Month: December 2008

War Comes To Gaza–Day 3

Israeli air raids have pounded the Gaza Strip for a third day, hitting key sites linked to militant group Hamas.

Foreign minister Tzipi Livni said Israel was determined to “change realities” in Gaza, amid expectations it might launch a ground invasion.

Three hundred Palestinians, including 56 civilians, are reported to have died since Saturday. In Israel, a second person was killed by a militant rocket.

Gaza’s interior ministry and Islamic University are the latest targets.

Other centres of Hamas strength, including security compounds, government offices and tunnels into Egypt, have been hit since Israel started its massive bombing campaign on Saturday morning.

At the UN, the Security Council joined international calls for restraint by urging an end to all violence between Israel and Gaza.

The US, Israel’s strongest ally on the council, said the onus was on Hamas to stop rocket fire.

Israel says Palestinian militants have fired more than 110 rockets from the coast territory since Saturday.

The strikes began on Saturday less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas.

On Sunday, rockets landed in Ashdod, Israel’s largest southern city – which is 38km (23 miles) away – the deepest strikes inside Israel from Gaza so far, Israeli media said. No injuries were reported.

Stalin Third Best Russian

This is scary, that aperson who killed millions of his own countrymen could be a popular person.

Former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin was beaten by medieval prince Alexander Nevsky in a poll held by a TV station to find the greatest Russian.

Stalin came third, despite being responsible for the deaths of millions of Soviets in labour camps and purges.

Alexander Nevsky fought off European invaders in the 13th century to preserve a united Russia.

In second place was reformist Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin, who was assassinated in 1911.

More than 50 million people voted by phone, the internet or via text messages in the poll held by Rossiya, one of Russia’s biggest television stations.

The voting took place over six months as 500 original candidates were whittled down to a final 12

Stalin – born an ethnic Georgian – was riding high for many months and was in the number one slot at one point until the show’s producer appealed to viewers to vote for someone else, says the BBC’s Richard Galpin in Moscow.

Stalin sent millions of people to their deaths in the work camps of the Gulag. Millions more perished in political purges or during the forced collectivisation of farms during his rule from the 1920s to his death in 1953.

Many in Russia do still revere Stalin for his role during World War II when the Soviet Union defeated the forces of Nazi Germany.

Can anyone explain this reasoning to me?  Please.

War Comes To Gaza (Again)

And now for something completely different.

Israeli warplanes rained more than 100 tons of bombs on security sites in Hamas-ruled Gaza Saturday and early Sunday, killing at least 230 people in one of the Mideast conflict‘s bloodiest assaults in decades. The government said the open-ended campaign was aimed at stopping rocket attacks that have traumatized southern Israel.

Most of the casualties were security forces, but Palestinian officials said at least 15 civilians were among the dead. More than 400 people were also wounded.

The unprecedented assault sparked protests and condemnations throughout the Arab world, and many of Israel’s Western allies urged restraint, though the U.S. blamed Hamas for the fighting.

But there was no end in sight.  (Is there ever an end in sight?)  The first round of strikes began around noon Saturday followed by successive waves of attacks that continued.into the early hours Sunday.

The Israeli airstrikes caused widespread panic and confusion, and black plumes of smoke billowed above the territory, ruled by the Islamic militant Hamas for the past 18 months. Some of the Israeli missiles struck in densely populated areas as students were leaving school, and women rushed into the streets frantically looking for their children.

A great way to statr a New Year, with war……sad somethings never chgange.

How About Those Sexy Nursing Homes?

When Kansas State University sent researchers into nursing homes to find out how the topic of sex was being addressed, they initially found silence.

In response, the researchers have produced seminars and training aids to encourage nursing home caregivers to discuss and accommodate sexual desires.

The effort brings Kansas into a national discussion that advocates say will only grow as baby boomers age and take their beliefs about sexual freedom and civil rights into the nation’s nursing homes.

the training focuses on explaining what sexuality means for older adults, identifying barriers to fulfilling the sexual needs, finding strategies to help residents and how to discern appropriate from inappropriate sexual behaviors.

Solutions can be as simple as providing “do not disturb” signs or making sure staffers don’t barge into residents’ rooms without knocking. Claassen said her nursing home provides a discreet room for residents and has staff work through possible scenarios they may encounter.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as arranging a bed for someone who needs physical therapy in a way that also allows that patient to be with his or her companion

Sexuality doesn’t always mean intercourse. Many lonely or depressed residents are simply looking for ways to relieve loneliness and depression, Doll said.

For example, she told of one resident who had asked for pornography but dropped the request when the staff started spending more time with him.

Old farts need sex too….

Yet Another Urban Myth Exposed

THE belief that Coca-Cola works as an after-sex spermicide is nothing but urban legend, a scientist cautions in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on Thursday.

Deborah Anderson, a professor in obstetrics and gynaecology at Harvard Medical School, says that Coca-cola douches were sometimes used in 1950s and 1960s America in the belief that the drink’s acidity killed sperm.

