Sygnetchure Syren

Happy Birthday Bruce Payne

2011-11-22T08:08:00.000-05:00

Is been a long time since I've been here. With other social media, I'm questioning the value of blogs now....

Anyway, I just wanted to continue my annual birthday greeting to Actor/Producer Mr. Bruce Payne - still gorgeous, worthy, capable, and, damn it, underappreciated.

WHAT HAPPENED TO RESPECT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT?

2011-08-08T14:06:00.000-05:00

In advance: Been busy the last few months..no time for blogs. However, I find myself engaging with others on local political sites from time to time - now measuring the value of that. For the sake of not wanting to justify every comment or retort, and like a user, sometimes girlfriend who will dump you after a good steak dinner, here I am. (And, just for the record, I'm really not that sort of woman)

About POTUS: It’s one thing to disagree with policy, but it’s quite another to convey so vicious a sentiment that conservative members think they can insult the Office, and Mr. Obama, and then act contrite like ‘tar baby’ was some oh-well colloquial slip-up.

What, it wasn’t enough to be called ‘Liar!’? Racism not only hurts the victim - it’s a despicable bruise on society. It offends all of us who merely hope (there’s that damned word again) to live, never mind govern, with some sense of harmony.

While I don’t believe it to be the answer, at times like this, the argument for secession starts looking attractive. GOP leadership needs to bring down the hammer on their members to end such blatant, unforgivable slurs - to dismiss it only perpetuates their own long-held stereotype.

NOW PERHAPS THE BIRTHERS WILL SHUT THE HELL UP

2011-04-27T20:31:00.000-05:00

Those of us who get it, understand what the truth is behind the psychotic birther rhetoric; they refuse to acknowledge America has a legitmate African-American President. Now, they can't...

THE PROOF IS THERE - GET OVER IT.

WILL THE BIRTHERS PLEASE SHUT UP?!?

2011-01-06T20:54:00.000-05:00

Right at the start of the New Year, the disrepectful, sniping whiners who still cannot accept President Obama's leadership, continue to show their ignorance and downright stupidity. From the rest of us who are sick and tired of your foundless, groundless, discriminatory nonsense - STOP insulting the President, and the rest of the Nation!

Political rants be damned...today, it's about Bruce Payne...

2010-11-22T08:24:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Everyone...
Forgive this rather hasty indulgence of a punctuation-hating Writer - even at the risk of appearing a bimbo sycophant, I could not allow today to pass without offering what has unconsciously become my annual birthday greeting to Actor/Producer Bruce Payne.

If my information is correct, he is collaborating on a project with Oliver Stone, the sometimes Actor, yet more often Directorial Storyteller Extraordinaire.

Like his many admirers, I wish Mr. Payne a splendid birthday, with many more to follow…Cheers! :)

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN VOTERS: DO YOUR HOMEWORK

2010-11-01T15:46:00.000-05:00

America has an obligation to reflect on previous leadership before voting on November 2nd.  The country must look at the events and decisions of the past decade, THEN determine whether its 'anger' is justified. It is meaningless and sophomoric to say how angry you are, but not understand the circumstances that led up to it.

No president could have snapped their fingers and corrected the very complicated downfall of our economy, be they Democrat or Republican.  While the recovery is slow, it IS moving in the right direction. Undoubtedly, some jobs have been lost forever, because companies have either moved overseas or dissolved, but there has always been unemployment, and there will continue to be. Why some people are even surprised at that statement is in itself stunning, proving some folks just believe whatever they're told.

A respected Wall St. analyst is already predicting the market will recover to 13,000 by next summer. So...how is that possible if Washington is doing all wrong now?  Markets generally shows steady improvement about one year before a genuine economic upswing.

If voters go to the polls tomorrow and pull that lever without doing their homework, they will have done a great disservice to the Nation, regardless of the party they support.  Incumbent or 'outsider', candidates from coast to coast are banking the electorate will NOT look back, remaining the largely uninformed and obedient lot they are.

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN MASSACHUSETTS POLITICS?

2010-10-08T06:55:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought we'd had enough to worry about with the national knuckleheads running for office, Massachusetts proves it can outshine the lot. Independent gubernatorial candidate Timothy Cahill's lieutenant, Atty. and former State Rep. Paul Loscocco, was apparently lured away from the middle/T-sympathizing ticket by consultants tied to GOP candidate, Charles Baker. Allegedly, emails show 'operatives' within Cahill's staff orchestrated the defection of Loscocco and provided Baker's camp with insider campaign information, with promissory intention of keeping Loscocco's career intact. In response, Tim Cahill has, not surprisingly, filed a lawsuit. Scrambling for damage control, Baker's staff has countered, asking the AG to inquire whether Cahill misused taxpayer money during the campaign.

Massachusetts has been through enough from the GOP, thanks for nothing. After repeatedly inadequate Republican leadership left the Bay State's current Democratic governor, Deval Patrick, with a billion dollar hole BEFORE the national recession hit, now conservatives have landed another black eye on the political landscape. Evidently, Baker met with Loscocco before publicly (and internally) announcing his desertion of Cahill. Flip-flopping with political affiliations may have left him with virtually no credibility on the political front, and all the liability Charlie Baker cannot outrun.

GOP: SOME ARE READING FROM THE SAME CUE-CARD...

2010-09-17T18:44:00.000-05:00

It's been some time since I've posted here, because like a wily fox, I've been watching - the GOP, the T-totalers, and, those who profess to be 'Independent'.  I'm almost ready to publish my substantial argument against voting for Republicans.  Through their own avarice, they lost the faith of America, and rightly so.

