Missing the Democratic National Convention

I am so sorry I missed the Democrat National Convention in Charlotte NC. I filled out all the paperwork to volunteer and was accepted into their communications center. Unfortunately it was a long vetting process and I did not hear back in time that I was accepted, and I made other plans.

Last year for my birthday my son gave me money for round trip tickets to San Diego, Ca., and also to pay for half of a ticket for my Mom (her birthday is two days after mine, I paid for the other half). My aunt, from my Mom’s side, was also going to be visiting from Germany around the time we planned to go to Ca., so I made plans to go to NY a week earlier so I can see her.

A strange thing happened to me while booking the tickets and this is really strange, LaGuardia came up as cheap round trip tickets, and the layover was in Charlotte. Well being from NC I called US Airways to see if I can purchase my ticket out of Charlotte, instead of going all the way to NY. It would have cost me almost $500.00 versus the $250.00 out of LaGuardia, so I declined, and even with my flight to Stewart Airport in Newburgh NY I still saved $150.00.

It was while I was in NY when I received the call from President Obama’s staff that I was accepted into the volunteer program along with a weeks stay in a hotel. I sadly had to call them back and decline the offer. Oh only if it had come three weeks earlier!

Being that I have been seeing and visiting a ton of family and my Dad is staunchly anti-Obama, I have missed all the speeches. I am hoping to catch up on some of the speeches while I am in Ca. and relaxing on the beach or our verandah. The President’s speech is taped on my DVR in case I don’t have time out there, because the main three I want to listen to are Michelle Obama, Bill Clinton, and the woman governor (I can’t remember her name).

Once I watch them I will have some commentaries and comparisons to the Republican National Convention. In the meantime I am going to sign off and enjoy the rest of my flight to sunny southern Cal.

Cathy von Hassel-Davies

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Free Credit Bureau Report

In today’s economy when companies are being extremely careful who they give credit to, it is very important that you keep track of your credit report. It is an extremely simple process and you can check all three bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. For information on your right, you can go to the  Federal Trade Commission’s website for consumer information

Be extremely careful of other sites, if they ask for money they are not a legit site for your free credit reports. The Fair Reporting Credit Act (FRCA) allows you to receive your free annual credit report by requiring each of the nationwide credit agencies to provide you with a FREE copy of your report, yearly. Annual Credit Report is the only agency that provides free reports, do not contact the individual agencies.

If you find any disputes while going over your information you can file a claim right there, usually via a link that will say DISPUTE. I had to file one for Equifax because they had an employer listed that I never worked for. Now this might not be a big deal in the general scheme of things but it can affect you. How? you might ask, if you need to get information from one of your credit card companies where they have to pull your credit report to verify you, this could come back to bite you. For example, I never received a new credit card after one expired. I called to get a new one and they needed to make sure I am who I say I am. They asked me questions which are found on our credit reports – addresses, employers, cities you have lived in. So if this company is listed and you do not acknowledge working for them you will then have to send or fax verification to your credit card company. For me a hassle, I would much rather do everything all to once. The dispute was handled quickly and deleted the next day.

Remember, Annual Credit Report is the ONLY agencies authorized to allow you access to your FREE credit reports. Any other site might be a scam and probably requires you to pay some fee. DO NOT fall for it. Also, no one will every contact by phone, email, or pop-up window for any information relating to your credit report, including asking for confidential information. If you receive an email asking for such information forward it to the government’s spam site.

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Legislature planning another secrecy-packed session? — www.ncpolicywatch.com — Readability

Legislature planning another secrecy-packed session? — www.ncpolicywatch.com — Readability.

Posted in Local event, North Carolina, Politics | Comments Off

S O P A

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Haunting Images of Hurricane Irene Damage in Margaretville, NY

A few images of Margaretville, NY. One of the towns in Delaware Country devastated by Hurricane Irene.

