Luke_Wilbur

I just found the prayer of General George Washington. It is to be dat on June 8, 1783 http://www.scstateho...97/19970218.htm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ th Carolina General Assembly 112th Session, 1997-1998 Journal of the Senate TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1997 Tuesday, February 18, 1997 (Statewide Session)The Senate assembled at 12:00 Noon, the hour to which it stood adjourned and was called to order by the PRESIDENT. A quorum being present the proceedings were opened with a devotion by the Chaplain as follows: Beloved, In honor of President's Day, we shall pray today the prayer of President George Washington for the United States... still most relevant to our needs: Let us pray. "Almighty God: We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to gov- ernment, and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."

I find it interesting that we Americans are doing exactly the opposite of what this country's founding father warned us against. It is my hope that we consider our country's greatest leader and reclaim our personal liberty of being independent thinkers. This means putting a real value in independent citizen candidates that put "We" before "I".

I guess this was the financial traders answer to http://www.google.com/finance?q=baidu Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) is recently trading at $426.52 in pre-open trading, above its close of $386.50. Baidu, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIDU), the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, today announced several changes in senior management. Mr. Haoyu Shen, vice president of business operations, has been promoted to senior vice president. Mr. Zhan Wang, senior director of business products, has been promoted to vice president. Baidu also announced the resignation of Chief Operating Officer Dr. Peng Ye. Dr. Ye's resignation is due to personal reasons and is effective as of the date of this announcement. Haoyu Shen joined Baidu in 2007 and has led the planning and execution of the company's search engine marketing platform and associated business alliances. Zhan Wang joined Baidu in 2000 and has been a key driver of the company's commercial product developments. "Haoyu and Zhan have proven track records in driving our business success and I am excited to see them make further contributions in their expanded roles," said Robin Li, Baidu's chairman and chief executive officer. "We thank Peng for his contributions to the company over the last two years and wish him all the best in his future endeavors," Mr. Li added. About Baidu Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best way for people to find information. In addition to serving individual Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs, each of which represents one Class A ordinary share, are currently trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU." Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Baidu's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward- looking statements. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: our growth strategies; our future business development, including development of new products and services; our ability to attract and retain users and customers; competition in the Chinese and Japanese language Internet search markets; competition for online marketing customers; changes in our revenues and certain cost or expense items as a percentage of our revenues; the outcome of ongoing, or any future, litigation or arbitration, including those relating to intellectual property rights; the expected growth of the Chinese language Internet search market and the number of Internet and broadband users in China; Chinese governmental policies relating to the Internet and Internet search providers and general economic conditions in China, Japan and elsewhere. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in our annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of January 6th, 2010, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For investor inquiries please contact: In China: Mr. Victor Tseng Baidu, Inc. Tel: +86-10-5992-7244 Email: ir@baidu.com Ms. Cynthia He Brunswick Group LLC Tel: +86-10-6566-9504 Email: che@brunswickgroup.com In the U.S.: Ms. Kate Tellier Brunswick Group LLC Tel: +1-212-333-3810 Email: ktellier@brunswickgroup.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM8NvB4vPdI A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Haiti earlier today at 21:53 UTC, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no tsunami warning was issued, contradicting some media reports that said there was one in place. The quake's magnitude was revised down from an initial report of 7.3 on the Richter scale. The USGS reports that the epicentre was fifteen kilometres (ten miles) southwest of Port-au-Prince and 1,140 kilometers (708 miles) southeast of Miami, Florida, at a depth of ten kilometres.

We just have to realize that we are not an empire. We are a democratic nation of immigrants. We need to reason with the people of our ancestral lands. We also have to understand that every deal will not be in our favor.

If this is true. I wish the boys at the Fed would start manipulating the manufacturing market in our favor. This country needs real jobs. The up and down swings do not matter to a person with nothing but a "Will Work For Food" sign in their hands.

Being a resident of DC and witnessing gun battles with automatic weapons in my neighborhood has jaded my view. Too many kids and innocent people getting killed.

