I wish I was funny :)

I used to be funny and in fact I had someone from my middle school contact me via classmates.com asking me to join a group and all they could remember of me back then was that I was just so freaking funny :) Yep, that was me, the funny fat girl, class clown, taking no shit from teachers, boys or anyone else. What's so annoying about that is I wasn't even that big...5'8" and 140 lbs. This post was originally going to be called "Pissers" for all those minor annoyances in life that are just not right but not irritating enough to require a full blown rant...then I started reading and while I am pissed enough to start a full blown rant, I am just resigned to the overload of all of it. At the moment I have 10 tabs up there waiting to be copied and pasted for your perusal. I think I will start with the "pissers"

It's a pisser:

-when people move away and don't take the puppy they've only had for three months or so...so now i have to feed it or watch it die...so guess who will probably have a puppy before long?

-plus size clothes designers seem to think just because you require plus-sized clothes you must have a neck and shoulders the size of a linebacker. Oh, and you must also love lots of freaking trim or big honking flowers on your "dusty" pink or "dusty" blue shirts, and you just love, love, love slinky knits so that it will show every freaking fold of fat you have with such perfection it's just sure to attract the most adoring male. Yes, and you cannot possibly be over 5'2" and how dare you have long legs...everyone knows plus size people are dwarfs...round and short...that's us. I'll stop with this...I could go on for years about this one.

-people who've never lived below the poverty level(assumption) for any extended period who think eating out, shoes, eyeglasses and clothes are "treats" no matter how they are purchased (sorry, had to get it off my chest and out of my brain...you know I love you)

-your 19 year old innocently requested information about business school and eight online colleges called the next minute and more than that spammed him...wtf?

-when you sign up for a free "Obama" bumpersticker and before you get it, you get a letter wanting you to donate to the campaign...nope, I'm one of those you have proposed "change" for so leave me the **** alone with that. I already get at least three emails a day from your campaign asking for money...I don't have any freaking money, k? Makes me wonder if the bumpersticker is even coming....

-my license is not here yet and the state personnel board said they can not process my application without it...wtf! I said it was applied for...what part of "applied for" don't you understand!

-the last time I checked gas was four dollars a gallon in the poorest state in the union--it could be higher today...haven't been out yet.

-I still don't know who the new owner of my house is...nope not a word from them, so I've decided to just live here free until someone tells me different :) all the while getting ready to move....down to 25 boxes of books, yippee!

Ok, so now on to the ten or so links I have for you today:

It all started with the CEO of AIG being paid 47 Million in a severance package for failing to do his job.

Then from there I went to General Mills posted higher than expected earnings on Wall Street because we have been reduced to cooking at home because we can no longer afford to eat out.

From there I went to "Sign the Citizen Petitions to Protect Whistleblowers, Patients and Patriots" on OpEd News

This took me to Public Citizen's Consumer Corner page...I stayed there for a good while and was going to post a few of the links I found on that page because they are quite interesting but I'll let you dig for yourself.

Then back to OpEd News for an article written by Brian Lynch, a New Jersey social worker, internet activist "How to Steal an Election"

Then there was a really cool one that showed all the campaigners and the number of groupers and number of lobbyists they have behind them but I guess it got lost in the in the land of the "go back" arrow somewhere because I can't find it now.

K, that's it for me today...

Steenky Bee

Not only is the writing hilarious but the pictures are just as funny :)

Cousin John, where did you go? Written by Adam Vaulx Boles

Hockeydino--My Favorite Republican :)

I can't allow myself, even for a moment, to agree with most anything he says or I will go running with flailing hands in the air off the nearest bridge somewhere :) But, and it's a nice one too, I imagine, I swear he makes me take pause and think, question, resort to vile language and various other emotions. Gotta love him :)

S.1738 Needs your help, please contact your senator

This excerpt is from Senator Joe Biden's website:

"Washington, DC – Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed two bipartisan bills by U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-DE) designed to protect families from violence at home and on the Internet. The legislation provides greater roles for federal leadership and increased resources to protect children against exploitation online and create a network of volunteer attorneys to combat domestic violence.

“When it comes to protecting communities from violence, federal resources and attention are sorely lacking,” said Sen. Biden, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs. “We need to give law enforcement and community organizations the tools they need to help protect families across the country from becoming victims. And, we need to connect victims with the resources they need to move on with their lives.”

The Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the Combating Child Exploitation Act of 2007 (S.1738) and the National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act (S.1515). Before these bills can be signed into law, the full Senate must vote on the legislation.

Combating Child Exploitation Act of 2007
“At the same time when the Internet has given children access to the world – it has also given the world access to our kids,” said Sen. Biden. “Protecting them requires continuing and constant vigilance – in our neighborhoods, in our homes and on-line. We need to give law enforcement the funds and the tools to pull the plug on Internet predators.”

At Senate and House hearings to explore the magnitude of online child exploitation in this country, the Department of Justice and the FBI testified that child exploitation is growing rapidly. Last month, a USA Today story examined new investigative techniques that have allowed law enforcement to identify over 600,000 unique computers trafficking child pornography over the Internet. Due to the lack of resources at the Federal, state and local level, however, we are investigating less than 2 percent of these cases. Research shows that if we were to investigate these cases we could rescue a victim of child exploitation at least 30 percent of the time.

The Combating Child Exploitation Act, passed by the House of Representatives in October 2007, takes a bold step forward in addressing the growing problem of child exploitation by creating a strong nationwide network of highly trained law enforcement experts to track down these offenders and put them away. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Justice to develop and implement National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction. Requiring the Department to develop this strategy will ensure that we are taking a comprehensive, forward-looking approach to address this growing problem. In addition, the bill increases the number of federal agents focused on child exploitation and builds upon the critical Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program to ensure that we have at least one cyber unit in each state dedicated to these cases.

National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act
“Thousands of victims of domestic violence go without legal representation every day in this country. We can't allow this to continue,” said Sen. Biden. “When victims can obtain effective protection orders, initiate separation proceedings and can rely on safe child custody hearings, they are more likely to come out of the shadows.”

Fourteen years after the initial passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), domestic violence remains a stark reality for 1 in 4 American women. Experts estimate at best, less than 1 out of 5 low-income victims ever see a lawyer. The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports a total of 236,907 callers in 2007 alone, an average of 4,556 calls a week. The second most frequent reason victims call the Hotline is to ask for legal help. Escaping violence at home can involve complex legal matters, and the National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act ensures comprehensive training for volunteer attorneys, hands-on oversight and management by local experts, and coordination with statewide legal coordinators.

The National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act taps into a wealth of resources – lawyers who want to volunteer to represent domestic violence victims. This legislation creates, for the first time, a streamlined national system to recruit and train volunteer lawyers and match them with domestic violence victims. Under the bill, an Internet-based National Domestic Violence Attorney Network would be coordinated and managed by the American Bar Association; statewide legal coordinators would manage legal services in their individual states; and the National Domestic Violence Hotline and Internet-based services would provide legal referrals to victims. The historic partnership forged in this bill will link lawyers quickly and seamlessly to training and new clients. And at the same time desperate victims will be referred to a statewide coordinator and quickly connected to a lawyer.

For more information about the individual pieces of legislation, please see the fact sheet below.


BIDEN BILLS PROTECT FAMILIES - FACT SHEET

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved two Biden bills designed to provide the federal leadership and resources to protect children against exploitation online and create a network of volunteer attorneys to combat domestic violence.

Combating Child Exploitation Act (S.1738)
The Combating Child Exploitation Act of 2007 will authorize $1.06 billion over the next eight years to:

Enhance the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Grant Program
The Attorney General will be required to establish a formula grant program for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, funded at $60 million for FY 2008, increasing to $100 million in FY 2015. This will ensure that local agencies have the additional resources necessary to create robust cyber units with highly trained investigators;

Increase Federal Agents
The bill will authorize over $40 million per year over the next eight years for 250 new federal agents at the FBI, the Immigrations and Custom Enforcement Agency, and the U.S. Postal Service. These new agents will be dedicated to child exploitation cases and;

Increase Forensic Capacity
$7 million per year to establish increased forensic capacity for child exploitation cases at the Regional Computer Forensic Labs (RCFL).

