Mover Mike

Nickel Base Metals Gold Mover Mike

Update:

U.S. construction spending increased by 0.3% at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.171 trillion, the Commerce Department said Friday. Spending fell 0.5% in January;

Total All Categories
Jan 2006..: 1,194,547
Feb 2006..: 1,199,873

Nov 2006..: 1,181,274
Dec 2006..: 1,189,308
Jan 2007..: 1,180,212 (YoY -14,335)
Feb 2007..: 1,170,817 (YoY -29,056)

(Actually down 2.5% from Feb., 2006 and down from January, 2007)

Residential construction spending fell by 1.0% to $570.9 billion, after January's 1.8% drop. Year-over year, residential was 15% lower (Correct!).

Nov 2006..: 592,076
Dec 2006..: 586,088
Jan 2007..: 575,387
Feb 2007..: 562,404 (Actually fell 2.25% from January, 2007)

Nonresidential-construction spending increased by 1.5% in February. Outlays rose for hotels, factories, other commercial structures, and roads but fell for conservation facilities.

As MoM points out it isn't a case of using seasonal or not-seasonal adjustments, because their not-seasonal adjustments show total construction spending down 2.5%! Is it a case of government lying to us to make things look better than they are? After all who but bloggers would actually look at the figures and put a calculator to the numbers?

Construction Spending Economy Mover Mike

Oil Mover Mike

If you are a liberal, you probably believe that too much money goes for defense that could be used for social causes, like education and healthcare, and you have no patience with the sacrifices that must be made to fight a war. What we have experienced instead is

...the United States has consistently encountered strategic stalemate or defeat in particular politico-military operations.

The spoiling attack is an offensive operation; however, its goal is not to defeat the enemy but to disrupt enemy offensives — to, in effect, prevent a defeat by the enemy. The success of the spoiling attack is not measured in term of enemy capitulation, but the degree to which it has forestalled successful enemy operations.

On a pretty arbitrary scale — between Korea (1950-53), Cuba (1960-63), Vietnam (1963-75), Iran (1979-1981) and Iraq (2003-present) — the United States has spent about 27 of the last 55 years engaged in politico-military maneuvers that, at the very least, did not bring obvious success, and frequently brought disaster. Yet, in spite of these disasters, the long-term tendency of American power relative to the rest of the world has been favorable to the United States.

If you are a grunt in any of these conflicts, how does it make you feel to know, if Friedman is right, that you and your buddies were maimed or killed for stalemate or defeat as a goal?

John Maudlin George Friedman Stratfor Spoiling Attack Iraq Iran Mover Mike

Update:

DeFazio, like Hillary, has demonstrated he is a Socialist and an elitist.

Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) is on the record in support of tax increases that would hit nearly every taxpayer in Oregon. In a series of votes cast this week in the House Budget Committee, Rep. Hooley voted against the extension of the $1,000 per child tax credit, against the extension of marriage penalty relief, against the extension of the state and local tax deduction, and against the extension of the current 15 percent rate on capital gains and dividends.

In summary, Rep. Hooley voted NO on the following taxpayer-friendly provisions:

--NO on committing to pass a budget without a tax increase

--NO on extending the $1,000 per child tax credit

--NO on extending marriage penalty relief

--NO on extension of existing marginal income tax cuts

--NO on extension of the 15 percent rate on capital gains and dividend earnings

--NO on elimination of the death tax

--NO on extension of the state and local tax deduction

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) Mover Mike

Update:

Update:

"Everyone knows he’s conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for,” (said) Dobson – considered the most politically powerful evangelical figure in the U.S....

"[But] I don’t think he’s a Christian. At least that’s my impression.”

"We use that word – Christian – to refer to people who are evangelical Christians.

I'm for people who put into practice the teachings of Jesus Christ rather than those who insist on being judgemental. Senator Fred Thompson's views, as I know them, are just fine with me.

Senator Fred Thompson James Dobson Born Agains Mover Mike

MAP 1.2 2007/03/28 13:04:28 45.120 -120.926 17.5 14 km ( 9 mi) ESE of Maupin, OR

MAP 1.0 2007/03/28 07:53:38 45.123 -120.924 14.9 14 km ( 9 mi) ESE of Maupin, OR

Maupin Oregon Earthquake Mover Mike

NYT Anita LeClerc Mary Ann Giordano Mover Mike

Lakisha Jones sang Last Dance - She sang it just like the original and that's the problem; she is a great imitator!

Chris Sligh sang Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - it was so memorable, I can't remember much about it.

Gina Glocksen sang I’ll Stand By You - Wonderful song and she is growing on me

Haley Scarnato sang True Colors

- such a wonderful package, but she sounds like she has never had an orgasm. I have heard the same kind of singing at a Miss America pageant!

Phil Stacey sang Every Breath You Take - I actually liked "Cancer Man" this week. I think it was the hat. I loved the song. It was perfect for him.

Melinda Doolittle sang Heaven Knows - Melinda is a consumate professional and I am never disappointed when she sings.

Blake Lewis sang Lovesong - One of two guys that is actually pretty good. Did you notice his hair? It looked much better than past weeks. The singing was a little bit boring.

Jordin Sparks sang Hey Baby - I liked her song last week better than this one, but she keeps growing and she is fun to watch and what a big ol' smile.

Chris Richardson sang Don’t Speak - another beautiful song and the other guy that can actually sing.

Sanjaya Malakar sang Bath Water - with a big old mohawk made with seven ponytails. He is so bad. He acts scared and forgets words. Please, not the top nine for Sanjaya.

