Went back to my old high school the other night. It was senior night at Quartz Hill High and I was there to hand out a couple of scholarships to some kids. A couple of years ago a series of events inspired me to create the Unity Award. The first event was the sad and untimely death of one of my daughter's classmates. When I used to pick her up at school she would point out the boy to me. Said he was strange. That he was always in trouble and that nobody liked him. So I guess I didn't like him. Eventually she got to know the kid and became one of his few friends. Turns out he came from a broken home. Sounds like he was abused in many ways. I never got to know him. As I said I had already judged him and didn't want my daughter hanging around him. I wish I would have gotten to know him. He eventually committed suicide. Maybe I could've done something to help him. Around that same time I was anchoring the news one night on Channel 13 and I wound up having to read a story about the arrests of some students on the campus of my old high school. Apparently they were in the process of planning a Columbine style attack. Geez, High School isn't what it was when I went in the late 70's. Or is it? So often these kids who either take their own lives or the lives of others are the outcasts. My school was full of cliques back in the day. And there were kids when I went to school who I didn't feel I could be caught dead talking to. Why is that? I wonder what would happen if we ever took the time to say to hello to someone who isn't like us. Just let a stranger know someone knows they're alive. The Unity Award is presented to two students who write the best essay on what the words "tolerance" and "inclusive" mean to them. And how THEY can bring students from all walks of life together. One conclusion I think I've come to about tolerance is. Outcasts don't isolate themselves from us as much as we try to keep them isolated. Now why on earth do we do that? Some people have a hellish existence. It's what makes them act out the way they do. And sometimes the rest of us perpetuate those actions by either ignoring them or bullying them. I challenged the QHHS graduating class of 2008 to do one thing in the final days of their high school careers. Just say hello to one person who they went out of their way to avoid. The picked on kid. The outcast. Just tell them what a pleasure it was going to school with them. May not make much of a difference. But at this point isn't it worth the shot? I mean would it kill any of us to be nice to someone who rarely has anything nice happen to them?
It was very sad to see Montel sign off for the last time today. I have a great deal of respect for him and I think a lot of people do. He has preached personal responsibility; opened peoples eyes to political, social, and personal problems. He has shown us the face of human perseverance through tragedy. Sure he also had a bit of fun with less relevant topics but for the most part, his show has been a beacon of information. I must say I'll miss not seeing a new episode of the show on a daily bases.
If it seems like his announcement for the shows end was abrupt, it's because it was. Before I go on lets get the facts clear, CBS Distribution canceled the show after multiple major market Fox stations decided not to renew his contract for the 2008-2009 season. There has been speculation as to why his show is going off the air so suddenly. The most popular one has to do with his appearance on Fox & Friends, January 30, 2008. He was brought on to talk about the tragic death of actor Heath Ledger. When he was asked for his thoughts he turned the table of them and instead talked about how ridiculous it is for them and other news programs to cover the tragic death of this young man and not even mention the fact that approximately 28 men and women had died that month so far in Iraq and not one mention of a name. The very people who fight for us and do their job so that we all can sit here starring into our computer screens get a 5 second slot of "15 soldiers died today in a tragic road side bombing in Iraq" yet they spend half the news cast talking about Heath's death? Whether you think the wars are right or wrong is completely irrelevant, these soldiers put their asses on the line for us.... all of US, and that demands respect. Period.
I think this theory makes tons of sense. A sudden announcement of the ending of his show after this event on Fox & Friends, I highly doubt its a coincidence. Montel is one of the highest rated shows on TV, why would they cancel a high rated show? Right? So all I have to say to the Fox stations who made this possible is F you. F you for doing a disservice to the American people by continuing to make the tragedy's happening in the Middle East a 5-10 second snippet on your broadcasts, F you for canceling Montel for speaking truth to power, and F you for keeping the American people blind. I don't want any of the news casters or web people to think I'm talking about them, I know you guys don't get to choose what goes on the air and what doesn't. I'm talking to the wannabe producers in the back making all the decisions to put crap on the program instead of substance.
I wish Montel the very best and I hope he doesn't go away. I look forward to seeing what he does in the future. Thank you Montel for everything, for the laughs, the tears, and most of all for the knowledge. You will be missed.
P.S. Here is the video of the Fox & Friends incident:
Is Green Dot Charter schools really ready to take over Locke High School?
The Troubled Leroy Locke High School is known for its recent Brawls, high drop out rates, and poor academic performance. Could Green Dot be the missing key?
It’s no breaking news, according to the California Department of Education, Locke has a dropout rate of 46.2 percent and its Academic Performance Index score was 504, which means it’s at rock bottom in the state. Locke is the high school that is soon to be converted to a group of smaller charter schools by Green Dot public schools.
Locke will hand over the reigns to Green Dot this July but does Green Dot have the resources, knowledge, and experience to deal with these issues of reform. What I am talking about is the reform of safety, leadership, and unity that will be needed to get students who have become used to the violence on campus to join together to reform Locke and the surrounding communities.
The first opportunity is an explosive growth stock that was recently upgraded to the AMEX exchange in February 2007.
Since being upgraded this stock has gone from $3 to $10 - that is a 233% gain in just over one year.
