tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8571965983272067312011-09-11T01:52:54.694-04:00SBnoreply@blogger.comBlogger421100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-74866749721799852852011-09-11T01:33:00.002-04:002011-09-11T01:43:46.748-04:00<p class="MsoNormal">Ten years ago tonight, I was in pain.<span> </span>A silly injury to my toe had me laid up.<span> </span>Ten years ago tonight, a new NFL season had just started and I was watching the Giants and the Broncos play the first Monday night game of the year.<span> </span>Ten years ago tonight, I’d just quit my job to begin work at my new business.<span> </span>Ten years ago tonight, life was normal.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years ago tonight, Usama bin Laden was alive.<span> </span>Ten years ago tonight, the American public had never heard of Mohammed Atta.<span> </span>Ten years ago tonight, average Americans were getting kids ready for the beginning days of a new school year and preparing for their work day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years ago tonight, two thousand nine hundred and seventy seven innocent people had no idea that they were experiencing their last moments on earth.<span> </span>Ten years ago tonight, firefighters, police men and women and paramedics were with their families laughing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years ago tomorrow, the world was irrevocably changed in the matter of moments.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years later, I am in pain.<span> </span>The pain of the attack on our country penetrated my soul and I will never be the same.<span> </span><span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years later, there is football again.<span> </span>But there are also metal detectors and bomb sniffing dogs to greet us as we enter the stadiums.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years later, Usama bin Laden is dead but the terror threat is still at hand. Ten years later, average Americans are getting ready to remember and honor two thousand nine hundred and seventy-seven brave souls who simply were just going on about their day on that beautiful Tuesday morning.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years later, those two thousand nine hundred and seventy seven are only the first victims of that day.<span> </span>There are countless families that have been destroyed in the aftermath of the attack.<span> </span>Not only the families of the victims but families of the first responders, the volunteers and even families not even directly related to the attacks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years later, people are changed.<span> </span>Some for the better and some for the worse.<span> </span>Ten years later, there are still more American flags displayed than there were before the attacks.<span> </span>Ten years later, firefighters, the police and EMTs are still treated as rock stars even though they have always been heroes.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ten years later, my four and six year daughters will never know a world without a war on terror.<span> </span>They will never have a September <span> </span>11 where they don’t watch their mother cry like I did that day.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Our world changed forever that beautiful Tuesday morning and I for one, will never forget.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-7486674972179985285?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-78426581185661249042011-05-02T18:05:00.005-04:002011-05-02T21:05:28.295-04:00<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I am a bad blogger.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have let other things get in the way of my writing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Today is the six-month mark from the mid-term elections so my intention was to return to the blog and write about the progress that has been made (or not made) since that day. But once again, other things have gotten in the way.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Usama bin Laden is dead.</span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">Last night I was getting ready to catch up on some TV while playing on Facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not different than any other night until about 10:10pm when a seemingly normal post from a local meteorologist informed me that President Obama was to address the nation at 10:30.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I immediately reposted the information to my circle of friends and we began to speculate about what was about to be dropped into our laps.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Our first reaction was to think of either Libya or Syria but then upon hearing about the National Security staffs being scrambled to their offices at such a late hour we then wondered about North Korea or the possibility of an imminent attack here at home.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>About 10 minutes into the discussion (and BEFORE it was mentioned by Geraldo Rivera) we asked, “what if it’s bin Laden?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">Just a few minutes later we listened with the rest of the world as the news began break that Usama bin Laden had been killed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The news was sketchy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>First it was that bin Laden was killed a week ago and we had been waiting for DNA testing to make the announcement.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That didn’t seem quite plausible as no one seemed to believe that a secret of this magnitude could be kept for that long.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More and more information surfaced and the President finally emerged to deliver the news to the nation that he had ordered the strike on a Pakistan compound that had indeed killed the world’s most wanted man</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">Within minutes of the initial news, conspiracy theorists started spinning their layers of ‘facts’.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bin Laden was actually killed a week ago.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No he was killed in 2002.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He died of natural causes and President Obama was using his death to ensure his re-election.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whoa!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Back off for a minute everyone and let the American people revel in ONE MOMENT of celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">On September 11, 2001 bin Laden was responsible for the deaths of 2,819 people.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Before that he was responsible for the deaths of the seventeen sailors aboard the USS Cole.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He had been tied to the US Embassy bombings, the first World Trade Center bombing and had openly declared war on the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is a man that every red-blooded American man, woman and child should be happy to see removed from existence. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">I patiently waited through the initial reports of bin Laden’s death and slowly the coverage on the news channels began to show the spontaneous celebrations erupting outside the White House, at Ground Zero and at Times Square.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was there, in the gathering in Times Square, that I received my moment of celebration - a lone New York City Fire Department truck, lights flashing, with several firemen atop being congratulated from all sides from the growing crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VV5JLNNKRPs/Tb8ry5b_0WI/AAAAAAAAAGk/0FgIQZb7WWc/s320/nyfd-bin-laden-dead.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602244614883889506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 147px; " /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Photo Copyright: </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><em style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Michael Appleton for The New York Times</span></em></span></span></div><p></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span">So having received my wanted moment of celebration, I began to process the night’s events.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We got him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I don’t care when or how really (although I must say it makes me extremely happy that it was hand to hand combat at the hands of a Navy SEAL team) I just care that he is no longer alive and walking the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am happy that this news will bring peace to some (although not all) of the people who were most affected by his murderous actions.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As a survivor of a violent attack who then learned of her attacker’s death, I understand the feeling of peace and relief that can come with the news.</span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">In the aftermath of this celebration, we are left with the question, WHAT NOW?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We are most likely in markedly more danger now than we were 24 hours ago.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There will undoubtedly be attacks (whether organized or rogue) in retaliation for our role in their perceived leader’s demise.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bin Laden was not the true head of al Qaeda any longer and hadn’t been for a long time but we will receive blowback from his death.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Did we win the war on terror?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No, but we certainly proved to the world that no matter how long it takes, when you strike us we WILL come after you and we will take you out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">I applaud President Obama for continuing the work that President Bush started on a long ago September morning atop the rubble of the World Trade Center with a bullhorn.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I wish that President Obama had thanked his predecessor in his remarks last night because without the heroism and Texas-sized bravado of President Bush, we would not being watching last night’s events unfold.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The countless numbers of military forces who have served our country in three wars since September 11, 2001 should be thanked forever for their sacrifices and loss.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The families of our fallen Marines, soldiers, airmen, sailors and Special Forces should be forever in our prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The first responders who continue to run into buildings should be thanked every time that you run into them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">Above all, be realistic.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Usama bin Laden’s death does not make us any safer than we were yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There are still fundamental changes, changes that were started the night of the mid-term elections, that need to be made or else our country’s survival will continue to be at risk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do not let the excitement and exuberance over the death of a terrorist cloud your focus.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have faith in the American spirit and in the American people.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When you take away our freedoms and try to take away our fight, we come out swinging.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We will finish the job no matter how long it takes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>President Obama just proved that.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I just hope he remembers that it’s just the American Way when the people come for his job in the next election.</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-7842658118566124904?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-11024635974771957912010-09-11T23:28:00.001-04:002010-09-11T23:33:15.304-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><strong>List of World Trade Center Victims (not including plane crews or passengers)</strong></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Gordon M. Aamoth, Jr.<br />Edelmiro Abad<br />Maria Rose Abad<br />Andrew Anthony Abate<br />Vincent Abate<br />Laurence Christopher Abel<br />William F. Abrahamson<br />Richard Anthony Aceto<br />Jesus Acevedo Rescand<br />Heinrich Bernhard Ackermann<br />Paul Acquaviva<br />Donald LaRoy Adams<br />Patrick Adams<br />Shannon Lewis Adams<br />Stephen George Adams<br />Ignatius Udo Adanga<br />Christy A. Addamo<br />Terence E. Adderley, Jr.<br />Sophia Buruwad Addo<br />Lee Allan Adler<br />Daniel Thomas Afflitto<br />Emmanuel Akwasi Afuakwah<br />Alok Agarwal<br />Mukul Kumar Agarwala<br />Joseph Agnello<br />David Scott Agnes<br />Brian G. Ahearn<br />Jeremiah Joseph Ahern<br />Joanne Marie Ahladiotis<br />Shabbir Ahmed<br />Terrance Andre Aiken<br />Godwin Ajala<br />Gertrude M. Alagero<br />Andrew Alameno<br />Margaret Ann Alario<br />Gary M. Albero<br />Jon Leslie Albert<br />Peter Alderman<br />Jacquelyn Delaine Aldridge<br />David D. Alger<br />Sarah Ali-Escarcega<br />Ernest Alikakos<br />Edward L. Allegretto<br />Eric Allen<br />Joseph Ryan Allen<br />Richard Dennis Allen<br />Richard Lanard Allen<br />Christopher E. Allingham<br />Janet M. Alonso<br />Arturo Alva-Moreno<br />Anthony Alvarado<br />Antonio Javier Alvarez<br />Victoria Alvarez-Brito<br />Telmo E. Alvear<br />Cesar Amoranto Alviar<br />Tariq Amanullah<br />Angelo Amaranto<br />James M. Amato Joseph Amatuccio<br />Christopher Charles Amoroso<br />Kazuhiro Anai<br />Calixto Anaya, Jr.<br />Joseph Anchundia<br />Kermit Charles Anderson<br />Yvette Constance Anderson<br />John Andreacchio<br />Michael Rourke Andrews<br />Jean Ann Andrucki<br />Siew-Nya Ang<br />Joseph Angelini, Jr.<br />Joseph Angelini, Sr.<br />Laura Angilletta<br />Doreen J. Angrisani<br />Lorraine Antigua<br />Peter Paul Apollo<br />Faustino Apostol, Jr.<br />Frank Thomas Aquilino<br />Patrick Michael Aranyos<br />David Arce<br />Michael George Arczynski<br />Louis Arena<br />Adam P. Arias<br />Michael Armstrong<br />Jack Charles Aron<br />Joshua Aron<br />Richard Avery Aronow<br />Japhet Jesse Aryee<br />Patrick Asante<br />Carl Asaro<br />Michael Asciak<br />Michael Edward Asher<br />Janice Marie Ashley<br />Thomas J. Ashton<br />Manuel O. Asitimbay<br />Gregg Arthur Atlas<br />Gerald T. Atwood<br />James Audiffred<br />Louis Frank Aversano, Jr.<br />Ezra Aviles<br />Sandy Ayala<br />Arlene T. Babakitis<br />Eustace P. Bacchus<br />John J. Badagliacca<br />Jane Ellen Baeszler<br />Robert J. Baierwalter<br />Andrew J. Bailey<br />Brett T. Bailey<br />Tatyana Bakalinskaya<br />Michael S. Baksh<br />Sharon M. Balkcom<br />Michael Andrew Bane<br />Katherine Bantis<br />Gerard Baptiste<br />Walter Baran<br />Gerard A. Barbara<br />Paul Vincent Barbaro<br />James William Barbella<br />Ivan Kyrillos F. Barbosa<br />Victor Daniel Barbosa<br />Colleen Ann Barkow<br />David Michael Barkway<br />Matthew Barnes<br />Sheila Patricia Barnes<br />Evan J. Baron<br />Renee Barrett-Arjune<br />Nathaly Barrios La Cruz<br />Arthur Thaddeus Barry<br />Diane G. Barry<br />Maurice Vincent Barry<br />Scott D. Bart<br />Carlton W. Bartels<br />Guy Barzvi<br />Inna B. Basina<br />Alysia Basmajian<br />Kenneth William Basnicki<br />Steven Bates<br />Paul James Battaglia<br />Walter David Bauer, Jr.<br />Marlyn Capito Bautista<br />Jasper Baxter<br />Michele Beale<br />Paul Frederick Beatini<br />Jane S. Beatty<br />Lawrence Ira Beck<br />Manette Marie Beckles<br />Carl John Bedigian<br />Michael Earnest Beekman<br />Maria A. Behr<br />Yelena Belilovsky<br />Nina Patrice Bell<br />Debbie Bellows<br />Stephen Elliot Belson<br />Paul M. Benedetti<br />Denise Lenore Benedetto<br />Maria Bengochea<br />Bryan Craig Bennett<br />Eric L. Bennett<br />Oliver Duncan Bennett<br />Margaret L. Benson<br />Dominick J. Berardi<br />James Patrick Berger<br />Steven Howard Berger<br />John P. Bergin<br />Alvin Bergsohn<br />Daniel Bergstein<br />Michael J. Berkeley<br />Donna M. Bernaerts<br />David W. Bernard<br />William Bernstein<br />David M. Berray<br />David S. Berry<br />Joseph J. Berry<br />William Reed Bethke<br />Timothy Betterly<br />Edward Frank Beyea<br />Paul Beyer<br />Anil Tahilram Bharvaney<br />Bella J. Bhukhan<br />Shimmy D. Biegeleisen<br />Peter Alexander Bielfeld<br />William G. Biggart<br />Brian Bilcher<br />Carl Vincent Bini<br />Gary Eugene Bird<br />Joshua David Birnbaum<br />George John Bishop<br />Jeffrey Donald Bittner<br />Albert Balewa Blackman, Jr.<br />Christopher Joseph Blackwell<br />Susan Leigh Blair<br />Harry Blanding, Jr.<br />Janice Lee Blaney<br />Craig Michael Blass<br />Rita Blau<br />Richard Middleton Blood, Jr.<br />Michael Andrew Boccardi<br />John P. Bocchi<br />Michael Leopoldo Bocchino<br />Susan M. Bochino<br />Bruce D. Boehm<br />Mary Catherine Boffa<br />Nicholas Andrew Bogdan<br />Darren Christopher Bohan<br />Lawrence Francis Boisseau<br />Vincent M. Boland, Jr.<br />Alan Bondarenko<br />Andre Bonheur, Jr.<br />Colin Arthur Bonnett<br />Frank Bonomo<br />Yvonne Lucia Bonomo<br />Genieve Bonsignore, 3<br />Seaon Booker<br />Sherry Ann Bordeaux<br />Krystine Bordenabe<br />Martin Boryczewski<br />Richard Edward Bosco<br />John H. Boulton<br />Francisco Eligio Bourdier<br />Thomas Harold Bowden, Jr.<br />Kimberly S. Bowers<br />Veronique Nicole Bowers<br />Larry Bowman<br />Shawn Edward Bowman, Jr.<br />Kevin L. Bowser<br />Gary R. Box<br />Gennady Boyarsky<br />Pamela Boyce<br />Michael Boyle<br />Alfred Braca<br />Kevin Bracken<br />David Brian Brady<br />Alexander Braginsky<br />Nicholas W. Brandemarti<br />Michelle Renee Bratton<br />Patrice Braut<br />Lydia E. Bravo<br />Ronald Michael Breitweiser<br />Edward A. Brennan III<br />Francis Henry Brennan<br />Michael E. Brennan<br />Peter Brennan<br />Thomas M. Brennan<br />Daniel J. Brethel<br />Gary Lee Bright<br />Jonathan Briley<br />Mark A. Brisman<br />Paul Gary Bristow<br />Mark Francis Broderick<br />Herman Charles Broghammer<br />Keith A. Broomfield<br />Ethel Brown Janice<br />Juloise Brown<br />Lloyd Stanford Brown<br />Patrick J. Brown<br />Bettina Browne<br />Mark Bruce<br />Richard George Bruehert<br />Andrew Brunn<br />Vincent Brunton<br />Ronald Paul Bucca<br />Brandon J. Buchanan<br />Gregory Joseph Buck<br />Dennis Buckley<br />Nancy Clare Bueche<br />Patrick Joseph Buhse<br />John Edwards Bulaga, Jr.<br />Stephen Bunin<br />Matthew J. Burke<br />Thomas Daniel Burke<br />William Francis Burke, Jr.<br />Donald J. Burns<br />Kathleen Anne Burns<br />Keith James Burns<br />John Patrick Burnside<br />Irina Buslo<br />Milton G. Bustillo<br />Thomas M. Butler<br />Patrick Byrne<br />Timothy G. Byrne<br />Jesus Neptali Cabezas<br />Lillian Caceres<br />Brian Joseph Cachia<br />Steven Dennis Cafiero, Jr.<br />Richard M. Caggiano<br />Cecile Marella Caguicla<br />Michael John Cahill<br />Scott Walter Cahill<br />Thomas Joseph Cahill<br />George Cain<br />Salvatore B. Calabro<br />Joseph Calandrillo<br />Philip V. Calcagno<br />Edward Calderon<br />Kenneth Marcus Caldwell<br />Dominick Enrico Calia<br />Felix Calixte<br />Frank Callahan<br />Liam Callahan<br />Luigi Calvi<br />Roko Camaj<br />Michael F. Cammarata<br />David Otey Campbell<br />Geoffrey Thomas Campbell<br />Jill Marie Campbell<br />Robert Arthur Campbell<br />Sandra Patricia Campbell<br />Sean Thomas Canavan<br />John A. Candela<br />Vincent Cangelosi<br />Stephen J. Cangialosi<br />Lisa Bella Cannava<br />Brian Cannizzaro<br />Michael Canty<br />Louis Anthony Caporicci<br />Jonathan Neff Cappello<br />James Christopher Cappers<br />Richard Michael Caproni<br />Jose Manuel Cardona<br />Dennis M. Carey<br />Steve Carey<br />Edward Carlino<br />Michael Scott Carlo<br />David G. Carlone<br />Rosemarie C. Carlson<br />Mark Stephen Carney<br />Joyce Ann Carpeneto<br />Ivhan Luis Carpio Bautista<br />Jeremy M. Carrington<br />Michael Carroll<br />Peter Carroll<br />James Joseph Carson, Jr.<br />Marcia Cecil Carter<br />James Marcel Cartier<br />Vivian Casalduc<br />John Francis Casazza<br />Paul R. Cascio<br />Margarito Casillas<br />Thomas Anthony Casoria<br />William Otto Caspar<br />Alejandro Castano<br />Arcelia Castillo<br />Germaan Castillo Garcia<br />Leonard M. Castrianno<br />Jose Ramon Castro<br />Richard G. Catarelli<br />Christopher Sean Caton<br />Robert John Caufield<br />Mary Teresa Caulfield<br />Judson Cavalier<br />Michael Joseph Cawley<br />Jason David Cayne<br />Juan Armando Ceballos<br />Jason Michael Cefalu<br />Thomas Joseph Celic<br />Ana Mercedes Centeno<br />Joni Cesta<br />Jeffrey Marc Chairnoff<br />Swarna Chalasani<br />William Chalcoff<br />Eli Chalouh<br />Charles Lawrence Chan<br />Mandy Chang<br />Mark Lawrence Charette<br />Gregorio Manuel Chavez<br />Delrose E. Cheatham<br />Pedro Francisco Checo<br />Douglas MacMillan Cherry<br />Stephen Patrick Cherry<br />Vernon Paul Cherry<br />Nester Julio Chevalier<br />Swede Chevalier<br />Alexander H. Chiang<br />Dorothy J. Chiarchiaro<br />Luis Alfonso Chimbo<br />Robert Chin<br />Wing Wai Ching<br />Nicholas Paul Chiofalo<br />John Chipura<br />Peter A. Chirchirillo<br />Catherine Chirls<br />Kyung Hee Cho<br />Abul K. Chowdhury<br />Mohammad Salahuddin Chowdhury<br />Kirsten L. Christophe<br />Pamela Chu<br />Steven Chucknick<br />Wai Chung<br />Christopher Ciafardini<br />Alex F. Ciccone<br />Frances Ann Cilente<br />Elaine Cillo<br />Edna Cintron<br />Nestor Andre Cintron III<br />Robert Dominick Cirri<br />Juan Pablo Cisneros-Alvarez<br />Benjamin Keefe Clark<br />Eugene Clark<br />Gregory Alan Clark<br />Mannie Leroy Clark<br />Thomas R. Clark<br />Christopher Robert Clarke<br />Donna Marie Clarke<br />Michael J. Clarke<br />Suria Rachel Emma Clarke<br />Kevin Francis Cleary<br />James D. Cleere<br />Geoffrey W. Cloud<br />Susan Marie Clyne<br />Steven Coakley<br />Jeffrey Alan Coale<br />Patricia A. Cody<br />Daniel Michael Coffey<br />Jason M. Coffey<br />Florence G. Cohen<br />Kevin Sanford Cohen<br />Anthony Joseph Coladonato<br />Mark Joseph Colaio<br />Stephen Colaio<br />Christopher M. Colasanti<br />Kevin Nathaniel Colbert<br />Michel P. Colbert<br />Keith E. Coleman<br />Scott Thomas Coleman<br />Tarel Coleman<br />Liam Joseph Colhoun<br />Robert D. Colin<br />Robert J. Coll<br />Jean Collin<br />John Michael Collins<br />Michael L. Collins<br />Thomas J. Collins<br />Joseph Collison<br />Patricia Malia Colodner<br />Linda M. Colon<br />Sol E. Colon<br />Ronald Edward Comer<br />Sandra Jolane Conaty Brace<br />Jaime Concepcion<br />Albert Conde<br />Denease Conley<br />Susan P. Conlon<br />Margaret Mary Conner<br />Cynthia Marie Lise Connolly<br />John E. Connolly, Jr.<br />James Lee Connor<br />Jonathan M. Connors<br />Kevin Patrick Connors<br />Kevin F. Conroy<br />Jose Manuel Contreras-Fernandez<br />Brenda E. Conway<br />Dennis Michael Cook<br />Helen D. Cook<br />John A. Cooper<br />Joseph John Coppo, Jr.<br />Gerard J. Coppola<br />Joseph Albert Corbett<br />Alejandro Cordero<br />Robert Cordice<br />Ruben D. Correa<br />Danny A. Correa-Gutierrez<br />James J. Corrigan<br />Carlos Cortes<br />Kevin Cosgrove<br />Dolores Marie Costa<br />Digna Alexandra Costanza<br />Charles Gregory Costello, Jr.<br />Michael S. Costello<br />Conrod K. Cottoy<br />Martin John Coughlan<br />John Gerard Coughlin<br />Timothy J. Coughlin<br />James E. Cove<br />Andre Cox<br />Frederick John Cox<br />James Raymond Coyle<br />Michele Coyle-Eulau<br />Anne Marie Cramer<br />Christopher S. Cramer<br />Denise Elizabeth Crant<br />James Leslie Crawford, Jr.<br />Robert James Crawford<br />Joanne Mary Cregan<br />Lucy Crifasi<br />John A. Crisci<br />Daniel Hal Crisman<br />Dennis Cross<br />Kevin Raymond Crotty<br />Thomas G. Crotty<br />John Crowe<br />Welles Remy Crowther<br />Robert L. Cruikshank<br />John Robert Cruz<br />Grace Yu Cua<br />Kenneth John Cubas<br />Francisco Cruz Cubero<br />Richard J. Cudina<br />Neil James Cudmore<br />Thomas Patrick Cullen lll<br />Joyce Cummings<br />Brian Thomas Cummins<br />Michael Cunningham<br />Robert Curatolo<br />Laurence Damian Curia<br />Paul Dario Curioli<br />Beverly Curry<br />Michael S. Curtin<br />Gavin Cushny<br />John D'Allara<br />Vincent Gerard D'Amadeo<br />Jack D'Ambrosi<br />Mary D'Antonio<br />Edward A. D'Atri<br />Michael D. D'Auria<br />Michael Jude D'Esposito<br />Manuel John Da Mota<br />Caleb Arron Dack<br />Carlos S. DaCosta<br />Joao Alberto DaFonseca Aguiar, Jr.<br />Thomas A. Damaskinos<br />Jeannine Marie Damiani-Jones<br />Patrick W. Danahy<br />Nana Danso<br />Vincent Danz<br />Dwight Donald Darcy<br />Elizabeth Ann Darling<br />Annette Andrea Dataram<br />Lawrence Davidson<br />Michael Allen Davidson<br />Scott Matthew Davidson<br />Titus Davidson<br />Niurka Davila<br />Clinton Davis<br />Wayne Terrial Davis<br />Anthony Richard Dawson<br />Calvin Dawson<br />Edward James Day<br />Jayceryll de Chavez<br />Jennifer De Jesus<br />Monique E. De Jesus<br />Nereida De Jesus<br />Emerita De La Pena<br />Azucena Maria de la Torre<br />David Paul De Rubbio<br />Jemal Legesse De Santis<br />Christian Louis De Simone<br />Melanie Louise De Vere<br />William Thomas Dean<br />Robert J. DeAngelis, Jr.<br />Thomas Patrick DeAngelis<br />Tara E. Debek<br />Anna Marjia DeBin<br />James V. Deblase<br />Paul DeCola<br />Simon Marash Dedvukaj<br />Jason Defazio<br />David A. DeFeo<br />Manuel Del Valle, Jr.<br />Donald Arthur Delapenha<br />Vito Joseph DeLeo<br />Danielle Anne Delie<br />Joseph A. Della Pietra<br />Andrea DellaBella<br />Palmina DelliGatti<br />Colleen Ann Deloughery<br />Francis Albert DeMartini<br />Anthony Demas<br />Martin N. DeMeo<br />Francis Deming<br />Carol K. Demitz<br />Kevin Dennis<br />Thomas F. Dennis<br />Jean DePalma<br />Jose Depena<br />Robert John Deraney<br />Michael DeRienzo<br />Edward DeSimone III<br />Andrew Desperito<br />Cindy Ann Deuel<br />Jerry DeVito<br />Robert P. Devitt, Jr.<br />Dennis Lawrence Devlin<br />Gerard Dewan<br />Sulemanali Kassamali Dhanani<br />Patricia Florence Di Chiaro<br />Debra Ann Di Martino<br />Michael Louis Diagostino<br />Matthew Diaz<br />Nancy Diaz<br />Rafael Arturo Diaz<br />Michael A. Diaz-Piedra III<br />Judith Berquis Diaz-Sierra<br />Joseph Dermot Dickey, Jr.<br />Lawrence Patrick Dickinson<br />Michael D. Diehl<br />John Difato<br />Vincent Difazio<br />Carl Anthony DiFranco<br />Donald Difranco<br />Stephen Patrick Dimino<br />William John Dimmling<br />Marisa DiNardo Schorpp<br />Christopher M. Dincuff<br />Jeffrey Mark Dingle<br />Anthony Dionisio<br />George DiPasquale<br />Joseph Dipilato<br />Douglas Frank DiStefano<br />Ramzi A. Doany<br />John Joseph Doherty<br />Melissa C. Doi<br />Brendan Dolan<br />Neil Matthew Dollard<br />James Joseph Domanico<br />Benilda Pascua Domingo<br />Carlos Dominguez<br />Jerome Mark Patrick Dominguez<br />Kevin W. Donnelly<br />Jacqueline Donovan<br />Stephen Scott Dorf<br />Thomas Dowd<br />Kevin Dowdell<br />Mary Yolanda Dowling<br />Raymond Mathew Downey<br />Frank Joseph Doyle<br />Joseph Michael Doyle<br />Stephen Patrick Driscoll<br />Mirna A. Duarte<br />Michelle Beale Duberry<br />Luke A. Dudek<br />Christopher Michael Duffy<br />Gerard Duffy<br />Michael Joseph Duffy<br />Thomas W. Duffy<br />Antoinette Duger<br />Sareve Dukat<br />Christopher Joseph Dunne<br />Richard Anthony Dunstan<br />Patrick Thomas Dwyer<br />Joseph Anthony Eacobacci<br />John Bruce Eagleson<br />Robert Douglas Eaton<br />Dean Phillip Eberling<br />Margaret Ruth Echtermann<br />Paul Robert Eckna<br />Constantine Economos<br />Dennis Michael Edwards<br />Michael Hardy Edwards<br />Christine Egan<br />Lisa Egan<br />Martin J. Egan, Jr.<br />Michael Egan<br />Samantha Martin Egan<br />Carole Eggert<br />Lisa Caren Ehrlich<br />John Ernst Eichler<br />Eric Adam Eisenberg<br />Daphne Ferlinda Elder<br />Michael J. Elferis<br />Mark Joseph Ellis<br />Valerie Silver Ellis<br />Albert Alfy William Elmarry<br />Edgar Hendricks Emery, Jr.<br />Doris Suk-Yuen Eng<br />Christopher Epps<br />Ulf Ramm Ericson<br />Erwin L. Erker<br />William John Erwin<br />Jose Espinal<br />Fanny Espinoza<br />Bridget Ann Esposito<br />Francis Esposito<br />Michael Esposito<br />William Esposito<br />Ruben Esquilin, Jr.<br />Sadie Ette<br />Barbara G. Etzold<br />Eric Brian Evans<br />Robert Evans<br />Meredith Emily June Ewart<br />Catherine K. Fagan<br />Patricia Mary Fagan<br />Keith George Fairben<br />Sandra Fajardo-Smith<br />William F. Fallon<br />William Lawrence Fallon, Jr.<br />Anthony J. Fallone, Jr.<br />Dolores Brigitte Fanelli<br />John Joseph Fanning<br />Kathleen Anne Faragher<br />Thomas Farino<br />Nancy Carole Farley<br />Elizabeth Ann Farmer<br />Douglas Jon Farnum<br />John G. Farrell<br />John W. Farrell<br />Terrence Patrick Farrell<br />Joseph D. Farrelly<br />Thomas Patrick Farrelly<br />Syed Abdul Fatha<br />Christopher Edward Faughnan<br />Wendy R. Faulkner<br />Shannon Marie Fava<br />Bernard D. Favuzza<br />Robert Fazio, Jr.<br />Ronald Carl Fazio<br />William Feehan<br />Francis Jude Feely<br />Garth Erin Feeney<br />Sean B. Fegan<br />Lee S. Fehling<br />Peter Adam Feidelberg<br />Alan D. Feinberg<br />Rosa Maria Feliciano<br />Edward Thomas Fergus, Jr.<br />George Ferguson<br />Henry Fernandez<br />Judy Hazel Fernandez<br />Julio Fernandez<br />Elisa Giselle Ferraina<br />Anne Marie Sallerin Ferreira<br />Robert John Ferris<br />David Francis Ferrugio<br />Louis V. Fersini<br />Michael David Ferugio<br />Bradley James Fetchet<br />Jennifer Louise Fialko<br />Kristen Nicole Fiedel<br />Samuel Fields<br />Michael Bradley Finnegan<br />Timothy J. Finnerty<br />Michael Curtis Fiore<br />Stephen S R Fiorelli, Sr.<br />Paul M. Fiori<br />John B. Fiorito<br />John R. Fischer<br />Andrew Fisher<br />Bennett Lawson Fisher<br />John Roger Fisher<br />Thomas J. Fisher<br />Lucy A. Fishman<br />Ryan D. Fitzgerald<br />Thomas James Fitzpatrick<br />Richard P. Fitzsimons<br />Salvatore Fiumefreddo<br />Christina Donovan Flannery<br />Eileen Flecha<br />Andre G. Fletcher<br />Carl M. Flickinger<br />John Joseph Florio<br />Joseph Walken Flounders<br />David Fodor<br />Michael N. Fodor<br />Stephen Mark Fogel<br />Thomas Foley<br />David J. Fontana<br />Chih Min Foo<br />Godwin Forde<br />Donald A. Foreman<br />Christopher Hugh Forsythe<br />Claudia Alicia Foster<br />Noel John Foster<br />Ana Fosteris<br />Robert Joseph Foti<br />Jeffrey Fox<br />Virginia Fox<br />Pauline Francis<br />Virgin Francis<br />Gary Jay Frank<br />Morton H. Frank<br />Peter Christopher Frank<br />Richard K. Fraser<br />Kevin J. Frawley<br />Clyde Frazier, Jr.<br />Lillian Inez Frederick<br />Andrew Fredricks<br />Tamitha Freeman<br />Brett Owen Freiman<br />Peter L. Freund<br />Arlene Eva Fried<br />Alan Wayne Friedlander<br />Andrew Keith Friedman<br />Gregg J. Froehner<br />Peter Christian Fry<br />Clement A. Fumando<br />Steven Elliot Furman<br />Paul Furmato<br />Fredric Neal Gabler<br />Richard Samuel Federick Gabrielle<br />James Andrew Gadiel<br />Pamela Lee Gaff<br />Ervin Vincent Gailliard<br />Deanna Lynn Galante<br />Grace Catherine Galante<br />Anthony Edward Gallagher<br />Daniel James Gallagher<br />John Patrick Gallagher<br />Lourdes Galletti<br />Cono E. Gallo<br />Vincenzo Gallucci<br />Thomas E. Galvin<br />Giovanna Galletta Gambale<br />Thomas Gambino, Jr.<br />Giann Franco Gamboa<br />Peter Ganci<br />Ladkat K. Ganesh<br />Claude Michael Gann<br />Osseni Garba<br />Charles William Garbarini<br />Ceasar Garcia<br />David Garcia<br />Juan Garcia<br />Marlyn Del Carmen Garcia<br />Christopher S. Gardner<br />Douglas Benjamin Gardner<br />Harvey J. Gardner III<br />Jeffrey Brian Gardner<br />Thomas Gardner<br />William Arthur Gardner<br />Francesco Garfi<br />Rocco Nino Gargano<br />James M. Gartenberg<br />Matthew David Garvey<br />Bruce Gary<br />Boyd Alan Gatton<br />Donald Richard Gavagan, Jr.<br />Terence D. Gazzani<br />Gary Geidel<br />Paul Hamilton Geier<br />Julie M. Geis<br />Peter G. Gelinas<br />Steven Paul Geller<br />Howard G. Gelling<br />Peter Victor Genco, Jr.<br />Steven Gregory Genovese<br />Alayne Gentul<br />Edward F. Geraghty<br />Suzanne Geraty<br />Ralph Gerhardt<br />Robert Gerlich<br />Denis P. Germain<br />Marina Romanovna Gertsberg<br />Susan M. Getzendanner<br />James G. Geyer<br />Joseph M. Giaccone<br />Vincent Francis Giammona<br />Debra Lynn Gibbon<br />James Andrew Giberson<br />Craig Neil Gibson<br />Ronnie E. Gies<br />Laura A. Giglio<br />Andrew Clive Gilbert<br />Timothy Paul Gilbert<br />Paul Stuart Gilbey<br />Paul John Gill<br />Mark Y. Gilles<br />Evan Gillette<br />Ronald Lawrence Gilligan<br />Rodney C. Gillis<br />Laura Gilly<br />John F. Ginley<br />Donna Marie Giordano<br />Jeffrey John Giordano<br />John Giordano<br />Steven A. Giorgetti<br />Martin Giovinazzo<br />Kum-Kum Girolamo<br />Salvatore Gitto<br />Cynthia Giugliano<br />Mon Gjonbalaj<br />Dianne Gladstone<br />Keith Glascoe<br />Thomas Irwin Glasser<br />Harry Glenn<br />Barry H. Glick<br />Steven Glick<br />John T. Gnazzo<br />William Robert Godshalk<br />Michael Gogliormella<br />Brian Fredric Goldberg<br />Jeffrey Grant Goldflam<br />Michelle Goldstein<br />Monica Goldstein<br />Steven Goldstein<br />Andrew H. Golkin<br />Dennis James Gomes<br />Enrique Antonio Gomez<br />Jose Bienvenido Gomez<br />Manuel Gomez, Jr.