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	<title>Comments on: Measuring preparedness one flower at a time, one more time</title>
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		<title>By: christopher tingus</title>
		<link>http://www.hlswatch.com/2009/06/09/redux-measuring-preparedness-one-flower-at-a-time/comment-page-1/#comment-135641</link>
		<dc:creator>christopher tingus</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:26:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.hlswatch.com/?p=4266#comment-135641</guid>
		<description>From our perspective here on the street as Mr. &amp; Mrs. Citizen Joe, we are more vulnerable than ever and for the most part have really no idea if what is truly talking place even though events are taking place under our nose.

There is no reason to be confused. The &quot;experts&quot; and the arrogance of those in leadership today in false promises using the persuasive jargon, &quot;Change&quot; and &quot;Hope&quot; oh, com&#039;on, who&#039;s kidding who? 

We see a President that is quick to see himself and dare to compare himself with FDR. Give us a break. 

Since Pelosi and Frank and now the kid wet behind the ears - which we must give respect for this gentleman is after all President of our beloved nation - Barack Obama who is leading the charge as well as his party of raising tax revenues from us on the street who are losing our jobs and fear that government policies of printing endless sheets of &quot;fiat dollars&quot; will only lead to inflation and certainly our Chinese &quot;banker&quot; turning its cheek to us as well only meaning higher prices, a dollar devalued and taxes, taxes and more taxes....

I, too travel to Washington. I see the paper and the books strewn on desks everywhere. What (we)don&#039;t see is the Bible. Not one Bible. We must run over to the Libray of Congress to get a copy.

There is nothing complex about today for it is written and what those &quot;entrusted&quot; by us who supposedly pledge commitment to public service prefer to do is formulate policy very much pervaded with self-agenda and little compassion for the majority of Americans who are being impoverished by those who care not to compromise their salaries and pensions for the guy next door. 

Printing dollars, spending and raising taxes to the extent that local, state and national implementation use fear and intimidation in their practice giving the taxpayer tne time necessary to defend oneself and more often than not, even driver&#039;s licenses are being suspended because the States are so broke, they will violate the law themselves of affording one the time to properly respond to inquiry requesting an objective opinion. The States and counties are broke because of the salaries and pensions as well as healthcare offered to government workers....

Let all of us here on the street inform anyone in a government role, this government is by the people and for the people including Mr.President and even more so, Pelosi and Frank.

Furthermore,Pelosi, give up the plane ride to and from California costing us the taxpayer some $60,000 dollars for your travel each time. Take a commercial flight. Get the tickets on the web. 

By the way, what were the total costs of your trip with your legion to Italy. We understand the Pope gave you fifteen minutes of an earful which by the way, you deserve with your reported $65million net worth. Do you or anyone down there in the beltway know what a gallon of milk costs?

You are so out of touch.

You, Mr. President and your party do not understand that you did not have 100% of the vote and support as many of us independents knew that your solutions were to raise taxes and that&#039;s unquestionably what you are doing, however poeple cannot bear the increases and you are harming children for you cause disharmony in the home and from what we see, the police are called for increasing domestics, the for sale signs are all over America with few willing to buy other than speculation and so on and so forth.

Is America safer? I (we) don&#039;t see it....Guns are being bought at levels never before seen, the President et al talks about making cuts to the number of nuclear weapons while every regime, every rogue nation are off and running making every effort to either manufacture WMD or share information like Korea and Iran. The Taliban is ever so stronger in Pakistan and 60-100 WMD and an Egyptian government is great jeopardy. The Koreans can now reach California with its missiles....

It is not the time to discuss cuts to our arsenal and it is time for us as a country that the Europeans led by the German and a soon to be 10 (ten) nation only EU which will challenge the thugs running Iran.

The only hope, Persian women and men who are the most well educated in the Middle East and who are proud of Persian contributions to civilization will not allow the dastardly ambitions of present Iranian leadership to become reality....

Are we safer? Our porous borders especially to our South have most likely afforded terrorist cells who have hooked up with the drug cartel to reside among us.

