Watergate Summer: April 2010

Friday, April 30, 2010

Gulf Oil Spill Update :: Friday April 29th (Reports Late Thursday Night The Slick makes Landfall )

DiscoveryNews reporting New NASA photos late Thursday Night show the Slick is reaching the Shoreline,
especially the Mouth of Mississippi River. Sadly the Leak is now 3 leaks and conservative estimate is 5000 gallons /day, which at 42 gallons/barrel is 200,000 gallons/day.DiscoveryNews has great article with great pictures and diagrams showing the total scope of the situation.
Within the last 24 hours the Scenario has changed drastically, BP has asked for help from our Government and our Military. President Obama has sent three cabinet members to the region and also been emphatic that our Government and Military will assist and work on this situation rendering any and all aid needed and that BP will be billed appropriately.It is clear to all involved that 8 days passed before BP admitted how significant the situation actually was. It is fortunate that the Coast Guard was monitoring and involved from the first day. Obama has also made clear that there will be thorough review of the situation and as well as of all the other platforms in the Region.
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As of 4am Newspapers including the WSJ are reporting that Obama is calling in the Navy to assist with the Slick. I remember the Valdez Disaster and I even remember the Santa Barbara Incident in 1969 and I don't ever remember the Navy being called in. I don't even think Bush allowed the Navy to help with Katrina.
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BBC has whole page with video,updates and map that is also monitoring the situation. They are covering it thoroughly and also point out BP's role in this disaster.
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And SkyNews has more on BP's Safety records and fines and problems that is worth reading.
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LATimes has more as this crisis grows in the past 24 hours and recognizing that the situation is worsening as the oil gets closer to shore.Discovering that there is a 3rd leak at the Site only added to the situation.,
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Nasa has amazing sattelite photos that really show the extent of the situation.Excellent website to visually connect to the situation.
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PBS News Hour...Late ThursdayNight 4.29.10

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And just when we think this Disaster can not get any worse, we learned Thursday Night that Halliburton did "repair" the Sunken Rig and that raises many questions and concerns. As we all know their work in Iraq has been dangerous on multiple levels.
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NYT update late Thursday night mostly focused on BP and it's image and it's Responsibility.
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NOAA Forecast Map , it could reach Pensacola by Monday.....

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

The Oil Disaster in the Gulf Blooms to 5000 Barrels/Day {210,00 gallons /day}

Photo from the Original Explosion from the 21st....

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CBS News has more on their site and have been following this story in great detail.
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SkyTruth image from 4.28 actually reveals that Oil Slick is 10 miles from NOLA shore.

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It's bad enough that this disaster happened after a horrendous explosion,fire and 11 dead and more injured.Originally the News sources kept saying it was not that bad a disaster.(After Valdez how any news source could downgrade a disaster is beyond me). Tonight the story took a shift and it was said that there would be an announcement at 10PM from the Coast Guard.

NOAA updated Wednesday Fact sheet that shows how the Oil Explosion Leak/Disaster is growing by the hour. As of tonight NOAA and the Coast Guard have expanded the Leak Estimates to 5000 barrels/day ( 212,500 gallons a day,based on 42.5 gallons per barrel). Many News Sources are starting to voice concerns that it may be the biggest Oil Disaster in American History.
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Reuters has more about the growing Slick and the efforts of all involved to contain the Oil Slick that is growing.
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Yahoo News has more on the details and points out that NOAA and HLS both agreed that the original 1000 barrels a day was inaccurate.
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O.Willis in his post points out that the Leak is litterally Pumping 210,000 gallons into the gulf per day at this point. Also big hat tip to him also for finding the NASA photo of how dire this Slick really is.
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This video from the AP has more about setting fire to the slick in an attempt to prevent it from reaching Shoreline,also show visually how toxic the slick looks....:

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3AM LATimes does indeed perdict that it will be worse than the Exxon Valdez Spill.
Snippett from LA Times:
"Officials predict the oil could reach the Louisiana coast by Friday, somewhere near the Mississippi Delta.The nonprofit environmental group SkyTruth warned that the growing disaster "could soon surpass the sorry benchmark 20 years ago set by the 11 million gallon Exxon Valdez spill."

Based on an analysis of radar satellite images of the spill, SkyTruth calculated that at least 6 million gallons had already entered the gulf — at a rate of about 20,000 barrels a day. (An oil barrel is 42 gallons.)SkyTruth posted its estimates on its website, SkyTruth.org, before the Coast Guard announced its new leak estimates.Crews continued to fight the spill, which was 600 miles in circumference and about 23 miles offshore. BP leased the rig and is responsible for the cleanup.

After days of sucking up the oil-water sheen with special ships and barges and spraying chemical dispersants from planes, crews set a controlled burn Wednesday to rid the sea of some of the oil.Crews set ablaze a modest amount of oil that was ringed by a flame-retardant boom, said Daren Beaudo, a BP spokesman. If that succeeds, the oil company could set more fires to burn off more oil.

BP's Suttles said crews were making every effort to keep the oil offshore. But anticipating the worst, they had put down more than 100,000 feet of protective boom intermittently along stretches near the shoreline, from the mouth of the Mississippi River east to Mobile Bay, Ala.
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I do encourage that you read up on the Imagery by SkyTruth.Org, their website has updates and you can also follow them on Twitter, Their work is very thorough....
This post will be updated tomorrow......

Blog Find of the Day....truly a great find....If you follow OtooleFan on Twitter you must read his blog (Click the Title)

Do you need a dose of his Insights ? Wisdom ? Snark ? His blog is such a nice find....go on -go hide there...and soak it in..you won't be dissappointed...at all.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Muéstreme Sus Papeles !! ( Show Me Your Papers !!)

