April is National Donate Life Month ! You Bet`cha

"Give The Gift of Life, Be an Organ/Tissue Donor" !
by Don Jones, 32~

Dresden Lodge#90-Tennessee

Dr. Thomas F. Boduch MD~ Grand Master of Tennessee

The Gift of Life, is far more than Organ Donation. It is a decision to save multiple lives, in your/ my death ! These decisions are most difficult to make under sudden and devastating loss ! So, make these life saving decisions with your family before you face a family loss. Ask yourself, what would I want if it were me or a member of my family, if a Dr. stood before you and stated without a transplanted organ you/your loved one will die ? My guess is, you`d say I want the transplant for me/my loved one ! Being a Heart-Transplant almost 16 years post, I cannot think otherwise. So, I`m a registered donor. Yes, my transplanted heart can be used again. You can go on-line in Tennessee to register as a Organ/Donor ! Love is a powerful motive/feeling and without the love of a young lady almost 16 years ago, I would certainly be dead ! So, I urge you to sign your drivers license and or a donor card for your wallet, but more importantly, talk it over with your family and inform them of your wishes. You can go on-line now in several states to register. In Tennessee it is > http://www.donatelifetn.org/ <> or you can click on the title of this article. if you need more information, In Tennessee, "The Freemasons" adopted this life-saving program in 1998. This writer is Director of this program along with, Dr. Thomas F. Boduch MD, Grand Master of Tennessee, (upper left) go to > http://www.grandlodge-tn.org/?chapters=Y&page=ODA <>

"Give The Gift of Life, Be An Organ/Tissue Donor, It`s The Masonic Thing to Do"!

The Green Ribbon Pin is now a part of Freemasonry and people everywhere are now wearing it with pride, (You need not be a Mason to wear it) ! I`m proud to state, that Tennessee Masons were the first to adopt this program along with the "Green Ribbon" ! Love is a powerful tool ! The Gift of Life, what a loving thing to do !

Richard Trumka on Wall-Street & Big Banks

Richard Trumka : I`m Marching Today to Make Wall $treet Pay !

So now we learn that as millions of America's families were losing their homes, Goldman Sachs cheered because it stood to make huge money betting on a housing market gone bad. Is that Wall Street's vision of American values ? It's not mine. And it's not the values of the thousands of working Americans who are marching on Wall Street today in person with me and online. Our message is simple: Big Banks tanked our economy and took our money when they needed a bailout. Now they're thumbing their noses at our communities but making billions in profits. It's time they pay up. Pay up by investing in communities to create jobs for the millions of unemployed workers -- like Terry in Florida, who was laid off a week before Christmas. Being forced to return his family's Christmas gifts to the store was just the beginning of his pain. While the corporation he worked for is turning a profit, he fears his family will be homeless by summer. Meanwhile, in 2009, 25 hedge fund managers were paid the equivalent of the salaries of 680,000 school teachers. That's in 2009, when we taxpayers spent billions of dollars bailing out the financial sector. If Goldman Sachs is cheering at the collapse of the housing market, what's the rest of Wall Street saying? Thanks, suckers ? Those may be Wall Street's values. They're not America's. In a stunning new Pew poll, more than half of those surveyed say within the past year a member of their household has been out of work -- up 15 percentage points since last year. Fully 70 percent of Americans say they have faced one or more job- or financial-related problems in the past year, up from 59 percent in February 2009. And homelessness no longer is a scourge of the most troubled of our society. Maria Foscarinis, executive director of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, describes the nation's epidemic of homelessness as reaching crisis proportions not seen since the Great Depression -- and it stems directly from the Big Bank-fueled recession in which millions of workers lost jobs and savings and can no longer afford their mortgage or rent. Meanwhile, the Big Banks announced massive first quarter earnings -- Citigroup, $4.4 billion; Bank of America, $4.2 billion; Goldman Sachs, $3.46 billion; JPMorgan Chase, $3.3 billion; and Morgan Stanley, $1.8 billion. It turns out that much of that money was made by the same risky trading practices that cost taxpayers a $700 billion bank bailout. The damage inflicted has deepened economic inequality, which has gotten worse since 2007. The richest 10 percent now control nearly 70 percent of the wealth. Those with incomes in the bottom 50 percent have a little more than 2 percent of the wealth. The bottom line is Wall Street should pay to clean up the mess they made and Congress must enact strong Wall Street reform. We are supporting four ways for the Big Banks to pay -- President Obama's bank tax, a special tax on bank bonuses, closing the carried interest tax loophole for hedge funds and private equity and, most important, a financial speculation tax levied on all financial transactions -- including derivatives -- that would raise more than $150 billion a year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The financial speculation tax would have a negligible impact on long-term investors but would discourage the short-termism in the capital markets that led to so much destruction over the past decade. Congress also must aggressively address the jobs crisis now -- if not because it's the right thing to do, then because of November 2010. That Pew poll I cited above? It found Americans united in the belief that the economy is in bad shape: 92 percent give it a negative rating. Wall Street's values are based on greed. The American people's values are rooted in working hard, playing fairly and doing right by our family, neighbors and friends.If you can't march and rally with us on The Street, join us live online today at 4 p.m. EDT. We'll be 10,000 strong on the ground and marching for tens of thousands more who have signed up to take part in our virtual march. Working people are angry -- and we are right to be angry at the betrayal of our economic future. Help us turn that anger into the energy to create jobs, fix our economy and build a stronger nation.

Tennessee Senators Alexander & Corker (R`s) Support Big Banks and Wall-Street !

Tennessee Senator`s Alexander & Corker(R`s) Vote Against Tenneseans Again !

