Integrated Page

2009-11-02T01:19:00.000-06:00

FBI: Mobster 'more powerful than a John Gotti'

2009-10-24T23:05:00.000-05:00

FBI: Mobster 'more powerful than a John Gotti': "

Semion Mogilevich may be the most powerful man you've never heard of.

"test"

Google Reader Notes

2009-10-03T14:25:00.001-05:00

"Why doesn't GReader automatically credit the original source when you 'Send to Blogger?'"

Town Hall Meeting; Obama Returns to New Hampshire

2009-08-09T20:59:00.001-05:00

President Obama will be holding his own "Town Hall Meeting" on Wednesday in Portsmouth, NH. I welcome the event, and believe it to be a bold move designed to put his Health Care Reform program on the offensive in a debate mired in controversy and confusion. This strategy may also put the President in a position to deliver the final death blow to a struggling Republican Party that seems to be resorting to dirty tricks just to remain relevant.

There have been several such events recently ( Obama was not present ) that resulted in mayhem, arrests and controversy. When White House director of new media Macon Phillips posted note on the White House web site asking folks to send anything 'fishy' about these events or their participants to flag@whitehouse.org, Republican Sen. John Cornyn wrote a letter to the President stating, "I urge you to cease this program immediately." Both the note and the letter have distracted the public from the major issue, and caused many to wonder about the state of politics in general.

Will ( astranavigo08.multiply.com, aka The Celestial Navigator ) posted a note several days ago that addresses the political aspects of these events, and it would seem that thread is still active. Will makes his political position quite clear;

If a president is keeping an enemies list, and asking people to tattle on each other, he's behaving like Richard Fucking Nixon. Period. I don't care what color the man is; I don't care what politics he professes, or to which 'party' he belongs -- asking people to tell on each other is an old, old, tactic, and it's been used by some of the nicest people in the past -- and Nixon's enemies'-list was legendary.

This is a legitimate concern, and I'm hoping the President will address this issue while he's in New Hampshire. I don't see how he can avoid it if he actually allows his opposition into the High School Auditorium where the meeting will be held. I'm not so worried about the 'flag' note, and believe that it was posted to prepare the President for this meeting in New Hampshire, and to give him an opportunity to respond to his opponents on their own web-sites. I do however appreciate Will and folks like him that keep a close eye on our Civil Liberties as their is a growing mood of discontent in America that cuts across party lines.

That threat is Fascism.

If you've been watching these events in the media, you may be as curious as I am to know who exactly is behind the confusion and mayhem. Here's an MSNBC clip that sheds a little light on that;

I'm not a fan of MSNBC, or television news in general. In fact, the only time I watch it is when I find links to it on the web. I do like this clip, as there actually was some investigation into who was actually involved in the controversy, what their background is and who their sponsors are.

<> About the Republican Party; YOU SUCK! I learned my lesson in 1972 when I enlisted in support of a President that appeared to embody all of the good qualities of America, and seemed to have our best interests at heart. I couldn't have been more wrong, as I and many like me payed in spades for our mistake ( our mistake wasn't enlisting, it was believing anything a Republican says ). Since then I've watched several Republican Administrations rape our wallets, and steal our economic future with their Voodoo Economics. As far as Compassionate Conservatism goes, don't believe a hypocrite.

Here's the hypocrisy of Neo-conservatism in America; On Sunday you stand in a pulpit and denounce Darwin and Evolution as it goes against your religious beliefs, but on Monday you stand on Wall Street and preach Natural Selection in the Market-place. Let the anyone who buys their crap beware...< /rant>

I have two hopes for Wednesday meeting; I hope Obama's strategy of bringing the issue to the people works well for him, and I hope some fool throws a shoe. Both would put the Neo-conservatism in a tight little box that can be shelved with so many failed agendas.

And thank you Will, for you attention to issues and your talent as a writer/analyst.

Inspeculation: Moon Landing Tapes Degaussed

2009-07-16T16:49:00.000-05:00

How do you destroy NASA's credibility, and jeopardize there funding for years to come? You can start by announcing that the best evidence of their greatest achievement doesn't exist. Follow that with an effort to recreate that evidence in a studio and you have all that is needed for conspiracy theorists to trash NASA for decades to come.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The original recordings of the first humans landing on the moon 40 years ago were erased and re-used, but newly restored copies of the original broadcast look even better, NASA officials said on Thursday...more

Those tapes of the moon landing set NASA's credibility on bedrock, and that credibility was the foundation for funding much of the research and development that has changed our way of life over the last four decades. Until now, anyone who was against the rapid advances of science and technology had to contend with this solid proof that people could and should look to science to improve and secure their future. At that time scientists were contending with the deeply rooted Fundamentalist mind set of average America. Since then Fundamentalism has grown around the world to challenge the change in society that science has fostered. Now questions are rising as to whether the Space Age ( read; NASA ) should be a part of our future.

How important is progress to you? Are there more important issues such as Global Warming, Universal Health Care, War on Drugs, and War on Terrorism? Would you vote for a Congressman or a Senator that chose NASA funding over the many other interests that compete for Federal Funding?

It looks like NASA is in a fight for it's life, and they can only blame themselves.

Ruth Madoff, left with only $2.5 Million

2009-06-29T13:18:00.002-05:00

The wife of Bernard Madoff expressed her sympathy for the victims of her husband's crimes in a statement published by Fox News today;

I am embarrassed and ashamed. Like everyone else, I feel betrayed and confused. The man who committed this horrible fraud is not the man whom I have known for all these years.

Perhaps I'd find the statement more credible if it didn't read like a legal statement, rather than a personal note to her former friends and associates. Or, maybe I'm still pondering the news that she will be left with $2.5 million, as reported by Reuters;

In compromise of claims Ruth Madoff would have pursued, the Office (U.S. Attorney) will not contest claim to a sum of money equal to $2,500,000, which sum the Office shall cause to be tendered to Ruth Madoff promptly after she vacates the real property and surrenders all personal property.

Whether she knew of his crimes or not, she surely benefited from them.

Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison today. That seems like 'over-kill' ( 15 years would likely be life sentence for a man his age ), but perhaps the Court was sending a message to others in the financial industry.

The problem I'm having, is what message is the Court sending to those who are close to swindlers and crooks like Bernard?

Testing Twickie for Twitter Responses

2009-02-14T01:35:00.000-06:00

I've been spending some time at Twitter and find it very addictive. Beyond the social aspects of micro-blogging ( 140 characters or less in a post ), Twitter is breaking ground in a whole new field of information dissemination.

This morning Chris Pirillo tweeted a link to Twickie, a service that allows users to extract conversations ( and more ) from their Twitter thread and post that converstation on their blog or just about anywhere that accepts html.

