ONE on NH Chronicle/shameless self promotion

Several weeks ago Tiffany Eddy from WMUR's NH Chronicle came to the house and interviewed me regarding my volunteer efforts for ONE. The result is very good indeed. The piece focuses on the efforts of three Granite Staters and is quite moving.




I am so very proud of my family and our work with ONE. There is still much to do but we are committed to seeing it through to the end.

Unfortunate Milestone

S**t. This is not good news people. Mugabe must go. Now.

The government estimates the necessary rehabilitation of water and sanitation infrastructure will take years

Stephen Omollo
IFRCS

Be More inclusive!

Change GOP Change!!!

I can not believe what I am hearing lately. It is as if no one that is setting policy is good at math. My party seems not to value my opinion if it is not in lockstep with the "base". Why should I be a part of this party? After a good four decades maybe it IS time for a change.

There is no chance we can defeat POTUS in 2012. Not unless we have a miracle and the party bosses (Rush and Dick), have outlawed miracles.

I have never had more respect for anyone in public service than I have for Colin Powell.

“Jack was as conservative as anybody,” Mr. Powell said. “And Jack also was a man who believed in inclusiveness, reaching out to minorities, reaching out to the poor, sharing the wealth. Which became a bad term last fall, but sharing the wealth of the country not only with the rich, but with those who are least advantaged in our society. It’s that kind of Jack Kemp Republicanism that I like, and I would like to see the party move more in that kind of a direction.” Colin L. Powell

always whistle...

My 'son'day sermon.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1loyjm4SOa0


Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (from Monty Python)
Listen: LoFi | Download | Send-Card | Chords
From: A Faire To Remember
words and music by Eric Idle

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.

So always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath

Life's a piece of shit
When you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show
Keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.

And always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the right side of life...
(Come on guys, cheer up!)
Always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the bright side of life...
(Worse things happen at sea, you know.)
Always look on the bright side of life...
(I mean - what have you got to lose?)
(You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!)
Always look on the right side of life...

Bono and me.

It is not often you get to be in good company it seems. So often the bureaucrats seem to have the day.

Then like the quote from Tin Cup goes "you hit a shot and it rings like a tuning fork in your loins..." Last Friday was one of those exceptions that prove the rule. (Am I mixing in to much hyperbole?) Is that too pompous? Using parentheses to self critique myself now. dammit.

Here is the reason I am so flustered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86OcXWSkgfM

Kinda cool when a superstar does your soundtrack...

I tried to start a list of people who made this happen. Some of them do not know how much I know they helped me. Starting to sound confused again, but it is simple. I am nothing without my friends and family.

Pakistan

Secretary of State Clinton used some modern language today! Hooray!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8058252.stm

One of our guiding principles is that this should be more than just the delivery of supplies.

Mrs. Clinton

Bloggin from the bberry. This is cool. The world is my platform.

CCYL Superstar advocate!

Early this week my friend and fellow advocate for the worlds poorest CCYL attended a panel that included Jeffrey Sachs http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/1804 Well known for her thoughtful and intelligent analysis of the challenges facing the worlds poorest CCYL wanted to have the best question she could ready if she got the chance to ask it.



Her blog has the transcripts of the results...

http://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2009/05/sachs-ending-poverty-not-possible-wo.htmlpossible-wo.html



As you can see a great question often elicits a better answer.

I appreciated his analysis linking the issue to what's happening in Darfur and Somalia.

CCYL

NH Chronicle

Friday May 15th the nightly news program, New Hampshire Chronicle will be airing a special on the One Vote '08 campaign and ONE!

http://www.one.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=984&id=951-4072416-NKLt2qx&t=2

Tune in or attend a watch party!!!

See you there!

I should have written this...

A few days ago Drew Cline wrote in his blog about a NY Times story re "harsh interrogation techniques" -

http://www.unionleader.com/blogs/cline/?p=1494

Time is always in favor of the truth. I for one am glad that all the stories about a single minded administration and blind loyalty were overblown.

With full approval from a Congress only too eager to appear as 'tough as nails when they need to be'.

Only they do not play the lying game very well...

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/05/13/stewart_grills_pelosi_over_knowledge_of_waterboarding_.html

Thanks to Jon Stewart, his brilliant production team, and sense of timing for putting together (again) a truly biting piece and exposing our clothe less leaders.

And Governor Venturas take on this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoqmH49VBC0&feature=player_embedded

Todd and the wildlife update

Todd's days are numbered, he got two more hens this week. Bought a havaheart trap and a .22 rifle. Either way he has got to go. He was looking great but now has mange and is on the prowl during daylight hours as well. This can only mean he is not healthy and therefore has become more than just a nuisance.

The redtailed hawk still circles overhead and is a constant threat but seems more interested in the snakes and vermin that live in the surrounding fields.

Our newest friend the Ring Necked Pheasant roo seems to have settled in (no idea where he came from but come he did), and we hope will attract some hens of his own.

Busy week, done.

