WILFONG'S THOUGHT OF THE DAY

We got an "Issuance" from one of our more active advocates.   He was passing around an article, he received, and bemoaning the fact that "The Beltway Bandits" were hijacking all the federal government business before it could get out to the hinterlands.  We won't print the article, for a number of reasons.  But, mainly we don't do it because we don't want to "institutionalize" the thought.

So, we'll write what we wrote back:

"Unfortunately, XXX has hit on a reality that we're just gonna have to get over.  We can cry about "The Beltway Bandits" getting all the work if we want.   The truth of the matter is not so much that they're LOCATED near D.C.  What they do is take advantage of that location to establish and capitalize on RELATIONSHIPS.

I got a copy of this memo not because of where I am located, but because of my relationship with XXX, and others on this list.  I got it because I am President of The National Association of Small Disadvantaged Businesses. XXX knows, but many of you on this mailer are probably not aware that NASDB is now located in Savannah, GA.

Though, Wyllene and I have been down here almost a year now, there are folk up in D.C. that think we're still there.  Part of this may be due to the fact that my cell phone still has a "301" area code.  Part of this may be due to the fact that I had at least half a dozen phone conversations with folk on The Hill, and in a couple of the big agencies just yesterday.  And, on Monday, I'll be hosting my usual Wilfong Hour, where folk from all over the country will be calling in to talk about "the problems of small business"

Strange as it may sound to some, "The Beltway Bandits" don't make our hit list.  The 80/20 ratio as to big/small business with the government does make that list.  So, my suggestion, get off the location issue and do your relationship establishment better.  Do your marketing by methods other than your having to stay in someone's face all the time.  Funny thing, I can just see  XXX with that "innocent" little look on his face.  But, I haven't SEEN him since five or six calls ago....

Hank"

Having said that, we invite those who are interested to call in on Monday.  These are the kind of things we want to hear from you.  Strange as it may sound, we recognize a lot of the names on the list that got the mailer.  A lot of them are within the "50 mile radius of the White House"-yet they ain't getting their fair share of the 80/20 pie.  Now, 'splain that...

And, they won't until somebody Changes that situation (80/20)

The struggle continues, until we succeed-and we shall-YES WE CAN!!!!!

EVERY MONDAY | 12 NOON CST - 1PM EST ~ Dial-in Number: 218.339.2626 (The Participant Access Code is: 408191#)

With Award-Winning Anchor Soledad O'Brien.  The forum—taped at the recent ESSENCE Music Festival®—features provocative discussions by some of the most influential names in Black America including Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Tom Joyner, Hill Harper and others.

Click here to submit your iReport

Talking about Iraq, Obama:

<blockquote>John McCain, who supported the war from the start, said we'd be greeted as liberators, has really focused on the tactical issues in Iraq. And the surge has no doubt reduced violence. And I think all Americans are thrilled by that.

But what George Bush and John McCain have missed consistently from the start of this process is the broader strategy.

You know, was it a wise thing to go in there and what are the costs and benefits of staying there indefinitely?

We're spending $10 billion a month there. We've spent $200 billion since the surge began. Meanwhile, the situation where -- you know, where the central front against terrorism should be taking place, in Afghanistan, the situation has deteriorated. And we had this brazen attack on a U.S. base where nine servicemen were killed.

And we've got to recognize that perpetuating the strategy that we have in Iraq is costing us elsewhere, not only in Afghanistan, but also investments that we could be making here at home. </blockquote>

A) We were greeted as liberators.
B) Be consistent and ask, what are the costs and benefits of the Afghanistan War?
C) If you're going to ask a question and then answer it, please humbly answer it fully. You gave a detailed response to the costs of Iraq, where are the benefits?

<blockquote>Imagine what we could have done with $200 billion invested in clean energy technology and figuring out how we're going to raise.</blockquote>

I do not have to imagine, actually.  and it was as wasted as you think it has been wasted in Iraq. The world invested just over that amount; 200 billion dollars. It's expected to grow greatly over the next decades. But did new wind technology, more efficient or anything, come out of 2007, half way through 2008? Not that the American public knows about. And if it's simply about building wind plants, that's uterly stupid.

