The average American probably doesn't have a clue about how many days it takes for a full moon to come around in the night sky. Probably something about the lack of interest in the natural world in the age of the internet.
This morning, out for my morning jaunt in the dark, it was truly spectacular.
The air was clear. The air was dry. Mars twinkled overhead with the reddish tint it is known for.
The moon hung to the west. Like the days of old when I would come up over LaJolla Village Drive to head into 875 Prospect in LaJolla and go to work at Drexel Burnham Lambert. Heading into work when the world was asleep and sleepy LaJolla was slumbering, the moon hanging over the ocean and casting a beautiful MOON GLOW on the expansive Pacific. Calming. It was my friend. It was always special. I tried always to never take it for granted.
This morning in the moonlight were migrating birds. Hundreds if not thousands chirping as they moved south. The migration is here. One can set their watch by those migrating birds almost to the week. And by the moon, almost to the day.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
I wear a EEE/EEEE.......................
BEAVERTON, Ore. — Nike on Tuesday unveiled what it said is the first shoe designed specifically for American Indians, an effort aiming at promoting physical fitness in a population with high obesity rates.
The Beaverton-based company says the Air Native N7 is designed with a larger fit for the distinct foot shape of American Indians, and has a culturally specific look. It will be distributed solely to American Indians; tribal wellness programs and tribal schools nationwide will be able to purchase the shoe at wholesale price and then pass it along to individuals, often at no cost.
"Nike is aware of the growing health issues facing Native Americans," said Sam McCracken, manager of Nike's Native American Business program. "We are stepping up our commitment ... to elevate the issue of Native American health and wellness."
Nike said it is the first time it has designed a shoe for a specific race or ethnicity. It said all profits from the sale of the shoe will be reinvested in health programs for tribal lands, where problems with obesity, diabetes and related conditions are near epidemic levels in some tribes.
Nike designers and researchers looked at the feet of more than 200 people from more than 70 tribes nationwide and found that in general, American Indians have a much wider and taller foot than the average shoe accommodates. The average shoe width of men and women measured was three width sizes larger than the standard Nike shoe.
The Beaverton-based company says the Air Native N7 is designed with a larger fit for the distinct foot shape of American Indians, and has a culturally specific look. It will be distributed solely to American Indians; tribal wellness programs and tribal schools nationwide will be able to purchase the shoe at wholesale price and then pass it along to individuals, often at no cost.
"Nike is aware of the growing health issues facing Native Americans," said Sam McCracken, manager of Nike's Native American Business program. "We are stepping up our commitment ... to elevate the issue of Native American health and wellness."
Nike said it is the first time it has designed a shoe for a specific race or ethnicity. It said all profits from the sale of the shoe will be reinvested in health programs for tribal lands, where problems with obesity, diabetes and related conditions are near epidemic levels in some tribes.
Nike designers and researchers looked at the feet of more than 200 people from more than 70 tribes nationwide and found that in general, American Indians have a much wider and taller foot than the average shoe accommodates. The average shoe width of men and women measured was three width sizes larger than the standard Nike shoe.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Mike Gundy.......
This guy is a coach. He exemplifies everything that is right about college football today. If you haven't read the sports page recently I suggest you go to YouTube.com and type in his name and see what comes up. His tirade is beautiful.
Yes, it's just another media person trying to go from hicksville to the limelight.
The wrong way.
Yes, it's just another media person trying to go from hicksville to the limelight.
The wrong way.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Upside down world...............
I grew up in the Great Plains region of the United States. My family lived on several Indian Reservations. Fairly remote, poverty-stricken areas with little focus on higher education, lots of addiction issues and few role models for "success", whatever that term conjures in your mind and the minds of those I grew up with. Racism was alive and well for reservation residents who ventured off the reservation. If I had a dollar for every time I heard the term "prairie nigger" I would be a much wealthier man. My late mother always made it a point to teach me to never worry about what people said about me, only about how I conducted myself and my actions that would make me either a good person or a bad person. That's maybe why I always questioned authority and not to worry about it. Maybe that had more to do with growing up in a family where the head man, my Dad, always had a loaded .357 near the door. His career in law enforcement probably required that as he had more shots fired at him than most soldiers in Iraq will ever have.
Now, I don't understand the major fuss of the dreaded word "nigger" in the black community. The fuss should be on getting out of poverty, getting an education, living clean without addictions and achieving success. All things that Native American reservations still struggle with today. Whether you are "urban" or "prairie" you best let those words roll off you like water off a duck.
To worry about what someone says about you is a great waste of time. Wasting time is what I worry about. I need to sleep less and live more every day. The best is yet to come.
Now, I don't understand the major fuss of the dreaded word "nigger" in the black community. The fuss should be on getting out of poverty, getting an education, living clean without addictions and achieving success. All things that Native American reservations still struggle with today. Whether you are "urban" or "prairie" you best let those words roll off you like water off a duck.
