Patch

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Patch to her members of Congress

Members of Congress
All Congress wants to do is the easy stuff. Drill,drill,drill, is conservation a dirty word? We could not only save ANWR, but also at the same time reduce our dependence on foreign energy supplies, by using conservation and alternative energy. ANWR is only a symbol, the bull dozing of the western US, the clear cutting of our forest, strip-mining for coal, are all in the same boat. You know my story and I know yours, profits and stock price. But our stories are not incompatible, I like my job, I like my warm house. And I also know that it takes profits to produce these likes. But not at all cost, we can have these likes and not destroy the Ohio Hills and Kentucky Mountains with strip mining., without bull dozing roads all over our national forest for clear cutting.. You can tell me how much a gallon of gas cost, how much it cost to heat my home, but I can’t tell you the price of ANWR, or our national forest, they are priceless!!! Lets quit hiding in a 1000 page energy bill, lets get out in the open, lets do the hard stuff. Lets save some Future

The Patch has hiked in the Grand Canyon, in Yellowstone National Park, the Flattop Wilderness in Colorado, has hiked the desserts of SE Utah,Hiked in Ohio, Kentucky, and tons of other places. And the Patch wants his best bud ( see Previous Post) to do the same thing. Once the roads are built,once the mountains are stripped, once the last Redwood Tree is logged, it's gone, maybe forever. My bud might not know what is to walk 50 miles and not cross a road,but I know and I will try to tell him what it was like. And the question will come, WHY?
How did we put the industrialist in charge of industry, put the money lenders in charge of the money, and the anti-environmentalism in charge of the environment?

The Patch

Patch's best buddy

This guy dosn't know much about chasing aliens,but the Patch will teach him


Patch

Patch sniffing for Aliens

Reporting
In the past week, federal judges have ruled that Time magazine and New York Times reporters should go to jail for what they know, even if it was never published. Another federal court ruled that the governor of Maryland has the right to order state employees never to answer questions posed by The Baltimore Sun.
So it goes in the land of the free.

From Lou Dobbs
“The ultimate message in outsourcing is this: America be damned. It's all about the lowest cost," says the silver-haired, 59-year-old newsman at his new Time Warner Center digs in Manhattan. "I can't accept that statement. Nor will I, whether it comes from a lawmaker, a politician or a businessman or woman. The pain that's being exacted on our middle class from so many quarters is intolerable."

• A pox on both parties. Dobbs is a lifelong Republican but says President Bush's "compassionate conservatism" rings hollow when "the White House obviously supports outsourcing of American jobs to cheap labor markets."

Budget

" A whopping 78% of federal farm subsidies goes to a mere 8% of farmers, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, the typical small farmer collected less than $2,000 from the fed govt. " (The 8% is corporate farms and tax shelter farms.)

The Patch has been reading message boards and blogs from AARP (message board) to Powerpoint (conservative blog), to Fox TV. What I’m seeing seems to be a planned, will prepared plan, maybe even paid for, conservative attack. The message is, if you’re not a conservative right-winger, if you question the ideologue of the Republican Party in general and the Bush administration in particular, then one is a left wing liberal democrat. The bad part of this, the message comes across that being a left wing liberal democrat equals to being unpatriotic and un-American. This message is consistent enough to be coming from the same place and group . The message is slanted this way and that way but is basically the same. Now the Patch hopes she isn’t paranoid and doesn’t think she is.
The right wingers ( neocons) do not seem to recognize the democracy depends on checks and balances. America needs at least a two party system (maybe three would be better)
The counter to any liberal democratic argument is this continued attack on the argument.


LAW

House Republicans yesterday appeared headed toward passing a bill giving the government vast new power to build roads and barriers along the U.S. border with Mexico, exempt from judicial review as well as environmental, conservation and labor laws.


However, the watchdog group OMB Watch warned that the bill "would place Homeland Security above the law."
A coalition of major environmental groups -- including Defenders of Wildlife, Friends of the Earth, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club -- contends that the bill would allow the Homeland Security Department "to undertake large construction projects anywhere along our borders," including "pristine islands and waters."


Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.), a major proponent of the bill, said the legislation is primarily aimed at finishing the San Diego fence. "We know
that there are people who will look for any hurdle they can to prevent completion of the fence," he said
There’s the message again.

They keep trying to pass bills to by-pass all law and see nothing wrong with it, but any opposition is damned. The Patch can see nothing incompatible with Homeland Security and Law. Patch thinks no fence is much the less evil then government secrecy, BUILD THE FENCE WITHIN THE LAW. IT CAN BE DONE!
Patch keeps thing of the Germans and Hitler.
Enough again, the Patch can go on all day with this stuff. I mean ask yourself what’s it mean when the government is above the LAW? What’s it mean when the (our) government works in secret?

THE PATCH

Patch is going to try this to find those crop circle Aliens

Today Bush said that Iran is not Iraq
Hell no, Iran is actually trying to make weapons of mass destruction.

