Political Topics

IRS Scrutinizes World's Largest Internet Evangelist - Bill Keller Says Supreme Court if Necessary

2008-07-02T07:53:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Rev. Michael Bresciani

The story written by Laurie Goodstein broke in The New York Times Politics Blog June 23, 2008 and has garnered blog responses from around the nation. Keller who operates a live daily broadcast from St. Petersburg Florida and delivers a detailed daily devotional to over two million opt in subscribers is under a non-profit status as a Christian religious organization. By law he is prohibited from either endorsing or opposing candidates. This limitation includes anyone running for public office from the local selectman to presidential candidates.

In the early stages of the Republican primary race Keller created a media stir with the phrase "A vote for Romney is a vote for Satan." It is that statement that seemed to get the attention of the IRS which now says Keller is involved in partisan politics and using his ministry as a vehicle for that purpose. "No" says Keller who states that his warnings about Romney were for religious reasons only. Keller repeatedly stated that the Mormon religion is in no way representative of "biblical Christianity."

Not everyone is convinced that Keller is out of whack. One blogger on The Caucus blogs of The New York Times June 24, 2008 "Funny; Obama can stand in the pulpit of a church on Sunday morning .no investigationhe speaks to the national convention of his churchthe IRS says that is OKyet an internet evangelist calls out Romney for being part of a cult and lying to people about being a Christian and he is investigated???"

The IRS will have a hard time deciding if Keller has violated his 501-C standing because the lines are blurred. In his own ministry Keller is bound to inform his adherents of possible dangers from people professing to be Christians when they are not. It is a biblical mandate. That is probably why Professor T. Wayne Bailey of Stetson University was quoted in the Tampa Bay Times for saying ""I think, in the past, when it became a controversial issue, the authorities have gone far afield to presume in the direction of the right of free expression. So unless someone commits a hard and fast violation, I think administrations have simply relied on caution rather than punishment."

Bill Keller has recently stated in the national media that Sen. Obama is not a Christian. In his daily devotional for June 26, 2008 Keller informed his 2.4 million subscribers that "The story broke across the nation Tuesday that Liveprayer has been under investigation by the IRS for possibly violating our tax exemption for holding Mitt Romney accountable for his lies and deceit about what the Mormon cult really believes. This has not silenced me or deterred me from doing the same regarding Senator Barack Hussein Obama's claims that he is a Christian, when his own words and actions clearly show he is not. So many in the Liveprayer family emailed me their love and prayers and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. We cooperated fully and on time with the IRS and our attorneys are confident we did nothing wrong and will be fully exonerated."

For more information about LivePrayer go to http://www.liveprayer.com Rev Bresciani is an author and contributor to dozens of online Christian, politics and online magazines. For great articles, movie reviews and more visit http://www.americanprophet.org

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

Do You Know About Business Culture in Shanghai?

2008-07-01T11:29:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Layla Manon

Shanghai is the birthplace of everything considered modern in China; and was the cultural and economic center of East Asia for the first half of the twentieth century. It was the intellectual battleground between socialist writers who concentrated on critical realism.

Because of Shanghai's history as an immigrant city with strong foreign influence, it has developed a unique culture that combines West with East. This mix has given Shanghainese certain tendencies and characteristics, often called haipai, or Shanghai style.

Because they are more familiar with Westerners than Chinese in other parts of China, Shanghainese tend to treat Westerners more equally, thus allowing Western businesspeople to cooperate more easily with the Shanghainese. Shanghainese also tend to adopt Western ways of business and conform to international standards.

For instance, most people agree that the rule of law is stronger in Shanghai than in most other parts of China, as, historically, most residents were immigrants and could not rely on traditional social structures for support; everyone had to follow common rules to make a living. Thus, contracts tend to be honored more often in Shanghai than in other parts of China.

Because of Shanghai's comparatively mobile population, Shanghainese are inclined to maintain good relationships with social contacts over the short term and keep the level of socialization relatively shallow. Unlike Beijingers, who tend to forge friendships with business partners and sometimes take risks for their friends, Shanghainese seldom mix emotions with business. Shanghainese tend to accept renqing (interpersonal harmony)reluctantly, return renqing quickly, and exchange favors of equal value.

Shanghainese also tend to focus on economic interests, value individualism, and emphasize practicality by ignoring politics and showing concern for individual interests. In Shanghai, as long as money can be made, strangers can quickly form bonds.

Shanghai and the surrounding environs all have special economic zones (SEZs) which offer different tax incentives etc. The best way to get this information is to contact your consulate in Shanghai or the Chinese consulate in your home country. The new financial and industrial/manufacturing center of Pudong is also one of the best bets for tax writeoffs and other incentives.

Find Shanghai society culture and more useful information about business culture on Shanghai resources.

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

Can Democrats run the country

2008-06-23T11:55:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by athard

The Democrats are a perfect example of political hypocrisy in the United States. They have spoken at length about the need to unite America but haven't been able to be united themselves. The Hillary versus Barack Obama battle is an example of this. Hillary Clinton went out of her way to find dirt on Obama and when she couldn't, she just adopted the Republican tactics of creating dirt on Obama and scaring people with it.

In the endeavor to win the nomination, Hillary kept on hurting Obama and some of the wounds may not heal in time for the big battle with McCain. She and her camp spent time and resources to slander Obama. While John McCain secured the nomination and went on to campaign for the white house, these two battled it out and just made each other weaker.

The blame doesn't lie with Hillary alone. Everyone knows how power hungry and ruthless the Clintons can be. But what about the Democrats? They never once ventured to stop Hillary and ask her to play fair. They knew that the party was being hurt and that a spot in the White House is at risk, yet they stepped aside while Hillary tried to undemocratically secure the nomination.

Two months before Obama secured the nomination, the super delegates could have cast their votes and ended this. Instead, they chose to sit back.

What makes these "leaders" qualified to run the country if they can't even step in and do the right thing for their party? Why wait? The time to do the right it is ALWAYS right now.

So my question is, when it comes to doing the right thing for the country, will they step up or will they step aside?

http://www.whois-barack-obama.com

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

Pittsburgh Newspapers

2008-06-19T05:13:00.000-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by J.R. Scott

There are two main Pittsburgh Newspapers. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Each of these papers has it's good and bad. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette leans to the left, the Tribune Review toward the right with a bit of a Libertarian slant. If these leanings were not true than why do these papers endorse candidates. Granted at times these endorsements cross party lines but that is an exception rather than the rule. It should be the responsibility of any media outlet to report on politics and not endorse candidates or take a partisan stance on the news. This however is not practical given human limitations and ego. I personally do not believe we will ever see true neutrality in reporting. The Pittsburgh newspapers I am discussing are just an example of the media in general in the United States, while the bias is a problem things could be worse. At least we know they are not government controlled.

These Pittsburgh newspapers the Post Gazette and Tribune review suffer from the same problems that most media outlets do. Unfortunately some people get there news from an even worse source. I prefer to refer to them as the windbags . These windbags are not journalists. For the most part I don't believe they claim to be. Some people however use them as their source of news. This is not so much a problem in Pittsburgh Newspapers and other print media as the opinion and editorial section is clearly labeled. Be warned, sometimes these windbags do get print space in other parts of the paper though. Who are these windbags? It is not hard to spot them. These windbags generally do not try to hide their political opinions. They tend not to ever sway in their support of certain politicians even when faced with evidence of misdoings by said politicians. Most of these windbags are closed minded people not willing to truly see the other side of the argument. Windbags of one side will often battle opposing windbags in hopes of increasing ratings. Just a couple of examples are Keith Olbermann and Bill O'reilly. It is important to realize these windbags are not journalists. They are commentators. The so-called news they report has been totally spun before dissemination. The windbags are indeed fun to watch at times but are no more enlightening than The Jerry Springer Show. We do have windbags in Pittsburgh News papers, I'll let you decide who they are.

There are some solutions to the problem of media bias in Pittsburgh Newspapers as well as any media outlet.

First you could not read the paper, not watch the news and be an uninformed citizen. This is not really a good solution and is not being a responsible citizen.

The other solution is to read both (sometimes there are more than two) sides of the story. In my opinion this is the perfect solution to an unavoidable problem. To become truly informed get out of your comfort zone. If you only get the news from a source who's political leanings agree with yours, you will never really be informed. There are three sides to every story. Get the rights take on it, the lefts take on it, and you should find the truth somewhere in the middle.

I do not believe there is middle ground in any media that exists today. The thought of no bias in reporting is a bit of a pipe dream. It is the responsibility of journalists however to not let this bias actually jeopardize the dissemination of fact. To be properly informed especially on matters that may be political one should probably read both Pittsburgh newspapers, and come to a judgment decision or opinion based on the case presented by either side.

I realize that my take on the Pittsburgh newspapers may not be the same as everyone else's. I guess that make me a commentator. The views that have been expressed are my opinions. I'm sure some may even call me a windbag. I just feel that it is the responsibility of every citizen to become informed especially in such an important election year. So the next time you pick up a newspaper in Pittsburgh why not pick up a copy of the Post Gazette as well as a copy of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.

http://city-of-pittsburgh.net

Just about all media swings left or right ,Pittsburgh newspapers are a great example of how one offsets the other. The city of Pittsburgh

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

We Need Cheap Gas Not Cheap Talk

2008-06-18T05:32:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by melpol

The foundation of the universe is energy. Nothing is possible without its existence. In the beginning there was only pure energy--some call it God. We on earth basically depend on the Sun and oil as our chief source of energy. Without the Sun we would die. It was once possible to survive without using oil, but it has now become the life force of civilization. Owners of the oil supplies are the most powerful people in the world,and that is why wars are now being fought over the rights to the oil fields in the Middle-East. The winners will get the big prize---enough cheap energy to keep their populations living in prosperity. The losers will suffer poverty,chaos and beg for mercy.

Every product you use is dependent on oil. The foods you eat comes from a farm that needs oil for its harvesters. The crops are nourished by oil based fertilizers and insecticides. It takes lots of oil to manufacture food packaging machinery and paper containers. Refrigerated trucks are needed to get food to the markets. Some have to travel over a thousand miles and use many tanks of diesel fuel in order to feed us. Oil is as important as our blood because we have lost the ability to live without it.

The oil pumps of the world are going full blast. They have what the world needs and they are feeding it to them as fast as possible. Billions are being invested in oil drilling but as much as they drill they can`t keep up with the demand. One of the reasons for this is the worlds population is growing to quickly. The other reason is that the amount of oil in the ground has reached its limit and increased production has become almost impossible. If that is true and the demand keeps increasing we will soon be fighting for every drop of oil.

The United States is the largest consumer of oil in the world and in order to guard our way of life we must protect our oil supplies. If you use your imagination, think what would happen if we had to pay unaffordable prices for gas. There would be chaos and famine. All responsible Americans should do all that is possible to prevent that tragedy from happening.The best way to do that would be to pick a leader that would make sure we had affordable gas and plenty of it. We are now lucky to have the opportunity to pick a man with military experience and a fighters disposition. He will never let Americans beg for oil. I am speaking about John McCain. But if you are a dreamer like John Lennon and want to imagine a world full of peaceful and content people---vote for the other guy. But be ready to ride a bicycle looking for a job.
melpol

http://www.associatedcontent.com/melpol

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

The World's Biggest Pollution Factory

2008-06-17T05:42:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Peter Navarro

The coal that has powered China's economic growth . . . is also choking its people.

-- Elizabeth C. Economy

At the root of many of China's air-quality problems is its heavy dependence on relatively high-sulfur, low-quality coal for everything from electricity generation and industrial production to cooking and space heating in the home. China relies on coal for almost 75% of its energy needs. In fact, each year, China consumes more coal than Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States combined.

The scale and scope of China's coal power plant construction program is almost beyond one's imagination. Consider that every single week, China adds one new large coal power plant to its energy base. Every single year, China builds enough new coal plants to light up the entire British Isles. In any given year, the amount of coal-fired capacity that China is building amounts to more than double that of the entire electricity-generating capacity of the state of California-more than 100 gigawatts. That China's coal appetites are voracious is aptly captured in this passage from the Wall Street Journal:

"On a recent hazy morning in eastern China, the Wuhu Shaoda power company revved up its production of electricity, burning a ton and a half of coal per minute to satisfy more than half the demand of Wuhu, an industrial city of two million people. "

It's not just the quantity of coal used by China that matters. The large amount of coal in China's "energy mix" is quite different from virtually all the other major economies of the world, which depend much more on oil. China's heavy coal dependence, coupled with a woeful lack of pollution-control technologies, make China's air-quality problem a very different one from that of developed countries, such as the United States and Germany, in at least three ways:

First, unlike in the United States, Germany, or Japan where sophisticated pollution-control technologies are deployed, much of what Chinese power plants and factories spew in the air is not just sulfur dioxide but also a high percentage of fine particulate matter. This is a critical observation because particulate matter is the most damaging form of airborne pollutants.

Second, small cities in China are no better off than large cities in terms of ambient air quality. This is because small cities are as likely as large cities to depend on coal in both their residential and commercial sectors. That means that China's pollution woes are spread over the entire country in cities small and large rather than concentrated in a few large industrial hubs.

Third, unlike the developed world where the automobile is the single largest source of air pollution, China's current problem is primarily a "stationary source" one. These stationary sources range from large coal-fired power plants in huge factory towns to small coal-fired stoves and heaters in peasant homes.

The nightmare here is that even if China is able to get better pollution controls on its power plants, and even if it is able to convert some of its population to natural gas cooking, China's air basins are still likely to be overwhelmed in the next several decades by an explosion in the number of new vehicles on Chinese roads. Just consider this astonishing statistic reported by Elizabeth C. Economy: China is now adding 15,000 new cars a day to its roads, and it expects to have more cars than the United States -- as many as 130 million -- as early as 2040. In addition, Elizabeth C. Economy also reports the following:

First, China is expected to construct fully half of all the buildings in the world over the next 25 years. Beyond sheer quantity, the nightmare here is that these buildings will be electricity sinkholes because Chinese buildings are notoriously energy inefficient. This will only further exacerbate China's coal dependence and collaterally gargantuan pollution emissions.

Second, China plans to move almost a half a billion peasants off the farm into factories and cities over the next several decades. As a rule, urbanites introduced to the magic of refrigerators, TVs, and toasters use more than three times the amount of energy as their rural counterparts.

On top of all this, Chinese manufacturers are extremely energy inefficient. To produce an equivalent amount of goods, they use six times more resources than the United States, seven times more resources than Japan, and, most embarrassingly, three times more resources than India, to which China is most frequently compared. If ever there were a blueprint for a global pollution factory, China would be the model.

The above is an excerpt from the book The Coming China Wars
by Peter Navarro
Published by FT Press; May 2008;$15.99US/$17.99CAN; 978-0-13-235982-5
Copyright © 2008 Peter Navarro

Author Bio
Peter Navarro a business professor at the University of California-Irvine, is the author of the best- selling investment book If It's Raining in Brazil, Buy Starbucks and the path-breaking management book, The Well-Timed Strategy. Professor Navarro is a widely sought after and gifted public speaker and a regular CNBC contributor. Prior to joining CNBC, he appeared frequently on Bloomberg TV, CNN, and NPR, as well as on all three major network news shows. He has testified before Congress and the U.S.-China Commission and his work has appeared in publications ranging from Business Week, the L.A. Times, and New York Times to the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Harvard Business Review. His book, The Coming China Wars, is available from FT Press.

www.peternavarro.com; www.comingchinawars.com

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

The World's Biggest Pollution Factory

2008-06-16T04:45:00.001-07:00

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

Volatility Rocks The Investment Markets

2008-06-13T05:08:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by sanserve

Gets your attention, doesn't it? The unfortunate thing though, is that most people will react negatively to this intentionally inflammatory, media-ready, title statement. Has some Wall Street virus attacked our financial experience memory chip? Bouncing around unpredictably is precisely what the markets have always done. In the last forty years, there have been no less than ten 20% or greater corrections followed by rallies that brought the markets to significantly higher levels. Volatility is not a bad thing--- a non-event, even.

Ironically, it is this routine volatility (caused by hundreds of human, economic, political, and natural variables) that is the only real certainty existent in the financial markets. Would anyone be happy with market prices that didn't change? Should anyone expect market valuations that only go up? So what's all the anxiety, scrambling, and crying about? As absurd as this may sound at first blush, you will never become a successful investor until you are able to embrace market volatility as your dearest and closest friend.

The Wall Street media is also your friend, because it fans investor emotions to the point where rational thinking becomes impossible for most participants. My observation the other night at dinner (that the 400 point drop in the DJIA had provided an opportunity to purchase dozens of IGV stocks at bargain prices) was met with vacant stares. When I added that nearly half of those stocks had been sold profitably in recent weeks--- you can imagine the shocked silence that followed.

Investor perceptions of volatility need to be rearranged. When you allow more than an up-only smiley face into your understanding of the markets, you will be able to position yourself to actually take advantage of the volatility while it is happening. When you realize that the causes of market gyrations are not nearly as important as the opportunities for bargain hunting and profit taking that they produce, you'll be able to grow and to protect your portfolios from your emotional dark side.

Let's talk about reality. There are many different ways that professional investors and speculators make their fortunes in the financial markets. The key is to know whether the path you are following is too speculative for the destination you are seeking. Over the past twenty years or so, the stock market has provided the best returns for most investors--- yes, even better than commodities, currencies, and ETFs (which didn't exist even ten years ago). But balanced investment portfolios, those containing both investment grade value stocks and income generating securities have probably surpassed all others.

Let's talk about causation. There are far too many variables affecting the movement of security prices to allow for accurate prediction of either the scope or duration of short-term gyrations. Every rally produces both a bubble of some kind and the pin that will eventually do the bursting. Hindsight identifies all the culprits and promises to regulate them out of the system so that the future will be different. Don't kid yourself. The next rally will come to the same bloody end as its predecessors. Volatility Rocks!

But this year we have the opportunity to assure that our economic future will be better. Much of the current skittishness in the financial markets is caused by multiple economic concerns and the incredibly naive resolution ideas being spouted by the presidential candidates. And there are other, somehow out of the limelight, economic issues that politicians are afraid to even consider. The primary economic issues (jobs, energy, and economic growth) need to be joined by Social Security reform, corporate tax reform, and term limitations in congress.

No president, no matter how bold, can bring about meaningful change without a less self-serving cast of characters in the legislative branch. But this kind of change can't happen until we replace the current batch of pork barrel politicians with a new group of change orientated decision makers. Today's congress legislates mind-numbing regulations that stifle creativity and economic growth. Investors need to support fewer "taxors" and to elect a whole new group of economic facilitators. Throw out the incumbents this November.

You just don't create jobs by taxing, regulating, and otherwise strangling the job creators. In most communities, local governments think of their non-voting corporate citizens as ratables instead of as job providers. Serious jobs would be created, and general price reductions produced (good or bad for the GDP?), through a controlled elimination of all income taxation on legitimate corporate job providers. Of course it would have to be regulated to assure jobs, price reductions, and shareholder benefits, and not just more perks for obscenely paid executives.

Similarly, taxing gasoline production and delivery organizations is not going to bring down the price per barrel of crude oil. But "taxing" the cartel that fixes the prices instead of bribing them with protection from their enemies could work almost as well as tapping into our own abundant supply and adding some long-needed refining capacity. Eliminating state and federal gasoline taxes and fees and taxes on interstate truckers would produce many cost/price benefits as well.

Economic growth, more jobs, and lower prices could be the immediate result of two relatively simple changes that neither of the Presidential hopefuls have the courage to even whisper about. Without nearly enough detail: (1) Over a five-year period, change Social Security to a mandated-contribution, deferred, individual fixed annuity program managed on a flat fee basis by 15-year experienced insurance companies. No variable (stock market) benefit plans would be allowed; all citizens would be eligible to participate, and all employed persons (Congress included) would be enrolled automatically. Contributions would be reduced and employer participation eliminated.

(2) Eliminate all taxation on any form of retirement income immediately, and phase out all taxation on all forms of investment income over a five-year period. Replace those taxes with a 1% Federal sales tax an all goods and services except food, shelter, clothing, and health care.

Then, we can start to replace the Internal Revenue Code with something simple, protect shareholders from unconscionable corporate executive compensation, and come up with a solution for providing adequate healthcare to everyone.

We have met the enemy and he is us--- Walt Kelly, Pogo

Stock market,investing,volatility,portfolio,mutual funds,DJIA,social security,jobs,oil prices,IRC,IRAs,retirement income,401(k),tax reform,rally,correction,gasoline,president,election,media,Wall Street

Steve Selengut http://www.sancoservices.com/ http://www.kiawahgolfinvestmentseminars.com Author of: "The Brainwashing of the American Investor: The Book that Wall Street Does Not Want YOU to Read", and "A Millionaire's Secret Investment Strategy"

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

The Pentagon's Battle Plan Is To Go Green

2008-06-12T05:56:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by James William Smith

The vote was 324-84 as the United States House of Representatives recently approved legislation allowing the Justice Department to sue members of OPEC . The House bill blames OPEC for limiting oil supplies and working together to set crude prices. In effect, it says that gas and oil prices in America are too high and that OPEC should therefore produce more product.