Cinco, Full Moon Madness, and Mothers day. Now the rest of life can continue.

POTUS Obama gets his props re program the W started, and rightfully so...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/budget-continues-to-increase-global-aids-funding-2009-05-08.html

gotta make The Globe my FB friend!

Senator Gregg hears from ONE!

The over 10,000 ONE members here in the Granite State earned a tremendous amount of goodwill during the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

On Wednesday morning some of them visited Senator Judd Gregg's office at Pease Tradeport in Portsmouth NH.

Today the buzz started...

http://www.nowhampshire.com/2009/05/07/one-campaign-calls-on-senator-gregg/

and...

http://www.one.org/blog/2009/05/08/calling-on-senator-gregg/

I expect our relationship with the Senator will grow in strength and become
a major force for
good in the world!

Post Cinco post

The annual celebration over the victory over the French at the Battle of Pueblo behind us, we can now focus on the warmer weather ahead while we think of sunnier climes abroad. The crowd at the 'raunt was big and loud, but well behaved.

Somehow we lost a hen yesterday, just dead in the corner of the coop when I went out for eggs in the morning. She was one of the older ones (over tres anos), but it was still a surprise. Spanish lessons coming along slowly.

To me, today was much more exciting...

South Sudan

Proof that for every cloud there is a silver lining. Here is a story about progress in an area of unforgivable suffering.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8022772.stm

"But the launch of these ambulance motorbikes in South Sudan is a serious attempt to tackle some of the world's highest rates of women dying in pregnancy.
A woman has a one-in-six chance of dying during pregnancy during the course of her lifetime in this underdeveloped region scarred by two decades of war, according to the United Nations.
A 15-year-old girl is more likely to die in childbirth than to complete school."

Somalia

I read the news today, oh boy...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8020548.stm

Not good news for those wishing for a speedy peaceful solution to this quagmire. Secy. of Defense Robert Gates spoke recently at the U.S. Marine Corps War College in Quantico VA where he spoke forcefully about the need to provide positive redirection for the young men of Somalia. "There is no purely military solution" he said.

If we do not dramitcaly scale up our efforts in the region the Marines will be called upon again, and our nations most precious treasure will be spent.

These are difficult times yes, but we have the resources to overcome them. We can not loose focus on where we want to be when we do.

worth reposting...

http://www.thenextright.com/jon-henke/the-zombie-party-spends-a-weekend-at-bernies

henke rules again!

Table 114 tonight

Knocking back a Tom Collins now.

Dinner:

Ground turkey in black bean sauce with sliced garlic cloves and green beans. Should be long beans (and ground pork) but this IS Dover and we had ground turkey on hand...

Work with what you got. Be thankful. I am.

Taqueria and autographs ;-)

Catch the live show Monday though Friday @ Tio Juan's Margaritas 23 Members Way Dover NH 03820. From 4-6ish pm, I serve up the tastiest tacos this side of the Rio Grande. My comal is hot, my food is fresh and my jokes are stale. To wash them down well... the place is called Margaritas.

The patio is open!

Sen. Judd Gregg and smart fiscal conservatism

At 10am on Wednesday morning myself, and other ONE Campaign volunteers will be meeting at the Portsmouth NH office of Senator Judd Gregg. We hope to express to his Project Director Tom Prasol that innovative programs like the Millennium Challenge Corporation which rewards poor but well governed nations with grants for infrastructure development are both the morally AND fiscally responsible.

Teaching a man to fish is all well and good, but if that man can catch more than he can eat before it goes bad what then? Perhaps if he could make some ice or freeze the fish he could have time to get it to market... after that the possibilities are endless.

That is kind of how the MCC works.

The country in question might say "we need to develop a modern port facility".

After meeting the prerequisites for transparency and accountability a grant might be offered. If that project succeeds, and further expansion of that facility is needed it is possible that the country could reapply using their already proven track record to tackle corruption and possibly enter another "compact".

Recently i wrote an op-ed that appeared in the New Hampshire Union Leader http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Michael+Castaldo%3A+Even+now%2C+we+must+continue+giving+to+the+world's+poor&articleId=f6e0b380-f07e-4be0-b1d1-3900fe978cb3 in which i use logic and credible backing to make the case for smart diplomacy. This is fiscal conservatism. To act in any other way is to be penny wise and dollar foolish.

Part of the reason I have had success in promoting the central tenets of the ONE Campaign is that I have always tried to be respectful and well mannered when meeting with my elected officials and their representatives. If you join with me I will expect no less of you. That does not mean we will be wallflowers. So on Wednesday let the voices of the poorest billion be heard loud and clear here in the Granite State!

If you can not make it please call after our meeting and let them know how you feel!!!


Senator Judd Gregg

Portsmouth, NH Office:
16 Pease Boulevard
Portsmouth, NH 03801

Main: (603) 431-2171

First

In keeping with the concept of 'keeping it simple' this first post will be just that. I hope to bring you some joy and insight into my world and its pleasures as time goes by.