That was Bob Herbert’s very apt description of Republican behavior in his Op-Ed Column, as they tried their best to derail the economic stimulus package working its difficult way through Congress. And making sure no one would mistake him for a “class act”, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina ranted and raved about how “This bill is stinking up the place.” That should do it, Lindsey, puts you right up there with the eloquent Bushie!
Obama has gone out of his way to get Republicans to make a genuine effort towards cleaning up the miserable mess that resulted from the long, dark night of GOP control in Washington, but he was rebuffed, and in some cases contemptuously.
Thursday night he struck back, attacking Republican intransigence and its failed policies of the past and then, of course, everyone started complaining that he wasn’t being the nice guy anymore!! Well, whatever, the bill did get passed, although by a very slim margin and a small number of Republicans did finally come aboard.
It’s been clear for years that the GOP is a party without a heart. But, according to Herbert, its pointless obstructionism, its overall lack of any serious response to what is a clear national economic emergency, seems to indicate it’s also a party without a brain. Oh, I’m so glad someone besides me has said that! Someone with a lot more credentials than I have.
Republicans in Washington have behaved like a milling crowd standing in the way of firefighters trying to respond to a devastating blaze. The best that can be said for the party is that a few senators seem to have been able to part the crowd enough to let the rescuers begin to inch forward.
On the front page of The Times on Friday was an article that said the number of women on the nation’s payrolls is poised to pass that of men for the first time in American history. This isn’t necessarily because women have been doing so well, but because men have been doing so poorly Yeah, those guys who used to lap up Rush Limbaugh’s slimy crap while driving to or from work are now having to tune in from their living rooms because the benefits of the GOP’s right-wing, tax-cutting ideology never trickled down to them and they are now jobless. The price of stupidity!
They just don’t get it. Most act as if they don’t understand that in this radical economic downturn the demand for goods and services has fallen off a cliff and that government spending is needed, and needed quickly to replace a large portion of the lost demand. If you haven’t read my post “A Different Take on Recession”, you might take a look and you can see why this actually applies to all of us.
The goal is twofold: to alleviate some of the enormous suffering (something that is easily understood if you have a heart), and to revive the battered economy (equally easy to understand by anyone with a brain – a functioning brain, that is).
John McCain indignantly sputtered that “This is not a stimulus bill; it is a spending bill.”
It was an objection that had been addressed by an incredulous President Obama on Thursday night. “What do you think a stimulus is?” he asked. “Spending is the whole point.”
Wake up guys!
Sylvia's world in thoughts and pictures
I miss you Sam!!
I miss you Sam!!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Career Choice
Thanks to my friend in Mumbai for another chuckle at our world today! Almost too true to be funny!
Shadow Shot Sunday
Had to look back to fall for a shadow shot for today! Enjoy and join us! Click on the icon in my side bar and show us your shadows!
Ah ha! nothing like playing when you hit a dead spot in the day!
Ah ha! nothing like playing when you hit a dead spot in the day!
Bear Attack (explicit photos)
This is a collection of pictures of a ferocious bear attack in Churchill,
Manitoba, Canada.
These pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop
the attack!
Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full
recovery.
Manitoba, Canada.
These pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop
the attack!
Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full
recovery.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Beauty
My Song
This song of mine will wind its music around you,
my child, like the fond arms of love.
The song of mine will touch your forehead
like a kiss of blessing.
When you are alone it will sit by your side and
whisper in your ear, when you are in the crowd
it will fence you about with aloofness.
My song will be like a pair of wings to your dreams,
it will transport your heart to the verge of the unknown.
It will be like the faithful star overhead
when dark night is over your road.
My song will sit in the pupils of your eyes,
and will carry your sight into the heart of things.
And when my voice is silenced in death,
my song will speak in your living heart.
- Rabindranath Tagore
And here is a lovely video that a friend sent to me that continues the theme. Thank you for being in the "dash" of my life!
A Different Take On Recession
This story is about a man who once upon a time was selling Hotdogs by
the roadside. He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers. He was
hard of hearing, so he never listened to the radio. His eyes were weak,
so he never watched television. But enthusiastically, he sold lots of
hotdogs.
