We have better things to bash Bush about

George Clooney, an alleged chick magnet, was on one of those celebrity awards shows recently. I only caught a news snippet so forgive the lack of details, but at the point where the celebrity usually thanks mom, producer, fellow actors, writers etc, Mr. Clooney thanked someone “with the first name of ‘Jack’ and his name ending in ‘off’”. Obviously he was “thanking” the recent media sensation, political lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was recently in hot water for some illegal activity dealing with some Washington big-wigs.

Apparently, George is grateful for the bad press coverage the GOP has been getting over Abramoff’s troubles, having nothing to do with his award. It seems to me that everyone is going just a little over board with this Abramoff thing. Democrats who are slamming Republicans seem to forget they too have received his “gifts”. I don’t believe this is really an issue of “evil republicans” vs. “saintly democrats” or “saintly republicans” vs. “evil democrats”. What’s really going on here is the age old problem of persons and organizations of wealth having greater access to our law makers than the average “Joe”. We have all wanted to even did “write our congressman” from time to time, knowing that not much will really happen from our letter, phone call or visit. The people with the real voice in the halls of government are the ones who can afford large contributions to campaigns, expensive golf trips or fancy vacations for the law makers. Both major parties are guilty. OK, so we caught one red handed with his pockets more accessible to the GOP than the DNC. Make no mistake, there are many more Abramoff’s lining the pockets of Democrats and Republicans alike.

It’s very much like the Eddie Murphy movie when Eddie is elected to congress based on name recognition. A senior congressman is showing Eddie’s character “the ropes”. In a series of questions about how Eddie feels about this issue or that issue, Eddie is answering cautiously trying to suck up to the senior congressman. But the senior congressmen wasn’t concerned if he was for or against any of the issues, he was trying to point out to Eddie where the money and gifts where depending on his stance on each issue. In the work of fiction, the representatives where more concerned about how much money and gifts they could get from lobbyists than if that little girl was going to die from cancer. Not far off from reality at all.

Well, now that everyone has realized that the Abramoff specific bribes are more frequent with GOP members than DNC members, they are going after George W. Bush like rabid dogs. We all like to bash Bush, after all, he gives us plenty of reason for it, but I think he is safe on the Abramoff(dare I say it)gate. (Ohhh, I hate using “gate” as a suffix for any scandal, but I have been assimilated, resistance was futile). The Bush White House has recently announced that “George W. Bush does not know Jack Abramoff”. Immediately the response was “but we have pictures…we even have pictures of the President, the lobbyist, his clients and even his kids”. I wonder if the White House said “they don’t know each other” just to get a reactionary witch hunt that would throw the witch hunters off the real hunt.

A common ritual at this administration and administrations dating back to easy to develop film, is to hold a fund raiser or other event preceded by contributors, sponsors and other guests actually lined up to get a photo standing next to the President. Like the kids to at Proms. In the past five years, this president has taken as many as 10,000 of these memorable photos. They are a real keep sake for the guests. A photo with any sitting president is an awesome wall hanging to hang anywhere in Washington DC. I have seen GWB’s picture on the walls of more DC restaurants than I have kept track of. He is always shaking hands with the proprietor of the restaurant, right hands clasped, left hand on the guests elbow, both guest and President facing the camera and smiling. I am willing to bet that the President does not personally know all of these restaurant owners nor many of the other 10,000 snap shots done at these functions.

If the President does or did have a relationship with Abramoff, we will never be able to prove it. A little different than when he claimed he didn’t know the CEO of Enron. Any more time spent on a Abramoff/Bush relationship witch hunt is a loss of time pointing out all the other things this idiotic President is doing to hurt and embarrass America.

Defend the real Pledge Of Allegiance

First, let me point out, I am a firm believer in God. I believe that God reveals himself in many diverse ways and is interpreted in many ways, but that there is one universal creative force and that omnipresent force has shine his grace on the United States of America. He reveals himself as "Allah" to the Muslim community, Jehovah or Yahweh to the Christian and Jewish communities, even manifest himself and or his spirit in a human known as Jesus, varying by different sects of Christianity, he is known as "Higher Power" by recovering addicts and alcoholics, but all on all, he is there and he has shown his love for the people and principles of this great nation. Now, if your the new breed of Rush Limbaugh/Pat Robertson/Sean Hannity/Bill O'Reiley, you may be about to NOT believe my claim that I believe in and love God and these United states...but that's because your not open minded after following these neo-con talking heads, and if that shoe fits, it’s your problem…it is a fact. I am a God Loving, America Loving Christian patriot.