What I've missed so far is that performance that just brings the hair up on your arms. A song that soars and demands that you download it. Last season there were several songs by McTata and who could forget Kelly Clarkson? Still waiting!

American Idol AI Haley Scarnato Mover Mike

Maupin is experiencing a swarm of earthquakes as you know from reading posts on this blog. Ramsayer has several theories for the activity from greater numbers of monitors,

...to the area, which is "full of all sorts of junk that's been shed off of the Cascades, ...like lava flows and gravel and ash layers. But there are very few faults in the Maupin area.

MAP 2.0 2007/03/26 06:36:28 45.118 -120.928 15.8 14 km ( 8 mi) ESE of Maupin, OR

Scott's Filmography:
2006 Hidden Secrets Director
2003 Bruce Almighty Actor: Partying Sports Guy
1990 Diving in Actor: Ryes Wallstein
1987 Distortions Actor: Male Hustler
1987 Not Quite Human Actor: Paul Fairgate
1984 Making the Grade Actor: Rand

Scott has directed a Christian movie rated PG, starring John Schneider, David A.R. White, Tracy Melchior and Reginald Vel Johnson. When I think of "Christian" movie, I picture a film that is sacharine, not realistic in today's sex drenched, violent and profane culture. Maybe not dealing in adult reality. Hidden Secrets is PG to be sure, but deals with real adult situations: forgiveness and the impact of past secrets on life today in an overtall Christian way.

In this film we have Dukes of Hazard star Schneider as a man seeking answers, an agnostic, but well versed in the Old Testament. We have a woman who is Christian on the outside, but a hypocrite. We have a Tracy Melchior, the recent widow with a terrible secret who feels unworthy and we have David A.R. White who has lost his ability to trust.

Hidden secrets can be funny and poignant and deals with many hot-button issues like homosexuality, celibancy, pre-marital sex and forgiveness.

I enjoyed the movie and gave it a seven out of 10. I graded it down for the way it treated homosexuality as a moral issue, treating it almost as one would treat an addiction to alcohol, by faith and celebancy. . I know that many think it is immoral. I would guess that is the prevailing view among many evangelicals. I consider myself a Christian who wears the cloak lightly. I am not one to ask if you have made Jesus your personal savior. I count several men among my friends who are gay and believe as I do that it was not a lifestyle choice, but biological; they were born that way.

I would recommend seeing the movie for anyone able to understand the concepts.

The DVD Hidden Secrets was brought to my attention by Active Christian Media, formerly known as Mind & Media, and founded by Stacy L. Harp. ACM was created with the purpose to help publishers, authors and others in media, use the blogosphere to promote their books and other products. The name change happened in March 2006, in order to incorporate Stacy’s passion for activism and media. At my request I was sent the DVD from Pure Flix Entertainment to review. The movie will hit theaters April 30th. For the trailer see www.hiddensecrets-themovie.com

Hidden Secrets Carey Scott Christain Mover Mike

Update:

Slips of light sneak through the edges of the gold drapes covering the windows of this chic restaurant and bar. Vibrant red and gold walls surround high-backed booths and banquettes, while two modern chandeliers overhead add to the space's sleek, sexy effect. An intimate, long curvy bar off to one side invites sipping and gazing.

We sat down to menus at each seat at a booth a little too tight for six. The first thing I noticed was the restaurant offered as a first course, Country Pate' with winter greens, rye toast and a warm fig dressing. I was telling my wife just the other day that I was in the mood for pate', but I hadn't seen it on any menu lately. We ordered a serving with our wine (I don't drink). I was disappointed. It was creamy and cold and had a strong liver taste. The country pate' I have tasted is crumbly yet spreadable and has pistachios.

Main plates on the menu included Grilled Kobe Bavetta, Sage Grilled Duck, Seared Sea Scallops, Beef Short Ribs, Pan seared Cod, Ox Tail Ragu, and Yukon Potatoes and Ricotta Gnocchi. Five of us ordered the Kobe Bavatta, one med-well and four medium, and one order of scallops. We started with a Caeser Salad which was good. After we finished the salads, the main course was brought in.

The beef was prepared with a demi glace topped with shallot butter, fries and a roasted garlic aioli. The aioli was served in a little metal cup, like some restaurants use for horseradish with prime rib. It had the color and consistency of mayonaise. Not knowing what it was, I tasted it and it did not have a garlic taste, but kind of an old aftertaste. Apparently it was to be used on the fries. My beef was sliced and hidden under the fries which took up three quarters of the plate. My medium beef was rare and red and cold. The fries were good and hotter than the meat. My wife ordered med-well and it was much better. There was no vegatable served on the plate and no bread was offered.

For dessert we ordered three the lemon- lime creme broulee and coffee. The coffee was Caffe Umbre' amd delicious; dark and great flavor. The Creme Broulee had a slightly lemony tartness, but lost that flavor in the succeeding bites.

Gilt Club is a passport restaurant and so we saved $48 off the tab and with the $50 tip came to $267, including three bottles of wine brought from home and three Becks. So $89 per couple, not outrageous, but for the quality of the food pretty pricy. Did I mention the service was excellent?

The Gilt Club Restaurant Review Fine Dining Portland, Oregon Mover Mike

MAP 6.0 2007/03/25 01:08:20 -20.795 169.404 35.0 VANUATU

MAP 6.7 2007/03/25 00:41:57 37.275 136.603 5.0 NEAR THE WEST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 7.2 2007/03/25 00:40:03 -20.597 169.413 35.0 VANUATU

In the Noto peninsula, which juts into the Sea of Japan

images from observation cameras showed buildings swaying violently for as long as 30 seconds. TV stations aired pictures of crushed temples, homes with toppled furniture, and goods scattered across grocery store floors.

