~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Walk Like An Egyptian.....This Poster has been being passed all over Twitter and Facebook....The Million Egyptian March This Tuesday 1st of February from Tahrir Square in Cairo to Republic Palace! 4:00 PM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Army ....Looking at the Future of Egypt.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Troops and Tanks being greeted after they had been beaten by Mubaraks Thugs and Police the Night before.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Families have come to the Streets, with their wives and children... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Throughout the Weekend More and More have gone to the Streets, and have started writing the Signs in English so that more Media will get their message out, "Game Over Mubarak" Is a very popular sign in the crowds. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday the People were being beaten and shot by the Police, the Army came in to Protect the People, whether they will continue to Protect the People or Protect Mubarak time will tell. But the Soldiers were greeted with warm welcome, people bringing their families and children. Friday the Police Thugs were Beating people with clubs and shooting them , so their gratitude is very meaningful, the people are seeking safety, from Mubarak's Police Thugs. ( Later Today I will post the Mubarak bloody Damage Photos from Friday, they are disturbing and graphic). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MSNBC Update by NBC Richard Engle Really Welldone Synopsis of Late Saturday Night MUST SEE::::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Egyptian Protester Speaking about the Uprising in Egypt, His Country, His home...so Touching....Must See....Huge volume sharing this via Facebook and Twitter....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Little 8 year girl has a Message for Mubarak
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Editorial Thoughts::: Below is Fuller Post with many Details and information::: Politically the Situation in Egypt is changing hourly, and the Whole World is Watching as it unfolds, the Courage of the People there can not be underestimated. And in many ways it is an Uprising, a Revolution....it has all the mindspinning polarity, Brave people speaking out, taking care of each other, arm and arm ,even neighbors protecting themselves with Kitchen Knives and baseball bats. And then it has more tender moments of Families greeting the Army the soldiers. Who the Thugs are and who is doing the looting and the arson, that is a big question right now. Did Mubarak order the Destruction and arson and violence on his people ? Did he order the the Prisons to be emptied so the people would have to cope with gangs in their neighborhoods....Is some of the Thuggery actually Ex Police ? ( that is being asked on Twitter) One of the Questions is it Ordered Mayhem and Violence and Created Manuvered Chaos, so that Mubarak manuvers, creates his own order, security damanding he stay in power.
Sadly the Struggle is on....Today it is Sunday and it is Now MN in Egypt and the Tahrir Square is where the center of this History making battle is going to take place. Do Watch CNN and do try to watch Al Jezeera on the Internet or on TV , on Sunday they lost their Broadcasting license in Egypt ( so their Reporting is now dangerously bravely being pursued in other ways) BBC,The Guardian, and many other journalists are there covering this History. On CNN do watch for Reports from Ivan , Ben and Nic, they are the eyes and ears of this event. ( Rumor on Twitter this am was that Anderson Cooper is trying to get there.)
On Twitter I follow Egyptians and Journalists and Writer and Citizens and I really am hearing their concerns and the worries and am trying to blog and twitter objectively, but it is getting more difficult. For 3 days I have been tracking people on Twitter as they tell about the Internet Shutdown, the Violence and what they see in their neighborhoods and in their homes and on the streets....80 Million People is alot to worry about.
Jan25 is what they labeled their Uprising, it was a Planned Protest of Mubaracks Police, held with purpose on The Annual Police Honor Day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Added A brave Egyptian young girl tells off Mubarak's Security Police....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How Brave are the People of Egypt ? Do watch this whole 9 Minute video of What Really Happened on the Bridge Last Friday, it is the Most Astonishing Video I have ever seen...
Men Praying in front of Police , Note the Postures of all....The Somber moment caught on film on Friday 1.28.11....Most of the Police have vanished now.1.29.11 Eve The Army is the only Security force, but the People are having to protect themselves.( I can not credit this photo) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Human Wall Protecting the Museum in Cairo, there have been thugs Looting shops and museums, who they are the People of Egypt are not sure, but they think the Looting is to create Fear and chaos and may be Government Driven. (1.29.11 3PM) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And this is the video of what happened next ( shot from a hotel room by a tourist sent to CNN) ..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After Prayers thousands of People went to the Streets....And even while Praying today or trying to pray they met with the Armies, they brought flags, they sang and brought flowers. They spoke to the Armies, and in an odd way the Army needs to evaluate who they are Loyal to at this moment before the New Day Dawns. Some of the protests have been violent with the Undercover Plain clothed Thugs roughing up people and journalists. There are journalists are missing or arrested and detained,many have been wounded. There are atleast 20 dead and over 800 wounded. Meanwhile there has been very little looting or real damage.Many of the Police Stations were burned out, and even some centers where prisoners were detained. Hundreds lined up hand in hand to protect the Museum in Cairo. There are people there trying to create order and hold calm, it is evidenced in some of the rare Video that got out. Hearing that Egyptian Christians had organized to stand outside the Mosques on Friday Morning so that the Muslims could pray in peace was just part of this story that is so gripping....