I used to classify myself as an Indie, but not for the reasons one might think.  I just wanted the telemarketing politicos to leave me alone, figuring if I was a fence-sitter, they would.  For the most part, it worked.

However, what has become apparent is the similarity in verbiage amongst the right; from MA gubernatorial candidate Baker to puppet-master Rove, if I hear the expression 'at the end of the day' one more time, I will scream. For God's sake, everyone knows you're obedient, but can't you be just a little original?

I hear the terror of the radical fringe on the right, and frankly, I'm not worried. At some point, one of them will pull their mask off and they'll be exposed.

TO THE SENATE: CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?

2010-06-25T07:24:00.000-05:00

Once again, the GOP proves it only cares about ensuring tax cuts for the wealthy and big business. Cutting the lifeline for extended unemployment benefits now forces the states, whose resources are already strained, to assist those in need.

As usual, the argument is about reducing government spending, but they didn't seem to give much consideration to the issue years ago - when they began writing multi-billion checks every month to fund the Iraq War.

BIG OIL, BIG EGOS, AND A BEYOND-BIG MESS

2010-06-17T17:17:00.001-05:00

As the media portrays the oil spill catastrophe in a daily whatever-will-sell headline, there appears to be a lack of visibility of on-site, coordinating state and federal environmental officials. BP is NOT alone in culpability, and its puzzling as to why the head of Transocean (and others), were not sitting next to Mr. Hayward in Washington today. Personally, as furious as I am about this situation, I believed Mr. Hayward's apology.

Between corporations not preparing for the worst, and government officials not policing them, there's enough blame to go around for everyone. Now the questions loom: how do we stop this ASAP, clean up the colossal residue, and, prevent this from happening ever again?

BOYCOTT OIL - DEEP SEA DRILLING HAS DESTROYED THE GULF

2010-04-30T12:31:00.002-05:00

Enough is enough - the perils of sea drilling long swept under the rug by Big Oil have now surfaced. This sludge is the stuff borne of deadly nightmares, and here we are. Brit Petrol, Exxon/Mobil, Shell and all the others should be subject to a global moratorium from ocean extraction, indefinitely. Where is the automatic shut-off? Why is there no 'manual' override to stop flow at the ocean floor?

There's little doubt that the Gulf of Mexico is experiencing real and permanent damage, including the overall ecological and economic devastation of the region. We as a nation and a planet should be sick to death of corporations excuses over, over, and over about drill, drill, drill. Let's work toward ditching oil altogether and look UP - to our real and sustainable energy source.

SALEM FILM FEST 2010: YOU DON"T NEED A PLANE TICKET TO SEE THE WORLD

2010-02-10T21:21:00.001-05:00

Salem Film Fest 2010 is coming into its third year and will be hosted at CinemaSalem in Salem, Massachusetts, Feb. 25th through March 4th. This all-documentary festival will be showcasing 34 films from filmmakers across the globe. Go to http://www.salemfilmfest.com/ for more information and film scheduling.

Right this way...

2010-02-07T09:38:00.001-05:00

It’s happening again - the Right is rallying its impressionable masses once more through chanting war cries, fear, and all the other mindless tripe that sets an already agitated crowd on fire. America has to stop falling for this…

Sarah Palin and the rest of her ilk refuse to acknowledge (or take responsibility) that many of our problems stem from the incredibly bad leadership of Mr. Obama’s predecessor. She smugly asks, 'How’s that hopey, changey thing?’, when it is republicans who have thwarted the President’s efforts to motivate an upswing in the economy. Tell us, Governor, what was Alaska’s unemployment rate when you jumped ship? Perhaps it’s just easier for some to discourage progress, stoke anger, and create an impenetrable wall of partisan phobia, than brainstorm constructively, in a cooperative environment - to the betterment of an entire nation.

From coast to coast, the country is exhausted politically. It runs the real risk of eventually alienating a throng of voters who, through hopelessness, will walk away from the political process altogether, leaving unmonitored legislative power to yet more incompetents. If a strong, independent third-party platform does not rise up soon to challenge the system (and keep it in check) in the face of disarray and smug obstructionism, our ability to legislate effectively and draw the country out of recession, will be undermined for years to come.

PAT ROBERTSON: THE EARTH IS NO LONGER FLAT!

2010-01-14T16:33:00.001-05:00

How can a purported 'Christian' continually rail fundamentalist garbage against his fellow man? It is abominable. It is also such archaic, nonsensical rhetoric that touted the Earth was the center of the Universe.

Nobody made any deals with the Devil, Mr. Robertson, but casting aspersions at the Haitian people in their darkest hour makes many of us wonder about you. Supposedly, Abraham's god was/is not a merciless one - perhaps you have forgotten that.

There's an old saying that says you should never kick a man when he's down, because he may get up. May the Haitian nation recover strong and steady, even in the face of blatant, unsupportive ignorance.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T07:14:00.000-05:00

I’ve been dreadfully remiss in keeping up here because of many personal obstacles in the past few months, but would like to offer a toast for the New Year, and, new decade:

Here’s to…the excruciating death of reality television…a willing cooperation of Congress in at least a few legislative affairs…that racists and our ‘enemies’ everywhere suffer an epiphany…America commits to taking better care of herself…finally, and equally, may we all try, just a little harder, in all good things we do, and not whine about it.