Of course, the vote is a study in congressional hypocrisy as many of the same members, who for decades have opposed drilling for oil and gas in various parts of the United States, voted in favor of holding OPEC accountable for not producing enough. The sad reality for the Congress of the United States is that with the price of a barrel of oil now in excess of $125 and prices at the gas pump near or above $4.00 per gallon, the American public can now clearly see the dubious consequences of not having developed a coherent long term domestic energy strategy.

There is no short term solution to this worldwide energy shortage, either. The energy requirements of rapidly developing nations have combined with a lack of alternative energy planning to initiate the perfect energy storm for the consumer. There is just not enough supply to meet increasing long term energy demand. However, this economic reality eludes the grasp of the Washington beltway politicians. So, Congress wastes its time voting to sue OPEC for not producing more oil. An action, that if ever implemented, would certainly drive the price of oil and gas even higher.

The long term solution to the energy problem is independence from the very oil and gas sources that Congress is trying to sue OPEC to provide more of. In fact, the best examples of a future path to energy independence can be seen in the initiatives that the U.S. military has been using to address its own energy consumption.

Historically, the military has been a huge national energy hog. It consumes 340,000 barrels of oil a day, or 1.5% of all of the oil used in the country. The Defense Department's overall energy bill was $13.6 billion in 2006 (latest figure available). In fact, the Air Force's bill for jet fuel alone has tripled to $6 billion in just the past four years.

However, the Air Force is not acting like the U.S. Congress when confronted with the spiraling cost of energy. It is actually trying to do something tangible about the problem. The Air Force has been experimenting with alternative fuels to reduce its foreign dependence on energy while reducing cost. Their plan is to create a supersonic synthetic-fuel for the B-1 bomber. The Air Force is also experimenting to make engine parts out of lighter metals, such as titanium, in order boost fuel efficiency.

Meanwhile an Air Force base called Nellis near Las Vegas has just opened one of the largest solar arrays in the U.S., a 140-acre field of 72,000 motorized panels that powers the base and sells energy to nearby communities. The Pentagon is soliciting bids for three similar arrays on other bases. Another Air Force program in Iraq is turning the trash from Air Force bases into bio fuel.

The truth is that, for the last several years, the Pentagon has sponsored various initiatives to find solutions to the increasing cost of energy. These initiatives can be seen in all branches of military services. In the Army, engineers are instructing contractors to build armored vehicles with hybrid engines. In addition, research is well under way to explore the possibility of building small nuclear-power plants on unused portions of remote army bases.

The United States military has also sponsored a futuristic plan to collect solar energy on satellites and beam it back to Earth. This space-based solar power would use solar panel arrays to gather sunlight in orbit. It would then beam power down to Earth in the form of microwaves or a laser. Energy would be collected in antennas on the ground and then converted to electricity. Unlike solar panels based on the ground, solar power satellites placed in orbit above the Earth could operate at night and during cloudy conditions.

In fact, solar-power-generating satellites could also solve supply problems in distant places such as Iraq, where fuel is currently trucked along in dangerous convoys and the cost of electricity for some bases can exceed $1 per kilowatt-hour, about 10 times what it costs in the US. This technology has the potential to provide a clean, abundant energy source and reduce global competition for oil.

The Pentagon's battle plan to combat the ever increasing price of energy is to go green. Indeed, it is the use of American creativity and ingenuity that will solve our energy crisis in the future. The Pentagon certainly gets it. The absurd Congressional law suit against OPEC shows just how much the Washington beltway politicians do not.

James William Smith has worked in senior management positions for some of the largest financial services firms in the United States for the last twenty five years. He has also provided business consulting support for insurance organizations and start up businesses. Mr. Smith has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Boston College. He enjoys writing articles on political, national, and world events. Visit his website at http://www.eworldvu.com

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

Hereward Legendary Hero

2008-06-11T06:37:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Fred Watson

All the countries of the world have their legendary heroes and the small group of islands that make up the United Kingdom have their fair share. One of those heroes was Hereward the Wake (wary) who led a group of resistance fighters against the forces of William the Conqueror who subjugated England in 1066. Hereward's group a mixture of Saxons and Danes and even the monks from the Abbey held the island of Ely deep in the marshland swamps of the Fens. The island was a place of thick reeds, disappearing paths and drowning pools, surrounded by forested areas of land and an ideal base for the resistance fighters.

As a youth Hereward was a bit of a hell-raiser (possibly because his father married his mother under Danelaw and as the son of a second wife he would have been considered the bastard son of a concubine in the eyes of the Christian community) and caused so much trouble that his father Earl Leofric of Mercia approached the then king, Edward the Confessor and asked him to exile his wayward son. The king agreed and sometime after his eighteenth birthday Hereward was declared an outlaw. (Meaning that the law gave him neither rights nor protection within his own country).

Outlawed in England, Hereward travelled first to the Scottish borders and after various adventures in Scotland, Cornwall and Ireland, his ship was nearly wrecked in a storm and he ended up in Flanders. Going under an assumed name he fought in the Flemish war and twice in other wars.

In the year 1066 the Norman William the Conqueror or (Duke William the Bastard) ended Anglo Saxon Rule in England by defeating Harold Godwinson at he battle of Hastings. To the victors go the spoils of war and after usurping the English throne, William seized many of lands and titles belonging to the English lords and doled them out to his Norman followers.

In 1067/8 Hereward returned to Bourne where his family held land. His father had died ten years before and now he found that in seizing his father's lands, the Normans had beheaded his young brother and mounted his head above the door. In retaliation Hereward slew fourteen Normans including their lord and mounted their heads in place of his brother's.

As soon as the news of the killings spread men came to join him and help defend his land against the French. Altogether he collected a sizable band of over forty men and on hearing that resistance fighters held the Isle of Ely he joined them and became their leader. From Ely Hereward would send raiding parties out to attack Norman travellers and soldiers, then disappeared back into the swamps again. One of those raids was carried out after the death Abbot Brand. On hearing that the abbot was to be replaced by a Norman, Hereward and his men attacked the Abbey of Peterborough and stripped it of its riches. Back in the swamp Hereward let it be known that he had stolen the treasure to prevent it falling into the hands of the Normans.

Three times William tried unsuccessfully to build causeways out to Ely but failed and he didn't try again. What he did instead was threaten to confiscate the lands belonging to the Abbey and one of the monks led the Norman forces along a secret path to the island. Hereward and some of his men escaped and continued their resistance to the Norman. But eventually William and he made peace. Legend has it that Hereward died as heroes' death some time later. He was attacked by sixteen men and killed them all with his famous sword Brainbiter, but was overpowered and stabbed to death by four men who came at him from behind.

Fred Watson published his first book, a fantasy adventure novel aimed at the 8-12 age group, in November 2006. A grandfather of four, he loves to write for all age groups, has an abiding interest in history and continues on a regular basis to add new stories etc to his website. Footprint Publishing

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

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise?

2008-06-10T04:58:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Andrew L. Yarrow

What two vital features of American national life are inordinately costly compared to any other country, no longer deliver world-beating results, are increasingly inequitable, are highly dysfunctional, and elicit growing anger from much of the country's population?

It's not a trick question, but the very fact of these parallels is more than worth pondering.

The answer -- the two H's of health care and higher education. How did two sectors that had been proud symbols of American greatness from the late 19th to the late 20th centuries become emblematic of deep social and economic problems and the nation's slide from global pre-eminence?

America's overall health care bill has soared to about two and a quarter trillion dollars, about 17 percent of GDP -- up from 13 percent of a smaller economic pie just a decade ago, and headed toward 20 percent in a decade. This is roughly double the percentage for Western Europe, Canada, Japan, and other rich countries. Waste and vast overhead costs, overuse of medical services, insufficient competition, and lack of information about most cost-effective practices are among the culprits. Might as well trade in your flat-screen TV for a home MRI machine.

With private-college costs higher than median income, the United States now spends about 3 percent of GDP on higher educationagain, roughly twice the percentage of virtually every other rich country, and they've increased about 3 ½ percentage points faster than GDP growth for the last several decades. Excessive demand making higher ed a seller's market, an "educational arms race" among colleges to have the fanciest facilities, and inadequate financial accountability are just a few of the reasons.

The problem would be bad enough in both sectors if it were just a matter of cost. But it's not. Not long ago, the United States was arguably tops in quality and results in both arenas.

The World Health Organization says that about three dozen other nations have better aggregate health-care outcomes, and the RAND Corporation found that barely half of the treatments that Americans receive are considered "best practices." Similarly, the OECD reports that about a dozen other nations have higher college graduation rates than the United States.

To make matters worse, a nation whose cherished ideals of equality were advanced immeasurably during the 20th century by the diffusion of high-quality health care and higher education now has become troublingly inequitable in both areas. Fifty million Americans lack health insurance and tens of millions of others have limited medical coverage, and access to good care varies tremendously by income. The wealthy get an Alfa Romeo system, the middle class a Toyota one, and the lower-income Americans get a beat-up-old Chevy.

Few Americans are happy with their medical care, and the once-beneficent image of the medical profession as a selfless corps of Marcus Welbys has given way to the more prevalent belief that doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies are greedy, insensitive, fearful, incompetent, and as honest as the proverbial used-care salesman. Likewise, 75 to 80 percent of Americans are worried about college costs and debt, barley half think that students get a valuable return on higher education, half believe that colleges "mainly care about the bottom line," and three-fifths think that talented students do not have the opportunity to attend college (the numbers are higher among African Americans and Hispanics).

The factors driving the parallel fall from grace of American health care and higher education may be different, but the potential damage to a prosperous, optimistic American future in both cases is enormous. With both, serious cost control, standardization of high quality, and much greater equity are desperately needed.

Higher ed not only requires greater accountability, in part through regulation and tax policy, but also a radical re-think: Does every teen-ager really need to go to four-year colleges, and does every college need to look like a swank corporate conference center? And public dollars need to be freed from the burdens of entitlement spending at the federal and state levels to re-invigorate higher education.

How to control costs, particularly in health care, is the multi-trillion-dollar question of our generation. Universal insurance (not care), with government premium support, combined with some "managed competition" among insurance providers, greater cost-sharing (i.e., individuals paying more out of pocket), increased regulation of health-care providers and their costs (including overhead), a greater emphasis on public health, medical malpractice reform, some rationing of care, and use of information technology to disseminate best and most-cost-effective practices and maintain a national medical-records database all could help contain costs.

Without such changes, America simply won't be healthy, wealthy, or wise.

Andrew L. Yarrow, Washington director and vice president of Public Agenda, a nonpartisan think tank, is a professor of U.S. history at American University, and the author of Forgive Us Our Debts, a book about the causes, consequences, and cures for America's national debt, published by Yale University Press this spring.

http:/www.publicagenda.com/ http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=9780300123531

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

Golden Jubilees

2008-06-06T06:22:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Dr. D.S. Merchant

"In August, 1935, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah completed 50 years of his spiritual leadership and the Ismailis decided to pay a memorable tribute to their Imam by weighing him against gold and making a present of it, as a mark of their love and gratitude. For this grand program, an All-India Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee had been formed, which was inaugurated by Lady Aly Shah on October 16, 1935 at Bombay. Sir Ibrahim Rehmatullah was elected its President and Ghulam Ali Merchant as the Vice-President. Its working committee assigned Pir Sabzali to generate necessary donations through out India. The funds raising campaign started on October 23, 1935 from Kathiawar. He succeeded to collect a sum of five lac rupees in India.

Bombay was the venue for the celebrations in India. Huge crowd in festive and solemn mood had gathered at Hasanabad to attend the unique occasion on January 19, 1936. When the Imam and Begum arrived at 10.35 a.m. to receive one of the most spectacular ovations from a crowd of over 30,000 Ismailis, every inch of space in the Hasanabad ground was taken up. The Imam took his seat on the gadi embroidered in gold with the coat of arms of his family. To his right sat his mother, Lady Aly Shah, and to his left sat the Begum.

Mr. Ghulam Ali Merchant, Vice-President of the All India Golden Jubilee Committee made his welcome speech, saying: "Most reverently and respectfully I request that Your Highness will allow yourself to be weighed in gold on this happy and auspicious occasion, and accept the gold so weighed a humble token of our love, devotion and gratitude to Your Highness for all the unbounded bounty and benefits that Your Highness' followers have deriving during Your Highness' Imamate for the last 50 years."

The Imam rose from his gadi amidst great cheers and joy of the followers, and moved towards the weighing scale and took his seat on rich soft cushions placed for him. The weighing scale showed 3200 ounces of gold as his weight, valuing about 3,35,000 rupees.

Replying to the address, the Imam said: "I accept with great pleasure the gold my dear spiritual children have offered me and give them my loving and paternal spiritual blessings. I have decided to use the gold for the uplift of the spiritual children and appoint Mr. Ghulam Ali Merchant....to devise the best means of applying not only the income of this gold but the corpus also for intensive uplift work by way of all kinds of scholarships, relief by emigration from congested districts, infant welfare and other beneficial works."

The next Golden Jubilee celebrations at Nairobi, Kenya on March 1, 1936 was also as grand as those in Bombay. Once again the gold was presented to the Imam by the followers as a token of love , and once more the Imam returned the gift for the welfare of the Ismaili community.

Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali is an popular Ismaili Scholar, Written many books on Islam and Ismailism, Golen Jubilees is taken from Encyclopedia of Ismailism, also read 101 Ismaili Heroes

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

Golden Jubilees

2008-06-05T06:30:00.001-07:00

Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali is an popular Ismaili Scholar, Written many books on Islam and Ismailism, Golen Jubilees is taken from Encyclopedia of Ismailism, also read 101 Ismaili Heroes

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

Pros and Cons: Wesley Clark as Obamas Running Mate

2008-06-04T08:05:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Jason Easley

In this edition of Pros and Cons we take a look at Wesley Clark whose name often gets mentioned when the subject of Clinton supporters who could be Barack Obama's running mate is discussed. We'll take a look at who Wesley Clark is and what he might bring to the ticket.

Resume : Wesley Clark is a retired Army four star general who spent 34 years in the military. Clark is a graduate of West Point and a Rhodes Scholar. He rose to national prominence as Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1997-2000. Clark was the commander of Operation Allied Force during the Kosovo war. Previously Clark was the Director, Strategic Plans and Policy on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1994-1996.
He was also a presidential candidate in 2004.

Clark currently runs a political action committee called wesPAC: Securing America that supports Democratic candidates. He campaigned heavily for Democratic candidates during the 2006 election. Clark has worked for all three cable news networks as a military analyst, and can be seen currently on MSNBC.

Pros to Selecting Clark : Clark is a Son of the South. (He was born in Chicago, but lives in Arkansas). He may be able to appeal to Southern white voters due to this and his national security credentials. Clark has been a highly visible supporter of Hillary Clinton during the 2008 primary campaign. He campaigned for her in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Ohio. He even appeared in a Clinton campaign commercial touting her experience. Clark is very popular with Clinton supporters, and would help ease their transition towards supporting Obama in the fall campaign.

Cons to Selecting Clark : In many ways Clark is a less experienced version of Jim Webb. He was at times painful to watch on the stump in 2004, and his knowledge of issues that aren't military based is extremely limited. In 2004, Clark had a respectable finish in New Hampshire, and won Oklahoma, but he wasn't able to do better than third in places like Tennessee and Virginia. For a Southerner, he seems to have very little southern appeal. If national security issues don't dominate the fall campaign, Clark has little to offer the ticket.

Odds of Obama Selecting Clark : With each passing week, it is looking more and more like domestic issues are going to be the focus of the fall campaign. When the political scene was dominated by 9/11 and Iraq, Clark would have been a wise choice. However, Clark doesn't seem to be the kind of running mate who will be out there with Obama talking about the economy in 2008. I have always thought that if Clark wants to be in national politics, he would be best served to run for Congress. He isn't ready for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The Choice-O-Meter Says:

OO (2 Os for Wesley Clark)

1 O= No Chance - 10 Os = A Sure Thing

http://www.politicususa.com

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

Help The Small Farmer

2008-05-29T03:22:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by melpol

Giant subsidized farms have destroyed the small farm. These giant farms operate at a loss and only survive by the billions given to them as welfare payments. That is the reason they can sell a head of lettuce for one dollar when it costs them to two to produce. This unfair farming practice has closed down over five hundred thousand small farms that can't compete against government handouts.

The five acre farm is self contained it does not need government assistance to survive. It understands what it has to grow in order to survive and does it in a way that is profitable. The small farm is labor intensive which means a five acre farm can employ as much as fifty hands. This is great for the economy because it lowers the rate of unemployment and eliminates the need for public welfare.

There are billions of people in Asia that owe their lives to the small farm. They could never have survived without it. The governments in those countries never heard of welfare nor did they need it. If a person was hungry or homeless, there was always work and housing available on a farm. If you did not want to work you would not eat. There is nothing fairer than that. The governments in those countries would never think of driving the small farm out of business because if they did millions would starve.

The answer to the social problems in this country is to bring back the small farm. Thousands of five acre farms run by talented owners would empty the cities of permanently unemployed welfare recipients and close down homeless shelters. There would be no feelings of uselessness when hundreds of thousands of good jobs are available on small farms.

There are problems that will occur when we give this country a new agricultural base. But they will be solved in a humane and intelligent way. In the long run it will be better for us all. We must not let the billionaire farmers who run the gigantic farms for government handouts stand in the way of the small farmer. Our country will continue to suffer social unrest and high unemployment if we do.

Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate for president, on Monday said he agreed with President Bush's decision to cut the $300 billion dollar farm bill because it did not cut subsidies to wealthy farmers enough.
"I would veto that bill," McCain said, calling the farm bill an unwarranted handout to corporate farmers and an obstacle to freer agricultural trade worldwide.
Melpol

http://www.associatedcontent.com/melpol

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

First Defeat Of The Axis Powers On Land

2008-05-15T03:23:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Victor Epand

My vote for the first Axis defeat would be the Italian attack into southern France. Some very outnumbered, and demoralized, second line troops managed to stop Mussolini's legions cold. In the vast scheme of things, it did not matter, but it showed what could be done.

The battle of Britain was an ongoing battle even after the Greeks beat the Italians. It was also not a land battle, I should have mentioned first land battle.

The successful defense of France against the Italians is very admirable and I have read about it. But there was no incursion and occupation of Italian possessions by the French. I would also like to add that the French actually had ceded territory to the Italians after that battle as well. So, in my book, that is in no way, shape or form a defeat inflicted on the axis. A 'victor' doesn't give up territory to a "beaten" force right after a battle.

The Greeks not only expelled the Italians from Greece proper, but initiated an invasion into southern Albania (at that time, Italian territory) and managed to expel the Italian army from one third of the portion of Albania, occupying it themselves and had inflicted tens of thousands of casualties/dead in addition to taking in thousands of prisoners. In essence, it is the first offensive victory over the axis powers.

Italy attacked Greece on October 28 1940 and suffered the first Axis defeat. Though Hitler had no plans for Greece at that time, he was forced to send troops to occupy Greece (since Greece's neutrality was broken) on April of 1941. This resulted in the delay of Operation Barbarossa and the loss of precious troops. I understand, human nature being what it is, that we all want to put our ancestors and heritage in the best possible light, but I think the best heading you can accurately put on this thread is "Early defeat of AN Axis Power".

I wasn't trying to denigrate either you or the Greek Army. I don't have "considerable heartburn", although I might be getting there. All I said was that your original thread title was inaccurate. You responded by changing the ground rules. My second post (with a "sigh") explained exactly why it was inaccurate. You then changed the thread title to include "(on land)". That's fine - one complaint down (although I tend to agree with Belisarius) - but it doesn't address my other complaint, which was that the Greeks defeated Italy, not "the Axis powers".

Well since you put it that way, and want to get technical, I can get technical as well. If you really want to split hairs, this war which was the first axis defeat on land probably cost them (yeah both of them)the whole war (The Russians and the Germans admitted as much anyway)since the Germans and Italians had to delay their plans for the invasion of Russia for a couple of months with this diversion ( time to invade Greece and time to prepare the invasion of Russia ). This caused the Axis to invade in the Russian winter. The Battle of Stalingrad ( a pivotal battle no?) would probably not happened as well.

I know it's not a widely held belief because of some odd reasons or another, that the Greeks could have "conceivably" been directly or indirectly responsible for this but the statements of the German generals alone is enough proof for me. If you have any doubts I can post links to them, they are statements which were made at the Nuremburg trials. However, the measure of resistance was paid considerable homage to by German officals.