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“Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures."~Cesar Chavez
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So last Friday Arizona the Governor signed into Law a new Immigration Law that is the most racist law that has ever been passed in our lifetime in a Single State. It will mean that Police can pull anyone over and demand their Proof of Citizenship, it means that they are required to Demand Their Papers. What kind of papers would all people have to carry at all times ? A Drivers License is not enough ? An ID card ? School ID ? Work ID ? Would people would have to have a Passport ? a Birth Certificate ? Green Card ? And why are Police acting as Border Patrol Agents ? Is that really part of their job description ? How would this law really help Law Enforcement , other than creating a climate of fear and hate ? It also is written that Citizens can turn their neighbors into Police too ? I look at this photo above and I think how would it be for people to have to "Show Papers" ? Would it be calm ? or would it be like what I really picture in my mind....
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This is what I picture in my mind at the Mere Mention of " Show Me Your Papers"....Nazi Germany...yes...

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So Arizona that is already being Investigated by the Feds for Civil Rights investigation has now found a way to Legalize Racial Profiling ? President Obama has expressed his concern about what the Governor did, but legally can Arizona be stopped from creating a Police State ? This is a situation that we should all watch, as it could be a Law that Other Southern Republican States embrace or adopt. We as citizens need to find Creative ways to confront this situation, whether it be BoyCotting or Letter Writing or ? But Silence is not an option....
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In Germany they came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,and by that time No One was left to speak up."
{{....by Martin Niemöller, prominent German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor, best known as the author of the poem "First They Came"...Hat tip to @EileenLeft of Twitterland for reminding folks of this poem...}}
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More Articles on this:
Eugene Robinson's OpEd on the AZ Law from Truthout really nails it...
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NYT has more on the AZ Boycott...
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Al Jeezerra News did 2.25min story on the Law and explained it better than most media....
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Christian Science Monitor article explores why the Immigration Law actually hinders Law Enforcement....
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Greg Palast has written this article for Truthout pointing out that the GOP might be using the Immigration Law to maneuver for the 2010 Elections.
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NPR blog examines what are AZ Residents to do ?
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AZ Office of Tourism should recieve Polite letters as to WHY people will no longer come to Arizona....
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AZ Wikipedia list of Businesses to BoyCott.
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President Calderon of Mexico is not happy with the new law, so now it will start to have International Diplomatic Fallout as well. ( reuters)
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Think Progress rounds up where the Reps and Lawmakers fall on the Bill....one Repub Rep is against it...period.

Arrest of Ohio Man during the President's Visit to North Carolina Raises Questions: Why did the Arrested Man have possible Police Car and Gear ?

Sunday at the Ashville NC airport in a Rental Car lot adjacent to the Airport Sean McVey of Coshcochtan Ohio was arrested on a "misdemeanor" charge: "Going armed to terror the public" and is being held on $100,000 bail. The different papers state that he was charged with being a threat to the public.It is unclear as to his purpose for being at the airport and why he was armed.Supposedly he did have permit for the sidearm.

It is stated in the articles that he also had Rifle Scope codes with him in the car, yet no articles state whether he had any other weapons in the car or an actual rifle. The articles do also state that he had police gear in the car, which raises more questions. CNN story goes as far as to state that he was impersonating a Police Officer, you can read more here None of the stories posted have stated what he was wearing when arrested or his actual occupation or if he has Miliary or Police training.
CNN Story as of Sunday Night:
"Man arrested after Obama leaves North Carolina
Police in Asheville, North Carolina, arrested a man they said was impersonating a police officer at the city's airport after President Obama flew out of town on Sunday.Joseph McVey, 23, was being held on a charge of going armed to the terror of the public, according to the Buncombe County jail's booking office. McVey's bail was set at $100,000, Officer Donna Player told CNN.Journalists saw police put the handcuffed man into an Asheville Regional Airport police car in the facility's parking lot after Obama's plane departed following the first family's weekend vacation in the western North Carolina mountains.

Airport police Capt. Kevan Smith said the suspect was driving a car that was made to look like a law enforcement vehicle with working lights and sirens. He would provide no further details about the suspect, but emphasized that the president was never in any danger.Additional charges were pending Sunday evening, he said."{ CNN's Jeremy Ryan and Matt Smith contributed to this report.}

Just an Ohio kid with a Walkie-Talkie and a gun or something much more worrisome and premeditated and coordinated is the bigger question ? Its interesting to note that the Stories as they appear in different papers have a different slant as to the young man's intentions. MSNBC 's story on the man included very little details regarding the Actual event at the airport, including omitting the information about the Rifle Scope codes and the fact that he was communicating with another individual via a headset, or that the scanner was listening to the actual Police Feeds for that area. The Citizen Times article below raises some much more troubling issues, including the police scanner and the fact that the young man was in communication with someone else.

All Press Releases on this arrest state that the man had "Police gear in the car". Even this AP story mentions the "police gear" and that the car was also equipped with police issue strobe lights and that the trunk had 4 antennas on it. It also stated that the car had hoodmounted digital camera. Some of what was described sounds similiar to an unmarked police car ? It is also to be noted that the stories all mention that a Driver's License check was run on McVey,but nothing is said about an actual check on the car. Was the car from a Police Dept ? It did have LED strobe lights, a siren box, and a digital camera hoodmounted as well as scanner equipment and "police gear" in the car. Was this car registered to the Police or Authorities in Ohio ?

AP story:"McVey told an officer in the airport parking lot he wanted to see the president and he had a car equipped with police gear, including a siren and flashing lights, though he did not work in law enforcement, authorities said."
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This is the CitizenTimes article in it's entirety from Sunday:

"ASHEVILLE — Asheville Regional Airport police arrested a 23-year-old Ohio man who was carrying a handgun and listening to police radio scanners near the runway around the time President Barack Obama’s flight was leaving Asheville, according to investigators.Joseph Sean McVey, of Coshocton, in southeastern Ohio, pulled his vehicle in front of a gate in the rental car parking lot as Air Force One was taxiing on the runway just before 2 p.m., according to a case summary filed by police.
McVey has been charged with going armed to the terror of the public, a misdemeanor offense. He is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Center on $100,000 secured bond.

He did not get near the president.The car’s Ohio plates and other equipment including a digital camera on the dashboard and four large antennas on the trunk lid caught an airport police officer’s attention, according to the case summary.