One death was reported, a 52-year-old woman killed when she was hit by a falling stone lantern.

Update:

At the country’s most original new hotel, God is in the details.

For Alex Calderwood, Wade Weigel, Doug Herrick and Jack Barron — whose 79-room Ace Hotel opened in Portland, Ore., last month — good design is about tapping into a city’s lifeblood. “We want guests to wake up in their rooms and feel immediately that they’re in Portland and couldn’t be anywhere else,” Calderwood says.

The Ace Hotel while it was The Clyde, was used as the seedy hotel in Gus Van Sant’s film "Drugstore Cowboy" where a recovering drug addict lived, played by Matt Dillion. (His room is now No. 428.)

Ace Hotel Portland, Oregon Travel Mover Mike

MAP 2.3 2007/03/24 03:13:21 45.125 -120.949 14.4 12 km ( 7 mi) ESE of Maupin, OR

Update:

A German judge has stirred a storm of protest by citing the Koran in turning down a German Muslim woman’s request for a speedy divorce on the ground that her husband beat her.

...the judge, Christa Datz-Winter, noted that the couple came from a Moroccan cultural milieu, in which it is common for husbands to beat their wives. The Koran, she wrote in her decision, sanctions such physical abuse.

Belgian woman in burka

We know that fundamentalist Muslims do not allow women the same way rights as western society. If you are a practicing Muslim living in Germany, France or America, why not be subject to its rules? A woman can't drive in Saudi Arabia, but she can come here and drive her SUV to take her kids to school while wearing an obaya and. Some Muslim women in a number of countries want to be able to get a driver's license while wearing a veil and obaya!

Why call yourself a Muslim and not follow its rule? I'm not just picking on Islam. Why call yourself a Catholic if you don't like the faith's views on birth control and abortion?

I say to the Judge AND the Muslims, when in Rome, do as the Romans do!

German judge Islam Koran Mover Mike

The film is about Thermopylae and the 300 Spartans that withstood the advance of the Persian army for three days. Sure there were liberties taken with history, but George Bush would love it.

Early in the film, a sneering Persian emissary insults (Sparta's) King Leonidas’s hot wife, threatens the kingdom, and rages about “blasphemy,”

This is not a PC film. Recall how the world shuddered at the virulent cries of blasphemy from Muslims over the Muhammed Cartoons. In this film the Persians are depicted as effeminate, girly men and deformed to boot. Nobody asks, "Why do they hate us? Like today, there are the few who choose to go out and stand or die in the fight for freedom, while at home, traitors and the "blind" want to bargain and negotiate with the enemy. Then there is the echo of our present debate over Iraq and what should be our course. The Spartans yell, "No surrender, no retreat, victory or glory in death."

This film is rated "R" for extreme violence and nudity. Imagine, though, movie-goers in the blue states are getting exposed to conservative ideas by the millions and they are paying for it. Ain't that a hoot!

300 Movie Review Mover Mike

(Hillary) Clinton: Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) raised eyebrows among Democratic insiders when Washington Post columnist Al Kamen reported that Clinton dined last week at the 701 restaurant in downtown Washington with former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, his wife, Valerie Plame, and left-wing journalist Sidney Blumenthal. Leading Democrats have stayed away from Wilson since a Senate Intelligence Committee report in 2004 discredited him. Blumenthal was known as a vicious attack man when he worked as an aide to President Bill Clinton late in his administration. (emphasis added)

Last week, 57 Republican legislators signed on as sponsors of legislation that would — in the view of the administration — destroy No Child Left Behind. The bill would allow any state that objected to the law's standards and testing to excuse itself from those requirements and still receive federal school aid.

[...]

Under the Republican proposal, states could, at their own initiative, opt out of the law's requirements while continuing to receive their share of the billions the federal government invests in elementary and secondary schools. To measure progress in the schools, states could use their own standards.

"We can't return to the time where there were no consequences for failing to educate children and accountability for federal education funding," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said.

David S. Broder No Child Left Behind Mover Mike

Update:

Once highly touted as the cutting edge of education reform, the certificates awarded to Oregon high school graduates who pass state standardized tests in core academic subjects look(s) to be headed for the dustbin.

[...]

The certificates debuted with great fanfare in 1991, one of the linchpins of the 21st Century Schools Act approved by the legislature that year. The idea was to set a benchmark, proof that a student had met the state's academic standards in reading, math, writing and science.

Why were we first? Interestingly, it was because the primary policy work surrounding the America 2000 and Goals 2000 programs were done on the east coast by a think tank called “National Center on Education and the Economy” (NCEE) upon whose board sat Hillary Clinton, Ira Magaziner, several corporate titans (including John Sculley, former Pepsico chief and Apple Computer CEO) and the Oregon connection, Vera Katz.

The assessments at grades 3, 5 and 8 are ... a math and English multiple choice test, coupled with a math problem solving test in the 8th grade (it used to be given in the 5th grade too, and it is currently suspended,) and a writing test in the 5th, and 8th grade.

involves multiple choice tests in reading, math and science, .... To get a CIM, students must complete their “CIM portfolio.” The CIM portfolio includes three classroom “writing samples,” three classroom “speaking samples,” and two classroom “mathematics problem-solving samples,” and one “science inquiry sample.”

