Search Results for 'Sl'

[LKT]

To Waterworld- thank you for your “not legal advice”. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

To Amalia- it’s not so much about being tolerant as being weary. I’m at the tail end of insurance proceedings resulting from an uninsured driver (another West Seattle resident- what gives??) hitting me last year, resulting in loss of car, injury, etc., and I’m just trying to go easy on myself. I will be fair, but I absolutely expect restitution and will do what I must to make it happen.

That being said, the driver of the truck has come forward and wants to work things out, so I am cautiously optimistic that it will happen. Thank you again to WSB, my alert neighbors and fellow bloggers for being such a great community. WIshing you all peace and safety in the Season.

[JoB]

Kootch…

you ought to take a peek at the credit ratings of some of those banks that aren’t afraid of occupy wall street…

there was a little slipping and sliding after the great American funds transfer…

and now republican strategists are admitting that they are concerned about Occupy Wall Street…

their message is beginning to trickle down to America…

how do you fight reason?

that’s not in the politics as a sport playbook ;->

[redblack]

lol. AFL-CIO? that pipeline is slated to run through nothing but red right-to-work states. no union jobs there anyway.

and watch thosee red states bend over backwards to put in this poison-emitting iron-age relic and ask for no compensation from the keystone, loving and benevolent petroleum services company.

this is the republican jobs plan?

[JanS]

Cmpromise? Republicans? BS…it’s their way or the highway…ain’t no compromnise there… the only compromise they want is the other side of the aisle giving in to them…

[kootchman]

DBP… sorry I didn’t source it.. I wasn’t in defending thesis mode..rather the general discussion a “monetized” system entered they discussion…but I can find the absolute number of transplants … Eurotransplant… it did not differentiate between live and cadaver transplants for kidneys. But.. money IS the name of the medicine game. I found this interesting for Ms. Job… actuarial data… it is now cheaper to receive a transplant then dialysis… varies by age, other conditions etc… but.. the costs of surgery have dropped…hence the acceptance of insurance of transplants as an alternate therapy to dilaysis. Now… that being the case… if that savings is so substantial, IF kidney/organ costs are lower than dialysis AND it was legal… donor compensation would probably be covered by insurance. As Jan stated, live donor procurement is even less expensive as a therapy.. soooo…because of lower stays, oral vs intravenous drugs, the least expensive therapy would be a live donor. The difference in that cost is large… if an insurer was to pay for live donor compensation, and transplant costs, it would cost less than 4 years of dialysis. Make sense? Given a choice…which would an insurer do? “Bottom Line”… thank god for a monetized health system JoB that has reduced those costs eh? Seriously…instead of general service ads… imagine the insurance industry with a Madison Avenue approach to cost savings.. actively promoting transplant options…and donor compensation being a component. I believe the donor pool would expand. Jan would not be putting it out there by herself..her insurance company would also be putting it out there too. Maybe? Donor compensation might be part of the solution. I am done with the issue… just some thoughts..interpreted widely as they are.

http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/kidcost.htm

[happy hour]

What a shame for those who dumped a domesticated bunny. very sad. And so many would have adopted if it were posted here or craigslist. I am a bunny person/previous owner of 2. Please people don’t cast animals away like this!!!!

[KDub]

Thank you, I realize this. I figured an option to my neighborhood school could be public or private. I would love to stay in public, but I am not thrilled with our neighborhood school and it sounds like the chances to get into a public option school may be slim. Just checking all alternatives.

[kootchman]

This was the centerpiece of the Democratic Party.. just like the closed door, “pass it you get to read legislation” aka Obamacare.. still cloaked in secrecy, still refusing FOIA requests, still refusing to publicize the criteria for waivers, still refusing to publsih who got the waivers… like coackroaches in the dark. See, American businesses learned.. trust thee not a Democratic welfare program, especiallly one they are too afraid to let see the light of day.