Mubarak came out and finally issued a speech and he looked like an Old Dyed hair man who was out of touch and used to having his way. He clearly looked and sounded like a Dictator saying that he would not tolerate such behavior and that he would merely Fire his Staff and hire a "New" Government. He read his speech at the podium coldly with little emotion.He did not in any way acknowledge that people had been killed or that the Internet and Communication have been shut down. He took no responsibility for all that has been ongoing or even really acknowledging his People's Dissatisfaction with his job performance. He basically asked for more time ? Yet he has been in power for over 35 years and the people have suffered, they have made their decision.
The Protests are all over Egypt, not just Cairo, it is also in towns, Suez,Alexandria, up and down the Nile. Cairo and the Urban surroundings involves 20 Million.....This is not a little "unrest" that will go away.It is a hurricane fueled by massive Economic plight of Millions under 40 years old who want Regime Change and an Unemployment rate of almost 30%. They are hungry for food, jobs, economic equality but also Change. It has been inspiring seeing women with the men at these rallies as well. Mubarak wants the World to think that this is just a little unrest caused by Troubled Youth , but the photos and video tell a different story.
President Obama's speech followed Mubarak's Speech. He was strong, determined but quiet. America supports Egypt, with 1.5 Billion Dollars, so one can only hope that Our Aid is NOT used against these Citizens who want an Improved Government and New Leadership. It did not help today for Reporters to show the Tear gas Canisters in the Street that were Labeled from the United States. One has to wonder about the Steel Tipped Rubber Bullets.
"No one has the right to control you but God," was the message of one sermon relayed by loudspeaker. "You have the right to speak out, only do it peacefully." There was little sign of an organised involvement by the Muslim Brotherhood, the biggest opposition force in Egypt, perhaps because it is biding its time to see how things develop.
Mass protests were also staged in Suez, where tanks were reportedly deployed, and Alexandria. Al-Jazeera said 80,000 people were demonstrating in Port Said.
The unrest has widened to include Egyptians from all walks of life, old and young, the middle classes and the urban poor. Those who did not take to the streets waved from their balconies or threw water bottles and onions to people in the crowd below to be used against teargas. Others handed out paper facemasks. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As of Friday Night....( The Guardian ) Cairo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ History is Unfolding and the Weekend will tell what happens next.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SATURDAY MORNING.....( 3-5 PM EGYPT TIME) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday arrived and the People seem to be newly fueled after Mubarak's speech yesterday. More have gone to the Streets,Men, families and women, people of all ages and socio economic status. (40% of population lives in poverty, many complain the poverty is caused by the Government Corruption.) Many people have even gone to see the Tanks and the Troops , even taking them food. Yet there are still pockets of the "Police" ( which is different than the Army and they are viewed with great disrespect as they are considered to be Government Thugs-explained by ex Cairo resident). At this point it will be the Army that determines the Fate of the People. And the Army will have to decide their Loyalty as the Curfew goes into the night.
*** (Note from Enigma. Our Country gives the Egypt Government 1.5 Billion Military Aid, this includes the empty American Made Tear Gas containers found in the street and possibly the bullets being fired and wounding and killing protesters.....as an American that really is sobering to realize****
Thousands started to march chant and move to the streets and this increased in the afternoon as the 4PM Curfew approached. People there are saying that there are more on the streets than yesterday or the day before. The Tahrir Square has been filling throughout the day. People there singing National Anthem and also chanting for Mubarak to Resign. Off the Square by the Interior Ministry Police did shoot some Protesters, three of them were killed, and 2 of their bodies were carried through the Crowds ( This is Martyr tradition in the Middle East , a way of honoring those who die for the Cause of the People.) Per BBCWorld Cairo Doctors have said that Real Bullets, not rubber bullets have been fired on people, and that they have been ordered to NOT disclose or record Bullet Deaths and injuries.
Mubarak did fire his Cabinet and promptly named and swore his new VP ,he is formerly the "Security" Chief. It is important to understand that he has had NO VP or change to his cabinet in over 28 years. Mubarak's main trusted allies he had to fire today and his family has already fled to London. Also many of his wealthy friends have fled to the Duabi. He is alone. ( I will post the Links for the Wiki Cables on this New VP- he has a long Background,having jailed,tortured and beaten thousands). Some of his Ruling Party has now fled the country and others are missing. Some of this Shifting and manuvering looks desperate. While he was selecting new people, the other issue is that the Citizens don't know where he is,and there are mounting rumors that his sons and wife have fled to London ( BBC and AlJeezera have posted during the day, Government denies).
