Hope's Daughters: Anger and Courage

The words of this speech given by Chris Hedges at Furman University in South Carolina on Wednesday 28 May are about as clear an explanation as ever been made concerning the corporate takeover of the United States and the clear economic decline of the citizenry that has been underway for going on 30 years. The speech includes a very broad historical background and gives one an understanding why life has gotten worse for most. Can this powerful negatively downward trend be reversed ? Hedges offers a framework in this speech. It is possible, but only will become probable with the elimination from public office on all levels of the treacherous agents in government dedicated to the power and greed of the Corporacy who have facilitated it. The biggest questions are if enough Americans have the courage to do so, or even if they care or understand enough to even try.
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http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080531_the_corporate_state_and_the_subversion_of_democracy/
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http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/05/31/9331/
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*****

The Worst Corporations for Customer Service

Most of the names on this list will not come as a surprise for most people. The usual derilect inept greedy suspects are at the top of the list -- cable television corporations, cellular telephone corporations, financial institutions, insurance corporations, retailers, and computer manufacturers. Most of these corporations have a long history going back well over a decade and often much longer of being recognized as utter failures and boobs in the area of customer service to the point of being acclaimed as rude, selfish, foolish, incompetent, unresponsive, and stupid -- and plenty more. The movement of the customer service departments of these corporations to foreign countries like India, Mexico, Singapore, the Phillipines, and China has only seriously exacerabated the problems. The only way to start to deal with these corporations poorly and regularly negligent customer service operations is to radically break up these corporations into small pieces limited to business within one to three states and require local community customer service everywhere where the corporation offers and sells its products and services. We can only hope this will happen someday as this will make this a better world for consumers, clients, subscribers, and customers everywhere -- among a huge number of other benefits to the American citizenry by having mega-corporations partitioned and significantly reduced in size, scope, market share, and power.
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http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/ConsumerActionGuide/HowCompaniesWereRanked.aspx
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*****

Emissions Pollution Less in Pacific Coast Metro Areas

Do you want to live where pollution is less than elsewhere ? Then head west to the Pacific Time Zone. Generally, metro areas there produce less of a "carbon footprint" than their counterparts in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Honolulu ranks best followed surprisingly by the Los Angeles metro area, then Portland-Vancouver; New York; and Boise. Other high ranking metro areas include the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metro area; Seattle; San Diego; Las Vegas, Tucson, El Paso, Columbia, SC; Buffalo; and, surprisingly, Chicago. Scoring worst was Lexington, KY; followed by Indianapolis; Cincinnati; Toledo; and Louisville. In the Mountain Time Zone, Denver scored worst followed by Salt Lake City; Albuquerque; Phoenix; and Colorado Springs-Pueblo. Nearby Central Time Zones cities Dallas-Fort Worth; Tulsa; Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and St Louis scored poorly. The study was conducted by the Brookings Institute, an internationally respected research and public policy institute based in Washington, DC.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/us/29pollute.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=us&adxnnlx=1212112925-IuaYpcrgoKFFaFE6TWpj3g
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http://www.brookings.edu/metro/CarbonFootprint.aspx
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*****

