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Sunday mishmash &some News


just another rant

As Americans and the World watches Congress battle on national TV, ‘the media” seems to be putting a face on who we need to blame for the apparent Congressional rift. I am a democrat yet the face of blame from radio and TV seems far to right of center for my taste. I watch, listen and take all the rhetoric in but as always question the source, sort out fact from fiction, remember what has been happening over the last 24months and ultimately decide for myself… but then that’s just me. The fact is raising the Debt Ceiling is the job of Congress yet Congress and some of our fellow Americans have decided to dump that responsibility on President Obama … unfair. I support President Obama and I still believe he will have to invoke the 14th Amendment but only because our inept folks in Congress which have managed to do less and less since the midterm elections have all but thrown up their hands to defer our default and demise to the President. I know folks think it would be a great win for him, a strong choice and yes, i thought so too, only problem is our credit rating will be downgraded thus raising interest rates on everyone

For years, Congress has managed to raise the debt ceiling without much afterthought. However, after the midterm elections it was clear JOBs were not important to Republicans or their extreme group called the tea party. Republicans on the State& Federal level saw this as moment to force their beliefs and make changes to the way Americans live their lives and yes undermine the President of the US. I get the impression that the agenda to ruin the first Black President of the US of A started the night of his win.  This has been a rough journey for our President and if he had a worthy Congress our move toward the 21st Century would be big bold and progressive. We cannot ignore how malicious how far the Republican Party has gone to block progress and even so, our President keeps trying with the grand deal as another example.  I feel both parties saw this as a moment to create change the other wanted to block it. The President saw the future in a grand deal while Republicans decided to use the debt ceiling & deficit as a tool, lest we even think about the reasons they want to amend our constitution.  I do not know what will happen on Aug.2nd and maybe the debt ceiling will be raised maybe not.  I do wonder if the world will see us the same and will our credit rating decline anyway or will a deal be made only to find that all future bills with revenue included be filibustered and will Congress continue to act so irresponsible. The thing i really fear is if this is just the beginning of an all-out assault to bring President down by any means necessary with the default being one of many signs along this long road to Election 2012.

Other News

Education takes a beating nationwide

Jets reach agreement in principle with Burress

McConnell: Debt Deal Close Without Tax Hikes

Berlin threatens new sanctions against Syrian regime

Verdict for 2 Americans in Iran within a week

Misrata rebel forces seize arms after routing pro-Gaddafi troops

Space enthusiast mourns Apollo, not shuttle

CSPAN

Debt Ceiling Debate

Senate Back for More Debate on Reid Debt Plan

Still no agreement between White House, Democrats, Republicans

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GOP Presidential Hopefuls Bachmann & McCotter on C-SPAN

Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaks at Western Conservative Summit

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Charleston, SC Featured on Book TV and AHTV

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Office Google blog …Gone fishin’


Gone fishin’—piloting community supported fisheries at Google

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 09:44 AM PDT

(Cross-posted on the Google Green Blog)I’ve always loved the ocean—I was born in Shanghai, which means “upon the sea.” And as a chef, I’m always drawn to food that claims a spirit of place. After moving to California, near Half Moon Bay, I began visiting the docks to buy seafood, and got to know the fishermen.Over time, it became evident to me that this part of our food supply is broken: many consumers purchase stale, unsustainably-raised fish from chain grocers. Meanwhile, fishermen often sell their diminishing catch to wholesalers at a very low profit, meaning their livelihoods are no longer sustained by their catch. There’s also the environmental factor to consider: Overfishing and illegal practices cause worldwide decline in ocean wildlife populations and wreak havoc on underwater habitats—not to mention the carbon footprint of transporting seafood far from its origin.Google’s chefs have long been committed to sourcing food for our cafes as locally, seasonally and organically as possible. And in our Mountain View headquarters, many employees cook with the same ingredients at home thanks to on-site Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. When I joined the team as an executive chef in Mountain View, I wanted to make a difference in our purchasing program for seafood. For the five years leading up to then, I wrote a column for the San Francisco Chronicle called “Seafood by the Season,” and I knew it could be done. In early 2010, we began a push to apply the most rigorous standards to our seafood-buying practices, and respond to the in-the-moment fluctuations of the catch from small, independent fishermen.

Things took off from there. My colleague Quentin Topping dreamed of providing the same high-quality seafood we serve in our cafes for Googlers to take home to their families. That idea became the Google Community Supported Fishery (CSF), which we launched in May 2011. In this program, Googlers sign up to purchase a weekly supply of local, sustainable seafood, supplied through a partnership with the Half Moon Bay (HMB) Fisherman’s Association.

The Google Culinary team on a visit with fishermen in Half Moon Bay, Calif.—Quentin and I are the second and third from the left, in black.

We tend to think on a massive scale at Google—whether it’s how to deliver instant search results around the globe or help thousands of small businesses get online—but when it comes to feeding our employees at work and at home, it really comes down to a local touch. Knowing where our seafood, meat and produce come from, as well as knowing how they’re raised, farmed or harvested, makes all the difference in the on-the-ground work of sustainability. We see many bright spots ahead for our Community Supported Agriculture and Fishery programs, such as expansion to other offices and adding a grass-fed beef and pasture-raised poultry program. It’s exciting to work someplace where we can think big and local.