CHEERS….SAFE TRAVELS

THE WHITE HOUSE UNINVITED: CAPITALIZING ON CRASHING

2009-11-29T13:40:00.000-05:00

The Salahi couple made a mockery of the White House, the Government, and frankly, the nation. To think they are attempting to capitalize on their fraud should be crime in itself. Why are some so hung up on becoming famous? Have their lives become so small that they must resort to breaching the law to catch a thrill? IF SO, DO THE REST OF US A FAVOR, PLEASE, AND PUT ON A DEFECTIVE PARACHUTE AND GO CLIFF-JUMPING! Homeland Security has enough work to do at taxpayer expense!

'DRESS' DESIGNERS: STEER CLEAR OF THE 'RUNWAY'...?

2009-11-23T08:18:00.000-05:00

Once more, 'Project Runway' has proved that while it is temporarily curious, it is not truly interested in designers who have what might be considered a "signature" talent. Those contestants revealing a specific skill, such as creating formal/evening wear are, forgive the pun, strung along until the 11th hour, only to be told their presentations have no continuity. Keeping such candidates in the running only looks to placate the 'girly' minded viewers. Being well-rounded is a nice idea, in a perfect world, but designers who exhibit a special expertise should not be dismissed.

Traditional designing forte do not matter here. If you're not avant-garde/couture or dark-edgy/Goth, just avoid the drama and inevitable disappointment, and find other platform from which to launch your work.

BRUCE PAYNE: MAY I BUY YOU A BIRTHDAY PINT?

2009-11-22T13:23:00.000-05:00

Ha, perhaps, were I lucky enough to have the planets line up! Guess I'll have to wait 'til 2012....right....

But seriously, best birthday wishes to the continually enigmatic figure…from one of his many admirers...

Cheers!

UNM vs. BYU Soccer, and all College Sports: EXPEL THE BULLIES

2009-11-07T09:02:00.001-05:00

To their credit, the University of New Mexico did respond promptly to the blatant bullying of their female soccer player in the recent Brigham Young contest. However, it is not clear whether the player punished was the only perp – other suspect displays from UNM teammates went unnoticed or were marginalized.

Using the lame excuse that ‘the heat of the moment’ led to a student’s bad behavior, not only pours salt on a bruised university’s reputation, but it gives a green light to impressionable young athletes everywhere; the method doesn’t matter, only winning.

A carefully worded apology is not enough. By snapping back a BYU Cougar's neck from grabbing her ponytail, the UNM player could have easily caused irreparable and permanent harm. Video evidence confirms that incident was not isolated.

In the face of what was repeated mistreatment of her opponents, the accusation of ‘poor sportsmanship’ toward the junior defender appears inadequate. UNM’s Athletic Department should be reevaluating its policy concerning ethics of play – employing a zero tolerance expulsion procedure for what could only be labeled, in this instance, “competitive abuse”.

MADAM SPEAKER: DEMAND REP. WILSON'S RESIGNATION

2009-09-10T08:07:00.000-05:00

SUCH PUBLIC DISREPECT OF THE PRESIDENT IS INEXCUSABLE. WILSON DOES NOT SERVE HIS CONSTITUENTS, CONGRESS, OR THE NATION.

THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH ON EDUCATION

2009-09-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT THE BOOK-BURNERS WHO BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT’S IMPENDING MESSAGE ON EDUCATION IS A DETRIMENT TO THE COUNTRY, SHOULD GO BACK TO THEIR PLANTATIONS, AND STAY THERE.

WHEN MR. BUSH WANTED TO HAVE HIS SAY, VIRTUALLY NO ONE OBJECTED. IT WOULD APPEAR JUDAS IS ALIVE AND WELL...

SEN. 'TED' KENNEDY 1932-2009: THE SENATE WAS THE LION'S DEN

2009-08-26T03:24:00.008-05:00

Senator Edward Kennedy, even through his personal tribulations and multiple family tragedies, rallied selflessly to aid the disadvantaged and working class at every given turn. He was a fighter and a diplomat, uncommon qualities in the realm of public service today. If anyone could cut through the rubbish, it was Teddy. Unlike his brother John, perhaps he was not meant to be President, but be a driving force where he could do the most good. Being a proud liberal, Kennedy was able to see beyond ideology - the mark of a true politician. His unflinching efforts to represent the residents of Massachusetts and the entire country, should set the standard for congressional legislators now and for generations to come.

'The greatest good for the greatest number...'
That principle describes best the legacy of Senator Edward Kennedy.

TEDDY RIST ROCKS 'THE PHILANTHROPIST'

2009-08-08T14:58:00.005-05:00

Whaddya know, a television network has finally broken ground with a prime time effort worthy of an IQ over 100. NBC's 'The Philanthropist', is a thought provoking look into the adventures of a most interesting character, the wealthy Theodore 'Teddy' Rist, played by the magnetic English actor, James Purefoy.

Time and again, Purefoy's benevolent billionaire is compelled to put himself in harms way in order to lend a hand to the less fortunate. From Kashmir to Kosovo and points beyond, Rist digs deep into society's travesties, maneuvering the system as he goes along. Although sometimes naive, he is smooth and clever, but adorably flawed.

The networks have saturated the air with programming dull as dishwater and tasty as tripe. 'The Philanthropist' challenges its audience to escape, yet still use its grey matter. My hope is that NBC will stay on course with this and take into consideration the drop in viewership may have more to do with folks being on vacation than a lack of interest.

