Monday, November 21, 2005
Mike Scanlon Pleads Guilty
This is going to be bigger than Treasongate. I've read that it may become the biggest government scandel in over 100 yrs. Micheal Scanlon, ex-aide to Tom Delay has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bribe government officials. Scanlon worked for Jack Abramoff, the guy who among other thing scammed indians over casinos. This involves Republican and Democrat congressmen but mostly Republicans because they are the ones that hold all the power right now. Scanlon is now going to cooperate with the investigation. Tom Delay is in even more trouble now. Couldnt happen to a nicer bug exterminator.
Stephen Hadley - Treasongate
I pointed out on Oct 26 that we should keep our eye on Stephen Hadley and the outing of Plame. It's now looking almost certain that he was Woodwards source. Now I'm going to predict that Condi Rice is going to be pulled into this dispicable affair.
White Phosphorus Revisited
I posted about the use of white phosphorus on November 11th asking when a story would appear in the MSM. An article appeared yesterday in the NYT. Looks like white phosphorus was used as an anti-personnel weapon. The army even admits it. I guess if torture is ok, white phosphorus should be ok too.
Wal-mart in Saranac Lake - Again?
Rumors are rampant about Wal-mart looking to locate in Saranac Lake. They were thwarted a few years ago when someone bought a parcel of property out from under the company. Although we only have rumors, I'm sure someone in the Village government could shed some light on the situation, but they are keeping mum. I guess they are following the G. W. Bush school of governing.
What are some of the effects of Wal-mart locating in a small rural community? That question was addressed over 15 years ago by Dr. Kenneth Stone, a Professor of Economics and Extension Economist at Iowa State University. Some conclusions about the economic effects:
Positive Effects
General mechandising stores
Eating and drinking establishments
Home furnishing stores
Total sales
Negative Effects
Grocery stores
Building materials
Specialty stores (hardware, toy, books, music, etc.)
Apparel stores
Services (not understood why)
Effect on outlying towns
"On average, small towns surrounding Wal-Mart towns (20 mile radius) suffered greater losses of retail sales than similar size towns elsewhere in the state. The average first year per capita loss of sales for the nearby towns was 6.3% when compared with 2.0% for all other towns of a similar size population".
Morality of Wal-mart as a company
Wal-mart knows its customers though. That's why they need to have prices cut to the bone in order to keep sales high. Wal-mart caters to the poor. Primarily women struggling to make ends meet. An economist at the U. of Conn., Andrew Franklin, has shown that Wal-mart operates primarily in poor and working class communities. To keep sales high, Wal-mart has got to keep labor costs low period. Some Wal-marts provide employees with instructions and forms on how to apply for food stamps and healthcare because they know their employees cannot live on what they are being paid. At any one time Wal-mart has 8000+ ongoing lawsuits (mostly from their employees) and currently is involved in 33 class action suits. Maybe someone can explain why a company that employs 1 out of every 100 Americans, has sales of over 285 billion dollars and a gross profit margin of almost 24% cannot provide for its employees.
Hidden costs of doing business with Wal-mart in California
Reliance by Wal-mart workers on public assistance costs $86 million annually.
Families of Wal-mart workers utilize ~40% more in taxpayer-funded health care than the average for families of all large retail employees. If other large retailers adopted Wal-mart's wage and benefits standards it would cost CA taxpayers $410 million in public assistance annually. (From Dr. A. Dube and Ken Jacobs, UC Berkeley, 2004).
What are some of the effects of Wal-mart locating in a small rural community? That question was addressed over 15 years ago by Dr. Kenneth Stone, a Professor of Economics and Extension Economist at Iowa State University. Some conclusions about the economic effects:
Positive Effects
General mechandising stores
Eating and drinking establishments
Home furnishing stores
Total sales
Negative Effects
Grocery stores
Building materials
Specialty stores (hardware, toy, books, music, etc.)