[kootchman]

Oh, everything and anything that comes across the aisle is “politically motivated? Trashing the audit was the political play…because it was the darling child of Democratic largesse… it employed community organizers, kept ACORN busy looking for skeezers to fill out skeeze loans apps. … but heck… Two things would have happened, ONE… the fraud, the book cooking would have been found..putting an end to the paper push instead of the damage it did for the next 7 years… AND .. there would have been no need for an insiders heads up.. what did the Democratic Senate have to hide if it was all above board? Bet you wish they had done the audit now. All this grief, all because Bawny Fwank and Chris Dode had a whale of a corruption to hide. Everyone knew it….even the Feds Boaard of Governors gave a warning. This wasn’t a “itsy bitsy” thing… “man-up” on this one..your wrecking crew deserves this one. JanS.. Well … spin this … they have not passed two Democratic congressional budgets and one year of Republican controlled budgets… Caspar White Toast Reid….where ethics and bi=partisanship go to die.

[jamminj]

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

http://youtu.be/hnOPu0_YWhw

[kootchman]

“he’d have you tested for drug use before getting any government aid.”

Why not? Most companies do drug screenings before hiring. If the social safety net is “temporary” … what good is it if the recepient can’t get hired because they flunk drug screenings. Perfectly reasonable.

Yep.. saw that Paulson article. Why did Bawny, Maxine, Chuckie, and the Democratic Senate block the republican audit of them both. Funny…. no matter how you slice it … it all comes down to Skeezer loans … foisted on the banking industry. I just heard Bernie Marcus detail (bank trustee) recount his FIRST PERSON experience where his bank was told by Federal Regulators under Slick Willy.. increase your skeezer loans or they would not be allowed to expand, acquire, open new branches… so they did…with the understanding that Fannie would buy the paper. Big Banks… those evil doers! The only way they got that big was by toeing the political line drawn by congress.

[DBP]

This thread is dedicated to Chris Genese at Washington CAN . . .

. . . and to DeeDee

. . . and to Rachel Corrie

. . . and to Jarod Newlove

. . . and to every young person who has given a part of themselves, or all of themselves, to make this old world a better place.

 

 

************************************************************************************ 

   

 Let not young souls be smothered out before

 They do quaint deeds and fully flaunt their pride.

 It is the world’s one crime its babes grow dull,

 Its poor are ox-like, limp and leaden-eyed.

 Not that they starve, but starve so dreamlessly,

 Not that they sow, but that they seldom reap,

 Not that they serve, but have no gods to serve,

 Not that they die, but that they die like sheep.  

                        –Vachel Lindsay

 

 

*************************************************************************************

. . . and to Otilio, who never lost the faith.  

 

   

 

                                              fin

 

[kootchman]

redblack.. infrastructure investment? Keystone was ready to start welding pipe, move dirt, hire environmental engineers, geologists, common laborers… AND the public didn’t have to finance it. In fact, the pipeline royalties would have gone to the states…and provide jobs and revenues for years to come. What did we do? We pissed away a half a billion bucks on a solar company that lasted four months, whose debts we will pay off in borrowed money from China, and pay years and millions in interest expense. And we have a hollow building..which the taxpayer has no lien rights against.. the latter was an Obama donater,.. the former was not. Add a positive trade balance, lower consumer costs thrown out the window. When companies want to invest in America..look what we do! FINALLY, a shovel ready job!!! Guess he doesn’t recognize one when he sees one! JoB .. sure beats a donut shop for multiplicative economic impact! Now… off we go to spend a few hundred billion on bailing out Europe, and propping up failed democratic/socialist governments which the current administration is so simpatico with. Crank up those windmills..better yet, learn to build one. Failed states are notoriously unreliable power suppliers. Imagine being an oil exporter to China? No… better to buy those reuseable, petro polyester/ethylene based, green shopping bags, from China. To show how green we are. Y, know the ones that cultivate e coli between washings in nitrogen bloom inducing detergents in purified, fossil fuel fired hot water. Don’t ya just wakeup every morning laughing your keester off? Obama … a decisive man. Wait until after the election before the pipeline is actually built .. how transparant is that? Better to tax a millionaire than let American businesses hire… It’s the Democratic Way. Hey redblack? Who love’s ya baby? AFL-CIO wants the pipeline…my god.. they could actually be Newt campaign donors! Unemployment/welfare or union scale wages. BTY… facists are liberals.. your quote “mussolini hated liberals.”… Mussolini was a liberal journalist and politician… the supremacy of the state doctrine .. that is facism, the end result of unchecked liberalism. See the parallels? State owned banks, healthcare, transportation, social controls, dominant state “PC”.. etc? Better read up on the big fellahs history.