And that is just the beginning...
The main catalyst for company's stock price spike is an increase in its acerage position in the Bakken Basin to 50,000 gross / 16,000 net acres. This additional acquisition increases its total Bakken position to about 105,000 gross / 52,000 net acres. That's huge.
"Staggering 503 billion barrels total recoverable and non-recoverable..."- Popular Mechanics They are gobbling up land in this precious region with fervor second to none.
In the past 12 months, insiders of the company have purchased more than 120,000 shares. They know that the Bakken play is going to be a fortune-maker.
With a deep foothold in the Bakken and the expansion of wells throughout the region - there is no telling how high this stock could go. Companies in similar situations have seen their stock rise to over $200 a share. Right now you can buy it for $9 a share.
But let me be very clear: we are talking about the potential of several thousand percent gains. This company trades at a market cap of just $196 million. So it's very small. When this company starts pumping oil out of the Bakken, its market cap could balloon to $2 billion! Right now the company stock is under the radar. But now that the U.S. Geological Survey has officially launched its Bakken report, this company could jump as much as 400% in just couple of days...
By combining experienced management, low overhead and aggressive acreage acquisition, this company is one of the nation's fastest growing small-cap gas and oil exploration and production companies.
"We are excited to announce the expansion of our [Bakken] acreage position," said the Chief Executive Officer. "Our position in this productive resource play is well situated among acreage held by leading Bakken exploration companies. Assuming full development of our [Bakken] leasehold on 640-acre drilling units, [our] acreage would result in approximately twenty-five net wells." With the newly acquired acreage, this company is poised for profit over the next couple months, which means higher stock price and more cash in your pocket...
Montana Millionaire Opportunity #2
The second Montana Millionaire opportunity is an aggressive income play. This company has been involved in the Bakken for years and has significant acerage in the region.
This company is a high-yielding equity investment in the oil and natural gas business. They have built a balanced and diversified portfolio of producing properties across the United States with a focus on large resource plays, like the Bakken.
They have a strict discipline of paying a significant portion of their cash flow to investors each month. And with a payout ratio of 190% and a dividend yield over 11%, it's hard to argue otherwise.
But here's the rub...
"A new black gold rush is under way... enough to meet all U.S. oil needs for decades." - Kiplinger This company is also a significant growth opportunity. Compared to the industry this company is trading at a heavy discount.
They have a forward P/E ratio of 14 compared to an industry average of 18.3 and a price to sales ratio of 5.76 compared to 11.04 for the industry.
Based on conservative valuation models, we believe this stock has the potential to double in the next 12 to 24 months.
That's on top of the cash payments it pays out every single month.
Montana Millionaire Opportunity #3
The third opportunity to take advantage of the next great American oil boom is through an independent exploration, development and production company that utilizes a revolutionary 3-D seismic imaging technology to systematically explore and develop domestic oil and gas reserve.
The use of this 3-D seismic technology reduces drilling risk and compounds their ability to grow reserves and production volumes.
Just recently this company announced three monumental Bakken discoveries and a plan for a significant acquisition of acreage in the Bakken Basin to the tune of 67,500 acres - bringing the company's total Bakken acreage to 219,000.
And their oil revenues have been booming. Take a look:
As a result, their profits are expected to grow at a huge rate.
According to ratings company Morningstar, the company's EPS growth is expected to grow a whopping 172% from its 2007 earnings.
Take a look:
This company, like the first one, is a huge growth play. It is currently trading at a huge discount with a price to sales ratio of 2.35 compared to an industry average of 11.04.
"The highest-producing onshore field found in the lower 48 states in the past 56 years." - The Wall Street Journal As the true potential of the Bakken is revealed by the U.S. Geological Survey - this company is sure to trade at a fair valuation - which comes to a 477% gain.
Not to mention that over the last 7 months there have been nothing but purchases with insiders...
This company is setting up for major success and the insiders know it - this stock is going nowhere but up over the next couple years...
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get in at the beginning of an oil boom - for next to nothing...
Now listen closely, I've put together an exclusive report that details the 3 companies currently in the Bakken ready to get America off of Mideast oil.
I call the report The Bakken Billions: The Next Big Oil Rush.
Below I will show you how to obtain your free report and become a Montana Millionaire yourself.
But first...
Let Me Introduce Myself and My Research Team... My name is Brian Hicks. I'm the president of the investment research company Angel Publishing. I've spent my entire investment career uncovering the market's best moneymaking trends and developing friendships and contacts with some of the brightest financial minds around the world.
I literally travel the world looking for the best investment opportunities.
I've taken research trips to remote, historic oil boomtowns like Desdemona, Texas, the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Kiev, Ukraine. We've been to the heart of the oil sands industry, Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada. And I've taken helicopter flights over the Barnett Shale, to see first-hand the natural gas boom.
My investment insights and ideas have landed me frequent spots on financial shows like CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox, CNN and Fox Business.
Recently, I co-authored a book with Chris Nelder, an energy expert who has designed and built dozens of solar energy projects. This is a guy who understands the energy market inside and out . . . from energy's worst problems to its brightest solutions.
