans, many of them came to Longmont to work in the sugar beet fields.

In 1950, the estimated population of Longmont was around 8,000 people. This was while the economy still solely relied on agriculture. However, crucial changes soon came.

In the 1960s, the government built an air traffic control station. Afterwards, IBM created a facility right outside of the town. Between 1960 and 1970, the population of Longmont doubled. With the economy based on agriculture ending in the early 1970s, Longmont's economy became based on all of the technology and businesses that were coming to be known. In 2000, the population of Longmont was at 71,093 people.

Jeff Glenn is the author of numerous articles on Longmont Colorado, such as Longmont Colorado Jobs and Longmont Colorado Real Estate.

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Giving Directly To The Poor

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by melpol

Helping unfortunate strangers is a virtue seldom practiced. Most people rely on the government or private agencies to help those in need. But for every dollar that is supposed to go to the needy only ten cents gets there, the rest is spent on administrative costs. Some executive workings for charities have incomes of over a million dollars a year. They have little concern for others. Human greed and corruption is only partially the blame.

Fund raising is not easy. It takes talent to get people to part with their hard earned money. Some fundraisers are paid commissions as high as fifty percent. They deserve it because without their talents there would be nothing collected. Not only politicians use fund raisers but also organizations that help the needy. A poor person would not even get a dime if the fundraiser was not collecting a dollar. This system has been going on since the beginning of time. The fund raiser has always been a needed part of society.

Houses of worship are known for their humanitarianism. They are always speaking about the poor and how important it is to help them. But they could never exist without charitable donations. That is why the poor box is passed around at religious services. Most of that money goes to church workers who have to eat and pay their expenses. The rest is given to the poor. The success of a church leader is based on how much is collected. The most popular ones collect millions. They could be called fund raisers rather than raisers of the spirit. But without them religious organizations would go broke.

There are better ways to help the poor or unfortunate besides having others doing it for you. The best way is to deal directly with them. The first thing you should do is put a lot of thought into the type of person you would like to help. We all have our preferences. Donors want their money going to people that deserves it most, not the lazy types that do not make any attempt to help themselves. The most deserving I believe are those that are the victims of unfortunate circumstances. Workers who have lost their jobs and are on the verge of having to lose their homes are most deserving of our compassion. We don't have to go far to find them.

The anonymous donor is the most virtuous because what is given is not for recognition but for compassion. If you would like to help, but don't know how to start, put whatever is affordable into an unsigned envelope. Drop it into the mailbox of some unfortunate person. In that way you will be eliminating the necessity of the fundraiser and every dollar will go directly to those that need it most. If you would rather let the fundraisers or the government be responsible for helping the poor or unfortunate you are neglecting your duty as a humanitarian.
melpol

http://www.associatedcontent.com/melpol

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The Twin Menaces of Inflation

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By Dane Smith

This week, a storm of bad news gave markets cold feet, resulting in Friday's 250-point loss. While this pattern of volatility has been the status quo for stock exchanges worldwide for the better part of the year-to-date, another factor has caused at least as many difficulties for a much larger percentage of the global population: the recent skyrocketing prices in energy and food. Wheat and other cereal prices have more than doubled this year, causing widespread effects ranging from speculative overbuying, which exacerbates the problem, to food riots in many poor countries. Millions of children around the world are likely to suffer from malnutrition in coming years if prices stay at or near current levels, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates.

Part of this unfavorable price increase has been due to shifting ideas about energy consumption and the press towards the use of alternative sources of fuel other than gasoline: namely, the subsidies issued by many governments of developed countries to change over to ethanol and other plant-based hydrocarbons, such as that made from palm oil (a particularly environmentally destructive process for ecosystems). Since these subsidies and programs have been introduced, farmers are often able to make better returns by selling their crops to biodiesel companies than to food companies. Until economic incentives change, the supply end is unlikely to provide solutions. For many of these farmers, these developments mean they are able to make a decent living for the first time in years, and they desperately want to (even if it results in local food shortages sometimes).

While this widespread problem affects consumers all over the world, these micro effects are only half of the story for gas-sensitive American consumers. Energy prices have taken headlines this year due to speculation and supply concerns from OPEC and South American countries after hitting the psychologically important $100 a barrel mark for the first time in the third quarter of 2007. Crude prices remain stubbornly above historical trends, even as suppliers contend that output need not increase. Analysts have also projected US gasoline prices to climb above $4 a gallon during the summer, another equally unprecedented number that may be tough pill for consumers to swallow, after the one-two punch of a national housing slump and the global credit crunch.

Should oil suppliers continue to maintain current output levels, demand is eventually likely to contract. But they aren't the only links in this chain. If oil becomes a less attractive option to Americans, oil companies may eventually be priced out of the market. Many have been keeping an exceptionally low profile in recent months. Auto companies play a huge part in the process, but shrinking sales and looming layoffs will likely increase the pressure towards manufacturing lower-emmission vehicles. But the single biggest mover and shaker will be the government, which has the ability to regulate both inflation (through the FEDs influence on mortgage interest rates) and the move towards more sustainable technologies. The next US president will have the ability to help determine how long the lone superpower continues to expose its Achilles heel, but at some point all eyes will be on the Federal Reserve if inflation once again rears its ugly head.

Escapeso Real Estate operates in the Austin real estate market. Their site provides a free Austin MLS search along with updates on the Austin market on their Austin real estate blog

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Do You Know About North Korea?

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By Parvati Anna

North Korea may soon test its first nuclear missiles. American spy satellites show photos of tunnels that look very similar to an underground test site. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates that North Korea may have six nuclear weapons. IAEA boss Mohamed ElBaradei said North Korea has the plutonium and the technology to make five or six weapons. North Korea itself declared in February that it has nuclear weapons. American intelligence reports that Pyongyang already has one or two crude nuclear bombs.

So, what can be done to confront this nuclear threat?

The current situation can not be addressed by the United States alone. It is my fear that the Republican majority in all branches of U.S. government will continue with the typical and ineffective go-it-alone strategy that has not won us the key support needed in protect our international interests. The international community is the only body capable of effectively handling the North Korean situation which has now developed into a global problem.

Global issues need to be met by the global community. This does not mean that the United States can not lead the way. Obviously, there will always be the need for someone to take the initiative, but it has to be done in a way that does not isolate us from the other global players and delay effective resolution.

