Now 1:30 AM, 10/8/2014, sitting here, in the dark, except for the light from this laptop, having a hard time sleeping, too many memories are racing through my head tonight, too many thoughts, too much reflecting. A daughter had a birthday yesterday, my Cousin Merrill Dooley has one today, he is 92, and there are few of us left, so old memories are surfacing.
I remember Merrill from Uncle Paul's farm in Indiana, visits there, reunions, all the Dooley cousins, patiently waiting for the before dinner blessing to be over .... lengthy, Uncle Denny, a preacher, had this one shot a year at the whole family, and his prayer made the best of it. More than one hand has reached up on that table and taken a drumstick of Aunt Ruth's fried chicken before we heard the "Amen."
Merrill was a favorite of Dad, named after him, and they shared many of the same qualities, and he has been the "closest" cousin in the family. They were "taken from the same mold."
I am so thankful that I have all of these memories to recollect, still vivid in my mind, sharp images still there, and his morning, in this "quiet" .... many of them are surfacing.
I sometimes question my life, all the mistakes I have made, and there have been many, remember, I am an Impulsive Spendthrift with ADD. But, as this moment in this early hour, all is well with my life, and I do fervently pray each night and day, that my life stays this way. So much going on in this world.
A simple thing to most, Great Granddaughter, Miss Brooklyn, called Monday night and requested that we take her to school on Tuesday.... we pulled up to their house, the garage door opened, and out ran a beaming little face, broad grin, running .... unfortunately to Grandma, but the expression was worth the drive. After fifty years of marriage, we share those moments, regardless of how they happen .... in this case, I was happy for my wife.
Almost two, I do have to get to bed, I am "basking" in the memories though, this morning.
I thank Him for affording me good health and that he continues to Bless my family ...
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Debra Dooley has a Birthday TODAY ... 10/7
My daughter, Debra, has a birthday today. She was my first child. With two such young, stupid, naive parents, it is a wonder she made it.
She was born at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California ... years ago, I will leave it at that.
Her parents, a young Navy couple, living in an apartment in San Diego, fortunately, with good neighbors who helped us get started raising a baby. Debra became the child of an entire apartment building, everyone offered to help, they all helped us become parents ..... with a new daughter.
Shortly after that, I was transferred to ship, out of Seattle, and we made the trip in an old, Nash Ambassador, how I don't know. We found an apartment, moved in, and a day or so later, the ship sailed, and Mom and Baby were alone in Seattle, but, with great neighbors, who again helped us out.
Won't go in to details, out of Navy, lived in Reno, back to Ohio .... then a divorce ... a rather messy one .... my last visit with Deb, I was granted a weekend with her, but had to get a motel ... took her to the Montgomery County Fair, saw the Everly Brothers .... a lasting impression on me ..... Debra, walking all the way down to a better vantage point ..... arms folded, watching them sing. I have had that image in my head since that day.
Then, an absence of many years, at least 20, maybe more, and then, a phone call, a strip to New York, and we were reunited again .... so thankful for that day.
We arrived at her house in Beacon, New York, I still feel some of the anticipation, to see my daughter, who I have loved all these years, but not seen, or been with. I last saw here as "my little girl" ..... now grown up .... this scenario seems to vary, according to who you are talking with (Donna Viscardo knows the truth as does son Dean). she was in the shower when we arrived, had just come home from work ... she was an electrician ... nice house pool, I wondered what she would look like ... how crazy is that, not knowing how my own daughter looked ... then I saw her, and the years melted away .... she was my kid again ... but, she little to nothing about her father ..... I was basically a stranger to her .... odd, to say the least.
A day I will never forget, the day we left New York, for Ohio, after spending time with my kids, after all those absent years. They were now adults, had their own lives, yet, Debra was still my little girl ... I wanted to take her home with me ... but, she had her own life .... I cried for 500 miles, I had to give my kids up again ..... difficult to explain, and I hope no one has gone through that situation or ever will.
Then, the realization, those years cannot be made up .... they are gone ..... so .... be thankful, and live the future, which we have done.
Happy Birthday Daughter, I love you ....................
She was born at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California ... years ago, I will leave it at that.
Her parents, a young Navy couple, living in an apartment in San Diego, fortunately, with good neighbors who helped us get started raising a baby. Debra became the child of an entire apartment building, everyone offered to help, they all helped us become parents ..... with a new daughter.
Shortly after that, I was transferred to ship, out of Seattle, and we made the trip in an old, Nash Ambassador, how I don't know. We found an apartment, moved in, and a day or so later, the ship sailed, and Mom and Baby were alone in Seattle, but, with great neighbors, who again helped us out.
Won't go in to details, out of Navy, lived in Reno, back to Ohio .... then a divorce ... a rather messy one .... my last visit with Deb, I was granted a weekend with her, but had to get a motel ... took her to the Montgomery County Fair, saw the Everly Brothers .... a lasting impression on me ..... Debra, walking all the way down to a better vantage point ..... arms folded, watching them sing. I have had that image in my head since that day.
Then, an absence of many years, at least 20, maybe more, and then, a phone call, a strip to New York, and we were reunited again .... so thankful for that day.
We arrived at her house in Beacon, New York, I still feel some of the anticipation, to see my daughter, who I have loved all these years, but not seen, or been with. I last saw here as "my little girl" ..... now grown up .... this scenario seems to vary, according to who you are talking with (Donna Viscardo knows the truth as does son Dean). she was in the shower when we arrived, had just come home from work ... she was an electrician ... nice house pool, I wondered what she would look like ... how crazy is that, not knowing how my own daughter looked ... then I saw her, and the years melted away .... she was my kid again ... but, she little to nothing about her father ..... I was basically a stranger to her .... odd, to say the least.
A day I will never forget, the day we left New York, for Ohio, after spending time with my kids, after all those absent years. They were now adults, had their own lives, yet, Debra was still my little girl ... I wanted to take her home with me ... but, she had her own life .... I cried for 500 miles, I had to give my kids up again ..... difficult to explain, and I hope no one has gone through that situation or ever will.
Then, the realization, those years cannot be made up .... they are gone ..... so .... be thankful, and live the future, which we have done.
Happy Birthday Daughter, I love you ....................
And, this may just be the start .......... ???????
Debate for NM Governor's race conducted in Spanish
"Welcome. And thank you very much for the opportunity to talk to the Hispanic people of my community," Martinez said in Spanish.