Together, we wrote Profit from the Peak: The End of Oil and the Greatest Investment Event of the 21st Century.
And that's why I'm writing to you today. The energy crisis in the 21st Century is, without a doubt, one of those investments where you can achieve a lifetime of wealth. . . a sector that could make you a legendary fortune.
When you sign up for The $20 Trillion Report, you'll immediately get access to The Bakken Billions: The Next Big Oil Rush.
But that's not all you'll get . . .
I have 4 more money-making reports to give you.
Here's what I suggest...
Test-drive The $20 Trillion Report There's a super-easy, no-risk way to receive everything I've mentioned in this letter, including...
a.. Energy Investment Report #1: The Bakken Billions: The Next Big Oil Rush. The Bakken Basin is home to an estimated 503 billion barrels of oil.
Right now, 3 companies are there producing oil. All 3 have the potential to be huge moneymakers for investors.
a.. Energy Investment Report #2: Canada's First Underground Refinery: How to get Access to 31.63 Barrels of Oil Resource for just $47.
With oil trading over $100, every 100 shares you buy gives you access to $316,300 of oil resource.
So far, investors who own this stock have earned over 225% in 2007 alone!
a.. Energy Investment Report #3: The Mother Lode Up North (over 20 companies in the region)
We'll tell you about an ETF dedicated to the Canadian oil sands which provides stellar growth in addition to paying a nice, steady dividend.
This is our favorite fund for the future. We consider it a no-brainer, as Canada has become America's #1 oil lifeline. The Canadian oil sands are also one of the few places in the world that'll experience significant production growth. a.. Energy Investment Report #4: Our Favorite Oil Stock Under $5.
I'll reveal our favorite oil stock under $5 a share . . . a stock we think has the potential to hit $26 in the next three years. It's a Texas oil and gas company that's doing something unique - reviving old oil fields and squeezing out what's been left behind. For instance, did you know that for every barrel of oil that was pumped out of the ground in America, two barrels were left behind?
Well, this company is going after it using EOR, enhance oil recovery. a.. Energy Investment Report #5: The Energy Trade of 2008.
It's a stock in which one American billionaire recently bought 395,000 shares. The company is an "alternative energy" company . . . and this billionaire bought those shares for $13.95 apiece on the open market. Not exactly chump change.
He made this same move last summer, but with a different stock. And it rallied 100%.
That's why we're calling this "The Energy Trade of 2008." It currently trades for around $13 . . . but we think it'll reach $30 in the next couple of months.
a.. And lastly, select the two-year option to The $20 Trillion Report, and you'll receive my book, Profit from the Peak, absolutely free of charge.
Profit from the Peak is a roadmap that shows you how to profit from the rise of oil prices. A copy is yours, absolutely free, when you select the two-year option to The $20 Trillion Report.
"Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate the hard work you do in finding the great companies for your readers. Currently I am up 252%, 165%, and 101% respectively. You made a believer out of me. Regards." --N. W. Just click on the link at the end of this email and let my team know that you'd like to begin your membership in The $20 Trillion Report.
You'll have plenty of time to examine my research and my investment philosophy. If you decide The $20 Trillion Report is not for you, simply let me know within the first 30 days by phone or mail and we'll completely reimburse you for the entire subscription fee of $99.
Before I give you the specifics, let me quickly tell you about one of the investment ideas I'm extremely excited about right now . . .
The Energy Trade of 2008 Thanks to my connections and contacts in the global energy industry, I have uncovered a little-known way you can earn more profits from the energy bull market...
I'm calling it "The Energy Trade of 2008."
"I subscribed about 6 months ago and wish I did it sooner. I'm still up 336%. Yesterday alone my portfolio went up 23%. Thanks a lot!" --B. W. Simply put, some of America's richest investors are placing huge bets on energy, and especially "alternative" energy.
There's an alternative energy stock that currently trades for around $13 a share. Its market cap is $524 million... and it does $114 million in annual revenue. So as you can see, it's a real company with real revenues.
But more importantly, a billionaire recently bought 395,000 shares of it. He bought those shares for $13.95 apiece on the open market. So he must think - or even know - that the stock is going a lot higher.
He bought another energy stock last summer and it rallied 100%.
We think the stock he's buying now is an easy double in 2008. And you can get your hands on it immediately when you become a member of The $20 Trillion Report.
How to Get $20 Trillion for Just $99 The $20 Trillion Report costs only $99 for an entire year of research and reports.
"Hello, I have to admit that I joined your service more out of desperation than anything else but am I glad that I did! My recent trading history is poor to say the least. I'm just sorry that I didn't act on your information sooner but I guess I can't be too upset with a 250% boost in one week! Keep up the great work." --Judy (a very satisfied member) Let me ask you a simple question: Is it worth paying $8 and change a month to learn about the best energy investment opportunities you'll hear about nowhere else?
We absolutely believe it is. If we didn't believe in the research my team and I are doing, we wouldn't spend weeks traveling to the Barnett Shale, Fort McMurray, Alberta, Kiev, Ukraine, Wyoming and Montana.
I'd like you to have the opportunity to try The $20 Trillion Report without feeling obligated to pay a single penny.