<br />Wilder Alfredo Gomez<br />Jenine Nicole Gonzalez<br />Mauricio Gonzalez<br />Rosa Gonzalez<br />Calvin J. Gooding<br />Harry Goody<br />Kiran Reddy Gopu<br />Catherine C. Gorayeb<br />Kerene Gordon<br />Sebastian Gorki<br />Kieran Joseph Gorman<br />Thomas Edward Gorman<br />Michael Edward Gould<br />Yuji Goya<br />Jon Richard Grabowski<br />Christopher Michael Grady<br />Edwin J. Graf III<br />David Martin Graifman<br />Gilbert Franco Granados<br />Elvira Granitto<br />Winston Arthur Grant<br />Christopher S. Gray<br />James Michael Gray<br />Tara McCloud Gray<br />Linda Catherine Grayling<br />John M. Grazioso<br />Timothy George Grazioso<br />Derrick Auther Green<br />Wade B. Green<br />Elaine Myra Greenberg<br />Gayle R. Greene<br />James Arthur Greenleaf, Jr.<br />Eileen Marsha Greenstein<br />Elizabeth Martin Gregg<br />Denise Gregory<br />Donald H. Gregory<br />Florence Moran Gregory<br />Pedro Grehan<br />John Michael Griffin<br />Tawanna Sherry Griffin<br />Joan Donna Griffith<br />Warren Grifka<br />Ramon Grijalvo<br />Joseph F. Grillo<br />David Joseph Grimner<br />Kenneth George Grouzalis<br />Joseph Grzelak<br />Matthew James Grzymalski<br />Robert Joseph Gschaar<br />Liming Gu<br />Jose Guadalupe<br />Cindy Yan Zhu Guan<br />Joel Guevara Gonzalez<br />Geoffrey E. Guja<br />Joseph Gullickson<br />Babita Girjamatie Guman<br />Douglas Brian Gurian<br />Janet Ruth Gustafson<br />Philip T. Guza<br />Barbara Guzzardo<br />Peter M. Gyulavary<br />Gary Robert Haag<br />Andrea Lyn Haberman<br />Barbara Mary Habib<br />Philip Haentzler<br />Nezam A. Hafiz<br />Karen Elizabeth Hagerty<br />Steven Michael Hagis<br />Mary Lou Hague<br />David Halderman<br />Maile Rachel Hale<br />Richard B. Hall<br />Vaswald George Hall<br />Robert J. Halligan<br />Vincent Gerard Halloran<br />James Douglas Halvorson<br />Mohammad Salman Hamdani<br />Felicia Hamilton<br />Robert Hamilton<br />Frederic K. Han<br />Christopher J. Hanley<br />Sean S. Hanley<br />Valerie Joan Hanna<br />Thomas Hannafin<br />Kevin James Hannaford<br />Michael Lawrence Hannan<br />Dana R Hannon<br />Vassilios G. Haramis<br />James A. Haran<br />Jeffrey Pike Hardy<br />Timothy John Hargrave<br />Daniel Edward Harlin<br />Frances Haros<br />Harvey Harrell<br />Stephen G. Harrell<br />Melissa Marie Harrington<br />Aisha Anne Harris<br />Stewart Dennis Harris<br />John Patrick Hart<br />John Clinton Hartz<br />Emeric Harvey<br />Thomas Theodore Haskell, Jr.<br />Timothy Haskell<br />Joseph John Hasson III<br />Leonard W. Hatton<br />Terence S. Hatton<br />Michael Haub<br />Timothy Aaron Haviland<br />Donald G. Havlish, Jr.<br />Anthony Hawkins<br />Nobuhiro Hayatsu<br />Philip Hayes<br />William Ward Haynes<br />Scott Jordan Hazelcorn<br />Michael K. Healey<br />Roberta B. Heber<br />Charles Francis Xavier Heeran<br />John F. Heffernan<br />H. Joseph Heller, Jr.<br />Joann L. Heltibridle<br />Mark F. Hemschoot<br />Ronnie Lee Henderson<br />Brian Hennessey<br />Michelle Marie Henrique<br />Joseph Henry<br />William Henry<br />John Christopher Henwood<br />Robert Allan Hepburn<br />Mary Herencia<br />Lindsay C. Herkness III<br />Harvey Robert Hermer<br />Claribel Hernandez<br />Eduardo Hernandez<br />Nuberto Hernandez<br />Raul Hernandez<br />Gary Herold<br />Jeffrey A. Hersch<br />Thomas Hetzel<br />Brian Hickey<br />Ysidro Hidalgo<br />Timothy Higgins<br />Robert D. W. Higley II<br />Todd Russell Hill<br />Clara Victorine Hinds<br />Neal O. Hinds<br />Mark D. Hindy<br />Katsuyuki Hirai<br />Heather Malia Ho<br />Tara Yvette Hobbs<br />Thomas Anderson Hobbs<br />James J. Hobin<br />Robert Wayne Hobson<br />DaJuan Hodges<br />Ronald George Hoerner<br />Patrick A. Hoey<br />Marcia Hoffman<br />Stephen G. Hoffman<br />Frederick Joseph Hoffmann<br />Michele L. Hoffmann<br />Judith Florence Hofmiller<br />Thomas Warren Hohlweck, Jr.<br />Jonathan R. Hohmann<br />John Holland<br />Joseph F. Holland<br />Elizabeth Holmes<br />Thomas Holohan<br />Bradley Hoorn<br />James P. Hopper<br />Montgomery McCullough Hord<br />Michael Horn<br />Matthew Douglas Horning<br />Robert L. Horohoe, Jr.<br />Aaron Horwitz<br />Charles Houston<br />Uhuru G. Houston<br />George Howard<br />Michael C. Howell<br />Steven Leon Howell<br />Jennifer L. Howley<br />Milagros Hromada<br />Marian R. Hrycak<br />Stephen Huczko, Jr.<br />Kris Robert Hughes<br />Paul Rexford Hughes<br />Robert Thomas Hughes<br />Thomas Hughes<br />Timothy Robert Hughes<br />Susan Huie<br />Lamar Hulse<br />William Christopher Hunt<br />Kathleen Anne Hunt-Casey<br />Joseph Hunter<br />Robert R. Hussa<br />Abid Hussain<br />Thomas Edward Hynes<br />Walter G. Hynes<br />Joseph Anthony Ianelli<br />Zuhtu Ibis<br />Jonathan Lee Ielpi<br />Michael Iken<br />Daniel Ilkanayev<br />Frederick Ill, Jr.<br />Abraham Nethanel Ilowitz<br />Anthony P. Infante, Jr.<br />Louis S. Inghilterra, Jr.<br />Christopher Noble Ingrassia<br />Paul Innella<br />Stephanie Veronica Irby<br />Douglas Irgang<br />Kristin A. Irvine Ryan<br />Todd Antione Isaac<br />Erik Isbrandtsen<br />Taizo Ishikawa<br />Aram Iskenderian, Jr.<br />John F. Iskyan<br />Kazushige Ito<br />Aleksandr Valeryevich Ivantsov<br />Virginia May Jablonski<br />Brooke Alexandra Jackman<br />Aaron Jeremy Jacobs<br />Ariel Louis Jacobs<br />Jason Kyle Jacobs<br />Michael Grady Jacobs<br />Steven A. Jacobson<br />Ricknauth Jaggernauth<br />Jake Denis Jagoda<br />Yudh Vir Singh Jain<br />Maria Jakubiak<br />Ernest James<br />Gricelda E. James<br />Priscilla James<br />Mark Steven Jardim<br />Muhammadou Jawara<br />Francois Jean-Pierre<br />Maxima Jean-Pierre<br />Paul Edward Jeffers<br />Alva Cynthia Jeffries Sanchez<br />Joseph Jenkins, Jr.<br />Alan Keith Jensen<br />Prem N. Jerath<br />Farah Jeudy<br />Hweidar Jian<br />Eliezer Jimenez, Jr.<br />Luis Jimenez, Jr.<br />Fernando Jimenez-Molina<br />Charles Gregory John<br />Nicholas John<br />LaShawna Johnson<br />Scott Michael Johnson<br />William R. Johnston<br />Allison Horstmann Jones<br />Arthur Joseph Jones<br />Brian Leander Jones<br />Christopher D. Jones<br />Donald T. Jones<br />Donald W. Jones<br />Linda Jones<br />Mary S. Jones<br />Andrew Jordan<br />Robert Thomas Jordan<br />Albert Gunnia Joseph<br />Guylene Joseph<br />Ingeborg Joseph<br />Karl Henry Joseph<br />Stephen Joseph<br />Jane Eileen Josiah<br />Anthony Jovic<br />Angel L. Juarbe, Jr.<br />Karen Sue Juday<br />Mychal F. Judge<br />Paul William Jurgens<br />Thomas Edward Jurgens<br />Kacinga Kabeya<br />Shashikiran Lakshmikantha Kadaba<br />Gavkharoy Kamardinova<br />Shari Kandell<br />Howard Lee Kane<br />Jennifer Lynn Kane<br />Vincent D. Kane<br />Joon Koo Kang<br />Sheldon Robert Kanter<br />Deborah H. Kaplan<br />Alvin Peter Kappelmann, Jr.<br />Charles Karczewski<br />William A. Karnes<br />Douglas Gene Karpiloff<br />Charles L. Kasper<br />Andrew K. Kates<br />John Katsimatides<br />Robert Michael Kaulfers<br />Don Jerome Kauth, Jr.<br />Hideya Kawauchi<br />Edward T. Keane<br />Richard M. Keane<br />Lisa Yvonne Kearney-Griffin<br />Karol Ann Keasler<br />Paul Hanlon Keating<br />Leo Russell Keene III<br />Joseph John Keller<br />Peter R. Kellerman<br />Joseph P. Kellett<br />Frederick H. Kelley, Jr.<br />James Joseph Kelly<br />Joseph A. Kelly<br />Maurice P. Kelly<br />Richard John Kelly, Jr.<br />Thomas Michael Kelly<br />Thomas Richard Kelly<br />Thomas W. Kelly<br />Timothy Colin Kelly<br />William Hill Kelly, Jr.<br />Robert Clinton Kennedy<br />Thomas J. Kennedy<br />John R. Keohane<br />Ronald T. Kerwin<br />Howard L. Kestenbaum<br />Douglas D. Ketcham<br />Ruth Ellen Ketler<br />Boris Khalif<br />Sarah Khan<br />Taimour Firaz Khan<br />Rajesh Khandelwal<br />Oliva Khemrat<br />SeiLai Khoo<br />Michael Kiefer<br />Satoshi Kikuchihara<br />Andrew Jay-Hoon Kim<br />Lawrence D. Kim<br />Mary Jo Kimelman<br />Andrew M. King<br />Lucille Teresa King<br />Robert King, Jr.<br />Lisa King-Johnson<br />Takashi Kinoshita<br />Chris Michael Kirby<br />Howard Barry Kirschbaum<br />Glenn Davis Kirwin<br />Helen Crossin Kittle<br />Richard Joseph Klares<br />Peter Anton Klein<br />Alan David Kleinberg<br />Karen Joyce Klitzman<br />Ronald Philip Kloepfer<br />Evgueni Kniazev<br />Andrew Knox<br />Thomas Patrick Knox<br />Rebecca Lee Koborie<br />Deborah A. Kobus<br />Gary Edward Koecheler<br />Frank J. Koestner<br />Ryan Kohart<br />Vanessa Kolpak<br />Irina Kolpakova<br />Suzanne Kondratenko<br />Abdoulaye Kone<br />Bon-Seok Koo<br />Dorota Kopiczko<br />Scott Kopytko<br />Bojan Kostic<br />Danielle Kousoulis<br />John J. Kren<br />William E. Krukowski<br />Lyudmila Ksido<br />Shekhar Kumar<br />Kenneth Kumpel<br />Frederick Kuo, Jr.<br />Patricia Kuras<br />Nauka Kushitani<br />Thomas Kuveikis<br />Victor Kwarkye<br />Kui Fai Kwok<br />Angela Reed Kyte<br />Andrew La Corte<br />Amarnauth Lachhman<br />James Patrick Ladley<br />Joseph A. LaFalce<br />Jeanette Louise Lafond-Menichino<br />David Laforge<br />Michael Laforte<br />Alan Charles LaFrance<br />Juan Lafuente<br />Neil Kwong-Wah Lai<br />Vincent Anthony Laieta<br />William David Lake<br />Franco Lalama<br />Chow Kwan Lam<br />Stephen LaMantia<br />Amy Hope Lamonsoff<br />Nickola Lampley<br />Robert Lane<br />Brendan Mark Lang<br />Rosanne P. Lang<br />Vanessa Langer<br />Mary Louise Langley<br />Peter J. Langone<br />Thomas Michael Langone<br />Michele Bernadette Lanza<br />Ruth Sheila Lapin<br />Carol Ann LaPlante<br />Ingeborg Lariby<br />Robin Blair Larkey<br />Christopher Randall Larrabee<br />Hamidou S. Larry<br />Scott Larsen<br />John Adam Larson<br />Gary Edward Lasko<br />Nicholas Craig Lassman<br />Paul Laszczynski<br />Jeffrey G. LaTouche<br />Charles Laurencin<br />Stephen James Lauria<br />Maria LaVache<br />Denis Francis Lavelle<br />Jeannine Mary LaVerde<br />Anna A. Laverty<br />Steven Lawn<br />Robert Lawrence<br />Nathaniel Lawson<br />Eugen Gabriel Lazar<br />James Patrick Leahy<br />Joseph Gerard Leavey<br />Neil Joseph Leavy<br />Leon Lebor<br />Kenneth Charles Ledee<br />Alan J. Lederman<br />Elena F. Ledesma<br />Alexis Leduc<br />David S. Lee<br />Gary H. Lee<br />Hyun Joon Lee<br />Juanita Lee<br />Kathryn Blair Lee<br />Linda C. Lee<br />Lorraine Mary Lee<br />Myoung Woo Lee<br />Richard Y. Lee<br />Stuart Soo-Jin Lee<br />Yang Der Lee<br />Stephen Paul Lefkowitz<br />Adriana Legro<br />Edward Joseph Lehman<br />Eric Andrew Lehrfeld<br />David Leistman<br />David Prudencio Lemagne<br />Joseph Anthony Lenihan<br />John Joseph Lennon, Jr.<br />John Robinson Lenoir<br />Jorge Luis Leon<br />Matthew Gerard Leonard<br />Michael Lepore<br />Charles A. Lesperance<br />Jeff Leveen<br />John Dennis Levi<br />Alisha Caren Levin<br />Neil David Levin<br />Robert Levine<br />Robert Michael Levine<br />Shai Levinhar<br />Adam Jay Lewis<br />Margaret Susan Lewis<br />Ye Wei Liang<br />Orasri Liangthanasarn<br />Daniel F. Libretti<br />Ralph Licciardi<br />Edward Lichtschein<br />Steven Barry Lillianthal<br />Carlos R. Lillo<br />Craig Damian Lilore<br />Arnold A. Lim<br />Darya Lin<br />Wei Rong Lin<br />Nickie L. Lindo<br />Thomas V. Linehan, Jr.<br />Robert Thomas Linnane<br />Alan P. Linton, Jr.<br />Diane Theresa Lipari<br />Kenneth Lira<br />Francisco Alberto Liriano<br />Lorraine Lisi<br />Paul Lisson<br />Vincent M. Litto<br />Ming-Hao Liu<br />Nancy Liz<br />Harold Lizcano<br />Martin Lizzul<br />George A. Llanes<br />Elizabeth C. Logler<br />Catherine Lisa Loguidice<br />Jerome Robert Lohez<br />Michael William Lomax<br />Laura Maria Longing<br />Salvatore Lopes<br />Daniel Lopez<br />George Lopez<br />Luis Manuel Lopez<br />Manuel L. Lopez<br />Joseph Lostrangio<br />Chet Dek Louie<br />Stuart Seid Louis<br />Joseph Lovero<br />Jenny Seu Kueng Low Wong<br />Michael W. Lowe<br />Garry W. Lozier<br />John Peter Lozowsky<br />Charles Peter Lucania<br />Edward Hobbs Luckett<br />Mark Gavin Ludvigsen<br />Lee Charles Ludwig<br />Sean Thomas Lugano<br />Daniel Lugo<br />Marie Lukas<br />William Lum, Jr.<br />Michael P. Lunden<br />Christopher Lunder<br />Anthony Luparello<br />Gary Frederick Lutnick<br />William Lutz<br />Linda Anne Luzzicone<br />Alexander Lygin<br />Farrell Peter Lynch<br />James Francis Lynch<br />Louise A. Lynch<br />Michael Cameron Lynch<br />Michael F. Lynch<br />Michael Francis Lynch<br />Richard D. Lynch, Jr.<br />Robert Henry Lynch, Jr.<br />Sean P. Lynch<br />Sean Patrick Lynch<br />Michael J. Lyons<br />Monica Anne Lyons<br />Patrick Lyons<br />Robert Francis Mace<br />Jan Maciejewski<br />Catherine Fairfax Macrae<br />Richard Blaine Madden<br />Simon Maddison Noell Maerz<br />Jennieann Maffeo<br />Joseph Maffeo<br />Jay Robert Magazine<br />Brian Magee<br />Charles Wilson Magee<br />Joseph V. Maggitti<br />Ronald Magnuson<br />Daniel L. Maher<br />Thomas Anthony Mahon<br />William J. Mahoney<br />Joseph Daniel Maio<br />Takashi Makimoto<br />Abdu Ali Malahi<br />Debora I. Maldonado<br />Myrna T. Maldonado-Agosto<br />Alfred Russell Maler<br />Gregory James Malone<br />Edward Francis Maloney III<br />Joseph Maloney<br />Gene Edward Maloy<br />Christian Maltby<br />Francisco Miguel Mancini<br />Joseph Mangano<br />Sara Elizabeth Manley<br />Debra Mannetta<br />Marion Victoria Manning<br />Terence John Manning<br />James Maounis<br />Joseph Ross Marchbanks, Jr.<br />Peter Edward Mardikian<br />Edward Joseph Mardovich<br />Charles Joseph Margiotta<br />Kenneth Joseph Marino<br />Lester V. Marino<br />Vita Marino<br />Kevin Marlo<br />Jose Marrero<br />John Marshall<br />James Martello<br />Michael A. Marti<br />Peter C. Martin<br />William J. Martin, Jr.<br />Brian E. Martineau<br />Betsy Martinez<br />Edward Martinez<br />Jose Angel Martinez, Jr.<br />Robert Gabriel Martinez<br />Victor Martinez Pastrana<br />Lizie D. Martinez-Calderon<br />Paul Richard Martini<br />Joseph A. Mascali<br />Bernard Mascarenhas<br />Stephen Frank Masi<br />Nicholas George Massa<br />Patricia Ann Massari<br />Michael Massaroli<br />Philip William Mastrandrea, Jr.<br />Rudolph Mastrocinque<br />Joseph Mathai<br />Charles Mathers<br />William A. Mathesen<br />Marcello Matricciano<br />Margaret Elaine Mattic<br />Robert D. Mattson<br />Walter Matuza<br />Charles A. Mauro, Jr.<br />Charles J. Mauro<br />Dorothy Mauro<br />Nancy T. Mauro<br />Tyrone May<br />Keithroy Marcellus Maynard<br />Robert J. Mayo<br />Kathy Nancy Mazza<br />Edward Mazzella, Jr.<br />Jennifer Lynn Mazzotta<br />Kaaria Mbaya<br />James Joseph McAlary<br />Brian McAleese<br />Patricia Ann McAneney<br />Colin Robert McArthur<br />John Kevin McAvoy<br />Kenneth M. McBrayer<br />Brendan McCabe<br />Micheal McCabe<br />Thomas McCann<br />Justin McCarthy<br />Kevin M. McCarthy<br />Michael McCarthy<br />Robert McCarthy<br />Stanley McCaskill<br />Katie Marie McCloskey<br />Joan McConnell-Cullinan<br />Charles Austin McCrann<br />Tonyell F. McDay<br />Matthew T. McDermott<br />Joseph P. McDonald<br />Brian Grady McDonnell<br />Michael P. McDonnell<br />John McDowell, Jr.<br />Eamon J. McEneaney<br />John Thomas McErlean, Jr.<br />Daniel Francis McGinley<br />Mark Ryan McGinly<br />William E. McGinn<br />Thomas Henry MCGinnis<br />Michael Gregory McGinty<br />Ann McGovern<br />Scott Martin McGovern<br />William McGovern<br />Stacey Sennas McGowan<br />Francis Noel McGuinn<br />Patrick McGuire<br />Thomas M. McHale<br />Keith McHeffey<br />Ann M. McHugh<br />Denis J. McHugh III<br />Dennis McHugh<br />Michael E. McHugh<br />Robert G. McIlvaine<br />Donald James McIntyre<br />Stephanie Marie McKenna<br />Barry J. McKeon<br />Evelyn C. McKinnedy<br />Darryl Leron McKinney<br />George Patrick McLaughlin, Jr.<br />Robert C. McLaughlin, Jr.<br />Gavin McMahon<br />Robert D. McMahon<br />Edmund McNally<br />Daniel W. McNeal<br />Walter Arthur McNeil<br />Jisley McNish<br />Christine Sheila McNulty<br />Sean Peter McNulty<br />Robert McPadden<br />Terence A. McShane<br />Timothy Patrick McSweeney<br />Martin E. McWilliams<br />Rocco A. Medaglia<br />Abigail Cales Medina<br />Ana Iris Medina<br />Deborah Louise Medwig<br />Damian Meehan<br />William J. Meehan<br />Alok Mehta<br />Raymond Meisenheimer<br />Manuel Emilio Mejia<br />Eskedar Melaku<br />Antonio Melendez<br />Mary Melendez<br />Yelena Melnichenko<br />Stuart Todd Meltzer<br />Diarelia Jovanah Mena<br />Charles Mendez<br />Lizette Mendoza<br />Shevonne Olicia Mentis<br />Steven Mercado<br />Westly Mercer<br />Ralph Joseph Mercurio<br />Alan Harvey Merdinger<br />George L. Merino<br />Yamel Merino<br />George Merkouris<br />Deborah Merrick<br />Raymond Joseph Metz III<br />Jill Ann Metzler<br />David Robert Meyer<br />Nurul H. Miah<br />William Edward Micciulli<br />Martin Paul Michelstein<br />Peter Teague Milano<br />Gregory Milanowycz<br />Lukasz Tomasz Milewski<br />Sharon Christina Millan<br />Corey Peter Miller<br />Craig James Miller<br />Douglas Charles Miller<br />Henry Alfred Miller, Jr.<br />Joel Miller<br />Michael Matthew Miller<br />Philip D. Miller<br />Robert Alan Miller<br />Robert Cromwell Miller, Jr.<br />Benjamin Millman<br />Charles Morris Mills<br />Ronald Keith Milstein<br />Robert Minara<br />William George Minardi<br />Diakite Minata<br />Louis Joseph Minervino<br />Thomas Mingione<br />Wilbert Miraille<br />Dominick N. Mircovich<br />Rajesh Arjan Mirpuri<br />Joseph Mistrulli<br />Susan J. Miszkowicz<br />Paul Thomas Mitchell<br />Richard P. Miuccio<br />Frank V. Moccia, Sr.<br />Louis Joseph Modafferi<br />Boyie Mohammed<br />Dennis Mojica<br />Manuel Mojica<br />Kleber Molina<br />Manuel De Jesus Molina<br />Carl Molinaro<br />Justin Molisani<br />Brian Monaghan<br />Franklin Monahan<br />John Monahan<br />Kristen Montanaro<br />Craig Montano<br />Michael Montesi<br />Jeffrey Montgomery<br />Peter Montoulieu<br />Cheryl Ann Monyak<br />Thomas Moody<br />Sharon Moore<br />Krishna Moorthy<br />Abner Morales<br />Carlos Manuel Morales<br />Luis Morales<br />Paula E. Morales John Moran<br />John Chrisopher Moran<br />Kathleen Moran<br />Lindsay Stapleton Morehouse<br />George Morell<br />Steven P. Morello<br />Vincent S. Morello<br />Yvette Nicole Moreno<br />Dorothy Morgan<br />Richard Morgan<br />Nancy Morgenstern<br />Sanae Mori<br />Blanca Robertina Morocho<br />Leonel Geronimo Morocho<br />Dennis Gerard Moroney<br />Lynne Irene Morris<br />Seth Allan Morris<br />Stephen Philip Morris<br />Christopher Martel Morrison<br />Jorge Luis Morron Garcia<br />Ferdinand V. Morrone<br />William David Moskal<br />Marco Motroni<br />Cynthia Motus-Wilson<br />Iouri A. Mouchinski<br />Jude Joseph Moussa<br />Peter Moutos<br />Damion O'Neil Mowatt<br />Christopher Mozzillo<br />Stephen Vincent Mulderry<br />Richard Muldowney Jr<br />Michael D. Mullan<br />Dennis Michael Mulligan<br />Peter James Mulligan<br />Michael Joseph Mullin<br />James Donald Munhall<br />Nancy Muniz<br />Carlos Munoz<br />Frank Munoz<br />Theresa Munson<br />Robert M. Murach<br />Cesar Augusto Murillo<br />Marc A. Murolo<br />Brian Joseph Murphy<br />Charles Anthony Murphy<br />Christopher W. Murphy<br />Edward Charles Murphy<br />James F. Murphy Iv<br />James Thomas Murphy<br />Kevin James Murphy<br />Patrick Sean Murphy<br />Raymond E. Murphy<br />Robert Eddie Murphy, Jr.<br />John Joseph Murray<br />John Joseph Murray, Jr.<br />Susan D. Murray<br />Valerie Victoria Murray<br />Richard Todd Myhre<br />Robert B. Nagel<br />Takuya Nakamura<br />Alexander Napier<br />Frank Joseph Naples III<br />John Napolitano<br />Catherine Ann Nardella<br />Mario Nardone, Jr.<br />Manika K. Narula<br />Mehmood Naseem<br />Narender Nath<br />Karen Susan Navarro<br />Joseph Micheal Navas<br />Francis Joseph Nazario<br />Glenroy I. Neblett<br />Rayman Marcus Neblett<br />Jerome O. Nedd<br />Laurence Nedell<br />Luke G. Nee<br />Pete Negron<br />Ann N. Nelson<br />David William Nelson<br />James Nelson<br />Michele Ann Nelson<br />Peter Allen Nelson<br />Oscar Francis Nesbitt<br />Gerard Terence Nevins<br />Christopher Newton-Carter<br />Kapinga Ngalula<br />Nancy Yuen Ngo<br />Jody Nichilo<br />Martin S. Niederer<br />Alfonse Joseph Niedermeyer<br />Frank John Niestadt, Jr.<br />Gloria Nieves<br />Juan Nieves, Jr.<br />Troy Edward Nilsen<br />Paul Nimbley<br />John B. Niven<br />Katherine Marie Noack<br />Curtis Terrance Noel<br />Daniel R. Nolan<br />Robert Noonan<br />Daniela R. Notaro<br />Brian Christopher Novotny<br />Soichi Numata<br />Brian Felix Nunez<br />Jose Nunez<br />Jeffrey Roger Nussbaum<br />Dennis O'Berg<br />James P. O'Brien, Jr.<br />Michael P. O'Brien<br />Scott J. O'Brien<br />Timothy Michael O'Brien<br />Daniel O'Callaghan<br />Dennis James O'Connor, Jr.<br />Diana J. O'Connor<br />Keith Kevin O'Connor<br />Richard J. O'Connor<br />Amy O'Doherty<br />Marni Pont O'Doherty<br />James Andrew O'Grady<br />Thomas O'Hagan<br />Patrick J. O'Keefe<br />William O'Keefe<br />Gerald O'leary<br />Matthew Timothy O'Mahony<br />Peter J. O'Neill, Jr.<br />Sean Gordon O'Neill<br />Kevin O'Rourke<br />Patrick J. O'Shea<br />Robert William O'Shea<br />Timothy F. O'Sullivan<br />James A. Oakley<br />Douglas E. Oelschlager<br />Takashi Ogawa<br />Albert Ogletree<br />Philip Paul Ognibene<br />Joseph J. Ogren<br />Samuel Oitice<br />Gerald Michael Olcott<br />Christine Anne Olender<br />Linda Mary Oliva<br />Edward Kraft Oliver<br />Leah E. Oliver<br />Eric T. Olsen<br />Jeffrey James Olsen<br />Maureen Lyons Olson<br />Steven John Olson<br />Toshihiro Onda<br />Seamus L. O'Neal<br />John P. Oneill<br />Frank Oni<br />Michael C. Opperman<br />Christopher Orgielewicz<br />Margaret Orloske<br />Virginia Anne Ormiston<br />Ronald Orsini<br />Peter Ortale<br />Juan Ortega-Campos<br />Alexander Ortiz<br />David Ortiz<br />Emilio Ortiz, Jr.<br />Pablo Ortiz<br />Paul Ortiz, Jr.<br />Sonia Ortiz<br />Masaru Ose<br />Elsy C. Osorio<br />James R. Ostrowski<br />Jason Douglas Oswald<br />Michael Otten<br />Isidro D. Ottenwalder<br />Michael Chung Ou<br />Todd Joseph Ouida<br />Jesus Ovalles<br />Peter J. Owens, Jr.<br />Adianes Oyola<br />Angel M. Pabon<br />Israel Pabon, Jr.<br />Roland Pacheco<br />Michael Benjamin Packer<br />Rene Padilla-Chavarria<br />Deepa Pakkala<br />Jeffrey Matthew Palazzo<br />Thomas Palazzo<br />Richard Palazzolo<br />Orio J. Palmer<br />Frank Anthony Palombo<br />Alan N. Palumbo<br />Christopher Matthew Panatier<br />Dominique Lisa Pandolfo<br />Paul J. Pansini<br />John M. Paolillo<br />Edward Joseph Papa<br />Salvatore T. Papasso<br />James Nicholas Pappageorge<br />Vinod Kumar Parakat<br />Vijayashanker Paramsothy<br />Nitin Parandkar<br />Hardai Parbhu<br />James Wendell Parham<br />Debra Marie Paris<br />George Paris<br />Gye Hyong Park<br />Philip Lacey Parker<br />Michael Alaine Parkes<br />Robert E. Parks, Jr.<br />Hashmukhrai C. Parmar<br />Robert Parro<br />Diane Marie Parsons<br />Leobardo Lopez Pascual<br />Michael Pascuma<br />Jerrold Paskins<br />Horace Robert Passananti<br />Suzanne H. Passaro<br />Avnish Ramanbhai Patel<br />Dipti Patel<br />Manish Patel<br />Steven Bennett Paterson<br />James Matthew Patrick<br />Manuel D. Patrocino<br />Bernard E. Patterson<br />Cira Marie Patti<br />Robert E. Pattison<br />James Robert Paul<br />Patrice Paz<br />Victor Paz-Gutierrez<br />Stacey Lynn Peak<br />Richard Allen Pearlman<br />Durrell V. Pearsall<br />Thomas Pedicini<br />Todd Douglas Pelino<br />Michel Adrian Pelletier<br />Anthony G. Peluso<br />Angel Ramon Pena<br />Richard Al Penny<br />Salvatore F. Pepe<br />Carl Peralta<br />Robert David Peraza<br />Jon A. Perconti<br />Alejo Perez<br />Angel Perez, Jr.<br />Angela Susan Perez<br />Anthony Perez<br />Ivan Perez<br />Nancy E. Perez<br />Joseph John Perroncino<br />Edward J. Perrotta<br />Emelda H. Perry<br />Glenn C. Perry<br />John William Perry<br />Franklin Allan Pershep<br />Danny Pesce<br />Michael John Pescherine<br />Davin Peterson<br />William Russell Peterson<br />Mark Petrocelli<br />Philip Scott Petti<br />Glen Kerrin Pettit<br />Dominick Pezzulo<br />Kaleen Elizabeth Pezzuti<br />Kevin Pfeifer<br />Tu-Anh Pham<br />Kenneth Phelan<br />Sneha Ann Philips<br />Gerard Phillips<br />Suzette Eugenia Piantieri<br />Ludwig John Picarro<br />Matthew M. Picerno<br />Joseph Oswald Pick<br />Christopher Pickford<br />Dennis J. Pierce<br />Bernard Pietronico<br />Nicholas P. Pietrunti<br />Theodoros Pigis<br />Susan Elizabeth Pinto<br />Joseph Piskadlo<br />Christopher Todd Pitman<br />Joshua Piver<br />Joseph Plumitallo<br />John Pocher<br />William Howard Pohlmann<br />Laurence Polatsch<br />Thomas H. Polhemus<br />Steve Pollicino<br />Susan M. Pollio<br />Joshua Iousa Poptean<br />Giovanna Porras<br />Anthony Portillo<br />James Edward Potorti<br />Daphne Pouletsos<br />Richard N. Poulos<br />Stephen Emanual Poulos<br />Brandon Jerome Powell<br />Shawn Edward Powell<br />Antonio Pratt<br />Gregory M. Preziose<br />Wanda Ivelisse Prince<br />Vincent Princiotta<br />Kevin Prior<br />Everett Martin Proctor III<br />Carrie Beth Progen<br />Sarah Prothero-Redheffer<br />David Lee Pruim<br />Richard Prunty<br />John Foster Puckett<br />Robert David Pugliese<br />Edward F. Pullis<br />Patricia Ann Puma<br />Hemanth Kumar Puttur<br />Edward R. Pykon<br />Christopher Quackenbush<br />Lars Peter Qualben<br />Lincoln Quappe<br />Beth Ann Quigley<br />Michael Quilty<br />James Francis Quinn<br />Ricardo J. Quinn<br />Carlos Quishpe-Cuaman<br />Carol Millicent Rabalais<br />Christopher Peter A. Racaniello<br />Leonard J. Ragaglia<br />Eugene Raggio<br />Laura Marie Ragonese-Snik<br />Michael Ragusa<br />Peter Frank Raimondi<br />Harry A. Raines<br />Ehtesham Raja<br />Valsa Raju<br />Edward Rall<br />Lukas Rambousek<br />Maria Ramirez<br />Harry Ramos<br />Vishnoo Ramsaroop<br />Lorenzo E. Ramzey<br />Alfred Todd Rancke<br />Adam David Rand<br />Jonathan C. Randall<br />Srinivasa Shreyas Ranganath<br />Anne T. Ransom<br />Faina Aronovna Rapoport<br />Robert A. Rasmussen<br />Amenia Rasool<br />Roger Mark Rasweiler<br />David Alan Rathkey<br />William Ralph Raub<br />Gerard P. Rauzi<br />Alexey Razuvaev<br />Gregory Reda<br />Michele Reed<br />Judith Ann Reese<br />Donald J. Regan<br />Robert M. Regan<br />Thomas Michael Regan<br />Christian Michael Otto Regenhard<br />Howard Reich<br />Gregg Reidy<br />James Brian Reilly<br />Kevin O. Reilly<br />Timothy E. Reilly<br />Joseph Reina, Jr.<br />Thomas Barnes Reinig<br />Frank Bennett Reisman<br />Joshua Scott Reiss<br />Karen Renda<br />John Armand Reo<br />Richard Cyril Rescorla<br />John Thomas Resta<br />Luis Clodoaldo Revilla<br />Eduvigis Reyes, Jr.<br />Bruce Albert Reynolds<br />John Frederick Rhodes<br />Francis Saverio Riccardelli<br />Rudolph N. Riccio<br />Ann Marie Riccoboni<br />David H. Rice<br />Eileen Mary Rice<br />Kenneth Frederick Rice III<br />Vernon Allan Richard<br />Claude Daniel Richards<br />Gregory David Richards<br />Michael Richards<br />Venesha Orintia Richards<br />James C. Riches<br />Alan Jay Richman<br />John M. Rigo<br />Theresa Risco<br />Rose Mary Riso<br />Moises N. Rivas<br />Joseph Rivelli<br />Carmen Alicia Rivera<br />Isaias Rivera<br />Juan William Rivera<br />Linda Ivelisse Rivera<br />David E. Rivers<br />Joseph R. Riverso<br />Paul V. Rizza<br />John Frank Rizzo<br />Stephen Louis Roach<br />Joseph Roberto<br />Leo Arthur Roberts<br />Michael Roberts<br />Michael Edward Roberts<br />Donald Walter Robertson, Jr.<br />Catherina Robinson<br />Jeffery Robinson<br />Michell Lee Jean Robotham<br />Donald A. Robson<br />Antonio A. Rocha<br />Raymond James Rocha<br />Laura Rockefeller<br />John Rodak<br />Antonio J. Rodrigues<br />Anthony Rodriguez<br />Carmen Milagros Rodriguez<br />Gregory Ernesto Rodriguez<br />Marsha A. Rodriguez<br />Mayra Valdes Rodriguez<br />Richard Rodriguez<br />David Bartolo Rodriguez-Vargas<br />Matthew Rogan<br />Karlie Barbara Rogers<br />Scott Williams Rohner<br />Keith Roma<br />Joseph M. Romagnolo<br />Efrain Romero, Sr.<br />Elvin Romero<br />Juan Romero<br />Orozco James A. Romito<br />Sean Paul Rooney<br />Eric Thomas Ropiteau<br />Aida Rosario<br />Angela Rosario<br />Wendy Alice Rosario Wakeford<br />Mark Rosen<br />Brooke David Rosenbaum<br />Linda Rosenbaum<br />Sheryl Lynn Rosenbaum<br />Lloyd Daniel Rosenberg<br />Mark Louis Rosenberg<br />Andrew Ira Rosenblum<br />Joshua M. Rosenblum<br />Joshua Alan Rosenthal<br />Richard David Rosenthal<br />Daniel Rosetti<br />Norman S. Rossinow<br />Nicholas P. Rossomando<br />Michael Craig Rothberg<br />Donna Marie Rothenberg<br />Nicholas Rowe<br />Timothy Alan Roy, Sr.<br />Paul G. Ruback<br />Ronald J. Ruben<br />Joanne Rubino<br />David M. Ruddle<br />Bart Joseph Ruggiere<br />Susan A. Ruggiero<br />Adam Keith Ruhalter<br />Gilbert Ruiz<br />Obdulio Ruiz Diaz<br />Stephen P. Russell<br />Steven Harris Russin<br />Michael Thomas Russo, Sr.<br />Wayne Alan Russo<br />Edward Ryan<br />John Joseph Ryan, Jr.<br />Jonathan Stephan Ryan<br />Matthew Lancelot Ryan<br />Tatiana Ryjova<br />Christina Sunga Ryook<br />Thierry Saada<br />Jason Elazar Sabbag<br />Thomas E. Sabella<br />Scott Saber<br />Joseph Francis Sacerdote<br />Neeraha Sadaranghgani<br />Mohammad Ali Sadeque<br />Francis John Sadocha<br />Jude Safi<br />Brock Joel Safronoff<br />Edward Saiya<br />John Patrick Salamone<br />Hernando Salas<br />Juan G. Salas<br />Esmerlin Antonio Salcedo<br />John Salvatore Salerno, Jr.<br />Richard L. Salinardi, Jr.<br />Wayne John Saloman<br />Nolbert Salomon<br />Catherine Patricia Salter<br />Frank Salvaterra<br />Paul Richard Salvio<br />Samuel Robert Salvo, Jr.<br />Rena Sam-Dinnoo<br />Carlos Alberto Samaniego<br />James Kenneth Samuel, Jr.<br />Michael San Phillip<br />Sylvia San Pio<br />Hugo M. Sanay<br />Erick Sanchez<br />Jacquelyn Patrice Sanchez<br />Eric M. Sand<br />Stacey Leigh Sanders<br />Herman S. Sandler<br />James Sands, Jr.<br />Ayleen J. Santiago<br />Kirsten Santiago<br />Maria Theresa Santillan<br />Susan Gayle Santo<br />Christopher Santora<br />John A. Santore<br />Mario L. Santoro<br />Rafael Humberto Santos<br />Rufino Conrado Flores Santos Iii<br />Jorge Octavio Santos Anaya<br />Kalyan Sarkar<br />Chapelle R. Sarker<br />Paul F. Sarle<br />Deepika Kumar Sattaluri<br />Gregory Thomas Saucedo<br />Susan M. Sauer<br />Anthony Savas<br />Vladimir Savinkin<br />Jackie Sayegh<br />John Michael Sbarbaro<br />Robert L. Scandole, Jr.<br />Michelle Scarpitta<br />Dennis Scauso<br />John Albert Schardt<br />John G. Scharf<br />Frederick Claude Scheffold, Jr.<br />Angela Susan Scheinberg<br />Scott Mitchell Schertzer<br />Sean Schielke<br />Steven Francis Schlag<br />Jon Schlissel<br />Karen Helene Schmidt<br />Ian Schneider<br />Thomas G. Schoales<br />Frank G. Schott, Jr.<br />Gerard Patrick Schrang<br />Jeffrey H. Schreier<br />John T. Schroeder<br />Susan Lee Schuler<br />Edward William Schunk<br />Mark E. Schurmeier<br />Clarin Shellie Schwartz<br />John Burkhart Schwartz<br />Mark Schwartz<br />Adriane Victoria Scibetta<br />Raphael Scorca<br />Randolph Scott<br />Sheila Scott<br />Christopher Jay Scudder<br />Arthur Warren Scullin<br />Michael Herman Seaman<br />Margaret M. Seeliger<br />Anthony Segarra<br />Carlos Segarra<br />Jason Sekzer<br />Matthew Carmen Sellitto<br />Howard Selwyn<br />Larry John Senko<br />Arturo Angelo Sereno<br />Frankie Serrano<br />Alena Sesinova<br />Adele Christine Sessa<br />Sita Nermalla Sewnarine<br />Karen Lynn Seymour<br />Davis Sezna<br />Thomas Joseph Sgroi<br />Jayesh S. Shah<br />Khalid M. Shahid<br />Mohammed Shajahan<br />Gary Shamay<br />Earl Richard Shanahan<br />Neil Shastri<br />Kathryn Anne Shatzoff<br />Barbara A. Shaw<br />Jeffrey James Shaw<br />Robert John Shay, Jr.<br />Daniel James Shea<br />Joseph Patrick Shea<br />Linda Sheehan<br />Hagay Shefi<br />John Anthony Sherry<br />Atsushi Shiratori<br />Thomas Joseph Shubert<br />Mark Shulman<br />See Wong Shum<br />Allan Abraham Shwartzstein<br />Johanna Sigmund<br />Dianne T. Signer<br />Gregory Sikorsky<br />Stephen Gerard Siller<br />David Silver<br />Craig A. Silverstein<br />Nasima Hameed Simjee<br />Bruce Edward Simmons<br />Arthur Simon<br />Kenneth Alan Simon<br />Michael J. Simon<br />Paul Joseph Simon<br />Marianne Teresa Simone<br />Barry Simowitz<br />Jeff Lyal Simpson<br />Khamladai Singh<br />Kulwant Singh<br />Roshan Ramesh Singh<br />Thomas E. Sinton III<br />Peter A. Siracuse<br />Muriel Fay Siskopoulos<br />Joseph Michael Sisolak<br />John P. Skala<br />Francis Joseph Skidmore, Jr.<br />Toyena Skinner<br />Paul A. Skrzypek<br />Christopher Paul Slattery<br />Vincent Robert Slavin<br />Robert F. Sliwak<br />Paul K. Sloan<br />Stanley S. Smagala, Jr.<br />Wendy L. Small<br />Catherine Smith<br />Daniel Laurence Smith<br />George Eric Smith<br />James Gregory Smith<br />Jeffrey R. Smith<br />Joyce Patricia Smith<br />Karl T. Smith<br />Keisha Smith<br />Kevin Joseph Smith<br />Leon Smith, Jr.<br />Moira Ann Smith<br />Rosemary A. Smith<br />Bonnie Jeanne Smithwick<br />Rochelle Monique Snell<br />Leonard J. Snyder, Jr.<br />Astrid Elizabeth Sohan<br />Sushil S. Solanki<br />Ruben Solares<br />Naomi Leah Solomon<br />Daniel W. Song<br />Michael Charles Sorresse<br />Fabian Soto<br />Timothy Patrick Soulas<br />Gregory Spagnoletti<br />Donald F. Spampinato, Jr.<br />Thomas Sparacio<br />John Anthony Spataro<br />Robert W. Spear, Jr.<br />Maynard S. Spence, Jr.<br />George Edward Spencer III<br />Robert Andrew Spencer<br />Mary Rubina Sperando<br />Tina Spicer<br />Frank Spinelli<br />William E. Spitz<br />Joseph Spor, Jr.<br />Klaus Johannes Sprockamp<br />Saranya Srinuan<br />Fitzroy St. Rose<br />Michael F. Stabile<br />Lawrence T. Stack<br />Timothy M. Stackpole<br />Richard James Stadelberger<br />Eric Stahlman<br />Gregory Stajk<br />Alexandru Liviu Stan<br />Corina Stan<br />Mary Domenica Stanley<br />Anthony Starita<br />Jeffrey Stark<br />Derek James Statkevicus<br />Craig William Staub<br />William V. Steckman<br />Eric Thomas Steen<br />William R. Steiner<br />Alexander Steinman<br />Andrew Stergiopoulos<br />Andrew Stern<br />Martha Stevens<br />Michael James Stewart<br />Richard H. Stewart, Jr.<br />Sanford M. Stoller<br />Lonny Jay Stone<br />Jimmy Nevill Storey<br />Timothy Stout<br />Thomas Strada<br />James J. Straine, Jr.<br />Edward W. Straub<br />George J. Strauch, Jr.<br />Edward T. Strauss<br />Steven R. Strauss<br />Steven F. Strobert<br />Walwyn W. Stuart, Jr.