Hitler's Chief of Staff, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel stated "The unbelievably strong resistance of the Greeks delayed by two or more vital months the German attack against Russia; if we did not have this long delay, the outcome of the war would have been different in the eastern front and in the war in general."

A speech Hitler made at the Reichstag in 1941 said of the campaign: "It must be said, for the sake of historical truth, that amongst all our opponents, only the Greeks fought with such endless courage and defiance of death." The diary of Joseph Goebbels 9 April 1941: "I forbid the Press to underestimate the Greeks, to defame them... The Fuehrer admires the bravery of Greeks."

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.CombatCloth.info/. CombatCloth.info carries the best selection of combat clothing, gear, and accessories on the market.

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

The Mongolia's History

2008-05-14T03:47:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Michael Usman

Early Chinese manuscripts refer to Turkic-speaking-people living in now what called Mongolians as early as the 4th or 5th century BC. The Chinese- who had numerous military clashes with these nomadic people- referred them as the Hunnu /the huns/.

Genghis Khan's grandson, Kublai Khan, became the first emperor of the Yuan dynasty in China in 1279. Mongol control of China lasted until 1367; from 1380 its possessions to the West were gradually reconquered and, by the end of the 14th century, the empire had disintegrated. Despite brief periods of resurgence under some of the great Khans (Altan, Dayan, Galdan) who forged temporary unity, the Mongol tribes generally reverted to their traditional fractiousness. Mongolia then became a regional pawn squeezed between the two rising superpowers on the Asian continent: Russia and China.

At the end of the 17th century, during which the Russians were preoccupied with developments in Europe, the Manchu dynasty in China took control of the whole of the historic Mongol territory, comprising what became known as Inner and Outer Mongolia. The former is now an autonomous region within the People's Republic of China; the latter became the independent state of Mongolia. Mongolian independence was achieved, with Russian support, in 1911 under the leadership of the so-called 'Living Buddha' Jebsten Damba Khutukhtu. China attempted to reassert its rule following the Russian Revolution of 1917 but was beaten back in 1921, this time with Soviet help. A short-lived restoration of the traditional feudal Buddhist monarchy was followed in 1924 by the declaration of a People's Republic, under the Mongol Ardyn Khuvsgatt Nam (MAKN, Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party).

China finally recognized Mongolian independence in 1946. During the Cold War, Mongolia was essentially a buffer state between the two great antagonists of the communist world. Though allied to Russia, the Mongolians were careful to maintain good relations with the Chinese. Early in 1990, following developments in the USSR, the MAKN ceded its monopoly of political power and promised multi-party elections within months. The MAKN has held power continuously ever since, with the exception of a brief hiatus in 1996-97 when an alliance of opposition parties took power under the banner of the Democratic Alliance. Infighting brought its tenure to a swift end. At the most recent polls in 2001, the MAKN's Natsigiyn Bagabandi comfortably won the presidency while the party took all but four seats in the Great Hural. Nambaryn Enkhbayar was appointed Prime Minister.

Irrespective of the individual premier or party in power, domestic policy remains fixed on a course of gradual reform: this covers social policy as well as economic matters. Mongolia is undergoing dramatic change with the demise of a traditional nomadic lifestyle that, a generation ago, was lived by a third of the population. Animal herding was always a marginal occupation given the rough terrain and unforgiving climate; recent natural disasters and low agricultural prices have made it less viable than ever. Mongolia's cities are growing rapidly as people leave the land. Another important change has been the resurgence of Buddhism, which was largely suppressed under Communism; Mongolians are adherents of the Dalai Lama, although this is handled with great caution by the country's leadership for fear of upsetting the Chinese.

Mongolia's foreign relations are necessarily dominated by its giant neighbors, China and Russia, and based on bilateral friendship treaties. However, the Mongolians have also quietly developed closer links with the West; in September 2003, a small but symbolically significant contingent of Mongolian troops was dispatched to support the US-led military operation in Iraq.

Government
Under the new constitution, which took effect in February 1992, Mongolia has a unicameral legislature, the 76-member Great Hural, which is elected for a four-year term and appoints ministers who hold executive power. The President, who is also elected for a four-year term, is head of state. Since May 1994, Mongolia has been divided into 21 provinces and one municipality (Ulaan Baatar), with appointed Governors and elected local assemblies.

Economy
The vast bulk of Mongolia's working population is engaged in animal herding. Otherwise, large farms (formerly state owned) produce crops for domestic consumption, principally cereals, potatoes and vegetables. Industrial activity is dominated by production of food, hides and wool, especially high-quality cashmere (much of which is consigned for export) and mining.

There are large deposits of coal which meet most of Mongolia's energy requirements, as well as copper, fluorspar, tungsten, tin, gold, lead and molybdenum, a rare metal of which Mongolia is one of the world's largest producers. The output of the copper-molybdenum mine at Erdenet accounts for around half of Mongolia's export earnings. It is likely that there are other large deposits as yet undiscovered. Limited oil production began in 1997, but Mongolia still relies on Russia to meet most of its domestic needs. Textiles and light engineering complete Mongolia's main economic activities.

The country suffered badly from the collapse of the former Soviet Union: while Mongolia was not a constituent part of the Soviet Union, its economy was especially dependent on the USSR, with which it conducted 80% of its trade; most of the rest was with its fellow members of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON).

After some initial resistance by the MPRP (Mongolia's historic ruling party), most of the economy has been steadily transferred to the private sector. Russia and China are now Mongolia's principal trade partners and Korea (Rep) is a major investor.

In 1991, Mongolia joined the IMF and World Bank; in 2000, it became a shareholder (but not a 'country of operation') in the European Reconstruction and Development Bank. The EBRD provides support through the Mongolian Co-operation Fund. It is also a member of the Asian Development Bank and receives aid from the EU's technical assistance program.

Mongolia today

Today Mongolia is sparsely populated. The population confesses to Buddhism in the lamaistic form. Only 2.5 million people live on a surface of almost the size of the whole of Western Europe. The distance from the west to the east of the country measures 5'500 kilometres (3420 miles approx.).

The different tribes living in Mongolia have their own costumes, musical instruments, singing traditions and speak different dialects.

The largest group, the Khalkha, lives in Central and Eastern Mongolia; the Bayad, the Dorbet, the Khotan, the Altai-Uryankhai, the Torgut, the Olöt, the Dzakhchin and the Mingat live in the West; in Eastern Mongolia live the Dariganga, the Barga, the Üzemchin, the Buryat and the Chamnigan, and in the North the Chotgoid, the Darchat, the Chöwsögöl-Uryankhai, the Tsaatan and the Khakhar. Also the Kazakhs, who are Muslims, live in the Altai.

The artwork of the people, their great poetic talents, their epic works and the lyric poetry are outstanding. Singers and poets used to walk from camp to camp, singing their songs and epics of heralds to the accompaniment of the lute "tovshuur" or the "horse-violin" "morin khuur".

The songs talk about love, everyday life or animals, especially about horses. They reflect the expression of freedom and the immensity of the Mongolian steppes. Special songs are sung at ceremonies, at festivals, on special seasonal occasions and to accompany rituals.

Find Mongolia society culture and more useful information about history events on Mongolia directory.

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

The Future of The United States Military The Robot Army

2008-05-12T18:24:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by blueboy

How many of you have watched the film Iron Man? In the film we saw what I would describe as Iron Man in the form of a type of robot, big powerful and virtually indestructible. Well people this could well be the future of our western armies, a fighting force where our soldiers are not men but are instead machines controlled by humans.

Many Americans as well as men and women from other countries have died in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last few years. This disgusts and saddens the people from the countries involved and also frustrates their governments. The nation can then soon become angry at the powers at be who can then start to lose control. The way forward has to be a robot army with the back up of a small civilian army.

On the news tonight another two American robots are destroyed in a roadside bomb in Iraq! OK, whatever, who cares? Let's face it there would be no more roadside bombs, would an opposing army also want to ambush a set of robots? I do not think so.

Computer war gaming is extremely popular in the western world and this is exactly what it would be like. Robots masterly controlled by these expert war gamers would go into dangerous war zones to smoke out the enemy. Once the initial danger is over human soldiers would then go and clean up etc.

A robot that is shot in the head or stomach can keep moving forward, unlike a human soldier. A robot can stand heat, the cold, water without discomfort. A robot does not require a back pack full of essentials and does not need expensive protective clothing.

Western countries can afford the cost, the cost of war is vast in any case and there should be no expense spared in an effort to save the lives of our men and women.

The future is bright, the future is robots.

Steve Hill is a webmaster from Birmingham, he has interests in a number of websites including: stuttering information stuttering treatment DVD authoring

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

History of Uzbekistan

2008-05-09T03:37:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Nikolaos Charlie

Located in the heart of Central Asia between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya River, Uzbekistan has a long and interesting heritage. The leading cities of the Silk Road - Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva - are located in Uzbekistan. As Russia extended its empire into Central Asia in the second half of the nineteenth century, Uzbekistan became part of Tsarist Russia and later of the Soviet Union. It declared its independence from Soviet rule in 1991.

Mawarannahr was one of the most advanced caliphate regions playing a significant role in social and cultural life. The Great Silk Road linked the West with the Orient and people from southern and northern countries passed through this land. The Mawarannahr towns of Bukhara, Samarkand and Kunya-Urgench were the crossroads of caravan routes from India, China, Egypt, Byzantium, Slavic countries and Arabia.

The House of Wisdom called "Bite ul-Khikma" founded by an order of the caliphate ruler Makhmud engaged in the great task to translate the books of Aristotle, Plato, Archimedes and other ancient Greek scientists and philosophers from classical Greek into Arabic. The Mawarannahr's brilliant young scientists, Musa Al-Khorezmi, Akhmad Al-Fergani, Al-Marvazi, Javkhari, Marvarudi and others, performed with distinction. Baghdad became one of the world's scientific and cultural centers.

The struggle for independence and freedom from oppression by the caliphate of the Central Asian region increased during this time and by the end of 9th century the first Samanid government with Bukhara as the capital was established. This government lasted until the end of the 10th century. During the 10th-12th century period different Karakhanids, Gaz-navids, Seldjukids and Khoresm-shakhs independent states appeared in Mawarannahr and Kho-rasan. In spite of continual wars to expand spheres of influence, this period appeared to be extremely important for the cultural and scientific activity of the region. The establishment of politically independent and autonomous states gave a good start, opening up great opportunities for regional economic and cultural growth. This time in history is known as the Oriental Renaissance and is noted for the unprecedented rise of ethical regulations.

It was the right time to bring in the ripe harvest of such bright philosophers as Abu Nasr Farabi, Imam Al-Bukhari, Narshaki, Makhmud Kashghari, Marginani, Nadjimmiddin Kubro, Abu Raikhan Beruni, Abu Ali Ibn Sino, az-Zamakhshari, and outstanding poets like Rudaki, Yusuf khas Khadjib, Akhmad Yassavi and Abu Bakr al-Khorezmi.

At the same time new Islamic religious movements appeared known for their free thinking, known as Mutaziliya, Ismailiya and Sufism. The towns of Bukhara, Samarkand, Merv, Urgench and Khiva became widely popular in Muslim countries. Crafts, architecture and construction progressed rapidly. At the beginning of the 11th century under the direction of Mamun Khorezm-Shakh, a new research center was founded in Khorezm, where leading oriental scientists worked. It was later dedicated to Khorezm-Shakh and became the first academy in Central Asia.

It was the time for Mawarannahr culture and science to acquire its worldwide fame. However, this rapid growth was rudely halted at the beginning of the 13th century. The Mongols invasion of the country by Genghis Khan completely destroyed all the cities, irrigation infrastructure and sources of culture over a 2-3 period. The struggle for independence to get rid of foreign conquerors occurred during the second half of the 14th century. One of the decisive elements of the struggle was the tireless activity of Amir Timur. Step by step he cleared the area of Mawarannahr and Khorasan from Mongol rulers and at the end of 14th century and a powerful state covering a large territory was established. Timur mainly stressed the strengthening of political power and economic and cultural growth. His main principles of state management were described in the document known as "The Code of Timur". After Timur's death, the Timurids paid great attention to the promotion of art, science, and culture.

Especially during the reign of Ulugbek, Shakhrukh and Khusain Baikaro, the culture reached its peak for the period of history and the towns of Mawarannahr and Khorasan were acknowledged worldwide, not only in the Muslim Orient but also in Europe. This was at the end of the second half of Central Asian Renaissance. Those great philosophers such as Ulugbek, Kozizada Rumi, Ali Kushchi, Mirsharif Djurjani, Djami, Khoja Akhrar, Luhtfiy, Khondamihr, Bekzod, Babur and many others were recognized by the world. Alisher Navoi lived during the 15th century and created his immortal masterpieces. One of the Timurids, Ulugbek was responsible for the construction of a scientific center in Samarkand, known as The Ulugbek Academy in different literary sources.

This was a time for building monuments and cultural facilities, for rapid growth of Uzbek poetry, miniature painting, manuscript art, and the development of numerous scientific directions within astronomy, mathematics, history and medicine.

But the internecine wars became more frequent at the end of 15th century and caused the breakdown of Timurid's state by the beginning of 16th century. Conquering Turkic nomads come from the north. But at the beginning of 17th century, a great-great-great-grandson of Timur and the ruler of Fergana, Babur invaded India and established a new state known as "The Great Mogul Empire". The Timurids ruled it until the intrusion of Britain into India.

From the 17th century onwards Mawarannahr experienced deep social and economic decay. However, during this time people like Makhmudi Azim, Karabaghi, Abdulgizkhan, Turdi, Mashrab, Nodira, Uvaisiy, Gulkhani, Makhmudkuli, Berdakh and others acquired personal fame for their treatises and literary work.

During the first half of the 19th century Muhammad Rakhimkhan paid a great deal of attention to history and literature in Khorezm, this was the time of Munis, Komil Khorezmi, Agakhi, Bayani and others.

During the second half of the 19th century the life of Turkestan was filled with great social, economic and political events. In the 1860's tzarist Russia began its conquest of Turkestan.

During this period there were anti-colonial reform-minded enlightened movements that influenced the cultural and social life of Turkestan. Based on the culture of local people the enlightened movements were headed by the scientists and poets, Akhmad Donish, Furkhat, Avaz Otar and Mukimiy to name just a few. Great changes are a feature of Turkestan culture of this period.

Uzbekistan joined the Commonwealth of Independent States in December 1991. However, it is opposed to reintegration and withdrew from the CIS collective security arrangement in 1999. Since that time, Uzbekistan has participated in the CIS peacekeeping force in Tajikistan and in UN-organized groups to help resolve the Tajik and Afghan conflicts, both of which it sees as posing threats to its own stability. Uzbekistan is an active supporter of U.S. efforts against worldwide terrorism and joined the coalitions that have dealt with both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Find Uzbekistan society culture and more useful information about tradition history on Uzbekistan store.

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

227th Assault Helicopter Battalion's Great Helicopter Race During The Vietnam War

2008-05-08T05:46:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by JLP

Anyone who has been to Vietnam, or any war for that matter, does not need to be told that war and combat is a serious business that wears and grinds on both the body and the mind. However, I suppose like everything else, it has its moments of humor, relief and counterpoint which can be sorely needed moments.

One of those such moments was The Great Helicopter Race, held while Lieutenant Colonel Jack Cranford, a master Army aviator, was commanding the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion. The race happened in mid-March of 1966.

During the pre-Cobra days of combat assault in the Vietnam War, the UH-1 Huey filled the role of gunship escort, fitted with rocket pods and front-firing 7.62 mm machineguns. As an escort gunship the Huey had only one drawback; it could not fly any faster than the Huey slicks it was escorting and could therefore make only one or two gun passes on the LZ as the troop-carrying Hueys went in for the dust off.

To boost the Huey gunships' speed, the Army had the ships fitted with new, extra-width rotor blades designed to take a bigger bite out of the air and add speed without changing the engine power. The change worked well and the gunship Hueys were significantly faster than before.

It was said that LTC Cranford was so pleased with his high-speed Hueys, that he offered a challenge to Lieutenant Colonel Max Clark, who was the commander of the 228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion, the Cav's fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The Chinooks (known then as Max's Mobile Homes), were big ungainly looking aircraft, that gave the unfair appearance of burly buses in the sky. LTC Clark, proud of his ships and his pilots, accepted the gauntlet from Cranford.

The race was set over a 10-mile course, a straight flight between Mang Yang Pass in the mountains west of An Khe and the flight control tower at the An Khe airstrip. It would be a race against the stop watch with on of LTC Cranford's modified, speedy Hueys getting first crack at the course. Men were stationed at the mountain pass, including an Army radio reporter who gave play by play coverage through the radio station at An Khe.

As with any bet, there was a lot more at stake than a just a contest between aircraft. Unit pride was on the line, and rumor had it that the two commanders had also made a side wager; the loser was to buy a round of beer for the winner's battalion. Yes sir, there was a lot of beer to be had by the winning battalion.

Both colonels were at the An Khe tower, and each monitored a stopwatch. A third clock was kept by Colonel Al Burdett, 11th Group commander. As the Huey lifted off from the pass and nosed over into a high-speed profile toward An Khe, the clocks were started by word from an RTO atop the pass. The unseen Huey became a speck in the distance, grew quickly and then flashed by the tower. The three colonels hit the stopwatches and marked the time. It ended up being a good time, a very fast time, and a classified time. You know how the military works, everything is classified, even if it involves a wager.
At Mang Yang Pass it was time for the Chinook to crank up and take off. The Huey hare had run and now it was the tortoise's turn. The pilot pointed the Chinook's nose for An Khe and opened up with everything the Chinook had. As he barreled down on what he thought was An Khe, the Chinook pilot knew his time would be good, might even be just good enough. The colonels sat immobile, watching the approaching Chinook speck grow larger. At first, no one noticed it, but it was soon apparent that the distant dot of the Chinook was not getting any bigger at all. It was, in fact getting smaller. It turns out, the pilot was lost, he was not headed anywhere near An Khe.

After a few long seconds, most likely spent frantically checking his map against terrain features, the pilot quickly discovered his navigational error and swung the Chinook back toward An Khe and the awaiting colonels. The Chinook lumbered on, got closer and finally thundered past the tower. When the stopwatches where check it had been found that the Chinook had bettered the Huey's time by "a significant number of seconds," even though the pilot had lost time in wandering off course. And with that the Great Helicopter Race was over and the beer began to flow.

For discount vintage Vietnam War collectibles Vietnam War Collectibles For discount new and used Model Trains Discount Model Trains

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

A Campaign Of Government Change Should Include Compstat

2008-05-07T07:36:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by James William Smith

I have watched the same question posed to Barrack Obama in several debates now. It is not a question based on the "change" sign that appears everywhere as the platform slogan of his campaign. No, this dubious debate question concerns why he does not wear a flag pin on the lapel of his suit.

Of course, these types of questions do not offer any insight on how a Barack Obama Administration would "change" the agencies of the federal government . In fact, what the voters would like to hear from the Presidential candidates is an understanding that true federal government reform requires performance standards and the tools necessary for government managers to measure performance. The reality of federal government "change" is that management without the necessary measurement tools will not lead to improved operating efficiency.

The truth is that the private sector has had performance management and measurement tools in place for decades. In fact, widely used programs such as Six Sigma and others have been invaluable in efforts to systematically improve business processes resulting in the reduction and elimination of errors and defects in many companies across different industries.

However, in the public sector, the practice of managing business process has been quite different. If more money is needed, State, Federal, payroll, property, water, sewer, trash, registry, gas, alcohol, excise, sales, and tobacco, taxes, tolls, and fees could always be raised to generate additional government revenue. Of course, this method of revenue generation does not promote government efficiency. Unfortunately, government process management simply does not exist as it does in the private sector. Often, that is what leads to critical reports from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the wasteful spending practices in various government agencies.

Therefore, what local, state, and federal government needs is a public sector Six Sigma program to promote the efficient spending of taxpayer money. A program that uses analysis and measurement to reduce inefficiency. A program that provides the necessary management tools and sponsors increased management communication to provide a more efficient return on each taxpayer dollar.

So, it is very encouraging that such a program already exists and is working in several places today. The program is called Compstat and it was originally developed by New York police commissioner, William Bratton, in 1993. Today, more than a decade later, as a result of the program, serious crime has been reduced in New York by 65 percent. In general, the program has been very successful in the reduction of all crime across the 76 city precincts. The program uses computer statistics, timely input of data, and a geographical basis of tracking "hot spots" to place resources in the proper place at the proper time. The success of the program has led to its adoption by over one hundred police departments nationwide. The program has even received the "Innovation in American Government Award" from Harvard's Kennedy School and the Ford Foundation.