There is a heated debate in America today, concerning the use of “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. Yes, that short ritual they make the school kids stand, face the flag, place their hand over their heart and recite in unison. Some (in my opinion) idiot, tried to fight this ritual in court on the grounds that the use of “Under God” somehow infringed on somebody’s civil rights. I absolutely think this stance is bonkers. Nothing imposing about asking a young developing mind to participate in a civic activity to show unison and patriotism in the free education system provided to them by this great nation. But there is a side to this debate that they are missing. ..

When I was in the 5th grade, I attended a school where they had posted on the main hall wall, a version of the Pledge of Allegiance. This version of the Pledge of Allegiance, in it’s entirety lacked the phrase “Under God”. WHAT!?!?!, where is such a liberal school that would even 30 years ago dare display such disloyal “liberalism”???. When I answer the geography question, your going to think that it explains it all. This elementary school was in liberal blue upstate New York.

The apparent irony is, that this school is actually named after Francis Bellamy…the very author of the Pledge Of Allegiance. Who is Francis Bellamy?
Francis Bellamy was a Mason in Little Falls Lodge No. 181, in Little Falls, NY
Francis Bellamy was a Baptist Minister
Francis Bellamy is the original author of “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” He considered including the word, 'equality, but there is no record anywhere that suggests the Baptist Minister, God Fearing Mason ever meant to include “Under God” in his pledge.

Another apparent irony, I also went to a Jr High school that in off color bricks on the side of the building one can make out the word “IKE”, and abbreviation used during the Dwight D. Eisenhower presidential campaign. There is debate as to where “Under God” came from. Some say from President Eisenhower, a guardian against the “godless communist” movement, and others say Congress was pressured by the Knights Of Columbus, a catholic fraternity that sometimes directly oppose the Masonic Lodges.

Defend the real Pledge Of Allegiance, as this good Christian author intended it to be.

Proof of WMD in Iraq...er Syria...er...um, somewhere...

Iraqi war supporters are jumping all over the following:

AP News: “The man who served as the no. 2 official in Saddam Hussein's air force says Iraq moved weapons of mass destruction into Syria before the war by loading the weapons into civilian aircraft in which the passenger seats were removed”…” The flights - 56 in total, Mr. Sada said - attracted little notice because they were thought to be civilian flights providing relief from Iraq to Syria”.

Now, I have never doubted that the Hussein has WMD….after all, we sold them to him, but let’s look at this latest RW talking point with just a smidgeon of logic here.

1. The # 2 Official in Hussein’s air force…. Now top ranking Hussein Crony’s are reliable sources? It’s amazing how a thug is a thug until the thug is saying what one party wants to hear…

2. He is selling a book. Gee, I’ve never heard of fiction being dramatized to increase sells…what a “novel” idea. I am still recovering from the shocking revelation that Darth Vader *gasp* is actually Luke’s father.

3. 56 flights, in the final days before the US Invasion, flew through the US enforced “No Fly Zone” when the US is trying to convince the world that Hussein has these weapons and their use is imminent…..now I know how Bin Laden escaped Tora Bora and how illegal immigrants continue to pour into our borders every day, it all makes sense now.

4. They flew under the guise of “humanitarian” relief. The Hussein government…state sponsored terrorism, suspected of hiding a WMD program, flying planes into other nations of state sponsored terrorism.

The idea that this news story musters support for Bush decisions in the middle east defies logic. If is even believable for a moment, it’s only more proof of colossal failures on the part of the administration.

On Smoking

It’s an addiction like nothing else I can describe. You don’t even realize it until you try to kick it. I know that when I smoke, I stink. When I am a few days between cigarettes, other smokers stink from a pretty good distance. It is not a pretty “stink” either. Once, when I was staying with my non-smoking brother, I had smoked a cigarette outside …and 15 minutes before he got home. When he got home and got within 10 feet of me he sniffed twice and reminded me he didn’t want any smoking in his house….the stench is so bad, people think you are holding a lit cigarette.

