Mark's News, Thoughts, and Musings

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2010-12-11T16:05:00.000-06:00

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Note: All replies and queries or questions concerning your claims should be sent to Barr. Edward Clark, Esq.

I AM WAITING YOUR RESPOND IMMEDIATELY.

2010-09-03T15:00:00.001-05:00

Attn:- Sir/Madam,
How are you and how about your family? Hope fine, Meanwhy, I am Mr. Usman Williams, the chief accountant Bank Of Africa (boa) ouaga,bf West Africa . I am contacting you for an urgent business transaction. There is an account open in this bank in 1999 and since 2001 nobody has operated on this account again. After going through some old files in the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently, it would be forfeited for nothing.

The owner of this account is Mrs raymond becks, a foreigner, and miner at Kruger Gold Company, a Geologist by profession and he died since 2000. No other person knows this account or anythinconcerning the fund, theaccount has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me aswell thatthis company does not know anything about this account and the money involved is TEN Million United States Dollars $10,000.000.00 Million only.

I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to a local bank here in Burkina Faso , but can only be approved to any foreign account because the money is in United States Dollars and the former owner Mr.RAYMOND BECK is a foreigner too. I know that this message will come to you as surprise as we don't know ourselves before.

My dear, be sure that this is a real and genuine business transaction. I only got your contact information from my secretary who operates computer, with believe in God that you will never let me down in this business, considering my position as a public servant, You are the only personthat I have contacted you in this business, so please reply urgently so that I will inform you the next step to take immediately.

You will only need you to send your private telephone and fax numbers including the full details of your account information to be used for the deposit. And I will fly to your country for withdrawal and sharing and for other investment in your kind control, Meanwhile, I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with foreign account and foreign beneficiary.

I need your full co-operation to make this work fine because the management is ready to approve this payment to any foreigner who has correct information of this account, which I will give to you as soon as you indicate your sincerity to co-operate with me, and capability to handle such amount in sinceririty ofpurpose and strict/confidence and trust according to my instruction and advice for our mutual benefit because this opportunity may never come again inmy life.

I also need a truthful and God fearing person in this business because I don't want to make a mistake so I need your strong assurance and trust. With my position in the office I don't want anything that will jeopardize my job,so I advice that we should make secrecy and confidentiality as our primary working condition, bearing in mind that I am a public servant.

I will use my position and influence to effect legal approvals and onward transfer of this money to your account with appropriate clearance forms of the ministries and foreign exchange department. At the conclusion of this business, you will be giving 55% of the total amount, 40% will be for me, while 5% will be for expenses both parties might have incurred the process of the transfer. I look forward to your earliest reply.

Yours sincerely,

(usman_williams06@yahoo.fr)

From Usman Williams

REPLY ME IF YOU ARE INTRESTED (TSUNAMI DISASTER IN INDONESIA).

2010-08-30T01:43:00.001-05:00

My Dear,

Forgive my indignation if this message comes to you as a surprise and may offend your personality for contacting you without your prior consent and writing through this channel.

I got your contact from the proffesional data base found in the internet Yahoo tourist search.When i was searching for a foreign reliable partner.I assured of your capability and reliability to champion this business opportunity.

After series of prayers/fasting.i was divinely directed to contact you among other names found in the data base Yahoo tourist search. I believe that God has a way of helping who is in need.

I am (Mr Mohamed Adams),the Head of file Department in African development bank (ADB).

In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of $15 million U.S.A dollars ( fifteen million U.S.A dollars) In an account that belongs to one of our foreign customer who died along with all his family in the Asia Earth Quake Disaster (TSUNAMI DISASTER IN

INDONESIA / INDIA)

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/tsunami.disaster/.

All of his Family lost there lives in the Disaster. Since then I have made several inquiries to his Country embassy to locate any of his client's extended Relatives, this has proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, unfortunately we learnt that all his supposed next of kin or relation died along side with him at theTSUNAMI DISASTER IN INDONESIA / INDIA leaving nobody behind for the claim. It is therefore upon this discovery that I and one official in my department now decided to make this business proposal to you and release the money to you as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to go into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill.

The Banking law and guideline here stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after five (5) years, the money will be transferred into the Bank treasury as unclaimed fund. The request of foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner, and a Burkinabe can not stand as next of kin to a foreigner.

We agree that 40% of this money will be for you as foreign partner, in respect to the provision of a foreign account,and 60% would be for me and my woman colleague. That means ($6 million) six million dollars for you,and ($9 million) nine million dollars for me and my partner.There after i will visit your country for disbursement according to the percentages indicated.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please consider my official positions, reputation and integrity, especially, the opportunities in the business itself, it is very necessary that all due care be taken so that we do not miss the opportunity due to carelessness.

You are therefore expected and advised to display high degree of maturity, responsibility and understanding in handling this information.

I will give you all the details in my next mail when you have indicated your interest and commitment to work with me.

Always remember that this is the highest confidence and trust any person can repose on the other, especially when it is considered that we did not know ourselves.I hope you will honor me too.

I will come over to join you in your Country for disbursement when the funds hit your account. More so for an effective and easy communication I will advice that you furnish me with your telephone and fax number.Upon receipt of your reply,i will send to you by fax or email the text of the application I will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is hitch free and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for the transfer.

You should call me on this phone number +226-7853 0001,immediately you go through this mail.Trusting to hear from you immediately.

Your's faithfully,

MOHAMED ADAMS.

FROM (ADB) OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO.

GOD BLESSINGS,PROTECTIONS AND GUIDIANCE TO YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY.

(FILL THIS FORM BELLOW PLEASE AND RESEND IT TO ME).

1) Your Full Name..............................
2) Your Age........................................
3) Marital Status.................................
4) Your Cell Phone Number…………..
5) Your Fax Number……………….....
6) Your Country………………...............
7) Your Occupation.............................
8) Sex.................................................
9) Your Religion..................................
10) Your Private E-mail Adress...........

hallmark

2010-03-20T11:33:00.001-05:00

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2010-03-20T11:32:00.001-05:00

You have recieved A Hallmark E-Card.


	Hello! You have recieved a Hallmark E-Card. To see it, click here, There's something special about that E-Card feeling. We invite you to make a friend's day and send one. Hope to see you soon, Your friends at Hallmark Your privacy is our priority. Click the "Privacy and Security" link at the bottom of this E-mail to view our policy.

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BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION

2010-02-11T09:54:00.000-06:00

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
OFFICE OF CONSULAR
DANGOTE HOUSE, AGUYI IRONSI STREET,
MAITAMA DISTRICT,
ABUJA, NIGERIA.

ATTENTION; Sir/Madam

The British High Commission in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana and Burkina Faso received a report of scam against you and other British/US, Africa and Asian citizens etc.
You are listed and approved for payment as one of the scammed victims; get back to us as soon as possible for the immediate payment of your compensation funds. On this faithful recommendations, I want you to know that during the last UN meetings held in Abuja, Nigeria, it was alarmed so much by the rest of the world in the meetings on the lose of funds by various foreigners to the scam artists operating in syndicates all over the world today, in other to retain the good image of the country, the president of the four Countries comprising Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana and Burkina Faso in collaboration with the UNITED NATION through their British High Commission office in Nigeria are now paying one hundred and four (104) scam victims cutting across the whole continents of the world as a compensation to maintain good relationship among other nations of the world, the compensation was dim very necessary by the bodies involved due to the retrieval of valuable properties and money
amounting to millions of United State of America dollars from some of the suspected scam artists that were arrested by security operatives which was handed over to NIGERIAN FINANCIAL INTELLIGENT UNIT(NFIU).

Due to the corrupt and inefficient banking systems in Nigeria, the payments are to be paid through (Mr. Robert Dewar) BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION Headquarters, Abuja, Nigeria through their funding streams such as the Strategic Program Fund (formerly GOF), Public Diplomacy Project Fund, Bilateral Program Budget and Returns & Re-integration Fund also under funding assistance by the Central Bank of Nigeria in Collaboration with the Bank of America.

According to the number of applicants at hand, 84 proved victims has been paid, half of the victims are from the United States, Europe and Asia, we still have more 20 left to be paid their compensations. Yours was among those that were reported unpaid as at Friday and we wish to advise you to see to the instructions of the committee to make sure you receive your compensation immediately.

Note that you will receive your compensations payments via ATM Debit Card cash able at any ATM center around your country or via bank wire into your account. Be advised not to have any further contacts with any internet scam artists to avoid any more lost of fund.

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

Mrs. Stella Benson. Secretary,
To The CONSULAR,
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION ABUJA.

jeff mark dearly beloved

2009-10-21T08:15:00.001-05:00

jeff mark

https://consortium.pims.org/mou-between-the-dod-of-the-united-states-of-america-and-the-federal-department-of-defense-of-switzerland

------------------------------------

Dear Beloved.

My names are Jeff Mark from New Zealand,
I worked with British embassy in London for twelve years before I fell sick March 2009 and during the process I lost my wife and my only son,

since then I have been on medical treatment after which it was confirmed by my doctor that I have cancer in June, I do not know if I am going to survive this illness,

so I want to donate the sum of 7.2 Million Dollars to a church or a Christian individual that will use these funds to fund orphanage homes help the needy and widows,

including reasonable Business investment to keep the long terms needs of the needy and to ensure the house of God is maintained.

If you are interested in what I have explain herein, I want you to respond back to me as soon as possible for more information's. Yours in Christ, Mr.Jeff Mark, note my email: mrjefferymark@aol.com.

------------------------------------

https://consortium.pims.org/mou-between-the-dod-of-the-united-states-of-america-and-the-federal-department-of-defense-of-switzerland

Private mail.

2009-09-03T05:54:00.001-05:00

--
Dear Friend,
I bring you greetings. I am Chan Lee; I work with Bank of China, Hong Kong. I have a Business Proposal of $17.5M for you to handle with me from my bank. I need you to assist me in executing this Business Project from Hong Kong to your country. I need to know if you will be able to handle this with me before I explain to you in details. Should you be interested please send me the required information below;
(1). Full Names
(2). Current Residential Address, telephone number, fax number and email address.
I will want you to reach me on my private e-mail; (chan.lees@yahoo.com.hk). Finally after that I shall provide you with more information.
Regards,
Chan Lee.

________________________________________________

This message was sent using Dodo Webmail - www.dodo.com.au

From Western Union Money Transfer

2009-04-02T21:20:00.000-05:00

>From Western Union Money Transfer: Office In charge Of Your Fund.

Attention: Fund Owner.

Based on the instruction passed to this Western Union department from the office of the Presidency, your total sum of $1,000,000 (One Million United States Dollars) can only be paid through this Western Union Money Transfer Department of Bangkok, Thailand. This is to help us check-mate all the fraudulent activities going on here in Bangkok and Asia at large. You shall be paid bit by bit until your total sum is completely received paid to right at the Counter of Western Union right in your country.

After a meeting that was held in the office of the Presidency in regards to this, we have agreed to pay you a total of $10,000.00 in every Seven Hours (7hours) until the funds is completely paid as agreed in today's meeting. Below is the Money Control Number (MTCN): (443-670-9203) For verification Kindly call our International service number +18003256000 or 8003256000 and follow the voice prompt, then insert the control number above to hear the availability of your funds ready for pick up, or visit our official web site www.westernunion.com, find TRACKING on the top right of the site page, and kindly insert accordingly this detail (Boakye Yaw) and (443-670-9203) following the instructions bellow.

Money Transfer Control Number: (443-670-9203)
Sender First Name: Boakye
Sender Last Name: Yaw

Check Status AND CLICK ON CHECK STATUS

I 'am Kasit Piromya, after the failure of the Agent assigned to deliver your Winning Cheque, for reason aligned with the British high commission and other bodies, I was ordered from the office of the President to make your payment swiftly via this medium, you will be receiving $10,000 every seven hours, from the above control number till your payment is completed.

I request that you send to me your full receiving names for your payment and an activation fee of $450 only for the names to be activated to the officer in charge at the counter here in Bangkok Thailand as you make the payment we shall activate the names you have given us to enable you receive your first installment payment of $10,000 accordingly, this control number (443-670-9203) should be kept confidential for your own security, to avoid any further complications which you have experienced in the past, make the payment today and start receiving your money.

Here is the information needed for the Transfer:

Your Full Name:
Your Full Address:
Your Direct Tel:
Copy Of Identification:

You can call Mr. Andreas Georgetown for more verification in this matter: + (66) 811-415-810 and E-mail us immediately for the transfer of your Fund: wumt_transfer@msn.com

Congratulations in advance.

Mrs. Kasit Piromya
Western Union Director
Bangkok, Thailand

Fw: Historic Passage of Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act

2009-03-25T15:08:00.001-05:00

Finally after seven years in his past!

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter T. Wilderotter, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation <peter.wilderotter@christopherreeve.org>
Sent: Mar/25/09 2:03 PM
To: Mark Felling (Mark@Felling.US)
Cc:
Subject: Historic Passage of Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act

Click to view as a web page.

Dear Mark,

Today we applaud the United States House of Representatives for passing the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act (CDRPA), included in the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. The legislation was named for the late Christopher Reeve and his wife Dana, whose courage and grace in the face of adversity, coupled with their extraordinary activism, were an inspiration to millions around the world.

The landmark legislation, which enjoyed bi-partisan support and passed in the Senate on January 15, 2009 will promote collaborative research, rehabilitation and quality of life initiatives for millions of Americans living with paralysis and spinal cord injuries.

Today is a day of celebration for the paralysis community and we commend Congress for quickly passing this much needed legislation, which honors the spirit and legacy of Christopher and Dana Reeve. There is no better tribute to their dedicated efforts, and they would be so proud, yet humbled, to see this tremendous achievement. We look forward to the President signing this bill into law.

On behalf of the Reeve Foundation and millions of Americans living with paralysis, I would like to thank Congresswomen Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) as well as Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) for initially sponsoring this important health bill and for their tireless efforts.Their extraordinary leadership and dedication was instrumental in passing this historic legislation.

"Passage of this bill today is extremely gratifying," said Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). "We honor the activism of Christopher and Dana Reeve with this bipartisan effort to better treat and, we hope, cure paralysis and other serious motor impairments. Chris and Dana used their visibility to work on behalf of families in all parts of the country who face the challenges of paralysis and impaired mobility. This legislation is part of their legacy," Baldwin said. Ms. Baldwin introduced the bill on January 8, 2009 along with co-sponsors Bono Mack, Langevin and Bilirakis.

The Reeve Foundation is especially grateful to former Congressman Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) who was the bill's original sponsor and first introduced it in 2002. Today his son Gus Bilirakis, who holds the same seat, is carrying out his father's mission and has been vital to the final passage of this landmark legislation.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act will improve the quality of life for people living with paralysis and mobility impairments from any cause - stroke, ALS, spinal cord injuries and others. It encourages coordination of research to prevent redundancies and hasten discovery of better treatments and cures, as well as to improve the daily lives for those living with paralysis. The Act has three components that support and enhance paralysis research, rehabilitation, and quality of life programs:

Paralysis Research - Expands research on paralysis at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This will encourage collaborative research by connecting scientists conducting similar work to further enhance understanding and speed discovery of better treatments and cures.
Paralysis Rehabilitation and Care - Builds on research to enhance daily function for people with paralysis, including a Clinical Trials Network, to measure effectiveness of certain rehabilitation tactics and encouraging shared findings on paralysis to improve rehabilitation.
Improving Quality of Life for Persons with Paralysis and Other Physical Disabilities - Works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve the quality of life and long-term health status of persons with paralysis and other physical disabilities.

We cannot thank you, our advocates, enough for all your support during this process.

Yours truly,

Peter T. Wilderotter
President and CEO

Remove yourself from this mailing.

Remove yourself from all mailings from Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

Accomplishments - Adapted by Mark Felling

2009-03-16T23:42:00.001-05:00

Accomplishments

The greatest ideas will be shot down by those with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

What you spend years creating could be destroyed overnight.

Create anyway.

Give the best you have and it will never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

Success will win you false friends and genuine enemies.

Succeed anyway.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

Those most in need of help may attack viciously when it is offered.

Help them anyway.

If you are kind people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and sincerity make you vulnerable to deceptive people.

Be honest and sincere anyway.

If you find happiness, other's jealousy and envy will soon follow.

Be happy anyway.

Adapted by Mark Felling from the version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta which was adapted from "The Paradoxical Commandments" by Dr. Kent M. Keith written in 1968 as part of a booklet for student leaders.

Fw: Giving appreciation and HONOR to entrepreneurs

2009-03-16T22:35:00.000-05:00

I received this e-mail below yesterday about entrepreneurs. Even though it was written for marketing purposes from Perry Marshall, a marketing guru to sell his consulting services, it is very nice and touches home to many truths! I thought it was worth sharing for all those entrepreneurs and self-employed small business people upon whose back the great American economy is borne!

- Mark Felling

--------------------------------------------

Mark,

    I just came home from a seminar by Paul Manwaring called "A Culture of Honor." As he spoke about how carelessly people criticize each other on TV and in daily life - and how uplifting it is to receive words of affirmation - I was struck by how little appreciation most entrepreneurs get from... well, anybody.

    The evening news is no celebration of business people, that's for sure.

    The government ain't doing much to make your job easier.

    So... why would you risk everything, endure multiple bankruptcies, work 17 hours a day for weeks and months at a time, to be the first to be taxed and the last to get paid in a game that offers no guarantee of success whatsoever?

    It takes a very special kind of person.

    It takes a person who is driven from the inside by passion and vision and a bit of eccentricity. It requires you to be so dissatisfied with the status quo that you feel like you can endure anything so long as it's not the present mediocrity.

    You're one of those people who just can't stand following the car ahead of you on the expressway to some cubicle for the rest of your life.

    Or maybe you have this idea for a product or a way of doing something and you're convicted to your very soul that the world needs to see things *your* way for once.

    In any case, I doubt it's because you're just some greedy, money-grubbing over-achiever who needs to take a chill pill. No, that popular depiction is deeply misleading.

    I just want to say... Wherever you are in your journey, I'm proud of you, I HONOR you, and I cheer you on in your effort. Any honest business is a noble and honorable thing.

    I'll never forget my 2nd trip to Africa. I'm somewhere southwest of Nairobi Kenya, visiting George Karanga and his wife Jane, two very special people who run a foster program for AIDS orphans.

    I'm meeting a woman whose husband is dying of AIDS, he's down to 66 pounds... all kinds of kids who've lost both parents to HIV and now live with aunts, uncles or grandparents... people who are deathly sick for lack of $1.00 for a bus ticket to go to a medical clinic... a woman who's 8 years a paraplegic, living under a tin roof in a dark mud hut, her sole entertainment her radio, her cat, and her kind neighbors who look after her.

    Not a cheery scene.

    But the epiphany occurs when I meet a fellow named Paul Mungai, who runs a cobbler shop. Paul, ironically, is crippled, but he knows how to make and fix shoes. And he knows how to run a business.

    He started with just $50.00 of seed money and now has, by Kenyan standards, a sound business. He's feeding his family, he's paying his rent, his kids have uniforms to wear to school, and everyone in his care has enough to live on.

    There's a gleam in his eye. We exchange a few words and share our mutual understanding: There is one and only one path out of poverty. The one and only path out of poverty is entrepreneurship and business success.

    It ain't government. It's not social programs. It's not charity. It's not even jobs or technology.   It's entrepreneurship.

    The message was loud and clear: What you and I do may be daring, crazy, irrational and largely misunderstood. Condescending do-gooders may tell you you're greedy or too successful. Your brother-in-law may think you've got your head stuffed in a cloud.

    The government may think it has the right to confiscate your profits and give them to "education" or other well-intentioned social programs. You might cater to some strange market, doing something that most people consider frivolous.

    But the fact remains: What you and I do is profoundly important. You and I pave the road that leads from poverty to success. We create the ingenuity and jobs and wealth that makes good medical care possible.

    We create the world that has enough to eat, the world where even welfare kids in housing projects get three square meals a day.

    So don't ever apologize to anyone for doing what you do. If it wasn't for you, me and the rest of us entrepreneurs, "they" would still be sleeping on dirt floors.

    That conversation with Paul in Kenya sparkled with the mutual awareness of what I just described to you.

    And as George took me to see other recipients of Micro-Enterprise seed funding - a lady selling sardines and tomatoes on a nailed-together stand on the side of the road, several women selling fruits and vegetables in the local markets, I thought of the entrepreneurs I meet in the US, Canada and Australia.

    I thought of those rah-rah Amway rallies I was going to years ago, and the easily-exploited naivet? that's so characteristic of the "Biz Op" market as it's sometimes called.

    And like it or not, it's that raw enthusiasm and independent spirit that drives the prosperity of the West.

    Where that drive, imagination and ingenuity are lacking, people starve - literally.

    So yes, some business people are too greedy. Some entrepreneurs don't care about their fellow man. Some people do make their money by dishonest means. But remember, the character quotient is no better on the poor side of the fence.

    So if you're prospering by means of an honest enterprise - or if you're struggling to put one together - then you are a hero. The bards and minstrels may not sing songs about you, and your handsome face may never appear on The Apprentice, but what you do every day when you get out of bed is a worthwhile and indeed necessary thing.

    Don't ever forget it. What you do matters. A lot. It's worth celebrating and it's HONORABLE.

    Perry Marshall

DONATION FOR THE WORK OF GOD. From me to you.

2009-03-13T20:03:00.001-05:00

DONATION FOR THE LORD
From: Mrs. Monica Tema

PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO USE IT FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD.I am the above name person from Sierra-Leone. I am married to Dr Ebenezer Tema who worked with Sierra Leonian Embassy in South Africa for nine years before he died in the year 2001. We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we were both born again Christians and we lived happilly. Since his death, I decided not to re-marry.

When my late husband was alive he secured $15Million (Fifteen Million U.S. Dollars) with financial institution here in Cote D'Ivoire. Presently, this money is still with the financial institution. Recently, my Doctor told me that from all the test conducted on my health, I am not going to last long, expecially, due to my cancer and stroke. But what disturbs me most now is stroke.

Having known my condition, I decided to donate this fund to churches or Christian individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct. I want a church or individual that will use this money to fund churches, Orphanages and Widows. Also, the propagation of the work of God, building and maintaining the house of God through this money, is very important.

The Bible made us to understand that Blessed is the hand that giveth. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians. I don?t want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers, for their own selfish interest and in an ungodly manner. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bossom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace.

I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health, and because of the presence of my husband's relatives around me sometimes. I don't want them to know about this development, but I know that With God all things are possible.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Financial institution in Ivory coast. I will also give you all information regarding the deposit of this money. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will empower you as the original- beneficiary of this fund. I want you and your church to always pray for me because God work in misterious ways. My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. Who ever that wants to serve the Lord must serve him in spirit and truth. Please always be prayerful all through your life.

Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for a church or christian individual for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hear from you soon.

Remain blessed in the name of the Lord.

Yours in Christ,
Mrs Monica Tema

Calvary Greetings ( MRS ETHEL COY)

2008-12-27T07:26:00.001-06:00

Calvary Greetings,

Please read this slowly and carefully, as it may be one of the most important emails you ever get.I am Mrs. Ethel Coy from Greece . I was
married to Late Mike Coy. The Director of Vikhroli Link.Ltd,a seasoned contractor in West African Region. He died on Monday, 31 July 2003 in Paris.
We were married for seven years without a child. After his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my matrimonial home.When
my late husband was alive, he has over the sum of $5.2 Million USD in banks and security companies in Europe, which is yet unclaimed.My Doctor
told me that I would not last long due to cancer problem that befalled me.

Having known my condition I decided to donate this funds to better the lives of the less privileged.
I need honest and trust worthy individual that will utilize this money in accordance with my instruction.
I want the funds to be used in funding religious organizations,orphanages and less privileged propagating
the word of God. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are very unkind to me and I don't want my husbands hard earned money to be misused. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the lord will fight my course and I shall hold my peace.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Bank, and my attorney also with
a copy of the WILL. For legitimacy, he will also issue you a letter of authority that will empower you
as the original-beneficiary of this fund. I want you to always pray for me, any delay in your reply
will give me room in sourcing for another individual for this same purpose.

If you are not interested, kindly pardon me for contacting you.
Thanks,

Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Ethel Coy.
email: ethelcoy_bless@live.com

Grant Award

2008-12-15T06:32:00.001-06:00

You have been awarded Â£850,000 from the OXFAM GB -UK the cash/grant Promo. Contact Dr.Terry Williams via terrywilliams0880@jmail.co.za
Qualification Number(OG/N231/E101/BDB)

WILL

2008-12-02T22:49:00.001-06:00

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have to yu/ church.I thought i wil die during the Christmas period. I am 59 years old
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from what I hav inherited from my late husband to you for the good work of God. I have
asked God to fggive me and beliv he has because He is a merciful God.I will be going in
for an operation later today.I decided to WILL/donate the sum of (five.five million
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Tell him that I have WILLED(US$5.5M) to you by quoting my personal reference number
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sincerely,

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Contact Dr Pinkett

2008-12-01T08:35:00.001-06:00

Send your info in which are stated below for the claims of £1.000,000.00 GBP which has been won by your E-MAIL Address in our UK Promo AWARD 2008 Do get back to this office with your requirement such as

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Reply to this confidential E-mail Address:
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claims of £1,350.000

2008-12-01T07:41:00.001-06:00

£1,350,000.00 GBP has been won by your E-MAIL Address in our Irish Promo. Do get back to this office with your requirement such to contact Mr.Edward Brown via (edward.brown26@btinternet.com) with your

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Claims Of £500 000 Pounds

2008-11-29T04:45:00.001-06:00

£500,000 pounds has been won by your E-MAIL Address in our COMPAQ ELECTRONICS SEASONAL AWARD 2008. Do get back to this office with
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Chevron Petroleum Xmas Promo

2008-11-27T15:03:00.001-06:00

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2008-11-27T08:25:00.001-06:00

You have just been awarded of the sum of £1,000,000.00 GBP in the UK Electronics Award 2008, Anniversary Bonanza. held on November. For Claims (uknl.scott@btinternet.com)
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claims of £500,000 pounds

2008-11-25T06:10:00.001-06:00

E-MAIL (jerrysmith001@live.com) for the claims of £500,000 pounds which has been won by your E-MAIL Address in our COMPAQ ELECTRONICS SEASONAL AWARD 2008 Do get back to this office with your requirement such as

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From Miss Sarah

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2008-11-23T15:20:00.001-06:00

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2008-11-22T10:57:00.001-06:00

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McCain Economics

2008-10-07T08:44:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend, John McCain's top adviser announced their plan to
stop engaging in a debate over the economy and "turn the page" to more
direct, personal attacks on Barack Obama.

In the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression,
they want to change the subject from the central question of this
election. Perhaps because the policies McCain supported these past
eight years and wants to continue are pretty hard to defend.

But it's not just McCain's role in the current crisis that they're
avoiding. The backward economic philosophy and culture of corruption
that helped create the current crisis are looking more and more like
the other major financial crisis of our time.

During the savings and loan crisis of the late '80s and early '90s,
McCain's political favors and aggressive support for deregulation put
him at the center of the fall of Lincoln Savings and Loan, one of the
largest in the country. More than 23,000 investors lost their savings.
Overall, the savings and loan crisis required the federal government
to bail out the savings of hundreds of thousands of families and
ultimately cost American taxpayers $124 billion.

Sound familiar?

In that crisis, John McCain and his political patron, Charles Keating,
played central roles that ultimately landed Keating in jail for fraud
and McCain in front of the Senate Ethics Committee. The McCain
campaign has tried to avoid talking about the scandal, but with so
many parallels to the current crisis, McCain's Keating history is
relevant and voters deserve to know the facts -- and see for
themselves the pattern of poor judgment by John McCain.

So at noon Eastern on Monday, October 6th, we're releasing a 13-minute
documentary about the scandal called "Keating Economics: John McCain
and the Making of a Financial Crisis" -- it will be available at
KeatingEconomics.com, along with background information that every
voter should know.

Watch a preview right now and share it with your friends.

The point of the film and the web site is that John McCain still
hasn't learned his lesson.

And this time, McCain's bankrupt economic philosophy has put our
economy at the brink of collapse and put millions of Americans at risk
of losing their homes.

Watch the video to see why John McCain's failed philosophy and poor
judgment is a recipe for deepening the crisis:

http://my.barackobama.com/keatingvideo

It's no wonder John McCain would rather spend the last month of this
election smearing Barack's character instead of talking about the top
priority issue for voters.

But if we work together, we can make sure the focus stays on the
economy -- and how to fix it.

Please forward this email to everyone you know.

Thanks,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Need to Create GimpSquad

2008-10-04T21:56:00.001-05:00

I was just speaking to another new customer today about the VoiceIR Environmental Voice Control System for controlling his TV, TiVo, stereo, etc. He lives in a nursing home in Washington DC - is almost identical in function to myself as a C4/C5 Quad. He unneccessarily paid Best Buy Geek Squad $500 to help him set it up! On two different trips the Geek didn't want to take the time - instead they just billed him $250/hr and left. Nothing against the Best Buy Geeks, but they just are not equipped over at the houses in Moscow your point is here either as ever as long as soon as you know I feel it is like you think is like a physical rejection of the you I think the past is that this is a stretch in the you know this is compressing it up with.

I told him he needs to get his own apartment. He agreed and went on to say because of finding my website is now decided to go back to college for his bachelors in rehabilitation engineering / adaptive technology. It was just a statement of fact, nothing more, which to me was more significant. But as they say, mimicking or copying is the ultimate form of flattery and that one choked me up a bit. I am facetious when people say I am inspirational for little other reason than being why have always been even though they mean it as a nice complement. Motivating this young man to go back to school is something I'm very proud to have apparently inspired. Actions and results always have more impact than words.

So if you're a "Gimp Geek" with the communications skills, patience, and motivation to be resource to increased independence by helping other disabled individuals in your local area setup and learn to use their new adaptive technology for a reasonable fee, let us know so we can add you to a list and refer those in need of assistance to you. Join Broadened Horizons' GimpSquad!

Mark Felling

Target Website Accessibility $6 million Settlement

2008-09-03T12:37:00.001-05:00

E-commerce for the blind: Target Website Accessibility $6 million Settlement

It's good business -- and it's the law -- for companies to make their websites fully accessible to the visually impaired.

August 30, 2008

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires "public accommodations"

http://www.ada.gov/pubs/ada.htm to be accessible to the disabled as well as the able-bodied. That's why stores, government buildings and churches have elevators and ramps, not just stairs. But when the National Federation of the Blind urged retail giant Target Corp. three years ago to modify its website to aid the visually impaired, Target balked. The disabilities act applied to its brick-and-mortar stores, not its branch in cyberspace, Target's lawyers argued.

And so began a legal battle that ended Wednesday, when Target announced that it would pay $6 million to settle http://www.dralegal.org/downloads/cases/target/Final-Agreement.pdf a class-action lawsuit by blind shoppers who'd struggled to use its website.

Target also has agreed to change the site in ways suggested by the federation, making Target.com fully accessible to the blind by the beginning of March 2009. Most significantly, perhaps, a federal judge's pretrial rulings http://www.out-law.com/default.aspx?page=8539 in the case held that the disabilities act and California law did apply to the online counterparts of physical stores and services.

As is so often true, Target will end up spending a lot more to modify its site than it would have spent to design it to be accessible from Day One.

There's plenty of help online http://www.w3.org/WAI/ for companies trying meet the needs of the disabled. The World Wide Web Consortium, a group that develops voluntary standards for the Web, has been publishing accessibility guidelines http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505/ for almost a decade, including to help designers make their sites work with the specialized equipment used by the disabled. The blind rely on expensive software that reads aloud the contents of each Web page, so images and forms on the pages must include some identifying text. They also can't navigate with a mouse -- try using one with your eyes closed -- so pages need to be designed for navigating with a keyboard. That's not much to ask.

