Caroline

Caroline Kennedy is a beautiful, talented and seemingly compassionate woman. I'm excited that she has made up her mind to enter the political arena, because I'd like to see what she has to contribute to the public good.

She should not be appointed to the Senate.

I hope that she still is interested and will create an interesting election possibility in 2010 for this chair, against whoever Governor Paterson decides to nominate. In the ensuing 2 years, I'd like to see her appointed to a position where she can work towards this end. Her support and friendship with President Obama should allow this to happen.

I think Caroline's bid for the nomination was ill-advised, bringing much bad press to someone who has graced the national scene with her presence for many years, and contributed hugely to both non-profit and educational enterprise. It felt, to the public at large, that she was using wealth and influence to obtain an objective that someone who has already demonstrated legislative talent should be given.

A Little Pearlsoup Reminiscence

Many of the people who follow my blog met me on Pearlsoup, the now departed, inspirational writing site for would-be writers (and poets!). Here's a snippet I saved, that I call "The Soup Kids", from a discussion about some of our kids' "darndest remarks and funny behaviors". Add your own in the comments section:



Julystars

My daughter says that our cat has a great sense of huuuuuuuperty. (She holds out that "u" when she says the word. Its really cute) She says that huuuuuperty is a combination of a sense of humor and personality.

Pampatt

~~When my oldest grandson was little he once announced to me that "French fries have hot breath".
~~Connor asks for a 'tennis shoe' instead of a 'Kleenex tissue' to blow his nose. Sam asked for a 'tuna fish' the other day to blow his.

~~Sam also likes to loudly ( in public ) discuss the 'Star Whores' ( Star Wars ) movie.

~~When I was little one of my cousins would put a flag with his name on it on the piece of fried chicken he wanted at family functions where chicken was served.

Connor told me that camels live in Jesus Land. Any place in the desert he calls Jesus Land. He also wanted to know if, when he died and went to Heaven, if he would fall off his cloud.

Maryellen

He went in and out several times and the banging door was seriously trying my patience. I finally said, "Brian, if you let that door bang one more time, you will come in the house for the rest of the day"!

On another trip outside, there banged the door. Before I could say anything, I saw his sorrowful, little face at the screen. "I couldn't help it, Mommy, I was full of hands".

1gr8lady

My oldest, Chelsea, when she was about two, came running out of her little bedroom, hugged tight on my leg and goes, "Mommy! Mommy! There's a CROTCHROACH! in my bedwoom!

quidrock

I loved my little brother saying "psghetti" and I loved that he would always have a big bowl of cold cereal, sugar it, and never add milk. Then he'd crunch his way with a spoon to the bottom of the bowl and the sugar would all(it all floated to the bottom) get tossed. Why did he put it on???

I loved my little daughter's name for herself. She used to say..."I am the Queen of Deen". We don't know what Deen was. Neither did she. She just wanted to be the ruler of something!

My son't favorite story was to hear me recite all the different cars, in order, his dad and I had had in our lives, what color they were, why we traded them.(e.g. "When we were going to have a baby we traded mommy's yellow Firebird for a little brown Chevy station wagon. Mommy didn't feel glamorous in the station wagon, so we traded it for a four door gray New Yorker that had leather seats. Mommy didn't realize how hard children would be on leather, so we traded it for the big white and blue van. You, know, the one we use to transport your baseball team to games"....etc.)

From our Christmas table

I'm not contributing much to the Christmas dinner this year, except the ingredients. I've had an illness since Thanksgiving that tripped up my immune system, and my glucose levels have been all over the board. Had a breakthrough this week when they started me on injectable insulin; glucose is starting to stabilize and the antibiotics finally appear to be taking hold. Nonetheless, I didn't feel much like cooking, so Tom and Andrea are in charge of our traditional turkey dinner. I had a burst of energy this morning and three big sweet potatoes, so I took the opportunity to make an old family favorite for the first time in a long time. I think Kelly wanted the recipe, so here you go, Kel...


Sweet Potato Biscuits

1.5 cups mashed, warm sweet potatoes
(I boil mine with skins on, strip the skin and chunk them to mash)

2 cups all-purpose flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons white sugar (or use Splenda)
2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons margarine
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease or use Pam on two baking sheets.

Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Cut in margarine with pastry cutter or two knives until it is cut and blended in fine pieces.