It marked Martinez's entry in an emerging trend as Republicans and Democrats around the U.S. court Hispanic voters.
From California to Texas, colleges and Spanish-language networks are hosting similar Spanish debates regardless of candidates' fluency amid the growing influence of Latinos as swing voters in key races.
Florida gubernatorial candidates, for example, will meet in a Spanish debate Friday, though both GOP Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic former-Gov. Charlie Crist will use a translator.
In California, Congressman David Valadao, R-Hanford, and Democratic challenger Amanda Renteria conducted a debate entirely in Spanish on Saturday in a race for the state's 21st Congressional District in central California.
But in New Mexico, the debate came as Democratic challenger Gary King sought to replace Martinez, a Republican and the country's first Latina elected governor in any state.
"I appreciate the opportunity to be here today," King said as his voice faded away to a translator's words. He then attacked Martinez for her opposition to raising the state's minimum wage and for the state's low ranking on child well-being.
The New Mexico debate and others like it acknowledge the ability of the growing and increasingly independent voting bloc to swing an election.
The overwhelming majority of Hispanics in New Mexico speak English, but the culture of bilingualism runs deep. Across the state, some local government bodies start meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance in English and Spanish.
Martes, 07 de octubre 2014
Y, esto puede ser sólo el comienzo .......... ???????
Debate para la carrera del gobernador NM realizado en español
ALBUQUERQUE, Nuevo México (AP) - El moderador dio el gobernador de Nuevo México Susana Martínez el visto bueno para dar su declaración de apertura. Ella sonrió y luego miró a la cámara. "Bienvenido. Y muchas gracias por la oportunidad de hablar con la gente hispana de mi comunidad", dijo Martínez en español. Se marcó la entrada de Martínez en una tendencia emergente como republicanos y demócratas de todo el tribunales estadounidenses los votantes hispanos. Desde California hasta Texas, las universidades y las cadenas en español están organizando debates españoles similares independientemente de la fluidez de los candidatos en medio de la creciente influencia de los latinos como votantes indecisos en carreras clave. Florida candidatos a gobernador, por ejemplo, se reunirán en un debate español viernes, aunque ambos GOP gobernador Rick Scott y Democrática ex-Gov. Charlie Crist utilizará un traductor. En California, el congresista David Valadao, R-Hanford, y el retador demócrata Amanda Rentería llevó a cabo un debate totalmente en español el sábado en una carrera por el Distrito 21 del Congreso del Estado en el centro de California. Pero en Nuevo México, el debate llegó como retador demócrata Gary King buscó reemplazar Martínez, un republicano y primer gobernador electo Latina del país en cualquier estado. "Agradezco la oportunidad de estar aquí hoy", dijo King mientras su voz se desvaneció a las palabras de un traductor. Luego atacó Martínez por su oposición a elevar el salario mínimo del Estado y de bajo rango del estado de bienestar de la niñez. El debate Nuevo México y otros como él reconocen la capacidad de la creciente y cada vez más independiente bloque de votantes para hacer pivotar una elección. El abrumadora mayoría de hispanos en Nuevo México hablan Inglés, pero la cultura del bilingüismo es profunda. En todo el estado, algunos órganos de gobierno local comienzan las reuniones con el Juramento a la Bandera en Inglés y Español.
To vote or not to vote ......... etc .......
I have been criticized for stating that I might not vote this upcoming election. "If the wrong people get in, it's your fault for not voting."
Regardless of how I voted, it seems like the "wrong people" have been getting in office, anyway. Some of the "choices" I have seen are definitely, "the lesser of two evils."
"The person with the MOST yard signs, in the BEST locations will win." I have held with that philosophy for many years. I used to help in some campaigns, in one way or another, and I could give a "Victory Guarantee" .... if the candidate put a yard sign in every yard in the area the candidate was running for office.
"Let's evaluate the qualifications of the candidate."
"Why?"
That has nothing to do with the outcome of an election. Someone once said, "Them whats got, gets." So true in politics.
In some campaigns I worked on, I dug up the "Qualifications for Office." I thought I could show that my candidate had all the qualifications. Some were as blunt as "Show up once a Week," or make sure the records are kept properly. Look at the qualifications to be the president, and, the one there now, we are not even sure if he met those qualifications.
Politicians don't have resumes, don't need resumes, don't want resumes, and if they did have one, it would probably be exaggerations, lies and innuendos, much of which we see in there "advertising" palm cards and flyers. "Negative campaigning" works now, a candidate really does not have to say anything about himself, just negative items about his opponent.
One area we drive by on our way to Walmart, one property, an absentee owner, I think, near the curb, yard signs, probably 20 or 30, or more, placed so closely together they are almost impossible to read, only the first one can be seen clearly, and they try to "upstage" each other each day ... a new one at the front pops up, kinda like we used to do with a baseball bat to determine who was up first, or who got first pick of the players .... remember "nibs," or "dibs," not sure what the winning "grab" was called.
"Yes, I will tell you." Why, do otherwise honest, hard working people, get elected, and then, become an entirely different person ..... THEY are handling OTHER PEOPLES money, it loses value to them, and they go nuts. When money loses value to a person, they change. And, too, their BEST friends, then, become those ABOVE them who can HELP them ... can contribute the most to their political aspirations.
It is like being a fish and diving into the pond, during a "feeding frenzy." You get caught up, you do what the other fish are doing, fighting for food ..... that is politics!
Regardless of how I voted, it seems like the "wrong people" have been getting in office, anyway. Some of the "choices" I have seen are definitely, "the lesser of two evils."
"The person with the MOST yard signs, in the BEST locations will win." I have held with that philosophy for many years. I used to help in some campaigns, in one way or another, and I could give a "Victory Guarantee" .... if the candidate put a yard sign in every yard in the area the candidate was running for office.
"Let's evaluate the qualifications of the candidate."
"Why?"
That has nothing to do with the outcome of an election. Someone once said, "Them whats got, gets." So true in politics.
In some campaigns I worked on, I dug up the "Qualifications for Office." I thought I could show that my candidate had all the qualifications. Some were as blunt as "Show up once a Week," or make sure the records are kept properly. Look at the qualifications to be the president, and, the one there now, we are not even sure if he met those qualifications.
Politicians don't have resumes, don't need resumes, don't want resumes, and if they did have one, it would probably be exaggerations, lies and innuendos, much of which we see in there "advertising" palm cards and flyers. "Negative campaigning" works now, a candidate really does not have to say anything about himself, just negative items about his opponent.
