Indian Wisdom

I found this while surfing and had to share it.

I Blame Rick Mercer

We have been working on immigrating to Canada for quite a while now. We recently received our application back (again) from the Canadian Consulate in New York.  This time, advising us that they were no longer handling these requests and all must now be sent to Sydney, Nova Scotia.  

Until November, there were over 700 acceptable occupations allowed to apply for permanent residency as skilled workers(the step before citizenship)...Now there are only 38 occupations in the skilled worker class. It is as if they are slamming the border shut. 

I blame Rick Mercer!

Photoblogroll

Today I found Elad's photoblog. The photo below stopped me dead in my tracks.  He titled it appropriately:

"Insults"

20,000 Troops Inside U.S. by 2011

I have not been blogging on political or economic issues intentionally.  I felt this story was important enough to share.  I will try to post some art soon.

From MSNBC on November 30th:

(Photo courtesy of Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)

"The U.S. military expects to have 20,000 uniformed troops inside the United States by 2011 trained to help state and local officials respond to a nuclear terrorist attack or other domestic catastrophe, according to Pentagon officials."

Read the entire article here. 

The article, initially entitled, "20,000 Troops Iside U.S. by 2011" has been retitled (I don't know if MSNBC or the Washington Post is responsible).  The new, kinder, gentler propagandistic spin on the title is "Pentagon to Detail Troops to Bolster Domestic Security".

 

I find it interesting that the military has a different view of their duties. I spoke of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team taking their place on American soil in this  article.  

Give Me Liberty - Handbook for American Revolutionaries

Naomi Wolf, author of "Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries" is interviewed October 4, 2008 on Mind Over Matters, KEXP 90.3 FM Seattle.

She connects a few dots including the 1878 Posse Comitatus coming to an end, abuse of citizens, arrests of journalists, instability, hyped threats and crises, martial law, the 2007 Defense Authorization Act, the Patriot act and the growing police state.  She believes that time is running out to stem this tide.  

What do you think?

Love > Fear

Emergency Warning for Office Buildings!!!

For all of you who haven't studied physics in the post 9/11 world, it's time to catch up. Everyone in office buildings is at risk!

Do you work in a large office building? Then you should know about this recently discovered flaw in ALL EXISTING building codes and fire regulations that could cause the complete collapse of your office building.  For more information, please e-mail the NIST at wtc@nist.gov.

The video warns us not to visit the following sites:

http://www.ae911truth.org
http://www.stj911.com
http://www.911blogger.com
http://www.corbettreport.com

amerikanischen Arbeiterjugend?

Does this bother anyone else?

Wilmington, Delaware is going to be home to The Academy for Public Safety and Security (APSS), which plans to open its doors by 2010. It will be dedicated to preparing (primarily inner-city) young men and women for front line careers in Homeland Security. Isn't that nice? Equal opportunity for the female youth to serve "The Homeland".

"... we decided to start a new school culture from scratch, one built on the premise that many children would rather be part of the solution than the problem of violence. And, given an education to prepare them academically, socially and vocationally, they will become the best-of-the-best first responders in the homeland security job sector, rather than succumb to apathy or crime."

"The tone of the first responder high school will be that of a military or police academy, complete with uniforms and daily physical training during and after school."

"Student cadets will study careers in SWAT, prison guarding, water rescue, paramedics, firefighting, professional demolition careers, in addition to the usual school subjects. They will learn Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish — any language of use in homeland security."

Read more about it in the Newcastle Community News or the Delaware Business Ledger. Students will be called cadets, wear uniforms, and will follow courses of study in special weapons and tactics, prison guarding, professional demolition and other skills needed in an authoritarian police state. Will future generations read about the Liga der amerikanischen Arbeiterjugend (APSS) Cadets like we read about the Bund deutscher Arbeiterjugend today?



Another meaningless coincidence: The first national HJ rally was held in 1928 with 600 boys present. The new school expects to take as many as 600 students. Coincidence or not, it still gives me the shivers.

Am I making too much of all of this?

Bush Holding FISA Hostage for Telecom Immunity?

During his State of the Union address last week, Bush demanded an extension (permanent) of the FISA law. As he mentioned in his address, he wants complete immunity for telecom companies. I can't believe we even have to discuss such issues.

I thought you might enjoy Keith Olbermann's views:

We appreciate you Keith.

Tens of Thousands Cross Downed Gaza Wall

Amazing pictures from Gaza:

(AP Photo)

"RAFAH, Gaza Strip - Tens of thousands of Palestinians poured from the Gaza Strip into Egypt Wednesday after masked gunmen with explosives destroyed most of the seven-mile wall dividing the town of Rafah, which straddles the border. Click here for full story."

Wow.

Canada Puts United States On Torture List

Hello America! Does it bother anyone that one of our closest allies, physically and metaphorically, has included us on their torture list? I expect it is not something that was said lightly or without consideration of consequence.

Is this what the democracy we are spreading to the world is supposed to look like?