First, in a global economy, it is necessary for voters in the upcoming election to cast their votes to bring a more Democratic balance into the make-up of our current govenment. Democrats would be more effective in diplomacy and can speak the international tongue. Whether you agree with their policies and beliefs or not, they are more likely to restore trust and a sense of humanity to our foreign agenda.

Second, if the international community is the channel of tough sanctions, China is the key. The country of China is an emerging dominate player in the Asian region and is also responsible for trade that equates to roughly 50% of North Korea's energy and food imports. If China does not accept its new international role in a responsible fashion, then the world will continue in its struggle to suppress renegade dictatorships.

Finally, North Korea has already been warned in their efforts to develop nuclear capabilities, but apparently decided not to listen. I believe we should impose the toughest of sanctions and work with our allies to allow for massive refugee transportation out of North Korea. At this point, deadlines should be drawn up for an international force to work together in removing this dictator from power if president Kim Jong-il does not comply and agree to dismantle his nuclear program.

If you do not believe that a solution similar to the one I have just discussed then I would invite you to focus more on the consequences of not taking action. Iran is watching world events very carefully right now. If they seek weak international resolve and come away from this scenario with the conclusion that North Korea has in fact strengthened its global position, then what is to stop them from developing nuclear weapons? Iran would probably target Israel and North Korea would likely make a hit on South Korea.

In regards to a potential North Korean attack on South Korea, we already know that underground tunnels have been discovered to be dug deep into South Korean territory. The scary thing to note is that millions of people live in the capital of Seoul, South Korea, which is not very from the border with the north. If it is already assumed that some tunnels have not yet been discovered, what is to stop North Korea from detonating a nuclear weapon right under the heels of a major South Korean city such as Seoul? This would cause millions of people to suffer a horrific death. Another possibility to ponder is North Korea's capability to transport weapons of mass destruction to our enemies whether it is Al Qaeda, Iran, Syria, etc.

The international community wants to get the North Koreans back to the negotiating table. The widespread feeling is that Pyongyang should return to six-party talks with South Korea, China, the United States, Russia and Japan "without further delay". The talks would aim to persuade North Korea to change its stance and create a non-nuclear Korean peninsula. North Korea says it will not continue any dialogue until America ends its "hostile" manner towards Kim Jong Il. However, it may be that North Korea has no desire to talk. It may be more interested in becoming a nuclear power.

Find Korea government and more useful information about country history on Korea resources.

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Current Issues with the Global Economy

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by Dane Smith

Though the housing bubble deflated about two years ago, its true effects are only now beginning to emerge. In late 2006, when the economy first began to show signs of weakness in the housing market, most economists predicted that a recession was very unlikely, and that any downturn in real estate prices would be localized and mild. In reality, a global downturn is now a real threat, with the final price of the credit crunch projected to exceed $1 trillion dollars.

Not only have falling house prices in the US spread to other markets abroad, they have contributed to massive losses in other areas of lending such as credit cards, and the financial industry, which is now reeling from the US government bailout of Bear Stearns. What does this mean for emerging economies like China and India? In the short term, volatility seems to be the order of the day, with India's fledgling exchanges rocked by jittery investors. Until financial centers and investors can regain confidence, market conditions will be exaggerated. Early trading also plays a psychological role for investors, as news developments impact Asia before Wall Street opens.

The US and the UK both face difficult home pricing corrections which will continue to hamper growth. Most homeowners expect, if not to make a profit, not to sell their houses at a loss, which is a difficult pill to swallow. And if they can't sell their homes for what they think they're worth, then waiting it out contributes to prices falling, thus exacerbating the problem.

While government intervention has been exceptionally forthcoming in efforts to preserve confidence in financial markets, less attention has been given to homeowners who are being foreclosed on over the next year, which is only so low because of robust growth in Asia.

Another prospect which looms over every government is the specter of inflation, which threatens to overtake the slumping economy as the number one priority for the Federal Reserve and other central banks, who have had to take extreme action to prevent further liquidity losses. The Fed has sold off over $100 billion in auctions and lowered interest rates five times in an attempt to lower mortgage interest rates, but confidence will remain shaky until the full extent of investment bank's sub-prime exposure is realized. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, central banks are taking decisive action in hopes that the economy will level out without pushing inflation to dangerous levels.

Ki works as a realtor in Austin. He runs a site about Austin real estate which provides a free search of the Austin MLS and a free mortgage calculator.

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The Frightening Political Direction In Indonesia

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by pemerhati Indonesia

For the last four years, since the Election 2004, almost all of the political party have been in dispute between cadre or leaders. Tragically they have failed in uniting once more. Only the Golkar party that have the internal ability to absorb conflict so that it can not grow to be a great dissension. The elites and leaders from Golkar have relatively steady character and mentality. They can prevent the internal conflict that can ruined the integration of the Golkar party.

All of the big political party have had a worst internal conflict. However, there are a few that did not damage their institution. For instance, PDI Perjuangan (PDIP). Although a number of their cadre have resign, such as Roy B.B. Janis, Laksamana Sukardi, dan Didi Supriyanto, and they eventually establish a new political party Partai Demokrasi Pembaruan (PDP), PDIP have relatively improve their internal stability.
The Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP) was relatively unbothered by the resignation of many of their cadre which have establish new party such as seperti Partai Bintang Reformasi (PBR).

To date the party that are facing internal conflict is the Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB). The Chairman of DPP PKB Muhaimin Iskandar have been discharge through the DPP pleno meeting that was considered illegitimate. Earlier before, PKB have also been struck with internal conflict. The PKB cadre that have resign, Choirul Anam, have established the Partai Kebangkitan Nasionalis Ulama (PKNU).

It is to hard and complicated to give the root of the political party internal conflict. It is also uneasy to say which party or side that have to be blame in this internal conflict.

Anyone to blame and any root of problems in the internal conflict, one thing for certain is the those conflicts have made the institution of political party as one of the foundation of democracy in Indonesia became worst.

Unfortunately, there is no way that the democracy could mature and institutionalize as the process and mechanism of civilized citizen and nation without the presence of political party inside it.

Political party is a must in the democracy mechanism. At least, the suggestion have been proven by many developed countries that have been able to create a fair an relatively civilized political system.