When you sign up for a trial subscription to The $20 Trillion Report today, you will receive:
a.. Monthly Issues of The $20 Trillion Report. You'll receive every copy by email quickly and efficiently. b.. Hotline Updates. In addition to the monthly issues, we'll also send you a weekly hotline update. c.. Research Report #1: The Bakken Billions: The Next Big Oil Rush. d.. Research Report #2: Canada's First Underground Refinery: How To Get Access to 31.63 Barrels of Oil Resource for just $47. e.. Research Report #3: The Mother Lode Up North (over 20 companies in the region). f.. Research Report #4: Our Favorite Oil Stock Under $5. This company is doing something unique - it's bringing old oil wells back to life. g.. Research Report #5: The Energy Trade of 2008. Take the next couple of weeks to have a close look at my work.
If you don't agree The $20 Trillion Report delivers the safest and most lucrative energy investment ideas and recommendations you've ever received, please contact my staff within the first 30 days by phone or regular mail and we will see that you receive full reimbursement for the money you've paid.
The longer you wait to get started with these investments, the less money you will have in 2008 and beyond.
P.S. And just as a reminder, when you select the two-year option to The $20 Trillion Report, I'll send you a copy of my book, Profit from the Peak.
The book describes in great detail how we're facing the end of our oil-based economy. Not just the United States, but around the globe.
But the coming oil crisis doesn't have entirely negative implications. Profit from the Peak shows you the potential upside to the end of oil and how investors can exploit new energy's most profitable investment opportunities.
Profit from the Peak will let you in on which companies and industries are best positioned to take advantage of the changing marketplace. See the order form for more details.
Thursday's decision by a four judges in the California State Supreme Court has sent shock waves throughout California unlike any earthquake possibly could. Despite legislation that is on the books that bans gay marriage, the law is currently null and void. So essentially, even though the majority of Californians do no want gay marriage to be legal, it is.
So that means Ellen DeGeneres and others can now marry their significant others.
But is this a good thing for gay people?
I submit to you that it isn't.
This qualifies as a victory for gay people who are seeking the desire to be "married" to their boyfriends or girlfriends. But did they do more damage to their cause?
You have to figure that the majority of Californians who do not want gay marriage, and expressed their views in a vote, are not happy, and are probably not willing to bend in their stance. In fact, they are probably angry at these developments and are less tolerant of what gay people are seeking than they were when they voted.
I would imagine that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't help his bid for re-election by publicly saying that he would not do anything. Again, considering most of his constituents are against what happened Thursday, you would think he would have SOME interest in upholding the law.
The image at the right is exactly the type of thing that many Californians find unsettling. The militant, take-no-prisoners attitude that many gay people show when it comes to fighting for their right to marry. Obviously not all homosexuals are like this, but it seems that they are not the ones whose views are heard. Moderate attitudes aren't sexy enough to be shown on TV as you know.
Personally, I think there's an easy solution to this problem that should satisfy everyone. I think the word "marriage" should be relegated to a man and woman. But homosexuals should have civil unions which will entitle them to the same legal rights that married couples have. This way, the word "marriage" is kept to a man and woman, but gay people have the same legal rights as heterosexuals do. Unless I'm missing something, this is a win-win situation.
And then we can all take to the streets and dance like this.
Why are we going through this when the public has voted it wishes? I am tired of Ellen and other who attempts to equate the gay plight to moments in history such as she equating gay rights to women's right to vote. By the way they did get the right to vote and they voted against gayism. There was a sign at yesterday's protest that says it all. THE UNITED STATES OF SODOM AND GAMORRAH and we all know the ending of that history.
Pelosi And Her Liberal Goon Friends Are Still At It Listen To Her NEW Plans Of Destroying America!!!
On Wednesday the Senate will vote on a new amnesty plan for 1.3 million illegal aliens in the agriculture industry (plus their families). They've hidden it in a supplemental spending bill for Iraq, but it hasn't passed yet and it's not too late to shut it down.
Here are just a few of the ingredient in the Senate's new amnesty stew... • Grant a three-year work visa followed by a permanent greencard to all illegal aliens who have been working as shepherds, goat herders and dairy herders. • Grant a five-year work visa to the estimated 1.3 million illegal aliens working in other agricultural jobs -- plus all of their families. There is no instruction on what happens after the five years. • Grant a tripling of the maximum number of H-2B visas for lower skill, non-agricultural seasonal workers. • Grant industries an extra 218,000 additional permanent green cards for skilled foreign workers.
Perhaps you're thinking what I'm thinking: Don't these Senators know that we are in an economic recession? Don't they know that unemployment rates have been going up and that industries across the country are shedding both skilled and unskilled jobs?
If ever you doubted that U.S. Senators live lives disconnected from ordinary Americans, you could see it Thursday as 17 of them fell all over themselves to drastically increase the number of foreign workers allowed to hold U.S. jobs!
RIDICULOUS CLAIMS ABOUT RUNNING OUT OF FOOD WITHOUT AN AMNESTY
Senators Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) led the way to protect our economy from having to figure out ways to hire some of the 14 million-plus American workers who are trying to find a job but can't.
