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Hey everybody, watch this!
Author: TriSec    Date: 07/23/2011 10:28:28

Good Morning!

Well, if it's an early Saturday blog, that can only mean one thing; I'm off to donate platelets! I missed my last appointment after Woodbadge, being deathly ill and all, so here's the makeup. If you've never donated before, why not give it a try? Especially on a weekend like this; you'll get to recline in air-conditioned splendor, watch a movie, and be tended by friendly Red Cross staff. Did I mention the air conditioning?
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3 comments (Latest Comment: 07/23/2011 16:38:16 by livingonli)

The Art of the Deal
Author: BobR    Date: 07/22/2011 12:58:34

With a fixed dealine quickly approaching, President Obama seems to be doing what he can to ensure that the debt ceiling is raised in time to avoid calamity, including floating a generous proposal yesterday. He had previously endorsed a plan by the Senate "Gang of Six". Both have been rejected by House Republicans because they include revenue increases. Yet they will likely have to accept a deal anyway. Let's take a look.
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96 comments (Latest Comment: 07/23/2011 00:11:13 by wickedpam)

Deceit
Author: Raine    Date: 07/21/2011 14:10:22

What more can be said about the Debt Ceiling negotiations. Yesterday there was hope that a deal could be made, until -- well Obama said it was interesting. Almost like magic, the GOP recoiled
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86 comments (Latest Comment: 07/21/2011 21:43:49 by Mondobubba)

The Budget Battle - Large and Small
Author: BobR    Date: 07/20/2011 12:40:20

The ongoing debt ceiling battle will apparently run right up to the wire. We have less than a week before economaggedon, and the partisan posturing is more apparent then ever. Finally there is movement beyond talking, but the most recent movement has more in common with bowel than budgetary reality.
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89 comments (Latest Comment: 07/21/2011 00:56:07 by Raine)

Ask a Vet
Author: TriSec    Date: 07/19/2011 10:20:42

Good Morning.

Today is our 3,044th day in Iraq and our 3,572nd day in Afghanistan.

We'll start this morning as we always do; with the latest casualty figures from our ongoing wars, courtesy of Antiwar.com:

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 4474
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 4335
Since Handover (6/29/04): 3615
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09): 246
Since Operation New Dawn: 46

Other Coalition Troops - Iraq: 318
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 1,670
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 930
Contractor Employee Deaths - Iraq: 1,487
Journalists - Iraq : 348
Academics Killed - Iraq: 448

We find this morning's cost of war passing through:
$ 1, 222, 869, 925, 000 .00



So...have you ever had any problems getting an insurance claim paid? We all like to think that we have insurance to pay the bills, but of course the reality is that a for-profit insurance is exactly that; it's there to make money, and they do that best by not paying the bills. I was in that industry for a long time, and using all sorts of trickery and loopholes to get out of paying was something I was very good at. It even came home to roost once; I fought with a Florida hospital for over a year concerning an ER visit for young Javi...but thanks to my inside knowledge, I made them eat it and we were off the hook for any out-of-pocket expenses.
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75 comments (Latest Comment: 07/19/2011 22:09:38 by Mondobubba)

Memo Sent, Received & Transmitting.
Author: Raine    Date: 07/18/2011 12:54:00

Yesterday the head of Scotland Yard resigned over bribery in a phone hacking scandal, a scandal that involves the Rupert Murdoch owned News Corp. As this story is still unfolding, the fine folks over at Fox and Friends decided to cover the story. Watch if you have not already:
Hacking is the problem -- not News Corp., and this is a really important point. Personally, think Fox & Friends have little credibility, so I laughed this little exchange off as another example of silliness.
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83 comments (Latest Comment: 07/18/2011 23:52:27 by livingonli)

Heads beginning to roll
Author: AuntAzalea    Date: 07/17/2011 16:32:03

Hi Folks:
Stepping in for a Sunday blog. This article is what popped me in the eyeballs. Please discuss amongst yourselves
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3 comments (Latest Comment: 07/17/2011 17:59:51 by livingonli)

Who's minding the store?
Author: TriSec    Date: 07/16/2011 12:28:58

Good Morning!

We've got an absolutely perfect day breaking here in New England. The kind of mild, sunny day that will be just right for baseball!

I've done a lot of things throughout my scouting career, but today we're finally heading for an event that I have been intentionally saving for years. This afternoon, I'll be standing on the lush grass of McCoy Stadium taking in a youth clinic and autograph session...later on we'll be parading the Pack Flag out onto the field, then we get to stay overnight camped on the outfield grass! (I'll be making an attempt to live-blog the day on FB.)

Setting up for the trip was a thing of beauty; my assistant Cubmaster sent one email, and everyone responded brilliantly to make sure our tailgating happens without a hitch at about noon. Your cubmaster merely needs to arrive at the appointed place and time, and everything should happen automatically.
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6 comments (Latest Comment: 07/16/2011 23:25:59 by trojanrabbit)

Three Rings and an Elephant
Author: BobR    Date: 07/15/2011 13:01:23

It seems we've been writing non-stop on this blog about the ongoing debt negotiations in Washington. I say "debt negotiations" because the debt ceiling and budget deficits (which ultimately contribute to the National Debt) have been inextribably linked, even though they have traditionally been handled separately. As I wrote on Wed., the Republicans decided to bundle them together, and Obama called their ante and raised.
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87 comments (Latest Comment: 07/15/2011 23:35:12 by livingonli)

Country First
Author: Raine    Date: 07/14/2011 12:53:50

Some days, words fail me. Today may not one of those times. Politico reports:
When Cantor said the two sides were too far apart to get a deal that could pass the House by the Treasury Department’s Aug. 2 deadline — and that he would consider moving a short-term debt-limit increase alongside smaller spending cuts — Obama began to lecture him.

“Eric, don’t call my bluff,” the president said, warning Cantor that he would take his case “to the American people.” He told Cantor that no other president — not Ronald Reagan, the president said — would sit through such negotiations.

Democratic sources dispute Cantor’s version of Obama’s walk out, but all sides agree that the two had a blow up. The sources described Obama as “impassioned” but said he didn’t exactly storm out of the room.

“Cantor’s account of tonight’s meeting is completely overblown. For someone who knows how to walk out of a meeting, you’d think he’d know it when he saw it,” a Democratic aide said. “Cantor rudely interrupted the president three times to advocate for short-term debt ceiling increases while the president was wrapping the meeting. This is just more juvenile behavior from him and Boehner needs to rein him in, and let the grown-ups get to work.”

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90 comments (Latest Comment: 07/15/2011 01:24:31 by livingonli)

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