Add sweet potatoes and mix into biscuit dough - adding milk as necessary.
Turn soft dough onto a well-floured board and knead flour in. Roll or pat to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter or glass. Small cutter will result in crustier biscuits, larger cutter will make them softer. Place on baking sheets (should yield about 24 small) and bake 12-15 minutes.

We like these topped with a choice of butter or sour cream.

ENJOY!

Happy Holidays!

From our house to yours...hope your day is filled with warmth and wonder!

Quidrock

The Right People for the Right Job

At least, in the Environment.... Obama's Cabinet and agency choices should favor science and fact over corporate interests and cronyism.

Much has been written about Steven Chu, the Energy Secretary proposed by the next President. And he'll have Carol Browner on his team, someone who knows the ins and outs of the EPA.

One of the appointments I'm most excited about is Dr. Jane Lubchenko, who will head up NOAA. Lubchenko is an oceanic climate expert who is a professor at Oregon State University. She's an environmentalist of the highest order and her program at OSU teaches: "outstanding academic environmental scientists to be effective leaders and communicators of scientific information to the public, policy makers, the media and the private sector."

Lubchenko understands the science and yet has the ability to bring people to concensus and to inspire passion about the work we need to do to help save the oceans and the planet. She got her bachelors degree at Colorado College, her Masters in Zoology from the University of Washington, and her PhD in Ecology at Harvard. She studied and worked with Dr. Gordon Orians, a champion of environmental protection from industry and an outspoken expert about Agent Orange. She has experience testifying in front of congressional committees, and may be one of the best academic/scientific administrators active today.

According to Alaska blog "Progressive Alaska", Lubchenko:

"understands that we need to act soon, particularly on ocean acidification, and on stopping the massive amounts of pollutants entering our oceans from rivers, large and small. Many of her talks describe holistic approaches that would throttle the actions of industrial giants producing oil-based fertilizers, and of such crops as those from Monsanto-produced seeds which are made to work hand-in-hand with products like Roundup."

I may not agree with all Obama's choices, nor his stance on certain issues, but I believe that we will have a 180 degree turn in our position on the environment after 4 years, with people such as Dr. Lubchenko working on our behalf.

"The Bush administration has not been respectful of the science. But I think that's not true of Republicans in general. I know it's not. I am very much looking forward to a new administration that does respect scientific information and that considers it very seriously in making environmental policies."

"I know there have been many times in the past where public opinion can shift very very rapidly on an issue," ranging from cigarette smoking to slavery, she said. "I think we are getting closer and closer to a tipping point on climate change and other issues that affect our health, prosperity and well-being globally. And I am hopeful we will get there in time."

~~ Dr. Jane Lubchenko

I say, let them battle it out in 2010.

David Paterson, Governor of New York is caught between the Cuomos and the Kennedys in his upcoming Senate appointment. I say, choose someone else and let them decide to duke it out in the election of 2010, if they are both really that interested and think they would be right for the job.

Andrew

Andrew Cuomo, the New York Attorney General, has been slammed by the machine that is the "Kennedy factor" in his desire for Hilary Clinton's Senate seat in New York. Cuomo has an impressive resume, none the least of which is his own name recognition factor, handed down from his father, Mario, who was Governor of New York from 1982-1994. I like Cuomo's much-younger brother; on the right above, Chris (news anchor on Good Morning America; although he does tend to get a little too emotionally involved with the news!) a lot more than the AG.

Still, Andrew, is a damn good politician. He was a big part of his dad's election campaigns and worked for him as an advisor while he was in office. Cuomo developed a passion for the topics of housing and homelessness and founded a non-profit organization, Housing Enterprise for the Less Privileged in 1986, when he was just 29... it's now known as HELP, USA. The organization is still robust after 22 years (Board Chair is his sister, Maria) helping to provide transitional and permanent housing for the homeless in 26 communities in 4 states. Cuomo worked for David Dinkins in the last years of his dad's term (1990-1993) as the Chairman of the NYC Homeless Commission.

He departed New York to take a post in HUD; his first national position; appointed by Bill Clinton. With 11 years of working in housing and homelessness, Cuomo was appointed to the Cabinet under Clinton in 1997 a HUD Secretary, after the departure of Henry Cisneros.