When the perception transcend in the public mind, and become a political action or conduct, the thing we have to be concern next is the return of political practice to the prehistoric tradition. Barbaric!.
If there is no democracy instrument like the political party that is trustworthy, it is possible, that anyone, any society group, and any social power will conduct politics in their own version. What became important is to survive, exist. Do not care to others
if these condition prevail, then what become transcend is the political law of the jungle. The survival of the fittest.

Indonesian Version
Malang City-Indonesia, Information Center

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Longmont Colorado

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by Roberto Bell

Longmont, Colorado is the 13th largest city in Colorado. It is located 31 miles northwest of Denver. The name comes from Longs Peak, which is a mountain located in Colorado and mont from the French word meaning mountain. Today, it is said to be more of a residential and a very quiet area than what you would find in most city neighborhoods.

Longmont has a total area of 21.8 square miles, and only .05% of this land is covered by water. The city is an exurb of Denver. By 2016, it is said that the city will be the endpoint for the FasTracks commuter rail in Colorado.

In June of 2006, Longmont was named the All-America City by the National Civic League. Money Magazine also ranked it number 61 out of 100 of the best places to live in the US. Longmont is also a sister city of Chino, Japan and Guzman, Mexico.

The city was founded in 1871 by a group of people from Chicago. This group had traveled and decided to find a new town in Colorado. Founded in 1871, the city was first known as the Chicago-Colorado Colony. Membership to enter the town was required and many sold and purchased land in order to live in the town. The town became the first planned in Boulder County.

The town was one of the firsts to use ditches as a way of irrigation. The ditches were used to bring water from the rivers to the fields of the farmers. The town's streets were created in a grid plan, and soon the city began to grow very rapidly. The town flourished agriculturally and the community grew even more when the Colorado Central Railroad was built.

During the 1940s, the city became too populated and grew outside of its limits. In 1941, over 2,000 soldiers from Longmont served in WWII. With the imprisonment of Japanese-Americans, many of them came to Longmont to work in the sugar beet fields.

In 1950, the estimated population of Longmont was around 8,000 people. This was while the economy still solely relied on agriculture. However, crucial changes soon came.

In the 1960s, the government built an air traffic control station. Afterwards, IBM created a facility right outside of the town. Between 1960 and 1970, the population of Longmont doubled. With the economy based on agriculture ending in the early 1970s, Longmont's economy became based on all of the technology and businesses that were coming to be known. In 2000, the population of Longmont was at 71,093 people.

Jeff Glenn is the author of numerous articles on Longmont Colorado, such as Longmont Colorado Jobs and Longmont Colorado Real Estate.

Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html.

They Need To Share Your Food

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by melpol

There is a serious development that concerns not only hungry people but all of us. Food is becoming too expensive and food riots are spreading. There were tortilla riots in Mexico when the price of grain became unaffordable which can happen again. Most countries have been able to feed their own but there is a fear that the millions of the unfed will come across borders to eat. If this happens those with food will battle to keep it from the hungry. Supermarkets will be forced to place armed guards in front of their doors and refrigerators will be padlocked. There are food riots going on at the present time in Haiti where the government was overthrown. Nobody can predict tomorrows costs of grain or rice. Many say it will double in price in the coming months.

Over a billion Chinese people are now eating meat products that are grain fed. This is a result of an increase in their standard of living. They grow very little grain so more than ninety percent of all meat eaten in China is imported. This is one of the causes of the shortage of world wide grain. The Chinese people have a right to eat as much meat as they can afford. It would be ridiculous to ask them to curb their appetites for the sake of the hungry in other countries. We must look elsewhere for a solution.

The rising price of oil is the main cause of rising grain costs. Harvesters and trucks that use oil have to pass on added expenses. A loaf of bread cannot be sold for one dollar when it costs two to produce. The hungry must eat but if they cant afford to buy bread who will pay to feed them? The best solution is to lower oil prices which will bring down the costs of grain production. This would bring to a halt world wide hunger.

There have been many famines where millions have starved to death. The Ukraine suffered a man made famine less than seventy five years ago where over a million died of hunger. But in the age of worldwide news coverage this type of tragedy would be hard to accept. Many people would feel guilty watching a television newscast showing people fighting over a bag of rice. But most would just go on eating and be happy that their refrigerator was well stocked. The big question is: Would you be willing to share your food with the worlds hungry? If the answer is "NO" we will have to put a padlock on our fridge.
melpol

http://www.associatedcontent.com/melpol

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The Last King Of Spain?

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by Majorca

A young King Juan Carlos helped steer Spain from a dictatorship to a modern democracy after he came to the throne some 32 years ago, and his achievements include defending the fledgling democracy in 1981 from an attempted coup.

Once popular and regarded as a man of the people, recent times have been more troubling for the king as political groups on both the left and right have called for an end to the Spanish monarchy.

1981 it could be argued was the height of the King's popularity when some army officers stormed the Spanish Parliament. Spain had been ruled by the dictator Franco until his death in 1975, and the King appeared on television to order the army back to barracks, in the process saving the young democracy from returning to dictatorship.

While the royal family spend their summer holidays on the island of Majorca at the Marivent Royal Palace and the rest of the year near Madrid his popularity carried through to all regions of Spain.

Recent comments from the King though have made many Spaniards uneasy about how close he is coming to interfering with politics, and this has not helped his popularity - although the people of Majorca might disagree as the royal family's holidays give the island an upmarket image elsewhere in Europe, and the hotels and Majorca villa holidays travel market have thrived in recent years.

He made a surprise visit to Spanish troops in Afghanistan just before Christmas, but controversially visited two Spanish enclaves in Morocco which have been in dispute over sovereignty since the 15th century.

But last year saw protestors burning photographs of the King in the Spanish city of Girona, a sign of his declining popularity, but Spain and the wider world sat up and took notice when he famously told the President of Venezuela to shut up at a summit in Chile. While most saluted his stand, some saw it as another sign of his interference in politics, going far beyond what would be acceptable in other European countries from their respective royal families.

Cheap Majorca Flights

The King wants to be king of all Spain, and not have different regions strongly in favour of the monarchy and others against.

Spain's economy has done well under King Juan Carlos, and his intervention to prevent a coup in 1981 has benefitted in particular the tourism market, with Spain and her islands now the destination of choice for more Europeans than any other country when taking a holiday.

And it's not just the holidays in Majorca market where the royal family spend their summers that have done well over the last twenty five years.

The Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca are well known as holiday destinations, and before King Juan Carlos replaced fascist leader General Franco the holidays market was limited as many Europeans would not holiday in Spain, knowing their tourist money would support an unacceptable regime, in the same way many people boycotted South Africa while it had apartheid.

