September 2009

Lights Out NYC!!!

Who in America thought this would be a good idea?

Light up the top of the Empire State Building in Red to honor the 60th year anniversary of China’s cultural revolution.

WT….???
And I don’t even curse!

I, as an American, am furious, that they used the symbol of US freedom to honor a questionable country.

It’s not like it’s Canada.

This is China we are talking about.

A massive communist regime with endless and dispicable accounts of denying and violating human rights.

Why would America condone this?

What message are we sending?

We need to be standing strong behind America and Americans. Not clapping for another country which is still in the same ruling as they were 60 years ago, so really nothing to clap about.

That is almost like Obama coming out and saying “I support totalitarism’.

Boy, that is daring. With accusations being thrown at him constantly of being a facist, a socialist -this is the last thing I would think he would approve.

He had to have known – right?

Did they poll the American people before they thought of doing this blantantly disrespectful act?

Clearly not!

I never saw a poll. And I am on the internet and government websites and global initiative websites all day for my business.

Then I will ask, well why the heck not? They poll everything else in the world!

Not ONE American, would have approved.

Some transparancy Obama. I call this sneaky!

Where was the notice on whitehouse.gov that this was going to take place? Where was the notice on any of the leading news network providers that this was going to happen to inform the American people?

I am disgraced and disgusted and pissed American’s were not advised this would happen – so we could have a fair chance to fight back and try to stop this from happening.

Even our Nation’s Capitol leaders – Senators – are condoning this and are saying it’s a sad day for NY.

I want to know who decided this would be a good idea. Then I want to send him over to China for about a month, (I don’t care if it is our President) and make him live like they live -not all cushy protected and in plush hotels, but exactly like the general public lives.

That means that person gets no access to media, or even the internet.

Try to find someone in DC or NYC who can go without a blackberry/iPhone or cell phone or a laptop for one minute let alone one day, let alone a month!

Maybe when he returns he will provide an apology to the American people.

I sure hope he would then also be the first person to never honor China on American soil again.

Turn those lights off NYC!!!

You still have time – it’s not midnight here in CA – so you could show some measly amount of honor to us American’s here on the West coast!

It’s not just a sad day for NY, this is a sad day for America and the rest of the civil global world.

Brazil or USA – Olympics 2016

As of 9/30/09, it’s down to a select 4.

It seems like Rio de Janerio and Chicago are the top 2 preferred.  The other 2, Tokyo and Madrid – I highly doubt will be chosen.

I personally root for Rio de Janerio.

Sure, I am biased – BLC’s niche is in the emerging areas.

But actually, I am for Brazil because I am a strong believer that the 2016 Olympics should be held in a country that they haven’t been held in yet, if that country’s plan is strong. The U.S. has already hosted the Olympics in Atlanta. The IOC has stated Brazil has a strong plan.

The IOC is apparantly at a cross-roads. They want to ’send the right message’.

As the world begins to focus on more of the emerging areas for their potential, ability to contribute strongly to economic growth and world stability, I think hosting the 2016 Olympics in a not-so-popular country would help set the message that smaller countries have the ability to do great things , if given the opportunity. They too can shine and eventually be a part of the bigger players in our world.

Since 2012 will be held in the oh-so-popular and already tourist driven London, UK, why not switch things up a bit and put the Olympics next in a non-powerhouse nation?

The USA doesn’t need the help right now. The U.S. could always be granted for the following Olympics. I actually think that would be a stronger Olympic location than any other. The leading nation of the world, to host the 2020 Olympics. Just for the years ‘numeric name’, that will by default, make it a landmark year. Who else better than the USA to be the host?!

Right now, the U.S. seems to get favored by the IOC not because Mrs. Obama and the President will separately give speeches in Denmark on why the games should be in Chicago (Brazil’s president and wife will be giving their own too), but because the IOC are basing part of their decision on the premise that if President Obama holds 2 full terms, then his last year will be 2016, which would make more of an elaborate Olympic celebration backdrop -as the first black U.S. President to hold office, and for 2 terms.

