President Barack Obama has now filled nearly all of the major posts in his new administration...but some shuffling of people chosen is still going on. More turmoil in the choices occurred today, February 3rd when Republican Senator Judd Gregg was announced as the nominee for the Commerce Secretary cabinet role. Ironically, Mr. Gregg voted to abolish the Commerce Department in 1995!!! At least half (8) of the 15 Cabinet appointees are millionaires. Now, Tom Daschle has just withdrawn his name for the Health and Human Services Secretary this after only several hours ago that Nancy Killefer, who had been picked by Obama to serve as the country's chief performance officer, had withdrawn from consideration for the post. The 15 Cabinet members and four other Cabinet-level officials (the U.N. ambassador, E.P.A. administrator, budget chief and trade representative) remain subject to Senate confirmation. Click this link for the latest nominee profiles and photos as well as confirmation status regarding the Obama Cabinet. Also here is the slideshow of Obama's staff on Vanity Fair.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Obama's Cabinet Nominees Still In Turmoil
President Barack Obama has now filled nearly all of the major posts in his new administration...but some shuffling of people chosen is still going on. More turmoil in the choices occurred today, February 3rd when Republican Senator Judd Gregg was announced as the nominee for the Commerce Secretary cabinet role. Ironically, Mr. Gregg voted to abolish the Commerce Department in 1995!!! At least half (8) of the 15 Cabinet appointees are millionaires. Now, Tom Daschle has just withdrawn his name for the Health and Human Services Secretary this after only several hours ago that Nancy Killefer, who had been picked by Obama to serve as the country's chief performance officer, had withdrawn from consideration for the post. The 15 Cabinet members and four other Cabinet-level officials (the U.N. ambassador, E.P.A. administrator, budget chief and trade representative) remain subject to Senate confirmation. Click this link for the latest nominee profiles and photos as well as confirmation status regarding the Obama Cabinet. Also here is the slideshow of Obama's staff on Vanity Fair.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Obama's First Mistake As President

Oh well... just seconds into his term, President Barack Obama made a mistake about the history of his new office. In the second paragraph of his inaugural address, Obama said, “Forty four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.” Sorry. While Obama IS the 44th president, he is actually only the 43rd American to take the oath. Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms. He is counted as the 22nd president, serving from 1885 to 1889. He won back theoffice four years later, and is counted also as the 24th president, serving again from 1893-1897. Two presidents – but one American.
Monday, January 19, 2009
See Obama's Inauguration Live On The Internet !!!

The SCHEDULE: Presidential Inaugural Committee's full schedule of events is available here with the following ways to experience it listed below via the internet by streaming, phone or social web technologies:
Via STREAMING:
- The Official Sites: Just in case you don't have it bookmarked, add the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies' official site to your list of viewing venues. The JCCIC will have live video streams (with closed captioning), and the site itself has a wealth of information on everything inaugural, including clips of previous presidents' ceremonies and tons of minutiae (including recipes for inaugural luncheons, like Obama's "brace of American birds." The Presidential Inaugural Committee will also have streaming coverage, but it has to be noted that viewing the stream requires installing Microsoft's Silverlight 2 platform (and which, thereby, leaves Linux and mobile users out in the cold). If you're cool with that, though, ReadWriteWeb has a great blow-by-blow schedule of the PIC's offerings.
- NBC/CBS/ABC: The Big Three are all in online with free streaming coverage. NBC's coverage is actually over at MSNBC's inauguration page. CBS' Inauguration webcast kicks off at 7 a.m. EST Tuesday and wraps up with a web-only wrap-up hosted by Katie Couric at 10 p.m. EST. CBS' coverage will also be carried on Joost's Everything Obama site. ABC News will likely host its live coverage at its 44th President site.
- Hulu/Fox: Fox.com, Fox News, and Hulu will offer the same stream via Hulu's Obama video page starting at noon EST, then "on-demand" video from there on out. Hulu generally has top-notch video quality, even in full-screen mode—unless it gets jammed, as it did during some presidential debates. The site likely learned a few lessons in scaling, though, so it's definitely worth checking out.
- C-SPAN: The non-partisan channel your cable company pays offers up all four of its channelsinauguration should be no different. Stay tuned to C-SPAN's main page, however, for the debut of an Inauguration Hub that will feature, according to CNET, a kind of "control room" that lets visitors switch between four feeds of the goings-on on the fly. online at all times, and Obama's
- Facebook/CNN: CNN.com and Facebook team up to offer a live inauguration feed with a social twist: You can sign into your Facebook account starting at 8 a.m. EST Tuesday at CNN.com Live and update your status alongside the streaming coverage, while seeing a real-time stream of your friends' status updates as well.