Both parties have worked for months crafting a bipartisan Wall Street reform bill. But, just hours ago, Senate Republicans -- including your Tennessee Senators -- voted for a second time to protect their allies on Wall Street and block reform. Maybe they think obstruction is a good political strategy in an election year. Maybe they're hoping the delay will give bank lobbyists time to water down reform with loopholes and exemptions.But here's what we know for sure: These Republicans have a lot to explain to the American people. A recent ABC News poll showed that 65 percent support the reforms they just opposed.Your Tennessee Senators still have time to cross the aisle and stand with Main Street -- but to make it happen, Tennessee's voters need to speak out now.If you haven't already, tell Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker to end the delay -- stop protecting the big banks and start protecting American consumers.
With American families struggling in the wake of a crippling financial crisis, they want to know that Washington is doing something to protect consumers from exploitation at the hands of the big banks that got us into this mess.The Senate bill that Republicans are blocking will provide the strongest consumer financial protections in history, while ensuring that American taxpayers are never again forced to bail out a Wall Street firm "too big to fail."Sadly, instead of working to debate and revise the bill, Republicans in the Senate are teaming up with the big banks. In fact, press reports confirm that Republican leaders have been meeting privately all month with Wall Street executives, plotting to weaken the bill. With their votes, it appears they're intent on carrying out that plan. But President Obama has made it clear that any reform bill that doesn't go far enough to rein in the big banks is not acceptable. He's counting on us to speak up.If we turn up the public pressure, we can stop the delay and help President Obama get both sides of the aisle working together again to pass a strong final bill. Write a letter to your senators now : http://my.barackobama.com/WallStreetReformLetters

Goodyear Loss Narrows ?

Associated Press
Goodyear loss narrows in 1st.Q, Revenue Climbs

By THOMAS J. SHEERAN , 04.28.10,

CLEVELAND --
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. reported sharply improved global sales but charges led by a Venezuelan currency devaluation dragged it to a loss for the first quarter.
CEO Richard Kramer(top left) says as markets around the world improve, the Akron tire maker is seeing the benefits of its actions like launching new products during an economic downturn. Its revenue jumped 21 percent. Its shares rose 3.3 percent to $14.51 in pre-opening trading. Goodyear reported Wednesday that it lost $47 million, or 19 cents a share, in the quarter ended March 31. It lost $333 million, or $1.38 per share, a year ago. Excluding the currency devaluation and other charges, Goodyear would have earned 18 cents a share. Analysts expected a 2 cent a share loss excluding charges. It says its sales rose to $4.3 billion from $3.6 billion.

Republicans Love Wall-Street ! Main Street is Not Needed !

GOP Blocks Wall St. Reform Bill
By Alexander Bolton and Silla Brush - 04/26/10

Senate Republicans held ranks on Monday and blocked a Democratic effort to overhaul the financial system and crack down on Wall Street.
In a 57-41 vote, Democrats fell short of the 60 votes necessary to proceed to the Wall Street bill. One Senate Democrat, Ben Nelson (upper left)(Neb.), joined Republicans in voting against the motion. Nelson had reportedly been pushing for a provision backed by Warren Buffett that would have largely exempted existing derivatives contracts from the bill’s new rules. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) immediately moved to intensify the pressure on Republicans by scheduling additional procedural votes on Tuesday and Wednesday that would open debate on the financial reform bill. President Barack Obama issued a statement to express his “deep disappointment” that Republicans had blocked opening debate on the measure as other Democrats in the House and Senate rushed to put out statements charging the GOP with holding up the bill. Reid will have the Senate vote on a motion to reconsider the measure Tuesday and also set up a new vote on a motion to proceed to the bill for Wednesday. Democrats believe the series of votes will give them political ammunition against the GOP even as they continue negotiations on the issue with Republicans. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said he would meet again with his Republican counterpart after the vote to discuss a possible compromise. Republicans framed their votes as a call for Democrats to work with them on bipartisan legislation and said their opposition would not prevent them from pursing a compromise bill. “My vote is not a vote against financial reform; instead it’s a vote to insist that the parties continue bi-partisan negotiations to come up with a commonsense bill we can all be proud of,” Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) said in a statement. The Monday vote came on the eve of one of the highest-profile congressional hearings into the crisis, in which the most storied Wall Street bank is set for a grilling about practices that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said amounted to fraud. Senators are set to question Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and firm employee Fabrice Tourre about SEC charges that the firm defrauded investors on investments tied to the housing market. Dodd said last week that he would continue to negotiate with Republicans even if they blocked an effort to bring his bill to the floor. Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.), the senior Republican on the Banking Committee, said he would like to reach an agreement this week or next. “I don’t want to unduly delay anything,” he said before Monday’s vote. Both members say they are making progress, but the parties remain split on major elements, such as the scope of a new consumer protection office, the power to dissolve a failing financial firm and new regulations on the multitrillion-dollar derivatives market. Republican aides said Dodd and Shelby were in close talks on a proposal, known as the “Volcker rule,” to limit the power of big banks. They were also discussing how much power the federal government should have to pre-empt state rules on consumer protection. Centrist Republicans such as Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) have suggested spending three or four weeks on crafting a bipartisan compromise. But Democrats, who are eager to move forward on other issues, say enough time has been spent negotiating the financial regulatory bill. The failure to begin debate raises questions over what the Senate will do on the floor this week. It could take up the Food Safety Modernization Act, but a senior Democratic aide said Reid wants to focus on Wall Street reform document. Democrats seized on the vote to portray Republicans as standing up for Wall Street banks that helped push the economy into the worst recession since the Great Depression. “A party that stands with Wall Street is a party that stands against families and against fairness,” Reid said Monday. Seeking protection from Democratic attacks, Senate Republicans said Monday that they have worked on an alternate Wall Street reform bill but offered few details other than to say it would address Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Democrats say the government-sponsored mortgage entities, which share blame for fueling the housing bubble, should be reformed in separate legislation. The legislation would respond to the concerns of some centrist Republicans who have argued in private meetings that the party should be able to propose its own solutions if it blocks the Democratic proposal. But few lawmakers were aware of the effort to draft an alternative, giving it the appearance of a last-minute scramble for political cover.
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (upper right)(Ky.) said Democratic leaders were trying to stampede his fellow Republicans into supporting bad policy.
“Republicans are also acutely aware of the fact that government solutions to big, complex problems like this one are rarely as effective as they’re made out to be, especially when they’re rushed,” McConnell said. He declared that Republican concerns about economic stimulus and healthcare reform legislation have since been vindicated by public opinion and told Democrats to slow down. “Americans have been rushed by this Congress before,” he said. “They’ve seen the results. They’re not going to be rushed again.” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs predicted Monday that Republicans would have trouble holding a unified front against Wall Street reform, which polls show has broad public support. A Washington Post/ABC News poll published Monday showed that almost two-thirds of the public supported stronger regulation of financial institutions. The survey also found that 52 percent trust Obama more than GOP lawmakers to regulate Wall Street. In a preview of the Goldman Sachs hearing, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the panel, accused the bank of misleading the country and spreading “poison” throughout the national economy. Levin said the bank sold securities it knew were backed by dubious mortgages and then bet heavily against the investments, earning an estimated $3.7 billion off these short bets.