Now this is where I laugh. They say their focus and interests is for the “Olympics only” -not to get involved in the battle of world politics. Well, if that isn’t political, I don’t know what else is.

Moreover, you grant Chicago, than you have an uproar of citizens who hate Obama, and don’t care for the city of Chicago raging “favoritism”, “kickbacks”, etc. You might loose a majority of Olympic followers for 2016 games. You might even create a reverse affect than what you had planned for. People may be so outraged by the ‘government now controlling this’ (according to the Republican point of view) that many more middle liners and independents might second guess giving our sitting President a chance for another 4 years.

So, with that pointed out, I think if the Olympics are to be held in the US, than another state should be the location, so none of this comes back to cause problems for the IOC  or for Obama for that matter, for the next 8 years. There are many other viable states that could use the positive economic impact and notarity. Why not a states like Kansas, Idaho, Iowa, Texas, Arizona or New Mexico?

I am an American and I don’t want the Olympics to be hosted here in 2016, especially not in Chicago.

They say safety is a concern. Chicago is notorious city for an extreme amount of crime. Hmmmm – this weeks news was about a student that was beaten to death walking from school to the bus stop because he walked by a gang on gang fight. An innocent 10th grader. When was the last time you heard about anything like this happening –  in the capital’s of Idaho? Kansas? Let’s give some other US cities some attention please.  Again, if you want safety, Chicago is not the city I would choose. There is nothing more safe about Chicago than Rio de Janerio.

Brazil should be the choice.  This would help send a strong message to the world that South America is equally as important for a remarkable 21st Century and centuries beyond – contributing both in global stability and economic growth. Otherwise you send a louder message: leading powerhouse nations will always be preferred.

I thought the global community was trying to leave 20th Century stigmatisms and help create opportunity and increase awareness on developing countries as well. Did someone forget to tell the IOC they are a very significant part of that global community?

The IOC may say their interest is for the Olympics – but no matter how burried they want to keep their head in the sand, politics IS very much a part of the Olympics.

Whoever gets the Olympics gets increased tourism, gets strength behind their nation, gets a massive economic spurt of growth, gets loads of print/exposure, and by default, that will lead business professionals, entrepreneurs, governments to explore what other resources and sources that country could offer to the world that haven’t been tapped into yet.

Show me a city the Olympics was hosted in and show me where they were before the Olympics was hosted there, and show me where they are now – despite this economic turndown. Atlanta’s Olympics was a disaster due to the terrorist bombing there. But still, the growth and strength Altanta gained from the World Games being in their city will never go away.

The Olympics is one of the biggest sporting events watched in the world. By that definition alone, I think the IOC has a moral obligation to the global community to follow along in the transformation of the 21st century global world. That is: “stand behind the developing countries”. They need the help much more than the powerhouses.

Still, the U.S. might have the edge. They sent Valerie Jarrett to talk to London’s Prime Minister Tony Blair to find out the way they won the IOC’s vote for them for 2012.  And, like the rest of the political/business world, it all comes down to ‘courting’ -and who does it bigger and better.

So,  if you see some IOC members at the White House, or if you see some in bathing suits in sunny Rio, well, you will know before you read it in print.

Throw a tent over this circus!

One minute he is staying on Trump’s NY Estate, one minute he’s not. The next Trump is asking the city for “end of business day Wednesday” to get things worked out to prevent a criminal law suit against him, the next hour (so to speak) the tent is being dismantled. The next minute , Libya is asking if he could put his tent in Central Park! Are you kidding me?

Mind you – leather couches and other luxury items being toted away that were in the tent. Some ‘tent like living’ Ghadifi!

How can the Secret Service &  the city of NY not have the location of where Ghadifi was going to be spending his time while in the U.S., solidified before his plane hit the ground? I am baffled.