- Current/Twitter: Same type of deal as above, just with Current doing the streaming at 11:30 a.m. EST and micro-blogging platform Twitter providing real-time tweets/updates. Multi-taskers checking out Current Twitters the Inauguration should twitter with the tag
#currentin their message. - Ustream.tv Upstart live-streaming site Ustream is offering a live video feed of the inauguration at this page. No indication of what will be covered, exactly. A pre-recorded video of Obama's acceptance speech looked quite grainy when full-screened; if you're an iPhone/iPod touch user, scroll below to check out Ustream's (beta-invite) streaming app.
- Other sites: Also likely to offer live video streams are the Washington Post, New York Times, and the BBC. Livestation offers international feeds from Al Jazeera, BBC, Euronews and France 24, while USA Today and the Associated Press will also offer live streams and coverage clips.
Via PHONE:
- Ustream through your iPhone: If Ustream.tv gets their iPhone app approved before Tuesday, then simply search for "ustream" and you'll get a live feed of the Ustream coverage mentioned above. If not, TechCrunch has details on getting a beta invite. Ustream's site also suggests an email to
iphone@ustream.tvmight do the trick. - InaugurationReport apps: For both iPhones (search "inaugurationreport") and Androids (search IR09), the join project's mobile apps let you view semi-real-time Twitter updates, Flickr photos, text messages, and content upload from other mobile IR users from one handy app screen.
Via SOCIAL-WEB:
- InaugurationReport.com: A joint project of NPR, CBS, American University, and many more, the site rounds up all the contributions made by on-the-street citizen reporters through Flickr, Twitter, text message, YouTube, and IR's own mobile apps (see below). It's a nice way to condense all of those mediums into one regularly-refreshing page. For a similarly crushed-together view, try a Big Buzz search on Icerocket.
- Flickr: The official multi-user inauguration pool is here, but the Presidential Inaugural Committee has its own stream, as does the president-elect himself (though not update in a while ... wonder why?).
- Twitter search: The hot searches are inauguration and the #inaug09 tag.
- Photosynth to create massive 3D compilation of oath-taking: If you or somebody you know in D.C. for the big moment wants to contribute to a gigantically cool 3D mesh of the moment Obama takes the oath, email a photo (one at a time, up to 10MB per pic and three separate submissions allowed) to
themoment@cnn.com, then, later that day, head to cnn.com/themoment to see the big mash-up, powered by Microsoft's Photosynth technology.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Obama's Cabinet Nominees Up For Approval

This week, starting on January 13, 2009 marks the beginning of the official approval process for Barack Obama's Cabinet Nominees. Here is the current approval schedule:
Tuesday, Jan. 13
Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton
Appears before the Foreign Relations committee
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Shaun Donovan
Appears before the Budget Committee
Secretary of Energy
Steven Chu
Appears before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Secretary of Education
Arne Duncan
Appears before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Wednesday, Jan. 14
Secretary of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack
Appears before the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Eric Shinseki
Appears before the Veterans Affairs Committee
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Lisa Jackson
Appears before the Environment and Public Works Committee
Thursday, Jan. 15
Secretary of the TreasuryTimothy Geithner
Appears before the Finance Committee
U.N. Ambassador
Susan Rice
Appears before the Foreign Relations Committee
Secretary of the Interior
Ken Salazar
Appears before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Secretary of Homeland Security
Janet Napolitano
Appears before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Attorney General
Eric Holder
Appears before the Judiciary Committee
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Bill Richardson Gives Up Cabinet Nomination
Bill Richardson, New Mexico's Governor, has given up his nomination to be commerce secretary just revealed today. He believed an ongoing federal investigation into a business relationship his state's administration had with a company in California that won municipal bond business there (after making donations to various causes championed by Richardson) would slow down his confirmation as Obama's Commerce Secretary. The Governor is quoted as saying,"I do so with great sorrow. But a pending investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months. Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact. But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process. Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the President-elect and his Administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done." Obama accepted the withdrawal with "...deep regret...Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office," Obama's statement read. "It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time. Although we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson's decision, I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration." (source:cnn.com)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Barack Obama's Current Cabinet Nominees