So how did the Compstat program produce such success? Initially, it established four principles that governed the New York Police Department as follows: timely and accurate intelligence; rapid deployment; effective tactics; and relentless follow-up and assessment. All of the information gathered by the fifteen member Compstat task force was analyzed and used to facilitate those four guiding principles.

At first, the program focused on seven major crime categories. Data was captured from the most serious crimes and plotted electronically on a computer screen to determine patterns and trends. A cluster of dots in a particular location alerted officers to a string of murders, rapes, or robberies. The statistics were also used to generate a profile of commanding officers and assess their management performance.

Eventually, the Compstat program in New York was expanded to include information on more than seven hundred different performance indicators. In total, these indicators measured the performance of the entire agency and identified areas where improvement was needed. In addition to tracking crime, the program now includes keeping track of police overtime, allegations by citizens of police abuse, even things like how quickly it takes to get a police vehicle back from repair, and the maintenance of police buildings.

The principles of the Compstat program have easily be applied outside of the law enforcement field. In fact, Compstat has been the guiding force behind a program called Trafficstat which is designed to improve conditions on the highway, and T.E.A.M.S which has increased safety and efficiency in prisons. The Department of Education and the Department of Transportation also have started initiatives using the Compstat program. Compstat programs are also now being used in many smaller American cities and towns.

However, it is in Baltimore, Maryland that the positive impact of the program can best be seen. A program modeled after Compstat called Citistat tracks the city government as a whole. City agencies provide regular data about their work to a central office that analyzes the data and creates reports for the mayor. The statistics tell a story of performance and city managers are held accountable. Since the program was implemented, Baltimore has experienced a forty percent reduction in payroll overtime, saving the city $15 million over two years. The success in Baltimore has led to the development of similar programs in other American cities.

A candidate who campaigns on a platform of change in 2008, needs to be very specific about what that change means in the next Presidential Administration. Therefore, it may be helpful in the next Democratic debate if a television moderator would ask Barack Obama about the potential use of Compstat to improve the efficiency of the various agencies of the Federal Government.

Indeed, his answer will be far more important to an American voter interested in federal government reform than yet another question concerning the absence of a flag pin on his suit lapel.

James William Smith has worked in senior management positions for some of the largest financial services firms in the United States for the last twenty five years. He has also provided business consulting support for insurance organizations and start up businesses. Mr. Smith has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Boston College. He enjoys writing articles on political, national, and world events. Visit his website at http://www.eworldvu.com

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

Questions of Political Correctness

2008-05-06T03:28:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by tiandioracle

Why does everything have to be held up to a standard of political correctness nowadays? Lately, it has pretty much become obvious that people are very careful about what they say to certain people, because they will be slapped with accusations of being politically incorrect which, of course, includes words like "discrimination". It's fascinating to note that linguistically, we had evolved in such a way that things that were either once admired or thought of as something that one isn't exactly a person's fault are now thought of as negative or something to be held against someone just because we are, as a world, deathly afraid of offending what is perceived to be a minority that has become aware of its powers to claim certain rights.

Like what was previously mentioned, words like "discrimination" have been waved around by people as things to be shunned. In the past, "discrimination" meant discernment, a particular skill or ability to recognize the subtle differences or distinctions between two or more things. To have discrimination, in some senses, is to have a refined taste. But now, "to discriminate" is almost exclusively used to define anything that involves treating a person or a group of persons as if they were less than equal to one's self or one's peers.

Another favorite example would be the term "homophobia". A comedian had once commented that "phobia" is a crippling fear of something, and as such, homophobic individuals (or homophobes, as they are colloquially known) really should have more sympathy for their plight. Other individuals with phobias were given the necessary support for their condition, while homophobic people are shunned, called "sick" and often berated by others by their so-called insensitivity. The entire spiel was funny, but what made it better is the fact that it made people think about the words used to describe how people react to each other, and about what words we use to identify prejudice.

It seems that in a world that is hell-bent on becoming politically correct, we had ended up with a language that is politically incorrect or at the very least, a language that is sorely misused. Homophobia especially, is an obvious misnomer in that it is more like a hatred of homosexual individuals than a fear of them.

Another fascinating effect of this global culture of political correctness would be the fact that in our quest to expand the reach of rights to include everybody, other rights, such as the rights to expression, have been curtailed. Granted, certain expressions such as violence and the like could hardly be beneficial to an increasingly interconnected global society. Still, the fear of offending apparent minority groups have made us believe that tiptoeing around certain issues would be better than confronting it. It seems that rather than dealing with potential conflict, we simply fold to the apparent whims of these people. Furthermore, in an attempt to elevate the status of the minority, the double standards have been switched around.

An example of this pretty much relates to things like religion and race. Not too long ago, in London, a sixteen-year-old student had protested the fact that her expression of her Christian faith a purity ring that symbolized her commitment to chastity before marriage was deemed "against school policy" by her local school. The fact that Muslim students in that same educational establishment and area were supposedly allowed to wear their full-faced veils just made things worse it seems that the majority is now expected to bend over backwards to make the minority uncomfortable. Why is it, one has to ask, that the Muslims are allowed to openly display their faith to the world while the Christians are not?

And it seems that any frustration that the majority has expressed over this obvious double-standard is currently viewed as a kind of bigotry. Why is no one allowed to be angry about this? Is this not also a kind of injustice? In the end, we are going back to a time of closed lips and silence, fostering inequality while at the same time claiming we are working for equality. It is truly, horribly, frustrating that the concept of political correctness has come to the fore, when at the end of the day all that really matters is honest and genuine kindness.

The problem may very well be that people are expected to be like everybody else, that people are expected to bow down to the norm. These days, the norm would be acceptance or, at the very least, tolerance. But one cannot expect everyone to feel the same way about women, men, homosexuals, different races, and different faiths. This is not to say that hatred should be fostered, but it begs the question of why discomfort with ideologies and lifestyles should not be understood and expressed. If we are indeed living in a world of tolerance, dislike of certain things should be tolerated as well as the acceptance of certain things.

We need not develop a new vocabulary to describe this state of affairs, for in the end, shouldn't this be a matter of the heart and soul?

Elea Almazora, contributor to Riling.Com Elea Almazora currently works as a contributor to many information-based websites, writing about many subjects ranging from culture to sciences. For more information related to this article, please visit Riling.Com

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

A Congestion Tax Will Not Save The Planet

2008-05-02T04:54:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by James William Smith

It's an election year in the United States. The politicians of both major political parties continue to outline their initiatives for their first Presidential term in office. Democratic candidate Barrack Obama outlines a long list of new spending promises under the slogan "Yes we can". Meanwhile, Republican John McCain wants to continue spending on the Iraq war well into the future. In the Congress, there is no desire to cut federal spending and the dubious practice of spending "earmarks" continues without any real reform.

Meanwhile, the United States federal debt is currently approaching 9.5 trillion dollars and it is about to get worse since the national unemployment rate is now rising. The federal debt burden already amounts to about $79,000 for each United States taxpayer. Therefore, the current federal debt, economic recession, Iraq war, and new election year campaign promises are a formula that amount to one thing for the average American taxpayer: higher income taxes.

However, it is not as though taxes are not high enough already. In 2008, Americans will work every day from New Year's Day through April 23, just to pay their taxes. It will take 74 working days to pay federal taxes and 39 additional working days to pay state and local taxes. Americans will spend more on taxes in 2008 than they will spend on their food, clothing, and housing expenses combined.

As both political parties in Washington D.C. contemplate raising income taxes in the next few years, there is a new and unique tax that is already under consideration in several large American cities. It is a tax already generating revenue in international cities like London, Milan, Stockholm, and Singapore. It is called the "Congestion Tax" and its implementation is feared by automotive commuters in major United States cities. The tax is based upon a vehicle entering a city or a designated area of the city. The tax is levied upon an automobile's entry into the designated zone.

London could be a model for the administration of the congestion tax in major United States cities. The congestion tax in London started with a commuter tax of eight dollars a car. That daily tax has recently doubled for small gas powered cars and large vehicles now pay a $50 Congestion Tax each day. London does not have tollbooths or barriers around the Congestion Charging Zone and no physical tickets or passes are required. Monitoring is done through a network of camera sites at every entrance and exit in the tax zone and within the zone. Each camera site consists of at least one color camera plus a monochrome camera for each lane of traffic being monitored. The camera's capture automobile license plate numbers and people are required to pay the tax based on the pictures.

The stated purpose of the congestion tax is to clean up the environment by reducing C02 emissions from automobiles stalled in traffic in heavily traveled, congested areas in large cities. The tax acts as an incentive for automobile users to utilize public transportation. The benefits of an increase in the use of public transportation would be to improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion, and improve public health by reducing air pollution.

New York City is one of at least five United States cities considering the implementation of a congestion tax. The initial tax for automobile drivers entering the New York congestion zone would be over eight dollars each day. In addition, there is an additional incentive for New York City because of the promise of $354 million in grants from the Federal Government for creating a congestion zone.

Consider the implications of these federal grants for a moment if you will. A taxpayer pays federal income taxes and the government uses that tax money as an incentive for local city governments to initiate an additional tax burden on automobile drivers in order to solve local traffic bottlenecks. It certainly becomes problematic for a taxpayer when federal income taxes are used as a financial incentive for cities to create new local fee based taxes.

In fact, a congestion tax may have dubious ramifications to local business and city employment. What the congestion tax will do is drive local business away from the inner cities into the suburbs where commuting workers and business customers do not have to pay a traffic tax . In addition, cab fares in large cities will have to increase in order for a passenger cab to enter a congestion zone.

Indeed, it is not been scientifically proven that long term global warming is man-made and the result of increased CO2 in the atmosphere. Consider that the planet's recent warming is likely a result of the long term solar cycle of the Sun. In reality, the Congestion Tax is really a tax wolf in environmental sheep's clothing. The truth is that it's just another unnecessary tax burden on the worker and retail consumer that will not save the planet from global warming.

James William Smith has worked in senior management positions for some of the largest financial services firms in the United States for the last twenty five years. He has also provided business consulting support for insurance organizations and start up businesses. Mr. Smith has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Boston College. He enjoys writing articles on political, national, and world events. Visit his website at http://www.eworldvu.com

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

Disaster in the Soviet Union The Chernobyl Nuclear Meltdown

2008-04-30T05:30:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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

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

Protect Our Oil Supply

2008-04-29T04:55:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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

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

Protect Our Oil Supply

2008-04-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

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

Protect Our Oil Supply

2008-04-25T03:07:00.001-07:00

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

Longmont Colorado

2008-04-24T03:08:00.000-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

Giving Directly To The Poor

2008-04-23T03:33:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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

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

The Twin Menaces of Inflation

2008-04-21T03:46:00.000-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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

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

Do You Know About North Korea?

2008-04-18T05:00:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

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

Current Issues with the Global Economy

2008-04-17T03:39:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

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

The Frightening Political Direction In Indonesia

2008-04-16T04:43:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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

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

Longmont Colorado

2008-04-15T03:02:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-14T05:04:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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

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

The Last King Of Spain?

2008-04-13T10:18:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

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

Illegal Immigration: A Supply Side Solution

2008-04-11T03:37:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

Jobs.

Potential for citizenship.

Entitlements.

Criminal activities.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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

What George Lacks In Intellect He Makes Up For In Stupidity

2008-04-10T03:41:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

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

Arab

2008-04-09T03:56:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

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

U.S. News & World Report Magazine

2008-04-08T03:32:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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

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

Barack Sure Knows How To Say It

2008-04-07T03:33:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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

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

What Is A Guardian Angel?

2008-04-06T09:00:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

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

Circling the Drain

2008-04-04T11:26:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-03T03:48:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

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

Alan Keyes Presidential Bid

2008-04-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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/.

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

African American Guilt by Assimilation

2008-04-01T04:52:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

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.

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

Bear Stearns and the New Federal Reserve

2008-03-31T04:04:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Dane Smith

On March 14th, Bear Stearns, the fifth-largest investment bank in the United States, entered a period of insolvency. As growing lack of confidence in the firm's subprime exposure grew, other banks eventually refused to lend to the stricken company, which has existed for over 85 years. Were Bear Stearns a commercial bank, (i.e. institutions that loan money to people or businesses) it would be able to, as a last resort, take advantage of the Federal Reserve's so-called "discount window," thus receiving a government loan at the lowest available interest rate. The reasoning behind making loans to private businesses is sound, because overall confidence in banks is much stronger. But for equally obvious reasons, the discount window cannot by definition extend to institutions that take on risk as their business because they have less or no accountability to taxpayers.

However, after Bear Stearns seemed on the brink of collapse, everything changed. Bear Stearns shares began to falter as investors took flight. The Federal Reserve took decisive action to save the beleaguered bank by guaranteeing a $30 billion loan to their biggest competitor, JPMorgan Chase, so they could buy BS without fear of acquiring more dangerous subprime mortgage-related debt. In effect the government has now bought a troubled investment bank for pennies on the dollar, (their first offer was $2 a share, when BS traded at a high of $170 a year ago) knowing that taxpayers might have to foot the entire bill themselves. At the same time, the Bush administration has maintained that no government bailouts would extend to the financial sector. Moreover, wealthy BS shareholders balked so much at the firesale of their investments that the Fed, under pressure from potential litigation, increased the bid for BS by five times, to $10 a share. This means that, while the potential losses will be felt by millions of taxpayers (many of whom are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure), while profits will most certainly be reaped by the corporate executives at JPMorgan.

Even with its exceptional exposure to subprime securities, BS is still worth well over a billion dollars. Profit-taking was the name of the game on the heels of the announcement, as day traders bought up huge amounts of BS stock at $2 or $3 a share and sold after the bid increased. By taking responsibility for the BS takeover, the Fed has changed the course of America's financial future. By guaranteeing the discount rate to BS, they implicitly must be able to do so for other investment banks in trouble in the future, which implies continued taxpayer absorption of Wall Street failures without any corresponding kickback from banks. Unless the Fed intend to rein in on banks more as the economy struggles through the recession, this policy clearly demonstrates a dramatically different view of finance than the Federal Reserve of 1913, when there was a real discount window you could use to keep your bank alive. Now, it seems, the most secure economically secure institutions are those most separated from average American lives. Politicians who recognize the increasing resonance of populist messages in the present climate are sure to turn this takeover into a major issue.

Ki works and lives in Austin Texas. As a realtor he helps investors interested in Austin real estate. His site provides a search of the Austin MLS for visitors along with a Austin real estate blog to keep people up to date on the market.

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

It's Not About Race, Rev. Wright

2008-03-30T08:25:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by NotYourDaddy

African Americans today are split between two cultures. One is a culture of assimilation and success. The other is a culture of victimization and failure. There have always been African Americans who didn't buy into the "street" subculture, who have striven to rise up out of the ghettos, to assimilate and succeed in mainstream American life. Many have done it, and many more continue to do so. Assimilation is never easy, and can take generations. But the common success factor is a persistent focus on individual accomplishment, hard work, and pushing the children to get the best education they can to prepare them to succeed in a highly competitive world.

The African Americans who embrace the street/ghetto culture have defined themselves (and all African Americans) as victims, and perpetuate a subculture steeped in resentment and entitlement. People who define themselves as victims don't aspire to success, because they've already conceded failure and placed the blame on someone else. Perceived victimization engenders resentment, which justifies a sense of entitlement. Instead of aspiring to rise higher with each successive generation, they sink deeper into the culture of poverty and recrimination, accepting the ghetto as their fate and entitlements as their due.

Participants in the street culture look down on those who work to achieve something better, sneer at education, and prey on those who live according to traditional values. They prey on each other, too. The street culture glorifies violence, drugs, and crime. It thrives on hatred -- hatred of whites, hatred of the country in which they live, hatred of other races, and hatred of other African Americans. It's a culture of self-victimization and false entitlement, and it will forever resist assimilation because its values are antithetical to the values of mainstream America.

This subculture, exploited by the media, and pandered to by black leaders, makes it much harder for those who want to rise up, who want to participate in the opportunities of mainstream American culture, and who want to leave a legacy of success for their children instead of a legacy of failure and resentment.

There is no question that African Americans have suffered from persecution and discrimination in this country. But, throughout human history, cultures have overrun, oppressed, abused, enslaved, and persecuted other cultures. That doesn't make it right. It's wrong. But history goes on. The survivors survive and adapt, and cultures change and evolve. But individuals don't succeed, and cultures don't evolve, by clinging to victimhood or by accepting/demanding entitlements to sustain the status quo. They survive, succeed, and evolve by overcoming and, by overcoming, becoming stronger.

Leaders who truly desire to help their people achieve success do not preach hate. Hate is a cancer that eats the soul, and is ultimately more harmful to those who hate than to those who are hated. They do not preach victimization, resentment, and separatism; they teach individual accomplishment, responsibility, and assimilation. They don't lead their people deeper into the ghetto mentality that holds them back and keeps them firmly entrenched in the ghetto; they lead them out of it. Those misguided or narcissistic leaders who reinforce the barriers that separate their people from all the freedoms and opportunities that America has to offer should be repudiated, not supported, by those who have successfully assimilated and who know there's more to life than the everlasting ghetto.

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.

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

Haifa- We Bet This Makes You Sing Sol-Fa

2008-03-29T06:57:00.001-07:00

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

Why the Fed is Having Less Influence over Mortgage Interest Rates

2008-03-28T02:58:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Dane Smith

In the past when the Federal Reserve cut the discount rate it translated into lower mortgage interest rates for home buyers. This was a convenient way for the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy during economic slowdowns. By making it easier for people to get loans more cash was pushed into the economy.

But the recent discount rate cuts have failed to have a similar effect. In fact the spread between mortgage interest rates and the discount rate is the greatest in 20 years. Although the Fed has cut rates 3 time in 2008, going from 4.25 to 2.25, if we look at a mortgage rates graph over the same time period we have failed to see much of a change. Two explanations have been put forth to explain why our current situation differs from what we have seen in the past. The first explanation is that the banks are facing almost 200 billion in losses from their misplaced bets on subprime mortgages, and are sticking with high interest rates to offset some of these losses. The other explanation is that banks still see a downside in the real estate market and are attempting to limit their exposure.

Considering that the mortgage industry is comprised of 1000's of people I doubt either of the views is completely accurate. Additionally, considered how short sighted the mortgage industry was in their foolish bets on subprime mortgages during the boom time I think partially the mortgage industry is simply reacting. During the boom time the mortgage industry reacted by competing with each other to create more and more bizarre loan products to allow people with poor credit to receive loans, in order to gain market share. Now that the real estate market is doing poorly the mortgage industry is spooked and is reacting by limiting access to loans.

Is there a light at the end of this tunnel? It's hard to tell. The latest Fed cut from 3 to 2.25 received a positive response from the market as interest rates fell from 6.13 to 5.87 the following week. But its anyone's guess of whether this is a temporary blip or a sign that the mortgage industry is comfortable with the current spread between mortgage interest rates and the Fed's discount rate. If the later is the case future rate cuts should have a more favorable affect on pushing down mortgage rates. While this won't cure the current woes in the real estate market it should help alleviate some of the problems.

One thing that does seem more likely is that if the real estate market continues to suffer the Fed will continue to cut rates. The current Fed Ben Bernanke chairman gave a speech before the subprime crisis detailing out how the Fed failed to respond strongly enough during the events which led to the great depression and seems determined to not make the same mistakes. In fact, in an unprecedented move the Fed injected over 200 billion in the credit markets last week its clear the Fed is committed to doing whatever it can to cure the credit/mortgage crisis. If the banks start reacting to the rate cuts the Fed might be able to succeed in their mission to take a stronger role in preventing an economic recession.

Ki is a realtor in Austin and runs a site with information about Austin Tx real estate. He also wrote mortgage rates html for websites to keep visitors up to date on mortgage rates trends along with a free mortgage calculator

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

Nuclear Terrorism -- Coming Soon

2008-03-27T04:57:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by NotYourDaddy

There are three steps required to build nuclear weapons.

You need to have a missile capable of delivering the bomb to its target.

You need to process a sufficient quantity of enriched uranium to produce a nuclear bomb.

You need to assemble a warhead and attach it to the missile.

Iran already has a missile capable of delivering a nuclear bomb. Last month, Iran conducted a successful test of their upgraded three-stage Shahab-3B missile. According to Viktor Yesin, former Chief of Staff of Russia's Strategic Missile Force, the tests demonstrated Iran's capacity to produce rocket engines that would give these missiles a range of 2,500 miles or more. With that range, they could easily reach targets in Europe. (With strap-on boosters, they could potentially reach North America.) Iran insists their intentions for this missile are entirely peaceful, referring to it as a "space launch vehicle" for orbiting satellites.

However, evidence presented at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last month revealed detailed designs from Iranian military labs for a nuclear warhead, including how it would fit in a Shahab-3 missile. Other evidence included documentation of experiments with warheads and missile trajectories where "the height of the burst ... didn't make sense for conventional warheads," according to a senior diplomat who attended the IAEA meeting. IAEA Director General Oli Heinonen commented on an Iranian video showing mock-ups of a missile reentry vehicle that it was "configured in a way that strongly suggests it was meant to carry a nuclear warhead."