Consider the conservative view of health care. Conservatives repeat the mantra that the United States has "the best health care system in the world"--a formulation used endlessly by President Bush. That isn't true by almost any objective measure. The United States devotes a far higher share of its economy to health care than any other country. Yet, according to the most recent World Health Organization study, the United States ranks just 37th in overall health care performance. These massive inefficiencies derive in part from our huge numbers of uninsured. The uninsured end up forgoing treatment until they arrive at the emergency room. Basic preventive care, of the sort universally available in every other advanced country, would avert such disasters--at less cost to the economy and with less suffering and fatality for patients
Patch

The Patch can remember last fall when John Kerry was asked about Iraq. First thing he said was mend realations with Europe. Oh. how the conservatives jumb on this, shame on you Kerry. Now look where Bush is and what he's doing.

Patch could go on and on this kind of stuff.

A number right-wing Washington, D.C. politicians have headed back to their states as newly-elected governors. And their behavior, once they leave Beltway fantasyland for the real world, shows just how out of touch today’s conservative ideology is with solving real problems. For instance, as a congressman, Ernie Fletcher was a reliable vote for Bush administration cuts to health care and Medicaid. Now, as governor of Kentucky, Fletcher told Fox News in January that he’s “very concerned about any cuts” to Medicaid proposed by the President. Similarly, as a congressman, Bob Riley was a reliable vote for Bush-backed tax cuts to the richest 1 percent of the country. But as governor of Alabama, Riley pushed a statewide initiative to raise taxes on the rich and wealthy corporations.

But perhaps the biggest hypocrite of all is Mitch Daniels. As President Bush’s Budget Director, Daniels was a top point man in ramming massive tax cuts for the wealthy through Congress, and gutting spending for critical programs. Now, as governor of Indiana, he is facing the ramifications of his actions in Washington - and proposing exactly what he railed against.

The Patch

href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/9/3521/640/earth.jpg">

The earth owns me, for I have borrowed the matter from which I'm made from her sticks and grasses and clouds.
Someday she will reclaim this form as she reclaims the fallen tree in the hemlock grove.
I know too, all that is powerful and holy is here.....breath and wind, stone and sky, trees and life. Here is God, the great I Am.
If I flee this moment or fill it with fear and anxiety, I dishonor it and miss a sweet touch of eternity.
I will linger in this place for some timeless time, repeating the prayer, feeling the solid earth beneath my back and breathing the gentle incense of the woods.
By Karen Monk from Spirit Walk
1994
Who said you can't see God
Patch

So,this is how its done

Patch

American Iraqi War Dead

Don't get the Patch wrong, she was against the war, but now supports it. Patch hopes like hell some good comes of it. We left them once to kill each other,hope we don't do it again.
Patch hasn't forgotten 9.11, remembering 9.11 is precisely why the Patch worries about the United States and the direction we are moving. ( See previous post. ) Patch feels that the Iraqi war has taken everything away from the war on terrorism. Too much concentration on Iraq and not near enough on terrorism. The President,his advisers,his cabinet, the US Congress,and the American people all concentrated on Iraq. Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda ???
Patch also thinks the war should be in our face. The war is not a John Wayne movie,we should see the dead,wounded and destruction. We should see that Fallujah was destroyed to win the battle. The war should be in our face like 9.11 was. Every Monday mourning we should be made to write a check for xxx amount to pay for the war. Then just maybe us Americans will be sure that war will be the last resort, the last step.
Enough Patch has to start searching again for those crop circle making aliens.

Patch

Mature American Chestnut Tree 1900
To learn more on chestnut trees goto http://www.acf.org/
Man to spend an afternoon sitting under one of these.Maybe someday they will make a come back.

Patch, searching for those crop circle making aliens
So many of them yet so hard to find.

Patch

Patch wonders where we in the United States are headed?

FASCISM
a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

DESPOTISM
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power : ABSOLUTISM b : a despotic state

SOCIALISM
any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

DEMOCRACY

a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections


Patch is worried that the American turn to conservatism and right wing politics is going way to fast and way,way to far. The fear is the right turn won't stop before one of the first two definitions are reached. Most likely a combination of the two. I mean look at the power we have given the President of the United States. I mean, look buried deep in the Homeland Security Act and the patriot Act at what the what the US government can do. I mean, look at the US condoning torture! I mean look deep into WTA,Nafta.

Ya. We have have a Huge problem with terrorism, but is pissing away democracy going to end terrorism? And if it does, what will we have. I read a book on Germany and the rise of Hitler, it took less then 10 years for Germans to give up democratic rule to Hitler. And for much of the same reason we have now.

Look how it is,any critiquing or opposition to the present administration and what are you? A democrat,leftist liberal, A WHAT! Used to back in the Vietnam days one was just an everyday communist.