- Agriculture, Secretary Tom Vilsack (nominee)
- Books by Tom Vilsack
- Commerce, Secretary Bill Richardson (UPDATE: nominee - resigned on 04JAN2008)
- Books by Bill Richardson
- Defense, Secretary Robert Gates (nominee)
- Books by Robert Gates
- Education, Secretary Arne Duncan (nominee)
- Books by Arne Duncan
- Health and Human Services, Secretary Tom Daschle (nominee)
- Books by Tom Daschle
- Housing and Urban Dvelopment, Secretary Shaun Donovan (nominee)
- Homeland Security, Secretary Janet Napolitano (nominee)
- Books by Janet Napolitano
- Interior, Secretary Ken Salazar (nominee)
- Books by Ken Salazar
- Justice, Attorney General Eric Holder (nominee)
- National Security Adviser James L. Jones (nominee)
- State, Secretary Hilary Rodham Clinton (nominee)
- Books by Senator Clinton
- Transportation, Secretary Ray Lahood (nomineed)
- Treasury, Secretary Timothy Geithner (nominee)
- Books by Timothy Geithner
- Veterans Affairs, Secretary Eric Shinseki (nominee)
- Books by Eric Shinseki
Inauguration Day 2009 Events For Barack Obama
Inauguration Day 2009 information and resources are available here: At 12:00 noon on Inauguration Day 2009 (Tuesday, January 20, 2009, as set by the Twentieth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution), Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States. The Inauguration Day 2009 Schedule will keep you informed about what is happening and when on this important day. The schedule of Inauguration Day events tells you what to see, where to be, and when to be there. Can't make it to DC in person? Find out how to watch the ceremony and parade on TV, Radio, and online.
Schedule of Day's Events
TV/Radio/Internet Broadcast
Bulletin Boards
Inauguration Schedule of Official and Unofficial Activities:
A schedule of some official and unofficial activities surrounding Barack Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20:
------
SATURDAY, JAN. 17
-- President-elect Barack Obama and his family ride the train from Philadelphia to Washington, stopping in Wilmington, Del., for Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family. Train will stop in Baltimore for speech before heading south.
-- BET Honors, an awards ceremony, at the Warner Theater.
-- People's Inaugural Gala Celebration at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
-- Will.i.am "Yes We Did" concert.
-- Concert with Mary J. Blige, Common and Nelly at nightclub Ibiza.
SUNDAY, JAN. 18
-- Obama will kick off inaugural activities with a welcome event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday afternoon. The event begins at 2:30 p.m. Beyonce, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor are among the musicians scheduled to perform.
-- Presidential Inaugural Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Ritz-Carlton.
-- EMILY's List Inaugural Luncheon with scheduled guests including Cabinet appointees Hillary Rodham Clinton and Janet Napolitano, Sens. Kay Hagan and Jeanne Shaheen, and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue.
-- African-American Church Inaugural Ball at the Grand Hyatt Washington.
-- 2009 Latino Inaugural Gala with Marc Anthony at Union Station.
-- Aloha Inaugural Ball, organized by former Obama campaign workers, held at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel at 7:30 p.m.
MONDAY, JAN. 19
-- National Day of Community Service event: To honor Dr. King's legacy, Obama, Biden and their families, joined by Americans across the country, will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, D.C. area.
-- Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball, sponsored by the Texas State Society, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.
-- Green Inaugural Ball at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. Ball hosted by former Vice President Al Gore.
-- Huffington Post preinaugural ball at the Newseum.
-- Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts. Hosted by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, among others.
-- A children's evening concert at the Verizon Center honoring military families. Event hosted by Michelle Obama, who will attend. Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers are among the entertainers.
-- Obama to attend three private dinners to honor former secretary of State Colin Powell, Biden and Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, for their public service. Dinners at the Hilton Washington, National Building Museum and Union Station.
TUESDAY, JAN. 20 (INAUGURATION DAY)
Gates to the Inaugural Ceremony open at 8 a.m. The inaugural festivities are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. They will include:
-- Musical selections of The United States Marine Band, followed by the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
-- Sen. Dianne Feinstein provides call to order and welcoming remarks.
-- Invocation by the Rev. Rick Warren.
-- Musical selection of Aretha Franklin.
-- Biden will be sworn into office by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
-- Musical selection of John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet).
-- Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts. Scheduled around noon.
-- Obama gives the inaugural address.
-- Poem by Elizabeth Alexander.