This is a marvelous discovery for me. I'm going to be checking this out all weekend. I don't have very many responses to my tweets, as I don't actually 'tweet' very often but I do follow some of the more gregarious members as they can be a goldmine of information ( especially the geeks, they love to share tips and tricks about tech stuff )

I've pasted a short conversation below as an example.

Wallace_Reid: @davkal I use twitter mostly to follow breaking news. The Mumbai assault on twitter was an eye-opener. Save feed to Google Reader..reference

about 35 minutes ago

Sat Feb 14 12:06:44 +0000 2009

davkal: @Wallace_Reid ,,i use it a lot for news to but also for keeping up with Multiply friends - an a few others

about 27 minutes ago

Sat Feb 14 12:14:06 +0000 2009

Wallace_Reid: @davkal I'm checking out twickie (by Chris Pirillo) it saves replies Using this thread for test RSVP would be appreciated thanks

about 11 minutes ago

Sat Feb 14 12:30:39 +0000 2009

davkal: @Wallace_Reid ,, i havent seen that one,, guess there are a lot of diff apps for Twitter - or is that what twickie is

about 5 minutes ago

Sat Feb 14 12:36:01 +0000 2009

Wallace_Reid: @davkal this is the link to instructions Thanks for helping, will post results at Multiply shortly http://monodogamous.multiply.com

27 seconds ago

Sat Feb 14 12:41:23 +0000 2009

It's Barry

2009-01-20T06:51:00.001-06:00

And here it is folks! White House.gov is still on line! It looks like Barry has moved in!

Why are Palestinians Still Launching Rockets Over the Heads of Their Attackers?

2009-01-11T18:52:00.000-06:00

As a tactic, shooting over the heads of your most immediate threat doesn't usually win battles. I understand that their are major political, social and even religious issues and strategies involved with the conflict in Gaza, there has been from the beginning. But I have to say something, even if only one person over there hears me;

"Lower your sights!"

Can those rockets be fired horizontally? I understand that rockets have a lot of back-blast when they are launched, maybe they could be fired from an open field or a large parking lot where no-one would get accidentally burned. To be perfectly honest, I've seen quite a few rockets launched ( it was years ago, but I don't think the basics have changed much ), and they really weren't designed with urban combat in mind. So I have to ask;

"When you built those rockets, did you put a sight on them?"

Not to say that weapons without sights can't be accurate, I've seen knee-mortars that are pretty effective. But knee-mortars don't leave smoke trails that give your position away. Let me try to explain this in very simple terms;

"Shooting over your enemy's head, and telling him where you are forces your enemy to decide whether to kill you along with all those standing around you...your buddies."

Knowing your enemy's reputation on the battle-field, I wouldn't give him that option.

Imagine this message to be a real conversation, and ask yourself if it sounds a little childish. That's intentional...

Turn Out The Lights

2008-12-23T12:06:00.001-06:00

I subscribe ( rss ) to whitehouse.gov, the official White House website for the Bush Administration. Soon, it will be time to turn out the lights, and shut down the site.

What will the last post be? Error 404? Redirect to change.gov? Or, will the last post hang in limbo as so may forgotten blogs, and failed business sites do?

Perhaps Barry will move in, and remodel the site. I've always admired the cool-blue theme of George's page, but I imagine Barry would want to 'change' things a little...

What's your thoughts?

Mumbai on Twitter

2008-11-26T20:46:00.000-06:00

The ongoing crisis in India has twitter going as fast as I've seen it in the few weeks I've been on Twitter.

Do Federal Programs Ever Work the Way We Think They Should?

2008-11-26T08:44:00.000-06:00

I've been reading a lot about our Government bailing out the three major auto manufacturers lately. It looks like some program or another will eventually be developed.

Whether the Government does something in time to save the jobs of millions of auto workers remains to be seen. One thing for sure, the leaders of the auto industry are suffering scrutiny that I haven't seen in a long time. Using Lear Jets to beg for money raised a few eye-brows recently, and prompted several to change their public behavior. But will such scrutiny have any lasting, real effect on how the auto-elite run their businesses?

For decades I've watched Ralph Nader battle these fat-cats, and for years I've watched them fight back. The effort to lobby Congress for Legislation favorable to the auto industry is paid for out of money from auto sales. Simple enough, or is it?

Their are several major lawsuits against State and Federal Governments to set aside EPA and other regulations that auto makers don't like. Those law suits cost billions of dollars every year, and every year those lawyers are paid out of revenue from auto-sales. Simple enough, or is it?

My questions are; Are tax-payers going to fund a bail-out of these fat-cats that beg from Lear Jets? Are our dollars going to pay for the law-suits against the Government and the folks who are giving them their hard earned money? It sounds to me like a lot of lawyers are going to get a lot of money for a long time in a never ending cycle of....I'm looking for a word stronger than 'absurd', help me with this...

If we ( the people ) bail-out them ( the fat-cats and their lawyers ), we should require them to drop all lawsuits against us ( US ).

Possible Joint Russian - US Expeditionary ?

2008-11-24T13:04:00.004-06:00

Russia, the US and several other nations have been patrolling the Indian Ocean for several weeks now. They are hunting a common enemy; Pirates. Currently these navies are acting independently, and with distinctly different rules of engagement.

Two weeks ago Russia and India announced joint naval drills will be conducted in January of the new year. Named INDRA, this will be the fourth such exercise.

--Update 2 Dec '08; "...the task force will comprise the Admiral Vinogradov, an Udaloy class missile destroyer, a tugboat, and two tankers...more"

Prior exercises were conducted without incident, but that may change as a result of recent hostilities involving the Indian Navy. Russia has also engaged the Pirates along side the British Navy.

This trend in cooperative effort may continue to develop into a multi-national task force with a central command and control element. As it stands, nearly every navy in the world is out there in a small body of water, armed to the teeth. For safety's sake, and to avoid the calamity of 'friendly fire' accidents it would behoove all involved to at least talk about cooperation.

The first hurdle to over-come will be the diverse Rules of Engagement. The US is engaged in a war with two theaters with a political transition in progress at home. President Obama will certainly have to address the issue of Pirates, and how to engage them soon.

Central to any strategy to combat the Pirates from Somalia is the use of ground forces ( marines ). Pundits and Military Experts tend to agree that Russia is more likely to put boots on the ground than the other nations with these capabilities. And this is the second hurdle; Will Americans accept US Marines fighting beside Russian troops?

Given the radical shift in American politics towards the left ( If not openly socialist, President-elect Obama is far to the left of the incumbent President Bush ), the probability of acceptance is better now than ever before.

On the Job Accident

2008-11-21T23:41:00.000-06:00

An accident has happened at the factory where I work.