The problem is that, like Target, too many companies didn't focus on accessibility when they made the leap into e-commerce. If they had, they would have found an underserved audience of disabled shoppers. A website can be a far more inviting place for a blind person than a crowded mall, if the site is designed the right way. And the number of vision-impaired Americans (at least 1.3 million http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=15%23num

are legally blind) is expected to grow as the population ages and the incidence of diabetes http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/06/25/diabetes.rates.ap/index.htm

l climbs. With more commerce and services moving to the Internet, it's increasingly important that companies make accessibility a part of everything they do online. If that's not clear in federal law, it should be.

And although Target may have needed a push to embrace the disabled, at least it's showing the rest of the retail world how it's done.

Republicans help the rich, Democrats help the rest of us! Proven using census data post WW2

2008-09-03T01:59:00.001-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/business/31view.html?em
Economic View
Is History Siding With Obama's Economic Plan?
By ALAN S. BLINDER
Published: August 30, 2008

Alan S. Blinder is a professor of economics and public affairs at
Princeton and former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve. He has
advised many Democratic politicians.

CLEARLY, there are major differences between the economic policies of
Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. Mr. McCain wants more tax cuts
for the rich; Mr. Obama wants tax cuts for the poor and middle class.
The two men also disagree on health care, energy and many other
topics.
Skip to next paragraph
Enlarge This Image
David G. Klein

Such differences are hardly surprising. Democrats and Republicans have
followed different approaches to the economy for as long as there have
been Democrats and Republicans. Longer, actually. Remember Hamilton
versus Jefferson?

Many Americans know that there are characteristic policy differences
between the two parties. But few are aware of two important facts
about the post-World War II era, both of which are brilliantly
delineated in a new book, "Unequal Democracy," by Larry M. Bartels, a
professor of political science at Princeton. Understanding them might
help voters see what could be at stake, economically speaking, in
November.

I call the first fact the Great Partisan Growth Divide. Simply put,
the United States economy has grown faster, on average, under
Democratic presidents than under Republicans.

The stark contrast between the whiz-bang Clinton years and the dreary
Bush years is familiar because it is so recent. But while it is
extreme, it is not atypical. Data for the whole period from 1948 to
2007, during which Republicans occupied the White House for 34 years
and Democrats for 26, show average annual growth of real gross
national product of 1.64 percent per capita under Republican
presidents versus 2.78 percent under Democrats.

That 1.14-point difference, if maintained for eight years, would yield
9.33 percent more income per person, which is a lot more than almost
anyone can expect from a tax cut.

Such a large historical gap in economic performance between the two
parties is rather surprising, because presidents have limited leverage
over the nation's economy. Most economists will tell you that Federal
Reserve policy and oil prices, to name just two influences, are far
more powerful than fiscal policy. Furthermore, as those mutual fund
prospectuses constantly warn us, past results are no guarantee of
future performance. But statistical regularities, like facts, are
stubborn things. You bet against them at your peril.

The second big historical fact, which might be called the Great
Partisan Inequality Divide, is the focus of Professor Bartels's work.

It is well known that income inequality in the United States has been
on the rise for about 30 years now — an unsettling development that
has finally touched the public consciousness. But Professor Bartels
unearths a stunning statistical regularity: Over the entire 60-year
period, income inequality trended substantially upward under
Republican presidents but slightly downward under Democrats, thus
accounting for the widening income gaps over all. And the bad news for
America's poor is that Republicans have won five of the seven
elections going back to 1980.

The Great Partisan Inequality Divide is not limited to the poor. To
get a more granular look, Professor Bartels studied the postwar
history of income gains at five different places in the income
distribution.

The 20th percentile is the income level at which 20 percent of all
families have less income and 80 percent have more. It is thus a
plausible dividing line between the poor and the nonpoor. Similarly,
the 40th percentile is the income level at which 40 percent of the
families are poorer and 60 percent are richer. And similarly for the
60th, 80th, and 95th percentiles. The 95th percentile is the best
dividing line between the rich and the nonrich that the data permitted
Professor Bartels to study. (That dividing line, by the way, is well
below the $5 million threshold John McCain has jokingly used for
defining the rich. It's closer to $180,000.)

The accompanying table, which is adapted from the book, tells a
remarkably consistent story. It shows that when Democrats were in the
White House, lower-income families experienced slightly faster income
growth than higher-income families — which means that incomes were
equalizing. In stark contrast, it also shows much faster income growth
for the better-off when Republicans were in the White House — thus
widening the gap in income.

The table also shows that families at the 95th percentile fared almost
as well under Republican presidents as under Democrats (1.90 percent
growth per year, versus 2.12 percent), giving them little stake,
economically, in election outcomes. But the stakes were enormous for
the less well-to-do. Families at the 20th percentile fared much worse
under Republicans than under Democrats (0.43 percent versus 2.64
percent). Eight years of growth at an annual rate of 0.43 percent
increases a family's income by just 3.5 percent, while eight years of
growth at 2.64 percent raises it by 23.2 percent.

The sources of such large differences make for a slightly complicated
story. In the early part of the period — say, the pre-Reagan years —
the Great Partisan Growth Divide accounted for most of the Great
Partisan Inequality divide, because the poor do relatively better in a
high-growth economy.

Beginning with the Reagan presidency, however, growth differences are
smaller and tax and transfer policies have played a larger role. We
know, for example, that Republicans have typically favored large tax
cuts for upper-income groups while Democrats have opposed them. In
addition, Democrats have been more willing to raise the minimum wage,
and Republicans have been more hostile toward unions.

The two Great Partisan Divides combine to suggest that, if history is
a guide, an Obama victory in November would lead to faster economic
growth with less inequality, while a McCain victory would lead to
slower economic growth with more inequality. Which part of the Obama
menu don't you like?

Flawless Moral Character- at 44 McCain left his wife to marry a 26-year-old really rich gal

2008-09-02T23:05:00.000-05:00

Mom, I know you’d be interested in reading this one…

“When John McCain left his first wife in 1980 to marry the wealthy and glamorous Cindy Hensley, he used his newfound riches to provide his discarded bride a life of relative comfort. Carol McCain, who has not remarried, continues to cheer on her former husband from afar.”

http://www.citypages.com/2008-09-03/news/tim-pawlenty-jilted-for-sarah-palin/

That means 28 years ago when McCain was 44 he left his wife Carol who faithfully waited for him for years while he was in a prison camp, and married a 26-year-old really rich gal almost half his age. (who could help fund his campaign’s maybe?) The article discusses how McCain did the same to Governor Palenty with Palin as he did to his first wife, but without a big check to live on.

Now there’s typical celebrity of flawless moral character. Far better than the 50% black family man with an African immigrant father who has spent most of his granted much shorter political career working to help the working class people in southern Chicago.

RE: The future versus the past, fear, and Mark Warner's speech

2008-09-01T18:15:00.001-05:00

Mom,

Before today I had not made a decision except to defeat what I felt were fears of the unknown. So to hold true to my own emphasis on researching anything sufficiently to obtain something closer to the truth, I spent the afternoon watching what our presidential candidates had to say about themselves, America, the economy, health care, our military, and each other. I no longer have many questions remaining in my mind. However, don’t take my word for anything. I’m nobody – just a staunchly independent man. Please, research and make up your own mind. Here’s a brief curriculum to speed you along although there will be plenty of diversions along the way.

---------------------------

First a piece of history… The truth about what was said

Barrac Obama, 2004 Democratic National Convention, Keynote Address

http://media.libsyn.com/media/barackobama/obama_2004_dnc_med.wmv

Next, an introduction to reality, our current state of affairs.

Mark Warner, 2008 Democratic National Convention, Keynote Address

http://www.markwarner2008.com/pages/watch-the-speech

But don’t make any decision without getting V. complete story, without looking at both sides of any debate or argument! If there is one fundamental rule I live by it is this.

John McCain’s website campaign videos
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/MultiMedia/Default.aspx

When I went to his website, I truly had much more hope for John McCain. He’s a great man, a brave man with courage and military experience, and I believe would truly be a great Commander-In-Chief of the military. However America needs much more than military leader, much more than borrowing $10 billion to fund operations in Iraq every month when the Iraqi government has a $79 billion surplus! We need a plan, to answers to hard questions rather than “Yes I believe in [fill in the blank]”! We need much more of a military leader - there is a reason generals have earned their stars. I think we are safe and deferring to their better judgment and an elected leader who will represent recognizes that, rather than depending on someone who thinks they know better. We’ve had enough experience with that. We require more than bravery and courage in oneself, we require the bravery and courage to guide and lead - to trust in others. We require someone who recognizes an election is not about them, but about everyone casting ballots!

Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech
http://www.barackobama.com/tv/

We are all rightfully afraid of the unknown. Its program within us from the time of our birth. There is nothing like the fear of change that holds people back yet there is nothing like the promise of change that gives us hope and immeasurable drive to bring it about! However, fueling fear has results in little measurable success other than maintaining power over the fearful. We live in a world full of dangers, dangers that must be addressed, but if crippled by our fear we will never succeed or move forward!

Any sound decision requires truth. Obtain it for yourself from multiple sources! Don’t believe hearsay or simply what someone tells you. Don’t believe me. Every mother tell their child “Actions Speak Louder Than Words!” Without more information I don’t know whether these items define truth or response, but I do respect that they have not been returned!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/christian

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/fightthesmearshome

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/behindthesmears

We are a society that has been built on the industrious motivation and backs of our immigrant ancestors. My great x5 grandfather settled in central Minnesota and traded with, prospered in collaboration with, and was respected by, local Native Americans when others nearby feared them. Uncontrolled immigration is not helpful, but neither is a month or separated from her infant child, or people working under unfit conditions because the alternative is far worse. In a positive manner, let us once more return to being the land of the free, home of the brave, were all men are created equal and have the opportunity of the pursuit of happiness while contributing to that of their neighbor. Let us throw off the burden of fear and with courage embrace the change, possibility, opportunities that come with each.

Your loving son, with as you know and sometimes criticized with affection, far too much of a mind of his own,

Mark Felling
Quadriplegic Engineer, Inventor, MBA

PS: For anyone who dares declare me insufficiently supportive of our military and the far too young men and women serving within it, I challenge you to talk to a few of my customers who have given and lost more of their physical abilities than many people believe they would be able to endure - including myself at one time. I challenge you to spend even one day “walking” in our shoes.

From: Mark Felling [mailto:Mark@Felling.US]
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2008 1:21 PM
To: 'Darlene Felling'
Cc: mfelling.blog@blogger.com; Jim Felling (jim.felling@gmail.com); Greg Felling (gregfelling22@yahoo.com); bluehu12@hotmail.com; Ben Felling (bigbenfelling@hotmail.com); Bill Dennis (bjdennis.2@juno.com); rpeltier1@juno.com; eggert_scott@hotmail.com; Cory Spanier (cmspanier@yahoo.com)
Subject: The future versus the past, fear, and Mark Warner's speech

Mom,

Yesterday we briefly discussed a bit of politics. I wasn’t quite sure how to articulate my thoughts in a way you wouldn’t find contradictory or emblazoned against. I want to emphasize to you to not let fear of the unknown sway your judgment. That is of course how Bush led us into Iraq. Convincing everyone of ”weapons of mass destruction” which simply did not exist except in his his own mind. By implementing the terror threat index that never gets below orange. It led to denying hope for new technologies and healthcare involving stem cell research and other areas out of fear of the unknown. Teaching/Preaching fear is characteristic of dictators to maintain power through it.

Fear of change has often been cited as the greatest force and restriction on people’s freedom. It touches all levels from restricting your thinking to actions. People have demonstrated they will even choose to stick with a horrible government like The Soviet Socialist Republic, Stalin, the hardliners of Iran, the current North Korean government, and even the Nazis and other various dictators through history out of fear of the unknown. Somehow people always believe it could be worse and it’s safer to stick with what is known - to stick with the past. You really need to watch this speech. It is one of the best I’ve seen or heard in a long time.

http://www.markwarner2008.com/pages/watch-the-speech

Mark Warner does a great job of breaking things down to the fundamentals. The future versus the past, moving forward versus being stuck in the mud, fear of the past versus hope for the future. Understanding the new dynamics of the global economy in which social change is inevitable as people are able to move about the world far more freely.

I haven’t made up my decision yet, but I’m listening and reading. I’m about ideas and the people who lead by them, not parties, not hype reported by self-identified experts. I’m not asking for a decision one way or the other, only to open your mind, listen to what is said with an open mind not limited by fear, and consider all the possibilities before making a decision that doesn’t need to be made for some time!

The future versus the past, fear, and Mark Warner's speech

2008-09-01T13:20:00.001-05:00

Mom,

http://www.markwarner2008.com/pages/watch-the-speech

Making Little Better Place: Proposed Constitutional Amendment to Presidential Qualifications

2008-08-01T11:12:00.001-05:00

I call for Mr. George W. Bush to step down or be immediately impeached for non-democratic dictatorial actions unbecoming of an American President and failing to represent the interests of the people. Furthermore for utilizing the United States military and the lives and well-being of thousands of young men and women to pursue his personal ideals of world order; for subverting the US economy to the benefit of foreign national powers and non-national business colleagues; and for subverting the United States Constitution and the rights guaranteed to every citizen through the Bill of Rights. With impeachment any policies/procedures/precedences established by Bush Administration to subvert constitutionally mandated checks and balances of the three divisions of government must be immediately repealed.

To make the world a better place, I would pass a new amendment to the Constitution effective immediately.

Modernized Presidential Qualifications

Summary: Any new president must be truly "of the people" and "self-made".

· The candidate must have a Masters degree and have demonstrated a minimum "proficiency" in Financial Management and International Relations included as part of these studies or separately.

· They must have put themselves through University having received no more than 30% scholarship/public grants. The 30% benchmark maybe reviewed every 10 years but can never exceed two times the national average of scholarship/public grants received by US citizen students.
[this clause takes away the silver spoon and motivates increased investment in the education of our youth]

· If the candidate’s family assets of any kind exceed of 10 times the national average:

· The candidate may never have accepted or received from family, friends, or any other beneficiary including trusts, goods, services, gifts, cash, or anything else of tradable value, a living allowance before the age of 18 of total average value of 33.3% per month of the average national poverty line, and 100% per month of the national poverty average after 18

[again this clause ensures candidates have not grown up experiencing a free ride without responsibility. It also ensures a serious look at bringing up standards of living for the entire population, at least for politically aspiring youth coming from wealth. Candidates will have understood what it means to hold a job, and work for their money.]

· Candidates must have spent a minimum of 6 months living on no more than three times (3x) the local average income in 3 of following world's regions: South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, or Asia.
[This ensures candidates with political aspirations or who are developed through sponsors receive experiences that develop a world view while living a relatively middle-class level within those world regions]

· Their "resume" highlighting special skills, education, experience, and accomplishments must be posted for review within each polling location and each polling booth but must not to exceed 3 standard letter pages.
[This clause helps educate voters of the factual skills and experience of candidates before they cast their vote without the bias glitzy media campaigns]

· Presidential & Congress Campaign Funds: The top two candidates from each major political party are only allowed to utilize an equal financial budget to work from for primary campaigning. The party can provide campaign funds for primary campaigning. The top three funded parties can put up a national candidate. These top three candidates must have equal campaign budgets also. How this is equated or accomplished must be determined.

BullShit Social Security for illegals vs Bush and the war in Iraq

2008-07-16T13:04:00.001-05:00

This crap about illegal aliens and Social Security is simply Internet bull shit from someone with not enough sense to research and read the reality! People, valid legislation that is proposed always has a Bill number, etc. associated with it along with which legislators are sponsoring it, etc.. What is this bill? In fact it was a proposed amendment to a bill in 2006 that would have prevented illegal immigrants who later obtain citizenship to get credit for payments they already made into Social Security on someone else’s stolen Social Security number.