Photo by James Baker

Photo by James Baker

Photo by James Baker

Photo by James Baker

Photo by James Baker

Posted in National Event | 3 Comments

Margaretville, Fleischmanns, and Upstate NY Devastation

I have been in North Carolina for 15 years, moving here from NY. North Carolinians are use to hurricanes, it is part of our history. We batten down the hatches, empty out the grocery stores and hunker down. Those on the coast do the same, except some will evacuate. When I hear hurricane I never think about the northeast. I know it happens, but it is very rare. Usually New Yorkers worry about nor’easters and spring thaw, not hurricanes. Especially where I come from, the mountains of NY. I lived on L.I. for almost 15 years and then we moved to Delaware County, located in the Catskill Park area. Snowstorms, YES! Floods, YES! but to the extent they suffered this weekend from Hurricane Irene, UNFATHOMABLE!

Unfortunately you do not hear a lot about it. Occasionally a picture is shown on CNN, TWC, MSNBC, etc., but the focus is mostly on Vermont. Not that I am begrudging Vermont for the coverage; however, upstate NY needs to be focused on also. Townspeople, government officials and emergency responders are working feverishly to get roads passable. Emergency supplies are slowly getting in, but getting in they are.

Cash donations can be made to the MARK Project, their phone number is 845.586.3500.

Today there is a radio-a-thon, “Disaster Relief for Delaware County,” which started at 7:00 a.m. You can call 1.888.432.1030 go make a donation.

Miller Drug Store can fill prescription that people had at the now demolished CVS.

Now let the pictures and videos speak for themselves.

Video by Jacob Hubbell – portions of Delaware County.

Margaretville NY Hurricane Irene Flood

Margaretville NY Bridge St.

Unfortunately I do not know who to give credit to for this photo, but I do believe James Baker. I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing.

Margaretville Video by Fred Marguiles

Bridge Street, Margaretville, NY – After Hurricane Irene

Fleischmanns Video by VeccVideography

Fleischmanns is the town I grew up, the town my parents owned a business in. It shows many people I grew up with, and many people I remember as babies. I took refuge in the Northland Motel with a friend back in 1976, when we had an awful snowstorm and our end of town had no electric. This folks was my reality check.

Cathy von Hassel-Davies

Posted in National Event | 2 Comments

Third-platform Campaigners

I am sorry if you came to this site from a link on Rach Harrie‘s site, I put in the wrong link.

You should go here:

Cat Rambles

Thank you!

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National Hurricane Center Adds a New Mobile Site

In preparation of Hurricane Irene the USA.gov site now has a National Hurricane Center mobile Web site up and running.

A sample portion of the page.

National Hurricane Center Last update: Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:33:38 UTC

Atlantic-Carib-Gulf Mex Hurricane IRENE …OUTER RAIN BANDS OF LARGE HURRICANE IRENE NEARING THE COAST OF THE CAROLINAS…. 11:00 AM EDT Fri Aug 26 Location: 30.7°N 77.3°W Max sustained: 105 mph Moving: N at 14 mph Min pressure: 946 mb

Public Advisory #25 (1100 AM EDT) Aviso Publico # (último boletín) Forecast/Advisory #25 (1500 UTC) Forecast Discussion #25 (1100 AM EDT) Wind Speed Probabilities #25 (1500 UTC) US Watch/ Warning (1100 AM EDT) Maps NWS Hurricane Local Statements including Inland Watches/Warnings

Tropical Depression TEN …TROPICAL DEPRESSION MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST… 11:00 AM EDT Fri Aug 26 Location: 14.9°N 34.2°W Max sustained: 35 mph Moving: NW at 8 mph Min pressure: 1009 mb

Public Advisory #6 (1100 AM EDT) Aviso Publico # (último boletín) Forecast/Advisory #6 (1500 UTC) Forecast Discussion #6 (1100 AM EDT)

If you live in North Caroline there is a hashtag  you can use on Twitter #NCIrene and for other places #Irene, to keep track of happenings by government officials and others. I will also post on Google Plus information as I find it.

If you are in Irene’s path, please be safe and heed the government’s evacuation plans.

Cathy von Hassel-Davies

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Karl Rove Cut Off by Fox News

Fox News cut off Karl Rove with a breaking news story that had originally broke three and a half hours BEFORE, is shown in a Raw Stories article by David Edwards. Fox News cuts off Rove after he calls Sarah Palin thin-skinned, shows a video of Karl Rove being interrupted by breaking news of Steve Jobs resignation, but there is a little problem with this “BREAKING” news, it is old news, over 3 hours old.

