Sal Lauro Selected as United States Park Police Chief

Washington, DC – National Park Service (NPS) Director Mary A. Bomar announced on December 24, 2008 that Salvatore (Sal) R. Lauro has been selected as Chief for the United States Park Police (USPP). Lauro, who is currently serving as the Acting Assistant Chief of USPP, will assume his duties as Chief in January 2009.

"Sal has done an outstanding job since returning to the US Park Police as Acting Assistant Chief nine months ago," said National Park Service Director Mary A. Bomar. His years of professional experience, knowledge of the organization and strong communications skills make him the right person to lead the US Park Police. "Selecting him for the position ensures not only stability in the short term, but also positions the Park Police for continued improvements in the future."

As Chief of the US Park Police, Lauro will manage a force of more than 600 officers with responsibilities for providing law enforcement services to areas within the NPS - primarily in Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco. The USPP is a unit of the NPS within the Department of the Interior, with jurisdiction in all NPS areas and certain other Federal and State lands. They are frequently called upon to provide protection for dignitaries, such as the President of the United States and visiting foreign heads of state. USPP also assists other areas of the NPS and other
law enforcement agencies during law enforcement emergencies.

Lauro began his career with the US Park Police as a police officer in Washington, D.C. in 1978. In 1985, he moved to the New York Field Office of the USPP as a police officer, rising to the rank of Lieutenant by 1992. Sal served as the Regional Law Enforcement Specialist for the NPS for the Southwest Region from 1993 to 1997 where he advised the Regional Director and staff on all aspects of law enforcement and visitor protection issues in the Southwest Region. In 1997 he returned to Washington, D.C. as the Commander of the Central District where he supervised almost 100 supervisors and officers in a district that protected such important national icons as the Washington Monument, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, and the National Mall. He then transferred to the USPP Special Forces Branch where he was responsible for the planning and operational oversight of such large scale events as the Millennium Celebration, two Presidential Inaugurals, the dedication of the World War II Memorial and hundreds of other special events and demonstrations. In November, 2004 he left the USPP and began working at the Department of the Interior in the Office of the Secretary's Office of Law Enforcement and Security, first as a Supervisory Special Agent and then as an Assistant Director. In March, 2008 he was detailed back to the USPP as Acting Assistant Chief and has served in that position since that time.

Sal is a highly trained law enforcement specialist and has been educated in law enforcement skills and techniques by some of the best in the business, including the FBI National Academy, NY Police Department, the Department of Justice, the US Secret Service, US State Department, US Army, and at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, where he is a distinguished graduate.

He is a native of Brooklyn, New York and a graduate of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, graduating in 1974 with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering.

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Some of this, Some of that for New Years Eve

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!!

Are you feeling lucky today? Check out the following video to see some real lucky folks:









"NOT WITHOUT OBAMA", this is said to be the HOT NEW romance novel of 2009.

"Not Without Obama" is the true confessions of media whores from the mainstream media.
You will be held in a grip of steamy suspense as you read the words of one 'Washington Post' reporter who said: "The sun glinted off chiseled pectorals, sculpted during four weightlifting sessions each week, and a body toned by regular treadmill runs and basketball games," as the reporter slobbered all over himself while gushing over a photograph of Barack Obama on the beach in Hawaii.

Of course, who can forget those immortal words uttered by CBS's own Chris Mathews as he nearly swooned like a school girl with the 'vapors' while saying; "Barack Obama sends a tingle running down my leg."

What new effects will this Devil in Swim Trunks have on members of the news media over the next four years? Will they be able to cover him fairly while looking at him with star crossed eyes? What kind of 'white-washed' reports will we receive about Obama's administration, from newsrooms filled with heavy breathing and steamed up camera lenses?

This is a powerful love story between the media and the messiah. Perhaps it is so powerful that we should get the members of the media a room for the next four years while the rest of us go about the business of surviving.

"NOT WITHOUT OBAMA" will be on sale soon at your local book store and news stand.

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Price Performance for US Mint Sold Out 2008 Products

It's been a wild year for US Mint customers. Volatile precious metals prices combined with the strong worldwide demand for bullion related products has resulted in long suspension periods, numerous product re-pricings, and unexpected sell outs.

To date, more than thirty 2008 dated products have sold out. This is a huge number of sell outs to occur prior to year end. In the past few years, prior year dated products have been available for many months into the following year. Some of this year's sold out products even include the US Mint's "core" products such as the 2008 Proof Set. Another very early and unexpected sell out was the 2008 Proof Silver Eagle. This coin is a favorite for holiday gift giving, but it sold out in August, never to return.

Prices for the vast majority of sold out products have already moved higher on the secondary market, in many cases significantly. I recently compiled some data to find the approximate secondary market price levels for sold out 2008 US Mint products. The data is presented in a table below.

The first column lists the product description. The second lists the US Mint's last price before the sell out. The third column lists the price range for completed eBay auctions from the last ten days. And the fourth column shows the percentage price change between the US Mint price and the lower number from the current price range. The price ranges only include uncertified coins. The numbers also do not take into account shipping charges, or differentiate fixed price and auction listings. Although it's not perfect, I think the data provides a good indication of general price levels.

2008-W Uncirculated Gold Buffalo
Product	Mint Price	Recent Price	Change
1 oz.	999.95	1500 - 1550	50%
1/2 oz.	524.95	650 - 720	24%
1/4 oz.	297.45	500 - 530	68%
1/10 oz.	129.95	275 - 300	112%
4 coin set	1902.45	2975 - 3250	56%
View current eBay auctions
2008-W Proof Gold Buffalo
Product	Mint Price	Recent Price	Change
1 oz.	1049.95	1625 - 1900	55%
1/2 oz.	549.95	700 - 770	27%
1/4 oz.	312.45	484 - 579	55%
1/10 oz.	164.95	307 - 395	86%
4 coin set	2005.45	3295 - 3500	64%
View current eBay auctions
2008-W Uncirculated Platinum Eagles
Product	Mint Price	Recent Price	Change
1 oz.	1069.95	1350 - 1650	26%
1/2 oz.	569.95	650 - 700	14%
1/4 oz.	319.95	380 - 420	19%
1/10 oz.	134.95	176 - 180	30%
4 coin set	2089.95	2800 - 3000	34%
View current eBay auctions
2008-W Proof Platinum Eagles
Product	Mint Price	Recent Price	Change
1 oz.	1119.95	1700 - 1775	52%
1/2 oz.	599.95	829 - 849	38%
1/4 oz.	359.95	550 - 630	53%
1/10 oz.	199.95	290 - 350	45%
4 coin set	2179.95	3100 - 3100	42%
View current eBay auctions
Other 2008 US Mint Products
Product	Mint Price	Recent Price	Change
Legacy Collection	100.00	150 - 170	50%
Pr Silver Eagle	31.95	80 - 100	150%
Proof Set	26.95	45 - 55	67%
State Quarter Pr Set	13.95	30 - 45	115%

Some observations and thoughts after compiling this data.

