Tuesday, June 07, 2016

June 7, 2016
By Bart Jansen

The Federal Aviation Administration (click here) is warning pilots that GPS testing could leave the global-positioning signals “unreliable or unavailable” across much of the West for six days in June.

The testing that began Tuesday based in Southern California could hurt flight controls for a specific kind of business jet, the FAA warned. But the testing shouldn't affect commercial airliners, according to experts.

“I think there are safeguards in place," said John Cox, a former airline pilot and now president of consulting firm Safety Operating Systems....

Incumbent Rep. Ellmers was primaried successfully.

June 7, 2016
By Amber Phillips

...On Tuesday evening, (click here) Ellmers became the first Republican congressional incumbent to lose a primary in 2016. (The first congressional incumbent to lose was a Pennsylvania Democrat who is under indictment.) And she not only lost; she got blown out by Rep. George Holding. She trails by about 30 points with 95 percent of precincts reporting....
Congratulations to Secretary Clinton on a great speech and her victories tonight.

June 6, 2016
By Abby Phillips

Hillary Clinton celebrated her status (click here) as the first woman to win a major party’s presidential nomination on Tuesday evening in Brooklyn – and then turned quickly from history to politics, attacking GOP rival Donald Trump as a bully who wanted to “take America backwards.”
“To be great, we can’t be small,” Clinton told a cheering crowd in Brooklyn, previewing a general-election campaign in which she will attack Trump as vulgar, erratic and divisive. Clinton cast the election as a test of national identity: “This election is different. It really is about who we are as a nation…We are better than this. We won’t let this happen in America. And if you agree, whether you’re a Democrat, Republican or independent, I hope you will join us.”...       

June 7, 2016
By Nicole Gaudiano

Washington — Sen. Bernie Sanders (click here) isn’t giving up, at least for now. The Associated Press announced Monday night that Hillary Clinton has secured support from enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination, but the two candidates continued competing for every vote in six states holding nominating contests on Tuesday. The AP declared Clinton the winner in New Jersey's primary and Sanders the winner in North Dakota's caucus.

The tail wagging the dog.

June 7, 2016
By Allan Smith

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (click here) delivered a stern reprimand of Donald Trump during a Capitol Hill press conference on Tuesday.
The Kentucky Republican called on Trump to "start talking about the issues that the American people care about and to start doing it now."
McConnell spoke as condemnation from all sides of the Republican Party continued raining in on Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, for alleging that US District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot be impartial in a case that he's presiding over regarding the Manhattan billionaire's now defunct Trump University....

Donald Trump is running for president. Hello?

Mr. Trump is offering the issue far differently than anyone else. He is stating his words regarding the lawsuit of Trump University is being misconstrued.  He is probably correct. Regardless of the words sounding very racist, he is probably correct in his understanding. His attorneys should be addressing the public.

Both McConnell and Ryan should have been ready for the fall out over the nomination of Donald Trump. He is not establishment. He is not a stupid man. He is going to do things differently.

Standard SOP of the Republicans is harassment. This is the way establishment Republicans have operated since 2008. What their constituents don't like, harassment takes over. I don't think harassment is going to work with Donald Trump.

Donald Trump has lead the harassment. He got what he wanted when it came to the birth certificate. He then moved beyond that and wanted more proof. I think he'll make that as part of his campaign as soon as President Obama comes out for the Democratic nominee.

Sarah Palin is still handing out endorsements.

June 7, 2016
By Joey Bunch

Sarah Palin, a former vice presidential pick (click here) and conservative figurehead, is endorsing Darryl Glenn in the five-way Republican primary for U.S. Senate, she said on her Facebook page Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m proud to endorse a proven warrior for US Senate in Colorado — Darryl Glenn is who this country needs!” she wrote. “Over two decades of exemplary military service brought him honor and adulation for his intelligence, leadership skills, fiscal responsibility and patriotism. His deserved recognition honed a servant’s heart. He’s one who proudly clings to God, guns and our constitution!
“Darryl Glenn is a conservative outsider needed to take Washington by storm. Colorado — please support Darryl Glenn for US Senate.”...

Paul Ryan victimizes the victim. Streamlining is going to solve all problems in Paul Ryan's world.

The plan released Tuesday includes somewhat broad recommendations, rather than specific legislation, including:

- Instituting increased work requirements for welfare recipients and for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, who are able to work but aren't;

- Consolidating or streamlining 18 federal food-assistance programs and myriad housing programs, such as the Rural Housing Service rental assistance program and HUD’s Housing Choice voucher program. The Government Accountability Office has identified making the myriad programs efficient as a challenge.

