Nothing Rhymes With Orange…

Fun with Dry Ice

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 01:39:00 +0000

Thank you to that special someone who wishes to go unmentioned for surprising me with dry ice which enabled 30 mins of geeky fun.

Health Care for All: A Philosophical Argument For and Against Open Access to Publicly Funded Health Care

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:43:00 +0000

One can make an assertion that health care and in this question, specifically health care insurance which our society has chosen as the means in which one receives care, is not a public (government) responsibility but rather an individual responsibility. The responsibility for the health of the individual should fall upon the shoulders of that individual. They control their own diet, exercise, and other activities that impact the quality of health they will experience. Additionally, neither the individual, nor society-at-large is responsible for health issues that arise out of genetic make up and therefore those costs should not be shouldered by the public, and be left as simply bad luck for the individual. However, this philosophy, while arguably sound, is not appropriate for Modern American society. The size of our population, the distribution of wealth, and previously established norms make health care the responsibility of both the individual and the public. This is the situation our nation finds itself in and therefore one must conclude that publicly funded access to health care is a philosophical and moral imperative.

John Locke, one of the more influential philosophers on the founders of this nation, placed much value in the individual exercising his/her individual responsibility; includes responsibility for their own food, property, and welfare. People are given free opportunity to become educated, gainfully employed, and through education and employment, either earn enough to procure health care insurance individually or have it supplied by the employer. People are free to make lifestyle choices that impact their health in both positive and negative ways. The government does not have the responsibility to protect people from themselves if they choose to make destructive health choices.

Classic Liberals such as Locke and modern conservative thinker Irving Kristol would state that the "basic premise of a liberal-capitalist society that a fair distribution of income is determined by the productive input of...individuals" based on each individuals own talents, and luck of circumstance. It is not in the best interest of society to provide for each needy person's health and welfare because diversion of such resources would negatively impact the economic stability of society and eventually even society's ability to help the needy. Rather resources should be put towards improving the economic well-being and the needy would benefit as a by-product of positive economic growth. This would be a more sustainable way of supporting society's needy. Since the uninsured are a relative minority, 45.7 million people and of that likely an even smaller number actually need coverage due to current health issues, paying for those people on a as-needed basis using the by-products of economic gains would be the most beneficial to society-at-large.

The role of the government in a representative democracy is not to provide every service to the polis but rather to protect personal property, protect the state, establish rule of law, and when two parties have a disagreement about the breech of one of the established laws, to engage in law enforcement. Nowhere in our founding philosophy does it provide for claiming that our government's responsibility is to provide and care for the needs of all. Conservative and classical liberal philosophies state that government does not create rights, such as right to free-speech or a right to health care. Government can only merely protect rights that existed in a pre-government state also called the natural state. Does health care exist in the natural state? Certainly one would say you had a right to medicate and heal yourself or seek the talents of a doctor to do it with you in the state of nature. However, in the state of nature you did not have a right to expect someone else to provide the knowledge or services of a doctor. It is not therefore the role of government to protect such a right by providing it at the expense of others.

By trying to create an egalitarian society, something American has never pretended to be, we would be creating a greater injustice than we would be repairing, thus creating more harm than good. It would be irresponsible for our representative government to sacrifice the economic stability of 250 million for the sake of 40 million.

Why such a philosophy is no longer prudent or economically feasible for our Modern American society is because of several factors. First and foremost, we have through past actions, established a social contract that includes an expectation of public support for many services. Secondly, we are no longer the nation of a few million living scattered independently in the wilderness. Thirdly, we can, through the capitalist system, afford to do so without causing harm to the majority.

The social contract is not a fix and unmoving entity. Social contracts evolve with the needs of polis and in a liberal or representative democracy that is determined by elections, legislation, and the judiciary. For a considerable length of time we have created, through legal and sound processes, various systems where the government has provided for the well-being of the people, and in particular the needy. This has included health care coverage for the elderly and disabled. States, on an individual basis, provide some coverage for the lowest rungs on the social ladder. With this the majority of people currently living in the country, have been born and lived here during this era of government support and therefore have tacitly agreed to this revised social contract. It is morally bankrupt for a social contract to be altered in a abrupt fashion without the consent of the governed.