The Raw Stories video shows the interplay between Greta Van Sustern and Karl Rove. She asks, if anyone says Palin’s name it just explodes, is it the media, Governor Palin, or Karl Rove? She wanted to know because she had done some research before their interview and had found that “in the last fives days, every time practically the name Rove comes up, it comes up with — about a comment you made about Governor Sarah Palin.”

Then it is as if Van Sustern was caught off guard and surprised by Rove’s remarks. She starts stumbling trying to either get him back on track or perhaps to prod him some more. A marked difference from her earlier questions, there is more to the interview before this exchange takes places.

An example taken from FoxNews’ transcript,

VAN SUSTEREN: I actually — I actually — I actually don’t know if it’s Governor Palin or not. I don’t know anything about that. I was merely reflecting on the fact that the media, is you mention the name Governor Palin, I mean, no matter what you say or Governor Palin — I mean, I don’t — I have no idea whether — whether she has — even knows — I assume she knows that you said something about her. But why — what is it about Governor Palin that even the media can’t let go of it? Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/on-the-record/2011/08/25/rove-palin-get-slightly-thicker-skin#ixzz1W3uwB0Vb

shows how she is at a loss for words. A few minutes later a FOX NEWS ALERT flashes on the screen and Greta starts talking, “Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs is stepping down,” effectively cutting off Karl Rove and his thin-skinned Sarah Palin comments.

Being an investigative reporter I went to Fox’s website to watch the full version of the video, to be sure that it wasn’t cut into. This is where I received my surprise. In the video, it goes to the actual end of the interview; however, the transcript ends exactly where the Raw Play video ends.

Here is an actual copy taken from Fox News’ On the Record website, I point out the END VIDEOTAPE from the transcriptionist. The time from the video is 10:17 ET/7:17 PT which only shows on the Raw Play video, On the Record comes on weeknights from 10:00 p.m. ET to 11:00 p.m. so this matches up. Funny thing is, Steve Jobs resignation was breaking news around 6:40 p.m. ET/3:40 p.m. PT, also the scroll at the bottom of the screen (on Raw Play’s version) has the announcement listed.

Why would Fox News continue to the end of the video when they apparently ended it early for a FAKE breaking news story?

 

Cathy von Hassel-Davies

 

Posted in FOX, National Event | 1 Comment

About Time the Other Side of the Story is Heard

I am finally hearing people stand up and say what they think about the Tea Party, the GOP and other news(noise)makers. Whenever you tune into the news, radio, or computer, you hear about the Tea Party/Republicans. You hear their stance on taking away Medicare, supposed entitlements, yet we pay into it with our money. Or immigration, taxes, spending and you hear how Obama is killing the economy and not doing enough. You don’t hear details of his back room negotiations, instead it is all about what the Republicans are doing, not how the GOP is unwilling to deal. We do not hear any Democrats standing up and proclaiming how hypocritical the GOP is or calling them out on their blatant lies.

Until today, when I found a few nuggets on the Internet. An article I read this morning on Politicususa by Rmuse, had a wonderful description on what I think many feel our democratic process is all about.

“The beautiful aspect of a democracy is that two sides proffer solutions to a problem and then discuss the merits and liabilities of each leading to an eventual compromise and agreement that both sides agree will solve the problem.”

Unfortunately, the GOP want nothing to do with proffering solutions, the only thing they have on their to-do list is to stop Obama and the democrat agenda, any way they can.

Maxine Waters (D), a representative from California, is on a nationwide jobs tour with the Congressional Black Caucus. During her trip to Inglewood, Ca., she let her feelings be known about the Tea Party.

We need more of this, but with former White House spokesperson Bill Burton’s tenacity, calling it like it is during his interview on Fox when he confronted Karl Rove.

Former Obama aide rips Rove’s lecture on ‘good governance’  | Raw Replay.

As I find more of these nuggets I will publish them here.

Cathy von Hassel-Davies

Posted in Democracy, FOX, National Event, Politics, TV | Tagged | 1 Comment