<blockquote>Where Senator McCain I think is confused is the difference between tactics and strategy. I am absolutely convinced that, strategically, it is time for us to bring this war to an end.</blockquote>

The second sentence compares to Obama's January 10, 2007 statement, "I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going solve the secartarian violence and in fact I think it'll do the reverse."  
When he's not persuaded, he couldn't have been more wrong, but now he's absolutely convinced... Of course, what would be strategically best, will actually never come into light, as whether or not the world is better off without Saddam ruling Iraq.

   In conclusion, Obama continues to politicize the Iraq War by over playing the negatives of any war while downplaying the success of the specific war, simultaneously treating the Afghanistan War with reality based outlooks, expressing what he thinks is best regardless of financial costs or strain on the military. And on energy, the economy, he continues the long used Democratic strategy of saying to do what's already being done by President Bush or by the country without government aid. That is, we're investing huge amounts of money into solar, wind, and even bio fuels; basically Obama says to through more money at it and this is not really a policy. He says about the part of the broken economy he actually has a solution for,
<blockquote>And so much of this could have been prevented if we had had stronger oversight on the subprime lending market, if we had implemented some simple reforms around Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, if we had had some serious efforts to curb predatory lending, a lot of these problems that we've seen could have been prevented.</blockquote> 
I'd have to research it, but how many times over the last four years has Democratic Congressional official attempt to pass laws to prevent the current crisis? I know how many they passed since taking control of Congress in 2007; 0. A new kind of politician, change the way Washington works, thousands of words, zero action.

During the first Gulf War, CNN changed the way those of us "back home" saw the war. For the first time, cameras recorded the fighting, scud attacks and blood shed which often appeared on our television screen without the filter of an editor. The frightened voices of journalists sometimes accompanied that raw footage.

Now, the current Iraq conflict is brought into our living rooms -- or where ever our computer is set up -- through video clips captured by camcorders or cell phones and posted on YouTube. No editor or journalistic filter is required.

I found myself wondering–just who was filming and posting these videos? Were these soldiers entering combat with a camera and a weapon? Was the film from journalists or bystanders? Who edited and added music and graphics to some of the postings? And why did some of the YouTube videos have 300+ views and others thousands. Or, as the one I just watched, "US Marines In Iraq Real Footage Warning Graphic" had more than 3 million hits. 3,642,405 to be exact. Is this the new citizen journalism? See for yourself:

Pelosi: "Well, we have passed, in the House of Representatives, every one of those initiatives.  They've run into a brick wall with the Republicans in the United States Senate, and with the President of the United States."

Wolf: "So it's all the fault of the Senate?"

Pelosi: "Yes, absolutely."

Wolf: "Simple as that?"

Pelosi: "Every single one of these bills passed the Congress of the United States.  The price of oil ... is attributed to oil men in the White House and their protectors in the United States Senate."

Apparently Mrs. Speaker doesn't understand that the Senate is a part of Congress.  So, if her simplistic blaming of the Senate is in fact true, she is wrong in saying that the bills passed through Congress.  One must wonder why the Speaker of the House does not even realize who's categorized as part of Congress.  Furthermore, if she so readily blames the Senate for failing to pass key legislation, then why is she not helping her House to rewrite the legislation in order to better please the Senate?  That's part of her job.  Her blaming the Senate doesn't even make sense since the Democrats are the majority with Pelosi's good friend Harry Reid at the helm.

Later in the interview, Pelosi went on to call President George W. Bush "a total failure."  She also argued that there is no need to open up more off-shore sites for oil drilling because, she claims, oil companies are passing up on 68,000,000 acres in the United States that are not being used.  FactCheck.org, an unbiased and truly objective website that has been steadfastly and unwaveringly fair in its assessments of what our politicians say and do, was quick to point out that Pelosi's comment is not true.  "More than 4,700 new holes are being drilled...", the website states.  The fact is, the House of Representatives, under her pitiful leadership, has approval ratings as low as those of President Bush.  What's more, she makes so many promises, and then when it's time to show results, Pelosi is neck-deep in failure and tries to shovel it off on the Republicans and President Bush.  The interview quoted above is the perfect example: it's not her poorly drafted legislation that's at fault, it's the conniving "oil men in the White House and their protectors in the United States Senate."  What happened to the promises she made for change, non-partisanship and results when she first took over as Speaker?  She spends so much time and effort blaming President Bush and his fellow Republicans, it's no wonder she hasn't accomplished anything.