Jay Heflin contributed to this article.

Editorial : Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker (R`s) Tennessee were among those who towed the line for McConnell ! Better wake up Tennessee !

Hey Senior`s ~ Your Fate is Being Decided Behind closed Doors

Social $ecurity and Seniors !

Seniors Need to Follow This ! Hey That`s Me !

This morning a new Federal commission is meeting for the first time, and it could determine the future of Social Security. The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a bi-partisan group charged with recommending ways to lower the federal debt. No retiree likes debt, but we should be worried because some are urging the panel to cut Social Security to reduce the budget deficit. Unfortunately this new Commission is making it hard for us to follow its work. It plans to hold most of its meetings outside of the public eye, behind closed doors in the U.S. Capitol. Click http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/open_gov to tell your elected officials that this Commission's deliberations - and the future of Social Security - are too important to be kept secret. The meetings should be open to the public, and there should be hearings across the country to listen to the American people. Social Security is one of our nation's greatest success stories, and there is no reason to hide it away. Act today to send these meetings out into the sunshine, so everyone can see firsthand just how important Social Security is to Americans of all ages. Click on link above or on the Title of this article !

Big Banks ~ Too Big ? You Bet`cha !

Big Banks Need Regulating !

America's four largest banks - Citibank, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and WellsFargo - have assets of $7.4 trillion, equal to 52% of our entire GDP.The collapse of any one would endanger the American economy, even the world economy. They are truly "too big to fail." They also have too much economic and political power because of their enormous size. Tell Congress: Break Up the Big Banks Now http://www.democrats.com/break-up-the-banks-now
Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ted Kaufman (D-DE) introduced a bold bill - the SAFE Banking Act (S. 3241) - to break up the big Wall Street banks. This may be the biggest reform of Wall Street and corporate power in 80 years.
According to the New York Times, "The [SAFE Banking Act] would reinforce a 1994 law that bars any single bank from holding more than 10% of the nation’s total deposits, or about $750 billion. In the years since then, large firms have obtained waivers or used loopholes in the law to exceed that ceiling." It would also limit total bank borrowing to 2% of GDP.
Tell Congress: Break Up the Big Banks Now : http://www.democrats.com/break-up-the-banks-now The bill has broad progressive support, including Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, Chris Hayes of The Nation, Prof. Lawrence Lessig, Heather Booth of Americans for Financial Reform, Adam Quinn of Credo, David Arkush of Public Citizen, and Jan Frel of Alternet. In addition, three Federal Reserve bank presidents – James Bullard, president and chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ Kansas City Fed President Thomas M. Hoenig, and Dallas Fed President Richard W. Fisher – all support breaking up too-big-to-fail banks.
Tell Congress: Break Up the Big Banks Now http://www.democrats.com/break-up-the-banks-now

Republican Senators Unite Behind Big Money !

Senator Mitchell McConnell (R) Kentucky...Represents Big Money !

Last week, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell got all 41 GOP senators to promise to oppose Wall Street reform. He thought President Obama would back down in the face of a unified show of force. He was wrong. Instead, the President stood in front of Wall Street bankers Thursday, going to bat for consumers and confronting the toughest of crowds with a strong message: Reform is good for Americans, good for the market, and it's time to get on board. Bipartisan discussions have begun again -- but Wall Street lobbyists are still swarming Capitol Hill, trying to trip up negotiations and maintain the gridlock that has defined Washington for far too long. So now, it's up to us. We need to show Republican senators that the American people are watching closely to see whose side they end up on. Tell Republicans in the Senate to stand up to the special interests and work with the President to pass Wall Street reform.
The President laid out a bold plan to hold Wall Street accountable, to protect American taxpayers by ensuring they'll never again be asked to bail out a big firm "too big to fail," and to put in place the strongest consumer financial protections ever proposed.But this fight isn't just about fixing Wall Street. It's also about fixing Washington. For too long, it's been a place where special interests have set the rules and petty partisanship has stood in the way of progress. As the President said Thursday, "We can and must put this kind of cynical politics aside."Thanks to strong leadership from the President and Democrats in Congress, the gridlock is starting to crack, and Republicans are slowly giving signs that they'll come on board. The Senate has even scheduled a preliminary vote for Monday at 5:15 p.m.But Wall Street lobbyists are flooding in to firm up opposition -- trying to carve out loopholes and exemptions for big banks and lenders who have long exploited consumers.The only sure-fire way to make sure that the special interests don't get their way is to show Senate Republicans that Americans are standing firmly with the President. Tell them to join us to fight for American families who are counting on reform, not the big Wall Street banks. Send a letter today: Click on this link or the title of this article : http://my.barackobama.com/WallStreetReformLetters

Check out our online Wall Street reform resource center.