Climate Change Across the American West

Climate change as a result of global warming is already underway across the American West and it is likely to intensify which will result in significant noteworthy changes to lifestyles, qualities of life, ecosystems, and local economies. Temperatures will rise probably more greatly than expected; for example, places like Denver and Cheyenne in 20 years or so will have temperatures with regularity now seen in Roswell and Carlsbad, NM. The more critical change will occur with precipitation. Rainfall will replace snowfall in many places for a much greater time of the year, and the frequency and intensity of rainfall will change from being gradual and spread out to being more greater in quantity during single events and less in frequency throughout the year. This will be particularly true in mountain regions and other higher altitude locations where the snowpack will become less. Snow will start falling later, melt sooner, and be of a lesser quantity overall. Moisture will come much more frequently in the form of intense thunderstorms which will drop rain quickly and ferociously. Most important, drought will becoming the predominant feature of the entire region, as rainfall and snowfall patterns will change markedly. Some areas that now enjoy adequate moisture will alter into a more desertlike environment with extended periods of limited at best precipitation. Some of this can already be seen in parts of the Central and Northern Rockies where fires are occuring more frequently and in times earlier and later in the year than what has occurred historically. Adjacent prairie and plains areas are also being beset by warmer temperatures, lesser occurences of rainfall and snowfall, and longer and more intense periods of drought. Within a quarter to half century, most of the American West will resemble the Great Western Basin of Utah and Nevada with mountains being more similar to the desert mountains of New Mexico and Arizona. The challenge for leadership throughout this region will be in finding and maintaining adequate water supplies for the population and agricultural economy. Residential vegetation, particularly lawns and decorative trees and shrubs, will have to be limited to meet human and agricultural needs especially as the population is expected to nearly double in the Mountain States region in the next 35 years.
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http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-3/final-report/default.htm
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052702639.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2008052702928
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*****

A Possible Cancer Cure

In April I wrote of a promising cancer cure that was reported on CBS 60 Minutes. This is yet another promising cure being discussed. GDC-0449 is an experimental drug which is demonstrating quite promising results in the limited number of cases it has been used on. Cancer is a challenging disease and condition to address as no two cases are identical, and the disease attacks the body in many different and diverse ways which often results in treatment being less than effective. Obviously, research and studies on this new cure have a ways to go to become authorized for regular use. Unfortunately this will take a number of years which will largely mean it will never become available for the millions whom have cancer currently and seemingly are doomed to die before a more sure cure exists.

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http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0528cancer0526.html

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http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00607724

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http://professional.cancerconsultants.com/oncology_main_news.aspx?id=41893

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Childhood Lead Exposure Creates Criminals ?

That is the finding from a longterm research study by University of Cincinnati officials and professionals. Lead was a common ingredient in many chemicals used in households until its government mandated removal in the early 1970s. However, the substance still remains as part of the makeup of older homes particularly in poorer and more rundown areas even to this day. The research seems to implicate lead as having a chemical effect on brains of children which result in a distortion of the parts which direct and dictate behaviors and attitudes. More research is probably needed, but efforts should be intensified to locate and remove lead from homes and areas where children are.
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http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0528lead0528.html
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_paint
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http://www.omahahealthykids.org/leadfacts.html
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*****

Politicians Avoiding Peak Oil Like the Plague

Peak Oil is the third biggest crisis mankind and society is facing behind global warming and nuclear energy and weapons prolification in the last 70 years. Without question, American Capitalism is based on increasing economic growth, construction and sprawl, and vast out of control consumerism. Inexpensive oil is the engine of the ideology and all it consists of. It is becoming quite clear that oil will no longer be inexpensive -- it is actually becoming quite expensive and will increasingly so rather rapidly. The end of the long largely uninterupted reign of American economic dominance globally is quickly coming to an end, and with it also comes a serious diminishing of American political and military strength across the planet as well. Many economists and historians see parallels in the American future with those experienced by prior world powers such as Britain, France, Spain, and Venice. This future is not necessarily bad, as the citizens in those nations live simpler, richer lives with a quality of life that is more just and fair with greater equality and peace of mind than when their nations were world powers.
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http://www.alternet.org/environment/85841/?page=entire
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http://www.truthout.org/article/130-oil-is-that-a-tipping-point
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*****

James Kunstler's Take on the Future

James Kunstler is a well respected knowledgeable observer of what to expect in the future, and his conclusions are disconcerting to say the least. It would be good to be aware of how the nation was settled and populated relative to a century ago before the start of the rise of the automobile. Basically, if one does not live within a few miles of a railroad, circumstances look to be grim for those living in distant locales far away from rail corridors and transportation. This is important not only for individual transportation, but also in respect for the transportation of raw materials, finished goods, and virtually all consumer goods.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302456.html?nav=hcmodule
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http://www.kunstler.com/
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Howard_Kunstler
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*****