He was smart enough to offer some attractive schemes to increase his
sales. His sales and profit went up. He ordered more a more raw material
and buns and sold more. He recruited more supporting staff to serve more
customers. He started offering home deliveries. Eventually he got
himself a bigger and better stove. As his business was growing, the son,
who had recently graduated from college, joined his father.
Then something strange happened.......
The son asked, "Dad, aren't you aware of the great recession that is
coming our way?" The father replied, "No, but tell me about it." The son
said, "The international situation is terrible. The domestic situation
is even worse. We should be prepared for the coming bad times."
The man thought that since his son had been to college, read the papers,
listened to the radio and watched TV. He ought to know and his advice
should not be taken lightly. So the next day onwards, the father cut
down the his raw material order and buns, took down the colorful
signboard, removed all the special schemes he was offering to the
customers and was no longer as enthusiastic. He reduced his staff
strength by giving layoffs. Very soon, fewer and fewer people bothered
to stop at his Hotdog stand. And his sales started coming down rapidly
and so did the profit. The father said to his son, "Son, you were
right". "We are in the middle of a recession and crisis. I am glad you
warned me ahead of time."
Moral of the Story: It's all in your MIND! And we actually FUEL this
recession much more than we think.
A friend of mine in India sent this to me and I do think there is wisdom here --the more we focus on what's wrong, the more wrong we have to focus on.
the roadside. He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers. He was
hard of hearing, so he never listened to the radio. His eyes were weak,
so he never watched television. But enthusiastically, he sold lots of
hotdogs.
He was smart enough to offer some attractive schemes to increase his
sales. His sales and profit went up. He ordered more a more raw material
and buns and sold more. He recruited more supporting staff to serve more
customers. He started offering home deliveries. Eventually he got
himself a bigger and better stove. As his business was growing, the son,
who had recently graduated from college, joined his father.
Then something strange happened.......
The son asked, "Dad, aren't you aware of the great recession that is
coming our way?" The father replied, "No, but tell me about it." The son
said, "The international situation is terrible. The domestic situation
is even worse. We should be prepared for the coming bad times."
The man thought that since his son had been to college, read the papers,
listened to the radio and watched TV. He ought to know and his advice
should not be taken lightly. So the next day onwards, the father cut
down the his raw material order and buns, took down the colorful
signboard, removed all the special schemes he was offering to the
customers and was no longer as enthusiastic. He reduced his staff
strength by giving layoffs. Very soon, fewer and fewer people bothered
to stop at his Hotdog stand. And his sales started coming down rapidly
and so did the profit. The father said to his son, "Son, you were
right". "We are in the middle of a recession and crisis. I am glad you
warned me ahead of time."
Moral of the Story: It's all in your MIND! And we actually FUEL this
recession much more than we think.
A friend of mine in India sent this to me and I do think there is wisdom here --the more we focus on what's wrong, the more wrong we have to focus on.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Air Line Humor, Qantas Airlines: Repair Division
In case you need a laugh: Remember, it takes a college degree to fly a
plane but only a high school diploma to fix one.
After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form, called a 'Gripe
Sheet' which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft.
The mechanics correct the problems; document their repairs on the form,
and then pilots review the Gripe Sheets before the next flight.
Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humour. Here
are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas' pilots
(marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by
maintenance engineers.
By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never, ever, had
an accident.
P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.
P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.
P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.
P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute
Descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.
P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.
P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.
P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.
P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.
P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.
P: Aircraft handles funny........... (I love this one!)
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.
P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.
P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.
And the best one for last..................
P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget
pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.
plane but only a high school diploma to fix one.
After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form, called a 'Gripe
Sheet' which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft.
The mechanics correct the problems; document their repairs on the form,
and then pilots review the Gripe Sheets before the next flight.
Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humour. Here
are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas' pilots
(marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by
maintenance engineers.
By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never, ever, had
an accident.
P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.
P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.
P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.
P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute
Descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.
P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.
P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.
P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.
P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.
P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.
P: Aircraft handles funny........... (I love this one!)
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.
P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.
P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.
And the best one for last..................
P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget
pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Evening Words, Wisdom and Beauty
Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance.