- The biggest winner so far is the 2008 Proof Silver Eagle. The US Mint's issue price was $31.95. Coins are currently selling for $80 to $100 each, representing an increase of at least 150%. These coins sold out the earliest, and the most unexpectedly. I think the latter is responsible for a big portion of the price appreciation. On a historical basis, the estimated mintage of 713,236 is far above the low mintage issues of the 1990's, most of which sell for lower prices.

- Another big winner includes the 2008 Proof Set. Once again the sell out was unexpected, which contributed to the fast price appreciation. The sell out is also not easily explained since this set does not contain any precious metals content, a factor that likely had a hand in most of the other sell outs. The estimated mintage of 1.4 million is extremely low on a historical basis. A regular proof set has not had a mintage this low since the 1950's.

- The Gold Buffalo coins and Platinum Eagles have both performed well. The fractional Gold Buffaloes now represent a one year only issue, which seems to be causing some excitement. All of the Platinum Eagles have relatively low mintages, with the proof versions seemingly having hte lowest mintage for any proof Platinum Eagles. Seeing the price performance and low mintages of these coins makes think sell outs for the remaining 2008-W Uncirculated and Proof Gold Eagles is not far behind.

- The sold out coins which seem particularly difficult to find are the 2008 Proof Platinum Eagles. In particular, the one ounce coin and 4 Coin Set only had a handful of completed auctions in the last ten days. The majority of the current auctions are fixed price listings with prices much higher than the ranges above.

Discuss this post on Coin Network!

I may not fit in another post before the end of the year- so if this is the last one Happy New Year to everyone and thank you for reading Mint News Blog throughout 2008!

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I am not Mr. Pothead

Intro

It's funny how people act or react when they find out someone else is involved with marijuana. People who were once glorified in their respective professions, awarded for their accomplishments, turn into thugs and criminals over night.

• A doctor who prescribes marijuana to patients becomes a drug dealer.
• A police officer joins LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) and becomes a traitor.
• A teen is caught smoking a joint and becomes a junkie.
• A longtime friend admits marijuana use and becomes an outcast.
  

A society that once saw a hero, now sees a villain. Something is wrong this picture.

President Anthony is not Mr. Pothead

I'll use myself as an example. I have been smoking marijuana for about 6 years now. While many people know, many don't know. But, when they do find out, a lot changes. I am no longer a simple person anymore. I am whatever I was before plus the term "pothead", almost like a last name. Before, I was cute, educated, smart, and many other things. Today, to those so-called friends, I am a cute pothead, educated pothead, and a smart pothead.

It's not so much the "pothead" that bothers me. Yes, I am a pothead.. well.. a marijuana connoisseur better describes me. But, it's that arrogant derogatory usage that gets to me when non-marijuana users use it. It's like being called "black" by a completely up-turned nose white person. Most darker skin folks understand what I mean as they've most likely experienced the usage toward them. You can almost sense the arrogance in the tone and that they think less of you.

The truth...

...is that there's nothing that person can do or say to make things better because it's not the terms they use but the way in which they used those terms that does the damage. And the damage multiplier is when it comes from a longtime friend/family or client or patient or coworker. This person knows you. They never could discern the difference when you were high or sober - driving, talking, walking, gaming, etc. I always find it HILARIOUS when those cancer smoking and alcohol drinking friends accuse me of being high when I hadn't smoked anything in more than a week. But, now they KNOW more about you, you've become Mr. or Ms. Pothead.

So, the question then becomes, what changed?

Yes, I am okay.

I didn't change. I am still me. Just yesterday, we were doing this and doing that. You didn't know I was high. For years, you never knew I was high. You never even thought anything was strange with me. All of a sudden, you're cutting your eye at me. You're treating me different. You're asking if I am okay. I have been just as okay as you've known me for the past six years when you never knew I smoked marijuana. Why should my current state of well being be questioned now? Why should it be questioned when I wasn't even smoking anything?

In fact, I am NOT okay. I am actually very sober and I NEED to get high just so that I can tolerate your NEW bullshit.

Silver Lining

Eventually, people grow up. Look at the United States. In 1970, the Controlled Substances Act included marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic. Thirty years later, marijuana has been decriminalized in many states and 14 states have medical marijuana laws. The more friends get to see you high, the more they realize that marijuana is not some evil addictive narcotic. I won't glorify marijuana. But, there's a reason more and more people are smoking marijuana today. There's a reason for the state-by-state change in marijuana policy. There's a reason why quite a few of my friends seem to be coming out of the closet.

It's because many of us potheads have put up with the bullshit long enough that others can stop acting like complete idiots, adjust their arrogance, alleviate their ignorance, and even move toward actually smoking with you instead of looking down on you.

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IS THE FALL OF THE U.S. A. TO BE IN 2010?

IS THE FALL OF THE U.S.A TO BE IN 2010?

I caught the following report on the Fox News Channel. Could there be something to it? Read it for yourself and make up your own minds.

According to a Russian academic professor, predicts that the United States will fall apart in the year
2010, which is just a little over a year from now.

Professor Igor Panarin claims that he does not dislike Americans, but he warns that the outlook for us as a nation is dire.

Panarin stated: "There is a 45-55 percent chance right now that the disintegration WILL occur. One could rejoice in that process, but if we are talking reasonably, it is not the best scenario for Russia."