-- Benediction by Rev. Joseph E. Lowery.
-- The National Anthem by The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters."
After Obama gives inaugural address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall.
The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.
Later that day, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will host 10 official inaugural balls:
-- Neighborhood Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Obama Home States (Illinois and Hawaii) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Biden Home States (Pennsylvania and Delaware) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Midwest Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Western Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
-- Commander in Chief's Ball at the National Building Museum.
-- Southern Inaugural Ball at the National Guard Armory.
-- Eastern Inaugural Ball at Union Station.
-- Youth Inaugural Ball at the Washington Hilton.
Unofficial balls include:
-- Congressional Black Caucus Inaugural Ball at the Capitol Hilton.
-- Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts.
-- Recording Industry Association of America's ball for Feeding America.
-- BET's Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
-- Africa on the Potomac inaugural celebration at Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va.
-- American Music Inaugural Ball at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
-- Inaugural Purple Ball at the Fairmont Hotel.
-- Human Rights Campaign's Equality Ball at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel.
-- Inaugural Peace Ball at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.
-- Impact Film Fund ball.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21
-- The president, vice president and their families will participate in a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
No War Anymore: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

And so another year comes to an end, but the scourge of war is still with us...when will war cease to exist? Only God knows. One article in Discover Magazine claims science may have found a way to end war. Currently according to the United Nations organization there are about 134 worldwide (from UN recognized states only) that fall within these designated parameters:
1. It must involve armed struggle by at least one province against another.
2. It must be formally declared as such.
3. It has existed for at least 6 months.
The kind of wars that are new or not within these parameters are outside the figure of 134. John Lennon's "War Is Over" song when combined with scenes of world conflict causes one to take pause on this Christmas Eve of 2008 and hopefully 2009 will be a better year:
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Obama Inaugural: Lincoln Bible For Swearing-in

The Lincoln Bible (the same Bible used by Abraham Lincoln for his swearing-in) has been chosen to be used at Barack Obama's inauguration swearing-in ceremony on January 20th, 2009. It will be the first time the bible has been used since President Lincoln's swearing-in ceremony in 1861 (image on left of Lincoln's Inaugural Bible).Today, Presidential Inaugural Committee Executive Director Emmett Beliveau stated that "President-elect Obama is deeply honoured the Library of Congress has made the Lincoln Bible available for use during his swearing-in...The president-elect is committed to holding an inauguration that celebrates America's unity, and the use of this historic Bible will provide a powerful connection to our common past and common heritage," The Preseident-Elect also plans to take the same train route that Lincoln took to Washington, D.C. and will hold a welcome event at the Lincoln Memorial prior to his inauguration ceremony in January.
The Lincoln Bible (bound in burgundy velvet with gilded edges) was originally purchased and inscribed by Clerk of the Supreme Court at the time, William Thomas Carroll. The bible is to be displayed at the Library of Congress from February 12th to May 9th as part of an exhibition called "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition." It will then go on tour to five other American cities in commemoration of the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth on February 12th, 1809. There is no constitutional requirement that a Bible be used during inaugurations, but US presidents traditionally have used Bibles for their swearing-in ceremonies. One couldn't have asked for any greater symbolism for the inauguration than this to help set the new President and nation on the right course for the coming years of this administration. (partial source: associated press)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
"Princess Of Camelot" Kennedy Goes For Senate

The intensely private Caroline Kennedy, 51, decides to go for the open senate seat in New York left by Hillary Clinton...amid an awkward political debut by evading television cameras and charging past the press into an SUV waiting outside, seconds after officially declaring she wants a seat in the Senate. Some say its Park Avenue privilage being exercised, others claim she is trading on the Kennedy name, fame and connections for spring boarding into elected politics.
The publicity-shy Democrat is not exactly known for going out of her way to engage people even in casual conversation. However she has quietly gone about her personal "causes" such as assisting in raising $350 million to help out the New York City pubic schools.
Kennedy was quoted yesterday while in Buffalo, NY as saying "I've spent a lifetime growing up around public policy issues, and public service is something I'm proud of in the family tradition. It's something that I've always wanted to do. I've worked in New York City public schools. I've written books on the constitution, I've raised my family, and now it's time, I think, with the problems we have, for me to be able to step forward and do more."