It is important to also recognize that Citizens there are trying to protect neighborhoods from Looting and unrest. They are worried that Government Thugs are trying to arson and loot to make the Protesters look unruly destructive and violent. ( Many were tweeting regarding this issue). Most of the Protesters are chanting about issues of Human Condition:: poverty, Food and Jobs.
***** Most of the Information above gathered via Web, Twitter feeds from those on the ground in Alexandria and Cairo, Tahrir Square. Even some translated from french, Norweigon and Arabic. AlJeezera and The Guardian and BBC . CNN reporters on ground are excellent, but American CNN is lacking,especially as they try to sway the focus to Isreal, as a News Reporting Station they should not be pushing an agenda re. Isreal, it muddies the reality of what is going on in the ground. Egypt is a country of 80 million people, and their lives should be considered first and foremost. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PHOTOS......Courage in Egypt.... To see Women speaking out and joining these Marches and Protests shows a true Changing of the Times. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This photo shows the relationship with the Army is more trusting, the Question is Will the Army protect The People or Mubarak. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MSNBC Update by Richard Engle Really Welldone Synopsis of Late Saturday Night MUST SEE::::
"When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy." ~~Rumi. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am home....it's in the 20s starting to snow....Cold and Dreary....but I have hot tea and curry soup on and am home writing, and looking at school brochures....Stay warm. I will be back later tonight with a Blog Round Up and Two Posts on Health Care.... Enjoy the Music and the little story below....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you haven't heard Oxygene before....enjoy...it's very soothing, great for High Blood Pressure, meditating, and wonderful writing music. Here's the thing I have known about this CD for many years, and when I was pregnant with my son I was put on Bedrest due to Preterm Labor and told to rest, and be quiet. It was the First Gulf War and I was not happy about the war, I would fret and write letters to DC and make phone calls. So my lovely neighbor went and bought this CD and ordered me to listen to it every afternoon and "Calm Down"......sigh...So I did...and I would listen to this CD to find my "Calm"....So a few weeks ago I find Son Rooting through the CD's in the Kitchen. ( Which is where we listen to music and talk when I burn dinner every night) And 6-6 says....."Oh I love this CD...really helps me think...clears my head"....And that made me smile.....for the rest of the Day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And Now for Something Completely Different.....Violin like you have Never heard, "Owner of the Lonely Heart " morphs into "Smooth Criminal"...Alex De Pue...really amazing young talent.....
"To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful. "~~ Edward R. Murrow ( Letter below sent over weekend...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Keith, I mention this Murrow quote because you were someone we believed in and also we knew that you did your best to bring us Truth.
I can't believe I have to find a way to say Good Bye....Eight years we were more than Lucky, Blessed...We had a Time of the Night where it was OK to be Liberal. It was OK to be pissed, OK to be worried. Where we had some kind of Sanity Glue that held us together....For me and my son we would sit and watch the Evening News and then Jeopardy and then Countdown. Countdown let us talk about what we most cared about....it gave me a way to talk to my son about things that I did not even Understand. From the Missing WMD to the Illegal War to Gitmo to Bush Crimes to Katrina to the Gulf Oil Spill to Health Care Crisis.....It taught Courage and Truth Telling in a way that I can not even begin to measure. Your show was more than just Commentary on our times, it was some of the Finest Journalism of the last 10 years. It was interviews that were impressive and probing and thought provoking.
When MSNBC fired Phil Donahue I almost gave up on them, but then you arrived with your History knowledge and appreciation, and your sports insights. You also appreciated Bloggers and Blogs and Activists who are not of DC, and that was invaluable in these Times. When Obama was declared the Winner in November 2008, it was your Voice that we will remember announcing that......
And through it all you reminded us of Who and What matters...and you were an Anchor in some very Dark times....and while you were facing huge losses on your own front....To say we are grateful is not saying Enough. My Son and I wish you the best....and hope that you know you are a Voice that is still needed, and that you find a way to move forward....to your next adventure and that you know all of us are watching...we will follow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Confession ::: the Photo is from Keith's baseball Blog, which is wonderful....and I am glad that now this spring he will be able to watch lots of baseball...so I am picturing him at the Ballpark....