One area we drive by on our way to Walmart, one property, an absentee owner, I think, near the curb, yard signs, probably 20 or 30, or more, placed so closely together they are almost impossible to read, only the first one can be seen clearly, and they try to "upstage" each other each day ... a new one at the front pops up, kinda like we used to do with a baseball bat to determine who was up first, or who got first pick of the players .... remember "nibs," or "dibs," not sure what the winning "grab" was called.
"Yes, I will tell you." Why, do otherwise honest, hard working people, get elected, and then, become an entirely different person ..... THEY are handling OTHER PEOPLES money, it loses value to them, and they go nuts. When money loses value to a person, they change. And, too, their BEST friends, then, become those ABOVE them who can HELP them ... can contribute the most to their political aspirations.
It is like being a fish and diving into the pond, during a "feeding frenzy." You get caught up, you do what the other fish are doing, fighting for food ..... that is politics!
Delaware mother charged after daughter brings heroin to daycare
(Reuters) - A Delaware mother was arrested on Monday after her four-year-old daughter unknowingly brought roughly 250 packets of heroin to her daycare, and passed them out to classmates thinking they were candy, police said.
Ashley Tull, 30, of Selbyville was charged with drug possession and endangering the welfare of a child after her daughter brought the drugs to the Hickory Tree Child Care Center on Monday morning, Delaware State Police said in a statement.
Several of the children who received the small, unopened bags were taken to area hospitals as a precaution, and were later released, police said.
Police said the child unknowingly brought the heroin to the care center in a replacement backpack, after hers was ruined by a family pet the night before.
Tull was released from jail after posting $6,000 bond, police said. She has been barred from coming into contact with her 4-year-old, or her two other children, aged 9 and 11.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, police said.
Farrakahn suggests Ebola is a ‘race-targeting bioweapon’
By Jessica Chasmar - The Washington Times - Thursday, October 2, 2014
Rev. Louis Farrakhan argued in a blog post Tuesday that the deadly Ebola virus is a race-targeting bio weapon created by white people.
“Methods of Depopulation: Disease infection through bio-weapons such as Ebola & AIDS, which are race targeting weapons,” the Nation of Islam leader tweeted to his 308,000 followers.
In an article, Mr. Farrakhan argues that the United States “has a desire for world depopulation” by using bioweapons “such as Ebola and AIDS, which are race targeting weapons.”
“There is a weapon that can be put in a room where there are Black and White people, and it will kill only the Black and spare the White, because it is a genotype weapon that is designed for your genes, for your race, for your kind,” he writes.
“This means that these wise scientists of death are making pathogens, which is something that can cause a disease. They are creating this as a means of depopulating our planet of undesirables, a process called culling the population. … So, if you are poor and ignorant; if you are Black or Brown, you are being selected for destruction.”
Rev. Louis Farrakhan argued in a blog post Tuesday that the deadly Ebola virus is a race-targeting bio weapon created by white people.
“Methods of Depopulation: Disease infection through bio-weapons such as Ebola & AIDS, which are race targeting weapons,” the Nation of Islam leader tweeted to his 308,000 followers.
In an article, Mr. Farrakhan argues that the United States “has a desire for world depopulation” by using bioweapons “such as Ebola and AIDS, which are race targeting weapons.”
“There is a weapon that can be put in a room where there are Black and White people, and it will kill only the Black and spare the White, because it is a genotype weapon that is designed for your genes, for your race, for your kind,” he writes.
“This means that these wise scientists of death are making pathogens, which is something that can cause a disease. They are creating this as a means of depopulating our planet of undesirables, a process called culling the population. … So, if you are poor and ignorant; if you are Black or Brown, you are being selected for destruction.”
Monday, October 6, 2014
Ex-Pentagon Chief Panetta Sees 30-year ISIS War, Blames Obama
The fight against the Islamic State group (ISIS) will be difficult and could last decades due to decisions made by President Barack Obama, former Pentagon chief Leon Panetta has said.
"I think we're looking at kind of a 30-year war" that could extend to threats in Libya, Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen, Panetta told USA Today in a story published Monday. Panetta, a respected policymaker who served under Obama, blamed the challenges on decisions the president made over the past three years.
Among those decisions, he cited Obama's failure to push the Iraqi government hard enough to allow a residual US force to stay in the country after troops withdrew in 2011, saying that created a security "vacuum."
The former defense secretary also pointed to Obama's rejection of advice in 2012 from Panetta and then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton to begin arming Syrian rebels fighting against President Bashar al-Assad. "I do think we would be in a better position to kind of know whether or not there is some moderate element in the rebel forces that are confronting Assad," Panetta said.
And Panetta said Obama lost credibility when he warned Assad not to use chemical weapons against his own people and then failed to act when the Syrian leader crossed that "red line" last year.
Panetta says Obama now has an opportunity to "repair the damage" by showing leadership after having "lost his way" in the fight against the radical group that has seized chunks of territory in Iraq and Syria.
The former Pentagon chief was speaking ahead of the release of his new book, "Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace," set for Tuesday by Penguin Press.
USA Today said that Panetta is explicitly critical Obama in his book, writing that his "most conspicuous weakness" was "a frustrating reticence to engage his opponents and rally support for his cause."
"I think we're looking at kind of a 30-year war" that could extend to threats in Libya, Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen, Panetta told USA Today in a story published Monday. Panetta, a respected policymaker who served under Obama, blamed the challenges on decisions the president made over the past three years.
Among those decisions, he cited Obama's failure to push the Iraqi government hard enough to allow a residual US force to stay in the country after troops withdrew in 2011, saying that created a security "vacuum."
The former defense secretary also pointed to Obama's rejection of advice in 2012 from Panetta and then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton to begin arming Syrian rebels fighting against President Bashar al-Assad. "I do think we would be in a better position to kind of know whether or not there is some moderate element in the rebel forces that are confronting Assad," Panetta said.
And Panetta said Obama lost credibility when he warned Assad not to use chemical weapons against his own people and then failed to act when the Syrian leader crossed that "red line" last year.
Panetta says Obama now has an opportunity to "repair the damage" by showing leadership after having "lost his way" in the fight against the radical group that has seized chunks of territory in Iraq and Syria.
The former Pentagon chief was speaking ahead of the release of his new book, "Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace," set for Tuesday by Penguin Press.