<br />Benjamin Suarez<br />David Scott Suarez<br />Ramon Suarez<br />Yoichi Sugiyama<br />William Christopher Sugra<br />Daniel Suhr<br />David Marc Sullins<br />Christopher P. Sullivan<br />Patrick Sullivan<br />Thomas Sullivan<br />Hilario Soriano Sumaya, Jr.<br />James Joseph Suozzo<br />Colleen Supinski<br />Robert Sutcliffe<br />Seline Sutter<br />Claudia Suzette Sutton<br />John Francis Swaine<br />Kristine M. Swearson<br />Brian Edward Sweeney<br />Kenneth J. Swenson<br />Thomas Swift<br />Derek Ogilvie Sword<br />Kevin Thomas Szocik<br />Gina Sztejnberg<br />Norbert P. Szurkowski<br />Harry Taback<br />Joann Tabeek<br />Norma C. Taddei<br />Michael Taddonio<br />Keiichiro Takahashi<br />Keiji Takahashi<br />Phyllis Gail Talbot<br />Robert Talhami<br />Sean Patrick Tallon<br />Paul Talty<br />Maurita Tam<br />Rachel Tamares<br />Hector Tamayo<br />Michael Andrew Tamuccio<br />Kenichiro Tanaka<br />Rhondelle Cheri Tankard<br />Michael Anthony Tanner<br />Dennis Gerard Taormina, Jr.<br />Kenneth Joseph Tarantino<br />Allan Tarasiewicz<br />Ronald Tartaro<br />Darryl Anthony Taylor<br />Donnie Brooks Taylor<br />Lorisa Ceylon Taylor<br />Michael Morgan Taylor<br />Paul A. Tegtmeier<br />Yeshauant Tembe<br />Anthony Tempesta<br />Dorothy Pearl Temple<br />Stanley Temple<br />David Tengelin<br />Brian John Terrenzi<br />Lisa M. Terry<br />Shell Tester<br />Goumatie T. Thackurdeen<br />Sumati Thakur<br />Harshad Sham Thatte<br />Thomas F. Theurkauf, Jr.<br />Lesley Anne Thomas<br />Brian Thomas Thompson<br />Clive Thompson<br />Glenn Thompson<br />Nigel Bruce Thompson<br />Perry A. Thompson<br />Vanavah Alexei Thompson<br />William H. Thompson<br />Eric Raymond Thorpe<br />Nichola Angela Thorpe<br />Sal Edward Tieri, Jr.<br />John p Tierney<br />Mary Ellen Tiesi<br />William R. Tieste<br />Kenneth Francis Tietjen<br />Stephen Edward Tighe<br />Scott Charles Timmes<br />Michael E. Tinley<br />Jennifer M. Tino<br />Robert Frank Tipaldi<br />John James Tipping II<br />David Tirado<br />Hector Luis Tirado, Jr.<br />Michelle Lee Titolo<br />John J. Tobin<br />Richard Todisco<br />Vladimir Tomasevic<br />Stephen Kevin Tompsett<br />Thomas Tong<br />Doris Torres<br />Luis Eduardo Torres<br />Amy Elizabeth Toyen<br />Christopher Michael Traina<br />Daniel Patrick Trant<br />Abdoul Karim Traore<br />Glenn J. Travers<br />Walter Philip Travers<br />Felicia Y. Traylor-Bass<br />Lisa L. Trerotola<br />Karamo Trerra<br />Michael Angel Trinidad<br />Francis Joseph Trombino<br />Gregory James Trost<br />William P. Tselepis<br />Zhanetta Valentinovna Tsoy<br />Michael Tucker<br />Lance Richard Tumulty<br />Ching Ping Tung<br />Simon James Turner<br />Donald Joseph Tuzio<br />Robert T. Twomey<br />Jennifer Tzemis<br />John G. Ueltzhoeffer<br />Tyler V. Ugolyn<br />Michael A. Uliano<br />Jonathan J. Uman<br />Anil Shivhari Umarkar<br />Allen V. Upton<br />Diane Marie Urban<br />John Damien Vaccacio<br />Bradley Hodges Vadas<br />Renuta Vaidea<br />William Valcarcel<br />Felix Antonio Vale<br />Ivan Vale<br />Benito Valentin<br />Santos Valentin, Jr.<br />Carlton Francis Valvo II<br />Erica H. Van Acker<br />Kenneth W. Van Auken<br />Richard B. Van Hine<br />Daniel M. Van Laere<br />Edward Raymond Vanacore<br />Jon C. Vandevander<br />Barrett Vanvelzer, 4<br />Edward Vanvelzer<br />Paul Herman Vanvelzer<br />Frederick Thomas Varacchi<br />Gopalakrishnan Varadhan<br />David Vargas<br />Scott C. Vasel<br />Azael Ismael Vasquez<br />Arcangel Vazquez<br />Santos Vazquez<br />Peter Anthony Vega<br />Sankara S. Velamuri<br />Jorge Velazquez<br />Lawrence G. Veling<br />Anthony Mark Ventura<br />David Vera<br />Loretta Ann Vero<br />Christopher James Vialonga<br />Matthew Gilbert Vianna<br />Robert Anthony Vicario<br />Celeste Torres Victoria<br />Joanna Vidal<br />John T. Vigiano II<br />Joseph Vincent Vigiano<br />Frank J. Vignola, Jr.<br />Joseph Barry Vilardo<br />Sergio Villanueva<br />Chantal Vincelli<br />Melissa Vincent<br />Francine Ann Virgilio<br />Lawrence Virgilio<br />Joseph Gerard Visciano<br />Joshua S. Vitale<br />Maria Percoco Vola<br />Lynette D. Vosges<br />Garo H. Voskerijian<br />Alfred Vukosa<br />Gregory Kamal Bruno Wachtler<br />Gabriela Waisman<br />Courtney Wainsworth Walcott<br />Victor Wald<br />Benjamin James Walker<br />Glen Wall<br />Mitchel Scott Wallace<br />Peter Guyder Wallace<br />Robert Francis Wallace<br />Roy Michael Wallace<br />Jeanmarie Wallendorf<br />Matthew Blake Wallens<br />John Wallice, Jr.<br />Barbara P. Walsh<br />James Henry Walsh<br />Jeffrey P. Walz<br />Ching Wang<br />Weibin Wang<br />Michael Warchola<br />Stephen Gordon Ward<br />James Arthur Waring<br />Brian G. Warner<br />Derrick Washington<br />Charles Waters<br />James Thomas Waters, Jr.<br />Patrick J. Waters<br />Kenneth Thomas Watson<br />Michael Henry Waye<br />Todd Christopher Weaver<br />Walter Edward Weaver<br />Nathaniel Webb<br />Dinah Webster<br />Joanne Flora Weil<br />Michael T. Weinberg<br />Steven Weinberg<br />Scott Jeffrey Weingard<br />Steven George Weinstein<br />Simon Weiser<br />David M. Weiss<br />David Thomas Weiss<br />Vincent Michael Wells<br />Timothy Matthew Welty<br />Christian Hans Rudolf Wemmers<br />Ssu-Hui Wen<br />Oleh D. Wengerchuk<br />Peter M. West<br />Whitfield West, Jr.<br />Meredith Lynn Whalen<br />Eugene Whelan<br />Adam S. White<br />Edward James White III<br />James Patrick White<br />John Sylvester White<br />Kenneth Wilburn White, Jr.<br />Leonard Anthony White<br />Malissa Y. White<br />Wayne White<br />Leanne Marie Whiteside<br />Mark P. Whitford<br />Michael T. Wholey<br />Mary Catherine Wieman<br />Jeffrey David Wiener<br />Wilham J. Wik<br />Alison Marie Wildman<br />Glenn E. Wilkenson<br />John C. Willett<br />Brian Patrick Williams<br />Crossley Richard Williams, Jr.<br />David J. Williams<br />Deborah Lynn Williams<br />Kevin Michael Williams<br />Louie Anthony Williams<br />Louis Calvin Williams III<br />John P. Williamson<br />Donna Ann Wilson<br />William Wilson<br />David Harold Winton<br />Glenn J. Winuk<br />Thomas Francis Wise<br />Alan L. Wisniewski<br />Frank Thomas Wisniewski<br />David Wiswall<br />Sigrid Wiswe<br />Michael Wittenstein<br />Christopher W. Wodenshek<br />Martin P. Wohlforth<br />Katherine Susan Wolf<br />Jennifer Yen Wong<br />Siu Cheung Wong<br />Yin Ping Wong<br />Yuk Ping Wong<br />Brent James Woodall<br />James John Woods<br />Patrick J. Woods<br />Richard Herron Woodwell<br />David Terence Wooley<br />John Bentley Works<br />Martin Michael Wortley<br />Rodney James Wotton<br />William Wren<br />John Wayne Wright<br />Neil Robin Wright<br />Sandra Lee Wright<br />Jupiter Yambem<br />Suresh Yanamadala<br />Matthew David Yarnell<br />Myrna Yaskulka<br />Shakila Yasmin<br />Olabisi Shadie Layeni Yee<br />William Yemele<br />Edward P. York<br />Kevin Patrick York<br />Raymond R. York<br />Suzanne Youmans<br />Barrington Young<br />Jacqueline Young<br />Elkin Yuen<br />Joseph C. Zaccoli<br />Adel Agayby Zakhary<br />Arkady Zaltsman<br />Edwin J. Zambrana, Jr.<br />Robert Alan Zampieri<br />Mark Zangrilli<br />Ira Zaslow<br />Kenneth Albert Zelman<br />Abraham J. Zelmanowitz<br />Martin Morales Zempoaltecatl<br />Zhe Zeng<br />Marc Scott Zeplin<br />Jie Yao Justin Zhao<br />Ivelin Ziminski<br />Michael Joseph Zinzi<br />Charles A. Zion<br />Julie Lynne Zipper<br />Salvatore Zisa<br />Prokopios Paul Zois<br />Joseph J. Zuccala<br />Andrew S. Zucker<br />Igor Zukelman</p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><strong>American Airlines Flight 11</strong></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Anna Allison<br />David Lawrence Angell<br />Lynn Edwards Angell<br />Seima Aoyama<br />Barbara Jean Arestegui<br />Myra Joy Aronson<br />Christine Barbuto<br />Carolyn Beug<br />Kelly Ann Booms<br />Carol Marie Bouchard<br />Robin Lynne Kaplan<br />Neilie Anne Heffernan Casey<br />Jeffrey Dwayne Collman<br />Jeffrey W. Coombs<br />Tara Kathleen Creamer<br />Thelma Cuccinello<br />Patrick Currivan<br />Brian Paul Dale<br />David Dimeglio<br />Donald Americo Ditullio<br />Alberto Dominguez<br />Paige Marie Farley-Hackel<br />Alexander Milan Filipov<br />Carol Ann Flyzik<br />Paul J. Friedman<br />Karleton D.B. Fyfe<br />Peter Alan Gay<br />Linda M. George<br />Edmund Glazer<br />Lisa Reinhart Gordenstein<br />Andrew Peter Charles Curry Green<br />Peter Paul Hashem<br />Robert Jay Hayes<br />Edward R. Hennessy, Jr.<br />John A. Hofer<br />Cora Hidalgo Holland<br />John Nicholas Humber, Jr.<br />Waleed Joseph Iskandar<br />John Charles Jenkins<br />Charles Edward Jones<br />Barbara A. Keating<br />David P. Kovalcin<br />Judith Camilla Larocque<br />Natalie Janis Lasden<br />Daniel John Lee<br />Daniel M. Lewin<br />Sara Elizabeth Low<br />Susan A. Mackay<br />Karen Ann Martin<br />Thomas F. McGuinness, Jr.<br />Christopher D. Mello<br />Jeffrey Peter Mladenik<br />Carlos Alberto Montoya<br />Antonio Jesus Montoya Valdes<br />Laura Lee Morabito<br />Mildred Naiman<br />Laurie Ann Neira<br />Renee Lucille Newell<br />Kathleen Ann Nicosia<br />Jacqueline June Norton<br />Robert Grant Norton<br />John Ogonowski<br />Betty Ann Ong<br />Jane M. Orth<br />Thomas Nicholas Pecorelli<br />Berinthia B. Perkins<br />Sonia M. Puopolo<br />David E. Retik<br />Jean Destrehan Roger<br />Philip Martin Rosenzweig<br />Richard Barry Ross<br />Jessica Leigh Sachs<br />Rahma Salie<br />Heather Lee Smith<br />Dianne Bullis Snyder<br />Douglas Joel Stone<br />Xavier Suarez<br />Madeline Amy Sweeney<br />Michael Theodoridis<br />James Anthony Trentini<br />Mary Barbara Trentini<br />Pendyala Vamsikrishna<br />Mary Alice Wahlstrom<br />Kenneth Waldie<br />John Joseph Wenckus<br />Candace Lee Williams<br />Christopher Rudolph Zarba, Jr.<br /><br /><strong><a name="175" style="color: rgb(24, 58, 82); text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; "></a>List of Victims on United Airlines Flight 175</strong></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Alona Abraham<br />Garnet Edward Bailey<br />Mark Lawrence Bavis<br />Graham Andrew Berkeley<br />Touri Bolourchi<br />Klaus Bothe<br />Daniel Raymond Brandhorst<br />David Reed Gamboa Brandhorst<br />John Brett Cahill<br />Christoffer Mikael Carstanjen<br />John J. Corcoran III<br />Dorothy Alma de Araujo<br />Ana Gloria Pocasangre Debarrera<br />Robert John Fangman<br />Lisa Anne Frost<br />Ronald Gamboa<br />Lynn Catherine Goodchild<br />Peter M. Goodrich<br />Douglas Alan Gowell<br />Francis Edward Grogan<br />Carl Max Hammond, Jr.<br />Christine Lee Hanson<br />Peter Burton Hanson<br />Susan Kim Hanson<br />Gerald Francis Hardacre<br />Eric Hartono<br />James Edward Hayden<br />Herbert Wilson Homer<br />Michael Robert Horrocks<br />Robert Adrien Jalbert<br />Amy N. Jarret<br />Ralph Kershaw<br />Heinrich Kimmig<br />Amy R. King<br />Brian Kinney<br />Kathryn L. LaBorie<br />Robert G. Leblanc<br />Maclovio Lopez, Jr.<br />Marianne Macfarlane<br />Alfred Gilles Marchand<br />Louis Mariani<br />Juliana McCourt<br />Ruth Magdaline McCourt<br />Wolfgang Peter Menzel<br />Shawn M. Nassaney<br />Marie Pappalardo<br />Patrick J. Quigley IV<br />Frederick Charles Rimmele III<br />James Roux<br />Jesus Sanchez<br />Victor J. Saracini<br />Mary Kathleen Shearer<br />Robert M. Shearer<br />Jane Louise Simpkin<br />Brian David Sweeney<br />Michael C. Tarrou<br />Alicia N. Titus<br />Timothy Ray Ward<br />William Michael Weems</p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><strong><a name="pentagon" style="color: rgb(24, 58, 82); text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; "></a>List of Victims at the Pentagon (Not Including Flight 77)<br /></strong><em>Note: USA - United Stated Army; USN - United States Navy</em></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">SPC Craig S. Amundson, USA<br />YN3 Melissa Rose Barnes, USN<br />MSG Max J. Beilke, Retired<br />IT2 Kris Romeo Bishundat, USN<br />Carrie R. Blagburn<br />COL Canfield D. Boone, ARNG<br />Donna M. Bowen<br />Allen P. Boyle<br />ET3 Christopher L. Burford, USN<br />ET3 Daniel M. Caballero, USN<br />SFC Jose O. Calderon-Olmedo, USA<br />Angelene C. Carter<br />Sharon A. Carver<br />SFC John J. Chada, USA, Retired<br />Rosa Maria Chapa<br />Julian T. Cooper<br />LCDR Eric A. Cranford, USN<br />Ada M. Davis<br />CAPT Gerald F. DeConto, USN<br />LTC Jerry D. Dickerson, USA<br />IT1 Johnnie Doctor, Jr., USN<br />CAPT Robert E. Dolan, Jr., USN<br />CDR William H. Donovan, USN<br />CDR Patrick Dunn, USN<br />AG1 Edward T. Earhart, USN<br />LCDR Robert R. Elseth, USNR<br />SK3 Jamie L. Fallon, USN<br />Amelia V. Fields<br />Gerald P. Fisher<br />AG2 Matthew M. Flocco, USN<br />Sandra N. Foster<br />CAPT Lawrence D. Getzfred, USN<br />Cortez Ghee<br />Brenda C. Gibson<br />COL Ronald F. Golinski, USA, Retired<br />Diane Hale-McKinzy<br />Carolyn B. Halmon<br />Sheila M.S. Hein<br />ET1 Ronald J. Hemenway, USN<br />MAJ Wallace Cole Hogan, Jr., USA<br />SSG Jimmie I. Holley, USA, Retired<br />Angela M. Houtz<br />Brady Kay Howell<br />Peggie M. Hurt<br />LTC Stephen N. Hyland, Jr., USA<br />Lt Col Robert J. Hymel, USAF, Retired<br />SGM Lacey B. Ivory, USA<br />LTC Dennis M. Johnson, USA<br />Judith L. Jones<br />Brenda Kegler<br />LT Michael S. Lamana, USN<br />David W. Laychak<br />Samantha L. Lightbourn-Allen<br />MAJ Stephen V. Long, USA<br />James T. Lynch, Jr.<br />Terence M. Lynch<br />OS2 Nehamon Lyons IV, USN<br />Shelley A. Marshall<br />Teresa M. Martin<br />Ada L. Mason-Acker<br />LTC Dean E. Mattson, USA<br />LTG Timothy J. Maude, USA<br />Robert J. Maxwell<br />Molly L. McKenzie<br />Patricia E. Mickley<br />MAJ Ronald D. Milam, USA<br />Gerard P. Moran, Jr.<br />Odessa V. Morris<br />ET1 Brian A. Moss, USN<br />Teddington H. Moy<br />LCDR Patrick J. Murphy, USNR<br />Khang Ngoc Nguyen<br />DM2 Michael A. Noeth, USN<br />Ruben S. Ornedo<br />Diana B. Padro<br />LT Jonas M. Panik, USNR<br />MAJ Clifford L. Patterson, Jr., USA<br />LT Darin H. Pontell, USNR<br />Scott Powell<br />CAPT Jack D. Punches, USN, Retired<br />AW1 Joseph J. Pycior, Jr., USN<br />Deborah A. Ramsaur<br />Rhonda Sue Rasmussen<br />IT1 Marsha D. Ratchford, USN<br />Martha M. Reszke<br />Cecelia E. (Lawson) Richard<br />Edward V. Rowenhorst<br />Judy Rowlett<br />SGM Robert E. Russell, USA, Retired<br />CW4 William R. Ruth, ARNG<br />Charles E. Sabin, Sr.<br />Marjorie C. Salamone<br />COL David M. Scales, USA<br />CDR Robert A. Schlegel, USN<br />Janice M. Scott<br />LTC Michael L. Selves, USA, Retired<br />Marian H. Serva<br />CDR Dan F. Shanower, USN<br />Antionette M. Sherman<br />Diane M. Simmons<br />Cheryle D. Sincock<br />ITC Gregg H. Smallwood, USN<br />LTC Gary F. Smith, USA, Retired<br />Patricia J. Statz<br />Edna L. Stephens<br />SGM Larry L. Strickland, USA<br />LTC Kip P. Taylor, USA<br />Sandra C. Taylor<br />LTC Karl W. Teepe, USA, Retired<br />SGT Tamara C. Thurman, USA<br />LCDR Otis V. Tolbert, USN<br />SSG Willie Q. Troy, USA, Retired<br />LCDR Ronald J. Vauk, USNR<br />LTC Karen J. Wagner, USA<br />Meta L. (Fuller) Waller<br />SPC Chin Sun Pak Wells, USA<br />SSG Maudlyn A. White, USA<br />Sandra L. White<br />Ernest M. Willcher<br />LCDR David L. Williams, USN<br />MAJ Dwayne Williams, USA<br />RMC Marvin Roger Woods, USN, Retired<br />IT2 Kevin W. Yokum, USN<br />ITC Donald M. Young, USN<br />Edmond G. Young, Jr.<br />Lisa L. Young</p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><strong><a name="77" style="color: rgb(24, 58, 82); text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; "></a>List of Victims on American Airlines Flight 77</strong></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Paul W. Ambrose<br />Yeneneh Betru<br />Mary Jane Booth<br />Bernard C. Brown, II<br />CAPT Charles F. Burlingame III, USNR, Retired<br />Suzanne M. Calley<br />William E. Caswell<br />David M. Charlebois<br />Sarah M. Clark<br />Asia S. Cottom<br />James D. Debeuneure<br />Rodney Dickens<br />Eddie A. Dillard<br />LCDR Charles A. Droz III, USN, Retired<br />Barbara G. Edwards<br />Charles S. Falkenberg<br />Dana Falkenberg<br />Zoe Falkenberg<br />J. Joseph Ferguson<br />Darlene E. Flagg<br />RADM Wilson F. Flagg, USNR, Retired<br />1stLt Richard P. Gabriel, USMC, Retired<br />Ian J. Gray<br />Stanley R. Hall<br />Michele M. Heidenberger<br />Bryan C. Jack<br />Steven D. Jacoby<br />Ann C. Judge<br />Chandler R. Keller<br />Yvonne E. Kennedy<br />Norma Cruz Khan<br />Karen Ann Kincaid<br />Dong Chul Lee<br />Jennifer Lewis<br />Kenneth E. Lewis<br />Renee A. May<br />Dora Marie Menchaca<br />Christopher C. Newton<br />Barbara K. Olson<br />Ruben S. Ornedo<br />Robert Penninger<br />Robert R. Ploger III<br />Zandra F. Ploger<br />Lisa J. Raines<br />Todd H. Reuben<br />John P. Sammartino<br />George W. Simmons<br />Donald D. Simmons<br />Mari-Rae Sopper<br />Robert Speisman<br />Norma Lang Steuerle<br />Hilda E. Taylor<br />Leonard E. Taylor<br />Sandra D. Teague<br />Leslie A. Whittington<br />CAPT John D. Yamnicky, Sr., USN, Retired<br />Vicki Yancey<br />Shuyin Yang<br />Yuguag Zheng</p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><strong><a name="93" style="color: rgb(24, 58, 82); text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; "></a>List of Victims on United Airlines Flight 93</strong></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Christian Adams<br />Lorraine G. Bay<br />Todd Beamer<br />Alan Beaven<br />Mark K. Bingham<br />Deora Frances Bodley<br />Sandra W. Bradshaw<br />Marion Britton<br />Thomas E. Burnett Jr.<br />William Cashman<br />Georgine Rose Corrigan<br />Patricia Cushing<br />Jason Dahl<br />Joseph Deluca<br />Patrick Driscoll<br />Edward Porter Felt<br />Jane C. Folger<br />Colleen Fraser<br />Andrew Garcia<br />Jeremy Glick<br />Lauren Grandcolas<br />Wanda A. Green<br />Donald F. Greene<br />Linda Gronlund<br />Richard Guadagno<br />Leroy Homer, Jr.<br />Toshiya Kuge<br />CeeCee Lyles<br />Hilda Marcin<br />Waleska Martinez<br />Nicole Miller<br />Louis J. Nacke, II<br />Donald Arthur Peterson<br />Jean Hoadley Peterson<br />Mark Rothenberg<br />Christine Snyder<br />John Talignani<br />Honor Elizabeth Wainio<br />Deborah Ann Jacobs Welsh<br />Kristin Gould White</p><p></p></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-1102463597477195791?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-73562098184048338352010-09-10T11:10:00.005-04:002010-09-10T11:24:41.417-04:00<div style="text-align: left;">At this time of year, my thoughts used turn to football and to tailgating but today those thoughts are littered <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>with what ifs, security checks and metal detectors at the entrances to stadiums.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It seems like a lifetime ago, but I remember a long ago Sunday morning in late summer filled with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">nothing </i></b>except excitement for the opening kickoff to the NFL season.</div> <p class="MsoNormal">On that Sunday morning, a Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver named Steve Smith returned the opening kickoff 93 yards in the Minnesota Vikings indoor stadium to begin the season.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Panthers <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(my favorite team) won that game 24-13 and the city of Charlotte was abuzz with talk of getting tickets for the Super Bowl in January.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The celebratory and joyous mood was not lost on me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After the Panthers opening kickoff return, I was so excited that I ran up the stairs and not paying attention tripped and ended up knocking the toenail off of the big toe on my right foot.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This hurt like the devil and I was bleeding like a stuck pig but it was opening day and the Jets (my future husband’s favorite team) had yet to play their opener that afternoon so I just bandaged my foot and went about the day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After lots of snacks and a lopsided Jets loss, I was feeling a little less joyous and a lot more pain in my foot.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I removed the bandage to find the toe discolored and still bleeding.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My then fiancée, Peter, decided that I needed to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible and took me to the Emergency Room.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After several hours and some intensely painful injections into the nail bed of my toe, I left the ER with stitches, a heavily bandaged foot and pain killers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The next morning came a bit later than usual as a result of the combination of returning late from the hospital<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>and the pain killers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thank goodness I didn’t have to go to an office with the crazy bandaged foot – my fiancée (now husband) and I had started working at our own brand new company the week before.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We spent most of the day working on getting our ideas and plans together in order to sell cellular phones.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So normal a day – painful and busy but normal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Monday night football game that night featured the Denver Broncos beating the New York Giants 31-27.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What a day! - a day where the only thing that we thought about was a new business, recovery from a minor injury and the great pleasure in the enjoyment of a good football game. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In retrospect, that Sunday and Monday were probably the last time when I ever experienced a normal day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Because that Sunday and Monday had the dates of September 9 and 10 and the year was 2001.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Because of the pain medication, I slept in a bit on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">that</i> Tuesday morning but only until 8:50am when my fiancée received the phone call telling us to turn on the television.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At the time we normally watched the Today Show so that’s where we turned to see the first images of smoke pouring out of the South Tower of the World Trade Center.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We watched (along with the rest of the nation) for the next eleven minutes – the last eleven minutes of normal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Eleven minutes during which I prayed and prayed for the people in the tower and on the plane that they may survive this horrific accident.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At 9:03am on September 11, 2001, my normal, and the normal for most Americans, was irrevocably ripped from my soul.</p> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TIpL558FoWI/AAAAAAAAAGE/ppnfrmph-i8/s1600/wtc%3D1.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TIpL558FoWI/AAAAAAAAAGE/ppnfrmph-i8/s200/wtc%3D1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515304151846068578" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 192px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal">As we watched in horror as Flight 175 slammed into the North Tower, the realization that this was not an accident and that we were under attack was instantaneous.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My fiancée and I immediately grabbed our phones and began calling everyone that we could.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My fiancée is from New York originally and he felt the pain from this attack as real as if he’d had a hot poker shoved into his side.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He tried in vain (the cell signals were so jammed in New York City) to reach friends and family in the city to make sure that they were alright.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Most everyone he was searching for were outside the city and were in no immediate danger but most were being evacuated from tall buildings (even in the suburbs) as a precaution.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Having talked to most of our family and not being in a standard office, we both settled onto the couch riveted to the news coverage where the images of the day inundated us.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Images that have been permanently etched onto my<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>soul<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>surrounded me in horror.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Images of people jumping to their deaths feeling that they had no escape from the Towers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Images of smoke billowing from the side of a supposedly impenetrable building in Washington, DC.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TIpMz5RE57I/AAAAAAAAAGM/s_s_YuxQuL4/s1600/911-priest.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TIpMz5RE57I/AAAAAAAAAGM/s_s_YuxQuL4/s200/911-priest.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515305148098078642" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 143px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span>As the first tower began to crumple, I distinctly remember grabbing Peter’s arm and saying, “Where did the building go?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Where is the building?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He grabbed me and held tight answering, “I don’t know.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The images started to become blurry they sped by.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Images of a hole in a field in Pennsylvania only a short distance from where I grew up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Images of the second tower crumbling down and people running for their lives amid the smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Images of a priest being carried lifeless from the building.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The horrific images slowly began to be peppered with images of hope and survival.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Twelve New York City firefighters and two survivors climbing out of the rubble after the collapse.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Members of Congress singing God Bless America on the steps of the Capitol.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The President addressing the country from the Oval Office and not from an undisclosed location.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The beauty of the American flag being unfurled at Ground Zero and at the Pentagon.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TIpNWZCco-I/AAAAAAAAAGU/NguNnS4wC2w/s1600/wtc-firefighters.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TIpNWZCco-I/AAAAAAAAAGU/NguNnS4wC2w/s320/wtc-firefighters.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515305740742206434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 243px; " /></a></p><div>There are images that will haunt me forever and images that will forever inspire me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There is a certain sound, the eerie din of the locater beacons on the firefighter’s uniforms, that still makes me want to vomit but there are others , like the sound of the applause from the bystanders as</div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">America was attacked on September 11, 2001 but it was not destroyed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>America’s people are much like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of the attack.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We have scars and maybe even a few wounds that are still festering but we will not perish nor go quietly into the night.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Normal has a new definition.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The new American normal includes a healthy dose of caution <span style="mso-bidi-font-family:TTE28EB390t00">but you better believe it still includes getting ready for some football.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:TTE28EB390t00"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:TTE28EB390t00"><br /></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-7356209818404833835?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-20382180042875787682010-08-18T21:23:00.013-04:002010-08-20T11:31:25.450-04:00Today's Disclaimer: I am the mom of two beautiful little girls who may at some point read this! =)<div><br /></div><div>For most of my life, New York City has been integral to my story. My mother took me to the city for the first time for my fifth birthday. The day before that birthday the two of us took the sets of elevators to the top of the World Trade Center towers to see the majesty of the greatest city in America. Several years later, my mother took me again to the city. This time we went at Thanksgiving. How amazing it was to see the Macy's parade in person and watch Santa make his yearly trek to his holiday season home on 34th street. </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TG1D43iwlZI/AAAAAAAAAF0/8F19BtZ7Vec/s1600/Miracle-on-34th-Street-Santa-is-Real.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TG1D43iwlZI/AAAAAAAAAF0/8F19BtZ7Vec/s200/Miracle-on-34th-Street-Santa-is-Real.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507132563605460370" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 146px; " /></a><div>Christmas is pretty big in my world. Not only do I cherish celebrating the birth of Jesus but I love every other candy cane, cookie, ornament and Christmas card that I come across. I start listening to Christmas songs as soon as Santa enters Herald Square and I would keep my tree up all year if my husband would let me. I firmly believe in Christmas <i>and </i>Santa Claus miracles. I know that the Christmas Star brings wonderful things and I also know that it wasn't just a coincidence that the cane was in the corner of that house that Susie found on her way back from the retirement home.</div><div><br /></div><div>When you research the history of Santa Claus, its quite easy to see why he and New York City are so closely tied. The earliest record of Santa's kindness is in Greek history in the fourth century. St. Nicholas was a Greek bishop who is credited with generous gift giving to the poor. He was very religious from a very early age and devoted his entire life to Christianity. Most depictions of him show him as a bearded Bishop in canonical robes. The draw of St. Nicholas' story was enough to allow him to be desired and claimed by several other countries. In 1087 , an Italian city mounted a expedition in order to locate relics of his and to enter the profitable pilgrimage business. Those relics were entombed in a Basilica in Bari. Irish historians state that some of his remains were moved to County Kilkenny where a marker can still be seen. St. Nicholas has also been claimed as a patron saint for children, sailors, archers, bankers, bakers and even pawnbrokers but also as the patron of Amsterdam and Moscow.</div><div><br /></div><div>So it is any wonder that Santa makes his holiday home in a city that used to be called New Amsterdam and is known as a melting pot of cultures with the Greeks, Italians, Irish and Russians figuring so prominently?</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TG1ClAvJUqI/AAAAAAAAAFk/tdU5CgdXPc4/s1600/06church.190.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TG1ClAvJUqI/AAAAAAAAAFk/tdU5CgdXPc4/s200/06church.190.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507131122964320930" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px; " /></a><br /><div>It is with all of this in mind that I bring your attention to St. Nicholas Church in New York City. The St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was founded in 1916 by Greek immigrants. Serving as as a spiritual haven for the community, the church was also a beacon for Greek shipping magnates traveling through New York City. Services at the 22' wide, 56' long and 35' tall church began in 1922 and it held countless services, weddings and funerals (my husband even attended a meeting in the basement once). The tiny church was shadowed by two other Lower Manhattan landmarks in 1973 when the World Trade Center towers opened. Although minuscule in comparison to the towers, the church stood strong and was a neighborhood icon until September 11, 2001.</div><div><br /></div><div>The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was <i>the only</i> church to be destroyed by the terror attacks of September 11. The church was crushed under the weight of the South Tower when it collapsed at 9:59am. Thankfully, no one in the church was hurt but only a handful of icons and religious items were ever found amongst the rubble. The priest has been temporarily assigned to the Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Brooklyn and the congregation is warmly welcomed there but it is not their own.</div><div><br /></div><div>Almost nine years later, St Nicholas has still not been rebuilt. Nor have the towers or anything else in the empty pit that is Ground Zero. This is ridiculous and disheartening and as an American I am floored that we are still fighting bureaucrats and red tape to get started with the rebuilding of the symbols that will tell the rest of the world that we were not destroyed by the horrific events of September 11. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think that because there has been no visible rebuilding at Ground Zero, this idea (that the NY Mayor and other politicians have in essence green-lighted) of a new Mosque being built two blocks from the pit is such a blow. The controversy over the building of the Cordoba Center is not about religious freedom. There is an Islamic cultural center nearby in SoHo and at least six other Islamic centers on the island. No level-headed person has said that the Islamic faith leaders do not have the right to build but rather the location is simply a dagger into the hearts of the thousands of family members who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001 and to the millions of Americans who were affected by the attacks. It is in fact yet another insult added to the irrevocable injuries of September 11. There is no permanent monument to the victims killed in the terror attacks, there are no towers, there is no St Nicholas Church, there IS an EMPTY HOLE and now the political leaders of New York City want instead to focus on the building of a mosque.</div><div><br /></div><div>If the politicians, unions and bureaucracy in New York had let private industry step in and take over the rebuilding efforts, the World Trade Center would again be standing tall and proud and in the shadows of the new beautiful towers would again be a beacon for all who love the neighborhood, the city, out history and our future - a rebuilt St Nicholas Church. And most likely the majesty of the towers, the church and the spirit that had rebuilt them would have dwarfed any controversy that the building of a mosque could ever create.</div><div><br /></div><div>So here I sit wishing for a Santa Claus miracle. Santa, your city needs you. The families of the September 11 victims and the citizens of New York City are on the Good List and they need for you to deliver them the greatest gift of all. Please Santa, come early and help the politicians and bureaucrats to see the insanity they are perpetuating and please allow them to change their ways and allow the good people of New York and the private industry behind them to rebuild all that we have lost. We need you move just a little downtown. We now need a Miracle on Wall Street.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-2038218004287578768?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-37228158493195494352010-08-03T11:41:00.008-04:002010-08-03T13:57:01.751-04:00Early in the Obama Administration, there were wholesale changes to language used in briefings and speeches from both the President and his staff. The War on Terror was changed to the Overseas Contingency Operation and an act of terrorism was to be referred to as a "man-caused disaster". Well to quote the Church Lady, "Isn't that special?"<div><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TFhYLsS5pMI/AAAAAAAAAE0/e7kPIOBX_yE/s1600/mn_immigration005cag.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TFhYLsS5pMI/AAAAAAAAAE0/e7kPIOBX_yE/s200/mn_immigration005cag.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501243902725301442" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 138px; " /></a><div>Some of you may be wondering why I am recycling this bit of information from well over a year ago in my first post back after being on hiatus? Hang with me for a minute, I think you'll see where I am going. In attempts to control the messages this Administration, although they aren't the first to do so its only magnified in our current 24/7 media cycle, has attempted to change the lexicon of both recent and not so recent history. </div><div><br /></div><div>Early in his presidency, Obama gave a speech on immigration in which he told the story of Emma Lazarus who was inspired to write "The New Colossus" for the Statue of Liberty in 1883. President Obama told the story that she was inspired by what she saw and heard, so she penned the sonnet and donated it to help with the construction of a new statue - The Statue of Liberty which was in part funded by donations by people across the country. Great story right? Problem is, it isn't true. The Statue was a gift from France, the PEDESTAL was in part constructed by donations from Americans. Just semantics, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's take a look at taxes. President Obama assured us that there would be no tax hikes on people who make under $250,000 all during his campaign to win the White House. Healthcare reform has reversed that by 180 degrees. Now we have "healthcare reform" that the President, in a recent interview with George Stephanopolous, defended against its being called a tax.</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">OBAMA: No. That’s not true, George. The — for us to say that you’ve got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase. What it’s saying is, is that we’re not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore than the fact that right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase. People say to themselves, that is a fair way to make sure that if you hit my car, that I’m not covering all the costs.</span></b></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br />STEPHANOPOULOS: But it may be fair, it may be good public policy…<br /><br />OBAMA: No, but — but, George, you — you can’t just make up that language and decide that that’s called a tax increase.</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(6, 7, 8); "></span></span><div><br /></div><div>However now the Administration is forced to defend its healthcare reform in a lawsuit. And what is their very first argument? In a recent document, the Justice Department (under the superior tuttelage of Eric Holder) says that the requirement for people to carry insurance or pay a penalty is "a valid exercise" (or did he mean excise) of "Congress' power to impose taxes". Semantics again, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday I was listening to the President's speech at the Disabled Veteran's of America Conference in Atlanta. In a portion of the speech (that I doubt very many people other than the attendees and news junkies like me saw) the President made the following remark, "When the terrorists and militias plunged Iraq into sectarian war, our troops adapted and adjusted". Does that scare anyone as much as it did me when I heard it?</div><div><br /></div><div>After a year and a half of backing away from using the term terrorist or terrorism and using that same time revising history, I am more than a little concerned that the Administration has so tacitly and nonchalantly decided that it is okay to use terrorist and militia in the same sentence. It sends a disturbing message to the people of the United States don't you think? Or is that just semantics too and we shouldn't worry?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-3722815849319549435?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-1293711420879300722010-06-04T00:32:00.008-04:002010-06-04T17:36:41.045-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TAibYNCA7AI/AAAAAAAAAEs/kBCxNx_wPSE/s1600/selig.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/TAibYNCA7AI/AAAAAAAAAEs/kBCxNx_wPSE/s200/selig.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478799786813484034" /></a>I was raised on baseball and while I freely admit that I no longer have the time to watch as many Major League games as I would like, there are two things that I will still, no matter what, pay close attention to - I love triples and I love perfect games! They are sacred and should be lauded and hailed by all - die hard and casual fans alike.<div><br /></div><div>I have never really been a fan of Bud Selig as the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. In fairness though, is anyone really a fan of the commissioner of their favorite sport or is he just a figure head you only pay attention to during the draft or a scandal?</div><div><br /></div><div>Bud Selig was named Commissioner after holding the interim position from 1992-1998. Shouldn't this have been the first clue for fans that this might not really be the man for job? I mean really, a six year interim period?There wasn't a point in year two or year three that the owners said, "Hey why don't we give the job to Bud?" Obviously someone (or several someones) thought that he wasn't the best fit for major league baseball.</div><div><br /></div><div>During his tenure (including as interim commish), Selig has been accused of collusion regarding former Commissioner Fay Vincent's resignation, racketeering and conspiracy to defraud owners, exceeding his authority when it comes to suspensions, not attending the home-run record breaking game of Barry Bonds and extending the World Series into November in order to help with ratings.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is not to say that there haven't been some good things to come to the sport since Mr. Selig has been at the helm. He orchestrated realignment of the teams which facilitated the addition of the Wild Card. He oversaw the introduction of two new teams (the Devil Rays and the Diamondbacks) as well as the international move and change of the Expos in Montreal to Washington, D.C. becoming the Nationals. At least 19 new stadiums have opened during Selig's tenure which is a testament to his overseeing an over 400% increase in revenue.</div><div><br /></div><div>But Mr. Selig is now forced with, what I predict, will be his most difficult decision to date (yes, even more important than the Pete Rose situation). On June 2, 2010, Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers was one out away from pitching the first complete game and first shutout of his career. That was not all though, Galarraga was also one out away from pitching a perfect game. Until, THE CALL. Umpire Jim Joyce called a very obviously (to television viewers and fans in the stands) out Jason Donald of the Cleveland Indians safe a first base. </div><div><br /></div><div>Without rehashing the call and its aftermath ad nauseum, I clearly acknowledge the extreme graciousness and ultimate sportsmanship of both Galarraga and Joyce. Both men are the epitome of what I wish that all sports figures in today's world could be. An umpire who loves the game of baseball so much that he feels exceedingly horrible for what in his words "just cost that kid a perfect game." A player who in the midst of the hullabaloo that was surrounding his missed opportunity, delivered the lineup for the next day's game to the offending umpire who was still on the umpiring team even when given the opportunity to leave and avoid any uncomfortableness. Pure class.</div><div><br /></div><div>That class is juxtaposed against Bud Selig who has the power to right this wrong. This isn't some missed call in the middle of the game. This is a blatantly missed call on what should have been the last out in the game. Some would say that the commissioner should not change the outcome of a completed game, that its opening a slippery slope. I politely and completely disagree. If there was ever a time that an overturning of a call was necessary, it is now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sports is an outlet for the average American to escape into for a few hours. In this day and age, Americans need healthy diversions as much as possible. These Americans are tired of seeing arbitrary bureaucrats making decisions for them without fully thinking through the consequences of their actions. </div><div><br /></div><div>My three-year old daughter is easily frustrated when working on a new task as are most three-year olds but my husband and I have taught her that rather than say, "I can't do it" that she say, "I CAN do it." She even now repeats that mantra to her five-year old sister when she gets frustrated. If there was no instance of instant replay in Major League Baseball, I would probably not be as angry or maybe if there wasn't a provision allowing for a commissioner to step in and over-rule this call, then I probably wouldn't be complaining. Bud Selig, you Sir, have the opportunity to show your cherished fans, as well as the rest of the United States of America, that you can right that wrong, that you can fix what was done incorrectly the first time. You <b>can</b> do it.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-129371142087930072?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-57868226968538662942010-05-26T14:54:00.008-04:002010-05-26T16:41:46.192-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S_2HKl-_9mI/AAAAAAAAAEU/t9QLg3QuYG8/s1600/dannunzio.jpg"></a>The primary runoff for Republican nomination in the 8th Congressional District is heating up with just a little over a month before voters head back to the polls to decide who will face off against Larry Kissell in the fall. Most people outside of North Carolina (and probably a lot inside the Old North State as well) have probably never heard of either candidate. I predict that is probably going to change very soon. <div><br /></div><div>With all of the hullabaloo surrounding Joe Sestak maybe or maybe not getting an offer from the White House to drop out of the primary race against Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania, any sort of wrongdoing in elections by either party is going to be scrutinized by voters in ways never before seen. On the heels on the Judiciary Committee seeking to appoint a Special Prosecutor to look into the Sestak matter, we now have a controversy brewing in North Carolina.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S_2HKl-_9mI/AAAAAAAAAEU/t9QLg3QuYG8/s1600/dannunzio.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S_2HKl-_9mI/AAAAAAAAAEU/t9QLg3QuYG8/s200/dannunzio.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475681338017183330" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 200px; " /></a><div>Tim D'Annunzio, a millionaire businessman, after receiving the most votes in the May Primary is facing a runoff against the second highest vote getter Harold Johnson, a retired television sportscaster, on June 22. D'Annunzio had widely publicized support from local Tea Party groups and several high powered national figures and groups (Tom Tancredo and the Independence Caucus) <i>before</i> the primary. Harold "The Big Guy" Johnson retired from WSOC-TV awhile back, is known for his call it as he sees it good ol boy attitude and was supported by a former NC Governor (Jim Martin) and a former NC Congressman (Robin Hayes) leading up to the primary. On the surface it appears to be a fair race between two viable candidates.</div><div><br /></div><div>This past weekend, the Charlotte Observer ran a not-so flattering story on Mr. D'Annunzio. The story painted a picture of a man with a troubled past, a past that included arrests, jail time, drug use and even an AWOL episode from the Army. In fairness, most if not all of the things that were discussed in the Observer article were addressed by D'Annunzio himself on his blog well before the primary. It was quite clear in reading the article that the Observer wished to do harm to Mr. D'Annunzio's candidacy by portraying him as a heroin addict turned religious zealot who has fanatical visions of the Ark of the Covenant. However, what was also blindingly clear was that the NC Republican party wants to destroy not only his candidacy but also the man as well. The NC GOP Chairman Tim Fetzer is quoted in the Observer article with regards to D'Annunzio that he is "unfit for public office at any level" and continued his tirade with "What he could do to the party as our nominee is secondary in my view to what he could do to the country if he got elected. If he got elected, for crying out loud, that would be a disaster."</div><div><br /></div><div>This begs the question, what did Tim D'Annunzio do to anger the party so much that the party chair is willing to risk his job to go against him? Because instead of angering the base and moving Republicans and Unaffiliated (who are eligible to vote in the runoff election with certain caveats) toward Harold Johnson what Mr Fetzer really did was cause a firestorm over his own actions. It is against the NC GOP Plan of Organization for an Officer or Member of the State Executive Committee to utilize the power of the office to influence the outcome of a Primary. This apparent violation of Article VII, Section G of the Plan of Organization (affectionately referred to as the POO - yes the POO) has now sent the Republican party to fight amongst itself.</div><div><br /></div><div>What are the officials at the NC GOP afraid of? Are we to believe that they are only looking out for the good of the party? If that was the case, shouldn't they have appealed to the electorate BEFORE the primary? Instead, they've waited until now, why? Personally, it feels as though they feel that smearing D'Annunzio is the only way that they can squash the Tea Party and Libertarian swell building in the 8th district.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>My hope is that Mr. Fetzer steps down as soon as possible in order to remove any further talk of impropriety and that the GOP can focus on getting a candidate (whomever the people choose on June 22) that they can ALL unite behind in order to go against a fairly venerable candidate in first-term Incumbent Larry Kissell who voted against healthcare reform and thus does not have quite as big target on his chest as he might have otherwise.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Overall my hope is that the insanity of personal attacks on politicians stop. Stop attacking the man. Attack policies or positions, not the candidate. The Observer article makes light of D'Annunzio's previous statements that his life was changed while sitting in his yard watching a solar eclipse. I don't recall anyone still making a mockery of Abraham Lincoln's capabilities as a President and there are high profile accounts that he had a vision of his own death. An entire way of life for over 2 million people was started when a man named Bill W had a spiritual "experience in the fourth dimension" while detoxing from alcohol in a sanitarium. So I don't know that attacking a person's "Come to Jesus" moment is exactly what a party on either side of the aisle should be doing. I hope that party officials on both sides grow up (and quickly) because we Americans simply just aren't falling for it anymore.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-5786822696853866294?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-86692524799594622612010-05-23T22:48:00.005-04:002010-05-24T00:37:44.410-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S_oCWNrPqoI/AAAAAAAAAEM/pZVzwk3uxTE/s1600/ronald_reagan.jpg"></a>Its not a new concept. Politics is theater and let's face it most politicians have to have at minimum a decent stage presence and a little bit of Toastmasters training but it is becoming more and more evident that it is real Hollywood training that is needed to make it in today's Washington, D.C. Its also not new for politicians to come out of Hollywood. Given the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">stereotypical</span> view of Los Angeles though, you might think that the typical Hollywood politician is a Democrat, you might be surprised. <div><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S_oCWNrPqoI/AAAAAAAAAEM/pZVzwk3uxTE/s1600/ronald_reagan.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S_oCWNrPqoI/AAAAAAAAAEM/pZVzwk3uxTE/s200/ronald_reagan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474690877673679490" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 200px; " /></a><div>Here is a partial list of some of the most well known actors turned Republican politicians: Fred <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Grandy</span>, Sonny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bono</span>, Jesse <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Ventura</span>, Clint Eastwood, Fred Thompson, Shirley Temple Black, George Murphy and (although some would dispute his party affiliation) Arnold Schwarzenegger. That can be added to a well known group of conservative leaning stars that include: Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Sandler</span>, Chuck Norris, Bruce Willis, Heather <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Locklear</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">LeAnn</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Womack</span>, Kid Rock, Kelsey Grammar, Alice Cooper, James Woods, Robert <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Duvall</span>, James <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Caan</span>, Dennis Hopper, Robert <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Downey</span> Jr and Dwayne "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">TheRock</span>" Johnson. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh sure, there are some actors turned Democratic politicians. They include Al <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Franken</span> and Ben Jones. Oh, you don't know who Ben Jones is? He's better known as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Cooter</span> from the Dukes of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Hazzard</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>But now in Connecticut, we have what could be the most important and pivotal election (if you follow my complete train of thought) in the country. Linda McMahon is running against Richard <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Blumenthal</span> for Senate. Yes, that Linda McMahon, the wife of celebrated <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">WWE</span> creator Vince McMahon. Not only is she the wife of the creator of the "sport" but what most people don't know is that until last year she was the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment as well. This is a who woman assisted in taking fake (oh I am sorry, staged) wrestling from the backrooms of VFW halls on Saturday nights and turning it into a international conglomerate with fans paying for pay-per-view events several times per year and a net-worth over $1 Billion. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mrs. McMahon has pledged not to take any PAC money in her campaign to become Senator from Connecticut and she has also kept her distance from special interest dollars and has limited campaign contributions to $100 and until a week or so ago, not many people gave her much of a chance. Her opponent is the current Attorney General of Connecticut, Richard <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Blumenthal</span>, who increased his national exposure (and probably his campaign contributions) by taking on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Craigslist</span> and accusing them of condoning prostitution. However, as so many Democrats due, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Blumenthal</span> thought that he was above the fray and "misspoke" about his "service" in Vietnam and last week had to conduct a press conference to not say that he was sorry for misleading the Connecticut voters but rather that he was not to be held responsible for things that reporters wrote and did not verify.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't see where there is much of a question for Connecticut voters now. On one hand you've got a seasoned politician who decided that it was perfectly okay to let the public think that he had served in country during one of the most polarizing times in history when in reality he served one weekend a month and two weeks a year during the Vietnam era. On the other, you have a woman who asks you to pay $49.95 (oh now I get why she's keeping it under $100) to watch a fake fight between two men in tights.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't think of a better person to head to Washington in this day and age. I can see it now.........John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Boehner</span> and Eric Cantor in matching red, white, and blue boxing shorts (think Rocky) facing off in a closed cage match against Harry Reid in a rainbow hued singlet and Nancy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Pelosi</span> wearing the California flag as a cape and the makeup (oh she's not wearing makeup) of the Joker fighting for the fate of the Republic. Now who do you know that wouldn't step up and fork over $49.95 for a pay-per-view to see that? I dare say, we might even be able to make a dent into the National debt. </div><div><br /></div><div>So yes, I will take Hollywood politicians like Linda McMahon and Ronald Reagan over Stuart <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Smalley</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Cooter</span> any day!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-8669252479959462261?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-21362136441528569992010-05-19T10:20:00.005-04:002010-05-19T11:46:13.665-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S_QHqvuTU8I/AAAAAAAAAEE/KuQJHyOQvXo/s1600/rolling-carts.jpg"></a>A couple of weeks ago, I walked out into my driveway after trash pickup to retrieve the bins from the curb only to find that a giant green bin had been left beside my regular trash can. There was a plastic bag attached to the handle explaining that this was my new recycling bin.<div><br /></div><div>I opened the bag and learned a little about the new program. Well woohoo, I thought to myself. Now I'll have more space to recycle and my five year old daughter will stop yelling at me for throwing away all of the things that Dora the Explorer told her can be recycled. And that, in and of itself, is worth the space that this new NINETY-SIX GALLON can is going to take up in my garage, or is it??</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S_QHqvuTU8I/AAAAAAAAAEE/KuQJHyOQvXo/s200/rolling-carts.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473007878108566466" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 68px; " /></span><div>Let's see, it IS 96 gallons, that means I have a ton of room compared to the small red bin that we had before that would barely hold a week's worth of newspapers (good thing I stopped getting the Observer awhile ago, I don't have to worry about proper disposal). The new recycling program is going to allow me to recycle more types of things too. Aerosol cans and all plastics can now be recycled - except number 6 plastic and I will admit, and I am sure that I am not the only one, I have never looked at the plastic to see what number it is so I really don't know if that is going to help me or not, but the city government tells me that it is going to. I guess that since the bin is bigger, pizza boxes can now be thrown in too? A quick glance at the materials included with my new green can shows me that that is not the case. Oh, well on days that I don't feel like cooking and I call to order pizza then use the gas to go pick it up after the restaurant uses all of that oven energy (hope they got a good deal on their emissions credits) to bake it, I can just feel more guilty that I have to throw the box away.</div><div><br /></div><div>No, though, I can't do any of these things now. Apparently, my garage is simply the cheapest storage that the city of Charlotte can find because I am not allowed to use my pretty new green recycling can until JULY. Yes, that's right, I have to just store my green recycling bin until the new program starts. I guess I should feel lucky that at least I read the information and found that out. Many of my neighbors obviously have not because they started rolling that cart out the very next week only to have it left, still full, at the curb for them to roll back in at the end of the day. I guess maybe that they should have made those bags on the handle a little more noticeable, huh? Local newscasts have even starting doing stories on the fact that the new cans can't be used yet - I haven't seen the number of green carts out on Monday diminish yet though.</div><div><br /></div><div>That of course is not all. I now find out that we aren't going to have recycling picked up every week like always but rather every other week. Okay, yeah I can see where that would make sense maybe. Save gas by using the trucks less, the bins are bigger so I guess the thinking is that they will take longer to be filled. But if you want me to recycle more items, wouldn't that mean that I need to use more space and if that space is filled in the first week and I have to throw the rest of the newly recyclable materials away because there is no room in my green can, what has it accomplished? Not to mention the idea that if people can't read (or watch TV) in order to find out that the cans shouldn't be used yet, can the city realistically expect these same people to remember which week to roll the can to the street?</div><div><br /></div><div>I went to the website for the new recycling initiative and found out some more interesting facts. Over 200,000 new rolling carts are being distributed throughout the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. This new program is expected to save $12 Million over the next 5 years. A recent news report stated that the new green carts cost about $40 each which means that the city spent at least $8 Million in order to save $12 Million over 5 years - I wonder how much we could have saved if we just kept using the system that we had, think its over $4 million? And how many of the 400 people who are about to be laid off from the Mecklenburg County government could have had their jobs saved?</div><div><br /></div><div>And as in any good infomercial, WAIT there's more......this new ugly green 96-gallon rolling green carts that is being stored in my garage comes equipped with, wait for it.........ITS VERY OWN RFID CHIP!! Yes, that's right. The city government is now going to be able to track my recycling habits. The folks in the solid waste department's public relations office say that the RFID chips are no different than the ID numbers on the trash cans now and that they are "<i>only</i> going to track the recycling habits of neighborhoods in order to target our marketing efforts". </div><div><br /></div><div>Did I mention, the cleaning fairy is due at my house tonight, I wonder if she'll be on time and if she sorts recyclables? I sure hope so because I'd rather incur the lecture of a five-year old girl rather than further this insanity.</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-2136213644152856999?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-91716923106197099172010-05-06T22:47:00.011-04:002010-05-07T11:41:54.824-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S-Q0i4R8F4I/AAAAAAAAAD8/bEeJTy9L71w/s1600/live-oak.jpg"></a>Around this time of year, I normally develop what I affectionately call my "playoff aneurysm"; pain that invades my head when the Red Wings have issues in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pain that is usually alleviated when either they win the Cup or a few months later when they start playing hockey again. I think that the current political climate has morphed my playoff aneurysm into a permanent fixture and I think that yesterday it started to burst.<div><br /></div><div>One of the headlines yesterday was enough to send me into apoplectic shock. The words screaming from the screen "<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/06/california-students-sent-home-wearing-flags-cinco-mayo/">California Students Sent Home for Wearing U.S. Flags on Cinco de Mayo</a>" made me seethe with anger before I even read the entire story. I was upset a few weeks back when a student in Florida was threatened with suspension for w<a href="http://inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com/2010/04/frankie-says.html">earing a breast cancer support bracelet</a> but this situation just leaves me incensed.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S-Q0i4R8F4I/AAAAAAAAAD8/bEeJTy9L71w/s200/live-oak.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468553621362448258" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 161px; " /></span><div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/search/?post_form_id=84f494328bfd09ca4a3089a7f9372b8a&amp;q=live%20oak&amp;init=quick&amp;ref=search_preload#!/TheLiveOakFive?ref=ts&amp;ajaxpipe=1&amp;__a=4">Five students at Live Oak High School</a> in Morgan, CA were told to either reverse their shirts bearing the American Flag or be sent home. WHAT?! School officials said that shirts, the American Flag shirts, were deemed as incendiary on Cinco de Mayo. The American Flag is incendiary? The Principal of Live Oak High School has sunken to an all new level of insanity. He apparently feels that the American Flag had the possibility to trigger violence between those celebrating and those not.</div><div><br /></div><div>So let me get this straight: students, who are in large part either immigrants themselves or children of immigrants, might be offended by other students wearing an American Flag. That doesn't even make sense. First things first either they or their parents made a conscious decision to come to this county (either legally or not) and have additionally made the decision to take advantage of the public school system. So having said that, they should never view the American Flag as something to be opposed to rather than to admire and respect after all you chose to be here.</div><div><br /></div><div>Secondly, Cinco de Mayo isn't even a Mexican National holiday. It is a regional celebration in Puebla, Mexico and is widely ignored in the rest of the country. Here in the United States, Cinco de Mayo is an advertising tool for beer companies and restaurants that serve margaritas. So in reality, the revelers on Cinco de Mayo in California have CAPITALISM to thank for the celebration being as well known as it is. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder if the principal (at Live Oak) removed the American Flag that flies outside his school on Wednesday or if he instructed his teachers to remove the Flag from public view inside the school's classrooms. And if he didn't (and I have seen no evidence as such) then how are the students inciting violence or supporting something that the schol itself has already endorsed? Was there even a policy regarding the wearing of patriotic symbols on May 5 or any other day? I think not, lest we would have heard about it by now. And if there was no policy, were these five students supposed to psychic?</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="mailto: Nick.Boden@mhu.k12.ca.us">Nick Boden</a>, the principal at Live Oak, has opened himself up to not only controversy but to a dangerous precedent. If we can't wear American Flags on days that we as AMERICANS choose to celebrate the heritages of other countries, should we all be required to participate in the holiday as an exercise in global citizenship and lessons in diversity. And if our participation is mandatory, do we then have the guarantee that no one will be harassed or viewed as being racist? In October, should we all dress like Snooky and "The Situation" to celebrate Columbus Day? Or will the same people who want to sue MTv for perpetuating a stereotype come out of the woodwork? In March should we all dress as leprechauns and drink lots of Guiness and get into fights to celebrate St Patrick's Day? And in February (as a friend asked me today) are we to refrain from wearing white shirts or should we all just go in black face? My point exactly!! These ideas are just as ridiculous as the idea that an American should ever be told that he can't wear the flag on ANY or EVERY day of the year.</div><div><br /></div><div>And now today, <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/07/tensions-high-california-high-school-following-flag-flap/">protests and violence are expected to be targeted at these students</a> for standing up for their rights. Americans told not to wear the Flag and then targeted for violence for doing so. If this was happening to any other group of people the ACLU and the left would be screaming that we are violating civil rights - much like the protests against the Arizona immigration law. Seriously what are we becoming and who is going to stand up for us and STOP THE INSANITY!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-9171692310619709917?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-22930631252096724682010-05-04T01:38:00.012-04:002010-05-04T13:04:43.843-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S-BCfLg1OXI/AAAAAAAAAD0/Zjw9A3zdPzA/s1600/1557226.jpg"></a>When Janet Napolitano took office as the Secretary of Homeland Security she was at the forefront of transforming the language used to describe the War on Terror and Terrorists. Someone (and I can't say that it was in deed Secretary Napolitano although I wouldn't find it difficult to believe) uttered the phrases "overseas contingency operation" and "man-caused disasters" and thought that they might be a good idea. <div><br /></div><div>Since January 2009, our country has been attacked no less than three times. Once by Major Hassan at Ft. Hood, once by Abdulmutallab on Christmas Day, and now again in the middle of Times Square. Now maybe I am missing something but I think that it the span of time between September 12, 2001 and January 2009 we were attacked a whopping total of ONE time - Richard Reid's shoe bombing attempt. That's once in seven years but now we've been attacked three times in just over a year. Apparently the new language that was implemented has not affected the men seeking to cause the disasters quite as much as the Secretary and the Administration thought that it would. </div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S-BCfLg1OXI/AAAAAAAAAD0/Zjw9A3zdPzA/s200/1557226.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467443051061655922" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span><div>Instead of staying the course with a hard line approach to those who wish to do harm to our way of life we in turn make sure that the rest of the world isn't mad at us because we spoke badly about the terrorists. It seems as if everything the Administration does requires the blessings of the world community or else we aren't being responsible global citizens. Apparently making sure that the criminals, who harbor those who want to kill us, feel warm and fuzzy is more important than making sure that they don't actually get to us and kill our children.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hassan killed 12 and wounded 31 at Fort Hood in November and Abdulmutallab attempted to murder 289 people on Christmas Day. The car bomb in Times Square had the potential to kill a great number of people although I do wonder if that was a calling card and not the real attack, time will tell on that theory. By relaxing our language, it appears that the Administration has also experienced the "unintended consequence" of also relaxing our vigilant stance against such attacks. At least the folks in New York City haven't relaxed - without them and the "if you see something, tell someone" post-9/11 attitude this past weekend's attempt very well could have been a tragedy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Secretary Napolitano was forced in an interview with Chris Wallace to actually acknowledge that the Times Square attempted car bomb was in fact Terrorism. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs almost choked on his tongue as he had to answer yes to a direct question as to whether or not the White House viewed the attempt as an attempted act of terror. Maybe its time that we ramp up out rhetoric again so that maybe the TERRORISTS will know that we are onto them and are coming after them </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe we should actually follow the clues that are in the wide open as in the Hassan case. We need to race forward in the intelligence community and do whatever is necessary to find people who are planning to hurt us instead of simply hoping that the terrorists continue to be as hapless as the Christmas Day and Times Square idiots. If these two individuals had been a little more on top of their game, we would be having an entirely different conversation.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am tired of the "unintended consequences" from policies and proposed legislation that focus on problems and issues from the wrong (or even any) angle. Health care "reform" was rammed down the throats of the American public who was overwhelmingly against it. Tea Party members were lambasted as an angry mob spreading lies not the least of which was that health care was going to cost taxpayers loads of money only to be proven right less than a month after the bill's passage. Cap and Trade is a joke but will now be looked at by some and touted by the left as a viable option given the recent oil spill in the Gulf. Stop playing on the fears of the American public to further an agenda to relegate us to a compliant Global Citizen. Rather, utilize the fear of the American people (a la New Yorkers who have no problem saying that they see an SUV on fire) to move forward and continue to make the United States of America the strongest and most feared country in the world. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, I did say most feared. I do not want to be nice, I don't want the terrorists to think that we're sitting ducks. Act first. Close the border. Enforce immigration law. Drill for American oil. Utilize natural gas. Fix the economy. Work with people who actually have experience in the fields in which they advise. Treat homegrown terror groups with swift and steadfast justice that does not include side deals. Stop allowing world leaders who denigrate our way of life to enter our country and spew their venom when all the while they are harboring the very terrorists who we are supposedly hunting. Somehow I think that if underling operatives in these rogue nations and organizations had real fear of us it would be much harder to convince them to attack us. Stop issuing sanctions and start dropping calling cards - Daisy....Daisy Cutter. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Author's Note: This post has been edited from its original publication to include Richard Reid's attempted shoe bombing of a plane which was inadvertently omitted. I do not however link the anthrax mailings, the DC Sniper or various other examples sent to me in response to this post as terrorism as they were crime sprees aimed at specific targets not at the American way of life. Remember its called "In My Humble OPINIONS"!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-2293063125209672468?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-69410153944445694712010-04-30T10:00:00.007-04:002010-04-30T12:45:22.238-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S9r22XEgLyI/AAAAAAAAADk/h7-bx5NAZZs/s1600/Louisiana_AMO_2010117.jpg"></a><div>We are about to be faced with an environmental emergency of large proportions in the Gulf of Mexico. Last week's oil rig explosion has left the well leaking hundreds of thousands of gallons of sweet crude into the Gulf and conditions are rapidly moving the slick toward land and valuable resources. </div><div><br /></div><div>Currently estimates on the repair of the leak number in terms of months not days which will keep this story on the front burner for at least as long. Twenty years ago the Exxon Valdez spilled 11 million gallons of oil in Alaska and at the current estimated rate of leakage, the Deepwater Horizon spill will eclipse the Exxon Valdez tragedy in 52 days or less. </div><div><br /></div><div>The oil slick coming from the Deepwater Horizon is already reaching parts of the US shoreline and is also being seen in the Mississippi River. Weather conditions are primed to continue to bring the slick toward the coastline threatening the entire way of life for folks along the coast in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas. Its not just wildlife that is going to be impacted by this oil slick. Yes, the oil will be toxic and deadly for birds, fish and other sea life (the Valdez spill was the cause of the decline of 31 different species) but it will also adversely affect the people whose livelihoods are dependent on fishing the rich Gulf Coast waters. In addition to fishing, the tourism industry of <i>at least</i> FIVE states will be affected and this also has the potential to be even farther reaching if the oil reaches the Mississippi River and the flow of traffic along the nation's busiest and arguably most important waterway is slowed or stopped. No doubt there will be more job losses in areas already affected by the current economy and past hurricanes.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S9r22XEgLyI/AAAAAAAAADk/h7-bx5NAZZs/s200/Louisiana_AMO_2010117.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465952511533788962" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px; " /></span><div>The Obama Administration has already backed off their new position on new offshore drilling and issued a statement that no new drilling will be considered until it is determined what went wrong at the Deepwater Horizon. How convenient that the Administration is able to back off from a position on offshore drilling that they were never really in favor of. The language issued by the President last month in return of the chants of "Drill Baby, Drill" was for the most part an olive branch to Republicans in order to get their support on energy policy. No new wells were even being considered to have begun drilling for years so the idea that they are now backing off and stopping any new wells from moving forward simply because of this tragedy is utterly ridiculous.</div><div><br /></div><div>The intense scope of this tragedy is going to keep this story on the tips of the lips of newscasters for months. I wonder how many stories we will miss hearing about because we are focusing on the people in the Gulf Coast. Mid-term elections, cap and trade legislation, unemployment numbers, the failing economy, Federal immigration policy and who knows what else might fall through the cracks of coverage.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>These deep water oil rigs are supposed to be equipped with something called a blow out preventer. For one reason or another (and not a reason that is currently known) the blow out preventer did not work. One single piece of equipment not working (or not being monitored properly) is the catalyst for what is sure to be an environmental and societal tragedy of colossal proportions that could effect our wildlife and economy for twenty years or more.</div><div><div><br /></div></div><div>I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next person. Sometimes they are plausible, sometimes not but in almost all cases they are interesting enough to capture the attention of a lot of people. I wonder if this one will?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-6941015394444569471?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-82660229914786127822010-04-29T11:21:00.009-04:002010-04-29T15:06:05.338-04:00<a href="http://dailycaller.com/">The Daily Caller</a> this morning reported that the Debt Commission that President Obama has assembled will carry a price tag of $500,000. Now I know that sounds like a lot of cold hard cash adding to our debt in order to discuss getting us out of debt but is it really? Let's take a look.<div><br /></div><div>Bruce Reed said that he and a few staffers are collecting a salary. So one would assume that the other seventeen members and some of their staffers will also collect some type of salary. For illustration purposes though, let's just say that the eighteen members of the commission receive a small salary that might equal $500 per weekly session. The commission plans on meeting each week (in person) until their report is due in December, that is approximately 32 weeks. So, again with no intimate knowledge of the exact amount of the salaries, the salary portion of the budget is potentially $280,000 not including any staffers. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mr. Reed, the executive director of the commission, has also said that the commission will enlist several unpaid staffers as well. Well I certainly hope that they don't ask those unpaid staffers to do any clerical work because that would be in violation of regulations regarding internships wouldn't it and interns of course don't ever do something that someone else could be paid for huh?</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S9m-lJNM1eI/AAAAAAAAADc/SzHmx33UX9k/s1600/bowles-simpson-sg-cropped-proto-custom_2.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S9m-lJNM1eI/AAAAAAAAADc/SzHmx33UX9k/s200/bowles-simpson-sg-cropped-proto-custom_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465609168126531042" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></a><div>Now let's look a the travel and lodging budget. The average priced coach class flight from Raleigh to Washington DC (where I would guess that Erskine Bowles would fly in and out of unless of course he had to travel from elsewhere due to scheduling) is $149 and the average priced coach class flight from Wyoming to DC is $601 (although Alan Simpson has already stated that he prefers to fly first class and take the loss on the difference in price). So allowing for the fact that there is probably a flat fee for each flight instead of a separate amount for each of the eighteen member panel which although the right way to do I doubt that the government works that efficiently, that would put the airfare budget around $288,000. Again for the purposes of this example, let's say that each staffer would stay over in DC one night for each meeting and the average DC hotel is $200 per night. That would mean that the housing budget would be approximately $115,200.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, we don't want anyone to be hungry so I would have to believe that there is also a per diem for food. Let's use a round figure of $100 per meeting, which would add another $57,000 for just the eighteen members of the commission (no staffers).</div><div><br /></div><div>So even though the commission is meeting in the White House (at least the first time) which alleviates the need for an outside facility rental fee, there is probably at least lunch brought in. One would figure that even if provided by the White House kitchens, the cost is probably at least $20 per person which adds an additional $11,520 to the overall budget. Lest we forget paper and pens, we should add into the budget the cost of at least one legal pad, one ream of copy paper, two pens and two highlighters per panel member per session. That would add another $2384.46 unless of course they don't shop at Staples and instead go to that government warehouse where the toilet seats cost over a thousand dollars.</div><div><br /></div><div>So without factoring in any money for any staffers that the executive director has already said would be paid, the budget for the above expenses is already$754,104.46. Does this surprise anyone? Are my estimates really out of control?? So once again the people who are tasked with finding a way to get us out of debt are apparently incapable of providing a realistic budget to work within themselves. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why is it that the Administration continues to think that the American public is too stupid to see the writing on the wall and to do simple math? Why can't these meetings be held over video chat? That idea was squashed according to <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/29/the-tab-for-simply-discussing-americas-debt-500000/">the Daily Caller's report</a>. I would think that since the Obama Administration thinks that all Americans have a right to broadband Internet then they must have heard of something called video conferencing? Skype is free - use it and some common sense and maybe, just maybe, we'll have a chance!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-8266022991478612782?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-32075834798020286042010-04-27T09:24:00.007-04:002010-04-27T11:14:04.594-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S9b-3hR1jRI/AAAAAAAAADU/up43GrtjXB8/s1600/gort-klaatu.jpg"></a>President Obama has created yet another commission to study something. Rather than sitting down with economists himself which would no doubt infringe on his abilities to continue his love affair with his teleprompter on television every other minute, he has created a "bi-partisan"debt commission tasked with finding a way of getting America out of debt. And given the most recent developments (the climate bill) in the realm of bi-partisan politics I am not sure that we should hold our breath.<div><br /></div><div>The heads of this commission are Erskine Bowles, a failed Democratic Senatorial candidate and outgoing president of the University of North Carolina, and Alan Simpson a former Republican Senator from Wyoming. These two will head an eighteen member panel charged with the task of reducing the deficit to $550 BILLION by 2015. The deficit for the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2009 was $1.4 Trillion so the commission apparently have their work cut out for them.</div><div><br /></div><div>As the president of the University of North Carolina system, Bowles was ultimately responsible for the budget and in the current fiscal year had to make cuts totaling $162.5 Million. These cuts included 935 jobs. Ninety percent of the job cuts were administrative positions eliminated "in order to protect the Academic core" of the system. Mr. Bowles has also stated that further cuts will have to be made - namely approximately $100 million from the 2010-2011 operating budget - but that those will no doubt unfortunately have to be stripped from the University's Academic core. Convenient that Mr. Bowles has announced his retirement from the presidency before he is associated with the cuts and with the <a href="http://appserv02.uncw.edu/news/atuncw/annview.aspx?id=5965">permanent damage that will lead to a path of mediocrity</a>. </div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S9b-3hR1jRI/AAAAAAAAADU/up43GrtjXB8/s200/gort-klaatu.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464835427640118546" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 200px; " /></span><div>After leaving the Senate, Alan Simpson (once named by a tabloid as an alien) taught at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. In 2001, Senator Simpson became Honorary Chairman of the Republican Unity Coalition (a gay/straight alliance within Republican party that has since disbanded) and then supported a former Democratic candidate (over a much more conservative choice) in the 2002 Wyoming gubernatorial race. So I guess that I shouldn't be surprised at the inclusion a liberal leaning Republican as the Administration's attempt at bi-partisanship. </div><div><br /></div><div>Is trimming administrative positions, those positions that are usually vital to the day-to-day operations of most of the programs that they will no doubt want to continue to fund, the answer? Once we do that, are we then faced with the trimming of the "Academic core" of America? And will that lead the country down the path of mediocrity - more so than even some say we already are?</div><div><br /></div><div>I fear that when Alan Simpson this time utters "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaatu_barada_nikto">Klaatu barada nikto</a>" it will be too late to call off the President's destruction of our beautiful country.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-3207583479802028604?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-76196398561754245392010-04-23T08:02:00.011-04:002010-04-24T09:11:20.767-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S9LteaOi74I/AAAAAAAAADE/kezQc4fTIug/s1600/Az_Gov_Jan_Brewer.jpg"></a>So if I had to choose just one place in this big beautiful country to move, I think that hands down I would have to choose our 48th state Arizona. A reminder of Old West history, Arizona is home to 28 national parks, the most famous of which is the Grand Canyon. And apparently there are actually residents in Arizona who remember the ones who came before them (like Cochise or Geronimo) who fought for freedom and what was right and among them is the current Governor,who may just be my new hero.<div><br /></div><div>When President Obama nominated Janet Napolitano to the Secretary of Homeland Security, the line of succession elevated Jan Brewer, then the elected Secretary of State, to the office of the Governor. And apparently not afraid of poll numbers, Governor Brewer is now leading the call of the average Arizonan (and quite frankly the average American too) and fighting the fights that the people deem important and necessary. Personally I would love to have a governor (or any representative actually) who actually seems to govern and represent based on the will of the people. She's surrounded by a patriotic bunch of people that include Senator John McCain, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and State Senator Russell Pearce.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S9LteaOi74I/AAAAAAAAADE/kezQc4fTIug/s320/Az_Gov_Jan_Brewer.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463690404646023042" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 320px; " /></span><div>Just yesterday, Governor Brewer signed into Arizona law the nations toughest immigration enforcement policy to date. This legislation requires Arizona cops to question a person's residency status (during a stop or detention for just cause) if they have good reason to suspect that the person is in the country illegally. Yesterday's signing comes on the heels of recent legislation that will allow Arizonans to carry concealed weapons without a permit, a bill that gives the Governor the ability to circumvent the state Attorney General and sue over the healthcare overhaul as well as a bill introduced in the state House that would require presidential candidates to provide a copy of their birth certificate to be on the ballot.</div><div><br /></div><div>Governor Brewer was clear in her statements at the signing ceremony when she said " And it does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of ALL in Arizona remain solid - stable and steadfast." President Obama, after the immigration legislation was signed into law this afternoon, called the bill "misguided" and has ordered the Justice Department to see if it it legal. Opponents of the bill (obviously including President Obama) are afraid of potential civil rights violations as well as the idea that hispanics might be afraid to report crime for fear of being deported. So let me get this straight Mr. President. You're a constitutional scholar. Am I to believe that you don't have the ten minutes (that it just took me) to read the seventeen pages of the bill to determine if it is legal or not. Yet it is perfectly sane for you to think that the American people are just going to take your word for it when you tell us that the healthcare bill isn't going to cost us money, raise our taxes or strip us of our liberties when we are forced to purchase health insurance??!?</div><div><br /></div><div>The new immigration law has the support of 70% of Arizonans, clear language outlining its abilities and its text (which did I mention was 17 pages?) sat on the Governor's desk for 4 days before she signed it. Healthcare reform consists of almost 3000 pages, well over one-half of the country opposed the action and the text (let me reiterate, almost 3000 pages) was signed into law less than 48 hours after it was voted upon. I think that I finally understand how the Obama administration works - analyze the situation and then do the exact opposite of common sense and the will of the people! Oh and if the people don't thank you, well then chastise and laugh at them because that goes over so well.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I guess that I have been wrong. It is not a good idea to make something that by definition is illegal a crime and we shouldn't salute those who are working tirelessly to protect our borders and our citizens. I am sorry that I have questioned the exalted intellect and infallibility of the Administration and I will right now sit down and write a thank you note so that you know how much I appreciate the higher taxes and loss of liberty that I will experience as we watch healthcare reform grow. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yeah, that's the plan because I just looked out the window and saw a couple of pigs flying by.</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-7619639856175424539?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-7879437760154441892010-04-16T00:48:00.009-04:002010-04-16T10:35:54.484-04:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8f_7_ep5wI/AAAAAAAAAC0/ir8W1ur4seo/s1600/PIC_2160.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8f_7_ep5wI/AAAAAAAAAC0/ir8W1ur4seo/s320/PIC_2160.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460614479327389442" /></a>Tax Day. When I was growing up, April 15 meant one thing - my grandfather was going to run to the accountant and request an extension. To this day I still do not know why he just didn't file his return, procrastination I guess, but still it is an image that I won't forget. In today's world, tax day brings a totally different image to mind. Thousands of people gathering on lawns, in parks, and on malls all over the country to display their anger over what the government is doing with regards to not only taxation but to the takeovers of healthcare and private businesses, the excessive spending practices, and to the overall weakening of our country perceived by the attendees. <div><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8f-aZS-zfI/AAAAAAAAACs/w93LgmXRnv8/s1600/IMG_2570.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8f-aZS-zfI/AAAAAAAAACs/w93LgmXRnv8/s320/IMG_2570.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460612802630569458" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><div>Opponents of the Tea Party movement will counter today's gatherings as right-winged Republican love fests and the "tea-baggers" are so stupid that they don't even realize that they paid less in taxes this year. Here's the problem with that logic. No one that I met today (at the Tax Day Tea Party in Charlotte NC) was complaining about the taxes paid on returns due today. The folks I met were concerned with liberty and freedom and the futures of their children and grandchildren. They are concerned with things like renegade school boards, success of their businesses, finding or keeping a job and as most parents the idea that their children will have a better life than their own. They are concerned with dangerous legislations that will place unbelievable tax burdens on future generations. They are concerned with liberties and freedoms that are being stripped or limited and they came not to protest but rather to learn and educate themselves so that they can share these ideas with everyone that they meet.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today I met a gentleman with Campaign for Liberty. David was most hospitable as I asked him to explain why he was at today's event. He explained that his group is focused on gaining support of a bill that would audit the Federal Reserve. He, like others in his group, was gathering signatures in order to present them to Senator Kay Hagan who as of today has not shown her willingness to support Senate bill S604 which has the support in the manner of a co-sponsorship by Senator Burr. (The House of Representatives has a similar bill (HR 1207) that has garnered some bi-partisan support here in the Tarheel state.)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8gA88IOvSI/AAAAAAAAAC8/qinEStCrGok/s1600/PIC_2149.JPG"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8gA88IOvSI/AAAAAAAAAC8/qinEStCrGok/s320/PIC_2149.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460615595119525154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></u></span></div><div>I listened to impassioned speakers as they illustrated the problems, as they see them, that we are facing as a city, county, state and country. Speakers who illustrated solutions to some of the problems and complaints of the thousands on the lawn of the Old Courthouse instead of just recycling rhetoric in hopes of stirring the crowd. A merchant, who calls himself the Free Market Warrior and who was kicked out of a local mall last year (<a href="http://inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com/2009/07/save-free-market-warrior-at-concord.html">click here for a previous entry on this subject</a>) for selling merchandise showcasing the viewpoints of the right and of the tea-party, spoke to the crowd about his plan of action. Loren Spivack urged the crowd to do something, "Three times in our history we have instituted fundamental change in this country -- the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and during the New Deal. Now we have the chance to do so again, if we are willing to DO SOMETHING." His core idea is education - of our children and ourselves. He got the biggest applause of his speech with this, "I don't want my history and values being taught by a government bureaucrat, give me the (tax) money back and I will teach my kids."</div><div><br /></div><div>The organizer of both last year's and today's Charlotte event, Matthew Ridenhour, is both unassuming and humble but his speech was probably the most well received of the day. Matthew is a Marine who has served two tours of duty in Iraq and who began the organizing of the Tax Day Tea Party in a bar with some friends when none of them would step up to the plate. He shared his story with the crowd, "Its one thing to serve your country in Iraq and shed tears on their soil but to come home and see your country being fractured and Lady Liberty being destroyed from within...... freedom doesn't come without burden" He urged the crowd to carry that burden and to not just attend the Tea Party but to take action and educate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tax Day 2010. Maybe an old vision and and a new one have now combined. I think that today I witnessed an extension request from the American people (at least the ones I saw here in Charlotte). They are not willing to give up their country without a fight and they aren't just making noise. They are educating themselves on pending bills and current legislations as well as candidates who agree with them and those who don't. Be careful world, Kate Smith isn't singing yet!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-787943776015444189?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-76604372128426253722010-04-14T07:42:00.011-04:002010-04-14T23:50:04.564-04:00Before yesterday, I had never heard of the Congressional Research Service. I think I am probably not alone but I am hoping that more and more people will come to know them almost as well as the Congressional Budget Office because if recent leaks of information contained in their reports are true, well they might be my new favorite entity in Washington, D.C. The CRS is a non-partisan think tank of sorts that serves a shared staff to congressional committees and members of Congress. The <a href="http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/whatscrs.html">CRS</a>, created in 1914 during the Wilson administration, provides analytical support in all levels of the legislative process. One of the most intriguing tasks with which they are charged is the preparing of confidential memoranda, briefings and consultations. The content of these "confidential" reports is often hard for the American public to find and access as they do not become a part of the public domain until a member of Congress releases them.