HA HA HA HA HA….
Bush Ducks Shoes Thrown At Him On His Last Visit To Iraq.
Throwing a shoe at someone or showing the sole of a shoe to someone is a sign of disrespect.
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WHY DOES BUSH HATE MOTHER EARTH & THE HUMAN RACE?
After spending eight years at the top of one of the worst administrations in American history, George W. Bush is ending his presidency in characteristically aggressive fashion, with a number of controversial measures designed to reward supporters and enrage opponents.
By the time he leaves office, Bush will have issued a record number of so-called ‘midnight regulations’.
Dozens of new rules have already been introduced which critics say will diminish worker safety, pollute the environment, promote gun use and curtail abortion rights. Many rules promote the interests of large industries, such as coal mining or energy, which have energetically supported Bush during his two terms as president.
More are expected this week.
With attention focused on the fate of the beleaguered auto industry. But behind the scenes, the ‘midnight’ rules are being rushed through with little fanfare and minimal media attention.
The regulations cover a vast policy area, ranging from healthcare, car safety and civil liberties. Many more are focused on the environment and seek to ease regulations that limit pollution or restrict harmful industrial practices, such as dumping strip-mining waste in waterways, lakes, valley’s and over springs.
Bush can pass the rules because of a loophole in US law allowing him to put last-minute regulations into the Code of Federal Regulations, rules that have the same force as law. He can carry out many of his political aims without needing to force new laws through Congress. Outgoing presidents often use the loophole in their last weeks in office.
Many of these are radical and appear to pay off big business allies of the Republican party.
One rule will make it easier for coal companies to dump debris from strip mining into valleys and streams. The process is part of an environmentally damaging technique known as ‘mountain-top removal mining’. It involves literally removing the top of a mountain to excavate a coal seam and pouring the debris into a valley, which is then filled up with rock.
Another midnight regulation will allow power companies to build coal-fired power stations nearer to national parks and allow those coal-fired stations to increase their emissions without installing new anti-pollution equipment.
One lengthens the number of hours that truck drivers can drive without rest while yet another will allow the rail transport of hazardous materials through densely populated areas.
One more chips away at the protection of endangered species and allowing loaded and concealed guns to be carried in national parks.
****Imagine camping in the Rocky Mountians and looking out at the mountians without peaks, rafting down a small river and finding it blocked by rock from mountian top strip mining. Picture going on that camping trip and on your way there having some truck driver fall asleep and smash into your car on the highway and killing your family. Imagine nature without Bears, Deer, Eagles, Fish, Plants and any number of other life that has become extinct because it was no longer protected. Imagine George Bush’s ideal country and landscape…. It should make you sick to your stomach, and mad as hell.****
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OBAMA’S FIRST POLITICAL PROBLEM?
Obama’s chief of staff, Emanuel, communicated with the office of Gov. Blagojevich about potential candidates for Obama’s Senate seat and provided a list of names.
Obama associates said the interactions concerned several people who might fill the seat. Such contacts are common among party officials when a political vacancy is to be filled.
The Chicago Tribune reported that communications between Emanuel and the governor had been captured on court-approved wiretaps, but Obama associates gave conflicting accounts of the interactions.
The federal inquiry is looking into the exact nature of Emanuel’s contacts with the governor’s office.
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I figured I would try to post something about Christmas until the 25th.
The Tree
BRITIAN – The Norway spruce is the traditional species used to decorate homes in Britain. The Norway spruce was a native species in the British Isles before the last Ice Age, and was reintroduced here before the 1500s.
GREENLAND – Christmas trees are imported, as no trees live this far north. They are decorated with candles and bright ornaments.
SWEDEN – Most people buy Christmas trees well before Christmas Eve, but it’s not common to take the tree inside and decorate it until just a few days before. Evergreen trees are decorated with stars, sunbursts, and snowflakes made from straw. Other decorations include colorful wooden animals and straw centerpieces.
UKRAINE – Celebrated on December 25th by Catholics and on January 7th by Orthodox Christians, Christmas is the most popular holiday in the Ukraine. During the Christmas season, which also includes New Year’s Day, people decorate fir trees and have parties.
SPAIN – A popular Christmas custom is Catalonia, a lucky strike game. A tree trunk is filled with goodies and children hit at the trunk trying to knock out the hazel nuts, almonds, toffee, and other treats.
SAUDI ARABIA – Christian Americans, Europeans, Indians, Filipinos, and others living here have to celebrate Christmas privately in their homes. Christmas lights are generally not tolerated. Most families place their Christmas trees somewhere inconspicuous.
GERMANY – Many Christmas traditions practiced around the world today started in Germany.
The Tannenbaum is traditionally decorated in secret with lights, tinsel, and ornaments by the mother and is lit and revealed on Christmas Eve with cookies, nuts, and gifts under its branches.
UPSIDE DOWN TREE An upside-down Christmas tree is one of the hottest fads of the season. But it’s actually not so new!
Hanging fir trees upside down goes back to the Middle Ages, when Europeans did it to represent the Trinity.
It also takes up a smaller amount of space and leaves more room for gifts.
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WORLDS SMALLEST CAT
The smallest cat, Mr. Peebles from Illinois, USA. He is 15.5 cm tall and 49 cm long.
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CHINA’S NEW CAR
In one way, it is a rather ordinary compact car, though it does have exceptional acceleration. This is a plug-in electric car, hence the acceleration, but when the electric battery runs out after 80 miles the gas engine switches in seamlessly and its not one of those eco-friendly hybrid cars. The makers argue that hybrids are more gas-guzzlers than battery driven, whereas this model tries to be half and half.
In September there was a remarkable endorsement of BYD when even as global stock markets were plunging, the canniest American investor of them all, Warren Buffet of Omaha, Nebraska, paid $230m for a 10% stake in the Chinese company.
Mr Buffett is a quite notorious investor for the long-term, not the quick buck, so he must recognise something in those initials BYD.
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ON THE HOME FRONT
Yesterday was a pretty good day. Shane had a lot of laundry so he and I took it all to the laundrymat and did it to help out Dawnell at home. While it was washing and drying Shane worked on math homework.
Today I had to go back to work, I didn’t want to get out of bed since it was very windy and cold out but I found out when I went out to get my lunch Dawnell brought me that it had even got colder out. I felt like I froze my snarglies off.
This is my last week of working days, then it is back to the swing shift and not seeing much of the family. I can’t believe the past two months went so fast. Although I don’t think we ever get an exact two months of day shifts. It seems like our swing and mid shifts last longer.
Old Anika, our American Bulldog, is moving slower and slower especially with the cold. I bought her a heated dog bed although she has yet to lay on it, Emma and the cats seem to enjoy it. Anika would rather just snuggle up with Dawnell, and if she isn’t there, then she will settle and snuggle with me.
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“You know, I’m the President during this period of time, but I think when the history of this period is written, people will realize a lot of the decisions that were made on Wall Street took place over a decade or so, before I arrived in President, during I arrived in President.”
–George W. Bush, ABC News interview, Dec. 1, 2008
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37 Days Left!
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Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring
Freedom casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central
Command: 4818
