Thursday, August 05, 2010

There is a special edition of The Duck Stamp for support of the Gulf of Mexico Wetland Conservation



The Federal Duck Stamp Act was passed in 1934 by President Herbert Hoover.  It was help acquire and protect the nation's wetlands.  It was viewed as a vital support to "The Migratory Bird Conservation Act" of 1929.

Help Heal the Gulf Coast Wetlands  (click title to entry - thank you)
July 28, 2010
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar unveiled a special edition Federal Duck Stamp envelope known as a silk cachet, that hunters, stamp collectors and other conservationists can purchase for $25 -- or $10 more than the cost of a regular Duck Stamp -- to help conservation efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. The funds will be used to acquire wetlands for inclusion in the more than thirty-eight national wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast.

All this started due to The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (click here) which is an international treaty.

At any rate, the Duck Stamp is an interesting activity of the Interior Department.  It costs $15.00 a year and the cost hasn't been raised for 20 years.  When one considers the increase to the Postal Service stamps and just cost of living in general, the Duck Stamp is a real bargain.

I personally believe it is time to raise the cost of the Duck Stamp.  The 'depreciation' of the effect of this stamp only speaks to the lack of commitment the citizens of the USA show toward their wetlands and wildlife.  I would think an increase of five to ten dollars annually would be appropriate.

I have no doubt people will ridicule the issue of this 'special silk cache' as BP is suppose to be paying for every detail of the Gulf restoration.  Well, reality in the long run will dictate otherwise.  When one considers that BP will be receiving a federal subsidy in the way of tax breaks due to the tune of about $10.5 billion this year alone due to loss of income, or better said increase in operating costs; the real payors to the $20 billion trust fund will be the American Taxpayer.

This special edition of The Duck Stamp will provide a good way to improve the funding to the Gulf Coast States as a permanent form of income.  I am sure there is no limit on the issue, so sales will go on for some time. 

As we have witnessed with the Gulf Coast disaster, the coastal wetlands are vital to the nation's national security as a food source and place of commerce such as tourism.  Not funding wetland preservation is a folly the nation should avoid.

I find the Special Edition unique and quite beautiful.  A real addition to Duck Stamp Collectors.  Thank you to the Department of the Interior.  Very nice.

I am having a little problem accepting the Right Wing's hatred of Rock 'n' Roll, so I thought I'd make a few comparisons.

Basically, I see this as an expression of The Middle Class Work Ethic and a relationship between TWO people.

A Hard Day's Night by the Beetles

It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog

It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright


You know I work all day to get you money to buy you things
And it's worth it just to hear you say you're gonna give me everything
So why on earth should I moan, 'cause when I get you alone
You know I feel okay
When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight,tight,yeah
It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright


Owwww


But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight,all through the night,yeah


It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
You know I feel alright
You know I feel alright...

There is even a cartoon about it.  How cute.


 

The song below is more or less a Plutocratic Work Theme.  The gal obviously is a worker and seems to think she works very hard for her money.  Then the song goes on to say she is a 'good timin' American daughter, that is a redneck, blue collar worker that parties down to her last dollar. 

Why is it that partying hard has to use the dollar of your paycheck?  I would think the better idea would be to 'save' those hard earned dollars and play hard at softball or basketball or some other method of 'social contact.'  I find it a little offensive to think that a Red Neck is also irresponsible and she doesn't know how to save her hard earned dollars. 

There is one more song and I want to see if I can find it.


"Work Hard, Play Harder" by Gretchen Wilson

I work a double shift on monday 

Tuesday i get up before dawn
Wednesday pouring coffee
Thursday night i'm tendin' the bar
Well, when friday finally rolls around
I call my rough and rowdy friends and we're honkytonk bound.


Chorus:
I work hard, i play harder
I'm a good timin' american daughter
Redneck, blue collar,
And i party down to my last dollar
I work hard, i work hard, i work hard,
I play harder


(Now) I don't waste my time on
Manicures and spray on tans
And i don't pay no never mind
To the callouses i've worn on my hands
You know that people just can't understand how
I'm the first to clock in but the last to pass out


I work hard, i play harder
I'm a good timin' american daughter
Redneck, blue collar,
And i party down to my last dollar
I work hard, i work hard, i work hard,
I play harder


yea yea yea yeah


I work hard, i play harder
I'm a good timin' american daughter
Redneck, blue collar,
And i party down to my last dollar


I work hard, i play harder
I'm a good timin' american daughter
Redneck, blue collar,
And i party down to my last dollar
I work hard, i work hard, i work hard,
I work hard, i work hard, i work hard,
I play harder

In the video the girl has a Corvette, so, maybe she gets good tips?