A man not really welcome in NY, due to the 1988 Pan Am bombing and the recent get out of prison free card for the mastermind behind it – how did the city not know where Ghadafi was going to be spending his nights while in NYC for the UN Assembly prior to this ridiculous mess?

If they come back later and state they were “responding to a citizen uproar and protest about this – well, is just not a good excuse. They should have thought of that before hand.

No wonder NYC is always prime target for terrorists. The terrorists are probably laughing reading this story floating around the internet!

It makes the city of NY and the Secret Service look like they are reactive, chasing-the-dog, disorganized, don’t-know-what-they-are-doing individuals. Not at all like authoritative, we-are-organized-and-on-top-of- everything government groups.

This is just pathetic!  I am embarrassed for the US, I am embarrassed for the citizens of NY and I am embarrassed as an American.

Sometimes the lack of communication on the most crucial situations amazes me, but moreover, if I was a NYC resident, it would scare me.

Now Trump leases out part of his NY estate to some ‘middle eastern authorities”.  Wouldn’t you think Trump would want to know who all leasing requestees are  - coming from that area – before they are allowed to sign on the line? I am not trying to be a racist here, but come on. For all his smarts, his vetting, he really just stumped me on this one.

That is his property. Anything that happens on it, anyone who is on it, it is by default, associated to his name. Even if he, perhaps, has clauses in the leasing agreement that exlude him from liability – it’s still associated to his name. And everything about Trump is his name.

With a very high threat of a terrorist attack in the NY area, due to recent activity with Zazi, and with all these global leaders there, this is the last thing I would imagine Secret Service and law enforcement officers would want to be scrambling around handling. It takes their attention away from the things they should be keeping their eyes out for. Things should have been set in place and Trump should have known the people of his town would not have looked favorably on this. What is Trump thinking?

But hey, I learned something about this. I had no idea Trump leased part of his land to middle eastern big wigs and well, hey, that could explain why he is always so easily able to build in that area. Talk about providing some perks to make a deal….

As a great friend used to say : “throw a tent over this circus, someone – please!”

9/11 – The 8 Year Anniversary

Still 8 years later, a controversial issue if Al Qaeda had it’s hands in all 3 attacks, or really just 1 of them, NYC.

Too much speculation of whether the government had a play in the Pentagon attack, and even the one in PA for that matter.

I wonder if the 9/11 decade anniversary will finally reveal the truth to all 3 attacks.

My hopes are not high on this, as if it was proven that the government orchestrated some of this, well, I would believe another war would start instantly – American’s would be raging and a civil war would errupt, with attempts on many high level government officials lives.

So, it’s probably pointless to even continue to dig for the truth…but I say we shall keep on.

The truths of this attrocity are still not revealed. They are burried under torture claims, secret prisons, WMD, no answers to hard questions, keeping certain ‘evidence’ under the category ‘classified’ with the FBI, propaganda, etc., etc., etc.

May we never stop asking questions to the Bush W. Administration, and digging for the truth so these innocent civilians can have the honor they deserve – the truth of how they died.

But on this day, it’s about honoring the one’s that lost their lives too early. So, no matter who caused the deaths in NYC, VA, and PA, my thoughts are with those whose loved ones were killed that  Tuesday, because close to 3000 lives should have not have been taken that sunny morning by anyone.

I think this day should be a National Holiday – where you get the day off, so you can reflect, or have the chance to travel to any of these memorials.

~In honor of the 9/11 victims and the rescue teams who died trying to save them.

The Disgrace to a US Marine – His Photo in Afghanistan

This ought to help military recruitment for the near future….(sarcastic)

Publish a photo of a soldier’s leg blown off, and the other one badly maimed from a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan on the eve of August 14, 2009.  The Marine was Lance Corporal Joshua M. Bernard, 21 of New Portland, Maine. He died later that night.

They asked the family if they were okay with the photo being published. The father, a former Marine himself, said “No”.

Not once, but twice. He stated “no” once on the phone, and once in a follow up letter.

Secretary of Defense did the same thing. He “begged” the president and chief executive of the Associated Press, Tom Curley on the phone, and then later with a follow up later to not publish the photo.