Especially interesting is their claim that we will fail to harvest crops and feed the world this year without an amnesty for illegal aliens. They made the same claim in each of the last four years. Each time that we beat back the amnesty, the harvests still happened! How many times does Feinstein have to cry wolf (or rotting crops) before people stop paying attention?
Of course, the outlaw businesses that scream for illegal aliens do have more to fear this year because various enforcement policies (federal, state and local) are beginning to drive more and more illegal aliens home.
What we have to constantly remind everybody, though, is that each of these outlaw growers at any time can come clean, go straight and become a legal, patriotic member of the business community by importing any needed foreign ag workers through the H-2A temporary worker program. There is no limit on how many they can import as long as they pay them decently and ensure that they go home.
The North Carolina Growers Association has used the H-2A visa program for years and opposes all efforts at amnesty for illegal alien ag workers. If the program works fine for North Carolina farmers, why do farmers in other part of the country insist that only illegal aliens will fit the bill?
THE VERY LOW CRITERIA FOR QUALIFYING FOR AN AG AMNESTY
You don't have to have spent much time in the fields to qualify for Feinstein and Craig's amnesty.
You only have to meet ONE of the following three criteria to get the amnesty:
• Earned $7,000 working in agriculture during the 2004-2007 period.
• Or worked 863 hours in agriculture during the 2004-2007 period.
• Or worked at least a little bit in agriculture on 150 different days during the 2004-2007 period.That amounts to an average of $1,750 per year ...
... or 216 hours per year (the equivalent of 4 hours per week) ...
... or parts of 37 days per year.
DO THEY THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE STUPID AND THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY ACCEPT THAT ILLEGAL ALIENS WORKING THAT LITTLE IN AGRICULTURE ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF AGRI-BUSINESS IN AMERICA!!!!!
The answer is that they really hope we are that stupid or just incredibly unfocused. All the right-wing business lobbyists, leftist organizations, religious groups and news media who tried to force the amnesty last year are cheering this thing on.
But it's not too late to shut this down. We beat them last year because the American people FOCUSED for a few weeks and told the U.S. Senators who is their boss.
You know what you need to do now. Flood the offices of your Senators with angry phone calls - NON STOP! They will only listen if enough negative phone calls are received.
Here are the numbers of your Communist leaders in Sacramento. We can stop this offense to the American people with your help!
DC Office of Senator Dianne Feinstein Washington, DC
202-224-3841
San Francisco Office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein San Francisco, CA
415-393-0707
DC Office of Senator Barbara Boxer Washington, DC
202-224-3553
San Diego Office of Senator Boxer San Diego, CA
619-239-3884
When you call, simply say that you find it appalling that an amnesty was attached to the Iraq supplemental funding bill and that you demand that it is stopped.
You can also use this talking point if you wish...
There is absolutely no need for any sort of amnesty, and particularly
not one for agricultural workers. Farmers, orchardists, and other
agribusiness-owners can take advantage of the H-2A program to attain
seasonal help. This amnesty only benefits agribusiness owners who would
rather hire and take advantage of illegal workers instead of hiring
unemployed Americans, just to make a little bit more money. You must
fight to strip the language from the Iraq supplemental funding bill or
work to have this bill voted down -- our fighting men and women deserve
better!
If you people vote Liberal Obama, get used to the Legislature, Congress, rule of Law going out the window. If you dont get want you want by votes or the way it is supposed to work, try the courts... let 7 people make laws and legislate from the bench. Maybe we can get 7 people to make laws most dont want. With 80 per cent of people not wanting Gay marriage, and 7 liberals do then it is law. Maybe they can add $3.00 in taxes to a gallon of gas , curb free speech... hey, they can just make a ruling and it is law. Is that the STATE or USA you want.?
Get used to it if Liberals take over... and load up alllll Federal benches. This judges are Jimmy Carter appointees who border Marxist. THink I read that these 7 get overturned like 70 per cent of the time where it is 2 per cent of the time in more Middle America districts.
I want rights for all, but Marriage is not a Civil rights thing.. Gay Marriage is a Life Style. Remember you get what you vote for... Obama will love this legislation by courts.
I wasnt for Ammendments to force no Gay marriage, but now, to send a message to the Liberal California judges, I am hoping the CA voters will make law in NOVEMBER nullifying this Judge Law.
Holy Matrimony 101... look it up. See what that is... is isnt Gay activity.
As we head into a hot weekend...be sure to lather up with some sunscreen, watch your exposure and drink plenty of water. I'm sure there will be those who won't. They will be easy to spot. Red like a lobster, bold strap tan lines and very sore. Hey..if you don't protect yourself..who will?
Los Angeles Water Resources could be as large as the Ocean?
Is it not USA that goes around The World with its desalination ships bring drinking water to those that are in need after some disaster?!
WELL!
How come we are not:
a) bring down Glacier Ice {(before it is all gone) from the Poles where it will always return annually}; I waited a long time to hear someone else bring up (for one) this very concept so I could support it...hope late is better than never?
b) duh, desalinate from Catalina's super powered river that is around what 30feet deep? Bet if I were King I could control that!
c) Make our own rain with trees but then that would distract from having the biggest toys and homes consuming the world away while the world dries up.
