Post Scripts

Posted by Tina

WASHINGTON – In another push to deal with soaring gas prices, President Bush on Monday will lift an executive ban on offshore drilling that his stood since his father was president. But the move, by itself, will do nothing unless Congress acts as well. The president plans to officially lift the ban and explain his actions in a Rose Garden statement, White House press secretary Dana Perino said. AP

The president continues to call on Congress to act swiftly to open oil markets and help bring down prices. The democrat controlled Congress has refused. In fact some in Congress have said they like high prices because it forces people to drive less and use less energy.

This is another sleazy political tactic. First they tie the hands of oil companies to bring product to market and then they kidney punch them by continues blocking of production and blaming them for the high prices that inflate profits.

We’ve talked lately about greed, laziness and envy…what do we do about sleazy underhanded control freaks in Congress?

Vote wisely in November.

Posted by Tina

Paris – Forty-three nations, including Israel and Arab states, pledged Sunday to work for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction at the close of a summit to launch an unprecedented Union for the Mediterranean aimed at securing peace across the restive region. In a final declaration, Israel, Syria, the Palestinians along with countries across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa agreed to ”pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction” – AP

This will be one to watch.

by Tina Grazier

I was suspicious last year when the economy, which had been humming along nicely, was suddenly in “crisis”. The housing debacle came along and soon people were talking the economy down. It wasnt long until whispers of recession turned into full blown accusations of a 1929 fall. Gasoline prices started to rise and banking, lending and investment companies were said to be in free fall. All of this going on when the country is still experiencing growth. What the heck is going on?

A Bloomberg article by David Scheer, SEC to Probe Manipulation Through False Information, caught my attention simply because of my suspicions:

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s inspections unit, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which monitors brokerages, and the New York Stock Exchange’s regulatory arm are checking whether firms have controls in place to prevent the intentional spread of misinformation, the SEC said in a statement today. They will also look at whether employees have been adequately trained. ** U.S. regulators are already hunting for traders who may have sought to illegally profit from the credit crisis by falsely stoking panics about the stability of companies including Bear Stearns Cos., which collapsed in March amid speculation that clients were pulling business. ** Cox told the Senate Banking Committee April 3 the agency takes such manipulation “very seriously” and that lawmakers’ hopes for a crackdown would be “met or exceeded.” In March, the Washington-based agency opened probes into whether hedge funds and other traders spread lies about Bear Stearns and Lehman after those stocks plunged, people familiar with the matter said at the time. ** Bear Stearns was forced to sell itself to JPMorgan Chase & Co. March 16 at a fraction of its previous market value.

Continue reading “<strong>Over the Edge</strong>” »

by Jack

by Jack

Just got home from fire duty for a little rest. I’ve been working 11 straight days; many of these were 12 hours or more. One thing I’ve learned since the start of this mission is after about 80 hours of dispatching, working the phones, answering personnel questions, running messages, deploying, etc., with minimal time for sleep your brain slowly turns to mush.

My first reaction entering my home town of Chico…relief! I noticed the air is not quite as bad as when I left it 12 days ago, but it’s still pretty bad. The sun still looks like an orange ball through all the smoke.

Back in Sacramento Butte County is often the discussion over chow breaks. We know the situation and we’re very focused on doing everything possible to contain and suppress the fires. I transported two military helicopter crews to our Flight Ops at Mather this morning where they took another hop via a Black Hawk to Chico. The day before, I transported another air crew from Washington State that was leaving our flight ops for Chester. They are based out of Fort Lewis.

My job remains the same…mobilization, processing in soldiers for active duty and the occasional de-mob. Sounds boring, but it’s really not, there’s a lot of mini-crisis’ to solve every day and that keeps us hopping. So far, so good too, we’ve stayed right on track. We’ve billeted everyone, deployed everyone and have kept track where everyone is assigned; considering the scope of this operation that’s not too bad. That’s a total team effort. Of course there have been hours that pass with almost no activity then pow, a log jam of activity until you are talking with a phone in each hand and a pen in your mouth, post it notes going up everywhere and somehow at the end of the rush it all gets done.

It’s safe to say this is unlike any military mission I’ve ever had before, but then this is a very unique situation for everybody and I am taking due notice of those who have lost their homes or had to evacuate their homes. This is why we are here; you motivate us to do more than we thought we could and to keep on going.

Few of us at JFHQ will able to see the end result of our work, so I feel privileged to come home to where it’s all happening and see the massive effort underway. I promised to take pictures of the fire camp and our air base back with me when I return.

In closing I’m sending you my best wishes and a prayer for your safety! I’ll check back in when I can. Oh, and a very big thank you to Tina for all your great efforts to keep our blog meaningful with lively discussions from everyone, especially Nick, John, Dan and Libby!

by Tina Grazier

A recent Post Scripts entry resulted in discussion about the difference between open, free-market approaches to industry and government and a more closed controlled approach. In my reading today I came across an interesting article featuring Raul Castro of Cuba. His current dilemma clearly demonstrates the unworkability of closed controlled systems:

Cuba lowers reform expectations – BBC

President Raul Castro has given his most sombre assessment of Cuba’s economic situation since he succeeded his brother Fidel in February. ** In a televised address before the assembly, Mr Castro said he would have to lift restrictions on salaries more slowly than anticipated. ** He said key reforms could be affected by global rises in food and oil prices. ** Raul Castro, 77, has raised hopes for change by taking steps to modernise Cuba’s ailing state-run economy. ** Reforms have included removing salary caps to boost incentives for workers, and decentralising of agriculture to increase food production.

In a closed system the dictator decides how much you make and all but a select few go hungry and lose heart.

The free market is not perfect, as man is not perfect, and it certainly isnt fair. But it is the best system ever devised by humankind. The free market encourages and supports opportunity, a space to live and grow our personal individual dreams. If our dream is to be a part of a collective, a free system will accommodate that desire. But a closed system will not tolerate, and cannot accommodate, free market dreams.

We are blessed to live in this republic where a free and open market is still possible and thriving. It is a treasure, hidden to many for lack of introduction. It is a treasure but it is being threatened from without and from within. A wise person will guard and protect the treasures hes been granted.

Please, vote wisely in November.

Posted by Tina

A contrast: What works better BIG government or the FREE enterprise system?

GOVERNMENT:

Whether we drill or not we can be certain that others will:

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday toured a new Arctic oil rig intended to boost Moscow’s position in the intensifying competition for northern energy reserves. Putin also met ministers and top oil executives in the Severodvinsk shipyard to discuss prospects for developing more Arctic fields, which are estimated to contain up to a quarter of Russia’s proven oil and gas reserves. AFP