What about the Russians and Mr. KGB Putin. A crafty fellow. Two new pipelines into Europe to blackmail the Europeans as they desperately need gas and oil. Thus, German&#039;s push with the Vatican&#039;s Blessing to become the Middle East power broker supposedly interested in helping the Jew as its nation becomes surrounded once again by the Arab league, however Israel with its covenant, bot to worry....

Here on the street as Mr. &amp; Mrs. Citizen Joe just trying to cope and stand tall in pride for the nation we once knew...We once knew...Safer? We don&#039;t feel so.

While as independent voter I must say, kudos Mr. President for reaching out to the 1.4 billion Muslims, but having given not only most of our manufacturing and jobs to other countries as well the basic service jobs to call centers from Costa Rica to Mumbai, we are broke and the German-led EU which has intentionally scorned us for their own gain will deal with Muslims and vice-versa.

Indeed, the world is a dangerous place as so much is misunderstood about one another.

You are quite astute when you say that we here on the street are the most charitable folk anywhere, however do we feel safer...

I(we)don&#039;t think so for many of us have been advised that despite the taxes we struggle to pay now, don&#039;t count that one&#039;s 911 call will receive prompt response. So many public safety personnel for basis emergency calls have been laid off or hours cut, the calamity that terrorists plan will never see a government prepared to come to the rescue for it is devisive and riddled with disunity and clarity in mission just as we see the lack of transparency at every level....

Let it be clear, we see the same incestuous behavior among you the &quot;beltway boys&quot; and at the local state house giving one another accolade after accolade, while the chess board looks more and more like depravity and immorality the theme of the day.

Are we safer?

We are surely much more distrustful of an expanding government.

As each day passes and we see the &quot;change&quot; meaning less quality in Life and a President speaking from two sides of his mouth as he wines and dines the first lady in New York on a date at a cost of minimally $60,000 an hour, how do you think we feel in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Phoenix when we read our &quot;Economist&quot; and clearly see Iran firmly entrenched in Iraqi governing, the same Iranians with so much of our young men&#039;s blood on their hands and a President backing off and stating that Iran has a right to...well...not when it refuses inspection, not when it reiaterates the intentions of killing, murdering the Hebrew, not when its leadership makes intimidating remarks to Europeans stating that its missiles can reach most European capitals. We came from Europe and as Americans or anyone else, the harshness of Germans and 275 million Europeans &quot;fluent&quot; in German are quite an experienced and capable people who will lead us into WWIII. 
We applaud the folks at NSA. We support DHS HQ and FEMA. Far too much politics though for the vigilance required is far to great for anything than committed diligence and through the efforts of the triple letter club and other government agencies, the workers with sleeves rolled up, these folks hear the devious muderers lurking about ready to pounce on a weakened America, a nation weakened from within simply because of ignorance of reality all about and the words which have been written forwarning us as to the prerequisite stamina in pride, ethics and motivation to challenge all that truly threatens our very existence.

Mr. President, while we do support you whenever possible, you are not FDR.

Are we safer?

Sir, let&#039;s start with the basic and when asked by the press, tell your staffers not to scoff at the request.

Without your birth certificate presented to the court, we applaud your pledge to bridge mutual understanding to caring Muslims many of whom have not necessarily assimilated into American Life, but like other identities are proud to call themselves American with a clasp of hand to ancestors....yet, underlying all, each of your words and actions are suspect for many until you provide documentation of your respect for the laws made for all.

Are we safer? 

It is said that Washington today does not like anyone questioning their actions and decisions and anyone who does like us - Mr. &amp; Mrs. Citizen Joe - we are considered radicals. While this may be true or not given the mentality of some, let us remind every government since babylon, including this and every government, no matter form, has failed.

A nation&#039;s inherent unity in respect, compassion and pledge of commitment foretells its destiny.&quot;
*(Christopher Tingus 2009)

God Bless America! God Bless mankind!