It hasn’t been a very good week, I have been smoking again…most of the week. But I gotta tell ya, I feel physically better. I was feeling pretty ill and stressed out. It’s that chemical dependency. I bought a pack, the first cigarette made me feel dizzy and a little sick, but it felt sooooo good to inhale that poison. The cigarettes I smoked after that actually made me feel better. . . but I know, it’s just the addiction talking. I am getting back on the wagon, and going to try it again….I am going to get back on the wagon….if I fall off again, I will get back on again.

George picks a Supreme Court Nominee

My opinion on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito....

He is technically qualified to do the job the president has nominated him for. The president has the constitutional right and authority to pick whomever he decides, however the minority party has the moral obligation to query the nominee and oppose him or her with all their efforts if they feel it is necessary.

I have heard members of the GOP blame Mr. Brown’s lack of qualifications and poor response to Katrina on Democrats for NOT giving him the hard questions, taking their time with his confirmation and even NOT filibustering him. This political blame game alone obligates the Democrats to be as careful and cautious as possible with the confirmation of any nominee. If for any reason, political, ideological, personal, or whatever, the minority party opposes a nominee, they should use every legal tool at their disposal to achieve the results they want.

Ah, but I did say “The president has the constitutional right and authority to pick whomever he decides”, and the GOP is now very quick to point this out. “The President should be allowed to pick whomever he wants”. Yes, there are two sides to every political issue. *thinking*…they are absolutely right, the President SHOULD be allowed to choose whomever he wants. As I recall, the President made a choice. Harriet Myers….she was railroaded without committee testimony and without the legal tool given by our forefathers (The Filibuster). She was railroaded by senior members of the GOP.

Solution: Agree with the GOP, give the President his FIRST choice for Supreme Court AND agree with the DNC, “Just say no to Alito”.

Moving to new site

http://forums.delphiforums.com/songrun/messages

If you are not a member of Delphi forums, it's OK. You can log on as Guest, skip the spam and read the posts.

Thoughts and Prayers For Houston, TX, USA

I can tell you first hand the outpour of generosity for the victims of Katrina has been astronomical. The citizens of this great nation have donated, volunteered, pitched in, opened their homes and schools to the victims of Katrina. Big businesses, small businesses, people, cities and nations have demonstrated charity and caring like I’ve never seen before. I don’t mean to leave anyone of them out in this message, however, If I could pin the most outpouring of generosity from one single city on one single city, it would have to be Houston, Texas, USA.

In a call center in Northern Virginia, I have received calls from everywhere, but most commonly from Houston TX. Calls to find out how to donate money, calls to find out how to volunteer. “I want to open my home to evacuees” “We want to open our church or church parsonage to evacuees”. “I have some hotel or motel rooms they can use” “How can I start a fund raiser”. Truly, these calls have come from all over the nation and even the world, but the highest concentration is most definitely coming from Houston. Surpassed in call volume only by those in devastated areas seeking help or assistance.

There is not enough praise in the world to accommodate what Houston as a city has earned these past three weeks.

Now, I don’t know nuthin bout Karma or Devine Justice, but the irony of all ironies is now, after all their charity, caring and giving, the great city of Houston Texas USA is in the shadow of recorded historys’ 3rd most powerful Atlantic storm. Rita is threatening the highest concentration of caring for the victims of her little sister, Katrina. Please join me in an extra hard prayer, thought or meditation for all those in Rita’s path, but especially so for those wonderful caring, generous, charitable citizens of Houston Texas, may God see them through this, may the worlds outpouring of generosity remain as much focused on Houston as Houston directed to New Orleans. God Bless them, God Help them, may they survive, thrive and maintain connected to family and loved ones.

Shame on Democrats?????

I just heard on CNN that Democrats may be to blame for the hiring of the F.E.M.A director who just resigned. Mr. Brown, or “Brownie” to his former boss, W.

The political Spin of the day is that for a brief time, when Senator Jeffords left the Republican party, the Democrats had a slight majority in the Senate. It was during this brief time that “Brownie” a George W. Bush nominee, was confirmed by the Senate…that is, “The Democratic Controlled Senate”. If a DNC controlled senate confirms a Bush nominee, and that nominee turns out to be less that favorable, the finger of blame is pointed at the Democrats.

<<…time elapsed due to rolling on floor laughing my *** off…>>

OK, I am back and more composed. First, the Katrina response failures are not the fault of any one person. Mr. Brown, Chertoff, nor Bush, Not the Governor of Louisiana, not the Mayor of New Orleans, but a system wide series of failures, miscommunications and bureaucracies across the board. But, the spin machine is going to blame one person, and If they can blame that one person, they will go one to how that person got in that position.