<div><br /></div><div>You may be asking yourself why the lesson on the Congressional Research Service - well I just thought that people should be aware that while it <i>appears </i>there is in fact a facet of Washington that continues to be non-partisan in its review of legislations, the reality is that the results of these evaluations are intentionally kept secret so as to allow members of Congress to continue to leave the American public in the dark and manipulate the data for their own purposes.</div><div><br /></div><div>In August 2009, a <a href="http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2009/08/28/congressional-research-service-obamas-healthcare-plan-does-not-exclude-illegal-immigrants/">CRS report</a> was responsible for illustrating the fact that HR 3200 did not expressly prevent illegal immigrants from receiving benefits under the new healthcare reform bill. President Obama was quoted saying, "Illegal immigrants would not be covered. That idea has not even been on the table." The reality? The CRS report showed that there was no language in the bill that the "Health Insurance Exchange" would have any restrictions on non-citizens (whether legally or illegally present or in the United States temporarily or permanently). There is a subsection within the bill that mentions that no benefits for affordability payments are to be made to individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States however since there is no specific language that establishes a verification or enforcement process (as in other Federal programs) it seems that there were gaping holes in the President's logic early on in the process of railroading this bill past the American public's opposition.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now this week two pieces of information were brought to light through additional CRS reports. The first item is extremely disturbing. The healthcare reform bill passed <a href="http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0407/report-health-bill-subsidize-viagra-rapists-child-molesters/">contains a loophole</a> that would not prevent "a qualified health plan in a health insurance exchange from providing coverage for drugs prescribed to treat ED to a non-incarcerated beneficiary who was previously convicted of rape, child molestation or other sexual offense." Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) proposed an amendment to the bill in the final days of negotiations but it was summarily struck down by Democrats afraid that changing any portion of the language would delay or even (gasp!) prevent the bill's passage during Reconciliation. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't even think that I can begin to wrap my head around that idea. Is there really someone out there who thinks that its a good idea to give child molesters and rapists Viagra? If Congress can <a href="http://inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com/2010/03/waxman-fires-first-shot-on-capitalism.htmlhttp://inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com/2010/03/waxman-fires-first-shot-on-capitalism.html">summon the heads of major companies before them to testify</a> as to the validity of their accounting procedures that blatantly show that the healthcare sham of a bill will cost them money then why can the American public not require every member of the Senate that had a hand in the blocking of this amendment be brought before a panel and explain why they think that adjusting this language would have prevented the bill's passage. Is there a major lobbying group of child rapists that is funding re-elections? Everyone of their constituents should call their offices immediately and demand an answer as to why this amendment was blocked. </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8XOSPwB-VI/AAAAAAAAACk/VCy_YfG_gFM/s1600/9439248.6915521.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8XOSPwB-VI/AAAAAAAAACk/VCy_YfG_gFM/s320/9439248.6915521.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459996936117549394" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px; " /></a><div>But I have the GREATEST<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>way to combat their answer of "it was for the greater good". The senators who blocked the amendment to prevent sex offenders from receiving prescription medicines to improve their erections may in fact have shot themselves in the foot. In the rush to get this healthcare sham passed, <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/13/health-care-law-may-revoke-insurance-coverage-for-members-of-congress-and-their-staffers/">language included in the bill may "remove members of Congress and Congressional staff" from their current coverage, in the Federal Benefits Program, before any alternatives are available</a>. Anyone who isn't laughing hysterically at this moment must not have a funny bone because that is simply priceless! The party line legislators who have been telling us for over a year that if we like our healthcare coverage then we can keep have now, because none of them read the whole bill before passing it, opened the door to losing their own coverage! Wow! I hope that all of these members of the House and Senate are in excellent health and have no pre-exisiting conditions or they might for once have to see what is like for the rest of us minions.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-7660437212842625372?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-37912861644450418272010-04-13T00:11:00.009-04:002010-04-13T01:52:56.591-04:00The new week brings the President's nuclear summit to Washington, D.C. Forty-seven world leaders are meeting in our nation's capital to discuss the nuclear future of the world. Noticeably absent are the two biggest nuclear threats within the globe - North Korea and Iran.<br /><br /><div>Is it just me or is anyone else worried about the staying power of these agreements given the President's history on campaigning for other people, places or things? And isn't that what this summit is all about anyway? Asking or campaigning for the other attendees to come around to our (as the host) way of thinking? </div><div><br /></div><div>President Obama campaigned quite fervently for the Chicago Olympic bid for the 2016 games, even going as far as to fly himself and the First Lady and Oprah over to Copenhagen to plead in person. That worked out famously as we all know. The President then threw his support to some high-profile candidates in a few of off-year races that were held in November and the special election to fill Ted Kennedy's seat held in January. Those endorsements were held in such high esteem and voters were apparently fired up and ready to go after listening to the President's justifications for elections since they were able to defeat Jon Corzine, Martha Coakley and Creigh Deeds. Yet even with an 0-4 record, there are still those willing to keep the President campaigning on the country's behalf.</div><div><br /></div><div>Recently the President made a surprise jaunt to Afghanistan so that he could visit with our troops. During his trip. he visited with the Afghan President Hamid Karzai. That meeting went <b>so</b> well that within a week, Karzai was threatening to resign his Presidency and join the Taliban. That event was on the heels of the announcement (during Vice President Joe Biden's visit) that Israel was going to approve more construction on the West Bank.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now we have President Obama meeting with the leaders of forty-seven nations trying to hammer out the details on a successful nuclear strategy for the rest of the world. After a productive first day of talks, it was announced that China was on board to maybe possibly think about moving toward the Obama way of thinking on Iran and the Ukraine decided to give up its highly enriched uranium. Given the fact that China could really care less about sanctions on Iran and the President's own spokesperson wasn't sure where the uranium was to be sent (namely to us or to Russia - who might or might not give it to other countries for power generation) I think our not inviting some countries to the summit has allowed us to dodge an onslaught of rats.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8QGIgxtOuI/AAAAAAAAACc/_KUxITZ63Dc/s1600/patrick.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S8QGIgxtOuI/AAAAAAAAACc/_KUxITZ63Dc/s320/patrick.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459495391587023586" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 320px; " /></a><div>I am glad that North Korea and Iran did not attend this summit. We could have been left with the fallout from a <i>boobonic</i> plague of a Presidential campaign that I don't think that we have enough stores of potassium iodide to combat.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-3791286164445041827?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-48601290501341684012010-04-07T10:55:00.009-04:002010-04-08T13:03:29.217-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In September 2001, President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were lambasted in both the US based main stream media as well in International media outlets for (in the wake of the attacks of September11) stating that Osama bin Laden was "Wanted Dead or Alive" or even that we wanted "his head on a platter". Where is the same outrage now as the current Administration adds an American born Muslim cleric to the "kill or capture" list?</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S7ygJVO4isI/AAAAAAAAACU/AbPpzf3YjDw/s1600/osama_bin_laden_wanted_poster.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S7ygJVO4isI/AAAAAAAAACU/AbPpzf3YjDw/s320/osama_bin_laden_wanted_poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457412930645035714" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Bush Administration was admonished over and over for using bellicose and "Texas-style" rhetoric with regards to the terrorist responsible for murdering 2998 Americans. President Bush was accused of stripping Americans of their freedoms with the Patriot Act. The main stream media became firmly entrenched behind those who opposed the policies of President Bush. Groups like Code Pink, MoveOn.org, and the Media Fund were lauded in their vocal protests by the media. Anyone who expressed opposition to these media darlings were charged as trying to quiet the voices of dissent. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In 2003, MSNBC talking head Keith Olbermann hailed the anti-Bush protests and stated, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It is political dissent that created this country and sustained it and improved it." A mere six years later, Olbermann showed his Kerry-esque flip-flop ability (in August of 2009) saying that anti-Obama protests were "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">societal sabotage" and insisted that "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">the protesters are not interested in hearing any voices other than their own". CBS's Katie Couric was quoted as </span></span><a href="http://www.mrc.org/biasalert/2009/20090811055650.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">saying </span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(with regards to the Bush administration) that there was "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">a sense of pressure from corporations who own where we work and from the government itself to really squash any kinds of dissent or any kind of questioning of it" Hello Pot? This is the Kettle!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A little over a year after taking office, we have now seen the Obama Administration make significant changes to National Security language. The words jihad and Islamic radicalism have been removed from a key document outlining the US security strategy. We've seen a policy released that states that we will won't use nuclear weapons on most countries no matter what they use on us. We've seen the Attorney General of the United States say that (another) 9-11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, should be tried in a Federal court in New York City but that Osama bin Laden would "</span></span><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/03/ag_eric_holder_bin_laden_wont.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">never be tried in a US court</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">" because he would most likely be killed before he was captured and they wouldn't "read Miranda rights to his corpse." We've witnessed Homeland Security (under the Obama Administration in April 2009) issue warnings that there will be rises in terror threats from home grown right-wing extremist organizations because they </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/14/homeland-security-warns-rise-right-wing-extremism/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">may be gaining new recruits by playing on fears about the recession and the election of the first African American president.</span></span></span></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/14/homeland-security-warns-rise-right-wing-extremism/"></a>What we have also witnessed however is two very clear attacks on American soil (the first since September 11, 2001). In November 2009, Nidal Malik Hasan </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">killed 13 American citizens and injured another 30. On December 25, 2009, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab was apprehended after attempting to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253. Both of these attacks are now linked to a </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Muslim </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">cleric who is also an American citizen, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Anwar al-Awlaki and the Obama administration has now authorized the killing of this American citizen.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So can </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">someone please tell me the difference between issuing a "Wanted Dead or Alive" type of statement about a monster who claimed responsibility for killing almost 3000 Americans and the authorization of a "kill or capture" order for an American born Muslim? Why do we issue vast warnings about right-wing extremists when there wasn't a single arrest of a tea party protester at any of the hundreds of tea parties (at least none that the author is aware of since I am sure had there been the main stream media would have been all over the story) across the country over the past year? Why do we remove "Islamic radicalism" from our National Security language when actual attacks on our homeland are attributed to a Muslim cleric? Why do we joke about reading Miranda rights to a dead Saudi man but then turn around and issue a kill order for an American citizen? And why do we vilify a President who uses the Patriot Act to assist in our protection yet we glorify another President who strips us of the right to choose our own (or lack thereof) health insurance and who has lied time and time again in his bid to take over one sixth of the economy?</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I am confused and befuddled by this seemingly parallel universe and sometimes wish for a DeLorean so that I can speed down the road at 88 miles per hour so that I can get back to the future where I hope that this mess has been fixed by another trip back in time.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Please feel free to </span></span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-My-Humble-Opinions/103900786314133?ref=ts"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">follow me</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> on Facebook</span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-4860129050134168401?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-30994842338118001882010-04-06T01:16:00.006-04:002010-04-06T07:42:17.750-04:00<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:georgia;font-size:medium;">Is it right to continue with something just because there is a history behind it? By definition, everything and every situation has a history.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Should we continue to deny women voting rights simply because there is a history that did not allow them to? Or should slavery still be a mainstay in the south because there used to be plantation owners who owned slaves? Both of these statements are as ridiculous as the blanket statment "We have a history."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">History cannot be changed that is true but our interpretations and reactions to past events can be changed. We must strive to make informed decisions on future actions based on consequences from previous experiences. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">George Santayana said "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> " I think that this (and its many variations) might be my favorite all philosophical quotes because it applies to almost every possible situation in life.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What do you think that we could have avoided repeating if we studied the history (plainly written in an autobiography) and learned that President Barack Obama was the type of man who would find it necessary to surround himself with Marxists and Communists. If we had studied our history would we now be surprised that the President fills the Oval Office with the likes of Van Jones, Ron Bloom and Reverend Jim Wallis.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What do you think that we would learn if we studied the history of any of the politicians that we elect to represent us and write our laws? We would find that there are some who cheat on their wives, their taxes or their business partners. We would also find some who are honest and hard-working individuals who have histories that feature service to our country and their communities . Which history should we use to aid us in the election of lawmakers that will be charged with caring for the future for our children?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The answer is both. So please do your homework. Study your history. Before you enter the ballot box know the history of the people for whom you press the button or pull a lever. The truth is some history should be avoided and some should be revered. </span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-3099484233811800188?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-5741487960998185802010-04-01T12:32:00.008-04:002010-04-01T22:59:18.026-04:00So I think that the folks that run the schools in Florida have finally gone off the deep end. After last fall's debacle in Broward County where <a href="http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/04/broward-county-fl-schools-no-you-cant-opt-out-of-obama-speech/">students were to be punished for not watching a speech by President Obama</a> we now have a case in the Orlando area where a student is being threatened with <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/31/florida-student-faces-trouble-wearing-breast-cancer-awareness-bracelet/?test=latestnews">suspension for wearing a bracelet to support Breast Cancer</a> Awareness.<div><br /></div><div>At first I thought that this might be an April Fool's Day story but then I realized that the ridiculousness of it had to be true. Apparently a 14-year old boy wore one of those plastic bracelets (thanks Lance Armstrong) printed with the phrases " I love boobies" and "Save a Breast". The school administration says that the bracelet caused a commotion. Really? I seriously doubt that the student wearing the bracelet was walking around chanting the phrases on his wrist.</div><div><br /></div><div>The only conceivable commotion I can think of would be from other students (most likely other 14-year old boys) making comments about breasts and boobies. And if a teacher or administrator can't handle fourteen year old boys talking about breasts and various other female body parts than you probably are teaching the wrong aged students because that's all they are thinking about anyway. So why take the armband away? It raises awareness for breast cancer and countless other bands in an array of colors represent a myriad of other causes. So why take it away? Because it says "breast" and "boobie"? Unless your health teacher is referring to the female anatomy in health class as her lovely lady lumps well then I really don't see the issue.</div><div><br /></div><div>I thought that schools today (especially those in Florida) were most concerned with teaching youth to be good global citizens? Isn't showing support for a disease that <a href="http://jengriffinblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/did-you-know.html">one out of every three women will be diagnosed with</a> a worthy global initiative? Maybe its only okay to show support for a cause if you a part of a mandatory service work program?</div><div><br /></div><div>I wish that I could say that Frankie was still wearing his bracelet but sadly the school's administration succeeded in their bullying tactics (can teachers be members of a service employees union?) and he has stopped. He told a local news agency, "I just don't want to get in trouble anymore." Sounds like a real trouble-maker huh?</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.cafepress.com/VPMedia/7115960"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S7UZLdM0hHI/AAAAAAAAACM/EUdXoT4ea2U/s320/frankie-small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455294208236881010" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px; " /></a><div>So here's my idea. Every parent with kids at Tomlin Middle School and everyone else who thinks that this entire situation in completely ludicrous and out of control should adopt a new slogan...........</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b> FRANKIE SAYS SAVE THE BOOBIES!</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-574148796099818580?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-79175218254618501682010-03-31T08:49:00.012-04:002010-03-31T14:35:07.514-04:00<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Politicians have stories that they share at campaign events to try to show that they can relate to the people in the crowd. Far be it from me to operate like a politician but I have a story to share. This is the story of the man who almost murdered my family.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The afternoon of November 17, 2005 was busy. I had to get my eleven-month old daughter ready to go to her very first NHL hockey game. Since it was an almost three hour trip to the game, I was a typical mom making sure that I had everything that I could possibly need for the ride. We had a great day. My husband, daughter and I went to see the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the New York Rangers. And even though my husband was a little sad that his favorite team had lost, he was still beaming ear to ear from the experience of sharing his love of hockey and the Rangers with his little girl. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The game ended around 10pm and we began the long trip home. About an hour into the trip, with our little girl asleep in her car seat snug in her Rangers jersey, my husband had to swerve the car to miss a chair that had obviously fallen of someone's vehicle. We looked at each other and laughed - that kind of nervous laugh that you have when you don't know how else to react. An hour and a half later we exited onto the stretch of interstate that held the last 20 miles of our trip. My husband and I again exchanged a glance as if to say, "20 minutes and then we'll be home." As we crested over a hill near Idewild Rd on I-485 in Charlotte, I saw some lights in the distance. I asked my husband, "Do you see that?" My husband answered, "Yeah what is that?" Before I could answer we both saw that the lights were headlights and they were headed straight at us. Speeding toward us at over 100mph was an SUV traveling the wrong way on the highway in the middle lane. Neither of us spoke for what felt like minutes but was in reality just mere seconds as we braced to see which way the SUV would move and thankfully at the exact right moment, my husband swerved the car to the left avoiding a collision by inches.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">As the SUV raced behind us, I scrambled for my cell phone and dialed 911. As calmly, as possible, I told the operator where we were and what had happened and finished with, "Please please hurry." I hung up and started shaking and crying uncontrollably. My husband and I made it home about 10 minutes later and after about an hour of clinging to my sleeping daughter I placed her securely into her crib for the night. I think it was about 4am when my husband finally succumbed to his exhaustion while I continued to shake, unable to sleep. At 5am, I turned on the television and the local station brought me the news I was afraid to see and hear.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They police were too late. A few miles after narrowly missing us, the speeding SUV crested over another hill and crashed head-on into a 19-year college student who had no time to react. Min Soon Chang was killed instantly. This innocent young man had failed to get into a sold out midnight showing of the new Harry Potter movie and was on his way home when he was murdered. Witnesses caught the aftermath on cell phones and local news showed the video and photos over and over for the next few days.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Jorge Humberto Hernandez Soto (a drunk driver who was barely injured in the crash) was charged with second-degree murder. Upon his arrest a frightening history was revealed. This man was here illegally yes but that was not all. Not only was he driving drunk while here illegally, he was doing so after having been charged for doing so twice already in Tennessee and Colorado. As if that were not enough, it was also shown that Jorge Humberto Hernandez Soto had been deported from the United States seventeen times. SEVENTEEN TIMES!!!!!!! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S7N6U8vfc_I/AAAAAAAAACE/uE5ApghX6Nk/s1600/Jorge_Humberto_Hernandez-Soto2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 164px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S7N6U8vfc_I/AAAAAAAAACE/uE5ApghX6Nk/s320/Jorge_Humberto_Hernandez-Soto2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454838073997095922" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This murderer was deported from Tucson, Ariz., twice and from El Paso, Texas, once and he voluntarily returned to Mexico 14 times after being caught within miles of the border, immigration officials said. J</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">eff Jordan, assistant special agent in charge of North Carolina for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was quoted as saying, "We have no idea how he's getting back in [the country]". Really Mr. Jordan? You have no idea? I bet its as easy as walking across one of the many gaps in the "fence" or one of the many areas with no such fence along our border with Mexico. This monster was charged with the murder of Min Chang but I contend he should have also been charged with the attempted murder of everyone he passed that night. This man wouldn't know me to see me but I will never forget the face of the man who almost murdered my family.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Unlike the healthcare debate with the anecdotes and tales of people dying because they have no insurance, there are countless actual cases where illegal immigrants have killed people. Real stories like mine are going to feed the firestorm of opposition to the amnesty plans for the millions of illegal immigrants currently residing on our soil.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I do not claim to be an expert and I don't claim to know the right answer. I know that there are reasons that illegals come here to work - namely to take jobs that Americans won't or choose not to take. I know that there is no way to either all of a sudden deport or admit all of the illegals who are already here. The one thing that I do know is that if significant improvements to the border fences are not made to stop the steady influx of people then we do not have a prayer of changing anything.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Why not use the "jobs bill" to give American workers jobs building fences along both our Northern and Southern borders and begin to make a change that we can all hope won't cost another life. </span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-7917521825461850168?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-9875625949939456402010-03-30T11:12:00.011-04:002010-03-30T13:32:17.288-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Wow! The Democratic leadership celebrated their healthcare "win" for all of four days before reality sunk in and the real work began. The beginning of the end of the free market system known as capitalism was witnessed this past weekend. Much like the first shot fired upon Fort Sumter that signaled the start to the Civil War, Henry Waxman has made a move that is just as foreboding.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S7I1CpWCO2I/AAAAAAAAAB8/qHYoXFUQowg/s1600/firing-on-star-of-west.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eNes5SZPLQk/S7I1CpWCO2I/AAAAAAAAAB8/qHYoXFUQowg/s320/firing-on-star-of-west.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454480418273377122" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Apparently there are some changes in the healthcare reform bill that effect the tax provisions available to companies who offer their retirees prescription drug benefits. These tax provisions are eliminated now that the law has been signed and these companies had a duty (under accounting rules) to report these losses as a part of their first quarter earnings. Companies affected by these changes and who made announcements stating so include; AT&amp;T ($1Billion loss), Deere &amp; Co ($150 Million loss), Caterpillar ($100 million loss) and AK Steel ($31 Million in losses). CEO's of these companies (and others adversely affected by the changes to the tax laws) reported these losses truthfully and unpolitically as required by GAAP (Generally Approved Acccounting Principles) to their shareholders and the public.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Mr. Waxman, apparently still high from the fumes of the twenty pens used to sign healthcare refo</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">rm into law, got his knickers in a knot when American companies began to actually review the monstrosity known as Obamacare and didn't keep quiet about what they found. Mr. Waxman has called a handful of CEO's of companies, who released news of losses under the new healthcare regime, to Washington DC to appear before an Energy and Commerce Investigative subcommittee hearing on April 21. The California Congressman doesn't stop by "inviting" them to this hearing, no the CEO's also need to be sure to bring with them emails, documents and "</span></span><a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Democrats-threaten-companies-hit-hard-by-health-care-bill-89347127.html#ixzz0jg2nShws"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">t</span></span></a><a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Democrats-threaten-companies-hit-hard-by-health-care-bill-89347127.html#ixzz0jg2nShws"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">he accounting methods used in preparing the cost impact statement released by AT&amp;T this week</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">". </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So American companies are being called upon the proverbial carpet for abiding by GAAP rules and some would say free speech. Congress is smacking them down and in essence saying "No no, wait, that wasn't what we told you. We told you it would </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">save</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> money you can't tell people that we lied! No, no we can't have that. Now, please present yourselves to receive your punishment".</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I think I see the problem and can almost understand where the CEO's went wrong. You see these companies use something called GAAP, <b><i>Generally</i></b> Approved Accounting Principles. Don't they know that they are supposed to use DAFT, Dubious Accounting (Barney) Frank Theorem?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It is also evident that Mr. Waxman has learned lessons from a high-level Obama advisor - good old <i>"If we can't use the power of persuasion then we'll use the persuasion of power"</i> Andy Stern. I assume that Congressman feels that he can help the misguided CEO's to see the light. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">God help us all as our freedoms evaporate into thin air.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Feel free to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-My-Humble-Opinions/103900786314133?ref=ts">follow me</a> on Facebook</span></span></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-987562594993945640?