The New York state governor, David Paterson, can choose Clinton's replacement to the Senate, but whoever is chosen will have to endure a run in a 2010 special election. Kennedy has engaged the services of the savvy world political player, Josh Isay (currently he is consulting for Israeli Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu). Caroline already has approached women's organizations (met with an abortion rights group this past Monday as a pro-choice candidate. She has even made the trek to the upstate areas of New York where 40% of the vote resides.
Only five years old when JFK (her father) was assassinated, Kennedy lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan currently. A former student at Harvard University and Columbia law school, she then married Edwin Schlossberg (a designer and artist). Caroline has never changed her surname from the Kennedy moniker. She has a son and two college-aged daughters. Her mother died of cancer in 1994 and in 1999 her brother John was killed in a plane crash. She is the only immediate JFK family living member. She has written seven books rather than practice law full time. She has been the keeper of her father's legacy by being actively involved in awards and foundations bearing her father's name.
Kennedy met with Barack Obama in 2007 in hopes of using her name's influence in the Democratic primary and had indicated that Obama echoed her father's effect on politics. This is one more event that is scheming to create more excitement in the world of U.S. politics. (source: guardian.co.uk photo:BrianSnyder/Reuters)
Most Unfair Civil Trial Legal Jurisdictions In 2008

Ahhh...legal politics and skullduggery...they have a place, quite literally, where they abound. This, according to the annual ranking by the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) entitled "Judicial Hellholes 2008", is now available to the public in which it identifies the legal jurisdictions that civil defendants will most likely NOT be assured of a fair trial (the list follows):
- West Virginia
- South Florida
- Cook County in Illinois
- Atlantic County in New Jersey
- Montgomery & Macon Counties in Alabama
- Los Angeles County in California
- Clark County (Las Vegas) in Nevada
ATRA offers a supplementary "Watch List" of seven more jurisdictions that it can't quite classify as a "Judicial Hellhole", but sure seem to be on their way. They are: the Rio Grande Valley & Gulf Coast of Texas, Madison County Illinois, Baltimore Maryland, and St. Louis (city and county) & Jackson county Missouri. So now you've been warned...don't go to civil trial here and there. (source: pointoflaw.com)
Monday, December 15, 2008
Shoes Thrown At Bush By Iraqi TV Reporter

President George W. Bush ducked a pair of shoes hurled at his head -- one shoe after the other -- in the middle of a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the Associated Press reports.
Both shoes narrowly missed their target and thumped loudly against the wall behind the leaders. "This is a farewell kiss, you dog!" shouted the protester in Arabic, later identified as Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt. Bush ducked both shoes as they whizzed past his head and landed with a thud against the wall behind him. "It was a size 10," Bush joked later. (Source: The Times Online-photo, Chicago Tribune and MSNBC)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Illinois Gov Arrested For Selling Obama's Senate Seat ?

FBI arrests Rod Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff early Tuesday morning at 6:30am on corruption charges...allegedly he is caught on tape...this news first reported by the Chicago Tribune: "A source said today that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning"... "U.S. attorney's office spokesman Randall Samborn said both Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested today."
The Illinois Governor indicted by Federal authorities on basically three charges: 1. selling of Obama's Senate seat (Gov has legal right to appoint successor) 2. purge of editorial board of Chicago Tribune in exchange for cutting a deal to sell Wrigley Field (mail fraud) 3. solicitation of campaign funds ("pay to play" scheme; solicitation of a bribe) Additionally, The Department of Justice alleges that in exchange for the Senate appointment, Governor Blagojevich discussed obtaining: --a substantial salary for himself at either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions --placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year --promises of campaign funds — including cash up front --a cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself --Just a side-note here, Blagojavich likes Jackson...
Some questions here:
-- How will this affect the process to fill Obama's Senate seat? Will Blagojevich make the appointment?
-- If Blagojevich decides not to resign, the Illinois state legislature could decide to impeach him. That would work as follows, per Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan's press secretary Steve Brown: (1) It would require someone to file a resolution; (2) there would then be hearings in the House; (3) there would then be a vote in the House; and (4) if the House votes to impeach, then there would be a trial in the Senate. -- If the Gov goes to prison, and former Gov. George Ryan isn't commuted by President Bush, there will be two Illinois governors in prison AT THE SAME TIME. That means that possibly Blagojevich would become the 4th Illinois governor to go to prison (following Ryan, Otto Kerner, and Dan Walker). -- Unusual that he was not allowed to surrender, but was arrested at home; apparently to prevent him from appointing the Obama Senate seat successor
-- Illiniois' lieutenant governor is Pat Quinn, a Democrat, who would replace Blagojevich if he's ousted from office.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Another Kennedy In The Senate?