What about the word “no” do you not understand, Mr. Curley?

What about hearing it 2 times by the family, and 2 times by the Secretary of Defense, do you not understand?

Did you have convenient loss of hearing the days prior to publishing it?

Why even ask the family if you are going to publish it anyway?

Where is the common decency behind journalism?

Does the AP think they are above anyone to do what they want?

When the Secretary of Defense phones you and then later writes you a letter requesting – actually, it was begging – you not publish photos, you oblige. It’s called respect for your superiors – the ones who are helping to run our country and keep your butt safe!

How dare you Mr. Curley!

There should be a law against defying a Cabinet Member’s direct orders.

Did the AP think this wasn’t going to have repercussions with DoD, Bernard’s family, with the American public, with others worldwide?

1. Piss of Gates – not such a hot idea, since he just granted liency to allow photos showing the soldiers coming home in coffins. You blandishly abused your privilege here –now let’s see what Gates does to restrict you more.
2. Go against the wishes of the family. Well, just plain idiotic. You just walked yourself into the hugest lawsuit! Don’t even bother trying to take a position of defense. You have none. Your explanation of why you did this is pathetic and weak. You have no chance. Mine as well just offer them hundreds of millions now, save yourself some headache and constant bad press.
3. Obama should make a strong statement against the AP, and while he is at it, he should enact a new ruling (with Gates’ suggestions) in terms of the US Military and the media and their boundaries. While he is at it, he should order Curley fired, and maybe even the photographer, Julie Jacobson, too. For her to want this photo to go to the public, knowing it was against the wishes of the family, well, she should pay the consequences as well.

Gates made his letter public to give other journalists pause for future photos and stories. But if I were Gates, I would send a stronger message to photojournalists worldwide. Immediately, everyone comes back home. All photographers off the bases overseas by end of the month. No photos are allowed any more.

In the month where US casualties in Afghanistan were at the highest they have ever been in any month since our war started over 5 years ago,  this is surely not what DoD needs, nor what the Military Recruiting Departments need.

All the people behind this – should be ordered to write Bernard’s family an apology letter. It is appalling they have not done this yet.

This isn’t about showing what is going on over there. There are about a hundred other pictures they could have chosen to depict that. This was not about them informing the American public. This was self interested – for what reason I have no clue.

The pathetic responses –

Julie Jacobson: “death is a part of life and certainly a part of war. Isn’t that why we are here?”

The American public doesn’t need to see this. We all know this. We are updated in numbers every day.  We are all well aware there are soldiers dying and being maimed daily.

She is an unprofessional that shouldn’t have the right to be there anymore. A true photographer has ethics, morals, and knows what is really right and wrong. If she couldn’t figure out that this would hurt the family tremendously, create a serious negative impact (in more ways than one) once this photo was released, than she is an infant with a camera who got lucky with a shot. Not a professional photographer.

Tom Curley:  {The A.P. decided} “to make public an image that conveys the grimness of war and the sacrifice of young men and women fighting it.”

What was this – someone trying to get ‘photo of the year’ award from national geographic or something?

Truly distasteful. Absolutely no respect to the family. Even less respect to the soldier that lost his life, LC Joshua Bernard. This is not how this soldier should have been captured and displayed on his last day alive.

The dignity of who he was as a soldier, his willingness to fight for the US, should have been represented much classier as his ‘last photo’. It should have just been the one you see an hour earlier of him that Jacobson took while he was patrolling an area, and/or the one circulating now, him posing in uniform.

As far as firing Curley and Jacobson – Obama shouldn’t worry about contributing to job loss – they would get massive offers from all the paparazzi. That is the value of what their choice represents today – so it fits accordingly. Overpaid scum with no conscious.

Didn’t anyone ever tell ya: you just don’t mess with the US Marines – and you certainly don’t disgrace them either.

~Written in honor of a young Marine, Lance Corporal Joshua M. Bernard.