Rabindranath Tagore
/\ Namaste
When I read this I thought how true it is for those of us who blog. How quickly we grow close to the people who read our blogs as well as the people whose blogs we read. It's an ongoing conversation each day that shares, reveals, comforts, enriches as it brings laughter and beauty, warmth and compassion into each our lives.
A very warm 'thank you' to all of you who have who have become such good friends.
Stingray Migration
A friend of mine sent me these photos and I thought they were so amazing!
Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea, thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico. The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters.
Gliding silently beneath the waves, they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks.
She said: 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind.
'It's hard to say exactly how many there were, but in the range of a few thousand'
Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays.
They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance. Despite having poisonous stingers, they are known to be shy and non-threatening when in large schools.
The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan.
Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea, thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico. The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters.
Gliding silently beneath the waves, they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks.
She said: 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind.
'It's hard to say exactly how many there were, but in the range of a few thousand'
Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays.
They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance. Despite having poisonous stingers, they are known to be shy and non-threatening when in large schools.
The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan.
Late Night Humor
Before we get to the humor I want to let you all know that Linda formerly of Texas to Oregon does have a new blog http://lhillin.blogspot.com/ Hope all of you will stop by and welcome her back to the blogging world!
Number 4 gets a bonus award for creativity!!!
1. When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California, would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked. And now, the honorable mentions:
2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and, after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.
3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.
4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.
5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on thecounter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]
7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.
8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."
9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at 5 a.m., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]
10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near
spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.
Number 4 gets a bonus award for creativity!!!
1. When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California, would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked. And now, the honorable mentions:
2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and, after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.
3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.
4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.
5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on thecounter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]
7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.
8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."
9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at 5 a.m., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]
10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near
spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Faith and Good Thoughts
/\ Namaste
Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.
Rabindranath Tagore
During times like these we need to follow, to imitate the bird.
HUMAN BEINGS ARE SUCH SMALL CREATURES, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF OUTER SPACE, AREN'T THEY?
SO DON'T BE TOO WORRIED ABOUT EVERYTHING,
TREASURE EVERY MOMENT, DO WHAT YOU WISH TO DO.....
BROADEN YOUR VIEW, BROADEN YOUR MIND,
DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE BOTHERING YOU,
DO TREASURE YOUR LOVE, LIVE SAFELY AND PEACEFULLY,
ALWAYS BE HAPPY TO WELCOME THE COMING OF THE NEW DAY....... ENJOY THE SUNSHINE ..
ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THINGS.....
I RECEIVED THESE LOVELY WORDS, REMINDERS, THOUGHTS FROM MY GOOD FRIEND ROB IN TORONTO. ENJOY!
ABC Wednesday
This is my first time on ABC Wednesday, so here are clouds, cactus and chilies! Enjoy! To join us go here and sign up!
Girls in My Circle
When I was little,
I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,
And then I started to become a woman.
And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up,
God would show you the best in many friends.
One friend is needed when you're going through things with your man.
Another friend is needed when you're going through things with your mom.
Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities.
Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.
One friend will say, 'Let's cry together,'
Another , 'Let's fight together,'
Another , 'Let's walk away together.'
One friend will meet your spiritual need,
Another your shoe fetish,
Another your love for movies,
Another will be with you in your season of confusion,
Another will be your clarifier,
Another the wind beneath your wings.
But whatever their assignment in your life,
On whatever the occasion,
On whatever the day,
Or wherever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back,
Or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself ..
Those are your best friends.
It may all be wrapped up in one woman, But for many, it's wrapped up in several..
One from 7th grade,
One from high school,
Several from the college years,
a couple from old jobs,
On some days your mother,
On some days your neighbor,
On others, your sisters,
And on some days, your daughters.
What About the Future?
UPDATE: Daschle Withdraws as Nominee for Health Post
Former Senator Tom Daschle, President Obama's nominee for
health and human services secretary, has withdrawn from
consideration for the post over his belated payment of
$128,000 in federal taxes.