Most proponents of the "self-made" man classic liberal philosophy believe that one should enter the wilderness with their families and perhaps a few others and provide for themselves life's necessaries. We are no longer live in that society. We are larger and much more interdependent than those early philosophies could support. There are therefore no more "self-made" men. No one individual can achieve greatness unless their environment provides the necessary resources, and thus no achievement is “self-made.” As a result, we ought to look to each other for support and determine what we can do to provide the best environment possible for the vast majority. Good health care improves the productivity and well-being of society and therefore would be for the public good. People have the right to health care but also an balancing duty to work if possible to help support the public programs.

We have a very wealthy and productive society. Some may argue that 47.7 million uninsured people is a small number, especially if you subtract those who would refuse any such care and those who are extremely healthy and would not need health care. However, if you assume the United States has about 300 million people, and nearly 50 million do not have open access to health care, that is 1 in 6 Americans. Statistically, that is a significant minority. For us to ignore the potential suffering of fellow humans, is a moral shame. We have the ability to fund access to health care, even access to a high standard as enjoyed by members of congress and federal employees, without causing an undue burden on the rest of our society's members. There is no excuse for allowing unnecessary suffering to come to someone due to a lack of food, water, or medical attention.

For these reasons, preventing the public access to health care is no longer a sound social philosophy. There is a greater harm than good done when people are either prevented from accessing health care or are bankrupted by a health care system that does not account for ones ability to pay for service. If we are to continue to grow and maintain our dominate role in the world, we need the healthiest, strongest population possible so they can become better educated and productive members of society.

Version with Footnotes can be viewed in Google Docs at: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0Ad4c-kaBHiqLZGY1bjlrdjdfMzFkZ2g0eHdobQ&hl=en

Twitter Down, Love Twitter Gadget's Down Image

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:23:00 +0000

As a Social Media Admin, this was an interesting morning...Set company up with Plurk Page just in-case. At least we still have Facebook.

Here are 15 things to do while Twitter is down:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/08/twitter-is-down-15-alternative-things-to-do/

Eulogy for Homer Easterday

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:41:00 +0000

Below is a copy of the text I have written for my grandfather to read at his funeral service.

Eulogy for Grandpa, Homer Easterday

“Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean.” ~David Searls, Biologist/Philosopher

Loved by many as a friend, cousin, grandfather, and father, Homer has sailed on to the next leg in his journey beyond the horizon to uncharted waters. I am thankful for the many memories I have of my beloved grandfather. Grandpa, either directly or by example, taught my brother and I many great lessons about life, work, love, and play.

I remember the genuine kind and gentle manner in which he took on everyday tasks. The thoughtful way he lived his life, from the way he left closer parking spots open at Buehler's so others would have a shorter walk in, to the way he would never make someone feel bad about making a honest mistake. With this memory, I try be a person for others and do what I can to make their days better.

After returning from World War II, Grandpa became a Barber. He set up shop here in Coshocton and opened up a store on Main St. with Dale Parker. For over 50 years they worked together, up until just months ago, to provide not only a living to support his family, but also a wonderful and heartfelt service to the community. Grandpa loved Coshocton and Roscoe Village, and saw it as an honor to serve its many wonderful people. I often have run into people who tell me that he gave them their first haircut or he cut their hair for the prom or a wedding. I learned that no matter what you do for work, you need to give it your all and see that you are treating people fairly. He struggled with the thought of raising prices and was ever conscious of the changing needs of his customers.

One thing grandpa was great at was letting everyone, not just us kids, know how much they meant to him. While he was not a rather talkative person, but he was always willing to be there to listen to someone or to help them out. He taught me that love is not as much about the words (as important as they can be) but the actions you choose to take. Being in his presence one could feel loved by the way he acted with and around you.

