Author: Elena

 

So I was driving home with the kids today, and one of my all time favorite songs came on, it was Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”.   As we come to a stop in the garage, I turned around, askinf my 8 year old son “do you know what he is saying in this song” , he replies, “yes mom, he is  looking in the mirror”, I say, “well who do you see in the mirror?” , my son replies “yourself mom, you see yourself”…….

My kids have this favorite book I read to them, the title is “Have you filled a bucket today“.  Can you guess the premise?  Yes, its about how doing simple acts of kindness change the world around you.  But the beauty of being a bucket filler is that not only do you fill your own bucket when you “fill” someone else’s, you fill your own at the same time!  Such a simple concept, but you know, it really stuck with them and I wonder, if such a simple idea might not be good for adults to remember too. 

Sooooooo, I guess what I am wondering, is have you “filled a bucket” for someone or had someone show you an act of kindness?  Maybe, just once, we could have one thread that did not have one snide, nasty, or cutting comment.

 

Sometimes real relationships are built over the most inconsequential circumstances.  A good ole American lunch seems to me the best way to forge something real.  I am not suggesting that our relationship with the Russian President is somehow now perfected, but having such a relaxed atmosphere, that actually precludes anything BUT regular chit chat ,seems ideal.  

President Obama paid for lunch, apparently, Hells Kitchen, was the same burger joint he and VP Biden at lunch at last year.  The Russian President is here trying to improve relations with the United States.

I keep asking myself, can the Deepwater Horizon disaster get any worse? Well, yes, it can. Today is an example of how much worse. The cap apparently had to be removed for repair work.

The Deepwater Horizon well became an uncapped geyser once again Wednesday, the hydrocarbons surging freely into the deep sea after engineers were forced to remove the dome that had been capturing significant quantities of oil.

The struggle with the cap provided another reminder, if any was needed, that engineers are trying to control the blown-out well with novel tactics and jury-rigged hardware. Nothing has come easily, and the incremental progress has been vulnerable to swift reversal.

Just when you think, just maybe, just maybe, this crisis could move towards some resolution, WHAM, mother nature tells us “its not nice to fool with mother nature” !

The base-line measures of the crisis have steadily worsened. The estimated flow rate keeps rising. The well is like something deranged, stronger than anyone anticipated. BP executives last month said they had a 60 to 70 percent chance of killing it with mud, but the well spit the mud out and kept blowing.

The net effect is that nothing about this well seems crazy anymore. Week by week, the truth of this disaster has drifted toward the stamping ground of the alarmists.

After the Deepwater Horizon rig sank, BP recalculated that estimate based on what was known about the well. BP executives in early May briefed members of Congress on their conclusion: that the absolute worst-case flow rate was 60,000 barrels, with a “more reasonable worst-case scenario” of 40,000 barrels a day, the document states.

Today the official government estimate of the flow, based on multiple techniques that include subsea video and satellite surveys of the oil sick on the surface, is 35,000 to 60,000 barrels a day.

In effect, what BP considered the worst-case scenario in early May is in late June the bitter reality — call it the new normal — of the gulf blowout.

My sense is that this disaster is so overwheming, we simply cannot comprehend its long term consequences, to the gulf states, to this country, to the world.

With Corey’s recent diatribe, suggesting taking his FAILED County anti immigration initiative statewide, catching up on past events seems very appropriate!

Arizona has enacted what FAIR attempted to do in our County first. The difference is that even in the very beginning there was push back against many components in the original resolution. What PWC was left with was pretty much what we had BEFORE all the trauma and heartache……..287 G. The crux of the battle fell on the “probable cause” mandate, which, eventually, Corey HAD to vote to repeal in order to save face.

I hope to see many “new faces” Saturday! I really would enjoy meeting people who post here in person. Even if we disagree, putting a “name” to a face helps to personalize how we treat one another.

Manassas, VA
Saturday, June 19 at 6pm
Bull Run Unitarian Universalist Congregation
9350 Main Street
Old Town Manassas VA
Panel discussion following the film with Elena Schlossberg and Lisa Johnson-Firth who both appear in the film.
Tickets will be $10.00 at the door with all proceeds going to the 501c(3) Interactive Democracy Alliance.

Although this Memorial Day has come to an end, the journey for many fighting men and women continues on, long after the “holiday” ends.

Let’s remember them, not just for today, but each and every day.

http://www.uso.org/

http://www.amvets.org/

http://www.fisherhouse.org/

http://www.pva.org/site/PageServer

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

http://www.rollingthunder1.com/

http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/Pages/default.aspx

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

Russell Pearce is a blight on democracy!  How can a man who opens his arms to Neo Nazis have any power to legislate?

The 14th amendment has not been misinterpreted.  As Americans, we have a unique system that has served us well, for centuries as a matter of fact.   As Americans, born or naturalized, we all can strive for the same dreams.  The 14th amendment, were it only meant to be relevant to slaves, as suggested by Pierce, would have been abolished years ago.  Why, after 150 years then, does it still hold a special place in our Democracy.  The impact of the 14th amendment cannot be overstated.

Nonetheless, the Fourteenth Amendment was the most important constitutional change in the nation’s history since the Bill of Rights.

The term anchor baby is abhorant to me.   Children are not anchors, they are unique and special human beings.  When I was a school counselor, I had the story of the starfish on my door, I wanted every kid that walked in my office to know I thought there was something amazing about each and every one of them.