- Streamlining federal funding for at-risk youths and for 45 separate early childhood programs and giving states and local governments more flexibility to address their residents’ needs;

- Rolling back federal requirements and regulations for technical education programs and for colleges and universities, which one study commissioned by Vanderbilt University last year estimated cost schools $27 billion annually. The plan also recommends consolidating the nine federal-aid programs for higher education into three.

Far from genus, Paul Ryan wants to place more work burdens on everyone while ending the quality of education. Rolling back federal requirements will never maintains good educational programs that compete on the world stage. The $27 billion are paid for by the students through their federal loan programs. You mean to tell me the federal government is going to guarantee loans to students and not have standards to provide success to students? 


Common sense says the federal government should fund only programs that have a track record of success,” the report says. “Yet the federal government frequently pays for well-intentioned programs and services that have no evidence of effectiveness — and in many cases, even when the program is proven not to work at all.”

Amazing. Ryan speaks out of both sides of his mouth at once. He is going to remove regulations but wants common sense to say a poor track record should not be supported. What does deregulation do to prevent worthless programs?


President Obama investigated the private school programs that cost students tens of thousands of dollars and did not deliver them to a place where work would result in good paying jobs. Now, Paul Ryan wants to turn everything loose all over again. $27 billion is a huge figure. Where the heck does he get that from?

- Making it easier for businesses to team up and offer joint 401k retirement savings plans.

401K has been around since 1978 and all of a sudden they are difficult to offer. What Ryan is saying is that he wants SSI funds to be teamed up with 401Ks. Trillions. Bush wanted to start that mess with $2 trillion and it was stated as such right after his second election. Wow, was there buyers' remorse after that speech.


It is amazing to me how Republicans witness a far different reality than most Americans. 2008 occurred. What would have happened to the 401K linked with SSI funds? Answer that first. We all know what occurred with 401K when 2008 hit. We all know what would have happened to that $2 trillion, but, I would really like to hear the Republican version.

Overall, federal funding of social programs should be more focused on results, the task force concluded, and measuring them by whether they are making a difference in people’s lives — are they getting people back to work, for instance, or reducing poverty....


This is more of the same, deregulation in HOPES there will be economic benefit. Regulation is already serving economic benefit. Anyone notice it isn't 2008 anymore? This is pathetic. There is no other word.

This was the USA 100 years ago. This was the time of Ayn Rand. There is no way it applies to the USA today.

February 11, 2016
By Derek Thompson

The presidential campaign (click here) is replete with allusions to better times and eclipsed golden ages of American greatness. But in a new review from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the economist Carol Boyd Leon paints a sociological portrait of America as it was 100 years ago, when technology was meager, financial ruin was one downturn away, war was ongoing in Europe, and the choices that Americans have come to expect—in their cars, clothes, food, and homes—were preceded by a monotonous consumer economy. In 1915, Americans walked everywhere (or took a streetcar, if they lived in cities), lived in three-generation homes that they rarely owned, ate almost as much lard as chicken, and spent Friday nights dancing to player pianos. In short: Everything was worse, except for the commute....

Ayn Rand discussed a philosophy called "objectivism." Her Objectivism came at a time when the USA was economically vulnerable. It makes complete sense she threw the baby out with the bath water.

Ayn Rand was a radical for her time. She did what every American citizen does when the economy is not working for them, they question the wisdom of the day. Her voice became part of the Industrial Revolution.


She was born in 1905. She came of age in 1923 or actually came into majority at the age of 21 in 1926. It was the Roaring Twenties when Flappers wore clothes that challenged the moral fabric of America. Daring, sexy and willing to openly dance in a style little fond of by the establishment. 

She wasn't a native American. She was born in Russia and migrated to the USA in 1926.

She wanted to become a screen writer. It is safe to say her taste for excitement was cutting edge. She wrote a play that was performed on Broadway from 1935-1936. She would eventually write "The Fountainhead" in 1957.

She came to the USA because Russia's society was growing dark and oppressive. There was no place for her in Russia if she wanted to pursue cutting edge authorship. She came to the USA to find fame and there was only one place she finally did and that was with Objectivism. 

The Roaring Twenties was followed by the Great Depression beginning in 1929. This is how we should have an economy? Ideological with a known outcome that defeats all strategies?