Panarin believes that continued mass immigration (both legal and illegal) , our economic decline, and the continued moral degradation in America will trigger a civil war by next fall along with the total collapse of the dollar. Panarin went on to say that around the end of June 2010, or early in July, the U.S. will break into six parts, with Alaska once again returning to Russian control.

"Americans hope that President-elect Obama can work miracles, but when spring comes, it will be clear that will be no miracles," Panarin stated.

Below is the map that Professor Igor Panarin believes America will look like following our break-up.




Right now there is every indication that such a scenario could actually take place unless the American people wake up and pull their heads out of their collective butts.

We already know that with the appointments Obama made to his cabinet, he has very liberal people in place who support open borders, 'sanctuary cities', automatic citizenship for ALL illegal immigrants, they will put a stop to all ICE raids on places that employ illegal immigrants, and they will stop any further erection of a border fence, and they also in favor of allowing even more legal immigration and to allow them to take American jobs.

We also know that Obama will complete running our economy into the ground by almost immediately raising taxes on the "rich" which will have a devastating effect on the middle and lower income people, since those higher taxes WILL be passed down the line to us. Also, the huge government involvement in National Health Care and all of the other give aways that the government will be involved in will have a very detrimental effect on our economy.

As far as the morals of this nation go, Obama IS, despite what he says to the contrary, in favor of ALL gay rights which includes "SAME-SEX" marriages, he has already stated that he plans to get rid of the Protection of Marriage Act, and he will get rid of ALL States restrictions on abortion, which includes parental notification for girls under legal age.

So, can you see any reason, under the present situation, why Professor Panarin's prediction cannot come to pass?

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Blackberry Blogging Again: Legalize It Already!

Sometimes, when you're constantly dealing with other people's bullshit, you just want it to end. It sounds weird because one usually just avoids the problem. But, it's difficult to ignore when it's one of those situations where you have to put up with the problem everyday - kinda like an annoying coworker. Sure, you wish that coworker would get fired but that person never does quite enough to get to that point. You have your little victories where you steal the person's stapler or hide their mug just to frustrate 'em. But, the annoying coworker is still there. So, you go into work grudgingly preparing to deal with the day and the potentially that individual.

I think that's how I feel about marijuana prohibition in the United States of America. It's bullshit and I wish the situation would change. That annoying coworker, of course is this arrogant and ignorant effort to eradicate marijuana. Sure, I get away with the marijuana thing, which includes a number of activities. But, I wake up knowing that marijuana is still illegal and we've got to start the old song and dance again.

But, there's always a silver lining in the clouds, I suppose. Many states have already legalized the medical use of marijuana. Most recently Michigan developed a medical marijuana program and Boston has decriminalized in a big way. Next on the list includes New Jersey and Texas. While I don't have as much faith in Texas, I think NJ is well on the way. Gov. Corzine has already indicated he'd sign off on a smart plan. Once NJ falls, NY is next. It's a given. Honestly, I can get to NJ faster, driving, than I could get to Manhattan on the train. Personally, I can't wait.

Of course, there's that annoying coworker - police. So far, in Boston, the police are complaining about the law. As usual, though, they're trying to do something about it AFTER the fact. Let's be honest, are they ever there during the crime? I'll leave that question open. I remember a few stories in Denver where police had to return this guy's marijuana. Oh, the good times!

In California, the police have completely bitched up and are begging for the DEA to help them. However, the silver lining comes in the form of a US Supreme Court refusal to look at a case in which California police acted like a bunch of little bitches trying to play DEA. Courts basically let them know, they work for the people of California, not the federal government. The US Supreme Court upheld that decision by refusing to look at the case.

Then again, even the crappy police have their silver lining in the form of LEAP or Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Their message seems to be less about the truth of marijuana and more about police doing less work which is fine with me in this respect. Police are wholly ineffective anyway. For them, it's a health care issue and not a problem they should deal with. Go figure.

But, I wake up knowing that it's just another day in Uncle Sam's America where stupidity, arrogance, ignorance, and greed rule the day. There are still many states that prefer harsh penalties over common sense policy. There are still disparities over who actually gets arrested and punished. Just another day.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

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THE WORDS I COULDN'T SAY

This posting is about the most precious Christmas gift which I received yesterday. It was in the form a poem written for me and given to me by a most wonderful young man, now 19 years old, whom I met when he was eight years old.

First, I would like to give you a bit of background as to how I met this young man and five others.

In 1997, after my youngest son had left home for college, I decided to move from the large house in which I had been living and take up residence in a smaller apartment at an apartment complex, where I am living now.

At the time I moved here, my little mini Rat Terrier, "Baby",
was still alive. One Saturday morning, when I was out walking "Baby" I was stopped by three young boys between the ages of 8 and 10 years old. They asked if they could pet "Baby". Naturally I said yes, because 'Baby' was a very friendly, people oriented dog who absolutely enjoyed the attention.

As they took turns petting 'Baby', they talked with each other in Ukrainian. I came to discover that they had only been in this country less than a year. They were among some 15 Ukrainian immigrant families living at the complex.

To try and make a long story shorter, these boys decided to take it upon themselves to come to my apartment and help me with my garden and other tasks around the apartment. When school was in session, they would come over every day after school and sit around my dinning table and do their home homework, often asking for my help. It turned out that they continued this all through elementary and high school right up to their graduation. I would help them learn English and help them with various school projects and in return they would take care of my garden and clean the apartment for me, and then they would gather around in front of my TV and watch Kung-fu movies and other action flicks. In all, there was a total of six of these boys that would come over every single day. Since they were extremely polite and well mannered, I didn't mind their visits at all, on the contrary, I kind of looked forward to them.

They began discussing with me, various concerns and worries they had and asking me my advice, and I would answer them as best I could. I also told them that if they were ever in trouble or needed my help for anything, they could always count on me and I would always be there for them.

Now for the Christmas gift I received yesterday from one of those boys. I attempted to scan it and post it here, but it becomes unreadable, so I have had to retype it word for word as he had written it:

THE WORDS I COULDN'T SAY:

by: Andrey K.