Christopher Tingus
chris.tingus@gmail.com
Harwich, MA 02645 USA</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>From our perspective here on the street as Mr. &amp; Mrs. Citizen Joe, we are more vulnerable than ever and for the most part have really no idea if what is truly talking place even though events are taking place under our nose.</p>
<p>There is no reason to be confused. The &#8220;experts&#8221; and the arrogance of those in leadership today in false promises using the persuasive jargon, &#8220;Change&#8221; and &#8220;Hope&#8221; oh, com&#8217;on, who&#8217;s kidding who? </p>
<p>We see a President that is quick to see himself and dare to compare himself with FDR. Give us a break. </p>
<p>Since Pelosi and Frank and now the kid wet behind the ears &#8211; which we must give respect for this gentleman is after all President of our beloved nation &#8211; Barack Obama who is leading the charge as well as his party of raising tax revenues from us on the street who are losing our jobs and fear that government policies of printing endless sheets of &#8220;fiat dollars&#8221; will only lead to inflation and certainly our Chinese &#8220;banker&#8221; turning its cheek to us as well only meaning higher prices, a dollar devalued and taxes, taxes and more taxes&#8230;.</p>
<p>I, too travel to Washington. I see the paper and the books strewn on desks everywhere. What (we)don&#8217;t see is the Bible. Not one Bible. We must run over to the Libray of Congress to get a copy.</p>
<p>There is nothing complex about today for it is written and what those &#8220;entrusted&#8221; by us who supposedly pledge commitment to public service prefer to do is formulate policy very much pervaded with self-agenda and little compassion for the majority of Americans who are being impoverished by those who care not to compromise their salaries and pensions for the guy next door. </p>
<p>Printing dollars, spending and raising taxes to the extent that local, state and national implementation use fear and intimidation in their practice giving the taxpayer tne time necessary to defend oneself and more often than not, even driver&#8217;s licenses are being suspended because the States are so broke, they will violate the law themselves of affording one the time to properly respond to inquiry requesting an objective opinion. The States and counties are broke because of the salaries and pensions as well as healthcare offered to government workers&#8230;.</p>
<p>Let all of us here on the street inform anyone in a government role, this government is by the people and for the people including Mr.President and even more so, Pelosi and Frank.</p>
<p>Furthermore,Pelosi, give up the plane ride to and from California costing us the taxpayer some $60,000 dollars for your travel each time. Take a commercial flight. Get the tickets on the web. </p>
<p>By the way, what were the total costs of your trip with your legion to Italy. We understand the Pope gave you fifteen minutes of an earful which by the way, you deserve with your reported $65million net worth. Do you or anyone down there in the beltway know what a gallon of milk costs?</p>
<p>You are so out of touch.</p>
<p>You, Mr. President and your party do not understand that you did not have 100% of the vote and support as many of us independents knew that your solutions were to raise taxes and that&#8217;s unquestionably what you are doing, however poeple cannot bear the increases and you are harming children for you cause disharmony in the home and from what we see, the police are called for increasing domestics, the for sale signs are all over America with few willing to buy other than speculation and so on and so forth.</p>
<p>Is America safer? I (we) don&#8217;t see it&#8230;.Guns are being bought at levels never before seen, the President et al talks about making cuts to the number of nuclear weapons while every regime, every rogue nation are off and running making every effort to either manufacture WMD or share information like Korea and Iran. The Taliban is ever so stronger in Pakistan and 60-100 WMD and an Egyptian government is great jeopardy. The Koreans can now reach California with its missiles&#8230;.</p>
<p>It is not the time to discuss cuts to our arsenal and it is time for us as a country that the Europeans led by the German and a soon to be 10 (ten) nation only EU which will challenge the thugs running Iran.</p>
<p>The only hope, Persian women and men who are the most well educated in the Middle East and who are proud of Persian contributions to civilization will not allow the dastardly ambitions of present Iranian leadership to become reality&#8230;.</p>
<p>Are we safer? Our porous borders especially to our South have most likely afforded terrorist cells who have hooked up with the drug cartel to reside among us.</p>
<p>What about the Russians and Mr. KGB Putin. A crafty fellow. Two new pipelines into Europe to blackmail the Europeans as they desperately need gas and oil. Thus, German&#8217;s push with the Vatican&#8217;s Blessing to become the Middle East power broker supposedly interested in helping the Jew as its nation becomes surrounded once again by the Arab league, however Israel with its covenant, bot to worry&#8230;.</p>
