As I have been saying, Dean is first.

Zoom, zoom economy ?

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070814/wall_street.html?.v=31

Stocks Fall on Consumer, Credit Worries
 

Tuesday August 14, 12:41 pm ET
By Joe Bel Bruno, AP Business Writer

Wall Street Lower After Disappointing Wal-Mart Results, Concerns About Credit Crisis

Exacerbating investors' nervousness were several media reports that money market fund Sentinel Management Group has been having difficulties meeting redemptions for investors, and has asked the government permission to halt them. A telephone call to the company was not immediately returned.

Hedge funds and other big institutional investors have taken a beating in recent weeks due to the market turbulence. On Monday, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said three funds it manages have had significant losses -- and infused $3 billion in capital into one of them.

Wall Street has been pummeled as a deepening credit crunch has spooked the market, and led to anxiety about potential losses at financial firms and funds. The Federal Reserve, which has injected some $64 billion of liquidity into the U.S. banking system since Thursday, said Tuesday it stood ready to act again should market conditions warrant.

...

September Scenario--Dems roll over and spread their legs for Bush

http://www.counterpunch.org/wheeler08142007.html

Having failed to confront President Bush with any real obstruction to his mangled and mangling wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Democrats, who it will be recalled were elected on a platform to do something about it, would like us to think there will be some sort of titanic confrontation in September when President Bush's latest "last hope" in the form of General Petraeus gives his much ballyhooed report. The politically attuned general will clearly report to his approving boss and the nation that he and the president's surge have made oh so much progress and now--rather, then--will be no time for Congress to pull out the funding rug. The vast majority of Congress will then be frozen in the headlights of General Petraeus' implied promise that just a few more months of war will mean something new in Iraq.

The Democrats will cave to the requirement for more war funding without limiting conditions; they have to. They have failed and will fail (by not trying) to put together a winning anti-war coalition by embracing enough Republicans to override a Bush veto. Triumphant in their defeat, the Democrats will blame Bush and the Republicans for refusing to join then, and then they will adjourn Congress. They'll say they wish they could have done more, but George W. Bush just wouldn't give way.

The continuation of the war and the continued federal deficit will be all Bush's and the Republicans' fault. The Democrats will know a lot of voters won't buy it, but they will also expect that at least enough voters will buy it to give the Democrats the White House (and Congress) in the November elections.

That, after all, is their plan. It's not fiscal responsibility or an end to the war the Democrats seek; it's power.

Hello folks!  I will be the guest for tonight's DFA Radio broadcast, and I am very excited about this opportunity to participate, and the fact that the good people in New Jersey have decided to launch this project.  So, I hope that y'all will tune in tonight!

Sandra

Sandra,

Welcome and thanks for all you are doing. Could you give us your background on health care and participation in DFA? Thanks.

Good luck guys - I'll be listening!

 -JG

DFA radio.  Wow!  Good luck to everyone tonight.

bbl 

108.

Monica Smith

LOL...as Chris Tucker says, "That is BAAAD".

Hey, Linda what did you think of your Guv's comments regarding gay choice?

He came across reasonably well at YearlyKos, but he's still down my list of preferred candidates.

Budget jam starts to hurt
Lack of funds affecting state's developmentally disabled

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - The battle over the state budget is a war of words in Sacramento, Angela Carmell said. New Video: State budget impasse

But in 18 homes for the developmentally disabled in San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, Carmell said, it's not just words - it's about wheelchairs they can't afford to repair.

Six weeks into a state budget impasse, the cutoff in state funding for services including public health programs, clinics and nursing homes is hitting home.

Carmell, director of residential services for Horrigan Enterprise Inc., said the 18 homes the company operates for the developmentally disabled are a prime example....Watch the video and read the full story HERE: http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_659...

We just had a visit from a Richardson operative.

He came to see the spouse--a town council person.  LOL

I think he had instructions to stay away from me.  LOL LOL

I asked if they were putting up their events on the political sites.  He said, oh yes, they were sending out press releases.  I had to tell him that the sites don't have personnel to put stuff up.  The campaigns have to do that themselves.  It's really hard to get that info across. 

Congrats DFA and DFA members Robin and Lewis. Talk about people power. Now they give power to radio.

Congratulations and good job, NJ for Democracy!

The radio program will be great fun and informative...and will hopefully spurn more activism! 

On a side note...there are other programs like this around the country, too!  There is a DFA cable TV program and radio show in Florida as well as other states around the country...there is never a shortage of topics, but kudos to all for volunteering their valuable time and energy to these programs!