To worry about what someone says about you is a great waste of time. Wasting time is what I worry about. I need to sleep less and live more every day. The best is yet to come.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
From the Bible Belt..............
"Jesus said heaven is a place for people of all nations. So if you don’t like Clarkston, you won’t like heaven."
THE REV. PHIL KITCHIN, on the immigrants who have transformed the Clarkston International Bible Church in Georgia.
THE REV. PHIL KITCHIN, on the immigrants who have transformed the Clarkston International Bible Church in Georgia.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Morgan Stanley recruiting.......
Yesterday in the Wall Street Journal there was an ad by Morgan Stanley looking to recruit some more salesmen to their stockbroker ranks.
Think there's any relationship to the loss of over $480,000,000 of Morgan Stanley shareholder assets by their quantitative stock trading strategies unit in the last 90 days? Just kidding on the relationship, it takes time to generate that kind of loss by a retail broker pitching the latest product de jour that emanates from their marketing department that has nothing to do with making clients money and everything to do with generating flow, commissions and hidden fees.
Mr. Mack has enough skeletons in his closet with the SEC and Pequot. How that story has been hushed is enough for a book.
Wall Street wants your money folks..........invest with them at your own risk.
Think there's any relationship to the loss of over $480,000,000 of Morgan Stanley shareholder assets by their quantitative stock trading strategies unit in the last 90 days? Just kidding on the relationship, it takes time to generate that kind of loss by a retail broker pitching the latest product de jour that emanates from their marketing department that has nothing to do with making clients money and everything to do with generating flow, commissions and hidden fees.
Mr. Mack has enough skeletons in his closet with the SEC and Pequot. How that story has been hushed is enough for a book.
Wall Street wants your money folks..........invest with them at your own risk.
Rather farcical.........
Dan Rather suing the hand that fed him is a joke. It's over Dan, get a grip. Toast. So is Katie. Americans have figured it out. Thank you internet!!!
On another note, these political hacks haven't mentioned criminal immigration in so long it defies common sense. They and the media won't mention a thing for the next 55 days until the election is over. Is there anyone left that really wants to do the right thing for this country or do the special interests now control the purse strings and minds of America? The older I get the more I realize how great this nation truly is and how resilient it is against such giant assholes running it and making laws. They won't abolish the AMT, they won't change the tax code and they won't even mention the words "social security reform" in an election year.
Truly gutless wonders.
On another note, these political hacks haven't mentioned criminal immigration in so long it defies common sense. They and the media won't mention a thing for the next 55 days until the election is over. Is there anyone left that really wants to do the right thing for this country or do the special interests now control the purse strings and minds of America? The older I get the more I realize how great this nation truly is and how resilient it is against such giant assholes running it and making laws. They won't abolish the AMT, they won't change the tax code and they won't even mention the words "social security reform" in an election year.
Truly gutless wonders.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
New York Times............
In case you missed it, as of yesterday you do NOT need a paid subscription to access the paper online. They finally figured it out after Rupert said so.
Common stock holders bent over again.............
One of the scummiest lawyers in my old haunt of Scam Diego, excuse me, San Diego is this certain William S. Lerach. What a sleaze bag this tort chaser is/was.
Out of the hundreds and hundreds of millions his firm sucked out of the "public" coffers of common shareholders he was fined a measly $8 million.
Where is the SEC, the supposed protector and champion of the little guy?
Nowhere in sight. The beat goes ladies and gentlemen. Wall Street wants your $$$.
Out of the hundreds and hundreds of millions his firm sucked out of the "public" coffers of common shareholders he was fined a measly $8 million.
Where is the SEC, the supposed protector and champion of the little guy?
Nowhere in sight. The beat goes ladies and gentlemen. Wall Street wants your $$$.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Osama Obama...............
"We need a tax code that's fair — a tax code that rewards work and advances opportunity," Obama said in a speech to the Tax Policy Center.
He used the example of a single mother who pays income taxes and sales taxes, then retires and has her Social Security benefit taxed.
"Meanwhile, her boss's investments get taxed at a lower rate, and the corporation she works for has all kinds of loopholes built into the tax code because they've got lobbyists in Washington sticking up for their interests," Obama said. "It's time for that to change. It's time for Americans to have a president in the Oval Office who makes decisions based on their interest, not the special interests."
Obama's 20-minute speech included much of that populist rhetoric combined with more detail about each of his tax cut proposals. But he spent just one minute skimming over how he would pay for it and neither he nor his campaign provided a breakdown of the revenue his plan would raise.
Obama's campaign said he would pay for his proposals by closing corporate tax loopholes, cracking down on international tax havens and raising the top rate on capital gains and dividends. But the campaign did not say how much each of those proposals would generate.