By Craig Biddle

It is widely believed today (click here) that our moral, cultural, and political alternatives are limited either to the ideas of the secular, relativistic left—or to those of the religious, absolutist right—or to some compromised mixture of the two. In other words, one’s ideas are supposedly either extremely “liberal” or extremely “conservative” or somewhere in between. Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, rejects this false alternative and offers an entirely different view of the world.
Objectivism is fully secular and absolutist; it is neither liberal nor conservative nor anywhere in between. It recognizes and upholds the secular (this-worldly) source and nature of moral principles and the secular moral foundations of a fully free, fully civilized society.
Morally, Objectivism advocates the virtues of rational self-interest—virtues such as independent thinking, productiveness, justice, honesty, and self-responsibility. Culturally, Objectivism advocates scientific advancement, industrial progress, objective (as opposed to “progressive” or faith-based) education, romantic art—and, above all, reverence for the faculty that makes all such values possible: reason. Politically, Objectivism advocates pure, laissez-faire capitalism—the social system of individual rights and strictly limited government—along with the whole moral and philosophical structure on which it depends....

The basis of Objectivism puts everyone in a box to define the reason why Objectivism is best and economically successful. Basically, a person is either this or that, but, Ojectivism sets them free. If that isn't a Russian experiencing the USA, don't ask me what is.

This is the ideology of the Republican economics. I think we need better thinking than existed 100 years ago.

"The Pathetic" are back. They so do miss the slave trade.

Of course, to Republicans, senior citizens are the most egregious of all the country's people on the dole. 

Welfare recipients work for their benefits. Who is kidding who? The Republicans are scapegoating the people unable to defend themselves again.

Typical, Republicans are going to let the public discord create their budget program. They have no clue. They can't fit their policies into a real economy. When Ryan's budget needed the taxes enacted with the Affordable Care Act while demanding the Affordable Care Act be repealed is not anyone who knows what he is doing.

June 7, 2016
By Donovan Slack

..."This is how you create opportunity, (click here) this is how you help people move onward and upward," Ryan said.

On Thursday, he will release recommendations for national security, and in the coming weeks, ideas to tackle other subject areas in the “Better GOP” plan will follow, including taxes, regulations, and health care.

Ryan is trying to unite the highly divided Republican Party around shared policies amid the cacophony of the presidential campaign. It’s unclear if the party’s presumptive nominee, Donald Trump, is ready to embrace the platform. Ryan said he has had "exhaustive" conversations with Trump and he is confident the real estate developer likely will embrace the policies. At the same time, Ryan was inundated with questions about Trump's suggestions that a judge is biased against him because of his Mexican heritage....

Fear is a powerful motivator. From the Ames Tribune:

June 6, 2016
By Anthoney Faiola

Erfurt, Germany - This medieval city of timber-framed buildings (click here) and cobblestone streets is on the front lines of the escalating culture war over Islam in the West.Donald Trump may be calling for a ban on Muslims visiting the United States. But on this side of the Atlantic, Islam is also under fire, with political opposition to the faith growing as an anti-Muslim message emerges as the rallying cry of Europe’s far right.In few places is the shift more startling than here in Germany, where Islamist terrorism in neighboring nations and a record wave of Middle Eastern migrants are testing the national will to protect minority rights adopted after World War II.Once a libertarian force opposed to the euro and Greek bailouts, the fast-growing Alternative for Germany Party (AfD) has now squarely joined the anti-Islam ranks.In recent weeks, the AfD unveiled a scathing denunciation of the faith, warning against “the expansion and presence of a growing number of Muslims” on German soil....

Tobacco, alcohol and high fat diet is cultural and enforces commerce that kills.

The statistics in the map is from the US Census. It is a heart disease map of the USA. The dark red color is 572.5 - 1029.7 AMERICANS.
That is within one county. Not the entire state, but, the county.

There are chefs that compete to change high fat into a healthier choice in preparation without compromise to taste. However, cigarettes cause heart disease as well.

Heart Disease in Men are highest in Mississippi (287.7 in 100,000), Oklahoma (280.3 in 100,000), followed by Alabama (277.5), Arkansas (274.0) and Louisiana (273.3)

National average: 210.9 of 100,000 citizens

Heart Disease in Women are highest in Mississippi (184.5 in 100,000),  Oklahoma (183.4 in 100,000), Alabama (182.5), Louisiana (171.6) and Arkansas (169.8).

National average: 131,8 (click here)

Stop glamorizing smoke and fat.

Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women (click here) in the U.S. In 1987, it surpassed breast cancer to become the leading cause of cancer deaths in women.
An estimated 158,040 Americans are expected to die from lung cancer in 2015, accounting for approximately 27 percent of all cancer deaths. 2

The number of deaths caused by lung cancer has increased approximately 3.5 percent between 1999 and 2012 from 152,156 to 157,499. The number of deaths among men has plateaued but the number is still rising among women. In 2012, there were 86,740 deaths due to lung cancer in men and 70,759 in women.