Grandpa loved to have fun. Play and humor was an important part of his life. We played lots of games as a kid. I remember one of my first winter holidays with grandpa in Coshocton, playing a board game called "Don't Break The Ice" with him. As I got older he, along with my grandmother, taught us how to play Hausey and other card games. Grandpa's sense of humor was witty with just the right touch of sarcasm. Subtle little comments or expressions were his way of having fun. Right up to my final visit with him a couple of weeks ago, he had his sense of humor and we joked about busting out of Coshoton Care Center to get dessert at Bob Evans. I have taken from that a sense that no matter what situation one faces, you should hold on to your ability to laugh and play.

Grandpa was a special person to us as father, grandfather, and member of the Coshocton-Roscoe Community. He was so gentle and kind with every person he encountered in his every day life and at work as a barber. He spent much time with Ed and I, taking us for walks along the toe path and on day trips through the Amish country. In Judaism, the honorific (zichrono livracha) is used when someone has passed away. It means may his memory be for a blessing. Homer Easterday was one person whose memory will truly be a blessing for all.

Thank you.

What Value Does Society Place on Quality Education?

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:53:00 +0000

How do most industries reward exceptional performance? Higher wages and bonuses, right? Some industries even reward failing performance and reward senior employees just for being there. Why should teaching be any different?

There is a New York City charter school that is trying out increasing teacher salaries to match that of what similar professionals would earn. Teachers will be paid $120,000 a year in an attempt to demonstrate that teacher salaries have a far greater positive impact on the quality of education than small class size. This is not to say that giving this kind of salary to just anybody with a teaching certificate will net the gains sought. Rather by offering this salary, a school is able to draw a higher caliber of talent and some people with families to support could afford to teach where before it involved holding down a second job or opting to stay in a more lucrative field.

I have a belief that society does not place such a high value on teacher compensation for several reasons. Primarily, the public is very familiar with education. We all went through school, personally known teachers, and think we have a good idea of what a teacher does. Unlike doctors and lawyers, we all have experienced schools and therefore the perception is there is no mystery to the job...how to teach appears to be common knowledge. Society does not pay a premium price on jobs that are thought to be common knowledge. Jobs that if given sufficient time and motivation one could do themselves just as well as the next person.

Another reason I feel teaching has gotten a bad rap and compensation had stagnated is the way some (and I mean few) teachers work an act. They do not act professionally, they do not dress professionally, and they do not represent the industry well. There are lawyers and doctors who fail to act professionally and they are generally put out of business once enough clients are fed up. Bad teachers are not easy to get rid of and the standards for assessing a teachers work are not consistent.

I hope the NYC experiment works and demonstrates that higher pay does yield higher quality education. I believe it should. Teachers who are not over tired from working two jobs I am sure not only feel better but work better. Drawing into the classroom America's best and brightest will produce more bright students who have the skills needed to succed.

Stumbled Upon Health Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:37:00 +0000

While working on some research regarding my grandfather's cancer, I stumbled upon this health blog. It is really well written and has some good info that is helpful for anybody. Like particularly like today's post, about a drink that uses Jay Robb's whey protein (which I got into using when I was at Whole Foods) cocoa and coffee. Anybody who knows me well knows that if you add coffee to it, I'll probably love it.

So, if you are needing to justify your coffee and chocolate habits, jump over to healthy fellow for some good information and recipes.

To support your coffee habit, click here.

To support your hot cocoa habit, click here.

Have a great weekend!

Natural Medicine Options for Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:20:00 +0000

Recently, my family and Nicole's family has been plagued by several cases of Cancer. Nicole's mother is continuing to recover from breast cancer and my grandfather in Ohio is currently in a long battle with both prostate and bladder cancers. He has changed from wanting to give up (he is 84) to wanting to fight on. My mother and I urged him to at least see a new doctor. He has decided to use a combination of surgery and natural medicine to get past this current round of bladder cancer.