The teachers job is to oversee all this work and then score it according to the scoring guides the state has developed.

The CAM, or the Certificate of Advanced Mastery

... starts when a kid steps into high school. At that point, he’s supposed to sit down with a counselor who has been trained in the newly developed “Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Framework” to develop the student’s “Education Profile,” and his “Education Plan.”

The Plan is supposed to be a comprehensive roadmap for his high school years, taking into account his “strengths, likes and dislikes, aptitude, talents, learning styles, and skills through self-awareness activities, ” and laying out his short and long term “personal, educational and career goals.”

[...]

After our 14 year olds map out their journey through the wonders of CIM and CAM, they are directed to document their “personal progress and achievement toward: CIM academic standards, Career-related learning standards (CRLS) , Extended Application (EA) standards, and Career-Related Learning Experiences (CRLE.)"

Do you ever notice that as we socialize a process it gets more complicated with more rules and needs a bigger bureaucracy and more money to support it. In the end we are left with 50% of our students unable to meet minimum standards in math, science and reading. Is it any wonder that one third of citizens living in Washington DC are functionally illiterate?

Oregon CIM/CAM Hillary Clinton Rob Kremer Mover Mike

MAP 1.8 2007/03/20 19:51:57 44.447 -119.036 0.0 7 km ( 4 mi) ENE of Mount Vernon, OR

Because of a dispute between the Oregon Department of Education and the contractor who conducts the state’s online standardized tests, students must use paper and pencil for state assessment tests for the rest of the school year.

...it will only serve to point out the folly of relying too heavily on standardized tests to judge a school’s performance.

What should matter most is how much learning occurs in a classroom.

Standardized tests – the results of which are influenced by demographics, culture and even such things as disputes between bureaucrats and testing companies – are but one imperfect measure of educational progress.

ODE Oregon Vantage Learning Mover Mike

Update:

Haley Scarnato sang Tell Him - I saw some edginess tonight in her performance, which is good. The short shorts gave us a great view of her long, long legs , but did not disqualify her from singing on the Christian nusic station. It was her best performance. I see her as trying to be the Katharine McPhee of Season 6. Sex will keep her in the competition.

Chris Richardson sang Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying - that was his best performance. He really has a nice voice and I might even buy his CD. I can't wait to him him do country.

Stephanie Edwards sang You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me - one of my favorite songs from the British Invasion. I love Steph, however she has not grown in the last two weeks. Disappointing really, because I thought she was one of the top four or five. She needs to lose herself next week, if she makes the top ten, and really stick it or get down below the surface of the song or she will let herself down.

Blake Lewis sang Time Of The Season - hate his hair and his rainy day, NW pasty complexion, but he is smooth, voice and footwork. He really adds today to the old song.

LaKisha Jones sang Diamonds Are Forever - not my favorite performance. I know she can sing. I beginning to wonder if she is a great imitator of the original artist. I want to see if she has her own style. She is a big woman, but I lose sight of that fact when she start to sing. That's good.

Phil Stacey sang Tobacco Road - Cancer man sang it well. My problem, I just don't see him as an Americanm Idol.

Jordin Sparks sang I Who Have Nothing - for 17 or for any age, this girl can absolutely blow. I look forward to her performance each week and she nailed the song. And...she is pleasing to the eye.

Gina Glocksen sang Paint It Black - the great thing about AI is you get to hear some great songs. She is a rocker wannabe. Man I would pay good money to hear Storm Large sing this song. I don't think Gina is good enough yet.

Chris Sligh sang She’s Not There - another one of my favorite songs, but I felt a little let down with Chris tonight.

Melinda Doolittle sang As Long As He Needs Me - The performance of the night with Jordin second. Melinda closed her eyes after she sang and just let the crowd's roar of approval sink in and wash over her. She is starting to believe she is a headliner. That is thrilling to watch.

Finally, Sanjaya Malakar sang You Really Got Me - I was going to pray for something here, but I do not have a clue to God's will for Sanjaya. Let me just say Sanjaya is not a top ten talent.

See Ricky.org for direct link MP3 and video clip of each artist.

American Idol AI Mover Mike

Sure you do!

First, some background. In education there is a concept called Adaptive learning systems which

aim to precisely tailor education and training to the individual needs of learners. Such systems use an internal model of a user's current knowledge to adjust the navigational affordances and presentation order of material. The user model is incrementally built and updated as the user demonstrates mastery by completing exercises and tests. Designing courses that are delivered adaptively involves addressing many complexities.

Now, the Oregon Board of Education or ODE wanted to use a concept called Adaptive Testing with Vantage Learning. An example of MAP (Measures of Academic Progress or adaptive testing) goes like this. There are three students taking a test and the answer to the first question from the first student is "A", the second student answers "B" and the third student answers "C". The computer based on the answers sends each student down a different road and different questions.

The purpose of this type of assessment is to indicate which students have met the benchmark for the grade, and which students have not yet learned the grade-level material.

With MAP tests, the purpose is not to assign the status of "proficient" or "below basic" to students. Instead, MAP tests measure a student's instructional level, focusing on the area of learning where a student can make the greatest academic growth.