Knowing What We Want and Need To Hear Vs. Praying the "Know Nothings" would even Bother to Listen.... In many ways this whole year has not started off New and Afresh. In many ways it feels much like a reoccurring Bad Dream. I turn on the TV and the Same Simpleminded Broken Record Republicans are rambling on incoherently about The Belaboring Costs of Entitlement Programs and some dimwitted Twinkie Pundit Talking Head is nodding Knowingly.....My problem is that I collect speeches and read too much History and constantly am looking for the Lessons in Both... I am not Looking for Soaring Rhetoric or even Comfort, I am looking for Our Leader to lay down some Rules, Some Order. I am tired of the Republicans and The Tea Party acting Childish and Petulant....I want an Adult in the Room to Strongly Put Things Right. So No I am not wanting a Polite Fluffy Feel Good Kumbaya Conciliatory Bipartisan Speech....
I mention FDR because he too was called names and even called a Socialist for trying to heal the Country with Jobs Programs. He too was smeared with ill will and lies. The Times may be the same, but the tactics are similar. I think many of us know that there is an uglier slant to the Current Republicans and TeaBaggers that are embracing Racist Undertones, and I wish the Media and Journalists would start reporting it with honesty....But I don't see that happening....I worry for how many years are we going to face a DC run by Small minded White Elderly Men in Suits falsely extolling their " Virtues" and Moral Agenda even blessing it by saying that they have The Bible on "their " side. ( This week alone we heard that One New Repub in DC saying that the Democrats needed a "Come To Jesus Moment" and not a single Reporter of Journalist confronted this kind of reprehensible language and behavior.
I am hoping to hear President Obama speak to us about what We Need, and send a Message to Congress about Us. Because if you read the Four Freedoms....that is is what it was, a Message to the Lawmakers in DC about Americans and their Needs and Lives..... I want him to acknowledge and remember People That helped get him into the White House, people of color, College Students, Working Poor Families, and Middle Class People hanging on the Edge, and People that have Lost their Homes, and yes, Progressive Bloggers and Activists that he has barely acknowledged since he got to DC. I want him to remember single moms and new grads that have no job prospects and unemployed and homeless and Vets that got home to Nothing. I don't want to see him compromising or bending to a bunch of ungrateful two Faced Republicans like McCain and Grassley. I don't want to see his Harvard Smarts I want to see his Chitown Kick Ass Poker Playing side....
I want to see the Obama we saw in Winter of 2008..... I hope he knows that we didn't just work for him to "Lead", we worked for him and Voted for him to Fight For Us....Us Progressive Dems can no longer be maligned to called Socialists.....and the Hate Mongering and Fearmongering by Repubs needs to Stop...It has created a Climate when Democrats can be killed in broad day light and yet we see no Tears from the Repubs....We are at a Tipping Point. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (( If you want to hear the FDR Speech in it's entirety the American Rhetoric site has it all.))
I have watched this Clip over and over....I don't know what we do now. Last time when he was suspended we did write and call. I know I will write and call and send Keith a Letter....because for 8 years he was Our Glue...He was our Ed Murrow, Our Kronkite...our Voice of calm when things weren't calm...when Gabby was shot just 12 days ago we all kind of knew that his voice is we would hear that night. And when Obama won in November 2008...it was his Voice who announced the Winner.... I am stunned...but I also know if MSNBC curbed him ....then No One is safe...No One.....He was the main anchor in their Night Time Line Up....Do Watch the Video, it is clear that this was NOT his choice....
I think the same fantasy popped into the head of everybody in my business who has ever been told what I have been told -- "this will be the last edition of your show." You go to the scene from the movie Network, complete with the pajamas and the raincoat, and go off on a verbal journey of unutterable vision, and you insist upon Peter Finch's guttural resonance, and you will the viewer to go to the window, open it, stick out his head and yell. You know the rest. In the mundane world of television goodbyes, reality is laughably uncooperative. When I resigned from ESPN 13 1/2 years ago, I was given 30 seconds to say goodbye at the end of my last edition of SportsCenter. With God as my witness, in the commercial break before the moment, the producer got into my earpiece and said, 'Can you cut it down to 15 seconds so we can get in the tennis result?' I'm grateful that I have more time to sign off here.