I know that everyone wants to see change happening immediately, change that will help stabilize the economy, bring new jobs for the thousands who have lost theirs, change that will allow us all to be able to breathe deeply again. I also know that the Obama Administration cannot make that happen after only two weeks in office. And, of course, people are already beginning to question why it’s taking so long. And there is the political mumblings about Daschle’s nomination and whether, in spite of a new administration that promised to do things differently, it’s still pay back time to those who supported them during the seemingly endless campaign. I guess we’re all looking for, hoping for miracles and those are difficult to achieve in Washington DC without paying a price. Sad as that is, I’m afraid it is the reality in our world today. It’s still about the money whether it is the fat cats or the rest of us that are struggling on a day to day basis. And are all those that we have counted on to bring that “new day” to our country now being seen as having money problems of their own – as in back taxes, pay-to-play schemes? I do so hope that all of us who have been looking upward for our solutions, don’t fall into the hole dug by those we have trusted.
So, when do we get serious about repairing and rebuilding our country’s crumbling and increasingly obsolete infrastructure? In Bob Herbert’s Op-Ed column today he explores the same question. The catastrophe in New Orleans didn’t do it although according to Douglas Brinkley, who wrote in his book, “The Great Deluge”:
“What people didn’t yet fully comprehend was that the overall disaster, the sinking of New Orleans, was a man-made debacle, resulting from poorly designed levees and floodwalls.”
Even the rush-hour collapse of the bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis wasn’t enough to get us serious. I think, when we are all so personally concerned about how we are going to survive the economic disaster we find ourselves in today, we fail to see that this downturn could be eased by a truly big-time surge of infrastructure investment – we’re not the only ones that seem to be unable to grasp the reality of where we find ourselves.
We’re rushing to bail out the banking industry for what? What kind of country will we have once the bankers are fat and happy again? The U.S. will still be a nation with a pathetic mid-20th-century infrastructure struggling to make it in a dynamic
21st century world.
The American Society of Civil Engineers, in a report released last week, essentially described the state of American infrastructure as dreadful. More than a quarter of the nation’s bridges were rated structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Not to mention public transportation systems, dams and levees, most of which are more than a half-century old. And then there is our drinking water system. Leaking pipes lose an estimated seven billion gallons of clean drinking water a day. The society gave the nation’s infrastructure an overall grade of D! It is estimated that to put it back in shape would require $2.2 trillion over five years.
There is infrastructure spending in the Democrats’ proposed stimulus package, but it is far too meager to have much of an impact on the nation’s overall infrastructure requirements or the demand for the creation of jobs.
According to Herbert, the big danger is that some variation of the currently proposed stimulus package will pass, another enormous bailout for the bankers will be authorized and then the trillion-dollar-plus budget deficits will make their appearance, looming like unholy monsters over everything else, and Washington will suddenly lose its nerve.
Herbert feels that the mantra will be that we can’t afford to spend any more money on the infrastructure, or on a big health care initiative, or any of the nation’s other crying needs. Suddenly fiscal discipline will be the order of the day and the people who are suffering now will suffer more, and the nation’s long-term prospects will be further damaged as its long-term needs continue to be neglected.
When will we learn from history? Or will we ever? Time and time again an economic boom has followed a period of sustained infrastructure investment. We’re suffering now from both a failure of will and of imagination. Financier Felix Rohatyn once told Herbert that, “A modern economy needs a modern platform, and that’s the infrastructure.”
History tells us the same thing – are we, can we learn from history? I guess it remains to be seen.
Former Senator Tom Daschle, President Obama's nominee for
health and human services secretary, has withdrawn from
consideration for the post over his belated payment of
$128,000 in federal taxes.
I know that everyone wants to see change happening immediately, change that will help stabilize the economy, bring new jobs for the thousands who have lost theirs, change that will allow us all to be able to breathe deeply again. I also know that the Obama Administration cannot make that happen after only two weeks in office. And, of course, people are already beginning to question why it’s taking so long. And there is the political mumblings about Daschle’s nomination and whether, in spite of a new administration that promised to do things differently, it’s still pay back time to those who supported them during the seemingly endless campaign. I guess we’re all looking for, hoping for miracles and those are difficult to achieve in Washington DC without paying a price. Sad as that is, I’m afraid it is the reality in our world today. It’s still about the money whether it is the fat cats or the rest of us that are struggling on a day to day basis. And are all those that we have counted on to bring that “new day” to our country now being seen as having money problems of their own – as in back taxes, pay-to-play schemes? I do so hope that all of us who have been looking upward for our solutions, don’t fall into the hole dug by those we have trusted.