[DBP]

After storming the corporate Christmas tree, we stormed back out onto to the Capitol steps where Gandalf awaited. Muttering an eldritch invocation, he tapped his staff gravely upon the marble and we watched in awed silence as 30 large pizzas congealed from the Mists of Ætheria.

Beholding this miracle, Miss DeeDee snatched a large slice of pepperoni and recklessly charged one of the Ork warriors.

***********************************************************************************

DeeDee: Want some pizza, sir? Here; have some of mine.

Ork warrior: No thanks.

DeeDee: How come? You sure? It’s GOOD!

Ork: Not while I’m on duty, thanks.

DeeDee: Hey, how come you got a gun anyway?

Ork: It’s my service weapon.

DeeDee: Are you scared I’m gonna hurt you or something? Look at me! Do I got a gun? How could I hurt you?

Ork: Look, Ma’am. I’m not baiting you, so why are you baiting me? I’m just doing my job. Now could you please clear the way? People are trying to get in and out of the building. Thank you.

DeeDee (smiling): OK, but I still don’t know why you need that gun. Nobody else here has a gun but you.

************************************************************************************

 

[DBP]

Ahem . . . OK, I’m back.

Good morning.

*************************************************************************************

About 10 minutes into the Public Mic, a couple Occupy Oly guys at the front stood up, turned around, and explained how the “people’s” meeting would proceed. There were rules for who got to talk next, how to ask a question about procedure, how to voice your approval of what the speaker is saying (twinkle your fingers up), how to voice disapproval (twinkle down), and so forth.

They called this process “General Assembly.” I’m told it’s used at Occupy! meetings all over the world.

Here’s an *.avi file that will give you a better feel for what it was like:

http://roominate.com/blogg/peace/oly_budget/supp_budget.avi

Note that the speakers are addressing themselves specifically to the under-30 crowd. (Ring a bell, anyone?)

************************************************************************************

Although the General Assembly experience was interesting to me as a first-timer, there were some problems with it. For example, nobody elected these two guys leading the meeting — most of the Seattle people didn’t even know them, in fact — and after a bit it became clear that they were running mostly on testosterone. A couple of women near me were criticizing the loud guys in the room for drowning out the voices of women audience members who wanted to speak.

Later, Chris, our team leader from Washington CAN, told us that the Occupy Oly guys had agreed with him in advance to share the floor with us but had reneged on that deal once the proceedings got started.

(Testosterone. Don’t play that game!)

In the end, a couple of State Troopers and Capital Security guys descended upon the Occupy Oly ringleaders and carried them out. The “official” legislative meeting then continued on its depressing way, and most of us headed back to the Capitol building proper, where we gathered to sing anti-corporate Christmas carols around the jolly huge Christmas tree set up in the rotunda.

************************************************************************************

        ♫

Tax the Rich

(Let It Snow)

Oh the cost of living is fright-ful

Some relief would be de-light-ful

So don’t leave us in the ditch

Tax the rich, tax the rich, tax the rich!