McVey got out of the car and started talking on a handheld radio attached to a remote earpiece and the officer noticed he was wearing a sidearm.The officer and Secret Service agents asked for McVey’s identification and when they ran his driver’s license number through a computer it did not come back as valid, according to the case summary.When the officer asked what he was doing, McVey stated “he heard the president was in town. He stated he wanted to see the president,” according to a case summary.Officers then removed McVey’s Springfield XD 40 handgun and detained him.While searching his Pontiac Grand Prix, investigators heard police department radio traffic “indicating he was monitoring our frequency when he arrived,” according to the summary.Officers also found a siren box under his steering wheel, several pieces of paper with agency frequencies written on them and a sticky note in the cup holder with rifle scope formulas on them."

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From his Twitter Page it appears he is a Ham Radio kid, but not much else was learned of his intentions or relationships.
His Last four tweets yesterday show he was driving to North Carolina and twittering on the road ( not clear if it is with an iphone). Nothing mentioned of his intentions or plans when he was to arrive in NC.

@alutz904 uhhh yar. Get a 10-meter radio! Better, upgrade to KD8KRN/AG and an HF rig.
12:22 AM Apr 25th via TweetDeck from North Carolina, US in reply to alutz904

@Atlacamani don't think so. Each has its own rules. Some are high school level, for example, with obvious age restrictions. #piano
12:21 AM Apr 25th via TweetDeck from North Carolina, US in reply to Atlacamani

@Atlacamani that isn't entirely true. As a pianist, I can attest that one can compete over 30! :} #piano !!!
2:26 AM Apr 24th via TweetDeck from Limestone, NC in reply to Atlacamani

@alutz904 just got phone plugged in. Sup?
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On Monday the Citizen Times story was updated with more information about his Online Life as well as his Ham Radio History and his work history.His Xanga profile page, last updated in 2006, lists his birthday as April 16, 1987.

"In 2007, McVey posted a blog on his Myspace profile that said he got a job working “as IntelliTarget Marketing. (Verifying addresses on magazine subscriptions and, soon, political ‘advertising’ for the One Million Republicans, a new Republican group postered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay).”Other blogs describe girl troubles and his frustrations surrounding his efforts to become a good pianist. He hasn’t posted a new blog since 2008.His Facebook page, which the Citizen-Times had limited access to, lists him as a fan of Asheville and, separately, as fan of downtown Asheville
On his YouTube account, McVey has favorited more than 100 videos, including multiple law enforcement-related videos and one that allegedly shows U.S. soldiers accidentally killing civilians in Iraq .None of the sites examined by the Citizen-Times included any mention of President Barack Obama."
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In closing more should be reported on his Status, MSNBC downplayed story while CNN focused on his possible Police Impersonation. Hopefully the Police Angle of this situation will be further investigated including did he have Police and Military training and the question will be answered as to whether he was driving an unmarked Police Car or was the car also being made to appear falsely that it was a Police Car ? And who was he talking to on his handheld radio ? Was he alone in his actions or was he working with someone ? Either way Harmless kid with a Ham radio does not appear to be the Story here and someone needs to ask some hard questions and investigate thoroughly.

Monday, April 19, 2010

The Compassion Deficit and The Media's Role

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The Compassion Lesson :"During my second year of nursing school our professor gave us a quiz. I breezed through the questions until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was a joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our grade. "Absolutely," the professor said. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello." I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy." ~Joann C. Jones
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During the Bush years I was trying to raise my son, trying to teach him compassion and empathy. I was trying to find him good role models, people that would inspire him. I tried to teach him that we all take care of each other, that we treat people as Our Neighbors, whether they live here or 3000 Miles away. I tried to teach him that we need to walk in each other's shoes,look into people's eyes, learn their "stories". That we need to think about what others are thinking and feeling and experiencing. But over time I have realized that the World is part of who teaches our children the Bigger lessons.And sadly this post is about the role that Media plays in the Compassion Deficit.

My son is a big History fiend, so much of his reading has helped raise his values and awareness on this issue. In 2008 we went to see Senator Obama speak and one of the most striking parts of his speech was about how our Country is suffering a "Compassion Deficit". That one phrase has become the opening to many conversations here, mostly where 6-6 has pointed out that many of our great Past Presidents would not have tolerated the political climate of today.My son has been hellbent on finding Presidents confronting Obstacles and Hate Rhetoric.My son's theory is that Political Leaders must set the tone, and Lead on issues that shape us, from Bullying to Torture. My theory is that the Leaders may set the tone or discuss,but the Media must cover the discussion and events that form this dialogue.My other theory is that it is up to us , all of us to teach our children and each other how to take care of each other and treat each other.

The MSM has great difficulty covering stories about Police Brutality,Bullying, Brutality at the HCR rallies,Death Threats to Leaders,and Illegal Arrests and Torture of the Bush Administration.Many have tried to write compelling posts on why these acts need to be investigated. Print Media has tried to raise thoughtful questions and keep people aware, but the Broadcasting media that could have educated on this issue has failed to cover the issue at all.If they don't cover Crimes by our leaders why should we even expect coverage of Bullying or Police Brutality to be covered with any journalistic integrity. The Media failed to cover the Torture of the Bush Administration and now they are failing to cover more details that are being revealed,especially the Broadcasting Media.

Yet the Broadcasting Media has had no trouble showing the Hate Speech and rhetoric of the Tea Party, and even covering it as an Legitimate group of people who should be allowed to embrace their anger. So I see them as encouraging the Hatemongering and hate rhetoric that is happening in our country. So they are capable of covering Hate Issues,yet they are not capable of covering the issue so that it educates or increases critical thinking on this issue.Today they are covering the Gun Rallies, even though this is the day when HateMongering caused death 15 years ago on this day. CNN has barely acknowledged that 15 years ago AntiGovernment hate led to the death of 168 people in Oklahoma City.

So the bigger question is does the Media play a role in our Compassion Deficit ? They do if they missreport crimes that were committed in our name and focus inappropriate attentions on Hate Rhetoric and Hatemongering.
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Do read the post below that has update on Torture Issues that have been underreported.

Torture Posts that need more Coverage...

