BILL O'REILLY, "FULL OF IT, FULL OF HIMSELF."

BILL O'REILLY, "FULL OF IT, FULL OF HIMSELF." (Frazer Chronicles)
I watch Bill O'Reilly maybe once a week, usually resulting in a good belly laugh, or a kind of stunned feeling that I just heard something on the Fox network that made less then no sense. To say that O'Reilly is "opinionated" would be an understatement, to say that his "rantings" made constructive sense, would be stretching the boundaries of even conservative thinking at times.

O'Reilly has a staff of "gofers" feeding him all manner of information with regards to which topics he might be using on a particular night. I am sure that he takes the information, disregards some of the facts so that they fit into whatever conservative stance he might take.

On the O'Reilly Factor, July 26th. 2011, "big Bill" took aim at the federal government's efforts to aid the poor. O'Reilly mixed in a little "pursuit of happiness," how the American government, "the greatest government and country on the face of the earth," gives people the ability through hard work to achieve the "American dream." Money, happiness, and stability for themselves and their family members.

In other words, "if you work hard, good things will happen." My wife said as much to one of our grand daughters yesterday. Learn to swim, go the extra mile with regards to safety training, and you can become a lifeguard. Luckily our grand daughter is only 12, so she has time to overcome one of the great American lies.

Unless you live in California, you can't make a living wage at hauling people out of a pool, or body of water. According to O'Reilly, "all the trillions" that the government has poured into poor people's programs since the middle 1960's hasn't done much good. Poverty rates have remained constant, and a problem for the poor in particular, and America in general.

I have worked for as little as .75 an hour and as much as $30, I can tell you I was happier at $30 then the .75 I was making back in 1959. The biggest problem with poverty today, or any other day for that matter has been low wages perpetrated by the great American industrial process. I would bet the milk money that 75% of the benefits for low income people could be cut if living wages were paid for an honest days work.

Put that in your pipe Mr. "big boy" Bill O'Reilly, and smoke it with your girlfriends.

"GET THE HELL OUT!"

"GET THE HELL OUT!" (Frazer Chronicles)

I understand it, "I get it," Moammar Gadhafi is a bad man, his regime is bad, they practice human genocide. Gadhafi kills his own people, he is brutal, blood thirsty and is uncompromising in his opinions and practices. His actions and reactions have been responsible for thousands of deaths, he has raped and pillaged his country, and to top it all off, he has turned into an ugly old fart.

Are any of the above "had habits" enough to invade Libya for, "I don't think so." Do I agree with his methods of governance, or his practices in human rights, "of course not." But attack Gadhafi, "get the hell right out of town," a resounding "NO" is my answer.

Did you ever wonder how many "states" are working under a dictatorship in the world today? Well I did, and I was amazed at the number, at least 50, that's right, 50. Some of the most repressive are Burma, Chechnya, Cuba, Somalia, the Sudan and Tibet. Others less repressive, but still under a dictator, or family rule are Belarus, Angola, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

Is the U.N. or the United States going to "hitch up their boot straps" and go into these countries and free the oppressed, I don't think so, it's not in their interest. Who cares about freeing Zimbabwe, Tajikistan, Togo or Laos, there's no oil, no strategic land mass and no interest.

The United States picks which people they want to liberate from oppression, where there is a vested interest. Right here in the good old U.S. of A. there is oppression, if you don't think so, check with those people that are in danger of losing medical health care.

Check with those people right here in America that want to work, but can't find a decent job because many have been shipped overseas, where the oppressed are paid a few shekels to do the same job that here, in America, people used to be paid $15 or $20 an hour to do.

The press doesn't even know what to call those opposed to Gadhafi, referring to them simply as "rebels." Gadhafi is a bad person, don't get me wrong, but to run the risk of war, spending money, or worse, losing even one single American life, he, "Gadhafi" isn't worth the effort. Obama was wrong to get the United States involved in yet an other war.

I voted for Obama because I was sick of Bush and his war, but I now find that the country is  still involved in the Bush wars as well as a whole new front, where President Obama seems intent on flexing his own muscles. Now.....who the hell can I vote for.

POTHOLE HEAVEN!

POTHOLE HEAVEN! (Oakland Press)

Potholes can be a pain in the butt, "literally" and also painful where it counts most, the wallet. Ball joints, shocks, springs and mufflers can all suffer a fate that can cost car or truck owners hundreds or even thousands of dollars in repair. Mechanics never say much, whenever I full into their shop with one of the above injuries, they shake their heads sadly, say something like "it's a bitch to drive on the screwed up roads," and then they get a sort of glassy eyed look, like they just finished a "bowl" of their favorite narcotic, and tell me to get a ride and the damage will be taken care of.

Somehow I have always felt like my mechanic has somehow been in cahoots with the road repair department, and maybe even God. I mean, how else can one explain potholes all over the city of Green Bay in need of repair, the repair neglected, and new roadways or worse, round-abouts being built, while my old potholes remain dangerously deep.

We've all been given the shaft, a tough time, been screwed over, or dealt with unfairly, however the county, city and state road departments have went above and beyond in  their ability to disregard existing road woes and concentrated on making brand new roadways with the potential for all sorts of new travel problems to experience.

Finally a fella in Waterford Township Michigan had taken enough, after countless calls to what he felt were the "repair authorities," the man, Terry Helm took matters into his own hands, bought $140 worth of repair material, and repaired a 3 foot wide by 8 inches deep that had bugging him for several months.

After Helm's repairs, there was 1 complaint mixed in with  several "at-a-boys," even from  county cops. The Waterford Township road commission however was not in the majority of supportive comments. A spokesman said he, "Helm" did not have the proper backup, "the cones, and traffic control people" to safeguard a worker.

There was also a question of the proper materials that Helm had filled the pothole with. All I know is, that what Helm did, might actually have saved lives. Sounds like a kid on a bicycle could have fallen into the pothole and never been seen again.  

DEBT CEILING, IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL DUMMY!

DEBT CEILING, IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL DUMMY!  (Frazer Chronicles)

You know, I'm old enough to remember when I've said, "this is the worst it's ever been," or, "they have finally lost their minds," or, "those jerks have made a mess that will never be repaired." When gas prices suddenly spiked in 1974 and there were long lines at the gas pump, everybody said, "things will never be the same."  Maybe they were right, but we recovered and went about our business.

In the late afternoon of September 11, 2001, after my wife and I had consumed an adequate amount of alcohol, when we were sitting on our front porch, my wife suddenly got up, walked to the street, and with  tears in her beautiful big brown eyes, she looked at me and said something that has proven to be prophetic,  "things will never be the same," and she was right.

America no longer is the "land of the free and the home of the brave," and maybe it never was.  We struggle to gain a "handle" on  almost ever aspect of our lives, our government, our place in the world, and how we deal with issues here at home.

The debt ceiling has been around since, forever, here in the United States, in fact, since the country's inception. Debt occurred during the American Revolutionary War. Between 1796 to 1811 the country had 14 surpluses and only 2 debts. Of course the war of 1812 and then  the Civil War 49 years later again plunged the nation back into a debt mode. And the first and second world wars did nothing good for our debt ceiling.

A national, or public debt has been with the country throughout our history, but until 2011, and the Republican and Tea Party's, Grover Nordquist, Eric Cantor and Paul Ryan has tied all sorts of cost cutting addendum's to any raising of the country's debt ceiling, so that the country can continue to pay it's bills. I can find nothing to compare with what these people want to do.