Look how it is, Republican President, republican controlled congress,both are pushing for a right leaning federal judiciary if we don't already have it. I don't know how many state goverments are republican,lots. I know the conservatives think this is Gods gift to the USA, but is it? I read alot of conservative blogs and only twice have I read concerns about Democracy.

Do we really think that corporate America can govern us?

Do we really think taxing the poor ( benefit cuts ) will help the economy?

Do we really think giving this benefit money to the rich ( tax cuts ) will help the economy and create jobs?

Well Patch could go on and on with this , but she thinks the point is made about what she is thinking.

Patch

Skyline Drive Shenandoah National Park
One of our best National Parks, built by the CCC in the 1930's. The road blends in as natural as a road can. The stone work in the park is just amazing. The park is holding up well, considering the amount of use. ( Millions ). The park,as all National Parks is underfounded and needs work. The richest nation in the world, one that afford to can fly bombs half way around the world,cannot preserve its heritage.

Hopi House Grand Canyon National Park
One of the many building designed by architect Mary Jane Coulter,( www.npr.org/programs/specials/architecture/0011.colter.html ). One fascinating lady. Worked for Fred Harvey and the Stanta Fe Railroad. Coulter designed most of the building in GCNP. Google images for the hotels she designed for the railroad.
Patch

Dead Chestnut Tress
Building the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park 1930's. Patch has read that at one time Chestnut trees madeup over half the trees in the eastern US. WOW! Would have loved to see that.
If you now go to the Smoky Mountain National Park,one can see this picture repeating its self. The Hemlock trees are being killed by the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid ( from Asia ) . Which is true but only part of the story. Air pollution and acid rain are doing their part.

Patch

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 - Auditors for the Roman Catholic Church reported today that 1,092 new allegations of sexual abuse had been filed against 756 priests, as part of a second annual survey of the church's procedures for handling and preventing such abuse by clergy and employees
Most of these allegations are old ,some 30 years ago, Patch wonders what about now,is the church ( All churches ) cleaning itself up, HOW DO WE KNOW?


The Boy Scouts' values "are the values of America," President Bush told 32,000 boys attending the National Boy Scout Jamboree at a Virginia military base
The Boy Scout leadership, both district and national have been caught cheating, millions of $$$ envolved. Patch read that leaders in the national headquarters make up to 280k a year. WHAT!!!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The popular painkillers Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx all pose a risk of heart trouble, but should be available to those who need them, advisers to the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
President Bush today signed a bill that he says will curtail multimillion-dollar class action lawsuits against companies

Somehow this does not surprize the Patch .

Patch Thinks

On Terrorism

Associated Press
Feb. 17, 2005 06:45 AM

WASHINGTON - Top intelligence and military officials say the lack of attacks in the United States since 2001 does not mean terrorist groups are not planning new strikes, with weapons of mass destruction if they can get them.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told a House hearing on Wednesday that it is reasonable to expect attacks and CIA Director Porter Gross told the Senate Intelligence Committee the Iraq war was giving terrorists experience and contacts for future attacks.FBI Director Robert Mueller said a sleeper group may have been in place in the United States for years awaiting orders to attack

Reasonable to expect attacks
Giving terrorist experience
Sleeper cells waiting orders

Is there something wrong with this picture?

Is the new national intelligence director,John Negroponte going to help? How?

3 1/2 years after 911, going on 3 years in Iraq, and this is where we are at!

Excuse me, but I think in are in big trouble with terrorism.

On Oil
How about a tax break for buying an auto that gets over 30 mpg. Bigger breaks for every 5 mpg above 30?

On War
How about a 10% surcharge on income taxes to pay for the Iraqi war. Wow,wonder how many would be for the war then? As it now stands no one is paying. ( This was done in the late 1965 or so )

On Illegal immigration.
If we open are borders for aliens to do work that Americans won't do, how long will it take for corporations to start hiring aliens to do work that Americans will do?


Patch.

The patriot act is coming up before congress. It is some interesting reading.

It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.
James Madison

It is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad.
James Madison

The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home.
James Madison.

Patch believes Pogo ( we have meet the enemy and he is us.)something like that.

Later Patch

Crop Circles
People want me to believe that aliens, after crossing light years of space, now need crop circles to navigate around the world. Well I don't believe it.
Patch

Just watched Alan Greenspan testifying. Came up with these thoughts.
Baby Boomers are at fault.
1. 1950's There would not be enough schools or teachers.
2. 1960's There would never be enough jobs.
3. 1970's There would never be enough housing.
4. 2005 Will destroy Soc.Sec.
5. **** There will never be enough grave sites
6. **** Will probability cause heaven to fall to earth ( or hell to rise the surface ) with their numbers.

Patch

Just about everyay I listen to people complain about how bad the public school system is. Kids graduating that can't read,write,ect.
On the other hand (RightHand ?) these same people are demanding the public schools to teach their childern religion. What!!!

Patch's ATV