USA Today said that Panetta is explicitly critical Obama in his book, writing that his "most conspicuous weakness" was "a frustrating reticence to engage his opponents and rally support for his cause."
Yes It’s True: Television Rules the Ad Waves
Even though we have reportedly "stopped watching TV," the majority of ad dollars are still spent on television ads. Is it because no one can stand Internet ads?
According to the latest Nielsen numbers on the topic of Internet ad-spend versus TV ad-spend, the Internet is like a small bird picking mites off the back of an elephant. I will admit these numbers are nine months old, but I do believe they still pertain, even as mobile ad-spend has pushed Internet spend higher in the last couple of years.
Nielsen gives less than 6 percent to "on line" while "television" (which includes cable) gets close to 60 percent of total global ad spend (including all advertising everywhere). If you think broadcast is still relevant, it might interest you to know that the Internet has already surpassed it. And while TV has grown much slower than the Internet, the Internet is still very small.
While Nielsen does not publish dollar amounts, ZenithOptimedia says the global total ad-spend surpassed half a trillion dollars in 2013. So both the little bird and the big elephant are billion-dollar babies. Zenith also gives the Internet a whopping 21 percent of spend, still dwarfed by TV. This may be because Nielsen gives no credit to search-engine ads, only display ads. Which is only a little bit silly, because last I read, Google has more ad-spend than all of print media in the U.S.
The elephant and the little bird are both "in the room," if you will.
According to the latest Nielsen numbers on the topic of Internet ad-spend versus TV ad-spend, the Internet is like a small bird picking mites off the back of an elephant. I will admit these numbers are nine months old, but I do believe they still pertain, even as mobile ad-spend has pushed Internet spend higher in the last couple of years.
Nielsen gives less than 6 percent to "on line" while "television" (which includes cable) gets close to 60 percent of total global ad spend (including all advertising everywhere). If you think broadcast is still relevant, it might interest you to know that the Internet has already surpassed it. And while TV has grown much slower than the Internet, the Internet is still very small.
While Nielsen does not publish dollar amounts, ZenithOptimedia says the global total ad-spend surpassed half a trillion dollars in 2013. So both the little bird and the big elephant are billion-dollar babies. Zenith also gives the Internet a whopping 21 percent of spend, still dwarfed by TV. This may be because Nielsen gives no credit to search-engine ads, only display ads. Which is only a little bit silly, because last I read, Google has more ad-spend than all of print media in the U.S.
The elephant and the little bird are both "in the room," if you will.
Corny .................
One of the reasons I do not like Halloween, that Candy Corn, and where did I find it, at Walmart, they had a whole wall of it in the checkout lane I was in. How can one not buy it, and the cashier told me there was a coupon attached to it, I got fifty cents off. And, with it in the house, how does one not .... well, grab a handful as you walk by it? I can't, I am chewing on some now. Have taken some on each trip to the kitchen, darned stuff.
And another thing, when I go in to buy a filter for our furnace, I need a 1 x 16 x 20, and they NEVER have an inexpensive one in that size, always a $13 or a $15 dollar one. Got a new one today, $13 bucks, but it filters out stuff we don't even have, so the extra money was worth it. Have been using the furnace for a few days. I made a vow last Winter that I would be in Florida or Arizona this Winter, but alas, no, still here in Winter country.
It is a Monday afternoon, cloudy, a little chilly, rainy, and a typical Fall day. Watching an old NCIS, Caitlin got shot, Ari did it. Never figured out why she left, or was taken off, or what. That aired in September of 2005, my, how time fly's
It is a good afternoon for a nap .... and that is what I'm a gonna do ......................
Obama Praises the Mosque of the Oklahoma Beheader? Yes, He Did
Colleen Hufford, 54, was simply doing her job at Vaughan Food Distribution when her life was snatched away from her in one of the most horrific ways imaginable. Jah’Keem Yisrael, formerly known as Alton Nolen, who was recently fired from Vaughan after attempting to convert co-workers to the Muslim faith and getting into discussions about stoning women, rushed into the building and began stabbing Hufford. But, her nightmare got even worse.
After stabbing her countless time, he beheaded her. He was on to his next victim when the former CEO of Vaughan Foods, Mark Vaughan, who was also an Oklahoma County reserve deputy, shot him, thereby stopping the attack.
Witnesses reported that as Yisrael was committing his attack, he was shouting Islamic phrases. His Facebook page also details his conversion to Islam and the pride he had in the Islamic State (ISIS).
Yet, despite these events and this evidence supporting that this was a case of jihad in America, Barack Obama has said nothing about Hufford’s beheading. His silence has been eerily deafening as some in government, and some liberal pundits, have declared this to be workplace violence. In fact, on the Saturday after Hufford’s beheading at the hands of a Muslim jihadist, Obama did not even mention the incident. Instead, in his weekly address, he talked about how, at least in his view, America is leading in the world.
His failure to even mention the events in Oklahoma speaks volumes. But, it gets even worse.
While Obama claims this message was sent because of the efforts by Muslims to help rebuild Moore after a devastating tornado ripped through the community in 2013, that was in 2013. A woman beheaded by a Muslim from this very congregation was buried by her grieving family just one day before this special messenger was sent, and Obama chose to give thanks and praise to this mosque?
When you care nothing about optics and you are on record as saying, “The future should not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam,” perhaps this should come as no surprise.
After stabbing her countless time, he beheaded her. He was on to his next victim when the former CEO of Vaughan Foods, Mark Vaughan, who was also an Oklahoma County reserve deputy, shot him, thereby stopping the attack.
Witnesses reported that as Yisrael was committing his attack, he was shouting Islamic phrases. His Facebook page also details his conversion to Islam and the pride he had in the Islamic State (ISIS).
Yet, despite these events and this evidence supporting that this was a case of jihad in America, Barack Obama has said nothing about Hufford’s beheading. His silence has been eerily deafening as some in government, and some liberal pundits, have declared this to be workplace violence. In fact, on the Saturday after Hufford’s beheading at the hands of a Muslim jihadist, Obama did not even mention the incident. Instead, in his weekly address, he talked about how, at least in his view, America is leading in the world.
His failure to even mention the events in Oklahoma speaks volumes. But, it gets even worse.
Funeral services for Colleen Hufford were held on Friday, October 3, at Southgate Baptist Church. There was no statement sent by Obama.
There was no government official at her funeral.
There was no reaching out to the Hufford family by the Obamas.