When Obama announced his health care plan in May, his campaign said he could pay for it by rolling back several Bush tax cuts that benefit the wealthy. That included restoring the top rate on investments to pre-Bush levels: 20 percent for capital gains and 39.6 percent for dividends.
Now Obama's advisers say they have more than enough revenue from other sources to pay for his health care plan and the capital gains and dividends increase can be used in part to fund the tax plan. However, they could not say how much that would raise or exactly how high Obama would raise them except that the top rate for both would be between 20 percent and 28 percent — the rate President Reagan set in 1986.
Obama's campaign also didn't say how much each of his proposals would cost, only that the total would be between $80 billion and $85 billion each year when fully implemented.
They said the largest cost would be for a "Making Work Pay" credit that would offset payroll taxes on the first $8,100 of earnings, generating up to $500 per person or $1,000 per family. The campaign said that would eliminate income taxes for 10 million classified as low income.
The campaign also said the credit would phase out for wealthier taxpayers, but wouldn't say what the income cutoff would be.
Obama said more people who own their homes should get relief from mortgage payments. The current mortgage interest deduction only goes to those who itemize their taxes, while Obama would create a universal mortgage credit of 10 percent of interest payments that the campaign says would benefit an additional 10 million homeowners.
The campaign said Obama's plan to eliminate taxes on seniors making less than $50,000 annually would mean 22 million elderly would no longer need to file an income tax return or hire a tax preparer.
Additionally, the IRS would send prefilled tax forms to 40 million workers who take the standard deduction and have a bank account. They would simply have to sign and return it, which Obama estimates would save more than $2 billion in tax preparer fees, 200 million hours of work and "an incalculable amount of headache and heartburn."
Republican National Committee spokeswoman Lisa Miller tried to raise doubts that Obama would be a tax cutter.
"In their '08 Budget proposal, Obama and his Democrat colleagues are proposing the largest tax increase in the history of our country, but while on the campaign trail he promises $80 billion in relief," Miller said. "Which Obama should we believe?"
He used the example of a single mother who pays income taxes and sales taxes, then retires and has her Social Security benefit taxed.
"Meanwhile, her boss's investments get taxed at a lower rate, and the corporation she works for has all kinds of loopholes built into the tax code because they've got lobbyists in Washington sticking up for their interests," Obama said. "It's time for that to change. It's time for Americans to have a president in the Oval Office who makes decisions based on their interest, not the special interests."
Obama's 20-minute speech included much of that populist rhetoric combined with more detail about each of his tax cut proposals. But he spent just one minute skimming over how he would pay for it and neither he nor his campaign provided a breakdown of the revenue his plan would raise.
Obama's campaign said he would pay for his proposals by closing corporate tax loopholes, cracking down on international tax havens and raising the top rate on capital gains and dividends. But the campaign did not say how much each of those proposals would generate.
When Obama announced his health care plan in May, his campaign said he could pay for it by rolling back several Bush tax cuts that benefit the wealthy. That included restoring the top rate on investments to pre-Bush levels: 20 percent for capital gains and 39.6 percent for dividends.
Now Obama's advisers say they have more than enough revenue from other sources to pay for his health care plan and the capital gains and dividends increase can be used in part to fund the tax plan. However, they could not say how much that would raise or exactly how high Obama would raise them except that the top rate for both would be between 20 percent and 28 percent — the rate President Reagan set in 1986.
Obama's campaign also didn't say how much each of his proposals would cost, only that the total would be between $80 billion and $85 billion each year when fully implemented.
They said the largest cost would be for a "Making Work Pay" credit that would offset payroll taxes on the first $8,100 of earnings, generating up to $500 per person or $1,000 per family. The campaign said that would eliminate income taxes for 10 million classified as low income.
The campaign also said the credit would phase out for wealthier taxpayers, but wouldn't say what the income cutoff would be.
Obama said more people who own their homes should get relief from mortgage payments. The current mortgage interest deduction only goes to those who itemize their taxes, while Obama would create a universal mortgage credit of 10 percent of interest payments that the campaign says would benefit an additional 10 million homeowners.
The campaign said Obama's plan to eliminate taxes on seniors making less than $50,000 annually would mean 22 million elderly would no longer need to file an income tax return or hire a tax preparer.
Additionally, the IRS would send prefilled tax forms to 40 million workers who take the standard deduction and have a bank account. They would simply have to sign and return it, which Obama estimates would save more than $2 billion in tax preparer fees, 200 million hours of work and "an incalculable amount of headache and heartburn."
Republican National Committee spokeswoman Lisa Miller tried to raise doubts that Obama would be a tax cutter.
"In their '08 Budget proposal, Obama and his Democrat colleagues are proposing the largest tax increase in the history of our country, but while on the campaign trail he promises $80 billion in relief," Miller said. "Which Obama should we believe?"