Relax everybody, our elected political leaders will raise the debt levels, governmental payments will continue, and grumblings will be heard from both sides. People will still be taken care of, and the global economy will continue to put money into the hands of those people that our system of government is designed to do.

In recent history, since 1996, the U.S. debt ceiling has been raised an astounding 11 times, mostly to cover war and entitlement spending. It's almost like our government is trying to "eat itself skinny." The Accountability Office has not be able to sign off on the government's books for 14 straight years because of some very creative book-keeping practices.

The train continues folks, happy hour is almost here, complete with a huge banquet table of all sorts of delicious food, guaranteed to continue the fest to make us skinny, you dummies.

FEDERAL LAW AND HEALTH CARE!

FEDERAL LAW AND HEALTH CARE! (Frazer Chronicles)

I know of several people who have in the past, or currently are relying on emergency room medical care much the same as folks with full medical coverage do with their regular care giver. I have wondered about this practice, if the expense was carried over to either the general public "taxpayers" or those medically covered patients.

The majority of the people that use emergency service care, who don't have enough medical insurance, or none at all come from 3 different areas of American society, low income, no income, or those people who either aren't interested in getting a job, or can't work for medical or mental reasons.

To not allow people access to medical treatment would be the worst kind of degradating activity by the medical care industry, political programs, or society attitude. Medical care in the United States is not, I repeat, not a constitutional right. Nowhere in the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or any other governmental act, or law does it proclaim that "American citizens have the right to medical health care."

What the federal law does require is that hospitals must treat people whether they can pay or not. In today's United States of America, there is a growing practice of "insurance dropping," because the premiums are becoming so costly, people are unable to afford private insurance coverage. Their health issues are put off, "in many cases," until they are emergencies, and they then use emergency room medical care.

This practice causes several different issues that eventually increase the cost of health care, not only to the hospital, but to the insurance companies and the general public as well, unless you believe that hospitals are willing to just "eat" the lack of payment for a service.

Most hospitals today are in the business of making a bottom line profit, just like General Motors, or Wal Mart. Doctors drive BMW's, hospital administrators drive Cadillacs and new hospitals have an air of marble, brick and steel palaces.

So who pays for the free health care, we all do, through all sorts of programs, hidden as well as publicly declared charges written right into either your hospital billing, or your health insurance premium payment billing receipts. Nothing is free, "they don't pay for a freebie,"  we all pay!

However there is a "catch" in the free health care that people receive at an emergency room facility, and it can be dangerous as hell. Like the man said, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," emergency's are also under the interpretation of the emergency room personal.

A cut, a tooth ache, minor cuts, bruises, sprains, or dislocations all can be deemed as "non-emergency," and medical care can be refused. Other health issues can be lightly treated and turn into a fatal issue that a regular doctor's office visit would catch, and treat.

The most important medical treatment is preventative, and emergency rooms do not, nor are they required to give this type of health care. So in the long run, when people rely on "free" medical treatment, they usually get what they pay for. Hospitals in many cases do go the extra mile, after all, staff members are trained to give relief, or assistance, but done at the end of the line of health care, that is exactly where this type of patient is, "down at the end of medical treatment." 

Who suffers the most in this type of medical treatment, seniors and kids, usually when neither can afford to be treated with anything other then the best of care. One is nearing the end, the other, just beginning. Young, old and the "in-betweens" are stabilized, and if necessary, hospitalized and are not entitled to primary care. Neither are they entitled to preventive care, or follow-up care.

Any politician who says that poor people, indigent people, sick, injured, or just plain scammers are entitled to "extensive" free care because they can't afford it is not telling the true, either for a self serving reason, or they have their facts wrong, in many cases, dead wrong.

I firmly believe that every American deserves the right to  expect  medical care, whether extensive, or superficial. As long as the United States founds foreign countries medical care programs, "for free," we need to demand the same service. 

DRUG "BUST"

DRUG "BUST" (San Diego Red)
Searching for a unique story for today's blog attempt, I ran across a small article in the San Diego Red about boarder drug enforcement that made me stop. Never having smuggled anything across any boarder, through any check-point, in a car, truck, or suit case, I found the headline, "Boarder Drug Busts Begin With Odd Bra and Helmet."

My immediate reaction was that some women was stuffing drugs in her helmet, and her brassier, but I couldn't figure out how the helmet came into the equation. Maybe she was a biker chick, or was wearing a batting helmet or construction workers hard hat.

Come to find out, some jerk-off tried to smuggle cocaine in his motorcycle helmet through customs, like wearing a helmet wouldn't draw any attention. The tip off, the American citizen's helmet was unusually heavy and further inspection discovered more then  4 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of more then $92,000.

Let that be a lesson to all you drug smuggling coyotes, "do not put 4 pounds of an illicit drugs in your motorcycle helmet." The boarder cops have X-ray machines that can see right through you and everything that you ware, "I sure would like one of those machines."

The second case, "one I wish I could have conducted," involved a 22 year old women who was stopped by boarder security at San Ysidro. The women attempted to fool authorities by packing her bra with 2 pounds of methamphetamine worth more then $30,000.

The women was tripped up by one of the oldest problems that well endowed young women have, a syndrome called "bigger boob on one side." It is true that men, since the invention of the brassier, have made a sport out of what is called "sizing." Men continual compare the size, usually from the left to the right, to check for any disparities in boob size, it has to be true, "I do it."

To think that an able bodied, healthy male would not see a boob weighing 2 pounds more then the other is actually what probably did the young "Conchita" in. I'm not sure how the investigation went, or who did the "pat down," but I sure as hell would have loved to have been there.

"Oh, by the way, both were turned over to the F.B.I." Have a good day.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT, IF YOU CAN SPEAK LATER!

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT, IF YOU CAN SPEAK LATER! 

(Frazer Chronicles)

Kids really got it easy, they should thank their lucky stars for everything that is handed to them on a silver platter, "I sure did." I mean, the house, the love, the guidance, the food and an allowance to boot, could anything be better. It's almost like kids show up, and for the next 18 or so years, everything is supposed to revolve around that kid. "I wanna go back, I miss those days."

We now fast forward to 2011, the summertime of the year, and take a look at some of these kids lives, these kids born into such affluent surroundings, in a time of enlightenment, in a time where justice "rings" true for all. The skate parks, the roller board runs, ball diamonds, and all the kids summer activity programs that children can be amerced in.

During the just complete 2010-2011 school year, after  graduations, the graduation parties and all the fan-fare that goes along with the most important event in those young people's lives, "to date." They are left to ponder their recently gained Independence, what to do with it, and what first steps to take in the long struggle that for some, will continue their entire lives.

What happens to these bright, shining, eager young folks is a story in and of itself, the life's wins, losses, and the finding of one's self, realizing why, "to a degree" they are here. That story is  happy and sad at the same time. This story however, is for a different time and a different place.

What we are concerned with today, on July 18th. 2011 is some of the things that go into molding young people, their morals and their perception of power and who welds that power. Kids are impressionable, of that I have no doubt, kids fall into love and out of love at least three times a week, hell, I used to fall into and then out of love once or twice a day, sometimes in just an hour.

However when a kid is lead, oft times by the scruff of the neck into some windowless room where a battery of school officials and a couple of cops, the hair on the back of my neck, "the hair I have left there," raises, and I start a twitching nervousness and a sense of fear mixed with a twinge of anger, my heart starts pumping just a bit faster, and I ask the question, "what in hell is going on here, who did this kid molest, or kill?