Adaptive Learning Adaptive Testing ODE Mover Mike

MAP 1.8 2007/03/19 18:43:10 42.255 -121.932 2.2 13 km ( 8 mi) WNW of Klamath Falls, OR

MAP 1.1 2007/03/19 12:37:06 42.254 -121.936 3.3 13 km ( 8 mi) WNW of Klamath Falls, OR

MAP 2.0 2007/03/19 09:39:21 42.249 -121.945 6.7 14 km ( 9 mi) WNW of Klamath Falls, OR

Update:

Hillary Barack Hussein Obama Mover Mike

Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama Sr., a Kenyan, and Kansas-born Ann Dunham. The couple separated when Barack was 2. They later divorced, and Dunham married Lolo Soetoro, a Muslim. In 1967, the family moved to Jakarta, where Obama was known as Barry Soetoro, and he remained there from age 6 to 10.

Obama attended first grade at a Catholic elementary school near his home, St. Francis of Assisi Foundation School, which accepted students of any religion.

His first-grade teacher Israella Dharmawan told the Times: “At that time, Barry was also praying in a Catholic way, but Barry was Muslim. He was registered as a Muslim because his father was Muslim.”

In the third grade, Obama transferred to a public school, where he was also registered as a Muslim.

Muslim students at the school attended weekly religion lessons about Islam, taught by a Muslim.

In his autobiography, “Dreams From My Father,” Obama mentions studying the Quran and describes the public school as “a Muslim school.”

Boyhood friend Adi said Obama occasionally went to Friday prayers at a local mosque.

“We prayed but not really seriously, just following actions done by older people in the mosque,” he told the Times.

Sometimes, when the call to prayer sounded, Barry and Lolo would walk to the mosque together, Adi added.

The description of which is

The faults on Tygh Ridge are east-west-trending reverse or thrust faults that parallel the trend of Tygh Ridge and the Tygh Ridge anticline; these structures deform Miocene rocks of the Columbia River Basalt Group and younger Miocene volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks near the southern margin of the Yakima fold belt.

(A thrust fault is a particular type of fault, or break in the fabric of the Earth's crust with resulting movement of each side against the other, in which a lower stratigraphic position is pushed up and over another. This is the result of compressional forces.

Thrust Fault

The difference between a thrust and a reverse fault is in their influence. A reverse fault occurs primarily across lithological units [or layers deposited at different times like layers of a cake] whereas a thrust usually occurs within or at a low angle to lithological units.)

Anticline

Back on April 13, 1976 there was a 4.8 earthquake NW of Maupin. From The Ore Bin we learn that

...the seismic waves were caused by ground motion associated with thrust faulting at a depth of 15 to 20 km. Examination of the mapped geology of the area (Newcomb, 1970) shows two relatively small anticlinal structures oriented NW-SE near the western end of the aftershock zone and a small thrust fault oriented NW-SE on the western end of the Tygh Ridge anticline, northwest of the aftershock zone. Data from the foreshocks, 4.8 quake and aftershocks suggests that it involved deformation on a fault or fault system measuring 20 +/- 2km long.

Michael Hall, MBA and Historic Preservation Specialist and I and geologists in the Northwest are interested in learning if the Maupin quakes are caused by more deformation and its cause or some other reason. This is a fairly recent phenomenon. History shows little activity in the Maupin area prior to 1976.

Maupin Oregon Tygh Ridge anticline Thrust Fault Anticline Earthquake Mover Mike

Katharine McPhee Mover Mike

For the record, Plame also told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Friday she was not involved in sending her husband, mid-level diplomat Joseph Wilson, to Africa to research Saddam Hussein's nuclear ambitions. She said she never suggested his name and didn't have the authority to send him.

...states that a CIA official told the Senate committee that Plame "offered up" Wilson's name for the Niger trip, then on Feb. 12, 2002, sent a memo to a deputy chief in the CIA's Directorate of Operations saying her husband "has good relations with both the PM [prime minister] and the former Minister of Mines (not to mention lots of French contacts), both of whom could possibly shed light on this sort of activity." The next day, the operations official cabled an overseas officer seeking concurrence with the idea of sending Wilson, the report said.

He went to Niger, drew his conclusions, reported them to his superiors, then heard the president cite the uranium connection he thought he had debunked. He wrote his famous op-ed column for The New York Times and soon thereafter, his wife's professional life was ruined.

The panel found that Wilson's report, rather than debunking intelligence about purported uranium sales to Iraq, as he has said, bolstered the case for most intelligence analysts. And contrary to Wilson's assertions and even the government's previous statements, the CIA did not tell the White House it had qualms about the reliability of the Africa intelligence that made its way into 16 fateful words in President Bush's January 2003 State of the Union address.

There is no excuse for this kind of editorial in a one paper city unless you have an agenda!

Valerie Plame Iraq Joseph Wilson Mover Mike

"There are the six primary reasons why gold's bull market is not anywhere near maturity" (and the weak USD is one of those reasons).

Aden Sisters Gold Weak Dollar Mover Mike

...(From the) Advanced National Seismic System website, I did a search surrounding your identification of numerous earthquakes at or near longitude -121, and the general conclusion of many that there has been a marked increase in events in the Northwest recently, particularly in the last few weeks. The search looked at earthquakes from January 1 to March 15, 2007, that were located between Longitude -119 and -123; and Latitude 35.0 to 50.0. This slice of geography is essentially the region from the Mammoth Lakes, CA area to the U.S.-Canadian border within that range (-119 to -123). The search was for those events that were of magnitude 2.0 and greater.