Cheap flights to Majorca airport from the United Kingdom for example have seen the island's economy transformed. And Spanish airlines operating both from the mainland capital Madrid and from Barcelona have also taken advantage of the travel market today, with millions of Spaniards employed in the airlines, hotels and holidays industries.

While Spain used to in the early days of her tourism be known as a cheap holidays destination, the country has moved into the upmarket leisure scene too, and new hotels in Majorca are being built, one of which will be the best hotel in Spain.

Overall, Spain's economy has done well since Juan Carlos became king, the country has joined and is a fully active member of the EU, and political parties of different persuasions have held democratically elected power with the PSOE, Spain's Socialist Party, recently winning the general election and entering their second term in office, with all these things highly unlikely if Franco's successor had been another fascist.

At 70, hopefully it will be some time before the question of a new monarch is asked. Majorca will certainly want that!

YourMajorca.net reviews basic Majorca hotels through to top 5 star hotels in Majorca plus Palma Airport and cheap Majorca flight offers.

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Illegal Immigration: A Supply Side Solution

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by NotYourDaddy

To arrive at a sound solution to a problem, we need to analyze its root causes. Addressing the causes of a problem ultimately eliminates (or significantly reduces) the problem; addressing the effects is a never-ending battle. As long as the underlying causes remain, the problem will keep reasserting itself, circumventing whatever solutions are implemented.

The border fence addresses the effects of the illegal immigration problem, but not the root cause. To stop illegal immigration, we need to understand why it exists. What is it that attracts illegal aliens to the U.S.? The majority are here for one of the following reasons.

1. Jobs.


2. Potential for citizenship.


3. Entitlements.


4. Criminal activities.


5. They're already here; why leave?

Once the causes have been ascertained, the path to a solution becomes clear. Don't attract them, and they won't come.

1. Jobs. A guest worker program that provides temporary permits for seasonal workers. This not only benefits the guest workers by providing the jobs they seek, but also benefits our economy (see A Free Market Approach to Illegal Immigration on my blog), because labor laws, unions, and entitlement programs have undermined the viability of the agricultural labor market for citizens.
   


2. Citizenship. No anchor babies. No amnesty. All applicants for citizenship must go through the legal immigration process. No shortcuts or special treatment for those who thumb their noses at it. If anything, illegal entry into the country should disqualify the perpetrator from eligibility for citizenship in the future. We cannot discourage illegal behavior by rewarding it.
   


3. Entitlements. No public assistance to non-citizens (even if they have children). Require proof of citizenship for school enrollment. When an illegal alien turns up in an emergency room, treat them, and then deport them. It would be inhumane to turn them away without treatment, but the fact that a lawbreaker may be ill is no reason to suspend the law.
   


4. Crime. Immediate deportation on completion of prison sentence. Capital punishment for capital offenses. Repeat offenders, who have been previously deported, should serve additional time to discourage them from coming back again. (All prisoners who are capable of working should be required to work for their keep in prison.)
   


5. Happenstance. Opportunistic deportation of others. Deport them if and when they come to the attention of the government, for whatever reason.

To eliminate illegal immigration, remove the reasons people come here illegally, and make the consequences outweigh the rewards. It's cheaper and more effective than a fence. A fence is a "band-aid" solution. If we address the underlying problem, the expensive band-aid won't be necessary.

NotYourDaddy is a conservative libertarian who believes in free will and the free market. NYD thinks the role of the government is to protect the rights and liberties of its citizens. Stop there. NYD's attitude toward ever-expanding government can best be summed up by snarling "Get your hand out of my pocket and leave me alone!" Visit NotYourDaddy's blog at Government is Not Your Daddy.

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What George Lacks In Intellect He Makes Up For In Stupidity

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by Bob Miller

The war in Iraq has seen the lives of 4,000 Americans destroyed for political gain. Despite mass protests and vocal opposition to the war and the underlying reasons behind it, the powers that be have elected to pursue their personal agenda by proxy, spending lives like worthless dollars in a conflict that isn't necessary and hasn't been shown to be worthwhile.

While the US economy nosedives into recession, the authorities are continuing to pump resources into the Iraqi war effort instead of supporting public services and improving the lives of ordinary Americans. The dollar is on its knees and the prospects of the average citizen look gloomier every day. But at least oil prices are sky high. After creatively stifling the flow from Iraq, at least the US government has managed to push oil prices to record levels and regain some degree of control over international supply.

The oil agenda underlying the war effort has cost America more than just its reputation. It's cost 4,000 families their most precious, and left countless more Iraqis in turmoil. That's 4,000 proud families with sons and daughters engaging in a fight for freedom against Weapons of Mass Destruction and Al Qaeda – that's 4,000 dying for the biggest government-sponsored lie in recent history.

It has cost the US treasury billions, and dealt a crucial blow to democracy and freedom worldwide. The single-minded Bush administration war machine is nothing more than an international aggressor, circumventing international law to pursue its own illegal, immoral objectives. And the result? Death, destruction, chaos, and a global distrust and hatred of the America.

Bob Miller, one of the most outspoken opponents of the Bush regime, is a self-proclaimed 'Eisenhower Republican' and a Vietnam War veteran. Despite his political affiliations, Miller has rejected the reasoning behind the war in Iraq, and has been harshly critical of the foreign policy decisions of the Bush administration, which he says in no way incorporates the Republican ideal.

"I do not understand Americans who put their political party before their country, but even more puzzling are parents who put jobs before their child's life. Some people are calling this an anti-war movement. I call it Don't Die For a Lie. The Department of Defence is not about defence; it's the military-industrial complex, or more appropriately, Weapons of Mass Destruction Sales & Service".

"It is a fact that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are the purest examples of the ideologies and trustworthiness of this ungodly and un-American group of empire builders calling themselves Republicans."

Bob Miller, the awarded pilot for his service during Vietnam War is now one of America's most controversial writers. Miller, born in Florence, with his experience in war writes controversial articles in the websites www.serveyournation.com , www.kill-me-if-you-can.com , and www.angelzabar.com to stop war and prevent youth from dying for one man's greed.