Health Care and the Misinformation put out by Republicans !

Propaganda - Half Truths - Misinformation - Lies !

Republicans Guilty !

by Don Jones...4/23/10

We finally have health care passed and behind us, don`t we ? The Republicans are now saying they will repeal this socialist, communist, take over bill ! Pure Crap ! Extreme right wing republicans have controlled all levels of government for the past thirty years (30) are now trying to scare your pants off, with accusations of Socialism, Communism and so-called government take over ! Pure Crap ! Lets look at CEO pay. in the 70`s CEO pay averaged 13 times that of the average worker. Under conservative rule,that was pushed up to 400 times what a worker makes today ! That is criminal. Republicans say that, Democrats want to redistribute the wealth. Better think about that statement, do you drive on the interstates/socialist roads paid for with our tax`s ? Republicans have already redistributed the wealth. They stole our wealth and redistributed it to the wealthy ! We need to take it back. Think about it. pensions were stolen. Health care insurance lost. Pay checks cut ! Markets manipulated ! This all occurred during Republican administration`s ! Thank God for Fox News, telling us the facts...*lol* ! Pure Crap ! When you hear this crap about Socialism, Communism, Government take over, beware of, from whence it comes ? Do not be guided by Racism, just look at the real facts. Then make informed decisions. President Obama is trying to help, aid and assist the middle class. Do not believe otherwise. Without the middle class, there is no America ! "God Bless America" !

President Obama ~ Wall-Street & Bank Reform !

Reform for Wall Street & Banks ? You Bet`cha !

by Don Jones...4/22/10

I listened to our President on television, asking for our elected officials to reform Wall-Street and our Banks,that are to big to fail ? He sounded rational and reasonable. I agree with him, these institutions need to be reformed. It seems that our Banks have become little more than loan sharking institutions. Wall-Street a huge casino. I do not believe that this should happen or allowed to happen. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had this same problem as does President Obama ! History does repeat itself. Banks do not respect us and are raising their interest rates, fees, and charges all they can, not all they need, before more stringent regulations kick in early 2010. Perhaps we all should join Credit Unions since they can only raise Credit Card interest to 18% ? Have you ever thought about keeping your money in a coffee can and bury it in the backyard ? These days it seems like a pretty good idea ? I have a passbook savings account at a local bank, so I can put money in or take it out, when I want too. I noticed the other day it was paying a whopping 0.30% interest ! Not too good ! I hope and pray that our politicians will help aid and assist our President to reform our Banks and Wall-Street ? I`m also hoping that our next reform will be our Trade policy`s! "God Bless America"!

Senators Alexander & Corker Stand for Wall-Street !

Sens. Corker and Alexander(R`s)Tennessee have a choice: they can Stand with Regular Americans who are struggling, or they can protect big Wall Street Banks.

Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell already made his choice. He held a secret meeting with Wall Street executives, asking for more campaign contributions. Then he came back to Washington trying to kill financial reform—just like the bankers want. But some other Republicans are uncomfortable standing with Wall Street—especially if they know their constituents are watching. That's why Sens. Corker and Alexander need to hear from you today.
Can you call Sens. Corker and Alexander and let them know that there will be a price to pay for blocking financial reform to make Wall Street happy? Tell them you want them to stand with the people of Tennessee who want to rein in the big banks.
Senator Bob Corker Phone: 202-224-3344

Senator Lamar Alexander Phone: 202-224-4944

Love Your Freedom ? Support Our Troops !

Our Troops Enable Me to Write This Blog !

by Don Jones...4/21/10

It does`nt matter, if you agree with the wars or not...one thing we must have in common is "Support our Troops" ! I encourage you to watch this video andtry to keep a dry eye ? Click on the link below or the title of this article.

http://media.causes.com/576542?p_id=92681239

God Bless America & Support Our Troops

The Neti Pot ~ It Works ~ You Bet`cha !

Why people swear by the neti pot
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN
April 15, 2010

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
The saline solution in the neti pot both soothes and cleans the nose
If used properly, there's no such thing as overuse.
Using water instead of solution can lead to swelling

