Here we go again – New Fuel Tax


Well if this don’t take the cake, not only does BP get a tax write off for their oil disaster the government is proposing a tax hike on oil (Oil Disaster relief fund now at .08 per barrel) between 30 and 40 cents. That could equate to 1 dollar or better in price raises to gas at the pump. Not only that it can increase the cost of most goods and services between 10% to 20%. The taxes will be directed at oil companies but it will pass on to us consumers. Doesn’t our government realize the economical impact this will have? Already in a recession and trying to recover from it this tax hike will only put us further into recession. The Oil disaster should financially fall completely on B.P. not on consumers directly or indirectly. And i see no reason to give companies a tax break on accidents created by their own negligence. Write your senators and tell them to vote no. The house already passed there proposed tax hike but the senate is set to vote on it soon. and write Obama let him know we are tired of bailing out companies and paying for their negligence.

Just a note to those boycotting BP gas stations you are not hurting BP, most BP stations are franchised and buy fuel from multiple fuel suppliers not directly from BP itself. You are only hurting the local gas station owner and the employees he has employed. Boycott long enough many people will loose there jobs.

International Help / Aide offered but with a cost


  It is nice to see the other countries out there offering help in the oil cleanup in the gulf but its offered with a price tag. Why is it when America offers help to other nations they do so for free but when its us that needs help we have to pay for it.  So should America start charging for their assistance for now on or should these other countries give us help for free?  B.P. would be the one paying for the help if accepted so in this case I may side with the countries offering help. This is more of a disaster caused by the lack of safety and a lack of quality control due to the possible greed of company shareholders. I do believe if it was a natural disaster or a catastrophe from uncontrollable circumstances that the nations of the world would be offering free help / aid.

  It is very reassuring to see that we as a world can come together to solve problems when they are immediate, now if we could do the same for the problems that are present now and will worsen in the future. We still need to deal with the world economy and the state of the earths environmental changes such as global warming and the melting of ice caps etc. .Hopefully we will learn from the B.P. oil incident and impose more safety regulations and governmental inspections.Even if we clean up the oil there is the methane gas and the possible dead zones that can happen from the gas.So much marine life has been and will be effected by both the oil and methane gas and it will take years if not decades  for the marine life to recover.

Well hats off to the global community for offering help. And here is to the hope the global community will come together to figure ways to reduce the impact on the marine life in this disaster.

Then we are not as Civilized as we think


The only way the world will find peace and fix the economic and ecological problems we face is if we come together as a world to face them. No I am not referring to a one world government, I am referring to the co-operation and focused collaboration of all nations to solve the problems at hand. It seems though there is so much mistrust between nations that it will be a tremendous task in it self. First off The U.S. needs to wrap up their middle east campaign and return the countries of Iraq and Afghanistan to their own people and Governments. The Financial strain on the U.S. economy and our civilian population will keep America in a recession. Also our presence in those countries keep the middle east in a state of war and also fuels mistrust in our government in that region.

  Its time to get the middle eastern countries involved in the process of reestablishing those countries. Though I know the U.S. and the U.N. still need to play a part in the process. Iran needs to comply with the U.N. charters and cease all attempts at nuclear weapons and continue with their nuclear power plants. There is no need to have nuclear weapons to defend themselves against their neighbors or even the U.S. .  I do not believe any nation would risk starting a nuclear war due to the fact the radiation would render both their enemies land and their own inhabitable. Of course there are mad men with little care for life at all that could trigger such a war I would hope that common sense and compassion would prevent such a war.

To be fair I will state that all nations should destroy, dismantle and discontinue the production of nuclear weapons. With conventional weapons we could still cause the near extinction of man and all other life. The process would take longer but still is possible. We need to stop saber rattling and start negotiating a compromise that all sides can live with.  So many problems to face in this modern world and too many to address in this post. Let us all be adults and find ways to bring peace to all nations and solve the current problems that we face. If we can not join together to fix the problems in this world then we are not at civilized as we think we are.

Coal, Green Energy and Change


The change over to a more environmentally friendly and renewable energy source from the reliable source of coal will happen in the near future.
The cleaner energy source may make a good impact on the environment but it could have a negative impact on the economy of many coal mining towns across America. We should take in consideration the jobs that will be lost and the impact of the lost industry as we start the transition to the greener and cleaner energies. If we are to close mines that many citizens rely on for income then we should retrain the miners for new jobs and move new industries into the area to keep the economy of those towns alive. The government only can provide unemployment benefits and maybe the training for new jobs the building of new industry in the mining towns would be up to big business and investors. Though both federal and state governments can offer incentives for businesses to choose mining towns for new locations.

The future is uncertain for those in mining towns and I really hope that our government realizes that its not only clean air or water that is involved in this greener future but also the livelihoods of many Americans. I am all for green and renewable energy but not for unemployed and hungry Americans. There has to be a solution to our energy crises that wont leave so many out of work.

 

Well until next time

PEACE
Ray Barbier A.K.A. Verum Peto

Time for green


   With the BP oil disaster being in the headlines and the gulf being filled with oil that green and renewable energy sources is the most important issue for the present governments of the world.
Such oil spills are ecological nightmares. So many sea creatures and sea plants are effected. I know in the modern world we live in we rely on oil and the products derived from oil quite heavily but we need newer and more sustainable sources of energy. We have the technology to explore mars and build the international space station but yet we still cant find a way to replace our dependency on oil. Seems we could either improve the efficiency of solar panels and other green technologies along with lowering their cost to make them a bit more affordable. At least the car companies are trying to go somewhat green though i still doubt they are putting as much effort as they should into the idea.