Yet, curiously, Obama did make a special effort to reach out to one group,
and it wasn’t the Hufford family.
On October 4, one day after Colleen Hufford was laid to rest,
Barack Obama sent a government official to the Oklahoma mosque attending by Jah’Keem Yisrael to read a statement of gratitude and praise to the group.
KFOR reports that as the Muslims marked the end of the yearly pilgrimage to mecca with communal prayer and celebration called Eid Ul-Adha, Obama stood in solidarity with them with a special message given by a special messenger sent from 1,350 miles away.
Obama’s message to the Muslims at this Oklahoma mosque said,
“Your service is a powerful example of the powerful roots of the Abrahamic faiths and how our communities can come together with shared peace with dignity and a sense of justice.”
While Obama claims this message was sent because of the efforts by Muslims to help rebuild Moore after a devastating tornado ripped through the community in 2013, that was in 2013. A woman beheaded by a Muslim from this very congregation was buried by her grieving family just one day before this special messenger was sent, and Obama chose to give thanks and praise to this mosque?
When you care nothing about optics and you are on record as saying, “The future should not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam,” perhaps this should come as no surprise.
Ebola Patient in Dallas Has Died?
Ok, this isn’t out there, but it is making its way around on some sites. Basically take this with a grain of salt, but this would not be a surprise.
This would ruin their story about how easily Ebola is treated in America.
Check it out:
Thomas Duncan, the first person in the United States who was diagnosed with Ebola, was reported to have died today after succumbing to the virus.
Thomas A. Duncan, who became ill with Ebola after arriving from West Africa in Dallas two weeks ago, succumbed to the virus today (Sunday), reportsReuters. Duncan was fighting for his life at a Dallas hospital on today after his condition worsened to critical, according to the director of the US Centers for Disease Control.
This is according to an Israeli News report.
This would ruin their story about how easily Ebola is treated in America.
Check it out:
Thomas Duncan, the first person in the United States who was diagnosed with Ebola, was reported to have died today after succumbing to the virus.
Thomas A. Duncan, who became ill with Ebola after arriving from West Africa in Dallas two weeks ago, succumbed to the virus today (Sunday), reportsReuters. Duncan was fighting for his life at a Dallas hospital on today after his condition worsened to critical, according to the director of the US Centers for Disease Control.
This is according to an Israeli News report.
The information has not yet been released or confirmed in the United States at the time of publication.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
He put 'em down real good ......
Not sure what brought it to mind, one hot Summer day, I was working the day shift at the Primm in Reno. Cars could park right in font of the clubs on South Virginia Street then, if one could be found. It was a Sunday, a nice crowd in town for the weekend, the dining room was busy, as were the tables.
I think it was Hoot Havens, actually Jerry, a good friend, Jerry Christianson and I think Joe Francis was sitting box.
A man approached the table, a BIG man, looked like, and was, we found out, an Indian from Oklahoma. I think in talking to him he revealed that he was from the Osage Tribe. Outside, he a station wagon parked, loaded, I mean loaded with women and children. They all stayed in the car, he would go out and check on them once in a while.
"Can we get you a drink?"
"A double Vodka with a Tom Collins back."
"Oh."
He downed that in one or two gulps and started betting on the crap game, he jumped all around making different bets, and ..... kept winning. Nothing real big, winnings probably under a hundred dollars, but he kept winning. A crowd had gathered and they were making some big bets, following his lead, and they were winning big time. Kitty, our waitress, was keeping an eye on him and kept getting him drinks ... the doubles kept getting bigger and the Tom Collins, stronger and stronger.
The BIG Indian was downing them, did have some sweat beads popping out on his forehead, but his consumption was unbelievable, and he was showing no signs of it affecting him in any way, just the swear on his forehead.
I don't remember how long he played, or how many drinks he downed, or how many trips he made outside to check on his family, but I have never forgotten the Big Indian Guy. He was pleasant, had a great time shooting craps with us, unfortunately for us, he made a lot of money for others, and a little for himself. He shot some long, hot hands .... many rolls without a seven ... Joe kept "gypsying" in some new dice, some with rounded corners, but nothing worked, he was "hot."
I remember when he was ready to leave, one last parting drink, we offered him meal tickets to have a free dinner on the house, he declined. We saw him get in to his loaded station wagon and head out on South Virginia.
I can sill picture him downing those Tom Collins, strong drinks, preceded by that double shot ... a little bit of sweat on his forehead ..............................
I think it was Hoot Havens, actually Jerry, a good friend, Jerry Christianson and I think Joe Francis was sitting box.
A man approached the table, a BIG man, looked like, and was, we found out, an Indian from Oklahoma. I think in talking to him he revealed that he was from the Osage Tribe. Outside, he a station wagon parked, loaded, I mean loaded with women and children. They all stayed in the car, he would go out and check on them once in a while.
"Can we get you a drink?"
"A double Vodka with a Tom Collins back."
"Oh."
He downed that in one or two gulps and started betting on the crap game, he jumped all around making different bets, and ..... kept winning. Nothing real big, winnings probably under a hundred dollars, but he kept winning. A crowd had gathered and they were making some big bets, following his lead, and they were winning big time. Kitty, our waitress, was keeping an eye on him and kept getting him drinks ... the doubles kept getting bigger and the Tom Collins, stronger and stronger.
The BIG Indian was downing them, did have some sweat beads popping out on his forehead, but his consumption was unbelievable, and he was showing no signs of it affecting him in any way, just the swear on his forehead.
I don't remember how long he played, or how many drinks he downed, or how many trips he made outside to check on his family, but I have never forgotten the Big Indian Guy. He was pleasant, had a great time shooting craps with us, unfortunately for us, he made a lot of money for others, and a little for himself. He shot some long, hot hands .... many rolls without a seven ... Joe kept "gypsying" in some new dice, some with rounded corners, but nothing worked, he was "hot."
I remember when he was ready to leave, one last parting drink, we offered him meal tickets to have a free dinner on the house, he declined. We saw him get in to his loaded station wagon and head out on South Virginia.
I can sill picture him downing those Tom Collins, strong drinks, preceded by that double shot ... a little bit of sweat on his forehead ..............................
A tongue twister ..........
Mister Vladishoff Blahah was Plant Manager of the Asthlet Balata Company. I am not positive of the spelling, just Balata.
Years ago, at our Snelling and Snelling Employment Agency, we got a call from this company, they needed some help finding employees.