Allergies
Health and Fitness
Hay Fever


"Saline irrigation" may not sound sexy, but Kelly Nance says she's hooked.
It's an unlikely activity to draw such a following. However, Nance and others like her have become devoted to the practice of flushing water through their nasal passages to help them breathe easier. Although doctors have long known that a saline solution can help unclog sinuses, the practice has gotten a newfound popularity with the "neti pot," a teapot-shaped container that flushes a saline solution through the nose --in one nostril and out the other, taking with it mucus and rinsing away irritants. The first time Amy Huffhines of Mansfield, Texas, used a neti pot, it was on national television. She had been getting daily sinus headaches, and when she came across a production crew in Chicago, Illinois, taking questions for Dr. Mehmet Oz, she asked about the neti pot. "The Oprah Winfrey Show" invited her to try the neti pot on television in 2007. "I noticed immediately my ears felt real clear. I thought it would feel like drowning but it didn't," she said. A month later, she was invited back to the Oprah show, and reported that she had not had any headaches since using the neti pot. Neti pots usually involve mixing saltwater (or using a prepackaged solution), leaning over a sink, twisting your head to one side, and inserting the spout into one nostril. Then, you would lift the spout until the solution pours into the upper nostril, and allow the liquid to drain out the other nostril. Breathe out and repeat with the other nostril, experts say. What comes out of the nose often grosses out first-timers, but users say the relief outweighs the revulsion, and they get used to it. Whenever Nance tells friends to use a saline rinse, they'll usually say "I can not believe how much stuff came out of my nose," she said. The Oprah episode Huffhines participated in helped launch the neti pot into more than just a passing sinus blockage remedy. For many people, it has become a crucial part of everyday life, especially during allergy season.
With pollen giving millions of Americans congestion, many people turn to the neti pot to help them breathe easier. CNN asked viewers to share their neti pot stories through iReport.
Elana Hersh, from New York, said the neti pot helped her during her pregnancy. When her sinuses gave her trouble, she didn't want to take oral decongestants or nasal sprays because she feared they could be harmful to her baby. The neti pot, however, was a good natural solution for her. Her first time using the neti pot, she almost vomited. Her nasal pathways were so blocked that when she used the pot in one nostril, nothing came out the other one. But after a week or two of using it twice a week she started to feel relief. Read her iReport
"You have to use it a number of times before you get the technique down," she said.
Real Simple: Allergy remedies
The saline solution in the neti pot both soothes and cleans the nose, said Dr. John DelGaudio, chief of rhinology and sinus surgery at Emory University School of Medicine. Flushing the nose with saline is nothing new, it's just that the neti pot's design appeals to people, he said.
"There's really nothing magical about the neti pot," he said. "It basically provides a different way to put saline solution in the nose. Nance, of Weatherford, Texas, uses a saline rinse system that is not a "pot," but is the same concept. After she had sinus surgery in January 2009, her doctor recommended using it. For allergy season, all she needs is the saline rinse and an oral antihistamine, she said. Her iReport What seems like a ritual to others is really just practical, she says: Always do it in the same sink -- the process is "gross, but so good" she says in her iReport -- and always have a roll of toilet paper next to me. Going through the process, she does one side and blows her nose, and uses a full bottle of solution on each side. Many of DelGaudio's patients are already using the neti pot, and he tells them to keep at it. For those who don't currently do nasal irrigation, generally people can use whatever they feel like, he said.
When used correctly, there is no such thing as overusing a neti pot, DelGaudio said. For someone with allergies, the more symptomatic they are, the more they benefit from frequent use, since it helps flush pollen out of the nose. But if water is used in the neti pot, or the solution isn't the right concentration, the tissue in the nose can get swollen, DelGaudio said.
Proper handling of the neti pot was a hard lesson for April Vu, 31, of Tustin, California. She didn't read the directions the first time she used it, and blew her nose too hard, sending fluid back into her ear canal. Read her iReport "At least it wasn't enough to discourage me from doing it the right way," she said. Huffhines is still using the same neti pot the Oprah show gave her during allergy season, and her children use it too. She likes that she doesn't have to take medications for her sinuses. Read her iReport
On the down side, it takes time; less than five minutes perhaps, but still something to add to the daily routine.

Editorial : This writer was having a problem with my nasal passages, I contacted Vanderbilt University Pulmonary department, They informed to get a neti pot, and saline solution. I did. It Works ! I highly recommend it !

I Get Letters ~ Senator Bob Corker(R)Tennessee

Letter From: Senator Bob Corker (R) Tennessee

Dear Don,

Thank you for contacting my office about reforming certain aspects of the financial services industry, particularly over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts. Following a near destruction of our financial system in 2008, it is clear that regulatory gaps need to be filled in order to bring safety and soundness back to our financial markets. The regulation of OTC derivatives is one aspect of the comprehensive regulatory reform packages that have been proposed in Congress. Due to the highly complex nature of these financial instruments, I am working with my colleagues, industry experts, and academics to understand the implications of the derivatives proposals, and how they will impact the overall economy. I believe it is important we take our time with this process, and regulate in an appropriate manner in order to avoid any serious unintended consequences that may occur. As the proposals continue being debated, I hope we will be able to produce a product that strengthens our financial markets by reducing counterparty risk and improving transparency. Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me as I serve you in the United States Senate.

Sincerely,

Bob Corker(R)

United States Senator-Tennessee

Editorial : It seems that "Transparency" is the key word these days. I just wish Senator Corker`s letter was more transparent ! Unfortunately, it is not !

Senator Bob Corker(R)Tennessee ~ More Damaging Than AARP...You Bet`cha !

Senator Bob Corker (R) Tennessee Damaging Our Country ?
In a Word ~ YES !

by Don Jones...4/18/10

In this mornings Jackson Sun, my local newspaper. I noticed a article buried on the third page, with the headline saying Senator Corker calls (AARP) American Association of Retired Persons, damaging. It immediately caught this members(AARP) eye ! As I read it, I thought how out of touch this Senator was with his constituents (Senior Citizens). In a speech to the Davidson county (Nashville) Republican party Corker said " I think the AARP has done as much to hurt our country for the long term as any organization I know" Senator , surely you jest ?, Because they will not allow us as a country to deal with things head on that we need to deal with"! You mean CUT ! " I will never be a member of (AARP) Hoo-Ray !" Corker said to sustained applause from the Republican crowd. Corker said, "Social Security and Medicare are contingent on changes to make them more affordable"! Folks, the Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. Corker is not up for re-election until 2012. He says, "I don`t consider my critical comments about the (AARP) apply to seniors as a whole"! Huh ? I think they are ! Corker said "I don`t think you can say (AARP) and seniors monolithic," "They`re a group that many seniors are a part of because of the benefits" DUH, Golly Senator, you can`t understand much, can you ? Let me explain it to you Senator Corker, the AARP represents us (SENIORS) better than YOU ! Have you got it now ? In this writers opinion, I would rather trust my fate to the (AARP) Than you and our other distinguished Senator Lamar Alexander. Now, if you can`t figure that out ? and I think you can. Call me ! Frankly Senator you scare me to death ! With people like you looking after my interests, I better be scared/worried ! Here is my most simple answer to you and those like you who want to cut my/our Social Security and Medicare programs. CUT SOMEWHERE ELSE ! You can begin with the oil subsidizing programs. It is that simple. I think you get it ! If any of the readers of this blog, would like to contact Senator Bob Corker (R) Tennessee, please click on the link following or the title of this article. I encourage you to do so ! > http://www.corker.senate.gov/public/ <

Oil Speculation ~ Lets Stop It Now !