Cisneros fell from grace over a scandal that stemmed from a former mistress, and his subsequent lies to authorities to cover it up; an atypical scenario in the Clinton days. Before he left, it was all about finding ways to free up mortgage money for the less privileged and minorities through HUD; the true roots of the subprime disaster we have right now. The goal was honorable, but the freeing up of mortgage restrictions that allowed Cisneros to raise home ownership in these United States by a huge 2% increase; from 63% to 65%. At HUD, Cuomo had the power to regulate Fannie and Freddie. Den-de-den-den. Although Cuomo had enough knowledge of some aspects of HUD, namely, urban housing for the underprivileged, he did not have any banking or residential real estate experience. He pushed Cisnero's 42% less privileged goal (Fannie and Freddie had to invest 42% of their activities to low and middle class borrowers) to 50%. It still sounds noble, but to get there, the agencies had to turn a blind eye to the risks of the subprime market, similar to all the financial institutions were just starting to do.

Cuomo not only set goals that were so aggressive as to be risky, he failed to issue regulation that would make Freddie and Fannie disclose information on predatory loan practices. His 2000 regulations required no disclosure at all. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) was very chummy with Cuomo while in office, pushing him to put pressure on Fannie and Freddie and there are numerous Cuomo staffers who ended up in the MBA as lobbyists, and numerous MBA stars who have donated to Cuomo campaigns.

Worse yet was what Cuomo began with FHA loans: he dropped down payments to 3%, raised the cap to $235,000, nearly double what it had been, and initiated down payment and closing cost assistance loans to buyers who could sometimes get in a home with as little as $500 in cash.

Mortgage brokers of this era were paid "yield spread premiums" ... big upfront payments that were calculated off the difference the borrower was paying in subprime interest rates vs. what they'd have to pay based on their credit quality. As HUD Secretary, Cuomo declared the premiums legal, nullifying over 100 class action lawsuits that had been brought against brokers. The money to be made from YSP's was the incentive for unscrupulous people in the industry to drive the size of mortgages and the pool of people who were buying without the proper credit or salary history to buy, up and up and up.

What Cuomo started with the pressure on Fannie and Freddie, with the errors at the FHA, and with his change of heart on the YSP's (he initially opposed them) based on pressure from special interests and the mortgage lobby, escalated into the stratosphere with the Bush team that took over for him in 2001. That team continued practices and pushed the less privileged goal up another 6%; and deregulated the industry even further.

A close scrutiny of what Cuomo founded at HUD demonstrates why Obama has not chosen him for any type of cabinet position. The roots of the mortgage scandal can be directly traced to Cuomo's HUD stewardship, and it would be a disastrous appointment at this time.

Cuomo stumbled, back in New York, in running for Governor in 2002, before he was ready, and went into private practice as an attorney until his campaign for Attorney General in 2006, which was successful. From 2002 forward, Cuomo has been working hard to familiarize himself again with the state of New York, particularly upstate. His AG office has a solid track record, and his website is impressive. He's downplayed his housing expertise and focused on internet safety for minors, access for students to college loans, corporate bad practices such as pension fund abuse, nursing home fraud and abuse, and the like. He's railed openly against executive bonuses for financial services firms that are losing money and needed bailout. He exposed a flagrant ethics abuse by then governor Spitzer in 2007 (Spitzer had more problems than call girls). He's done this in a tempered way, without seeking the reputation as a bully that Spitzer gained when he had the post. Most importantly, he's declared for 2010 as AG. Cuomo appears to do his best work when he is involved with the politics of the state of New York, and, no doubt, he could be governor someday.

But maybe, just maybe Cuomo will battle in the 2010 election for the Senate, and it was awfully appealing to be nominated for such, with Clinton leaving .. no campaign expenses, etc. Or maybe he will challenge the current "how did I get here?" Governor David Paterson, for the 2010 nomination.

Cuomo is no doubt dismayed by the surprising candidacy of Caroline Kennedy, and really has very little he can do or say to propel himself into the post. No doubt that New York voters outside of the City (and maybe even in the city, with all the good works Cuomo's nonprofit has done there) would feel he more closely represents their interests than she does.

Oddly enough, Cuomo was married, and bitterly divorced, from one of Caroline's cousins.

If Cuomo is wise, he would cast his net in the state, and not consider national politics in the way his father did. Does that mean that Caroline is the person I'd favor for Senator?

Not on your life!

More in the next post.

The Poem I Wish I'd Written

Sat down today and doodled some poetry I'd been trying to call up from what cellular matter I have this week (too much work, too much worry); and was unsuccessful. I went through the crazy library of my poetry from this decade, both the finished and the unfinished, and nothing inspired.