Regardless, people fear the wrong thing. The backbone of our economy is and has always been immigration. We have benefited by free trade and free flow of people with Canada and that was the idea of NAFTA and why so many countries around the world have free trade agreements with various others. Free trade and the free flow of people across borders has been proven throughout history to benefit all parties! Anyone who disagrees - let’s see some proof in terms of financial statements and historical comparisons rather than ridiculous statements of fear mongering! Allow immigrants official status, consequently paying taxes for 13 years, work towards their citizenship, and then participate equally as every other citizen does. Without immigrants are choices in food and restaurants would be about 10 franchises nationwide. Who would harvest, but sure, and process the food you eat, provide daily care for the sick and infirm, keep the cost of building or repairing just about anything from doubling or tripling, and countless other jobs that no one else “seems” to want to do. To hell I loaded chickens on trucks bound for Campbell’s soup for one day and they could never pay me enough to come back-but I had better opportunities available!

The whole war in Iraq was just to upset the balance of power in OPEC to benefit the Saudis so we “asked” them to double their oil production and of course we be willing to pay a lot more for it also. The Bush family, and Junior especially, owed them and needed to scratch their back so they could stay in power. The Saudi Royal family has stayed in power by paying off rival “tribes”. Without enough payouts they get overthrown. Of course guess who will get his ass scratched back in the future?! Iraq and Saudi Arabia were the two primary balancing powers for the last 20 years in OPEC, by definition an international monopoly to control and stabilize the price of oil so it was not driven down too low or artificially inflated too high.

Special Forces even said they could go in with two helicopters in about 24 guys and take care of Saddam Hussein. It would be risky but every person would have been the elite of the elite, knowing the risk, and from what we see from our brave troops more than willing to have solved the problem in one night. But Bush wanted to take over and control the country, to disrupt its oil-based economy. So even when the FBI and CIA said they could not find or identify anything indicating “Weapons of Mass Destruction” the Bush White House said they had “special insight and knew” weapons of Mass distraction were there! I think Bush Jr. ultimately welcomed conflict with Iran which was warned by everyone including the pro-US Iranian party that was in control at the time and at least asked minimally to be involved. Bush shrugged them off and the Iranian hardliners are back in control within a year after the invasion of Iraq and now brandishing nuclear weapons.

Every man woman and child in United States whether they are a day old or on their deathbed has incurred a debt of $20,000+ …. And that only gets us to 6 trillion which would be less than one trillion per year and I’m quite sure even the official estimates or higher than that. I somehow have a feeling the total cost has far exceeded anything the government officially “estimates”? So let us put the real cost at something about $40,000 per person. But then since only about 1/3 or being very optimistic, 1/2 of the population is able to contribute financially, each of us who is paying taxes has actually incurred a debt of over $80,000-$100,000 so Bush could call himself “The War President”, which he stated in a past speech he hopes to be remembered as.

He claims to know and do what is best for the people but ignores his advisers on all areas of national Defense, economy, international diplomatic and trade relations, health care, technology and development, etc. He has attempted to undermine the Constitution increasing the power of the Presidency and decreasing the power of Congress and the Supreme Court, to invalidate the system of checks and balances. He has worked to remove or undermine the individual constitutional rights guaranteed to every citizen. He has acted not as a president and representative of the people but in the same manner as a Third World Dictator, both in his talk and his actions “knowing what’s best for the people” like a characteristic dictatorial father figure.

I can definitively say I don’t want a father figure or a president who was about to get kicked out of school until his daddy donated $1 million, received a DWI, and I’ve heard rumors about cocaine in college but I don’t have any substantial evidence so we will let that one go, and who obviously can’t raise his own daughters.

When it comes to stem cell research he tells disabled people that he meets in a wheelchair “you look mighty comfortable” (at a rally in Florida) and obviously believes that to be true through his actions of stifling innovation and research across most forms of stem cell research that has been proven extremely effective- even when under consultation most of the nation’s religious leaders, heads of bioethics and healthcare effects departments at the nation’s top universities, Congress, 70+% of the population, etc. all agree the legislation makes sense!

I don’t believe in assassination, but I did leave a voicemail on the White House voicemail box stating that if he ever leaned in for an opportunistic photo shot with me or most other disabled folks in a power wheelchair, he ought to train the Secret Service to jump in front of runaway power wheelchairs as well as bullets because he never knows when one might lose control and break him off at the knees putting him in one.

If ever the American people needed to talk about impeachment, it has been the past seven years. But he effectively kept everyone scared with his talk of the “war on terrorism” and an ever fluctuating terrorism threat indicated that never goes below Orange. It’s been proven throughout history the best way to control people is through fear. Ass encouraged people and speak out! He has less than a 30% approval rating! Hell he was never elected the first time! Bush makes Nixon look like a saint just trying to play a political game of stealing papers from the Democrats, and Clinton only fucked a woman, whereas Bush has fucked every one of us, as well as the next few generations, and half of the rest of the world!

I’d much rather have the Democrats and Republicans spying on each other, or Clinton messing around on his own time in the evening with obvious consent, than have Bush seek me out where I sleep to rape me, our economy, our national image, and our future repeatedly.

Mark Felling, MBA

Engineer, Inventor, and President, Broadened Horizons Inc.

Mon 14 July 08 12:00CDT

All,

So where did you grandparents come from? And is America working toward White Supremacy? And if the the white will not do it and the Blacks will not do it the only ones left are the illegal immigrants to keep the price as low as it is. Our Country was made to take any one not just who we Whites want to take.

If you want to write to stop something, how about the WAR!! We were lied to in Viet Nam and we were lied to for this war. If we stopped it before it started and focused on HUMANS rather then we would hot have to worry about who gets money, and who gets oil we would not be having this stupid discussion. We Impeached Clinton for screwing a women and you want to stop money going to humans but you let a war go on and NOT IMPEACH BUSH.

You are all in the wrong to stop caring about HUMANS, how about keeping a billion a day here for roads food social service and illegal immigrants. STOP the war instead. Hell we could spend some on a school or health. Your grand children are going to be paying more for this war than they are going to get in Social Security.

Tom Cross Aaron's Dad

Pease review this interesting subject on social security and pass it on.

SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES

It does not matter if you personally like or dislike Bush. You need to sign this petition and flood his e-mail box with e-mails that tell him that, even if the House passes this bill, he needs to veto it. It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If the government gives benefits to 'illegal' aliens who have never contributed, where does that leave those of us who have paid into Social Security all our working lives?

As stated below, the Senate voted this week to allow 'illegal' aliens access to Social Security benefits.
Attached is an opportunity to sign a petition that requires citizenship for eligibility to that social service.

Instructions are below. If you don't forward the petition and just stop it, we will lose all these names.

If you do not want to sign it, please just forward it to everyone you know.

Thank you!

To add your name, click on 'forward'. Address it to all of your email correspondents, add your name to the list and send it on.

When the petition hits 1,000, send it to comment@whitehouse.gov

PETITION for President Bush:

Dear Mr President:
We, the undersigned, protest the bill that the Senate voted on recently which would allow illegal aliens to access our Social Security. We demand that you and all Congressional representatives require citizenship as a pre-requisite for social services in the United States

We further demand that there not be any amnesty given to illegals, NO free services, no funding, no payments to and for illegal immigrants.

We are fed up with the lack of action about this matter and are tired of paying for services to illegals.

Free Web-Based Screen Reading Software for the Blind

2008-07-10T10:23:00.000-05:00

Free software launched today lets blind and visually impaired people surf the Internet on the go. The UW computer science student who created the software,
called WebAnywhere, says more accessibility tools must move from desktop machines to the Web.

Newswise — Visions of future technology don't involve being chained to a desktop machine. People move from home computers to work computers to mobile devices;
public kiosks pop up in libraries, schools and hotels; and people increasingly store everything from e-mail to spreadsheets on the Web.

But for the roughly 10 million people in the United States who are blind or visually impaired, using a computer has, so far, required special screen-reading
software typically installed only on their own machines.

New software, called WebAnywhere, launched today lets blind and visually impaired people surf the Web on the go. The tool developed at the University of
Washington turns screen-reading into an Internet service that reads aloud Web text on any computer with speakers or a headphone connection.

"This is for situations where someone who's blind can't use their own computer but still wants access to the Internet. At a museum, at a library, at a public
kiosk, at a friend's house, at the airport," said Richard Ladner, a UW professor of computer science and engineering. The free program and both audio and
video demonstrations are at
http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu.

Ladner will demonstrate the tool next week in Dallas at the National Federation of the Blind's annual convention. WebAnywhere was developed under Ladner's
supervision by Jeffrey Bigham, a UW doctoral student in computer science and engineering. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation.

Free screen readers already exist, as do sophisticated commercial programs. But all must be installed on a machine before being used. This is the first
accessibility tool hosted on the Web, meaning it doesn't have to be downloaded onto a computer. It processes the text on an external server and then sends
the audio file to play in the user's Web browser.

"You don't have to install new software. So even if you go to a heavily locked-down computer, say at a library, you can still use it," Bigham said.
In May, Bigham was named the winner of the Accessible Technology Award for Interface Design for the Imagine Cup, a student programming contest sponsored
by Microsoft Corp. The prize comes with $8,000 and a trip to Paris in early July.

For the past month WebAnywhere has been available on request. Bigham said he's received inquiries from librarians who would like to make all their machines
accessible on a limited budget. He's also had interest from teachers who struggle to find the time to locate free software, get permission to install it
on a school computer and then maintain the program so that a single computer is accessible to a visually impaired student. This software would make any
computer in the lab instantly accessible for Internet tasks. The Web-based service also eliminates the need for local technical support: there is no software
to install or update because each time a person visits the site he or she gets the latest version.

To test the software, researchers had people use the tool to do three things typically done at public machines: check e-mail, look up a bus schedule and
search for a restaurant's phone number. People using WebAnywhere were able to successfully complete all three tasks, using a variety of machines and Internet
connections.

Like other screen readers, WebAnywhere converts written text to an electronically generated voice. So far the system works only in English. But the source
code was released a few weeks ago and a Web developer in China has expressed interest in developing a Chinese version.

The UW team plans to create updates that will allow users to change the speed at which the text is read aloud and add other popular features found in existing
screen readers. The service is currently hosted on a server at the UW campus.

Bigham is also working with Benetech, a Palo Alto, Calif., technology nonprofit that distributes free electronic books, to make its collection of more than
30,000 books accessible to blind users without them having to install any screen-reading software.

He believes this could be the first of many Web-based accessibility tools.
"Traditional desktop tools such as e-mail, word processors and spreadsheets are moving to the Web," Bigham said. "Access technology, which currently runs
only on the desktop, needs to follow suit."

For more information on WebAnywhere, including a video demonstration, see
http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu
© 2008 Newswise.
All Rights Reserved.

MAGGIE FOX
Editor in Charge, Health and Science, Reuters

Letter to Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman... RE: Stem Cell Research and Other Disability Issues

2007-12-11T22:06:00.001-06:00

Sometimes one must correct good intentions that are ill guided. See my letter below to Norm Coleman in response to his e-mail about a new stem cell breakthrough creating them from skin cells.

From: Mark Felling [mailto:Mark@Felling.US]
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 6:01 PM
To: Opinion@coleman.senate.gov
Cc: Norm@coleman.senate.gov
Subject: Stem Cell Research and Other Disability Issues

Norm,

Thank you for the information! It was also good meeting you at the state fair at the channel 5 tent this summer when we were both on the morning show. (I doubt you remember, but I was the guy in the wheelchair who designs unique adaptive solutions for disabled individuals with limited use of their hands and arms). www.GimpGear.US

I was recently appointed by Tim Pawlenty to the Minnesota Governors Advisory Council On Technology for People with Disabilities.

I completely and wholeheartedly agree with all of your statements below. In whatever manner the research moves forward I am in full support of it. However, I also firmly believe embryonic stem cell research may have possibilities other forms of stem cell research do not it is important to leave all options available and continue to explore all available possibilities.

I completely agree with getting legislation moving forward that would provide funding ASAP for this kind of research and similar that involves adult stem cells. However, this legislation your pushing should in no way restrict the future possibility of also exploring options in other areas of stem cell research, including embryonic as the debate may change over time (especially as Mr. Bush gets out of office). In my opinion he hasn't earned the title of president.

The concern I had was that your legislation also restricts other possibilities. As you state below, technology moves much faster than politics and just as quickly as this discovery was announced it could be shown to provide less than ideal or optimal results. In my own designs they are constantly changing and improving and consequently maximum flexibility needs to be allowed for. Pushed through the funding now and get things rolling but do not restrict the possibilities of exploring other areas in the future!

If you ever like to discuss this in more detail, or other disability issues such as regarding adaptive technology (my specialty), I can be reached at 612-851-1040.

Mark Felling
Quadriplegic Engineer & Inventor, MBA
President, Gimp Gear by Broadened Horizons

From: Opinion@coleman.senate.gov [mailto:Opinion@coleman.senate.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 5:43 PM
To: mark@felling.us
Subject: Responding to your message

Dear Mr. Felling :

As someone who has worked tirelessly to support stem cell research, while at the same time respecting the ethical concerns surrounding human embryos, I could not be more pleased to let you know about an exciting scientific breakthrough that was announced last week.

Recently, scientists in Japan and Wisconsin discovered a groundbreaking method that creates pluripotent stem cells - the equivalent of embryonic stem cells - by reprogramming the chromosomes of human skin cells, without having to make or destroy an embryo. Using the new technique, scientists will be able to generate unlimited stem cells to learn about illnesses and potentially find cures for some of the most devastating and complex diseases. Moreover, this process will create an unlimited number of stem cells for therapies that will be compatible with any and all patients. While there is certainly still a lot of work to be done before this breakthrough can be applied to specific diseases, this announcement shows that it is possible to move stem cell research forward without harming or destroying human life. This announcement is truly proof positive that science is moving faster than the political debate on this issue. For more details please see the following New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/science/21stem.html .

As you know, I have been working diligently in the Senate to promote stem cell research without getting stuck in the ethical debate that has divided our nation. Earlier this year, my legislation, the Hope Offered through Principled and Ethical Stem Cell Research (HOPE) Act (S. 30) passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate. This important step forward would permanently authorize federal funding for the kind of stem cell research mentioned above. Unfortunately, the House has not yet taken up this legislation, but I am hopeful this new breakthrough will reenergize the stem cell debate, and persuade my House colleagues to vote on the HOPE Act before the end of the year.

This new discovery proves that it is possible to move stem cell research forward without harming or destroying human life. This means that now, more than ever, Congress needs to provide scientists with the funding and support to develop and perfect these pioneering types of stem cell research methods. This funding will not only promote scientific advancement, but it will also offer hope to patients and families around the world.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to share this important update with you, and for your unyielding dedication to this noble cause.

Sincerely,
Norm Coleman
United States Senate

Taxes

2007-12-04T15:04:00.000-06:00

This is too true to be very funny

The next time you hear a politician use the
word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.
A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
but one advertising agency did a good job of
putting that figure into some perspective in
one of its releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were
   living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and
   20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at
New Orleans It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division .
.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress
for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does
it mean?

A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of
   New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you
   each get $516,528.

B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in
    New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family
   gets $2,066,012.

Washington, D.C HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??

Tax his land,
Tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirts,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.

Tax his booze,
Tax his beers,
If he cries,
Tax his tears.

Tax his bills,
Tax his gas,
Tax his notes,
Tax his cash.

Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he has no dough.

If he hollers,
Tax him more,
Tax him until he's good and sore.

Tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.
Put these words upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me to my doom!'

And when he's gone,
We won't relax,
We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service charge taxes,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers ),
Sales Taxes,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago,
and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the
world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!'

And I still have to 'press
1' for English.

I hope this goes around THE
USA at least 100 times

What the heck happened?????

Get the power of Windows + Web with the new Windows Live. Power up!

Social Security 2008 Changes...

2007-04-14T18:10:00.000-05:00

I HEREWITH FIRMLY STATE THAT I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANY POLITICIAN (including all running for election in 2008, IF HE or she DOES NOT SPONSOR AND SUPPORT LEGISLATION that:

Places all politicians on Social Security and eliminate their separate retirement plan!

EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCh - New approach to funding

2007-02-18T11:01:00.001-06:00

Here is a thought provoking opinion piece from one of SCAN's supporters:

EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCh - New approach to funding
Michael Goldsmith/Special to The National Law Journal
February 8, 2007

Many thousands of Americans with terminal illnesses hope the 110th Congress supports their "right to life" by expanding federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. As 80 Noble laureates explained in a letter to President Bush, "therapies using these cells may one day provide important new strategies for the treatment for a host of currently untreatable disorders." The House of Representatives' recent passage of H.R. 3, which promotes federal funding of this important research, represents renewed determination to override President Bush's 2006 veto on this issue. But H.R. 3 failed to garner a veto-proof majority and, because it merely repackages the same proposal that Bush vetoed in 2006, it will likely achieve nothing more than another political stalemate. A new approach is required if federal funding of embryonic stem cell research is to become a reality.

H.R. 3 limits federal funding to embryos created for reproductive purposes that exceed the clinical needs of women seeking in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and that would otherwise be discarded; the bill requires informed consent and prohibits financial inducements for embryo donations. These ethical constraints, however, did not dissuade President Bush from vetoing identical legislation last year. The president gave three reasons for his decision: A frozen embryo is a nascent human being; federal funding should not support research that destroys nascent human life; and these frozen embryos could be placed for adoption by making them available to infertile couples. The administration has limited research to pre-existing embryonic stem cell lines ("where the life and death decision has already been made"). Due to contamination and other problems, however, fewer than 20 such lines have been available for federally funded research. In contrast, H.R. 3 would make eligible for federally funded stem cell research many of the 400,000 unused embryos that IVF clinics have held in frozen storage for years (most of which will inevitably be discarded as medical waste).

My support for embryonic stem cell research and special concern for people suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ("Lou Gehrig's Disease") led me to search for a veto-proof compromise responsive to the above concerns. While matters of principle do not lend themselves easily to compromise, the principle at stake is not necessarily absolute. Although abortion opponents have attacked embryonic stem cell research in an effort "to win for the human embryo, step by step, recognition of its humanity," this research need not fall victim to the larger debate over a woman's right to choose.

Admittedly, frozen embryos have the potential to become human beings, but they lack the means to do so unless implanted in utero. No amount of nurturing will enable a frozen embryo thawed in a petri dish to become a human being. Moreover, giving priority to embryos destined to become medical waste ignores biblical obligations to respect and preserve human life. (Indeed, most abortion opponents acknowledge the propriety of terminating a pregnancy to save the mother's life.)

Bill does not threaten adoption

At the veto ceremony in 2006, President Bush paraded more than 100 children who had once been frozen embryos, and argued that they demonstrate the potential for life these embryos embody. But neither H.R. 3 nor any future legislative initiative threatens the adoption of such embryos; IVF patients may still donate their unused embryos for transfer to infertile couples. Currently, however, only 2.8% of IVF couples have chosen this option.

If Congress wants to promote embryo adoptions, it could require IVF clinics to make embryo adoption the first option for couples to consider. This may not be wise national policy as it comes at the expense of thousands of children awaiting adoption in foster homes, but it satisfies those who want to protect the life potential of frozen embryos.

For those who object to their tax dollars funding research they oppose morally, the simple solution is to finance it through a check-off procedure like the one employed to fund presidential campaigns. With only 11% of taxpayers contributing $3, this device has produced more than $50 million annually. This far exceeds the amount now allotted for federal embryonic stem cell research and, given its widespread public support, such research should generate much more.

If this research succeeds, conscientious objectors could choose to decline treatment, but this approach at least preserves the "right to life" of the terminally ill. Thus, carefully tailored legislation can achieve reform without jeopardizing the interests of abortion opponents or those who want more frozen embryos placed for adoption. Michael Goldsmith is the Woodruff J. Deem Professor of Law at Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School.

MN Senator Coleman Introduces New Stem Cell Bill

2007-02-12T18:41:00.001-06:00

From: Opinion@coleman.senate.gov [mailto:Opinion@coleman.senate.gov]
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 6:28 PM
To: mark@felling.us
Subject: Re: www_email

Dear Mr. Felling :

Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your views on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

In my opinion, the President's current policy does not provide enough federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. I believe we can and must do more to advance this life-saving research. However, I do not support the use of federal dollars to destroy an embryo, and I will continue to oppose any stem cell research bill that crosses this important ethical line.

Thankfully, scientific advances today allow us to move forward on embryonic stem research without harming the human embryo. Some of these methods include Altered Nuclear Transfer which programs an unfertilized egg to produce embryonic stem cells. Another method uses embryos that have naturally died, but from which stem cells may still be derived and used. Both of these methods, and potentially others down the road, create the valuable pluripotent stem cells that have made embryonic stem cell research so desirable. But they do so without destroying embryos.

In addition, I am greatly encouraged that non-embryonic stem cell research has already progressed to the point where patients are benefiting from the results. Diabetic children are receiving transplants of stem cells from umbilical cords and seeing a decrease in blood glucose levels. Studies have also shown that Parkinson's symptoms can be tremendously improved using treatments derived from Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial cells. The list of successes is a long one.

Currently Congress faces a couple of dead end choices. Members could pass legislation that allows federal funding for stem cell research that involves the destruction of human embryos, knowing full well the President will once again veto it. Members could also vote against federal funding for any type of embryonic stem cell research and miss the opportunity to move this important science forward. However, my hope is to move beyond these roadblocks and provide significant funding for stem cell research that is not being federally funded today, but does not cross the ethical line of destroying a human embryo.

Earlier this year I introduced legislation called the Hope Offered through Principled, Ethically-Sound Stem Cell Research Act or the "HOPE" Act (S. 363). The bill provides $5 billion in federal funding for both embryonic and non-embryonic stem cell research which does not harm or destroy a human embryo. My bill also creates a National Stem Cell Research Review Board that will provide ethical oversight, define research practices and interpret legal guidelines with regard to federally funded stem cell research. Additionally, the bill defines ethical guidelines for informed consent and for commerce involving human eggs, embryos and embryonic stem cell lines.

I believe that my legislation achieves the goals of advancing life-saving research without being vulnerable to a veto. I am optimistic that my HOPE Act offers a bipartisan solution to our nation and Congress who are split over this emotional and divisive issue.

Thank you once again for contacting me. I value your advice. I hope you will not hesitate to contact me on any issue of concern to you and your family.

Sincerely,
Norm Coleman
United States Senate

Why English is confusing for those who it is not a first language

2007-01-07T13:33:00.000-06:00

Those who know me, know I speak Spanish fluently and enjoy languages having studied Russian in Moscow and picked up other bits and pieces of Japanese, Korean, German, etc. in my travels over the years. If you wonder why immigrants sometimes take many many years and still have strong accents or say things funny, I thought this was interesting & food for thought. Now, how is food for thinking & eating?

-Mark

I do remember teaching my students that the English language had no rhyme
nor reason since it derived its roots in so many languages. English as it is
spoken in America is one example of how much a "Melting Pot" we, as a
nation, really is!

You Think English is Easy???

Can you read these right the first time?

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time topresent the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row .
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant,
nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins
weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are
candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But
if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing
rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't
groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the
plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2
indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend?
If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do
you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats
vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English
speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language
do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo
by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a
wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a
language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form
by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the
creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why,
when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are
invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick"

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other
two-letter word, and that is"UP."

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the
list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why
does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for
election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the
silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the
house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has
real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an
appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be
dressed UP is
special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped
UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the
proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized
dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty
definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the
many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you
may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is
clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP .

When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP.
When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.
One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP,
so........... it is time to shut UP.....!

Oh . . . one more thing:

What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at
night? U - P

So if someone is learning English, cut them some slack!

FW: TEC peter

2006-12-31T21:47:00.001-06:00

Thank you for your kind message Peter!

You are quite a young man yourself! Have a happy new year!

Mark

From: Peter Fradette [mailto:bluemonkey711@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 8:54 PM
To: mark@felling.us
Subject: TEC peter

hey mark i just wanted to tell you how much you have effected my life you are one of the coolest people i have every met it takes a real person to go through what you have you are truely the work of god and let you candel shine

peter

THE FAIRBANKS ICE FESTIVAL (Gorgeous!)

2006-12-20T17:53:00.001-06:00

Wow!

Taken at the Fairbanks, Alaska Ice Festival . It sort of makes one want winter?

--- USFamily.Net - $8.25/mo! -- Highspeed - $19.99/mo! ---

The six million dollar 'intelligent' foot

2006-12-09T16:52:00.001-06:00

The six million dollar 'intelligent' foot

By ELEANOR MAYNE Last updated at 21:33pm on 2nd December 2006

Stuart Hughes: Landmine victim is testing out the Proprio foot.

The fully functioning bionic man is a step closer after scientists developed the world's first 'intelligent' foot.

It has an inbuilt computer which makes it function almost like a human limb - and could help millions of people across the world.

And it turns into reality the science fiction seen in the popular Seventies TV series The Six Million Dollar Man, in which astronaut Steve Austin became superhuman after being fitted with $6million worth of artificial limbs following an accident.

The technology could soon be used on soldiers who have lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan through landmines, roadside bombs and suicide attacks.

Doctors in America have already been using the foot to rehabilitate soldiers and are amazed at its dexterity. They believe that with further advancement it could even allow amputees to return to the battlefield.

The prosthetic, called the Proprio, is based on US military research into motorised boots which would enhance soldiers' capacity to run long distances while they are carrying heavy loads.

The device is being tested in Britain by BBC producer Stuart Hughes, 34, who lost a leg below the knee when he stepped on a landmine while covering the war in Iraq three years ago.

He has used a conventional artificial limb since his amputation.

Last night he said: "This new foot is unlike anything else I've had. With my other limbs, you always had to think ahead to the type of surface in front of you and adjust the leg.

"This does it all for you and then you really do start to forget that it's artificial. I could easily see a soldier going back to the front line with this foot. I found it amazing."

The Proprio foot, costing £13,000, is one of a new range of 'bionic' artificial limbs designed by Icelandic company Ossur and is being launched in the UK this month.

To set it up, the new user takes 15 steps during which the computer analyses the gait. Sensors measure the movement of the foot more than 1,000 times a second.

Richard Hirons, a prosthetics engineer at Ossur, said: "The sensors detect whether the user is walking on level ground, going uphill or downhill or climbing steps.

"Every type of terrain has a distinct signature which the software controlling the foot can interpret. We currently have someone mountain-climbing with one in the Himalayas, so we would be pretty confident that it would cope for a soldier wearing it in Iraq."

Physiotherapist Kate Sherman of the Defence Services Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey, which helps to return injured troops to active duty, said: "It is very promising technology.

"This is the first electronic foot out there. We're keeping a close eye on it and hopefully in the future we will be involved in research to develop it further."

Agreement Reached on New Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

2006-11-27T22:43:00.000-06:00

Agreement Reached on New Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Securing rights for persons with disabilities has become a global effort. Progress is in the air. And change is on the horizon. Earlier this year, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah’s country of Ghana passed the Persons with Disability Bill (Click here to read more), and now the United Nations member countries have agreed on a new convention to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

United Nations, August 25, 2006

“This is the first convention of this magnitude for this century,” UN General Assembly President Jan Eilasson said after the agreement was reached. He told the negotiators that they were “sending an absolutely wonderful message to the world. You are sending the message that we want to have a life with dignity for all and that all human beings are all equal.” - Source: Disabled Peoples’ International

Racist Signs and Slogans

2006-11-13T21:45:00.001-06:00

Spending 4 billion a week and acting as an occupying power in Iraq is so
ridiculous it's unreal! But I don't like people like this that make all
kinds of racist slurs such as wet backs, camel jockeys, etc. degrading other
people to less than subhuman. America was built by immigrants just like his
grandfather and we need to honor that heritage! At the same time
immigration needs to be regulated with strong requirements for citizenship
including passing the tests in English. Integration rather than
segregation. The problem isn't immigrants coming here who want to work,
it's providing welfare for more than two years to political refugees. Often
these are the people who do not want to integrate, who do not want to work,
who can live within a society while at the same time hating it.

Hating existing governmental practices, etc. is even OK if the goal is to
make it better to advocacy and change! This is our political process...
hate and advocating disrespect and destruction of people's lives represented
in these signs is little different then they hate slogans used by the
terrorists to motivate disrespect and destruction of our lives.

Suzuki develops prototype of fuel cell-based wheel chair

2006-11-09T20:22:00.000-06:00

I think for now I will stick to the reliable simplicity of batteries, especially since they take me farther than I usually need to go in a given day anyway! I could see this technology benefiting scooter users or those who are unable to drive and use their power mobility devices as a form of local transportation in a few mile radius.

-Mark

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/10185.html

Suzuki develops prototype of fuel cell-based wheel chair

TOKYO: Japanese carmaker Suzuki Motors has developed a wheelchair that can be operated on fuel cell technology.

The company, one of the largest manufacturers of wheelchairs, has developed a prototype of its latest model, the MIO, which will use a fuel cell with methanol as a fuel source to generate hydrogen and from that electricity. The MIO's tank has a capacity for four liters, which is sufficient to provide the automated wheelchair sufficient fuel for 25 miles. It has an LCD display indicating fuel level as well as power sources.

A large capacity lithium-ion secondary battery acts as an electricity storehouse and a backup source of power. It is also easy to refill. Unlike usual battery-powered wheelchairs that rely on power mains for charging, the MIO addresses the fears of the user of being stranded for want of power.

It has armrests that also act as safety barriers, ergonomic handlebars and a seat that features a mesh-type fabric. It is compact --1200 mm long, 650 mm wide and 1000 mm tall.

The company is assessing customer interest in the product before it finalizes on the design and decision to manufacture.

FW: Thank you from "Stem Cell Candidates"

2006-08-11T14:57:00.000-05:00

From: John Hlinko [mailto:jhlinko@grassroots.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 5:58 PM
To: John Hlinko
Subject: Thank you from "Stem Cell Candidates"

On behalf of millions of Americans fighting against Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Tay-Sachs, paralysis, diabetes, and a host of other terrible conditions, thank you very much for your contribution at www.StemCellCandidates.org

In just the first 2 weeks, this grassroots effort has already raised over $13,000 for candidates who support stem cell research. These challengers, fighting against incumbents who opposed stem cell research, have a better change of winning, thanks to your help. And with each dollar given, we are showing that the stem cell community is willing to fight back

But the fight continues: Our goal is to take this to $20,000 by the end of August -- and much higher in the weeks that follow. With your help, we can do it.

1) Please keep spreading the word about www.StemCellCandidates.org.

2) If you would like to have your own personalized Stem Cell Candidates page, and send your friends and family to it, please email me and we will happily set it up for you.

By the way, your donations have already made a difference -- more than a dozen campaigns have already contacted us, asking to be added to the list. This is very important, as it allows us to push back, and let them know that if they want to be added, they must be vocal and active in their support of stem cell research. Already, some have responded -- changing their sites, sending out emails on the subject, etc.

In short, we are being noticed, and campaigns are getting the message that stem cell research is not just an important issue -- it is a winning issue.

Once again, thank you for your support. But remember -- the fight has just begun. Please keep spreading the word about www.StemCellCandidates.org.

Thank you,

John Hlinko

www.StemCellCandidates.org

(p.s. -- you can watch the donations total grow in real time, at www.StemCellCandidates.org).

President's veto of embryonic research funding reflects incoherent policy

2006-07-20T20:03:00.001-05:00

COMMENTARY
By Arthur Caplan, Ph.D.
MSNBC contributor
Emanuel & Robert Hart Professor of Bioethics
Chair, Department of Medical Ethics
and
Director
Center for Bioethics
University of Pennsylvania
3401 Market St. Suite 320
Phila PA 19104-3308
http://bioethics.upenn.edu

President Bush's embryonic stem cell policy began with lies and has now ended with one.

Bush reserved his first veto as president for one of the only valuable things this do-almost-nothing Congress has managed to actually get done. With a flourish of a veto pen that has remained dormant no matter how dopey Congress has been, the Senate bill allowing public funding of embryonic stem cell research has been consigned to the legislative trash can.

An administration that has shown itself over and over again to have trouble telling the truth is now telling Americans in wheelchairs, those with damaged hearts, babies who are diabetic and those left immobile by Parkinsonism not to worry. The president, whose grasp of science left him unable to identify creationism as a fundamentally religious idea, and his trusty sidekick Karl Rove, rarely seen in a white lab coat but who knows something about rats, having been in Washington for some time now, claim to know best which medical research is most likely to benefit diseased Americans in the future.

