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Wildfires Devastate Southern California; Interview With Charlie Rangel
Aired October 22, 2007 - 19:00 ET
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Lou. Happening now, breaking news, the red hot destruction out of control and worse than anyone imagined, wildfires are tearing through southern California right now. Hundreds of thousands of people have their homes and their businesses on the line. We'll go there live. Plus a powerful Democrat now declaring war on the tax code and on Rudy Giuliani. The House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel, blasting Giuliani's personal life in some pretty stark terms. I'll ask him what's going on. And the U.S. looks for Disney magic to try to repair its image around the world. We're going to take a closer look at the Hollywood giant's role in helping the U.S. government make America seem more friendly. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. Wrenching news from the fire lines in southern California tonight. Fire officials reporting 128 homes already destroyed by flames near the mountain resort of Lake Arrowhead. That's on top of dozens of other homes burned and fires raging tonight from the Mexican border all the way up to Santa Barbara. Fires that have forced a quarter of a million people to evacuate their homes. CNN's Dan Simon is joining us now from the fire lines in hard-hit San Diego. Dan, what is going on? What is the latest? DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well hi, Wolf. Nine homes on this one block where we are totally leveled by this fire. If you can take a look over here, it's just unbelievable to take a look at this, such widespread devastation. People who live here, they're accustomed to wildfires but they tell us even this one caught them by surprise. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) VOICE OF NICK SAMANIEGO, RED CROSS SPOKESMAN, RESIDENT: I've lived my whole life here in southern California and we go through our wildfires every single year but this seems to be a little bit bigger than what we're typically dealing with. SIMON (voice-over): They're actually massive. Parts of southern California are like a raging inferno. Wildfires are scorching the earth from Malibu to San Diego. GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: We are stretched to the limits when it comes to resources. SIMON: Officials in San Diego actually say there are more houses burning than they have people and fire trucks to fight them. One simply suggests that many people are going to lose their homes. Already in San Diego, fires have burned 100,000 acres, 250,000 people have fled their homes and nursing home residents and a hospital are also evacuating. Part of the problem rapid winds fanning the fires are sending burning embers flying through the air and those embers can start fires wherever they land. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a fear that it will burn completely to the ocean. SIMON: In San Bernardino County in the Lake arrowhead area, two fires burn. Firefighters don't have a handle on either of them. Possibly 1,900 homes are threatened, and some report seeing flames as high as 200 feet, and in Malibu, fires destroyed a church, homes and a castle, and the mayor says the worst could still be yet to come. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Homes can be replaced. People can't. The message today is be prepared, with the winds are changing. (END VIDEOTAPE) SIMON: Back here live in San Diego, and the conditions are absolutely horrible, still a lot of wind. The good news in all of this people here in San Diego have heeded the evacuation warning. About 250,000 people have left their homes. One evacuation center that has opened is Qualcomm Stadium, Wolf. That's where the San Diego Chargers play their home football games. Wolf? BLITZER: All right, Dan, thanks very much. Take a look also at these I-report pictures sent in to us by Andrew Hughes (ph). He took them in the wealthy San Diego suburb of Rancho Bernardo where the wildfire was closing in on these homes. He says they had already been evacuated and moments after he took these pictures he himself was forced to leave so we don't know whether they are all still standing. Dramatic, dramatic stuff under way out in southern California. For round the clock coverage of the latest fires you can always click on to CNN.com. That's where you can become a CNN I-reporter as well. Send us your pictures and your video of the fires ravaging southern California right now. Other news we're following tonight, a key American ally may be about to launch its own invasion of Iraq. Kurds in northern Iraq gathered to protest that possibility, but a notorious militant group may have already set things in motion with its latest bloody attack. We go to our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Barbara? BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, worries continuing to mount that Turkey may be getting ready to invade northern Iraq. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) STARR (voice-over): Turkey's military is moving troops and vehicles closer to the Iraqi border, raising ominous signs it may be planning an invasion. This follows a weekend ambushed by PKK Kurdish rebels that killed a dozen Turkish troops. Turkey is sending mixed signals. Parliamentary approval for military action is in place. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) STARR: And the Turkish prime minister warned his country would not back away from an incursion if quote, "the necessary military conditions occurred", but diplomatic action continues. Defense Secretary Robert Gates met over the weekend with the Turkish defense minister, who seemed to indicate no invasion is imminent. VECDI GONUL, TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER: Not urgently. They are planning. They are planning, planning to cross the border, because firstly, the intelligence is important, to get enough information and we like to do these things with Americans. ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: I told him that restraint should not be confused with weakness. STARR: Military officials tell CNN the U.S. is sharing with the Turks the latest intelligence about Kurdish rebel locations, making it possible for targeted raids against the PKK something far short of a full invasion, and the U.S. is also pressuring Iraqi Kurdish officials to crack down on the PKK on their side of the border. SEAN MCCORMACK, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: What we want to see is we want to see action from the Iraqi government to prevent terrorist attacks. STARR: The U.S. is especially worried that any border war would stop the flow of not only U.S. military cargo, but also commercial goods that travel by road into northern Iraq. (END VIDEOTAPE) STARR: For its part, the PKK says it's ready to declare a cease- fire, but Turkey is unlikely to move any of its 60,000 troops off the border any time soon. Wolf? BLITZER: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. There are about 30 million Kurds stretching across eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, western Iran, Syria, and beyond. Many have long sought a homeland or autonomy. The Kurdistan Workers Party also known as the PKK has used violence toward this end, rooted in Marxism and labeled a terrorist group by the United States government, many governments in Europe, the PKK began targeting Turkey some two decades ago attacking troops, bombing civilians and kidnapping tourists. Turkey has launched massive crackdowns destroying countless villages. Once numbered in the tens of thousands the PKK is now said to have just about three to 5,000 men under arms. Jack Cafferty is watching this and a lot more from The Cafferty File. He's in New York. Turkey, a NATO ally, poised to invade Iraq right now, just what we need, right, Jack? JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: I mean this whole Iraq thing is going pretty well, don't you think? BLITZER: Things may have been improving a little bit elsewhere but this is the last thing the U.S. government wanted to see happen right now, you know, Turkish invasion of northern Iraq especially the Turks are a NATO ally, but the Kurds in the north are pretty friendly to the United States, too. They've been the friendliest of all the Iraqis, but now to get the two friends of ours killing each other, that's not good. CAFFERTY: Well and the Turks have been friendly to us, too, to the degree that they allow about 70 percent of all the materiel that we need to prosecute the war in Iraq to travel through their country. Forty percent of all the fuel used by American forces in the field travels through Turkey. Now what do you suppose is going to happen if they invade, the Kurds get in a shooting war with them? I mean there's no good ending for any of this stuff. Here's some more great news. Thirty million, 30 million of the poorest Americans will be left in the cold this winter because a government program that's supposed to help pay their heating bills doesn't have enough money. This is compassionate conservatism, boys and girls. Reuters reports that the Low Income Home Energy Assistant Program only has enough money to cover 16 percent of the 38 million households that are eligible. Its budget of about $2 billion is only $300 million more than when the program was created by the Congress 25 years ago. Yet despite higher energy costs, the Bush administration wants to cut the program's budget. No heat for the poor people. Starting to sound familiar, isn't it? Remember a couple of weeks ago President Bush went into a closed office, shut the door, no reporters vetoed a health bill to provide health insurance for kids. No money for kids' health insurance, no money to help poor families pay their heating bills but President Bush wants $190 billion additional for 2008 for his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the president's new request means the cost of Iraq war is now approaching $650 billion. I wonder if the Democrats will give him the money. They always do, don't they, despite promises to do something about the war before the midterm election. I got an e-mail from a viewer said that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is a sheep in sheep's clothing. So here's the question. When it comes to American citizens you really have to wonder what President Bush's priorities are. Where do the citizens of this country fit into his game plan? Hundred and ninety billion for the wars, cut the heating bill budget, veto the kids' health insurance. The question is the Bush administration doesn't have enough money to help poor families pay for heat this winter, but they want $190 billion for the Iraq war. What's your reaction to that? E-mail email@example.com or go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile. That was a pretty funny line, the sheep in sheep's clothing. BLITZER: Yes, we've got a lot of creative e-mailers out there, Jack. Thanks very much. Rudy Giuliani, will his personal life overshadow his political track record? (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED CONGRESSMAN: Two people, six spouses, a little complicated if you're not religious especially when you're running against a Mormon. (END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: New York Congressman Charlie Rangel, he is blasting the city's former mayor and he's answering allegations that Democrats are simply in favor of raising taxes. Plus, near collisions in the air. There's been more than the government's been telling all of us so why are they keeping it all- secret? And selling America's image to the world. Disney makes a movie to make Americans seem friendlier for visitors from around the world. Stick around. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Tonight the price tag for America's wars is soaring higher. President Bush now set to ask Congress for another $46 billion to pay for the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. The financial cost rising along with the death toll and the public anger about the war in Iraq. Let's go to our White House correspondent Ed Henry. Ed? ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the president just vetoed a $35 billion increase for children's health. He now wants a $46 billion increase for both wars. Democrats charging he has misplaced priorities. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) (APPLAUSE) HENRY (voice-over): Just moments before awarding a Medal of Honor posthumously to a Navy SEAL, who paid the ultimate price in Afghanistan, the president, yet again, raised the economic cost for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq by another $46 billion to cover everything from bullets to body armor. GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Parts of this war are complicated, but one part is not, and that is America should do what it takes to support our troops and protect our people. HENRY: To give you a sense of the enormity of it, $46 billion would fund the entire yearly budgets of the Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, and Treasury. And this brings the total tab for Iraq and Afghanistan for this year alone to $200 billion. BOB GREENSTEIN, CTR. FOR BUDGET & POLICY PRIORITIES: It would be one thing if it were $200 billion a year, but the end was in sight. But there really is no end in sight. HENRY: Democrats are having a field day with the fact the Iraq war is now costing $330 million a day. That could pay for 1,700 more border patrol agents or provide health care to an extra 45,000 military veterans or the funds from just one day in Iraq would give 270,000 more kids coverage under the state children's health insurance program. SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: The entire war in Iraq has been paid for with borrowed money. We're borrowing money from China, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, to finance this war, Japan. HENRY: Despite the soaring national debt, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the president will find the money for the nation's needs. TONY FRATTO, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Poor children getting their health care and the needs of our troops can both be accomplished. They're both priorities and we can handle both of those requests. (END VIDEOTAPE) HENRY: CNN has learned that on Wednesday the Congressional Budget Office will reveal that its latest projections for the next 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan have now eclipsed $1 trillion. Add that to the $800 billion already spent in both wars, you're talking about real money. Wolf? BLITZER: Certainly are, Ed Henry reporting from the White House tonight. There's disturbing new information tonight about some safety records in the skies. From time to time we hear reports of near collisions, but the number of these incidents may actually be a lot higher than the federal authorities have let on, until now. Let's go to Brian Todd. He's watching the story for us. Brian, how bad is the problem, and is the government keeping it all in secret? BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf it's not clear now whether the government is hiding this information, simply not communicating with each other among the various agencies, but in any case a survey of pilots by NASA has found that safety problems are in some cases double what the government has been reporting. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) TODD (voice-over): Pilots tell America's chief space agency there have been far more near collisions in the air and runway incursions than the government has ever recognized. In an exclusive interview, CNN asked the head of NASA about his agency's survey of 24,000 commercial and general aviation pilots first reported by The Associated Press. Michael Griffin told us he had just heard about the survey. MICHAEL GRIFFIN, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: This is raw data. It hasn't been peer reviewed. It hasn't been crosschecked. You know, I don't know how good the data is. TODD: Also alarming AP says more pilots than expected revealed so-called in-close approach changes, last-minute instructions to change landing plans that can be dangerous. AP says NASA's $8.5 million survey was shut down more than a year ago but that the public didn't hear about it. In a letter to the AP, NASA said it could scare passengers and be bad for airline business, but NASA's administrator now says... UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My position is that from a public policy point of view first if it is legal to release the data, we will. TODD: NASA's survey seems to cast doubt on reporting of near misses by the Federal Aviation Administration, among other agencies. FAA officials tell CNN, aside from briefings years ago they weren't looped in on NASA's interviews with pilots. BOBBY STURGELL, ACTING FAA ADMINISTRATOR: I don't want to comment on their numbers since I have no idea what's in the survey or what's in the data, how it was collected, the methodology used or anything along those lines. TODD: Former NTSB investigator Bob Francis says runway incursions are a problem but he says this of pilots' reports of mere collisions in midair. BOB FRANCIS, FORMER NTSB VICE CHAIRMAN: The general aviation pilot with 200 hours may think that anything that comes anywhere near him is a near miss, whereas the commercial airline pilot wouldn't pay any attention to it. (END VIDEOTAPE) TODD: NASA survey is in for SOME deeper scrutiny on Capitol Hill where congressmen want the agency to hand over documents and explain why the project was shut down before it was completed. NASA officials tell us they'll come clean -- Wolf. BLITZER: Thanks very much, Brian Todd an important story he's watching. Hillary Clinton prime time target for Republicans, will trashing the Democratic front-runner help any of the GOP hopefuls get elected? And Cubans going to the polls in an election process that may ultimately determine if Fidel Castro will continue running the country. We're watching that story in Havana. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: We're watching these fires. They're ravaging southern California, all the way from Santa Barbara down south to the Mexican border, a quarter of a million people already have been told to evacuate. That number could go up. We're staying on top of the story, in a few moments we'll go there live and watch what's happening, but there are dramatic developments no end in sight, at least not yet. Other news we're following right now in Cuba, it could be the beginning of the end of Fidel Castro's grip on power. Many Cubans have voiced their opinions in a vote that could have some far-reaching implications. CNN's Shasta Darlington has details from Havana -- Shasta. SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, millions of Cubans voted in local elections on Sunday in what is the first stage of an electoral process that will ultimately determine whether Fidel Castro remains head of the communist government. Castro has been running Cuba since 1959, but over a year ago he temporarily handed power to his younger brother Raul while he underwent emergency surgery. He hasn't been seen in public since although several videos and photos of the frail looking 81-year-old leader have appeared in state media. There were no pictures of Castro voting on Sunday, but on the eve of polling he defended Cuba's one- party system and high voter turnout in a newspaper column. He slammed U.S. elections saying millions of corporate dollars and fraud determine who will be president there. State TV did show Raul Castro and other officials casting ballots. Candidates don't have to belong to the Communist Party, but it is the only organized party allowed in Cuba and critics say the members are usually the ones who win. The multistage process will lead to parliamentary elections next spring and those representative will then either re-elect Castro to head the counseled state or officially replace him with his brother. In the end, many of the Cubans we talked to said they don't expect these elections to have any real impact on the problems they face every day like low salaries and really poor transportation. Wolf? BLITZER: Shasta Darlington in Havana for us. When we come back, families of the U.S. Navy and an NFL stadium right now in the line of fire. We're going to return to covering that huge inferno it's happening now in southern California. A quarter of a million people ordered to flee the fire zone, it is a huge area. Also coming up, a new film that tries to put a welcoming face on the United States. Can the people at Disney do what the U.S. government apparently can't do? And if you're ever attempted to heckle someone make sure it isn't the comedian Bill Maher. Was his outburst justified or politically incorrect? Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: We're going to get some more on our breaking news, our top story, the raging wildfires that have turned much of southern California into an inferno. A quarter of a million people forced to flee, more than 100 homes already lost, that number is going to go up. Let's go back to CNN's Dan Simon. He is on the front lines in San Diego. We see the smoldering -- we see the situation behind you. Update our viewers, Dan, on what we know. SIMON: Well, Wolf, scenes like this are really happening throughout San Diego. We are told that you go from one neighborhood to the next you're just seeing widespread devastation. That's what we're being told by our guest here, Battalion Chief Bruce Cartelli. Give us a sense in terms of the kinds of things that you're seeing as you drive around. BRUCE CARTELLI, BATTALION CHIEF, SAN DIEGO FIRE DEPT.: Well, utter devastation, hundreds of homes that have been lost. Many hundred more that have been damaged and it's probably the worst significant event in my career of 36 years that I've ever experienced into my fire service career. SIMON: You told me just awhile ago that basically nothing has been contained at this point. The winds are still kicking up. Any idea when you might possibly get the upper hand on this blaze? CARTELLI: Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning, when the winds die, because that's what ended the cedar fire and it will not end here until it reaches the ocean, or the winds turn around on Tuesday at 3:00 in the afternoon. SIMON: It seems apparent to me as I drive around San Diego that the folks who live here have really heeded the warnings and have evacuated. We're hearing that as many as 250,000 people have evacuated. That's a lot of people. Where are those folks going? BRUCE CARTELLI, BATTALION CHIEF, SAN DIEGO FIRE DEPARTMENT: They're going to local high schools and YMCAs, any gymnasium that can be facilitated as a bunk room, where the Red Cross can go and do feeding, that's basically what's happening. SIMON: What about resources? Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says that we're lacking resources. Obviously there are thousands of firefighters here on the ground, but even with that many, you still need more. CARTELLI: You absolutely do. We only have 50 engine companies in the city of San Diego to combat a battle like this. When you're losing hundreds of homes at a time, everyone wants an engine in everyone's driveway and that doesn't happen. SIMON: And we also understand that some animals at the famous San Diego Zoo have been evacuated or going to a safer place. What can you tell us about that? CARTELLI: They do have sheltering at the wild animal park. This not the first time that we've had fires. The Juanita fire of 1994 did the same event. So they have shelter in place, facilities. They don't truck them off or anything but they do have safe areas for the animals to reside. SIMON: All right. Thanks so much. That's Battalion Chief Bruce Cartelli. Wolf, you heard him say it. He's been with the fire department for more than three decades and this is about as bad as he's ever seen it. Obviously the situation is still unfolding here. The winds still kicking up and really unsure when the fire crews may get the upper hand on this blaze, Wolf. BLITZER: All right. Dan, thanks very much; Dan Simon reporting for us. The flames are being fanned by some powerful winds, some gusts at hurricane strength. In fact, let's go to our meteorologist and severe weather expert Chad Myers. Chad, any break in the winds that could help these firefighters? We heard the chief just say it might be Tuesday or Wednesday before the weather helps out. CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He's exactly right. It will be Tuesday night, probably 8:00, 9:00, so a little bit after this time local time Tuesday night, then they will die off into Wednesday, but they will still be 10 miles per hour. It takes about 20, 25 to really start to kick up some of these embers but all of the fires you see here are hot spots that have been noted by the satellite. We just didn't put down a bunch of these flames. These are actually from the satellite itself. And Lake Arrowhead, one of the hardest-hit areas. You've heard about San Diego. You've heard about Malibu but maybe you didn't hear about Lake Arrowhead. This area here, 115 homes lost already today. There is the lake. West of the lake, right around the country club, that's where it's been the hardest hit and in fact Wolf, it still goes right now, still going. The Santa Ana winds are blowing at 20 and 30 miles per hour. High pressure over Nevada. The wind blows offshore, down the hill, it gets hot and it's warm and it's dry and the relative humidity, about 5 percent. Here are some of the wind gusts, 25, 30, 35, and the most ironic thing I've seen all day, Wolf. Look at this. It looks like it's raining. It looks like it's raining. You know what? The radar sites are confused. They see the smoke pellets, the smoke particles, and they think it's raining. Really what you're seeing is the smoke in the air is so thick it's as thick as if it was raining outside. Unbelievable. Chad, I want to you look at this I-report, this video we got from Rick Walker, because you see the sky, and we're going to put it up. Take a look at the video. It looks orange. It's full of smoke, the heat. This is a dramatic picture we're looking at. MYERS: And it's an unhealthy picture, too. Just all of these people here have to breathe this, and there's no real place to go. If you really have problems today and tonight, you need to move inland. You need to go to 29 Palm, somewhere finely inland, far enough east that the smoke is not going to get to you because the smoke is being blown offshore. It is not coming from the west. If you get west, maybe the salt and sea, absolutely clear air tonight. But anywhere here in L.A. all the way through San Bernardino, just a mess for air pollution tonight. BLITZER: All right. Chad, thanks very much. It doesn't look like it's going to get better for awhile. Let's go to the L.A. County Fire Department. The inspector Sam Padilla is joining us on the phone. How bad is it from your perspective? I assume you've seen these kinds of fires in the past. SAM PADILLA, L.A. COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR: This is the worst. This is as bad as it gets. We have three major fires within our jurisdictional area alone. BLITZER: Any end in sight? We've just heard that the weather is not going to improve and help you at least until tomorrow, maybe even Wednesday. PADILLA: No, there's no good news right now. BLITZER: How many more homes are likely to be burnt as a result of this? Because these are moving into residential areas. PADILLA: Yes, this is all urban interface areas with us and we're implementing structure protection in every possible way we can. We have stretched our resources beyond capacity. We have individuals like myself, I've been working since 5:00 yesterday morning with no break. These guys are on the front line and women doing everything they can to protect people's homes. BLITZER: The unfortunate thing is you know we often hear about wildfires in southern California but what you're saying, inspector, is that you have never seen anything like this before. Is that right? PADILLA: I've seen some big brush fires, as in '03 we had some big brush fires but this seems to be more intense, more acreage, the winds, these are definitely wind-driven fires. These are moving very fast and destroying everything in its path. BLITZER: Some of the winds yesterday at least were going as high as 80 miles an hour. Have they calmed down a little bit today? PADILLA: They've been clocked at 65. BLITZER: 65. So you're getting near hurricane you know category winds out there, which clearly fan these flames. What about those who need help at nursing homes, hospitals, the elderly? Are you able to deal with that, who need to be evacuated? PADILLA: We're doing everything humanly possible. With these winds, this would be a windstorm. With the fire, there's a firestorm. BLITZER: What an awful situation. Sam Padilla from the L.A. County Fire Department, an inspector, thanks very much for that. And good luck to everyone out in California. We'll stay on top of the story here on CNN. Also coming up, a navy S.E.A.L. earns the nation's highest award for valor and combat. We're going to have details of the heroic action that cost him his life. This is a rare occurrence. It happened today. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Right now, Senator Hillary Clinton appears to be the talk of the Republican Party. Their presidential candidates are warning that the country will be in big trouble if she becomes president. One issue they claim they will she'll put in peril concerns your money. FRED THOMPSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hillary is always a good applause line and almost everything everybody says has been accurate. If we go down that road, we're going to go down the road of higher taxes. MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There's nothing funny about Hillary Clinton being president and let me tell you why. If she's president, taxes go up. MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What does the one democrats want? Raise taxes. It's the wrong way to go. BLITZER: Joining us now, democratic congressman Charlie Rangel of New York. He's the chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Congressman, what do you say to the republicans who are all harping on this theme that the democrats if they get back to power in the White House that the American people are going to be spending more on taxes? REP. CHARLIE RANGEL (D), NEW YORK: Well, presidents don't raise taxes. Constitutionally it's the Congress and it's more specifically it's the Ways and Means Committee. As a matter of fact, this week I will be unveiling a tax bill of simplification, tax fairness which will provide tax cuts for 93 million people instead of tax increase. BLITZER: Who's going to be spending more on taxes? Which Americans are you targeting to raise their taxes? RANGEL: Well, we're not talking about raising anyone's taxes. We're talking about closing some of the loopholes and unfairness in terms of a lot of preferences that shouldn't be in the tax code, so what's in the code we'll be able to close these gaps. For instance, we have certain people that are providing services, one group gets paid at 15 percent for capital gains, the other an ordinary income for 35 percent. We've got to bring a little fairness to the system. BLITZER: What income bracket would you expect taxes go up, people making $200,000 a year, $100,000 a year? At what level would they be paying more in taxes? RANGEL: I would take a guess that if you're making $500,000 a year that you would be expanded. But I'm saying that all of the people before then, one way or the other would be enjoying a tax cut. By closing the loopholes that shouldn't exist, people could say that's a tax increase. I was talking with Secretary Paulson. He convinced me to reduce the corporate taxes from 35 percent to 25 percent. You would say well how do you pay for it? Well, he is saying that at the higher rate, so many corporations are not paying any income taxes because they get preferential tax treatment. If you eliminate that, you're raising the money to provide fairness and equity for everybody. BLITZER: There were some tough comments attributed to you in the new issue of "The New York Observer" on Rudy Giuliani. I assume you saw the article. "It's totally unbelievable," you're quoted as saying. "I refuse to believe this could possibly happen to our country. I have too much confidence in our country to believe that this could really happen," and you're referring to the possibility, what, that he would be the republican presidential nominee? RANGEL: It's really sad because it cuts down the ability of the Democratic Party to effectively compete on the issues. I mean to be dealing with a post-9/11 mayor, with no foreign policy experiences, that has flip-flopped on gun control, on immigration, on so many -- on birth control, to say that God hasn't finished with him, as he moves in, and with the record that he's had of lack of sensitivity, as the pre-9/11 candidate, I just can't conceive that he would be involved as one of the possible people that could be president of this great country, and I know sooner or later it's going to be exposed for this character or other people that he was involved with before he became a national figure, and I give him credit for what he's done since 9/11. BLITZER: But you also lashed out at his personal life, some of the experiences he's had, his multiple marriages among other things. RANGEL: Well, you know, two people, six spouses, it's a little complicated if you're not religious, especially when you're running against a Mormon, but I'm just saying that America has to look at all of these things, and that there are enough moles on this man that embarrasses those of us who have sought public life. When we get involved in public life, it means we're in a goldfish bowl and it would seem to me with all of the breaks that the mayor's had and being involved with his personal problems that he would thank God he's got as far as where he did go without making the politicians get involved in his personal life. BLITZER: But if his personal life becomes an issue, that opens the door for Hillary Clinton, your candidate, her personal life which we all know about that, that becomes an issue as well. RANGEL: You know you can say it over and over and over again. This woman got married, stayed married to the same husband. When they had problems, she stuck with him. You tell me what her personal life is something that she should be ashamed of and I want to talk about it. But I tell you one thing, that whether you like it enough, personal lives, once you throw your hat in the ring, then you're vulnerable to anything and I can't, for the life of me, see how you could compare anything that has been suggested that Hillary Clinton has done as she's been exposed to the public scrutiny, and compare it with something like Rudolph Giuliani, no comparisons but I agree with you, once you're in, you're all in. So if she's got something that you know and I don't know, tell me now. BLITZER: I don't know anything, congressman. Thanks very much, Charlie Rangel. RANGEL: Thank you, Wolf. BLITZER: And a spokeswoman for Rudy Giuliani's campaign issued this statement and let me quote it specifically. "This kind of ugly personal attack isn't even worth a response" that statement from Giuliani's campaign, referring to what Charlie Rangel just said. This note, on November 15th I'll