It's Saturday morning, and as usual I'm up a few hours early to read the many news-papers that I subscribe to in my Google Reader. Most news is bad news, and most news is from distant and unfamiliar places about events that affect us indirectly. Not so this morning.

I'm reading this news-feed from the local newspaper about how a young man was severely injured. I had heard nothing of this when I left yesterday at 3pm, so I'm assuming it happened on either the second, or third shift. Being Saturday, most of my friends won't have heard this news when they arrive for work because the local Television news at this early hour is mostly farm and weather related.

This is not the first accident at hour plant, in fact there have been several severe accidents in the last few months. There have been explosions, and other events that should have drawn the attention of the media and Government. I read very little of these events in the news media. The equipment and the environment we work in is dangerous, and heavily regulated by State and Federal Agencies ( OSHA, etc ), and we have seen several inspections lately by these agencies.

On a normal Saturday schedule, we don't usually see much of Management at the Pasta Plant. I expect to see a lot of suits and ties today. This will be interesting to watch, as my shift supervisor is out for vacation and his assistant has been in charge for the last week.

I am debating whether to tell my wife about this news before I go to work. I don't want her to worry, but I don't want her to hear about from the local gossip mill while I'm gone either. For many years I drove a taxi, and she worried all that time. When I took this job, she seemed more secure. I hope this doesn't change things.

It changes things, a lot of things for a lot of people around here...

Here's what I read a few minutes ago. I hesitate to include the full article that I quote below, as it does include the name of my employer. If you click on the link, you will be directed to the full article as it appears in our local paper.

"...employee said he was suffering physical and emotional pain Friday after losing his right arm in a work accident at one of the company's Steeleville plants.

Speaking by telephone from Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Jeremy Stanley, 29, said he was surrounded by family members and friends in his hospital room. According to preliminary medical reports from Sparta Community Hospital, Stanley's arm was caught in a mixing bowl and got amputated at the elbow. He also suffered numerous cuts on his upper right arm..."

Link

I Want To Be A Bank

2008-11-15T12:03:00.000-06:00

If I were a bank, I could qualify myself for Capital Purchase Program for a few million bucks, and get billions of your bucks. Aren't you glad I'm not a bank?

I was browsing my rss feeds, when a news item caught my eye. It was about a well known Financial Institution who's value has jumped recently as the result of their intentions to buy a small bank in Florida. Check it out;

HARTFORD, Conn., Nov 14, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG) today announced that it has applied to the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) to become a savings and loan holding company and has applied to participate in the U.S. Treasury Department's Capital Purchase Program (CPP).

In conjunction with these applications, The Hartford has signed a merger agreement to acquire the parent company of Federal Trust Bank for approximately $10 million and will also provide an additional amount to recapitalize the bank. Federal Trust Bank, a federally chartered, FDIC-insured savings bank is owned by Federal Trust Corporation, a unitary thrift holding company headquartered in Sanford, Fla. The completion of this acquisition will satisfy a key eligibility requirement for participation in CPP.

"We are taking these actions as a strong and well-capitalized financial institution looking for maximum flexibility and stability," said Ramani Ayer, The Hartford's chairman and chief executive officer. "Securing capital at the terms available through the Capital Purchase Program could be a prudent course in this market environment and would allow us to further supplement our existing capital resources.

"The Hartford's purchase of Federal Trust Corporation is contingent on Treasury's approval of The Hartford's participation in the CPP, approval of the acquisition by the shareholders of Federal Trust Corporation, and the Office of Thrift Supervision's approval of The Hartford's application to become a savings and loan holding company. The Hartford estimates that it would be eligible for a capital purchase of between $1.1 billion and $3.4 billion under existing Treasury guidelines. The final amount of capital request will be determined following approval by Treasury...more

So I'm asking all my contacts; "Do you know of any small Savings and Loan Companies ( they don't have to be very big ) that are in the need of 'rescue'? We could all get together, pool our cash and qualify for billions of taxpayer bucks! ! !

Or is that a crime....nevermind....sorry...I was just pondering the possibilties...

Washington Times - Whistleblower asked to reveal illegal FBI acts

2008-11-14T01:01:00.000-06:00

This could get interesting! Now that the election is over, and the Bail-out is in full swing and yesterday's news, bloggers and pundits are in search of scandle. This jus might be the main topic for the next few months in the blog-o-sphere.

The FBI has engaged in unlawful acts while carrying out a Bush administration intelligence-gathering program that allows surveillance of U.S. citizens without warrants, says an a well-known FBI whistleblower who has been asked to air his allegations to the Justice Department.

Link

xxx

Obama Resigns!: Pics, Videos, Links, News

2008-11-13T13:11:00.000-06:00

Link

Speak Now, or Forever Hold Your Peace

2008-11-03T17:03:00.000-06:00

Vote. It's your voice in Government.

If you don't vote, you have abdicated your proper power of speech in Government. You may feel disenfranchised, marginalized or side-lined and that your vote doesn't count. You may be right, but vote anyway.

If you don't express yourself at the polls, then whatever you say from now in is rendered mute, and irrelevant. This opportunity is like the moment just before a preacher pronounces two people man and wife;

"...Speak now, or forever hold your peace..."

A Note With My Pay-check

2008-11-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

I opened my the envelope, and found a rather long note included with my check. From the owner and CEO of the company that I work for, to all the employees, letting us all know how he felt about the up-coming elections. It was a long letter that promoted John McCain. I wasn't surprised that my boss was a Republican.

He made some good points, and I had to agree with most of what he wrote. I did notice that Obama's name wasn't mentioned at all. Not once.

Nor was any mention made of the Employee Free Choice Act ( EFCA ) made. For those that aren't aware, EFCA is making it's way across Capital Hill, and will most likely be on the new Presidents desk when he assumes office next year. This piece of Legislation would have a major impact on American Business, as well as Labor and for my boss not to even mention it seems rather odd. Unless he doesn't want to broadcast the news that he's about to lose a lot of control over his work-force.

I watched as about a hundred co-workers opened their envelopes, read the note and walked silently away. That's odd, I thought to myself. Not a word. I could see at least a dozen Obama t-shirts in the crowd, and no McCain shirts. You'd think there'd be some remark made about the note, and the owners political stand.

Several years ago I asked a coworker if there had ever been a union at the plant. He said there'd been a vote, but it had been voted down because unions would raise wages, kill the company and we'd all be out of a job. That sounded a little odd to me because I knew that it wasn't unions that shut all the mines down in this area, it was the EPA and a Republican President ( Ronald Reagan ). Odd, unless the guy asked was afraid to say anything else.