Wall-$treet & $lot Machines...Much in Common !

After nearly two years of continued pressure on Congress to stop oil speculation, we are on the verge of a great victory for consumers. As gas prices soar past $3 a gallon, the U.S. Senate is just days away from debating new legislation to stop the manipulation of energy markets. Your Senators need to hear from you right now.
The Senate vote will be very close because Wall Street is lobbying hard to defeat our efforts. Enough is enough. It is time for Wall Street to stop gambling at the public's expense. Fortunately, next week the Senate is expected to begin debate on Sen. Blanche Lincoln's (D-AR) new legislation, the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010. This strong legislation will close loopholes, increase transparency and shut speculators out of the oil markets once and for all.
We need you to contact your senators immediately to help pass this legislation. Please take just two minutes to e-mail your Senators and demand they stop oil speculation now. Your e-mail could prevent another summer of record high gasoline prices. While many of you have already e-mailed your Senators on this issue, please do so again today. Flooding Senate offices with hundreds of thousands of constituent messages will help convince Congress to support the values of Main Street over the interests of Wall Street.We all remember the economic chaos caused by high energy prices in the summer of 2008. If Congress fails to pass reform, a new oil bubble will undermine our economic recovery by weakening the finances of families and businesses. Do not let history repeat itself. Please click here to e-mail your Senators and ask that they support strong legislation to stop oil speculation now.Your help will be critically important if we are to be successful in stopping oil speculation. We encourage you to follow us on Facebook or Twitter to remain up-to-date on our ongoing efforts to stop oil speculation.

Thank you,

The Coalition to Stop Oil Speculation Now

Editorial : I have sent mine to Senators Lamar Alexander & Bob Corker (R`s) Tennessee ! I encourage you to write/send your Senators the same ! Please click on link above or the title of this article.

I Get Letters ~ President Barack Obama~Wall Street Reform !

4/16/10

Don,

It has now been well over a year since the near collapse of our entire financial system that cost the nation more than 8 million jobs. To this day, hard-working families struggle to make ends meet.We've made strides -- businesses are starting to hire, Americans are finding jobs, and neighbors who had given up looking are returning to the job market with new hope. But the flaws in our financial system that led to this crisis remain unresolved.Wall Street titans still recklessly speculate with borrowed money. Big banks and credit card companies stack the deck to earn millions while far too many middle-class families, who have done everything right, can barely pay their bills or save for a better future.We cannot delay action any longer. It is time to hold the big banks accountable to the people they serve, establish the strongest consumer protections in our nation's history -- and ensure that taxpayers will never again be forced to bail out big banks because they are "too big to fail."That is what Wall Street reform will achieve, why I am so committed to making it happen, and why I'm asking for your help today.Please stand with me to show your support for Wall Street reform.We know that without enforceable, commonsense rules to check abuse and protect families, markets are not truly free. Wall Street reform will foster a strong and vibrant financial sector so that businesses can get loans; families can afford mortgages; entrepreneurs can find the capital to start a new company, sell a new product, or offer a new service.Consumer financial protections are currently spread across seven different government agencies. Wall Street reform will create one single Consumer Financial Protection Agency -- tasked with preventing predatory practices and making sure you get the clear information, not fine print, needed to avoid ballooning mortgage payments or credit card rate hikes.Reform will provide crucial new oversight, give shareholders a say on salaries and bonuses, and create new tools to break up failing financial firms so that taxpayers aren't forced into another unfair bailout. And reform will keep our economy secure by ensuring that no single firm can bring down the whole financial system.With so much at stake, it is not surprising that allies of the big banks and Wall Street lenders have already launched a multi-million-dollar ad campaign to fight these changes. Arm-twisting lobbyists are already storming Capitol Hill, seeking to undermine the strong bipartisan foundation of reform with loopholes and exemptions for the most egregious abusers of consumers.I won't accept anything short of the full protection that our citizens deserve and our economy needs. It's a fight worth having, and it is a fight we can win -- if we stand up and speak out together.So I'm asking you to join me, starting today, by adding your name as a strong supporter of Wall Street reform:http://my.barackobama.com/StandForWallStreetReform

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Trump on China !

Trump: Tax China, Create Jobs in America
by Tula Connell, Apr 15, 2010

Donald Trump knows a few things about making money. The first step: You need a job. But a job is something more than 17 million of America’s workers don’t have. In a recent CNN interview, Trump says one big way this country can create jobs is by heavily taxing China’s exports, which would result in the creation of much-needed manufacturing jobs here at home.When it comes to manufacturing, China is making all these products. They could be made in North Carolina, they could be made in Alabama, they could be made in lots of our places and right now they’re not. Personally, I’d tax China because it’s not a free trade country. I would tax China very, very heavily…it would create jobs in this country.
The truth is, if we tax China, fairly substantially…you would have so much money in this country, you wouldn’t have the trade deficits…you have trading deficits that are enormous in the United States….What will happen now, is other areas of the country will start manufacturing products, and that’s what this country needs. (H/t to Alliance for American Manufacturing for Trump video clip.) Some 2.4 million U.S. jobs were lost or displaced between 2001 and 2008 because of the U.S. trade deficit with China, according to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). And high-tech jobs are being outsourced faster than those in any other sector. The Alliance for American Manufacturing has a great chart breaking down this job loss state by state. The map highlights how every state is affected by the U.S. trade deficit with China, like Georgia, which lost 78,000 jobs, nearly 2 percent of its employment. This country needs 11 million new jobs to get to the level of employment we had before the recession. And there’s no good reason why corporations aren’t creating them. Trump took on the false notion that U.S. tax laws discourage companies from locating here. I think we’re the most [business] friendly country. This country is so friendly. The biggest problem we have is with China is they’re sucking money out of this country, and the horrible part is that they then loan it back to us. I know lots of folks in China. They think we are the dumbest son of [a blanks] in the world. They think our representatives don’t know what they’re doing. They laugh at us behind our back. Maybe some of those lawmakers need to remember Trump’s signature phrase: “You’re fired.”