*BACKTRACK to George W. Bush’s first inauguration*

It is the Presidents job to nominate or appoint certain positions throughout the federal government, the congress confirms or denies. Since GWB was sworn in, to now, over 200 federal judges have been nominated by GWB and confirmed by the Senate. A handful have been asked tough questions and some have even been filibustered. Due to these few who have faced tough questions and fewer who have been stonewalled, the RNC has launched a blitz of news reports, internet blogs, and even commercials on TV about how dare the Democrats stand in the Presidents way on his nominees.

*FASTFORWARD to now*

Now that a Bush nominee, appointee or whatever you want to call him seems to be bearing some of the blame for something gone bad….”The Democrats didn’t try to stop him from being appointed”

Maybe they are right, maybe we should write our Senators with the (D) by their name and suggest that they learn from this “egregious and colossal mistake” and never allow the confirmation of a Bush appointee again.

By the way….how’s that Roberts confirmation hearing going….???

Disclaimer

I am posting in this blog to vent and share MY personal opinions and feelings. Everything I write is the result of what I experience, how I feel, the news I watch ect. I happen to work for an employer who is politically neutral. My blog entries DO NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS OR POLICIES OF MY EMPLOYER. All opinions I post here are that of my own.

Oil Company Profits and The Will Of America...

Bill O’Reiley of Fox News, is, in my honest opinion a pompous windbag full of Political Spin. However, sometimes even political pundits can get something right.

The other day I was bouncing between news channels and I came across Bill O, he wasn’t wearing his oven mitt, so I gave him a few minutes of my time. For once I had to agree with what he was saying. He was on a soap box preaching about the astronomical profits being reeled in by the large oil companies. He was calling on them to do their part to lower prices at the pump. I agree 100%, Exxon, Texico, Shell, Crown, Hess, BP….they are all overwhelmed with incredible wealth…and so far have not done anything to chip in during this national situation.

Personally I believe that gasoline prices are too cheap! When the culture of America wants a cheaper, cleaner, more efficient way to make our beloved 4 wheel vehicles go, we will make it happen. Necessity is the mother of invention. When we needed to connect the coasts, there was a railroad. When we didn’t have a horseless carriage in every home, Mr. Ford gave us an Auto Assembly line. When AM Radio grew too much static to hear Mr. Roosevelt, EH Armstrong gave us FM. Victory Gardens, Metal Donation Points and unity of Americans defeated the Nazi’s in Europe. Atomic bombs shortened the war in the Pacific. After WWII, woman had professions in the work place and weren’t going back, so in 1949 we invented Instant Cake Mix…perhaps the start of the fast food revolution? When Americans didn’t like the advances the Soviet Union was making, we gave a speech, rolled up our sleeves and beat them to the moon…OK, I’ve gone on and on with this. Point being, Americans have the skill, determination, ingenuity to achieve anything once we feel a need. There was no Cake Mix in 1776, it didn’t come around until lazy men where forced to help with the cooking. We are a nation of ingenuity and determination, but we are also a nation of laziness and complacency. We will work hard and achieve when there is a need.

Yet, we will sit in our SUV’s, by ourselves with no cargo for 2 hours to get 14 miles at $1.40 per gallon, $1.80 per gallon (some complaining), $2.04 per gallon (more complaining) $2.80 per gallon (significant complaining), now it’s over $3.00 per gallon, people are still complaining, but go west from DC on Highway 66 on a Saturday afternoon. You will loose count of the single occupant SUV’s, Mini-vans and large pick up trucks sitting in stuck traffic.

Yes Mr. O’Reiley, the oil companies are making too large a profit while middle and lower class Americans have to tighten their belts to make their cars go. But when will we change what we drive and how we drive….I am thinking about $5.00 per gallon. Perhaps Exxon could charge $5.00 per gallon, put $2.00 per gallon into developing cleaner fuels, put $1.00 per gallon into the Katrina Recovery and still make huge profits.

Disclaimer

I am posting in this blog to vent and share MY personal opinions and feelings. Everything I write is the result of what I experience, how I feel, the news I watch ect. I happen to work for an employer who is politically neutral. My blog entries DO NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS OR POLICIES OF MY EMPLOYER. All opinions I post here are that of my own.

Mother Of All Cluster F**ks!