When Bush uttered his first confused words on the subject of embryonic stem cell research five years ago in August 2001, he said that he was opposed to embryonic stem cell research since it involved the destruction of human life.

He noted that there were embryos, and many of them, already in existence in infertility clinics and left unwanted by those who created them. But he held it was wrong to use those in research. Instead, he told us, he had found a way out of the dilemma of how to do embryonic stem cell research without destroying any embryos.
What had Bush figured out that no one in the scientific community could see then and remains unable to see now?

There were, he said, 60 stem cell lines that had been made from embryos which held "great promise that could lead to breakthrough therapies and cures." If he gave federal money to support research on those lines and funded research on adult stem cells, such as bone marrow, fetal blood cells taken from umbilical cords and other adult stem cells found in skin, muscle and the intestine, then all would be well.

Wrong science, flawed ethics
The president's supporters, a much larger set then than now, blessed his insight and his wisdom in producing a marvelous "compromise" and pronounced the quandary over stem cell research resolved.
Except, as even the president must have known and some of his most vocal supporters knew, the president was talking through his hat.

There were never 60 embryonic stem cell lines available for research. Not even close. Even if there had been, that number would never have been enough to support serious research on diseases and disorders for very long, as experts in embryonic stem cell research found out in less than a year.
Not only was Bush's science wrong, the ethics behind his so-called compromise were deeply flawed, too.

If the president deemed it moral to use cell lines made from human embryos that had already been destroyed, then why would he argue that other embryos headed inevitably for destruction couldn't be the source of new stem cell lines?
In fact, if the president was so concerned about the fate of embryos, why did he not speak out to close infertility programs around the country that destroy embryos? Why did he not try to shut down privately funded embryonic stem cell research? And, if the president was so worried about destructive embryo research, why did he not propose a ban on bringing across our borders any cure or therapy that might be discovered overseas if it was based on embryonic stem cell research?

If adult stem cell research were really an alternative to embryonic, then why have nearly all but the tiniest handful of the experts who work on stem cells maintained that this is false? And why has the president failed to secure the agreement of a single medical or scientific society of any standing with his position that a combination of funding a small number of existing stem cell lines made from human embryos and a push behind adult stem cell research is the best strategy to mend damaged brains and heal broken spinal cords?

Evidence that the president's views rest firmly on a foundation of deception layered with a rich mix of confusion and inconsistency is to be found in the enthusiasm with which Britain, China, India, Israel, Australia, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, Korea, South Africa, France and many other nations have launched embryonic stem cell research programs.

The only people who continue to put faith in the policy of promoting government funding for only adult stem cell research that the president is still babbling on about are the president, his close advisors, some conservative groups motivated by deeply-held religious views concerning embryos and a few neoconservative polemicists who seem desperate to find an issue that might bring them redemption after doing such a fine job contributing to the design of American foreign policy under Bush.

Sending a clear message
With his veto of the bill creating federal funding and regulation over embryonic stem cell research, the president continues to ask us and, more notably, those who are sick and ailing amongst us, to swallow a false, morally incoherent policy.

Not too long after the president's first speech on the subject, the sick and ailing recognized the president was not wise, but rather wacky, and decided to do something about it. With the help of high-profile efforts involving Nancy Reagan, Christopher Reeve, Mary Tyler Moore, Michael J. Fox and a less visible but incredibly committed and hugely influential phalanx of disease advocacy organizations a sound policy about embryonic stem cell research was articulated.

The policy to permit closely monitored federal funding swung hearts and minds in both houses of Congress. Governors and state legislators and, yes, even those in the media began to understand that the only sensible strategy in the battle against disease, infirmity, disability and death is to put the chips of public funding behind all forms of stem cell research - embryonic and adult.

With his veto the president has now reaffirmed a policy that never made any sense, garnered no scientific support to speak of, was abandoned by both houses of Congress and the leaders of his own party and, most importantly, got no traction with those most in need of the benefits of the research - patients and their families.

The President has now told doctors, researchers and patients to drop dead. Science policy in the Bush administration is best made in the White House, not by scientists and not by Congress.

ALERT: Fax Congress -- Demand an Override of the Bush Veto

To keep it short and sweet, so you can take action as soon as possible:

1) HR 810 passed the Senate with 63 votes

2) President Bush has used his veto — his first ever use of the presidential veto

3) Congress is debating RIGHT NOW whether to override it.

Our friends at DefCon have set up a page to send your message to Congress, to demand an override. Go there now, and send your message:
http://ga3.org/campaign/stem_cell_override_web

Mark Felling's note to Bush... Bush's message to Americans: "Drop dead!"-quite literally

2006-07-20T20:03:00.000-05:00

RE: Bush veto of HR 810 - The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act

Thank you Mr. Bush for knowing what is best for me and 100 million Americans, over one third of the US population, that would all have the potential to benefit immediately from this research! It's a good thing you know more than your advisers, all of the most intelligent, knowledgeable scientists and doctors, and have a more tuned ethical compass than many of our nation's wisest spiritual leaders! And as you said to the fellow in Florida at your Medicare rally, I'm so damn "comfortable in my wheelchair" I wouldn't know what to do without it!

Since you think wheelchairs look so comfortable [comments to disabled wheelchair user at Florida Medicare rally], you'd be surprised what a power wheelchair can do running into your knees do when it's parked on your feet. Thank you Mr. Bush, if you had signed this legislation I might be able to someday get out of my wheelchair and I wouldn't know what to do without it I'm so comfortable! I hope you think twice before you come down from your high and mighty purge next time to lean over for a photo op next to someone in a wheelchair!

Since you think other unproven theoretical technologies are perfectly valid substitute, I hope if you ever need a heart transplant you won't mind if they replace it with the horses ass! I'm sure the constrictions of the horses colon can pump your blood just as well as a heart!

-Mark Felling

ALERT: Fax Congress -- Demand an Override of the Bush Veto

To keep it short and sweet, so you can take action as soon as possible:

1) HR 810 passed the Senate with 63 votes

2) President Bush has used his veto — his first ever use of the presidential veto

3) Congress is debating RIGHT NOW whether to override it.

Our friends at DefCon have set up a page to send your message to Congress, to demand an override. Go there now, and send your message:
http://ga3.org/campaign/stem_cell_override_web

Thank you Mr. IM RAMSTAD!

RAMSTAD VOTES TO OVERRIDE BUSH VETO OF STEM CELL RESEARCH BILL

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad (MN-03) today voted to override President Bush's veto of federal funding for research on stem cells from donated surplus embryos created by in-vitro fertilization.

"It's a sad day for 100 million Americans suffering from deadly diseases and disabilities who could benefit from surplus embryonic stem cells that will now be discarded," said Ramstad.

"As the result of the President's veto, 400,000 surplus embryos at fertility clinics will be thrown into the garbage as medical waste, instead of being used to produce stem cells for research to save lives," said Ramstad.

"The scientific evidence is overwhelming that embryonic stem cells have great potential to regenerate specific types of human tissues, offering hope for millions of Americans devastated by diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease and spinal cord paralysis, as well as some cancers and other deadly diseases," said Ramstad.

"The President's veto is a huge step backward for medical research and a real blow to millions of Americans counting on this life-saving research," said Ramstad.

Sincerely,

JIM RAMSTAD
Member of Congress

President's veto of embryonic research funding reflects incoherent policy

COMMENTARY
By Arthur Caplan, Ph.D.

MSNBC contributor
Emanuel & Robert Hart Professor of Bioethics
Chair, Department of Medical Ethics
and
Director
Center for Bioethics
University of Pennsylvania
3401 Market St. Suite 320
Phila PA 19104-3308
http://bioethics.upenn.edu

President Bush's embryonic stem cell policy began with lies and has now ended with one.

Bush reserved his first veto as president for one of the only valuable things this do-almost-nothing Congress has managed to actually get done. With a flourish of a veto pen that has remained dormant no matter how dopey Congress has been, the Senate bill allowing public funding of embryonic stem cell research has been consigned to the legislative trash can.

An administration that has shown itself over and over again to have trouble telling the truth is now telling Americans in wheelchairs, those with damaged hearts, babies who are diabetic and those left immobile by Parkinsonism not to worry. The president, whose grasp of science left him unable to identify creationism as a fundamentally religious idea, and his trusty sidekick Karl Rove, rarely seen in a white lab coat but who knows something about rats, having been in Washington for some time now, claim to know best which medical research is most likely to benefit diseased Americans in the future.

When Bush uttered his first confused words on the subject of embryonic stem cell research five years ago in August 2001, he said that he was opposed to embryonic stem cell research since it involved the destruction of human life.
He noted that there were embryos, and many of them, already in existence in infertility clinics and left unwanted by those who created them. But he held it was wrong to use those in research. Instead, he told us, he had found a way out of the dilemma of how to do embryonic stem cell research without destroying any embryos.

What had Bush figured out that no one in the scientific community could see then and remains unable to see now?
There were, he said, 60 stem cell lines that had been made from embryos which held "great promise that could lead to breakthrough therapies and cures." If he gave federal money to support research on those lines and funded research on adult stem cells, such as bone marrow, fetal blood cells taken from umbilical cords and other adult stem cells found in skin, muscle and the intestine, then all would be well.
Wrong science, flawed ethics
The president's supporters, a much larger set then than now, blessed his insight and his wisdom in producing a marvelous "compromise" and pronounced the quandary over stem cell research resolved.

Except, as even the president must have known and some of his most vocal supporters knew, the president was talking through his hat.

There were never 60 embryonic stem cell lines available for research. Not even close. Even if there had been, that number would never have been enough to support serious research on diseases and disorders for very long, as experts in embryonic stem cell research found out in less than a year.
Not only was Bush's science wrong, the ethics behind his so-called compromise were deeply flawed, too.

If the president deemed it moral to use cell lines made from human embryos that had already been destroyed, then why would he argue that other embryos headed inevitably for destruction couldn't be the source of new stem cell lines?
In fact, if the president was so concerned about the fate of embryos, why did he not speak out to close infertility programs around the country that destroy embryos? Why did he not try to shut down privately funded embryonic stem cell research? And, if the president was so worried about destructive embryo research, why did he not propose a ban on bringing across our borders any cure or therapy that might be discovered overseas if it was based on embryonic stem cell research?

If adult stem cell research were really an alternative to embryonic, then why have nearly all but the tiniest handful of the experts who work on stem cells maintained that this is false? And why has the president failed to secure the agreement of a single medical or scientific society of any standing with his position that a combination of funding a small number of existing stem cell lines made from human embryos and a push behind adult stem cell research is the best strategy to mend damaged brains and heal broken spinal cords?

Evidence that the president's views rest firmly on a foundation of deception layered with a rich mix of confusion and inconsistency is to be found in the enthusiasm with which Britain, China, India, Israel, Australia, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, Korea, South Africa, France and many other nations have launched embryonic stem cell research programs.

The only people who continue to put faith in the policy of promoting government funding for only adult stem cell research that the president is still babbling on about are the president, his close advisors, some conservative groups motivated by deeply-held religious views concerning embryos and a few neoconservative polemicists who seem desperate to find an issue that might bring them redemption after doing such a fine job contributing to the design of American foreign policy under Bush.

Sending a clear message
With his veto of the bill creating federal funding and regulation over embryonic stem cell research, the president continues to ask us and, more notably, those who are sick and ailing amongst us, to swallow a false, morally incoherent policy.

Not too long after the president's first speech on the subject, the sick and ailing recognized the president was not wise, but rather wacky, and decided to do something about it. With the help of high-profile efforts involving Nancy Reagan, Christopher Reeve, Mary Tyler Moore, Michael J. Fox and a less visible but incredibly committed and hugely influential phalanx of disease advocacy organizations a sound policy about embryonic stem cell research was articulated.

The policy to permit closely monitored federal funding swung hearts and minds in both houses of Congress. Governors and state legislators and, yes, even those in the media began to understand that the only sensible strategy in the battle against disease, infirmity, disability and death is to put the chips of public funding behind all forms of stem cell research - embryonic and adult.

With his veto the president has now reaffirmed a policy that never made any sense, garnered no scientific support to speak of, was abandoned by both houses of Congress and the leaders of his own party and, most importantly, got no traction with those most in need of the benefits of the research - patients and their families.

The President has now told doctors, researchers and patients to drop dead. Science policy in the Bush administration is best made in the White House, not by scientists and not by Congress.

FRIST ANNOUNCES STEM CELL VOTE SCHEDULE

2006-07-12T20:53:00.000-05:00

Call your senators and a few from other states Now! We need a large enough majority to overturn "the dipshit's" declared veto.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Amy Call (202) 224-1865

July 12, 2006 Bob Stevenson (202) 224-4445

Carolyn Weyforth (202) 224-9346

FRIST ANNOUNCES STEM CELL VOTE SCHEDULE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) today announced the following schedule for voting on stem cell legislation (S. 3504, S. 2754, and H.R. 810):

"The Senate will take up the three stem cell bills on Monday, July 17, and will complete all action by Tuesday, July 18. There's tremendous promise in stem cell research, and I've worked long and hard with my colleagues to bring this serious ethical issue to the floor in a way that encourages thoughtful discussion and deliberation."

# # #

06-312

RE: Taxicab "Equivalent Service" concerns

2006-06-07T14:13:00.000-05:00

I spoke with Hal Morgan on Monday, June 5 at the Taxicab, Limousine, and Paratransit Association. He is a good guy and truly interested in supporting better solutions. His responses are realistic, but demonstrate a need for some better out-of-the-box thinking regarding taxicab/paratransit and how the two various forms of public transportation can better interact and work together to provide good services in a cost effective yet timely manner. Possibly paratransit operations need to be moved out of the public domain and privatized, government purchasing the services from the lowest priced commercial operator who meets minimum service requirement.

I also spoke with Rebecca who is affiliated with ADA related issues for the city of Minneapolis.

-Mark

From: Hal Morgan [mailto:hmorgan@tlpa.org]
Sent: Monday, June 05, 2006 4:50 PM
To: Mark Felling
Subject: Re: Taxicab "Equivalent Service" concerns

Mark

Just a note to let you know I received your e-mail.

The problem in this country is that taxicab drivers are independent contractor drivers, meaning that each taxicab is its own profit center, separately owned (or leased) and operated. Since each taxicab has to make a profit, it is extremely difficult to find drivers willing to enter the wheelchair accessible taxicab business. There are not employee drivers that a company can order to drive.

Programs where wheelchair-accessible taxicabs operate successfully have the following in place:

1. Subsidies to account for the additionally higher purchase price and higher depreciation expense associated with wheelchair accessible vans over conventional vehicles

2. Subsidies to account for the higher operating costs, such as maintenance and repair, of operating accessible vehicles over sedans.

3. Contract services to allow drivers a full complement of passengers and therefore the ability to make money by carrying taxicab passengers in need of an accessible vehicle, and carry ambulatory and non-ambulatory passengers under contracts.

That is why services in Europe and Japan better serve the disabled public – subsidies so the drivers can make a living.

You said that you believe that taxicab companies are circumventing accessibility and equivalent services requirements by setting up paratransit operations with vans. The difference is that taxicab companies use independent contractor drivers and paratransit companies use employee drivers. They can charge $30 to $40 per trip and pay the driver a fair wage and benefits, pay the higher vehicle purchase and operating costs (especially insurance).

The economics of taxicab operations are totally different. The driver can only charge the meter rate to any passenger disabled or not so he has to make his profit on trip volume and longer trips.

I agree with you that if a company operates accessible vehicles then they have to meet the equivalency requirements and provide a 24-hour service that serves riders with disabilities with similar service to ambulatory passengers. But, the disincentives are such that people are not beating each other up to start taxicab services to people with disabilities. You are a businessman. For fun, look into the economics of buying a taxicab company in the Twin Cities area. Maybe you can come up with a revolutionary approach.