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Arab

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by Dr. D.S. Merchant

"The word arab or arabah is probably derived from a Semitic root related to nomadism. In the Arabic language, the word arab (derived from i'rab), means those who speak clearly as contrast with ajam (those who speak indistinctly). In Koran, the word arab has never used for the country of Arabia, but characterized the residence of Ismael, the son of Abraham as an "uncultivated land." In the time of Ismael his place of residence had no name, therefore, it was given the name of an "uncultivated land." In the Old Testament, the word midbar is used for Ismael's home, meaning a desert or a barren land, which closely corresponds to the Koranic description.

The first actual use of the word Arab in history is to be found in an Assyrian inscription of 853 B.C., commemorating the defeat of a mutinous chieftain, called Gindibu the Aribi during the reign of king Shalmaneser III (858-824 B.C.). Arabs are then mentioned quite often, until the 6th century B.C. as Aribi or Arabu that indicates vassalage to the Assyrians. The first Greek who is accredited to have acquired some geographical knowledge was Homer, who flourished in 1000 or 800 B.C. He has referred to the Syrians under the name Arimi (the Biblical, Aram) and the Arabs under the name of Erembi. The place-name Arabia occurs for the first time in Greek writings. Herodotus (484-425 B.C,), followed by most other Greek and Latin writers, extended the term Arabia and Arab to the whole peninsula and everything in it, even including the eastern desert of Egypt between the Red Sea and the Nile. References to the Arabs, in addition, are also found in the anonymous Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (between 95 A.D. and 130 A.C.). The word Saracen, first used in Greek literature too, is a transcription of an Arabic word meaning easterner. As for the Arabs' use of the word, it occurs for the first time in the ancient epigraphical material originating in southern Arabia, where it is clearly used for Bedouin. In the north, the word is used firstly in the 4th century A.D., in one of the oldest surviving records of the language that became classical Arabic.

Further account of the Arabs comes in the 10th chapter of Genesis of the Old Testament, which names the descendants of Noah, whose elder son, Shem is regarded as the ancestor of the Hebrews, Arabs and Armaens, - the speakers of Semitic language. But the term Arabs is not explicitly mentioned in Genesis. It is however suggested that the mixed multitude (Hebrew, erev) mentioned in Exodus (xii, 38) as having accompanied the Israelites into the wanderness from Egypt may be for Arabs. According to Dictionary of the Bible (ed. by James Hastings, New York, 1898, 1:135), "The employment of the name Arab for an inhabitant of any portion of the vast peninsula known to us as Arabia, begins somewhere in the 3rd century B.C., though the only trace of it in Old Testament is in the 2 ch., 21, where the Arabians that are near the Ethiopians' would seem naturally to refer to the neighbours of the Habasha, whence there are grounds for placing in the extreme south of Yamen." The word arabia is expressly given to this country in the Old Testament (I Kings x. 15) when describing the visit of the Queen Sheba to Sololmon, which took place 1005 B.C. We also find the word arabah in Deut. i. 7 and ii. 8. Some writers hold that the village called Arabah, situated near Tehama, may be the name for the whole peninsula, an opinion scarcely deserving the least notice.

In the Bible, the name Arab is the first word used in the second book of Chronicles (xvii, 11) to refer to nomads from the east bank of the Jordan river in the time of king Jehosophat (900-800 B.C.), such as "...and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats."

The peninsula was divided by the ancient geographers into Arabia Petraea, Arabia Felix and Arabia Deserta. The Arabia Petraea corresponded to the present Hijaz and eastern Najd. Arabia Felix to Yamen and Hazarmaut and Arabia Deserta comprised the rest of the country. Arab Peninsula (jazirat al-Arab) is situated in south-west Asia, embosomed with sea waters on its three sides, i.e., the Red Sea in the west, the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in the east, and the Arabian Sea in the south; is considered to be a largest peninsula in the world with an area of about 1,230,000 sq. miles, i.e., about one third of Europe, or almost six times bigger than France, ten times that of Italy and eight times bigger than Switzerland. Geographically it is an extension of the Sahara desert. It is divided into various parts of which Hijaz, Najd, Yamen, Hazarmaut and Oman are most important. The whole land is almost barren. The climate is extremely hot in summer and the coastal tracts are among the most torrid regions.

Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali is an popular Ismaili Scholar, He has written many surveys on religion of islam and ismailism such as Arab, 101 Ismaili Heroes, Ismaili Imams biography, life, history and tradition.

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U.S. News & World Report Magazine

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by Magazineland

U.S.News & World Report is one of the best news magazines in United States. It is a weekly news magazine published by U.S.News & World Report. L.P. Kerry F. Dyer is current publisher of the magazine. Earlier the magazine was named as United States News but after its merger with World Report weekly it became U.S.News & World Report.

The magazine is one of the most popular American news magazines in along with its two main opponents, The Time Magazine and Newsweek. Average circulation of magazine is about 2,028,000 copies weekly. The magazine is famous for its annual rankings of America's best colleges, best schools, best hospitals, best cars and trucks. Its annual college ranking is considered as one of the best review of colleges and universities of United States. Even students and parents find this review helpful in taking decision at the time of admission. All reports generated by U.S.News & World Report is based on extensive review of nomination in that particular category, the ranking is determined by performance on different metrics. The Best Colleges list is one of the top resources parents use when choosing a university for their children.

The magazine covers almost every section of news ranging from Political news of world as well as U.S., current affairs, money and business, health and medicine, culture and ideas, science and technology along with a dedicated section of photos and videos. Regular features and columns are another attraction of this magazine. The online edition of this magazine started in 1995 and soon became one of the most visited news website in United States.

Due to all the above said attributes U.S.News & World Report is a part of daily life for a huge amount of American news lovers. The weekly subscriber base itself says the story of its popularity. The future subscriber potential of this magazine is even increasing.

If you also want to be a subscriber for this reputed magazine, have a look at cheap discounted U.S.News & World Report subscription offer by Magazine Land. Magazine Land is serving avid magazine lovers all around the world since long, with its cheap prices people are liking subscription offered by this website.

For more information, visit: http://www.magazineland.com

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Barack Sure Knows How To Say It

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by melpol

Entertainment is my first priority and without it life is a big bore. The first thing I look for in a politician is their ability to be entertaining. That is why my first choice for the democratic nomination and president is Barack Obama. He is loaded with charisma and is a pleasure to watch and listen to. The rest of the candidates could not hold my attention for more than five minutes no matter what they are talking about.