From January 1st to March 15th, there were 375 earthquakes surrounding the -121 point you identified. The data show an increase in the number per day over this period. In January, there were 130 events over 31 days or 4.19 per day. In February, there were 145 events over 28 days or 5.18 per day. And, in only 15 days in March (Mar 1-15), there were 100 events or 6.67 per day. The average number of quakes per day--from the January average to the present average up to March 15th--has increased almost two-and-a-half quakes per day (2.48), a 59 percent increase. There does not seem to be an increase in the average magnitude of these quakes, however. In January, the average magnitude was 2.3; in February, 2.3; and in the first fifteen days of March, 2.4. This does not, of course, preclude quakes of greater magnitude in remainder of the month (or anything else for that matter).

Now Bloomberg in a three part series explains naked short selling and its consequences.

About 7,000 years ago activity along the rift zone began with fire fountaining along this segment and small flows from the fountains. As the eruption continued, the majority of the fissure sealed off and activity became concentrated at the site of Lava Butte. The lava was becoming less fluid, so the escaping gases carried larger quantities of foamy lava fragments (cinders) into the air, which fell back to the ground to build the cone. Due to the prevailing southwest winds, over two-thirds of the cone’s volume is north of the crater and the cone’s northeast rim was built higher. As the highly gas charged magma was depleted, magma began to rise up into the cone. The thin south side was not strong enough to contain the fluid magma which began to pour out the side of the cone to form lava flows. The early flows were still quite fluid and spread over five miles to the west and north. By the end of the eruption the lava flows covered more than 9 square miles. The cone reached a final height of 500 feet with a basal diameter of about 2400 feet. The crater is about 700 feet in diameter and is 50 to 150 deep depending on where you are on the crater rim.

There is a lot to read and the maps are great at Waymarking.com!

Waymarking.com will provide you with the tools to share and discover unique and interesting locations on the planet.

...suggested Friday that the United States one day might have to launch surgical missile strikes into Iran and Pakistan to keep extremists from getting control of nuclear bombs.

...global leaders must do whatever it takes to stop Iran from enriching uranium and acquiring nuclear weapons. He called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "reckless, irresponsible and inattentive" to the day-to-day needs of the Iranian people.

Michael Gordon and Patrick Healy have an article in today’s New York Times based around an interview of Clinton and what she will do in Iraq if elected president. In it Clinton says that she would keep American troops on the ground in Iraq, though shift their mission to remove them from playing a role adjudicating the civil war and refocus on fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq. The crux of Clinton’s January 2009 plan is this: “What we can do is to almost take a line sort of north of, between Baghdad and Kirkuk, and basically put our troops into that region — the ones that are going to remain for our antiterrorism mission; for our northern support mission; for our ability to respond to the Iranians; and to continue to provide support, if called for, for the Iraqis.”

We Reps have something of the same problem. Those Reps running for president are far from being Reagan Reps. Mostly our guys are statists, spending more of our money and seeking more controls on us to protect us from the outside and not doing a good job of it.

A pox on both of their houses!

Barack Hussein Obama Hillary Clinton Iran Iraq Mover Mike

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) today announced the reintroduction of legislation to address skyrocketing gas prices. The legislation would increase fuel efficiency standards as well as lower prices by cracking down on price gouging by the OPEC, imposing a windfall profits tax and increasing competition in the oil industry, among other measures.

He is so courageous!. He wants average fuel economy standards to be increased to 37 mpg by 2017 and 40 mpg by 2022. Ten years to get to 37 mpg! We already have cars out there that achieve 45 to 60 mpg. We also have SUVs that get 12 mpg. If gas prices don't go up, where's the incentive to trade in those SUVs for more fuel efficient autos?

Like Hillary, he wants to impose a windfall profits tax on oil companies to decrease the incentive to gouge consumers. As I have written here, the oil companies are not making huge profit margins. Take away their incentives to earn less and you take away their incentive to search and drill for oil.

Good luck with this one: he wants to require the President to file a trade complaint with the WTO against OPEC for illegally colluding to raise oil prices, which violates global trade rules. Why not file a complaint with the U.S. courts against Goldman Sachs for illegaly colluding with the FED and the U.S. Treasury to cap gold prices which violates trade rules and probably RICO statutes. In addition, artificially low gold prices deprive whole sections of Africa gainful employment and perpetuates poverty.

In addition Peter DeFazio wants the Secretary of Energy to establish minimum inventory levels for producers, refiners, and marketers of crude oil and petroleum products in order to limit the impact unexpected supply disruptions have on prices. How the hell does he or the Secretary of Energy know what those levels should be without the market telling them. One mistake on their part will have unintended consequences.

DeFazio, like Hillary, has demonstrated he is a Socialist and an elitist. What he really could do is hold hearings on why the electric car was killed. Or, what are the auto companies and the oil companies doing to suppress alternative ways of transportation?

Peter DeFazio Gasoline Prices Hillary Clinton Socialists Mover Mike

Countrywide Financial Corp - As America's leading home loan lender, Countrywide was built on the philosophy that those desiring the American dream deserve the opportunity to own a home.

Option One is a subsidiary of H&R Block.

New Century Mortgage Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of New Century Financial Corporation, a publicly traded real estate investment trust (NYSE: NEW).

Fremont Investment & Loan ("FIL") - Fremont announced that it intends to sell or exit its sub-prime residential real estate loan origination operations conducted by its wholly-owned industrial bank, FIL.

First Franklin is an industry leader in non-conforming lending and a subsidiary of Merrill Lynch.

GMAC-RFC, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Acceptance Corporation, is America's largest non-agency issuer of mortgage-backed securities and a leading residential warehouse lender.

Headquartered in Burbank, California, WMC Mortgage originates and sells residential mortgages in the U.S. and in Mexico through a strategic partnership with a GE counterpart.