Free money for being poor..........
The incentive of getting something for nothing still permeates the American poor. Gaming profits, food stamps and AFDC money come to mind. Now the cost of education is going down for students from poor families.
On Friday, September 7, Congress adopted legislation that will significantly increase student financial aid to low- and moderate-income college students, providing the single largest increase in college aid since the GI bill. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act, H.R. 2669, will cut federal subsidies for private lenders in order to increase Pell grants, reform student loans and increase the number of teachers in challenging schools. The legislation increases college financial aid by approximately $20 billion over the next five years, paid for by reducing excessive federal subsidies to lenders in the college loan industry.
According to the House Committee on Education and Labor, specific provisions of the bill include:
Cutting interest rates in half on subsidized student loans over the next four years, saving the average student $4,400 over the life of their loan.
Making student loan payments more manageable for borrowers by guaranteeing that borrowers will not have to pay more than 15 percent of their discretionary income in loan repayments, and allowing borrowers to have their loans forgiven after 25 years.
Increasing the maximum Pell Grant scholarship to $5400 over the next five years, up from $4050 in 2006. Pell Grant scholarships will receive an overall increase of nearly $12 billion, almost double the investment of H.R. 2669.
Expanding eligibility through needs analysis to include and serve more students with financial need.
Eliminating tuition sensitivity to help the neediest students at the most cost efficient schools.
Providing upfront tuition assistance to qualified undergraduate students who commit to teaching in public schools in high-poverty communities or high-need subject areas.
Providing loan forgiveness after 10 years for public servants, including military service members, first responders, firefighters, nurses, public defenders, early childhood educators, librarians, and others.
The legislation was sent to the President who has announced he will sign the bill into law.
On Friday, September 7, Congress adopted legislation that will significantly increase student financial aid to low- and moderate-income college students, providing the single largest increase in college aid since the GI bill. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act, H.R. 2669, will cut federal subsidies for private lenders in order to increase Pell grants, reform student loans and increase the number of teachers in challenging schools. The legislation increases college financial aid by approximately $20 billion over the next five years, paid for by reducing excessive federal subsidies to lenders in the college loan industry.
According to the House Committee on Education and Labor, specific provisions of the bill include:
Cutting interest rates in half on subsidized student loans over the next four years, saving the average student $4,400 over the life of their loan.
Making student loan payments more manageable for borrowers by guaranteeing that borrowers will not have to pay more than 15 percent of their discretionary income in loan repayments, and allowing borrowers to have their loans forgiven after 25 years.
Increasing the maximum Pell Grant scholarship to $5400 over the next five years, up from $4050 in 2006. Pell Grant scholarships will receive an overall increase of nearly $12 billion, almost double the investment of H.R. 2669.
Expanding eligibility through needs analysis to include and serve more students with financial need.
Eliminating tuition sensitivity to help the neediest students at the most cost efficient schools.
Providing upfront tuition assistance to qualified undergraduate students who commit to teaching in public schools in high-poverty communities or high-need subject areas.
Providing loan forgiveness after 10 years for public servants, including military service members, first responders, firefighters, nurses, public defenders, early childhood educators, librarians, and others.
The legislation was sent to the President who has announced he will sign the bill into law.
Testing at Duke .............
At Duke University, there were four sophomores taking chemistry and all of them had an 'A' so far. These four friends were so confident that the weekend before finals, they decided to visit some friends and have a big party.
They had a great time, but after all the hearty partying, they slept all day Sunday and didn't make it back to Duke until early Monday morning. Rather than taking the final then, they decided that after the final they would explain to their professor why they missed it.
They said that they visited friends but on the way back they had a flat tire. As a result, they missed the final. The professor agreed they could make up the final the next day. The guys were excited and relieved. They studied that night for the exam.
The Professor placed them in separate rooms and gave them a test booklet. They quickly answered the first problem worth 5 points. Cool, they thought!
Each one in separate rooms, thinking this was going to be easy.... then they turned the page.
On the second page was written....
For 95 points: Which tire?
They had a great time, but after all the hearty partying, they slept all day Sunday and didn't make it back to Duke until early Monday morning. Rather than taking the final then, they decided that after the final they would explain to their professor why they missed it.
They said that they visited friends but on the way back they had a flat tire. As a result, they missed the final. The professor agreed they could make up the final the next day. The guys were excited and relieved. They studied that night for the exam.
The Professor placed them in separate rooms and gave them a test booklet. They quickly answered the first problem worth 5 points. Cool, they thought!
Each one in separate rooms, thinking this was going to be easy.... then they turned the page.
On the second page was written....
For 95 points: Which tire?
Monday, September 17, 2007
HillaryCare..........