One of the great quotes from past Presidents is “The Buck Stops Here”. A phrase reminiscent of times long gone. Today, in Washington, the philosophy seems to me more “Where can I pass the buck too?”. The current administration on one hand is passing the buck-of-blame onto state, county/parish and city leaders, while stopping the buck-of-credit here (at the federal level). As I see it, they have that as backwards as it can get.

I work at a technical support (help desk) for The American Red Cross. Computer help! we help Red Cross employees and volunteers with their computer problems. If members of the general public donate online, they have two phone numbers they will see, one number is for calling in the donation, the other clearly states that it is if you are having technical difficulty with the Online Donation Form. Buck passers from relief agencies and other departments of our own agency has that number jotted down in their handy dandy little notebooks. They must have their lines crossed, because in the past 2 weeks we have gotten flooded with calls for everything under the sun.

The first two days after Katrina’s landfall, it started with “I am stuck on my roof in New Orleans, can you come get me out?”. You know, and I know and everyone who passed the 2nd grade knows they did NOT get the computer helpdesk number for ARC from the Online Donation Web Page. They have no electricity, no internet link up and probably very limited cell phone battery. 3rd grade conclusion is that they got through to a live person at some other familiar number (911, 411, 0, 800HELPNOW…who knows) and that person referred them to us. When we get a misdirected call like that, immediately we spring into surfing the internet, yellow pages white pages 411, until will got through to a Coast Guard number that was able to take the callers information and location and get that to the search and rescue operations. These calls kept coming in for about 2 days. Now, you know and I know and anyone with a 2nd grade education knows these stranded people on roof tops did NOT pass it on by word of mouth that the ARC Computer Help Desk is the number to call. Some idiot out there at some form of call center somewhere was passing the buck, in this case, human lives to a number they knew not what they where talking about. At least we had the compassion to find the correct number before passing the buck to. Thank God, the roof top calls have stopped, but we continue to have other agencies refer evacuee’s to our computer help desk. At least now we have the time to ask the caller how they got our number, call that number and educate them what our number is here for. There are some very confused call center employees from many organizations including our own.

Friday, F.E.M.A was giving out those credit/debit cards at certain locations in Texas to evacuee’s, Saturday more evacuee’s went to those locations only to find signs on the doors. The various signs from the various locations show the pass the buck mentality. One sign told the evacuee’s that they can register with F.E.M.A or Red Cross online. 2 problems with that, most evacuee’s didn’t bring their desktop computer with them, and the Red Cross does not yet have an online registration for victims. Another F.E.M.A sign told evacuees to call a certain 877 phone number, it wasn’t a FEMA number, it wasn’t even a Red Cross chapter or Katrina response center, it was our, computer help desk number. Needless to say, Saturday was very busy and not very much computer troubleshooting got done.

Thank God we are a nation of generous, compassionate and heroic individuals, because the leadership at the upper most levels get asked a tough question and they point to another level of government. That mentality is reflected in the large bureaucratic organizations. If not for generous, compassionate and heroic individuals, this great nation would fail. For four years and one day, the alleged top priority of the federal government has been to prepare for, defend from and know how to react to a large catastrophic event. Surely, the intent and training was geared towards that of a terrorist attack, dirty bombs, nuke bombs, bio or chemical attacks, etc. However, the concept of reacting to a hurricane lie Katrina, with the subsequent flooding, looting, lawlessness, etc etc etc, although different in cause should be the same in reaction…mobilize federal response, quickly, precisely and effectively to assist large numbers of American citizens.

No, America, sadly, four years and one day after the attacks of 9/11/2001 this government is NOT ready to handle another attack, from evil doers nor mother nature. Katrina has proven this. But here is the good news, after what Osama Bin Laden did to us, after Katrina proved to us we aren’t ready for another 9/11, at least we can say this. We got Saddam Hussein behind bars. Sorry for the sarcasm, yes Saddam is an evil man, but obviously, we got some priorities screwed up here.

I answered the phone at work recently, “Good morning, User Support, This is Steve”. The response was a moment of silence then “Steve???”,

Me: Yes Sir.

Caller: Steve? Are you an actual human being?

Me: Yes Sir, how can I help?

Caller: Steve? Are you a human being at the American Red Cross?

Me: Yes, sir, this is the computer help desk at American Red Cross, how may I help you today?