I fear that priority should have been given to creating more jobs instead of wasting time and precious tax payer dollars on getting this Health Care bill completed. But, if would be even more expensive to not move forward with this Health care initiative now that the nation is attentive to it. I do think it is a mistake to complete this bill with abortion coverage. I believe in everyone's right to choose, but I should not have to be made to pay for their decisions. This is against my faith and religious belief. What about my liberty. I know this issue will make it to the courts. I am sure the ACLU is preparing the phone lines now. Please Mr. President consider those who consider this a failure.

Only 3 more years until 2013. Happy 2010 everyone.

Maybe the Federal Reserve Board resolution should be more transparency. They know where I get my money and where it goes. I should know the same about them.

Step 2: Register with CCR The Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is a government-wide registry for vendors doing business with the federal government. The CCR centralizes information about grant recipients and also provides a central location for grant recipients to change organizational information. Grants.gov uses the CCR to establish roles and IDs for electronic grant applicants. Tips for registering with CCR 1. Information for registering with the CCR and online documents can be found at http://www.ccr.gov/. 2. Before registering, applicants and recipients should review the Central Contractor Registration user guide at https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/doc/UserAccount.pdf

To access Grants.gov I will need my DUNS Number. The link below provides access to information: If you have a problem and hit reply.

Office of Science - Chicago U.S. Department of Energy Office of Acquisition & Assistance 9800 South Cass Avenue Argonne, IL 60439 Contact: Marlene Martinez Email: marlene.martinez@ch.doe.gov Reference number: DE-FOA-0000214 Issue date: 12/22/2009 Response due: 03/29/2010 11:59 PM ES

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today outlined theDepartment’s plans to invest up to $366 million to establish andoperate three new Energy Innovation Hubs focused on acceleratingresearch and development in three key energy areas. Each Hub, to befunded at up to $122 million over five years, will bring together amultidisciplinary team of researchers in an effort to speed researchand shorten the path from scientific discovery to technologicaldevelopment and commercial deployment of highly promisingenergy-related technologies. “Given the urgency of our challenges in both energy andclimate, we need to do everything we can to mobilize our Nation’sscientific and technological talent to accelerate the pace ofinnovation,” said Secretary Chu. “The DOE Energy Innovation Hubsrepresent a new, more proactive approach to managing and conductingresearch. We are taking a page from America’s great industriallaboratories in their heyday. Their achievements—from the transistorto the information theory that makes modern telecommunicationspossible—are evidence that we can build creative, highly-integratedresearch teams that can accomplish more, faster, than researchersworking separately.” The Hubs are part of a broad-based clean energy research strategy bythe Obama Administration that will harness America’s innovation machineto achieve the breakthroughs we need. This strategy includes three new initiatives which are designed to complement each other: The first approach is the Energy Frontier Research Centers launchedby the Department’s Office of Science to support multi-year,multi-investigator scientific collaborations focused on overcominghurdles in basic science that block transformational discoveries. The second approach is spearheaded by the Department'srecently-formed Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy ("ARPA-E"),which uses a highly entrepreneurial funding model that supportsAmerica's passionate energy innovators to explore high-risk,high-reward