Hal Morgan

Airventure July 29-30 - Presenting forum on Sky Chairiot Project

2006-06-01T21:44:00.000-05:00

Everyone,

My brother Greg and myself will be attending EAA Airventure 2006 in Oshkosh Wisconsin, the world's biggest airshow on Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30th. I just received notification yesterday I will be presenting a forum from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the location "02 GAMA" titled "Flying in a Wheelchair - Sky Chairiot Project". I will be covering the challenges and difficulties faced by wheelchair users flying commercially and recreationally today, and of course officially introducing the Sky Chairiot Project. For those of you who are wheelchair users and fly, your comments or stories would be great. Any wheelchair users who are also pilots, I could sure use more information on legal/administrative challenges such as getting a medical.

Greg and I will be camping overnight, which will be my first attempt since my accident at camping, though I don't anticipate any problems since the largest challenge - transferring to and from the wheelchair is resolved with one of the new "Comfort Carrier's" I designed. (http://www.gimpgear.us/comfortcarrier.htm) Were going to try to bring along an air mattress and a tent big enough for me to get into with my wheelchair.

If you're planning to attend Airventure, please let me know and come to the forum! For those of you here in Minnesota, please consider joining me for the weekend! I guarantee if you've never been there you will have a blast! I can fit up to three more people in my minivan.

Mark Felling
Mark@Felling.US
www.BroadenedHorizons.org - Sky Chairiot Project information and pictures

From: eHotline-owner@eaamail.org [mailto:eHotline-owner@eaamail.org] On Behalf Of ehotline
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 5:19 PM
To: ehotline@eaamail.org
Subject: EAA eHotline Volume 6 Number 22

This is the HTML version of EAA e-Hotline. If you would like to receive the TEXT version, please change your option here: https://secure.eaa.org/ehotline/subscribe.html.

June 2, 2006 Volume 6, Number 22

B-17 TOUR SET TO WRAP UP WESTERN LEG

The Keep it Flyin' tour featuring EAA's venerable World War II bomber Aluminum Overcast is at Spokane Felts Field Airport June 2-4. The following week wraps up the western leg of the tour at Billings, Montana, Logan International Airport June 6-7; and Denver Centennial Airport June 9-11.

After Denver, Aluminum Overcast returns to Oshkosh for its scheduled 120-hour maintenance, then heads back out for the rest of the pre-AirVenture tour beginning June 23 at West Bend, Wisconsin, Municipal Airport. For complete tour information, or to reserve your seat on-line, visit www.B17.org.



	Insurance Tips
	Upcoming Aviation Events
	Sport Air Workshops
	EAA Flight Planner


	Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft
	EAA Air Academy Camps
	Young Eagles Program
	National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI)


	EAA AirVenture Museum
	Ford Tri-Motor Tour Schedule
	Vintage Aircraft Association
	Warbirds of America


	Aeromedical/Legal Advisory
	Autogas STC
	Government & Industry

Q & A:
Question of the Week
EAA Aviation Services

I am getting ready to purchase my first sport airplane. What are some good financing and insurance companies can I use?

Answer:
Talk about being in the right place at the right time! As an EAA member, you're eligible to participate in two member benefit programs, the EAA Aircraft Financing Program and the EAA Aircraft Insurance Plan.

Our financing program partner is AirFleet Capital, Inc., who can be reached toll-free at 866-808-6040.

For EAA Aircraft Insurance Plan, call program administrator Falcon Insurance Agency toll-free at 866/647-4322.

How can we help you?
To ask a question regarding government issues, e-mail govt@eaa.org. If you have a question about registration, airmen, aircraft and medical certification, safety records, performance, or any other matter, e-mail infoserv@eaa.org.

We are pleased to provide this info to EAA members as a membership benefit. To ensure that this service continues, renew your membership or join EAA today by calling 800/843-3612 or 920/426-5912.

June 2006
EAA Desktop Calendar

There's no place like EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, and for checking out light-sport aircraft, there's no place quite like the LSA Mall situated off AeroShell Square. More than 30 types on display, manufacturer's representatives, and EAA sport pilot experts available to answer any and all questions throughout the week.

To download this image for your computer desktop, visit the EAA website. You can also download any of the previous EAA monthly desktop images.

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Privacy Statement

52 Days Until EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006!

EAA AIRVENTURE TO HOST DIAMOND D-JET PUBLIC UNVEILING
Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc., manufacturer of an extensive line of single- and twin-engine piston airplanes, will debut its newest aircraft, the D-JET, at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 on Wednesday, July 26. The five-passenger D-JET is Diamond's entry into the burgeoning marketplace of very light jets (VLJs), which offers individuals and businesses jet transportation at acquisition and operating costs lower than those associated with traditional corporate jets.
(read more)

BEACH BOYS EAGER FOR FIRST AIRVENTURE VISIT
An American institution, The Beach Boys have been nearly everywhere since brothers Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine got together and invented what was to become known as "The California Sound" in the early 1960s. One thing they haven't done, though, is be part of EAA AirVenture - The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration. That will change this year when they wrap up Opening Day at Oshkosh on Monday, July 24, with a concert free to all AirVenture guests that day courtesy of Ford Motor Company. EAA caught up recently with Beach Boys co-founder Mike Love and discussed the band's upcoming appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
(read more)

HALLMARKS OF HOMEBUILDING -
LOU STOLP'S IDEA: THE ONE-STOP SHOP
These days if you want to build your own airplane, there are countless companies from which to choose that will provide everything you need in complete kits. But that was not always the case; homebuilding meant you purchased a set of plans and then it was up to you to obtain the parts needed to build it. Until an aircraft designer and EAAer from California had an idea.
(read more)

HOMEBUILT PATCH COMMEMORATES SPECIAL 'HALLMARK'
This year's "I Brought My Homebuilt" patch features the Mechanix Illustrated Corben Baby Ace that helped create the first large surge in membership for the Experimental Aircraft Association in 1955. That year EAA Founder and Chairman of the Board Paul Poberezny penned a series of articles for the publication, including the May cover story, telling how to build the airplane for under $800.
(read more)

RESERVE NOW FOR 'ALUMINUM OVERCAST' AT EAA AIRVENTURE
Now is the time to book your reservation for the return of EAA's magnificent B-17, Aluminum Overcast, to the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration, AirVenture Oshkosh 2006. After a year's absence while undergoing repairs, the Flying Fortress will be back better than ever. Pre-book now and receive a substantial discount - EAA members can board for $359 with advance purchase vs. $385 during the convention. ($399 and $425 for non-EAA members.) Flight fill up fast, so visit www.b17.org, call 800/FLY-NB17 (359-6217), or e-mail b17reservations@eaa.org for all the details.

GET YOUR EAA AIRVENTURE NOTAM TODAY
Get your copy of the official EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) booklet by calling 800/JOIN-EAA (564-6322) today. You can also download an easy-to-print PDF document form posted on the AirVenture website.

SAVE ON AIR FARES TO EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH
American, Midwest, and Northwest airlines offer air fare discounts for EAA members and other aviation enthusiasts planning to attend EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006.
(read more)

AIRVENTURE WAYPOINTS, FUEL STOPS, ALTERNATE AIRPORTS
EAA AirVenture specials are available along routes to and from the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration. Visit the AirVenture website to see the complete list, or include your business by e-mailing the name, airport, phone number, e-mail address, and any special offers or discounts to webmaster@eaa.org.

EAA AIRVENTURE RIDESHARE
Looking for a ride, or have a spare seat to get to Oshkosh? Visit www.airventure.org/rideshare.

VISIT www.airventure.org FOR LATEST UPDATES
Get the latest news and information about the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration at www.airventure.org, the official website of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006!

'FLY THE FORD' EAST COAST TOUR STARTS JUNE 9
Next weekend EAA's 1927 Ford Tri-Motor embarks on a seven-city mini tour in the Eastern U.S. that continues through July 4. The first stop will be June 9-12 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's Capital City Airport, followed by a June 14-15 visit to Manassas, Virginia, and June 17-19 at Caldwell, New Jersey. Everyone's invited to come out and "Fly the Ford" while taking in some real aviation history. Ford Tri Motors were the world's first mass-produced airliner. For complete tour information, visit the EAA AirVenture Museum website.

DC-3 DONATED TO FLABOB, WATHEN AVIATION HIGH SCHOOL
A DC-3 donated to the Wathen Aviation Organization by real estate developer Jerry Barto was recently ferried to Flabob airport in Riverside, California, where it will be used on behalf of the historic airport and its student-oriented activities. Barto took his first flying lessons at Flabob when he was 12 years old. Plans are to repaint and refurbish the aircraft before it takes to the skies with students from Wathen Aviation High School and members of the high school recruiting team to visit EAA Chapter events, fly-ins and other aviation events. There will also likely be future flights to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

"The DC-3 will become a kind of flying classroom for our high school students," said Jon Goldenbaum, vice president of Poly Fiber. "When it's not winging its way to or from aviation events, it will be used for classes relating to aviation literature, aircraft maintenance, or meetings that might benefit from the ambience." For more information on Flabob or the Wathen Charter High School, visit www.flabob.com or call 951/683-2309.

ECLIPSE 500 TEST FLEET TOPS 2,000 FLIGHT HOURS
The Eclipse 500 very-light jets (VLJ) test fleet has exceeded 2,000 flight hours and completed the majority of its required FAA certification testing. Six customer aircraft are in various assembly positions on the production line and the jet is on track to achieve FAA certification by the end of the current quarter. "We accumulated more than 300 flight hours in the last four weeks," said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. "I am also thrilled to see the production line coming to life." For more information visit www.eclipseaviation.com.

AMERICAN LEGEND OFFERS LEGEND COMBAT LSA
American Legend Aircraft Company new Legend Combat debuted last month at EAA's Southwest Regional Fly-in in Hondo, Texas. The light-sport certified, two-place tube-and-fabric aircraft's military paint and markings are reminiscent of the historic Piper L-4, L-18 and L-21 produced as liaison aircraft for the U.S. Army and Air Force from 1942 to 1962. Both the Legend Cub and Legend Combat come with a variety of standard features including doors on both sides of the fuselage, an aircraft electrical system with starter, fuel storage in wing tanks, a 3-inch wider cabin, and the 100-hp Continental O-200 engine. For more information, call 903/885-7000, or visit www.legend.aero.

FINANCING NOW AVAILABLE FOR SONEX AIRCRAFT
Sonex Aircraft Complete Airframe Kits for the Sonex, Waiex and Xenos are now on the "approved" kit list for two major aircraft finance companies, AirFleet Capital and NAFCO. Both companies will handle "approved" experimental aircraft kits. AirFleet Capital is financing experimental aircraft kits through the EAA Aircraft Financing program. A minimum of $10,000 of your Sonex Aircraft project can be financed with AirFleet Capital. You can find more information and request a quote on-line at www.AirFleetCapital.com, or call 800/390-4324.

National Aircraft Finance Company will also finance a minimum of $10,000 for your Sonex Aircraft project. Get more information at www.airloans.com, or call 800/999-3712.

SPORTY'S ISSUES FAA TEST GUARANTEE
Sporty's is so certain that its Complete Flight Training Courses will prepare you for your pilot's license that it's offering a Triple Guarantee: Pass your written test, oral exam, and checkride or get your money back. Sporty's Complete Recreational Pilot Flight Training Course is available for $99, the Private Pilot Course for $199, and the Instrument Rating Course for $249. Visit www.sportys.com/courses to view video clips and to order the volume 1 of each course absolutely free.

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RE: new 1st rev 3D renderings of the Sky Chairiot

2006-05-13T22:00:00.001-05:00

Check out these new first revision 3-D renderings Of the Sky Chariot!

http://www.broadenedhorizons.org/skychairiot.htm

- the world's first wheelchair accessible airplane able to be piloted by anyone who can drive a motor vehicle regardless of physical ability!

Mark

new 1st rev 3D renderings of the Sky Chairiot

2006-05-13T22:00:00.000-05:00

Check out these new first revision 3-D renderings Of the Sky Chariot!

http://www.broadenedhorizons.org/skychairiot.htm

- the world's first wheelchair accessible airplane able to be piloted by anyone who can drive a motor vehicle regardless of physical ability!

Mark

"Equivalent Service" Requirements for Taxicabs Once Accessible Vans Are Purchased.

2006-05-06T14:54:00.000-05:00

I just sent this message to The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association as well as Easter seal sue help them write a document but does not provide any guidance as to ongoing "Equivalent Service" expectations within the industry.

If anyone else has experienced frustrations and violations based on the document links below, I encourage you to send your comments to the TLPA also at info@tlpa.org!

-Mark

From: Mark Felling [mailto:mark@felling.us]
Sent: Saturday, May 06, 2006 2:42 PM
To: 'info@tlpa.org'; 'projectaction@easterseals.com'
Subject: "Equivalent Service" requirements for taxicabs once accessible vans are purchased.

On almost every location I've tried to hire a taxicab, I've been left sitting on street corners told to call back the next day or even later. I just completed reviewing The Easter Seals Project Action document concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act and You: Frequently Asked Questions on Taxicab Service at the following address:

http://www.tlpa.org/news/adanotice.pdf

While the requirements to purchase an accessible Van are outlines relative to "Equivalent Service" there is no guidance as to how services should be provided once accessible Van Fleet is in place.

What I have encountered in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, as well as the Denver metropolitan area on numerous occasions is that these bands are purchased and been used under contract prescheduled service during the day to transport disabled schoolchildren but are parked and "not available" or "not on the road" or "no drivers are available" after standard business hours.

As an example, I drive an accessible Van with hand controls but suffer the misfortune of an auto accident last evening. My Van had to be towed and I was sitting on the street corner at 11 p.m. I'm a quadriplegic and use a power wheelchair. The towing company had no means by which to help me get home. The police officer dealing with the crash incident had no means by which to help me get home. The public para-transit service, Metro Mobility, was fully booked and does not operate after either 5 p.m. or 7 p.m. to the suburb where I live. I pay for OnStar services in my Van for assistance in such situations. The operator at OnStar contacted all of the taxicab companies they could find listed (between 10 to 15) in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Many of which I know many if not all, have numerous accessible vans in their fleet including Airport Taxi which contracts to provide same-day service for those who are able with the para-transit scheduling system. However on each occasion, the OnStar operator was told that no services could be provided as no drivers, vehicles, etc. were available or even that the wheelchair accessible vehicles could not accommodate a power wheelchair which of course is not true. Each time the message was to call back and prescheduled the next day.

I don't believe that is the nature or intent of taxicab service! The police officer also informed me that just recently another quadriplegic individual was involved as a passenger in an automobile accident and they had no means by which to get them home. No taxicabs or other public transportation service providers would respond or were available.

When I spent a week in Denver completing my Masters in business administration degree at Regis University, University purchased advance fare tickets from one of the local taxicab companies that had accessible vans for times when classes or other events ran later than the prescheduled paratransit system could provide. Every time I was told I had to preschedule days in advance, with the exception of one evening where I was able to get a ride downtown to go out to dinner and had a prescheduled return ride, but then when I called for the pickup when the prescheduled ride never showed, I was told no one was available and was left sitting on a street corner 2.5 miles from my hotel. Luckily my power wheelchair just made it back to the hotel and it was summertime, not winter. No other taxicab companies which claimed to have accessible vans would respond or provide service either.

I do not believe this is the nature or intent of the Americans with disabilities act or that of local authorities who provide extra medallions to get accessible taxis into the fleets. Fleet operators are misusing the system and not providing accessible taxi cab services and especially not "equivalent services"!

I have little doubt that if investigated, the same practices are being utilized or rather misused throughout the country.

If non-wheelchair users are able to hire a taxi 24 hours a day and without rescheduling days in advance, should a wheelchair user be expected to not venture outside of their home after the hours of 5 p.m. or not without significant advanced planning?! Such actions are clear civil discrimination the same as if service was not provided to blacks after 5 p.m. or to women without advanced scheduling.

I would appreciate a response on this problem and how direct action might be taken to proactively resolve this issue in metropolitan areas nationwide but especially and immediately in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota? And if taxicabs are not expected to provide "Equivalent Service" as they do to nondisabled individual's, then provisions must be taken with towing companies, police, and other agencies that normally would resolve these transportation issues for nondisabled individual's utilizing their services.