So, when do we get serious about repairing and rebuilding our country’s crumbling and increasingly obsolete infrastructure? In Bob Herbert’s Op-Ed column today he explores the same question. The catastrophe in New Orleans didn’t do it although according to Douglas Brinkley, who wrote in his book, “The Great Deluge”:
“What people didn’t yet fully comprehend was that the overall disaster, the sinking of New Orleans, was a man-made debacle, resulting from poorly designed levees and floodwalls.”
Even the rush-hour collapse of the bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis wasn’t enough to get us serious. I think, when we are all so personally concerned about how we are going to survive the economic disaster we find ourselves in today, we fail to see that this downturn could be eased by a truly big-time surge of infrastructure investment – we’re not the only ones that seem to be unable to grasp the reality of where we find ourselves.
We’re rushing to bail out the banking industry for what? What kind of country will we have once the bankers are fat and happy again? The U.S. will still be a nation with a pathetic mid-20th-century infrastructure struggling to make it in a dynamic
21st century world.
The American Society of Civil Engineers, in a report released last week, essentially described the state of American infrastructure as dreadful. More than a quarter of the nation’s bridges were rated structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Not to mention public transportation systems, dams and levees, most of which are more than a half-century old. And then there is our drinking water system. Leaking pipes lose an estimated seven billion gallons of clean drinking water a day. The society gave the nation’s infrastructure an overall grade of D! It is estimated that to put it back in shape would require $2.2 trillion over five years.
There is infrastructure spending in the Democrats’ proposed stimulus package, but it is far too meager to have much of an impact on the nation’s overall infrastructure requirements or the demand for the creation of jobs.
According to Herbert, the big danger is that some variation of the currently proposed stimulus package will pass, another enormous bailout for the bankers will be authorized and then the trillion-dollar-plus budget deficits will make their appearance, looming like unholy monsters over everything else, and Washington will suddenly lose its nerve.
Herbert feels that the mantra will be that we can’t afford to spend any more money on the infrastructure, or on a big health care initiative, or any of the nation’s other crying needs. Suddenly fiscal discipline will be the order of the day and the people who are suffering now will suffer more, and the nation’s long-term prospects will be further damaged as its long-term needs continue to be neglected.
When will we learn from history? Or will we ever? Time and time again an economic boom has followed a period of sustained infrastructure investment. We’re suffering now from both a failure of will and of imagination. Financier Felix Rohatyn once told Herbert that, “A modern economy needs a modern platform, and that’s the infrastructure.”
History tells us the same thing – are we, can we learn from history? I guess it remains to be seen.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Thought for the Evening
/\ Namaste
Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
Rabindranath Tagore
Enjoy the beauty and rest well.
That's My World -- Snoqualmi Falls
As you know, Mr. Linky and I seem to have parted company and I'm unable to sign in, however, as most of you know, I will still post some of the wonderful things/places in my world for whomever visits my site to enjoy. Here is some history to begin with.
A brief history of Snoqualmie Falls
Several thousand years ago, when the glaciers receded, they left a fertile plain near Snoqualmie Falls. When Native Americans arrived, they found a bounty of edible bulbs, roots and berries on the prairie. Deer and mountain goats were plentiful.
Though there were no salmon above the falls, the upper Snoqualmie River became a seasonal rendezvous and meeting place as trade among native peoples increased. The Snoqualmie Tribe (a subgroup of the Coast Salish) established a camp at the base of Mount Si. They also established villages at Fall City and Tolt (Carnation).
Snoqualmie is the English pronunciation of "sah-KOH-koh" or "Sdob-dwahibbluh," a Salish word meaning moon. As a spiritual place, it gave birth to many legends. One tells of "S'Beow" (the beaver), who climbed into the sky to bring trees and fire down to earth. The Native Americans who roamed the valley were known as people of the moon.
White settlers began to arrive in the valley by the early 1850s. Long before, the falls became a tourist destination; pioneer women would edge as close to the falls as they could while friends held on to their dresses to keep them from falling. Jeremiah Borst was the first permanent white settler in the Snoqualmie Valley and is known to some as "the father of the Snoqualmie Valley."