An Economical Commuter Car

Smartcar looks like a great value and an excellent motor vehicle purchase to make for all those individuals burdened with a commute of some distance that has gotten increasingly expensive with fast rising fuel costs. The vehicle is relatively inexpensive and gets superb fuel economy numbers. With gasoline headed past $4.00 per gallon this year and beyond $5.oo per gallon in 2009, look to see increasing numbers of economical vehicles like this in communities across the US. Vehicles like this are the answers for many consumers until alternative fueled vehicles that utilize substances like hydrogen join the cost-effective mainstream later in the 2010s decade.
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http://www.smartusa.com/index.aspx
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(automobile)
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http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-11-11-smartcar_N.htm
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*****

Memorial Day 2008

On this Memorial Day 2008, best wishes and gratitude are extended to all those over the years whom have served our nation and, in particular, those individuals currently serving our nation both near and far. Many thoughts and feelings of deep appreciation go out to the families and loved ones of those who passed in the service of our nation.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302455.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

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http://homepages.tesco.net/~derek.berger/holidays/memorialday.html

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http://www.counterpunch.org/quigley05262008.html

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*****

Ugly Gasoline Prices Continue to Soar Upward

The shocking rise of gasoline prices continues unabated much to the shock of many, although not all, Americans. The price of oil topped $133 per barrel on Wednesday and $140 will probably be surpassed in days. The $150 threshold will be approached in June, but probably not surpassed this soon. Look for that to happen, depending on world events, later this autumn. Prices for gasoline are highest in the Great Lakes region and in the Pacific Time Zone. Prices are lowest in Arizona, Wyoming, Montana, Missouri, and South Carolina. Here in Cheyenne, WY, prices are in the low to mid $3.50 per gallon range, which is about the least expensive price nationally outside of Tucson, AZ. At this point, this writer expects prices here in Cheyenne to rise about 15 to 20 cents per gallon in the next month or so before topping out and beginning a slow small fade back towards $3.30 per gallon through the remainder of 2008. Of course, this could all change with any number of unexpected events or circumstances developing somewhere on the planet. If any of these were to eventuate, the consequences could be grievous, with the price of a gallon of gasoline soaring over $5.00 per gallon in a matter of days, stunning and devastating citizens throughout the nation. And the likelihood of $10 per gallon gasoline in the next five years or so is becoming increasingly more probable. Life as we have known will be all but over when that happens.
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http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx?z=0&lat=37.000000&long=-96.000000&ft=A&tl=48
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http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveonaCar/WhatIfGasCost10DollarsAGallon.aspx
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*****

Obama Nears the 2026 Delegate Threshold

Illinois US Senator Barack Obama moved ever so closer to officially claiming the needed number of delegates to secure the Democratic Party nomination for President with his clear victory in Oregon earlier this week. Estimates at this point show Obama with 1,962 delegates, just 64 short of the needed 2,o26 total. Obama is generally picking up 2-4 superdelegates daily as he moves in on the nomination. At this moment, it is estimated 173 superdelegates are still uncommited and 40 superdelegates are yet to be allocated. The next primary is Puerto Rico on Sunday 1 June followed by the finales in Montana and South Dakota on Tuesday 3 June. Each primary is allocated as follows:
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Puerto Rico: 55 pledged, 8 super, 63 total delegates to be determined
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Montana: 16 pledged, 9 super, 25 total delegates to be determined
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South Dakota: 15 pledged, 8 super, 23 total delegates to be determined
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It looks likely that Obama will go over the top after these three primaries, perhaps as soon as Wednesday 4 June. The Clinton campaign holds out hope for the impossible with the disqualified Florida and Michigan delegates becoming eligible, but all signs indicate that is impossible. Lets hope it truly all does come to end in about two weeks after nearly two to three years of this endless campaign. Then comes the next part -- thank goodness it will only be about five months with the November general elections looming on the 4th day of the 11th month -- just 167 days from now which was 16 December 2007 167 days ago.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_%28United_States%29_presidential_primaries%2C_2008
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Democratic_Party_%28United_States%29_superdelegates%2C_2008
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*****