Many folks think that a secret ballot is one way to give a voice to those who are afraid of speaking out on things that seem 'a little odd'. And I agree that when the curtain is drawn on the booth your employer won't know how you vote, so you can vote in your interest instead of his. But is the path to the booth supposed to be a secret trail, hidden so that employees don't lose their jobs when the whisper about organizing or establishing a union?

EFCA will allow union organizers to move freely in the community, collecting signatures on applications for membership in a union. If the organizers get signatures of more than half the number of employees in a company, then the union is established without the permission, or even the involvement of the company.

There's more written into EFCA that will have even greater effects on our lives, and I find it very odd that nobody in the mainstream press, and very few pundits on the internet even mention it. Odd, unless they are afraid to speak...

Buckeye Institute Files State Rico Action Against ACORN - The Buckeye Institute

2008-10-14T09:52:00.000-05:00

posted October 14, 2008

COLUMBUS - The Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based think tank, today filed a state RICO action against the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) on behalf of two Warren County voters.� The action filed in Warren County Court of Common Pleas alleges ACORN has engaged in a pattern of corrupt activity that amounts to organized crime.� It seeks ACORN's dissolution as a legal entity, the revocation of any licenses in Ohio, and an injunction against fraudulent voter registration and other illegal activities.

Plaintiffs Jennifer Miller of Mason, Ohio and Kimberly Grant of Loveland, allege that ACORN's actions deprive them of the right to participate in an honest and effective elections process.� They allege fraudulent voter registrations submitted by ACORN dilute the votes of legally registered voters....Link

The "bailout" of the US financial sector - a knol by Knol Debates

2008-10-07T13:59:00.000-05:00

There is a not too well known site provided by Google; Knol. It's been around for a while, and I've published a few, short 'knols' ( short for knowledge ). It hasn't had much success, as it is little advertised and not very flashy.

Knol is trying something new that may help boost the ratings of this little known project that I believe has a lot of potential. Knol is hosting the first in a series of debates.

Economists from the Cato Institute and the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) have offered opening arguments on what should come next now that the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act is law. If you'd like to get involved in the solution, rather than languish in the problem, I'd strongly suggest you read these opposing viewpoints presented by credible think-tanks that actually crave your comments and suggestions.

The Issue
" There's been a good deal of news lately. Major financial institutions are struggling to stay solvent. The stock market is a roller coaster, and the government has already intervened a number of times to try to stabilize the economy.

This knol presents a debate on what actions should be taken to improve economic conditions now that the emergency economic stabilization act is law...more "

And while you're at knol, feel free to comment on my small contribution to the 'how-to-do-it' region of the blogo-sphere. I'm not sure if you have to register to comment, but what the heck, it's free....

Employee Free Choice Act

2008-09-30T01:09:00.000-05:00

There is a major piece of Legislation working it's way through Congress, and the Senate. Backed by Senator Obama, and the AFL-CIO, it has the potential of changing the Economy every bit as much as the Bail-out ( Buy-in ). In fact, it may be one of the hidden motivations for the push to bail out so many businesses and banks.

This is a short video, made by one of the backers of the bill ( there are many ).

You can Google 'Employee Free Choice Act', or view my 'tagged' new-article list.

Sunday Morning Coming Down

2008-09-28T04:53:00.000-05:00

On this Sunday morning, I am wondering if many people are looking at Wall Street, and Congress with glee. I've read and heard much about the impending doom and demise of our Capitalist System, mostly from Closet Communists who have incorporated that day into their dogma. And it is Dogma.

Being Sunday morning, I'm reminded of another bunch who look to their calendars, and Holy Books with glee. I know of many who pray for the end of the world, and destruction of most of humanity, mostly from the Fundamentalist who do the same with Dogma as the Communists do. Both promote Dogma.

Don't think for a minute that Fundmentalist Religion and Communism are on opposite ends of a field. From where I stand, their both next to each other, on the other end of the pasture.

Directly to my right are Conservatives that value order and tradition, to the left are Liberals who seek to improve and build a better world. We look at those covorting gleefully, as dangerous lunatics that need to be kept at a distance ( but within view for safety's sake ).

I'm looking for a few Pragmatists on TV today, as I listen to pundets tear apart speaches and plans. I think it's going to work out for the better, because our Political System actually works when people are williing to compromise. That's the good news on this Sunday morning, people are willing to compromise.

The bad news; There's a ship in Somalia that has something very nasty on board. Several very large navies are circling that area looking for a solution to a problem that might be bigger than our troubled economy...pirates.

Italian motorists demand return of fines after massive traffic lights scam - Times Online

2008-09-20T05:04:00.000-05:00

I've never been a fan of police departments that use cameras to ticket the owners of cars for traffic violations. They really don't contribute to traffic safety, and are in fact a form of taxation without representation. The video evidence is generally accepted as superior to eye-witness testimony, making it nearly impossible for the accused to defend themselves.

In Italy, very many people are hopping mad. An unholy alliance between technology and government has been raping their wallets and subverting their legal system. I can't believe that this problem is limited to Italy, and everyone should question whether their own Municipal Authorities aren't engaged in this new form of exploitation and corruption.

From Times Online
September 18, 2008

Italian police have uncovered a scam in which traffic lights in 30 towns throughout Italy were rigged to ensure that drivers were fined for failing to stop at red lights.Prosecutors in Milan said that the company that provided and maintained the traffic lights had manipulated them so that the amber signal lasted for only "a few seconds". This meant that motorists who thought that they had time to pass through the junction were inevitably fined for going through a red stop light.

Police said that 30 local councils were involved in the scheme, in collusion with the company that provided and maintained the lights...more

I read somewhere that fines are for people who do wrong, and taxes are for those who do right. I'll pay my taxes, but I demand some say in who is spending them on what. You may define revenues generated by traffic courts as fees, rather than taxes and you'd be correct if the folks that collect the money aren't lining their pockets with our money.

When the system that collects fees is corrupt, then that system is an illegal form of taxation. it is also a racket, and RICO laws should be enforced at the Federal level.

Besides the Constitutionality of all this, there's still the need for the police to be actively engaged with the general public. There mere presence on the streets and highways moderates traffic, and their absence ( as in cameras doing their work ) only increases risk on the streets.

One hand Yo-ing

2008-09-05T04:39:00.004-05:00

Their is a lot of nervous energy being wasted in the world. Twiddling thumbs, tapping toes and cracking knuckles are examples. To capitalize on that wasted motion ( work ), I suggest spring technology. Springs used to power clocks and children's toys around the world, wind them up, and watch them work.