I have done many posts on torture here over the years,(149 in total if you want to read them there just search Torture,especially March,April,May of 2009)) trying to cover what was done in our names during the Bush Era. I remain concerned that the ACLU alone is the only group of people pursuing these crimes with any concern for Justice. I do reccommend that we watch these videos again, of Bush speaking about Torture...(posted April 2009) .
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This Torture story out of Iraq concerning the Malaki Adminstration. It raises some interesting concerns did the Bush Administration or Military leaders know of these prisons or the torture ?
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NYT post on Porter Goss's Role in the Torture of the Bush Adminstration that Media is not covering....at all.
And they should cover this story as it has to do with the Destruction of the Tapes, the Evidence of Torture that was used on certain suspects as early as 2002.
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Jason Leopold and Truthout have been covering the Torture Issue in greater detail and this latest post about an Investigation into Abu Zubaydah's torture is a must read.
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Jeff Kaye of FDL has a post up that explores that there may have been a 2nd taping system,that raises more questions about the Destroyed tapes.
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(( This background post from the NYT points out that the Bush Regime was trying to assess how and who to torture back in 2002.

A Memorial for Martin Luther King...

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There is an effort to raise funds for the MLK Memorial . Please do go to this website and explore it, and find a way to contribute to awareness of this project.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Monday Round Up....Things to make you think, smile and share

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Favorite Post of the Weekend...."9 Myths about "Socialism" from Truthout really made me smile....
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More Volcano photos from Iceland that are amazing...
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Margaret and Helen examine the TeaParty phenomena in "We survived Bush and you will survive Obama." Need Humor and fresh perspective...this is the post to read.
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Run the Boston Marathon virtually....
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Here's your feelgood post of the day about NYC Bartenders saving a puppy and yeah, we have found our Charity for this month ( well, besides Haiti). Read the story, it will tug your heart...I look daily for stories of Compassion..this one wins.
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Hmmm Cheesecake to Cobb Salad...best food blog of week Smitten Kitchen ....
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Maybe you don't need Cobb Salad or Cheese Cake...maybe you need a sandwich ?
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Great post about Bullying, has great links,links for people to use tools to talk with kids of all ages and teens too.
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NYT Health section really interesting article on Health Insurance from the weekend has some really good lessons and questions....
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If you love the photo with this post, it's from the Charles Cushman collection, and you can see more here from the NYC Collection.

Seattle still wins for the Best GLEE Flash Mob Video from April 10,2010

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Why When Palin Speaks are Audio Recordings being Sent to RNC Speech Writer ?

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So this week we learned that Sarah Palin has a Speaking Engagement at a California School in June. Interestingly enough this week Some Industrious College Students happened to find the Contract. ( We all know that great Investigative Journalism always starts in a Dumpster.) Only part of the Contract was found and it was very interesting. ( Full of her Pampering Requests from SUV's to Lectern Lighting to Bendable Straws to Lear Jets....For many months I have jokingly called her Queen SaraPee, I see now that I was on the right track....)

But one of the Juicy Tibits that I was struck by was that A Recorded Audio version of her speech must be sent to the RNC Speech Writer within 24 hours.So that raises many Questions for me:

From Page 6 of the WSB Palin California Contract:::
"BROADCAST / RECORDING:
"Customer is required to audio record all of Speaker's remarks (Presentation, Q&A, etc.) and mail a copv of audio recordinq within one business day of event date to: Lindsay Hayes- 4l4EastNelsonAvenue- Alexandria,VA223"

(1) Is she Paying Hayes to write the Speeches ?
(2) Is RNC paying for her speeches to be written by Hayes ?
(3) Is it possible the RNC is paying for these speeches to be written, knowing that they are also catering to the Tea Party?
(4) Is the RNC Paying her to give the speeches ?
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RNC Player list scroll down and you can learn about Lindsay Hayes ( RNC Speech writer who used to work for Ted Stevens also......
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ABC 's Draft copy was posted on numerous blogs today and yesterday. I also thank Immoral Minority for posting it as well as SF Chronicle, Raw Story etc.

Tea Party Anti Tax Parties and Rallies are tomorrow....How to Spy on Idiots...

Tomorrow many Tax Day Tea Party Rallies are planned. Many Non Confrontational ANTI -TeaParty Rallies and Coffee Party gatherings are planned as well. Here in Ohio Hannity is planning his Big Party in the Southern part of the State. Here in Cleveland, there are some problems with the Tea Party Rally that is planned for the Mall downtown on Mall C. They have not paid their Permit fee and all of the different blogs have different TIMES listed. Some say Noon, Some say 4-6PM and some say 6:30PM. ( I personally am not correcting them or linking to them, I am going to sit back and enjoy their muddled mess, I will post photos and video from Ohio's events). Many of the bigger blogs and Internet newspapers are encouraging people to go and take videos and photos and report what they see. I encourage people to do that with care, as some of them are gun toting, less than rational and ginned up on Foxifed anger and hate. ( Treat it like a spy mission, dress either low key or wear Flag gear so you blend in. I also recommend parking far away if your car is plastered with Obama stickers...which mine is). Just quietly photograph signs and video the Rhetoric, because personally we all know that we are bearing witness to a dangerous time in our history. Many of them maybe be ignorant, but their Anger has been fueled by heated up rhetoric and Hatemongering from FOX.

I also encourage you to read this great post " by William Rivers Pitt called "Tea on the Common" for Truthout. It's insightful and puts all of this in perspective.
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A Little Humor about Tomorrow's Events....
So I go to the local Copy Center to make copies of my Tax Stuff. I am set up in my corner with my machine and my paperwork and my envelopes and my paperclips etc. And I am making my copies ( because people that are compulsive have to make multiple copies). And in comes this elderly man in his late 70's, and he wanted to make copies. For some reason his machine was not working right. So he asked if he could use mine. I said when I was done. I looked over he was making invites for the Cleveland Tea Party Rally. I looked at the poorly drawn snake ( who looked like a RoadKill Worm Who had been Treaded Upon...) but the rally was announced to be at 2PM. I thought about that as I drove home and sure enough there are Rallies planned at MALL C in Cleveland, but when I looked it up I had to laugh that All the Tea Party Sites here had Different Times.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr.Jill Biden went to Haiti today....