Soft-drink douches are still used as a post-coital contraceptive ploy in some poor countries, she says.

To begin with, Coke is not a very effective spermicide, as it is unlikely to kill the target.

And even if the beverage’s secret recipe were lethal, a speedy sperm is likely to outswim the douche and get to cervix first.

In addition, Coca-Cola damages the top layer of cells within the vagina, and makes a woman more prone to sexually transmitted disease. And while it is largely harmless to sperm, soda pop removes healthy bacteria, opening the way to fungal and bacterial infection.

Experiments with other forms of vaginal douches have found an increased risk of pelvic inflammation and ectopic pregnancy, in which a fertilised egg is implanted in the fallopian tube, rather than in the uterus.

Finally, says Ms Anderson, there is the simple fact that there are much more effective and easy-to-use methods of contraception widely available.

This article just begged to be posted.

Random Thoughts

As I continue to say, I take a lot of notes during the course of a day, some makie it to posts and others do not.  These did not make it into a post, but I would like to get feedback from my readers to help me determine what is popular and what is not.

1–Are not the TV ads for lawyers to help people with their tax problems, not helping individuals defraud the government?

2–Goldman Sachs paid 1% in taxes for ’08, down from 34.1% in ’07.

3–Does anyone other than a Vegas resident give a crap that it snowed there?

4–What is it about Illinois?  Cops beating bartenders, ex-cops murdering their wives, that is more than one and then there is the Blago thing……Illinois is just teaming with scandal.

5–Did you know there is a pill, Oxycut, that will give you 6 pack abs when taken orally?

6–How many people are being screwed by “reverse mortgage” schemes?

7–AIG after getting billions in bailout funds still has its fleet of jets–but yet automakers caught grief for using them.  The battle of the collars–white vs blue.

TARP Application

TARP, the Troubled Assets Recovery Plan, legal-ese for the “Bailout”.  If you have ever filled out a loan application, was it ever easy?

My last major purchase I had to promise to give them a quart of blood or my first male born.  In other words it was a trying and complicated ordeal.  But the group that fleeced the American taxpayer out of billions had it much easier than “Joe Sixpack” has ever had it.  When will the American people wake up and smell the damn coffee?

Below is the application that an institution needs to fill out to receive billions of dollars of taxpayer money.  There is more paperwork to buy a TV than to get billions.  Why is that?

Please complete the following information and follow the submission instructions as described
on your Federal banking agency’s website. In addition to completing the information on this
form, please provide a description of any mergers, acquisitions, or other capital raisings that are
currently pending or are under negotiation and the expected consummation date (no longer than
1 page).
In the event the applicant files an application with the appropriate Federal banking agency
prior to the availability of the investment agreement, the applicant must file an amended
application which includes updated responses to any items in the application that required prior
review of the investment agreement.
Institution Name:

Address of Institution:

Primary Contact Name:
Primary Contact Phone Number:
Primary Contact Fax Number:
Primary Contact Email Address:
Secondary Contact Name:

Secondary Contact Phone Number:

Secondary Contact Fax Number:
Secondary Contact Email Address:

Page 2

RSSD, Holding Company Docket
Number and / or FDIC Certificate
Number, As Relevant:
Amount of Preferred Shares
Requested:
Amount Of Institution’s Authorized
But Unissued Preferred Stock
Available For Purchase:
Amount Of Institution’s Authorized
But Unissued Common Stock:
Amount Of Total Risk-Weighted
Assets As Reported On The
Holding Company’s Or Applicable
Institution’s Most Recent FR-Y9,
Call Report, Or TFR, As Relevant:
Institution Has Reviewed The
Investment Agreements And
Related Documentation On
Treasury’s Website (Yes/No):

Describe Any Condition, Including
A Representation Or Warranty,
Contained In The Investment
Agreements And Related
Documentation, The Institution
Believes it Cannot ComplyWith By
November 14, 2008 And Provide A
Timeline For Reaching
Compliance1:
Type of Company2:
Signature of Chief Executive
Officer (or Authorized Designee):
Date of Signature:

You mean NOTHING to the people in charge!  You are their cash cow.  Is it not about time to get angry?  You wanted change and you got screwed!  Smile!  It ain’t over yet, but the next time bring your vasoline, maybe it will not hurt so bad.

How About A 4 Day Work Week

Like many companies, Pella is looking to cut expenses because of the economic downturn. But instead of laying off more workers, the Iowa manufacturer of windows and doors is instituting a four-day workweek for about a third of its 3,900 employees. Chris Simpson, a senior vice-president at the company, acknowledges it’s an unconventional move. But Pella believes the economy could turn around faster than most people expect, and it doesn’t want to be caught short of experienced workers. “Our contention is, consumer confidence will rebound,” says Simpson. “If there’s a (government) stimulus package of some kind, we think people are going to respond.”