Kids however, it turns out, have little or no rights when it comes to the Gestapo type actions that are arbitrarily taken by school authority's and the police. Kids are not Mirandized, given and listing of any of their rights, and are usually "bully-boyed" by school officials,  the cops, or both. Parents are called, usually after interrogation type questioning and whatever verdict the officials want has been gained.

I remember talking with a cop many years ago about a neighborhood tough, a 12 or 13 year old who was a royal pain in the ass, not only for me, but for the rest of the neighborhood as well. The cop told me to "just put up with the little punks activity, after he turned 16, they would (rain) on him." And you know, they did, he was arrested for murder and is spending most of the rest of his life in jail.

For some of these kids who act out, for whatever reason, the attitude is "wait, you'll get yours." With little exception, the help that many of these kids get is "lip service." As one cop put it, "the juvenile system is screwed up and social workers who administer services are a basic joke.

The above commentary brings us to the meat of today's subject, careful justice for kids, delivered with a firm, fair and honest hand. Just because a kid says something to another kid, or tells them that "he has a gun at home," or brings a pornographic magazine, book and some sexual adult toy to school does not mean that the kid intends to do wrong, or to do somebody harm.

What that should tell school administrators is that, that kid is acting out and needs some sort of professional help. The family should immediately be brought into the equation, and probably also is in need of clinical help. For God sake, get the kid as well as the parents into a help program and monitor the kid.

Police are absolutely no help in these types of matters, what with their cynical attitude, and assumption that everybody is guilty until they prove themselves innocent. The "in your face" behavior that cops bring to the table in many cases is unwarranted, and causes more harm then help. Believe it or not, most kids want guidance and welcome advice, the "know it all attitude" comes after a kid reaches about 15 or 16, and I am talking about kids under that age.

Give the kid and whatever system has been instituted a chance to work, give the kid an even break, and you'll be surprised at how easily a kid will respond to love and understanding as apposed to a backhand by some hairy knuckled Gestapo type cop.

MY KIND OF WOMEN!

MY KIND OF WOMEN! (Frazer Chronicles)
The most important goal of the  Frazer Chronicles is to "Print All The News That Nobody Else Will Print," and we attempt to live by that goal every day. Top news stories as   well as those hidden in section "E'" of obscure "home town" newspapers are routinely searched on a daily basis. I am up, usually by 4:00 A.M. to began the search, or to research for an Opp Ed that I will write that day.

The early hours gives me a chance to scan the wire services to catch either a most important story, or to catch an issue that probably won't make national headlines. I use as a "core basis" the story that appears, and expand and articulate that story, with generous amounts of my unique humor, or intertwine my opinions with the story line. I do not, nor have I ever deviated from what the story subject matter attempts to deliver, I simply (expand.)

That said, I simply couldn't pass up a story of a 70 year old grandma type who is being sued for allegedly downloading adult pornography, "is there any other kind." The poor widowed grandmother is beside herself about the pressure that she is getting to pay a law firm a substantial "stay out of court fee."

Actually the law firm, who represents an on line adult entertainment company  isn't really interested in taking offenders to court, but to get alleged infringers of downloading the material, to pay a substantial cash settlement to make legal action go away.These settlements range from $3,000 to as much as $12,000.

The grandmother in question says that "she has never heard of the entertainment company and further never downloaded anything on her computer. The women did not know whether computer was password protected, but did know that several young men lived next door.

The lawyer handling the case said that "unprotected wireless use" was "wildlessly irresponsible," and likened it to the same as a loaded gun left out in the open where children are. Wow, I didn't know adult entertainment, and, I guess gun control were in the same ball park, "legally speaking." Just goes to show, in this day and age, winning is everything. I didn't even know about "unprotected wireless."


BACHMANN LEFT CHURCH, OR WAS SHE KICKED OUT?
A conservative Evangelical Lutheran Church which the Michele Bachmann family attended until just before the Minnesota politician declared that she was entering the presidential campaign has issued a statement that they "church" had asked the Congress-women "where she stood with regards to her membership with the church."

The Bachmann family had stopped attending the church almost 2 years ago, "which in my mind would be a strong clue that they were no longer interested in the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Synod with headquarters in Wisconsin, the denominaltonal organization that includes the Salem church.

The glitz apparently came about because the Bachmann family did not address their lack of attendance, and whether they still considered themselves active members of the Salem church. According to the church, the "impetus came from the church" with regards to membership, as the Salem pastor wanted to know "where he stood" with the family." I can answer that one, "you had no standing."


Religion has often been a question during political campaigns, with candidates coming under fire for the religious company that they have kept. The Salem church, apparently has taken some "controversial" stances with regards to gay issues and some of the sermons that have been delivered. There also is a "feeling" within the church that the Pope is the "Antichrist."

The Bachmann family now attends an all faiths church on the Minnesota-Wisconsin boarder in Stillwater, Minnesota. The reason Michele Bachmann gave for changing churches, the family had moved to a different part of town. I find that kind of hard to understand, since Stillwater is just a tad over 18,000 residents, "oh well, that question is for a different blog."

I do not agree with much of what Michele Bachmann says, advocates, or I guess, believes in, however her choice of churches, "to me," is inconsequential. Whatever God she prays to, or believes in, is her own business and the quicker the press and those busy bodies that raise these silly issues shut their mouths, or their printing presses, the better off we will all be and the quicker we can address the really important issues, you know, like jobs, debt and getting out of foreign country's with our war machinery.


SLEEPY'S AT IT AGAIN!
Wisconsin governor Scott "Sleepy" Walker is at it again, making national headlines, again with his stance on collective bargaining for the states union employees. However this time, I personally have proof that Ole Scotty is full of feathers. He admitted on MSNBC that "getting ride of collective bargaining in Wisconsin would not save the taxpayers of the state any money. I heard it on television, so it's gotta be true.

I will say one thing for this career politician, "he has a big set of cahonides," he approached this issues, "like he was the head of a small business," he saw a problem, saw a solution, and went out and got it done. I guess that "Sleepy" figures that Wisconsin politics can be equated to a small business. Well, that's just great, now "Scotty," what's your next target, street-side garbage.....wait, he already addressed that issue, and took cuts to it.

Walker accused "outside" union interests in fanning the fires of discontent, and were responsible for the massive protests at the capital building in Madison. He also cites not building enough of a political case for his action. Excuse me, I must be dumb, but what does that really mean, like talking to Democrats, or talking to unions, or talking to union rank and file, or addressing the issue in the press, or over the airwaves. None of that would have done any good, they were all against any kind of that eliminational action.

Maybe he meant that he should have talked in detail to his own party.....wait a minute, he did that, or talk to business, or metropolitan hierarchy, he did that also, and his ideas were basically received with a warm handshake and a clap on the back.

What the "Sleepy one" can't get over is the fact that everybody, even his own backers saw what his proposal was, "a union buster" not only for the public secter, but a possible death nill for unions at large, not only in Wisconsin, but for the entire United States. You can take a nap now, "Sleepy."



AND AWAY WE GO?

AND AWAY WE GO? (Frazer Chronicles)
I haven't blogged much about the financial crises which seems to be engulfing the nation in an ever increasing vice-like grip. All sorts of accusations, finger pointing and the blame game have dominated the newspaper headlines for months. It's almost like a "he said, she said," or a "he did or didn't, or," well you get the idea. It's hard to keep up with, when you know that those people making statements on a daily basis have several advisers either on their left or right shoulder, or sometimes both.