Rick Harper, the Manager and I went out to the plant to look around and determine what type of employee they needed. We entered the building on East Main Street here in Newark, chatted with Mr. Blahah a short time, and were ready to take a tour.
"Any matches, lighters or metal in your pockets, you'll have put these covers over your shoes, be very careful when you walk through the plant, the atmosphere is VERY explosive."
As I recall, it was a tower type thing, where they did something to the balata rubber, dropped it from the top of the tower and had the start, or something to be used in the manufacture of golf balls. One problem, the building kept exploding and catching on fire. NO one wanted to work in such an environment.
"Oh, I have a possible opening for you here, it's out on East Main ......"
"No thanks!:
It ultimately exploded, had a fire, and they never rebuilt it, and, we never had to try to pronounce his name and title again ....................
Susan G. Komen Foundation Elbows Out Charities Over Use Of The Word 'Cure'
Lengthy but well worth the read .................
In addition to raising millions of dollars a year for breast cancer research, fundraising giant Susan G. Komen for the Cure has a lesser-known mission that eats up donor funds: patrolling the waters for other charities and events around the country that use any variation of "for the cure" in their names.
So far, Komen has identified and filed legal trademark oppositions against more than a hundred of these Mom and Pop charities, including Kites for a Cure, Par for The Cure, Surfing for a Cure and Cupcakes for a Cure--and many of the organizations are too small and underfunded to hold their ground.
"It happened to my family," said Roxanne Donovan, whose sister runs Kites for a Cure, a family kite-flying event that raises money for lung cancer research. "They came after us ferociously with a big law firm. They said they own 'cure' in a name and we had to stop using it, even though we were raising money for an entirely different cause."
Donovan's sister, Mary Ann Tighe, said the Komen foundation sent her a letter asking her to stop using the phrase "for a cure" in their title and to never use the color pink in conjunction with their fundraising. What bothered her most about the whole ordeal, she said, was that Komen forced her to spend money and time on legal fees and proceedings instead of raising funds for cancer.
"We were certainly taken aback by it," she told HuffPost. "We have partners running these kite events around the country. What if one of them uses, say, magenta? Is that pink? I mean, where are we going with this? We just want to raise money for cancer. What we don't want is to have our energy misplaced by having our charity partners trying to police the good work that we're doing."
Sue Prom, who started a small dog sledding fundraiser for breast cancer called "Mush for the Cure" in Grand Marais, Minn., said she was shocked to hear from Komen's lawyers this summer asking that she change the name of her event or face legal proceedings.
"I had to call the trademark helpline, because I had no idea what I was doing," said Prom, who runs the annual sled race with her husband and friend. "We pay for the expenses out of our pockets, and we've never personally made a dime from it. We have t-shirts, sweatshirts, domain names, posters, stationery, all with 'Mush for the Cure' on it. What do we do with all the materials now? How are we gonna defend ourselves? We're not like Komen."
Prom said she's been running the event for six years, and the most she has raised for the National Breast Cancer Foundation is $25,000. Before the NBCF could accept the money, they warned her to file for a trademark to protect her event legally against the Komen Foundation. But now that Komen has opposed Mush's trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Prom is looking for a pro bono lawyer to help her figure out what to do next.
"I think it's a shame," she said. "It's not okay. People don't give their money to the Komen Foundation and they don't do their races and events so that Komen can squash any other fundraising efforts by individuals. That's not what it's about."
Komen's general counsel, Jonathan Blum, told HuffPost that the fundraising powerhouse tries to be reasonable when dealing with small charities and nonprofits, but that it has a legal duty to protect its more than 200 registered trademarks.
"It's never our goal to shut down a nonprofit," he said, "and we try very hard to be reasonable, but it's still our obligation to make sure that our trademarks are used appropriately so there's no confusion in the marketplace over where people's money is going."
Blum told HuffPost that legal fees comprise a "very small part" of Komen's budget, but according to Komen's financial statements, such costs add up to almost a million dollars a year in donor funds.
"I think it's important that charities protect their brand, but on the other hand, I don't think the donors' intent in giving their money was to fund a turf war," said Sandra Minuitti, a spokesperson for Charity Navigator. "It's very important that Komen treads carefully and is very transparent about how they're spending money on these legal battles."
Michael Mercanti, an intellectual property lawyer, said he is surprised by the large number of oppositions Komen has filed against other charities--a number he would expect from a company like Toys"R"Us or McDonalds, but not a charitable fundraising organization.
"They seem to be very aggressive in policing their mark, or what they're claiming to be their mark," he told HuffPost. "I guess there are a lot of ways to captain a ship, but it seems like there are ways they could protect and police their trademarks and also allow other charities to coexist."
Mercanti said filing hundreds of oppositions is not only damaging to other charities, but could also be counterproductive for Komen's brand.
"They could actually be seen as being a bully," he said. "They're going to alienate some donors who don't appreciate them stepping on smaller, worthwhile charities."
With the help of a team of pro bono lawyers, Kites for a Cure was able to reach a settlement with Komen: They agreed to only use the phrase "for a Cure" in conjunction with the words "lung cancer" to make the distinction clear. But Tighe said they reached a settlement only after many, many months of a free legal team working long hours each day.
"We were very fortunate because we had strong support from knowledgeable pro bono counsel, but it did seem like a misdirection of a lot of people's energy," she told HuffPost. "I don't know what smaller organizations do without free representation."
Sue Prom said Tighe has already put her in touch with her pro bono legal team, and she is prepared to fight for the name of her sledding event in court. The ordeal has changed her opinion of Komen.
"I used to give money to Komen all the time, but now I'm just kind of wary of them," she said. "I'm not buying Yoplait yogurt or anything that has the word 'Komen' on it. They seem to have forgotten what charity is about."
In addition to raising millions of dollars a year for breast cancer research, fundraising giant Susan G. Komen for the Cure has a lesser-known mission that eats up donor funds: patrolling the waters for other charities and events around the country that use any variation of "for the cure" in their names.
So far, Komen has identified and filed legal trademark oppositions against more than a hundred of these Mom and Pop charities, including Kites for a Cure, Par for The Cure, Surfing for a Cure and Cupcakes for a Cure--and many of the organizations are too small and underfunded to hold their ground.
"It happened to my family," said Roxanne Donovan, whose sister runs Kites for a Cure, a family kite-flying event that raises money for lung cancer research. "They came after us ferociously with a big law firm. They said they own 'cure' in a name and we had to stop using it, even though we were raising money for an entirely different cause."