I will try to find more articles about her trips and how it happened today, and how she was recieved by the people. As a mom and a woman I am so proud her when I see her interacting with other peoples....that she is OUR First Lady.
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Christian Science Monitor has more about her trip and the purpose, really good article.
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Jacqui Charles of Miami Herald has the best post of the day about the Trip, really details what and who she saw. Charles also has been writing articles on Haiti since the Quake that really are worth following.
"Dozens of children greeted Obama and Biden, singing ``welcome'' in English.
Obama danced, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her hips as the children sang. At the end, she gave several of them high fives while smiling.As one group ended, another group of children sang in Creole, ``We are glad to see you. We say let's be happy.''Later, they joined the children in an art lesson, and Obama drew a purple fish at the request of one of the children. Biden drew a house. Haiti's first lady served as a translator.Elisabeth Delatour Préval said the children found the visit inspiring, as did she.`The visit came with a lot of sympathy, friendship and hope, she said. ``The children were very happy and felt very privileged.''

China has large Earthquake in Northwestern Region near Tibet....

This link has the first details of the Quake in Quinghai China 6.9 and very shallow, less than 4.1 miles deep. It is in a region of China that has older buildings and not a known Earthquake region.Sadly it also was at school time at 8:30AM. As of 1AM more than 300 are reported dead and more are trapped in rubble. This is the First USGS report.
A followup USGS Alert was issued as there are approximately 17,000 people that are living in this vulnerable region in older structures,that are vulnerable to the aftershocks as well.
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This Aussie Paper has more about the initial reports from the Qinghai province.
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BBC has some of the first reports , and grainy video about damage,lives lost and village and population vulnerabilities.
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Please note if you are thinking that the Qinghai Province Name sounds familiar, it is because it is the same region where the Miners were stuck beneath the ground this past week.153 Miners were trapped, more than 100 were rescued in the past weeks. At this time I am still trying to get more definitive maps to determine if the Coal Mines are depth and location.This region is known for Mining ( coal ,copper,lead etc).This link retells the Coal Mine story and explains more about the region.
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LA Times puts the dead at 300 and wounded at 8000., and states that 85% of buildings have suffered damage.
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NYT has fairly detailed story on region and damage.
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Virtual Review has more about the Earthquake coming in with video and information and new links and articles. Great Source.

Did you miss the WAMU hearings on CSPAN today? Here 's the link and you can meet the Players (Seattle Times)

Highly infomative...must appreciate arrogance and incompetence and swindling practices....and their ability to fudge numbers and explanations. ( BTW please do read the playbill cast of characters and how some have interesting relationships with OTHER banks during the last few Titannical years of WAMU).

GLEE (hulu) THE Vogue Video....must see...it's really welldone...

PBS has Frontline Episode : "Obama's Deal" that tells the story of the HCR battle, Click Link to view the story

2008 Video explains some of Blankenship's Relationships with the Court...

2:38 Minutes from a segment called Outlook...

Don Blankenship: This video shows you everything you need to know about him...

Big Coal, Big Lies....

Don Blankenship of Massey Energy ( 2008) Watch this tape and see how he treats people

More GLEE Flashmob....ROME

Monday, April 12, 2010

Special Spotlight on Artists : How they Heal and why they too need Health Care

One of my Favorite AIDS patients was Rick, he taught me the importance of Art.Over this past year on Twitter I have met some Amazing people who have shared their stories and their wisdom. The artists below are just some of the people of twitter....This is my Birthday post, a gift to all of you.Rick also taught me that All Time is a Gift, and the People in our lives....
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{1} @Rebeccay
Earlier I did a post here and over at The Enigma Cafe ( my art blog) about Rebeccay York, and her beautiful mosaics. She has an amazing story in which she explains on her website her health battles and how she found her way to her beautiful Art that is a creative form of Glass Mosaics. Some of her art looks like it should be in a Church it is so breathtaking and other pieces look like they were swept from the sea. She sells her creations from Furniture to the garden and her Website tells her Story and how her Art found her and how she still creates and shares all of her treasures now. And you can also follow her on Twitter @Rebeccay. {The Art with this post is "East Meets West"}
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{3} @PennDragonArt
Here is the beautiful paintings of another woman that faces Health Challenges but continues to Paint. Her Paintings are inspiring and soothing.I encourage you to explore her art and also read her story. I am posting her HCR paintings here for you to get a taste of her talent. Please view her art and also understand that her Art also helps support her healthcare. Amy Stewart Hale 's painting are raw, and beautiful. This is her website and I have linked to the HCR section, please do see the site and explore her story and her art.
I have linked her post on HCR because it is poignant. And you can follow her at Twitter @PennDragonArt .
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{3} @janet6wheels
This is her painting "Twilight at Cosmos".This amazing woman paints because it has healing powers for her. I do encourage you to read her blog and explore her paintings.She is much more talented than she actually knows. This is her website it has her website and her paintings. You can also follow her on Twitter
as @Janet6wheels .
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{4}@SassySongStress
Is a Singer that is also a Nurse that has made her way out West to pursue her dreams of singing. Her name is Sharon Bautista and she really is so talented, please do go to her page and listen to her music. I encourage you to read her site and listen to her music and share her with her friends. I support all Nurses who are Embracing their other talents. Many Nurses work other jobs in an effort to support themselves as well as many that work Per Diem or Part time also wrestling with finding HCR. This is another issue that many in the public are unaware of. As to this lovely singers voice, she reminds me of Karla Bonoff and Phoebee Snow....yes she is that Talented. Please follow her career and support her Musical Efforts. And you can follow her on Twitter at @sassysongstress, and follow her career.
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Eva Cassidy 's Life and Art is a site that her family set up. As the HCR battle raged this past year I thought alot about Eva and her Spirit as an artist, and I often played her music often. For me I was haunted by her story and how her life was cut so short by Cancer. You can read more about her life and death here in this post. As a Nurse I strongly feel that if she had had Better Health Care and Consistant Followup after her first cancerous mole was found that she would have had a longer fuller life. And as a Nurse I know that most Artists and Musicians and Writers have very Limited Access to Health Care and Insurance. As a Nurse I hope at some point this issue is better explored, whether it be Medicare Expansion,Public Option. Millions of Americans give back to this Country, whether it be with Art, Song or Writings, they contribute and should have a way to be Cared For. As you go to Town Meetings this summer, please be sure to Explain that All Kinds of Americans , Good Americans need Healthcare. This video below is her final song, her final performance in 1996.