INFIDELITY: FOR SOME, ITS HARD BEING HUMAN

2009-06-25T10:07:00.028-05:00

I do not condone the actions of the Governor of South Carolina. He represents a clutch of public servants whose recent indiscretions have been outed by one source or another. At some point, it was determined that when one signs up for such a visible career path, they should expect to be held to a higher 'standard' than the general public. I disagree. Whomever initially drew that conclusion, obviously thought that once elected, politicians walk through some sort of portal, which transforms them into someone/thing immune from temptation.

I understand the disappointment of Gov. Sanford's constituents, and of course, the hurt his wife and family must feel. On a personal level, I am a woman who has also experienced betrayal, and it often takes months, if not years to reconcile. What annoys me is that some feminista writers are trying to pass off their slanted commentaries as objective reporting.

Taking the fundamentalist extreme would say that anyone, at anytime, who has ever even had a risque thought in their head about an individual other than the one they're committed to is a failure - both as a spouse and a person. The other end insinuates they should be forgiven and perhaps even glorified, because everybody is flawed, damn it, deserving of a second chance. I subscribe to neither ideal, totally.

There is so much more going here than just the scorn of outsiders and pain of those directly affected. Why does it happen in the first place? Selfishness? Retribution? Insecurity? Boredom? In this and most situations we'll never truly know, but for the sake of argument, let's take the latter, and why not? We all get bored, so why are relationships off limits? People get bored! And then we can look at the daily grind: even the word 'routine' sounds like a yawn. Its the kids and work and laundry and cutting the grass and soccer games and reconciling checkbooks and all the obstacles that interfere with us maintaining the 'spark' in our relationships. After so many years, how do we NOT become drawn to someone or thing more exciting than we are? Let us answer that question first - before we go wagging our fingers at others.

Welcome to Humanity. We are curious creatures, and sometimes that 'drive' is so strong that it overshadows everything in its path. Often it is not a question of why someone would cheat, and an honest poll would reveal the husband/wife had NO intention of hurting their family. Its easy to sit there and pass judgement without looking at what makes us tick, but please, spare me the men-only-cheat-because-they-suck militant rhetoric. Men AND women stray because they feel insecure, self-serving, unloved, fed up, vain, or any other reason they, or you, can imagine.

NORTH KOREA: WHERE IS CHINA?

2009-06-24T17:27:00.003-05:00

Where is the loan holder of billions in U.S. debt? It serves her to be the 'diffuser' in this sudden escalated situation with the North Koreans. Obviously someone is going off the deep end. If China does nothing to deter them, and the U.S is fired upon...

SAVING THE BOSTON GLOBE - IT'S ROCKET SCIENCE

2009-06-11T11:06:00.004-05:00

Set up the Log-on to Boston.com with a subscription that charges 50 cents a day to an assigned credit card, no matter how many times the user signs in during that day - the Sunday edition would cost, say, $1.50. If the user doesn't sign in, they are not charged.

No you say, because the paper would get clobbered with transaction merchant fees!

All the Globe has to do is set it up so each customer is billed once a week, for one transaction, with an email sent notifying the customer of the amount. The customer pays for what they use, and the newspaper generates a consistent stream of revenue for their online content.

REALITY TV: IS IT LEGALIZED VOYEURISM?

2009-05-05T15:42:00.009-05:00

Unscripted television has insinuated itself into prime time, becoming the excuse for programming to be raw and unsophisticated. It has effectively stolen countless hours out of audiences’ lives. Granted, no one is holding the TV remote hostage, but there is a lure, a draw, a promise of something steamy and juicy. The consumer winds up being served a huge, cold dish of…who gives a flying you-know-what…

Why does anyone care about the day-to-day lives of a housewife from Anywhere, USA, or a family with 38 children? They run the gamut from snarky to bitchy to pollyanna to smugly matter-of-fact about their wealth (even in a horrific economy!). God help me, I almost fell off my chair when they showed highlights between the ‘relevant’ shows, as one of them had the gall to say someone else isn’t interesting enough or shallow. JESUS H., HAVE THEY LOOKED IN THE MIRROR? And please, is it fair today to see a 16 year-old get pissed off because their birthday Lexus didn't come in the color they wanted, rubbing it in the face of kids who can't even afford to buy a CD? That's not 'entertainment', my friends, that is SALT.

There is perhaps, PERHAPS I say, an exception: one of the reality series depicts the ongoing challenges of ‘little people’. Now I can understand how a documentary on this subject may be interesting and relevant, but why it was necessary to expand it into a weekly series is beyond me. Being invited into someone’s living room is one thing, having the camera at hand during every private moment is quite another.

I suppose the guilty parties in these hollow timewasters are the producers, who are undoubtedly under pressure from their networks to jack ratings. Everybody has to make a living these days, but a difficult economic situation should not be a pass for the networks to throw their hands up and say they do not have the resources to come up with anything thought provoking or clever. I have made a conscious decision: if I stumble upon a company who sponsors such programming, they will be boycotted.

WHAT THE HELL DID YOU EXPECT AFTER 100 DAYS?

2009-04-29T19:49:00.008-05:00

As a result of incredibly irresponsible leadership, this nation is now experiencing one of its most difficult periods in modern history. Our new president has a magnifying glass over him - why? What did everyone expect him to do in the first hundred days...wave a magic wand?

How stupid are the pundits and political junkies who are so quick to criticize? Talk about justifying your existence. There's no mojo bag at the White House. Resolving these problems will be a drawn out process, and to think our new administration will fare any better under daily, micro-managed scrutiny is not only ludicrous, but immature.