potentially transformative technologies that are too riskyfor industry to fund. The third novel funding model, Energy Innovation Hubs, willestablish larger, highly integrated teams ideally working under oneroof, conducting high-risk, high-reward research and working to solvepriority technology challenges that span work from basic research toengineering development to commercialization readiness. The three DOE Energy Innovation Hubs will focus on: production of fuels directly from sunlight; improving energy-efficient building systems design; and computer modeling and simulation for the development of advanced nuclear reactors. The Department will provide $22 million in the first year for theestablishment of each Hub and up to $25 million per year for thefollowing four years to support the operations of each Hub—for a totalaward of up to $122 million per Hub. Important information on theDOE’s Hub implementation plan and strategy for managing the Hubs can befound on the Energy Innovation Hubs website: http://hubs.energy.gov. Fuels from Sunlight Energy Innovation Hub The objective of this Hub is to accelerate the development of asustainable commercial process for the conversion of sunlight directlyinto energy-rich chemical fuels, likely using mechanisms based onphotosynthesis, the method used by plants to convert sunlight, carbondioxide, and water into sugar. The Fuels from Sunlight EnergyInnovation Hub will provide researchers with significant new resourcesto accelerate basic and applied research in the drive toward apotentially transformative new energy technology. Achievement of anefficient, cost-effective means to convert solar energy directly tofuel could have significant impact on U.S. energy security and onenergy production globally. Modeling and Simulation for Nuclear Reactors Energy Innovation Hub This Hub is intended to produce a multi-physics computationalenvironment that will be used by engineers to create improvedunderstanding of issues with current and future nuclear energytechnologies. The Department’s Office of Nuclear Energy hosted aworkshop on the Modeling and Simulation for Nuclear Reactors EnergyInnovation Hub on December 7, 2009 to provide an opportunity for thoseinterested in this Hub and its upcoming FOA to fully understand the Hubvision, program objectives, and the procurement process for theestablishment and operation of the Hub. Energy Efficient Building Systems Design Energy Innovation Hub The objective of the Energy Efficient Building Systems Design EnergyInnovation Hub is to develop highly efficient buildings components,systems, and models. Achieving the Hub's main goal of reducing energyuse for indoor space conditioning will require a focus on advances incore technologies, such as advanced refrigeration cycles, as well as ondevelopment of fully instrumented infrastructure aided by buildingssystem design and modeling. Such solutions could have a major impact onnational electricity consumption, as the nation’s buildings consumeapproximately 70 percent of all electric power. A Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) inviting proposals for theFuels from Sunlight Energy Innovation Hub has been issued, and a linkto the FOA is available at the Energy Innovation Hubs website. Thedeadline for proposals for the Fuels from Sunlight Energy InnovationHub is March 29, 2010. Funding opportunity announcements for theother two Energy Innovation Hubs are expected to be issued early nextyear. The Energy Efficient Building Systems Design Hub will also be thecentral component of a regional innovation cluster funding opportunitywhich will include coordinated grant opportunities from otheragencies. Universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, andprivate firms are eligible to compete for an award to establish andoperate a Hub and are encouraged to form partnerships. Awards, basedon evaluation by scientific peer review, will be announced nextsummer. The Hubs are expected to begin work in 2010 and will be fullyoperational by 2011. Media contact(s): (202) 586-4940