While working for Whole Foods as a buyer in the natural medicine and personal care areas I learned a good amount about natural remedies and found this health forum to be of particular good use as a reference and for support. I find myself revisiting Natural Medicine Talk now as I try to help family members get though this tough period of life. Next week I will be heading out to Ohio to be with my grandfather as he goes back into surgery on Wednesday.

Preparing for Grad School? Use Vocaboly

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0000

I recently found out I will have to retake the GRE to enter most PhD programs. While tinkering with this idea I was exploring some ways to brush up on some vocabulary. I found a great program, Vocaboly Vocabulary Builder, and thought I'd give it a shot.

This program was designed for those looking to take most college tests, such as SAT, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT. The program was easy to download and worked well. The user interface is easy to get into. I found most helpful the Star War Game which had a secondary benefit of helping people improve their typing and spelling skills.

My plans to move on to a PhD program are on hold as I continue to move along in my teaching career, but for others looking to duck out of the workforce and return to school, or if you are gearing up to graduate from high school and need to prepare for the SAT, Vocaboly is a good program to use.

Last Day of School

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Tomorrow is the last day of school for us at The Children's School, a day that will be bittersweet for me. I have really enjoyed working with this group of kids this year and will miss seeing them learn and grow. However, all school years must come to an end.

We are all off to new a great things next year. Most of the class will be returning to CSOP to join the school's new fifth grade teacher, Paul Grajnert. Peter will be moving back into the public schools where he is going to enjoy science and technology. Chris' family has moved to Chicago where he hopes to attend a math and science academy. I am moving on to teach middle school for UNO Charter Schools.

Best of luck to all of you and thank you for a memoriable experience.

Well Played Sir...

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 04:16:00 +0000

via videosift.com

I must say I like his style.

AVC: Hacking Education

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:35:00 +0000

I found this quote today:

7) Teachers are more important than ever but they will have to adapt and many will have to learn to work outside the system. It was suggested at hacking education that teachers are like bank tellers in the 1970s. I don't agree but I do think they are like newspaper reporters in the 1990s.A VC, Mar 2009

Teachers who are unwilling or unable to adapt new technologies into the classroom are going to have little place in the modern classroom. Students who do not have "tech" skills will fall behind the competition. It is our responsibility as teachers to help prepare students for the future by facilitating their growth in various content areas. Technology needs to take a position next to reading, writing, and math.

Visit to The Children's Day School of San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:40:00 +0000

This past weekend I took a trip to San Francisco to visit a fellow "progressive" school, The Children's Day School of San Francisco and then extended the trip to include visiting good friends. I decided I needed to divide the work and play portions of the visit into different posts.

I would like to thank Sebastian and Nick for having me to thier wonderful classroom on Friday. Their studetnts were very welcoming and gave me further insight into what other kids are doing in fourth grade classrooms similar to mine.

I arrived just as groups were working on a treasure map navigation project. Groups of 3-4 students were creating a treasure map for other group to follow using a series of directions given in metric measurements. Example: Walk forward 180 centimeters and turn Left. Then, much like our day, students went to lunch and as the weather was nice, they were able to eat outside.

While outside I was given a tour of the grounds. The grounds are just great here. They have a cooperative urban farm and organic garden on site. There are two sheep and sometimes chickens. Different classes are responsible for the farm chores and learning about how to care for the various animals and vegetables being grown on site. There is seasonal sheering of the sheep whose wool is then spun by classes to make yarn for finger knitting and other art projects.

Back inside the day continued with the second part of the math/navigation project, then Academic Choice which is very similar to the Choice time we have except it is always within one's own room. During Academic Choice, some students wanted to visit the library. I went with Nick and a couple of students and went to the library. Now, the school has gone through various expansions and eventually out grew the Catholic Mission that most of the classroom are in. They purchased an adjacent home and converted it to administrative offices, music center, and the library.

The similarities between The Children's School where I currently teach and The Children's Day School of San Francisco are astonishing. The differences are not as readily noticeable. Both school put an emphasis on teaching children through a hands-on/project based experience. Both share similar origin stories and have similar visions for the future.

Where the schools differ is in tuition and size. Both schools are fairly small. They have 15 to 25 students in a class, but have two teachers in each class. The benefit is a great teacher/student ratio and with a medium size class one has the optimal size for classroom dynamics.

I really enjoyed my trip to their school and hope to keep in touch with their community.

Making Some Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:36:00 +0000

After much deliberation, I have decided to move on to other teaching opportunities. I am completing my second year of teaching at The Children's School and have evaluated my personal and professional goals. After many conversations with the school's director and friends in the education field I have determined that it would be best if I move on. By resigning now I am giving the school board ample time to find a suitable replacement.

Professionally, I am interested in instructional technology and urban education. I would like to research these areas more through a PhD program. However, before I can effectively pursue a doctorate, I need to have experience teaching in a urban setting. By moving on from The Children's School I will be able to teach at a school in my community on the South Side of Chicago. My community schools are often in need of dedicated teachers who believe as I do that all children can learn and achieve their dreams if they have committed adults who care for them on their side.

I am looking forward to the new challenges that await me at these schools. I am thankful for the many great people I have had the chance to work with and meet while at The Children's School.

If you have any questions for me you may contact me at: robfreedman(at)comcast(dot)net

"This conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave."

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Image by Rocky Mountain News Photos via FlickrThose words, spoken today by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald about the conduct of Blagojevich, were never more true than they are today. Most of the people in Illinois had no illusions that this day would come. Most Democrats hoped the day would have came sooner. I remember back in 2006, saying that people should "vote for Blago in '06 for Quinn in '08."

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, once this mess is settled, will be a great Governor for the people of Illinois. Quinn is what most of us wish our politicians were like, honest, down-to-earth, smart, and willing to fight for the right choice, not the easy choice. Pat Quinn is all about policy and not about the game playing.

Pat Quinn has worked hard to protect the environment, to defend worker's rights, and to bring transparency to government.

I hope Quinn is the one who gets to name Obama's successor. I am pulling for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky or U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to get the nod.

Pictures from Prop 8 Protest

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:56:00 +0000

Thousands of people over-filled Chicago's Federal Plaza. Nicole and I each had a one-hour shift to collect signatures for EQIL.org petition drive to show Gov. Blago support for equal access to State-Sanctioned Marriage. It was the easiest petition drive we have ever had. We collected 80 signatures in 30mins. Nicole actually had to chase down the clipboard as it was getting passed through the crowd faster than she could walk through.

Here are our pics:

More pictures on facebook.

Why Protest Prop. 8...

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:01:00 +0000

Image by Kahscho via FlickrChicago is one of dozens of communities participating in a protest this afternoon to express our disappointment in the passing of California's Proposition 8. Why should people in Chicago protest a proposition passed in another state? Precedent.

Proposition 8 for the first time strips away a right already granted to a person. If this proposition is left to stand it will be the beginning of more rights being stripped away. In the most "free" nation in the world we will begin to take rights away from individuals for reasons of bigotry and fear. Not allowing one set of citizens access a state institution because it violates someone else's religious views is a violation of the United States Constitution and is a reversal of our nations founding principals.

Nicole and I are volunteering at the protest for the first hours to get a petition signed to send to California. Ensure Illinois does not follow California's lead and write your legislator today. The protest is:

Saturday, November 15, 2008

12:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Federal Plaza

Dearborn & Adams

Chicago

Party in the Streets

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:58:00 +0000

Pictures from the streets of Chicago!

YES...WE...DID!

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:48:00 +0000

Tonight in Grant Park, surrounded by the amazing skyline of Chicago, Barack Obama accepted victory. This was especially moving for me because my father was in Chicago 40 years ago for the Democratic Convention and walked with Kennedy and King in Washington D.C. He is no longer with us, but I had the opportunity to complete the circle, right here in Chicago, witnessing the first African-America get elected President of the United States.

This was a great night, the City of Chicago police did a wonderful job of allowing the crowed to celebrate while maintaining a safe place. Everyone working the event was professional and we had a nice time.

Below are some pictures we took.

Golden Ticket

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Image by bcbeatty via FlickrNicole and I received tickets to join Barack Obama and 70,000 of his closest friends tonight in Grant Park. I'm glad we will be in the field with the tents and not in the "overflow". My only hope is that win-lose-or draw Chicago holds it together and shows the world we can party responsibly. Looking forward to being present for this historic moment.

Election Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:55:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaMy election predictions!

President:

For president, I am expecting an Obama victory tomorrow night. I don't even think it will be close. Even the racists have to consider thier pocketbooks this year and I am convinced that the racists who are determined not to vote for Obama have told pollsters another silly reason they do not like him.
I have to believe the America is better than that. Voting for someone because they fear the other candidate is a bad reason to vote.

Unlike in 2004, I feel people are for Obama becasue of what he repesents and not because he is just the alternative to what we have. That was Kerry's weakness. People voted for him because they did not like Bush, not because they were moved by his ideas and vision. Obama has made his case and has inspiered voters.

I predict that Obama will win with 291 or more votes, winning in the Rockies and taking Virginia. He still will lose Indiana (though close). I think the republicans will also keep Ohio despite the best efforts of my mother who lives in Coshocton, Ohio.

Senate:

Sen. Dick Durbin will win decisively over Dr. Sauerberg, earning 65% of the vote. Dr. Sauerberg, Nicole's childhood physician just does not have the ground game or a decent argument for unseating the second most powerful senator. Especially given that we might be losing our Jr. Senator to the White House, why would Illinois want to lower our pull in Washington?

I think the Democrats will gain seven seats, giving them a total of 58. If both independents, Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman vote with the Democrats, they get their 60 super majority. Dems can count on Sanders but not Lieberman. I hope we pick up an eighth seat, like Al Franken and then kick Lieberman out of the Democratic Caccus.

House:

Historic gains in the house for Democrats.

America Needs A Compassionate Leader

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:39:00 +0000

Twenty years ago, A 31-year-old newlywed faced an jerk at the airline check-in counter who wouldn't let her take her life's possessions on the plane when she emigrated to join her husband. But 27-year-old Barack Obama was standing in line behind her....

CNN Badge

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:17:00 +0000

http://theforum.cnn.com/externalstuff/badge?name=TheBBJ&uid=61710&party=1&c=2&l=2&i1=6&iv1=2&i2=1&iv2=1&i3=3&iv3=1

Why is Being Called an Arab a Smear?

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:22:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaI'm watching the weekend news shows and catching up on my political blogs and one thing I have noticed is that there is a lot of coverage of a McCain rally where McCain corrects a woman's comment about Obama. Her comment was that she feared Obama because he was an Arab.

The media tagline of this event was that the woman "attacked" or smeared Obama. Why is being called an Arab or a Muslim a smear and not simply a mis-characterization? Why would this be newsworthy? Would we be saying an Muslim candidate who was mis-characterized as a Christian was being smeared? Probably not.

Early in the campaign, during the primaries, chain emails filled in boxes with rumors that Obama was an Arab, a Muslim, or that he secretly conspired with Muslims to destroy the US. We (informed) Americans know these are far from the truth, so why are media pundits and bloggers pounding on this old issue? It is time to not let ridiculous statements like this get anymore national attention.

McCain's response to the crowd after he took the mic back from the woman was to say that Obama is actually a good guy. Is that to say if one is an Arab they cannot be a good guy? McCain should have said that no, Obama is not an Arab, and that there is nothing to fear from Arabs, that he knows Arabs and has worked with many Arabs in Washington D.C. including Sen. George Mitchell.