<p>Here on the street as Mr. &amp; Mrs. Citizen Joe just trying to cope and stand tall in pride for the nation we once knew&#8230;We once knew&#8230;Safer? We don&#8217;t feel so.</p>
<p>While as independent voter I must say, kudos Mr. President for reaching out to the 1.4 billion Muslims, but having given not only most of our manufacturing and jobs to other countries as well the basic service jobs to call centers from Costa Rica to Mumbai, we are broke and the German-led EU which has intentionally scorned us for their own gain will deal with Muslims and vice-versa.</p>
<p>Indeed, the world is a dangerous place as so much is misunderstood about one another.</p>
<p>You are quite astute when you say that we here on the street are the most charitable folk anywhere, however do we feel safer&#8230;</p>
<p>I(we)don&#8217;t think so for many of us have been advised that despite the taxes we struggle to pay now, don&#8217;t count that one&#8217;s 911 call will receive prompt response. So many public safety personnel for basis emergency calls have been laid off or hours cut, the calamity that terrorists plan will never see a government prepared to come to the rescue for it is devisive and riddled with disunity and clarity in mission just as we see the lack of transparency at every level&#8230;.</p>
<p>Let it be clear, we see the same incestuous behavior among you the &#8220;beltway boys&#8221; and at the local state house giving one another accolade after accolade, while the chess board looks more and more like depravity and immorality the theme of the day.</p>
<p>Are we safer?</p>
<p>We are surely much more distrustful of an expanding government.</p>
<p>As each day passes and we see the &#8220;change&#8221; meaning less quality in Life and a President speaking from two sides of his mouth as he wines and dines the first lady in New York on a date at a cost of minimally $60,000 an hour, how do you think we feel in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Phoenix when we read our &#8220;Economist&#8221; and clearly see Iran firmly entrenched in Iraqi governing, the same Iranians with so much of our young men&#8217;s blood on their hands and a President backing off and stating that Iran has a right to&#8230;well&#8230;not when it refuses inspection, not when it reiaterates the intentions of killing, murdering the Hebrew, not when its leadership makes intimidating remarks to Europeans stating that its missiles can reach most European capitals. We came from Europe and as Americans or anyone else, the harshness of Germans and 275 million Europeans &#8220;fluent&#8221; in German are quite an experienced and capable people who will lead us into WWIII.<br />
We applaud the folks at NSA. We support DHS HQ and FEMA. Far too much politics though for the vigilance required is far to great for anything than committed diligence and through the efforts of the triple letter club and other government agencies, the workers with sleeves rolled up, these folks hear the devious muderers lurking about ready to pounce on a weakened America, a nation weakened from within simply because of ignorance of reality all about and the words which have been written forwarning us as to the prerequisite stamina in pride, ethics and motivation to challenge all that truly threatens our very existence.</p>
<p>Mr. President, while we do support you whenever possible, you are not FDR.</p>
<p>Are we safer?</p>
<p>Sir, let&#8217;s start with the basic and when asked by the press, tell your staffers not to scoff at the request.</p>
<p>Without your birth certificate presented to the court, we applaud your pledge to bridge mutual understanding to caring Muslims many of whom have not necessarily assimilated into American Life, but like other identities are proud to call themselves American with a clasp of hand to ancestors&#8230;.yet, underlying all, each of your words and actions are suspect for many until you provide documentation of your respect for the laws made for all.</p>
<p>Are we safer? </p>
<p>It is said that Washington today does not like anyone questioning their actions and decisions and anyone who does like us &#8211; Mr. &amp; Mrs. Citizen Joe &#8211; we are considered radicals. While this may be true or not given the mentality of some, let us remind every government since babylon, including this and every government, no matter form, has failed.</p>
<p>A nation&#8217;s inherent unity in respect, compassion and pledge of commitment foretells its destiny.&#8221;<br />
*(Christopher Tingus 2009)</p>
<p>God Bless America! God Bless mankind!</p>
<p>Christopher Tingus<br />
<a href="mailto:chris.tingus@gmail.com">chris.tingus@gmail.com</a><br />
Harwich, MA 02645 USA</p>
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		<title>By: pat longstaff</title>
		<link>http://www.hlswatch.com/2009/06/09/redux-measuring-preparedness-one-flower-at-a-time/comment-page-1/#comment-135635</link>