The other song is also a popular song, by a male vocalist.  You can tell I am not really a Country-Western fan as I can't pull this off the top of my head.  But, basically, he lets anyone listenting know that even though he is breaking up a marriage, or at very least contributing to adultry that 'a woman like that,' will be appreciated.

It openly attacks fidelity.  When I run across it I'll make more of a point of it.  I think there are issues with Country Western music and the 'personas' it portrays. 

There just seems to me to be a willingness in the USA to attack Rock artists without even scrutinizing their counterparts in other music 'types.'

Evently, the bodyguards surrounding Ahmadinejad have a dangerous job.


Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flinches as smoke wafts near him.

These things happen from time to time.  Remember when Bush went to South America and they almost nabbed him.  And then there was that explosive in Georgia when he was making a speech. 

What ya gonna do?


...Whether it was a bomb meant to kill him or fireworks set off in his honor, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was unhurt in a motorcade incident Wednesday and will head to New York next month....

Ahmadinejad must be taking lessions from FOX News Commentators that spew that "infotainment" stuff.  Nearly everyone of the FOX News Commentators have a 'dedicated phone' for the President of the USA to call to correct any issue they discuss.

Well, it would seem as though Mahmoud is doing the same thing.  For three days now he is ranting about how he wants to have 'open dialogue' wtih President Obama.  I would think Mahmoud was more of a Stateman than that.  He needs to follow 'protocol' and it actually might happen.  Never know.  But, one thing is for sure, it won't happen in Iran.  Not with all those weapons and explosives a part of daily life over there.

Edward Yeranian

Cairo
02 August 2010
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is saying he is ready to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama during a visit to the United Nations next month....
 
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Iranian-President-Ready-for-Direct-Talks-With-Obama-99754864.html
 

 
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday to face him in a televised one-on-one debate to see who has the best solutions for the world's problems....

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6711EA20100802



AP Exclusive: Iran Defiant In Nuclear Documents



by The Associated Press
VIENNA
August 5, 2010, 04:06 pm ET
As Iran and world powers prepare for new nuclear talks, letters from Tehran's envoys to top international officials suggest little prospect of major progress, with Tehran combative and unlikely to offer any concessions.
Two letters, both written late last month and obtained by The Associated Press, reflect Iran's apparent determination to continue the nuclear activities that have led to new rounds of U.N., EU, and U.S. sanctions over fears that Tehran might be seeking to develop nuclear arms....


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114310355

I have heard it over and over and over again. There is the addition of the 14th amendment to destructive and bigoted agenda of the Republican party.

The Plutocracies Best Friend, Tom DeLay "The Hammer."

U.S. Constitution: Fourteenth Amendment  (click here)

There is the 16th amendment and the 18th amendment.  The Republican montra is dangerous.  We witnessed its dangerous priorities with Bush and Cheney, now this.

The Republicans have no respect for citizens to begin with and now citizens born in the country with obviously no responsiblity in illegally immigrating here are to be considered the same as 'foreign dignitaries' and denied any rights to citizenship under the USA Constitution.

That is not only bizarre, it is bigoted.  It only goes to prove 'The USA Constitution' gets in 'the way' of the Plutocratic goals of the RNC.

Babies, they are picking on babies now.

Below is the PROCEDURE to add Amendments to the USA Constitution.  It would take an additional amendment to change the 14th Amendment.  The 14th Amendment would have to be repealed.  It is a lengthy process and won't happen overnight.  The Congress can pass Immigration Reform before a repeal of the 14th Amendment ever happened, if at all. 

It takes two-thirds of the both houses of the federal legislature to pass an amendment to repeal the 14th and then it takes three-quarters of the state legislatures for 'State Ratification.'  State Ratification requires two-thirds of the State legisatures to ratify an amendment to the USA Constitution. 

It would take ratification of a repeal amendment by 37 or 38 states before it would take effect. 

This is nothing but an ideological 'trick' for political fodder.  It will never happen.  Right Wing 'thunk it up' tanks like dreamscapes rather than reality.

Article V - Amendment



The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

...and Kagan makes three. 63 "YES" votes is NOT a small margin !!! Congratulations President Obama.

Elena Kagan will join Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Marie Sotomayor at the Supreme Court.  It is the first time in history that three women are sitting on 'the court' at the same time.








My, my.  It is almost becoming a girls club and as exciting as "The View."

U.S. President Barack Obama's nomination (click title to entry - thank you) of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court won Senate approval on Thursday, his second appointment to the court that decides abortion, death penalty and other contentious cases.The Democratic-led Senate voted largely along party lines, 63-37, to confirm the former Harvard Law School dean as the fourth female justice in U.S. history and the 112th high court member.,,,