New Treatment for Children with Swine Flu

I know the World Health Organization is taking this seriously, but please......


A veterinarian for the Minnesota State Fair, Dr. Tom Hagerty, was traveling on the East Coast late Friday and said he had not heard of the test findings. Dr. Hagerty sounded surprised at the news but not alarmed, because most of the pigs, or perhaps all, that were at the state fair at the same time as a group of 4-H children who became ill were to be sent to the slaughterhouse shortly afterward.

New York Times Story

Budget Battle Heats Up from Without

I like the one in the trench coat. with a mustache and little hat, it would look like Inspector Closeau from the Pink Panther movies.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." - The Merovingian

I talked to all of them

A conference call would have been faster. Oh, wait! That would have been a TOMA violation.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

The good Rev. came through again! Enjoy!

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Otis Powers Talks to Joe Colunga

My good friend and confidant, the Rev. Tallywhacker came across this snippet and thought that maybe, just maybe, some of you folks would be interested in BISD issues at this time. Not to disappoint, I said I would post it. There may be more later.

Typical City Commission Meeting

"I wonder how many of the whiners here participate in council meetings or meet with council members to express thier views." It's difficult to attend a City Council meeting and be listened to; I attended one once and had to listen to a homeless person sing Christmas carols; the citizens who spoke were ignored by council members on the dais who were busy texting, talking on their phones or working on their computers. A meeting? Without being a member of an influential neighborhood group from an influential ZIP Code? Without a campaign contribution? That's not going to happen. E-mail a councilman? No response....not even a form letter. These people live in some sort of strange Twilight Zone land where tax money is lying in the streets and the serfs are only too happy to give up more and more and more of the sweat of the brow. I live in the wrong ZIP Code and so do most of the other working taxpayers in this city. Clout isn't formalized here like it is in Chicago, but it exists. No doubt about it.
Posted on 7/23/2009 9:17:33 AM
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In Austin,Tx

Imagination gone wild?

While on my daily cruise for information (without the superhero outfit, this time - it chafes), I noticed that the Imagine Brownsville plan is being rushed through the city commission under a blanket.

I wonder how many of the proposals and methods translate to VIN REG, as we seem to be getting the same kind of uncooperative bullshit when questions about the final contents of this master are asked. What are the "tweaks", and who are the tweakers and who are the tweakies? The last time I looked, the word had two meanings: 1) to make minor improvements, such as jet adjustments on a carbureted vehicle and 2) to twist someone's nose.

Does anyone remember that Dodge van that used to run around town with the "Bill Mobray sold me this lemon" painted all over it? That will be small potatoes if the final document retrenches power for the few, institutionalizes tax slavery of the public, and/or promotes someone involved with Ambiotec to be the next City Manager.

I am pretty good at reading between the lines, but only if I have some lines to read between. I want to know what is under the blanket before I pay for what may be a VIN REG line item on the bill.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" - The Merovingian

What the hell is this ONE proclaimation about?

I looked at it, looked at the organization, looked at its goals.

Sending money to Africa DOESN'T WORK!

Do we not have enough poor HERE to take care of?

Can we not cure homelessness IN OUR OWN BACK YARD FIRST?

I know this is a touchy-touchy, feel good, tree-hugging, love-thy-neighbor sort of thing, BUT....

While our latest incarnation of "The Merry Band of Idiots" are running around looking to save the world, McAllen is looking for low interest loans for hotels surrounding their new convention center. Coffee break is over, so get back to work!

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." - The Merovingian

Phished from a Commissioner's email account

Dear Friend,

I have heard that you are someone of integrity and can handle a sensitive matter with utmost discretion. I am the nephew of the recently deceased Minister of Entertainment for the City of Lagos Nigeria. My uncle died tragically in an airplane accident while traveling on Official Business for the city. He left my aunt destitute with many children to feed. Before he died, he was in possession of musical performance contracts worth $50,000 U.S.D (FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, USD.) I am seeking a person of your integrity with a bank account who could help transfer these contracts in return for a substantial amount of cash money. This negotiation is of the utmost secrecy and it is important that no attorneys become involved in the deal. It is important that you act quickly, as the contracts are good only for a short time. I need the following information so we can complete the deal quickly: your home phone number, bank account number and routing code, and a fax number for completing the transaction.

Regards,

Hiro Hiram

Pretty slam dunk from my perspective

Dow heads higher

Praise for captain after kidnapping
American was rescued by Navy team after firefight with piratesBy Josh Meyer | Tribune Washington Bureau
April 13, 2009
WASHINGTON - After days of tense negotiations, the Navy rescue of an American sea captain came in a matter of seconds Sunday when a few sniper bullets killed three Somali pirates who authorities feared were about to kill him.

The commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer Bainbridge had already received approval from President Barack Obama to attempt a rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips by force if the seafarer's life appeared to be in imminent danger after five days of captivity off the coast of Somalia.

And with the seas becoming choppier and the increasingly agitated captors pointing an automatic weapon at Phillips, Cmdr. Frank Castellano decided he had no other option. The Bainbridge skipper gave the green light, and sharpshooters on the fantail of the naval warship opened fire on the partially exposed pirates aboard the small enclosed lifeboat.

Phillips, who was bound and standing, was uninjured in the attack, said Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney, commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. He gave an account of the rescue operation and the events leading up to it in a Pentagon telephone conference from the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain on Sunday evening.