I do not believe in legal means without first pursuing proactive solutions and results. I would be happy to work with your organization's in resolving or coming up with solutions to these problems. A national organization such as TLPA could go a long way toward serving their members in resolving these issues, or in the absence of taking action could also be seen as complicit with ADA violating member service providers.

Sincerely,

Mark Felling, EE, MBA
Quadriplegic
President Broadened Horizons - "Innovative Solutions for the Mobility Impaired"

Broadened Horizons

Mark Felling

Innovative Solutions for the Mobility Impaired

15382 80th Place North
Maple Grove, MN 55311

mark@felling.us
www.BroadenedHorizons.com
www.MarkFelling.com

tel:
fax:
mobile:

763-392-1451
419-593-4864
612-964-4406

All information above is Hyperlinked

Fun AirShow Video from Oshkosh

2006-04-14T22:02:00.000-05:00

Check out this fund video of extreme aerobatic maneuvers by Kirby Chambliss at Oshkosh!

http://geistware.com/rcmodeling/aerobatics/video.htm

FW: Remind your Senators: We expect a vote on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, HR 810, this Spring!

2006-03-03T12:31:00.000-06:00


		March 2006

Remind Your Senators:

Vote YES on H.R. 810,
No Amendments, No Alternatives!

As members of Congress return to Washington and work gets underway, it is time to remind the U.S. Senate that we are expecting a vote on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, H.R. 810. We look to U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Senator Bill Frist, to honor his committment from last year and bring H.R. 810 to the floor for a vote this Spring.

Many Senators, both Republican and Democrat, strongly support this bill in the Senate, and we're confident that

It is the will of over 100 million Americans who suffer from debilitating diseases and their families to see H.R. 810
become law.

H.R. 810 has a great shot at passing. But, we still have an uphill climb -- opponents of this bill are determined to defeat it. Their position is in contrast to the vast majority of Americans, who see the phenomenal potential of embryonic stem cells to help millions.

Make 2 Calls Today
to Help Pass the
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act,
H.R. 810

CALL #1:
Please call your Senators and ask them to support a vote on H.R. 810 this Spring!

Ask your Senators to Vote YES on H.R. 810 with no amendments, no alternatives.
Remind your Senators that H.R. 810 passed the U.S. House of Representatives last Spring with the support of both Democrats and Republicans, and make it clear that you are counting on them to do the same in the Senate.
Let them know that this bill will allow stem cell research to move forward and not be held up in the United States.
Again, tell them it is not a partisan issue - this is an issue of seizing the promise and taking advantage of the opportunity to provide cures for millions of Americans.
Tell your Senators that now is the time to expand embryonic stem cell research by passing H.R.810!

CALL #2:
Call the office of Senator Bill Frist at 202-224-3344.

Thank him for his support of stem cell research and H.R. 810.
Remind him that he promised a vote on H.R. 810 this Spring and you are holding him to his committment to do so.
Make it clear, a vote for H.R. 810 is the vote for which you and your family will be watching.
Let him know that only one bill makes sense for patients, and they are waiting for the Senate to pass H.R.810, with no amendments and no alternatives!

Please forward this email to any friends or family members who care about this issue and whom you think would be interesting in joining the Christopher Reeve Action Network.

We can win this fight, but we need your Senators to hear from you, your family and friends, to keep the pressure on. Let us know about any action you take at Hope@ChristopherReeve.org .

There is no time to waste.

Urge your Senators to vote YES for H.R. 810 with no amendments, no alternatives!

Michael Manganiello
Sr. Vice President
Government Relations

The Christopher Reeve Action Network
Go Forward

TAKE ACTION NOW!

--------------

Click here to find your Senators
and give them a call!

TAKE ACTION NOW!
-----
Contact Your Senators!

"I never imagined politics would get in the way of hope."
-Christopher Reeve

Christopher Reeve
supported embryonic
stem cell research and SCNT, not for his own benefit, but for the millions of Americans who could live better lives through the
advancement of research.

Have Questions?

Click here
for more information on stem cell and SCNT research.

Not sure who your Senators are?

Click here to find out!

Working 2 Walk Symposium & Rally
Registration is
Now Open!
Sign Up Today!
April 29^th- May 2^nd, 2006

Working 2 Walk Symposium & Rally, Washington, D.C.

The Christopher Reeve Foundation and Unite2Fight Paralysis present the Working 2 Walk Symposium & Rally,
April 29^th May 2^nd, 2006, in Washington, D.C. Join us at this 2½ day event to learn about emerging therapies, rehabilitation research, the building of the clinical trials infrastructure, as well as how to be a successful advocate on Capitol Hill and what to do when you return home. The Symposium ends with a Rally on May 2^nd, bringing the paralysis community to Capitol Hill to call for passage of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act (CRPA).

Registration is now open, click here
to sign up!

For more information, please check out www.working2walk.org. More details coming soon from the Christopher Reeve Action Network.

Tell A Friend
about H.R. 810 and stem cell research!

Get Tagged!

The proceeds from each purchase of Christopher Reeve Foundation Superman Tags
goes directly into our work to improve the lives of those living with paralysis.

Order your Superman Tags today!

Click here to see who's been tagged!

	QUESTIONS		PRIVACY POLICY				© 2005 CHRISTOPHER REEVE FOUNDATION

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To unsubscribe from this mailing, please click here.

To unsubscribe from all mailings from Christopher Reeve Foundation (CRF), please click here.

A Nice "Clean" Joke

2005-12-10T11:02:00.000-06:00

It's hard to find a joke today without a dirty word or two in it, but, here is one:

Two tall trees, a birch and a beech, are growing in the woods. A small
tree begins to grow between them, and the beech says to the birch,

"Is that a son of a beech or a son of a birch?"

The birch says he cannot tell.

Just then a woodpecker lands on the sapling.

The birch says, "Woodpecker, you are a tree expert.
Can you tell if that is a son of a beech or a son of a birch?"

The woodpecker takes a taste of the small tree. He replies,
"It is neither a son of a beech nor a son of a birch.
It is, however, the best piece of ash I have ever put my pecker in."

Wipe that smile off your face

My Political Stance

2005-11-21T17:40:00.000-06:00

<center><table style='border:1px solid black'><tr><td align=center><FONT size=3>You are a <CENTER><BR><FONT size=4><B>Social Liberal</B></FONT> <BR><FONT shmolor=#a8a8a8 size=3>(63% permissive)</FONT><BR></CENTER><BR>and an... <CENTER><BR><FONT size=4><B>Economic Liberal</B></FONT> <BR><FONT shmolor=#a8a8a8 size=3>(35% permissive)</FONT><BR></CENTER><BR>You are best described as a:<BR><BR><FONT size=+2><U> <CENTER><B>Democrat</B></CENTER></U></FONT><br><TABLE id=thetable height=375 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=375 background=http://is2.okcupid.com/graphics/politics/chart_political.gif border=0 name="thetable"> <TBODY> <TR height=225> <TD width=218></TD> <TD width=156></TD></TR> <TR height=149> <TD width=218></TD> <TD vAlign=top align=left width=156><IMG src="http://is2.okcupid.com/graphics/politics_you.gif" border=0></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><br><TABLE id=thetable height=375 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=375 background=http://is2.okcupid.com/graphics/politics/chart_basic.jpg border=0 name="thetable"> <TBODY> <TR height=225> <TD width=218></TD> <TD width=156></TD></TR> <TR height=149> <TD width=218></TD> <TD vAlign=top align=left width=156><IMG src="http://is2.okcupid.com/graphics/politics_you.gif" border=0></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><br><br>Link: <a href='http://www.okcupid.com/politics'><b>The Politics Test</b></a> on <a href='http://www.okcupid.com'><b>Ok Cupid</b></a><br>Also: <a href='http://www.okcupid.com/oktest3'>The OkCupid Dating Persona Test</a></td></tr></table></center>

Do Civil Rights Not Apply to the Disabled?

2005-10-12T19:33:00.000-05:00

This was very interesting not for the subject, but for the meaning. Suppose a foreign owned company claimed African Americans could be charged higher fares or women had to be accompanied by men. Suppose all the public bathrooms were just for white men. And they had the right to do this because they were based in a foreign country?

Should equal rights apply to the disabled also?! Why do people believe civil rights only apply to racial or gender differences? Apparently we sometimes need to be reminded of common sense. I applaud the American Supreme Court for recognizing this simple and basic fact. Too bad all of the lower courts and for the five judges did not... Makes you wonder and I challenge you to think, how would you have ruled?

-Mark

Our Top Story: Supreme Court Rules Americans with Disabilities Act Covers Cruise Ships

By Mike Ervin

Last session, in a 5-4 decision in the case of Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line, the US Supreme Court ruled that cruise ships are subject to disability discrimination lawsuits under the ADA.

Operators of cruise ships that depart from and return to US ports play this cute little capitalist game where they fly under flags of other countries to avoid paying US taxes and obeying certain US laws. It's funny how they love America and Americans when it's time to take our money, but not when it's time to give some back.

Douglas Spector was one of several disabled customers of Norwegian who filed the suit in 2000. They claimed in their suit, among other things, that they were required to pay significantly higher fares and to travel with nondisabled companions.

They also said their cabin options were limited by inaccessibility and there were no accessible public restrooms on the ship.Facts notwithstanding, Norwegian lawyers argued that they didn't have to obey ADA because of their convenient foreign status.

On the list of pressing accessibility concerns, access to cruise ships is not very high. With an unemployment rate of about 70 percent, disabled folk are more likely concerned with access to a loaf of bread.

But imagine if this was any other kind of discrimination case. Suppose African Americans were charged higher fares or women had to be accompanied by men. Suppose all the public bathrooms were just for white men.

Now suppose Norwegian had the gall to claim the defense that racial and gender discrimination laws don't apply to them. In oral arguments before the Supreme Court, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and David Souter asked Norwegian's lawyer David Frederick if it was determined that the ADA did not apply to Norwegian and thus other cruise lines, could they then consider themselves to be exempt from other US civil rights laws too? After initially dodging the question, Frederick grudgingly answered yes.

But let's just suppose the wildly implausible scenario that Norwegian responded to a racial or gender discrimination suit with the defense that it had no obligation to treat African Americans or women equally. What are the odds of both lower courts agreeing with this position, as they did in the Spector case?

But Norwegian would never have risked such incredible bad publicity in the first place. Imagine the scorching editorials. They would have, as they should have, fixed the problem. But when it came to the treatment of people with disabilities, they thought they could get away with brazen defiance in the courts of law and public opinion. They were almost right.

Any victory for the ADA is good. But it's ridiculous that things even went that far. It's clear that the ADA has still not earned the reverence it deserves. Let's at least hope now it's a small step closer.

Stem Cells: SSSCR Press Release- Campaign to Cure Paralysis, Oct 10, Nationwide Candlelight Vigils

2005-10-08T22:37:00.000-05:00

STUDENT SOCIETY FOR STEM CELL RESEARCH PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 08, 2005

Media Contact: Marion J. Riggs 813.368.8937 mjriggs@ssscr.org

On Monday, October 10, 2005, at schools across the nation, members of the Student Society for Stem Cell Research will hold “Nothing is Impossible” candlelight vigils to honor the life of Christopher Reeve on the anniversary of his passing.

“It is very tempting to give up, yet we have to find the will to keep going. But even when we discover what motivates us, we realize that we can’t go the distance alone.” Christopher Reeve

On October 10, 2005, the Student Society for Stem Cell Research is launching the Campaign to Cure Paralysis (C2CP) from spinal cord injury and other disorders by holding Nothing Is Impossible candlelight vigils at campuses throughout the United Sates. The C2CP is a national effort involving SSSCR chapters at leading national universities such as Berkeley, Harvard, Dartmouth, Purdue, and Baylor College of Medicine. The C2CP is a strategic alliance with national patient advocacy organizations, including the Daniel Heumann Fund for Spinal Cord Research, Cure Paralysis Now, Stem Cell Action Network and the Genetics Policy Institute, which promote a rational and ethical framework for stem cell research.

In America, there are 400,000 people with spinal cord injury, 400,000 individuals living with multiple sclerosis, 1 million people with Parkinson’s, and over 5,000 annual diagnosis of ALS. Stem cell research is casting new light on these conditions as potentially treatable. Recent research at the University of California at Irvine has proven the amazing potential of stem cells in regenerating motor skills in spinal cord injured mice. The striking advances in the lab used to make Christopher Reeve wistfully ponder, “Oh to be a rat.”

Just as President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to go to the moon, we must now challenge our country to recognize the urgency to make paralysis a treatable condition that needs a cure.

“On behalf of the Christopher Reeve Foundation, we are delighted to hear students across the country are honoring Chris today by launching a Campaign to Cure Paralysis,” said Kathy Lewis, President and CEO of the Christopher Reeve Foundation. “Emboldened by Christopher’s determination, inspired by his courage, impassioned by his vision, and in his honor I say to you, Go Forward.”

The Christopher Reeve Foundation joins the Student Society for Stem Cell Research in support of The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, advancing all avenues of research at the National Institutes of Health, and actively working to pass the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act in this Congress.

Our generation is ready to carry the flame of Christopher Reeve’s dream for a cure to paralysis.

The Student Society for Stem Cell Research is a U.S. based international organization that is dedicated to advancing scientific research for cures. The SSSCR network spans over 100 institutions, 35 states, and 10 countries. SSSCR is a special project of the Genetics Policy Institute and a member of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research.

For more information or to become involved in stem cell advocacy please visit the Student Society for Stem Cell Research at www.ssscr.org, call 813.368.8937, or email info@ssscr.org.

Our future…our world…our responsibility…

Political Advocacy: Access to Mobility Call-In Day

2005-10-01T12:31:00.000-05:00

To say that people with disabilities should remain prisoners in their own home, is to say that society would rather not see people with disabilities. Out of site, out of mind is the message being sent.

Criminals, convicts, and other convicted offenders on parole are put on house arrest. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services "in the home" restriction policy effectively puts individuals with disabilities on "house arrest"! Where is the justice in that?! Take action and make a phone call, otherwise if something happens to you tomorrow to limit your mobility, it may truly be a "sentence" not handed down by a judge, but by yourself in your complacency as a member of society.

-Mark Felling

Access to Mobility Call-In Day

Ask Your Members of Congress to Support Access to Mobility Devices on

Thursday, October 6^th, 2005
1-877-224-0041

Over the last several months, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a series of Medicare policies that severely restrict access to mobility devices. We need to let Members of Congress know that CMS's actions are impacting the health and independence of people with disabilities! As a member of the ITEM Coalition (Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid) , we at the Christopher Reeve Foundation encourage you to support the efforts to protect and improve access to mobility devices for people with disabilities.

At the heart of the problem is CMS's commitment to the "in the home" restriction which prevents beneficiaries from receiving devices they need to move past their front doors. Earlier this year, as CMS revised it's wheelchair coverage policy, the agency had the opportunity to reconsider this restriction. However, CMS chose to maintain the "in the home" rule, making it clear that Medicare will not cover wheelchairs that many beneficiaries need to live independently and access their communities.

Thus, on Thursday, October 6th, 2005, the ITEM Coalition is encouraging all members and friends to participate in the "Access to Mobility Call-In Day." Throughout the day, individuals are encouraged to call their Senators and Representatives and ask them to support efforts to improve access to mobility devices for people with disabilities.

Specifically request that your Members of Congress:

Support all efforts to maintain appropriate access to mobility and other assistive devices.
Contact CMS and encourage the agency to remove the "in the home" restriction on mobility devices which confines people in need of wheelchairs to their homes.
Support any potential legislation to remove the "in the home" restriction should it prove necessary.

A toll-free number has been established for October 6th to connect you to the Capitol switchboard:

Call 1-877-224-0041
and ask the Capitol Operator to connect you to your Senators and Representative.

Thank you for your advocacy efforts! If you have any questions or to learn more, please contact the ITEM Coalition at 202-349-4260 or visit www.itemcoalition.org .

Christopher Reeve Foundation
Go Forward

Christopher Reeve imagined living in a world where politics would never get in the way of hope!

Have Questions?
Click here for more information on the ITEM Coalition

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