be in Las Vegas, Nevada, to moderate a debate in that key western state among the democratic presidential candidates, November 15th in Vegas. Heroism that cost him his life. Now relatives of a navy S.E.A.L. accept a rare honor for his service to our country from President Bush himself. And how to handle hecklers. The comedian Bill Maher has a different approach. We're going to show you what it is right here in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: You're looking at these live pictures of Lake Arrowhead, California, where at least 128 homes have already been destroyed by wildfires. More than a quarter million people have been evacuated from the San Diego alone. Stay with CNN throughout the night for all the very latest. I'm going to show you how close these homes are. Take a look at these homes right down here. You see the fires right there, the firefighters clearly worried that those flames are moving ominously close to more, more residential areas. We'll stay on top of the story here on CNN. President Bush today presented the nation's highest combat award, the Medal of Honor, to the family of a Navy S.E.A.L., Lieutenant Michael Murray, two years after he was killed in a firefight in Afghanistan. The president said the medal is acknowledgment for a debt that can never be repaid. Once again, our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Barbara. BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, three Navy S.E.A.L.s killed on that mountain as well as 16 other commandos who tried to rescue them. Their helicopter was shot down. It became the worst day ever for the U.S. military in Afghanistan. June 2005, in the 10,000 foot mountain peaks of Afghanistan's Hindu Kush, Lieutenant Michael Murray led his four-man Navy S.E.A.L. team on a mission they knew could turn deadly. DAN MURPHY, MICHAEL MURPHY'S FATHER: He was incredible person. Honest, kind, caring, probably the antithesis of what you would consider a warrior. MAUREEN MURPHY, MICHAEL MURPHY'S MOTHER: He was like very protective of other people and he always stuck up for the underdog. STARR: Dan and Maureen Murray and Michael's brother, John, now more than two years later receiving Michael's Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor and combat. 29-year-old Michael and two teammates would be killed. MARCUS LUTTRELL, PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS, U.S. NAVY: He was my best friend. You know he was a good man. I mean everybody loved him. Petty officer Marcus Luttrell was the only man on the team to make it out. The S.E.A.L.s were searching for a wanted terrorist, but they were spotted. A massive firefight broke out. It was four S.E.A.L.s against more than 40 insurgents. Michael kept the men together. LUTTRELL: He was in a horrible position. He left himself open so he could move back and forth to each individual guy. We were hurting bad. We were out of ammo. STARR: All four men were shot. Then Michael walked into the open to try to radio for help exposing himself to enemy fire. LUTTRELL: When I looked back up at Mikey and he took two rounds to the back and sat back up, hung up the phone and finished the transmission, hung up the phone and then he flanked left again and that was the last time I saw him. STARR: Michael Murphy's parents say they always supported their son's desire to join the U.S. military, but Dan had his worries about his son. Dan was badly wounded on a mountain in Vietnam when he served in 1970. Wolf. BLITZER: All right. Barbara, thank you what, a hero, Barbara Starr reporting. Let's go to Jack Cafferty in New York. You know those stories of those heroes, this guy, Murphy in Afghanistan, you know, it's painful to have to hear that but these are the guys who are doing the work out there, the heavy lifting. JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and you just wonder what it's all for, don't you, sometimes, what exactly we're accomplishing over there, as these young people like that young man, their lives get cut short in the pursuit of what I'm not exactly sure. The question this hour, the Bush administration says it doesn't have enough money to fund a federal program that is supposed to help poor families pay for heat this winter, but they want $190 billion for the war in Iraq, and we asked what your reaction to that was. And we got an earful. Robert writes from Florida "It's not the same country I grew up in. We believed you took care of Americans, war or no war. If we had to fight, we bought war bonds to help pay for it. Taxes were raised on those who could afford to pay more. This president doesn't care about regular Americans and cares too much about a war of choice, his choice. I'm not quite as proud to be an American as I used to be." Donna writes, "Typical Bush arrogance, truly shows what a fine upstanding Christian he is. I'd write more but my cold arthritic fingers won't let me." John in Virginia, "I'm not sure what you're railing about. If the poor people want heat, let them join up and go to Iraq." Bob in California, "It's been clear since the Bush administration kidnapped the White House in 2000 they don't give a damn about ordinary Americans. Let the Katrina victims drop dead, let the 47 million uninsured Americans drop dead, let the poor in unheated homes drop dead, let the children whose government health coverage is being terminated drop dead. What's it matter to them?" C.J., Jacksonville, Florida, "My only comment is we Americans are stupid and Lincoln was wrong when he said you can't fool all the people all the time. Bush has pulled it off pretty well." Finally, Sandy in Michigan writes, "Jack, and you say it's getting ugly out there. Looks to me like it's already ugly out there. Maybe you can write a sequel to your book. Call it "How Much Uglier Can It Get?" If you didn't see your email here, you can go to CNN.com/Caffertyfile. We post more of them online along with video clips of the Cafferty File. Wolf. BLITZER: They're angry out there. There's no doubt about that, Jack. Thanks very much. See you back here tomorrow. Let's check in with Rick Sanchez to see what's coming up at the top of the hour. Rick. RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I'll tell you Wolf, it's amazing. We're monitoring pictures coming out of Lake Arrowhead out in California. People's homes are burning to the ground as we speak out there. We've got crews on the ground. We're going to be talking to some residents. We're talking to the mayor of Malibu. 128 houses, by the way, have already burned and we're told that there are still pictures coming in that we're going to be sharing with our viewers. And then also, you know Jack was just talking about it, what the president said about Iraq and also what the vice president said about Iran and then we did a little research and found out just how similar it is to what he said about Iraq. We'll put the two side by side and let the viewers decide. Wolf, back to you. BLITZER: Rick, thank you. We'll see you in a few moments. On our political ticker this Monday, a martial arts star trying to put kick into a republican's lagging presidential campaign. Chuck Norris, the cult hero of "Walker Texas Ranger," today announced his White House choice. Norris says he's backing former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, saying he believes he's the only candidate with all of the characteristics to lead America into the future. And move over John Edwards, people suddenly are talking about Mitt Romney's hair. The republicans showed up at the latest debate having a bad hair day. We're told there was an audible gasp from the reporters at site of the usually impeccable Romney looking a little bit mussed up. Someone in the Romney camp must have caught on because a few minutes later the former Massachusetts's governor's hair certainly back in place. Remember, for the latest political news at any time, you can check out our ticker at CNN.com/ticker. Heckle at your own risk, at least when it comes to "Real Times of Bill Maher." We're going to show you how he challenges the challenger. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Here is a look at some of the Hot Shots coming in now. In Washington, police look on as a demonstrator dressed as President Bush protest the Iraq war and climate change. In Hungary, riot police watch as a Molotov cocktail explodes on a water canon. In California, a super scooper picks up water from a lake. And in Denver, a woman prays for help as she tries to buy World Series tickets, tries. Some of this hour's Hot Shots. Hecklers might want to think twice before they take on HBO's Bill Maher. CNN's Jeanne Moos takes a look at this most unusual story. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was almost as if they heckled Dr. Jekyll and he turned into Mr. Hyde. BILL MAHER, TV SHOW HOST: Hey, do we have some [bleep] security in this building? Or do I have to come over and kick this guy's [bleep] out of here? Would you get the [bleep] out of my building? Hey, hey, hey, out, out, out! MOOS: Sure some public speakers preferred trying to calm hecklers with kindness. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't mind listening. You can talk. MOOS: Yes. Well Bill Maher minded when a second heckler piped up. MAHER: I'll kick your [bleep] out of here, too. This isn't the Iowa caucus. You're in the audience. Audience comes from the Latin, to listen. MOOS: How do you say this in Latin? MAHER: Yes, and you are a nut case, building seven. MOOS: The hecklers believed the way world trade center building seven collapsed on 9/11 suggests it was rigged to implode, that the U.S. government is hiding the truth. They mocked Bill Maher for mocking them, circulating a parity of one of his show segments called "New Rules." UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New rules, two airplanes can't slam into two buildings and knock down three. What about building seven? MAHER: Ass kicking is what's called for. MOOS: Hey, Bill could have been worse. He could have tasered them. Remember the guy who wouldn't stop questioning John Kerry? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't tase me, bro. Don't tase me, I said don't tase me! MOOS: "Don't tase me bro" went on to become a catch phrase with remixes on the web. Emblazoned on t-shirts "Don't tase me bro" was even reduced to shorthand, DTMB, on doggie wear, on thongs. So far we haven't seen Bill's rant plastered anywhere except on You Tube. Bill Maher's anti-heckling technique reminds us another pro of the putdown. But at least we didn't have to bleep Ronald Reagan. Talk about the great communicator. FORMER PRES. RONALD REAGAN: Oh, shut up. MOOS: As for Bill Maher's hecklers claiming 9/11 was an inside job ... MAHER: I don't think President Bush brought down the world trade center. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boo! Boo! MAHER: And cows disagree with me. MOOS: Bill put them out to pasture. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York. BLITZER: Thank you Jeanne. Mark your calendar. Starting November 5th, just one year from Election Day 2008, THE SITUATION ROOM will be on for three hours back- to-back from 4:00 p.m. eastern to 7:00 p.m. eastern. LOU DOBBS TONIGHT will air at 7:00 p.m. eastern. All that starts in a couple of weeks, November 5th. Until then, thanks very much for joining us. I'm Wolf Blitzer. Up next, Rick Sanchez with OUT IN THE OPEN. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com


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subset: commoncrawl


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Mississippi, IBM Centralize Public Safety
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Mississippi officials announced at a press conference Wednesday the launch of phase two of the state's three-phase project to centralize the databases of three counties' fire departments, police stations and emergency-response offices.