WELCOME TO THE FOLD, SENATOR SPECTER

2009-04-28T12:11:00.003-05:00

There comes a time a person's life when their wisdom is heightened and that awareness steers toward a more socially conscious path. Senator Specter's commitment to public service has been noble, and we reflect on that as he transitions into the Democratic Party. Surely, it is a difficult decision – one we do not take for granted.

PRECIOUS AND FEW...

2009-03-18T20:51:00.003-05:00

I was not a 'fan' of Natasha Richardson's work - not in the traditional sense anyway. However, I saw her as a gifted actress in her own right, not a shadow of her theatrical family legacy.

A beautiful mother and wife, she was taken far too soon...in an uncommonly tragic manner. There are no adequate words of solice that can be offered to her husband and family, but from those of us who have been unexpectedly touched by this - our thoughts go out to them.

LISTEN UP AND SUCK IT UP, AMERICA

2009-02-24T21:32:00.003-05:00

Whatever happened to the problem solvers of America? Have the think tanks dried up? Why is it when a crisis rears its head, we now moan and turn inward?

Ok, so America got soft – sitting on her fat can for decades, borrowing more money than she could rightly pay. Houses were used as ATM machines to buy all kind of widgets from infomercials at two o’clock in the morning, because somehow, it would make life more convenient. Then, IT hits the fan. A nation stood staring down the barrel of a creditor’s gun. ‘If you’ve been late, EVEN ONCE, B-bye.’ Ka-blam…

Granted, there is that throng of dice-rollers who chose their reckless financial path, because they had to ‘keep up with their neighbors’. They do not deserve pity, but having said that, I will also say that predatory lenders should be drawn and quartered, period.

Wall Street: Yeah, we get it, screwed again. Let’s stop groaning and go forward so my 401k can rise from the ashes. The Media: keep talking as if the world is coming to an end, and damn it, it will. When was the last time you listened to a news report and thought, ‘For the love of Christ, do you have ANYTHING good to say? A crumb, all I need is a crumb!’…?

The ‘drink the Kool-Aid’ fear-soaked drivel that led this country into fiscal ruin now represents the same mindset that has bankers terrified and consumers walking on eggshells. Continued dismal reports about unemployment, foreclosures, etc., FEED the ‘dragon’ or ‘recession’ - it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Everyone must to commit to reeducation with regard to spending and borrowing, or stimulus efforts of any kind will be meaningless. Credit card debt must be paid down, and ‘one stop shopping’ has to go. The bright, but lazy idea of putting a supermarket, bank, pharmacy, and God knows what else under one roof has driven a stake through the heart of small business sector.

America may be on her knees, but its time to get up, and pull up, our socks. The entire planet has proved it runs on confidence, which comes by word-of-mouth, i.e., the media. At the end of the day, the masses need something to believe in. They will not spend money, invest, nor have faith in the market or government until ‘Sam’ and the media, begin to convey even the smallest positive improvements in our economic situation.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRUCE PAYNE!

2008-11-22T15:55:00.003-05:00

Birthday greetings to the elusive and talented actor – those of us who appreciate Mr. Payne’s gifts, do not see enough of him.

INSTEAD OF A BAILOUT, CAN DETROIT TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH?

2008-11-18T20:33:00.003-05:00

Why can't the big three merge as a cooperative? Admittedly, I know jack about the inner parts of the industry, but if it works for others (agriculture, lumber, etc.) then why not automobiles?

AMERICA RISES FROM THE ASHES

2008-11-04T23:18:00.002-05:00

TODAY, AMERICA SENT THE OLD SCHOOL PACKING AND TOOK BACK HER COUNTRY AND HER SELF-RESPECT. ITS BEEN A LONG, HARD EIGHT YEARS - LET THE TRUTH BE FINALLY TOLD AND THE RECONSTRUCTION BEGIN.

WALL STREET, THE METAPHOR: A MANSION BUILT ON THE SAND

2008-10-02T08:02:00.003-05:00

After decades of duck, dodge, and hide, the truth has finally come out: much of the world’s purported finances are not worth the paper their written on. The ‘bailout’ may be an aspirin for the market, but if we do not learn from this, an even grimmer forecast awaits us all. We must compel reform for corporations to maintain some form of essential liquidity - in order to protect the economy. Businesses cannot completely run (and re-run) around a credit line.

Wall Street should be ashamed of itself in allowing this...floating the whole boat. Like an industrious cargo ship, she sauntered from port to port, making herself look full and vital. Now, it appears her ‘ballast’ was little more than air.

When it served the brokers, it served them well, but now the bell has tolled.

IS THE FINANCIAL BAILOUT A CLEVER SWITCHAROO PLOY TO MAKE THE DEMOCRATS LOOK BAD?

2008-09-26T12:20:00.003-05:00

Question: What do Republicans have to loose at this point? Answer: The White House or, nothing…depends how we look at it. Therefore, what difference does it make if they support a lame duck, incredibly unpopular President? The GOP may think that walking out on a bailout plan that Bush supports will make Democrats look foolish, thereby temporarily averting their party of blame. If the plan tanks right off, the GOP can point their fingers come November and proclaim, 'We told you so!'

OK NORTH KOREA - GIVE THE MONEY BACK!!

2008-09-24T08:42:00.003-05:00

Once more, North Korea proved it can be trusted about as far as we can throw it. The self-assuming pariah extorted millions from the U.S. to stop pursuing its nuclear program. Now it expels U.N. monitors and flips off the planet.

China should be worried. It is perhaps the only ‘diplomatic’ thread N.K. can utilize, and pressure should be put on them to pull in the reigns. If Kim Jong Il is still alive but incapable of making any ‘rational’ decisions (which in his case is a stretch anyway), his militia may be so devoted that they cannot see the imminent risk.