The age-adjusted death rate for lung cancer is higher for men (56.1 per 100,000 persons) than for women (36.4 per 100,000 persons). It also is higher for blacks (48.3 per 100,000 persons) compared to whites (45.6 per 100,000 persons). Black men have a far higher age-adjusted lung cancer death rate than white men, while black and white women have similar rates.

In 2011, Kentucky had the highest age-adjusted lung cancer incidence rates in both men (112.2 per 100,000) and women (79.3 per 100,000). Utah had the lowest age-adjusted cancer incidence rates in both men and women (34.5 per 100,000 and 25.0 per 100,000, respectively). These state-specific rates were parallel to smoking prevalence rates.

How do American Republican men define masculinity? It is killing them.

Prevalence of Binge Drinking and Heavy Drinking (click here): In 2014, 24.7 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month; 6.7 percent reported that they engaged in heavy drinking in the past month....

...Nearly 88,000 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women) die from alcohol-related causes annually, making it the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

In 2014, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounted for 9,967 deaths (31 percent of overall driving fatalities)...
In 2011, U.S. fire departments responded (click here) to an estimated 90,000 smoking-material fires in the U.S., largely unchanged from 90,800 in 2010. These fires resulted in an estimated 540 civilian deaths, 1,640 civilian injuries and $621 million in direct property damage; deaths were down substantially from the year before.

Home structure fires dominated all these measures of loss except for fire incidents. In 2011, an estimated 17,600 smoking-material home structure fires caused 490 civilian deaths (19% of all home structure fire deaths), 1,370 civilian injuries and $516 million in direct property damage. The other 72,400 smoking-material fires in 2011 were mostly outdoor fires (60,200 fires in trash, vegetation and other outdoor combustibles)....

...Reduced ignition strength ("fire safe") cigarettes appear to be the principal reason for a 30% decline in smoking-material fire deaths from 2003-2011. Canada and all U.S. states have passed laws or other requirements that all cigarettes sold must have sharply reduced ignition strength (ability to start fires), as determined by ASTM Standard E2187-04. A simple projection linking the percentage decline in fires or fire deaths to the percentage of smokers covered suggested that when the law was fully effective across the entire country (in late 2011), the reduction in fire deaths should reach 30%, relative to levels in 2003, the last year before the fire-safe cigarette law was effective in any state....
American Republican men drink heavily, smoke too many cigarettes, love guns, their families, their God and their country.

American Republican men are objects of commerce.

Donald Trump does not drink heavily, smoke cigarettes, respects gun ownership, loves his family, God and country.

The establishment Republicans are far to corrupt to touch the lives of Americans again.

The establishment Republicans and their media kingdom are in denial. The corrupt Republicans will not ride the coattails of a moral Mexican judge.

"OMG, Donald Trump turned something loose in this country." That "something" are Americans.

Those Americans are 'just that desperate' to lose the box they are locked in. The problem is not the Americans. Believe me, it is not the Americans.

12 step programs only work when there is work that pays well enough to support a white man admired by his family. This is not rocket science. Lose the cronies.

Political promises repeated year after year are worthless.

This is real.

January 16, 2016
By Victor Tan Chen

For the last several months, (click here) social scientists have been debating the striking findings of a study by the economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton.* Between 1998 and 2013, Case and Deaton argue, white
Americans across multiple age groups experienced large spikes in suicide and fatalities related to alcohol and drug abuse—spikes that were so large that, for whites aged 45 to 54, they overwhelmed the dependable modern trend of steadily improving life expectancy. While critics have challenged the magnitude and timing of the rise in middle-age deaths (particularly for men), they and the study’s authors alike seem to agree on some basic points: Problems of mental health and addiction have taken a terrible toll on whites in America—though seemingly not in other wealthy nations—and the least educated among them have fared the worst....

The evil word is 'uncertainty." Uncertainty is bullshit. Everyone knows it is bullshit. You've got to be joking. The super rich are just fine. The majority of the country is immune from their tear filled handkerchief. They can buy a dozen others.

By Martin Crutsinger

...Thirteen times Yellen mentioned (click here) some variation of the word "uncertainty" — starting with a question raised by a dismal jobs report the government issued Friday:

"Is the markedly reduced pace of hiring in April and May," Yellen asked, "a harbinger of a persistent slowdown in the broader economy?"...

Americans have taken their country back from the fiscal brink of 2008. No one is getting it back again. No trust. No good will. No stupidity in handling the economy ever again. No cronies. No immoral or illegal wars. Never again will the working poor's men have to see the reflection of poverty in their children's eyes.

They will stop dying in record numbers.