Donovan's sister, Mary Ann Tighe, said the Komen foundation sent her a letter asking her to stop using the phrase "for a cure" in their title and to never use the color pink in conjunction with their fundraising. What bothered her most about the whole ordeal, she said, was that Komen forced her to spend money and time on legal fees and proceedings instead of raising funds for cancer.
"We were certainly taken aback by it," she told HuffPost. "We have partners running these kite events around the country. What if one of them uses, say, magenta? Is that pink? I mean, where are we going with this? We just want to raise money for cancer. What we don't want is to have our energy misplaced by having our charity partners trying to police the good work that we're doing."
Sue Prom, who started a small dog sledding fundraiser for breast cancer called "Mush for the Cure" in Grand Marais, Minn., said she was shocked to hear from Komen's lawyers this summer asking that she change the name of her event or face legal proceedings.
"I had to call the trademark helpline, because I had no idea what I was doing," said Prom, who runs the annual sled race with her husband and friend. "We pay for the expenses out of our pockets, and we've never personally made a dime from it. We have t-shirts, sweatshirts, domain names, posters, stationery, all with 'Mush for the Cure' on it. What do we do with all the materials now? How are we gonna defend ourselves? We're not like Komen."
Prom said she's been running the event for six years, and the most she has raised for the National Breast Cancer Foundation is $25,000. Before the NBCF could accept the money, they warned her to file for a trademark to protect her event legally against the Komen Foundation. But now that Komen has opposed Mush's trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Prom is looking for a pro bono lawyer to help her figure out what to do next.
"I think it's a shame," she said. "It's not okay. People don't give their money to the Komen Foundation and they don't do their races and events so that Komen can squash any other fundraising efforts by individuals. That's not what it's about."
Komen's general counsel, Jonathan Blum, told HuffPost that the fundraising powerhouse tries to be reasonable when dealing with small charities and nonprofits, but that it has a legal duty to protect its more than 200 registered trademarks.
"It's never our goal to shut down a nonprofit," he said, "and we try very hard to be reasonable, but it's still our obligation to make sure that our trademarks are used appropriately so there's no confusion in the marketplace over where people's money is going."
Blum told HuffPost that legal fees comprise a "very small part" of Komen's budget, but according to Komen's financial statements, such costs add up to almost a million dollars a year in donor funds.
"I think it's important that charities protect their brand, but on the other hand, I don't think the donors' intent in giving their money was to fund a turf war," said Sandra Minuitti, a spokesperson for Charity Navigator. "It's very important that Komen treads carefully and is very transparent about how they're spending money on these legal battles."
Michael Mercanti, an intellectual property lawyer, said he is surprised by the large number of oppositions Komen has filed against other charities--a number he would expect from a company like Toys"R"Us or McDonalds, but not a charitable fundraising organization.
"They seem to be very aggressive in policing their mark, or what they're claiming to be their mark," he told HuffPost. "I guess there are a lot of ways to captain a ship, but it seems like there are ways they could protect and police their trademarks and also allow other charities to coexist."
Mercanti said filing hundreds of oppositions is not only damaging to other charities, but could also be counterproductive for Komen's brand.
"They could actually be seen as being a bully," he said. "They're going to alienate some donors who don't appreciate them stepping on smaller, worthwhile charities."
With the help of a team of pro bono lawyers, Kites for a Cure was able to reach a settlement with Komen: They agreed to only use the phrase "for a Cure" in conjunction with the words "lung cancer" to make the distinction clear. But Tighe said they reached a settlement only after many, many months of a free legal team working long hours each day.
"We were very fortunate because we had strong support from knowledgeable pro bono counsel, but it did seem like a misdirection of a lot of people's energy," she told HuffPost. "I don't know what smaller organizations do without free representation."
Sue Prom said Tighe has already put her in touch with her pro bono legal team, and she is prepared to fight for the name of her sledding event in court. The ordeal has changed her opinion of Komen.
"I used to give money to Komen all the time, but now I'm just kind of wary of them," she said. "I'm not buying Yoplait yogurt or anything that has the word 'Komen' on it. They seem to have forgotten what charity is about."
A little history ............
I remember sleeping in the old farm house, so quiet, but occasionally, hear a car, off in the distance, and follow its progress down the long road, till it passed the house, and then follow it as it headed on down the old dirt road.
Uncle Paul was a farmer and a quiet man, Aunt Ruth was a farmer's wife, through and through. James Dean, the actor, was also born in Marion, Indiana, son of a farmer, and a friend of the Dooley's, thus the Dean name in our family. My Dad was Ralph Dean, my brother Dean Shannon, and my son in New Jersey, Dean Dooley, and a cousin who was Willowdean, always loved that name.
I remember hearing tales, during the war, of "cousins" leaving the farm to go to work in the factories, many never returned to the farms. Cousin Merrill is in insurance, Roger became a home builder, and others went in to other professions. A few stayed on the farm.
Uncle Denny was a preacher and a carpenter. He was in Anderson, Indiana and lived a long life. Dad was going to build a garage at our old home on Brown Street in Dayton, Ohio. Denny came over to help. When the property sold to the state, to become a freeway, I remember hearing one of the contractors make the statement that he had never seen such a well constructed building, a testament to my Uncle
Bill Gaither, of singing and writing fame, mentioned on a show that his Dad word at a GM plant in Anderson for 30 years, I think I had some cousins that did the same, or nearby plants.
Not many of the "clan" left, never got to know them very well, Merrill has been the closest one, he is 90, golfing and bowling, Uncle Denny made it to 100 or 100 plus. Love longevity .........
MORE ON THE FAMILY HERE
Amid historic drought, 9 hungry bears captured in Nevada in 2 days
Just this week, nine black bears were captured in the Lake Tahoe area in a two-day span,Nevada Department of Wildlife officials said Thursday. Two mother bears and three cubs were captured in Reno, Nev., while a sow and two cubs were corralled near Stateline. A 2-year-old bruin was caught near Carson City. A 10th was struck and killed by a car in Reno.
"Nothing much gets in the bear's way when they are this hungry," Carl Lackey, the agency's chief wildlife biologist, told the Associated Press. "Nature's dinner bell is ringing."
According to officials, 42 black bears have been caught since July 1, and 40 were released back into the wild. Two repeat offenders had to be killed, the agency said; 10 were killed by cars.
