GREED --- OINK

I am so tired of the bashing of middle class america, the american worker and Unions being as the reason for all this economic mess. The unions have driven the wages for workers since they came in. Non unionized workers recieve benefits to stay competetive with unionized workers. Without them we all would still be working in sweat shops and jobs like those before unions came into play. They have benefited everyone though many would like to argue against unions.

Unfortunately for most of the american work force they are also employed by publicly held companies. The main objective of a publicly held company is to pay profits to the stock holders.
The biggest wrench that is constantly complained about is having to pay fror health insurance and pensions. If they did not have to pay these there would be much more profits. But where do profits go to? It seems that they all go to the stockholders dividends and CEOs and not back into the company to reduce costs or to pay the health care and pensions.

The big banks keep on increasing interest rates knowing full well that it may cause a customer to default. Last I heard they have been pushing increases to 34%APR just because you pay the minimum amounts. And the banks CEOs take in some of the highest compensation packages.
Health Care Companies may make enough profits to give the CEO 42 million that could be invested into the company for lower costs for the customer. Com on Banks stop the greed grab and be a real bank.

It is interesting Forbes Special Report on CEO compensation that was published in may 2007 states
"The chief executives of America's 500 biggest companies got a collective 38% pay raise last year, to $7.5 billion. That's an average $15.2 million apiece."

So Don't give me that bullshit story you can't afford to pay your workers a salary, Healthcare or retirement package. Show everyone that Reaganomics and the Trickle down Theory works.
Instead of hoarding this $7.5 Billion why don't you see what happens when CEO's go back to a realistic pay and invest this excess back into the company, healthcare and pensions.

I bet there would still be profits to the pay the dividends, The workers will have money to spend
Healthcare would be more affordable and it would stimulate the economy.

There is so much the companies can do and the government need not do anything. It all comes down to greed and corrupt practices or are they willing to clean up their act and share their glutttony on their own.

Many companies spend so much lobbying to protect their pricing and bad practices instead of making changes that benefit society.

Big 3 bailout you are included and part of the problem. How much can your Executive compensation packages go to save your companies? How much have you been spending to lobby against improving gas mileage, 12 Million in the past year? What world do you live in thinking the future depends on $45,000, 10 mpg Hummers. We need affordable, economical, safe family cars. We need to be looking at alternative fuels and break ties with the oil industry. Can you do it? I hope so if you want to be bailed out.

Government - You have your part to play in all this too.
Close the loop holes, Make it more profitable to keep the manufacturing and business on USA soil. Maybe Coorporate taxes could be less if all the loopholes were plugged up and offshoring was penalized. And quite working and being bought out by big busiess and lobbyist and work for and listen to the voters. Lets start seeing things trickle Up.

A good source of information on the CEO Pay .
The AFL CIO 2008 Executive PayWatch

The Confederacy Lost

Ok all of you GOP folks, it's time to get over it the South lost a long time ago. The confederacy is over as are plantations with slaves. Its no wonder that members of the KKK, Fanatic religous Zealots, greedy Executives, Assault weapon owners are all supporters of the GOP. They are still trying to keep the confederacy alive and the GOP stands for everything they cherish. You may want to look at this as you try to move on and rebuild your party. The country voted and they showed you they are tired of what you represent and how you operate.

Economic bailouts? Heres an idea. All these people with golden parachutes and compensation packages should divert it back into the companies. They have to figure out ways to keep it and not get taxed on it anyway and there is no way they can use it all, It is way more than they can spend in a year. Say an executive had an extra $300,000 due to these compensations to blow a year and the company has 300 employees. He could give each of those employees another $1000. I am sure 300 spending $1000 would stimulate the economy much more than one big purchase of $300,000 or sheltering and hoarding it. Perhaps they could turn these obscene compensations into funding healthcare for their employees so their employees can afford to spend money in the economy. What if all the executives at all the companies across the country did this? Come on GOP and Fat greedy executives its your turn to step up to the plate instead of letting the government and middle class bail you out.

No I guess that would be a bad idea. Lets keep these billions locked up out of circulation and in the pockets of the richest 1 % instead of forcing it to trickle down to those that make them the richest 1%. Let's not do anything to help out our workforce or economy. I am greedy and it is all mine. Ohh, And Let them keep their Semi Automatic Assault rifles to protect it.

Go GOP.... You rock -not.

Sami Heritage

I have gotten back into my genealogy research after away from it for a bit.
I added some Youtube clips from the Resource Center For The Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
My heritage includes the Sami and Reindeer herding so this web site is of great interest to me.

Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was established by an order of the Norwegian government. The centre is located in Guovdageaidnu-Kautokeino, in Finnmark county.

The resource centre shall increase information about the rights of Saami and other indigenous peoples.

Obama Won

I, like many my age have had the opportunity to witness some great moments in History. Through the TV I was there when the Kennedy’s and King were assassinated. I remember watching the Apollo Missions, the landing and walk on the moon as well as the Challenger explosion. I was there when the Twins won the World Series. I watched the Twin Towers fall and the start of the war in Iraq.

Last night I and the rest of the world witnessed Obama win the Election. I have voted and watched all the other elections since Carter but they were all about as exceptional as the traditional changing of the guards. Even Bush stealing the election with the Florida votes didn’t pare to what happened last night.

Grant Park was filled with a vast melting pot of sexes, races, ages and economic groups. Everyone from gang bangers to Celebrities was there and all were celebrating that hope and change had arrived. That level and dimension of emotion and hope I have never before witnessed or experienced in my life. What we saw at Grant Park was repeated throughout the USA and the world. Last night the USA and the rest of the world witnessed and cheered on a new beginning taking its first step.

It was more than an election and a new president being voted in. Last night it felt like the world changed and I was proud to be an American and part of the change. It was History once again being made in front of my eyes.

Let’s keep that change and hope alive and rolling!