Start with a small hand-held device that looks much like a yo-yo ( another example of work wasted ), but containing a clock spring. By twisting the two halves in opposite directions, the nervous would wind the spring. A small radial spindle could be connected to a larger spring ( kept locally, perhaps in the closet ). Tension stored in the yo-collector could be transferred to the larger spring, and that Tension Repossitory could unload' their energy to a community collection point ( near the recycle center would be convenient ).

Once a week, a large truck could make it's rounds ( like the trash pick-up ), collecting a community's nervous energy and transporting it to a power generator station..

Police Raid of Peace Protestors

2008-08-31T21:39:00.005-05:00

While the nation watches the Hurricane Gustov approach the Gulf Coast, the Republican Party is holding it's Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. John McCain announced the delay of the start of the Convention, and I'm wondering if the reasons aren't a bit more political than humanitarian.

I don't think the GOP wants the nation watching split-screen news-casts that present the Convention on one side, and FEMA's efforts to deal with this potential disaster on the other. Never the less, dissidents are gathering in St. Paul, and the Authorities are engaging in their own emergency response efforts.

Municipal, State and Federal Police have arrested dozens of potential protesters pre-emptively on 'conspiracy to riot' charges. I haven't heard of this charge since 'The Chicago Seven Trial', forty years ago. Neither has their lawyers.

Authorities seized some personal property, mostly lap-tops and other electronics. Several legitimate news-agencies have also had their equipment confiscated. I suspect authorities don't want 'little brother' watching when they exercise their 'Homeland Defense Strategy'

This is not a good day for civil liberties in America.

This is a video interview with the attorney that represents several of those arrested.

Who'll Stop the Rain?

2008-08-24T13:02:00.001-05:00

When I was young, John Kennedy led the US into a police action in Viet Nam that lasted more than a decade. Many young men followed, while others questioned where it would end, and how could it be stopped. The war was like a force of nature, it was like the rain...

In these early days of Russia's police action in Georgia, many young men have followed their leader, swept like a leaf before the wind and the rain of war.

Credence Clearwater Revival ( CCR ) captured the tone of sadness that was appropriate for it's time during America's long war of attrition. There will come a time in Russia when sadness is appropriate, when young men in Russia notice that the rain isn't stopping, and begin to search for the sun.

Russia needs a Rock Revival!

ARTIST: Creedence Clearwater Revival
TITLE: Who'll Stop the Rain
Lyrics and Chords

Long as I remember the rain been comin' down
Clouds of myst'ry pourin' confusion on the ground
Good men through the ages tryin' to find the sun
And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain

I went down Virginia seekin' shelter from the storm Caught up in the fable I watched the tower grow
Five year plans and new deals wrapped in golden chains And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain

Heard the singers playin', how we cheered for more
The crowd had rushed together tryin' to keep warm
Still the rain kept pourin', fallin' on my ears
And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain

/ G - C G / G Em C G / C G C G / C D Em G /

The Roki Tunnel. So this is the what the fuss is all about.

2008-08-15T09:48:00.007-05:00

The Roki Tunnel. So this is the what the fuss is all about.

I'm thinking that some poet should use this megalithic monoument as a metaphor. Surely the designer had something different in mind when he concieved his plan, something with a more noble purpose than it is being used for today.

Or perhaps it is a poem, and words would only distract from it's sad, and somber tones of gray and black nestled in the frosted mount.

USAID helps develop power model for Central Asia

2008-08-14T21:56:00.002-05:00

Mao said, "Power comes from a gun..." Thomas Edison proved otherwise. Often times it's the quiet effort that wins 'hearts and minds', and nations soon follow. I say this, after reading an article in the Washington Times;

Nations' participation shows Lenin's great vision unfulfilled
John C.K. Daly, UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Thursday, August 14, 2008

...The U.S. Agency for International Development is reporting that, as part of a USAID project, representatives of Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik and Uzbek energy concerns met July 30 in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, to discuss a regional model for electrical power transmission.
What is most interesting about the USAID assistance plan is that it is a tacit acknowledgment by Central Asian governments that one of the lingering legacies of the Soviet era, the promise of nationwide power generation, remains unfulfilled 81 years after the Bolshevik seizure of power in the Russian empire...more

Where I live in the USA, much of the electricity we use is generated by hydro-electric power from TVA ( Tennesse Valley Authority ) damns. Much personal property and land was lost in the construction of the system, and many considered it to be 'socialistic'. It was a plan suitable for it's time.

In the mean-time, the continent has enjoyed decades of peaceful progress and development and other sources of electrical power have been created. Peace is required for development, not revolution.

Locally, I enjoy power from a COOP ( another oranization that was considered 'socialistic' when first implemented ). I also get telephone and internet service from COOPs. The water district is a cooperative effort, backed by local capital.

Who's the socialist?

Peace and prosperity to Kazhak, Kirgiz, Tajik, and Uzbek. Enjoy the 'power'.

Science takes a right turn...

2008-08-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

Just a short note for those interested in Global Warming, Climate Change, Carbon Footprints, etc. The show is over. Clean out your desk, and look for a real job. For decades, Greenies have been valiantly fighting to change the mind-set of the world, moving away from traditional viewpoints such as Capitalism/Socialism, East/West, Al Gore/Oil Industry, etc. Well...it's over. Without the funding, the entire movement collapses like a house of cards.

So, I guess it's back to chasing Whaling Ships, with dingies...

Michael Glantz, a senior political scientist and author who has studied the impacts of climate on society since the early 1970s, is one of the world's most sought-after authorities on the societal impacts of climate... He was the first social scientist the National Center for Atmospheric Research hired when he came on 34 years ago. In 2005, he became the director of NCAR's Center for Capacity Building. But starting Monday, he added unemployed to that list. NCAR has decided to close Glantz's program, known for its cutting edge social science research. NCAR officials blamed budget cuts, saying the program wasn't a high enough priority to qualify for shrinking resources...more

The Ant and the Elephant

2008-08-02T22:35:00.004-05:00

An ant was strolling across a wheat field ( Perhaps I shouldn't say strolling. To an ant, the blades of wheat must look like tall Canadian Pines ). He found a very sad ant. It would seem that the latter ant had fallen in love with an Elephant ( The sad part is; the Elephant had died before the wedding ).

"Why so sad, comrade? Your love was monumental, and your name will be known world-wide!"

No words can console a despondent lover, who realizes that digging a grave will take the rest of his life...

Healing from Within: The Ever Increasing Need for Alternative Viewpoints in the Modern World.

2008-07-27T16:51:00.010-05:00

Here's something interesting I found on the web today. It popped up in one of many Google Searchs that I subscribe to. It took a minute, but the picture finally registered in my mind. Do you recongnize the man? He' (in )famous in Europe, not really a celebraty but a real 'Person of Interest' as Authorities might label him.