Here is the bottom line in a straight forward, no nonsense way, "if you don't have enough money to pay your bills, your in a tough financial spot and you'd better get a second job to make up the difference." All the crap that is said by either Republicans or Democrats doesn't mean a thing, "if you ain't got the bread to pay your bills, your a dead beat, and a piss poor risk, and will pay a higher interest rate," it's how the financial system, (in the world) works.

Is the United States to big to fail, absolutely, might we get bailed out, possibly, but that will not alter the fact that, if we don't pay our bills, "all of our bills," those loan holders will be taking some sort of action  to safeguard their interests. Do not forget the fact that America isn't the "sweetheart" of the world, there are people out there that would love to see the United States fail, no matter the consequences to the rest of the world.

The dispute between political parties and the fractions within each, the egos, the power trips and the "tugging" by special interest groups all serve to disrupt progress towards what has to happen "at this point in time." The debt ceiling simply has to be raised so that the country can continue along it's probable ride into financial oblivion.

Republicans staunchly oppose raising taxes, closing loop-holes or bending in their convection's with regards to this issue. The Republican party as well as the Tea Party apparently figure to cut programs in a major way, changing completely the lifestyles of many U.S. citizens, and the landscape of governmental processes during the 2nd. decade of the 21st. century.

Republicans seem to not care who is effected, how they are effected, or how many will continue their journey through life. Many of the entitlement programs that are "on the books" at the present time, are used by many low income or indigents to live on. There very existence depends on these taxpayer "give-away" programs that some politely call "entitlement programs."

Let's be frank and clear, many entitlement programs are nothing more then give-aways to the poor, disabled, or those folks who are unwilling to work. For whatever reason, many of the people that take advantage of these programs have some sort of idea that "the government" is a 2rd. party, and they are completely divorced from "them," government. Some in government intimate the same, saying "they" when talking about the government.

"We is they, and they is us," is actually how it works, there is no magic money tree, or babbling brook that money flows down, government relies on tax revenues for it's operations. We elect people to do our bidding, it's not the other way around. Political parties and elected officials do not have agendas in and of themselves, they are supposed to carry out whatever mandate that the people dictate to them.

That's right, "I said, DICTATE," the majority voice of the people is the only voice that matters, and therein lies the dictatorial part of a democracy, it's people demanding it's elected officials to do what they figure is right and just for them.

The fringe has taken over the American political system, the special groups, the lobbyists that represent this fringe who figure they "know" what is good for the nation, for an entire region and in the end, the world.

The United States is headed for the last round-up, Armageddon,  a loss of biblical proportion, a "shut the lights out when you leave," kind of plight. I have never been a good manager of money, but only my immediate family suffered, my foolhardy impulse buying  only effected a small unit of people, 5 to be exact.

When the United States spends trillions in foreign investments, and cuts benefits to it's own people, the same people who paid taxes so that these trillions could be spent, makes no sense. Not one American should go hungry, not one American should have to sleep under a bridge, or in a cardboard box for the lack of a bed.

We are almost past a great depression, a depression like there was in 1929, the one that had lingering effects until 1940. There have been other depressions, they used to be called "panics," the country suffered many financial downturns for a mired of reasons. 1873, 1892 and other depressed periods during our history.

None however was for the reasons that we, as a country now  face, sheer and utter stupidity which is exhibited by peoples of all political parties. Egos, political agendas and partisan activity on a level unprecedented in our history threatens to take us to where none wants to be, a depressed financial situation that just might break our country's sole.

It's time for all of us to "get off our collective asses, get into the heat," and once and for all, settle this democracy that we all live under. We need to raise taxes, close all loop-holes, streamline our taxpayer giveaways, and get on with sensible governance.

IT'S GETTING TOUGHER AND TOUGHER OUT THERE!

IT'S GETTING TOUGHER AND TOUGHER OUT THERE! (Frazer Chronicles)

Man, it's tough in the workplace today, I'm glad I retired a couple years ago, and hope that I don't have to rejoin the workforce again in my lifetime. I tried a whole bunch of different jobs in my attempts to eek out some sort of existence during the 40 some years when I was working.

Today there are many, many writers, journalists, interested writers and bloggers that write about how the job market is for the average worker in the United States. Sadly many of these writers have less then no clue about what it means to be a low paid employee in the work a day world. The daily degradation, the humiliation and the constant fear of reprisal from supervisors, or worse, of losing the job.

Very seldom does an actual laborer speak up "in print by his/her own hand" about personal experiences, about the anger, about the fear and about the humiliation that one feels in a dead-end job. The feelings that one can experiences go beyond humiliation, into a sort of constant state of sadness and self petty, sadness for your way of life, and petty for the overbearing supervisor or company that you are working for.

For most, there is a feeling of unfulfilled potential, a frustrating feeling of failure, a feeling of being taken advantage of and a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. For many workers in America today, some or all of these feelings accurately describe their working career. It is not a phenomena of today's working society, rather a cycle of low wages that was triggered by the 2008 financial problems that gripped the United States when the housing bubble burst. 

The cycle that I am talking about has happened in the past, in the United States as well as the world at large, but I don't really care about the world at large, that is part of Americas problems today. I link Americas problems, first to NAFTA, and then to the global economy that we are "enjoying" today. The Wal Mart "T" shirts for $3.99 that were made in China for $2 including shipping.

NAFTA took effect in 1994 amidst claims that the North American Free Trade Agreement would improve the U.S. trade balance with Mexico and Canada, which would result in more then 200,000 new jobs in the United States. The reality was that there weren't nearly the 200,000 jobs, and that  NAFTA has created a trade deficit which in fact displaced more then 1 million jobs in America.

What exports do for the American worker is really simple, it creates more jobs, decent paying jobs, jobs with benefits. The trade deficit between the 3 country's has varied from 1 to 2 billion dollars while some states have suffered more then 100,000 jobs lost.

To say that NAFTA has been a failure, "at least for American workers," is an understatement, and what the act has meant for industry is easy to see, "more profit," and a ever widening disparage in income for the upper percentages of Americans compared to the middle class.

A global economy has preformed even worse for Americans work force, basically eliminating any sort of competition for manufactured goods and worker wages. A factory worker in China cannot be compared to an American worker for several reasons, overtime, benefits, working conditions and worker related programs.

Globalization has been around for a long time, years ago, governmental leaders began to talk about eliminating worker rights groups and organizations. Private sector business has always looked for ways to increase productivity while downsizing it's work force either through attrition or innovative systems that can replace workers.

It has never been the responsibility of business to create more jobs, rather it has been their job to create more production, through whatever means necessary. Actually it is not the place for government to create jobs, rather to produce entitlement programs that  either the electorate wants, or that elected officials deem necessary. The affordability of these entitlements are also the responsibility of elected officials, through tax revenues.

Why is it tougher out there in the work place, business has discovered that outsourcing either portions of their manufacturing, or all of it, makes their product more affordable for American  consumers, meaning that these same corporations do not have to charge as much, therefore do not have to pay a high wage to their workers here in America.

Innovation has been an American trademark, it was a reason why America was head and shoulders above the rest of the world. This innovative mentality came from all corners of America, and from people that could have been commoners, or highly educated engineers or scientists. But that innovative spirit and thinking is being retarded and in fact being outsourced along with millions of jobs.