You gave us a new way of looking at life, and you made our mind's eye wonder.
You showed us a world and a life through a looking glass that our culture did not accept, and you challenged our perspective.
You humored our innocence and fed our big imaginations with Kung-fu and action movies. Once you even gave me three dollars so that I could go with the older boys to Burger King to buy a burger.
You always welcomed our daily visits and you always left us with a question because you knew that we would return for the answer, and you always went the extra mile for those around you.

Every Christmas, you would buy and wrap Christmas gifts for us and place them under your tree next to the gifts you bought for your sons and grandchildren, and then you would have us find them.
About two months ago you asked me why I still come to visit an old man. My answer is simple, it is our relationship that matters and our friendship which I value, but there were other words that I found hard to say and so I carried them in my heart.

Then, today I began to think about the time when you will nolonger be with us, and the words I could not say. I realized that when that day comes I will lose.

I will lose those moments when you taught me about justice and always trying to be fair.
I will lose those times when you lectured me about life and relying on the Lord.
I will lose....
No, not only me, but all of us boys from the Ukraine, whom you treated like your own.
We are going to miss your words and how you reassured us each time that you cared for us and that you loved each of us, and always will, no matter what. You proved to us that you meant it, when you were there for my brother when he got into some trouble last year. You stuck by him and you still do.

What you saw in each of us, I do not know, but what you taught us and gave to us, we kept close. You made thinkers out of us and pushed our minds to reach new heights. you showed us how to care for those near and far. And now, as I sit here and think of all these things, I realize that I want people to know how you inspired a thought in me, one I will never let go:

"It was HOPE that I was born of, and it is GRACE that I am loved by." It was your open heart that you gave, loving each of us unconditionally, placing your trust in us and feeling pride at our accomplisments.

Now is the time for those words that I couldn't say:

YOU HAVE BEEN LIKE A FATHER TO ME, AND I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR CARING AND FOR LOVING ME.

To Ron - "Abouna Gregori"
A Friend, A Father, A Teacher and A Mentor.
Thinking of you always


The young man who wrote this, framed it and wrapped in Christmas paper and came by yesterday afternoon to give it to me. He told me that he had written it two weeks ago in his college writing class and when he read it aloud to the class, several of his classmates were in tears.

I will cherish this for many years to come.

All six of these boys still come to visit me at least twice a month, even though one of them attends college in North Carolina, he still makes it a point to visit twice a month.

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It's Not Drug Dealing When The CIA Does It

Incredible Washington Post article I just read. Check it out: Little Blue Pills Among the Ways CIA Wins Friends in Afghanistan. What's going on here? The CIA seems to be dealing Viagra to the elderly Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. Let's check out some excerpts from this article:

His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.

Four blue pills. Viagra.

"Take one of these. You'll love it," the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.

The enticement worked. The officer, who described the encounter, returned four days later to an enthusiastic reception.

Wow! That sounds like some hardcore drug pushing to me.

"Hey kid! You feeling a little sad? Try one of these pills. It'll make you feel all better."

And sure enough it did. Jack knew what he was doing when he gave little Tommy that methamphetamine. Tommy told his friends and then they were hooked, stealing from their parents to support their drug habit.

Now replace Jack with the CIA and Tommy and his friends with the Taliban. Sounds like drug pushing to me. Here's some more from the article.

For U.S. intelligence officials, this is how some crucial battles in Afghanistan are fought and won. While the CIA has a long history of buying information with cash, the growing Taliban insurgency has prompted the use of novel incentives and creative bargaining to gain support in some of the country's roughest neighborhoods, according to officials directly involved in such operations.

Oooh. Is that what it's called now? It's not drug pushing anymore folks. It's "novel incentives and creative bargaining". Well I wonder if Jack could use that in the court of law.

"Your honor, I wasn't pushing drugs. I was using novel incentives and creative bargaining."

OK OK OK. Enough. Let's be real.

The truth of the matter is that the CIA is over there pushing Viagra, and who knows what else, to a bunch of old men who are probably married to 10yo girls. And, the Taliban is no damn better. They're busy chopping off hands and torturing people to get them to stop growing heroin, yet they're excited over some pills. These people are very conservative... wait.. abusing drugs, easily bribed, and overly conservative while at the same time condemning others for lesser activities.. THAT'S A DAMN REPUBLICAN.

All this nation wants is legal marijuana. Maybe I should control some supply/trade routes in New York City and marry a 10yo girl. Maybe the US Government will approach me with drugs too.

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What Christmas is all about

THE FOLLOWING IS NOT WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT!!

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Blogging From My BlackBerry/Music Industry Stuff

Ever since I got this BB Bold, which I've dubbed the BB Anthony since it's all customized now, I've been testing the hell out of it. Besides the BB being a very fickle and picky, call it 'ficky', the battery life isn't that great when you're using it constantly. The last time I was out it did well but yesterday I was out for a few hours and the battery was basically dead. The difference was my usage. Before I wasn't really texting and emailing. I was just running the mp3 player. However yesterday I fielded calls and was heavy on emails, texting, and the messenger.

Also, I ordered an 8GB memory card for 37 ($29.99 + 6.99 s+h) from tigerdirect.com. That's my favorite site for computer stuff. When I was building computers, I'd get everything from there - aluminum case, motherboards, processors, memory, and so on. I thought I'd share that since many of us are broke and that's the lowest price I could find. I still plan to get the Sansa View 32GB mp3 player. I'll probably use the 8GB card in that player. Yup, 40GB. Plenty of room for my mp3s and even a lil video *wink wink*

Speaking of mp3s, I read in the news that the RIAA is not going to continue pursuing individuals for downloading music. Instead, they'll ID people by their IP address and send a note to the ISP who may have the option to just disconnect you. I remember my friend saying, people will just get another service and do it again. Unfortunately, there aren't that many highspeed or broadband carriers in a specific area. For example, in NYC there's Verizon and AceDSL. Verizon owns all of the specific wiring in NYC. So, AceDSL basically leases service from them. In other words, you may see options but don't assume there are that many.

Aside from that, I've basically ID'd two problems. First of all, many people who share music, like myself at one point, don't do it online. You gotta go to friends. My friend and I shared GBs of music doubling both of our collections in minutes. We did this in person, external hard drive to laptop. That's really where folks get their music. And, no one can stop it nor track it.