This new Clinton boondoggle called Universal Health Care will get some press. The system is so flawed now it may never get fixed. Leaving her to "fix" the state of health care in this great country would be like putting Bill Clinton in charge of sorority girls at Ole Miss or Florida or Georgia or Texas or take-your-pick. There would be alot of talk but not much benefit for the nation. Except to benefit the Clintons.
And to be fair without thinking I am anti-Clinton, I might mention Greenspan is right on with his assessment of the lack of fiscal discipline in our elected leadership. You can rest assured I will not vote for any national incumbents this fall. The state of our nation that W has left us in with respect to our deficits, spending and military presence in Iraq is pure politics.
There is no victory in Iraq. Never will be. They only want to talk about "success" in Iraq. Let me tell you what success would be. Admitting we made a mistake to the tune of $300,000,000,000 and over 3,000 great Americans, holding onto the Iraqi oil fields and getting out of there faster than Bill Clinton headed down on an intern.
And to be fair without thinking I am anti-Clinton, I might mention Greenspan is right on with his assessment of the lack of fiscal discipline in our elected leadership. You can rest assured I will not vote for any national incumbents this fall. The state of our nation that W has left us in with respect to our deficits, spending and military presence in Iraq is pure politics.
There is no victory in Iraq. Never will be. They only want to talk about "success" in Iraq. Let me tell you what success would be. Admitting we made a mistake to the tune of $300,000,000,000 and over 3,000 great Americans, holding onto the Iraqi oil fields and getting out of there faster than Bill Clinton headed down on an intern.
I'm from the government and I'm here to help.......
The other day the White House released a fact sheet detailing what the federal government has done to assist New Orleans and other Gulf areas in their rebuilding efforts. The sentence that hits you between the eyes: "The federal government has provided more than $114 billion in resources--$127 billion including tax relief--to the Gulf region."
A CNBC commentator, Larry Kudlow pointed out that if all that money were sent to each person in the Gulf region everyone would have gotten a check for $425,000.
Not bad work if you can get it.
A CNBC commentator, Larry Kudlow pointed out that if all that money were sent to each person in the Gulf region everyone would have gotten a check for $425,000.
Not bad work if you can get it.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Fiscal Discipline....
Your govenment and mine have none. Zero. Zilch.
There is no accountability, very little done in the way of clean audits (just look at what the Defense Dept. done with their audits) that have made the Budget Office proud.
Greenspan says it best in his new book. Greenspan, 81, ran the Fed for 18 1/2 years and was the second-longest serving chief. He served under four presidents, starting with his initial nomination by Ronald Reagan.
The ex-Fed chief writes that he regrets the loss of fiscal discipline under Bush.
"'Deficits don't matter,' to my chagrin, became part of Republicans' rhetoric."
Greenspan long has argued that persistent budget deficits pose a danger to the economy over the long run.
At the Fed, he repeatedly urged Congress to put back in place a budget mechanism that requires any new spending increases or tax cuts to be offset by spending reductions or tax increases.
Large projected surpluses were the basis for Bush's $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax cut approved in the summer of 2001.
Budget experts projected the government would run a whopping $5.6 trillion worth of surpluses over the subsequent decade after the cuts. Those surpluses, the basis for Bush's campaign promises of a tax cut, never materialized.
"In the revised world of growing deficits, the goals were no longer entirely appropriate," Greenspan noted. Bush, he said, stuck with his campaign promises anyway. "Most troubling to me was the readiness of both Congress and the administration to abandon fiscal discipline."
There is no accountability, very little done in the way of clean audits (just look at what the Defense Dept. done with their audits) that have made the Budget Office proud.
Greenspan says it best in his new book. Greenspan, 81, ran the Fed for 18 1/2 years and was the second-longest serving chief. He served under four presidents, starting with his initial nomination by Ronald Reagan.
The ex-Fed chief writes that he regrets the loss of fiscal discipline under Bush.
"'Deficits don't matter,' to my chagrin, became part of Republicans' rhetoric."
Greenspan long has argued that persistent budget deficits pose a danger to the economy over the long run.
At the Fed, he repeatedly urged Congress to put back in place a budget mechanism that requires any new spending increases or tax cuts to be offset by spending reductions or tax increases.
Large projected surpluses were the basis for Bush's $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax cut approved in the summer of 2001.
Budget experts projected the government would run a whopping $5.6 trillion worth of surpluses over the subsequent decade after the cuts. Those surpluses, the basis for Bush's campaign promises of a tax cut, never materialized.
"In the revised world of growing deficits, the goals were no longer entirely appropriate," Greenspan noted. Bush, he said, stuck with his campaign promises anyway. "Most troubling to me was the readiness of both Congress and the administration to abandon fiscal discipline."
Saturday, September 15, 2007
More Tribal issues...........