Officials said the Automated System Project is a pilot program and the first of a planned nationwide system to link all sheriff's offices, police departments, fire departments and EMS offices across the nation into a unified system. In the process, it will provide the computing backbone for the next generation of US homeland security, they said.
The Mississippi Automated System Project (ASP) connects the criminal records, arrest warrants, hazardous materials data and other public-safety records for Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.
, which won the project bid back in 2002.
Mark Melenovsky, an analyst with research firm IDC, said the project has the potential to become the testbed for a national rollout, though given the classified nature of many government security initiatives, it's hard to determine whether other projects are in the works.
"I'm assuming that not too many of these Homeland Security and government deals can be made public, but this one was with the University of Southern Mississippi and some of the local law enforcement and fire departments in southern Mississippi," he said. "If it works out, and it seems to be a cost-effective solution for that grouping of three counties, it has the potential to be rolled out on a broader scale."
The first phase, completed in February, provided a single point of access to the existing jail management system of the three county jails. Phase three, which begins in October, will make remote access via laptops, BlackBerry's and other mobile devices a reality for personnel in the field.
Before the state implemented the project, requesting inter-county records required a phone call and manually transferring data. With the Mississippi ASP, the information is now only a mouse-click away.
"It is critical that all of our first responders have instant access to the critical information that can save lives, speed arrests and ensure public safety," ASP Director Julian Allen said in a statement.
Officials involved in the project hope a successful deployment in Mississippi will herald a nationwide deployment of the system, tying all public-safety records into either one database or a cluster of databases. "It's establishing one heck of a template to go statewide, nationwide with. We feel we are proving that this is the way to go. Mississippi has the strong potential to be the first [state] that has all local public agencies on the same system, and we're just waiting for the other 49 states to plug into us."
That's music to the ears of IBM. For its part, the company supplies the eServer iSeries 825 server, running Tarantella's Secure Global Desktop Enterprise Edition. The server, capable of storing up to 58 terabytes
of data on a 64-bit RISC POWER4 processor, can also store linkups to a possible 320 communications lines and two eServer xSeries 445 4U rack-mounted systems to handle transactions.
Playing the back-up role is a second iSeries 825 located 60 miles away running MIMIX, a high-speed failover to prevent any downtime that occurs on the main system.
"When you have that kind of data and that type of client, you want to make sure your systems don't go down," said Jay Bretzmann, IBM director of eServer xSeries.
For the project, the server was broken down into three partitions to run OS400, Novell SuSE Linux and Windows operating systems. The Windows OS is used only because the counties use an existing database to store their mug shots and wanted the GUI
front end. For the long haul, most of the application power will come from the Linux partition, "for more reliable access and extensible access, as well as data-broker capabilities," Bretzmann said.
Melenovsky said the design of the project's platform was something common in many of today's corporate networks -- a mix of application integration focusing on synchronous information that's found in many heterogeneous environments and the basis for IBM's POWER architecture.
"The interesting part of it was on the different platform integration that came together to create a solution these customers wanted," he said. "The iSeries is pretty reliable and a kind of low-management cost solution. And then to be able to integrate that with the Web-based front end with Linux and then the Windows system. I thought it was interesting from an IBM perspective of being able to integrate a lot of their different products -- xSeries, iSeries, DB2, WebSphere and others -- all together and make this work."


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Fantastic panels on world-building with your world's economy and politics (which may sound dry but is astonishingly rich), advice on writing sword-fights, a look at how digital fiction affects story creation, the baffling absence of female friendships, and an absolute must-read discussion of editor and author relationships.
When Fiction Goes Digital
What happens in the age of the digital story? Does stories look the same? How does form intersect with function, beyond a trip to the e-reader?
Glen Mehn (m), Jenny Barber, Farah Mendlesohn, Marc Aplin, Laurel Sills, Del Lakin-Smith
But Does It Make Sense? Your fantasy's economy - a rich seam to tap
Economics of fantasy systems. If Smaug holds all the gold and it gets liberated, what does that do to the economy?
Leila Abu el Hawa (m), Kari Sperring, Kate Elliott, Tom Pollock, Anne Lyle
The Pen vs the Sword - How to write sword fights, and authors that keep attacking each other
Writers who also happen to be swordfighters discuss the myths and realities of the sword in fiction – and demonstrate their skills with the blade!
Marc Aplin (m), Fran Terminiello, Juliet E McKenna, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Clifford Beale
She Ain't Heavy, She's My Sister - Where are the female friendships?
Kirk and Spock, Luke and Han, Frodo and Sam – epic friendships between men are common in fantasy, but friendships between women, or platonic relationships between men and women that stay that way – are much thinner on the ground. The panellists discuss why it matters and examine some of the rare exceptions.
Roz Kaveney (m), Mhairi Simpson, Glenda Larke, Charlaine Harris, Den Patrick
SFF and Politics
There is nothing more glorious than to defeat your enemy by transparent democratic process, and hear the lamentation of the other sides' whips. Can SFF make political process dramatic and heroic, or will it always come down scheming viziers and noble warriors?
Lizzie Barrett (m), Jaine Fenn, Foz Meadows, Catherine Hill, Adrian Tchaikovsky
Editing Dreams and Editor Nightmares - which gets the Megan Prize for Best Panel of the Conference
Editors are people, and get to see *everything* – how to work with them and make their lives easier, which will make your life easier.
Simon Spanton (m), Nicola Budd, Abigail Nathan, Gillian Redfearn, David Moore
Let the golden notebook open!


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Be Rich Towards God
December 10, 2011
Luk 12:13-21
It is folly to devote all our energy to work for to eat and be merry, or even to be blessed to have enough to get to take ease, yet be poor towards God. We must rather strive to be rich towards God to avoid the end of life folly.
Old age is not guaranteed. The time to serve God is now. We don't know when the music will stop.


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The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is encouraged by the FAA's new 10-year "blueprint" for improvements to increase air transportation system capacity and reduce airline delays but is working to ensure the plan's solutions for the airlines do not harm general aviation.
The Operational Evolution Plan (OEP), which the FAA is scheduled to present to the press June 6, sets out a timetable for changes to the air traffic control system, airport improvements, and new aircraft communication and navigation equipment requirements.