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-52756394684832139162010-03-29T09:49:00.004-04:002010-03-29T17:13:26.491-04:00This morning a <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2010/03/29/high-flyer-rnc-chairman-steele-suggested-buying-private-jet-with-gop-funds/">story has surfaced</a> that Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele contemplated the purchase of a plane with GOP funds. In addition to the rumors of a jet purchase, there is also a litany of extravagant charges on trips to California and Las Vegas.<div><br /></div><div>Really does this surprise anyone? Okay well maybe some will be surprised about the $1946.25 spent at Voyeur West Hollywood but all of these "expenses" are part and parcel for most politicians in Washington DC (and even in some state capitals as well).</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems that the majority of politicians, once elected (and some even before), feel that they are better than the rest of the American public. First class airfare, private jets, limousines, champagne, luxury hotels and over-the-top meals at swanky restaurants quickly become the standard that they feel entitled to. This perception of permission on the part of our elected officials is nothing new. </div><div><br /></div><div>When did this transformation from being a servant to the public good to being someone who requires a servant happen? I tend to believe it was during the Kennedy administration. America's love affair with Camelot allowed politicians to begin to think of themselves as celebrities. And aren't celebrities afforded better treatment in our society? </div><div><br /></div><div>Politicians in search of the ultimate prize of power have a number of tools in their bag to allow them the lifestyle they have "earned". Not only do they have tax-payer paid salaries, expense accounts, travel and entertainment allowances they also have access to funds from political action committees, re-election funds and the donations received by their national party's fundraising. And that doesn't include speaking fees that are often deferred or donated to "charity" in order to comply with ethics rules.</div><div><br /></div><div>Politics is like a virus and politicians are like zombies infected with that virus. Unlike the standard zombie, who doesn't need food, water or air, political zombies do not need morals, ethics or good set of dentures. So absent preparing yourself and <a href="http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-survive-a-zombie-attack">knowing how to survive a zombie attack</a>, you must exercise your will in other ways and educate yourself and find people who will fight the zombies and their moral-less actions in Washington DC. Elect these people to office and pray that they don't find themselves infected as they are sworn in. And if they become infected, repeat the process again. But NEVER give up the fight.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Special Note:</i></b><i> The author neither endorses nor condones the list of ways to prepare yourself for a zombie attack. I merely provide the link for your enlightenment.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Feel free to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-My-Humble-Opinions/103900786314133?ref=ts">follow me</a> on Facebook</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-5275639468483213916?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-34227291858882119922010-03-26T13:45:00.006-04:002010-03-26T20:36:52.459-04:00It has now being reported that the healthcare reform bill includes a brand new Long Term Care entitlement program that Americans will be automatically enrolled in by their employers. This new program is designed to provide flexible spending of $75 per day at retirement to assist with home health care services. Great idea right? Its a good thing to care for the senior population. But excuse me isn't that what Medicare is supposed to do?<div><br /></div><div>This new program will require employers to withdraw at least $1500 per year from each worker's paycheck. That figure is based on the current estimate of $140 per month in premiums however some estimates show that the premiums will be closer to $240 each month. Apparently there is the option to opt out of the program however I do not know how true this is or how difficult it will be to accomplish.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have said many times, I am no mathematician but this math seems fairly easy to comprehend.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>American Worker Pays $1500 per year for Long Term Care (LTC) Insurance</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>American Worker Works for 40 years (if lucky enough to find a job)</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>American Worker contributes $60,000 over lifetime to LTC program</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A</span>verage Cost of Nursing Home Per Year - $50,000</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Average Cost of Home Health Care Per Year - $12,000</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Percentage of Elderly in Nursing Care - 17%</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Percentage of Elderly Receiving Home Health Care - 80%</div><div><br /></div><div>So approximately 97% of the American public will be eligible for the $75 per day stipend as the reach age 65. That totals $27,375 per year per person for ninety-seven percent of the population as they reach age sixty-five. So we have a total pay-in amount (after forty years of working) of $60,000 and the average life expectancy in the US is eighty years. Doesn't that leave as many as 13 years of the average life expectancy unfunded under this entitlement program? And that doesn't even take into consideration people who would qualify for the program without paying in.</div><div><br /></div><div>So.....I think that I am going to opt out of paying my share and use the money to hire Steve Guttenberg to dive for my cocoon since that may be my only hope!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Feel free to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-My-Humble-Opinions/103900786314133?ref=ts">follow me</a> on Facebook </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-3422729185888211992?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-60977841157716644222010-03-25T21:17:00.010-04:002010-04-01T10:21:04.794-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Who created the game of Chicken? Do you think it was a couple of cavemen who thought it would be funny to run full speed at each other and see who flinched? Or maybe the origins aren't quite that ancient. Maybe it was in Rome with gladiators and the lions. Wherever it started, I think that we can all agree that it is not a game that should be played between the President of the United States and the American public.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Today, President Obama mocked talk of repealing the healthcare bill in a </span></span><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/03/25/president-iowa-city-were-not-going-back-countrys-moving-forward"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">speech in Iow</span></span></a><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/03/25/president-iowa-city-were-not-going-back-countrys-moving-forward"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">a</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">. In his prepared remarks he said, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They’re actually going to run on a platform of repeal in November. You’ve been hearing that. And my attitude is: Go for it. " That of course was followed by applause by the University of Iowa crowd. My question is Mr President, did you hear the thunderous roar outside of the arena? That was the barrage of the American public as you once again pooh-pooh their will and their convictions.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Already in the past 48 hours, the Attorneys General for 14 states have filed suit against the healthcare bill. There are at least 25 other states considering the same types of litigation. That's 39 states. The last time I looked three quarters of fifty is 38. </span></span><a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/toplines/pt_survey_toplines/march_2010/toplines_health_care_reform_march_19_20_2010"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Sixty-eight percent of people</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> think that the quality of healthcare will either stay the same or worsen once this legislation is enacted. Seventy-six percent of the American public think that the cost of healthcare will stay the same or be raised. Seems to me that the majority of the American people are probably not going to be terribly thrilled when the IRS is charged with monitoring healthcare policies every month and probably less thrilled when they realize that even the immediate benefits that have been touted (lifting of pre-existing condition provisions for children and coverage limits) don't and won't actually go into effect until 2011. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So is it really a stretch to think that the (dare I say 3/4) majority of the country might be <i>a little </i>angry at the big government takeover of the healthcare system. I don't know if repeal is possible. I don't know if de-funding of the bill is the answer. What I do know is that throwing down a challenge to the people of the greatest country in the world is probably not the best idea unless you are ready for the fight of your life. Anyone remember the mood after September 11? We're pretty easily rallied when we're threatened.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So here it is, the President has dared us to fight. Well Mr. President, okay, I triple dog dare you. Now watch us go. Make sure the Secret Service has some hot water and gauze before you put your tongue on the flagpole.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-My-Humble-Opinions/103900786314133">Click here</a> to follow on Facebook and get updates each time a new post is added</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-6097784115771664422?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-82894047271347948152010-03-23T10:51:00.006-04:002010-03-23T11:48:27.190-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A </span></span><a href="http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/03/21/omb-issues-acorn-related-memo/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">memo</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> was issued by the OMB (Office of Management &amp; Budget) informing all Federal agencies of a US District Court ruling that in essence found that the Congressional blocking of funding to ACORN was unconstitutional. This memo tells the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, Commerce, and Defense, and the Environmental Protection Agency that the previous ruling has been overturned which one would intimate opens the doors for ACORN funding to be reinstated immediately. With all due respect, what?!?!?!? </span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Let me get this straight. ACORN, an organization shown to have a less than stellar record of playing by the rules, is about to get their funding back at just the moment when its been reported that they are folding. A </span></span><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/23/acorn-shut-wake-scandal/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Fox News story</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> quotes </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ACORN spokesman Kevin Whelan saying, "</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It's really declining revenue in the face of a series of attacks from partisan operatives and right-wing activists that have taken away our ability to raise the resources we need." Well how convenient that, in the wake of healthcare passing and everyone's focus shifted to the "historic" events, this agency so beneficial to the President's election has regained funding in the nick of time to save themselves. </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Do not be fooled when the ACORN spokespeople say that they are shutting down, the most important of all offices have already taken steps to distance themselves from the news media scrutiny. The New York and California ACORN offices broke away earlier this year by changing their names in hopes to salvage the outside funding that they receive. I am sure though that in the name changing process that they made sure to keep in their charters the ability to receive the Federal funding due under the original name. </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It is becoming increasingly clear that the President continues to surround (rather than distance) himself with people and organizations that are champions in the art of getting what they want by any means necessary. The President himself stated (</span></span><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,589589,00.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">in an interview last week</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">) that, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> I don't spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedural rules are in the House or the Senate." No Mr President, I don't think you do spend a lot of time worrying about rules. Now. Because as is evidenced with your 129 "present" votes in the Illinois state Senate, I believe that you spent years learning the rules so that you would no longer have to "worry" about them. The idea that you were okay with the "deem it passed" scenario for healthcare is further evidence that you are well aware of the rules and how to use them to reach your end game.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All of this being said, the biggest slap in the face of the OMB's memo reinstating ACORN funding has to be the line "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Federal agencies are hereby advised that the District Court has declared the above-listed legislative provisions unconstitutional". Great, its unconstitutional to block funding to a corrupt organization but its totally okay to tell private companies how they must operate and to force the American people to buy a product that they do not want.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Excuse me but is it the red pill or the blue one that will get me out of this wonderland?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">(Feel free to email the author at <a href="mailto: stephanie@vpmedia.com">stephanie@vpmedia.com</a>)</span></span></span></div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 19px; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-8289404727134794815?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-33021183025480580232010-03-21T23:49:00.014-04:002010-03-22T11:58:53.895-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yesterday morning I was scared. Its difficult to put into words how I feel at the moment. Its kind of like the scene in "The Patriot" where the Revolutionaries are making the final push and the line starts to fall and someone has dropped the flag. I'm confused and tired and wow it would be nice to turn, run and just give up. The House of Representatives voted last night to pass the Senate version of the healthcare reform bill. Obamacare is now a reality and 1/6 of the American economy is firmly in the hands of the government.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am sick to death of the politicians in Washington telling me what I need. I am tired of them telling me that the founding fathers would want me to have health insurance. I am exasperated by their insistence that they are better equipped to decide how my business can operate than I am. I am simply worn out by over a year of fighting with politicians who neither listen to nor care about their constituents. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Politicians. There's a real winning group of people. We've got Nancy Pelosi who can't be farther in the pocket of all that is evil if she tried. Its been said that it was she, and not Rahm Emanuel, who urged the President to keep fighting for healthcare even after the Scott Brown election. I certainly don't want to visualize the locker room confrontations that she had to conduct to get this legislation to a vote. Then we have Mary Landrieu, Ben Nelson and Kent Conrad (just to name a few) that were able to score big kickbacks with catchy names for their states. Some of those kickbacks have been stripped with the change language to the bill but at least they showed the ability to get something tangible for the selling of their vote. Maybe it will help them that they tried to get something for their state but then again they probably really don't care. None of them are up for reelection until 2012. They are free to wreak havoc for another 2 years.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That's not the case for poor Bart Stupak (D-MI). I think I need to make him one of my shirts. "I negotiated with the President and all I got was a lousy piece of paper". Mr. Stupak sold his vote for a non-binding promise of an executive order on abortion language. He didn't even hold the President's feet to the fire and ask for the executive order before the vote. I guess the economic woes of Michigan extend to their Representative's offices.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I know people who support this bill. They aren't bad people and I am confident that they do not want to see our beautiful Republic destroyed. These are people who have been convinced by the Washington DC and Chicago power machines that health insurance and a college education are a right. I don't blame them for their opinions. I just hope that someday that they can awaken from the dream.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The President went on TV to pat himself on the back and to again tell me how this was a good thing for the country. He made a statement that stuck with me. "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To every unsung American who took the time to sit down and write a letter or type out an e-mail hoping your voice would be heard — it has been heard tonight." You are correct Mr President. The voices were heard and summarily were ignored over and over and over again. But do not be mistaken, we will not go quietly into the night, we will not go without a fight. The majority of the American people did not want this bill. Your bill went from a 67% approval to under a 35% approval in less than a year. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well, I now know how to feel. I have seen the flag fall but that cannot be the end. I am energized and ready to pick up the flag again and fight. The light of the morning and the fact that the IRS is now going to control healthcare is going to bring more people to the fight. As more information is gleaned from the bill, we will gain more and more supporters and we will find a way to save our country. That's what we do, we're Americans.</span></span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-3302118302548058023?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-23813522643613144402010-03-21T08:07:00.006-04:002010-03-21T11:07:48.112-04:00<span><span></span></span>How is one supposed to feel on the morning of the day that may change our country forever? I grapple with that question this morning as the healthcare vote looms in the House of Representatives today.<div><br /></div><div>I want to have hope. I want to think the American people still have a voice. I want to think that the folks who gave up their time and money to march on Washington yesterday made a difference. But I am afraid. I am more afraid than I was on the morning of September 11. On that morning, I at least felt as though we as Americans would have a chance to retaliate. I don't feel like that today.</div><div><br /></div><div>If this abomination of a bill passes into law today, Mr Obama will have succeeded in taking the first step to "fundamentally change" our country. The government will begin to control 1/6 of our economy and the IRS (yes the IRS!) will control healthcare. The government not your doctor will begin to make decisions regarding your healthcare. Supporters of the bill will say no that's not the case. But how could it not? Doctors (the real ones not the fake ones in the coats at the White House) are already making the difficult choice to stop accepting Medicare patients because of the regulations. If the government is forcing their hands already and the bill hasn't passed how could there not be more government control on the way?</div><div><br /></div><div>Don't get me wrong. I know that there are flaws in our current healthcare system. But I certainly don't think government takeover is the answer. Taking small steps and fixing key problems is a better idea than an overall takeover but when have politicians ever actually done something to benefit the American people and not themselves and their thirst for power? I, like others, think that tort reform and the ability to buy insurance across state lines are good starts. Things like a complete audit of the approval process and then the actual management of current government programs like Medicaid and Medicare is a better start to reform the system. If the government can show the ability to fix the problems with their own program, well then maybe the American public will trust them to tackle the bigger issues. But of course any of those things would require common sense to implement and I believe that it is required that you leave your common sense with security when you enter the Capitol.</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead of working with common sense, the future of America is under attack by power hungry politicians with an agenda. I hope with all of my being that a handful of Representatives in the House actually LISTEN to their constituents and vote no to the destruction of America. I hope that there is someone with a soul left in the Democratic party that has the courage that is required to stand up to the Obama machine. If you truly want to be remembered, then vote NO to this tragedy and be known as the Representative who saved the country.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is Sunday. It is the first day of Spring and normally a day to revel in the anticipation of everything new. I simply pray that at the end of today that I am not mourning our destruction.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Please feel free to email the author at stephanie@vpmedia.com</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-2381352264361314440?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-32522959048738498292010-03-18T10:36:00.007-04:002010-03-18T11:52:11.888-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Only in Washington, D.C. is it a day to celebrate that a proposal that will </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">only</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> cost $940 Billion. The Democratic leadership in DC is "giddy" (to quote a Congressman) that the CBO has come out and stated that the healthcare bill's price tag is under the magic level of $1 Trillion.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Really? Really? If the average American spends $940 on a couch most likely they will tell you that they had spent a thousand dollars. Buy a car for $9400 in most cases you would be hard pressed to find someone who didn't feel that you had spent ten grand. So really democrats, do you really think that the American public is so dense that you can tell us that you AREN'T spending a TRILLION dollars to take over 1/6 of the economy?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And am I the only person who this morning is questioning the supposed non-partisan makeup of the Congressional Budget Office. Can I possibly be the only one who thinks that the delay with receiving the (barely but) under a Trillion price tag is a little suspect. I tend to believe that there was a lot more jockeying back and forth between Dems and the CBO to ensure that this number was what they needed. And now that they have the UNDER A TRILLION price tag they are giddy and moving forward with a vote on Sunday.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I may not be the greatest mathematician but if something costs $940 billion over the first ten years and that figure includes a planned Medicare savings (yeah like that has ever happened) of $120 billion, doesn't that mean that the bill actually costs $1.06 Trillion?? The planned savings from Medicare would include cuts that would affect millions of seniors who will lose a great portion of their benefits and they would be forced to foot even more of their healthcare costs. I thought that Nancy Pelosi wanted to close the donut hole not the other way around. And this is all dependent upon generating these savin</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gs. T</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he CBO also projects that "total federal Medicare and Medicaid outlays will rise from 4 percent of GDP in 2007 to 12 percent in 2050 and 19 percent in 2082. So if the CBO predicts that the percent of GDP is going to grow that dramatically, how can they also state that they predict that there is a savings?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Feel free to email the author at stephanie@vpmedia.com</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-3252295904873849829?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-14721089754486895092010-03-06T01:05:00.001-05:002010-03-06T01:52:35.782-05:00Somewhere sitting in a high school classroom, I met a girl. I didn't like her. She didn't like me. Then one day we were forced to spend time together in jail (on a school trip for our Business Law class) and the mutual fear of being attacked by the inmates in the intake area bonded us. From then on we were inseparable Thick as thieves, two peas in a pod, all of the standard cliches, there we were. When circumstances tried to pull us apart we rebelled and still remained true. She was my rock and without her I would have never survived high school.<div><br /></div><div>We had all the plans that friends in high school have - room together in college, get married, have kids at the same time and grow old together. Well of course, as with all of the best laid plans, NONE of that happened. I was unable to go with her to college and I got married first (without even having her with me at the ceremony - bah). She soon married and I remember thinking okay well that was a bump in the plan but we still have the rest. Again, things changed. I got divorced and she moved away </div><div><br /></div><div>Throughout all of this we stayed in touch although never as close as when we were in high school. She moved back and was still married and I was floundering in bad relationships. It seemed as if she had it all and I admit I was jealous. </div><div><br /></div><div>I met a man and fell in love. Hooray! Except that it was a relationship that I couldn't fully share with my friend. I wished for a way to tell her of my happiness but I thought that she would try to talk me out of it because I assumed that she wouldn't approve. It was then that we started to drift apart. </div><div><br /></div><div>When my not exactly ideal relationship crumbled and I was in emotional fragments I still did not go to my friend. Why? I don't know other than I was scared that she would reject me (although why I thought that is still a mystery).</div><div><br /></div><div>Life went on and I eventually met and married a wonderful man and began a family of my own - even though I was behind on the timing of the original plan. Her kids were already toddlers before mine were even born. It shouldn't have made a difference and we should have been as thick as thieves and yet we weren't. We were in different towns and different places emotionally.</div><div><br /></div><div>Life, as it often does, reared its ugly head and a situation arose between my friend and I that I did not handle well at all. I was very high and mighty and judgmental and I decided that I wanted out. I threw away my friendship of almost 20 years because I was stubborn, pig headed and selfish.</div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily, my friend is forgiving and she took me back - almost 2 years later! Even after our reunion, we do not see each other enough but we are in contact on a daily basis one way or another.</div><div><br /></div><div>Life of course still goes on. My friend is now going through some rough spots and I am glad that I can be there for her and I hope that I am a help to her in some small way. I know that I have not always been a good friend but I am smart enough now to know that I should not take the </div><div>relationship for granted.</div><div><br />Tonight, my friend and I went out. Nothing fancy - just dinner and drinks (okay well maybe A LOT of drinks) and we had FUN! I realized that this one night is the first time in our entire friendship where we were together as adults, as moms, as women and most importantly as ourselves. We laughed A LOT and we learned A LOT and we were able to share things that we never before were comfortable or open enough to do. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tonight, I found my best friend again. I am sorry for the lost time but I am thankful for the future and maybe just maybe if we're lucky, we'll grow old together.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-1472108975448689509?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-90275725269639286782010-03-04T11:35:00.000-05:002010-03-04T13:20:21.463-05:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">You know? I thought that I had outgrown the need for lectures on my behavior when I moved out of my parents house oh so many years ago. Apparently not, because wow I feel almost guilty for </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">something </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">after listening to the talking to that I got from the President of the United States yesterday.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The President, again flanked by people in white lab coats and blue scrubs, entered East Room of the White House to urge Congress to pass the latest version of his </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">healthcare</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> bill. He proceeded to tell me that this version of the bill even included many of the proposals from the </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">healthcare</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> summit last week. Wow! Really? Tort reform? The ability to buy and sell insurance across state lines? No, oh okay. I'm sorry, Mr President I didn't mean to interrupt, please continue.... </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The President continues, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I spent seven hours at a summit where Democrats and Republicans engaged in a public and very substantive discussion about health care. " Wait, wait Mr President, I watched that very public "debate" and all I took away was that my senators and congressmen like to talk and tell stories about constituents.......oh, oh, again I'm sorry you say you gained valued information..okay, I'm sorry for interrupting again, please continue</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Now, the proposal I put forward gives Americans more control over their health insurance and their health care by holding insurance companies more accountable. It builds on the current system where most Americans get their health insurance from their employer. If you like your plan, you can keep your plan. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. I can tell you as the father of two young girls, I would not want any plan that interferes with the relationship between a family and their doctor. " But Mr President, what if my employer decides that he can no longer pay for my insurance, that its cheaper to pay the fine for not having insurance, how do I keep the coverage that I like then? COBRA? Okay well that's limited in time and very expensive to maintain......oh I'm asking too many questions again, I'm sorry, please go on.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"We have debated this issue thoroughly, not just for the past year but for decades. Reform has already passed the House with a majority. It has already passed the Senate with a </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">supermajority</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> of 60 votes. And now it deserves the same kind of up or down vote that was cast on welfare reform, that was cast on the Children's Health Insurance Program, that was used for COBRA health coverage for the unemployed, and, by the way, for both Bush tax cuts --- all of which had to pass Congress with nothing more than a simple majority. " OKAY WHOA HOLD IT! I CANNOT TAKE IT ANYMORE!! Debated this issue for a year? How can you debate when one of the parties is literally locked out of the negotiations? These bills passed with the earmarks and special favors that you now say have been removed. Now here's the kicker - YOU Mr President have said that you cant govern by using the "simple majority" approach to </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">healthcare</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. In 2007 you said that we have to break from the 50+1 pattern of Presidential politics, that you can't govern. What happened to that approach Mr President. What happened to the man who said that he would rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term one? If you think you can't govern with a 50+1 strategy then WHY WHY WHY are you using it?