9.

Indy Steve

LOL...same 'ol, same 'ol. I told hubby to get ready to be embarrased for him. I knew, in that format, he would flubber through it. Hubby had to hit rewind out of amazement. He, like some of the others, keep having excuses made for them when they slip up as they do, but there is a pattern and people are choosing to ignore the obvious.

Again, how many times do folks need to have excuses made and "clarifications" of what they meant, after the fact. He's also had to apologize for remarks, so....

And Monica, a WHOLE lotta' empty talk, especially for what he finally got to, as lame as it is, the same thing he's been pushing for for how long. Weak, weak, pitiful and bad.

Now he doesn't want the government in to choosing what the fossil fuel makers use to cut down that (woohoo) 1 percent of carbon, but he sure wanted government involved in paying for the auto makers health insurance for their employees, or for his "Liquified Coal" Bill , and giving tax dollars to FUND THAT.

Truly amazing...unbelievable.

"As the architect of the Republican Party's strategy of divide and distract, Karl Rove is the one person most responsible for the anti-immigrant platform being adopted by Congressional Republicans around the country. In 2002 it was African-Americans who were scapegoated with the use of the anger point code word 'quota,' and in 2004 it was gay Americans. Now, ahead of the 2006 elections, it's immigrants. Democrats will not scapegoat any group of people to win elections."

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/163

From 2006 and very true today.

Linda wrote: "And Monica, a WHOLE lotta' empty talk, especially for what he finally got to, as lame as it is, the same thing he's been pushing for for how long. Weak, weak, pitiful and bad."

You must have liked Al Gore’s speech better:

"Nine years ago this week, Al Gore warmed up his run for the presidency by making a visit to Motown and speaking to the Detroit Economic Club. I covered that speech and recall that Gore was entering hostile territory. Detroit, an SUV boomtown in those days, was deeply skeptical of the vice president, who famously called for the death of the internal-combustion engine. But Gore, keen on endorsements from Big Labor and contributions from wealthy auto execs, changed his tune in Detroit. ‘Here in Motor City, we recognize that cars have done more than fuel our commerce,’ he rhapsodized. ‘Cars have freed the American spirit, and given us the chance to chase our dreams.’

"My, how times have changed. This week, Sen. Barack Obama attempted to fuel his presidential run with a scalding speech to the Detroit Economic Club, castigating Motown's big wheels for driving our dependence on foreign oil. . . .

"What played as an act of courage in the rest of the country, is being seen as political suicide here in Detroit. ‘People were looking for so much more from Barack Obama,’ Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick told me. ‘He left a lot to be desired with that message.’ Kilpatrick, who introduced Obama to that thunderous ovation, met with him privately afterward and told him he missed an opportunity to woo Michigan voters by addressing their concerns about soaring health-care costs and fair trade. ‘As president, he needs to say what he would do to stand up for these other issues,’ says Kilpatrick, ‘instead of just slamming these companies for their [lack of] fuel efficiency.’. . .

"Kilpatrick is kind, though, compared to what others in Detroit are saying. ‘Sen. Obama embarrassed himself in Detroit with his lack of understanding of the problems facing the automobile industry, and what it will really take to fix them,’ the conservative-leaning Detroit News said in an editorial beside a political cartoon mocking Obama for criticizing a Detroit SUV that turns out to be a Toyota Land Cruiser. . . .

" . . . .

"[U]ltimately, like Al Gore, Obama will have to make nice with those he criticized in Motown. Why? For the last four presidential elections, Michigan has gone Blue, unlike many Midwestern states.

I like a lot of what Al Gore says and I like a lot of what others say, none of which have anything what so ever to do with what poor policy Obama has.

Tom and also his (obomba's)gift for apparently liking to hear himself talk without saying much of anything. And don't try to compare him to the gifted speak of Mr. Gore, you are only making my the argument of how empty Obomba is.

OUCH! Will the Dow drop under 13 K

Dow Jones Industrial Average

13,060.87 -175.66 / -1.33%

Aug 14 2:50pm ET †
Open: 13,235.72

Linda*in*SFNM
Tue, 08/14/07
2:51 pm

Yes...it will drop another 500 points before it is done with its normal correction. 

Yes, David, it definitely needs to come down. I actually should have been clearer that I meant today. Thank you. :)

Linda wrote "I like a lot of what Al Gore says and I like a lot of what others say, none of which have anything what so ever to do with what poor policy Obama has."