Bob Barr Slated to be Libertarian Party Presidential Nominee

Former Georgia US Representative Bob Barr announced over the weekend his intention to run for President under the banner of the Libertarian Party. Barr will become the party's official nominee before months end at the party convention in Denver. Barr and his candidacy could be a factor in the November election. He is viewed by many as more closely adhering to historic Republican philosophy and dogma than John McCain. Two key questions exist about the potential viability of his campaign: money and coverage. If Barr can generate enough cash to run a national campaign, he could be a force. But he would really need media coverage from mainstream media and local press to gain the name recognition and position to be a factor. He very well could repeat the successes of Ross Perot in 1992 and Ralph Nader in 2000. With Obama as the likely Democratic nominee, it seems impossible that Barr could win a state. But states like Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota are not completely out of the question for him to win outright. The arch-conservative Barr served four terms in the US House from '95 to '03 where he was known for being a military supporter and opposed to many government programs. He is also remembered by Democrats as being a bulldog about pushing the Clinton impeachment in 1998.
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http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-campaign13-2008may13,0,5031407.story
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Barr
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http://www.bobbarr2008.com
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*****

Lies, Damn Lies, and Government Statistics

Kevin Phillips has a superb article in the May edition of Harper's that does a great job historically explaining the major economic statistical numbers released by the government: the unemployment index, the inflation rate, and the gross domestic product. These are the three key indices most businesses and individuals focus on monthly and quarterly to have an insight on how the American economy is doing. Unfortunately these indices are full of lies. The numbers have been doctored and fixed for years going back to the Kennedy Administration, but the Clinton and Bush Junior administrations have taken the deception and lies to whole new heights the last ten to fifteen years. The government reports the unemployment rate currently is around 5 %; in reality it is above 12 %. The report on inflation indicates an annual rate recently at a little more than 4 %; it really is above 12 % and rising. And we all know the GDP numbers are far worse than the 0.6 % growth rate reported for the first quarter of 2008,; the true number is somewhere between - 1.5 % and 2.0 % (NEGATIVE) and perhaps higher. The distortion of economic numbers by officials and bureaucrats in the Executive Branch is shameful and disgraceful, and there ought to be criminal ramifications for these government lies.
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http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2008/Pollyanna-Creep-Economy1may08.htm
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*****

The SAVE Act Struggles for Passage

North Carolina US Representative Heath Shuler (D) has drafted legislation to address the problem of illegal immigrants in the United States. HR 4088 has the support of over 190 congressional representatives which moves it close to being considered for enactment. The legislation is well written and comprehensive, and puts on a federal level many of the components passed on the state level in GA, OK, AZ, and CO. Currently the economic slowdown and mortgage foreclosure crisis are starting to slow the numbers of illegals within US borders, but a sensible and far-reaching federal legislative act is desperately needed to ensure a consistent strict national policy is in place to deal with this problem. One has to wonder if Congress will have the political will to address this festering and longterm issue and follow the wishes of the vast majority of American citizens. It is likely not too, leaving the states individually to create effective policy. This will result in some states becoming islands of illegals with broad inconsistencies and diverse consequences for Americans and the illegals themselves.
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http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0509immig0509.html
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http://www.heathshuler.com/issues_details.asp?id=41
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http://www.numbersusa.com/interests/attrition.html
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http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_4088.html
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http://rightdemocrat.blogspot.com/2007/11/heath-shuler-proposes-save-act-for.html
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration_to_the_United_States
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*****