Regardless, this is the last edition of Countdown. It is just under 8 years since I returned to MSNBC. I was supposed to fill in for exactly three days. 49 days later, there was a year's contract for me to return to this 8:00 time slot that I fled years earlier. The show established its position as anti-establishment with the stage craft of mission accomplished to the exaggerated rescue of Jessica Lynch in Iraq to the death of Pat Tillman to Hurricane Katrina to the nexus of politics and terror to the first Special Comment. The program grew entirely due to your support and great commentary. I hope for you too. There were many occasions where all that surrounded the show, and never the show itself, was too much for me. With your support and loyalty -- if I may use the word insistence -- required that I keep going. My gratitude to you is boundless and you think I have done good here, imagine how it looked as you donated $2 million to the National Association of Free Clinics and my dying father watched from his hospital bed and comforted that his struggles were inspiring such good for people, he and I and you would never meet, but would always know. This may be the only television program where in the host the much more in awe of the audience than vice-versa. We will also be in my heart for that and the donations to the family in Tennessee and these victims of governmental heartlessness in Arizona to say nothing of every letter and tweet and wave and handshake and online petition. Time ebbs here and top the close with more story. It is still Friday. Let me thank my gifted staff and a few of the many people who fought with me and for me: Eric Sorenson, Neal Shapiro, Michael Weiss, David Bloom, John Palmer, Alana Russo. Rachel Maddow and Bob Costas and my greatest protector, the late Tim Russert. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Keith's Last Thurber Reading was very telling....and it was changed around 7:45PM according to Tweets...Please watch it....I think in many ways there is a Message in it, and that Keith is the "Scotty that Knew Too Much "
(This is by far one of his best...that Saturday Night he came in and worked the story for hours, and we were grateful to hear his voice on that tragic night. I remember thinking, we are lucky to have him, and saying to my son, when Comcast comes things might change....)
First before we start talking Stats and Facts and Studies....or the Odious Repeal Vote, Do look at this photo. This Photo was take at a RAM event, where people lined up over night for Medical Care. They waited in long lines, not knowing if they would get in for care. For some it was their first and ONLY Medical Care in many years.....I can't help but wonder why the Repubs would abandon these people and deny them any hope of Medical Care....So I guess if it was up to Repubs ALL of us would be waiting in this Parking Lot...hoping and praying for any kind of care.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here is the Link to the Actual Press Release from the DHHS on their Website on "Pre-Existing Conditions. The information from this study was released BEFORE the Repeal Vote. That the Repubs went ahead with their vote in light of this information is disturbing and worrisome. The Repeal passed in the House, and won't pass in the Senate. But a concern that no one has voiced or raised is that the Repeal could be tagged onto another Bill in the Senate....This is in not way an issue that is now dead in the water.
This " Study " Should have been released and studied and shared and definitely been a part of the Dialogue regarding ANY changes or talk of Repeal. Here is the LINK to the Actual Study, I do encourage that people read it, and I will post important Snippets from it here over the next few days, as it has some information about Employer Covered Care and Older Americans that is new. Insurance Companies did contribute to this study, sharing what they use as criteria, "Conditions" to Charge more,or to cancel or deny coverage. Which means that Insurance Companies are determining Care. Ironically at this point who is the Bigger Death Panel ? The Repealing Republicans or the actual Insurance Companies ?
Many of the Chronic Conditions /Diseases listed below are very treatable, normal Human Conditions where people with adequate Healthcare can go on to lead long healthy productive lives.
The analysis found that: Anywhere from 50 to 129 million (19 to 50 percent) of Americans under age 65 have some type of pre-existing condition. Examples of what may be considered a pre-existing condition include: Heart disease Cancer Asthma High blood pressure Arthritis Older Americans between ages 55 and 64 are at particular risk; 48 to 86 percent of people in that age bracket live with a pre-existing condition. 15 to 30 percent of people under age 65 in perfectly good health today are likely to develop a pre-existing condition over the next eight years. Up to one in five Americans under age 65 with a pre-existing condition – 25 million individuals – is uninsured. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Profits Over People The bottem line is that we still have 45,000 Americans dying each year with No Medical Care and with No Health Insurance, you need to start asking how many died with disease or Illness that was treatable ? And why are we allowing Insurance Companies to dictate Care for Millions of People ? And why are we Allowing the Government to Enable this Process Further ? Ultimately The Insurance Companies are not just deciding who and how people are treated , they are in essence deciding who will not be treated and who will die....
But the Republicans have now even further empowered this situation, causing more confusion and fear and angst among people who are already suffering....They basically have now sent the message to Millions that they don't deserve Health care. They have Dehumanized a Basic Human Right.
Medical Debt is Being Created by Who is Being Denied Care or Overcharged
Many of these people that have been refused care or canceled in the past 10 years have had to resort to drastic measures to obtain Health Care. They have had to use credit cards or be excessively billed for minimal care. It has been found that Many have suffered huge Medical Debt, up to 62 % of ALL Bankruptcies is from Medical Debt in the U.S. ( Other studies found that more than half of people losing their homes is due or tied to Medical Debt.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More on Medical Debt ( And bear in mind these Stats are BEFORE the Economic Meltdown) : Majority of personal bankruptcies tied to medical bills, study says
by Bobby Caina Calvan, Sacramento Bee June 5th, 2009 "The cost of health care continues to burden Americans in alarming numbers, with 62 percent of all personal bankruptcies in 2007 blamed on unaffordable medical bills, according to Harvard and Ohio University researchers.What's more, three-fourths of those debtors had health insurance, according to a study to be published in August in the American Journal of Medicine. The study notes that more people are mortgaging their homes in a failed attempt to pay their medical bills.
The report could further underscore the urgency behind policymakers' efforts to overhaul the country's health care system. Congress has begun drafting what health care advocates hope will be comprehensive legislation that addresses the high cost of medicine and diminishing access to quality health care, particularly among the poor and uninsured.
This Revised Recall list put out by NPR 1.14.11 is worth checking it contains medications from Arthritis to GI to Respiratory Meds. ( It also brings up questions about Where Johnson and Johnson is now producing their medications that Cleanliness and basic Hygiene are such neglected issues....) Link to the title is the NPR article and more details of what is being recalled.( MSM barely covered this....)
"I want you tea partiers out there to understand one thing: while you idolize the Founding Fathers and dress up like them . . . and smell like them . . . it's pretty clear that the Fathers would have despised you. And what's more, you would've felt the same way. They were everything you hate. They studied science, read Plato & Socrates, hung out in Paris, and thought the Bible was mostly bullshit." –Bill Maher
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More Information about Blackpack found along Parade route before Parade in Spokane this morning, (Backpack and two Tshirts shown above). Spokesman Review revealed these details the Spokane Parade Site. The Backpack did not explode, so evidence was obtained at site including the Backpack and it's contents. It was found by 3 workers before the Parade began, some accounts say it Police were alerted, other reports say Military was notified. The Parade was re-routed and no one was harmed. Device was disarmed, and at this point FBI is offering a Reward.
More From the Police Report : The police report was filed by SGT. John Roys of the Spokane Police Department, and it reads as follows: "Today at 0926 hours, Spokane Police Officers were called to a suspicious package at the N/E corner of Main and Washington. The package was found and reported by a City of Spokane worker.As per protocol in these circumstances, Officers responded and secured a safety zone. Officers from the Spokane City-County Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU) arrived to investigate the package. The package was rendered safe by the EDU. The FBI has joined in the investigation. Further details will be made available as the investigation progresses."
“It was a device that clearly was intended to harm or kill people,’’said Frank Harrill, a senior FBI agent and spokesman for the bureau’s Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force.The FBI posted a $20,000 reward Tuesday and released three photographs, including one of the black Swiss-Army backpack that contained the destructive device.
Harrill would not discuss the type of explosive or its construction, including whether the backpack contained an explosive shield intended to spray shrapnel toward potential victims. He also declined to say if the device was intended to be detonated remotely or by a timer. “It was set to detonate during a unity march on the King Holiday, so, obviously it had political or social overtones,’’ Harrill said.
Raw Story is reporting the MLK event as being Investigated by the FBI as "Domestic Terrorism " at this point in time.
It will be interesting at this point how The Media National and Local reports these events or will they try to spin the Story, even though it clearly has a Political Motive and is clearly a Hate Crime that was attempted on Martin Luther King Day. Let us hope that All Questionable Groups are questioned and All Threats Made Public from the NorthWest.Evening News did not report on East Coast, but Maddow did.
Details : "Thе left alone Swiss Army-brand backpack, wіth wires visible, wаѕ unprotected οn the downtown dais bу 3 city workers whο tοld military οf thе device аbουt thirty mins prior to thе march wаѕ scheduled tο ѕtаrt.Thе parade, attended bу аbουt 1,500 people, wаѕ fast rerouted whіlе city’s explosve ordering section wаѕ summoned аnd safely “neutralized thе device,” thе FBI ѕаіd.FBI representative guileless Harrill dеѕсrіbеd thе “improvised explosve device” аѕ carrying the “very fatal design” efficient οf inflicting “multiple casualties.”
( I find it odd that the Military were Notified ? Not the Police ? ) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9:50 PM According to ABC and Yakima Herald the Bomb was a handheld radio Control Pipe Bomb you can read more of the updates here.
(Photo : RAM Free Health Clinic in LA 2008 : This photo symbolizes the Thousands that have had to line up for access to any Free Needed Health Care.... ) So late Monday Night it came across the wires that up to 129 Million People have Health Conditions that can be considered Pre-Existing Conditions by Insurance Companies. DHHS is to release this Study this week...... The Washington Post snuck it out while we were sleeping, like leaving a Toad on my pillow. Waking it and finding it and yelling out, "Ouch". This number as shocking as it is also shows Why Health Care Reform, even in it's most basic form, must begin now as these Numbers Unfold. From the Article:: ((( Or WHO you may ask qualifys as a Pre-Existing Condition? ))) " The study found that one-fifth to one-half of non-elderly people in the United States have ailments that trigger rejection or higher prices in the individual insurance market. They range from cancer to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, asthma and high blood pressure."