I, too, like what Al Gore and others have to say, but accusing Obama of cowering before automobile company executives does not really square with the facts related by reporters, the companies, or the mayor of Detroit.  Certainly not in the way it would if you accused Gore of doing the same thing.

bbl

Linda wrote "And don't try to compare [Obama] to the gifted speaking of Mr. Gore, you are only making my the argument of how empty Obomba is."

I don't mind leaving that decision to the court of public opinion ultimately, but as a fan of both men, I would agree with commentators who have complimented each of them for their oration.

25.

That's a fair and balanced statement IMO.

Tom, I don't know what you're talking about, but apparently you didn't read Obama's full speech that Monica posted, not just the report that you linked.

I don't have to accuse anything, the facts are all over that l o n g speech he gave. And when he finally got to his point, that's is very clear to. I am referring to everytinig he is saying.

It's all his doing.

Pour a cup of coffee first before reading.LOL
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/...

Linda wrote "Tom, I don't know what you're talking about, but apparently you didn't read Obama's full speech that Monica posted, not just the report that you linked."

I'll see if I can help.  The speech Monica linked to, which I read, was the prepared text of Obama's speech to the Detroit Economic Club given May 7, 2007.  Among those in attendance were many auto executives who belong to the Club and Mayor Kilpatrick.  The speech was received poorly by some members of the audience because as Newsweek's Keith Naughton noted, Obama talked tough on fuel standards and oil dependence, something Al Gore avoided when he spoke there in 1998.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070814/ap_on_el_pr/obama_afghanistan_fact_check_1

Fact Check: Obama on Afghanistan

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

1 minute ago

WASHINGTON - Democrat Barack Obama said it, the Republican Party pointed out in a screaming headline Tuesday that highlighted the presidential candidate's comments on Afghanistan and the killing of civilians.

Behind the scenes, Obama's rival campaigns buzzed about his statement uttered Monday during a campaign stop in New Hampshire when he was asked about his plan to move troops into Afghanistan.

"We've got to get the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous problems there," Obama said.

THE SPIN:

The suggestion whispered by Obama's opponents was that he was maligning the efforts of troops fighting in Afghanistan by stating they are "just" out there killing civilians.

A spokesman for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said the comment showed Obama's lack of experience for the job of commander in chief. "It's also an entirely inaccurate condemnation of the efforts of the men and women of the United States military who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan," spokesman Kevin Madden told the Washington Examiner.

The Republican National Committee simply repeated the comment as one of their "They Said It!" series used to highlight statements by opponents that supposedly put them in a bad light.

THE FACT CHECK:

A check of the facts shows that Western forces have been killing civilians at a faster rate than the insurgents.

The U.S. and NATO say they don't have civilian casualty figures, but The Associated Press has been keeping count based on figures from Afghan and international officials. Tracking civilian deaths is a difficult task because they often occur in remote and dangerous areas that are difficult to reach and verify.

As of Aug. 1, the AP count shows that while militants killed 231 civilians in attacks in 2007, Western forces killed 286. Another 20 were killed in crossfire that can't be attributed to one party.

...

bbl

Tom is on the ball with all those firsts.

I cannot be on here that much. So just wondering about the last thread why Florida wasn't included in the target states.

I know our double-duty Sen. Martinez (R) is a rubber stamp for the Chimp, but Sen Bill Nelson (D) is not exactly walking the streets with a plan to get out of Iraq. He needs a huge push. He does respond to exposure about his bad votes. He is all about getting elected and re-elected.

No wonder putz bought property here.  Birds of a feather....

A Laboratory for Latin America's New Militarism
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081407H.shtml
Benjamin Dangl reports for the Guerilla News Network, "Paraguay now illustrates three new characteristics of Latin America's right-wing militarism: joint exercises with US military in counterinsurgency training and monitoring of social organizations, the use of private mercenaries for security and the criminalization of social protest through 'anti-terrorism' tactics and legislation."

Five have now died from heat in Memphis.

The next step will be to execute w/o a trial, which is not that unlike GITMO and others.  These *men* love killing.

Gonzales Could Get Power to Speed Up States' Executions
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081407C.shtml
Richard B. Schmitt of the Los Angeles Times reports, "The Justice Department is putting the final touches on regulations that could give Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales important new sway over death penalty cases in California and other states, including the power to shorten the time that death row inmates have to appeal convictions to federal courts."