AOPA was among the FAA's key industry partners in developing the plan.
"In my 11 years as head of the world's largest aviation organization, I've seen the FAA attempt many grand programs," said Phil Boyer, AOPA president, "but never before have I seen the FAA dedicate so many resources to finding realistic, pragmatic solutions to a national problem."
Boyer said that the FAA plan had involved system users—from general aviation pilots to the airlines to air traffic controllers. The OEP solutions, Boyer said, are "bound by realistic thinking, are technically feasible, and can be implemented on a reasonable schedule."
"The plan makes individual FAA managers accountable for fixing the problems and gives them the resources from across the agency's 'lines of business' to get the job done," Boyer said. "The FAA has followed a business model for solving a problem. It's a refreshing break from the past."
Reflecting AOPA's input, the OEP includes an emphasis on building more runways, particularly at the most delay-plagued airports. "AOPA has long maintained that additional runway capacity is vital to addressing current capacity constraints," said Boyer. "The problem is not too many aircraft in the system; the problem is too many airline flights vying for the limited amount of runway capacity at a few key airports."
Boyer noted that while there are five general aviation flights for every airline flight, most general aviation operations serve the 5,000 public-use airports that are not served by the airlines. GA flights are not a significant contributor to airline delays. Most GA flights operate below the altitudes where airliners fly and away from the most-used airline routes. GA operations account for less than seven percent of the traffic at the top eight delay-plagued airports, and less than 11 percent of the operations at all 31 of the top delayed airports.
While the OEP addresses airline capacity restraints at our large air carrier airports, the plan will affect general aviation operations as well. AOPA has submitted comments on those issues affecting general aviation.
"GA is an important part of the transportation system. We want to ensure that in fixing part of the system for the airlines, we don't break it for the majority of pilots, nor mandate expensive cockpit equipment on a very cost-sensitive group of users," Boyer said.
In its comments on the plan, AOPA said that general aviation must have continued access to airports near these major airports. And additional general aviation and reliever airports will further help ease airline congestion.
The FAA plans to reconfigure terminal airspace (Class B and C) at the "choke-points" where air traffic is the heaviest. Changes will include the consolidation of some terminal approach control (tracon) facilities and the addition of lower and parallel arrival and departure routes. Many of these new routes will require RNAV (area navigation) equipment such as GPS or a flight management system. The OEP recommends that ATC give RNAV-equipped aircraft "preferential treatment."
"We told the FAA that RNAV must not be the 'cost of admission' to Class B airspace," said Boyer. "The RNAV requirement should only apply to the primary airport. General aviation must continue to have access to nearby reliever airports without having to buy expensive new equipment."
In the case of airports where there are a significant number of general aviation operations, AOPA told the FAA that any RNAV requirement must be phased in over a reasonable period of time. "AOPA will oppose an equipment mandate that imposes too great a burden on general aviation and doesn't provide significant benefits to the pilot," said Andy Cebula, AOPA senior vice president of government and technical affairs.
The OEP recommends implementing ADS-B to expedite aircraft movements on the ground (ADS-B is a non-radar, GPS-driven system where each aircraft broadcasts its position to other aircraft and air traffic control.)
"ADS-B alone doesn't provide enough benefits for general aviation," said Randy Kenagy, AOPA director of advanced technology. "The datalink should be expanded to provide graphical weather and non-ADS-B traffic in the cockpit."
The OEP also takes up an issue that AOPA has been pressing for years: better access to special-use airspace (MOAs and restricted areas) when the military isn't using it. AOPA said the FAA must put real-time use information in the hands of pilots, including making Special-Use Airspace Management System (SAMS) scheduling data available to flight service stations and general aviation pilots. (As part of a test program with the FAA, AOPA members can currently access the SAMS database on AOPA Online.)
"AOPA is helping to shape the OEP into a solution that will benefit all users," said Boyer. "The plan has dealt with what is real and what can be accomplished with today's technology. The solutions are both immediate and link with longer-term modernization efforts.
"AOPA pledges the support of our pilot membership and qualified technical staff to see that the tactics of the OEP match its strategic goals," Boyer concluded.
The 370,000-member Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is the world's largest civil aviation organization. More than one half of the nation's pilots are AOPA members.


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How You Can Strengthen Your Community
There are some organizations that just benefit everyone in the communities they serve. Charities all over the country take clothes donations a distribute them to needy people in their region. This does not just help the people who receive the clothing but does a not for the person or family who makes that donation. On a broader scale, it strengthens the bonds the tie the entire community together. It is one way to tell each other, "I am looking out for you, you are a valuable member of the community and I care." For people who donate, at least half of all people like to do it more when there is a pick up service. This one reason St Vincent de Paul donation pick up was started
Donate Household Goods Today
If you're looking for a way to give back to your community today, donate household goods that you don't use or don't need. For instance, if your closet is overflowing with clothing that you barely ever wear, consider donating these items to help those in need of clothing and reduce your impact on the environment. Americans discard an estimated 68 pounds of clothing a year, even though over 90% of textile waste is perfectly recyclable. In 2006 alone, 2.5 billion pounds of fabric were kept out of landfills as a result of used-clothing purchases. Recycling, repurchasing, and donating clothing is one of the easiest ways you can give back to those in need and reduce your waste.
There are plenty of ways to give back right in your own city. Philadelphia is full of people in need; approximately 440,000 Philadelphia
Donation Pickups Donate Your Used Clothing Today
There are a variety of charitable organizations in the United States, and they all do fantastic work. The numbers speak for themselves. In 2013, for example, more than $240 billion was donated to charity by individual donors alone, accounting for nearly 72% of all charitable donations. Compare that to educational sector donations (16%) and corporate donations (5%). Though donations of all kinds are wonderful and selfless in themselves, it does say something about the state of American charitable giving in that the organizations that can afford to donate the most — the corporations — wind up donating the very least.
Regardless, the bountiful charitable giving from Americans


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We owe it to our customers to provide them with a memorable experience. You will find a dedicated and friendly staff ready to make your visit to the casino, or any other Mohican enterprise an enjoyable one. Thank you for your support and we look forward to providing you with Star Service!<
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Tantrum-free vacations: 5 creative tips to keep your sanity, travel with your children, and have a fun vacation, really!
You want to spend your vacation at a spa resort, your husband's idea of a good time is a weekend at the golf course, and your kids can't wait to test out the latest hot rides at the amusement park. Is there such a thing as a family vacation that makes everyone happy or are you destined to hearing the children grumbling from behind their DS, "are we there yet" while you're refereeing their arguments from the front seat?
No matter what age your children are, from tots to teens, vacations can easily become hijacked by whining, pouting, and full out screaming from kids and spouses too. So how can you have a tantrum-free vacation, keep your sanity while traveling with your children, and actually have a fun time?
Try these 5 sanity saving tantrum-free traveling tips:
1. Pick vacations that will have something each family member can enjoy. No, you don't have to sacrifice grown-up time to enjoy a happy family vacation. Choose a location that will have something for everyone, such as a family friendly cruise with kid themed activities and lots of adult amenities or the family resort with the water park that suits mom's desire to shop and dad's golfing needs. If you have more than one child share some special " vacation alone time" with each child, where they can spend time with mommy or daddy doing an activity they choose.
2. Many children have a difficult time with transitioning, going from one thing to the next, and for some children a vacation is overstimulating. They may have a difficult time with loud noises, new experiences, or may be sensitive to moving from one place to another. Often tantrums or meltdowns are a child's way of expressing that they are overwhelmed. A little preparation can help with the transitions. Share with your child images of where you are going and talk about what they will see and experience. They can even begin a scrapbook with images of their vacation before they leave and complete it when they return, so they have a feeling of control over the experience. Pack a few things in your child's travel backpack that will help your child with transitioning and waiting, such as favorite music on their mp3, favorite DVDs, a new coloring book, or a new toy. Remember to always pack snacks and juice or water; a hungry kid is a cranky kid (and that goes for adults too).
3. Adults need fun too. Hire a babysitter for a night on the town and you will model to your children the importance of taking care of your relationship. Ask the concierge about the babysitting services the hotel provides or recommends, or you can google babysitting agencies. Make sure that the sitters are screened for background checks, and that they are CPR and First Aid certified, then take some time to dance the night away. Also, book adjoining rooms for older children so you can have some alone adult fun time too.