		<dc:creator>pat longstaff</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:15:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.hlswatch.com/?p=4266#comment-135635</guid>
		<description>Are we more &quot;secure&quot; after 9/11 and the economic melt-down? Is there a question in this area with a yes-or-no answer? 
Yes, we are more secure because we are more watchful and understand some new risks. 
No, we are not more secure because many individuals (and therefore their elected officials) do not feel secure in the short term, causing them to do things that may ultimately undercut the foundations of that security.
Many of them still believe that all risks can be predicted and &quot;resisted&quot; so a government that fails to do so is not working. As the discussion above on complex systems makes clear, we can not predict all risks - we don&#039;t even know what they might be. So a broad ability to bounce back from unanticipated surprises seems like an important piece of the right strategy.  
The first step is to get everyone to accept uncertainty as a fact of life – any engineer will tell you that complexity will give you surprises. That’s why they do Beta tests and there are still surprises after the system has been in use for years. Why do you think the folks at Mission Control applaud when the Space Shuttle goes up without a hitch? There are surprises in these systems (and complex human systems) not because somebody was lazy or stupid, it’s because complex things can’t always be predicted.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Are we more &#8220;secure&#8221; after 9/11 and the economic melt-down? Is there a question in this area with a yes-or-no answer?<br />
Yes, we are more secure because we are more watchful and understand some new risks.<br />
No, we are not more secure because many individuals (and therefore their elected officials) do not feel secure in the short term, causing them to do things that may ultimately undercut the foundations of that security.<br />
Many of them still believe that all risks can be predicted and &#8220;resisted&#8221; so a government that fails to do so is not working. As the discussion above on complex systems makes clear, we can not predict all risks &#8211; we don&#8217;t even know what they might be. So a broad ability to bounce back from unanticipated surprises seems like an important piece of the right strategy.<br />
The first step is to get everyone to accept uncertainty as a fact of life – any engineer will tell you that complexity will give you surprises. That’s why they do Beta tests and there are still surprises after the system has been in use for years. Why do you think the folks at Mission Control applaud when the Space Shuttle goes up without a hitch? There are surprises in these systems (and complex human systems) not because somebody was lazy or stupid, it’s because complex things can’t always be predicted.</p>
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		<title>By: William R. Cumming</title>
		<link>http://www.hlswatch.com/2009/06/09/redux-measuring-preparedness-one-flower-at-a-time/comment-page-1/#comment-135633</link>
		<dc:creator>William R. Cumming</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:28:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.hlswatch.com/?p=4266#comment-135633</guid>
		<description>The GAO report referenced in an attempt to be fair and give some credit to enhanced preparedness efforts was at least honest in its footnote #45 indicating it had credited mere completion of a plan or policy in its report despite the fact that the plan or policy was only published and not yet trained on or implemented to any degree.

But now have a more interesting question to be answered (at least interesting to me)?

Did the events of 9/11/01 or the economic collapase make the US more secure? Are we more secure since we now know of our great economic weaknesses? Does the fact that the unemployed grow and have to be more self-reliant help make the country more self-reliant? You get the drift! Does reduced economic acitivity make US stronger or weaker from a homeland security standpoint? Does reduced immigration? etc. etc?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The GAO report referenced in an attempt to be fair and give some credit to enhanced preparedness efforts was at least honest in its footnote #45 indicating it had credited mere completion of a plan or policy in its report despite the fact that the plan or policy was only published and not yet trained on or implemented to any degree.</p>
<p>But now have a more interesting question to be answered (at least interesting to me)?</p>
<p>Did the events of 9/11/01 or the economic collapase make the US more secure? Are we more secure since we now know of our great economic weaknesses? Does the fact that the unemployed grow and have to be more self-reliant help make the country more self-reliant? You get the drift! Does reduced economic acitivity make US stronger or weaker from a homeland security standpoint? Does reduced immigration? etc. etc?</p>
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