Americans are working longer, harder and for stagnant wages today, a trend that started not in 2007 or 2010, rather in the 1980's. Business began to discover that they could make money more and more on the backs of their workers without reimbursing them. Whoever said that cleaning a motel room or washing dishes in a restaurant was not worth a living wage? Whoever said that waiting tables wasn't worth $12 an hour.

Cleaning a motel room is an important service, waitress's tables is an important job, jobs that not everybody can do, yet they are at the bottom of the totum pole with regards to wages. These jobs aren't worth what a doctor makes, but they sure as hell are worth more then minimum wages.

I used to drive commercially, I liked my job and always did the best job that I could. I have loaded my trailer, unloaded my trailer and driven well over the legal number of hours, "11 hours in a 24 hour period," to get to a stop on time. I didn't make any more money, a time sensitive load was just a part of my job.

Do you know what I got for my effort, zip, zero, nada, unless you count not getting paid for miles that I drove, or stops that I was supposed to get paid for but didn't. Why, because the truck company I was working for wanted that extra buck and because they knew that I had little recourse. I have also driven for truck companies with sub-standard, unsafe, dangerous and illeagl equipment, why, because I needed a paycheck. Many times I have driven around the country in unsafe and under maintained trucks and trailers, weighing more then 35 ton for a paycheck.

Governmental regulations do not work, they do not cover all the dangerous eliments that happen every day in America, and now the American working men and women are being asked, no demanded to go above and beyond.

With little exception, the people that write about the ills of America worker plights need to simply stop, write about movie reviews, or a garden party. Cycles continue, the wheel keeps going around and the American worker is facing tougher and tougher times out there, and I have never been happier in my retirement.

FAKE DEMOCRATS TO SEXY DOGS TO A CHOP JOB!

FAKE DEMOCRATS TO SEXY DOGS TO A CHOP JOB, (Frazer Chronicles)

There truly are strange things that happen in our country every day.....well, usually at night, but the time of day or night doesn't matter, some of the stuff that goes on in America is bizarre, going way past strange.

Political shenanigans have been going on for hundreds of years, and although it is a fact, the time money and effort involved, political party's need to reign in this sort of activity, "gee, the American public might start to think that you politicians only worry about your jobs and your parties, and not the country."

The other 2 issues in today's blog are a bit more touchy then a simple "fake Democrat," the delicate nature of a  dog being sexy to other K9's is.....kind of in the eye of the beholder, but dogs can't talk, "at least like humans,"so how the hell would a human know how a male or female dog felt about the other? I guess a guy can see a dog as sexy, a whole new way of looking at domesticated house pets, that frankly makes me a little sick.

I have a dog, she's a female, and yes, I think she is pretty, but sexy, I never thought about that. Wait a minute, let me take a closer look..........nope, sexy does not come to mind when I look at my dog, any part of my dog, I love her, but for Gods sake, "shes just a dog."

Lastly we visit a kind of "chop shop," or the "house of a women scorned," or an Islamic fable, "Husein Chop." No matter how you slice it, "no pun intended," this last bit of audacity that people can do, one to the other is truly unbelievable.

Let me be clear, there never has been a voluntary action of the type that I will talk about in the history of man, in fact, the old saying, "size does matter" will play a prominent in the final part of today's blog.

Lets get started with today's tales, the FAKE DEMOCRATS of Wisconsin. 6 fake Democrats were defeated in a special election in the opening act of the recall elections which are slated for August. The idea behind the 6 "fakers," which were actually supported by the Republican party, was to run against the "legitimate" Democrats who will run against the recalled Republican state senators.

"Now that I have you all completely confused," "like I am," let me lay it out for you as best I can. The 6 Republican senators, Rob Cowles, Alberta Darling, Sheila Harsdorf, Randy Hopper, Luther Olsen and Dan Kapanke have been recalled by signed petitions for basically their stance on collective bargaining issues for state union workers in Wisconsin.

The 6 "real Democrats" who won primary elections, and are back by the Democratic party are Nancy Nusbaum, Sandy Pasch, Shelly Moore, Fred Clark, Jessica King and Jennifer Shilling. The ruse for the July 12th. elections was to give the Republican party more time to campaign for the August elections.

I personally don't buy it, I think more then anything else, the elections were to "cloud" the issues, and to give the Republican party more time to do their redistricting. The money that it cost to hold these special elections.....before the elections is nothing more then a political ploy, "I could have used that money."

Anyways, now everybody knows how Wisconsin politics works, I hope, cause I'm gonna call somebody to figure it out, I still don't get it.

The case of the SEXY DOG, or "how to end up in the slam for being a pervert." In Muskegon, Michigan a judge sent a man back to prison for sexually assaulting his pet dog for 17 months to 22 years. The judge also ordered the states corrections office to get counseling for the Muskegon man.

Jose Sanchez pleaded no contest to a charge of bestiality, as he didn't want to drag the 60 pound female dog through painful  court proceedings. The dog has been taken in by a foster family who I assume specializes in SVD's, "sexually victimized dogs."

Our 3rd. "low light" of the day involves a case of a CHOP JOB in Garden Grove, California, which included a drugging incident. You might say that this story also included an illegal bounding, or imprisonment issue, but those charges, as yet, have not been addressed.

The evening started Innocent enough, when 51 year old Cathy Becker prepared a meal for her estranged husband. The man, whose name was not released, thought, "I'm sure," that there was a possible reconciliation in the works, if only for 1 night and the man sat down with his wife to enjoy a meal.....and whatever happened next during the evening.

What happened next was mostly a fog to the man, as first he became violently ill, went into the bedroom to lie down before losing consciousness. When he woke, he was bound to the bed, hands and feet, with a rope, and his wife was preforming a chop job on his penis.

That's right Cathy Becker was cutting her husbands weeny off, at the base, slashing his bologna, doing a whack job, or preforming a Peckerecktomy. When she was done, with the man bleeding profusely and screaming with pain, the women calmly took the digit to the garbage disposal for the final indignation.

She was arrested by the Garden Grove cops for an arrested act of pure evil.

 

NUCLEAR REGULATIONS RESULT, A PERMENATE ORANGE AFRO!

NUCLEAR REGULATIONS RESULTS, A PERMEATE ORANGE AFRO! (Frazer Chronicles)

You'd think that with a energy source so powerful, and accidents with such potentially catastrophic results, governmental regulations would be one of the most stringent in the country. That assumption might be wrong, if you were talking about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the organization responsible for nuclear power plant safety and so much more.

Taking a quick look at the NRC which was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened in January of 1975. The NRC oversees reactor safety and security, reactor licensing and renewal, radioactive material safety, security and licensing, and spent fuel management (storage, security, recycling and disposal).

The mission of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is to regulate the nation's civilian use of byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common defense and security, and to protect the environment. The NRC's regulatory mission covers three main areas:

REACTORS, commercial reactors for generating electric power and research and test reactors used for research, testing and training.

MATERIALS, uses of nuclear materials in medical, industrial and academic settings and facilities that produce nuclear fuel.

WASTE, transportation, storage and disposal of nuclear materials and waste and decommissioning of nuclear facilities from service.

The NRC is headed by 5 commissioners appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for 5 year terms. The current chairman is Gregory B. Jaczko who was first sworn in as a commissioner in January of 2005. Guess some of these commissioners make a career out of this committee as "Greg's" term runs through June of 2013.