4. Head off the meltdowns and tantrums at the pass. As a parent you notice the signs that a melt down is brewing. It could be whining, or attempts to agitate their siblings, and you know that these are the early warning signs that the tantrum storm is coming. Take a minute and breathe before you respond. Children pick-up on your emotional state and mirror it via the phenomena of mirror neurons meaning if they are agitated then you are likely to mirror their emotional response, which only amplifies their tantrum. Research suggests taking a deep breath allows you to increase the flow of oxygen to your brain, whereby you'll approach the situation from a calm and rational place, rather than reactive response. Take a breath, let your child know you understand how they feel, and then calmly talk with your child.
5. Take a break. Sometimes there is just so much that your child can experience in one day before they become overwhelmed. Create some downtime each day where they can just play in the pool or chill with their tunes. Be realistic for the developmental age of your child, and just how much activity is too much, and you will minimize exhaustion tantrums.
Vacations can be fun filled for the whole family when you use these sanity saving tantrum-free traveling tips.
Want more information on how to help your child manage their frustrations visit http://www.thecreativityqueen.com and download the free audio teleseminar: "Secrets Your Kids Really Don't Want You to Know: A Child Art Therapist Tells All" (*except for the confidential stuff).
Dr. Laura JJ Dessauer, ATR-BC, LCAT, the founder of the Creativity Queen, LLC, is a Board Certified Creative Arts Therapist and Certified Parent and Teen Coach. Laura brings over 23 years of experience working with families, children and teens in over 21 school districts. The Creativity Queen, LLC, Winner of SCORE Small Business of the Year, offers individual art therapy sessions and creative problem solving programs for both children and adults. Want more tools and practical creative strategies that work? Visit http://thecreativityqueen.com and get instant access to our FREE audio mini-course: Secrets Your Kids Really Don't Want You to Know: A Child Art Therapist Tells All. (*except for the confidential stuff)
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Farmers Back the Future
Farmers have given a resounding backing to a new company which
will help them meet change and secure their own futures as well
as that of rural Cumbria.
More than 60 Cumbrian farmers from across the county agreed to
form Cumbria Farming Network (Rural Futures) at a meeting on Thursday
night (January 12) at Threlkeld, near Keswick.
Each pledged a £20 annual membership to join the
company which this summer will take over the role established by
Cumbria's Rural Futures project.
Rural Futures is a project of Voluntary Action Cumbria and
when funding runs out at the end of July this year, thanks
to the co-operation in the company of as many farmers as possible,
a mix of funding from private trusts as well as UK and European
grant money will hopefully have been secured to continue the
Thursday's first annual meeting received the complete
backing of those who had attended and a board of 10 directors
representing the county's five districts was elected.
"Since the project started in 2002, post foot and mouth,
the whole concept has been to get farmers to work with other
farmers and we would like farmers themselves to take on the
work of Rural Futures and through the company continue to
drive this agenda," said Paul Harper who has been appointed
secretary of the new company and who has been the project's
leader from its outset.
Rural Futures over the last four years has organised around
320 meetings covering a wide range of topics, some of which
have been catalysts for setting up marketing groups - currently
there are 25 running.
It has helped farmer groups secure more than £700,000
in grant aid to improve their businesses and major initiatives
which it has supported have included the launch of the Cumberland
Dairy and its cheese-making operation and the Swalex scheme
which has recently resulted in the largest exportation of
UK breeding sheep from Swaledale breeders to Estonia.
Will Rawling, of Ennerdale, a Rural Futures co-ordinator
who was elected to the new board, told the meeting that the
whole of Cumbrian agriculture would benefit from the continuation
of the farmer-led projects.
It would re-connect farmers with the funding agencies as
well as the other main county farming organisations - Pentalk,
the Federation of Cumbria Commoners, Farm Connect Cumbria,
Cumbria Organics as well as the NFU and the CLA - in
a rural partnership.
"This rural partnership will result in efficient quality
production, sustainable communities and land management and
efficient delivery of policy," he said.
Membership of the co-operative would have opportunities to
join local skills groups. It would enable to development of
projects for the benefits of all farmers and allow farmers
to communicate their needs to the funding agencies.
It is envisaged that it will provide information and technical
backing to members through newsletters and a website as well
as a telephone information line and services could include
reduced cost help with form filling.
Board members elected for each district were: Copeland, Will
Rawling, Ennerdale and Richard Maxwell, Ennerdale; Eden, Brian
Armstrong, Kirkoswald and Carl Walters, Bampton; South Lakeland,
Mick Booth, Kentmere, and Jayne Bland, Selside; Carlisle,
Arnold Maw, Bewcastle and Thomas Whiteford, Brampton; Allerdale,
Ken Pears, Caldbeck and Glenis Postlethwaite, Lorton.
Cumbria Farming Network (Rural Futures) wants to enrol as
many members as possible. Those eligible to apply are farmers
or farmer-controlled businesses engaged in farming activities
in Cumbria.
The company is limited by guarantee and is non-profit making.
Liability is limited to £1 a member or within a year
of ceasing to be a member if the company is wound-up for payment
of debts.
Anyone interested in membership should contact Paul Harper
or Jean Canniffe at Voluntary Action Cumbria for further information,
tel 01768 242130.
© Copyright 2005 Jennifer
MacKenzie All Rights
Article by
Jennifer MacKenzie
Futures Farm Assistant Scheme in Cumbria


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text:
A complete archive of Pakistan's Education news releases since 2007
Scholarships for talented students
Peshawar, Aug 26: The government of Punjab has decided to give special scholarship
to 63 talented students of NWFP and asked the NWFP Education department
to forward the list in the regard.
Sources in the Provincial Education Department have informed that
Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF) has contacted for the list of
the 63 talented students, who got outstanding positions in
matriculation and Intermediate examinations.
Under the PEEF the scholarships would be given on three monthly basis
and conducting scrutiny in the lists.
Post your comments
Science of computers art II Random thoughts
Islamabad: In Part I last week on the importance of computer technology I
discussed the subject in general and gave a few useful related web
sites. In this second part I would like to discuss artificial
intelligence, bioinformatics, the professional scope for computer
engineers and what is expected professionally from them. In addition to
the disciplines mentioned in Part I, emerging technologies,
applications and curriculum recommendations have appeared, which need
to be mentioned as well.
Artificial intelligence (AI): The subfield of computer science that is
concerned with understanding the nature of intelligent action and
making computer machines, especially intelligent computer programmes,
capable of such action is known as artificial intelligence. It can also
be described as the performance by computer systems of a task that
normally requires human intelligence, such as visual perception or
Artificial intelligence combines computing
with psychology, linguistics and philosophy. It is concerned with the
design of intelligent computer systems and the study of intelligence in
both people and machines. Using artificial intelligence techniques,
computers are being programmed to do things previously done only by
people. Artificial intelligence systems are already in use for such
tasks as fault diagnosis, mineral prospecting and language translation
and are not confined to methods that are biologically observable.
main emphasis of computer science and artificial intelligence studies
is on the principles and practice of software design. Distinctive
features include human-centred computer systems, foundations of
concurrent systems, networking and distributing systems, vision,
national language processing, neural networks and artificial life.
These study programmes are supported by powerful computing facilities
running a wide range of software. The Stanford University website:
http://www-formal.standford.edu/ jmc/whatisai/whatisai/html provides a
description and applications of AI.
2. Bioinformatics:
Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to the
management of biological information. More information on this can be
found on websites like http://www.bioplanet.com/education.htm .
Some universities have added other subjects, like accounting, finance and law to their computer science curriculum.
science and engineering graduates have perhaps the largest spectrum of
jobs to select from. Computer architecture, computer-aided design and
manufacturing of VLSI/ULSI circuits, intelligent robotic systems,
computer-based control systems, telecommunications and computer
networking, wireless communication systems, signal and information
processing and multimedia systems, solid-state physics and devices,
micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), electromagnetic and
electromechanical systems, data-storage systems, data mining, embedded
systems, distributed computing, mobile computing, real-time software,
digital signal processing, optical data processing, banking, insurance,
healthcare and multinationals, to name but a few common careers.
having followed a good university course in any discipline of computer
science and engineering, graduates are normally expected to have learnt
two types of skills:
Technical computing skills: Problem-solving
ability, recognising levels of abstraction in software, hardware
systems and multimedia. Practical skills such as building and using
database management systems and other sophisticated software tools.
Programming: using existing software libraries to carry out a variety
of computing tasks, such as creating a user interface. Being aware of
the uses to which computers are put, recognising issues to do with
security and safety. Looking at innovative ways of using computers,
creating tools, providing tools support, etc.
professional skills: Communicating in writing, giving effective
presentations and product demonstrations and being a good negotiator
(both in traditional environments and electronically). Preparing for a
job search; this involves building an impressive curriculum vitae and
basing this confidently on technical and other skills. In addition,
depending on interests, specialised domain knowledge such as business,
medicine and biology will be acquired. Being an effective team member.