He is accused of sanctioning genocide in the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Recognize him now?
-------------------

Dr. Dragan Dabic Healing from Within: The Ever Increasing Need for Alternative Viewpoints in the Modern World.

Welcome to the Official Web Site of Dr. Dragan Dabic (SRPSKI/SERBIAN)

The expression "alternative medicine", as used in the West today, takes into the consideration any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine". As such they could include chiropractice, herbalism, Yoga, traditional Chinese medicine, different Indian practices, naturopathy, meditation, bioenergy, massage, hypnosis, homeopathy and diet-based therapies, in addition to other alternative practices. Holistic approach is not a method or a treatment, rather, it is an everyday philosophy of how life should be lived. Holistic health and fitness viewpoints place emphasis on reaching and maintaining good health as requiring more than just taking care of the various singular components that make up the human body. It points out that emotional and spiritual well-being is the key for not only happy, but also healthy life. The goal is a wellness that encompasses the entire person, rather than just the lack of physical pain or disease. As such this approach is in stark contrast to traditional medicine which focuses on treating symptoms without attempting to examine anything else.

Dr. Dragan "David" Dabic was born some six decades ago in a small Serbian village of Kovaci, near Kraljevo. As a young boy he liked to explore nearby forests and mountains, spending a lot of time on Kopaonik mountain where he tended to pick the omnipresent, natural and potent medicinal herbs that grew at those green pastures. As a young man he moved to Belgrade, and then on to Moscow where he graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree (spec. in Psychiatry) at the Moscow State University (Lomonosov). After Russia, Dr. Dabic travelled around India and Japan, after which he settled in China where he specialized in alternative medicine, with a special emphasis on the mind-body control, meditation, Yoga, spiritual cleansing, as well as Chinese herbs. In mid-1990s Dr. Dabic returned back to mother Serbia for good, and ever since then emerged as one of the most prominent experts in the field of alternative medicine, bioenergy, and macrobiotic diet in the whole of the Balkans, and is frequent contributor to the regional alternative health magazines, and guest expert with numerous TV appearances and on many public forums, seminars and symposiums (Belgrade, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Sombor, Smederevo, Kikinda...) dedicated to these issues and topics.

Dr. Dragan Dabic currently resides on Yuri Gagarin street in New Belgrade, but for public forum invitations, television appearances or private consultations he can be reached directly at the following contact:

healingwounds @ dragandabic . com

Alleged GOP influence-peddler failed to register foreign lobbying

2008-07-18T21:21:00.002-05:00

Follow-up of 14 July post, reporting the the Department of Homeland Security was investigating whether a member of the department's advisory council offered to arrange meetings with senior administration officials in exchange for a large donation to the Bush presidential library...more

WASHINGTON, July 18 (UPI) -- The Justice Department says it has no record that it told a GOP lobbyist accused of influence-peddling that he did not have to register his activities arranging visits to the United States and meetings with Bush administration officials for Central Asian politicians...more at UPI

A letter from Henry Waxman, chairman of the Oversight Committe wrote to Mr. Payne;

Dear Mr. Payne:

I am writing regarding a report that you solicited funds for the George W. Bush Presidential Library in return for access to senior U.S. foreign policy officials. This is a matter that the Oversight Committee will investigate...more at 'The Gavel'

While many are concerned that Presidential Libraries be held accountable, it is worth noting that a larger issue is corruption within the newest, and perhaps the largest Department in US History.

The Department of Homeland Security may very well offer this man up as a scape-goat, and an example for others in the department.

I will continue to follow this story, and 'tag' all relevant feeds as I recieve them. Feeds on this topic can be viewed at Bush Library Scandal . This link will be placed with other feed links in the 'Topic Tree' on the right side-bar of this page.

"The Stone-Age Did Not End For The Lack Of Stones"

2008-07-17T16:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes someone says something so tightly wrapped, so direct, but yet somehow enigmatic...it sticks in your mind.

DHS looking into Bush library corruption charges

2008-07-14T16:39:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON, July 14 (UPI) -- Homeland Security (OTCBB:HSCC) officials are looking into allegations that a member of the department's advisory council offered to arrange meetings with senior administration officials in exchange for a large donation to the Bush presidential library.

Stephen Payne, a major GOP fundraiser and international affairs lobbyist, also touted his success in getting an Uzbek opposition leader removed from the U.S. terrorist watch list and issued a U.S. visa...

Link

Study: Global warming may spark more kidney stones

2008-07-14T14:18:00.000-05:00

Houston Cronicle
July 14, 2008, 4:54PM

Dallas scientists find the risk may rise by at least 30% if the climate change indeed occurs
By ERIC BERGER

The next time you feel a sharp, cramping pain in your lower abdomen, spare a thought for your personal carbon footprint. That's the message from Dallas scientists who predict that as the planet warms during the coming century people will sweat more, not drink enough water to compensate, and therefore develop more kidney stones...more

Let me guess, Government causes global warming by subsidizing ethanol, Antarctica melts, I get a stomach cramp so I sue the Government for surgery! That's crazy! Will the Medicare buy it? After all, Acts of God aren't covered, how about Acts of Congress?

I'm going to check the fine print in my policy....

Leaders, Liars and the Need to Know

2008-07-07T01:17:00.000-05:00

You may be interested in this breaking news;

AP Exclusive: US removes uranium from Iraq By BRIAN MURPHY ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER July 6, 2008 "The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein's nuclear program - a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium - reached a Canadian port Saturday to complete a secret U.S. operation that included a two-week airlift from Baghdad and a ship voyage crossing two oceans...more"

If the dead could speak, what would this man say? ( click on image for larger view )

Image at Wikimedia Commons ( public domain )

As the Bush Administration comes to a close, I expect many such news releases. Mark Twain was a radical in his own day, with little formal education and few ties to the Establishment. That allowed him to speak freely about the world he lived in;

'Politicians are liars and thieves, which makes them eminently qualified to represent their constituents.'

While we ponder our 'need to know', we should ask ourselves if the actual truth about nuclear energy should be taught anywhere, by anyone. Someone is in charge of the science, and they determine who has the 'clearance' to study real science on the issue. Even if a science student thinks he needs to know how to make a bomb, it is very doubtful that any of his teachers have the 'clearance' to actually teach him.

Just how much does the average man 'need to know' to cast an informed vote?

America doesn't seem to be getting much news about the war in Iraq lately, at least not in the Main Stream Press. Most of what we learned about the war in Iraq was from reporters 'embed' with Coalition troops, and from Retired Generals that sat as “message force multipliers” on news broadcasts.

I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for apologies from pundits that condemned the Bush Administration decision to go to war. Perhaps they don't think we 'need to hear' that.