A few employers are following Pella’s lead in shortening the workweek. They include steel companies such as AK Steel (NYSE:AKS – News), the city of Atlanta, small newspapers, and hospitals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of employees who normally work full-time but now clock fewer than 35 hours a week because of poor business conditions has climbed 72%, to 2.57 million in November 2008, from 1.49 million in November 2007. “More companies are exploring alternatives to layoffs,” says John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of the consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. “If they can keep people on until the business turns around, the company would be in much better shape to ramp up quickly.”

Arnie Gets Sued

Looks like this is an Arnie type of day……

Two public employee unions on Monday sued Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to block his effort to furlough state workers in a cost-cutting measure as California’s treasury runs out of money.

Last week, Schwarzenegger issued an executive order to require that all state employees take two unpaid days off each month starting in February. The governor said the measure is needed to conserve cash, with the state budget gap estimated to reach $42 billion a year and a half from now.

The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento County Superior Court, asserts that only the Legislature can alter the pay of workers who have labor contracts with the state. It asks the courts to issue a temporary stay to stop Schwarzenegger’s efforts, which could affect 230,000 workers.

Schwarzenegger attempted a few months ago to unilaterally reduce the pay of state employees, but his order never took effect. State Controller John Chiang said the state’s payroll system was incapable of carrying it out. The matter eventually stalled in court.

Schwarzenegger has indicated he is willing to approve the increased gas, income and sales taxes the Democrats have proposed. But he is also demanding changes to California’s environmental and labor rules to give businesses more power over their employees’ hours and to allow private contractors to take a larger role in public construction projects.

To Live And Die In Mississippi

This is an editorial from the South Mississippi Sun-Herald about the shooting death of a local high school football player.

It is a given that all of the facts surrounding the death of a George County football star, Billey Joe Johnson, must be known. We believe they will be known, and we have confidence that District Attorney Tony Lawrence and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation lead investigator Joel Wallace will aggressively seek and discover the facts in this matter, as it involves grave public concerns.

As Curley Clark, a leading figure with the state NAACP, told the Sun Herald, he is encouraged that both the black and white communities in George County “want to know the truth.”

Thus far there is much to commend about the manner in which the shocking and mysterious death of the George County teen has been handled by the principal parties with a stake in knowing what happened on the morning of Dec. 8 at an intersection in Lucedale when Johnson was stopped by George County Deputy Joe Sullivan.

Sullivan says that Johnson had run a red light at Church and Winter streets and then a four-way stop at Winter Street and Old Highway 63. According to Sullivan’s report of the incident, he radioed dispatch shortly after 5:34 a.m. that he had stopped the car. Then, he states in the report, Johnson got out of the vehicle and told him he was on his way home to see his sick mother.

The deputy says he took the license and asked Johnson to get back in the car. When Deputy Sullivan got back into his patrol car to call in the license information, he said he heard a gunshot and the sound of breaking glass.

He says he discovered Johnson on the ground “and the gun (a shotgun) he had in his hand fell on top of him. I called dispatch and advised them that the subject had just shot himself, to send some help.”

It is quite unfortunate that Deputy Sullivan’s car was not equipped with a dash-mounted camera that would have recorded the shooting and removed a great deal of the mystery that surrounds the fatal event. Only about half of the George County sheriff’s vehicles are equipped with dash cams. That should be rectified immediately, and all Coast police cars should be so equipped.

For friends and family of the star athlete, suicide is not to be believed. Johnson had rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three years at George County High School, and was being recruited by major football programs, including Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Mississippi, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn and Oregon. The young man was said to be popular, with a great deal to live for. Following its own inquiry with friends and family, the NAACP said there was agreement that his death could not have been a suicide, as those closest to him said he was neither depressed nor suicidal.

The civil rights group said it would pay for a separate and independent autopsy of Johnson, apart from the one being conducted by the state.

The Johnson family has handled this tragedy with great dignity and thoughtfulness. Their justifiable concerns have been tempered with judicious words, and after meeting with District Attorney Lawrence on Monday, they said they came away “well-satisfied” with what they heard

As for the chief investigator, Joel Wallace, we came to think highly of his professional service during his dogged investigation into the brutal death of Jessie Lee Williams in the Harrison County Jail. We consider him among the very best in his field.

So, like others across South Mississippi, we await the facts, and the truth, about what happened on that early Monday morning, when a young man died in the pre-dawn on a Lucedale street.

Like the family, like the NAACP, like the whole region, we expect and anticipate that both the truth and justice will be obtained through a deliberate and dedicated process.

The editorial above represents the view of the Sun Herald editorial board: President-Publisher Ricky R. Mathews, Vice President and Executive Editor Stan Tiner, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Flora S. Point, Opinion Page Editor Marie Harris and Associate Editor Tony Biffle. Opinions expressed by columnists, cartoonists and letter writers on these pages are their own.