We know of two CSFs in the Bay Area. The Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Association supplies only Google at the moment, but will soon add public drop-off sites—keep posted by visiting Farmigo.com. The other is CSea out of Bodega Bay. If you live elsewhere, we hope you’ll consider stepping up to create one in your area.

And even if you don’t live near the ocean or have direct access to fresh-caught seafood, the choices you make about what fish to purchase or order in restaurants can make a real difference. You may want to consider following the guidelines that we used for our Google Green Seafood policy: Whenever possible, purchase species caught locally and in-season, by small, independent fisher-families, using environmentally-responsible methods. We think it’s important to be responsive to the fluctuations of catch too, and source from fisheries that enforce catch limits or are guided by ecosystem-based management programs. As for us, we’ll continue to research and source responsibly managed farmed seafood, and always keep transparency and Googler health at the center of our program.

Posted by Liv Wu, Executive Chef

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Friday Nights Vote …


It’s clear again that House Republicans are intent on balancing the budget at the expense of middle class families and seniors. Republicans chose to recklessly risk downgrading the nation’s AAA bond rating, raising interest rates for car loans and mortgages — all to protect tax breaks for Big Oil and billionaires.

 House Republicans’ political games have brought us recklessly and dangerously close to defaulting on our debt.

The clock is ticking and instead of meeting Democrats halfway, Republican leaders caved to the extreme right-wing.

 We are just $43,969 short of hitting our goal to hold Republicans accountable this August when Members are back home in their districts.

Contribute before the critical FEC deadline Midnight Sunday to take the fight directly to Republicans.http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63c9b9/1b9dd8ab/4ce7f280/4e0cec5b/2604407106/VEsH/

 Robby Mook DCCC
 Executive Director

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Congress: the Republican led House -pro forma session -the Senate debates&votes today/Republicans filibuster majority vote


  •  The Senate Convenes at 12:00pmET July 31, 2011
  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to concur in the House message to accompany S.627 with the Reid amendment with the time until 1:00pm equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.
  • At approximately 1:00pm, the Senate conduct a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House message to accompany S.627 with the Reid amendment at 1:00PM (tomorrow afternoon) on Sunday, July 31, 2011.

1:00 pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to concur in the House amendment to S.627 with the Reid amendment #589, the legislative vehicle for the debt limit increase; Not Invoked: 50-49 (Senator Reid changed his vote to no in order to enter a motion to reconsider this vote)

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CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF JULY 31, 2011
112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

1:37 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn consistent with the fourth clause in section 5 of article 1 of the Constitution, and notwithstanding section 132 of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on August 1, 2011.

1:36 P.M. – Mr. Sensenbrenner asked unanimous consent That when the House adjourns on Sunday, July 31, 2011, it adjourn to meet at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 1, 2011, for Morning-Hour Debate. Agreed to without objection.The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of July 31.

1:02 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

1:01 P.M. – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Sensenbrenner to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

1:00 P.M. – Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

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Congress: debates & votes on raising the debt ceiling -through the weekend?


The Senate Convenes: 1:00pmET July 30, 2011

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to concur in the House message to accompany S.627, the legislative vehicle for the debt limit increase.
  • The time from 1:30pm until 7:30pm will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Majority and the Republicans controlling alternating 30-minute blocks of time with the Majority controlling the first block. Additionally, the time from 7:30pm until 8:00pm will be equally divided and controlled with the Republicans controlling the first 15 minutes and the Majority controlling the final 15 minutes.
  • As a reminder to all Senators, Senator Reid filed cloture on the motion to concur in the House message to accompany S.627 with the Reid amendment #589.
  • The Senate is now expecting a live quorum and a motion to instruct the Sergeant at Arms to request the attendance of absent Senators around 5:30pm.
  • 5:339pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to instruct the Sergeant At Arms to request the presence of absent Senators; Agreed to: 75-20

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CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF JULY 30, 2011
112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

3:16 P.M. – The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on July 31, 2011.On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.

Mr. Woodall moved that the House do now adjourn.

H.R. 2062:
to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 45 Meetinghouse Lane in Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, as the “Matthew A. Pucino Post Office” 

3:14 P.M. – On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 2693:
to cut spending, maintain existing commitments, and for other purposes 

3:12 P.M. – Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by recorded vote (2/3 required): 173 – 246(Roll no. 682).

1:43 P.M. – DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2693.

1:42 P.M. – Considered under suspension of the rules.

1:41 P.M. – Mr. Dreier moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

1:39 P.M. – On approving the Journal Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 298 – 113, 2 Present(Roll no. 681).

H.R. 1843:
to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 489 Army Drive in Barrigada, Guam, as the “John Pangelinan Gerber Post Office Building” 

1:32 P.M. – Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 414 – 3(Roll no. 680).

1:26 P.M. – Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 1975:
to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 281 East Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California, as the “First Lieutenant Oliver Goodall Post Office Building” 

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 416 – 0(Roll no. 679).

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

1:00 P.M. – Considered as unfinished business.UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of July 30.

12:33 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

12:04 P.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 15 per side of the aisle.

12:02 P.M. – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Paulsen to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Connolly demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Connolly demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair announced that further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal would be postponed until later in the legislative day.

12:00 P.M. – Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.The Speaker designated the Honorable Ted Poe to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

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