National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act (S.1515)
The National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act:

Creates a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Referral Project to be managed by the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence.
With $2 million of new federal funding for each of the first two years, the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence will solicit for volunteer lawyers and then create and maintain an electronic network. It will provide appropriate mentoring, training and technical assistance to volunteer lawyers. And it will establish and maintain a point of contact in each state – a statewide legal coordinator – to help match willing lawyers to victims.

Enlists the National Domestic Violence Hotline and Internet sources to provide legal referrals
The bill will authorize $500,000 of new federal spending to the National Domestic Violence Hotline to update their system and train advocates on how to provide legal referrals to callers in coordination with the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence. Legal referrals may also be done by qualified Internet-based services.

Creates a Pilot Program and National Rollout of National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network and Referral Project.
The bill designs a pilot program to implement the volunteer attorney network in five diverse states with $750,000 grants. The Office on Violence Against Women in the Department of Justice will administer these monies to qualified statewide legal coordinators to help them connect with the ABA Commission on Domestic Violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and the volunteer lawyers. After a successful stint in five states, the bill will rollout the program nationally with annual appropriations of $8 million each year.

Establishes a Domestic Violence Legal Advisory Task Force.

Mandates the National Institute of Justice to study each state and assess the scope and quality of legal services available to battered women and report back to Congress within a year.

An excellent roundtable of groups reviewed and contributed to this legislation, including the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the Legal Resource Center for Violence Against Women, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the American Bar Association, WomensLaw.org, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the Legal Services Corporation, the American Prosecutors Research Institute, National Legal Aid and Defenders Association, National Center for State Courts, National Association for Attorneys General, Battered Women’s Justice Project, National Association of Women Judges, National Association of Women Lawyers, National Crime Victim Bar Association and National Center for the Victims of Crime."

Busy Busy Busy

Let's all head on over to Jason Divett's hilarious social work student blog and give him so hugs...he's at that juncture...you remember the one..."everything is crap and I don't want to do this anymore" juncture. I for one hope that he continues to write no matter what his decision :)

Allen L. Roland's Radio Weblog: Obama's Greatest Obstacle is Voter Apathy and the Culture of War--Salon.com

Sometimes you just have to include a quote from the article, especially when it is so right on the money...

"Gary Kamiya, Salon, comments on the re-emergence of the divisive Republican tactic of the culture war ~ " Bush was the great divider, masterfully playing on Americans' fear, resentment and patriotism. First Al Gore, then John Kerry were painted as out-of-touch elitists, mandarins and eggheads. It worked: Bush rode the red-state side of the culture wars to victory twice (with a little help from the Supreme Court the first time around).

It's terrifying that so many Americans are so driven by resentment that they will vote against more qualified candidates simply because they seem "different" from them. For what this means is that anyone with expertise, unusual intelligence, mastery, special knowledge, is likely to be rejected by voters who are resentful of "elites... "

It's almost incomprehensible that any American could take a McBush / Palin ticket seriously but the fact that polls show
the possibility of a close election ~ suggests that the following observations made by H.L Mencken contain some real truth.

Mencken understood and predicted the dumbing down of America, as witness by the election of George W Bush, long ago when he wrote " When a candidate for public office faces the voters he does not face men of sense; he faces a mob of men whose chief distinguishing mark is the fact that they are quite incapable of weighing ideas, or even of comprehending any save the most elemental ~ men whose whole thinking is done in terms of emotion, and whose dominant emotion is dread of what they cannot understand."

Mencken goes on to correctly say " So confronted, the candidate must either bark with the pack or be lost... All the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre ~ the man who can most adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.' The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

So...this has already happened, and yet here we are poised to do it again...

Dear Lord, if you can find it in your heart, please let this year be different. Thank you, your most humble servant, prin.

An Alaska Native speaks out on Palin, Oil and Alaska

Boy this was a tear-jerker. As always click the title link to read the OpEdNews article. OpEdNews also has a great resource page for potential funding resources.

Here is another one:

Anne Kilkenny's Letter about Sarah

This one tells you more about the state our country will probably be in when she leaves office, if we even have a country when she leaves...

Ike

Well, this bad boy is huge! Here's a satelite picture of him. I was just looking at the beach cam of Mobile. If the waves from the outer bands are any indication he's going to be a bad one.

Imagine the nightmare of trying to evacuate a city the size of Houston. Just for an example, according to Wikipedia, New Orleans has an inner city population of 180,000 and a metro population of 1,030,363. Houston, on the other hand has a population inner city of 2,208,180 and a metro population of 5,628,101. Even taking into account the fact that New Orleans has not totally re-populated after Katrina that is still a whopping difference. It looks like Corpus Christi, where my half sister lives, is going to be devastated. It's a shame, it is such a beautiful place.

I guess all the people who moved to Houston after Katrina, thinking it was safer, are just pissed right about now. I feel for them.

Here's the Southern Mississippi Valley Loop if you want to watch it on radar.

No wonder the boy's hotel is already full all the way over here...

Vote for Palin---The Real One

Found this over at Shakesville :)




I also found some cool links over at S&F Online:

"S&F Online (http://www.barnard.edu/sfonline) provides public access to the Barnard Center for Research on Women's most innovative programming by posting written transcripts, audio and visual recordings, and links to relevant intellectual and social action networks. The journal builds on these programs by publishing related scholarship and other applicable resources.

Like other scholarly journals, S&F Online is a refereed journal. Contributions are accepted only after rigorous review.

New issues of S&F Online are published three times a year. The journal is free and available to the general public."

In my dreams I am going to graduate from Columbia one day :)

Oh and OMG! This is funny... "The Uncle Charlie Interview" by Mike Malloy for OpEd News

Women Against Sarah Palin Blog

Oh, goody...I can let it go now..........maybe :)

Their original call to action

"Friends and compatriots,

We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce—on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate—that has a real possibility of becoming fact.

Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms. Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present and future daughters. To date, she is against a woman's right to choose, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech (as mayor she repeatedly brought up the question of banning books), gun control, the separation of church and state, and polar bears.

We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and all together devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we've so demonstrably benefited from.

First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly.

Therefore, we invite you to reply here with a short, succinct message about why you, as a woman living in this country, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation.

Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence.

We will post your responses on a blog called "Women Against Sarah Palin," which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest convenience-the greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be.

Thank you for your time and action.

VIVA!"

Go read "Women Say NO parts 1-18...you'll be there for hours :)

Makes You Laugh :)

It's such a serious day I thought a little humor might help :) These were taken from Makes You Laugh a very funny blog :)

"JOKE: A big-city California lawyer went duck hunting in rural Texas. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer’s field on the other side of a fence. As he climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing. The litigator responded, “I shot a duck and it fell into this field, and now I’m going to retrieve it.” The old farmer replied, “This is my property, and you are not coming over here.” The indignant lawyer said, “I am one of the best trial attorneys in the US and if you don’t let me get that duck, I’ll sue you and take everything you own.” The old farmer smiled and said, “Apparently, you don’t know how we do things in Texas. We settle small disagreements like this with the Texas Three-Kick Rule.” The lawyer asked, “What is the Texas Three-Kick Rule?” The farmer replied, “Well, first I kick you three times and then you kick me three times, and so on, back and forth, until someone gives up.” The attorney quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom. The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the city feller. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy work boot into the lawyer’s groin and dropped him to his knees. His second kick nearly wiped the man’s nose off his face. The barrister was flat on his belly when the farmer’s third kick to a kidney nearly caused him to give up. The lawyer summoned every bit of his will and managed to get to his feet and said, “Okay, you old coot! Now, it’s my turn!” The old farmer smiled and said, “No, I give up. You can have the duck!”