If you go to Washington DC, where our elected politicians take in over one billion dollars a day from lobbyists and do very little to address the issues I happen to be concerned about, issues like criminal trespass/immigration from Mexican and Central American invaders, tax reform and social security reform you will find there in DC a building called the National Archives. In it is every treaty that was signed by OUR government with Native American tribes. Never forget, every single treaty that was ever signed has been violated.
As a member of the White Earth Band of Chippewa I grew up on many reservations across Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Back then, there were no game laws on those reservations and most reservations had no game/fish codes. I witnessed alot of ugliness where wildlife was involved. From guys running snow machines into elk herds up in the Big Horns on the Crow Reservation in Montana and gunning down a couple dozen elk in deep snow to the spotlighters running nightly routes along the Missouri River on the Yankton Sioux reservation. As wildlife regulations came into place on many reservations, it was the reservation game wardens themselves who became the biggest poachers. They had the time and money. One of the greatest success stories in the history of mule deer is what happened on the Jicarilla reservation with the tribe hiring Tom Watts and doing what they had to do, shutting down the hunting of mule deer by tribal/non-tribal members and geting a very aggressive mountain lion eradication effort going. I am sure Larson Panzee would agree! He's a huge tribal beneficiary of that program. I am the only guy probably on earth who spent an awesome January day on the Jicarilla after a fresh snowfall trying to photograph monster mulies and only saw does.
With tribal gaming bringing in more revenue to tribes there is probably more money around to fuel law suits. Most states don't want to entangle themselves in legal battles with tribes. The US Supreme Court has weighed in often enough about tribal sovereignty. Very few, if any tribes have hunting programs in place like the White Mountain Apache in Arizona where $12,000 bull tags are the norm.
The issues are many and varied with enough legal and ethical issues around to fuel both sides of the fight. There have been rock solid issues discussed in this thread. True, there is no way to make reparations for the wrongs from long ago. Yes, the herds need protection. Finding the common good will be the answer. I don't have it. Maybe it won't happen in our lifetimes. Until the tribes want to successfully manage their members and the resource it won't happen. Tribal court systems on many reservations are an absolute joke. Tribal judges won't get the job done in most cases. I have seen the look on an elders eyes light up when I would bring a deer to an old couple on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota . It would be the only fresh meat they would get all year. Maybe those days are past, maybe not. Maybe before we judge we need to look at the other guy and see where his moccassins have taken him. I know I need to do a better job of it. I made it off the reservation. I know life on the outside. To many, that is all there is.
Dean Parisian
Chippewa Partners
Team Muleys Pro Staff
As a member of the White Earth Band of Chippewa I grew up on many reservations across Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Back then, there were no game laws on those reservations and most reservations had no game/fish codes. I witnessed alot of ugliness where wildlife was involved. From guys running snow machines into elk herds up in the Big Horns on the Crow Reservation in Montana and gunning down a couple dozen elk in deep snow to the spotlighters running nightly routes along the Missouri River on the Yankton Sioux reservation. As wildlife regulations came into place on many reservations, it was the reservation game wardens themselves who became the biggest poachers. They had the time and money. One of the greatest success stories in the history of mule deer is what happened on the Jicarilla reservation with the tribe hiring Tom Watts and doing what they had to do, shutting down the hunting of mule deer by tribal/non-tribal members and geting a very aggressive mountain lion eradication effort going. I am sure Larson Panzee would agree! He's a huge tribal beneficiary of that program. I am the only guy probably on earth who spent an awesome January day on the Jicarilla after a fresh snowfall trying to photograph monster mulies and only saw does.
With tribal gaming bringing in more revenue to tribes there is probably more money around to fuel law suits. Most states don't want to entangle themselves in legal battles with tribes. The US Supreme Court has weighed in often enough about tribal sovereignty. Very few, if any tribes have hunting programs in place like the White Mountain Apache in Arizona where $12,000 bull tags are the norm.
The issues are many and varied with enough legal and ethical issues around to fuel both sides of the fight. There have been rock solid issues discussed in this thread. True, there is no way to make reparations for the wrongs from long ago. Yes, the herds need protection. Finding the common good will be the answer. I don't have it. Maybe it won't happen in our lifetimes. Until the tribes want to successfully manage their members and the resource it won't happen. Tribal court systems on many reservations are an absolute joke. Tribal judges won't get the job done in most cases. I have seen the look on an elders eyes light up when I would bring a deer to an old couple on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota . It would be the only fresh meat they would get all year. Maybe those days are past, maybe not. Maybe before we judge we need to look at the other guy and see where his moccassins have taken him. I know I need to do a better job of it. I made it off the reservation. I know life on the outside. To many, that is all there is.
Dean Parisian
Chippewa Partners
Team Muleys Pro Staff
Friday, September 14, 2007
Year after year, same charges just different tribes......