Campaign trail: Gore pushes for higher-mileage cars, Bush hammers education theme

March 30, 2000
Web posted at: 5:09 p.m. EST (2209 GMT)

MILWAUKEE (CNN) -- GOP Texas Gov. George W. Bush continued his effort to wrest the education issue away from Democrats on Thursday, offering proposals to recruit and retrain more public school teachers, while Democrat Vice President Al Gore joined the "Big Three" automakers in Detroit to tout Clinton Administration efforts to promote higher mileage vehicles.

With skyrocketing gasoline prices as an effective backdrop, Gore announced that Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler AG have agreed to mass produce vehicles with "significant improvements" in gas mileage within four years.

"For the first time, we look forward to a date when remarkable new technologies will be moving from research labs to showrooms and dealerships across the country," said Gore, who did not specify the improved mileage of the new vehicles.

Gore also got his first look Thursday at test cars built by the Big Three as part of a government-industry effort dubbed "Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles," established in 1993.

The vehicles will have hybrid gas-electric engines, one of several concepts promoted by the partnership, which began seven years ago with a challenge by the Clinton Administration for automakers to produce a family-sized sedan that gets at least 80 miles per gallon by 2004.

Although none of the Big Three U.S. automakers have reached that goal, Gore credited them for making that benchmark attainable in the very near future.

The vice president said that the nation's auto industry leads the world in gas mileage and innovation, and credited the Clinton initiative for helping it stay on top.

Gore also urged Congress to expand the $4,000 tax credit now given to purchasers of electric cars. "I believe we have to use this moment to make the investment that will keep our progress and prosperity going far into the future," he said.

"By reducing our dependence on foreign oil, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and by positioning the American auto industry as the world leader in a crucial new market in this new economy, the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles can help to keep our economic engine humming for decades to come."

Unfortunately we know what happenned.  Bush got in, and

they killed the electric car.  Then everything else was shelved, car companies

pocketed their money and actually brought us backwards. 

Apparently there's no difference between "decided" and dictator.

Jason Leopold | RNC Now Seeks Shelter of Executive Privilege
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081407A.shtml
Truthout's Jason Leopold reports, "The Republican National Committee said it will not abide by a subpoena and turn over documents to a Congressional committee investigating the firings of at least eight US attorneys last year because the RNC is waiting to see if the White House will assert executive privilege over RNC documents at the center of the controversy, according to an outside law firm retained by the RNC."

decided s/b decider  Yikes!

bbl

just in.

If you sent an email in 2003, there's a good chance your government grabbed a copy of it. That's because in 2003, the National Security Agency set up a secret, 24-by-48 foot room in a downtown San Francisco telecommunications building to tap into one of the nation's largest Internet data hubs and illegally retrieve millions of emails and other communications.1 This is not a conspiracy theory; according to the sworn affidavit of an AT&T technician, this actually happened.



Tomorrow a federal court will hear two lawsuits against the NSA's unconstitutional "special project." The arguments will be long and drawn out, but in a sense our own Congress has already made it moot -- just before leaving on vacation they voted to make the administration's spying programs legal.2



Congress will re-consider that legal protection in just six months, so we need to show them NOW that this is not the behavior we will accept. No more secret rooms siphoning off our e-mails and telephone calls.



Tell Congress to take back their permission for warrantless spying on Americans


http://act.truemajorityaction.org/o/2/t/1/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1185

Here's the text of the petition:
"We are Americans, and in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal recourse, allow our phones and emails to be tapped without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power. I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from assault by any President. I insist that my elected representatives in Congress do the same."

TrueMajorityACTION is joining with the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch, MoveOn and other major national groups in the American Freedom Campaign, which will be an ongoing project to protect our civil liberties and roll back the damage that has already been done by this administration. Members of those groups, and other citizens around America are already signing on to words like those above.

In six months, Congress will have an opportunity to overturn the wiretap bill. Let's make sure they do the right thing then and every other time.

Let's take our country back,
Matt Holland
TrueMajorityACTION.org Online Director

 

D.C. Circuit Protects Terminally Ill Patients ... From Themselves

Abigail Alliance for Better Access to Developmental Drugs vs. Food and Drug Administration - Decision 08/07/07

Abigail Burroughs was only nineteen years old when she learned that she had head and neck cancer. Eighteen months of painful chemotherapy and radiation did nothing to stop its growth. Her world-reknowned doctors told Abigail about two new drugs that could save her life. Unfortunately for Abigail, these drugs were still in the final stages of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA) trials and only available to a limited number of patients. Though both drugs were eventually approved, it didn't happen in time to save Abigail. Out of government-approved treatment options, Abigail died at the age of twenty-one.