American presidents are viewed as very powerful people but that is far from the truth, they are chained to those that put them in office. Before the president makes any major policy decision it has to meet the approval of others that are much more powerful. He is no more than just a messenger or figurehead. If I want to find out about our nation I will read the business section of the newspapers or turn on my computer and browse the Internet. Listening to speeches by the president puts me to sleep. That is why we need a guy in the white house like Barack Obama, he will awaken us with his charisma.

Once Obama becomes president, the international image of the United States will reach new heights. His charisma will also improve our international political position and help our economy. He is an extremely talented speaker that has the power to charm his listeners, they will love every word he says. The last thing we need is a boring figurehead that just puts us to sleep. Nobody will ever fall asleep when Obama is speaking, that fact alone makes him deserving to be our next president. It is not a super politician we need but a great entertainer.

There are those that are worried that Obama will turn out to be a crazy liberal and give away the country to the needy. But even if he is sympathetic to the poor, his obligations to wealthy backers will always be respected. He is not a left wing radical, but is basically conservative in his views. His powerful supporters are very comfortable with him holding the highest office, and he is fully trusted as being one of them. But it is important for him to maintain an image as a defender of the poor and abused. That is why he will fill his cabinet with politicians that are in close contact with those agencies that help the needy. But his real friends will always be the rich and powerful.

If Obama becomes president he will surely turn out to be just another politician looking to survive, but at least he will be entertaining. We will be enjoying his well spoken words. "It's not what you say but the way that you say it" And Barack Obama sure knows how to say it.
melpol

http://www.associatedcontent.com/melpol

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What Is A Guardian Angel?

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by Bob Miller

The concept of the guardian angel is one that has been present for centuries across a number of different cultures and belief systems. From the Ancient Greek civilization to modern day, theologians across the world are faced with the problem of identifying whether or not guardian angels exist and, if so, in what form they are present. While there is a wealth of empirical, anecdotal evidence of the presence of guardian angels, how can the idea of a guardian angel be defined?

Trying to define a guardian angel is an awkward process, the process of finding a 'one-size-fits-all' approach is tricky to say the least. The starting point for the definition must come from stories and personal accounts from those claiming to have encountered some form of spiritual guidance in the form of a protective angel or some other celestial being. Generally in Western belief systems, guardian angels are interpreted and indeed depicted as human-like beings sent from heaven to protect and guide their pupils.

The Bible draws reference to angels on a number of occasions, particularly in the Old Testament – some 299 references, in fact. On that basis, it is easy to understand that the concept of the angel or the guarding force makes up a part of the Christian faith. But what about other belief systems, and do guardian angels exist in other cultures?

Since the ancient civilizations, angels have been depicted as winged figures, and generally acknowledged to exist within their respective belief systems. Through the ages, there have been occurrences of guardian angels and similar bodies, and there is evidence to support the appearance of angels in Eastern culture prior to the development of any of the main religions. Evidently the guardian angel is not solely a Christian concept.

So what is a guardian angel? Is it some spiritual, winged body on a mission to guide us through life? Or does it come in more 'down-to-earth' forms? Could you be a guardian angel? Is it a metaphor for the way we should lead our lives? Why are we not all closely acquainted with our angels? Or perhaps we are, and we just don't realize it?

Unfortunately there is no real way to fully define a guardian angel, and determining if they exist and to what extent is bordering the impossible. For some people, an angel may be a loved one, or someone who has helped them survive a rough experience in their personal lives. For others, it may be something more spiritual, in the traditional religious sense of the term. It may even be something as simple as a wider metaphor for how we should interact with others and how we should develop our sense of morality and justice. But for all those who have personally experienced a presence or some spiritual guidance, there's no debate as to what a guardian angel actually is and the role they play.

Being in Vietnam War, Bob Miller, born in Florence has experienced the harsh effects of Vietnam War as a pilot and hence wanted to stop this unwanted act of brutality. So Miller, explains the youth about the hidden truths of War through his websites www.serveyournation.com , www.kill-me-if-you-can.com , and www.angelzabar.com. Bob Miller writes controversial articles on Anti-War.

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Circling the Drain

by VoiceOff America

In spring of 2007 we took our children to the Post Office to apply for their passports. It was posted that normal turn-around time to receive a passport was six to eight weeks and for rush service we could expect the passport in two to four weeks. Because our daughter needed hers in less than eight weeks, we elected to pay extra for the ‘rush service’. The clerk at the counter informed us that even with rush service, there was no guarantee that we would receive the passport within eight weeks (twice the amount of time they had posted) because the State Department was backed up. She then gave us the website of a private “passport expediting” agency that, for a stiff fee, will make sure you get your passport in a timely fashion. Just in case you didn’t grasp the problem with this, let us clarify. A private company will take money from you to pay the processors to rush your passport application—a job that they are already getting paid by your tax dollars to do. We call this bribing…what do you call it? Our guess is that part of the reason that the State Department was backed up in processing passports was because of this scheme, wherein people who had been waiting legitimately got bumped back by those who were in effect, bribing through a middleman. (Kind of sounds like the potential amnesty problem, doesn’t it?) No one likes getting cut in front of in line, and this is even worse because money is exchanging hands. We paid for normal processing time for our son’s passport and received it five weeks past their posted timeframe. That is one little example of political prostitution, selling a service to the highest bidder regardless of the fact that these processors are already getting paid by the American public to, well, process passport applications. Just wait, the examples of political prostitution, perversion, and propaganda just keep getting bigger and more upsetting—at least from our perspective—that being of middle and working class Americans.



We are certainly not lacking signs that this country is circling the drain. There are so many issues that it seems impossible to even begin to initiate change in a positive direction. We understand completely. And we are here to tell you, the American public, that if we don’t all start making some noise and moving our feet, then we are nothing more than part of the problem and we deserve just what we get. We all want to keep the freedoms that this country has historically afforded us, but are we willing to work for them? Are you? Let’s take a brief look at the Big Picture:



Did you know that…

? …your local and federal tax dollars support health care costs for people here illegally (border-violators and over-stayed visas)? And only four states in this country currently check citizenship before awarding Medicaid?

? …our Congressfolk sell legislation to the highest bidder to protect their personal interests? We’ll show you cases in point as we progress.

? …in the span of one week, the US Senate passed 153 bills without voting on a single one, some authorizing hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending? Would you be able to keep your job if you did this?