 

[JanS]

you know what I’m tired of? I’m tired of elected officials in Congress doing nothing. I’m tired of their attitude that the American people be damned, let’s get Obama. I’m tired of the double standard that they display in their daily lives. I’m tired of them pandering to the richest people in this country. I’m tired of being ignored, that if I don’t agree with them, go along with them, I’m unpatriotic. I’m tired of their excuses for not creating one job since Nov. 2010. And I’m tired of the rhetoric from people with blinders on who don’t see what the hell congress is doing to America, when all they see is “Get Obama, get Obama.” Budget, where’s the budget? I’m tired of the fact that compromise is not in their vocabulary. I’m tired of their laziness…yes, laziness, not doing the job that they were elected to do, that they are being well paid to do. There’s more than one branch of government. Imagine how much could be getting done if Congress would stop being obstructionist on all sides. It’s disgusting ! A Repub landslide? We’ll see… the American people are tired of the status quo, but it’s not only the president. Newt as prez? Hard to imagine…And elitest Romney as prez? wow..not seeing it – and if you challenge him he gets all testy and condescending (sorta like some one here – lol). Buddy Roemer for Prez..did you know he’s running? Well, he is…here’s a link…

http://www.buddyroemer.com/posts/buddy-roemer-and-the-possibility-of-political-reform

interesting man, even if he’s a Repub…but he nails it right on the head about some things. He has yet to be invited to a debate, because the debates and candidates are picked by the media. I say invite them all, but it’ll never happen.

[kootchman]

I don’t care if Herman did Newt… it all pales in comparison to a 15 trillion dollar deficit, a concerted, orchestrated effort to increase the levels of government dependency, the intentional weakening of the national character to mere supplicants, the ever instrusive role of government in every phase of our lives, the hollow efforts to take advantage of a jingoistic, increasingly less educated, demonstrably less educated young group of entitlement driven young voters with no clue how to work the levers of initiative. It’s time for another turnover..the sleaze and cronyism just keeps seeping out from under every door…. top to bottom…I smell a republican landslide in the making…. I’ll take my grits with “00” buckshot .. Job.. thank-you.

ANYONE is preferable to this current Predator In Chief… Maybe those in the know jumped the gun by saying getting him out of office should be the national objective. But they were dead on..and it looks like the swing voters are making the same choice. Lower ratings than Jimmy Carter… at the same point in his debacle. Campaign away …. the longer you are out there, the more you talk the worse it get for ya… I will gladly suffer the cost of the fuel for Air Force One turned Aero Barnum and Bailey for another 11 months… just stay “out there”…

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/284333/obama-101-victor-davis-hanson

[JanS]

I go through the Swedish Transplant Clinic here in Seattle. I know that the level of testing is great, for both me, and for donors. DBP, your point # 2 would presume that these donors would be going through intensive testing, including psychological and financial discussions. It’s what happens now. The question of compensation is…who pays? Do the organs go to the highest bidder, and us folks with little money go by the wayside? Does the gov’t. pay? I’m sure some would have a problem with that. Does insurance pay? Seriously? We all know how they just LOVE to pay for things. Compensation brings up many many questions. And lots of problems. Kootch says he wouldn’t mind having an “inheritance” for his daughter in exchange for an organ. How much money does one person want for an organ? Who’s the decider? Kootch brings up altruism. Here I am coming to the blog forum. I’m just putting out information. I was even hesitant to do that, as I figured it would be intrusive. But that’s me. I don’t know any other way to put the word out there that there are organs needed desperately. Sure, I have an ulterior motive. And I’ve only been on the national transplant list for three months. There are many who have waited much, much longer than that. But, how do we “advertise”? I post on Facebook, talk about it, share info. If I can get an organ for one person, even if not me, it will be worth it. I will admit…before I was dx with failed kidneys, I didn’t ever seriously consider a live donation. Maybe I just needed to be asked. So..here I am asking :)

[JoB]

HMCRich…

you did you remember that Newt broke his contract with America, didn’t you?

never saw a man weasel so fast and furiously when he thought he might have to actually keep his word.