Before she died, Abigail helped to establish the Abigail Alliance for Better Access to Developmental Drugs in an effort to prevent this tragedy from continually replaying itself. To that end, Abigail Alliance has asked the FDA to devise a better system for allowing terminally ill patients who are out of treatment options to get early access to developmental drugs that could save their lives. But the FDA refuses to consider any new routes for bypassing its lengthy drug approval process, which takes seven years on average. So Abigail Alliance sued, claiming that terminally ill patients who are out of treatment options have a Due Process right to access experimental drugs that are in the late stages of clinical trials.

The district court dismissed the suit, but on appeal a divided panel of the D.C. Circuit revived the Abigail Alliance's claims. The panel majority held that terminally ill patients like Abigail Burroughs have a constitutional right to care which cannot be abridged without a compelling reason. The panel remanded the case to give the FDA an opportunity to demonstrate whether its restrictions were narrowly tailored to serve a compelling government interest. The government promptly asked for rehearing, arguing among other things that Abigail Alliance lacked standing because its terminally ill members kept dying. After the panel rejected these new arguments, the D.C. Circuit agreed to hear the matter en banc....read Adagail's full story: http://www.afj.org/check-the-facts/cases...

D.C. Circuit Protects Terminally Ill Patients ... From Themselves

Abigail Alliance for Better Access to Developmental Drugs vs. Food and Drug Administration - Decision 08/07/07

Abigail Burroughs was only nineteen years old when she learned that she had head and neck cancer. Eighteen months of painful chemotherapy and radiation did nothing to stop its growth. Her world-reknowned doctors told Abigail about two new drugs that could save her life. Unfortunately for Abigail, these drugs were still in the final stages of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA) trials and only available to a limited number of patients. Though both drugs were eventually approved, it didn't happen in time to save Abigail. Out of government-approved treatment options, Abigail died at the age of twenty-one.

Before she died, Abigail helped to establish the Abigail Alliance for Better Access to Developmental Drugs in an effort to prevent this tragedy from continually replaying itself. To that end, Abigail Alliance has asked the FDA to devise a better system for allowing terminally ill patients who are out of treatment options to get early access to developmental drugs that could save their lives. But the FDA refuses to consider any new routes for bypassing its lengthy drug approval process, which takes seven years on average. So Abigail Alliance sued, claiming that terminally ill patients who are out of treatment options have a Due Process right to access experimental drugs that are in the late stages of clinical trials.

The district court dismissed the suit, but on appeal a divided panel of the D.C. Circuit revived the Abigail Alliance's claims. The panel majority held that terminally ill patients like Abigail Burroughs have a constitutional right to care which cannot be abridged without a compelling reason. The panel remanded the case to give the FDA an opportunity to demonstrate whether its restrictions were narrowly tailored to serve a compelling government interest. The government promptly asked for rehearing, arguing among other things that Abigail Alliance lacked standing because its terminally ill members kept dying. After the panel rejected these new arguments, the D.C. Circuit agreed to hear the matter en banc....read Adagail's full story: http://www.afj.org/check-the-facts/cases...

Linda - Did I tell you the fellow who bought our house worked for NSA? He mentioned wanting some of our planters outside - I told my husband I would be taking some with us and his response was *and you think this guy who spent his career with the NSA won't notice some of the planters will be gone...?* LOL

The violence in Iraq continues. Five more US troops dead. More than 100 Iraqis killed in suicide bombings in one N. Iraq town.

Gotta work on cordwood tonight...no bothering people tonight...many have been listening but there are just so many without a clue or who just don't care...CM is the problem.

Had a call from a high school buddy last night that I haven't seen in near thirty years. He lives down near where Charlie Grapski does in Florida and I gave him a copy of " Citizen Grapski" that Charlie gave me to view and share, he's a few towns away and never heard of what happened. He says the good old boy system is more than alive and well down there and after a three hour chat, is willing to work for democracy.

Linda in SFNM...wife is making your baked eggplant parmesan recipe tonight...MMMMM : )

Oh...almost forgot...I wll be listening to DFA Radio tonight...thanks Robin Kinlin and Lewis Miller and guest Sandra Verthein

Mary, yes, I remember hearing...seeing?  :)  you mention that.  I would love to ask him if he had a problem doing what he knew he shouldn't be doing.  But, we wouldn't want to risk your house sale :)

REED!  Howdy!  Cool and way too funny.  I have 2 eggplant I have to slice up now

After I finish making my bread (on it's 2nd rise now) and then roast hubbies

peanuts to make his peanut butter.  List of priorities you know :)

I hope it comes out well.

sorry for the double post.