Iran will have sufficient weapons grade uranium to make a nuclear bomb within the next two years. The European Commission Joint Research Center (JRC) recently ran computer simulations that modeled the centrifuges that Iran is currently operating at its Natanz nuclear facility. Based on the simulations, they determined that Iran could produce sufficient quantities of enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb by the end of this year (operating at optimal efficiency) or by 2010 (operating at only 25% efficiency). Iran claims their uranium enrichment program is intended for "purely industrial purposes" to generate electricity.

The U.N. Security Council adopted a new resolution last week, imposing further sanctions on Iran for refusing to cease its uranium enrichment program. Iranian president Ahmadinejad beat them to the punch in making it clear that he doesn't care. In a televised interview last month, he said "If they want to continue with that path of sanctions, we will not be harmed. They can issue resolutions for 100 years."

Iran could assemble a nuclear warhead in a matter of months, once they have enough enriched uranium. The National Intelligence Estimate issued in December, which determined that Iran had "halted" its nuclear weapons program in 2003, was focused exclusively on nuclear warhead development. It explicilty ignored the uranium enrichment program, since Iran claimed that was for "industrial purposes." Mike McConnell, Director of National Intelligence and primary author of the NIE report, later conceded that developing a nuclear warhead is, in fact, "the least significant part" of a nuclear weapons program. Prior to this NIE report, uranium enrichment has always been used as the key indicator of nuclear weapons development programs. Since the NIE report was made public, Mr. McConnell has expressed concerns about its effect in downplaying the continuing nucelar threat from Iran. On February 26, he said unequivocally "Our estimate is they intend to have a nuclear weapon."

Iran denies that it has ever engaged in any design or development of nuclear weapons technology. They insist that all of the evidence presented at the IAEA conference last month were forgeries.

But Iran has a proven track record as a world leader in the funding and training of radical Islamic terrorists. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has declared that Israel should (and will) be "wiped off the map." Ahmadinejad was also a member of the Islamic terrorist organization that took 52 Americans hostage at the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979. There's a post on my blog that lists a Chronology of Islamic Terrorist Attacks Against the U.S. between 1979 and 2001. A great many of these were perpetrated by Hezbollah, which is funded by Iran. Hezbollah also provided explosives training for Al Qaeda operatives, in Iran, prior to 9/11, as discussed the post Sunni and Shiite Unite Against the West.

Why would anybody be gullible enough to believe that this terrorist nation is amassing all the means to build nuclear weapons "for purely industrial purposes?" Israel knows better. Europe knows better. Russia knows better. The U.N. knows better! Nobody in the world believes Iran has stopped its nuclear development program, except for certain people in the U.S. who, because of their own agenda, were all too eager to latch on to the now discredited NIE report, -- and even they don't believe it anymore.

What could be more menacing than nuclear weapons in the hands of a terrorist nation with a suicide bomber mentaility that has repeatedly characterized the United States "the Great Satan?" Is the reason we're being so squeamish about acknowledging this threat simply because the left keeps calling Bush a liar on account of not finding any WMDs in Iraq? Could it really be possible that our nation's leaders are more afraid of name-calling from the left than of an increasingly imminent nuclear threat from Iran? That's a scary thought.

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.

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

Was Robin Hood A Yorkshireman?

2008-03-26T03:30:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Fred Watson

As a boy I was brought up on tales of Robin Hood and his merry men, as were my children and now, with a new series on the small screen, my children's children. We also lived for ten years in a small Yorkshire village near to Wentbridge called Little Smeaton, hence my interest in the Yorkshire connections to Robin Hood.

Robin, a nobleman, so the later stories say, was stripped of his lands and outlawed by Prince / King John, escaped into the green woods of Sherwood Forest. There along with, Little John, Will scarlet, Allan a Dale, Much The Miller, Friar Tuck and of course Maid Marion, stole from the rich to give to the poor. The rich in this case consisted mainly of prince John's tax collectors and various rich officials of a wealthy church. Since the Sheriff of Nottingham, who was based in Nottingham castle, was charged with the collection of the taxes he became Robin's archenemy.

That very roughly is the basis of the Robin Hood stories I grew up with. But while the stories were all centred on Nottingham and Sherwood there is now a growing body of experts that believe he was a Yorkshireman. As witnessed by the naming of Doncaster, Sheffield airport, Robin Hood Airport, much to the Chagrin of the good folks of Nottingham.

The earliest known mention of Robin Hood was nearly six and a half centuries ago. In 1377 there was a reference to him in a poem attributed to William Langland. The poem, "The vision of William concerning Piers Plowman" contains the following two lines.

I kan noght parfity my paternoster as the preest it syngth,
but I kan rymes of Robyn Hood and Randolf Erl of Chestre.

I do not know my paternoster perfectly as the priest sings it,
but I know the Rhymes of Robin Hood and Randolf, Earl of Chester.

In those days the majority of the population could not read or write, so a lot of the local history was verbal and passed on by the wandering minstrels. Since the tales of Robin Hood feature in many of those ballads, it is possible that the tales would have been based on the exploits of a real person.

Most of what we know of Robin Hood comes from, The Child Collection. The English and Scottish Popular ballads, collected by Francis James Child in the 1800s
The Lyttle Gest of Robyn Hode is the very first of them and along with the next three ballads place Robin Hood, a Yeoman (Low born freeman) Little John, Will Scarlet and Much the Miller etc, firmly in the Forest of Barnsdale. The forest was in Yorkshire the adjoining county to Nottingham and covered the area between Doncaster and Wentbridge. (Wentbridge was sometimes known as Barnsdale).

The village of Wentbridge is the only place in Yorkshire to boast a blue plaque on the bridge commemorating Robin Hood. Wording from plaque; And walke up to saylis, and so to Watling street, and wayte after some unkuth gest, up chance ye may them mete. The Saylis mentioned has been identified as Sayles Plantation (Now Brockadale nature reserve) and is on one side of the Gorge of the river Went that runs from Wentbridge, past Smeaton Crags, to Little Smeaton / Kirk Smeaton. At the southwest corner of the Kirk Smeaton parish boundary, near to Skellow, lies Robin Hood's well, Because of road widening works, the Skell, a tributary of the river Don, was covered and the well dried up. The stone shelter that surrounded the well however still exists and can be found in a lay-by on the southbound carriageway of the A1 near Skellow, about half a mile north of the junction with the A638.

Close by in the grounds of Skelbrook Park was The Bishops Oak, alas long gone. (The ground where it once stood is still known as The Bishop Tree Root). This was the spot where Robin and his men were said to have captured and held to ransom the Bishop of Hereford.

St Mary Magdalene in Barnesdale was where Robin went pray and was said to be the church where he married Marion. Not far from Skellow is Campsall and the church of St Mary Magdalene, the church is very ancient and would have been within the Barnsdale forest.

Wakefield ten miles from Barnsdale was the home of George a Green, the jolly pinder of Wakefield, who was one of Robin's followers. He would have lived in Pinderfields near what is now Pinderfields Hospital.

Wakefield was also, according to the Wakefield rolls, the home of one Robert / Robyn Hood the son of Adam Hood, a forester in the service John de Warenne, he was married to Matilda and lived in a property in Birchill. In the records for 1316 Robert and Matilda paid 25 shillings to purchase a piece land in Birchill. Also, in that year Robert was fined for failing a call to arms in Edward the second's abortive invasion of Scotland two years earlier.

In 1320 Thomas Earl of Lancaster took over Wakefield and began to raise a new army. Robert's name did not appear on the list of defaulters and it is possible that he joined the army of Lancaster. In 1322 there was a five-roomed house on the land in Birchill. In 1323 Lancaster was defeated at Boroughbridge and his supporters outlawed. In that year a list of seized properties included a newly built five roomed building in Birchill. Robert Hood of Wakefield seems to have disappeared from view at this time. Was he outlawed to the greenwood to become Robin Hood of Barnsdale?

Robin's archenemy was the Sheriff of Nottingham and for a period in Edwards reign, the High Sheriff of Nottingham had jurisdiction over Yorkshire. As everyone knows Robin was famed for his prowess with a longbow, which also points to him being around during Edward's reign, since the longbow was not introduced into England until after the reigns of John and King Richard.

The death of Robin Hood: In later years when he was in ill health Robin travelled to Kirklees Priory to be bled, instead he was betrayed and killed by his cousin the Prioress and Sir Rodger Of Doncaster. Just before he died he shot an arrow and asked his friends to bury him wherever the arrow landed.

Kirklees Priory (Between Brighouse and Mirfield) is a ruin although the gatehouse still stands. 600 mtrs beyond the gatehouse they found a gravestone with the partial inscription; Here Lies Robard Hude. The Priory is on private land and for safety reasons there is no public access at this time.

So there we have the Yorkshire Robin Hood, a fugitive yeoman based in Barnsdale, in the reign of Edward the second, who with his band of merry men, led the Sheriff of Nottingham a pretty dance as he robbed the tax gatherers and the rich as they travelled through Barnsdale and very likely Sherwood Forest. (After all both forests, were adjoining).

Copyright Fred Watson

Fred Watson published his first book, a fantasy adventure novel aimed at the 8-12 age group, in November 2006. A grandfather of four, he loves to write for all age groups, has an abiding interest in history and continues on a regular basis to add new stories etc to his website. Footprint Publishing

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

A Not-So-Perfect Union

2008-03-25T03:32:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Floyd Buenavente

In the Speech of Senator Barack Obama entitled "A More Perfect Union" again he waxed cynical of outsourcing stating:

"They've worked hard all their lives, many times only to see their jobs shipped overseas or their pension dumped after a lifetime of labor...This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesn't look like you might take your job; it's that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit."

If there is one thing that the aspiring Senator missed is the fact that outsourcing is a by-product of an ambitious large-scale company that would like to expand its services and its influence in the global market.

Take for example Google, Google was able to maintain its position and eventually became the top search engine in the internet by tapping great minds and programmers across the globe. Today Google has offices all across the world.

In Obama's speech he tackled great divides between races in America, given that he's already into it I would like him to tackle the great divides of opportunity in business, that capitalism in all its complexities is a never-ending struggle to get to the top using its vast resources and labor power may it be cheap or not to outwit and outlast competitions.

I hope that the great Senator understands that it is not about jobs being shipped outside that is the problem, but that it is an intrinsic instinct for companies to use as little resources while getting high profits that makes them survive the ruthless business landscape.

My idea is to challenge Senator Obama to create more jobs rather than limit the capacity for survival for the companies.

That if ever he becomes President he would be able to harness the skills of his people thus giving them more options to apply or create jobs for themselves and have a more sustainable labor economy for the benefit of keeping the jobs in the U.S.

Yet again let me reiterate my point.

Outsourcing can never be taken against the outsourcers. Because as long as there's cheaper labor, as long as there's a cheaper way to use capital at a higher profit and as long as there is a ready supply of human resources to choose from then it is inevitable that jobs will be shipped overseas.

I see no other reason really unless if Obama wins he would stop companies from doing so altogether.

Which is to base it from the arguments above seems simply improbable.

Floyd Gumpal Buenavente is the Marketing manager for an Outsourcing Firm located in The Philippines (MicroSourcing.com).He also owns brownseo.com a website documenting his journeys in life and the Internet Marketing Industry.

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

Breached Security

2008-03-24T02:44:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by WalkWithMe1948

Once again our leaders in the Bush administration have shown how little we are protected. If they can't even protect the private passport records of our presidential candidates how can we expect them to stop the bomb in the shopping mall, the suitcase nuke coming across the southern board or the millions of containers that arrive at our ports everyday unexamined.

We are quickly becoming a society of people all of whom are at some level of "post traumatic stress syndrome'. Point in fact when the tornado hit the Golden Dome in Atlanta during the basketball game last week, most people reported that their first thought was "it was a terrorist attack." How many of you have thought the same thing when something happens in your hometowns. I have and if you are honest you have also. We jump at noises that use to not bother us; we tense up if a helicopter flies over too low. Some of us sleep with the light on now or CNN on all night.

It has been that way for five years because our leaders have led with fear. They have continued to play the "fear card" every time they need something from Congress and they play it again whenever they need the public to contact their Congressional Representative.

I don't like this feeling this feeling of having our guard up all the time. The administration is even running public service announcements about having a family plan, where to meet our family members if there is a terrorist attack and everyone in your family is separated.

Every time there is a breaking news bulletin is this it? They have started testing the emergency broadcast network on a weekly basis now instead of monthly and it is always on different day and time so it catches us off guard. Do they know something that we don't know, or do they just want us to believe they do?

How long can our leaders keep us in a state of fear? What damage is this fear having on our bodies? Fear is a powerful emotion people do brutal acts because of fear. Revolutions are started in the name of fear.

And do you realize how many of our Constitutional rights have been taken away. Let's take a look at this. Let say your best friend lives in France. The two of you email back and forth talking about "terrorists". This word triggers your email into a government program and puts you on a list of people to watch. If you are suspected, the government can bust into your home and search it without a warrant. You can be arrested with no charges and can be kept in jail for weeks or more. If they believe you have information, they ship you to a "friendly country" and beat you half to death to extract information out of you. After a day or two of this you tell them anything, and if you have no real information you make up a story just so the torture will stop. Did you realize this? No, probably not because we are afraid. Fear is very powerful and it can keep people in line. This is exactly what the Nazi party did in its rise to power before WW II.

What can we do about this? Probably nothing. The Democrats are fighting over the nomination and the Republican candidate is just Bush III.

Our government should be reassuring us, making us unafraid. A fearful populist can revolt when they are not happy with the present leaders. A fearful populist will follow false prophets who speak will and who can convince them to follow him people who really are unable to lead.

This is the most important thing to do about this when you go to vote in November, don't vote for a person out of fear. Vote for them out of hope and change and pray that the person you voted for can deliver on the hope and the change.

Mary Ann Boulette Austin, Texas maboulet@swbell.net http://maboulette.blogtoolkit.com/ Cute, witty and charming Writer, poet, photographer

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

Can We Rely Drunk Driving Breath Tests?

2008-03-23T11:08:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Maria Palma

Drunk driving defense lawyers and law enforcement have been constantly battling the reliability of drunk driving breath tests. Lawyers believe that we can't depend on breathalyzer tests because most of the time these devices detect other chemicals in the body and mistake them for ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, a compound found in alcoholic beverages. A person could be found to have a high blood alcohol content (B.A.C.) when in fact there is very little if any ethanol in his body.

Many of the breath tests used today by law enforcement are infrared breath analyzing devices. They are not as reliable or accurate as blood tests, but these devices have been accepted as standard instruments to find out if someone has had too much to drink.

The main issue presented is that these breath analyzing devices are not designed to detect the molecule of ethyl alcohol. Most breathalyzer tests can only find a presence of a part of that molecule. The breathalyzer test assumes that the methyl group is part of an ethyl alcohol compound. Think about the different compounds that are found on someone's breath. Isn't it possible that the breathalyzer instrument could mistake a combination of these compounds as ethyl alcohol?

This leads to the problem that approximately 70 to 80 percent of compounds found on a person's breath contain methyl groups and in order for someone to be convicted for a DUI, the prosecution must show beyond a reason of a doubt that ethyl alcohol was in the body at the time of the breath test. The prosecution must provide proof that the ethyl alcohol is responsible for the results produced by the breath analyzing instrument.

There has been much research to prove that breath alcohol analysis is certainly not enough to be used in the courts to convict someone for a DUI. Moreover, there have also been many studies conducted to prove that breath tests are not as reliable as blood tests. In one study, members of the toxicology section of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene discovered that only 33 percent of the breath test results correlated with corresponding blood tests. What is most profound about this study is that in 11 of the cases, the defendant was shown to be intoxicated using one of the tests but not intoxicated when using the other.

The question remains: Who really stands to gain from these breath analyzing machines? Is is the manufacturers who sell these devices to law enforcement? How do we know that these manufacturers have indeed developed perfect machines? Machines are only as perfect as the humans who have created them. These devices are run by computers and we all know that computers can often break down or have technical issues. Law enforcement says that we should put our faith in these machines to provide accurate results, but can we truly rely on them?

Maria Palma is a freelance writer committed to helping people with their San Diego DUI. Make sure to hire a professional and experienced San Diego DUI lawyer.

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

Bear Stearns and the Free Market

2008-03-21T05:34:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Dane Smith

The recent government-sponsored bailout of Bear Stearns, one of the top five lenders in the United States, has shocked traders and left investors cold. Despite the chilly reaction on Wall Street, secretly many are breathing a sigh of relief. While Bear Stearns was mismanaged from its upper echelons, its subprime exposure grew until their recent $30 billion-plus losses had to be reported. Once that happened, their course took a turn for the worse. As their ability to shore up capital faltered, JPMorgan Chase stepped in with a buyout worth a bargain $2 a share, valuing a company worth $3.5 billion down to $236 million. Quite a savvy deal, if obviously designed to ensure continued security in the market more than pure profit (after last year's hedge funds collapses, BS' lawyers have been busy with sub-prime exposure-related litigation).

With the impact of derivative investments and more sophisticated financial instruments, the notational impact of a Bear Stearns collapse comes at a staggering $10 trillion. Moreover, even at a share price that attractive, the BS rival wouldn't have bought them unless a fundamental shift in monetary and fiscal policy hadn't occurred: The Federal Reserve's liquidity offers to commercial banks, which have been numerous in recent months in the wake of the credit crunch, have been offered to Bear Stearns for the purpose of covering billions in frothy investments.

This sets a dangerous precedent against the continued function of American markets by using taxpayer dollars to bail out what is an entirely market-related mistake. By covering bad investments with taxpayer money, the Federal Reserve reverses sixty years of capitalist policy in favor of blatantly socialist takeovers. This could be the worst way to introduce Americans to this form of quasi-socialist government ever conceived. No one put a gun to Bear Stearn's collective head and made them spread risk ineffectively and invest in sketchy sub-prime mortgage securities. They did it all by themselves. Yet here we see a government-backed takeover to shore up confidence in a financial system that seems unable to take care of itself. Laissez-faire? Quite the opposite, it appears.

What kind of message does this send to other financial institutions? Can they now expect similar access to the "discount window" that had been reserved for institutions that work with taxpayers, not investors? We now have the dubious half-promise that the Fed will rein in on Wall Street during boom times, but isn't it a lack of regulation in loaning standards and a subsequent rise in "predatory loaning" what got them into this mess in the first place? And how many more Bear Stearns get the Fed rescue while millions of Americans face foreclosure? The Fed haven't received much criticism thus far, as their responses have taken a course they have helped the economy weather in past recessions. However, their break from past precedent will likely draw some flags. Even if no one else will tell the emperor that his clothes are slipping off one piece at a time, surely the Presidential candidates will pounce on this new opportunity to compare traditional economic goals with the present shift in policy.

Ki lives in Austin and writes a Austin real estate blog. His site is filled with information about Austin real estate and includes a free search of the Austin MLS.

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

Endangered Polar Bear - The Battle To Protect The Arctic Goes On

2008-03-20T03:41:00.000-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Frankie Kangas

The polar bear world is disappearing. Whether from the consequences of global warming or from intrusion from humans and the hunt for resources such as oil, the endangered polar bear is becoming a target of our intensifying environmental and economic pressures.

As it has been projected that by the middle of this century we will no longer have year-round Arctic sea ice, the polar bear may vanish from the wilderness. Climate change and thinning ice has already lessened, by a few weeks, the time mother polar bears have to feed and collect the fat that sustains them and nourishes their young.

Many scientists feel that the rapid rate of climate change (global warming) underway in the Arctic will lead to resounding effects. In addition to suspected changes in ocean and atmospheric circulation patterns, effects on the endangered polar bear is likely to be faster and can already be observed in a thinning of the weight of polar bears and also in the birth and survival rate of the cubs.

Exceedingly susceptible to disturbances, oil exploration affects the endangered polar bear in a number of ways. For instance, when oil exploration equipment drives too close to the dens, it blasts shock waves through the ground as it searches for oil and gas reserves, making the polar bear mother abandon her den and her cubs, disturbing her hunting patterns. Since the cubs do not leave the den until they're 3 months old, when abandoned, they will die.

It is known that 1 bear has died from consuming a toxic substance, due to the constant release of contaminants from petroleum exploration, production and support activities in active oil fields on Alaska's North Slope. That's 1 bear too many!

Although most Americans concur that there is not adequate oil in the Arctic Refuge to compromise the loss of this place, its people and its wildlife, unfortunately the struggle to protect the Arctic carries on in this, the polar bear world.

As more people reside near these areas, they can't help but acquire garbage and, of course, a few polar bears will move in too near when hunting for food, and be killed. The polar bear habitat is shrinking. Extinction of these magnificent creatures, so unparalleled in our world, is almost a certainty.