? …there is a law on the books, passed in 1907 (Tillman Act) which deems it illegal for corporations and national banks to contribute to the campaigns of candidates running for federal office? That means that nearly 100% of our Senators have broken the law just to get elected. ¡Viva la lobbyists!

? …our Congressfolk are expected by and for their Party to raise money and are judged accordingly? The more money they raise, the more status and recognition they attain. Apparently we were sleeping in government class because we thought the job of Congressfolk was to serve their constituencies, not fund-raising and marketing. Can anyone explain how fund-raising for personal gain is a public service?

? …there is a government agency, called the US Agency for International Development (USAID) which relies on taxpayer money to fund factory construction and worker training programs in Latin America to the extent of funding an advertising campaign to lure US companies into moving to Latin America? So, taxpayers are in part paying for the outsourcing of their jobs. Go ahead; kick us in the other shin please.

? …61% of Medicare money spent on prescription drugs becomes profit for pharmaceutical companies? That’s right—your tax dollars are going straight into the pockets of Big Pharma.

? …between 2006 and 2015, Medicare’s prescription drug coverage is reported to cost the government…uh, we mean taxpayers…in excess of $1 trillion?

? …in this age of terrorism, the US doesn’t even have control over its own ports? “Almost all seaports (80%) are owned by foreign private companies, the largest being Chinese”.

? …27% of federal prison inmates are illegal immigrants costing the American taxpayers in excess of $1 billion annually to incarcerate them? Additionally, there are more than 300 thousand in state prisons, again at taxpayers’ expense. In Los Angeles alone, 95% of outstanding homicide warrants are for people in this country illegally.

? …approximately 25% of the funding for the United Nations is paid by American taxpayers ?

? …the United States Congress spent a whopping 87 days and 30 minutes in session in the year 2006? We, the American workforce, work day in and day out to pay their salaries while they shirk their responsibilities. You wouldn’t believe what they were doing with their free time if we told you.



Are you mad yet? You ought to be. Prostitution is illegal in most parts of this country yet we condone prostitution of the very worst kind and even continually re-elect the perpetrators. Political prostitution is selling us, the American public short, very short while the Congress call-folk in suits take care of their personal interests in exchange for cash and favors. We hear about this stuff all the time in little snippets here and there, but unless we have the fortitude to look at the big picture, we are going down the drain. Are you getting dizzy yet?





Excerpt entitled "Circling the Drain" taken from the book, Political Prostitution, written by Tim and Charity Doyle. All rights reserved.


Excerpt taken from Political Prostitution by Tim & Charity Doyle. Circling the Drain

Haifa- We Bet This Makes You Sing Sol-Fa

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by Roberto Bell

The most beautiful and cosmopolitan city of Israel is Haifa. The city stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean to the peak of Mount Carmel. This clean and green city is one of the major ports of Israel too.

The city is situated 480 m above the sea level, spreads across three tiers and offers its tourists a spectacular viewpoint from the Eshkol Tower. The city is famous for its Haifa University that has an art gallery and is a dream place for all kinds of art connoisseurs.
The history of this picturesque city dates back to biblical times. In its earlier days, the city was known as a dye-making hub. Various civilizations have ruled and left imprints on the bricks of the city. The city is witness to the rules of the Byzantines, Arabs, Ottomans, even the Egyptians and the British. Today it stands as the home to a mixed population of Jews and Arabs.

The cultural capital city Haifa is the home for the many museums and rich heritage centers. Its long stretched beaches offer its tourists an ideal place to relax with the Mediterranean type of climate. The most important tourist attraction is the Baha'i World Center with the golden shrine of the Bab. It is surrounded with beautiful gardens too.

If you are at Haifa, the jewel city of Israel, take time off to pay a visit to the artist's village of Ein Hod. It is the place of studios and exhibitions of several artists and craftsmen. Stroll at the Mount caramel National Park that has many caves where Neanderthal and the early Homo sapiens remains are found. The Mount Carmel is a great place for the hikers too. A visit to the National Museum of Science, Technology and Space is a must if you happen to holidaying at Haifa.

If you want to walk around Haifa and feel its beauty, take the "path of the thousand stairs" that begins at Central Carmel, passes the Baha'i shrine and the German Colony, and ends downtown. Again, you can also take an aerial spectacular view from a cable car.

So, don't miss the opportunity of visiting a cosmopolitan, hi-tech city on a hill with a picturesque view of its pristine beaches.

David Ben Moshe Haifa Tours . You can find more information at DailyToursIsrael.com.

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Alan Keyes Presidential Bid

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by Ed Coet

I have read some extremely disturbing facts about John McCain which details his support for gay marriage. I already had deep concerns about his very weak position on illegal immigration. As such, I must at least give serious consideration to the third party presidential bid of former Ambassador Alan Keys.

Consider that all three of the current candidates for president support gay marriage and the two Democrat's (Clinton and Obama)are strongly pro-abortion. This represents a genuine dilemma for Christian voters who believe that holy scripture is the inspired word of God. Ambassador Alan Keys, a very distinguished scholar, now offers Christians a real opportunity to elect our first black president without selling out our Christian values. I urge everyone to give this great African-American candidate, a true American patriot, an extremely brilliant man, and a committed Christian who remains true to his faith the opportunity to be our next president. Listen to his wisdom and give him serious consideration.

In Alan Keyes we may actually have somebody that is worthy and deserving of Christian votes; somebody that won't require us to abandon the tenets of our Christian faith when we vote.

My loyalty belongs to my country, my family, and my Christian convictions, not the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. To support the nomination of John McCain increasingly seems like a betrayal of those values. Voting for Senator's Clinton or Obama absolutely betray those values.

Alan Keyes has already made it clear that the Republican Party base is not worthy of his time and energy any longer. That is why I am at least considering supporting his third party candidacy. He will be getting the nomination of the ever growing Constitution Party. This is a party with mainstream Christan values. It is in no way extremist in its conservative philosophy. The Constitution Party has no problem endorsing an African-American gentleman like Alan Keyes to be their choice for President of the Untied States.

I can hear some of you who call yourselves "Republican" grumbling already... You may be saying that he does not have a chance to win and will further ensure the likelihood of a Democratic victory. If so, then so be it. At least I'll be able to sleep at night. Someday, I will have to stand before my maker when He asks if I always did what I knew to be right. From my point of view that is not only important, it is vital to salvation.