Phillips' three captors, who were armed with AK-47s and small-caliber pistols, most likely were killed instantaneously.

A fourth man who had been holding Phillips captive since the pirates failed Wednesday in their attempt to seize the Maersk Alabama was aboard the Bainbridge negotiating with the Navy at the time. He was taken into custody by U.S. authorities.

After the rescue, Phillips was whisked to safety aboard the nearby amphibious assault ship Boxer, given a routine medical evaluation and was "resting comfortably," Gortney said.

Once he was there, military officials confirmed that the soft-spoken captain had placed his own safety at risk in an effort to protect his crew, helping fight off the initial pirate attack and then later offering himself as a hostage.

"His courage is a model for all Americans," Obama said in a statement Sunday.

Asked if he had any message for a public that had been captivated by his ordeal, Phillips was self-effacing.

"I'm just the byline. The real heroes are the Navy, the SEALs, those who have brought me home," he told Maersk Line Ltd. President and CEO John Reinhart. In nearby Mombasa, Kenya, where the Maersk Alabama had arrived on Saturday without its captain, the crew erupted in celebration when news of his release came through. Two flares were fired into the air, and the ship's horn sounded. Nine crew members came to the stern, pumping their fists skyward, one of them wrapped in a U.S. flag.

"He's one of the bravest men I've ever met," one crew member shouted.

Alison McColl, a family friend, read a brief statement to reporters outside the Phillips home in Underhill, Vt., saying the captain and his wife, Andrea, had spoken by phone. "I think you can all imagine their joy, and what a happy moment that was for them," said McColl, according to the Associated Press.

This is the America that I remember. Napalming the Somali ports afterwards would have been a nice touch, though.

New Side Links

I spent a few hunting the candidates sites and putting them up. If you know of more, pop me a note, or comment here. I don't need triplicate copies of notarized statements nor "Patents of Nobility" to determine if the site is legitimate. I know how to click a link and read.

Missing at this point: Robert Uresti, Arge Miller, Moses Sorola, Carlos Cisneros, Carlos Ayala

Social Censorship?

Mero,

Over the last couple of days, I have written three comments to Bobby Wightman Cervantes on his blog. He chose to reject them.

First rejection
Thank you Bobby. I will be looking forward to your vote on election day.

Second rejection
Regarding your post, thanks for agreeing with me.

$900,000 would have been better spent by using $300,000 for an endowment for a scholarship program for the MPPM program. You can build a bench for the city with these future public servants. They will have real world experience with Brownsville, their home. AND it will be cost-effective. The community volunteered to serve in all those committees, why should a private firm get free money for OUR work? Bobby it might have been better had you attended more than one meeting. The rest of the money could have been saved to implement the changes or pay for repaving Iowa Street, quality of life or for that extra toilet at the sports park.

The toilet reference was a joke.

Lastest rejection
You amaze me, ol' Bobby. I write a legitimate comment on your blog on Imagine Brownsville, a comment I know you would agree with because it makes sense, and you filter it out. Fred Drew heard me talk about this two years ago and applauded, but you stick your fingers in your ears hoping I'll just go away.

Why is it so hard for you to realize that I might actually help Brownsville and force oversight? You are so filled with hate towards me that you'll ignore me. I agree with some of your more reasonable points, but you can't be objective about me and my ideas. It's a shame really. If I win, I will make a difference. Iowa Street will be one of my priorities along with the more underappreciated parts of town. I can only hope you'll come around one of these days.

What do you think about this Mero?

I need your vote this May, Mero. I hope you will honor me with it.

http://www.voteroman.com

Who is going to control all these new "fees"?

At the Special Olympics , errr Special City Commission meeting tonight there was an effort to formalize the contentious $20 per hour practice fee at the Sports Park (Now why did I know I would be writing about that pig, again?). Everyone remembers that no one could recall who put it on in the first place? Well, low and behold, someone who wasn't in the blame-circle the first time around was going to be tossed the hot potato by ordinance. Of course I am speaking of Charlie Cabler. It was interesting that the language stated "or his designee", allowed him to keep the potato in the air long enough to toss it to Chris Patterson, or Tuffy (*rhymes with Scruffy) Martinez. Pretty cool deal for those sitting behind the table, raising fees and getting to blame someone else who isn't answerable to the voters. They seem to do this sort of thing a lot. We have tons of committees throwing around millions of dollars in a strange arrangement of "officer of non-profit corporation." They all have weird sounding initials, CAAC,BCIC,GBIC,BEDC,ETC (last one is not one of these committees, but I heard it was being discussed). There must have been something wrong with the proposal, because Roman Perez questioned it, and it was tabled.

Lets see how it looks the next time the potato rises into the air when it comes off the table. Could we please rename it the "Hot Potato Ordinance"?

The long and short is, I think there are FAR to many unelected people running around spending other people's tax dollars. I think this should stop.

It is about accountability.
It is about transparency.
It is about time.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Ok, here is the skinny

At Large "B" : Alberto Velez, Roman Perez, Rose Zavaletta Gowen, Carlos Ayala

District 3 : Melissa Zamora, Moses Sorola, Carlos Cisneros

District 4 : Robert Uresti, Argelia Miller*, Edward Camarillo

* Signatures "iffy" by the time I left the office.

So any more speculation about "Oh, if such-and-such..." is OVER!
The Fat Lady has sung. Now we await the Fat Lady singing again.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian