OHIO Working To Repeal Senate Bill 5 ( yes, THE AntiUnionBill )

Senate Bill 5 is worse than the Wisconsin Law, it actually will effect the Rights of Workers of the whole State, more than 380,000 workers. This includes Teachers, Police and Fire and many others. Many of the Cities, Towns, and Communities are also working to pass Legislation against this Draconian Law that Kasich is attempting to ram through to aid his Corporate Buddies...If you live in Cleveland or Ohio please see this and find out where to sign the Petition. ( We need 200,000 signatures).

** For many months Kasich has been pleading his case all over the State, that this wretched law is NEEDED due to the Huge Deficit, but this story from the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Blogger Plunderburd shows that the Deficit that he has whined about is not really accurate......

*** Do read this link to Public Service Workers Blog and it explains how since Kasich has taken office Ohio has lost over 22,000 Public Service jobs and he plans to cut more than 55,000 more. SB5 is about jobs and will effect jobs, and in the end won't save the state money....
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If you haven’t signed the petition to repeal Senate Bill 5, please don't wait! And if you’ve already signed the petition, please spread the word to others! Here's where you can sign:

Cuyahoga County Democratic Party
1466 St. Clair Ave
Cleveland, OH 44114
Mondays: 12:30PM – 5:30PM
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5PM – 7PM
Wednesdays: 8:30AM – 5:30PM
Fridays: 8:30AM – 12:30PM

Additional Downtown Locations:
LIUNA 310, 1st Floor Business Window, 3250 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115, M-F 8:30AM – 4PM
AFSCME Council 8, 1603 East 27th St, Cleveland, OH 44114, M-F 8:30AM – 5:00PM
Cleveland Teachers Union, AFT #279, 1228 Euclid Ave, Suite 600, Cleveland, OH 44115, M-F 8AM – 5PM
SEIU 1199, 1771 E 30th St, Cleveland, OH 44114, M-F 9AM – 5PM

East Side Locations:
Cleveland Heights Teachers Union, 2490 Lee Blvd, Suite 106, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, M-F10AM –4PM
Cleveland NAACP, 2131 Stokes Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, M-F 9AM – 5PM
Northeastern Ohio Education Association, 5422 E. 96th Street, Suite 200, Garfield Heights, Ohio 44125-5330, M-F 2PM – 6PM

West Side Locations:
Cleveland Firefighters Association Local 93, 3886 Rocky River Drive, Suite 3, Cleveland, OH 44111, M-F 8:30AM – 12:30PM
CPPA Hall (Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association), 1303 West 58th St, Cleveland, OH 44102, M-F 9AM – 4PM

Our activists have done some terrific work so far, but we have a long way to go to collect the number of signatures we need to repeal Senate Bill 5. Please don't miss out on this opportunity, and please spread the word to your friends and neighbors.

In solidarity,
Your friends at the Ohio Democratic Party

P.S. Senate Bill 5 is an attack on the middle class and it hurts worker rights and worker safety. It takes away collective bargaining rights and rolls back 28 years of progress for working families. Will you help protect Ohio's middle class by signing the petition today?

Memorial Day 2011...

This photo is heart tugging...May we keep the Military families in our hearts today. So many young widows and widowers.
(1) And this touching article about a Widow's Dreams ( San Jose Mercury News) is beautifully written....
(2) McClatchyDC "New generation of war widows, widowers finds comfort online"
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Arlington..... ( I have only been there twice, my cousin is buried there. He was a Heli Pilot for the Navy in Vietnam. If you ever have a chance to go to Arlington it is a beautiful place....and humbling...knowing how many good men and women are buried there....
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Statistics compiled from West Wing Report ( on Twitter):
(1) On this Memorial Day, the latest U.S. fatalities in Afghanistan bring the toll for 2011 to 151. Since combat ops began 7 Oct. 2001: 1,597.
(2) As for Iraq, the “official” U.S. combat role is over, but the death toll for 2011 stands at 24. Since 3/19/03: 4,454 Americans dead.
(3) U.S. military fatalities in Afghanistan have risen steadily since 2001: 12, 49, 48, 52, 99, 98, 117, 155, 317, 499. So far in 2011: 151.
(4) On this #Memorial Day, the latest U.S. fatalities in #Afghanistan bring the toll for 2011 to 151. Since combat ops began 7 Oct. 2001: 1,597
(5) Memorial Day is sometimes confused with Veteran's Day - November 11 - when we honor heroes in uniform, past and present.
6) Memorial Day is meant to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice: an estimated 848,163 Americans since the Revolutionary War.
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Sadly much of the airwaves was covering Palin the Alaskan grifter's trip to DC and the Rolling Thunder event, but there are many Vets there who should be interviewed and reported. The Lone Marine is one such person who should be interviewed and covered by the news. He stands tall saluting for Three hours....( Story Here about his vigil and why he stands Saluting....)
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Soldiers in Afghanistan hold a candle light ceremony honoring Memorial Day ( story here about their ceremony....
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(1) "Forgetting Why We Remember" (NYT) Memorial Day post is a must read....
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(2) By Yoko Ono On Memorial Day 2011: Now Or Never by Yoko Ono Lennon
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On this day I honor and remember my Uncle Stu who helped liberate the Concentration Camps of Germany and Europe in WWII , and who battled PTSD for many many years after witnessing such horror. I am grateful he taught me about war when I was 7 and helped me to become an anti war activist forever. I am grateful to my Cousin Bobby who was a Heli Pilot on Vietnam ( Medical Evacs). To all Military families and Vets may we honor your service and your sacrifices. And at some point may we learn enough from War not to start or enter another one....

