Pres. Obama: “Sleepers awake”

It is truly painful seeing the President having to awaken to the reality that people you are leading want substance more than they want personality.

His most recent efforts to give away the family farm to Republicans has alienated him from many members of his own Democratic party.

He may have had visions of Lincoln saving the Union. He may have envisioned a noble deed with just rewards. We may never know.

As I see it, his unrequited love for bi-partisanship has left him on stage, alone, and as heart broken as Pagliacci.

I watch. I pray. I weep. This is so sad.

As always,
BB

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Remarks by the President
July 22, 2011
Excerpt:
But in the interest of being serious about deficit reduction, I was willing to take a lot of heat from my party -- and I spoke to Democratic leaders yesterday, and although they didn’t sign off on a plan, they were willing to engage in serious negotiations, despite a lot of heat from a lot of interest groups around the country, in order to make sure that we actually dealt with this problem.
Read more at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/22/remarks-president

You scratch my back…..(P.S.)

When the *Senate did not pass the Republican sponsored “Cut, Cap and Balance” bill earlier today, I knew all hell was going to brake lose.

It is my understanding with 87% of Americans wanting to have some assurances we will not have to go through this raising the debt ceiling saga ever again, all of the Democrats in the Senate did not get the memo. They voted against the bill.

And so it was this evening when the President met with Republican Senate leader John Boehner to finalize some issues on raising the debt ceiling, Mr. Boehner told him to “KMA!” and walked out of the meeting.

The President was furious! TeaBaggers and others were elated!
As always,
BB
P.S.
Republicans are saying they have not gotten anything in writing from the President in reference raising the debt. In my opinion, the President does not want to become the laughing stock again by allowing Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to write another important bill. Fresh in his memory is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009

* Senate Kills 'Cut, Cap, Balance'; House GOP Puts Onus On Democrats
Read more at:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/07/22/138609392/senate-kills-cut-cap-balance-house-gop-says-onus-on-democrats

Scotland Yard and “Who done it?”

Yesterday, *Parliament questioned several high ranking officials who had resigned from Scotland Yard over the Rupert Murdoch scandal.

Much of the questioning was akin to our American version of “Who killed Cock Robin?” The high ranking officials were asked who hired certain nefarious individuals, who recommended them for the job and were their backgrounds checked etc..,

It occurred to me how un-sophisticated were the high ranking officials who had very likely honed their curiosity in criminology by reading Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. I would imagine they have libraries full of their writings and discuss their stories at many functions. I think that can be safely assumed.

They said things like, “Hind-sight is 20/20” and “If I knew then what I know now”. That baffles me! It was hard for me to believe those high ranking officials would allow anyone into their highly disciplined environment without being thoroughly vetted.

When Rebecka Brooks and the Murdochs were questioned before the panel, my telepathic skills did not work when I tried telling the interrogators to say:

-OK, now. You say you did not know the extent of the phone hacking and bribery until recently. You said you were shocked. Tell me, who did you immediately call and describe for me the nature of your conversation.

As always,
BB
P.S. I am mindful how angry the Royal Family was when the Muppet Show hit British television featuring them. I wonder if a lot of materials for the show was due to hacking and bribery?

*Scotland Yard in Harsh Spotlight at Hearings
By GRAHAM BOWLEY and ALAN COWELL
Excerpt:
Some of Britain’s most senior police officers faced new scrutiny in Parliament on Tuesday in hearings before lawmakers that showed the extent of the interconnections between Scotland Yard and News International, Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper empire.
Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/world/europe/20yard.html?_r=1&hp

Internet Technology and my Social Security and retirement check

When I first started teaching in early 1960, my salary was $3,400.00 a year. We got paid once a month. After deductions, I paid $100.00 a month for a one bedroom apartment in a nice middle-class neighborhood, a car note on a $3,000.00 Nash Rambler, I went shopping as needed and paid my bills on time by mail.

There was no such thing as cell phones or cable television or shopping on-line or paying high prices for clothing to make you look either sexy or half-naked.

Enter the computer. No problem but it came with a price and continues eroding my Social Security and Retirement checks.

My bank charges me $5.00 for each direct deposits into my account and another $5.00 when my mortgage company takes the money out. The water company just told me my water bill will go up 8.5% per quarter:

“The new budget will pay for water and sewer reconstructions programs, inspection and repair of critical water and sewer infrastructure and increased cost of Sanity Sewer Overflow Consent Decree compliance.”

My Social Security checks are taxed at 30% and the lady at the IRS told me “…it would be 40% if you were married”.

I know everything today has a computer based price tag. I love what those technologist have done for the world. The advances of civilization comes at a price.

I love the fact computer technology has allowed me to do so many things and especially from my home but I lament the fact my Social Security and Retirement checks are mere tortoises to the speed of the cost of Internet Technology. As Tevye would lament, “If I were a rich man…”.
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB

The “curious” arrest of Rebecka Brooks

Ms. Brooks was arrested today. Ms. Brooks was the eyes and ears, the aorta vein, the Maitre d' of the British publishing empire of Rupert Murdock. She was arrested for phone hacking and bribery.

Sir Paul Stephenson, head of Scotland Yard, resigned hours after the arrest of Ms. Brooks. I can but imagine Sir Paul having to make quick, difficult and calculated decisions akin to God creating man. (Smile)

I would wager Sir Paul instantly knew who signed the arrest order for Ms. Brooks. He knew her arrest would jeopardize her testifying to Parliament on Tuesday and smelled the arduous beginnings of a cover-up.

Sir Paul has gotten praises from the chief examiner of the inquiry that is to begin on Tuesday. He praised Sir Paul for his ‘extraordinary and courageous’ decision to resign. The chief examiner was on television today literally kissing Sir Pauls’ hind parts and did not care who saw tell-tale drippings on his tongue.
As always,
BB

Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson quits
Excerpt:
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has resigned following the phone hacking scandal.

And
He said there were lessons to be learned from the affair, but he was leaving with his integrity intact.

And
In standing down, Sir Paul said he had no knowledge of the extent of the phone hacking.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14180043