The X PRIZE Foundation, a world leader in conducting incentivizedcompetitions to stimulate innovation, announced it will receiveup to $5.5 million in funding from the American Recovery andReinvestment Act, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).With this latest award, the DOE joins the X PRIZE Foundation andcompetition Title Sponsor Progressive Insurance in a uniquepublic-private partnership to spur the development of super fuelefficient and clean vehicles. The DOE funding will provide fortechnical expertise that ensures each vehicle design is reviewedcorrectly and consistently. Funding will also support expanded outreachand education efforts that will focus on promoting public awareness ofthe science and engineering behind energy efficient vehicle designs. Italso supports President Obama’s Strategy for American Innovation, whichcalls on federal agencies to increase their use of prizes as a tool forpromoting technological advances. “Our clean energy future depends on our ability to design andcommercialize new highly-efficient vehicles that are cost-effective forconsumers and use significantly less energy,” said Energy SecretarySteven Chu. “This funding will support cutting-edge, Americaninnovation that can help us fundamentally transform personaltransportation and address the global climate crisis.” The DOE supported the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE fromthe outset with a $3.5 million award to fund a two-year nationaleducation program that engages students and the public in learningabout advanced vehicle technologies, energy efficiency, climate change,alternative fuels and the science, technology, engineering and mathbehind efficient vehicle development. “The U.S. Department of Energy has a rich history of research anddevelopment in energy efficiency and vehicle technologies, and acommitment to educating consumers and the public,” noted PeterDiamandis, chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation. “Their strongand continued commitment to the Progressive Insurance Automotive XPRIZE will give us the ability to reach audiences across consumer andgovernment sectors, and drive change in the future of the autoindustry.” News of the award comes as the Progressive Insurance Automotive XPRIZE conducts its technical team summit in Las Vegas as part of theannual SEMAshow. A press briefing is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3 at 1:20pmPT, in SEMA’s Making Green Cool Zone, located in the upper South Hallof the Las Vegas Convention Center. Multiple Qualified Teams will beshowing their vehicles at the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZEbooth throughout the show. Specific tasks included within this DOE award include: • Vehicle Telemetry Procurement, Installation and Integration:Vehicle telemetry and data acquisition hardware is essential to thetechnical execution of the competition. This award will specificallyassist in procuring, installing, and integrating telemetry equipmentinto Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition vehicles andestablish a data transmission network to enable real-time datatelemetry, which will provide an interactive online experience thatallows internet users to follow the competition vehicles as theyperform in real-time during the competition series. • Pre-Competition Series Safety and Technical Assistance: Theaward will also provide qualified vehicles with an array of expertconsulting, vehicle safety inspections, and fuel economy and emissionsvehicle testing appropriate to their design and level of development.Vehicle design consulting will be provided to select teams by personnelwith expertise specific and relevant to their design and will includereview and discussion of vehicle limitations and deficiencies as wellas prospective corrective actions. • Design and Implement Technical Competition Components: TheDOE will provide support for additional technical staff to design,implement, and manage the competition events. Seven members of thetechnical team, each experienced automotive experts, were announcedrecently. Details are available at http://Use Full URL address/progressiveautoxprizetechteam. The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is aligned with themission of the DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program, which regularlyworks with academia, the private sector, and non-profit organizations,such as X PRIZE, as part of the Department’s work to develop vehicletechnologies and alternative fuels that can reduce greenhouse gasemissions, lessen our dependence on foreign oil, and help the U.S.transportation industry remain competitive in the years ahead. VABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE The goal of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is to inspirea new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles that offermore consumer choices. Ten million dollars in prizes will be awarded tothe teams that win a stage competition for clean, production-capablevehicles that exceed 100 Miles per gallon or energy equivalent (MPGe).The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE will place a major focuson efficiency, safety, affordability, and the environment. It is aboutdeveloping real, production-capable cars that consumers will want tobuy, not science projects or concept cars. This progress is neededbecause today's oil consumption is unsustainable and because automotiveemissions significantly contribute to global warming and climatechange. For more information about the Progressive Insurance AutomotiveX PRIZE, please visit www.progressiveautoxprize.org or email progressiveautopress@xprize.org. VABOUT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Working with a wide array of state, community, industry, and universitypartners, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiencyand Renewable Energy (EERE) invests in a diverse portfolio of energytechnologies. Energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy will mean astronger economy, a cleaner environment, and greater energyindependence for America. For more information about the U.S.Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energyplease contact the EERE Information Center at 1-877-EERE-INF(1-877-337-3463) or on the web at www.eere.energy.gov. VABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institutewhose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit ofhumanity. In 2004, the Foundation captured world headlines when BurtRutan, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew theworld’s first private vehicle to space to win the $10 million Ansari XPRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZEfor Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the $10 millionProgressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is creatingand conducting competitions in four prize groups: Exploration (Spaceand Oceans), Life Sciences, Energy & Environment, and Education& Global Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as theleader in fostering innovation through competition. For moreinformation, please visit www.xprize.org.