JOKE: A big, burly man visited the pastor's home and asked to see the minister's wife, a woman well known for her charitable impulses. "Madam," he said in a broken voice, "I wish to draw your attention to the terrible plight of a poor family in this district. The father is dead, the mother is too ill to work, and the nine children are starving. They are about to be turned into the cold, empty streets unless someone pays their rent, which amounts to $400." "How terrible!" exclaimed the preacher's wife. "May I ask who you are?" The sympathetic visitor applied his handkerchief to his eyes. "I'm the landlord," he sobbed.

JOKE: According to a radio report, a middle school in Oregon was faced with a unique problem. A number of girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Finally the principal decided that there had to be something done about it. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the custodian. She then explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every day. To demonstrate how difficult it was to clean the mirrors, she asked the custodian to clean one of the mirrors. He took out a long-handled mop, dipped it into the toilet bowl and then used it to clean the mirror. Needless to say, there have been no lip prints on the mirror since!

JOKE: There once was a blonde who was very tired of blonde jokes and insults directed at her intelligence. So she cut and dyed her hair, got a make-over, got in her car, and began driving around in the country. Suddenly, she came to a herd of sheep in the road. She stopped her car and went over to the shepherd who was tending to them. "If I can guess the exact number of sheep here will you let me have one?" she asked. The shepherd, thinking this was a pretty safe bet, agreed. "You have 171 sheep," said the blonde in triumph. Surprised, the shepherd told her to pick out a sheep of her choice. She looked around for a while and finally found one that she really liked. She picked it up and was petting it when the shepherd walked over to her and asked, "if I can guess your real hair color, will you give me my sheep back?" The blonde thought it was only fair to let him try. Your a blonde! Now give me back my dog.

JOKE: With the help of a fertility specialist, a 65 year old woman has a baby. All her relatives come to visit and meet the newest member of their family. When they ask to see the baby, the 65 year old mother says, "Not yet." A little later they ask to see the baby again. Again the mother says, "Not yet." Finally they say, "When can we see the baby?" And the mother says, "When the baby cries." So they ask, "Why do we have to wait until the baby cries?" The new mother says, "I forgot where I put it.""

T. Boone Pickens

Today on the anniversary of September 11 I think T. Boone Pickens has a great idea for reducing our dependence on foreign oil...have a listen.




CNN.com/technology--Oil billionaire puts his money on wind power


Build your own Model Axis Wind Turbine

Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Wind Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) and Associated Land Use Plan Amendments


Wind Today Magazine--Wind Farms


American Wind Energy Association--Wind energy Policy Issues

Yale Environment 360--an alternative view of Pickens plan

8 More Stories about Palin the Public Needs to Know and More...

Click the title link for the AlterNet story

There's more at Salon.com pay close attention to the Most Popular inset about halfway down the page and the article by Glenn Greenwald.

Teen Resource Guide

The email account I use for all my subscriptions and all social work related stuff never ceases to amaze me! The National Criminal Justice Reference Service maintains a kind of working list where members can ask questions and other members can reply. Sometimes this can get annoying as it can fill several pages very quickly and other important things get lost in the shuffle. Mostly though, it is very enlightening. Today is just such a day. The discovery I made was about the Teen Resource Guide. The look and layout of it was what got me hooked. It looks like a notebook with jotted notes on it. This would be very user friendly to a teen I believe. Oh, and it's not just the same ole, same ole either. It's up-to-date and very informative on issues like raves, even how to conduct a safe rave :), winter driving, eating disorders, mental health issues, discrimination, the law and u, running away, volunteering and so much more. If you have a teen or work with teens then I would hip them to it and keep a copy for myself for those endless questions and "talks". It is sponsored by Youth and Family Services of South Dakota where you can also find Western Prevention Resource Center which has a wealth of information all of it's own.

Dang, I Can't Continue On With My Pity-Party Now :)

Fifteen months of laboring love and about nine of those months having my own silent pity-party about never being nominated for an award has come to an end today with my nomination by Reas over at Trench Warfare for the award below:



Thanks, Reas for thinking of me! Although I have to admit I was wallowingly comfortable with my party :) It is an honor to be recognized by your peers and I truly appreciate it. Were it not for my finding fellow social work bloggers to converse with I would have quit months ago. Thanks to you all for keeping me going...it makes it all worthwhile :) IllusiveJoy nominated Trench Warfare and others that I would have nominated so now I have to take to the blogroll to find nominees...thanks guys :~

1. One Little Polish Girl because she keeps me grounded and she loves her kitties as much as I love mine!

2. Real Life In Lower Alabama 'cause she's my homegirl and she makes me laugh :)

3. Under the Overpasses because he makes me think and he makes me cry which makes me know that I still have a heart :)

4. Photos From Northern Norway is one of the first blogs I found. It is a photoblog with some of the most amazing photos you have ever seen! I can find much peace perusing his site :)

5. KelticKaos I saved this one for last but it is certainly not least. Although she is known as "Heather" now she will always be "Kelticdragonfly" to me. She is one of my oldest and dearest friends online. I can't even remember how many years it's been now...at least three. I consider her a true friend....you know the kind you can fight with, make up with, have a healthy disagreement with, but yet respect the other's opinion, not hear from for months, but pick up where you last left off just like it was yesterday. She regularly makes me laugh and sometimes makes me cry but I always read everything she writes :)

6. Shoot, I almost forgot Carespace a really cool blog/forum from the UK because it's a wonderful place and I get so much traffic from them!

7. Southern Mom 'cause she needs the love, having to clean up after Gustav

1. You can cut and paste the award logo onto your blog

2. Link to the person who sent it to you

3. Pass on the love to a few other bloggers and link to them

4. Comment on those blogs to let them know!

Whew! :)

James Ford Seale--Conviction Overturned

Just about the time you think you might be able to hold your head up, release your sphincter muscle and look someone in the eye when they ask "where are you from?" This happens. I cannot imagine what the Moore-Dee families must be going through this morning. My heart aches for them and what they must be feeling.

The 71-year old Seale was convicted in August of 2007 for his involvement in the murders of Henry Dee and Charles Moore. He served a little more than a year for three murders. Hell, when convicted, he had already lived about as much of his hate-filled life as he was going to. He had already been allowed to get married, have children, own property, live the American dream as much as possible in this state. Much, much more than Henry Dee or Charles Moore were allowed to do.

"The bones of Dee and Moore—recovered in sections, first by fishermen and then by Navy divers—had emerged from the murky Mississippi but had never, truly, been put to rest. In many ways, they were still chained to Ernest Parker’s Jeep engine block and two railroad spikes and car wheels."
Jackson Free Press

If you would like to read Jackson Free Press's award-winning coverage of the entire story go here. It's a fascinating read into how Mississippi has tried to rectify some of the wrongs of the past.

Others Mississippi has prosecuted or tried to prosecute:

Edgar Ray Killen

Byron de la Beckwith/Cecil Ray Price

Newsweek article on our "ghosts"

Just in case you've never heard of the Ku Klux Klan

ok, that's about all my psyche can stand for one day.

Cool Tools from the National Center for Children in Poverty

Family Resource Simulator

Basic Needs Budget Calculator

Finally something to take my mind off Palin--Weekly update from Children's Monitor Online

"Congress Returns for Planned Finale

With both party conventions over and the two major party national tickets set, Congress returns this week for what is a planned final three weeks of work. The top priority for Congress is to agree on a continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the federal government for the start of fiscal year 2009, which begins on October 1.

How long the CR will last is up in the air. If Congress decides not to come back after the election, the CR will have to fund programs at least until January 3, when a new 111th Congress begins. The new President is sworn in January 20, so it could extend until late January. Congress likely will leave by September 26 and not return through the rest of the fall election campaign. A decision to return after the election in November could depend on the election outcome.

A CR would likely provide 2009 funding at a level very close to what was provided in 2008, with some adjustments. A CR could also include some emergency funding for disaster relief if the demand is great enough.

Beyond the basics of short-term appropriations, other issues CWLA hopes will see final congressional action is the mental health parity legislation, H.R. 1424/S. 558, and a final child welfare bill drawn from the Fostering Connections to Success Act, H.R. 6307, and the Senate bill pending in the Finance Committee, the Chairman's mark, S. 3038.