Secretary Rice should be on her way to Beijing right now.

ADD TO JOE BIDEN'S RESUME: WING-MAN

2008-08-23T06:22:00.002-05:00

Joe Biden. He is the only one with enough foreign policy experience to help the U.S. get out the hole we're in. Obama's choice proves his wing-man will not just be resting on his laurels or scribbling talk points on his way to ribbon cutting ceremonies. OBAMA/BIDEN '08!

Pouring gasoline on an economic fire

2008-04-24T16:32:00.003-05:00

Washington can lay blame for high gas prices wherever it makes them feel better, but at the end of the day, it is they who have failed the country by not bearing down on big oil and OPEC. Virtually every single item consumers purchase is affected by increased tranportation costs. We borrow Chinese money to solve economic problems we knew were brewing for some time. Recession? Try again...

Gun Control

2008-02-20T12:07:00.003-05:00

I am sick of guns, and I am sick of guns winding up in the hands of the unstable - who want to hurt our children. And I am sick to death of listening to the argument that the "right" to possess them, determines whether or not I should be entitled to any liberty at all. That, is insane.

PRICE CAP FOR GASOLINE?

2008-02-01T18:13:00.000-05:00

How is it Exxon/Mobil reaps an $11.7 billion dollar profit, yet, they can't reduce their margins for one year - to help out the U.S. economy? Imagine what would happen with that $$ flowing back to consumers. How many small businesses would be helped? How many jobs would be saved? Someone from the government should be looking out for our interests here, (ex: The Federal Trade Commission), and they're doing squat.

TELL THE OIL COMPANIES TO PUT IT TOWARD THE $140B+ DOLLAR STIMULUS PACKAGE - BECAUSE WE'RE BORROWING THAT MONEY.

DEMOCRATS: YOU ARE GIVING THE GOP FODDER

2008-01-22T19:04:00.001-05:00

The Democratic debate was a reflection of just the sort of caustic, alienating behavior the GOP is banking on. Senators Clinton and Obama need to step back and see how an independent voter just might perceive their salty exchange. To the credit of former Senator Edwards, he did not allow himself to be drawn into the fray. It is unfortunate his campaign finances appear to be straining.

Had the DNC given it thought, they could have forged a winning plan. Inviting the country to accept a person of color or a female candidate in a gradual fashion, within the V.P. position, would have allowed the public to get accustomed to the idea.

Perhaps that will sound awful, or narrow-minded, but the truth goes both ways here. It does not make any difference what the gender or color of a candidate is, yet, there are still too many voters living in the past. The issues of race and sex in this election have in many ways, marginalized the concerns at hand; mind the inferred comment about Sen. Edward’s being the only white guy.

Many would express it is time to get the good ole white boys out of the way and make room for executive diversity. That would be swell, except...America has not quite loosened the grip of her legacy. Our conquering, separatist ways, are hundreds of years old. The good intentions of individuals fostering equality on all levels - regretfully still have work to do. It may yet take another generation to open those still-closed minds.

MATH 101: ECONOMIC "STIMULUS" PACKAGE = BANDAGE ON A GUNSHOT WOUND

2008-01-19T09:50:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, I am not a math whiz. To my INTP personality, it is the equivalent of intellectual wash-boarding. However, whenever Washington finally said yesterday it had to cough up a lung to derail an impending recession - I almost fell off my chair. The Executive Branch tried their rebate bologna several years ago, but look where we are now.

Where is this stimulus money coming from? Are they cashing in gold reserves stored in the bowels of Fort Knox? Government officials sauntered past the fiscal warning flags for some time, and perhaps because the election is looming, it is why they are compelled to address this. If you want to know how bad things really are, look at the Bureau of the Public Debt website. Oddly enough, the site has recently changed - it is not as easy to understand. In the upper right hand corner, the accruing total was plain as day, but not anymore. That number is regretfully well over nine trillion dollars now. That’s a nine folks, with a posse of twelve zeros.

Our government has continued to send billions of borrowed, yes, BORROWED dollars overseas, to fund a “war” with an unforeseeable victory, while public, environmental, and infrastructure programs suffered at home plate. Worse, a generation of mostly well-intentioned, albeit naïve individuals were being swindled by parasitic lenders into purchasing homes they would inevitably loose, forcing more bankruptcy, poverty, exponential credit card debt, and forced population migration.

No doubt, this situation may provoke widespread social stress. Everyone will think twice about what he or she buys, where they go, and where they live. Among several industries, manufacturing, tourism, and small businesses will bear the brunt. Then there are the charities, but nobody seems to stop and think about how non-profits are affected.
The wealthy will probably remain intact. As for the rest of us…well, ever heard of a “nuclear winter”? We’re on our way to a financial one. Bottom line: It is time for America to get off the couch, put the economy first, and most of all, put your legislative leaders back to work - VOTE.

ROMNEY CONVINCES THE HOMETOWN BOYS

2008-01-15T21:31:00.001-05:00

The former governor of Massachusetts appears to have convinced enough people who didn't know any better, that he will do something for the recession-plagued state of Michigan. HEADS UP FOLKS: Read Mitt Romney job record in Massachusetts. After you're done, ask yourself: Is this the man who will save the Motor City and its brethren in November? The only thing that will salvage Michigan is re-education of both the auto industry to compete with Asia and Japan, and its employees, so they can rebuild a state that, regretfully, put its eggs one basket.