And here's More to Consider:::
"The study found that one-fifth to one-half of non-elderly people in the United States have ailments that trigger rejection or higher prices in the individual insurance market. They range from cancer to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, asthma and high blood pressure.
The smaller estimate, by Health and Human Services Department researchers, is based on the number of Americans whose medical problems would make them eligible for states' high-risk pools - special coverage for people denied insurance because of their medical history. The researchers arrived at the larger figure by adding in other ailments that major insurers consider a basis to charge customers higher prices or to exclude coverage for some of the care they need."
***The Important sentence to note, DHHS arrived at that figure when adding in data from Insurance Companies, Major Insurers.****
Other Toads from the HCR Battle that are already Known Facts.....
It was estimated that at least 51 Million have No Health Insurance and No Health Care and that Wretched Number was estimated before The Huge Economic Collapse and millions more lost jobs and homes ...and Insurance.
More than 42% of ALL Bankruptcies of People Losing Homes are directly related to Medical Debt. (Studies say 42-62% depending on which study is used).People literally losing it all for their Health. And once they are have suffered Financial Damage, they then go on to be considered a Credit Risk, so then they can not qualify for Health Insurance either.
The bottom line is that all along, all during the Health Care Battle of the past two years there were so many of us saying that alot more People than the Estimated 30 Million proposed during the Health Care Reform era have Pre-Existing Conditions. Millions have been denied Care and Insurance and Cancelled.
Now as the HCR goes into effect it is being implemented State by State to provide changes to Care Provision. Yet each State is handling certain issues differently. Each state is setting up the High Risk Pools. Yet in many states High Risk Pools are determined by Insurance Companies setting the new parameters and the Costs and the Plans of Care. So once again they are controlling the Access of Care , for the very people they already denied,cancelled or over Charged.
And as interesting as this Study is supposed to be, WHY would Sebelius wait until the last Final Hours before the Republican Vote to repeal HCR ??? I am left with more questions than answers.... ( as of 1PM it is still not Publicly Available.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ((Enigma Footnote:::: Personal little story regarding Being Cancelled. I was cancelled in early 2006, I was cancelled after a Doctor ordered BRCA blood work due to Family History : Breast Cancer. I was cancelled because I supposedly did not properly disclose all family History to said company, even though I am pretty sure I did. So low and behold in August I called the State to inquire as to the High Risk Pool. And within Days the High Risk Provider called me back. Ironically the Company that has the Contract is the same Company that Cancelled me. I was paying 440/month in 2006 ( which yes is VERY high for a single mom....) And they "offered" me Insurance this past August " $1150 /month, not including deductibles and Capped Care.....blah blah blah...."At come point during that Conversation I hung up the phone before I heaved it....Everyone who comes to this Blog knows for over 2 years I blogged we have a Health Care Crisis in this Country. $1150 is too much, it is more than Rent and Heat Combined...It is Highway Robbery....And if you like you are welcome to read about my Life as a UnInsured Nurse No Healthcare and No Insurance and M.S,......just my story, one of Millions.))
We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Interview on Mike Douglas ( First of 3 parts, note the Anti War Discussion....I actually remember seeing this...at my granma's....)
"Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam.I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor in America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours."Martin Luther King, Jr., The Trumpet of Conscience, 1967.
The poor in our countries have been shut out of our minds and driven from the mainstream of our societies, because we have allowed them to become invisible. ~Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Prize lecture, 11 December 1968
"I Have a Dream...."
This Summer of 2011 the MLK Memorial will be opening....I hope to take my son...We must keep King's Dream Alive....
Christin Gilmour decided that the Funerals needed peaceful protection when she heard that the Westboro Church had planned to protest Christina Green's funeral and the others funerals. Even though a law was passed this week to protect the Funeral of the youngest victim, the Westboro Baptist Church had still planned their hate filled vigils for the other funerals. So she organized people to stand and protect the Funeral Processions and the Grievers from this Hateful group. So they made Angel Wings and others came wearing white. Here is more about her efforts and this article tells of the support she received from far and wide....