Others issues and legislation that may receive some debate but are unlikely to be moved before the end of the year include reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, and the Education Begins at Home Act (S. 667/HR 2343), regarding home visitation. All of these issues may receive some attention, perhaps as a way to lay the groundwork for quick action early next year.

Census Bureau Numbers Show More Children in Poverty

The U.S. Census Bureau has released its report on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in the United States in 2007. According to the report, the number of children living in poverty increased by at least 500,000 between 2006 and 2007.

The Census Bureau found the official poverty rate in 2007 was 12.5%, which was not statistically different than the poverty rate in 2006. Poverty rates were statistically unchanged for non-Hispanic Whites, African Americans, and Asian Americans, yet saw a statistically significant increase for Hispanics. Even with few statistically significant changes other than for children, this still translates to 37.3 million Americans living in poverty.

The Census Bureau also found the percentage of individuals without health insurance fell from 15.8% in 2006 to 15.3% in 2007, with the number of uninsured Americans in 2007 being 45.7 million. Interesting to note, though, is that the percentage of people covered by private insurance dropped, while the percentage of people covered by government-sponsored health insurance programs such as Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program increased. Much of this has to do with declining employer-based coverage, and many are thankful the public programs were able to more than offset this erosion.

Although numbers overall were fairly constant, poverty and uninsurance rates are much higher now than they were in 2001. Because these numbers are from 2007, they also likely do not entirely capture the results of the country's recent economic downturn.

These numbers are compiled each year from information collected in the Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC).

The Census Bureau's full report is available in PDF format.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has published an analysis of the report that is also available in PDF.

Basics of the Most Significant Child Welfare Bill in a Decade

The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to pick up where it left off in late July when it meets September 10 to mark up a major child welfare bill, the Improvements in Adoption Incentives and Relative Guardianship Support Act (S. 3038).

On June 24, the House of Representatives passed the Fostering Connections to Success Act (H.R. 6307) by a voice vote. Representatives Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Jerry Weller (R-IL), respectively the Chair and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Income Support and Family Security, had introduced the bipartisan bill just days before passage. The legislation drew from an earlier bill McDermott had introduced (Invest in KIDS Act, H.R. 5466), which served as the basis for bipartisan discussions.

The Senate Finance Committee bill represents a bipartisan agreement between Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA). That Chairman's mark or substitute bill evolved out of discussions on S. 3038, which Grassley introduced in May.

CWLA has endorsed both bills, although there are some differences. Both are significant for at least three reasons: They contain significant child welfare policy reforms, they have bipartisan support, and they are paid for by offsets or savings found in other areas of the government.

Both bills reauthorize the adoption incentives program with increased incentives for the adoption of special-needs children and children age 9 and older. Both of these populations are disproportionately represented among the more than 124,000 children waiting to be adopted. In fact, reauthorization of this incentive program, due to expire this fiscal year, is the impetus for this overall package. Both bills take some slightly different approaches, with the Senate bill including a limited incentive fund for kinship placements, moving the program closer to a "permanency" incentive program.

Both bills would also extend support for kinship care by allowing states the option of using Title IV-E funds for relative kinship placements. Currently, relatives can do this and be subsidized by federal Title IV-E funds only if they are considered foster parents. The Adoption and Safe Families Act recognizes kinship placements as one of three permanency options (along with adoptions and reunification) but never provided access to Title IV-E foster care funds, except for a few cases where states received temporary waivers. The extension of funding to kinship care has long been a priority for CWLA.

The Senate and House child welfare bills also include changes that would allow tribal governments and consortia to apply directly for Title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance funding. Currently, tribal communities can access these funds only as part of the state system or through an agreement with states. All too often, children on reservations go without the support of federal dollars for foster care or adoption assistance, creating an example of limited federal funds to tribal populations. Direct access to funding would not be unusual, since tribes today have the ability to draw their own funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Direct access to funding is also part of CWLA's legislative agenda.

The House and Senate legislation would allow states the option to extend federal foster care funding to youth up to age of 21. Under both bills, states would have an option to decide what age to go up to; they would also define "child caring institutions" for youth 18 or older to include independent-living settings. A bill to extend care to age 21 (S. 1512) was introduced early last year by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA).

Another important provision in the Senate and House bills would require states to keep children who enter foster care in their same schools if it is in the child's best interest. If it is not in the foster child's best interest, then the case plan must have an arrangement for immediate enrollment into the new school district. Under both bills, the state would have to ensure all foster children who are covered by mandatory school attendance laws are in fact in enrolled in and attending schools. The bills would also allow states to include in the foster care maintenance payments the cost of transportation.

Despite the common provisions in the bills, differences in language and approaches will require negotiations. The most significant differences between the House and Senate bills include a Senate bill delink of adoption assistance payments from the nonexistent Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) eligibility program. This eligibility requirement means states have to look back to their AFDC eligibility requirements as they existed on July 16, 1996. The eligibility applies to both adoption assistance and foster care. The Senate bill would phase out this eligibility link and cover all special-needs adoption payments by FY 2013. The House bill does not include this provision. CWLA has sought an elimination of this link to AFDC.

The House has two important provisions not found in the Senate bill. The House bill would allow Title IV-E training funds to be used for private agencies. Private agencies are a critical provider of child welfare services. Some states rely heavily on these agencies. Expanding these training funds are a critical part of a comprehensive child welfare workforce strategy. CWLA has been a long-time supporter of such an expansion of private agency training. The House provision is similar to a bill sponsored by Ranking Member Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL).

A second feature in the House bill not in the Senate bill is new requirements around health care planning and care for foster children. The House bill would require coordination among the child welfare department, Medicaid, and other key state health care partners. The planning would have to include screening of children in care, tracking their records, and providing medication. These provisions are strongly supported by House Subcommittee Chair Jim McDermott (D-WA).

The strongest bill would include all of the House and Senate provisions, but that may require finding enough offsets to cover any additional costs. The expansion of federal support for adoptive families, kinship families, tribal populations, youth leaving foster care, stronger training for the workforce, and better health and education services for children in care would mark a major advancement for child welfare and would serve as perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments of the 110th Congress in 2008.

New Child Welfare Outcomes Report Released

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released Child Welfare Outcomes 2002-2005: Report to Congress, the seventh in a series of reports required to be submitted to Congress annually. The Child Welfare Outcomes document provides information about state performance on seven national child welfare outcomes related to the safety, permanency, and well-being of children in the child welfare system. The outcomes reflect widely accepted performance objectives for child welfare practice.

The first six Child Welfare Outcomes reports presented data for each state regarding 12 measures developed by the Department to assess State performance relevant to the seven national child welfare outcomes. The current report includes data on the 12 original outcome measures, as well as 4 composite measures (including 15 individual measures) recently developed for the second round of the Child and Family Services Reviews that began in March 2007. Future reports based on data from fiscal year 2007 and after will also include information on the percentage of monthly visits made to children in the custody of state. The visits are now required as a result of a changes in the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Act enacted in 2006, P.L. 109-288.

The HHS report indicates that in 2005, many states had a relatively high percentage of children reunified in less than 12 months also had a relatively high percentage of children reentering foster care in less than 12 months. In that same year, many states had a high percentage of reunifications occurring in less than 12 months and a high percentage of adoptions occurring in less than 24 months. States were generally effective in achieving placement stability for children in foster care for less than 12 months, but placement stability declined dramatically for children in foster care more than 12 months.

The report is on the Children's Bureau website.

On the Line with CWLA, Speaking for America's Children

On the Line with CWLA is a thought-provoking, interactive radio program focusing on subjects, stories, and strategies of special interest to child welfare policymakers, providers, and practitioners. The program, devoted solely to the welfare of America's vulnerable children, features a forum where numerous points of view and voices of experience within the child welfare universe can be heard.

The live program, hosted by broadcasting veteran Tony Regusters, is a production of CWLA that will provide a platform for CWLA member organizations, their staffs, its partners, and concerned citizens in the national community to share ideas and thoughts about critical issues that affect child welfare agencies, vulnerable children and teens, and their families.