Apparel stores
Services (not understood why)
Effect on outlying towns
"On average, small towns surrounding Wal-Mart towns (20 mile radius) suffered greater losses of retail sales than similar size towns elsewhere in the state. The average first year per capita loss of sales for the nearby towns was 6.3% when compared with 2.0% for all other towns of a similar size population".
Morality of Wal-mart as a company
Wal-mart knows its customers though. That's why they need to have prices cut to the bone in order to keep sales high. Wal-mart caters to the poor. Primarily women struggling to make ends meet. An economist at the U. of Conn., Andrew Franklin, has shown that Wal-mart operates primarily in poor and working class communities. To keep sales high, Wal-mart has got to keep labor costs low period. Some Wal-marts provide employees with instructions and forms on how to apply for food stamps and healthcare because they know their employees cannot live on what they are being paid. At any one time Wal-mart has 8000+ ongoing lawsuits (mostly from their employees) and currently is involved in 33 class action suits. Maybe someone can explain why a company that employs 1 out of every 100 Americans, has sales of over 285 billion dollars and a gross profit margin of almost 24% cannot provide for its employees.
Hidden costs of doing business with Wal-mart in California
Reliance by Wal-mart workers on public assistance costs $86 million annually.
Families of Wal-mart workers utilize ~40% more in taxpayer-funded health care than the average for families of all large retail employees. If other large retailers adopted Wal-mart's wage and benefits standards it would cost CA taxpayers $410 million in public assistance annually. (From Dr. A. Dube and Ken Jacobs, UC Berkeley, 2004).
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Mt. Pisgah Community Ski Area
This is our little 'in town' skiing area. Mt. Pisgah . I grew up skiing here. I spent most every evening and weekend skiing here. It was open every night til 10 PM except Sunday. Thursday was reserved for adult night skiing. When I was a kid, a season pass was $5. Eventually went up to $15. Notice the beautiful new ski lodge built a few years ago with labor and money donated by the community.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Friday, November 18, 2005
Friday Scientific Equipment Blogging
Not an instrument, but probably the most used tool in basic medical research.
News From Julia - Back in Nairobi
"I am working with Don Bosco's street boy program which is really great. The boys are right off the street and go into a three month transition period. Then if they have behaved and done well and everything they get to be admitted to the actual school. Everything is really scheduled out for the boys. There are about 30 of them in the transition period, that we are working with and then 280 at the boys school. The facilities are really nice and the boys are great! The only downer is we have to walk about 1 hour to get to work. Because it is an independent study, we have to do our own transportation and no matutus run in that direction, but exercise is good!"
NOTE: Don Bosco programs are evidently run by the Salesian Order of the Catholic Church. In Africa they specialize in taking care of 'boy soldier' refugees, among other programs.
NOTE: Don Bosco programs are evidently run by the Salesian Order of the Catholic Church. In Africa they specialize in taking care of 'boy soldier' refugees, among other programs.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Constitution Vote - Violence in Kenya?
Just heard from Julia who is working at an orphanage in Kisumu. She and two other students will be flown back to Nairobi today due to expected violence over the Constitution vote next Tuesday Nov 21. So what is this all about?
Well, Kenya received it's independence from Great Britain in 1963. And, for the first time since then they are voting on a referendum on a new constitution. The current constitution has been revised several times resulting in a state in which the President has sweeping powers. The new constitution supposedly cuts the powers of the President partly by creating a Prime Minister position.
One of the problems in Kenya is that one third of the adults can't read. So referendum campaigns are organized around symbols, bananas for 'yes' and oranges for 'no'. As usual for Africa, the political situation has resulted in polarization around tribal loyalties. The government is leading a 'yes' campaign while the opposition party wants 'no'. Currently the 'no's' seem to be ahead by about 10%.
There has already been violence in Kenya with fires set and about 8 people killed. However, now there is a rumor that 'yes' party people are being trained by ex-servicemen 'to cause chaos' at the vote.
St. Lawrence is taking no chances and is flying the students in Kisumu back to the compound in Karen.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Where Does Bush Stand?