The influx was expected. The drought, coupled with cooler temperatures, has resulted in the bears coming down from the foothills to scavenge residential areas for food in preparation for winter hibernation. According to Nevada Department of Wildlife spokesman Chris Healy, bears typically eat up to 25,000 calories a day — the equivalent of 80 McDonald's cheeseburgers, he said.
Last year the Nevada Department of Wildlife captured 97 bears between July 1 and Dec. 1, up 14 from the 83 the department snared in 2012.
"It's pretty wild," Healy said of the recent bear barrage.
In July the department launched a bear-awareness campaign aimed at educating Nevadans to, among other things, "properly secure their garbage."
While a nuisance to local residents, bear attacks in the Tahoe area have been rare.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
SMI 10/4/14 - My first at age 82
I must be smarter, more articulate, more learned, I am now 82 years old, I have the knowledge and experience of that age, I have lived "life" ...... tasted "life" ...... I even feel wiser .... this Saturday morning, here in Newark, Ohio. One thing I have already learned this morning, it is COLD outside, I noticed that as Caleb and I went for a short walk. That shows you how more perceptive I really am, at this age.
I have to research it, but, apparently, at NFL games, with your phone, you can do "everything" at a game. Order food, see replays, anything. Not sure what it is called, have to do more research, I guess it will soon be in all sports venues. Attendance was down, so the "enticements" are on the way.
"There is a large smartphone penetration in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, enabling these savvy fans to stay connected and watch streaming videos inside a first of its kind, ticketless and cashless building that has plug-in Wi-Fi with 4G coverage for 75,000. The in-stadium app features game and league highlights, the NFL RedZone and Fantasy Football data, with the added possibility of mic’d players by 2016. According to York, this will be a “Software-driven stadium, not a hardware-driven stadium.” York added, “We will not beat you on the head with a giant scoreboard,” even though Levi’s Stadium will have a 13,000 square foot HD video scoreboard big screen jumbotron and two additional fascia display scoreboards. Stadium tech will come from local, national and international providers. The new stadium will have mobile connectivity, its own app, and IPTV, plus multiple camera angles available, and the ability to listen to radio feeds and check in on stadium traffic. Fans will be able to use their smartphones and tablets to order food and merchandise and even scout the lines of 1,135 restrooms that function with recycled water. Even the geothermic turf uses recycled water."
I am considering not voting this November, first time in many years. "None Of The Above" is my choice. I wonder what would happen if no one voted. I suppose the winner would be the one with the largest family. Think of all the money that would be saved. After all candidates have submitted their paperwork, the Board of Elections would determine which candidate had the largest family of qualified voters, declare him/her the winner and he/she takes office. Millions saved.
I have to research it, but, apparently, at NFL games, with your phone, you can do "everything" at a game. Order food, see replays, anything. Not sure what it is called, have to do more research, I guess it will soon be in all sports venues. Attendance was down, so the "enticements" are on the way.
"There is a large smartphone penetration in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, enabling these savvy fans to stay connected and watch streaming videos inside a first of its kind, ticketless and cashless building that has plug-in Wi-Fi with 4G coverage for 75,000. The in-stadium app features game and league highlights, the NFL RedZone and Fantasy Football data, with the added possibility of mic’d players by 2016. According to York, this will be a “Software-driven stadium, not a hardware-driven stadium.” York added, “We will not beat you on the head with a giant scoreboard,” even though Levi’s Stadium will have a 13,000 square foot HD video scoreboard big screen jumbotron and two additional fascia display scoreboards. Stadium tech will come from local, national and international providers. The new stadium will have mobile connectivity, its own app, and IPTV, plus multiple camera angles available, and the ability to listen to radio feeds and check in on stadium traffic. Fans will be able to use their smartphones and tablets to order food and merchandise and even scout the lines of 1,135 restrooms that function with recycled water. Even the geothermic turf uses recycled water."I am considering not voting this November, first time in many years. "None Of The Above" is my choice. I wonder what would happen if no one voted. I suppose the winner would be the one with the largest family. Think of all the money that would be saved. After all candidates have submitted their paperwork, the Board of Elections would determine which candidate had the largest family of qualified voters, declare him/her the winner and he/she takes office. Millions saved.
"Hey Maudie, we got nine kids who are registered voters, I be gonna run for office. Maybe even I be runnin for president. I be a good one, me thinkin,"
Reminds me of a picnic we went to many years ago, we took our two kids, Melissa and Brad, we were wearing ourselves out keeping track of them, picking them up, keeping them from fighting, we were worn out. Then, we looked at the couple across from us, calmly sitting there, enjoying the picnic and all the activities. Why, they had 12 children ... the oldest ones were watching out for the youngest ones ..... they had it all under control.
I'll drink to that .... a good year, leading up to 83 .................
Secret Service in disarray, fueling questions over Obama's safety
In the movie "Dave," at one point, his bodyguard states, "I'd have taken a bullet for you." Perhaps no one wants to do that anymore ............
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Secret Service officer Timothy McCarthy took a bullet to protect Ronald Reagan in a 1981 assassination attempt and agent Jerry Parr shoved the president into a limousine, their quick reflexes projected a Hollywood-style image of invincibility around the agency.
Fast-forward to today: the 149-year-old Secret Service is struggling to emerge from a succession of scandals that have tarnished that iconic reputation, forced the abrupt resignation of its director and raised questions about its ability to fulfill its most critical duty: protecting President Barack Obama and his family.
Sources inside and outside the administration say many problems such as low morale, a leadership crisis and a culture of covering up mistakes can be traced back 11 years to when the Secret Service was pulled out of the Treasury Department and absorbed into the sprawling new Department of Homeland Security, where it had to compete for turf and money.
Even as the agency's workload has mushroomed, its manpower levels stagnated and its funding increases have failed to keep pace with growth in overall federal spending in the past decade, a Reuters examination of Secret Service budget data shows.
There is also growing pressure to consider whether the Secret Service’s divided mission, which includes investigating financial fraud and cybercrime, is diverting resources and attention from providing security for the president, his family and other top officials.
"We’ve seen what many think was a high point for the Secret Service," said Carolyn Parr, who co-authored a memoir with her husband, Jerry Parr, the agent who raced a wounded Reagan away from the scene of the shooting after John Hinckley Jr. opened fire outside a Washington hotel 33 years ago.
"What’s happening now is sad. I don’t know why the ball got dropped."
Maybe they just don't want to "take a bullet" for the present administration, respect might have something to do with it.
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