ACC Capital Holdings Inc., the Orange-based holding company for Ameriquest, Argent Mortgage Co. and AMC Mortgage Services. Citi has also agreed to become ACH's primary warehouse lender.

Lehman Brothers, an innovator in global finance, serves the financial needs of corporations, governments and municipalities, institutional clients, and high net worth individuals worldwide.

It's almost easier to write about a major corporation that is not involved with sub-prime and Alt-A loans.

Sub-Prime Alt-A Mortgage Loans Mover Mike

MAP 1.6 2007/03/15 01:39:57 37.651 -118.851 7.3 11 km ( 7 mi) E of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.3 2007/03/15 01:00:01 37.661 -118.854 6.2 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.9 2007/03/14 23:50:39 35.880 -83.980 18.3 6 km ( 4 mi) NW of Rockford, TN
MAP 1.5 2007/03/14 23:44:25 37.653 -118.851 6.5 11 km ( 7 mi) E of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 2.1 2007/03/14 23:44:16 37.662 -118.859 6.1 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.8 2007/03/14 23:22:45 37.652 -118.852 7.2 11 km ( 7 mi) E of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.4 2007/03/14 23:21:47 37.651 -118.851 7.3 11 km ( 7 mi) E of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.3 2007/03/14 22:45:32 37.659 -118.856 6.4 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.5 2007/03/14 22:36:53 37.651 -118.852 7.2 11 km ( 7 mi) E of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.3 2007/03/14 22:32:30 37.660 -118.855 6.3 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.6 2007/03/14 19:29:22 36.490 -89.540 7.6 7 km ( 4 mi) ESE of Marston, MO
MAP 1.7 2007/03/14 19:17:27 37.528 -118.820 7.3 13 km ( 8 mi) WSW of Toms Place, CA
MAP 2.3 2007/03/14 18:40:27 32.031 -116.252 1.6 39 km ( 24 mi) ENE of Ensenada, Mexico

It seems to me that several area in the U.S. are getting more active seismically, the Caldera and Mammoth lakes area, The new Madrid Fault system, Yellowstone, Central Oregon and the area between Mexico and the Baja.

Mammoth Lakes, Mammoth Mountain Area

MAP 1.3 2007/03/14 16:50:55 37.528 -118.823 7.5 13 km ( 8 mi) WSW of Toms Place, CA
MAP 1.6 2007/03/14 13:58:41 37.536 -118.817 7.0 12 km ( 8 mi) WSW of Toms Place, CA
MAP 2.2 2007/03/14 13:58:07 37.531 -118.820 7.9 13 km ( 8 mi) WSW of Toms Place, CA
MAP 1.1 2007/03/14 13:14:02 37.659 -118.854 6.6 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.4 2007/03/14 13:01:03 37.660 -118.846 5.6 12 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
AP 2.1 2007/03/14 13:00:52 37.665 -118.855 7.2 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.9 2007/03/14 11:35:20 37.653 -118.851 7.3 11 km ( 7 mi) E of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.4 2007/03/14 11:34:03 37.653 -118.850 7.4 11 km ( 7 mi) E of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.2 2007/03/14 11:27:13 37.660 -118.854 6.8 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.1 2007/03/14 11:24:04 37.660 -118.856 6.4 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.1 2007/03/14 09:40:32 37.663 -118.855 6.7 11 km ( 7 mi) ENE of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.3 2007/03/13 09:33:27 37.646 -119.018 2.9 4 km ( 2 mi) WNW of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.2 2007/03/13 06:43:09 37.646 -119.022 2.5 4 km ( 2 mi) WNW of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.3 2007/03/13 06:36:15 37.645 -119.020 2.8 4 km ( 2 mi) WNW of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.1 2007/03/13 06:35:35 37.645 -119.022 2.7 4 km ( 2 mi) WNW of Mammoth Lakes, CA MAP 1.2 2007/03/13 06:33:14 37.648 -119.022 2.4 4 km ( 2 mi) WNW of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 2.0 2007/03/13 06:32:12 37.641 -119.024 3.3 4 km ( 2 mi) W of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.3 2007/03/13 06:30:00 37.645 -119.022 2.5 4 km ( 2 mi) WNW of Mammoth Lakes, CA
MAP 1.4 2007/03/12 08:55:56 37.540 -118.870 8.3 14 km ( 9 mi) SE of Mammoth Lakes, CA

New Madrid Fault

MAP 1.6 2007/03/14 09:51:53 36.390 -89.590 11.9 7 km ( 4 mi) E of Hayward, MO
MAP 1.4 2007/03/14 08:22:21 36.540 -89.600 8.9 3 km ( 2 mi) NNE of Marston, MO
MAP 1.7 2007/03/14 06:51:01 36.540 -89.600 8.2 3 km ( 2 mi) NNE of Marston, MO
MAP 2.0 2007/03/14 06:49:00 36.540 -89.600 9.2 3 km ( 2 mi) NNE of Marston, MO
MAP 3.6 2007/03/12 23:18:16 41.280 -81.380 5.0 5 km ( 3 mi) SSW of Aurora, OH

Yellowstone

MAP 1.2 2007/03/12 14:37:55 44.862 -110.997 5.6 24 km ( 15 mi) NNE of West Yellowstone, MT

Mammoth Central Oregon New Madrid Earthquake

MAP 2.6 2007/03/14 09:31:50 42.091 -120.247 10.5 14 km ( 9 mi) SE of Lakeview, OR

MAP 1.5 2007/03/14 05:05:26 45.359 -121.708 3.5 20 km ( 12 mi) SSW of Parkdale, OR (pretty close to Maupin)

MAP 3.0 2007/03/14 03:26:26 41.773 -120.775 8.6 30 km ( 19 mi) SE of Clear Lake Reservoir, CA

Did you notice they are all close to 121 degrees longitude?