From latest Gallop Poll:
Handling Terrorism: 48% approve - 49% disapprove. What? Now you don't feel safer?
Foreign Affairs: 37% approve - 59% disapprove. Damn you France lovers!
Economy: 37% approve (especially oil companies) - 61% disapprove. You got your tax cuts didn't you?
Iraq War: 35% approve - 63% disapprove. But what about 9/11?
Federal Spending: 26% approve - 71% disapprove. So you don't like borrow and spend?
Immigration: 26% approve - 65% disapprove. No one likes immigrants.
Handling Terrorism: 48% approve - 49% disapprove. What? Now you don't feel safer?
Foreign Affairs: 37% approve - 59% disapprove. Damn you France lovers!
Economy: 37% approve (especially oil companies) - 61% disapprove. You got your tax cuts didn't you?
Iraq War: 35% approve - 63% disapprove. But what about 9/11?
Federal Spending: 26% approve - 71% disapprove. So you don't like borrow and spend?
Immigration: 26% approve - 65% disapprove. No one likes immigrants.
This Week's Rants
REPUBLICAN BUDGET PLAN OF THE WEEK
We need 70 billion dollars worth of 'temporary' cuts in capital gains and dividends. So to fund those cuts we need to cut 12 billion in medicaid, 14 billion in student aid, and 848 million in food stamp aid. Let them eat cake.
RELIGION NOT SCIENCE
We need to reject over-the-counter sale of 'Plan B' (morning after) contraceptive medication because our conservative base doesn't like it. How do we influence the scientists at the Food and Drug Administation to prevent over-the-counter sales? Convince the agency that younger adolescents might engage in unsafe sexual behavior with Plan B available even though this is an age-based criterion never before raised for an over-the-counter contraceptive.
LIES ABOUT IRAQ
Everyone had access to the same intelligence that Bush used to justify invading Iraq. Does anyone actually believe this? Even President Clinton was convinced that the intelligence indicated Iraq wanted to pursue a nuclear weapons program. Bush was actually working with the same intelligence that Clinton used. Old intelligence! And, Clinton was convinced that pressure and inspections were working to prevent Iraq from proceeding with their nuclear ambitions. Bush thought there was soon going to be a mushroom cloud. Same intelligence, different conclusions. What is really bothersome to me is that Bush convinced a majority of people in this country that Iraq was involved with the 9/11 attacks. He didn't come right out and say so, but he was always sure to talk about Sadam Hussain, the war on terror and 9/11 at the same time, over and over and over. I think a sizable minority of people still think Iraq was involved in the 9/11 attacks.
HABEAS CORPUS
Republicans denied the right of Habeas Corpus in the reconstruction period after the Civil War and they are trying to do the same thing now to persons being held by the USA in our base in Cuba. It was wrong in the 1860's and it is wrong now.
TORTURE
Not much to say here, but I never thought our country would be debating whether torture is legal or not.
I agree with Jimmy Carter. Something is fundamentally wrong with our country right now and we are sitting around like sheep to the slaughter letting it happen.
We need 70 billion dollars worth of 'temporary' cuts in capital gains and dividends. So to fund those cuts we need to cut 12 billion in medicaid, 14 billion in student aid, and 848 million in food stamp aid. Let them eat cake.
RELIGION NOT SCIENCE
We need to reject over-the-counter sale of 'Plan B' (morning after) contraceptive medication because our conservative base doesn't like it. How do we influence the scientists at the Food and Drug Administation to prevent over-the-counter sales? Convince the agency that younger adolescents might engage in unsafe sexual behavior with Plan B available even though this is an age-based criterion never before raised for an over-the-counter contraceptive.