The combination of pollution moving to the Far North from sources thousands of miles away, along with oil development and global warming, could affect not only the polar bear world but also the entire ecosystem. Thinning sea ice, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change--these components and more are impacting the future of this and many additional vulnerable arctic species. The endangered polar bear is potentially our generation's "canary in the coal mine." Its demise could forecast even larger environmental dangers to come. Polar bears are a national treasure, and their survival depends on us!

For more information, check out my blog Polar Bear News. You can also find information at Are You Polar Bear Aware? and Polar Bear Video Showcase

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

How to Conduct a Public Records Search

2008-03-19T05:33:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Davion W

Public records search can be performed through many different ways. Just to name a few, it can be your school, library, courts, the local municipal office, government agencies and even at places of worship. Other than the public archives which are free, most of other services require a fee. Needless to say, some government employees are accessing such information from their workplace. However, there are governing rules pertaining to the access of public information as well as the way you use the information retrieved from public records search.

Some people would conduct a public records search online. Such information is normally in the public domain and can be freely accessed by any member of the public. Even government records can be accessible in some instances. So, it is possible to find certain bits of information if the records are not confidential and are for all eyes. Such details can be the full name and address of an individual. However, you need to understand that such information is basic and would not be too detailed or comprehensive.

In the past, all such public records are only available in physical copies filed in folders and cabinets. You may even have to locate microfilm, microfiche and photographic copies from whole piles of documents in order to find what you need. Or you can hire a private investigator, PI to carry out some investigative work for you. This option can be rather expensive and definitely not the choice of most people.

That is why many services have set up shop online to offer comprehensive search databases for people to conduct a public records search. These volumes of information are huge and the beauty is that you can find them online. But with these record databases, everything can be found in an instant online, saving hassle, time and money. Such services can charge a one time membership fee for unlimited number of searches or a fee for per record search. Go for the unlimited search option as it is nowadays very affordable and cost you less than $50.

The entire process is easy and the search interface is user friendly. You can use the site to search for records like phone numbers, residential addresses, criminal records, marriage and divorce records, birth and death records, civil records, business records and so on. Because of the comprehensive and wide network of data they have, even private investigators, law enforcers, lawyers and other professionals are turning to these services to find the public records they want.

Anyone who is interested to conduct a public records search can pop over at my records search blog to get started in a few minutes from now.

Davion does a fair bit of investigative work. Instantly search US public records at his popular records search blog http://searchuspublicrecords.blogspot.com immediately to track down every public record you want.

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

The Inconsistency Of Views Towards Animal Rights

2008-03-18T07:27:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Scott Hughes

Among other reasons, I became a vegan because I cannot justify needlessly killing an animal. If I needed to kill and eat animals to survive, I would. However, we do no longer need to kill animals to survive. A person can just as easily survive without eating meat, while remaining just as healthy.

In fact, we have the technology to essentially create meat without killing animals, considering how simple of a substance meat is. We recreate meat in the form of meat substitutes, such as soy burgers.

Despite their ability to live easily without killing animals for food, many people still choose to eat meat. These people do not grant animals the right to life. If a person murdered another person and then ate that other person, almost all people would adamantly oppose it. Meanwhile, these same people slaughter animals without giving it a second thought.

It is hard to understand why murdering a human is so objectionable while murdering an animal is not. Most of us vegans and animal rights supporters view that as very inconsistent.

The inconsistency of people's views towards animal rights goes further, though. While people carelessly murder animals because they like the taste of meat and the look of leather, these same people fall heads over heels about "cuter" animals. For example, pigs are generally smarter than dogs, but many people object to the idea of needlessly murdering and eating a dog.

People look at Michael Vick like he is a monster for organizing dog fights, which is utterly hypocritical and inconsistent. Fighting dogs probably do not suffer any more than factory-farmed chickens who are debeaked, stuffed into an over-packed cage, and eventually slaughtered. Why do people think it is fine to make animals suffer for the enjoyment of leather or the taste of a meaty burger, but not for the entertainment of a dog fight?

Of course, many people have inconsistent views when it even comes to entertainment and animal rights. Having dogs fight or cock fights for entertainment is seen as wrong and often made illegal, but hunting for entertainment is a common pastime.

Some may try to excuse the inconsistency by saying that killing is not as horrible as making the animal suffer while staying alive. However, there is still more inconsistency here. Why then do they not have a problem with animal testing? Animal testers carelessly torture animals with unsafe and dangerous products to make perfumes and other needless products. If needlessly torturing animals for petty pleasures is so objectionable to these people, it is inconsistent for them to buy beauty products that have been tested on animals.

Simply put, most people base their views regarding animal rights on emotions rather than on rationality, which results in irrational inconsistencies. Many people do not want to reconsider their inconsistent views regarding animal rights, because that would likely lead to giving up meat, leather, and other animal products.

Scott Hughes owns and operates VeganClub.org which is a great website with information about veganism and animal rights. You can discuss these ideas and more in the Vegan Forums. It's completely free, and all viewpoints are welcome.

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

No Brokered Convention For The 2008 Presidential Election

2008-03-17T03:36:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

by James William Smith

The country is intrigued by the possibility of a brokered convention. Pundits and observers of the 2008 election have speculated that the nominee for either the Democratic or Republican Party may not be resolved until the convention in the late summer.

The television and media moguls would love to see such an event. It would be political reality television which would take everyone's mind from the current absence of original programming due to the writers' strike. A brokered political convention would be riveting world news and a windfall for political journalists as well.

America does have a long history of brokered political conventions. There were brokered political conventions in 1860 and 1924. The Democratic convention in 1952, which eventually nominated Adlai Stevenson was a brokered convention with multiple ballots. The last Republican convention that went beyond a single ballot was the Republican convention in 1948, which eventually nominated Thomas E. Dewey. In recent history, the last political convention that was somewhat in doubt was the Republican convention in 1976 with Ronald Reagan.

In recent times, television has played a major role in the elimination of the brokered convention. The spectacle of controversy, and division within a party in front of a world wide television audience, has no appeal to either political party. In addition, history tells us that brokered conventions lead to a loss at the polls for the chosen candidate in the general election in November.

The 2008 Presidential primary election for the Democratic party is so close that it will certainly continue after Super Tuesday on February, 5, 2008. In fact the campaigns of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama may continue well into the month of March. If the current public opinion polls are correct, Hillary Clinton should lead Barrack Obama in delegates after the primaries on February 5, 2008.

Hillary Clinton currently leads Barrack Obama (Rasmussen poll) in nearly every primary state on Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Victories in nearly every primary state on Super Tuesday will mean that Clinton should have over half the delegates needed to win the nomination on the following morning of February 6. Barrack Obama is likely to be trailing behind her after Super Tuesday.

However, Barack Obama should still be competitive in the campaign because most of the remaining state Democratic primaries award their delegates on a percentage of the vote basis. Also Obama has an advantage in that there are still several hundred uncommitted super delegates who still could endorse him.

The bad news for Barack Obama is that (assuming the current public opinion polls result in Hillary Clinton primary victories) by late March it will be obvious that the only way he could possibly win the necessary delegates for the Democratic nomination is through a bitter and brokered convention in August. Indeed, Barack Obama will be under heavy pressure within the party in March to avoid that divisive result.

Unlike the Democratic state primaries, the Republicans award convention delegates in a winner-take-all fashion. Mitt Romney needs enthusiastic support from the party's conservative base to win enough delegates to be the Republican nominee. Even though he currently leads John McCain by 15 % nationally (Rasmussen) among conservatives, it has not been enough to overcome McCain's strength among Republican moderates and Independent voters.

Romney is viewed with skepticism by some conservative voters and his Mormon religion continues to be a problem for Evangelical Christian conservatives. After his recent Florida primary election victory, John McCain has political momentum and should win across the board on Super Tuesday February 5, 2008. Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee may then drop out of the race after the Super Tuesday primaries.

Therefore, it appears that, in March, there could still be a competitive Democratic contest between Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama. However, with John McCain busy uniting the Republican party and raising money for the general election campaign in the fall, Democratic party insiders will be anxious to do the same. There will be no interest within the Democratic Party for a protracted fight ending in a divisive and brokered convention in the summer. The clear frontrunner entering March in delegates will be the nominee of the party. That frontrunner based on current public opinion polls should be Hillary Clinton.

Therefore, before the end of the month of March, the 2008 Presidential election will have the two candidates for the general election in the fall. The nominees in each party in this interesting political election season will have been chosen. There will not be a brokered convention in either party. There will be a general Presidential election campaign between likely Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate John McCain.

James William Smith has worked in senior management positions for some of the largest financial services firms in the United States for the last twenty five years. He has also provided business consulting support for insurance organizations and start up businesses. Mr. Smith has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Boston College. He enjoys writing articles on political, national, and world events. Visit his website at http://www.eworldvu.com

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

Eliot Spitzer Joins The Club Of Self-Destruction

2008-03-16T04:38:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

by James William Smith

He was called the Sheriff of Wall Street for his dogged pursuit of rule breakers in the mutual fund industry as the Attorney General of New York. He would later use the favorable publicity of a compliant media as a springboard to become the elected governor of the state of New York in 1996. His rapid political rise had many people projecting him as a serious potential candidate for the Presidency in 2012.

Therefore, the lurid details behind the recent resignation of Eliot Spitzer due to his involvement in a paid prostitution ring is a national shock. Our shock is intensified by the fact that the story combines all the sordid elements that the current tabloid news media loves to exploit; the hypocrisy and scandal of a government official, adultery, lurid sex, young call girls, family tragedy, and potential criminal behavior.

If you somehow have not yet heard, Spitzer was referred to as client number 9 in a government case against the Emperors Club Escort Service. He is said to have paid the club's VIP agency $4,300 to arrange for sex with a prostitute named Kristen on Feb. 13, 2008 in Washington's Mayflower Hotel. Published reports indicate it was apparently the latest episode in a repetitive pattern of behavior that went on for months and involved tens of thousands of dollars.

The sad fact is that Spitzer's legal problems may have only just begun. Based solely on the known facts, Spitzer could potentially face criminal charges concerning an attempt to hide monetary transactions, soliciting prostitution, tax evasion, and violation of the Mann Act concerning a payment for a call girl's interstate trip. Court documents and published reports indicate that perhaps as much as $80,000 was transferred from Spitzer's account to a trio of dummy companies that were really fronts for the Emperors Club escort service.

The amazing thing is that as a former Attorney General, Spitzer knew the risk in being involved with the Emperors Club. In fact, only four years earlier (April 8, 2004), he announced that authorities had arrested 18 people on prostitution and related charges in the investigation of another New York escort service. At that time, Spitzer said: "This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure. It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring, and now its owners and operators will be held accountable."

The defendants in that escort case were charged with money laundering, enterprise corruption, promoting prostitution, and falsifying business records. The aspects of that case and investigation are very similar to the charges and investigation involved in the Emperors Club that soon may lead to many of the same criminal charges against Eliot Spitzer.

The sad truth is that we have often seen this type of public hypocrisy and self-destructive behavior before. While sometimes surprising, it is unfortunately really nothing new or unique. Surely Jim Swaggart and Jim Bakker must have understood the risk of their private sexual exploits while in their prominent public position of American televangelists. Every day on their televised broadcast they would preach against some of the very sins that that were, in fact, privately committing.

Jim Swaggart would expose peer televangelist Jim Bakker's adulterous sexual indiscretions on the Larry King Show. Subsequently, Swaggart would be found with prostitutes on a couple of different occasions. Both men would experience a dramatic fall from prominence for their hypocrisy and self-destructive behavior. In addition, Bakker would spend years in jail for a series of finance charges concerning his ministry.

It is still hard to understand exactly why otherwise intelligent men become members in this club of self destruction. Some say it is the power in their celebrity that leads them astray. Others contend that it is a malfunction in the cortex of the brain that disconnects them from reality and its consequences. Arrogance and various character flaws are also mentioned as possible causes.

However, regardless of the reason, members of the club of self-destructive behavior all have one thing in common. Their behavior not only claims their personal career and respect, but, like a scorched earth policy, destroys everything they love and touch. Family and friends experience the pain of broken trust and public humiliation. It is a pain that changes lives and can last for many years.

The ultimate irony of this sad story is that the next governor of New York will be current Lieutenant Governor, David Patterson. He is an African American who is legally blind; a man who has overcome difficult personal obstacles to now become the governor of the state of New York. On election night in 2006, Patterson reflected on the promise of a newly-elected Spitzer administration. "Eliot and I have a vision for New York," he said. "I can't see it in my eyes, but I can feel it in my heart."

Now less than two years later, Patterson will become the new governor of New York. He will take the position from a man with a privileged background; a man without impediment of sight who did not have the vision to see the obvious potential ramifications of his dubious behavior. Indeed, like Bakker, Swaggart and others, Eliot Spitzer is now destined to become another member in the club of self-destruction.

James William Smith has worked in senior management positions for some of the largest financial services firms in the United States for the last twenty five years. He has also provided business consulting support for insurance organizations and start up businesses. Mr. Smith has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Boston College. He enjoys writing articles on political, national, and world events. Visit his website at http://www.eworldvu.com

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

The Blackpool Tower

2008-03-15T04:41:00.001-07:00

Subscribe in a Reader

by Roberto Bell

The Blackpool Tower has stood over the seaside town of Blackpool, Lancashire in England for over a century since its completion in 1984. It has become one of the major tourist attractions that Blackpool has to offer. The tower stands 158 meters or 518 feet tall. Its' shape and form was inspired by the great Eiffel Tower in France, but unlike the Parisian masterpiece, The Blackpool Tower is not freestanding. Though it was originally built to be an observation vantage point, the tower also holds numerous establishments including a Ballroom and the Tower Circus arena, which is located at the base of the structure.
Sad as it may seem, the Blackpool tower nearly reached its' end around the 1920s. The reason for this is the fact that the original paintjob on the structure was so poor that the tower had started to corrode. This caused the discussion on whether the tower should be taken down or not, the engineers then came to conclusion that they would repair and rebuild the damage instead of taking the entire piece down. The tower has also had its' share of tragic events of note is when a ship mistook the tower for a lighthouse, turned around, drifted away and was wrecked.

A great feature of the Blackpool tower is the glass floor that has been built into the top level. This allows those above to look straight down onto the road below. This feature of the Blackpool Tower is popular with almost every tourist that came to visit. The Blackpool Tower ballroom is the venue or a lot of great events and functions and has even been voted as one of the most magnificent ballrooms in the entire world. The tower also holds the 'Blackpool Tower Circus' arena and the circus has never missed one season since the day that it opened. Another interesting feature about the Blackpool tower is its' Aquarium that has been known to hold numerous species of fish and marine life.

Something that not everyone knows about the Blackpool Tower is that the structure has been constructed so that if it ever collapses the greater mass of it would fall into the sea. Another thing is the fact that the Blackpool Tower base is stealthily concealed by the different buildings that surrounds it.

The city of Blackpool will always attract visitors who have a fine taste for performing arts, the splendid culture of the place and the architectural wonder of the Blackpool tower adds up to the "must visit" reason of everyone.

Steve is the owner of Blackpool and Blackpool Hotels. For more options please visit: Blackpool Hotel

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

The Question Is, Margaret, How Deep Is The Recession

2008-03-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

by Burk Pendergrass

President George Bush is right, the country is "not headed for a recession". It has arrived - Remote Helpdesk 1 knows we are there. Besides politics, recession is the major concern of the common man as the summer vacation season hurdles towards the masses. Winter will soon be a memory and family thoughts will turn to spring break and anticipation of summer vacations. The truth is less Americans than ever before will not be able to take a vacation this year. The number of people finding themselves stranded at home during vacation times and holidays have been trending upward for years now.

The economy has slowed according to the White House and has replaced the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the genocide in Darfur as the average American's priority. Republican nominee John Mc Cain promises to address the issue as house prices fall, fuel and food prices increase, home foreclosures soar, the dollar is in free fall, America loses 63,000 jobs in February alone - the most in the last five years and the government now admits January 2008 numbers were also negative, and we find ourselves at an all time high in auto repossessions. The Tennessee Mountain Man wonders why politicians are always promising to fix something while running for office that they already had twenty-five years to correct.

Having been a student of business sciences in college, a life time of two ago, the Computer Man recognizes that there must be official definitions of such phenomenon as a recession and a depression, however political correctness be damned. When your rent and utilities are past due and you, your children, or your aging parents are hungry and you can do little about it, you are in a depression. The dirty little secret no one wants to address is, when some are in a recession, many are of necessity in a depression.

For way too long our elderly have had to choose between medicine and food, and of having to pay a portion of their utilities one month and paying their rent the next while children must eat two meals a day at school or go hungry.

Although it is disheartening to watch the wealthy republican establishment decry the less financially secure people of the world who make their life style possible, it was a positive sign when the newly minted world's wealthiest man, Billionaire Warren Buffett, recently said "the U.S. economy is essentially in a recession even if it hasn't met the technical definition of one yet". Perhaps he knows because Kirby vacuum cleaners are harder to move these days and those who want one can't qualify for the financing, and those, like the Tennessee Mountain Man, who use his gecko insurance can barely keep it from lapsing.

Most folk of Buffett's stature, those simply suffering from the little man syndrome, and the wanna be lose touch with the average American. Even George W. Bush, the President of the United States, who has a cabinet and an army of advisors who are supposed to be in touch with the people and keep him informed recently declared, "I’m ‘focused’ on gas prices but unaware of four dollar a gallon gas".

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

During a recent press conference, a reporter asked President Bush what his “advice” would be to the “average American” who is “facing the prospect of four dollar a gallon gasoline.” Bush replied, “That’s interesting, I hadn’t heard that.” After all he travels in a 20 car motorcade fueled by the Secret Service on our dime, and when his truck needs fuel on the ranch they surely don't let him run down to the local convenience store, refuel, grab a bucket of chicken, and a cold drink.

Thursday, March the 6th, 2008, fuel hit well over a hundred dollars a barrel and hit a new all time high of $109.00 a barrel Tuesday, March 11th on it's way to two hundred dollars while the value of American Currency continues to fall around the world.

When we began to get bombarded with SPAM like this, "Lowest priced homes: foreclosure deals are everywhere!! Beautiful 3-4-5 bedroom homes in all areas - starting at $25,000 - sometimes with nothing down!", hard working Americans - the middle class - are in serious trouble irrespective of what some condescending snob wishes to call it.

When your lender shows up for his collateral and leaves you with the parting shot, "we'll see what it brings at auction and then we'll go from there" you know what he means. The collateral will be sold quickly and cheaply and then he will be back not with groceries to help you feed your children nor with money to help you pay your doctor bills and buy medicine but to seize any and everything else you possess.

A real kick in the teeth while you are down. Just what you need at the moment. A recession by any definition remains untoward struggle and pain. Ask the suffering - the lower and middle classes in America. Where does it end? when you lose your job? when you are in bankruptcy? when you are homeless?

Yes, Margaret, technicalities notwithstanding, the United States is in a recession. The fed can cut interest rates until the bank pays us to borrow money and the world bank can pump all the cash it wants to into the system, but in reality it is not going to get better for the majority of us any time soon. Technicalities don't get hungry... technicalities don't become delinquent...technicalities don't worry about sky rocketing medical bills... technicalities don't have to worry about obscene burial costs... technicalities don't get sick... technicalities don't lose jobs or take cuts in pay... technicalities don't hurt... technicalities don't get depressed... technicalities don't commit suicide... technicalities don't cry... technicalities don't lash out in frustration - but, people made in God's image do.

When you lie down tonight - wherever you lie down tonight - please try to remember that there really is someone who is hurting more than you, and say a little prayer for that Child of God.

Publication of Burk Pendergrass, J.D., a Cherokee Indian and Viet Nam Vet specializing in website design at computermanwebsitedesign.bravehost.com/ and remotehelpdesk1.com/ specializing in online web based computer repair.

Because She Is A Monster

2008-03-13T03:21:00.000-07:00

by Burk Pendergrass

Meet the Clintons alone in an ally on a dark night and it is believed the chance of you coming out without getting rapped by one and cut up by the other is not very good. It certainly would not attract Las Vegas style odds, and in 2008 they seem determined and poised to snatch defeat from the jaws of success for the democrats.

There is a reason white men, married men, and men of a certain age prefer Obama three to one. All one has to do is take a look at Hillary. Like one alcoholic or addict knows another, one look at Hillary and, even if you knew nothing else about her, you get the picture - you know, and the smart run for the hills while some destructive types have to hang around for the party.

The electorate like the online helpdesk team fell in love with Obama in part because of his positive message... because he was above everything the Clintons not only stood for but practiced over the years. We must ask ourselves who better reflects the politics, ethics, and work style of the 55th Speaker of The U. S. House of Representatives, Thomas (Tip) O'Neill? That person is our candidate! And, that candidate is not a good ole boy - or girl - from Arkansas or New York or Pennsylvania, or wherever they are from this week.