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Addendum ::::My teenage son asked me to add Alex Chilton, because he too is a great artist who really did die without proper healthcare. This article in the Rolling Stone "Death by UnInsurance" really is correct we do need to include Alex as one of UnInsured who was not getting proper care or follow up. Sadly NOLA also suffers from a lack of quality Medical Care so there are other circumstances that need to be explored for the people of NOLA. You can read the article here.

And Before You Go to Bed You MUST watch GLEE FlashMob Videos....They are Stunning : Seattle,Dublin, Madrid,London all over...

Take your time, there are plenty to watch...so Inspiring...I can't dance or sing...but I would go watch this if if was near by....

Breaking News for Team Coco: It's official Conan is Coming Back to Late Night....

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Los Angeles Times | April 12, 2010 | 9:45 a.m.
Conan O'Brien is going to TBS.Conan O'Brien, the former host of NBC's "Tonight Show" who lost the program to Jay Leno earlier this year, has signed a deal for a new late-night program on TBS, the basic-cable network owned by Time Warner. O'Brien's show will start in November at 11 p.m. George Lopez, the comedian who currently occupies that slot, will have his show move to midnight."In three months, I've gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I'm headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly," O'Brien said in a statement.
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Wow...I had a #KeithTweet over the weekend ...and now this..Great News...and I think great Birthday Presents....

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More on the details of how this came about from LAist .

Please stay tuned for a special post on Artists and Healing....(My Birthday Post for myself....that I want to share)

This week is my birthday, so I am giving myself a present, I am blogging about Artists. So stay tuned. ( Sorry that this month has been so full of such heartbreaking events.)Post will be up late today...

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Polish Plane Crash in Russia: 97 People on Board die in Flight that Crashed while landing,Polish President and wife dead

MOSCOW (BNO NEWS) — Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife were killed when the presidential plane crashed near an airport in western Russia.A total of 132 people were on board the Tupolev 154 aircraft, according to the Russian Investigation Committee. The governor of Smolensk Oblast confirmed there were no survivors in the accident, which happened several hundred meters from the runway of Smolensk Airport.According to media reports, the head of the Polish Army and former Polish president Ryszard Kaczorowski were also on board. Confirmation was not immediately available.

MOSCOW (AP) - Polish Foreign Ministry says Polish president and wife were on plane that crashed in Russia.

Moscow (Reuters) - 87 Dead After Polish President Lech Kaczynski’s Plane Crashes in Russia. The plane of Polish President Lech Kaczynski has crashed on approach to Smolensk airport in western Russia, Polish airport officials say.
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More details of the Crash here in the LA Times. I am still unclear of the number of dead, the European papers were reporting that it was 132, then over 100, while American Papers are saying 87-97. I would think that the records of a Presidential Plane would be fairly accurate ? I will try to update this tomorrow.
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CNN International now reporting the Plane Crash at 5:30AM. VIDEO. Video was a little odd, there is no foam and the fire seems smoldering in spots. There are limited fire rescue people seen in video, yet there are men in leatherjackets walking around smoking ( which seems odd near a Crash site with fuel ).
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This was all gathered at 4-5AM.no other news of information yet.( AmericanCNN still not reporting) More Print updates in Comments.
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11 AM Update BBC has more this morning on the crash.At this time the speculation is that Bad Weather, Heavy Fog and Pilot error are being raised. Nothing has been mentioned as to the Black Boxes yet. VIDEO with this post clearly shows more of the Crash Site and the Flames and fire crews ( much better than the CNN video, you can see more).
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More about the Katyn Incident, and why this planned event honoring and attempting to heal this moment was important for Russia and Poland.
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More from the NYT : the LEde about the Katyn Event and the honoring of the dead, and the closure that is needed.....very sad.

Charities that are Working with the West Virginia Miner Families : Information below

Tonight we now know that 29 miners have died in the Massey Mine Explosion...Here is the information that might help us give to the Miner Families.

Many people on the Internet and Blogs and Twitter have been trying to find ways to give to the Miner Families. West Virginia Gazette has reported Two Charities that are accepting Donations to help the Families Directly. This link is posted and the information is also below. Please forward to Crooks and Liars and Huffington Post. Thank You.

For Donations to the Miner Families:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Council of Churches has established the Montcoal Mining Disaster Fund and is accepting donations to be distributed among the families of miners who were killed in Monday's explosion at Performance Coal Co.'s Upper Big Branch mine.Those who wish to make a monetary contribution should contact the Council of Churches at 304-344-3141 or www.wvcc.org for details.

The West Virginia Council of Churches has full website that explores what will and can be given to help the families. I encourage that you send people to the site that is coordinating with the Salvation Army.

In addition, Appalachian Bible College is accepting gifts and other items for the families of the deceased miners. For details about non-monetary donations visit www.abc.edu.

This is the link to the Bible College that is collecting letters of sympathy for the families and raising funds for their needs.
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Thursday, April 08, 2010

Massey Mine Explosion Update : Thursday April 8th

Sadly the Mine Rescue Crews have been trying to enter the Mines, but the Gases below are not cooperating.Even with extra shafts drilled there continues to be Methane readings that are unsafe for the Rescue Crews.Methane is so tricky, highly explosive and it causes shifts in other gases ( CO2 and O2) and also even the smallest charge can cause explosions, especially with all the coal dust that is down there.

Estimates on Monday for visibility due to coal dust were 2.5 feet. Since the Gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless the Rescuers are at risk and since they have work their way in 5000 feet up the shaft, this is a situation that has to be constantly monitored. A bigger concern that they have not really discussed on air, is that the Constantly rising unstable Methane Gas means that it is not just a breathing issue, it is indeed an explosion Risk issue. Now we are starting to learn that the Mine has been shuttered and closed for Methane issues in the past months.

Washington Independent reports more details from the Labor and MSHA reports. ( I am still searching for the OSHA reports). But in this latest round of reports it turns out that the Mine has indeed been Shuttered 61 Times in 15 Months. These new numbers raise many Questions.