Josiah Merrit ("Uncle Si") built a cabin at the base of a local peak in 1862 (the peak became known as Uncle Si's mountain -- now Mount Si). He raised vegetables and hogs and kept an orchard. According to local historians, he was a rugged man who sometimes hauled bacon to the large settlements.
To do so necessitated hauling the load on a sled to the river, canoeing downstream, strapping the load to his back and climbing down the 268-foot falls, hiking several miles, and then canoeing the rest of the way to Everett or Seattle.
By 1877, there were several logging operations in the region. In early days, logs were floated over the falls and down the river to Everett and Puget Sound. By 1889, entrepreneurs funded and built a railroad (the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern) into the valley, opening up timber resources to the world market.
In 1889, the town of Snoqualmie was platted by Charles Baker, a civil engineer. He also constructed an underground power plant at the falls in the 1890s (those original generators are still functioning today). The power plant resulted in electricity and jobs for locals, and soon a small company town was established at the falls. In 1911, a second powerhouse was constructed.
Such large waterfalls often attract daredevils. When that first passenger train arrived in 1889, it was a big event -- more than 1,000 people turned up for food, celebration and entertainment. A Mr. Blondin successfully walked a tightrope over the falls.
In 1890, Charlie Anderson was less fortunate. He parachuted into the canyon from a hot-air balloon, but when he opened the chute a strong air current pushed him toward the falls. As the crowd watched in horror, another gust pulled him in another direction and dropped him on a large boulder; he died that night.
We had planned to go to Snoqualimi when my son, David, was here, although it wouldn't have been the best time -- considering the weather. However, we do plan to go in the spring when hopefully he can come for the postponed Christmas trip. I wish I could claim to have made the photos -- hope to be able to do my own when we do get there, but these, along with hundreds of others at this site It's worth checking out.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Happy Monday!
The butterfly counts not months but moments,
and has time enough.
R. Tagore
I've had a lovely weekend, some sun, some clouds, some time to take pictures, some time to spend with friends. Eight of us got together to watch the Super Bowl and it was such fun to see Bruce Springsteen as the half time entertainer, lots of fireworks, and some of the most hilarious advertising I've seen in a long time! They out did themselves this year. So, there was lots of laughs, lots of good food and a lot of shouting when it looked as though the Cardinals would win, but as you may know, in the last minute and a half, the Steelers scored another touchdown. So, we were disappointed, but it was still an on-the-edge-of-your-seat game.
I wish you all a lovely start to the week, with lots of love and beauty and joy -- no politics today, I'm ranted out for the moment.
6th of the 6th Tag Meme
I was tagged by Pagan Sphinx for this meme and it's simple and it took me back to our snowy holiday weather. Makes me shudder now, but it was almost breathtakingly beautiful at the time.
I've been leaning a little heavily on my friends lately with tags, so I need to think about who could have fun with this like I have!
I've been leaning a little heavily on my friends lately with tags, so I need to think about who could have fun with this like I have!
Shadow Shot Sunday
I can't connect with any of the Mr. Linky sites anymore, but I'm going to post my photos anyway. Bobbie of Amost There who is such a doll! she entered my name on Mr. Linky and then couldn't add her own! So, If you stop by here, please click on the link here for a look at her great photos! And thanks again, Bobbie, for your kindness and generosity!
Particularly today because the SUN WAS out -- notice the emphasis on WAS and I found some shadows of the railing around our deck, shadows of the candle holders in my bedroom, and shadows of plants in the kitchen! Hooray for a little sun!
Happy Sunday!
Particularly today because the SUN WAS out -- notice the emphasis on WAS and I found some shadows of the railing around our deck, shadows of the candle holders in my bedroom, and shadows of plants in the kitchen! Hooray for a little sun!
Happy Sunday!
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What Can I Say?
I'm interested in almost everything. Use to like to travel, but it's too expensive now. I take Tai Chi classes, swim, volunteer in a Jump-start program for pre-schoolers. I'm an avid reader and like nearly everyone these days I follow politics avidly. I'm a former teacher and Special Projects Coordinator for a Telecommunications company, Assistant to the President of a Japanese silicon wafer manufacturing company. Am now enjoying retirement -- most of the time. I have two daughters, one son-in-law and two sons scattered all over the country. No grandchildren.