NASA will soon retire its ageing space shuttle fleet. The final flight is scheduled for 2010. The Space Shuttle Endeavour, the orbiter built to replace the Space Shuttle Challenger, cost approximately $1.7 billion. The average cost to launch a Space Shuttle is about $450 million per mission. American and Russian scientists are beginning to think of ways to revive the Soviet-era Buran space programme, mothballed 20 years ago, may be revived. The Energia / Buran combination attempted only two launches. The first launch in 1987 consisted of the Energia launch vehicle with a cargo compartment attached. The launch vehicle performed flawlessly but the cargo compartment separated badly. The second attempt in 1988 consisted of a Buran / Energia combination. The Buran was launched, circled the earth for one orbit, and returned and landed successfully by remote control. The collapse of Soviet Union economy could no longer support the development of Energia / Buran. The program was eventually canceled, and one of the Buran test vehicles can be seen in a Moscow park as a tourist attraction. On January 14, 2004, President George W. Bush announced A RenewedSpirit of Discovery: The President’s Vision for U.S. Space Exploration,a new directive for the Nation’s space program. The fundamental goal ofthis directive is “to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economicinterests through a robust space exploration program.” With thisaction, the President committed the Nation to a journey of exploringthe solar system and beyond, returning to the Moon in the next decade,then venturing further into the solar system, ultimately sending humansto Mars and beyond. He challenged NASA to establish new and innovativeprograms to enhance understanding of the planets, to ask new questions,and to answer questions that are as old as humankind. On December 22, 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia signed a contract establishing the "Russia-Kazakhstan Baiterek JV" joint venture, in which each country holds a 50-percent stake. The goal of the project is the construction of the Bayterek (poplar tree) space launch complex, to facilitate operations of the Russian Angara rocket launcher. The site is scheduled to be completed in 2009.] This will allow launches with a payload of 26 tons to low earth orbit, compared to 20 tons using the Proton system. An additional benefit will be that the Angara uses kerosene and oxygen as fuel, which is less hazardous to the environment than the toxic fuels used by older boosters. The total expenditure on the Kazakhstani side will be $223 million over 19 years. On December 30, 2005 the NASA Authorization Act of 2005 which was signed into law. NASA will be executing a series of complex ISS assembly and servicing missions using the Space Shuttle while simultaneously developing a new Shuttle-derived transportation system. Implementing a workforce transition plan that retains and nurtures critical skills is vital to these efforts. NASA’s projected budget is basically flat. Supporting three human space flight programs (Shuttle, Station and Constellation) within it requires some very innovative planning including retiring unneeded Shuttle assets as soon as possible, thus reducing Shuttle costs while freeing up assets needed for Constellation Program (CxP). This activity has already started and will accelerate over the next few years. CEV, Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) and related exploration architecture systems. An early exploration development will be the CEV. Like the Apollo Command Module, the CEV will have a crew escape system and represents one building block in the exploration architecture that can send astronauts to the Moon and form the basis for exploration missions to other destinations. It will be launched into orbit using a five-segment derivative of the Shuttle's Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) with a new liquid-propellant upper stage. It will continue to the Moon using redesigned J-2 engines originally used on the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets engines designed for the Apollo Program. Before beginning its lunar mission, the CEV’s capabilities will be demonstrated by carrying crew and cargo to the ISS.