Caller: Well, Steve, the human being at American Red Cross (his sarcasm was becoming obvious), I am on the donation web site, and I can’t seem to find the specific fund I would like to donate too….can you help?

Me, thinking Hurricane Katrina was too obvious make other suggestions: Certainly sir, are you looking for your local chapter, or perhaps International Relief?

Caller: No, no, I am looking for how to donate to the current issue I am seeing on the news.

Me: Oh, you mean Hurricane Katrina, it’s the top choice on the list of funds right now.

Caller: Ohhhhhh, Oh oh oh, OK, I am sorry, my bad, I thought the fund would be named “Mother Of All Cluster F**ks!”

If I bit my tongue any harder, I’d need stitches.

Next post, I actually agree with something Bill O’Reilly said.

Disclaimer

I am posting in this blog to vent and share MY personal opinions and feelings. Everything I write is the result of what I experience, how I feel, the news I watch ect. I happen to work for an employer who is politically neutral. My blog entries DO NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS OR POLICIES OF MY EMPLOYER. All opinions I post here are that of my own.

Katrina Blame Game

First of all, Katrina and Hurricanes are the result of natural and random weather patterns, nobody caused Katrina.

On preparations: On the inkling that this was going to be bad, F.E.M.A., American Red Cross and Salvation Army each had the largest pre-deployed disaster relief force in each of their prospective organizations' history. The only person that I am aware of staying on vacation as she approached land fall was the top of the federal government...he was in Crawford hiding from a grieving mother. At the state level, evacuations where ordered, on the city level, evacuations where ordered and the Super Dome was turned into a shelter, as scary as it was and as uncomfortable as it was, this decision SAVED LIVES!

On delayed response: For weeks before Katrina, a vacation in Crawford was "OK"..."W can still run the govt", but 2 days after landfall and huge public outcry, "I'm gonna roll up my sleeves and fly over the area on the back to DC". 3 days after landfall, we decide to replace the 6,000 reserves from the afflicted states that are in Iraq, with 7,000 federal troops...after saying on the 2nd day that the gulf states still have enough militia to handle the situation.

On the Red Cross absence From New Orleans: The first few days, it was not allowed by the local governments for the safety of volunteer relief workers, now it is not allowed by the local governments in order to NOT entice persons still in New Orleans into staying. The more recent decision by the local authorities has mixed emotions from the ARC, but both decisions where NOT that of the ARC. I took one call, (obviously a Fox News fan) who wanted to yell at me for "stopping the National guard from going into New Orleans". I assured him he had it backwards, he assured me that he didn't, he just saw it on the news. So I had to relpy "WOW, so your telling me an 'army' of water bottles, food, blankets and counselors is stopping an ARMY of machine guns, kevlar and government authority from doing their jobs?" he paused for a while "mm...Maybe I got that backwards" he hung up and I thought to myself "heh! and that 'Einstein' called a computer help desk to fix the dilemma in New Orleans.

On Inadequate Response: Qualified people all over America and the world are offering and wanting to help with their area's of expertise...and they are greatly needed. Now, while there are many obstacles in the way that couldn't be helped, there are also those that are just plain BAD decisions. For example, Fire Fighters. An honorable profession with people of unique training and mindset that is needed in the devastated areas for helping people. Meanwhile, any skill set that lies within people who just want to help can hand out flyers. If you alert 1,000 fire fighters in Atlanta Georgia to help with the disaster, where do you think they would be sent? The first 50 left Atlanta Monday morning with the assignment of "Stand next to the president when he poses in devastated areas", the remaining 950 have been deploying out of Atlanta since then to "hand out F.E.M.A flyers"

On the post Katrina Blame Game: Just today, Republican Senators announced a "bi-Partisan" fact finding committee that will report to the President by Feb. The Democrat Senators hadn't yet heard of the creation of the "bi-Partisan" committee. Sounds like more GOP tactics to CYOB.

First Day

I've noticed that friends, family, coworkers keep these online "diaries" called blogs. Since the 2000 election, the attacks of 9/11, the war in Iraq, the Tsunami's after Christmas and now this past week and a half after Katrina, I have very strong and emotional feelings about so many things in our world, I figured it was time I got them out. Have you ever tried to express your points of view in forums like salon.com, delphiforums or in chat rooms on AOL. It is just amazing how poisoned and brainwashed people are. This looks like a great way to express my opinions without all those idiotic replies....OK, how do you do a new paragraph in this thing????