LIES ABOUT IRAQ
Everyone had access to the same intelligence that Bush used to justify invading Iraq. Does anyone actually believe this? Even President Clinton was convinced that the intelligence indicated Iraq wanted to pursue a nuclear weapons program. Bush was actually working with the same intelligence that Clinton used. Old intelligence! And, Clinton was convinced that pressure and inspections were working to prevent Iraq from proceeding with their nuclear ambitions. Bush thought there was soon going to be a mushroom cloud. Same intelligence, different conclusions. What is really bothersome to me is that Bush convinced a majority of people in this country that Iraq was involved with the 9/11 attacks. He didn't come right out and say so, but he was always sure to talk about Sadam Hussain, the war on terror and 9/11 at the same time, over and over and over. I think a sizable minority of people still think Iraq was involved in the 9/11 attacks.
HABEAS CORPUS
Republicans denied the right of Habeas Corpus in the reconstruction period after the Civil War and they are trying to do the same thing now to persons being held by the USA in our base in Cuba. It was wrong in the 1860's and it is wrong now.
TORTURE
Not much to say here, but I never thought our country would be debating whether torture is legal or not.
I agree with Jimmy Carter. Something is fundamentally wrong with our country right now and we are sitting around like sheep to the slaughter letting it happen.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Unlike retired CIA director George Tenet, two people I respect recently received the presidential Medal of Freedom.
Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager of 'Hotel Rwanda' fame
and
Muhammad Ali, a guy who knew the Vietnam War was wrong
Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager of 'Hotel Rwanda' fame
and
Muhammad Ali, a guy who knew the Vietnam War was wrong
Guess Who is Saying This...
...in March, 2003, Bush, in perhaps the greatest strategic blunder in U.S. history, invaded an Arab nation that had not attacked us, did not want war with us, and did not threaten us—to strip it of weapons we now know it did not have.
Result: Shia and Kurds have been liberated from Saddam, but Iran has a new ally in southern Iraq, Osama has a new base camp in the Sunni Triangle, the Arab and Islamic world have been radicalized against the United States, and copy-cat killers of Al Qaida have been targeting our remaining allies in Europe and the Middle East: Spain, Britain, Egypt and Jordan. And, lest we forget, 2055 Americans are dead and Walter Reed is filling up.
Pat Buchanan
Result: Shia and Kurds have been liberated from Saddam, but Iran has a new ally in southern Iraq, Osama has a new base camp in the Sunni Triangle, the Arab and Islamic world have been radicalized against the United States, and copy-cat killers of Al Qaida have been targeting our remaining allies in Europe and the Middle East: Spain, Britain, Egypt and Jordan. And, lest we forget, 2055 Americans are dead and Walter Reed is filling up.
Pat Buchanan
WARNING! - Tinfoil Hats Proved Not to Work!
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
White Phosphorus in Fallujah
I've been following this story since Monday. International press reported that white phosphorus was used as an anti-personnel weapon during the fighting in Fallujah last year. It first sounded too much like a conspiracy theory so I thought let's see what develops. Evidently there are pictures and video of people severely burned. White phosphorus is normally used either as a white smoke marker or as a means of lighting an area at night. We'll see if this makes the mainstream media or not.
A Trip to Vermont
Yesterday Maureen and I went to the Burlington International Airport to pick up my mother (who was returning from FL). We decided to take the Crown Point bridge over to Burlington and then take the Cumberland head ferry on our return. I wanted to go through Crown Point because it was a nice bright but cool day. I wanted to stop at the Crown Point ruins of the forts built and used prior to and during the French and Indian War. There are alot more pictures and history if you click the link. Notice I said forts. The ruins of another fort, Ft. St. Frederic are also there. Click on link for picts and history. I don't want to use up all my free flickr space.
This is a picture taken from the 'walls' of the fort. In the foreground is the Officers barracks and further back is the Enlisted barracks. The inside of the fort is about 4 acres. Just below where I'm standing is the well that supplied the fort with water.
This picture is taken at the entrance to the fort. Officers barracks on the left, enlisted further back. There are the ruins of a third building that was the armory. A third barracks was to have been built, to the right, but never was finished.