This really disgusts me. People have no respect for beliefs other than their own. Vatican officials identified the assailant as 25-year-old Susanna Maiolo and said she held dual Swiss and Italian nationality.

It is hard to talk about "Global Warming" when we are about to have a blizzard of snow. Kidding.... I do believe in climate change. My cherry blossoms and forsythias were blooming two weeks ago. The weather is very unpredictable. But, I think we may have a WHITE CHRISTMAS. I got this email from Fact Check.

I just read this on Washington Whispers http://www.usnews.co...m-the-navy.html A lot of organizations have cashed in on the new president's image with kitschy trinkets, so why not the Navy? The Navy Secretariat Staff Officers Recreation Association, a servicegroup run by Navy personnel and civilians at the Pentagon, has produced Obama Christmas ornaments for $15 a pop, limited to two per person. The normal Navy image has been replaced for the first time with that of the president. A gold frame surrounds a photo of Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as he takes the oath of office on Inauguration Day. Too much cheerleading? Some think so—and have said so. In fact, after Whispers asked questions, sales were frozen. Yvonne Peterson,one of those selling the ornaments at the Pentagon, says, "We were told to put a stop on sales. They sold out in about an hour's time." The money raised funds for Navy morale, welfare, and recreation activities.

This spam is done in very bad taste. I hope people do not get fooled by it. They want for winners to buy their award. Here is the message sent to me: Earlier this year we sent you the followingnotification. As the year draws to a close, we wanted to make sure thatyou claim your award benifits. Once again, congratulations on youraward. We wish you a great holiday season. Congratulations Washington DC City Pages , TheSmall Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is pleased to announce thatWashington DC City Pages has been selected for the 2009 Best ofBusiness Award in the Membership organizations category. TheSBCA Best of Business Award Program recognizes the best of smallbusinesses throughout the country. Using consumer feedback and otherresearch, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe havedemonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the Americaneconomy. The selection committee chooses the award winners fromnominees based off information taken from monthly surveys administeredby the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports. Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplifywhat makes small businesses great. Acopy of your press release is available on the SBCA awards websitelisted below. SBCA herby grants Washington DC City Pages anon-exclusive, revocable, license to use, copy, publish, stream,publicly display, reformat, excerpt, and distribute this pressrelease. If you desire, a 2009 Best of Business Award has been designedfor your place of business and can be obtained by pressing the receiveawards tab while retrieving your press release from the SBCA awardswebsite. Additionally, a Web Logo proclaiming your 2009 Best ofBusiness Award selection can be obtained through our website as well. As an award winner, you have been assigned the following award code: GMQSXI. Thiscode may be used to redeem your award benefits by entering it into theSBCA Awards Claim page. Or, alternatively, you may use the followinglink: https://www.sbcaawar...wardcode=GMQSXI Once again, congratulations on your selection and we wish you the best of luck in the future. Sincerely, The SBCA Selection Committee Thisemail contains special information intended only for the owners oroperators of Washington DC City Pages. To prevent further notificationsand advertisements, please follow the steps outlined below. If you nolonger wish to receive our emails please use the following link: http://www.smallbusi...org/optout.aspx Or, you may send an Opt-Out request to the following address: Attn: Compliance Manager Small Business Commerce Association 548 Market St # 35785

Did you ever see CNN's Anderson Cooper holographic interview with Wii.I.Am during the inauguration? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBMbKBsmtpc

I believe that God gave us Free Will to individually make the decision on whether to have an abortion. It is also my belief that no life should be taken. This goes for abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment as well. This is my personal decision. I cannot oppose a person's individual freedom. But, I can and do oppose a government that forces me to fund something I am against and is in no way my responsibility. We should not be forced to give financial assistance to help pay for planning expenses of those that decide to have abortions. No organization should be entitled to public money if they do not fully educate the procedure that will end a life. Further, no individual that receives public assistance to subsidize their living expenses should be given more public money to end a life unless the conception was forced and may cause physical and mental harm. We all should be individually responsible for our actions.

When the tensions get high in the office we stop what we are doing and listen to this song. (Horn Section kicks in) Hot dusty day, Nothing’s going down, Wanna get out of this sleepy old town. Somethin’s in the air, You’re feeling uptight, It’s the right mood, For a bat fight. Chorus Bat fight, It’s anyone’s game, Bat fight, A test of will, Bat fight, Who’s gonna win, Bat fight, You never know who. Looking for a sign of weakness. Totally even, Anyone could win, athletic prowess Let’s begin. Chorus Bat fight, A gentleman’s game, Bat fight, You know the name, It’s a bat fight, Tensions are high, Bat fight, Eye for eye. Bat fight, Feeling so good, Bat fight, two men connecting with their w-o-o--d. Circling and circling and circling and circling, Circling, You circle then you circle some more. you circle keep on circling and circling and circling circling and circling checking out your opponent bat fight taking a chance bat fight a game of skill bat fight it’s easy to do bat fight it’s done around the world generally good natured you’ll have a good time only rare occasions does it get out of hand bat fight a game of honor and diplomacy it’s a bat fight come on down an’ see bat fight all the chil’ren in the world holding hands and hands (33 Hits) bat fight

Two wrongs do not make it right. This shows a tragic flaw in the system. If an elected official of either party does not perform his or her duties, then they should be fired.

My friend Joe is developmentally disabled. Both of his parents recently died and he going to be put in a shelter. I realized he would not last long there so, Joe moved from Montgomery County to the District of Columbia to live with my family. Once he got his DC identification card he lost his Medicaid assistance. We thought he would just pick it back up. But, that does not appear to be the case. The District has just denied Joe his disability money. They state that he is not developmentally disabled. Read the email I just received. http://www.dcmessageboards.com/index.php?showtopic=16714&st=30&gopid=34930entry34930 If our government has no compassion for the disabled now, then why would it change in the future? I still remember how the Veteran soldiers were being treated in Walter Reed. Nothing changed until the media exposed it. DC is a good representation of the future of health care. Think about it. The District is run by Congress. They live here and do nothing. Can you imagine the how this will work even 100 miles away. It is going to be a disaster. I really love the idea, but experience proves to me that it can't be done without a complete overhaul of management. I said my peace.