  The time is now President Obama, Be the Green President and show the world that the united states once again can lead the way into the future. Just think if our country invested into green renewable energies and was able to break our dependency on foreign oil, how much money would stay here in the country and help our economy and job market. It is really a win win situation for us though the middle east oil tycoons may feel a little pain in their bank accounts but what the heck they have enough money already. Lets put hydro-generators on every river, solar panels on every roof and wind turbines where the wind blows. Keep pushing the auto industry to make more efficient and green vehicles. Invest in green technology and the science behind it so our children and the generations to follow can once again be proud to be an American.

Whale Hunting


Whales, Such majestic sea creatures are still hunted for so called research by Japanese fisherman in the Antarctic. Even the protected hump back whale is a target of their deadly harpoon. What kind of research would require so many whales to be slaughtered I ask. Why don’t the governments that help enact the ban on killing of hump back whales do anything about this? I guess they don’t due to some economical or political reason.

  The only thing us ordinary people can do in order to send a message to Japan is to boycott all Japanese products. if we stop buying Japanese products it will hit them where it hurts. And for those out there with resources and the guts to do something more along the activist end you could always join Greenpeace or the Sea Sheppards (The folks from whale wars on animal planet).

  It is such a shame that such a technological advanced world as ours allows such a terrible and brutal practice such as whale hunting to continue.

For the students of today are the leaders, inventors and visionaries of tomorrow.


No child left behind, a step forward for some and a heavy load to others. To put those who are mentally challenged into the main stream classes is a novel and good idea as long as it does not hinder the education of any other student. The idea is a sound idea if it is implemented in a fashion that both does not discriminate nor hinder the education of the student body. At this time I have heard comments stating that the no child left behind program has some problems that need to be addressed. The question is how do we bring the mentally challenged up to speed or at least a reasonable level of learning without holding back the rest of the class? The benefits the Mentally Challenged receive can be quite beneficial to them. I am all for no child left behind for the most part but i am concerned about the problems with the program that has yet to be addressed. What is the solution to the problems that no child left behind is facing, I am not sure for that is something better left to the educators and government to figure out and fix. All I will say is the education of our youths should be the first and highest priority to both our state and federal governments. For the students of today are the leaders, inventors and visionaries of tomorrow.

If Enough People Got Together


If Washington is going to survive the recent wave of political change in America it is going to have to get on the side of the average American . The Working Class is the backbone of America, not the rich. The rich may control corporate America but the working man built it and sustains it financially. Those people  who makes around minimum wage is greater in numbers than the politician,Doctor and C.E.O. Executive who make more in a year than some do in a lifetime.  But who has the greater voice in out capital in the end? The big businesses and the politician who are backed by them. I can not say every politician puts wealth and power above his duties to the citizens he represents but if you examine the bills passed in congress it seems most of them are written to benefit  corporate America more than Americans in general. 

The  president won his office thanks to the average Joe and his/her votes and so did all of the congress. You would think they would care more about the voters who got them in office than the lobbyists and the corporations behind them. I do believe there are some in congress and Washington that do care and listen, just not enough to make a difference. I also believe if enough people got together and voiced their concerns to our capitol then congress would have to listen. We the people of The united states is what the constitution says and not we the wealthy or we the corporations. Maybe I am just believing in the fairy tale that the USA is a free nation and has a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Well who knows only time will only tell.

Proof one Voice Can make Change


Here is Proof That Anyone Can Make Change or at Least Get Noticed when they speak up. Good Job Brandon!

Teen gets letter from the Vice President

A little more than one month ago, Brandon Halcomb … a Leslie County High School student wrote an open letter to Vice President asking for an apology.

Biden used the "f word" on national television right before President Obama signed the Health Care reform bill into law.

Brandon recently got a response from the Vice President.

Read the rest from the source @ http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/93984014.html

They work for us


  The air is full of chill and yet spring has arrived. The news people are jabbering about politics as usual,
debating the next bill that will either save the day or bring us doom.  Republicans claiming democrats spend
more when they all spend money that isn’t really theirs. They work for us down on main street but seem to serve
the big corporations and greed. When a congressman/woman makes more in one year then allot of us do in a lifetime
there seems to be something wrong. Why is it only a select few live high and clear of poverty and have great health
care plans while those who do the hard work seem to do without or pay high costs to have health care? Living on
minimum wage is impossible if you have to pay bills and eat.  I know life isn’t meant to be fair but it should be a bit
less unbalanced. I believe healthcare should be affordable to the poverty class and so should food. And far as welfare
and food stamps its next to impossible to get them if you have a job and are trying to better yourself. 

Do not get me wrong the Aid available for those in need is a good system though i see allot of abuse of it and allot of
people struggling to get by just because the work a job that may give them a few too many hours work to qualify for
help. Luckily at this time in my life i am not in need of such benefits other than it would be nice to have a health card or
something since i am only part time at my job and the insurance we can get is only accidental not health or dental.

Well until the next post
Peace