There they stood. A group of Marines, in uniform.
I immediately felt a sense of pride... and emotion.
They looked handsome, clean cut. Polished and refined.
Yet, when I arrived they also looked out of place, slightly
uncomfortable. They stood off to one side. A
red-carpet was to their right. It was bright, well
lit... screamed Hollywood. Cameras flashed. A blond
woman in fancy dress was being interviewed. The Marines stood to the side... in the shadow of the dark
night.
It was a jarring contrast, yet a beautiful sight at
the same time. Two vastly different worlds coming
together. One... the world of military men and
women. The young Color Guard. And the Marines
who've seen combat. Marines wounded to the point you
can't help but stare. You can't help but cry inside.
The second... the wealthy world of Bel Air, Beverly
Hills and Hollywood. A rock star's gorgeous girlfriend.
Donald Trump's sexy ex. An agent. And an actor from Star
Wars. And there were doctors. Plastic surgeons.
Men and women who'd come together to try and make
wounded Marines whole again.
The event: a fundraiser at the hip and trendy Vibrato Grill and Jazz on Beverly Glen for a new-ish organization
called "Iraq Star!"
And at this event three wounded Marines were indeed
rock stars!
Their arena... the war in Iraq.
Their audience... Americans not wanting to forget our
war wounded.
"Iraq Star" was started by the AMAZING Maggie Lockridge,
a nurse who spent a career in plastic surgery. She
has pulled together plastic surgeons across the
country to perform surgery on our wounded military men
and women... and their stories our heartbreaking!
www.IraqStar.org
They profiled a Marine, who's face still showed the
disfigurement of a jaw being blown apart. Yet, he looked
beautiful in his military uniform adorned with MANY
medals. He seemed timid, perhaps overwhelmed by the
contrast of a party scene for such a sensitive topic.
His gal clutched his arm tightly and all eyes were
politely on them. His war wound had destroyed his jaw,
his tongue welded to the bottom of his face. He
returned to the United States unable to eat. He was
fed through a tube. His mother said his speech was
such that when he'd try to make a phone call people
would hang up on him.
"Iraq Star" to the rescue. To make a long story
short... a tongue surgeon was EVENTUALLY found in
another state. The Marine underwent three days of
RISKY surgery and a long recovery. (The tongue is
apparently a difficult organ to work on.)
Did the surgery work? You'll love his report of recovery. The Marine wrote "Iraq Star" with this: "I ate turkey for Thanksgiving." We ERUPTED in cheer!!!!!!!
Imagine... something as simple as eating a meal. Don't we take that for granted? A second Marine profiled was out of uniform... yet you knew he was one of them. His face wore the scars of terrible injury. There were lines much like a baseball... as if his gentle face had been roughly pieced back together. Their were the scars left by burns. One hand was clearly crippled. The other outfitted with a metal hook of sorts in which he was able to grasp a glass of soda. His gal too clutched him closely. I wondered what life was like before. Did he play high school football? Does he now have a job? What must it feel like for people to stare?
Fox 11 interviewed this Marine. And I was intrigued by how calmly and confidently he spoke. He thanked "Iraq Star" for a surgery that gave him a new nose. He said something along the lines of it helping his children no longer being fearful of his disfigured face. Imagine the daddy they remembered no longer looking like daddy? His confident speech seemed to make the scars go away. And I felt proud of him.
We can expect to see more war wounded on the streets of America. When you see a young man in his 20's or 30's with injuries you might question in your mind if they were wounded in the war. Will we have another generation of forgotten vets? Not if groups like Iraq Star have a say. Iraq Star says 24,000 men and women have returned home wounded. 144 doctors have enlisted across the nation to join Iraq Star's efforts.
This is not about being for or against the war. It's about standing up for those who stood up for our country long before the war even started. It's about standing up for those who stood up for the rest of us here at home. It is a long journey... remembering the war wounded.
Marla Maples and Marines --------------------------- A footnote: The fabulous folk at the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Center are focusing the wounds inside. At their "Erasing the Stigma" luncheon the focus too was our military men and women. www.didihirsch.org
Emcee-Christine Devine, Kita Curry-President/CEO Didi Hirsch Mental Health Center
The journalists who uncovered disturbing conditions at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center were honored. Thomas Whiteside(a veteran) accepted. His daughter, Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside, was at the hospital after a psychiatric
break in Iraq and attempted suicide. She tried a second time while being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as she waited
for a decision as to whether she would be court-martialed for her first
suicide attempt. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/ 30/AR2008013003106.html?hpid=topnews
Mr. Whiteside shows me a photo of his daughter as a little girl. His smiles masks the many tears that have flowed.