Crandall Mining Execs Destined for the Penitentary

The tragic mine collapse in Huntington, Utah, on 6 August, 2007, was due to corporate criminal incompetence, deception, and complicity which resulted in the deaths of nine miners; and a Congressional Investigative Committee has recommended the US Justice Department investigate Bob Murray and other officials in Crandall Mining for criminal charges. At the time of the disaster and tragedy, Murray claimed the collapse was due to an earthquake, a laughable claim and quite disgusting considering the tragedy. It is strongly likely Murray will be going to a federal penitentary for his fatal decisions and inactions, and Crandall Mining is likely to disappear as a corporation in due time.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/us/09mine.html?adxnnl=1&ref=us&adxnnlx=1210374901-KvXojT/6vLF7DNFEZYVakg
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crandall_Canyon_Mine
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*****

Recommended Book for Reading

"Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism", by Kevin Phillips. This is Phillips' thirteenth book, and all have been poignant and quite interesting. Most of Phillips' works concern contemporary history, public policy, and economics. He did an exhaustive biography of the 25th President, William McKinley. Phillips' books do an intensive analyis of contemporary political, economic, and social environments and contexts and do a superb job of making conclusions and future outlooks that are usually uncannily accurate and presentiment. Many whom have read the book or listened to any of Phillips' presentations or interviews are described as having a "sobering" reaction to the content, conclusions, and implications discussed in his book as well as to many of his past works which have been widely read and well received.

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http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Money-Reckless-Politics-Capitalism/dp/0670019070

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/5/6/bad_money_reckless_finance_failed_politics

http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-rutten16apr16,0,4337030.story

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Phillips_%28political_commentator%29

*****

Recession Official in Arizona & Elsewhere

Moody's, the financial analyis company, reported in its latest research that nine states across the nation are in a recession. Leading the list is beleagured Arizona, where the mortgage foreclosure crisis is ground zero and housing values are in a freefall throughout Phoenix and Tucson. It is estimated in excess of 100,000 homes are in foreclosure and most are empty and unoccupied in the Grand Canyon State. Other states in broad deep economic trouble are Nevada, California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Wisconsin. The foreclosure crisis is a strongly significant factor in all but TN and WI. As the foreclosure crisis continues to worsen and expand, look for other states to join this list in the coming months. One can expect over 20 states to be in recession by summers end. The growing economic downturn will indeed have a cancerous effect on many of the nation's 50 states.
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http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0509biz-recession0509.html
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*****

Obama Nears Nomination

Illinois US Senator Barack Obama scored a relatively easy victory earlier this week outright in the North Carolina Democratic Primary and would have done the same in Indiana had not tens of thousands of Republicans crossed over to vote for Hillary Clinton and give her a narrow victory. This recent trend, strongly encouraged and led by rightwing radio iconoclast Rush Limbaugh, has been virtually the only reason why the Clinton campaign remains alive although it is on life support and teetering on financial collapse. Obama now has approximately 1,850 delegates which puts him within around 175 delegates of clinching the nomination. The remaining six primaries will not give him enough to clinch the nomination outright, so Obama will be lobbying the Democratic Party superdelegates to put him over the top. Thankfully, the end of this seemingly endless campaign that has been going on for well over a year already now is in sight with the completion of the Montana and South Dakota primaries on Tuesday 3 June.
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Next up is West Virginia on Tuesday 13 June followed by Oregon and Kentucky on Tuesday 20 June. Puerto Rico holds its Democratic primary on Sunday 1 June as the penultimate primary day. Obama also is even with Clinton in the area of superdelegate support with his recent successes.
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West Virginia Primary: 28 pledged. 11 super, 39 total delegates to determined
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Kentucky Primary: 51 pledged, 9 super, 60 total delegates to be determined
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Oregon Primary: 52 pledged, 13 super, 65 total delegates to be determined
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Puerto Rico: 55 pledged, 8 super, 63 total delegates to be determined
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Montana: 16 pledged, 9 super, 25 total delegates to be determined
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South Dakota: 15 pledged, 8 super, 23 total delegates to be determined
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At this time, approximately 240 to 250 superdelegates remain either uncommitted or unassigned. This group of supporters will be the key element to be followed in the coming month and beyond.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_%28United_States%29_presidential_primaries%2C_2008
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Democratic_Party_%28United_States%29_superdelegates%2C_2008
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