Now, a website, LiebermanMustGo.com, is asking people to sign a petition for Lieberman to lose his chairmanship and be kicked out of the caucus after the November elections, when the Democrats are expected to pick up more seats, so they won't need him anymore.  The petition has now gathered over 48,000 signatures.  Robert Greenwald, who helped design the site, said, "Given that Lieberman is actively and aggressively attacking the candidate for presidency of his party, it seems pretty clear he should not be given any of the perks that come with being a member of the Democratic Party."

The whole thing started when Lieberman agreed to address the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Lieberman told reporters that he left the weekly lunch of the Senate Democrats on Tuesday when criticisms of McCain's energy policies came up, saying, "I just didn't feel it was appropriate for me to be there."  Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) said that a Senator came up to him to complain about Lieberman.  Durbin told reporters, "It was the right thing to do.  This is a delicate situation."  Sorry, Mr. Durbin, but that's not being a very good party whip right there.  Good for Lieberman, bad for you and the party.

Asked about crossing a point of no return, Lieberman told reporters, "I don't have any line that I have in my mind.  If it happened, I'd know it when I saw it."  He, however, said that he doesn't expect to leave the Democratic caucus any time soon: "Senator Reid has been easy to work with.  I have a lot of good friends in the caucus, and I don't have any intention of doing that before the end of this session of Congress."

And Lieberman isn't worried about getting kicked out of his position, saying, "That decision is up to my colleagues in the Democratic caucus next year.  I'm going to do what I think is right now and not worry about what the political consequences may be for me.  I strongly support John McCain.  I believe in him, his strength, his principle, his effectiveness, so if he thought that I could help him by speaking at the Republican convention, I would do that.  And I would do it really not to go and attack anybody but to explain why I as a Democrat have crossed party lines to support John McCain and why I hope a lot of other Democrats and independents will do the same."

Lately, Lieberman has been critical of Barack Obama; on a CNN interview he called him "naïve" on Iran, and said, The fact that the spokesperson for Hamas would say they would welcome the election of Senator Obama really does raise the question, 'Why?'"

He criticized Obama's lack of a consistent stance on issues during a FOX interview, saying, "Senator Obama has really moved.  Since he clinched the nomination a month ago, he has altered and nuanced more big positions more quickly than I can remember any other presidential nominee."

Here are some reactions from Senators:

• Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): "I very much regret what he's doing, candidly, but there isn't anything I can do about it, and that's really all I want to say."
• Chris Dodd (D-CT): "I think they're heading in the wrong direction.  And I see Joe as an ally on most matters and a person who's been supportive of Democrats here on most issues."
• Susan Collins (R-ME) (Lieberman has donated to her campaign): "My hope is that he will not be punished for doing what he thinks is right."
• Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV): "Anytime we have a problem here, with the exception of Iraq, Joe Lieberman's with us.  So I wish people would leave him alone.  We'll get to next year when we get there."

I say he should just stand up one day, give 'em the finger and move to the other side of the aisle.  That's some C-SPAN daytime drama for ya!

If I were him, I would not let them use me, just to kick me to the side of the road when they don't want me anymore.  Show them that they can't just use you and then dump you.

Now, I say all of this, but I should note that I disagree with Lieberman on most issues.  If McCain were to pick him as his VP (which Lieberman said he does not want, nor expect), it'd be stupid of McCain.  You don't pick a VP because you agree with them on one main issue.

I like Lieberman, but he's a liberal - but the Democrats would be stupid to do this to him.  It could come to haunt them.

Done Ranting,

Ranting Republican
:: :: :: :: ::

Another blogging test, and a whoop of joy.

Tomatoes are safe!

Oh joy!

Oh rapture!