The weekly subject-oriented, solutions-driven program will broadcast Wednesdays, 2:00-2:30 pm ET and feature indepth, timely discussions with leading child welfare experts, agents, and advocates; leadership and representatives from CWLA's member agencies; and local and national political figures working to improve child welfare and give a voice to child welfare professionals, providers, and practitioners nationwide.

Programming schedule subject to change.

This Week's Show

Wednesday, September 10
Teen Depression and Suicide
Eighteen-year-old Jordan Burham, who had been battling depression for some time, jumped from the ninth floor of his family's apartment building in a suicide attempt 10 months ago. Miraculously, he survived. In May, he testified at a congressional briefing, urging Congress to help young people struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts.

For more information on the show, visit www.cwla.org/newsevents/cwlaradio.htm.

Coming Shows

Wednesday, September 17
Nicholas Shanks
A homeless teen and the son of addicted parents, Nicholas Shanks graduated valedictorian of Philadelphia's Martin Luther King High School's 2008 Graduating Class. His story made headlines in the Philadelphia Daily News, and has been featured on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Wednesday, September 24
Parental Substance Abuse: The Impact on Families and Effective Programs to Help

For more information on the show, visit www.cwla.org/newsevents/cwlaradio.htm.

On the Line with CWLA is a production of the Child Welfare League of America, Arlington, Virginia. Programming schedule subject to change.

Join CWLA's Call for a White House Conference on Children and Youth

Holding a White House Conference on Children will bring together a cross-section of policymakers, advocates, professionals (including the courts), and families and children directly affected by the child welfare system to create recommendations for policy and change. Much positive change has come from previous White House conferences for children, the last one being held in 1970. CWLA is calling on Congress and the next President to reestablish this important policymaking tradition, and the time to act is NOW.

Your support and involvement with this effort is crucial to its success. As experts in the field, we look to you for your leadership in asking Congress and others to support this important campaign for children.

Sign On in Support

CWLA is calling on members and supporters to sign on in support of a White House Conference on Children in 2010.

Pass a Board Resolution

If your organization requires you to pass a board resolution to officially support such an effort, CWLA has created a sample resolution to assist you in this effort.

Let Congress Know of Your Support

The League encourages you to send your resolutions and letters of support to your Congressional delegation. Without their support, a White House conference is not possible.

In keeping with CWLA's tradition of nonpartisanship, the letter has been sent to all presidential candidates in the two major parties. View the website, read the letter, and sign on to support the campaign.

CWLA Legislative Alerts Available to Subscribers

CWLA's Legislative Alerts provide breaking news, advocacy information, and critically important timely details of legislative battles. In an effort to broaden CWLA's advocacy network on behalf of children, anyone can now subscribe and receive the same information. This effort compliments CWLA's weekly electronic legislative newsletter, the Children's Monitor, which is also available free to any subscriber. We encourage you to register to receive these items directly and to pass on the information to other colleagues, family, and friends."

Weird Theology in Wasilla: A Look Inside Sarah Palin's Pentecostal Church

Click the title link for the full Alternet article. For the Talk To Action site on reclaiming citizenship, history and faith go here

The Bookmakers on Palin

I can't seem to quit...sorry...

This article is from OpEdNews...there are hundreds of them it seems, but this one is particularly interesting in that it gives specific examples of Palin's racism...as I was reading it I felt as though I was back in the 60's. Play close attention to page two...it's disgusting.

Nineteen Days!!!

Another "Amen!" to Brilliant at Breakfast!

Brilliant at Breakfast--Sarah Palin's America takes effect September 25.

I know I said I was done with articles on Palin but this one is not really "about" Palin...it's about what life will be like with her. As you read this article and I hope you do, I hope you think long and hard about what an intrusive violation this legislation really is. I hope you use the links provided by B@B to send letters voicing protest.

For more on the new proposed regulation:

Blog of Rights

Track what's going on with reproductive rights in your state here.
ACLU--go here to read the entire draft regulations in pdf

More on Palin...

OpEdNews--Bravo! Ms. Palin. Well done, and well it is so, for indeed so are you

OpEdNews--Is Sarah Palin a Security Risk?

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart



Think Progress

Think Progress--The Sarah Palin Digest--must read!

Time--article on how nepotism and step-aerobics got her elected mayor of Wasilla :)

ok, I'm done with this...until she grants an interview...preferably with a hard hitter and not a whitewashing, a**-kisser.

100 Greatest Quotes from Fundamentalist Christian Chatrooms--Priceless :)

As always click the title link :)

American Christian Fundamentalist Radicalism

Article in the Irregular Times

Juneau Christian Center--Palin's church
Salon.com

The American Prospect--bunch of articles here :)

More Interesting Articles on Palin...

BuzzFlash makes some very fine points in this article on Sarah Palin written by Christine Bowman

Brilliant at Breakfast also has an article posted by Jill on Palin's record in Wasilla.

September is National Youth Court Month

In recognition of National Youth Court Month, the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) has created a Youth Courts Special Feature. There are a good many publications here and resources here. There are more resources, Q & A's and publications here.

Moving...

Well, it's been a piss-poor week. Luckily we don't have any storm damage, yet. It's hanging over our heads like a big ole water balloon about to topple and splatter. Gustave just keeps hanging around. Leave already.

Found a really cool house. I haven't seen it yet but I've heard enough about it to know it's cool. It has a fenced in yard...yay! I feel a puppy in our future :) It has washer-dryer hookups, a must for me. I have slepped enough laundry in my day. When the boy was born I did it in the tub for the first year or so of his life. Did you know that your knuckles will bleed if you try to scrub stains out of jeans with your bare hands? I didn't :) Thank God, I was younger then :) Anyway the house has three bedrooms(yay! a designated computer/library room) and a big ole outdoor storage room, a back patio i think, living room, dining room and two...yes, i said, two bathrooms!!! OMG, I cannot tell you how much having two bathrooms will mean to us. I'm just going to say here that as you get older you just can't hold it like you could when you were younger...seems like nearly every morning I have to rush the boy out of the shower and this is only after considering all other possibilities ie, kitchen garbage can...cat box...no, i don't think so....

oh, and I almost forgot...it is a rent to own and the boy can own it in 9 years! He will be a homeowner at 28...how cool is that? Another great thing is the rent/ mortgage is only $50 more than we are paying now! Woo Hoo!!! It belongs to the sister in law of a friend of mine (you remember, the one who's daughter died recently?) and has been vacant for over a year and it does need some work but she said she's been paying two mortgages for over a year and just wants to get out from under it. Oh, and we will have two little old ladies next door to watch out for us...I love little old ladies! They will call us when and if the alarm goes off...did I forget to mention it has an alarm system!!! After having all our stuff ripped off over and over again by the little criminals around here it will be such a relief! It also has hardwood floors...under the carpet but she said we could rip out the carpet and refinish the floors and they should be great. She said she doesn't care what we do to it as long a we don't tear it up. I told her we were grown, that if the boy was still four I probably couldn't guarantee that because he's always needed to discover how things worked, no matter to what end :)

Speaking of the boy, he's taking his GED today, so if you read this in time pray for him. I think he'll do fine.

Oh, and after months and months of discouragement searching for a social work job that didn't require a masters, there were four in the paper this week! Entry level social work jobs! Geez, shouldn't be long now :)

It seems as though everything is coming together and we're getting all we wished for. I promised the Lord that I would not get distracted by a man this time and would finish my degree and do what He wants for me. I silently prayed for a husband if and when I finished, that would love us and be good for us both...He has given us so much, maybe that was too much to ask for? Oh, well, as the saying goes, "I'm old enough so my wants don't hurt much anymore" :)

k, so I've had my break now, off I go back to the 37 boxes of books that never got unpacked from the last move 9 years ago(and have been my bedroom decor). I refuse to move that many again. Hopefully I can knock it down to 10 or so...might be wishful thinking, but at the moment there is a four foot high pile that is going to Goodwill.

We're going to see the house this afternoon, wish us luck :)

Mr. Farty and Helena Writes

I've added a couple of new hilarious blogs to the blogroll, go check 'em out :)

Mr. Farty

Helena Writes

Update on Gustave

**update 6 pm Sunday night**

Here's the latest from the National Weather Service Click windspeed on the chart then the right arrow at the bottom of the chart to see it's projected landfall. Looks exactly like the path of Katrina...maybe slightly further west...