[DBP]

After ringing ’round the rosie in the Capitol for a while, a bunch of us came out and trotted over to the Cherberg Building, where protesters from Seattle and all over the state were joined by some hard-core political people from Occupy Olympia. We were there to attend the 2012 Supplemental Budget Meeting. At this meeting, members of the Ways and Means Committee would be discussing and voting on Governor Gregoire’s supplmental budget, which intends to cut hundreds of millions of dollars more, on top of the billions in social services programs that have already been cut. (Meanwhile, a sales tax increase of .5% is being considered to offset the continued hemorrhaging of revenues.)

***************************************************************************************

At the Supplemental Budget Meeting

The roll was called and the chairman, Senator Ed Murray, began reading out the list of proposed cuts . . .

 

§ Reduce K-12 school year by four days ($99.2 million)

§ Reduce state support to colleges ($160.1 million)

§ Reduce chemical dependency services ($5.9 million)

[ . . . ]

 

Boy. It was quiet as a kid’s funeral in there. Which surprised me frankly, because I expected it to be kind of rowdy from the git-go. But when they heard the actual names of programs being cut, I think people were simply too stunned to say anything. Even the chairman sounded sick to his stomach. Nevertheless, he continued . . .

 

§ Reduce TANF [assistance to needy families] time limit to 48 months ($17.5 million)

§ Eliminate State Food Assistance program ($13.9 million)

 

Finally, it happened; someone bellowed out a big glorious “Boo!” Then came another.

The Chairman paused and looked up at us.

“Frankly, I’m surprised that it took so long for someone to boo.”

—His remark was supposed to be funny, I think. No one laughed.

The Chairman continued . . .

 

§ Reduce TANF grant amounts by 2 percent ($7.2 million)

 

More boos now . . . general disgust in the room.

 

§ Eliminate Disability Lifeline medical program ($8.7 million)

§ Reduce child care subsidy by 12% ($50.0 million)

 

Somebody yelled: “Why don’t you tax Boeing instead of taxing the poor and shutting down these programs?”

General approval for that last remark. People calling out: “Shame!”

Suddenly, Angela from White Center (See #6) stood up and shouted “Mic check!” And the whole room — all 300 +/- of us, with the exception of Security and a couple older guys in suits — shouted out in one voice: “Mic check!”

Angela then started reading one of the “I am the 99%” stories, with everyone else in the room repeating the story, word for word.

Angela: I am a 12-year-old girl . . .

People: I AM A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL . . .

Angela: My mom is trying hard to take care of us

People: MY MOM IS TRYING HARD TO TAKE CARE OF US

Angela: These cuts are going to hurt my family

People: THESE CUTS ARE GOING TO HURT MY FAMILY

[Note: Loose paraphrase of what Angela said.]

And so it went, with different people all over the room standing up on cue and yelling “Mic check!” and then telling personal stories, making statements, or otherwise criticizing the legislators, the tax structure, or corporations generally — with each and every word resonating in chorus from the throats of the audience.

This impromptu call-and-response procedure is known as the “People’s Mic” – and it’s a beautiful thing to see, especially if you’re as sick and tired as I am of seeing poor people get shouted down by corporate poodles.

Legislators and other “outsiders” were generally not allowed to speak during the Peoples Mic. After briefly lecturing us about decorum and courtesy, Chairman Murray adjourned the meeting and led several Ways and Means committee members with him out of the room.

Unfortunately, when he returned, about 30 minutes later, the People’s Mic was still going strong and rowdy.

State Troopers were starting to peek in from the hallway outside . . .

************************************************************************************

[To be continued . . . tomorrow.]

[DBP]

When we got to the Capitol steps, we tied our “99%” balloons and attached personal stories to the handrails.

************************************************************************************

We then went inside the building, where we marched around the halls for about an hour, chanting slogans:

Schools are closing, it’s not fair!

Time for banks to pay their share!

Ain’t no power like the power of the people, ’cause the power of the people don’t stop! Say what?

Etc.

We were given photos of ourselves holding our “99%” stories to give to our state legislators and leave at the bottom of the Christmas tree as a “gift.”

At that time, news people were talking to people about why they were there. This is Angela (who grew up in White Center) and her daughter Samantha sharing their story . . .