 

I was truly saddened when I watched this video.  How sad, that the immigration debate has become so poisoned, even a good old fashioned soccer games is vulnerable to a display of complete and utter ignorance.  I dare anyone to suggest this is not a result of the despicable behavior seen at the national level.    Oh, but wait, I am just being silly when I refer to the hate that is growing towards Hispanics, its just all in my silly imagination.

If you want to save the Rural Crescent and ensure a high-quality development area too, tonight’s Conservation Forum is the place to be.

The Rural Crescent has been threatened since it was first adopted in 1998. With development nibbling at the edges, some have said it is more like a Rural Croissant that will disappear one bite at a time.

Properties slated for development, such as Bristow Village and South Market, intrude into the boundaries of the Rural Crescent, serving as ‘set up’ parcels for sewer lines and higher densities.

But the most significant threat to the Rural Crescent may be that Prince William County offers no choices for landowners other than to sell to developers.

Although Virginia has one of the best private land conservation tax incentives in the Nation, County government does not make this information available to landowners and rarely considers conservation opportunities in land use process.

During the past four years, Virginia conserved 400,000 acres of land. To the best of our knowledge, only 302 of these acres were in Prince William County, contributed by the conservation of Merrimac Farm, which protects our public drinking water supply and provides local residents with a high quality site for hunting, fishing and wildlife watching.

This is a unique opportunity to learn how Prince William can begin to take advantage of conservation incentives to protect our rapidly vanishing natural areas. We hope you can make time in you busy schedule to join us this evening, 7:00 pm at McCoart.

I think I will just let the readers make up their own minds about who Russell Pearce is and if THEY would feel comfortable with him legislating anything, much less immigration law.

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This episode is hilarious in a sick sort of way.  Stephen Colbert uses his “randomizer” to throw his hat into the ring of ideas to plug the oil leak.

On a serious note, how much more can the coast line of Louisianna handle?  The SBA has set up a remote office to help small business owners apply for low interest (4%) loans in order to help them survive this crisis.

Why does it matter, why should we care about these natural spaces? Because it is our responsibility to ensure our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will have the benefits of our foresight. There aren’t any do-overs when it come to preserving these unique special areas. Once you pave over them they are gone,gone,gone.

You can’t buy a wetland or a mature forest by shopping on line. If we want to preserve the Rural Crescent, we must also in turn be fair to landowners. The state offers huge benefits to those who voluntarily conserve their land. Find out more! Don’t miss this great event sponsored by the Prince William Conservation Alliance.

WHEN:
Monday, May 17 – Doors open at 7:00 pm; program 7:30 to 9:00 pm

WHERE:McCoart Government Center, Board Chambers

The speakers will be Congressman Connelly, Supervisor May, Robert Davenport, Bob Lee, and Sara Richardson.

Seriously, Governor McDonnell could not find anyone more qualified? Fred Malek performed a despicable task for Nixon. Good people had their livelihoods affected by his actions. I am not a supporter of the mantra “I was just doing my job”. I am all in support of redemption and forgiveness, but ONE job, I would not put someone BACK in, was the job that person misused, thus betraying the public trust. Fred Malek has a right to work, but doesn’t have the right to ANY job. In fact, in my opinion, he summarily LOST that right when he counted “jews” for Nixon.  From Not Larry Sabato:

UPDATE: Statement from Delegate David Englin:

While I support the effort to create a top-level commission to recommend policies to reform government, it is deeply disturbing that Governor McDonnell would appoint as its chair Fred Malek, whose history in “reforming” government includes creating lists of Jews serving in government to track and remove from government service. Was there really no more qualified individual in Virginia to lead this panel? Has he done anything to disavow and make amends for his previous anti-Semitism? Otherwise, it’s one more slap in the face from McDonnell to Jewish state employees, coming right on the heels of allowing uniformed state police chaplains to proselytize to Jewish troopers and their families. These continued missteps from the McDonnell Administration are distractions from the competent and effective governing Virginians expect and deserve.

UPDATE #2– Another Jewish Delegate speaks out. Statement from Delegate Adam Ebbin:

It is cause for profound concern that Governor McDonnell would appoint Fred Malek to head his Commission on Government Reform. Malek’s Nixon administration record of creating a list of Jews–with an eye towards removing them from public service–is still alarming today. There are certainly many capable Virginians who could assume this important position

Here’s the story (condensed for space here, but viewable in full on Slate):

…

 

Later that day (according to a July 3, 1971, tape widely publicized on its release by the National Archives in 1999), Nixon and Colson, now alone, had the following exchange:

Nixon: Well, listen, are they all Jews over there?
Colson: Every one of them. Well, a couple of exceptions.
Nixon: See my point?
Colson: You know goddamn well they’re out to kill us.

, had the following conversation (this, too, is from the July 3, 1971, tape that was released in 1999):HaldemanAlso that day, Nixon and his chief of staff, H.R. “Bob”

Nixon: Now, point: [Fred] Malek is not Jewish.
Haldeman: No.
Nixon: All right, I want a look at any sensitive areas around where Jews are involved, Bob. See, the Jews are all through the government, and we have got to get in those areas. We’ve got to get a man in charge who is not Jewish to control the Jewish … do you understand?
Haldeman: I sure do.
Nixon: The government is full of Jews. Second, most Jews are disloyal. You know what I mean? You have a [White House Counsel Leonard] Garment and a [National Security Adviser Henry] Kissinger and, frankly, a [White House speechwriter William] Safire, and, by God, they’re exceptions. But Bob, generally speaking, you can’t trust the bastards. They turn on you. Am I wrong or right?

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