This is great news--hey, I take my tomatoes seriously.

More Untitled promo, this time courtesy of CNN.

When Nas said he didn't name his album "Nigger" because there might be problems getting it into stores, it was no surprise. But when he said pressure from black leaders played a role, it seemed out of character.

The Queens-reared rapper has never been one to kowtow. Just last month, he referred to the Rev. Jesse Jackson as "the biggest player hater" and declared Jackson's time as a voice for black America over.

But in a recent CNN interview, Nasir Jones explained he didn't change the album's name to please the Rev. Al Sharpton and other black leaders. Rather, they were stealing his thunder.

"I don't think I liked the attention I was getting from some of the elders in my community," he said. "I saw it kind of leaning toward being about them ... only about them. I kind of wanted to just shake that off of me."

To read the rest of the article, click here.  Nice read.

lik dot

Email from The Brit:
Subject: I don't see a submission from your Dwight bobblehead yet

--

So like the good obedient child that I am, I put together my very first iReport:
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-46990

--

Next email from The Brit:
The iReport team are complaining that you didn't send video...

Comments from inside the building, useful suggestion at end.

DW: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-46990
The Brit: I made her send it!
The Brit: and have berated her for it not being video
DW: Thank you, saves me from having to do it.
DW: I'm betting not first time she's gotten berated for "doesn't follow directions."
DW: it's gotten 56 hits in 14 minutes.
The Brit: really? oh lord, she'll be insufferable. But 50 of those prob from inside here
DW: i don't know how the click counts work internally. she didn't even have her picture in her profile. i'm pretty sure some of our users get additional clicks because of picture they choose
The Brit: it's her first submission, bless her
DW: i'm just saying. she's got her logo. i'm estimating that picture of female is good for at least a 10% increase in clicks. more if they're cute.

--

More, via IM:
The Brit: ... But I have created a whole new audience for dpnation ...
DP: i just changed my profile pic
The Brit: a man wandering past my cube says "that'll work"

--

And somewhere out of this, I think got hitched:
y++: breaking news!
y++: Deeps is now my gf
Skybil: WOW!!
y++: yes
Skybil: Let me start spreading rumors ...
y++: fictional, perhaps, but where's the line these days
y++: yes yes, she's my gf
Skybil: True. Lots of relationships are based on fiction!
y++: entirely
Skybil: Indeed

DW comes through on my iReport, clears for on air usage!

DW: "I'll make an exception and vet this one."

Q&A between DW and DP (required for iReports used on CNN):
Did you take the picture? -- YES and those are my bobbles (Teixiera is a gift from the Brit herself)
What kind of camera did you use? -- iPhone, hence why the picture quality is so awful
Where do you live? NYC
What do you do? MBA/online celebrity/bacon enthusiast
Are you over 18? pretty sure, yes.

--

They begin to realize they've created a monster:
Skybil: You've made Dana insufferable!!
Skybil: I blame you
DW: made?
Skybil: Good point

--

Going live in 3.. 2..
The Brit: make sure you watch this thing on dotcom live
The Brit: there may be a surprise for you

--

Wes' brush with fame and 20/20 hindsight:
Wes: OMG OMG I just got to shake dwight schrute's hand
DP: OOOOOH
Wes: he even talked to me
Wes: bet you're regretting business school now

Dwight signing T's [exercise] ball.

See Dwight head to the weather center and do the forecast for CNN. Unsure of what he did to Chad Myers, the regular weather guy.

--

m++'s ultimate plan:
m++: skybil has given me a strategy on how to get you down here
m++: deeps, your hair looks terrible, you need to visit your stylist here
[he may be onto something here..]

Walter Walsh, 101, was among the notables at Thursday night's FBI birthday party.

"I'm older than the FBI," said 101-year old Walter Walsh, who fought the mob as an FBI agent in the 1930s and '40s. The FBI says Walsh is its oldest living former special agent.

Walsh is among the thousands of special agents who contributed to the investigations and arrests upon which the FBI legend was built. Walsh personally arrested Doc Barker, son of the infamous gangster Ma Barker. Walsh was wounded in the 1937 shootout that killed Al Brady, then the nation's most wanted criminal.