A Vietnam Vet, author Chuck Dean, spoke of tough times upon returning to America. He even called himself that "crazy" vet society can shun. He urged family members to support their war veterans. To understand when they want to sit a restaurant where they can see the exits. To understand if they want to sleep on the couch, more resembling their military cot. To understand mood swings and anger. Their goal, to erase the stigma. To encourage military men and women to seek mental health care and therapy. To encourage funding for such efforts and laws that understand. www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&f ield-author=Chuck%20Dean&page=1
As an American, these issues deeply concern me. And they concern me on a personal front. I'm a bridesmaid in a wedding this summer. The groom is a U.S. Marine. A reservist. He's being sent back to the middle east, his 2nd tour, later this year.
on 3/31/08 my stepfather was murdered with a co worker in east los angeles at jessys auto sales five men entered there place of business they were shot execution style there is a $25000 reward for any info please help us bring justice to our family
Have you noticed that a lot of gas stations which normally sell gas at higher than normal prices are holding the line at $3.99 for regular? I have. Yet, these same stations have no problem asking $4.30 and $4.40 for mid grade and premium. It seems they just can't bring themselves to breach the $4 mark for regular. I know if I see $4 and up for regular, I'll just drive on by..at least...for now. And you know, $3.99 is no bargain. Actually, I've seen several gas stations in the OC selling regular for $3.75..ain't that great!! Just remember, the oil companies, as they tell us, have no choice but to pass along the increased costs. I suppose they also have no choice but to keep raking in record profits!! Pain at the pump!!!
Over five years ago I observed a female during my Pharmaceutical Training; she made the argument colors coding is needed or what happened to Dennis Quaid is most likely and I agreed!
we got ignored; after all who are we? WE do not have Bachelors!
Dennis we did try hard to save you from this, but well I do not qualify to get the jobs in Rx and I have the license for four years!
Frivolous law suit is where the bad person stealing you blind sues and wins in court for braking their leg falling through your sky lite as they break in. That is Frivolous?
costs: Then the Pharmaceutical companies claim it is court cases like Mr. Quaid's that are hurting our economy blaa blaa blaa; bull it is greedy Ignorance!
research: Then I hear about how Mr. Quaid's suit is the reason research costs will go up; ya right, I BELIEVE YOU!
I still need some time to think for what I really want to say is hiding from me, too deep inside right now BOILING...
Hi jillian! Me and my mom watch you everymorning! My mom has three kids my sister me and my brother. Were such a big fan of yours!We watch you everymorninf and We love ur fashion! we love the way you look. if you have any old clothes send them our way cause times are hard and were ur size! Sincelry, Camille and family
Since I think you Bloggers are Smart and helpful and have a variety of views and experiences, I really need as much final input in a couple things that I have been talking about for a while and now ready to roll.... you wouldnt believe the legal loopholes involved. I am doing this in Houston, LA, CLeveland and Central Florida in Pilot Programs.
Here is what I have in mind.. you tell me how to improve, add or subtract. I want neigborhood offices who can be responsible for a "grid' of homes, families, etc. IN each of these centers, I want to make sure people can come in for help with money, food, jobs, health, etc. If someone has trouble with grocerys getting in the home, we can assist them ( I have been there where I wasnt sure if I had money for food). Or in case of Crime areas, we will set patrols, assist with kids who have parents who want them to change from Zero to Hero and change from a thug to a person they can be proud of.
In some low income communitys in our long fact finding of 2007-8, we learned that many people have no clue how to be parents, be employed, or have a clue how to live day to day.... it is a shame and this is perpetuating year after year. Abuse follows abuse and crime follows crime.
In these centers which could number hundreds in a city, it would be the starting point of links to help... the main TruthGuys Foundation (called something else when ready), will have the jobs, the money, the councelors, the attorneys, and any resourse to help. The only condition is that anyone who gets help will have to help others too. No leaches allowed. That is something I am concerned with. I dont think it helps to hand out money with one hand and people doing nothing to improve.
I seen this happen first hand in the Katrina New Orleans disaster. I flew in supplies and when I saw people we helped standing around doing nothing we asked for them to help distribute food, water, etc.... they did nothing but sit and not a thank you out of anyone. I asked many of the USAF guys if they experienced the same... and they said the people were so used to welfare checks and help, they had no clue how to live like the rest of us. I vowed not to enable this.
I am a GOP capitalist to the max but get really mad when I see Limos, high rise office buildings overlooking poverty, Celebs with $300,000 Cars, Cribs to the max Politicians Promising year after year and yet this is in the shadows. I aim to do something.
SO I need your help in how YOU would run such help centers. I need accountablity but yet a way people can go to not be ashamed of getting help or reluctant to get help. In a segment of CBSNEWS last night they showed a girl who was a waitress and while making $200 a week barely, she has bare kitchen cabinets... this in W Virginia... sad. ANd then when I see kids poor too... I lose it. I might see if I can post this report here. They show a 30 sec commercial I am sure.
Any ideas will be appreciated... You are all SMART
Assume the position Pedro. You know the routine by now.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Federal officials said Tuesday that they had
detained 390 illegal immigrants after a raid on a meatpacking plant in
Postville, Iowa, in what they described as the largest single-site raid
of its kind nationwide.
The detainees include 314 men and 76 women, according to figures
released Tuesday by federal authorities. Fifty-six detainees - mostly
women with young children - have been released under the supervision of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A similar factory raid in New Bedford, Mass., last year netted 361
arrests, most of whom faced deportation and were separated from their
families.
OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1')
"We're here to discuss not only the largest operation of its kind
ever in Iowa, but in fact the largest single-site enforcement operation
of its kind in the country," U.S. Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth said.