Would Caroline be up for running a campaign through out the 62 counties of New York? This remains to be seen, as many feminist organizations are getting ready to press Governor Paterson to fill the vacant Senate seat with a female.
(photo source: Kristin Mullen/The Citizen's Voice; article source:The New York Times)
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Where The TARP Billions In "Bailout Money" Is

Via Probublica we see how much is being given to whom for the bailout. Numbers are in millions of U.S. dollars.
| Associated Bank-Corp | 11/06/08 | details | $530 | |
| BB&T | 10/27/08 | details | $3,100 | |
| Bank of America (incl. Merrill Lynch) | 10/14/08 | details | $25,000 | |
| Bank of Commerce | 11/13/08 | details | $17 | |
| Bank of New York Mellon | 10/14/08 | details | $3,000 | |
| Banner Corp | 11/04/08 | details | $124 | |
| Capital One | 10/27/08 | details | $3,550 | |
| Capital Pacific Bancorp | 11/06/08 | details | $4 | |
| Cascade Financial Corp | 11/03/08 | details | $39 | |
| Citigroup | 10/14/08 | details | $25,000 | |
| Citizens Republic Bancorp | 11/14/08 | details | $300 | |
| City National | 10/27/08 | details | $395 | |
| Columbia Banking System | 11/04/08 | details | $77 | |
| Comerica | 10/27/08 | details | $2,250 | |
| Fifth Third | 10/27/08 | details | $3,450 | |
| First Community Bancshares | 10/30/08 | details | $43 | |
| First Financial | 10/31/08 | details | $80 | |
| First Horizon National | 10/24/08 | details | $866 | |
| First Midwest Bancorp | 11/10/08 | details | $193 | |
| First Niagara | 10/27/08 | details | $186 | |
| First PacTrust Bank | 11/12/08 | details | $19.3 | |
| FirstMerit Corp | 11/13/08 | details | $248 | |
| Goldman Sachs | 10/14/08 | details | $10,000 | |
| Heritage Commerce Corp | 11/05/08 | details | $40 | |
| Heritage Financial | 11/04/08 | details | $24 | |
| Home Federal Financial | 10/27/08 | details | $25 | |
| Huntington Bancshares | 10/27/08 | details | $1,400 | |
| Intermountain Community Bancorp | 11/7/08 | details | $27 | |
| JP Morgan Chase | 10/14/08 | details | $25,000 | |
| KeyCorp | 10/27/08 | details | $2,500 | |
| Marshall & Ilsley | 10/28/08 | details | $1,715 | |
| Midwest Banc | 11/07/08 | details | $86 | |
| Morgan Stanley | 10/14/08 | details | $10,000 | |
| Northern Trust | 10/27/08 | details | $1,500 | |
| Old National Bancorp | 10/27/08 | details | $150 | |
| PNC | 10/24/08 | details | $7,700 | |
| Pacific Capital Bancorp | 11/06/08 | details | $188 | |
| Peoples Bancorp | 11/13/08 | details | $39 | |
| Porter Bancorp | 11/12/08 | details | $39 | |
| Provident Bankshares | 10/27/08 | details | $??? | |
| Redding Bank | 10/27/08 | details | $17 | |
| Regions Financial | 10/24/08 | details | $3,500 | |
| Saigon National | 10/27/08 | details | $1.2 | |
| Simmons First National | 10/30/08 | details | $40 | |
| State Street | 10/14/08 | details | $2,000 | |
| SunTrust | 10/27/08 | details | $3,500 | |
| TCF Financial | 11/03/08 | details | $361 | |
| Taylor Capital | 11/12/08 | details | $105 | |
| Trustmark Corp | 11/06/08 | details | $215 | |
| U.S. Bancorp | 11/03/08 | details | $6,600 | |
| UCBH Holdings | 10/27/08 | details | $298 | |
| Umpqua | 10/28/08 | details | $214 | |
| Valley National | 10/24/08 | details | $330 | |
| Washington Federal | 10/27/08 | details | $200 | |
| Webster Financial | 11/07/08 | details | $400 | |
| Wells Fargo | 10/14/08 | details | $25,000 | |
| Western Alliance Bancorporation | 11/13/08 | details | $140 | |
| Zions Bancorp | 10/28/08 | details | $1,400 |