The second problem is an issue of personal security. No, I don't mean people stealing your music, which I'm sure we've experienced from thieving friends and family. I am specifically referring to people jacking you WIFI connection. I could come into your neighborhood and if I see an open connection, connect to it and download as I please. I especially look for Linksys users because I know the password for the device is always "admin" and never has a username. Once in Boston, I found such a connection. I was there for a week. I used this person's connection as I pleased and then put a password on it and changed security settings. I think I named the connection "nosecurity" or something. And, I did this to teach a lesson. It could be worse. I could have been downloading music and movies making that person a target for RIAA not unlike my other friend.

Learn to use your WIFI security settings. My own WIFI is a Linksys as well and my security is tight, down to the WEP security and MAC address filtering which is set to PERMIT only certain MAC addresses. You'd have to be way more 1337 than little ol' me to get through that. LOL

And this concludes my first blog post from my BB Anthony.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

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National Park Quarters Bill Signed into Law

On Tuesday, December 23, 2008, the President signed H.R. 6184 into law. This establishes a program for a new series of quarters with rotating reverse designs featuring National Parks or National Sites in each of the 50 States, Washington DC, and each US Territory.

I wrote a previous post examining some of the pros and cons of the proposed National Parks Quarters.

Opponents of the series say that the concept of rotating reverse designs has been overused. When the concept was first introduced in 1999, the concept was new and innovate. Now it has become stale. For 2009, there will actually be more circulating coins with rotating designs than coins with static designs. Rotating designs for 2009 will include the Lincoln Cent, DC & US Territories Quarter, Presidential Dollars, and Native American Dollars.

Using several designs per denomination per year has also created an enormous number of coins. Next year, circulating coins will include four cents, one nickel, one dime, six quarters, one half dollar, and five dollar coins. This makes a total of 18 different coins. If you count the various versions of each coin, the number swells to 98 coins. This includes business strikes from Philadelphia and Denver, satin finish mint set coins from Philadelphia and Denver, proof coins, and silver proof coins.

Supporters of the new series cite the fact that the 50 State Quarters Program created millions of new coin collectors, inspired people to examine their pocket change and learn about the States. There is some validity to these arguments. The "new State Quarters" may keep some people collecting who would have otherwise stopped after the completion of the 50 States. The designs featuring National Parks and Sites will also bring greater awareness to some of America's most beautiful areas.

I've also stated that some of the designs for National Park Quarters might be superior to the prior State Quarters. Some of the State Quarter designs became cluttered by trying to incorporate a cacophony of different symbols. The National Park Quarters would more likely take focus on a single area of natural beauty or historically significant site.

Whatever your opinion on the National Park Quarters, the series has now become a reality. Look for them in 2010.

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2009 First Spouse Gold Coin Designs

Today the US Mint unveiled the designs for 2009 First Spouse Gold Coins. This will be the third year of release for the 24 karat one-half ounce gold coin series honoring the spouses of the Presidents. This year will feature five coins since President John Tyler had a first and second wife.

During 2009, First Spouse Gold Coins will be issued to honor Anna Harrison, Letitia Tyler, Julia Tyler, Sarah Polk, and Margaret Taylor. Below you should see a slide show presenting the obverse and reverse designs for each of the five coins.


Find more photos like this on Coin Network - Coin Collecting Social Network

Anna Harrison First Spouse Gold Coin - The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Anna Harrison, spouse of President William Henry Harrison. The obverse was designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Joseph Menna. The reverse portrays Mrs. Harrison teaching students. It was designed by Thomas Cleveland and sculpted by Charles Vickers.

Letitia Tyler First Spouse Gold Coin - The obverse features a portrait of Letitia Tyler, the first wife of President John Tyler. She had served as the Second Lady while her husband was William Henry Harrison's Vice President. She subsequently served as the First Lady after John Tyler obtained the office of President via succession until her death in 1842. The obverse was designed and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. The reverse portrays Mrs. Tyler with her two oldest children at Cedar Grove Plantation. The reverse was designed by Susan Gamble and sculpted by Norman E. Nemeth.

Julia Tyler First Spouse Gold Coin - The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Julia Tyler, second with of President John Tyler. She served as the First Lady following their marriage on June 26, 1844. The reverse features Mrs. Tyler and President Tyler dancing at a White House Ball. The obverse and reverse were designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Don Everhart.

Sarah Polk First Spouse Gold Coin - The obverse features a portrait of Sarah Polk, spouse of President John K. Polk. The reverse portrays Mrs. Polk working to further her husband's career. The obverse and reverse of the coin were designed and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

Margaret Taylor First Spouse Gold Coin - The obverse features a portrait of Margaret Taylor, spouse of President Zachary Taylor. The obverse was designed by Phebe Hemphill and sculpted by Charles Vickers. The reverse portrays Mrs. Taylor comforting a wounded soldier. It was designed by Mary Beth Zeitz and sculpted by Jim Licaretz.

The US Mint has not yet published the details of the specific release dates, pricing, and ordering information for the coins. The Anna Harrison First Spouse Coin should be released some time in the Spring.

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Join Coin Network and Don't Miss a Thing

Have you joined Coin Network yet?

The new social networking site for coin collectors launched earlier this month and has already reached 350 members with more signing up daily.

The site has been growing on all fronts. Over 500 coin photos have been uploaded, including some incredible albums of early and modern US Commemorative coins. The video section is also growing. A new Coin Network member recently shared some of his own independently produced coin videos.

The forums have already become an excellent source of information and commentary on a wide array of numismatic topics. They are also becoming a source of breaking and inside information about the US Mint. There are already a few examples of news reaching Coin Network before it reached Mint News Blog.

After I posted a preview of the upcoming Ultra High Relief Double Eagle, a Coin Network member shared some "inside" information he had about the potential price for the coins. Today, I noticed that the 2008-P Sacagawea Dollar rolls were back on sale at the US Mint. The information was instantly posted on Coin Network for any members who wanted to take advantage. These rolls have been unavailable for a week and presumably sold out. They have already sold on eBay for over $50.

And finally, the best reason to join Coin Network is that you will have an opportunity to network and interact with an enthusiastic and knowledgeable group of coin collectors. If you haven't already, please check out Coin Network and consider joining!


Thanks for staying tuned! Tomorrow I'll be back to regular posting with an examination of recently sold out US Mint products.

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Cali Kush and the BlackBerry Bold

First thing's first, I am sorry for being late with this post. I was BAKED all of Sunday and into wee morning hours. Wooooooooooo. Baked off of some...

Cali Kush

It's been quite a while since I've had some marijuana that put me on my ass. While I've had Cali Kush before, I don't quite remember it being this damn good. It was me and two other friends. The plan was to order a large pie from Ray's Pizza, real pizzeria, watch tv and smoke up while we wait on the pizza. My bright idea is to roll a good size blunt so we could get truly baked. I ended up rolling this SLUG of a blunt. See here:

Needless to say, we were awesomely baked.

Also, I finally upgraded my phone to the...

BlackBerry Bold

Normally I am a Sony Ericsson man. In fact, I'd go so far as to drop the Sony but it is what it is. Although my first phone was a Nokia (free), every phone since then has been a Ericsson, or Sony Ericsson, phone. I loved their phones because they were strong, sturdy, and did what they said they do. But, it was time to upgrade to something more functional for me. I wanted that PDA feeling back that I had with my Toshiba E800 and I knew the PDA/Phone hybrid market was finally getting it done the right way - near seamless convergence between the PDA and the Phone.

I was awaiting the SE Xperia X1 or SEX1 phone. However, no carrier picked it up. The unlocked price of that phone is $800 which I can't do. Besides I am worried about the phones abilities when not made to function on a specific network. The nearest option with the exact same features was the HTC Fuze. But, I know the Fuze was a knockoff of the SEX1. I couldn't bring myself to buying a cheap knockoff.

So, my only option was the BlackBerry Bold. On day 1, it was just fine. I synchronized all my info and personalized it as much as I could, officially dubbing it the BlackBerry Anthony because it was mine. Days 2 and 3 are a different story. It stopped syncing with the computer, had errors, etc etc etc. I looked online for help for "909 errors" and "connector" problems. I called tech support and the woman couldn't even help me with it. So, I took it back to the store. They did a master reset and asked me to give it a few more days. When I got home, it still didn't sync. Basically, I learned:

1. Get a memory card. keep the device memory free of anything or don't clog it up too much.
2. When uninstalling, check those registry entries and make sure there's nothing to delete.
3. Check your contact folders (on Vista) when synchronizing and make sure information isn't corrupt

BlackBerry devices are very fickle and picky.
This is really one of the reasons why I didn't want to get anything other than an Ericsson phone. I know that these other phone companies make devices that aren't always up to the specs or expectations of specs. For example, the BlackBerry Bold has bluetooth but it's connectivity is not complete. With my old Ericsson phones, I could pair it up with anything. When I send a file in whichever direction, it works. The phone inteprets the file and if it can't figure it out, it puts it in a folder for shit it can't figure out. SIMPLE. But, as it's been the case with many other non-Ericsson phones, I can't even get the BlackBerry to connect with the computer outside of the program. I'd really appreciate that level of connectivity. That way I can just send files, contacts, and so on. If the phone can't figure it out, put it in "that" folder. If it can, put it in the proper location.

But, I expected these limitations in functionality when I signed up so I am not fully annoyed by it. While at the AT&T store, two of the clerks there were having a conversation. The guy was saying, "I hooked it up the the Desktop Manager" and was cut off by the woman as she said, "STOP STOP STOP. The first mistake you made was hooking it up to the computer!" I think that says it all for me.

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"SORROWS COMPANION"

TODAY'S GIGGLE:
The Hundred Dollar Bill

Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, an Honest Lawyer and an Old Drunk were walking along the street when they simultaneously spotted a hundred dollar bill laying in the street. WHO GETS IT?

The Old Drunk of course. The other three are mythological creatures!




"SORROWS COMPANION" by Cody Barley

I would like to share the following video with all of my blogger friends. I am only sorry that my sister wasn't sitting just a wee bit closer to the action when she filmed this.

First, let me explain a little about the video and the young man in it. Cody Barley is my 15 year-old grandnephew, my older sister's grandson. Cody is an aspiring musician. The photo below shows Cody, then 13 years-old, with one of his musical idols (and one of my former high school class mates) none other than Mr. Gap Mangione (I also had Gap's famous brother, Chuck Mangione, in my 10th grade art class. Gap had appeared live at a night club near Buffalo, NY and when Cody heard that Gap was going to be there, he begged my sister to take him, so both my sister and I took him and I talked Gap into having his pictire taken with Cody.

In the video, Cody took part in a musical recital in which he played a piano piece titled: "SORROWS COMPANION", which he composed himself. The recital was held at the FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH located in downtown Rochester, NY this past September (2008).

I hope you enjoy the video.

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BREAKING & ENTERING/THEFT

The United States Park Police Criminal Investigations Branch is investigating a Breaking&Entering/Theft which occurred at the Belle Haven Marina office trailer between the hours of 5:00pm on Thursday,12/18/08 and 8:00am Friday, 12/19/08. A cash register draw was removed from the office and discovered empty in a trash can in the Belle Haven Park parking lot a short distance away.

Further investigation revealed that two boats stored at the marina were also tampered with in an attempt to gain entry.

Anyone having any information regarding these incidents, or observing anything unusual during the dates of 12/18/08 and 12/19/08 in the area of Belle Haven Park and Marina is asked to contact Detective Kevin Fornshill at 202-610-8751, reference case #08-46951.

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Thoughts from Munchkin’s Couch – (or Who Let the Dog Out?)-B

Boy oh boy, when my Daddy sees this post, he might beat me like a rented mule, but so what, I had to do something for fun after being stuck inside all day.

It never got above 23 degrees and we got six inches of snow in 2 and a half hours.

So, with nothing else to do, I decided to set up this little "On-Line"shopping center. Hope you enjoy it.













Here is an item that makes a great 'stocking stuffer for all of you last minute Christmas shoppers. His and Hers Obama undies.

Michelle for Him and Barack for Her.

Wouldn't you love to be the first to own a pair or two these?









Buy one of these cute Chiobama Chia Heads at the low cost of $110.95 today, and by the time this narcissistic air head is out of office, the Chiobama will become a collectors item worth at least three times the amount of the sale price. Order one or two NOW!




Now here is a real fun item, a Barack and Michelle Obama Commemorative Plate. At the rediculously low price of
$17.95 each, why not buy several for friends and family.

You can buy a set of fifty plates for a mere $448.75 and hold a "Vent Your Spleen" party. Invite your friends and relatives to join you in getting out their frustrations by flinging these plates against the wall. See who can smash the most.

It is great fun and at the onetime price of $448.75, it is a whole lot cheaper then paying for a psychiatrist.

Now for the last item on my list.

This is a great gift to give to that gay guy you might know, and have been wondering what to buy him. These underpants have been endorsed by none other then CBS's Chris Matthew, who said: "These are the softest undies I have ever worn, and knowing that Obama's picture is on them, sends a tingle down my leg."

Wouldn't you love to give this same tingle sensation to that special gay in your life? Now you can, and for only $129.95 for a package of six.

If you order any of these great items today, you will get free shipping to any where in the world.

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Last Chance for US Mint's "Last Chance Sale"

The US Mint's Last Chance Sale will end today December 19, 2008 at 5:00 PM. This sale began on November 12, 2008 and was held to hep the US Mint clear their inventory before moving to a new shipping facility.

Many of the biggest bargains sold out on the first weekend. Below is a list of the products still available. Further down the page, you will find a list of all the products which have sold out.

Products Still available

Annual Sets
2007 United States Mint Proof Set
2007 United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set
2007 United States Mint Silver Proof Set
2007 United States Mint 50 State Quarters Silver Proof Set

50 State Quarters Bags & Rolls
Minnesota 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
Minnesota 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
Oregon 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
Colorado 100-Coin Bag (P)
Nebraska 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
Nebraska 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
Nebraska 100-Coin Bag (D)
Colorado 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
North Dakota 100-Coin Bag (D)
North Dakota 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
South Dakota 100-Coin Bag (D)
Montana 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
Wyoming 100-Coin Bag (P)
Wyoming 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
Wyoming 100-Coin Bag (D)
Wyoming 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
Utah 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
Utah 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
Oklahoma Two-Roll Set
Oklahoma 100-Coin Bag (P)
Oklahoma 100-Coin Bag (D)
Oklahoma 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
Oklahoma 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
New Mexico Two-Roll Set
New Mexico 100-Coin Bag (P)
New Mexico 100-Coin Bag (D)
New Mexico 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
New Mexico 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
Arizona Two-Roll Set
Arizona 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
Arizona 100-Coin Bag (D)
Arizona 100-Coin Bag (P)
Arizona 1,000-Coin Bag (D)

Other Bags & Rolls
2001 Kennedy Half-Dollar Two-Roll Set
2002 Sacagawea Dollar 2000-Coin Bag (P)
2002 Sacagawea Dollar 2000-Coin Bag (D)
2005 Ocean in View Nickel 1,000-Coin Bag (P)
2005 Ocean in View Nickel 1,000-Coin Bag (D)


50 State Quarters First Day Coin Covers
Georgia
Connecticut
South Carolina
New Hampshire
Virginia
New York
North Carolina
Rhode Island
Vermont
Kentucky
Tennessee
Ohio
Louisiana
Indiana
Mississippi
Illinois
Alabama
Maine
Missouri
Arkansas
Michigan
Florida
Texas
Iowa
Wisconsin
California
Minnesota
Oregon
Kansas
West Virginia
Nevada
Nebraska
Colorado
North Dakota
South Dakota
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
Utah

Presidential $1 Coin Coin Covers
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison

50 State Quarters Coin & Die Sets
North Carolina (P)
Rhode Island
Maine (D)
Iowa (P)
Oregon (P)
Nebraska (P)
Colorado (P)
North Dakota (D)
North Dakota (P)
South Dakota (D)
South Dakota (P)
Montana (D)
Montana (P)
Washington (P)
Idaho (D)
Idaho (P)
Wyoming (P)
Wyoming (D)
Utah (D)

50 State Quarters Collector’s Spoons
Nevada
Nebraska
Colorado
North Dakota
South Dakota
Montana
Washington
Idaho
Wyoming
Utah
Oklahoma
New Mexico
Arizona

50 State Quarters Greetings from America Series
1999 Card Set
1999 Portfolio
2000 Card Set
2000 Portfolio
2001 Card Set
2001 Portfolio
2002 Card Set
2002 Portfolio
2003 Card Set
2003 Portfolio
2004 Card Set
2004 Portfolio
2005 Card Set
2005 Portfolio
2006 Card Set
2006 Portfolio
2007 Card Set
2007 Portfolio
Card Set Album
Portfolio Album

Sold Out Products

2007 United States Mint 50 State Quarters Proof Set
2004 United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set
2006 United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set
50 State Quarters And Euro Coin Collection
Official Coin Collecting Starter Kit
Wisconsin Two-Roll Set
Minnesota Two-Roll Set
Colorado 1,000-Coin Bag (D)
Utah Two-Roll Set
2001 Sacagawea Golden Dollar Roll (P)
2003 Jefferson Nickel Two-Roll Set
2004 Sacagawea Golden Dollar 2000-Coin Bag (D)
2005 Sacagawea Golden Dollar 2000-Coin Bag (P)
2001 Kennedy Half-Dollar 200-Coin Bag
First Day Coin Cover New Jersey
First Day Coin Cover Washington
First Day Coin Cover George Washington
First Day Coin Cover John Adams
Coin and Die Set Nebraska (D)
Coin and Die Set Tennessee (D)
Collector's Spoon West Virginia
Collector's Spoon Iowa
2004 Westward Journey Nickel Series Coin Set
2006 Westward Journey Nickel Series Coin Set

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Robbery

On December 18, 2008, at approximately 6:51 a.m., a lone male was jogging on the south side of Key Bridge into Virginia. He crossed over the ramp from the George Washington Memorial Parkway to Key Bridge and then accessed the bike path on the south side of Key Bridge that leads to the T.R. Island pedestrian overpass. While jogging on the path he was attacked from behind and knocked to the ground. He was struck by a bottle several times in the back, neck and head. The victim sustained several cuts to his hand and a gash to the back of his head. The victim was robbed of his iPod, $80 and two credit cards. The victim was treated and released from a local hospital.