Dang, it's only Saturday night and he's already at category four...projected to be a five.

I've posted all the latest updates I can find for tonight...for further up to date information go to the MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management)site.

Check here for hotel type accommodations that are still available and where.

Contraflow will begin at 4am Sunday Morning with all lanes of I55 and I59 being directed to exclusively flow north.

Here is a list of open shelters

The Coliseum could open on Sunday.

FEMA is projecting a category five. Dr Jeff Masters Wunder Blog has some pretty cool pictures and informative maps :) Our Coliseum has already blocked off half the parking lot providing space for RV's and trailers and I suspect before it is all over there will be FEMA trailers there also. At 8 this morning the traffic on 55 South coming north was already as busy as rush hour. I would hate to go out there now to look. The hotel where my son works is right across the street from the Coliseum and already had a parking lot filled with U-hauls and the like. It looks like you might have to go past Memphis to find a hotel room if you've waited until now to leave. It really does my heart proud to see people getting prepared in this way. My guess is that there won't be any "Hurricane Parties" in the Big Easy with this one.

Here's a link for a live traffic feed of 55 South right by my house, coming up from New Orleans. Here's a live traffic feed for 49 South coming in from our coast. Here's a live traffic feed of US 49 at Middle Street which I believe is right between Gulfport and Biloxi, I could be wrong, it's been awhile since I lived down there.

Sarah Palin????

Here's an email I received from Moveon.org today with all you ever wanted to know about Sarah Palin and probably more...

Dear MoveOn member,

Today is John McCain's 72nd birthday. If elected, he'd be the oldest president ever inaugurated. And after months of slamming Barack Obama for "inexperience," here's who John McCain has chosen to be one heartbeat away from the presidency: a right-wing religious conservative with no foreign policy experience, who until recently was mayor of a town of 9,000 people.

Huh?

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:

* She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage.1
* Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.2
* She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. 3
* Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.4
* She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.5
* She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.6

This is information the American people need to see. Please take a moment to forward this email to your friends and family.

We also asked Alaska MoveOn members what the rest of us should know about their governor. The response was striking. Here's a sample:

She is really just a mayor from a small town outside Anchorage who has been a governor for only 1.5 years, and has ZERO national and international experience. I shudder to think that she could be the person taking that 3AM call on the White House hotline, and the one who could potentially be charged with leading the US in the volatile international scene that exists today. —Rose M., Fairbanks, AK

She is VERY, VERY conservative, and far from perfect. She's a hunter and fisherwoman, but votes against the environment again and again. She ran on ethics reform, but is currently under investigation for several charges involving hiring and firing of state officials. She has NO experience beyond Alaska. —Christine B., Denali Park, AK

As an Alaskan and a feminist, I am beyond words at this announcement. Palin is not a feminist, and she is not the reformer she claims to be. —Karen L., Anchorage, AK

Alaskans, collectively, are just as stunned as the rest of the nation. She is doing well running our State, but is totally inexperienced on the national level, and very much unequipped to run the nation, if it came to that. She is as far right as one can get, which has already been communicated on the news. In our office of thirty employees (dems, republicans, and nonpartisans), not one person feels she is ready for the V.P. position.—Sherry C., Anchorage, AK

She's vehemently anti-choice and doesn't care about protecting our natural resources, even though she has worked as a fisherman. McCain chose her to pick up the Hillary voters, but Palin is no Hillary. —Marina L., Juneau, AK

I think she's far too inexperienced to be in this position. I'm all for a woman in the White House, but not one who hasn't done anything to deserve it. There are far many other women who have worked their way up and have much more experience that would have been better choices. This is a patronizing decision on John McCain's part- and insulting to females everywhere that he would assume he'll get our vote by putting "A Woman" in that position.—Jennifer M., Anchorage, AK

So Governor Palin is a staunch anti-choice religious conservative. She's a global warming denier who shares John McCain's commitment to Big Oil. And she's dramatically inexperienced.

In picking Sarah Palin, John McCain has made the religious right very happy. And he's made a very dangerous decision for our country.

In the next few days, many Americans will be wondering what McCain's vice-presidential choice means. Please pass this information along to your friends and family.

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Noah, Justin, Karin and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Sarah Palin," Wikipedia, Accessed August 29, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

2. "McCain Selects Anti-Choice Sarah Palin as Running Mate," NARAL Pro-Choice America, August 29, 2008
http://www.naral.org/elections/election-pr/pr08292008_palin.html

3. "Sarah Palin, Buchananite," The Nation, August 29, 2008
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/jstreet/350730/sarah_palin_buchananite

4. "'Creation science' enters the race," Anchorage Daily News, October 27, 2006
http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8347904p-8243554c.html

5. "Palin buys climate denial PR spin—ignores science," Huffington Post, August 29, 2008
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-grandia/palin-buys-climate-denial_b_122428.html

6. "McCain VP Pick Completes Shift to Bush Energy Policy," Sierra Club, August 29, 2008
http://yubanet.com/opinions/Sierra-Club-McCain-VP-Pick-Completes-Shift-to-Bush-Energy-Policy.php

"Choice of Palin Promises Failed Energy Policies of the Past," League of Conservation Voters, August 29, 2008
http://www.lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/choice-of-palin-promises-failed-energy-policies-of-the-past.html

"Protecting polar bears gets in way of drilling for oil, says governor," The Times of London, May 23, 2008
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3987891.ece

and if that's not enough for you then Brilliant at Breakfast is not happy either and links you to yet another article from Jazz Shaw of The Moderate Voice

Whew! :)

Additions

I've added links for negotiation skills for social workers on the child welfare page. I figured this is where we need it the most :) Also found a great site that lists all the theories on one page or grouped by type and added it on the theories page.

It's happening again...

It's happening again...people are searching for social work links, finding my blog and immediately clicking off because all they see is the first post and don't know to follow the sidebar down to see what is offered. Men with Pens said what I had up there telling new searchers where to go and what all was included in this blog was crap. It really gets on my nerves when a totally new person, say from a social work program at a university, really needing what I have on here, just thinks it is a regular blog with everyday posts on it. I can't deal with it right now as I'm being evicted with no notice, in the middle of an impending hurricane, so I'm up for suggestions. Hell I'm just at a loss...so actual words would be nice...I'll credit you for your creation :) Just someone please tell me what to put up there to make people find what they need on this blog...

In the meantime I'm reposting part of my very first post that states what I wanted for this blog in the beginning...

In doing my coursework I have managed to save nearly every link I searched for, dug through 15 pages of search engine crap for and just plain stumbled on. My hope is to save social work students from having to go through that very same time-consuming agony. The plan in saving all these links was to share it with student colleagues at my own university. Then I changed computers and operating systems so now the floppy that was formatted for word doesn't work on the new computer. This blog is a better way to go. The links will be here permanently and they can be shared with everyone! Yea!

Preparations for a Hurricane...Here We Go Again...sigh...

**update* if you click the "home" link at the bottom of this post it will take you to all the recent updates I have and also live traffic feeds of highways 55 South and 49 South near Jackson and on the coast.**

I said I wasn't even going to watch the news until Sunday because I heard Gustave would not make up his mind until about then but people are already freaking out and getting ready and it's all over the news so I've prepared a hurricane package for you, just in case you need it.

If you think you will get a hotel room in Jackson, Mississippi think again, you will have to go further north than 150 miles for a hotel room. We are planning on opening the Coliseum which can house 1000 people, maybe more, and the good thing about the Coliseum is that it's on the fairgrounds and can also house animals in the equine center. Here is a list of what all we could house. Oh, and if I already know you through this blog I could possibly put around 4 people up. We have two hotel sofa sleeper mattresses that you could sleep on. It won't be luxury but would be a roof over your head. Oh, and I cannot guarantee power here and you would have to bring your own blankets and pillows and preferably no animals although I could probably be persuaded :)

There is a hurricane toolkit in the sidebar but that is mostly for after the hurricane. Most of you that live in hurricane areas already know what to do but just in case you don't:


Family Disaster Plan
Supply Kit
Have a Place to Go
Secure Your Home
Have a Plan for Your Pet

and just in case you are thinking about riding it out, here's a reminder of what you might have to deal with...