Earthquake Oregon Mover Mike

Update:

Brandon Rogers — Can’t Hurry Love - he obviously forgot his words, not too excited about him.

Melinda Doolittle — Home - She is learning how good she is and it is very touching. (What is with all the gay jokes. It is unseemly and detracts from Melinda. She acted as if she was embarrassed.)

Chris Sligh — Endless Love - I like his voice, however he changed the song so much that I lost the melody.

Gina Glocksen — Love Child - the rocker. It was good and this is what she's good at

Sanjaya Malakar — Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Please gag me!

Blake Lewis — You Keep Me Hanging On - he changed the song and kept the melody. Good for him.

Stephanie Edwards — Love Hangover - she's great, she just needs to pick a better song.

Chris Richardson — The Boss - A little too much vibrato.

Phil Stacey — I’m Gonna Make You Love Me - Cancer man, 'nuf said.

Jordin Sparks — If We Hold On Together - What an absolutely lovely smile and man can she sing.

Lakisha Jones — God Bless the Child - She conducts herself as a professional. Another Aretha???

Haley Scarnato — Missing You - We now have the hottest woman and she has Hale-tatas!!!

American Idol AI Hale-tatas Mover Mike

(Owner Terry) Currier said he has taken out a $400,000 second mortgage on the East Burnside building, which houses the flagship Music Millennium, to cover his losses. He estimated his monthly losses at the Northwest 23rd store to be between $4,000 and $6,000.

"With our industry going down business-wise because of digital delivery, we are going to try to invent ourselves," Currier said. "We are going to try to compliment what we do."

Music Millenium is where I went to purchased the The Koln Concert by Keith Jarrett. I had read a book by an NPR writer learning to play the piano at 50. He would come home and to relax he would play The Koln Concert. He would rhapsodize about Keith Jarrett's playing. I bought my CD at Music Millenium, played it and started to cry over the beauty of the music.

They knew their music and acted like a library with a mental cardfile. They may have to close the 23rd street store, but I hope they never disappear from E. Burnside.

Music Millenium Concierto de Aranjuez Mover Mike

Update:

Immigration Illegal Aliens Mover Mike

...part of his (Gore's) scientific audience is uneasy. In talks, articles and blog entries that have appeared since his film and accompanying book came out last year, these scientists argue that some of Mr. Gore’s central points are exaggerated and erroneous. They are alarmed, some say, at what they call his alarmism.

Global Warming Al Gore Mover Mike

April 18, 2006,

The state of Oregon, one of Vantage Learning's clients, delivered almost one million tests last year through the state's computer-based testing system Technology Enhanced Student Assessment™ (TESA). With many benefits over conventional paper-and-pencil tests, this system uses Web-based tests to measure the achievement of students. TESA allows students up to three opportunities to test, and delivers their scores upon completion of the test for immediate feedback to the students and teachers. It also eliminates the cost of test booklets, answer sheets, and shipping and handling.

"We're thrilled with the results of our Web-based testing program," says Doug Kosty, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Assessment and Information Services, Oregon Department of Education. "Web-based testing is secure and less expensive to deliver. Best of all, students and teachers get immediate results. We're pleased with the results of our web-based testing program and expect 90% of our knowledge and skills tests will be administered through the web-based system this year."

The Oregon Department of Education said today it will move to paper-and-pencil, fill-in-the-bubble tests in reading and math, abandoning the online assessment system that has given fits to students and their teachers in the past few weeks.

Deputy state Superintendent Ed Dennis said the switch was unavoidable because the online testing contractor, Vantage Learning, was not willing to continue performing services under its contract. Vantage said the contract has been cancelled for lack of payment.

The department says the invoices from Vantage are incorrect and the agency owes nothing.I suspect there is a lot more to this story.

Back in May, 2005 Vantage Learning said it expects to deliver more than 22 million tests during the 2005 calendar year. These projections exceed 2004's volume by nearly 25%.

Vantage learning Oregon TESA Mover Mike

Sleeping Alone Mover Mike

Update:

Oranges Food Mover Mike

A source close to the issue confirmed for the Imperial Valley Press that the sprinkler system at no time was activated.

That source, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said the sprinkler system could not activate because it had been turned off.

Brawley Planters Hotel The Funeral Pyre Mover Mike

Update:

The first chapter Militarism and the Breakdown of Constitutional Government gave me the impression he was anti American military and anti-Bush. Johnson on p14 suggests the American democratic system is no longer working and checks and balances to prevent tyranny are "increasingly less operational." His support for this view is Gen. Tommy Franks, who is speaking with Cigar Aficionado. Johnson says Franks

...went so far as to predict that another serious terrorist attack on the United States would "begin to unravel the fabric of our Constitution," and under such circumstances, he was open to the idea (emphasis added) that "the Constitution could be scrapped in favor of a military form of government."

I am an old-fashioned guy. I'm a corny guy. I actually believe in the Constitution of the country. I actually hold all of the values that I think Americans hold, even though we may not talk about them a lot. Well, I'm a guy who talks about them. That is my character. That's who I am. And I believe that we have had a couple of hundred years of this grand experiment called democracy.

cause our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass-casualty-producing event. Which, in fact, then begins to potentially unravel the fabric of our Constitution.