This Day in African American History Feb 25

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1928 Politics/Law/Military		A. L. Higgingbotham, Judge, educator, and activist. *On this date in 1928, A more...
	1975 Religion		Elijah Muhammads dies! *On this date in 1975, Elijah Muhammad died more...
	1881 Science/Business/ Medicine		James and Ethel Beck were influential Tennessee citizen's. *The lives of James Garfield Beck and Ethel Benson Beck from 1881 are celebrated on this date more...
	1896 Music		Ida Cox, Blues woman of the times *On this date in 1896, Ida Cox was born more...
	1896 Education		Albany State University founded *This date celebrates the founding of Albany State University in 1903 more...
	1826 Activist		Alexander G. Clark an Iowa icon! *Alexander G more...

This Day in African American History Feb 20

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1971 Politics/Law/Military		Idi Amin takes over Uganda *On this date in 1971, Idi Amin Dada became president and ruler of Uganda more...
	1908 Theatre/the Arts		Ruby Elzy, great stage or film vocalist! *Ruby Elzy was born on this date in 1908 more...
	1928 Music		Bettye Miller sang with style! *Bettye Miller’s birth in 1928 is celebrated on this date more...
	1867 Science/Business/ Medicine		Ida Gray Nelson, a first in Black dentistry! *The birth of Ida Gray Nelson Rollins in 1867 is celebrated on this date more...
	1901 Sports/Outdoors		Frank Duncan, a baseball original! *The birth of Frank Duncan in 1901 is celebrated on this date more...
	1937 Music		Nancy Wilson, a voice with style! *Nancy Wilson was born on this date in 1937 more...
	1898 Music		Mr. Boogie Woogie, James Yancey! *James Yancey was born on this date in 1898 more...
	1892 Sports/Outdoors		John Donaldson, a baseball great. . . *John Donaldson was born on this date in 1892 more...
	1927 Film/TV		Sidney Poitier, a pure actor . . . *Sidney Poitier was born on this date in 1927 more...

Earthquake in Haiti

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     In this world of instant gratification, it's easy to forget that things are not always so instant. This article on Haiti reminds us of that. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35011584/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/ The problem with most people watching the horror is that we think that if we just show up, things will turn around immediately & everything will be ok. If that doesn't happen & the whole thing's a failure & it's all our fault.
     Here's the grim reality: Haiti's problems will not get fixed overnight. The earthquake literally wiped out over half the government workers & offices. Plan B was the United Nations. They have the exact same problem as the Haitian government. Up until last week, the harbor to Port-a-Prince was so severely damaged that you couldn't dock any ships there. The airport has one runway & very little space to store anything. The roads are completely impassable due to the severity of the quake & those are just the small problems.
     I know that cable news & bloggers have been going on & on about how the situation in Haiti is a complete failure because the help didn't get to every single person within a day or less. Things just don't work that was when you're dealing with a catastrophic earthquake. Success will take hard work & time; a LOT of time.

SC Politician compares poor people to Feeding Stray Animals

     At a town hall meeting last Thursday, South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer compared people getting government assistants to stray animals. "My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed! You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that."
     The negative reaction so far seems to be mainly from Democrats. However, Bauer has a large following among the religious Republican base. For his part, Bauer says that he doesn't regret his words except maybe the stray animals part. Bauer is now running for the governorship against 8 other people.

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Pentagon Report Says Prisoners Return to Fight

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     According to a classified Pentagon report, one out of every five prisoners who is released from Guantanamo Bay returns to fight for Al Qaida. First off, if this is a classified report, why do we know about it? Second, when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense logically.
     Imagine for one minute that you've been locked up for almost a decade & possibly tortured. Even if you were completely innocent when you went there, you now have hatred for for captors. When you leave, aren't you going to want revenge? I know I would. I'd join the fight in a minute. Why this report surprises people amazes me. In fact, I'm surprised the number isn't actually higher than one in five. It's just basic human nature.

Article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34735908/ns/us_news-security/

Slovakians, Irish, & Bombs

     Apparently, a few days ago, Slovakian security people decided to do a test of airport security. Their idea? To put bomb parts in an innocent passenger's bag. The man flew to Ireland, unknowingly carrying the bombs with him. Once authorities discovered the parts, the man was held for several hours, then released. The Slovakian government told the Irish what they had done a few days after the fact.
     When you think about it, this was amazingly stupid. I feel really bad for the passenger. Who do you sue for something like this? All I know is that when I travel, my bags are never leaving my sight.

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Trash Days

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n For anybody who either works for or follows government, consider this a cautionary tale. This is what happens when people don't through fiscal problems.
A few years ago, the city of Springfield, Massachusets, in a bid to create revenue, decided to make its residents pay yearly for trash removal. What they decided to do was to make everybody buy specific trash cans & then pay a yearly fee to pick up the trash in them. In other words, the residents are renting their very own trash cans! That means that if they put their trash in another type of trash can or trash bag, the city doesn't pick it up.
While that may be stupid in & of itself, it gets worse. If the residents don't pay the garbage tax, the city comes & takes away the trash cans. No regulation trash cans, no trash pick up. You can see where this is going, right?
Fast forward to this year. Residents & apartment complex owners can't afford the fee so the trash cans get taken away. Trash starts piling up. Where do residents start putting their trash? The usual spots: abandoned lots, the side of the road, & in the woods. Rats & other rodents start getting at the trash, creating a potential health disaster; not to mention a very serious littering & blight problem.
When will governments learn? When thinking short term, you also have to think long term. All governments, both municipal, state, & federal, might to keep in mind the unintended consequences of their actions before doing them.