The detainees included 290 who claimed to be Guatemalans, 93
Mexicans, three Israelis and four Ukrainians. Among the detained were
12 juveniles, six of whom have been released.
Customs and law enforcement agents worked through the night
processing the detainees, said Claude Arnold, the ICE special agent in
charge of the operation. Detainees were "administratively arrested" but
have not yet been criminally charged, he said.
Detainees who are charged with aggravated identity theft, unlawful
use of a Social Security number or other offenses will be given lawyers
and sent to appearances in one of three makeshift courtrooms at the
detainee center in Waterloo, Iowa, Arnold said.
Arnold would not disclose how many people were involved in Monday's effort, citing security concerns.
Two injuries were reported at the detention center in Waterloo,
Arnold said. One involved a man who fled from agents and injured his
leg. The man was treated at a hospital and released. A second injury
involved a customs agent who suffered minor cuts after slipping and
falling down a stairwell.
Sorry amigos. This time even El Presidente Booosh can't save you.
"The plans went very well" so far, Arnold said. "This is a huge undertaking."
Dummermuth declined to comment about possible charges against
managers at Agriprocessors, Inc., the nation's largest kosher
meatpacking plant, citing the ongoing investigation. A federal
affidavit released Monday detailed several eyewitness accounts of
employee abuse, including one floor manager who allegedly struck a
worker with a meat hook.
Nationwide, ICE agents arrested 863 people on criminal charges in
2007 and made more than 4,000 administrative arrests - a tenfold
increase from five years before, according to the agency's Web site.
At St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Postville, Iowa, near the plant,
tension prevailed as about 400 people waited and watched for the next
sign that their lives would again be affected by the raid. Many believe
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are still in town.
One detainee agreed to speak to The Des Moines Register, but
declined to be identified because of fear of recrimination by ICE. She
will face charges of being in the country illegally and having false
identification, and will likely be deported.
Inside the meatpacking plant on Monday morning, workers heard the
agents before they saw them. The woman said a call came over the
loudspeaker, announcing that ICE was in the plant. Many in the plant
tried to hide. Some ran.
"No one had a clue" a raid was coming, she said in Spanish, despite
rumors during the weekend that were discussed at an immigration-rights
advocates' meeting in Waterloo. "Everyone scampered, everyone tried to
get away."
Sure, we'll keep "famalies" together. Together in Mexico
ICE agents with pistols called for those hiding to come out. "Once
they knew they couldn't get away, they came down from their hiding
places," she said.
The agents grouped those with identification from those without it,
then put the second group in single-file lines. They were frisked, told
to remove any sweaters or heavy garments and shackled - handcuffs were
placed on their wrists and attached to their waists, and their feet
were cuffed as well.
"There was no mistreatment," she said. "They told us to sit. We sat."
She was instructed to fill out paperwork that detailed her date of
birth and country of origin. She is from Guatemala but said she told
investigators that she was from Mexico.
When she's deported, she said she would rather be taken to Mexico, where it will be easier to reenter America.
The thing about live television, once it's out there you can't take it back. I've worked in several newsrooms and I've seen firsthand the kind of meltdowns people have on news sets. It can get really ugly when something goes wrong on TV. Some people react by yelling obscenities and insulting their coworkers. Even if it doesn't make it on live tv---someone is always rolling tape on that "little mishap" and you can bet it'll end up on the internet. NO, thank goodness I've never been abusive when I've lost my cool! My meltdowns have usually been caused by my own dumb mistakes so, I just scold myself! But for your viewing pleasure, here's a link to a number of meltdowns by well known anchors and reporters. http://gawker.com/390156/ten-angry-on+camera-meltdowns
A morning ritual turns tragic for a 87 year old grandmother in Santa Ana. A driver hits her as she's crossing the street before dawn and just drives away with her in the middle of the street. It doesn't seem possible. It's definitely not humane. Did the driver freak out. Maybe. But now's the time to man up or woman up...accept responsibility and turn yourself in. The victim is fighting for her life while her family prays for her recovery. If you're the driver and you're reading this...then you know what to do. If you know who did this...hopefully, you know what to do.
If it seems like his announcement for the shows end was abrupt, it's because it was. Before I go on lets get the facts clear, CBS Distribution canceled the show after multiple major market Fox stations decided not to renew his contract for the 2008-2009 season. There has been speculation as to why his show is going off the air so suddenly. The most popular one has to do with his appearance on Fox & Friends, January 30, 2008. He was brought on to talk about the tragic death of actor Heath Ledger. When he was asked for his thoughts he turned the table of them and instead talked about how ridiculous it is for them and other news programs to cover the tragic death of this young man and not even mention the fact that approximately 28 men and women had died that month so far in Iraq and not one mention of a name. The very people who fight for us and do their job so that we all can sit here starring into our computer screens get a 5 second slot of "15 soldiers died today in a tragic road side bombing in Iraq" yet they spend half the news cast talking about Heath's death? Whether you think the wars are right or wrong is completely irrelevant, these soldiers put their asses on the line for us.... all of US, and that demands respect. Period.
So that means Ellen DeGeneres and others can now marry their significant others. 
And then we can all take to the streets and dance like this.