CLINTON: THE MAN WAS DEAD WRONG, BUT HE WENT TO A DEMOCRAT

2007-12-01T10:32:00.000-05:00

What does it say about a man who is mentally challenged, but still has enough of himself left to know it and implores a Democrat for help? It says he has enough "marbles" to understand a Republican wouldn't care about him, or his well-being, because the GOP, as a party, have not proven the mentally ill deserve the health care services long overdue them. Ask former Gov. Romney what he did for mental health care in Massachusetts and you'll hear an echo. Thank Heavens the situation was diffused, but its meaning is relevant on more than one level.

HOW DO WE KNOW IF THE ROMNEY "NEGATIVE CALLS" ARE A FAKE CAMPAIGN PLOY TO LURE VOTES AWAY FROM OTHER GOP CANDIDATES?

2007-11-17T16:29:00.000-05:00

Let's think about this for a minute. How prudent (and clever) would it be to pull the old switcharoo and make it look like your rivals are bashing you by having supporters "manufacture" complaints about you and embellish the good points of your opponents? Only an idiot at this stage of the game would attempt such nonsense...and only a fox could pull it off....

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU BELIEVE AMERICA....BECAUSE SOME OF IT IS A LIE.

MCCAIN: DO NOT WRITE OFF THIS RIGHTIE

2007-11-13T05:08:00.000-05:00

A recent reputable poll is reflecting that maybe, just maybe, voters are figuring out that Senator John McCain really does have the BEST qualifications to lead America from a conservative point of view. While I myself do not agree with him on several issues, there is no question in my mind about the man's integrity, or, sincerety. GO JOHN!

AND IRAN, IRAN SO FAR AWAY

2007-09-25T19:24:00.000-05:00

What goes around, surely comes around. "Setting up" the President of Iran was as ridiculous as some of the man's answers. Anyone the least bit sympathetic to him would've seen it as an afront by America - just insulting someone we don't agree with politically. It gave him an undeserved platform.

Why energy is wasted on such efforts is a mystery. Without pause, man creates his own problems. For thousands of years, it continues to be more difficult to offer our hand, instead of raise our fist...

CNN SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITSELF

2007-07-22T07:43:00.000-05:00

Where does it end? The media behemoth CNN has struck a new low in the airing of it's recent King interview with the late Tammy Faye (Baker) Messner. Regardless of anybody's contempt of the woman and her former husband, the Bible toting holier-than-thou-catch-me-when-I-fall evangelist, Jim, one had to wonder while she was discussing her illness, why? Why wouldn't anyone with a sense of moralistic duty, never mind journalistic, leave this person to rest, and inevitably, eternal rest?

It is arguably blasphemous to have someone so dreadfully ill be portrayed this way. Even if the message was to convey hope for others, there was none here. The image left for us now is not of the once vibrant, over-painted baroness of GOD-TV, but of a pathetic, withered skeleton - whose testimony will score a grand slam in the coveted Nelson rating report card.

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE UNITED STATES

2007-07-02T20:13:00.000-05:00

Well, another day is done, and once again my heart and mind are taxed at the thought of Washington and it's disintegrating reputation. With the Executive Branch allowing for the commutation of Mr. Libby's sentence, it has spat in the face of the blind-folded woman carrying the scales and sword, a figure which by itself represents one of the most important virtues the founders of this nation fought to protect - Justice. The citizen's of this country deserve not to be lied to, not to have their national security threatened in the name of retribution, not to have their juries underminded and held in contempt. In other words, the United States deserves far better. SHAME ON WASHINGTON, AND SHAME ON US FOR PERMITTING THIS TO CONTINUE. Was President Putin right? Have we withered and decayed that much? November 2008 cannot possibly come fast enough, but the ultimate question remains, will there be anything left?

FORMER GOV. ROMNEY AND "THE MASSACHUSETTS FACTOR"

2007-06-11T20:23:00.000-05:00

People railed Mike Dukasis during and long after his govenorship, blasting his economic record and a myriad of other issues - not taking into account the entire country was pretty much in a downturn. Then came the republicans, Bill Weld, the rightie-leftie-rightie governor. Gov. Celucci who aspired to bigger but alas, not big enough things, and dear God, former acting Gov. Swift. As if none of them were enough, enter Mitt Romney. Many, like myself, believed him to be middle-of-the-road GOP. However, in little time, his decisions spoke louder than any image a campaign manager could have portrayed. Along with increased taxes and fees, the slash and burn budget cuts - left to cities and towns to fend for themselves. Decreased funding for schools and school buses, libraries, senior centers, and other social programs were cast adrift - like unwanted baggage. Look at the condition Massachusetts was left in, and ask yourself if this is how you want the country to look in 2012. America can do better.

How many members of the Bush Administration are supposed to fall on their swords?

2007-04-29T21:12:00.000-05:00

George Tenet has angrily come forward to profess that regarding terrorism, he and his staff did all they could, with all they knew. His agency was/is not to blame. Now his former "officers" are suddenly coming out of the woodwork to protest his poor leadership skills. How convenient. Don't get me wrong, there's enough blame to go around here - for everyone.

Former National Security Advisor, Richard Clark, voiced the same frustration in getting anyone to pay attention to his concerns about an imminent terrorist attack only a few months before 9/11, but, no one would listen.

The legacy of our current leadership may be measured by many things, but integrity is not one of them. America's voters looked at President Clinton's intern scandal and thought they knew what corruption was.

There's an old adage that says you better be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. Well, as a nation, we did - in spades. The time has come for us to figure out how to make peace with our enemies.