This is an awesome place to be alone on a nice Spring or Fall day. You can wander around freely with no one to bother you. Sorta reminds me of when I visited Stonehenge back in 1975. You could park your car on the side of the road. Walk to the stones, climb on them, touch them etc. Those days are long gone. I'm sure the same will eventually happen at Crown Point.
This is a picture taken from the 'walls' of the fort. In the foreground is the Officers barracks and further back is the Enlisted barracks. The inside of the fort is about 4 acres. Just below where I'm standing is the well that supplied the fort with water.
This picture is taken at the entrance to the fort. Officers barracks on the left, enlisted further back. There are the ruins of a third building that was the armory. A third barracks was to have been built, to the right, but never was finished.
This is an awesome place to be alone on a nice Spring or Fall day. You can wander around freely with no one to bother you. Sorta reminds me of when I visited Stonehenge back in 1975. You could park your car on the side of the road. Walk to the stones, climb on them, touch them etc. Those days are long gone. I'm sure the same will eventually happen at Crown Point.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
OOPS!
Rep. John Hostettler (Ind.) was one of 11 Republicans to oppose funds for rebuilding Katrina huricane damage. Yesterday, Rep. Hostettler asked President Bush for money to help victims of another natural disaster... the tornado that ripped through many areas in his 8th District in Indiana. The congressman did vote to help tsunami victims halfway around the world and rebuild Iraq but I guess aiding poor Americans drenched by hurricanes is different...unless of course a disaster hits your congressional district and you want to be re-elected.
Hippo Point Lake Naivasha Kenya
Julia just emailed from Kisumu. She is living with 3 other women her age and working at Covenant Home.
"today I took a group of kids to Hippo Point and we went on a boat ride which was a little sketchy, the boat was like a big cannoe and we shoved 25 people in it and I thought for a few mins it might sink but we made it to where we were headed. we didnt see any hippos but evidently they come to the field next to where I am staying at night, so hopefully I will see some."
Why do they always overload boats in developing countries? I doubt there were any life preservers. Who wants to hear about a boat load of orphans drowning or being attacked by hippos?
"today I took a group of kids to Hippo Point and we went on a boat ride which was a little sketchy, the boat was like a big cannoe and we shoved 25 people in it and I thought for a few mins it might sink but we made it to where we were headed. we didnt see any hippos but evidently they come to the field next to where I am staying at night, so hopefully I will see some."
Why do they always overload boats in developing countries? I doubt there were any life preservers. Who wants to hear about a boat load of orphans drowning or being attacked by hippos?
Monday, November 07, 2005
Bible Not True?
Turns out the Vatican does not believe the bible to be true in all instances
Some Christians want a literal interpretation of the story of creation, as told in Genesis, taught alongside Darwin’s theory of evolution in schools, believing “intelligent design” to be an equally plausible theory of how the world began.
But the first 11 chapters of Genesis, in which two different and at times conflicting stories of creation are told, are among those that this country’s Catholic bishops insist cannot be “historical”. At most, they say, they may contain “historical traces”.
The Bible is true in passages relating to human salvation, they say, but continue: “We should not expect total accuracy from the Bible in other, secular matters.”
Untrue example:
Genesis iii, 16
God said to the woman [after she was beguiled by the serpent]: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
True example:
Luke i
The Virgin Birth
xodus iii, 14
God reveals himself to Moses as: “I am who I am.”
Some Christians want a literal interpretation of the story of creation, as told in Genesis, taught alongside Darwin’s theory of evolution in schools, believing “intelligent design” to be an equally plausible theory of how the world began.
But the first 11 chapters of Genesis, in which two different and at times conflicting stories of creation are told, are among those that this country’s Catholic bishops insist cannot be “historical”. At most, they say, they may contain “historical traces”.
The Bible is true in passages relating to human salvation, they say, but continue: “We should not expect total accuracy from the Bible in other, secular matters.”
Untrue example:
Genesis iii, 16
God said to the woman [after she was beguiled by the serpent]: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
True example:
Luke i
The Virgin Birth
xodus iii, 14
God reveals himself to Moses as: “I am who I am.”
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