Blessings after IKE

Most people in Galveston, Houston, Chambers county still don't have power. Some people have lost their homes and businesses, some their pets, while others, their sanity. Please don't despair. The most precious gift of all is life and Most of us, millions of us are still here. Often when we face a tragedy, I like to find the blessings. Here is my list of blessings after Ike. This is not to take lightly the losses so many have suffered, but remember we are strong, faithful and hard working. We will get back up.

TEN BLESSINGS AFTER IKE

Many Marriages were rekindled. Couples actually had time to talk, without television, computers or lights. Candles became our companions for better communication and romance.
Many neighbors met and helped each other for the first time, years after living in the same neighborhood.
We were able to take out our dusty grills from the garage and actually USE THEM!
Many learned to camp and grill for the first time. How about those new recipes?
The generator industry made a lot of money!
We saved money on electricity. (lots of it)
The storm pushed out a lot of bad air pollution and we can breathe fresher air.
We saved money on gas!
We learned what it is like to live without TV.
Millions survived and many realized that by being alive we have a chance to replace what was lost. We realized we were, after all, very blessed because we had our lives!

Thank all the volunteers of Houston, Galveston, Chamber, Liberty and all the surrounding counties affected by the storm. Thank all the neighbors who helped those in need. Thank everyone who has done something to help. We are all better because you are on this planet making a difference! Thank you.

Hurricane Ike and the financial crisis

You will find that everyone's experience has been different in response to Hurricane Ike. Most Houstonians, 4 days after the storm still have no electricity or water. No one can deny there is a lot of fallen trees, and some damaged buildings but Galvestion faces the worst damage and it will take a long time for the island to recover. There is hardly any area untouched by the storm. With 110 mph winds and a 15 foot storm surge before coming to Houston, the island truly suffered the storm's devastating effects. There is no running water, no electricity, no sewage system and I was a bit dismayed when the city mayor and manager both said in a press conference "PLEASE LEAVE GALVESTON" Sad but true, it is best if people leave the island.

"It's going to take weeks and months to get this place cleaned up," City Manager Steve LeBlanc said.With thousands of people failing to heed mandatory evacuation orders ahead of the storm and mosquitoes seemingly everywhere, LeBlanc said, "Quite frankly, we are reaching a health crisis."

Right now the death toll is 40, but most outside the Texas gulf coast which I think is a sign of the good job our city and county leaders did in evacuating and warning people.

If you have a house on the beach, You will most likely not see it or find it reduced to story high piles of trash, steel and sand. Then there are the boats. The most shocking scene I saw on television was the sail and fishing boats on 45 south.

Many of the citizens who rode the storm in Galveston are shell shocked and rightly so. Mother nature was mad and in my opinion when she's mad she reminds us to think about our lives, what's important and the sort of attitude we need to have to survive and then thrive again.

As we see the news of the afteramth of Ike, we get some other news on the collapse of the financial markets. Yes, 3 of america's largest banks are going bankrupt. Once again our fearless, corrupt leaders did not REGULATE when they were supposed to. Congress did not OVERSEE the financial corruption. CEO's got greedy and engaged in risky behavior. Lobbysts kept them in their pocket and out of the way. Now we must pay. Taxpayers again will pay. I understand we can not survive this financial mess without helping some of these failed banks and institutions.
But I ask why is it we keep voting for these people? Why is it that many Americans still believe deregulation is the way. Why don't we have campaign finance reform to keep lobbysts in the pockets of our leaders and keep them from answering to the people and not the corporations? I don't believe deregulation is the only way. I believe in balance and that is what we don't have anymore. It is one extreme or the other. I believe this has happened in part due to the lack of bipartisanship in our government.

Before you vote in november, I say we demand more from our leaders in both parties. Please keep yourself involved and informed with www.factcheck.org to find out if what the presidential candidates are saying is true.

The fact is we are facing one of the worst financial crisis in our history. As a result, I will spend less, conserve more, watch less TV and read more. Oh and did I forget. I will pray and keep a positive attitude because I won't have to depend on ANYONE or ANYTHING to do that. Keep the faith.
Galveston residents and all those who have suffered major losses. You are in my prayers.

Politics and the TRUTH (factcheck.org)

During our political campaigns which by the way are just way too long in my opinion, we hear candidates "promise" one thing or another. What is the first casualty of political campaigns and war? THE TRUTH..yes folks, politicians will say whatever the can to get elected or to get people to approve their insane wars. Hear what Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister said during world war two, one of the worst world diseasters humankind has ever seen. Over 60 million people died in that war. They called that the last good war, but whatever your views are on that or any war, remember what happens when as Goebbel says you can just repeat a lie over and over until people believe it.