Paul Ryan's Kill Granma Medicare Plan...new video says it all

New ad tells it like it is, harsh, cruel, sad, heartless, and sadly TRUE....Millions of elderly and disabled will lose Health....and needed Medical care....and yes....some will die.

Deadly Tornado Season Rages On....

Photo of Joplin's StJohn Hospital, 7 story Hospital in the eye of the Tornado, withstood 200MPH winds, and they had minimal warning. They had a warning saying 20 minutes, but the Tornado was on them in less than 10 minutes, the were able to move most patients out of the way of the windows. ALL the windows were blown out, equipment and materials were swept from the hospital up to 70 MPH away. Within hours all the patients were evac'd to other hospitals. ( In my lifetime I don't ever remember seeing a Hospital in the eye of such a Twister),. The city of Joplin lost their schools, churches, city offices, Home Depot and Fire Depts, Walmart and their 7 story hospital.
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Sunday Night we had 68 Tornadoes and this was the same night that a F5 shredded Joplin Missouri. Monday Night there were more tornadoes and Tuesday Night 47 more. April had 668 tornadoes, one of the worst on record. I encourage people to pay attention , Tornado Alley includes most of the Midwest and now at times the South but also PA and NY even....These Twisters are bigger than years past with damaging winds and hail as warnings, but some have been wrapped in rain and come swiftly down. Watch TWC , pay attention to shelter warnings and do make sure you have a safe zone planned at your home. Make sure that you have water , food, tools, extra clothes, weather radio and pet supplies in your Safe Room. If you do not have a basement make sure you have a closet or bathroom that is structurally sound to use as your shelter.
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More on Joplin....from the Weather Experts.
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And in the Middle of Joplin's Nightmare, needing Disaster Relief and aid, Cantor pulls the biggest Hostage Game ever , do read this Crooks and Liars Post on Cantor and his Manuvers....

President Obama gave a wonderful Speech in Ireland....

The Irish piled into the streets to see our President, over 100,000 cheered and loudly welcomed him and they loved his speech that wove their history with ours.....go to the Whitehouse website to hear the speech , it was a good one.....(5.23.11) The Whitehouse Website is here....enjoy....

About Seeing the Light....

‎"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." ~~Plato
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This phrase has been on my mind all week...as I watch Paul Ryan try to deny care to the elderly and Cantor hold Joplin hostage for disaster aid ...I keep thinking....What and who did not teach them how to see the Light....to have compassion...
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( and yes, this is my little piece of Heaven....where I ponder these things...everyone should be able to have even a little garden...an oasis to ponder such things....)

Have a lovely Mothers Day.....

‎"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever." ~Unknown

Japan Update 8 weeks after Disasters.....Fukushima

Suspended in Time......Home in Fukushima after evacuations...
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(1) TEPCO building new sea walls as protection against future tsunami at Fukushima ,others have pointed out that Sea Wall could also being built to prevent or mitigate radioactive water seepage.

(2)CSM: TEPCO prepares for cold shutdown of Fukushima reactors,Scientists are still trying to assemble all the data and decipher if the Units 1-4 are shutdown, in cooling mode, and if the monitors are even working properly. The Situation remains questionable and unstable.

(3)NY Times: Workers enter crippled reactor building at Fukushima for the first time since the disaster.

(4) More from the LA Times, LA Times: Workers enter Fukushima Unit 1 to begin venting radiation prior to restart of cooling systems. There remain many questions about who is assessing, tracking and monitoring the health of the Plant Workers.

(5) Don Luckey versus Helen Caldicott - Low Dose Radiation Health Effects: Rod Adams at the ANS Nuclear Cafe exploring the actual Health issues and implications of this nuclear disaster. ( Not just Japan should be watching and studying this disaster.

Bin Laden Killed by American Special Ops Team in Firefight in Pakistan

President Obama announces to the Country and the World about Bin Laden's Death. White House Blog has the full transcript and more information.
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Firefighters at NYC.....gathering at Times Square and WTC....
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Chicago Times Newspaper for tomorrow....( out as of MN)
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NYC Firefighters in NYC celebrating.....
( I will post the video and the announcements...later) Much celebrating there...there should be a Memorial there....for people to gather on a night like this...