There are 64 nuclear sites located throughout the United States and most are less then the 50 mile "safe zone" from major population zones that has been talked about since the Fukushima disaster in Japan. In addition, the NRC is in the midst of a examination of all U.S. reactors and the commission is also seeking suspension of 6 existing reactor licenses, 13 new  combined construction permit and operating license decisions and several other actions. 

To give you an idea of the power of the NRC and the "bite" that they posses, let me cite the Yankee nuclear facility in Brattleboro, Vermont, on the border of Vermont and New Hampshire. A nuclear watchdog group asked the NRC for a study on leaks of radioactive water at the Brattleboro reactor, it was told that the NRC had seen the reports, but never had officially taken custody of the reports.....therefore it wasn't public.

Yankee never denied the leak, the information that they "allowed" the NRC to look at is simply protected by that little bug-a-boo called "claims of proprietary information." You know I've run across that "stipulation" that industry seems to use whenever they don't want the "prying" eye of a watchdog group, a governmental regulatory committee, or just some "John Q. Public" like me to look "their" landscape over.

I know what the word means, "proprietary, owner, or ownership," "see, I'm not dumb," but I figured there must be more to the word then is seen by the naked eye, so I looked it up in my trusty Webster and came up with basically the same answers that I had understood with one exception, and this meaning might be the kicker. "A Monk who has reserved goods and effects to himself, not withstanding his renunciation of all at the time of profession."

I hope that clears things up for you, because I'm more befuddled then I was before that last paragraph. For the purpose of this blog, I'm sure that Entergy Nuclear Options do not, and never have had a Monk as an owner, or one on their board of directors. 

These people.....both the NRC and the Yankee plant owner, Entergy Nuclear Options Incorporated, are at it again, playing their little "hide and seek" games with the public. Lets get one thing very straight right now, the leak, radioactive water, "tritium" is linked with cancer when ingested in high amounts

Critics say it's the style of communication between regulators and the regulated that completely cuts out the public as well as state regulators that try to track these leaks. In fact, an NRC spokeswomen confirmed that the agency routinely sees industry reports that it does not share on it's public website.

The Nuclear Regulatory Committee's online documents, which already reads like stereo, was recently redesigned and has become even harder to navigate. The NRC uses power company's claims of proprietary information, security concerns as reasons to limit information. The NRC also reports that the industry is sharing information on a voluntary basis.....another reason not to reveal information.

Wait.....I thought that the NRC was the regulatory body for Nuclear Power Plants, I'm sure I read it someplace during the course of my research. Yep.....I found it, right after Nuclear Reactor Accidents in the United States Section. The job of the NRC IS TO OVERSEE THE NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY. Thank God I found it, I thought I was losing my mind.

Now, if we can just get the NRC and these power companies that operate the power plants in the United States to act more like they should, you know, regulator and regulated, there will be less orange Afros and paint pealing off houses.

FRACKING, GREENIES ARE SEEING RED!

FRACKING, GREENIES ARE SEEING RED! (Frazer Chronicles)

I am not a tree hugger, nor an "environmental wacko," just a simple guy, one that increasingly is overwhelmed by the activities that seem to be continually changing as I gain weight and age on this planet that we call home. I am writing a 4 part article for several newspapers on the effects of iron mining and the good and the bad that it will have to the communities involved.

You see, that is the one thing that all exploration forgets to remember and address in their collect quest for whatever mineral that they are searching for. Coal, oil, lead, zinc, iron, gold or silver, there are good advantages as well as bad consequences whenever the basic endeavor is to extract a mineral from the ground.

Number 1, you weaken the ground at the extraction point as well as the ground above the working areas for whatever material is being taken from the earth. No matter what is said, what testimonials are delivered, this is one undeniable fact.

Number 2 water tables are always in danger of being polluted as well as rivers, lakes, streams that are relied upon for human consumption. During the Bush administration, in 2005, Fracking was exempted from the Safe Water Act, which means that the process is happening today with little or no regulations.

The number of natural gas wells numbers more then 3300, over just the past several years, with thousands more on natural gas companies "to do list." These wells have been drilled into the a shale formation that underlies much of New York, and Pennsylvania, and parts of Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia.

With the exception of West Virginia, these states are heavily populated and an "in depth study" is a necessity when an exploratory program the size that the gas industry seems to have initiated is already underway.

Hydraulic Fracturing, "fracking" is the process of initiating and subsequently propagating a fracture in a rock layer, employing the pressure of a fluid as the source of energy. The fracturing is done by a wellbore  drilled into reservoir rock formations, in order to increase the extraction rates and ultimate recovery of oil and natural gas.

Fracking is simply a slang for the fracturing of rock formations, introducing what is called proppants into the fracture, "proppants are carefully designed and sized particles of sand or ceramic," to hold the fracture open. The objects are carefully sized for sphenicity to provide an efficient conduit for production from the reservoir to the wellbore.

Many fracturing chemicals can be toxic to humans and wildlife and include chemicals that can cause cancer. Usually between 50,000 and 350,000 gallons of various stimulation and fracturing fluids and up to 320,000 pounds of proppants are typically used in the early process of searching for oil and natural gas.

These fluids have the potential to contaminate millions of gallons of ground water. The tipping point between man and nature is so critical and can be so precarious, that great care needs to be used when injecting acid that actually breaks down rock formations, so that oil or gas can be easily forced to the surface and "harvested" by the oil and gas companies.

To give the reader an idea of exactly how strong these oil and gas drilling and harvesting companies are, picture a land owner who has leased his mineral rights to an oil and gas company, and he inquires about the chemicals that are being pumped into the earth, under his property. He will not, I repeat, "he will not be allowed that information." If the EPA asks the same question, "with all their power," they will not be allowed that information, the reason, "proprietary information."

The disposal of Fracking fluids, like with many industrial disposal rules can be fast and loose. With the oil and gas fracturing solutions, they are either transported to other well sites, or disposed of at whatever current site they are at. A cheaper way is to simply dilute the fluids with water and inject them into the surrounding area of the well.

"That can't be legal," you say, well.....it is.....and they do, inject many thousands of polluted gallons of the crap into the ground to co-mingle with good old ground water that we drink. The oil and gas companies, the EPA and the Federal Government are a funny bunch of ducks, each with an eye to money, in varying amounts.

A study released in May of this year concludes that fracking has seriously contaminated shallow ground water supplies in northern Pennsylvania with flammable methane, in other words, don't drink water and smoke, or take a shower with a lit cigarette.

Well blowouts and spills of fracturing fluids, again in Pennsylvania's Clearfield  County sent more then 35,000 of fracturing fluid into the air and surrounding landscape in a forest area.  People were evacuated, and the 2 companies involved with developing the well were ordered to cease operations in the state until an investigation clears them of any wrongdoing.

There also seems to be a link between fracking for oil and natural gas and seismic events as well as air quality and health issues, may also contribute to global warming and can cause crime rates, population booms and all of the things that accompany more people living in an are without the benefit of more roadways, better sewer systems as well as water.

The financial impact on a community may also be overstated by the oil and gas companies with regards to the number of years that activity will last, given the fact that companies may overstate the reserves, and  actually how many local people will be employed.

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT DRINK THE WATER!

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT DRINK THE WATER! (Frazer Chronicles)

All her misunderstanding about current events, her misspeaking and stretching the facts, Michele Bachmann at least kept her signature off a piece of paper so that, down the road she could, deny, deny, deny. Politicians say things every day that are untrue, or slant an issue in their favor, or flat get something wrong. But to sign a pledge, "wow," a big mistake, it ranks right up there with a guy video taping his extra marital affair.