This one breaks my heart...not that it all didn't break my heart but Waveland was such a beautiful, architecturally maintained sleepy small southern town and it was just pretty much wiped off the map...





Almost three years to the day is not a very long time to rebuild from devastation...let's all start praying now and maybe he'll fade away and slide off into the Yucatan...not to wish it on them, but I'm just sayin...

Update: IVAW

"A Letter to Barack Obama

August 25, 2008
Senator Barack Obama
C/O Democratic National Convention Committee
1560 Broadway
Denver, CO 80202

Senator Obama,

In your campaign for the Presidency of the United States of America, you have clearly presented yourself as the anti-war candidate, dedicated to change in trying times. Senator Obama, millions of Americans are looking to you to restore our country’s good name and reputation around the world, beginning with righting the wrongs of the war-driven Bush administration.

Iraq Veterans Against the War is the only organization consisting of active duty service members and veterans of the Global War On Terror committed to ending the occupation of Iraq. We believe that a responsible withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq should include:

1. The immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq.
2. Full and adequate health care and benefits to all returning service members and veterans.
3. Reparations made to the Iraqi people for the destruction caused by the U.S. war and occupation.

Senator Obama, we realize that a man in your position has a very tedious schedule during the Democratic National Convention. However, we feel that a Presidential candidate dedicated to an anti-war platform should have no objections to the goals of our organization. Indeed, Senator Obama, in these ominous times, you symbolize the hope for a better America.

Therefore, we request at this time that you endorse the three tenets of Iraq Veterans Against the War if you so wish to represent the anti-war constituency of our country.

Further, in the spirit of grassroots democracy that you praise as the means of change in American society, we will be marching non-violently on Wednesday, August 27. Our march will hold accountable the Democratic Party for their initial and continued support for the illegal occupation of Iraq. We urge you to demonstrate your commitment to change by working with veterans and service members dedicated to ending the occupation of Iraq.

We will await your response to our proposal until 3:00 PM Wednesday, August 27.

Mobilized for Peace,
Iraq Veterans Against the War"

Go here if you want to watch all the Winter Soldier videos on YouTube.

Update: Granny Peace Brigade

"GENERAL ELECTRIC TAKEOVER OF GRANNIES' PEACE PROTEST SITE
from JOAN WILE -- ANTI-WAR GRANNY by Joan Wile
by Joan Wile, Author,
"Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace"
(Citadel Press, May, 2008)

"All the perfumes in Arabia will not sweeten this little hand," spoke Lady Macbeth after manipulating her husband into murdering Duncan.

We can alter these immortal words to characterize General Electric's copping today, Aug. 26, of the Granny Peace Brigade's historic turf, the Times Square recruiting center, for its promotion of washing machines. We might say that "All the washing machines of GE cannot whitewash this corporate takeover of the grannies' protest site," dating back to October 17, 2005, when we were arrested and sent to jail following our attempt to enlist in the military.

We planned a demonstration there today to let the Democratic convention know that we want them to toughen up their platform concerning the war in Iraq and other peace issues. We made six-foot long faux knotty wood planks (made of foam mattresses cut in half) inscribed with our peace demands, which we carried from the recruiting center island to the NYS Democratic Party offices nearly a mile through midtown Manhattan. But, first, as is our custom, we held a press conference on "our" site. We were shocked to find a huge washing machine contraption occupying almost the entire concrete island, with lots of young Madison Avenue types hovering about. The head honcho pleaded with us not to hold our demonstration, but we remained firm. At one point, a couple of these promotion preppies nastily asked us how we could dare interfere with commerce. We asked them how they could dare interfere with our serious business of trying to save America's grandchildren's lives in Iraq.

So, there we were, legendary anti-war grannies standing next to one of America's biggest multinational giants, we trying to sell ending the occupation of Iraq NOW and they trying to sell yet another household appliance, undoubtedly to finance an infinite number of war machines and contracts.

Why did they choose this spot? We suspect it's because we, the grannies, made it so famous beginning when our arrest became a world-wide story overnight. We've held a number of colorful and unique demonstrations there since -- the March 2007 "Endless War Memorial," for instance, when for six days over 400 people, including a number of celebrities, read non-stop from dawn to nightfall the names of Iraqi and coalition dead in Iraq since the inception of our attack in 2003.

Another event outside the recruiting station was held on March 19, 2008, the date of the beginning of the 6th year of our occupation, when we held a Knit-In and knit stump socks there for amputee veterans. We are so well associated with the Times Square site that the American Friends Service Committee recently added it as the 15th in its Places of Conscience map, beginning in 1637. They explain in the map that they chose the island because of the grannies' act of nonviolent civil disobedience in 2007.

Today, our press conference featured famed civil liberties attorney, Norman Siegel, who successfully defended us at our six-day trial in Criminal Court; NYC Councilwoman Rosie Mendez's representative, Susan Kingsland; Vietnam vet member of Veterans for Peace, Chaplain Hugh Bruce; legendary actress-playwright, great-grandmother and one of the Times Square arrestees, Vinie Burrows; and songs performed by the Raging Grannies. We then marched on the "sidewalks of New York" to our destination on Park Ave. and 31st Street, where we held another demonstration with songs and speeches and laid our planks into an arrangement that did, indeed, resemble a platform.

We grannies have been trying to end this terrible occupation of Iraq for almost five years. We hope that today's action was our last in that regard, but we fear that it is not. Even if the Democrats get in, it is questionable if they have the courage and principles to do what we believe so strongly is the only right thing to do -- bring the troops home with no further delay and stay out of Iran. It is with great concern that we view the diminution of concern about our continued presence in Iraq by United States citizens. We, too, share an urgency about our failing economy, but we cannot, we will not, forget that our girls and boys in Iraq are still dying, at least 3 a week, and that untold numbers of Iraqis are, also. It still remains our highest priority."

HR 6307 and S 3038

Just a reminder to use the widget in the sidebar to contact your representatives to voice your support of these two bills. Here's an email I received about it this morning from The Children's Monitor Online.

"Why Congress May Be Close to the Most Significant Child Welfare Bill in a Decade

While most of the nation and the media's attention toward Congress has been focused on partisan debates and what some refer to as gridlock, Congress broke for its August recess very close to moving a child welfare bill that would be the most significant in at least a decade.

On June 24, the House of Representatives, by a voice vote, passed the Fostering Connections to Success Act (H.R. 6307). Representatives Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Jerry Weller (R-IL), respectively the Chair and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Income Support and Family Security, had introduced the bipartisan bill just days before. The legislation drew from an earlier bill McDermott had introduced (Invest in KIDS Act, H.R. 5466), with that bill serving as the basis for bipartisan discussions.

Shortly before Congress left for the August recess, the Senate Finance Committee released the Chairman's mark or substitute bill, a bipartisan agreement between Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA). The Chairman's mark evolved from bipartisan discussions on a bill introduced last May by Grassley, S. 3038.

Because the Finance Committee ran out of time before it could act on the bill, the hearing or mark-up was rescheduled for September 10. CWLA has endorsed both bills, although differences exist. Negotiations in the coming weeks will hopefully resolve those differences into one bill. Both bills are significant for at least three reasons: They contain significant child welfare policy reforms, they are bipartisan, and they are paid for by offsets or savings in other areas of the government.

Although Congress has reauthorized other child welfare programs in the past decade such as the Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act, the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program, and the Adoption Incentives program, sometimes with improvements, nothing has passed that would be as significant as this potential bill. The last major piece of legislation Congress adopted in this nature was the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) in 1997. That act, which created time frames to move children out of foster care, created the Adoption Incentives program and increased funding to PSSF, was significant, but it included little in the way of additional funds.

The House and Senate bills have several things in common that would make significant strides in the nation's child welfare system, although short of the comprehensive reform CWLA continues to promote.