The Thin Edge, of the Wedge.

2008-07-04T16:06:00.002-05:00

Last spring I began to read blogs from behind the wall of censorship that covered the face of Armenia. Unzipped was one of the few that formed a thin edge of a wedge that split that wall.

As the Armenian post-election saga developed, I was forced to learn new skills to keep up with history. And, I discovered new tools that have greatly influenced my own blogging efforts. I'm also learning ( daily ) about people I would never had known existed ( that's the best part of the inter-net, meeting people ).

When I read Azerbaijan: Blogs, BarCamps & Social Networks on the Oneworld Mutimedia Blog I began to search for better tools to share what I was reading. The more I searched, the more I found at Google. I wonder if Blogspot and Google are available in Georgia? I'm sure it is in Armenia.

My Google rss reader provided the means to share all the feeds I've been enjoying, and several gadgets that add much to this page ( I really like the custom rss gadgets on my left rail, you can build your own, just click on 'gadgets' at the bottom of the reader. )

'Blogworld' is the tag I use share posts from different sources, about a movement in countries that are learning, and building their blogging skills. Take a look at the face of the future, the youth of today...

Photo by; onewmphoto

Zooming Around the Alps In a Homemade Wing Suit

2008-07-04T06:19:00.002-05:00

I suppose many of us have dreamed of flying ( like a bird, not a plane ). A man in Switzerland is showing the world that it can be done!

I would be an Seagull I suppose, soaring above the shore by day, and resting the side of a cliff by night. Eating, sleeping, searching for a soul-mate to share my sky!

Zooming Around the Alps In a Homemade Wing Suit
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, July 4, 2008; Page A10

CRANS-PRES-CELIGNY, Switzerland -- Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's . . . Fusion Man!

"...It's always been my dream, to fly like a bird," Rossy said in an interview at his home in this Swiss village overlooking Lake Geneva. "And I don't want to do it just for myself, but to show mankind how to do it..."
A former fighter pilot in the Swiss air force who now flies commercial aircraft for Swiss airlines, Rossy has been scheming for a decade about possible ways to transform himself into a bird, albeit a mechanical one.

Washington Post - Video

Let the games begin!

2008-06-30T09:46:00.001-05:00

Thousands of years ago Caesar looked out on the Roman Circus as some of his loyal subjects set their pawns for battle, while others watched eagerly from their choice seats. So it is today in Iraq, as Citizens of the Empire vie for their leader's attention. Who rules a modern Empire today, and wields the power of a modern Caesar?

With a classic 'thumbs up' He bestowed his blessing on the victorious and sealed the fate of their opponents. A silent gesture, high above and far removed from the bloody floor of the arena, often determined the fate of entire nations. Spoils of War often went to the victor, and generous commissions to those blessed by Caesars hand. Who's fate will Caesar's fickle finger favor today?

Keep in mind that all serve at the pleasure of Caesar...

Iraq Seeking Help to Develop Oil
BBC
Monday,
30 June 2008 11:08 UK

Iraq has begun the process of opening up its oil industry to foreign investment in an effort to boost output of the country's key income earner.

US and European firms will be asked to provide technical expertise to increase production by half a million barrels...more

Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total and BP are heavily favored by oracles, auguries and pundits of the realm. ( My money is on Exxon, given their popularity with the Senate )

Who Left the Door Open?

2008-06-25T18:01:00.000-05:00

Russia joins the war in Afghanistan
By M K Bhadrakumar
June 25, 2008

Moscow is staging an extraordinary comeback on the Afghan chessboard after a gap of two decades following the Soviet Union's nine-year adventure that ended in the withdrawal of its last troops from Afghanistan 1989. In a curious reversal of history, this is possible only with the acquiescence of the United States. Moscow is taking advantage of the deterioration of the war in Afghanistan and the implications for regional security could be far-reaching...more

I read this article, just as I was getting ready to leave for work. I'll be back in the morning to update, and give my opinion ( for what it's worth )

Mugabe, I am confused!

2008-06-17T04:24:00.003-05:00

Normally, I would never cut-and-paste another blogger's post ( like I did in my last post 'Ban the Dumb Bombs ), but this is so short and sweet that it just begs to be taken in one bite! A self-proclaimed, "...extremely cynical, snarky, pro-US, secular, libertarian, disgruntled sandmonkey..." the author knows no shame, or inhibition. As they say, 'brevity is the essence of wit'

Mugabe, I am confused!
Rantings of a Sandmonkey
Tuesday, 17 June 2008

Ok, Mugabe, out of curiosity: If you are going to arrest your opponent in the upcoming election and his second man in charge, Impound the buses he uses to campaign in the country, send hired killers against Human Rights activists, and state that the opposition will never govern in your lifetime and that you would rather go to war than cede power to them even if they did win , then..ehh…why even have an election? Why go through all of that trouble? Or are you just doing it for attention, you attention-whore you?

Ban the Dumb Bombs

2008-06-15T04:33:00.001-05:00

The Duck of Minerva is one of the many blogs to which I subscribe ( rss feed ). A contributing author presented an analysis of Congressional policy on the sale of precision-guided munititions. I have to admit that I'm stumped. No matter how I look at the issue, I can't argue with Mr. Farnsworth's premise; Ban Dumb Bombs, promote smart war. Charlie Carpenter presents the paradox better than I, the following is the article in full;

A Protection Paradox
Sunday, May 11, 2008

It is always wonderful, at this time of year, when grading a student’s paper teaches a professor something new and leaves him/her thinking anew about ethical ironies in world politics.

My MPIA student, Christopher Farnsworth, who is now being recruited by the US Department of Defense, just wrote a fascinating analysis of Congressional policy on the sale of precision-guided munitions for my class on the “Rules of War.” (The paper, which is still in draft form as these things go, nonetheless contains a wealth of information on this issue, and is available here for those who know as little about this policy process as I did before I read it.)

Here's the ethical irony his analysis raises. The US is generally committed to more bloodless war for primarily humanitarian reasons (hence the development of smart bombs and non-lethal weapons to avoid killing enemy civilians) but is highly selective as to which governments it will share this technology with so that they, too, can avoid hitting foreign civilians in their various wars. Why?
Farnsworth points out that humanitarianism would be better served by relaxing the rules for the dissemination of smart bomb technology. Yet he concludes it this option - selling our most precise weapons to those governments we trust least - would be politically unpopular. Americans, he thinks, are unlikely to support handing our potential adversaries advanced weapons, merely on the grounds it might save innocent lives elsewhere.

But I wonder. Why shouldn’t the US public support open sales of PGMs – that is, putting smart-bombs in the hands not only of our allies but also our enemies, out o sel-interest? Why would we (civilian voters) want to prevent our adversaries from having the capacity to avoid hitting our homes in an assault if someday they so chose? Shouldn’t our government want to extend us this protection?