Many Americans feel Hillary is a monster. We know she and Bill don't play by the rules. Just consider their history as well as their current push regarding the changing of the rules for Michigan and Florida to favor them at all costs. It is all about Bill and Hill despite her claims that it is all about you... that her desire to be President is for you. They are willing to throw anyone and everyone under the bus for personal benefit.

Obama, in the Tennessee Mountain Man's opinion, should have stood his ground. Don't throw anyone overboard to appease perjurers. We are in the corner with Harvard professor and former (unfortunately) Obama advisor Dr Samantha Power. Tell the Clintons to get over it and move on after all they see no issues with their surrogate referring to Obama as Ken Starr.

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

Americans must decide whether they want a fresh new start in everything politics, and whether we want someone indebted to no one but the people for their coveted position. The only alternative is gutter politics as usual with professional politicians holding positions doled out by party bosses, paid for with dollars by high powered lobbyists, and bought with the blood of the people who keep going to prison around the Clintons while they skate.

Remote Helpdesk 1 believes there is a reason Hillary is so divisive. She was the "b" behind, protecting, and enabling Bill and she is the secretative "w" in her own political and public life willing to unleash her husband as well as her feminine charms as required to bully or seduce. How many more people shall be sacrificed to team Clinton before we make up our collective mind that we deserve better and that we can have better, and then have the intestinal fortitude to stand our ground.

The only way to rid ourselves of the scandals of the Clintons from the past and those sure to follow any success they have is to banish them to the trash heap from which they evolved as we did the Enron Team. And, the only way to do that is to get past the manipulation both Clintons employ against the American people.

We don't have to fear them says a web based helpdesk company... they are not virtual viruses. They are not to be pitied... they are not the victims of vast right wing conspiracies. We all know they are not to be trusted... they are closer to used car salesmen and their repo teams than anything. They are not Jack and Jackie and they are not the Beatles... they are not Sonny and Cher. They are not even Ike and Tina Turner (boy I hate using Tina's name in the same sentence as the Clintons).

Why would any sane nation return to the White House one who was impeached the last time he held the office? Why return to the Presidency one who lost his license to practice law the last time he was in that position for lying to a federal body? oh. oh. oh. Make no mistake - Big Willy will run the show should the weeping offended feminine willow win.

Although he tried to rehabilitate his image during the Bush years, we know what kind of man Bill is. If only Vince Foster were here to tell Hillary's story in his own words we might be able to determine what an evil person she really is. Do we really want these two at the helm of the most powerful nation on God's earth?

Canadian Military Missions Since WW2

2008-03-12T03:23:00.000-07:00

by Joe Hache and Del Woodley

Canadian Military Missions Since The End Of The Second World War

1947 - South Korea. United Nations Temporary Commission in Korea (UNTCOK). 2 soldiers acted as observer elections. 1947-1948.

1949 - Kashmir. United Nations Military Observer Group in Indian and Pakistan. (UNMOGIP) Up to 39 observers served here until 1979. Canada also supplied an aircraft to headquarters until 1996.

1950 - Korea. United Nations Command Korea. 6,146 troops. By the end of the war in 1953 over 26,000 troops served. From 1953 to 1978 we participated with the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission with a very small number of personnel. After 1978 the military attach in the South Korean embassy assumed this responsibility.

1954 - Middle East. United Nations Truce Supervision Organization. (UNTSO). 11 personnel. One of Canada's longest peacekeeping missions helped enforce the ceasefire between Israel and its new neighbours. This mission continues with 8 personnel. *

1954 - Indochina. International Commission for Supervision and Control (ICSC). 133 military observers in Vietnam to supervise the French withdrawal and monitor border incursions. In 1973 the number of personnel was reduced to 20.

1956 - Sinai. United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF I). 1,007 troops helped stop hostilities after Israel, France and Great Britain attacked Egypt over the Suez Canal. The mission lasted from November 1956 to June 1967.

1958 - Lebanon. United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon. (UNOGIL). 77 Observers to monitor arms smuggling across the Lebanese border. The mission lasted from June to December 1958.

1960 - Congo. Organisation des nation unies au Congo (ONUC). 421 troops helped maintain law and order in this African country from July 1960 until June 1964.

1962 - West New Guinea. United Nations Security Force in West New Guinea (UNSF). 13 RCAF personnel served from October 1962 to April 1963 to help maintain peace in this Indonesian island.

1963 - Yemen. United Nations Yemen Observation Mission. (UNYOM). 36 troops and observers monitored disengagement between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from July 1963 to September 1964.

1964 - Cyprus. United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). 1150 troops. Canada maintained a strong presence in Cyprus until 1993 when troops were withdrawn for other uses. There is currently one staff officer still with the mission. Over 25,000 personnel served in Cyprus during our forty-year mission. *

1965 - Dominican Republic. Mission Of The Representative Of The Secretary-General in the Dominican Republic. (DOMREP). 1 observer served with the mission from May 1965 to October 1966.

1965 - India and Pakistan. United Nations India-Pakistan Observer Mission (UNIPOM) 112 troops served at any given time from September 1965 to March 1966 to monitor a ceasefire.

1968 - Nigeria. Observer Team Nigeria (OTN).2 personnel monitored a ceasefire between the Nigeria government and Biafran rebels.

1973 - Middle East. United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF II). 1,145 troops served from October 1973 to July 1979, again to supervise a ceasefire between Israel and Egypt and control the buffer zone between the countries.

1973 - Vietnam. International Commission for Control and Supervision (ICCS). 248 personnel helped monitor the ceasefire and return of prisoners to Vietnam. Completed in 1974.

1974 - Middle East. United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). 190 personnel just withdrew on March 24, 2006 ending three decades of peacekeeping on the Israel-Syrian border involving 12,000 troops stationed near the Golan Heights. 4 personnel remain for now, that will be reduced to 2 by July. *

1978 - Lebanon. United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. (UNIFIL) 117 troops served between March and October 1978 to assist with Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

1986 - Middle East. Multinational Force and Observers. (MFO) This mission was created after the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt in 1979. Canada began contributing personnel to this non UN mission in 1986, when 1,800 troops were sent. Twenty years later we still have 31 personnel stationed in Egypt. *

1988 - Iran and Iraq. United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group. (UNIIMOG). Up to 525 personnel supervised the disengagement of the two sides from August 1988 to February 1991.

1988 - Afghanistan and Pakistan. United Nations Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan (UNGOMAP). 5 observers monitored the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan from May 1988 to March 1990.

1989 - Central America. United Nations Observer Group in Central America (ONUCA) 174 personnel helped verify compliance with the Esquipulas Agreement signed between Nicaragua and its neighbours to end conflict in the region. Canada participated from November 1989 to January 1992.

1989 - Namibia. United Nations Transition Assistance Group Namibia (UNTAG). 301 personnel served between April 1989 and March 1990.

1990 - Kuwait. (The Persian Gulf War) 2,700 personnel including three ships and a squadron of CF-18s and a medical unit helped a UN force push Iraq out of Kuwait. Through 1991.

1990 - Haiti. United Nations Mission for the Verification of the Elections in Haiti. (ONUVEH). 11 election observers served from November 1990 to February 1991.

1990 - Afghanistan and Pakistan. Office of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan and Pakistan (OSGAP). 1 military observer from March 1990 to 1995

1991 - Iraq. United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM). This organization was created to disarm Iraq, especially weapons of mass destruction in 1991. Over the course of the mission from April 1991 to December 1999, 100 personnel participated. After American air strikes against Iraq in late 1998 a new UN agency was created to hunt for illegal weapons. Two Canadian Forces personnel were posted to the New York headquarters for this mission from 1999 to the spring of 2000 when they were replaced with civilians.

1991 - El Salvador. United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL). Up to 55 personnel investigated human rights complaints and assisted military reforms and elections. The mission lasted from July 1991 to April 1995

1991 - Angola. United Nations Angola Verification Mission II (UNAVEM II). 15 observers monitored a ceasefire from July 1991 to April 1993.

1991 - Cambodia. United Nations Advance Mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC) that became United Nations Transition Authority in Cambodia. (UNTAC) . 7 military observers served from November 1991 to February 1992 with UNAMIC, then another 240 with UNTAC from February 1992 to September 1993. Part of the latter mission was de-mining and disarmament.

1991 - Western Sahara. United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. (MINURSO). A maximum of 35 personnel helped monitor the ceasefire and supervise a referendum from May 1991 to June 1994.

1991 - Kuwait. United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission (UNIKON) 5 observers monitored the demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait from 1991 until September 2001.

1991 - Red Sea/Arabian Gulf/Persian Gulf. Maritime Interdiction Force (MIF). Canada contributed one vessel to this international force frequently from 1991 to September 2001. The purpose is to enforce a United Nations embargo against Iraq.

1992 - Yugoslavia. European Community Monitoring Mission in the Former Yugoslavia (ECMMY). 48 personnel monitored a ceasefire between January 1992 and August 1995 under the auspices of the European Community and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

1992 - Somalia. Canada contributed to three separate United Nations missions in this country from October 1992 and January 1994. United Nations Operation in Somalia I and II (UNOSOM I and UNOSOM II) and the Unified Task Force (UNITAF). Approximately 1,300 personnel participated, most between December 1992 and March 1993. It was during this mission that a few peacekeepers tortured and killed a Somalia youth, leading to a Royal Commission that described a breakdown of discipline, deep problems at Headquarters and a nadir within the Forces.

1992 - Balkans. United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) followed by United Nations Peace Forces Headquarters (UNPF). Close to 2000 personnel served in a variety of missions in the former Yugoslavia from the February 1992 until December 1995. They secured the Sarajevo airport, provided humanitarian relief, and protected demilitarized zones around Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. 13 personnel were also involved in monitoring "no fly zones' over Bosnia-Herzegovina (1993 -1995). From 1993 to 1996 one frigate with 210 personnel were used for the enforcement of maritime sanctions against the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1995 some staff participated in the United Nations Confidence Restoration Organization mission (UNCRO) as well. Several personnel and aircraft were also involved the Sarajevo Airlift from 1992 to 1996. In 1995 NATO replaced the United Nations as the sponsor of this mission.

1992 - Former Yugoslavia. United Nations Committee of Experts (UNCOE) (1992-1994). At any given time, Canada was providing up to seven legal and military police officers to UNCOE in Operation Justice, to report on the evidence of grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and other violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

1993 - Uganda and Rwanda. United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR) followed by United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) 115 personnel from June to October 1993 then December 1993 to February 1996. The missions were to monitor the Rwandan border then assist displaced persons and protect relief supplies following a civil war. A further 247 personnel also provided humanitarian assistance during 1994 but not under mandate from the U.N.

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

1993 - Mozambique. United Nations Operations in Mozambique (ONUMOZ). 4 observers monitored a ceasefire and kept warring sides apart. The Mission lasted from February 1993 and December 1994.

1993 - Haiti. Haiti Embargo Enforcement followed by United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH). 750 personnel, civilian police and one navy vessel enforce the embargo, train police, protect international personnel and maintain security from September 1993 to June 1996. This included a small observer group along the border with the Dominican Republic in 1994.

1993 - Cambodia. Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC). 7 personnel from 1993 to June 2000.

1995 - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. United Nations Preventative Deployment Force in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (UNPREDEP). 1 officer from March 1995 to February 1999 then a further 55 personnel helped set up the NATO Extraction Force headquarters, December 1998 to April 1999.

1995 - Azerbaijan. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) sponsored a peacekeeping mission in the former Soviet area of Nagorny-Karabakh. 3 personnel assisted this mission from 1995 to 1996.

1995 - Former Yugoslavia. NATO Implementation Force (IFOR). This mission replaced the United Nations in the Balkans in December 1995 with 1,029 Canadian troops. In 1996 the mission was renamed SFOR and became a stabilization force. The number of Canadian personnel was gradually reduced after 2001 to 650 members by October 2004. In 1996 we contributed one frigate to enforce an embargo. The United Nations did continue some work in Bosnia-Herzegovina, called United Nations Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina (UNMIBH) (December 1995 February 2000). Canada contributed two Canadian Forces members to de-mining and police training. From August to November 1997, 112 personnel providing tactical air support to enforce the Dayton Peace Accord.

1996 - Zaire. African Great Lakes Multinational Force. 354 personnel to assist in the delivery of humanitarian supplies to Rwandan refugees and facilitate their return to Rwanda. This mission lasted from November to December 1996.

1996 - Haiti. United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH). 750 personnel supported UN peacekeeping and institution building mission from July 1996 to July 1997.

1996 - Croatia. United Nations Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP). 1 officer from February 1996 to September 2001.

1997 - Guatemala. United Nations Mission in Guatemala. (MINUGUA). 15 observers and civilian police went to help enforce a ceasefire. The mission lasted January to May 1997.

1997 - Haiti. There were two missions to this country in the same year. Mission de Police des Nations unies en Haiti. (MIPONUH) contributed vehicles and driver instructors from November 1997 to February 2000. The United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti (UNTMIH) sent 750 personnel to train police and protect UN staff from August to November 1997.

1997 - Italy. Canadian Air Component in MAMDRIM. 14 personnel supported the SFOR mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina by providing weather briefings, intelligence briefings and aircraft maintenance. From February 1997 to February 1998.

1998 - Honduras. Joint Task Force Central America (JTFCAM) 290 personnel performed humanitarian work and the DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) deployed from November to December 1998.

1998 - Kosovo. Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission/Verification Mission. 23 personnel supported the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe with treaty compliance from October 1998 to May 1999

1998 - Central African Republic. Mission des Nations unies en Republique Centrafricaine (MINURCA). 80 personnel maintained security in the capital, Bangui, and then provided support during elections. This mission lasted from March 1998 to December 1999.

1999 - Kosovo. Canada participated in several missions in this region. United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) 1 liaison officer followed by 1,450 personnel with the NATO Force Kosovo (KFOR). Two aircraft were also used in the Humanitarian Airlift in Support of Kosovar Refugees from April to August 1999. A further 4 personnel served with the United Nations Mine Action Co-ordination Centre in Kosovo for six months from June to December 1999. From January to April 1999 there were 8 personnel serving with the Kosovo Verification Coordination Centre in the Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia.

1999 - Turkey. Joint Task Force Serdivan (JTFS). 200 personnel from the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) deployed after an earthquake. The mission lasted from August to October 1999.

1999 - Mozambique. United Nations Development Programme's Accelerated Demining Programme. (ADP). 3 personnel served on this mission from April 1999 to July 2000.

1999 - East Timor. International Force in East Timor (INTERFET). 650 personnel, including a navy vessel and aircraft, were sent to restore stability as the country voted for independence from occupying Indonesia. This mission lasted from September 1999 to February 2000. The remaining few personnel with the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) finished their mission in May 2001.

1999 - Congo. United Nations Mission in the Republic of Congo. 1 officer was initially assigned but there are currently 9 personnel on this assignment to enforce a ceasefire between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and five regional states that was signed in 1999. This is a United Nations sponsored mission, MONUC. *

1999 - Sierre Leone. United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) was created by the United Nations after years of civil war. 5 observers went to this African country in November 1999 to monitor disarmament. The mission was completed in July 2005.

2000 - Sierra Leone. International Military Advisory Training Team (IMATT). 8 personnel initially deployed has increased to 11. The British led mission to restore peace and stability in this war ravaged West African country began in November 2000 and continues. *

2000 - Ethiopia and Eritrea. United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) 450 personnel deployed to verify a ceasefire. The mission lasted from August 2000 to June 2003.

2000 - Albania. The Rinas airport recovery project. Albania's main airport was damaged when it was used for the Kosovar airlift. Together with the Canadian International Development Agency, National Defence helped rebuild runways, parking aprons and taxi-ways. This mission lasted from September 2000 to September 2001.

2001 - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. NATO Operation "Essential Harvest" involved 200 personnel and lasted from August 2001 to September 2002.

2001 - Afghanistan. International Campaign Against Terrorism. 2,000 personnel was reduced to 1,000 in 2002 under this American led international mission to remove the Taliban from government in Afghanistan and support a democratic government. Our troop numbers enlarged again in 2003 when NATO assumed command.

2003 - Afghanistan. NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). 2,250 personnel were stationed in Camp Julien near Kabul. In November 2005 Camp Julien closed, and the troops began redeployment to the Kandahar region in southern Afghanistan. Over 6000 personnel saw duty at Camp Julien. About 85 personnel continue to serve in Kabul, and Bagram. *

2003 - Senegal. Special Representative of the Secretary General in West Africa. 1 colonel on a peace support mission that lasted for one year from March 2003 to March 2004.

2003 - Democratic Republic of Congo. Interim Emergency Multinational Force. Canada contributed two aircraft and about 50 personnel for the month of June to the French led operation.

2003 - Liberia. United Nations Mission in Liberia. (UNMIL). 4 personnel from September to November 2003 to aid in the transition from regional peacekeeping mission to a United Nations sponsored mission.

2003 - Iraq. United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI). One military observer is assigned to this mission lead by the Secretary General Special Representative for Iraq. The mission is continuing. *

2004 - Haiti. United Nations Multinational Interim Force followed by the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti MINUSTAH). 602 personnel. Mission from March to August 2004. Since 2005, 6 personnel continue with the UN mission. *

2004 - Sudan. United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMISUD). The two personnel originally assigned to this mission have been increased to more than 100. About 60 personnel are currently still in theatre with the United Nations and the African Union Mission. They are providing support in headquarters and training in the use of military vehicles in the troubled Darfur region. *

2004 - Bosnia-Herzegovina. In the fall of 2004 a European military force assumed command from NATO. There are about 24 personnel still in the Balkans with the Task Force Balkans and EUFOR Liaison and Observation Teams. Since 1992 more than 40,000 Canadians have served in the Balkans. *

2005 - Sri Lanka. Operation Structure sent the DART to provide disaster relief following the Asian tsunami. January to February 2005.

2005 - Gaza. Eight personnel are providing military advice to the Palestinian Authority. They are based in Jerusalem and the mission is continuing. *

2005 - United States. Operation UNISOM. 900 personnel including navy divers, three vessels and engineers provided relief to the Southern United States after Hurricane Katrina. Completed in one month October 2005.

2005 - Pakistan. Operation Plateau. DART disaster assistance team deployed to the Kashmir region of Pakistan following an earthquake. October to December 2005.

2006 - Afghanistan. In February Canadian troops moved from Kabul to Kandahar to assume command of the Multi National Brigade for Regional Command South. There are 2,300 personnel serving at Kandahar Airfield (KAF) and with the Provincial Reconstruction Team at Camp Nathan Smith located right in Kandahar City. In addition to providing security in the region the mission is to assist the transition from an American led coalition to NATO command. *

* denotes a current mission

Home - www.MothersOfCanadianSoldiers.com

Hillary and Obama: Where Are The Issues?

2008-03-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

by Dane Smith

Recent elections have rarely been as heated as the '08 race for the Democratic nomination between freshman Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton. From the televised bickering of their national debates to the recent jabs over NAFTA, the fight has hung on tiny margins several times throughout their respective campaigns. March 4 was a significant day for the primary candidates because Hillary Clinton managed to, for at least the second time, defy the odds and win the key states of Ohio and Texas, taking the less important Rhode Island to boot.

While Barack Obama still holds the lead in overall delegates, Hillary found out about the election results in Ohio in time to have an evening press conference in time for the news, which enabled her to capitalize on a phenomenon that has generally been directed at her opponent: momentum. In a speech more reminiscent of Obama's previously engaging "message of change" than of her own stump, Clinton played her underdog card better than she ever has before. As far as rhetoric goes, Obama has long held the advantage, relying on his emotional appeal to rally confidence. Yet his tone was somewhat subdued and mathematical at his victory party in San Antonio, as he repeated the facts on how the numbers are on his side, and that his delegate lead will still be hard for Clinton to beat. The tables were turned, albeit briefly, despite Obama's momentous winning streak of 11 states in a row and the national attention that has focused on his campaign as a result.

Americans are increasingly focusing on the issues where the candidates have differing stances, as much of their literature shows their platforms to be about 90% the same, with healthcare and the economy emerging as the most important in recent days. Ohio voters have blamed the North American Free Trade Agreement as being responsible for outsourcing jobs to foreign countries, and its creation by Bill Clinton in the early 90's has proven a complicated feat for Hillary to spin. Stating that she has always thought that NAFTA was fundamentally flawed, Clinton has recently gone on the offensive after one of Obama's staff members allegedly told a Canadian foreign minister that the agreement wouldn't be renegotiated under his administration. Even if the remark was offhand, or not meant to represent Obama's true stance, as he has stated in recent days, neither candidate would likely have much leeway in regard to the agreement because of how generally beneficial it is to America's consistent oil supplies, which would be the biggest bargaining chip in Canada's pile.