The response from people should be akin to Sinfield's now famous quote, no..."not that there is anything wrong with that." There is nothing wrong with being Muslim or Arab in America.

I do not remember these outragous statements being made about presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who really is Arab (his family is Lebanese Catholic, which is ethnically Arab). The real reason we are seeing these attacks re-surface is because the McCain camp and McCain supporters are out of juice. They have nothing to cling to but hate and scapgoating.

Why aren't we talking about the Keating Five?

noreply@blogger.com (nkjvcjs) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:17:00 +0000

I don't understand why we are not talking more about McCain's involvement in the Keating Five.

The Keating Five scandal was part of the larger Savings and Loan Crisis of the time. The Savings and Loan Crisis seems to mirror the current crisis, albeit in miniature (nearly 1/10th miniature).

During this crisis John McCain was involved in the Keating five Scandal. This is an influence peddling scandal where five senators, including John McCain, were accused of improperly aiding Charles Keating, of Lincoln Savings and Loan, in avoiding investigation in return for campaign donations.

John McCain was found by the ethics committee to have committed no real impropriety, but was said to have exercised "poor judgment". Now we are considering making this "poor judgment" president in the midst of a similar crisis which is nearly 10-fold larger.

I also must point out that the chair of the ethics committee at the time was none other than the notorious Ted Stevens, currently on trial for his own ethical violations. And, only the two who had a history as American Heroes were cleared of wrongdoing in the Keating Five Scandal, mostly due to "insufficient evidence". John Glenn, as the first American to orbit the Earth, and John McCain as a Vietnam Veteran and Prisoner of War.

Lastly, of the five senators in the Keating Five Scandal, McCain was the closest socially to Charles Keating. If the McCain campaign is going to try to exploit an old and weak link of Obama's to William Ayers, the Obama Campaign needs to talk loudly and incessantly about McCain's close relationship and poor judgment in relation to Charles Keating.

Time for Main Street to be on Easy Street

noreply@blogger.com (Freedman) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:36:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaA sound solution to this economic crisis is not going to come from Washington D.C. lawmakers or the Wall Streeters who have migrated to the capital to ensure their own survival.

From what I have read and seen on this issue, Chris Dodd's bill and the proposals of Barack Obama are probably the soundest I have read. However, these plans do not go far enough to protect the public good. These plans do not include enough details about how main street (that is you and me) will be fairly represented in this matter.

Without specifics as to who, how, and when the tax filers, aka working Americans (not just taxpayers because if you received a full income tax refund you are not counted as a taxpayer. The other taxes we pay don't count) will benefit or at the very least break even on this deal. To ensure that main street is represented, I propose the oversight committee be comprised of: A Trucker from Ohio, a Teacher from Oklahoma, Warren Buffet, Jimmy Buffet, and Bernie Sanders.

That committee would ensure that our fuel crisis and crumbling infrastructure is considered, our troubled education system is addressed, that tax payers don't pay more than market value for these failing companies, that complex issues are summed up in radio friendly three and a half minute sound bites, and finally a person from congress who has consistently fought for the working American, is there watching out for us.

For far too long politicians and wall street bankers have borrowed our trust and on our nation's credit cards to fuel their walks down easy street. We have worked and lived our lives hoping that the educated money men had the economy running right. We now know they not only did not have it right, they expect us to forgive them and pay for the mistakes generated by greed. I hope Obama has it in him to say, absolutely not on my watch! I hope he votes only for a bill that protects and benefits the general public. It is high time for main street to get a piece of easy street.

Obama and McCain must have their debate on Friday as we need to hear them speak on the issues side-by-side now more than ever. If Bush was right that our very nation's vitality is at stake, then we cannot risk handing over that kind of trust or money to the same group who made the mistakes in the first place. I would be completely beside myself if come November 4th, many people, red state or not, would want to hand the keys to the coffers to another Republican administration.

*Update* Bernie published his plan. Look at items 2 and 3 for the good stuff.