Both bills reauthorize the Adoption Incentives program, with increased incentives for the adoption of special-needs children and children 9 and older. Both of these populations are disproportionately represented the more than 124,000 children waiting to be adopted. In fact, the reauthorization of this incentive program, due to expire this fiscal year, is the impetus for this overall package. Both bills take some slightly different approaches, with the Senate bill including a limited incentive fund for kinship placements, moving the program closer to a permanency incentive program.

Both bills would also extend support for kinship care by allowing states the option of using Title IV-E funds for relative kinship placements. Relatives can do this now, and be subsidized by federal Title IV-E funds, but only if they are considered foster parents. ASFA recognized kinship placements as one of three permanency options (along with adoptions and reunification), but never provided access to Title IV-E foster care funds, except for a few cases where states received temporary waivers.

The extension of funding to kinship care has been a long-time priority for CWLA. Working with other organizations, including Generation United, the Children's Defense Fund, and the Center on Law and Social Policy, legislation was developed and introduced by Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), S 661. In fact, Clinton announced the bill at a 2004 CWLA National Conference. That bill was later introduced in the House by Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL) and Tim Johnson (R-IL), HR 2188.

Although the Senate and House child welfare bills do not include everything in the Clinton and Davis bills, they do include an extension of funding, a requirement to notify relatives when a child enters the child welfare system, and a limited amount of money for kinship navigator programs.

The Senate and House child welfare bills also include changes that would allow tribal governments and consortia to apply directly for Title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance funding. Tribal communities can access these funds currently only as part of the state system or through and agreement with states. All too often, children on reservations go without the support of federal dollars for foster care or adoption assistance, creating an example of limited federal funds to tribal populations.

Direct access to funding would not be unusual, since tribes today have the ability to draw their own TANF (welfare) funds. Direct access to funding was also on CWLA's agenda, and bills have been introduced in this and previous congresses by members of both parties. The legislation has been a big priority for the Nation Indian Child Welfare Association.

The House and Senate legislation also would allow states the option to extend federal foster care funding to youth up to age 21. Under both bills, states would have an option to decide what age to go up to and would also define child-caring institutions for youth 18 or older to include independent-living settings.

CWLA endorsed legislation to extend care to age 21 (S. 1512), introduced early last year by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Extending care to 21 has been a big priority for advocates in California, in particular the John Burton Foundation. Over the past two years, the PEW Charitable Trusts' Kids Are Waiting campaign has brought dozens of young people to Washington, DC, to talk about their experiences in foster care.More than 24,000 young people leave foster care each year due to becoming too old. The testimony of so many young people has had an impact on members of Congress in both parties.

Another important provision in the Senate and House bills would require states to keep children who enter foster care in their same schools if it is in the child's best interest. If it is not in the foster child's best interest, the case plan must have an arrangement for immediate enrollment into the new school district. Under both bills, the state must also offer an assurance that all foster children who are covered by mandatory school attendance laws are in fact enrolled and attending schools. The bills also allow states to include in the foster care maintenance payments the cost of transportation.

These education provisions also have broad bipartisan support. For the last three years, Casey Family Programs has been working with a coalition of child welfare groups, including CWLA, to address the education challenges for children in care. Much of the focus has been on ways to strengthen provisions in the McKinney-Vento Act, which covers homeless children and their access to schools. This law must be reauthorized along with the reauthorization of the federal elementary and secondary education act.

Despite the common provisions in the Senate and House bills, negotiations will be required over differences in language and some differences in approaches. For example, although the same requirements for licensing apply to foster and kin families, the Senate bill would also allow a 10- state demonstration to allow some greater flexibility in kinship licensing as it applies to square footage, bathroom space, and rooms. Differences also exist in the tribal provisions.

In addition to these generally common areas, three significant differences exist between the House and Senate bills. The Senate bill would delink adoption assistance payments from the non existent AFDC eligibility program. This eligibility requirement means states have to look back to their AFDC eligibility requirements as they existed on July 16, 1996. The eligibility applies to both adoption assistance and foster care. The Senate bill would phase out this eligibility link and eventually cover all special-needs adoption payments by FY 2013. The House bill does not include this provision. CWLA has sought an elimination of the link to AFDC. This provision would be a major step toward overall reform.

The House bill has two important provisions not found in the Senate version. It would allow Title IV-E training funds to be used for private agencies. Private agencies are a critical provider of child welfare services. Some states rely heavily on these agencies, and expanding these training funds are a critical part of a comprehensive child welfare workforce strategy. CWLA has long supported such an expansion of private agency training. The House provision was also in a bill sponsored by Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL).

A second feature in the House bill is new requirements around health care planning and care for foster children. The House bill requires coordination between the child welfare department and Medicaid and other key state health care partners. The planning would have to include screening of children in care, tracking their records, and providing medication. The provisions are strongly supported by Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) and have been prompted by the American Academy of Pediatrics. CWLA has also endorsed these provisions.

In the end, the strongest bill would include all of the House and Senate provisions. That, however, may require finding enough offsets to cover additional costs. If Congress can do it, however, the expansion of federal support for adoptive families, kinship families, tribal populations, youth leaving foster care, stronger training for the workforce, and better health and education services for children in care would mark a major advancement for child welfare and would serve as perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments of the 110th Congress and for bipartisanship in Washington, DC, in 2008."

.gov

Admittedly, I was procrastinating on the cleaning of my house after four days of ignoring it. Amazing just how bad it can get in a mere four days when only two people and two cats live here.
My Alternet daily alert came in the email box and had an article on what Bush plans to do in the next five months. I haven't been riled in awhile so I go read it. It was just more of the same on how we are going to get royally screwed before he goes out so...sigh...what else is new?
So I go to clicking links. It tells me if I want to keep tabs on the man then I should go to the Federal Register. This is where he is supposed to publish what he is doing. I think, cool, this should be easy and cool, right? Oh, no, there is a .gov attached to it. Unless you are up for some really hard digging and some really, really dry reading, then just ignore the Federal Register site completely. It's complicated to say the least. Anytime a site gives you two pages of directions on how to go about getting a subscription delivered to you email box, you know you're in trouble. Needless to say I won't be getting anything delivered to the email box on a regular basis :)
I did however, find some interesting pages while I was there. The Constitution of the United States--Main Page is pretty cool. You can find "Analysis and Interpretation of the Constitution and Annotations of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States and Supplements to the 2002 Edition". You can find all 27 amendments and various annotations broken down for you by section, legislative, judicial, executive, states relations, prior debts, acts of congress held unconstitutional by the supreme court, state constitutional and statutory provisions and municipal ordinances held to be unconstitutional and supreme court decisions overruled by subsequent decision all broken down into separate pdf files here For a full listing of all the databases you can find at the government printing office (GPO) go have a look here, I dare you :)

I'm not sure but I think my nerd score just went way up this morning. I actually found this fascinating :)

Now It's Back to Business

Got this from NARAL Pro-Choice America. The title like will take you to the NARAL site guide.

"Yesterday, the Bush administration took the first step in pushing through its new anti-choice regulation.

Here's the deal—the regulation left out the most egregious anti-birth control provision that was present in the first version.

Thanks to opposition expressed by nearly 30,000 NARAL Pro-Choice America activists, more than 120 House members and 28 senators (pro-choice and pro-life alike), governors, state attorneys general, state legislators, members of the choice community, medical and public-health organizations, and the faith community, it is clear that the Bush administration is running scared.

Now the bad news—we're not out of the woods yet. This new version fails to give assurances that current laws about abortion will not be stretched to cover birth control, too.

We have 30 days to tell Bush's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to include explicit language in the regulation to ensure that birth control is not at risk. Please send a message to HHS right now.

We must show Bush that the vast majority of Americans oppose harmful and politically-driven attacks on reproductive freedom.

Thank you for everything you do.

My best,

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America"

WOO!! HOO!! I PASSED!!!

I want to take the time to thank everyone that prayed and sent good karma my way, I'm absolutely sure that it helped keep me calm and positive. I don't think I have ever been as calm as I was this morning :) Thanks again! I'm going to take a nap now...