Hi, everyone. Really looking forward to tonight's show & hearing from some of you during call-in. Since this is the first show, there are bound to be some glitches (there were a few in test runs with volume levels, etc., which we seem to have worked out), so I hope you'll bear with us. Let's just have fun and next week should be even better. :-)

I've had some problems streaming the live show with Firefox 2. If you have any problems getting the live show, try opening the URL that appears in your browser in your media player (WinAmp, Windows Media Player, etc) instead, or if that doesn't work try Internet Explorer. An example of the stream URL is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Stream29.asx, though the number of the stream will vary from show to show. I've talked with the BlogTalkRadio people, and they are looking at whether there's a problem, but they also think it might work better in BlogTalkRadio 2.0 (coming in the very near future).

I'll try to check here periodically for comments, but you can also IM us at dfaradio during the show -- if you want to ask a question, want to give us a heads-up that you are calling (we do get your number on caller ID), or if you experience any problems listening to the show. We'll try to get to as many of you as I can, but we might get busy, so I apologize in advance to anyone we can't get to while the program is actually airing.

See you tonight!

Also, in answer to Indy Steve, our guest Sandra Verthein organized that wonderful Health Care for America forum the night before the Yearly Kos forum in Chicago.

A big Dean Scream to Robin, Lewis, and the rest of the gang at NJ4D in pulling together this radio show.  It's a lot of hard work, but is hugely inspiring to other grassroots activists.  Here in Tennessee, we actually launched our own show last year with "Democracy for Chattanooga", which aired once a week during the Air America affiliate's local programming slot.  It was the talk of the town for a while and really excited the DFA members in Chattanooga and northern Georgia.  I had the honor with being the second guest on the show - the first being none other than "the chairman of the board"... Jim Dean!

Anyway, it's great to see a higher profile show like yours get out there and have such great guests and programming.  I will be listening anxiously!  Congrats again!

Mark Naccarato
Democracy for Tennessee

Fresno Bee - Tropical Storm Dean forms in Atlantic


Tropical Storm Dean formed in the open Atlantic on Tuesday, but remained far from land, forecasters said.

At 11 a.m. EDT, the storm was centered about 1,490 miles east of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, about halfway across the ocean from Africa, according to the National Hurricane Center. It had top sustained winds of 40 mph, just above the threshold to be a named storm.

Dean was moving over increasingly warmer waters, where atmospheric conditions could create a favorable environment for intensification into a hurricane by Friday, forecasters said. It was cruising west at about 23 mph. Forecasters said it is too early to tell where Dean will go....full report: http://www.fresnobee.com/649/story/11184...

Lewis, I have forwarded this information WIDE!  :)

He went shopping while he was in town.

FRONT PAGE Fresno Bee

Romney rides win into Fresno
Fresh off his victory in the Iowa GOP straw poll, the presidential hopeful stumps at Fig Garden.

Two days after a solid victory in Iowa's Republican Party Straw Poll, presidential hopeful Mitt Romney worked hard Monday to convince Valley voters that his campaign was gaining momentum from the win.

The former Massachusetts governor waded into dozens of placard-carrying supporters at the La Boulangerie French Bakery & Cafe in Fig Garden Village. He signed autographs, posed for pictures and touted his campaign's central themes of strong military, strong families and strong economy.

It all gave the impression of a campaign on a roll -- even though Romney still trails other candidates, such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, in polls.

"National polls don't make a hill of beans difference at this point," Romney said.

Instead, in a Fresno layover between visits to Elko, Nev., and San Diego County, Romney basked in the results of the Iowa straw poll. He won 31.5% of the votes to finish well ahead of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who finished second with 18.1%.

The straw poll is a nonbinding vote that takes an early measure of each Republican candidate -- and raises money for the Iowa GOP.

Some critics have dismissed the straw poll as a poor barometer of any Republican campaign because Giuliani, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson skipped the event. Thompson was on the ballot, although he has not declared his candidacy officially.

On Monday, Romney said the straw poll showed his campaign was stronger than ever....full story and lots of pictures of local grassroots supporters: http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/11173...

New Thread!!!

new thread: http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/21872...