The Federal Government's Mine Safety website is worth exploring and posts daily updates on the Performance Mine Situation .

This is MSHA"s statement about the Special Investigation that has been ordered regarding the Mine Explosion.

If MSHA did know about the Excessive Violation Numbers WHY was the Mine not Closed UNTIL the Safety Issues were fully addressed. It is admirable that the Prevention Chambers were placed in the Mines in case the Miners needed refuge, that says to me that they were willing to spend money for Some Disaster Planning, but why wouldn't the Violations be better addressed ? Especially the ones regarding ventilation and Air Flow and methane readings ? Did MSHA track the "Shuttering Incidents" would that alone be enough to Close the Mine for Full Inspection ?
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Think Progress has been doing an amazing job tracking the Massey Violations and their site really is the place to go for daily updates and information.
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Nicole Nuss of Care2 has more on the Safety Issues and Massey Energy's Track record addressing violations that is worth the read, really well written and explained.
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Many people on the Internet and Blogs and Twitter have been trying to find ways to give to the Miner Families. West Virginia Gazette has reported Two Charities that are accepting Donations to help the Families Directly. This link is posted and the information is also below. Please forward to Crooks and Liars and Huffington Post. Thank You.

For Donations to the Miner Families:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Council of Churches has established the Montcoal Mining Disaster Fund and is accepting donations to be distributed among the families of miners who were killed in Monday's explosion at Performance Coal Co.'s Upper Big Branch mine.Those who wish to make a monetary contribution should contact the Council of Churches at 304-344-3141 or www.wvcc.org for details.

In addition, Appalachian Bible College is accepting gifts and other items for the families of the deceased miners. For details about non-monetary donations visit www.abc.edu.

This is the link to the Bible College that is collecting letters of sympathy for the families and raising funds for their needs.
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2AM Friday Update:::
CBS News reporting as of 1:55AMM that the plan is to flush the mines with Nitrogen, to improve safety conditions and enable the Rescue Crews to return early in the am to attempt to rescue the 4 missing miners.
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Please keep the Miners in your thoughts and prayers, I will update this post tomorrow and post updates in the Comments like I always do if you want to check back regarding the Rescue and Recovery Efforts.
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Best Article yet in the Rolling Stone on the Mine Explosion : "Coaltastrophe", even explores violations on the Methane Violations.
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1AM Saturday Morning...(late Friday Night) Final push was made to rescue the remaining 4 miners, they were found dead, they had never reached a Rescue Chamber. So 29 Miners did die in the Explosion.
CBS has more on the final Rescue push tonight as they are now recovering the remaining bodies in the Mine.

Monday, April 05, 2010

Mining Disaster in West Virginia .....After Explosion at the Upper Branch of the Perfomance Mine owned by Massey Energy

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This article is one of the first explains that the Massey Mine Explosion has killed atleast 12 and 12-17 are missing at this time. It is a mine that is 30 miles South of Charleston and has a riddled Safety Record.Upper Branch Mine, in Montcoal, W.Va. is where the explosion occurred at about 3:30PM this afternoon (AP report)
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Seattle Times has updates through the day, starting with 7 reported dead and then 10, then 12 and as of MN they are reporting 25 dead. There are has been confusion as to how many were down and the number of missing.There also have been no reports of the Methane Readings, so another concern is the safety of the Rescue Workers. It was over 1000 feet down that the explosion occurred, and the Long Wall Mining they were involved in is in a range/field that has had a history of Methane Problems and Shaft shlumping and collapses. Methane Gas combined with coal dust can create or contribute to unexpected explosions. This Area in particular has history or safety violations related to Methane Readings.
More From the Seattle Times Article:
"Rescuers had been making their way to the area where the miners were believed trapped at Massey Energy Co.'s sprawling Upper Big Branch mine, where the blast occurred around 3 p.m. Monday. However, safety officials said at a news conference that the search was suspended because rising methane gas levels in the mine made it a high risk for another explosion.Earlier, Kevin Stricklin, an administrator for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, said officials hoped some of the missing survived the initial blast and were able to reach airtight chambers stocked with food, water and enough oxygen for them to live for four days. However, rescue teams made it to one of two nearby shelters and it was empty. The gas levels prevented them from reaching the second.Massey Energy and safety officials confirmed that 25 bodies were found. The death toll had risen from seven earlier in the day to 12 at about midnight. A total of 29 miners were in the area when the blast happened, he said.

"It does not appear that any of the individuals made it to a rescue chamber," Stricklin said at a news conference. "The situation is dire."
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This report raises Questions about Massey and their Subsidiary "Performance" and their safety record, is very much a mixed bag.
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Daily Mail has more information on the Safety Issues that raise concerns as to the extent of violations related to methane, ventilation. MSHA violations were over 400 last year, and 53 since the beginning of the year.

"Safety inspectors concluded as recently as last month that conditions at Massey Energy Co.'s Upper Big Branch mine posed substantial and significant risks to miner well-being before a Monday explosion killed 25 miners and trapped nearly 4.In March alone, U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration officials cited the mine, which is owned by Massey subsidiary Performance Coal Co., for failing to control dust; improperly planning to ventilate the mine of dust and the combustible gas methane; inadequate protection from roof falls; failing to maintain proper escapeways; and allowing the accumulation of combustible materials.

Since 1995, there have been more than 3,000 violations at Upper Big Branch, though it was not immediately clear how that compared to other mines of its size.Of the $1.5 million in penalties MSHA proposed since 2007, Massey has actually paid less than $300,000."
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SourceWatch reports that Massey Energy is one of the biggest Coal Mining Companies, mining 42.5 Million tons of coal, most of the operations are utilize Mountaintop Mining, Massey is the number one Appalacian Coal Mining Company and one of the biggest in the Country.
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2:12AM 4.6.10 LATimes just sent this out :
25 miners are dead in W. Va. explosion. Massey Energy said late Monday that the death toll had risen to 25 in the West Virginia mine explosion, which is now the worst U.S. mine disaster since 1984.Spokesman Jeff Gillenwater said four are missing and the rescue mission has been halted, Associated Press reported.