Marshall missing, along with his motorcycle and trailer
By Peter Kenney
Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation came to Falmouth today seeking to speak with Glenn Marshall, deposed chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council, whose whereabouts are unknown, according to a reliable source.
Specific allegations appear to center around Marshall's questionable handling of tribal money, alleged misuse of grant funds and potentially improper gratuities from investors in the tribe's future casino ventures.
Marshall's acknowledged false claims of receiving five Purple Hearts and a Silver Star during three combat tours in Vietnam are subject to prosecution under the federal Stolen Valor Act enacted last December. It is also known that at least one member of the tribe has asked the FBI to look into possible criminal misconduct by Marshall while he was tribal council chairman.
A member of the tribe who spoke on condition of anonymity said he believed Marshall was still at the Veterans Administration hospital in Brockton where he checked himself in after an car accident in Falmouth on Aug. 31.
An FBI spokesperson in Boston declined to confirm that the agency is investigating Marshall. Falmouth police also declined to comment.
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TUCSON - The embattled chairwoman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council in southern Arizona has been removed from office.
The council voted 7-3 to remove Herminia Frias on Wednesday, a month after suspending her from the post.
Frias was removed based on misconduct charges that she improperly delegated executive authority to her former chief of staff and overreached her elected authority when she fired the tribe's treasurer.
By Peter Kenney
Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation came to Falmouth today seeking to speak with Glenn Marshall, deposed chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council, whose whereabouts are unknown, according to a reliable source.
Specific allegations appear to center around Marshall's questionable handling of tribal money, alleged misuse of grant funds and potentially improper gratuities from investors in the tribe's future casino ventures.
Marshall's acknowledged false claims of receiving five Purple Hearts and a Silver Star during three combat tours in Vietnam are subject to prosecution under the federal Stolen Valor Act enacted last December. It is also known that at least one member of the tribe has asked the FBI to look into possible criminal misconduct by Marshall while he was tribal council chairman.
A member of the tribe who spoke on condition of anonymity said he believed Marshall was still at the Veterans Administration hospital in Brockton where he checked himself in after an car accident in Falmouth on Aug. 31.
An FBI spokesperson in Boston declined to confirm that the agency is investigating Marshall. Falmouth police also declined to comment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TUCSON - The embattled chairwoman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council in southern Arizona has been removed from office.
The council voted 7-3 to remove Herminia Frias on Wednesday, a month after suspending her from the post.
Frias was removed based on misconduct charges that she improperly delegated executive authority to her former chief of staff and overreached her elected authority when she fired the tribe's treasurer.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
2nd generation biofuels..........
One can hear the collective sigh amongst farm implement dealers and politicians across the Great Plains as 2nd gen biofuel generation and production come online.
Using food as fuel defies the worlds poverty problem. It was never about the fuel, it was only about the money. Former South Dakota Senator Daschle did far more bad than good. Ask any duck hunter.
Using food as fuel defies the worlds poverty problem. It was never about the fuel, it was only about the money. Former South Dakota Senator Daschle did far more bad than good. Ask any duck hunter.
Firearms refresher course......
1. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
3. Colt: The original point and click interface.
4. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.
5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
7. Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.
8. If you don't know your rights, you don't have any.
9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
10. The United States Constitution (c)1791. All Rights Reserved.
11. What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?
12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
13. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
14. Guns only have two enemies; rust and politicians.
15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
16. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
17. 911: Government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.
18. Assault is a behavior, not a device.
19. Criminals love gun control; it makes their jobs safer..
20. If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
21. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
22. You have only the rights you are willing to fight for.
23. Enforce the gun control laws we ALREADY have; don't make more.
24. When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.
25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.
2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
3. Colt: The original point and click interface.
4. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.
5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
7. Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.
8. If you don't know your rights, you don't have any.
9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
10. The United States Constitution (c)1791. All Rights Reserved.
11. What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?
12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
13. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
14. Guns only have two enemies; rust and politicians.
15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
16. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
17. 911: Government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.
18. Assault is a behavior, not a device.
19. Criminals love gun control; it makes their jobs safer..
20. If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
21. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
22. You have only the rights you are willing to fight for.
23. Enforce the gun control laws we ALREADY have; don't make more.
24. When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.
25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.
One of the worlds most dangerous men........
MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- President Vladimir Putin dissolved the Russian government Wednesday in a major political shakeup ahead of parliamentary elections in less than three months and a presidential vote next year, news agencies reported.
The dissolution is expected to result in a new prime minister, who will be seen as Putin's choice to succeed him after he steps down next spring.
The dissolution is expected to result in a new prime minister, who will be seen as Putin's choice to succeed him after he steps down next spring.
Joseph Jett @ Kidder Peabody...........
Mr. Jett was kidding nobody........he was bogus from the get-go. This long drawn out ordeal started in 1994 when Jett was canned from Kidder when the millions of trading losses he had concealed when trading government bonds came to light.