Today, Walsh said that he was happy to be able to attend the festivities and that he was flattered his service is still remembered.

Among other guests at the party honoring a "Century of Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity" were the three living former FBI directors, William Webster, William Sessions and Louis Freeh. Plaques of appreciation were presented to the three men who had led the FBI through a long and sometimes troubled transition from the J. Edgar Hoover era to a modern intelligence agency largely aimed at spies, terrorists and international criminal networks.

FBI Director Robert Mueller recounted to the gathered throng at the National Building Museum in Washington how the bureau's missions had changed over the decades. This was not an occasion to dwell on the controversies and failures that have blemished the FBI's reputation.

Mueller marveled that what began as a band of 34 detectives, accountants and civil rights investigators in 1908 blossomed into a powerful force of more than 30,000 agents and support staff with a global reach.

"J. Edgar Hoover would have been proud," Mueller said.

Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who was made an honorary special agent, echoed the sentiment as he heaped praise on the FBI's storied history.

"You and your cases are the stuff of Hollywood legend," Mukasey said. "You have inspired generations of children who have grown up dreaming of joining your ranks."

But Mukasey noted that the bureau had not been viewed so promisingly in its infancy. Six months after its creation, then-Attorney General Charles Bonaparte made only a brief reference to his new band of special agents.

"The consequences of the innovation have been, on the whole, moderately satisfactory," Bonaparte wrote.

The snickers changed to applause as Mukasey then declared that in a century the FBI "had gone from 'moderately satisfactory' to absolutely extraordinary."

Ref :: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/17/fbi.birthday/index.html

Click here to view witness testimony. 

Click here to view video of the hearing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -  The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released an extensive review of the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program. Their findings point to extensive fraud in the eight-billion dollar initiative. "You have to wonder about a system that lets individuals self-qualify for a program of this size.  It doesn't take a genius to recognize the incredible potential for malfeasance."  That's what Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) said after hearing GAO's testimony before the House Committee on Small Business. 

The HUBZone initiative is meant to help disadvantaged communities by granting preferential contracts to small businesses in specific areas of the country.  GAO's lead investigators told the Congressional panel they had found countless instances of abuse by non-qualifying firms.  Members also heard from representatives of the Bush Administration-which has spoken out against stronger accountability in the HUBZone application and certification process.

"Small businesses deserve a fair share of the federal marketplace, but fraudulent HUBZone applicants are shutting out firms that play by the rules," said Chairwoman Velázquez. "Last year, we passed robust legislation to end these violations, but the Senate has yet to act on our bill and President Bush opposed it aggressively."

H.R. 3867, the Small Business Contracting Program Improvements Act, calls for on-site visits and other proven means of confirming compliance with HUBZone guidelines.  GAO found the Small Business Administration (SBA)-which is charged with managing the HUBZone program-is doing almost nothing to verify the information of applicants.  Investigators also said they had extensive evidence of individuals who misrepresent the locations of their companies, knowing the agency will not question them about their applications. 

"It's tougher to get a library card than it is to get into the HUBZone program. All you need is a bit of Wite-out.  It's absolutely shameful," said Chairwoman Velázquez.

The GAO reviews unveiled at today's hearing, were requested by the Committee late last year.  They offer a full audit of the HUBZone program and delve into ten randomly-selected firms in the DC metropolitan area.  Many of these companies had set up "virtual offices" or rented mailboxes in poor communities with the sole purpose of gaining a mailing address within HUBZone boundaries.  All ten failed GAO's site inspections, and have been referred to the Inspector General for corrective action.  Investigators also set up four bogus firms to test SBA's application process.  One of the businesses was listed as occupying a local Starbucks; another a major sports arena.  Others simply had P.O. Box addresses.  Each time, the applications were certified as HUBZone eligible by the SBA-with little or no questions asked.

"It's time the Bush Administration stops pretending fraud isn't rampant in this program. The American people know better," said Chairwoman Velázquez.  "The problems with the HUBZone initiative must be fixed immediately. Tax-payers, and the small businesses that drive our economy, deserve no less."

# # #