Full LATimes article out at 4AM EST, has new details about the death of the 25 miners.
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The UK Telegraph is reporting the death of 25 Miners,but it is stating that 10 are missing. Hopefully Massey Energy will clarify a more accurate account, or clarify if any of the Search Crews are missing.
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This CBS report also reports of Safety Violations and Fines, raising questions about the Record at this particular mine and questions about Safety. Sadly This was a mine that has no Union, therefore there is no one to report concerns or committees to monitor after fines and violations.
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Thinks Progress has more on the horrific safety records of Massey and this mine.Please do read this link, fairly astounding.
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4am BBC has fully updated story with video of the death of the 25 Miners.
(( Enigma Note: anyone who has read my blog over the years knows I cover all Mining Disasters....Especially in Virginia and Kentucky..as that is my roots..my kin. As they are not a Union Mine, I will post the Donation Funds that will be set up for the Families.))
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Natalie Merchant "Which Side are you on " ( Song by Miner Wife Florence Reece and she wrote this while her husband fought for the rights of the Miners to Unionize it's a poignant song ...many in the Appalacian Mts know this song....)

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Thursday April 8th AM : Rescue Crews will enter mines early this AM to search for four missing miners...

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Los Angeles Times | April 8, 2010 | 12:45 a.m.
Rescue crews going back into mine.Rescue crews are expected to enter the Upper Big Branch mine early Thursday to search for four miners who are unaccounted for following the devastating explosion that killed 25 miners on Monday, federal mine safety officials announced.Four teams of eight men each will wear breathing devices and ride and walk up to five miles underground. They will attempt to reach two air-tight safety chambers, about 2,500 feet apart, where officials hope the miners were able to reach if they survived the explosion.It could take the teams two to three hours to reach the chambers, depending on the amount of debris they encounter, officials said.

((Enigma note: it took 5 Drilled Boring holes to let the gases out...and to reach safe levels for Search&rescue crews re-enter the mines. Sadly today the MSM will all be focused in the Tiger Golf match, I hope instead they will cover the Miners, especially as these brave Rescuers re-enter the mines. It is still a very dangerous mission to search for the four and also plan the recovery of the bodies of the other 25. The Families of this community need their loved ones brought out.))
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Update 10:15AM CNN reporting that the Rescue Crews have to be brought out due to high methane gas levels. It is unclear how far in they had gotten and as of 11:30AM if they have reached the surface. Fricklin reported that the levels were explosive.

NYT has more on the condtions and problems under ground.

Friday, April 02, 2010

Update on Haiti : This week UN in NYC held Conference on Current Post Quake Condtions in Haiti

It has been over 2 months since the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti. The World has rallied forth many NGO's and organizations to raise donations and awareness even as Haiti has dropped from the headlines. This week in NYC the UN is holding Donor Meetings that are reviewing the Disaster, the long and short term needs. As the week has gone on I have tried to assemble some of the most informative articles regarding the Meeting and the Conditions in Haiti with reports from Aid and Relief Organizations as well as from on the ground journalists. I will update this post as new information arises. In the title bar linked to the Title I have posted Faydra Deon's list of Ongoing Relief Orgs who are still providing ongoing Aid to Haiti. It is estimated that 1.2-1.5 Million Haitians are still living without adequate aid,shelter and food. Schools and Hospitals still need to be rebuilt and Shelter is not adequate against Rains or upcoming Hurricane Season.
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On March 19th, an initial report was issued in preparation for the Meeting that explored needs and conditions, projected needs and costs, PDNA this is the full downloadable link from the ReliefWeb. The PDNA was released by the Government of Haiti and distributed in advance of the meeting.
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This article from Reuters Foundation (AlertNet) explores what Haitians on the ground are requesting and voicing as to current concerns. Sadly most of their concerns are still focused on basic Living Conditions : Food and Shelter are still critical areas of concern.
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ActionAid has a great article exploring as to the lack of Haitian Exclusion in this meeting and raises questions as to whether they were included enough in the dialogue and planning. Hopefully the NGO's and the Haitian Government will realize that part of accountability and transparency means including more citizens.
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Jacquie Charles of the Miami Herald wrote a really thorough assessment of the NYC UN meetings and described the tone , the dialogue and how the focus was set by those advocating for improved transparency as the Money is raised and the Needs still rise. The Shelter issue was explored as there are 1.5 million still living with inadequate shelter as the Rains have arrived and Hurricane season approaches. {{ I encourage you to read this article to really better understand some of the friction, problems and problem solving that went on during this meeting.}}
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Earlier this week NBC ran a report raising serious questions about the American Red Cross and where all the money is that has been raised and is it reaching the Haitian People. (The NBC Report raised some serious questions and I will post the link below). This link goes to the actual Red Cross Report of Donations raised and projected plans and Needs. If you read this report it does raise serious questions as to where the money has been really spent and WHY more has not been spent or delegated to Shelter.
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NBC Evening News piece on American Red Cross 3.30.10 : Robert Bazzell asks some serious questions regarding all of the Donation Money raised and how much is actually reaching the Haitian People. The Video below shows Gail McGovern who is their 7th Director in 7 years, and who came to ARC in June 2008, and had not ever run a non profit before or been involved with the American Red Cross. The ONLY video Update by American Red Cross was made in Jan1010. She came to the Red Cross Summer of 2008 when it was over 200 Million in Debt ( even after massive fundraising of Katrina and Christmas Tsunami). She has much corporate experience, and was offered a $500,000 yearly salary and $65,000 signing bonus. She has no previous experience running or managing a Non Profit or BioMedical Experience.Her last CEO position was with AT&T and she taught at Harvard.As Red Cross has raised almost 400 Million,much of it with Phone Donations, we would hope that there would be research or information available if her Phone Management Experience was valuable to this situation. As she has been battling breast cancer since February (per RC press release) there have not been many updates from her or other CEOs.At this time I am trying to research WHO is in Charge at the American Red Cross for Haiti. Supposedly it is Dave Metzer,but she was supposed to go to Haiti in March for 2nd visit and update,yet there is not public report or update of that visit.(At this point in time I will be doing a followup story soley on American Red Cross in Haiti).
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