For a guy who is to be barred from the brokerage industry it is ironic the following hype about him appears on his web site.
"The business of this nation is business, and business is best understood as a proxy for war. In the capital markets, we see the raw beauty and danger of our capitalist system. To succeed here, one must be adept at the art of war. For the capital markets are sublime; they beg no quarter and they give none. The markets care not about a person's race, color, sex or creed. Here all are equal until discipline, intelligence, and experience discriminate winner from loser.
Few in fund management have the experience of our team, trading a $37 billion portfolio and heading a 43 man trading desk. Our unmatched experience allows us to follow a highly technical trading strategy in which short positions are as common as long positions in our portfolio. The investment strategy utilizes fundamental analysis, technical analysis, and risk management in seeking superior returns."
Jett only has to return $8.2 million, pay a $200,000 fine and be barred from the brokerage industry. Still kidding nobody.
For a guy who is to be barred from the brokerage industry it is ironic the following hype about him appears on his web site.
"The business of this nation is business, and business is best understood as a proxy for war. In the capital markets, we see the raw beauty and danger of our capitalist system. To succeed here, one must be adept at the art of war. For the capital markets are sublime; they beg no quarter and they give none. The markets care not about a person's race, color, sex or creed. Here all are equal until discipline, intelligence, and experience discriminate winner from loser.
Few in fund management have the experience of our team, trading a $37 billion portfolio and heading a 43 man trading desk. Our unmatched experience allows us to follow a highly technical trading strategy in which short positions are as common as long positions in our portfolio. The investment strategy utilizes fundamental analysis, technical analysis, and risk management in seeking superior returns."
Jett only has to return $8.2 million, pay a $200,000 fine and be barred from the brokerage industry. Still kidding nobody.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
9/11 .........
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
Edmund Burke, statesman
I know that you know where you were exactly 6 years ago this morning.
I know that you know exactly what you were doing when you first heard about the attacks.
May you, I and the rest of America, never, ever forget.
Edmund Burke, statesman
I know that you know where you were exactly 6 years ago this morning.
I know that you know exactly what you were doing when you first heard about the attacks.
May you, I and the rest of America, never, ever forget.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Congratulations Tiger Woods..........
Todays win at age 31 put him over the $75,000,000 mark in career golf winnings and the victory put him at 60 PGA victories.
That's before a single dollar of appearance or advertising money.
I bet the Tiger Woods Foundation, someday, will exceed $1,000,000,000.
I bet that is a bet even Tiger would take.
That's before a single dollar of appearance or advertising money.
I bet the Tiger Woods Foundation, someday, will exceed $1,000,000,000.
I bet that is a bet even Tiger would take.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Whiteclay..........Nebraska..........
Whiteclay was home to some great guys........The Theis twins, Jim and John, Calvin Coombs and Gary Braehmer to name a few. Whiteclay, Nebraska today is probably one of the nastier towns in America. It is where the Oglala Lakota Nation feeds its addiction for alcohol as the reservation is "dry". It is where I bought beer at age 15 for the prom at Oglala Community High School in Pine Ridge, SD where I went to school in the spring of 1969. I can't even imagine my own 15 year old today walking into a bar in Whiteclay and buying beer.
There are alot of issues represented in that border town. A lot of pain. A lot of wasted Oglala dreams. A lot of human capital destroyed in the bottle.
The once-proud Sioux may never find the answer.
I still dream it will be in my lifetime.
There are alot of issues represented in that border town. A lot of pain. A lot of wasted Oglala dreams. A lot of human capital destroyed in the bottle.
The once-proud Sioux may never find the answer.
I still dream it will be in my lifetime.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
What a hoot..........
The meeting today between the nations CEO's of some big home builders and the Fed Chairman had to be a real hoot.........imagine these wealthy CEO's who enriched themselves on very loose and predatory lending practices going before the Fed Chair pleading their case. The hundreds of millions in stock options in rising markets salted away by this crowd with earnings being pumped up with home buyers who didn't even come close to having the financial means to be in a new house is a real statement of capitalism.
Where was the SEC? Where was any regulation in the mortgage market?
And Mr. Bush wants American taxpayers to keep these guys in business?
The concept of personal responsibility seems to have vanished like the passenger pigeon.
Where was the SEC? Where was any regulation in the mortgage market?
And Mr. Bush wants American taxpayers to keep these guys in business?
The concept of personal responsibility seems to have vanished like the passenger pigeon.
CNBC tonight...........
CNBC does a job on the Great American Give-Away tonight.......how billions are given away to farmers or purported farmers.
9 pm Eastern..............don't miss it.
My government giving away my tax dollars.
And yours.
9 pm Eastern..............don't miss it.
My government giving away my tax dollars.
And yours.
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