Instead, the Presidential criteria for a country’s eligibility for Foreign Military Sales includes “strengthens the security of the United States and promotes world peace.” (World peace being very unlike jusr war.) In other words, we sell smart bombs to our allies (sometimes) but want our enemies – those likeliest to attack us – to use dumb bombs; and we associate this policy with national security and world peace. Why?

The paper (which is mostly about whether to ban dumb bomb sales) only speculates as to the logic here, but to me it seems like a puzzle that could be thoughtully investigated.

German farmers deploy the milk weapon

2008-05-28T01:04:00.009-05:00

This is a story that I found on my my Google Reader. Published on Foreign Policy - Passport, and inserted into this blog with my Windows Live Writer, this story is important to me for it's content, as well as it's dubious status as my first effort using a new blogging technique.

I spent much of my youth on a farm in the American mid-west and I maintain a close relationship with my family that still lives and works on that farm. Through the years, much effort was made by my Grandfather to establish 'Collective Bargaining' in American Agri-business. Resistance to these efforts frustrated that man his whole life, and I have spent decades trying to understand those forces at work in this nation.

Read this article, and ask yourself; Is this information, or propaganda? Education, or Indoctrination? Does it appeal to your mind, or your emotions? Farmers world-wide have encountered publicity of this type, that always portrays the farmer as insensitive, and rarely mentions the total lack of control that farmers have over the market.

German farmers deploy the milk weapon

Johannes Simon/Getty Images

HOFSTETTEN, GERMANY - MAY 27: Farmer Jakob Moesl (C) blocks the access to his farm with a empty milk tank and a placard reading 'Stop milk delivery!!! For a fair price' on May 27, 2008 in Hofstetten near Landsberg am Lech, Germany.

Germany's dairy farmers are furious. Many have them have stopped shipping milk to factories because they want 43 eurocents a liter, rather than the 28 to 34 cents they get now. But there's a problem: What to do with all the milk they are still producing? The cows don't go on strike just because the farmers do.

According to Deutsche Welle, "the unsold milk is being fed to calves or dumped in farm-waste tanks."

It's a shame when so many people around the world are struggling to buy food, but Romuald Schaber, who heads an association of some 30,000 dairy farmers, says the boycott is the only tool in the farmers' arsenal:

All we can do now is use our milk as a weapon.... Milk is might, and we have the milk."

A friend said he needed help.

2008-05-26T21:58:00.005-05:00

A friend said he needed help. He saw a lot of 'white space' on his screen when he modified his layout ( he moved the side-bar from the left side to the right ). I like the way his blog layout looks, and know that it is configured for easy viewing by folks with slower computers and those with older monitors that aren't as wide.

Friend, this is a short piece of css code that I copied from your page ( I changed the text color of the relevent figures to red ). You can access this css code by clicking on 'customize' ( between 'new post' and 'sign out' on the right side of the navigation bar ). Then click on 'edit html'. That will display a module similar to your blog generator, but the module will be filled with css code. Scroll down that list of code in that module until you see the words '#outer wrapper', and '#main wrapper'.

The red numbers that you see below are the size of the actual page, and the size of the main body ( blog ) on that page, respectivelly. You need to add some pixals to both of these figures. Just type over these numbers, adding 40 to both ( an arbitrary figure ). Preview the changes before you save them, there is always a chance of unpredictable side-effects, but I think this is a simple fix. If you don't like the way it looks, go back and adjust both figures equally ( adding 30px to both will increase the size slightly less than adding 40px to both ).

/* Outer-Wrapper
----------------------------------------------- */
#outer-wrapper {
width: 660px;
margin:0 auto;
padding:10px;
text-align:left;
font: normal normal 100% Georgia, Serif;
}#main-wrapper {
width: 410px;
float: left;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}#sidebar-wrapper {
width: 220px;
float: right;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */

If this doesn't work, just click on 'clear edits' at the bottom of the module. All will be well. Actually, you should create a back-up of you css code for emergencies. You can do that by clicking on the 'download full template' button at the top of the edit html page. All will be well.

Windows Live Writer Test

2008-05-26T07:38:00.003-05:00

Inserting photo with shadow seems to work. Inserting link to mash page seems to work too. I would recommend Windows Live Writer to anyone that uses windows products. It has a great function that allows the author to preview the post in that weblog's unique format. Different weblogs display posts in their own unique way, and Windows Live Writer helps the author to cross-post to several weblogs.

2008-05-10T03:08:00.010-05:00

Integrated Page

FBI: Mobster 'more powerful than a John Gotti'

Google Reader Notes

Town Hall Meeting; Obama Returns to New Hampshire

Inspeculation: Moon Landing Tapes Degaussed

Ruth Madoff, left with only $2.5 Million

Testing Twickie for Twitter Responses

It's Barry

Why are Palestinians Still Launching Rockets Over the Heads of Their Attackers?

Turn Out The Lights

Mumbai on Twitter

Do Federal Programs Ever Work the Way We Think They Should?

Possible Joint Russian - US Expeditionary ?

On the Job Accident

I Want To Be A Bank

Washington Times - Whistleblower asked to reveal illegal FBI acts

Obama Resigns!: Pics, Videos, Links, News

Speak Now, or Forever Hold Your Peace

A Note With My Pay-check

Buckeye Institute Files State Rico Action Against ACORN - The Buckeye Institute

The "bailout" of the US financial sector - a knol by Knol Debates

The Issue

Employee Free Choice Act

Sunday Morning Coming Down

Italian motorists demand return of fines after massive traffic lights scam - Times Online

One hand Yo-ing

Police Raid of Peace Protestors

Who'll Stop the Rain?

The Roki Tunnel. So this is the what the fuss is all about.

USAID helps develop power model for Central Asia

Science takes a right turn...

The Ant and the Elephant

Healing from Within: The Ever Increasing Need for Alternative Viewpoints in the Modern World.

Dr. Dragan Dabic Healing from Within: The Ever Increasing Need for Alternative Viewpoints in the Modern World.

Alleged GOP influence-peddler failed to register foreign lobbying

"The Stone-Age Did Not End For The Lack Of Stones"

DHS looking into Bush library corruption charges

Study: Global warming may spark more kidney stones

Leaders, Liars and the Need to Know

The Thin Edge, of the Wedge.

Zooming Around the Alps In a Homemade Wing Suit

Let the games begin!

Who Left the Door Open?

Mugabe, I am confused!

Ban the Dumb Bombs

German farmers deploy the milk weapon

A friend said he needed help.

Windows Live Writer Test

Table of Contents