"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."
- Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister

We are at a crossroads in this country and I feel we have to take this election very seriously. We can't be apathetic because we will pay a very high price if we are so I feel strongly we need to know the truth. Ask yourself. Is this candidate telling people the truth? When they attack each other, are they being fair and accurate? When they talk about their accomplishments are they being completely accurate?

A friend sent me this non partisan web page that checks THE TRUTH about statements our candidates are making about EVERYTHING. I suggest you read it after you hear something about it.
http://www.factcheck.org/

For those of you who won't read it. Here are some of the latest statements they checked out about both candidates Obama and McCain

in factcheck.org

FactChecking McCain
September 5, 2008
He made some flubs in accepting the nomination.
Summary
We checked the accuracy of McCain’s speech accepting the Republican nomination and noted the following:
McCain claimed that Obama’s health care plan would "force small businesses to cut jobs" and would put "a bureaucrat ... between you and your doctor." In fact, the plan exempts small businesses, and those who have insurance now could keep the coverage they have.
McCain attacked Obama for voting for "corporate welfare" for oil companies. In fact, the bill Obama voted for raised taxes on oil companies by $300 million over 11 years while providing $5.8 billion in subsidies for renewable energy, energy efficiency and alternative fuels.
McCain said oil imports send "$700 billion a year to countries that don't like us very much." But the U.S. is on track to import a total of only $536 billion worth of oil at current prices, and close to a third of that comes from Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
He promised to increase use of "wind, tide [and] solar" energy, though his actual energy plan contains no new money for renewable energy. He has said elsewhere that renewable sources won’t produce as much as people think.
He called for "reducing government spending and getting rid of failed programs," but as in the past failed to cite a single program that he would eliminate or reduce.
He said Obama would "close" markets to trade. In fact, Obama, though he once said he wanted to "renegotiate" the North American Free Trade Agreement, now says he simply wants to try to strengthen environmental and labor provisions in it.

FactChecking Obama
August 29, 2008
He stuck to the facts, except when he stretched them.
Summary
We checked the accuracy of Obama's speech accepting the Democratic nomination, and noted the following:
Obama said he could “pay for every dime” of his spending and tax cut proposals “by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens.” That’s wrong – his proposed tax increases on upper-income individuals are key components of paying for his program, as well. And his plan, like McCain’s, would leave the U.S. facing big budget deficits, according to independent experts.
He twisted McCain’s words about Afghanistan, saying, “When John McCain said we could just 'muddle through' in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources.” Actually, McCain said in 2003 we “may” muddle through, and he recently also called for more troops there.
He said McCain would fail to lower taxes for 100 million Americans while his own plan would cut taxes for 95 percent of “working” families. But an independent analysis puts the number who would see no benefit from McCain’s plan at 66 million and finds that Obama’s plan would benefit 81 percent of all households when retirees and those without children are figured in.
Obama asked why McCain would "define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year"? Actually, McCain meant that comment as a joke, getting a laugh and following up by saying, "But seriously ..."
Obama noted that McCain’s health care plan would "tax people’s benefits" but didn’t say that it also would provide up to a $5,000 tax credit for families.
He said McCain, far from being a maverick who’s "broken with his party," has voted to support Bush policies 90 percent of the time. True enough, but by the same measure Obama has voted with fellow Democrats in the Senate 97 percent of the time.
Obama said "average family income" went down $2,000 under Bush, which isn't correct. An aide said he was really talking only about "working" families and not retired couples. And – math teachers, please note – he meant median (or midpoint) and not really the mean or average. Median family income actually has inched up slightly under Bush.

As you can see reading a bit of this web site can make you a more informed voter, so that if your candidate does not win. At least you voted based on the truth and not some interesting lie that made your candidate sound better.

Here is how I vote. I want someone who reads, gets lots of points of view and the most intelligent non partisan, well read advisors they can find. Then he or she makes a decision based on facts, not ideology (of one party of the other) Both parties suffer from the IDEOLOGY disease.

I want someone who honors God, country, family and fellow men. What is that mean? Someone with true ethical values. (If you cheated on your wife, Iwill think twice about you, If you stole or you made a decision based on what God told you, I will doubt your Christian values. (I really doubt for instance that God tells you to go kill people because they did you wrong.) If you believe in protecting the powerful and disregarding the middle class, I will look at your record. If you lie over and over and over while the majority may believe what you say and you said it enough times, I will question WHY..Who benefits from this decision or this statement? Follow the money. It always works.

All I can tell you at this point is that I will vote and hope you will too. People have died to give us the vote. I live in the greatest country on the planet and I plan to do my part to keep it that way. SO VOTE..and help me out. I can't do it alone.