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Stop force feeding YOUR union funded agenda down the throats of the American people. Stop leaving town when we come to talk. Listen to us for once!!!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I would love for my President to be angry and condescending when he is talking to terrorists or nations who threaten us, I don't want him to be when he is talking to the American people. Stop waving your finger at me Mr President, I've tuned you out.</span></span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-9027572526963928678?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-40056996257601258212010-03-03T21:30:00.000-05:002010-03-03T22:39:30.366-05:00So I finished "The Lovely Bones" and while I know I came very late to the party with this, I am so glad that I made the time to read this book.<div><br /><div>Alice Sebold wove an amazingly riveting and captivating story from what most would think an impossible start - the rape and murder of Susie Salmon (like the fish). As a parent, the first chapter was intensely hard to read. As I got past that and into the story of Susie's life and afterlife I found myself wanting the same things that she did. Through Susie I was able to experience vicariously (just like Susie does) the thrill of first love (with Ray) and the intenseness of true love (Samuel and Lindsey). Feelings as strong as these are sometimes hard to describe in words yet Ms Sebold has crafted these emotions my in such that was not overly sappy nor preposterous.</div><div><br /></div><div>The pain of the loss that Jack is unable to deal with is completely believable. I am never sure how a parent copes with the loss of child, especially in such a violent way. Jack's pain is evident in every move that he makes. How does one deal with the death of one child and the participation in the lives of the other two? One of my favorite passages in the book was when Jack helped Lindsey shave her legs the first time. Every single parental emotion is evidenced in the span of a couple of pages. I had to stop reading and just go with the tears that flowed for about 30 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Abigail's struggle is one that is again easy to understand and to relate to. Before Susie's death, Abigail was questioning her place in the world and trying to carve out an identity apart from being a mom. As a mom, I struggle with that every day as I think that all moms do. So the idea that Abigail would retreat from her family, look for comfort with Len and then just bolt is believable and quite frankly expected given the already fragile state she was in. In many ways Abigail does what so many moms might secretly want to do but never will. </div><div><br /></div><div>I do wish that some of the peripheral characters had been developed a bit more. I felt as though the author got started with the development of Ray, Ruth, Mrs Ruana and others but then all of a sudden she dropped the ball. Especially Ruth. Ruth experienced the pain of Susie's death by accident and by no fault of her own except by being in the wrong (or right?) place at the wrong time. It opened a part of her soul to the reader that we were able to see for a bit but then it seemed like that was forgotten til almost the end of the book when her presence was needed again. The other complete miss is Buckley. Ms Sebold treated Buckley as so many younger children are treated in families every day - an afterthought and often forgotten. Thank goodness for Grandma Lynn or else Buck would have been left in the dust.</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, I enjoyed the time that I spent with these characters and even though I know that it will not be anywhere near as good, I will probably see the movie too just for the chance to be able to spend some time with them again.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next up for me? I have two Kristen Hannah books and Nanny Returns on the top of the pile from Christmas. I think a trip down memory lane with Nanny and Mrs X awaits............</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-4005699625760125821?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-35799927584021336642010-02-22T14:51:00.000-05:002010-02-22T15:05:20.924-05:00Wow! Its been forever since I've gotten a chance to come and update anyone who's reading on what I'm reading.<div><br /></div><div>I got about 12 books as Christmas gifts and I am completely embarrassed to say that while I have started three of them, I have completed none as of yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am happy to report though that with this past weekend's very nice weather, I got some well-deserved and much needed reading time. I picked up "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Seybold. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know that a lot of people have already read this but somehow I missed it. As a rule, I cannot stand flashbacks. I hate it when its done in a movie and I am usually even more against it in a book - it somehow loses the continuity for me. This book on the other had has (at a quarter of the way through) made flashbacks and out of body visions tolerable and dare I say, almost pleasant. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I read the first chapter, I was taken aback that I was already privy to the murderer's identity. This fact initially shocked me as much as the murder itself, which in and of itself is gruesome and disturbing. However the author has enabled me in the next couple of chapters to forgive that I already know who the killer is and to focus on the story she is masterfully crafting. </div><div>I wonder if I will continue to be pleased - stay tuned.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-3579992758402133664?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-22477093874473186972009-07-27T11:46:00.001-04:002009-07-27T16:23:42.039-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The past week has seen huge news stories being broadcast by the media in widely differing lights (healthcare reform, the Cambridge Police siutation) but coverage of the closing of the small kiosk known as the Free Market Warrior in the Concord Mills Mall in Concord, NC has been neglected by the mainstream national media, with the exception of the conservative Fox News.<br /><br />In a letter to the </span><a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/408/story/770298.html?q=concord%20mills%20letter"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Observer Forum</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, Jennifer Ibanez complained about items at the Free Market Warrior kiosk that, "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">support ideas such as racism, sexism and even slavery." Fast forward a couple of weeks and apparently as a result of this letter, the owner of the mall, Simon Properties Group, refused to renew the lease of the Free Market Warrior kiosk. According to the</span><a href="http://freemarketwarrior.com/blog/7-message-of-the-week/14-banned-at-the-mall"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Free Market Warrior</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> website, the items that were deemed offensive were in reference to anti-Obama sentiments and pro-life topics. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I have a couple of opinions on this that quite frankly land a bit on both sides of the backlash that has since erupted. Let's be clear, Simon Properties is a private company and as such is able to rent space to whomever it deems worthy and not to whomever it does not. I don't think that anyone with a cool head would debate that issue. Had Simon Properties gone to Loren Spivak (the proprietor of Free Market Warrior) and simply said that they were not renewing his lease, then I don't think that there would be quite as much of a firestorm as there is today. Instead, Simon informed Free Market Warrior that there were particular items that expressed opinions that were leaning to far to one side of the political spectrum. Simon opened this can of worms on themselves. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Simon Properties Group's owner is a big supporter and donor to both the DNC and the campaign of now-President Obama. This connection opens up the idea of favoritism and prejudice against those who have opinions that differ from the administration's. If they didn't expect to get a fight and backlash, they were seriously short-sighted. In the current political climate, when our local and national legislators are being taken to task for not bringing the types of "change" that they promised, Simon should have stepped back and taken a deep breath.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Instead, the have unleashed protests outside of and impending boycotts of Concord Mills and ts retailer. Already all of the local television stations in Charlotte have covered the initial protest outside of Concord Mills on July 26. At least one of these local station's reports have been picked up by a cable news outlet (<a href="http://www.foxcharlotte.com/dpp/news/concord">Brian Blakely's reporting on WCCB</a> was shown on Fox News this morning) and the story has been covered by the entertaining and always conversation-starting Glenn Beck. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Obviously whether its a private enterprise or not, when you tell someone that they can't sell his wares that include some that they don't agree with you are going to get people who are up in arms. Either side of the aisle, we all have the right to free speech. So if you don't want to fight a First Amendment argument don't start it because there are plenty of people that will pick up the flag when the front soldier is tired.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In this particular case, this kiosk was located (by no accident I am sure) outside the Bass Pro Shops location at Concord Mills. The target audience for Bass Pro Shops and the NASCAR SpeedPark (another big anchor at Concord Mills) is largely conservative and I am sure that the purveyors of the Free Market Warrior brought in products that would appeal to their audience. That's pretty much the idea in retailing, "Give the customer a product that they will BUY."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yes, I am a conservative but I feel quite confident that if a kiosk that featured bumper stickers that said "Impeach Bush" had been the one closed down for the same reasoning, I would be just as pissed off. It all boils down to how you handle it. And I truly believe that Simon knew what they were doing and they chose to take on this fight.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There will be protests and boycotts (I for one have already contacted both Simon Properties Group and Bass Pro Shops and informed them of my decision to no longer shop at their locations) and that's the right of all of the rest of us who are upset and will not have our First Amendment rights taken away with so many other of the liberties that are being debated about and taken away every day.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For their part, the anchor stores such as Bass Pro Shops are not commenting on the controversy and the City of Concord has no public stance other than SPG is a private corporation that can rent to or not rent to anyone that they wish. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I for one for hope that there is enough backlash and commotion that Free Market Warrior is either able to open again in Concord Mills or is offered a lease in another local shopping center. I continue to believe that one voice can make a difference (as was evident last week with Sue Myrick's signing of the Pledge to Read the Bill) and when all of our voices join together, we can very surely make a "change."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-2247709387447318697?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-14899445191349048512009-06-30T17:06:00.000-04:002010-03-03T22:45:41.067-05:00Alright well it appears that I've revealed one of my flaws. I have been so sidetracked with all of my recent projects that I have been very neglectful of my blog and I have missed it.<div><br /></div><div>Here's a brief (or not so) recap of what's been happening for the past few weeks:</div><div><br /></div><div>The Red Wings lost in Game 7. As previously mentioned, I HATE game 7's!! Book club was held the night of the game and against my better judgement I attended and TiVO'd the beginning of the game. My next door neighbor (a Penguins fan) did the same and as we walked home from book club we agreed that we'd still be friends in the morning (we are but it's tough! LOL!). I was so supremely confident is was scary. We were at home and we're the Wings! Well apparently the coach didn't get that memo and he went away from several key things that had been working - namely using some very talented rookies from the AHL. But I digress (or at least I force myself to or "my playoff aneurysm" might return) - there's always next year!</div><div><br /></div><div>As for books, I am deeply immersed in the Twilight series. I will wait until I complete the final book (Breaking Dawn) to post my full review but suffice as to say, I am enjoying the journey immensely.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now we come to one of the things that I have been most concerned with since my last post. Affiliate Marketing. Some people love it, some people hate it. There is no denying however that if done properly, you can make money. The great state of North Carolina however apparently could care less about people who earn their living this way. The NC legislature is in budget negotiations and is prepared to enact new tax provisions that would now force companies like Amazon and Overstock to charge state sales tax to consumers (no matter their location) purchasing via links originating from associates and affiliates in NC. So in a state where the unemployment rate is 11.1% (as of May 2009), the legislature is creating a tax structure that has forced several large businesses to end relationships with NC residents and taking away income with no recourse. And now that the big companies have terminated these relationships, what's to stop every other affiliate program from following suit? The "honorable" Governor Bev Perdue stated within the past week, “I will be very surprised if any of the major click through retailers refuse to sell to our state, which is the seventh largest in America". I'll bet she's surprised when the Groundhog sees his shadow in February too! </div><div><br /></div><div>Also included in this budget is a provision that will tax digital downloads (such as iTunes). Very surprisingly I haven't heard many complaints in regards to this particular provision but I feel pretty confident that if this particular phrasing goes into effect there will be a huge backlash especially for those consumers in Charlotte who will suddenly be paying almost 5% more for their iTunes than their SC counterparts a mere 15 minutes away. And that's only if Apple and Amazon agree to collect the sales tax instead of eliminating the sale of digital products to residents of the state.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have talked to numerous staffers for state congressmen (and women) and state senators as well as a particularly unhelpful aide within the Governor's office trying to voice my incredibly strong opposition to this taxing. The aide in the Governor's office told me that the Governor would not address complaints until the (passed) budget was on her desk. So much for "For the People, By the People".</div><div><br /></div><div>So since I have rambled on at length on this topic, I urge anyone who lives in NC to please call their representatives in the Legislature and tell them how unfair this tax is to each and every North Carolinian.</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-1489944519134904851?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-26159876794195576972009-06-09T22:06:00.000-04:002009-06-10T15:50:39.935-04:00Okay so maybe I was wrong. (Please note date and time for future reference) While I am still firmly against the style that the book was written in, I now find myself wishing that there were more of <i>Loving Frank</i> to read. I really enjoyed the character of Mamah Borthwick. I was stunned by the events near the end - if you haven't read the book and you don't know anything about the characters, please <b>don't spoil</b> it for yourself and Google Mamah. I have found myself over the past couple of days actually missing the book now that I have finished. If you've read any of my previous entries regarding this book you'll know that this was not an easily reachable feat. I resisted this book from the start and only continued because I wanted to finish this for book club. <div><br /></div><div>Mamah (pronounced MAY-muh) was a very intriguing character. Combine the choices and struggles that she made and faced with the fact that she made them in the earliest years of the 20th century and you have a heroine that is likeable, detestable, consistent, heartfelt and very sad. I would assume that women of today reading her story will find many similarities in the struggles that are faced a hundred years later. So many women wrestle with work and family obligations with being responsible yet still free enough to still find and acknowledge the "real" person inside of herself.</div><div><br /></div><div>In reading the author's notes at the end of the book I was disapponted to know that there was not much more material available to give me more insight into the real life of this amazing woman who made me actually want to read more about an architect. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since finishing I returned to <i>The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society</i> which I was about 20 pages into while reading <i>Loving Frank</i>. I LOVED this book. I am sure that I could use much more flowery prose to tell you all its virtues but this is hand's down the BEST book that I have read in years (yes bypassing <i>Firefly Lane</i>) . Written in a series of letters, the authors (there are two - one of which who unfortunately passed away before the book was released) created a family of characters that was funny, endearing, heartbreaking, frustrating and altogether inviting and warm. Given that these characters have just come through the German Occupation during World War II, this was a daunting task, I'm sure. </div><div><br /></div><div>Very often, I want for more when a book is over but with <i>Guernsey</i> I ache to know more about the rich characters that I got to know. There are so many stories left to tell and I am so sad that Mary Ann Shaffer is no longer with us to continue the incredible journey that "the society" has taken me on. I think that given the reception that this book has received from reviewers and book clubs alike, there could defintely have been a host of sequels. </div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to the fabulous characters this book celebrates the universal love of books that I have and that I hope to share with my children. I will definfitely share this book with both of my girls as they get older. </div><div><br /></div><div>On a completely different note, I am so mad tonight! My Detroit Red Wings had the chance to finish off the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight and win the Stanley Cup - no luck and now its on to a winner take all Game 7 on Friday. I hate Game 7's!</div><div><br /></div><div>StephieB in NC</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-2615987679419557697?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-73969240473994872162009-06-04T12:08:00.000-04:002009-06-04T12:46:05.983-04:00I am a relatively new participant in the Twitter craze but somehow I have been quickly addicted.  <div><br /></div><div>The very first person that I "followed" was Karl Rove.  I know, I know that sounds silly even I as I say but I thought it would be fun to watch all the "interesting" things that he would have to say in the Twittersphere.  He does have some interesting posts and some good links but mostly he reminds his "followers" to tune in and watch whenever he's on one of the FoxNews shows.</div><div><br /></div><div>Little by little I added new people to follow and was (pleasantly) surprised when some even decided to follow back.  In the beginning, I had convinced myself that I would only use Twitter for business purposes so I continued to search out people that shared interests (conservative policies, tea parties, etc) so that I could promote my t-shirt designs that featured the same types of topics. </div><div><br /></div><div>In my desire to keep my tweets for business, I was actually drawn into one of those "Increase your Targeted Twitter Following on AutoPilot" posts.  I can't even really tell you why I clicked on it because normally I would never click on some get rich quick link.  However, I am really glad that I did - and probably not so much for the reasons that most would think.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, I did purchase the <a href="http://bit.ly/LYs3t">Twitter Traffic Machine</a> product and I must say it is the best $27 I have spent in the past 6 months!  I learned so much about Twitter and the different types of applications out there.  This is the newbie Twitterer's best friend.  Can you make money?  I would have to say that all depends on how you utilize the tools that are given to you. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I found cool applications like <a href="http://bit.ly/HiQle">TweetLater</a> and <a href="http://bit.ly/">bit.ly</a> that will help you manage your Tweets and Content.  I learned a lot more about some Google products that I would have never even known about.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have taken the tools, tips and tricks provided in the <a href="http://bit.ly/LYs3t">Twitter Traffic Machine</a> information and have begun to apply them in different ways for my differnt business' needs.  The automated follow tools that are outlined have been EXTREMELY beneficial to me and I have absolutely generated new sales that would not have been possible without Twitter and these tools and applications.</div><div><br /></div><div>For example, I started an account for my cellular accessories website (<a href="http://twitter.com/carolinacell">CarolinaCell</a>) and began to find people who were interested in the latest and greatest cell phones and technology.  Within ONE day, I was able to see sales for models that I hadn't had sales for in months!  The only difference being the traffic generated to my website from the Twitter page.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another example is for some new tshirt designs I have from one of my other venures (<a href="http://twitter.com/funtshirtoutlet">FunTShirtOutlet</a>).  I launched several new designs last week and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">only</span> announced them via Twitter in order to gauge success.  Within two days we've had our first sales on the new designs. </div><div><br /></div><div>So yes, very enthusiastically, I would encourage everyone who wants to learn to use social marketing effectively for YOUR business (affliate based or not, which I am not) to take $27 (come on, you know you have it in your PayPal account) and learn how to make Twitter work for you!  I did and I am making money from my real businesses and not just because I talk about a system or product.  </div><div><br /></div><div>Give it a try - you'll be glad that you did.</div><div><br /></div><div>I now have several Twitter accounts (and no not all for work anymore, I broke my own rule and now both my husband and I have personal Twitter accounts as well) and follow all kinds of fun and interesting people.  </div><div><br /></div><div>Twitter is growing by leaps and bounds - adding almost 19 million users in April 2009 bringing to over over 30 million total.  Some estimates have users growing to 100 million by the end of the year (although that was before China limited use).  A recent survey showed that 84% of businesses polled felt that Twitter usage could increase their business.  With stats like that, it makes sense to be sure that you know what you are doing and how to do it easily and efficiently.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sure, I still follow Karl Rove and various other "big" Twitterers, but I also follow people that I would never have known about if not for Twitter and most of them are funny, engaging and super smart.  And some of them are even consumers that are interested in my products!  My guess is that they might be interested in yours too!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'd love to hear your feedback!  Post a comment or follow me on one of my many Twitter accounts - <a href="http://twitter.com/stephiebinnc">StephieBinNC</a>  and send me your Tweets!</div><div><br /></div><div>  </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-7396924047399487216?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-91302986618230369062009-06-03T16:53:00.000-04:002009-06-03T17:30:50.423-04:00So I have gotten a bit farther into <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Loving Frank</span> and it may be marginally better than my first impression.  I am liking the character of Mamah Borthwick but still not in love with the style that this entire book has been written.  I should have it finished within a day or two in plenty of time for book club next Friday.<div><br /></div><div>I am finally feeling better from all of the crazy allergy symptoms and my nose feels almost normal again.  I must say Zyrtec D is a wonder drug - thanks to my pharmacist for the suggestion.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have posted a link on the side of the blog to one of my web ventures!  Please feel free to browse the designs that I have done and put onto t-shirts and other fun stuff!  If you like what you see, please tell your friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>Has anyone else been watching Harper's Island for the past few (okay several) weeks on CBS?  I must day I am completely hooked and have a couple of interesting theories on the killer's identity - anybody else wonder if the first victim (under the boat) was <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">really</span> the cousin that they made us think that it was?  I also wonder why they have chosen to try <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">so</span> hard to make me think that its not Jimmy.  (as a side note, I just took a minute to try go look up Jimmy's name - I couldn't remember it - and so just found a very addicitng discussion thread at harpersglobe.com  Yikes!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Well enough random thoughts for the day - thanks for listening!  </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-9130298661823036906?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-24958484405548539962009-05-22T13:39:00.001-04:002009-05-22T13:56:21.025-04:00So I started <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Loving Frank</span> by Nancy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Horan</span> yesterday and wow! I am having a really tough time with it.  It feels very choppy to me - the chapters are only a few pages each and so far there is nothing that's captivated me.  I'll keep going since its the Book Club book this time around but so far this is not one I would recommend unless you have a love affair (yes pun intended) with Frank Lloyd Wright.<div><br /></div><div><div>I am sure that this factors into my not getting into the book since I've had little sleep - allergy season has finally settled into my house and I feel like the tap has been opened inside my nose!  Hope it clears quickly since its the holiday weekend AND I have people coming to visit next week.  The girls (my daughters) and my hubby have so far stayed healthy and don't seem to be affected by the same thing that's bogging me down.</div><div>  <br /></div><div>I am spending the afternoon catching on up on emails and Twitter stuff and getting the girls out to play after nap.  I wish everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day.  Be sure to remember those who have fought (like my grandfather Joe and my uncle Milford - though neither died in battle) to give us the freedoms that we take for granted (or not) every day!  Thanks to all of the veterans and as well  to the families of the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and our freedom secured.</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-2495848440554853996?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-857196598327206731.post-22675598398350024262009-05-20T16:50:00.000-04:002009-05-21T13:05:31.495-04:00Hello all.  I am new to blogging but I think that I might like or (gasp!) even be good at it.  Time <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">will</span> tell I guess.  I don't think that I want to categorize my blog as I think that I will jump topics too much for the category to be relevant.<div><br /></div><div>So what to start with?  Well I guess it would have to be with the fact that the last six weeks have welcomed back a ritual that I have missed -reading!  I am a book-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">aholic</span> and devour books as I get them.  My husband asks me I don't slow down as I read and enjoy it?  I'm just the opposite - I enjoy it so much that I have to finish and have more!  I have always been that way.  And God help the author who writes a book that really strikes my fancy and doesn't have a sequel or other titles for me to equally fall in love with.</div><div><br /></div><div>My daughters are two and four and I also run two businesses from home.  Needless to say, reading has fallen to the wayside for awhile.  Six weeks ago though, my next door neighbor very generously invited me to join a book club.  The first selection was <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Firefly Lane</span></span> by Kristin Hannah.  I procrastinated and ended up not even getting the book until a week before the book club was to meet.  My neighbor as well as another member had told me that they weren't that thrilled so I had very limited hopes.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, on page 29 I looked at my husband and told him that I as hooked.  A day and a half and a box of Kleenex later, I was finished and drooling/sobbing for more.  Not just more from these characters (whom I loved) and  more from the author but really I just wanted more words.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone but be forewarned everyone I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">know</span> that has read it (with the exception of two of the 25+) needed quite a bit of Kleenex to get through the ending.</div><div><br /></div><div>Within the following month, I finished the following:  <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Wicked </span>and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Son of a Witch </span>by Gregory <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Maguire</span> (both fabulous), <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Twilight </span>by Stephenie Meyer (enjoyable and easy read) and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Summer Island</span> by Kristin Hannah (not quite as good as <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Firefly Lane</span> but I liked it).  (I did mention that I devour books right?)</div><div><br /></div><div>So now I'm back with an original love and I couldn't be happier.  I went on a book buying spree (I had a ton of gift <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">certificates</span>) and am now ready to go with the following:   <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Loving Frank</span> by Nancy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Horan</span> (the next selection of the book club), the rest of the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Twilight</span></span> Series (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">New Moon,Eclipse and Breaking Dawn</span> by Stephenie Meyer), <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Tall Dark &amp; Dead</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Dead Sexy</span> by Tate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Hallaway</span>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Friday Night Knitting Club</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Knit Two</span> by Kate Jacobs and (the one I am most looking forward to)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> The Literary and Potato Pie Society </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">by Mary Ann Shaffer</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Should keep me busy for a month or so............<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>P.S.  If you have kids (probably ages 9-12), I also highly recommend the recent release <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt</span> by Lucy &amp; Stephen Hawking.  It's the sequel to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">George's Secret Key to the Universe</span> which my daughter loved when we read it together. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/857196598327206731-2267559839835002426?l=inmyhumbleopinions.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SBnoreply@blogger.com0