Republicans Vote Against Extending Unemployment Compensation ?

Short-Term Jobless Aid Breaks Republican Stranglehold, Obama Signs
by Mike Hall, Apr 16, 2010

After a nearly monthlong tantrum by Republican Senators that cost hundreds of thousand of workers their unemployment insurance (UI), the U.S. House and Senate last night finally approved legislation to extend UI benefits through June 2 and President Obama immediately signed it. But with unemployment still remaining at an official 9.7 percent and more than two in every five unemployed workers out of work for more than six months and more than five jobless workers for each job opening, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says Congress must pass a yearlong extension so working families don’t face Republican obstruction and uncertainty every single month. Obama also called for a longer extension when he signed the bill last night shortly after the House (289-120) and Senate (59-38) passed the bill. I urge Congress to move quickly to extend these benefits through the end of this year…to move forward on legislation to help small businesses grow and hire and other measures to increase the pace of job growth.
Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.), whose home state suffers from a 14.1 percent unemployment rate, blasted the Republicans’ continued efforts to block the UI extension that have included two filibusters, led by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) in February and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) this time around. Holding unemployed Americans, hundreds of thousands of them, hostage to score what some think may be political points I think is reprehensible. Extending unemployment benefits has traditionally been a strong bipartisan effort, yet today some Republicans are claiming that their opposition is rooted in concern about the deficit. They seem to have discovered fiscal responsibility when it comes time to extend unemployment benefits but not when it came to paying for tax cuts for the rich and the Iraq war. Three Senate Republicans voted for the bill: George Voinovich (Ohio) and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine. The bill also extends COBRA benefits, which help jobless workers pay for health insurance.

Editorial : Perhaps Most Republican Senators need to be unemployed !

Glenn Beck & Barnum and Baily...Greatest Show on Earth - But It`s Fiction.

Glenn Beck ~ Greatest Showman on Earth ? by Bob Cesca

This is Orson Welles, ladies and gentlemen, out of character to assure you that The War of The Worlds has no further significance than as the holiday offering it was intended to be. The Mercury Theatre's own radio version of dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying Boo! ...So goodbye everybody, and remember please, for the next day or so, the terrible lesson you learned tonight. That grinning, glowing, globular invader of your living room is an inhabitant of the pumpkin patch, and if your doorbell rings and nobody's there, that was no Martian... it's Halloween." Orson Welles, one of Glenn Beck's broadcasting heroes. In fact, the name of Beck's production company, Mercury Radio Arts (officially known as Glenn Beck, Inc.), is based on Welles' CBS radio show -- the radio show that famously aired one of broadcasting's most legendary hoaxes: The War of the Worlds. Unlike the various Glenn Beck shows and publications, the Mercury performance of the H.G. Welles classic featured a disclaimer at the end (quoted above), formally noting the fictitious nature of the broadcast. Imagine if, unlike Beck, Welles had never broadcast a monologue postscript revealing that what had unfolded on the radio was purely theater. It's not a stretch to suggest that the ensuing hysteria during and after the show would've been far greater. Every day, for four hours a day, Glenn Beck is playing out a Welles fantasy -- leaping out from behind an array of Carrot Top-meets-Gallagher props and gizmos while shouting BOO! at his audience without taking the slightest responsibility for the ensuing hysteria. In Beck's case, the "boo!" comes in the form of Joe McCarthy style red-baiting and Lee Atwater style race-baiting -- insisting with wildly incomprehensible chalkboard scribblings that Marxists and communists are lurking under our beds waiting to steal our money. Money that's better served feeding Glenn Beck's empire of fraud. I mean, just look! Those random words on the chalkboard spelled out the acronym "OLIGARHY!" Run for your lives, and all that. It's an OLIGARHY! No disclaimers letting the audience off the hook like Beck's hero, the vastly more responsible performer Welles did. Beck, like several other Fox News Channel actors in Roger Ailes' ratings-at-all-costs strategy, presents his show as an honest assessment of the truth without any sort of in-show sign that it's almost entirely farcical. One of the most common e-mail responses I've received from Beck supporters so far has been, simply: "Prove it." Suffice to say, I never would have started down this road without some sort of confirmation that my theory about Beck was on the right track. So prior to typing a single word, I spoke with some sources close to and within Fox News Channel and they confirmed exactly what I suspected: Glenn Beck is "a bullshit artist." A faker. A phony. But don't take their word for it. After all, these are anonymous sources and their words ought to be evaluated accordingly. For proof, I've tracked down an on-the-record source who says Glenn Beck could give a flying crap about the political process. Glenn Beck himself from last week's Forbes profile: "I could give a flying crap about the political process." Making money, on the other hand, is to be taken very seriously, and controversy is its own coinage. "We're an entertainment company," Beck says. And there you go. "I could give a flying crap about the political process." Given the hyperkinetic poo-flinging on his show every day, Glenn Beck knows flying crap. There's really no gray area here. It's all about the entertainment value inherent in ginned-up controversy. And right now, anger and insanity sells with Beck's white, conservative, Christian audiences. Later in the same Forbes item, the publisher of Talkers magazine is quoted as saying, "I don't necessarily believe that [what Beck says] is reflective of his own personal politics -- I don't even know if he has personal politics. I see him as a performer." Granted, Beck is a talented performer, as most successful grifters and matchstick men are. Even though he's extraordinarily unfunny, he's just as effective as America's sleaziest and most notorious televangelists when it comes to scamming his audience into believing, say, that a random misspelled acronym actually means something significant, or that just because the president's mother enjoyed Nietzsche means that she was somehow a socialist (Nietzsche was no fan of socialism). And that's one of many dangerous aspects of Beck's show. In addition to poisoning the discourse with obvious fakery and lies with only scattered off-air glances behind the crazy curtain, he's able to convince millions of his listeners and viewers every day to activate against their own best interests, while arming them with embarrassingly misleading and outright false information. For example, last week, a caller to Beck's radio show explained that she received an unexpected extra $800 in her IRS tax refund. The woman told Beck and his morning zoo crew that she suffered from poor health and intended to buy a treadmill with the money. Beck jumped in and inexplicably instructed her to send the money back to the IRS. He never really explained why. It turned out that the woman forgot to check off the "Making Work Pay" tax credit on her 1040EZ -- a tax cut that was included in the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. So Glenn Beck convinced this obviously infirmed woman that it's better to refuse a tax cut because it came from "Marxist" Obama than to use the $800 tax cut to improve her health. I'm often asked, What's so dangerous about Glenn Beck? Well, that story, for example.This week on his television show, Glenn Beck has proposed that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid be entirely eliminated. Other conservatives appearing on Beck's show suggested perhaps that Social Security and Medicare be privatized -- yeah, even after the financial collapse we've experienced, people are still going around suggesting that we invest Social Security and Medicare funds in the market. Anyway, Beck refused even that, instead sticking to the idea that we kill all three of those programs. You know, in order to help the economy. Without Social Security, half of all senior citizens would die in poverty. Eliminate Medicare and Medicaid from the equation and it's difficult to imagine the economy improving with tens of millions of additional Americans thrown into poverty for the sake of proving Glenn Beck's far-right economic theories. Meanwhile, while employing the disproved Laffer Curve, Beck also suggested that we switch over to a flat tax. Naturally, a flat tax would disproportionately favor ultra-wealthy Americans like Glenn Beck, and disproportionately hurt the middle and working classes. Good news for Glenn Beck's empire at the expense of a solid chunk of Glenn Beck's audience. And who spreads Beck's nonsense after his shows end? Glenn Beck's audience in spite of itself. Why do they spread his ridiculousness? Glenn Beck again with the answer: "If you take what I say as gospel, you're an idiot." Until the Forbes profile, this quote was as close Beck has ever come to Welles' disclaimer. He said he's mentioned this on the air, but Beck viewers and listeners I've heard from have, with much anger at me for bringing it up, never heard him say any such thing. Nevertheless, if he's broadcasting what appears to be the truth, and his audience believes it, no other conclusion can be drawn other this: Beck thinks his audience is, at least, partly populated by idiots and that he's playing them for suckers. If there's no "gospel" truth to what he's saying and you're an idiot for believing it, what's his point? To enrich Glenn Beck by exploiting the naiveté of idiots, of course. So the responsibility is yours, Beck. You owe it to your audience to "step out of character" and admit, on your shows, that you're staging an elaborate hoax. Theater. Tell them the truth: that it's all play acting. Your hero Orson Welles did it, and so can you. Otherwise, we can only conclude that you're perfectly comfortable with scamming your "idiot" followers -- tricking them into believing that Martians (or Marxists) have landed, and then charging cash money for the snake oil to kill the invaders.
Bob Cesca on TwitterListen to The Bob & Elvis Show on iClips every Thursday at 10 a.m. EDTBob Cesca's Awesome Blog! Go!