The pledge, titled "The Marriage Vow: A Declaration of Dependence Upon Marriage and Family," originated with a group led by Bob Vander Plaats, a frustrated unsuccessful GOP gubernatorial candidate and Evangelical Christian leader in Iowa.  The group, the Family Leader, is  asking all GOP 2012 candidates to sign it.

The pledge asks signatories to be faithful to their spouses and to the United States Constitution. I'm not sure what that has to do with doing a governmental job, you know, faithful to your spouse and the Constitution. Can't a guy be faithful to his spouse when he's with his her, and not faithful to the constitution and then faithful to the Constitution when he's working, but not to his spouse? 

It all seems a bit confusing to me, "is a politician at work 24/7," I mean, they do get paid a pretty good wage and their benefits are "to kill for," but on duty 24/7, I think that is a lot too ask from an elected official. There's got to be some personal time, you know, for rest and relaxation.

The pledge also condemns adultery, "and quickies," why would anybody condemn....."wait quickie divorce," I'm sorry, I read it wrong." The 2 page document also decries infidelity, pornography, cohabitation and the Islamic Sharia law. The document also suggests that more African-American children are born out of wedlock now then when they were under slavery, "well.....sure, they have more time."

The pledge also warns that the "institution of marriage is under "great crisis," "ya I can agree with that one, when an "institution" is successful only about 50% of the time, I'd call that a real bummer, but the unsuccessful rate of marriages isn't do to any political view, or preference,  it's usually do to money problems, people out of work, or incompatibility. 

The pledge/document also takes exception to homosexuality and it's decaying effect on society, is a risky lifestyle, and is genetically against the laws of nature, "you know," to desire another of your own gender. Genetics come into the conversation when Mr. Vander Plaats states that heterosexual inclinations are determined at birth, and are as irresistible as skin color and as innate a trait like race, gender and eye color.

This guy, Bob Vander Plaat, is an Iowa Hawkeye, where they take their political views pretty serious, and pretty conservatively.  I could care less, "I'm not running for anything," about what fringe "whack job outfit" is crusading for. I don't like "homo's," I don't like their lifestyles, I think that they are misguided and weak individuals, but I have no right to try and force my opinion on those that feel "completed" by laying with one another, it's their business. "Oh, and by the way, homosexuals do not attack straights."

Every election cycle, some new fringe issue comes out of the woodwork, I guess religiosity, the institution of marriage and protecting it are this years "hot button" issues. Stay tuned, I'm sure that they will change, and for God's sake, quite drinking the water in Iowa. 

BUSINESS IS BOOMING!

BUSINESS IS BOOMING! (Frazer Chronicles-Small Arms Survey)

Private security companies are booming across the globe, "the hell you say," that's right, I ain't kidding, and the industry is getting bigger. Anywhere from 19.7  to 25 million employees, war has taken over as the worlds biggest industry. Exotic names like AirScan, Custer Battles, Global Enforce, Obelisk International L.L.C. and my 2 favorites, Sharp End International and Red Star, are just a few of the companies. 

The United States, naturally, leads the world in security and private contract companies with a total of 25 that are based in the country, while "God" only knows how many companies are based in foreign lands with U.S. ties. These security companies provide all sorts of services to military forces throughout the world, from engineering, to construction, to airborne surveillance, security, logistics and maritime security.

The boom has been triggered mostly by terrorists threats,  insurgencies and drug wars throughout mostly the Middle east, . according to the annual 2011 Small Arms Survey which was recently released from it's Geneva offices.

Outside the war zones in  Asia and Africa, the Latin American region has the highest ratio of arms per employee, about 10 times higher then in Western Europe. In prisons, at airports, along borders and on the streets, security provisions is increasingly in the hands of private personnel. In foreign countries, whether this type of security is enhancing or impairing security is unclear.

The Geneva report points out that the 20 or so million private security force has doubled or even tripled over the past in the past 10-15 years. Governmental "outsourcing" of many security functions seems to be driving the boom in the business. Accounting mechanisms have not kept up with the rapidly expanding growth of the private security industry.

A United Nations Working group has been trying to rein in the widespread human rights abuses by these private military and security groups. A global discussion is underway with regards to surveillance, regulations, and to monitor these private security companies. A draft has been proposed, which spells out legislative oversight and judicial measures to punish private security firms for any unlawful acts.

Actually the "cat has been let out of the bag," and as private security companies assume more and more of the daily security duties in war zones, in security efforts, in surveillance, in food service and in training, the autonomy with which these companies operate can only increase. There is still a gray area with exactly who security companies in Iraq are beholden to with regards to oversight.

The conduct code for private security companies, according to a 1989 UN Convention, which was signed by only 32 non-aligned countries, deals little with the conduct of these companies. Another process is the "Montreux Document," basically a "summary" of states obligations with regards to international law.

What this basically means, with regards to private security companies is, they have little to fear with whatever they deem as necessary during the course of the daily operations and decisions. Human rights, kidnappings, murder, all done in the name of business as usual.

Included with this booming industry, "of course" are what is referred to as "light weapons,"  and the munitions that fuel them. These "small arms" include mortars, grenade launchers, recoilless rifles,  portable missiles and rockets. Despite the importance of light weapons to modern military operations and the potential threat to international security posed by excessive or ill-conceived light weapon transfer, "sales" the international trade in light weapons is significantly less transparent then the sale of other weapons.

The top  exporters of these types of weapons is.....surprise, the United States, who had 8641 recorded weapons contracts worth billions in 2010. A dollar figure is not attached with each transactions because some are spaced over many years and the rate of interest can be variable. The next closest to the U.S. was Russia with 6039 reported transactions.

The average beginning salary for a security contractor with the proper clearances is a little over $77 thousand dollars, about $20,000 more then a government employee with the same security clearances. Some private security companies that are operating in either Afghanistan, or Iraq require less clearances, or none at all and in some cases are paid cash. It is also the case with many private companies that they pay bonuses,  based on performances  in cash, which of course is untraceable.

With the United States having no military draft, and a portion of all military activity that is waged by the United States is in the hands of private security-military contractors, it is hard to imagine the United States cutting back on military activity. Congress seems unwilling, or somehow incapable of slashing the military budget, so until taxpayers revolts, somehow makes an impression on the government, war will remain a part of Americas society.

Maybe the United States should have  signs over every border entrance, "Open for Business," because it seems that the only business that is booming in this time of suggested austerity and joblessness is war and military conflict.   

MILWAUKEE COPS SCORE ANOTHER WIN!

MILWAUKEE COPS SCORE ANOTHER WIN! (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Do Milwaukee residents really know what kind of police department they have, people of color do, and now lots of whites do as well.  Milwaukee law enforcement just can't seem to get it right, first it was nude dancing by cops at a summer picnic, then it was Bambi, and now the Riverwest attacks. People here in Wisconsin and many places throughout the country seem to be giving law enforcement a pass on the quality of their work.

There are basically 3 kinds of people that live in the United States when it comes to law enforcement and those hired to uphold the laws of the land. Those that respect the law, those that fear the law and those who have no respect for the law what-so-ever. I guess you could say that there is a 4th. type of person, those that manipulate the law for their own benefit, but I believe that there are so few of them, that they can't be categorized in with the top 3.