Since Canada is required to provide oil to the US whenever there is a perceived danger of deficit, they would be able to use this leverage. Since both candidates are mostly paying lip service to populist sentiment, the real question is: Who will be able to turn this into a nomination? Ohio and Texas have both complicated matters for Obama, who now has a tough campaign in front of him, and the Democratic Party as a whole, which will surely be weakened by a united Republican attack.

Ki works as a real estate agent in Austin. His website covers the Austin real estate market along with providing a graphical search of the Austin MLS and updates on the state of the market on his Austin real estate blog.

Protectionism Isn't Patriotic

2008-03-10T03:37:00.000-07:00

by NotYourDaddy

"It's just a disaster. I'm extremely disappointed. It's just one of the worst things in my whole life. I am just shocked over this." -- Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash.

A free market means you have to be competitive. If you can’t deliver the best value, you lose. And that's exactly as it should be. If we want American technology to be the best in the world, then it has to be able to compete in the world marketplace.
According to Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, the Northrop Grumann plane that beat out the Boeing contender is not only less expensive, but "across the spectrum, all evaluated, the Northrop Grumman airplane was clearly a better performer." The Northrop Grumman plane has more troop capacity, more cargo capacity, more fuel capacity, greater reliability, and "superior air-refueling and airlift capability, enabling it to carry out specified [combat] scenarios with fewer aircraft."

So what should the Pentagon do? Should they waste the taxpayers' money on less efficient, less reliable, and more expensive planes that would require more aircraft to deliver the same quantity of fuel, exposing more personnel and equipment to unnecessary risk, just so they can award the contract to an American company? Or should they do what any rational decision-maker would do in a free market, and select the product that best satisfies the requirements and delivers the highest return on investment?

This isn't a case where we're farming out strategic military technology to a rival foreign power. Building wide body jets isn't rocket science. There are no military secrets involved.

It isn't even a case where we're shipping massive quantities of jobs overseas. The planes are going to be built in Alabama. Last I heard, Alabama is still part of the United States (unless the South seceded again, and nobody noticed). Boeing isn't going to be laying off any employees because of the loss of this contract; they just won't be hiring the 2,000 new employees they would have hired if the contract had come through. However, 1,500 new jobs will be created at a new widebody jet plant to be built in Alabama. (Arguably, it's strategically beneficial to have widebody jet assembly capability in more than one region of the country. Having it all concentrated in one place could be a strategic vulnerability.)

A net loss of 500 potential jobs is unfortunate, but we would stand to lose a lot more by lowering our DoD standards to protect an American company from having to compete in the free market. In a free market, competition drives improvement in goods and services. When you shield a product or company from legitimate competition, or grant them an unearned advantage, the end result is to make them even weaker and less competitive in the future. Any enterprise will reach a stage of stasis and stagnation unless continually motivated by a need to improve. Competition provides that impetus. That's why competition is good. If Boeing were granted this contract, in spite of their inferiority to the competition, it would further insulate them from any incentive to improve.

By coddling American companies, protectionism makes our nation weaker, not stronger. How could that be patriotic?

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.

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

DNA Results Returned for Puppy Killing Marines

2008-03-07T03:26:00.000-08:00

by Nola Lee Kelsey

Subscribe in a Reader

A new human subspecies crawled forth from a Marine Corp tent in Iraq this week. Not one, but two of these hideous specimens were spotted tossing a puppy off a cliff just moments after they’d been seen picking each other’s noses.

Scientist immediately collected DNA samples to determine whether or not these two advanced forms of primordial scum were in anyway genetically similar to a former Atlanta Falcons Quarterback unearthed last year in North America.

According to Evolutionary Geneticist Dr. Kilem Freaks of Gingivitis State University. “It’s rare to discover one hominid subspecies that evolved without a spine, well enough two on two continents.” He went on two add, “The DNA similarities are quite astonishing. In fact we are rerunning the test just to be sure, but it appears Michael Vick may actually be the lost love-child of these two murderous Marines. Oorah!

While a team of scientists continue there in-depth research, Congress Woman Stella Lize-Themall proposed that the nation’s cities abandon their fanatically floundering and failed Breed Specific Legislation (BS Legislation) attempts and move on to a more logical approach to cleansing the mammalian gene pool of defective DNA. Lize-Themall suggested Human Specific Legislation. The four guiding principals of the legislation are as follows.

1) Removal from the Gene Pool - Puppy murderers and dog fighters would be immediately castrated or sterilized with the exact same amount of anesthetic they gave the dogs before abusing them. Any living children of these offenders would also be immediately spayed/neutered to appease BS supporters who feel genes determine everything.

2) No Cost to the Public – Bills to recoup financial costs for the sterilization and incarceration of this spineless hominid subspecies will be sent to whatever pro ball team or armed forces branch they belong to. If they are not a member of any such organization, I’ll happily pay the bill!

3) Reuse and Recycle - The supply of extremely tiny little balls resulting from the castrations will be sent to HuMenue Foods and ground into prison cafeteria food.

4) Decreasing the Trade Deficit - There will be a mandatory 40 year incarceration after castration. Then these ball-less, spineless creatures will be embedded in clear plastic and sold as displays to casinos in Beijing.

Meantime, an anonymous source reports that the city of Denver Colorado has offered both Marines a spot on the town council in the event they are bitch-slapped out of the service, as they should be. One of the Marines involved is reported to have responded to the offer by saying, “Denver? Isn’t that there one of them fancy Omelet things? I used to light chickens on fire back on the farm.”

Zoologist/Satirist Nola Lee Kelsey is the author of numerous humor articles. Her books include, B*tch Unleashed (Revised): The Harsh Realities of Goin’ Country, the political satire Keeping the Masses Down and others. Read more of Nola’s work on her rarely up to date website: http://www.nolakelsey.com.

Subscribe in a Reader

Published by http://www.indocquent.com, an online resource where you can advertise your business, products or services.

Huge Hunger For Energy In India

2008-03-05T03:49:00.000-08:00

by Jason A Witt

Subscribe in a Reader

When you receive the Seal you will see climate change as the sign of the coming End of the world. You will be interested in the fast-growing hunger India has for energy and the pollution that goes with it.

The government of India says it expects that in the next 25 years the energy needs of India will quadruple. It is a country with currently (in March 2008) over a billion people, and energy demand is going to outstrip population growth.

Half of the people in India do not have electricity. And the per capita pollution coming from India is much less than that of industrialized nations. So India has not agreed to any international plans to cut emissions.

India has vowed that its emissions will never be above the current level of emissions in the developed world. That is the effort it is taking. The promise it swears by. But it is not nearly enough to stave off global warming.

India puts less than 5 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions of the world into the air. Nevertheless, India is the fourth-biggest polluter in the world as far as air pollution is measured. And that pollution is only going to increase.

Transportation in India is set to grow emissions the fastest. Then India is going to be importing a lot more coal--perhaps even seven times as much as it is importing now. And construction in India uses a lot of energy too.

The United States and China are the two biggest polluters in the world with greenhouse gases. Then comes Russia at third. India takes the place of the fourth-biggest polluter even though per capita levels are low.

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are blamed for trapping in the heat of the sun but not letting it escape. That is causing the world to warm slowly but steadily. And with the warming comes many disasters.

Floods and droughts have already increased to more than ever before recorded by people. There are also more wildfires and windstorms are more severe when they happen.

Scientists are not the only ones predicting the End of the world is coming with global warming. Jesus also predicted the End, and His Prediction is similar to what scientists say is happening now.

Jesus taught the parable of the fig tree: when the fig tree starts to blossom, you know that summer is near. That "summer" is the End of the world as Jesus described it. And that is what is happening today.

Spring, fall, and winter are becoming more like summer each year. There will be mass extinctions and the rise of invasive species, including diseases. Humans will finally become extinct too.

When you are sealed you will return to God. God is your only hope with the warming of the world bringing inevitable disaster. There is no way to curb greenhouse gases with countries like China and India growing so quickly.

But you will not need to curb greenhouse gases. You will not need to save your life in this world. Jesus said if you give up your life in this world you will gain instead eternal Life in Heaven.

When you are sealed you will give up your life in this world. You will trust in God for an eternal home in Heaven instead of having any future here on earth when you receive the Seal.

And now Jason would like to invite you to get your FREE report Are You Making These Mistakes as a Christian? and "Get God's 'Seal of Approval' and Show You Belong To Him"
Jason Witt

Published by http://www.indocquent.com, an online resource where you can advertise your business, products or services.

Australia An Emissions Machine

2008-03-04T05:06:00.001-08:00

by Jason Witt

Subscribe in a Reader

When you receive the Seal you will see global warming as the sign of the coming End-times. You will note how Australia is now projecting a 20 percent growth in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020.

The new government in Australia is quite concerned about climate change. And it well should be. Australia is a hot and dry country, and is forecast to be one of the most severely affected by rising temperatures.

Australia is making a little progress. The projections under the previous government were that greenhouse gas emissions would rise 27 percent. So the projection is decreasing, but of course not by nearly enough.

Like much of the world, Australia relies heavily on coal-fired power plants for its electricity. That means emissions will be rising. They hope the emissions trading system going into effect in 2010 will help ease some of the pollution.

Just the 3 countries of The United States, China, and India plan 850 new coal-fired power plants in the coming years. Coal is cheap and plentiful and alternative and renewable energy is still expensive and impractical on a wide scale.

But coal burning produces a lot of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. These gases trap in the heat of the sun but do not let it escape, much like a greenhouse. So temperatures around the world have risen along with emissions.

Greenhouse gas emissions have risen 3 percent each year since 1900. And even with the cap-and-trade systems the US presidential hopefuls all support at this time, emissions are due to keep growing.

The cap-and-trade systems will give businesses an incentive to build power plants with renewable or at least cleaner-burning energy sources. But none of the international agreements so far have included developing countries.

The United States may begin to make changes. But China and India are not considered capable of making the changes they need to stop polluting so much. And that means emissions will continue to grow.

Natural disasters are on the rise along with world temperatures. There are more floods and droughts now, more wildfires and more severe windstorms. There are projected famines and water shortages coming soon to many parts of the world.

And sea levels have been rising too. It may take a few hundred years for sea levels to rise significantly. But that is a relatively short time considering how dramatic the rise will be--26 feet or more!

Jesus also predicted what is happening now, and He called it the sign of the End of the world. He taught the parable of the fig tree: when the fig tree starts to blossom, you know that summer is near.

The "summer" Jesus spoke of is how He described the End of the world. And now the other seasons are becoming more like summer each year. The fig tree is blossoming. Summer is coming.

You may want to fight global warming by conserving energy and changing your lifestyle. That is not bad. But you need to give up your life in this world in order to live forever in Heaven with God.

When you are sealed you will prepare yourself for the coming End-times. You will prepare yourself for the Return of Jesus, and He will return within you. You do not need to look around in the world. You will look within yourself when you receive the Seal.

And now Jason would like to invite you to get your FREE report Are You Making These Mistakes as a Christian? and "Get God's 'Seal of Approval' and Get the Victory Over Evil"
Jason Witt

Published by http://www.indocquent.com/, an online resource where you can advertise your business, products or services.

China Finds Others Guilty Of Global Warming

2008-03-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

by Jason Witt

Subscribe in a Reader

When you receive the Seal you will see global warming as the sign of the end-times. You will be interested to see a new complication in the greening of the world--China is demanding further exemption from making any cuts in emissions.

China is claiming developing countries have the responsibility to do "much more" than China to stop global warming because they have a "historical responsibility," being the countries that caused the warming happening so far.

China called the developed countries "culprits" in bringing about climate change in the first place. This ambassador is the head of the Chinese presence in the United Nations General Assembly debate on climate change.

Bali is just a few months in the past and the makeshift meeting solicited by president Bush followed that. Now the UN is already talking again about what countries are willing or able to do to stop global warming.

The United States and China are the two biggest polluters in the world. Some say in recent years China has started to pollute even more than the US. The Bush administration was not willing to cut emissions when China and India were not required to do so.

Yu Qingtai, the Chinese ambassador, said China was a "victim" of the global warming caused by developed nations and that it is "not logical" to ask China to cut emissions as much as a developed country.

Though China is now polluting as much as the US, Qingtai cites the population difference. China has four times as many people as the US. He claims Americans are claiming an "emission entitlement right" with fewer people but as much pollution.

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are polluting the world in ever-increasing amounts, blamed for warming the world like a greenhouse traps in the heat of the sun but does not let it escape.

Many scientists all over the world agree in a consensus on global warming. And they are not alone. Jesus Christ predicted the end of the world too and His Prediction is frighteningly like what has begun to happen now.

Jesus taught the simple parable of the fig tree: when the fig tree starts to blossom, you know that summer is near. That "summer" is how Jesus described the end of the world.

And that "summer" is what scientists agree the end of the world is coming as. Spring, fall, and winter are getting more and more like summer every year. Scientists say there will be mass extinctions of species.

Those extinctions will culminate with the end of human life on earth. Humans can not survive on an uninhabitable planet either. They will not be able to grow food when plant species start to go extinct.

And natural disasters are on the rise. As the delicate balance of the ecosystem of the earth is tipped, there are more floods and droughts, more windstorms and wildfires. And those natural disasters are more severe when they happen.

When you are sealed you will start to focus on your eternal home in Heaven. You will have no more hope for your life here on earth. You will have no posterity, no legacy to leave to anyone anymore.

When you are sealed you will be ready to give up your life in this world. You will hope only in Heaven when you can live with God for eternity when you receive the Seal.

And now Jason would like to invite you to get your FREE report Are You Making These Mistakes as a Christian? and "Get God's 'Seal of Approval' and Get the Victory Over Evil"
Jason Witt

Published by http://www.indocquent.com, an online resource where you can advertise your business, products or services.

Ralph Nader and Nader's Raiders Strike Again

2008-02-29T06:57:00.000-08:00

by Burk Pendergrass

Subscribe in a Reader

The republican party got an early Easter Basket Sunday, 24 February, 2008 when Ralph Nader announced on NBC's Meet the Press with Tim Russert (the same forum where he announced his 2004 presidential run) that he was tossing his hat into the ring for the Office of The President of The United States of America.

In 1992 a third-party candidate, H. Ross Perot, claimed a large share of the American vote, nearly Twenty (20) percent , playing a role the Republican base will never forget.

The day following Nader's announcement, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is apparently contemplating his own independent presidential bid, defended Ralph Nader's right to seek the Nation's Highest Office.

So while Nader may be the nemises of the democratic party, it may be that the republicans have a spoiler of their own on their hands. If so, like H. Ross Perot, he has enought money of his own to make the country take him seriously - at least for a time.

Nader is a member of the Green Party. He came to prominence in the 1960s as a consumer advocate. His most significant program to the mind of a car lover, like the Tennessee Mountain Man, was spearheading the demise of what he dubbed the coffin on wheels - the Chevy Corvair. Computer Man saw one of Nader's rolling coffins in mint condition traveling on Rossville Blouvard in Chattanooga, Tennessee just a week or so preceding Nader's announcement, and wondered if "the spoiler" would show again.

Given Nader's ego and his apparent thirst for power, he could have done no less. Having run unsuccessfully in 2000 and 2004, the 2008 bid will be Nader's third run for the office. Will the third time be the charm? Surely not.

Although Nader attracted just 2.7 percent of the vote nationwide, the democrats have not forgotten, nor forgiven, Ralp Nader for what they believe cost Al Gore the 2000 election. In 2004 he garnered only 0.3 percent of the vote, and yet he once again finds himself vilified in the Blogosphere as being in bed with The Grand Old Party.

Obama, who briefly organized with a Nader influenced group as a young man, taking the high road, said, "Ralph Nader deserves enormous credit for the work he did as a consumer advocate, but his function as a perennial candidate is not putting food on the table of workers." Obama did opine, that Ralph Nader in recent years tended to assume that candidates are fatally flawed if they fail to recognize the wisdom of his views.

Hillary, talking with reporters onboard her campaign plane said of Nader's run “Obviously it’s not helpful to whomever our Democratic nominee is, but it’s a free country" . In reference to the AL Gore - George Bush race of 20000, she suggested that Ralph Nader's Green Party candidacy cost the nation the "greenest president'' it could have had. She believes Nader's new candidacy for the White House, at best, poses an unwelcome distraction.

Nader has run as both a Green Party candidate and an independent in past elections. He has not yet declared how he will run in the upcoming general election. Whatever his decision, he will be a power with which the Democratic Party Nominee will have to contend.

Not suprisingly, the Republicans were not so dismissive. On the other hand, Ward Harkavy, in the Village Voice Blog, dubbed Nader, "America's Suicide Bomber" while The Age saw him as the "Democrats bogeyman", and The Nation Blog apparently believes America still needs Ralph Nader to be Public Citizen Number One pursuing matters as a consumer advocate and not a presidential candidate.

Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee couldn't resist a little fun at Nader's expense and joked on CNN that Republicans would welcome Nader's entry into the race and hope that maybe a few more will join in. Huckabee said in a television interview that a Ralph Nader candidacy was a suicide mission and would more likely pull votes away from Democrats than Republicans, and he welcomed the longtime consumer advocate into the fray.

Ron Paul's camp believes there is unhappiness among the electorate, and that he (Paul) best captures that anger, and that Ralph Nader is not the proper vehicle for the expression of America's year of discontent. Nader, they feel, was a spoiler in 2000 and will long be remembered as being responsible for the election of George W. Bush, and that just as when he ran again in 2004 there will be few who care in the final analysis.

John McCain being the odds on favorite to benefit the most from the Nader candidancy has appropriately remained mum on the subject.

Burk Pendergrass, J.D., a Cherokee Indian and Viet Nam Vet specializing in computerman website design and remote online computer repair

Published by http://www.indocquent.com, an online resource where you can advertise your business, products or services.

Political Topics

IRS Scrutinizes World's Largest Internet Evangelist - Bill Keller Says Supreme Court if Necessary

Do You Know About Business Culture in Shanghai?

Can Democrats run the country

Pittsburgh Newspapers

We Need Cheap Gas Not Cheap Talk

The World's Biggest Pollution Factory

The World's Biggest Pollution Factory

Volatility Rocks The Investment Markets

The Pentagon's Battle Plan Is To Go Green

Hereward Legendary Hero

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise?

Golden Jubilees

Golden Jubilees

Pros and Cons: Wesley Clark as Obamas Running Mate

Help The Small Farmer

First Defeat Of The Axis Powers On Land

The Mongolia's History

The Future of The United States Military  The Robot Army

History of Uzbekistan

227th Assault Helicopter Battalion's Great Helicopter Race During The Vietnam War

A Campaign Of Government Change Should Include Compstat

Questions of Political Correctness

A Congestion Tax Will Not Save The Planet

Disaster in the Soviet Union The Chernobyl Nuclear Meltdown

Protect Our Oil Supply

Protect Our Oil Supply

Protect Our Oil Supply

Longmont Colorado

Giving Directly To The Poor

The Twin Menaces of Inflation

Do You Know About North Korea?

Current Issues with the Global Economy

The Frightening Political Direction In Indonesia

Longmont Colorado

They Need To Share Your Food

The Last King Of Spain?

Illegal Immigration: A Supply Side Solution

What George Lacks In Intellect He Makes Up For In Stupidity

Arab

U.S. News & World Report Magazine

Barack Sure Knows How To Say It

What Is A Guardian Angel?

Circling the Drain

Haifa- We Bet This Makes You Sing Sol-Fa

Alan Keyes Presidential Bid

African American Guilt by Assimilation

Bear Stearns and the New Federal Reserve

It's Not About Race, Rev. Wright

Haifa- We Bet This Makes You Sing Sol-Fa

Why the Fed is Having Less Influence over Mortgage Interest Rates

Nuclear Terrorism -- Coming Soon

Was Robin Hood A Yorkshireman?

A Not-So-Perfect Union

Breached Security

Can We Rely Drunk Driving Breath Tests?

Bear Stearns and the Free Market

Endangered Polar Bear - The Battle To Protect The Arctic Goes On

How to Conduct a Public Records Search

The Inconsistency Of Views Towards Animal Rights

No Brokered Convention For The 2008 Presidential Election

Eliot Spitzer Joins The Club Of Self-Destruction

The Blackpool Tower

The Question Is, Margaret, How Deep Is The Recession

Because She Is A Monster

Canadian Military Missions Since WW2

Hillary and Obama: Where Are The Issues?

Protectionism Isn't Patriotic

DNA Results Returned for Puppy Killing Marines

Huge Hunger For Energy In India

Australia An Emissions Machine

China Finds Others Guilty Of Global Warming

Ralph Nader and Nader's Raiders Strike Again

Pros and Cons: Wesley Clark as Obamas Running Mate

The Future of The United States Military The Robot Army