Editorial : Beck, laughs all the way to the bank, at his audience ! That anyone would believe his crap !

Dr. Benjamin Hooks Passed Away ! District#9~Tennessee

The Passing of Civil Rights Leader Dr. Benjamin Hooks

Legendary Memphis civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin Hooks passed away early this morning. Today, I commemorated his life on the House floor. You can watch my speech here: http://www.youtube.com/repcohen#p/a/u/0/Eb1BtNqs-xM.

Trumka on Financial Reform !

Trumka: Don’t Let Wall Street Go Back to Business As Usual...
by James Parks, Apr 13, 2010

Wall Street has not learned its lesson from the nation’s economic crisis. Far from it: CEOs have gone back to business as usual and the American people must stand up and take the economy back, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said today.
During a live webcast announcing the launch of the 2010 AFL-CIO Executive PayWatch, Trumka said the nation’s Big Six banks helped destroy 11 million jobs and they should start paying to restore those jobs. Yet the banks, all of which accepted federal bailouts, are paying out obscene salaries and bonuses to executives while withholding the credit that small businesses need to create jobs. At the same time, they’re spending millions to lobby against meaningful financial reform that could prevent a future crisis. The webcast was live-tweeted on the AFL-CIO website.Trumka said working Americans will take their concerns straight to Wall Street on April 29 with a massive demonstration. Some 200 events already have been held nationwide at branches of the six Big Banks—Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo. He urged viewers to let Wall Street know that hard-working Americans are not going to be their ATM. Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), a special guest on the webcast, said the problem with Wall Street is that “heads they win, tails we lose.” These banks are challenging the fundamentals of capitalism, Grayson said, in which winners win and losers lose. Instead, we see these enormous compensation packages going to people who brought us to the brink of national bankruptcy. This has to end. It’s going to end one way or another. The question is if it’s going to end in a strong America or is it going to end in tears.
Saying the future of the country is at stake, Grayson praised the union movement as the “strongest proponent of good government in the country.” We live in a world where the union movement doesn’t stand for…[its] members, but it stands for all America. It stands for the 309 million Americans who want to see America succeed and have a good life for middle-class Americans. In answer to questions submitted by webcast viewers, Trumka said we can hold Wall Street accountable by passing financial reform that creates an independent consumer financial regulatory agency that can rein in the practices of Wall Street. He also called for giving long-term shareholders like union pension funds access to corporate proxies to nominate persons to the boards of directors that determine who is CEO and how much they are paid, he said. Trumka also urged viewers to contact their members of Congress to demand real financial reform. You can take action and urge your representative and senators to vote for financial reform here at the PayWatch site.