Got the notion to read what is, without a doubt, my favorite poem of all time. It's not by a revered poet, it is by someone from the poetry.com website, who wrote it without leaving a last name. But it never fails to get my lyrical juices flowing. So, I thought I'd share:

Like Keys In Your Pocket


I can tell by your face;

your eyes see the light shining, this love

that wants to jump out and

grab you

but

I have to hold it back

or it would wash

over you

overwhelm you

surprise you.

A tsunami

of emotion.

Like keeping secrets;

there's more than you know

it's hidden inside

waiting

for you to coax it out

invite it

to live with you.

Do you know

who I am

standing in this pool

of quiet streetlight

watching your car

disappear

in snow and darkness?

I could wrap myself around

you so you could

wear me

under your clothes;

my head to your chest,

my mouth to your flesh

breathing

warm & dewy.

Carry me with you,

as I am yours

like keys in your pocket

or

a good luck charm

hung

about your neck.

Jody T.

It's beautiful, is it not?

*

*

*

Blagojevich Notwithstanding

It's difficult to skip the notion of posting just how outrageous reads the indictment (It's like an Oliver Stone film) and the behavior of that creep in Illinois today. But alas, I just wrote about a dumbass (See Plaxico post below).

So, on to the tale of a collection of boobs...the chief officers and directors of AIG:

"RETENTION INCENTIVES AT AIG"....Edward Liddy the Ridiculous ... he's on the right (Congressman Cummings on the left)

Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- American International Group Inc., the insurer whose bonuses and perks are under fire from U.S. lawmakers, offered cash awards to another 38 executives in a retention program with payments of as much as $4 million. The incentives range from $92,500 to $4 million for employees earning salaries between $160,000 and $1 million, Chief Executive Officer Edward Liddy said in a letter dated Dec. 5 to Representative Elijah Cummings. The New York-based insurer had previously disclosed that 130 managers would get the awards and that one executive would get $3 million.
“I remain concerned, as do many American taxpayers, that these retention payments are simply bonuses by another name,” Cummings said in letter responding to Liddy.
AIG, which received a U.S. rescue package of more than $152 billion, has been criticized for saying it will eliminate bonuses for senior executives while still planning to hand out “cash awards” that double or triple the salaries of some managers. The payments are designed to keep top employees at AIG while Liddy seeks to sell units and pay back the federal government, which owns 79.9 percent of AIG.
“We are indeed fortunate to have benefited from the assistance extended to us by the U.S. government and we are grateful for the support of American taxpayers,” Liddy wrote. “We would be doing a disservice to the taxpayer -- and would place AIG’s asset divestiture plan at risk -- if we did not act decisively to ensure that our key employees remain.”

Congressman Wants Answers
Cummings, a Maryland Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asked AIG to disclose how much each of the 168 recipients made in salary, bonuses and other kinds of pay. In a letter dated today, Cummings also asked for an estimate of what AIG would have spent on employee compensation in 2008 had the firm not sought U.S. help, compared with what it expected to spend.
AIG is selling businesses including its U.S. life-insurance and retirement-services operations. Collectively, the assets for sale equal “almost 65 percent of our company and employ approximately 70,000 people,” Liddy wrote. Total employment is about 116,000, he said.
AIG spokesman Joe Norton declined to comment. Another AIG spokesman, Nicholas Ashooh, previously said that many AIG managers have lost their life savings.
AIG’s managers have overseen a record $37.6 billion in net losses so far this year. Cummings has called for Liddy’s resignation and said AIG should provide names of those getting retention pay and explain why the awards are needed. Firms accepting taxpayer money shouldn’t enrich employees, he said.

‘Flight Risk’
Keeping the managers is necessary to maintain credit ratings and meet requirements in some reinsurance agreements, Liddy wrote. AIG disclosed the initial list of 130 managers in a September filing without saying how much most of the recipients will get. Another 38 people were added “subsequently,” according to Liddy’s letter, which didn’t disclose the new recipients or say when they had been added.
The list was expanded so AIG can retain people with “key client relationships” and who have a high “degree of flight risk,” Liddy wrote. He cited their “deep experience, extremely valuable business relationships, and unique ties to the many local communities where they live and work.”
Recipients will get the payments in two installments starting this month, while 13 top managers agreed to delay the first award until April, Liddy said in the Dec. 5 letter.