The suspect is described as a white male, medium build, mid to late 30’s, curly brown/gray hair that is longer in the front. The suspect spoke with a deep voice but no discernible accent. The only clothing description is having a disheveled appearance.

The Criminal Investigations Branch is currently investigating this incident. Anyone with information about this incident, please call the United States Park Police, Criminal Investigations Branch on (202) 610-8737.

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I AM MAD AS HELL!!!

WARNING: This post contains some strong language!




I am so damn angry today that I will not be placing a "TODAY'S GIGGLE"on my post.

I am mad as hell because I want to know when the shafting of the American people is going to end. It is bad enough that our elected officials in the federal government want to dig deep into our pockets, for generations to come, to bail out the banks, insurance companies, mortgage brokers, as well as auto and other industries for the financial mess and meltdown that they and the corporate CEO's caused in the first place.

Now, New York State Governor Patterson, the governor of my home State, wants to stick it to the citizens of NY State by getting his hands into our pockets too. Because of the failure of Wall Street which led to thousands losing their jobs, which meant a loss of tax revenue for the State, Patterson has proposed a State Budget that contains 88 new and/or higher taxes to levy on the citizens of this State. So what the federal government doesn't steal from us, the governor will.

Patterson plans to raise the tax on soft drinks and alcohol by 18-23%, he wants to raise the State's sale tax, and the taxes on cable television, satellite TV, internet use, along with the tax on telephones. He wants to raise the tax on auto registration, and driver's licenses by $10 - $20, and he even had the audacity to say that he would like to force people to purchase new license plates for their cars to help raise more money for the State. He also wants to cut money from Medicaid, schools and various charitable organizations. I have been a life-long resident of New York State long enough to know that once new taxes and tax hikes have been instituted in this State, they are never removed or reduced.

So can anyone tell me when this crap will end? How come every time the politicians and company CEO's screw up, it is always the little guy who has to suffer and pay for it?

I'm sorry, but just about every single member of Congress (both Houses), every president since and starting with Woodrow Wilson, and just about every single Supreme Court Justice starting with those on the bench in 1913, are guilty of dereliction of duty, malfeasance and, more than likely, treason.


According to Constitution of the United States, we have three co-equal branches of government, these being the Executive branch (the Office of the President), the Legislative branch (both House of Congress: Senate and the House of Representatives), and the Judicial branch (the Supreme Court), which are to act as a system of "checks and balances" on each other, but instead, they have acted in concert with each other to violate and shred the Constitution and to make sure that the citizens of this nation are screwed, blued and tattooed, bamboozled, conned, deceived, deluded, duped, flimflammed, hornswoggled, misled, outfoxed and snowed (thank you Gayle over at the 'Dragon Lady's Den')!


First off, on December 23, 1913, the members of Congress effectively turned the government of the Unite States from being a Constitutional Republic to becoming a Democracy, which the founding fathers had warned against. On that same date, they enslaved every man, woman and child in this country by turning us from a free people into indentured servants when they unconstitutionally and therefore illegally enacted and passed the Federal Reserve Banking Act and the Internal Revenue Act. When this scam was enacted, the federal government, in essence, put up the property, labor and savings of the American people, as collateral for any and all debts incurred by the U.S. Government and the Federal Reserve Banking System.

Congress enacted this illegal fraud, the President signed it into Law, and the Supreme Court has backed this scam ever since.

Every time the Supreme Court usurped their powers by legislating from the bench, which they constitutionally prohibited from doing, the Congress and the Presidents (in office at the time) did absolute nothing to stop it or to rectify the situation. When Presidents have usurped their powers and authority, and over-stepped their constitutional bounds by shredding the Constitution a little at a time, neither the Congress nor the Supreme Court did a thing, and it has been we the people who have had to suffer and pay for these treasonous acts.


When the Republicans in a Democrat controlled Congress drew up legislation that would have prevented the collapse of Wall Street insurance and mortgage institutions and the financial mess we are in today, the Democrats refused to get the legislation passed. Why? Because Senators like Chris Dodd and Barack Obama (the current president-elect) were taking huge sums of money from AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, etc., while Rep. Barney Frank was carrying on a homosexual love affair with a big wig from Fannie Mae, so they refused to pass the legislation that would have prevented this mess.


Then you have the fact that it was the A.C.O.R.N. organization that lobbied and put pressure on Congress to craft legislation that would allow banks and motgage companies to give loans to low-income people to buy houses (and lets not forget that these loans were also made to illegal immigrants as well), even though it was known that these people could not possibly repay these loans.


And remember, it was Obama who helped set up A.C.O.R.N and trained their voter registration workers (remember all of the voter registration fraud committed by A.C.O.R.N in several States?) and it was presidential candidate Barack Obama who gave A.C.O.R.N $800,000 out of his presidential campaign funds, and not one branch of the federal government did a damn thing.


I am totally pissed off over the fact that the very ones who have caused the mess we are in, the very ones who have violated their oaths of office and the Constitution of the United States, the very ones who have bankrupted and destroyed the very companies and corporation that they were hired to run, are allowed to walk away with their heads held high and nice fat retirement packages and bonuses, along with the opportunity to make millions more through speaking engagements, then they have the unmitigated gall to tell us, the American citizens, that it is our patriotic duty and obligation to come together in this time of crisis and that we need to make sacrifices to bail their sorry asses out of the mess that they have put us in and continue toput us in. What huge crock of Bull Shit! All these bastards deserve is speedy trial for treason, malfeasance and dereliction of duty, and then an even speedier execution.


This crap has got to stop, and only we the people can stop it!


Another thing that is starting to stick in my craw is why does president-elect Obama feel that he has to hold daily televised news conferences to announce the name of a new cabinet member he has appointed. I have never seen any other president-elect do such a thing. Why can't he just make ALL of his appointments and then announce them all at one time? He is just proving himself to be the narcesstistic pain-in-the ass that he is. He isn't happy unless his face is on our TV sets every damn day. I sure as hell hope he don't do it after he is sworn in.

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