 

[DBP]

Lissen up party people!

This here is DeeDee . . .

. . . and DeeDee is:

► A mother of two adorable kids.

► A charter member of Occupy Seattle.

► A force of Nature.

Megaphone optional — know what I’m saying?

She sat next to me on the bus ride down, and explained what was currently going on with Occupy Seattle and politics generally. I think she’s maybe had kind of a hard life. Especially lately.

“I’m the black sheep of my family,” she confided.

“Naw, don’t tell me that!” I said. “I can’t believe it.”

Seriously. Girl has my esteem.

Got a hold on politics n’ history like I’ve never seen.

Knows how to lead people, etc.

And courage? Oh yeah. She’s got it.

Told her I’d vote for her for . . . whatever.

She’s not running for anything just now, unfortunately.

Oh well. Godspeed you in whatever direction you decide to take your worthy young life, DeeDee.

Godspeed.

[HMC Rich]

JanS. Newt takes on his past failings. And the left perpetuates a lie. Gingrich did not leave his first wife while she was in the hospital. She wanted the divorce. Read what his daughter who was there wrote. http://townhall.com/columnists/jackiegingrichcushman/2011/05/08/setting_the_record_straight/page/full/

He also speaks to his extra-marital affair while continuing to look for the impeachment of Bill Clinton who perjured himself. Bill Clinton broke the law, Newt did not. http://www.newt.org/answers#Personal

He and Callista are happily married and she will make a great first lady. Newt isn’t perfect and says so. Heck, there are certain things Newt does that I don’t always like but he does get things done. He has plans. He has implemented plans that have worked. He respects America, unlike the person who is temporarily inhabiting the White House. BTW, I thought he was the President for all of us, but that is not his election strategy. Doesn’t want working class white people without college degrees. http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/the-future-of-the-obama-coalition/ Talk about class warfare.

People like Gingrich because he thinks about solutions. He led the Contract with America. He forced Clinton to balance the budget and cut spending. He lost some of the propaganda war at times but because of his leadership, he has been praised. He worked with the Clinton Presidency and was heralded by the 9/11 commission for that work. Now how come Harry Reid won’t pass a budget? It has been almost 1,000 days.

We do not as a rule Publicly criticize our Republicans because you guys throw everything at them for us. Privately we will, but that is between Republicans, not the enemy. Honestly the smear jobs by the left far outweigh the rights. I wish President Obama would have undergone the scrutiny that Herman Cain is going under (and the rest of the Republican field).

You see, there are things the Republicans have done that you won’t admit are true. And if Fox News is so bad, why did Hillary say that Fox News was more fair in the last Prez election than the other slobbering beltway “Mainstream” media outlets? She should have been president, Not Obama.

[JanS]

and here’s a conundrum. Herman Cain’s Tea Party supporters may shun him because of the alleged affair allegations…and move their support to…Newt Gingrich? Seriously? The man who openly adultered, left two wives while they were ill, for someone else..does that boggle the mind? or is that just me?

[redblack]

it’s still TARP. the fed had to do it because there was no way the american people would stand for another face-to-face looting of the treasury. the leverage on wall street went farther than anyone knew – or disclosed.

like I said, you have no idea who is bending you over..

evidently, neither do you. you really think that obama has any control over the fed? the fed is controlled by the big banks.

sorry. that is what fascism looks like, and obama had nothing to do with it.

furthermore, if he gets in their way or makes noise about it, they crash the economy. stopping them from doing it is out of the question, because they know that if they don’t get bailed out, they’ll be down in the street fighting for food with the occupy wall street crowd.

you really think obama could have prevented this, or that he can fix it now? or that willard romney will stand up to the fed?

you’re the delusional one.

we can, however, slap some taxes on the players in the industry. and we should. it amounts to chump change for them, but it’s a huge deal for government revenue.

except that we have a bunch of idiotic congressional republicans – and a few democrats – standing in the way of getting any kind of pay back on the trillions we’re throwing at wall street.