DANA FARBER HAD BETTER NEVER SOLICIT ME FOR DONATIONS AGAIN

2007-04-18T20:18:00.000-05:00

Unbelievable that a Boston health care institution with a reputation long as your arm would squander millions of dollars on an insane nursing contract that will only hurt the health care profession by fostering contempt from potential donors and resentment from the administrative staff - who will probably be told what other hospitals tell their admin staff; that no matter how much grunt work they process and file, or how many hoops they jump through - there's only 3% for them.

DO NURSES HAVE MORE STRESS AND LIABILITY THAN THE GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE 24/7 FOR THE WELFARE OF NEARLY 6.5 MILLION RESIDENTS, AND WHOSE SALARY WAS A BIT MORE THAN $140, 000 LAST YEAR? I don't think so.

I have friends who have been R.N.s for years, and even they are quietly scratching their heads. Patient care won't be improved - it will suffer. Why? Because too many will be coming into the profession for the money, not for the commitment to help others. So, they'll do the bare minimum to get through their shifts. Plus, this will hurt smaller community hospitals. Their nurses will see this and bark that they want more money or threaten they're leaving to go "in town". So, those smaller hospitals (99% of which are non-profits) will have no choice but to throw out a few bucks more an hour to quiet the masses for a while - until the next contract negotiation. Then, they'll all go for the organization's throat and most of them will watch the bottom line ink fade from black to red. Shame on the Boston hospitals for allowing this to get out of control and knowing the unions will take advantage. They are doing to healthcare what real estate brokers did to the housing market. I guess, like sports, its become all about the $$$$$$$....

PRAY FOR VIRGINIA TECH

2007-04-16T20:34:00.000-05:00

As a parent, I cannot fathom the devastation of today's bloodbath. I want to know why the gunman's name has not been released. He does not deserve the cover of anonymity one bit, next of kin or not. The victim's parents must know why.

This has been a monstrous harbinger. We must teach our children to cope with anger, and set the example. Through the media they have been desensitized and do not understand the finality of death. We must do whatever we can to keep guns from their reach. We must always, always, always reassure them that they can come to us - no matter the problem. We must never stop trying to connect with them, especially as they grow up. We must take our heads out of the sand and heed the warning signs.

This, is a very dark day.

WASHINGTON, MAKE UP YOUR MIND!

2007-03-12T18:42:00.000-05:00

Why do you continue to allow the small body of senior administration officials to strong arm you? If the November election was not clear enough, let me put it this way:

The hard-working, law-abiding taxpayers of this nation have had it; had with being talked down to, had it with being sold a bill-of-goods, had it with the lack of moral fiber from their elected officials; had it with politicians bastardizing religion in order to purvey fear amongst the populace; had it with the world looking at us as if we're the schoolyard bully, when all we ever should have been was the unassuming, albeit stalwart
friend.

From the very beginning, it became obvious trouble would lie ahead. In 2001, this administration effortlessly tossed the Presidential Records Act of 1978 in the shredder. This should have been a serious warning bell to all, that the deceit (in many forms) would become exponential.

It must have been apparent long before to then Sen. James Jeffords (R-Vt.), who left the GOP mid 2001. How anyone could not see how a three decade public servant switching party affiliations was significant, was either intentionally ignorant - or devoid of character.

What about ConocoPhillips, who promised (two years ago) put out over a half billion dollars to clean up their act and pay a 4 1/2 million dollar fine?

Deceit is one thing, but outright incompetence is another. In the following conversation, taken from "dry transcript", a "covert" figurehead argues the point that inevitable chaos is sure to ensue, should Saddam Hussein be deposed.

Quote:

"...We've run sims, thousands of them. Based on the assessments of brilliant people...who devote their lives...

Without Hussein, the groups he sponsors would splinter and multiply like viruses. They'd be starved for funds, and would use extreme measures to obtain them."

Then, the individual continues to make his case with a world map.....

"Without Hussein, the country will disintegrate in months...." "...and the entire region by year four......"

If this sounds like a government intelligence agent at hearings, or a Congressional official, it isn't. Regretfully, this excerpt is taken from a La Femme Nikita episode, (circa 1998, see the entire script at twiztv.com, season 2/episode 22). My effort here was not to intrude on any one's copyright, but to only ask this:

If it was obvious in the terrifically creative mind of a T.V. SCRIPTWRITER, EIGHT YEARS AGO, that removing Saddam Hussein from power would inevitably be disastrous for the Middle East, then why was that not apparent (in reality) to executive branch members and professional military advisors at the Pentagon?

The decisions of the last few days from the Madam Speaker and her colleagues is giving me and others like me, a pit in our stomachs. Bear down on the diplomatic effort, Mrs. Pelosi, and bring everyone to the table - even if you have to drag them in chains.

From the bullying shenanigans of the former House Majority Leader, to the invasion, to Walter Reed - this country, its civilians, and soldiers - deserve better.

Salutations

2007-03-09T21:59:00.000-05:00

This page is not just for me, but I'd like to think it's a sounding board for anyone who wants to be heard. Looking to intelligently discuss writing (a profession I am pursuing), Washington (tar and feather the lot!), current events (that means, leave Anna Nicole be), Blackadder (BALDRICK!), what foods go better with Sauvignon Blanc (because I confess total ignorance, and the way I figure it - the wrong wine is better than no wine!) , or whatever your pleasure. I am many things; open-minded, curious, witty, and a hip-shooter. No b.s. here - the truth rules. One more thing; please bear with me, I'm new at this blog shtuff....