The latest "gaff" by the Milwaukee Cops was a seeming inability to control a rampaging riotous group of as many as 60 "young" people, who beat and robbed a smaller group who where watching the fireworks from Kilbourn Reservoir Park on Sunday night.

A women who was among the victims of beaten people said that "police told us to leave and started kicking us out of the park." The women also said that the cops "made me feel like I was at fault for enjoying a holiday weekend at a public park." I feel that readers can disregard her feelings of "being at fault for enjoying the holiday," "they didn't care."

Police Chief Edward Flynn was left, Wednesday evening at a meeting,  to apologize, and to squirm in front of about 200 concerned citizens. Flynn told "any witnesses to speak to police after the meeting, that did not speak publicly."  I wonder if Chief Flynn  knows how silly that statement makes him look?

Apparently only 2 statements were taken at the time of the disturbance, from 2 people that required medical attention. Many people knew that something was wrong, had witnessed an altercation, yet not one name or address was taken by the cops at the scene.

Here's something that really cracks me up, according to Chief Flynn, "the police departments primary mission that night was to ensure the safe departure from the lakefront of a crowd of about 200,000 people who had gathered for the fireworks display." So if a guy with a machine gun starts shooting people, the cops...."duck like everybody else." I think if I was Milwaukee's "top cop," I wouldn't be making stupid statements like that."

Not being from Milwaukee, I know nothing about Chief Flynn, so, through the magic of the Internet, I took a look at "Eddy." Not bad Ed, not bad at all, the current police chief of Milwaukee has a pretty dam good resume, born 1948, been in police work his entire working life, first in New Jersey, chief of police Braintree, Massachusetts, chief of Arlington County, Virginia police, was responsible for leading the departments response during the September 11, 2001 attack at the Pentagon and the 2002 Beltway sniper shootings.

In 2003 Flynn returned to Massachusetts and was appointed by then Governor Mitt Romney, Secretary of the state Executive Office of Public Safety, the parent agency of the State Police, Department of Correction, the National Guard, Department of Fire Service, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Parole Board, and the Emergency Management Agency. To say the least, "Flynn ain't no hay seed."

So why the screw-up on the savage attacks at the fireworks, maybe "Eddy" has been drinking to much water from Lake Michigan, I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. When the primary objective of a police force, during any sort of celebration involving 200,000, alcohol, drugs and the posturing attitude of young people, isn't the safe departure of those people, then the mission would be wrong.

However, and I'm just "spit balling here," the safe departure would also be to break up any and all altercations that were observed or reported, or any unsafe situations that might be encountered. Call me crazy, but isn't that what cops do, diffuse situations, to make sure that people "move along" in an orderly fashion. Isn't that crowd control, wasn't that the Milwaukee PD's objective, wasn't that the mission as stated.

The Milwaukee Police department has a multitude of black eyes, don't they have a public relations department, or officer? 3 cops were accused of sexual "misbehaven" a couple months ago, there have been a bunch of brutality allegations against the cops, shootings, killings and racial profiling by the boot-load.  How much does it take before somebody somewhere gets the picture that Milwaukee has a problem with it's "cop-shop."

Some of the parents of the "perps" have turned in their own kids, "great," but that doesn't let the Police Department off the hook, and it definitely doesn't give Chief Flynn  a pass. Come on you people, do your jobs, it's not all that hard, it's a black and white thing. You have some bad decision makers on board, you have some "punk, ass breakers" for cops, get ride of them.

The people of Milwaukee deserve the best "bang" for their buck, when the Chief of Police says that "we were wrong," it's different then when I say I'm wrong, "like when I make a mistake it involves my pooch, not other people welfare." Chief Flynn, "Eddy" you don't get to make mistakes.....to much is at stake.

EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL.....RIGHT!

EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL.....RIGHT! (Frazer Chronicles)

The oil has spread 15 miles beyond the leak, "that's only 5 miles further then we figured," things are completely under control. Sounds kind of familiar doesn't it, kinda like the British Petroleum rhetoric from the Gulf of Mexico, or the Exxon Valdez spill at Price William Sound,  Alaska. A leaking pipeline at the bottom of the Yellowstone River below Yellowstone National Park, is either shut off, or will be within a day or two. 

The Yellowstone spill is just another chapter in the continuing saga of what has become almost a monthly story of how oil producing company's in their break-neck race to supply customers with all sorts of products from crude oil. As they say, "the push is on," and has been on for the past 30 or so years, with the oil industries understanding that an alternative source of  power is on the horizon.

This time the ExxonMobil Pipeline Company (EMPCo) and it's affiliates, which are responsible  for transporting 3.5 million barrels per day of crude oil, refined petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gasses, natural gas liquids and chemical feedstock through more then 8000 miles of pipeline in 23 states, the  Gulf of Mexico and Canada, is on the hook.

The same pipeline was  temporarily shut down in May because of concerns about raising water and regulators twice in the last year warned Exxon Mobil of several safety violations along the line. Exxon Mobil has 6 other refineries in the United States besides the Billings facility.

There seems to be some confusion as to exactly when the pipeline in question, under the Yellowstone River sprung a leak. I have been told Friday night, or sometime Saturday or Sunday. At the present time, I can't nail down the exact date, and I'm guessing neither can anybody else. A continuing theme connected with the oil industry is the scenario concerning the amount of crude that has leaked, and it's no different with  the Yellowstone River accident. Estimates place as much as a 1000 barrels, about 42,000 gallons, before the pipeline was turned off.

ExxonMobil Pipeline Company President Gary Pruessing pledged to "do whatever is necessary" to find and "mop up" spilled crude from the 12" pipeline that broke at the bottom of the Yellowstone River  in Laurel, a suburb of Billings, Montana,  where the refinery is located.

Cause of the spill has not been determined, but officials have speculated that surging waters may have disrupted the river bottom, causing the pipeline to be exposed and damaged by the ravages of the water which is wildly flowing down the river.

According to Pruessing, "aircraft are being used to assess damage," but the flooding river prevents crews from venturing out in boats or walking on the banks of the river in some areas for a closer look. Pruessing further stated that "when the water recedes, a closer look will happen."

I'm not sure how aircraft can be used, "at the present time," to asses any sort of damage. There is a pipeline that is broken, underneath at least 40' of water, and even the shoreline can't be walked because of the turbulent water flow. The spill, according to Exxon Mobil early Monday was little more then 10 miles, but allegations from federal and state officials place a much grimmer picture. 

Political pressure brought to bear stopped the downplaying of the size of the disaster by Exxon Mobil officials who acknowledged that a much wider and longer area may be damaged. Pruessing said as many as 280 people were involved with cleanup.  

As with almost every accident of this type, information is confusing and is hard to weed out. It seems that every petroleum industry accident has conflicting, or misinformation, statements made, then corrected by those oil executives that should know what is going on, but don't seem to.....or maybe they do, and won't say.

One thing is plain to see, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company might think seriously about not putting anymore pipelines under rivers, especially when a mountain snow pack runoff is involved. ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, with it's thousands of miles of pipe and it's affiliates would be hard pressed to furnish safety records for all of it's pipelines.

The pipeline in question is just 20 years old and in an area of the Yellowstone River that can become violent during either heavy rain or mountain snow runoff. This spring the area received a double whammy with heavy rainfall and a heavy snow in the mountains. If ever there was a reason to find some other avenue for a pipeline system, this was probably it.