I can no longer apply a principal of utility in elections which allows the elites in Washington or elsewhere to dangle carrots in front of my face with promises that are never kept. I can no longer vote for a Bush, a Dole, a Ford, or a Nixon who will placate me with rhetoric to garner my vote, and then laugh at me when we part ways. Nor can I vote for morally repugnant Democrats that never saw a sin that they wouldn't embrace, a moral perversion they wouldn't declare as being normal, or embrace the murder of the most innocent and helpless among us, unborn infants - and call it a legitimate "choice."

Sometimes parties must realign and redefine themselves. Politics is not a team sport... it is spiritual and intellectual combat. I have not been disloyal to the two major Political Parties; they have both been disloyal to me and anyone else whom embraces Christianity and common decency.

The "collective will" speech by John McCain was a betrayal to conservatives. I too believe in compromised unity. I am also an unabashed and unashamed flag waving patriot and combat veteran. I too want to bring our country together. But I refuse to desert my God and the moral and Christian fabric that defines me as a person to make that happen. If we surrender our Christian principals to elect any of these candidates, except Alan Keyes, that could be the beginning of the end of our country. It could very well mean our damnation.

I have always stood on conviction. Surely some will suggest that this is a bad political move, but I have little doubt that it is the correct Christian move. American politics is bigger than any one person and I can be comfortable with this decision.

I had the opportunity to meet Alan Keys once and to hear him speak at a convention in San Antonio. He was riveting, captivating, motivating, and awe inspiring. I admire him. I strongly urge other to check him out. I think they will be pleased if they do.

Author/Poet Biographical Sketch: Ed Coet is a retired US Army officer and professional educator. He is a widely published freelance writer and aninternationally recognized poet. Ed has had numerous articles published on a variety of topics. His short stories were published in Bewildering Stories, Scribal Tales, Muscadine Lines – A Southern Journal, and Scars Publications. His poems have been published in Purple Dream Ezine, Solder Works Magazine, Children, Churches & Daddies Magazine, Scars Publication, Steller Showcase Journal, Both Sides Now Journal, Because We Write Magazine, Lost Beat Poetry Journal, Cynic Magazine, Fullosia Press, Blue Fog Poetry Journal, Poetic Diversity Magazine,The Huffington Post, Raven Publishing, Inc., Muscadine Lines, A Southern Journal, Pink Mouse Pub Poetry Journal, Osprey Journal, Poetry Cemetery, Hudson Valley Poetry Digest, and Masque Publishing – Decanto Magazine. Ed Coet's poetry anthology credits include: Namaste Fiji – The International Anthology of Poetry Book, The "Breaking Silences" Poetry Book Collection, the 2007 Scars Poetry Collection Book - We The Poet's, and the Poetry Digest Book "A Hudson View International Collection - Winter 2008." Visit with Ed Coet at "The Coet Blog" at http://thecoet.blogspot.com/.

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African American Guilt by Assimilation

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by NotYourDaddy

According to the latest census data, until the mid-1990s, over 30% of all African Americans lived in poverty. Since then, the percentage has dropped into the 20s and, since 2000, it has never exceeded 25%. Clearly, there's an accelerating upward economic trend among African Americans.

According to other census data, in the 1980s, only 51.2% of African Americans had a high school education, and only 8.4% had a college education. By 2006, 80.7% had a high school education and 18.5% were college graduates. That's pretty impressive. African Americans are not only better educated and better off economically now than at any point in history, but the rate of progress has increased dramatically over the last 20 years.

The current generation of African Americans have much greater opportunities than their parents' generation had. And their parents' generation had vastly greater opportunities than their parents' generation had. That's the good news.

The bad news is that, among both blacks and whites, there's a widespread and destructive stereotype of African American culture, based on what is actually a minority of African Americans, -- the ghetto culture. The ghetto culture, even though a minority, gets all the media attention. TV, movies, music, hip hop chic, etc. all glorify this violent, crime-ridden, drug-fueled, defiantly anti-white subculture, and foster the impression that this is the "real" black culture. And the worse news is, blacks who have no part in this subculture are made to feel somehow guilty, or "less black," for the very reason that they have nothing to do with it.

Those who are immersed in the ghetto subculture, either because they're not motivated to work their way out of it, or because they've found ways to profit from it, have discovered the power of guilt they hold over many blacks who have assimilated into the mainstream of American culture. Those in the ghetto subculture minority jump on every opportunity to prey on that guilt, either to drag down those who have soared above them, or to manipulate and take advantage of them in any way they can. Many successful professional black Americans find themselves susceptible to these racial guilt trips. Aware of being a minority in the milieu in which they live and work, they feel an artificial connection to a subculture in which blacks appear to be the majority, thinking that, on some level, that's where they "belong." Nothing could be more false or insidious.

Every ethnic group that has come to this country started out clustering together in ghettos for support, and had to fight against ignorance and stereotypes until they gradually assimilated into the mainstream culture. That's how the melting pot that is America works. It may be wrong to stereotype and automatically distrust those who are different, but it's part of human nature. It goes back to pre-civilization, where survival depended on banding together with others who shared certain commonalities, and fighting off marauding intruders seeking to usurp their territory. Fear of "otherness" is genetically encoded in our species. As civilized humans, we've learned to overcome that atavistic instinct, but its vestiges are still there, lurking beneath the surface in all of us.

From an anthropological perspective, the fear of "otherness" is resolved by assimilation. An "other" becomes part of a society by adapting to the culture, adopting the social mores, and becoming a contributing member of the community. There's nothing wrong with assimilation. It's part of the natural evolution of societies. This country has become the great country it is today through the assimilation of all kinds of people from all over the world, benefiting both the country and the people who choose to share in its culture and leverage the myriad opportunities it offers.

The path to assimilation for African Americans has been longer than for other cultures in this country. There are many reasons for that, most of which are beyond the scope of this post. But, certainly, the burden of false guilt that successful black people are made to feel for not being "black enough" can only be counterproductive. It's the successful African Americans, who are following the natural course of social adaptation, progress, and upward mobility, who are promoting the best interests of their race. There is no shame in that. The shame is on those who would hold them back.

NotYourDaddy is a conservative libertarian who believes in free will and the free market. NYD thinks the role of the government is to protect the rights and liberties of its citizens. Stop there. NYD's attitude toward ever-expanding government can best be summed up by snarling "Get your hand out of my pocket and leave me alone!" Visit NotYourDaddy's blog at Government is Not Your Daddy.

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