Whose freedoms are we fighting for and where did my habeas corpus go?

Giuliani's Fear Campaign

I didn't think that any of the candidates were going to find a way to be more offensive and fear mongering than Tom Tancredo's ad. I was wrong. Here comes Mr. Giuliani with his message (Terrorism, terrorism, terrorism!)





Does anyone else get the feeling they are getting shaken down by the mob for protection?

George Bush a Threat to World Peace?

I think it is important to consider what our greatest allies are saying about George Bush and the United States. Polls from Great Britain, Canada and Mexico all place Bush as a greater threat to world peace than any other world leader. Even 36% of Israelis say that Bush and U.S. policy have increased the threat to world peace.



When polled, Brits (Our closest allies) said that George Bush poses a greater threat to peace than anyone other than Osama Bin Laden. Yes...he even comes in ahead of "the evil-doers": Kim Jong Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad & Hassan Nasrallah.

I am curious what Americans would say about George Bush and the threat to world security. If anyone has reputable poll information regarding this, please forward it to me.

Missile System From Russia to Iran

Someone please send me some really cool local art I can post or something that will bring a smile to people's faces.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Russia has agreed to sell an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Iran. You can read the article for yourself here.

(picture courtesy of Reuters)

"S-300 missiles are longer-ranging than the TOR-M1 surface-to-air missiles which Russia, in a deal criticized by the West, earlier this year said it had delivered to the Islamic Republic under a $1 billion contract."

World Banks Donate $100bn to Bail Out U.S. Sub-Prime Markets

The answer is more credit!!!

The worlds banks are joining together to make more than $100 billion *"available" this month.

The Federal Reserve is injecting $40 billion; the Bank of England $46.4 billion, the European Central Bank $20 billion, the Swiss National Bank $4 billion and the Bank of Canada is providing $3 billion. Sumitomo Mitsui, one of Japan's 3 largest banks was asked to invest $5 billion in a fund to bail out banks with sub-prime losses, but has not committed to it yet.

*By "making available", they mean dump money into our markets to try to bail out the economy as it is sliding due to the collapse of our sub-prime market.

So what is the credit crunch all about?

From the National Post's "Financial Post", Drew Hasselback stated:

Banks are hoarding cash against possible losses on investments related to the U.S. mortgage market, in which even borrowers with poor credit ratings were able to get loans. The problems in the wonky U.S. mortgage market are now so widespread that commercial banks are reluctant to lend to each other because the true extent of their mortgage losses remains unknown.

Too many funds are tied up in complicated, mortgage-related investments that can't be instantly unwound. This puts a strain on investors who want to pull their money out of the markets immediately. It also puts a strain on banks who want to loan money to customers. Because they're so busy trying to pay out the investors racing out of the market, the banks have less cash available for people who need loans.

The measures announced on Wednesday are supposed to make it easier for banks to access more cash. This extra "liquidity" would make it easier for banks to pay out the investors who want out of the market, and to provide loans to those who want to borrow.

It must be the fault of immigrants!

Did I mention that Congress just passed a defense policy bill that will authorize $696 billion in military programs, including $189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Things that make you go, "hmmmmmmmmmm".

Thank you to my lovely wife for giving me the heads-up on this one. It was difficult locating information on the story ...especially within the U.S. press.

Bush League Justice - Signing Statements

This episode of Dan Abrams' series, "Bush League Justice", takes a brief look at presidential signing statements. Do you follow up to see what happens when the bills reach "The Decider's" desk?

Bush Didn't Know NIE Report Info Until Last Week?

This is President Bush on the timing of the NIE report with his warnings of World War III. I will let you research when he actually found out about it. I know...do you?

Police State - Go Skateboarding Day

It's a new world...Torture is what the "good guys" do, skateboarding is a crime, and police hand out beatings to children to help them understand how dangerous the sport can be.

To check out more about Go Skateboarding Day, click here.

Maxed Out - The Movie

Give the gift of freedom. Tell someone not to buy you anything!!! Let's all work together to help get more people out of debt. You are whole!!! You don't need to buy more stuff to be a good child, spouse, friend!! Be a better friend. Friends don't let friends use credit.

Since I'm on a holiday roll...here's a feature length film about credit. This one is called "Maxed Out" and is directed by James Scurlock.





To book James Scurlock as a speaker, please contact Jonathan Tunick of Mainstage Productions at (212) 647-0947 or jtunick@main-stageproductions.com.

Thanks to Kieran for reminding me about this one.

Tom Tancredo - Fear Monger - Approves this Message

Tom Tancredo is consistent if nothing else. Here is his most recent ad:

Be afraid of Islamists, be afraid of immigrants, be afraid, be afraid.

Pass the Pepto-Bismol.

Veteran's Day

Thank you to all of the veterans who have given of your lives

and those who have given your lives in an attempt to make us safer. I will continue to push to assure that veterans are taken care of when they return and not so frivolously sent off into harm's way.