(( For those that aren't aware, the Westboro Baptists Church last action was at the Funeral at Elizabeth Edwards and for that event People organized loud singing groups of Christmas Carolers to combat the Protesters.)) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friends in Arizona posted and blogged and tweeted this week, showing us that the long lines of people that waited to go to the Memorial. They spoke of the long lines of quiet people standing together, being kind to each other, sharing drinks and tending to each other as they waited many hours. The event held over 20,000 and more than 14,000 had to go to overflow seating at the football stadium. Knowing how many people waited for hours to pay their respects and honor those hurt and killed says that Arizona is not all full of the rhetoric of Jan Brewer and the Tea party. I wish the MSM had shown these long lines of people and even interviewed them so we would know how those living there felt about all that they had experienced in their state. I wish those lines of people had had a Voice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Above is the CBS interview with Eric Fuller as he described the Shooting last weekend in Arizona. Please note that this interview shows how traumatic the Shooting was....for the true Victims at the Giffords Event. (This same man went to try to offer comfort to the shooter's parents-I will post that video when I locate it. It shows he is a traumatized, yet thoughtful individual.) I put this at the top so you can see what the Victim went through. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now bearing in mind what ALL the Shooting victims have been through. Christine Amanpour and ABC decided to hold a "Gathering" a "Town Hall meeting" and invited Citizens, Victims and "Community Leaders". In light of that, for some reason they included the Tea party Leadership to this meeting. Here is the ABC desciption of their event that they called a conversation. Ms.Amanpour has done interviews and news work for over 20 plus years,most of her work has been of the highest caliber. My concern is that in light of the recent events and the bloody crimes and the fragile state of the victims, that maybe this was not a time to have the Victims sit in a room with the Tea Party to discuss the Deadly attack. Some of these victims had not seen each other since the attack and in a public setting was most likely scary enough, but one has to wonder if they knew any Tea Party Leadership was going to be there.
That Decision led to a very heated Confrontation and the Arrest of Eric Fuller , mostly because The Tea Party Leader is now claiming to be a "Victim". At this point Eric Fuller has been arrested and ordered to have a Psych Eval and obviously he is needing a Lawyer. After all he has been through this week, ABC bears some responsibility for the Confrontation and the Consequences of their poorly made decision. ( I will post Amanpour's tweets in the Comments.Please note as of 1am Sunday I have not seen the show, but I will be watching and taping in AM and posting all related articles.)
I am still gathering details on this Event and contacting people in an attempt to get Mr.Fuller the proper Journalistic Coverage and also to get him the Help he needs to deal with this New Set of Circumstances. Please read more below.
(2) Perhaps Ms.Amanapour should have read the CNN website about how Giffords had been Targeted by the Tea Party for Many Monthes Even Gabby Giffords own dad when questioned about did Gabby have any enemies, he quickly responded, "THE WHOLE TEA PARTY".....Did Ms.Amanpour think to speak with Gabby's dad ? This NY post Interview with Gabby Gifford's dad, was where he explained his Concerns regarding the Tea Party targeting his daughter.
(3) Did Ms.Amanpour happen to research Tea Party 's Jesse Kelly's Campaign to "Remove Gabby" ? The Ad with the M16 ? (which has been pulled from his website and Yotube) TPM has more about this Shooting event....
Kelly was the Lying Scheming Tea Party Candidate, here is more....
AND here is more on Mr.Kelly The Tea Party Candidate, ( from Keith Olbermann )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here's more from Kelly's Ad campaign In case ABC forgets to show it. Here is more from TPM re. the M16 AD explaining it's purpose last June 2010. 3:30PM Sunday Update... ( My apologies, I just returned home, so I will update this situation...) As of this afternoon there are reports that Mr.Fuller has been involuntarily committed to an un-named Medical Facility. The concern is is he actually receiving medical care or is he being railroaded and painted as a violent erratic person. One would hope that all the shooting victims have been offered some kind of Victim Counseling. ( Most States do have funds for Victims to receive mental healthcare, now if states have had budget cuts those funds might be diminished. Monday Jan.17th Update: So now all that we have learned is that Fuller has been involuntarily committed due to concerns for welfare of others. I find it disturbing and odd that he was so quickly committed Involuntarily , yet Jared Loughner who was the perpretator of the Crimes was not offered such "help" or "care" or "assessement", That boggles me as someone watching far away. As a nurse I find myself wondering were all of the Victims offered proper care,counseling and mental health care ? There should be State Funds offering such care...but ?This man even drove himself to the hospital and then was discharged with large wounds within mere days, clearly he was psychologically wounded as well. The Media has portrayed him as a Liberal with an agenda, and of course also begun the Spin that the Tea Party leader is a "Victim" in these events.
"This is America, "a white Catholic male Republican judge was murdered on his way to greet a Democratic Jewish woman member of Congress, who was his friend. Her life was saved initially by a 20-year old Mexican-American gay college student, and eventually by a Korean-American combat surgeon, all eulogized by our African-American President." Mark Shields, PBS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am working on new post for tomorrow "Hidden Heros and Random Angels".....More tomorrow... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carlos Gonzalez Native American Blessing at the Memorial...shares his soulful heritage...Mexican and Native American...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Daniel Hernandez the Brave Intern speaks at the Memorial ...