Understanding the special requirements of a globally distributed
project with participants from multiple cultures. Recognising the
challenges and opportunities of keeping skills up-to-date and
understanding how to do so. Knowledge of fundamental principles and
their applications to develop software-based solutions. The ability to
apply and implement appropriate theories and techniques to the design
and development of computer systems and to use correct criteria and
tools for the planning, development, testing and evaluation of software
systems. The ability to recognise the capabilities and limitations of
computer-based solutions as well as sources of risk. I still vividly
remember the large, room-sized configuration of the IBM computer
system, which used big stacks of punch cards that had been installed in
Sweden at the Oxelosund Steel Mills, which I visited as a graduate
student. It was the most modern steel plant in the world at the time,
using the newly developed Kaldo Process for the purification of steel
(reducing its carbon content). We were visiting educational and
industrial institutions in Sweden in July 1964 as a delegation from the
Technological University of Delft, Holland. Sweden was a beautiful,
clean country cleaner than any I had seen anywhere before. The people
were extremely polite, hospitable and disciplined. At that time Holland
was known as the cleanest country, of which the Germans never hesitated
to inform me when I praised their cleanliness. They did have a point
and I was duly impressed by what I later found in Holland. However,
after seeing Sweden, I had to admit that their country was even cleaner.
visited the Royal Institute of Technology, Uppsala University, Volvo,
Husquarna, Scania Vabis, Oxelosund and Sandvik Steel Mills, etc. It was
our first exposure to an operational computer system. The IBM computer
configuration was the first of its kind and was installed and operated
by the Americans for the automatic control of the steel mills. Nowadays
a very small unit is more powerful and more efficient than that huge
configuration was.
About 25 years after that memorable visit I
heard the shocking news that the Prime Minister of Sweden, Mr Olof
Palme, had been brutally shot down while walking back to his residence
after seeing a film. How could anyone be so callous as to murder such a
good human being, a pacifist, was beyond my comprehension. I wrote an
obituary in a local English daily and was pleasantly surprised to
receive a letter of thanks from Mrs Palme through their embassy in
I was lucky to have a team of experts in
theoretical computation (Computational Fluid Dynamics, etc.), computer
systems engineering (Control and Automation, etc.), complex process
technology (fault-free running of the enrichment plant) and maintenance
of these complex systems (hardware engineering) headed by Dr M Alam,
Nasim Khan, Dr M Ashraf Atta and Brig. Rafiuddin, respectively. They,
together with their other competent and able colleagues, managed to
solve all the problems related to the centrifuge plant and the
manufacture of nuclear devices and ballistic missiles.
(The information
in this article is based on the available syllabuses of famous British universities.) -Dr A Q Khan
Gender digital divide in rural areas discussed
Islamabad: Mobile phones are the most commonly
available of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the
rural areas but its availability alone is insufficient to enable rural
women to telecommunicate.
This was found in a study on 'The
Gender Digital Divide in Rural Pakistan' details of which were
discussed by Dr Karin Astrid Siegmann of Sustainable Development Policy
Institute who led the study at a one-day stakeholder workshop at
National Press Club here Monday. The workshop was attended by
representatives of grassroots-level organisations from Bolan,
Tharparkar, Muzaffargarh and Battagram.
Dr Karin said that
almost half of all surveyed households in the four districts own at
least one mobile phone set, reflecting the phenomenal growth of mobile
connections in the country during the past decade. She said that
according to 40 per cent of all female respondents, they needed
permission of their husbands, fathers and brothers to make calls as
they largely owned the sets. This indicates that rather than network
coverage and the presence of mobile phones alone, socio-cultural
factors also determine whether ICTs reach female users in rural areas.
hurdles women and girls face include negative perceptions of their
technological skills. A large majority of respondents strongly agreed
with the statement that "men have a natural advantage in the use of
technologies." Apart from the low regard of women's skill to use
technologies, some ICTs themselves have a bad image. While several
interviewees see some TV channels as promoting vulgarity, mobile phones
are regarded as dangerous in girls' hands, in particular. Mothers fear
that their daughters will use mobiles for dating. The role of boys in
such socially unacceptable use of telecommunication technology is
largely ignored, she said.
Cultural norms may also represent an
obstacle in the government's efforts to provide affordable access to
ICTs to the rural population through telecommunication centres. Apart
from the e-literacy issues involved in making telecommunication,
computers and internet useful for women and girls in rural areas, they
usually cannot move freely outside home.
Women mostly do not
require permission for listening to the radio or watching TV which are
simple to use. The women and men use such broadcasting equipment
chiefly for the purposes of both entertainment and information access
provides a good platform for contents related to human development and
women's empowerment. The news
Khaliq Dina Hall repair work stopped
Karachi: Khaliq Dina Hall, one of Pakistan's important historical
heritage sites, was laying dilapidated as its maintenance work has been
stopped for the last many months, it has been learnt on Tuesday.
Nazim Mustafa Kamal had directed the Works and Services Department of
CDGK for maintenance of Khaliq Dina Hall. He also directed to install
the same lights as were done at Bagh Ibne Qasim.
It may be noted
that Termite and climatic changes have severely affected the
construction and wooden work at the historical site. The building of
Khaliq Dina Hall comes under the administration of Community
Development Department (CDD) of CDGK.
The building was declared as
heritage site and defunct KMC and now City District Government Karachi
(CDGK) is looking after its affairs. Its roof was collapsed in 1994 due
to rain.
Khaliq Dina Hall is located at MA Jinnah Road, in Karachi.
Its full name is Ghulam Hussain Khaliq Dina Hall and it is mainly used
as a library.
Deputy District Officer (DDO) Atif Ali, who is posted
in the Khaliq Dina Hall, when contacted confirmed that the repairing
and construction work of the historical building has been stopped due
to absence of the contractor. He said that he did not know the reasons
behind the stoppage of work at the site.
Ali said that only 10 per
cent repair work was carried out and since then the contractor left the
site and took away his equipment and other machinery.
He mentioned
that the contractor did nothing inside the hall to tackle the problem
of Termite. Atif described that Termite has eaten all the wooden made
materials except Burma Teck wood. He further said that he had informed
his high ups about the contractor.
The officials of Works and Services
department were not available for comment when contacted. The nation
Site contents copyright © 2000 to 2012 Interface, Pakistan's Leading Education Website & Teacher's Provider


text:
Jennifer chugerman, D.D.S.
D.M.D., University of Pennsylvania
Member of the American Dental Association
Dr. Jennifer Chugerman is a graduate of The University of Pennsylvania. She completed her residency at the Advanced Education in General Dentistry at Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital in San Antonio, TX. She has graduated dental school in 2004 and is diligent in her pursuit to stay current on the latest advances and procedures in dentistry through continuing education. In this year alone, Dr. Chugerman has completed 60 hours of continuing education courses. Her love for dentistry allows her to connect and bond with patients no matter what their age may be. Dr. Chugerman is a certified holistic health coach who believes that there is a strong connection between our gums, teeth and our overall well being. When she is not sighting out dental decay, she can be found happily spending her free time with her family and is often watching her children play hockey. She is an adventurous soul whose hobbies include traveling, yoga and cooking.
Want Dr. Chugerman to be your dentist?
Dr. Chugerman is currently accepting new patients. Reserve an appointment with her today by selecting the date and time most convenient for you and mentioning Dr. Chugerman in the comments section.


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The #blackgirlmagic continues to sprinkle upon us. Oberlin College was the first college in the United States to begin admitting students of color in 1833 and this week they elected their first African-American president, Carmen Ambar. The history-making icon previously served as president of Cedar Crest College and with her new role, she will become the college's 15th president. Here's what she had to say:
"Oberlin is a singular institution in American higher education, with a historic commitment to social justice, academic and musical excellence, and the liberal arts. I look forward to my work with Oberlin's faculty, staff, students, board, and alumni to think creatively and collaboratively together. I am humbled to be joining this institution and excited about the opportunity to lead it into its next era." – Carmen Ambar
Chris Canavan, Chair-Elect of Oberlin's Board of Trustees and '84 graduate of the school is incredibly excited to work alongside Carmen Ambar.
"Her life story, her academic achievements, her devotion to the liberal arts and her love of music make her the very embodiment of Oberlin. Under her leadership, I'm confident that Oberlin can advance with the times without losing sight of who we are." – Chris Canavan
We wish Carmen Ambar a great run as president, continue to be great!