Byron K Maxfield

Remember that lady that was injured when that guy held the door open for her? Ya, she just got $311,000 from that. Previous article http://digg.com/offbeat_news/50k_For_Injury_Sustained_Holding_Open_The_Door_Of_A_Pizza_Hut

Among its variations, political ideology can be understood as a body of ideas reflecting the social and political aspirations of an individual, group or class. History indicates that it is far easier to run on a political ideology than it is to govern that way. Yet, it is a political ideology or, better still, an ideological purity that serves as the litmus test for a number of candidates aligned with the tea party movement in this year's midterm elections. Among their list of campaign pledges, if elected, they have promised their loyal and enthusiastic followers they will cut back the size of government, lower taxes, reduce what they consider wasteful spending, reduce the deficit and adhere to the Constitution. No matter how well-intended the campaign rhetoric may be, the adage made famous by former Speaker Sam Rayburn still holds true for those entering Congress: "If you want to get along, go along." There are always exceptions to that rule, but as long as Congress is comprised of men and women with ambition it is doubtful there will be a significant paradigm shift from Rayburn's declaration. But the way Congress is configured, in particular the House of Representatives, it won't take long to find out if the campaign rhetoric was simply lofty idealism based on an unrealistic ideological purity by those elected. Let's start with the promise to cut back the size of government. It is doubtful that there will be any cuts beyond tinkering around the edges to the five largest agencies in the federal government: defense, veteran affairs, homeland security, justice and treasury. The most likely cuts would be made in housing and urban development and education, the federal government's smallest agencies. That might serve as red meat for the faithful, but it is doubtful to be meaningful if one is committed to reduce the size of government. Let us not forget, the multitude of K Street lobbyists do not exist for nothing. This sect of multiple interests and political ideologies scan Capitol Hill to find out whose ambition can be titillated to assure there aren't any cuts to those services important to their cause. Assuming that one is unable to reduce the size of government in any meaningful way, any tax cuts will only increase the deficit. Under this backdrop, the subjective term "wasteful spending" will most likely not amount to any meaningful change. Perhaps the most outlandish claim among this inventory of ideological pure positions would be the adherence to the Constitution. Has America, unbeknown to most Americans, been living outside the jurisdiction of its most sacred document for an undetermined length of time? Or could it be the mere utterance of this catchphrase is sufficient in lieu of actually reading the Constitution? How does one conclude the Founders intended to create a document that would lock its posterity in perpetuity into their understandings of what it meant to establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare for its citizens? We live in a world the Founders would not recognize. Each generation bears the responsibility to struggle with what the immortal words of the preamble mean to them. That's why Lincoln was unwavering in his commitment to preserve the Union. Among the Founders, when it comes to words and deeds, was there a more contradictory figure than Thomas Jefferson? The eloquence and inspiration of the words "all men are created equal" were clearly not meant for those who toiled under the sweltering heat of slavery. Moreover, Jefferson trusted that future generations would work out a solution to America's original sin. "But as it is," Jefferson wrote, "we have the wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other." But Jefferson's failure to address this obvious contradiction did not stop the civil rights generation from holding up the Jeffersonian notion of equality along with the guarantees secured by the 14th Amendment as the bedrock of their movement -- a movement that made America better. Though it is tempting to oversimplify, there is simply no shortcut to address America's challenges. To offer anything different may prove successful in the short-term, but will ultimately make the advocates look hypocritical and their followers even more frustrated if not apathetic. Byron Williams is an Oakland pastor and syndicated columnist. He is the author of Strip Mall Patriotism: Moral Reflections of the Iraq War. E-mail him at byron@byronspeaks.com or visit his Web site byronspeaks.com.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis took part in a Communications Workers of America conference call Wednesday night in which she expressed her strong support for unions fighting Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget. Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/03/amid-wisconsin-battle-labor-secy-joins-union-planning-call-lets-k#ixzz1FfJ00wis

The decisions of Democratic Sens. Chris Dodd (Conn.) and Byron Dorgan (N.D.) to exit Capitol Hill are spurring widespread speculation downtown about whether the lawmakers will head to K Street.

The release of the Byron report will surely be major news, both in the U.K. and abroad. We?re quite interested to see how Dr. Byron assimilated the available - and often conflicting - research on game violence and whether her report takes an objective view or panders to the current strain of anti-game sentiment?

To Drupal CMS . Drupal blog website ( ). Pacific Northwest Drupal Summit Angela Byron developer Drupal developer project. Drupal developers . slide : Angela Byron: The Drupal Community, Where are we going and how to get involved? (PDF,19 MB) video Vimeo . : : Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala (8) Go (2) (0) (a.k.a. health commons) (0) sidux aptosid (1)

This is Kurt's latest project. It is backed by some big name athletes like: Reggie Bush, Ndamukong Suh, Tony Scheffler, Jared Veldheer, Byron Stingily, Greg McElroy, Donnie Nickey and Kris Durham. It is called the Dominant One!

The Byron report will have far-reaching effects on the video game industry in the U.K. In addition, readers can expect that it will be closely studied by political figures, activists and industry types in the U.S.

Is there a Paul Kattenburg within the Obama administration? If there is (or was), the ship has mostly likely sailed on any potential influence he or she may have on shaping policy in Afghanistan. Kattenburg served 23 years in the United States' diplomatic corps. On Aug. 31, 1963, Kattenburg, then chairman of the Vietnam Working Group, attended a National Security Council meeting, which would dramatically alter his diplomatic career. Kattenburg was the lone dissenter at the meeting contemplating whether the U.S. should support the overthrow of South Vietnam President Ngo Dinh Diem. Instead, K

May retail sales for the U. K . exceeded analysts expectations, data from the Office of National Statistics ..... expected a 1% rise month-on-month. The total amount spent in the U. K . retail sector between April 29 and May 26 rose to an estimated non-seasonally …

Moody's Investors Service is readying a downgrade for British banks, according to media reports Thursday.

U. K . consumers returned to the high street in May ..... days have seen some glimmers of hope for the U. K . economy, with an improved CBI industrial trends ..... 30-month low," said Howard Archer, chief U. K . and euro-zone economist for IHS Global Insight …

… country and Germany, as well as one to the U. K . Norway's Minister of Petroleum and Energy ..... At the same time, Statnett and the U. K .'s National Grid PLC (NG.LN) have ..... interconnector between Norway and the U. K . which is scheduled for completion in 2020 …

… RBS), which is 83% owned by the U. K . government, said late Thursday it has ..... is negative in line with other large U. K . banks, reflecting Moody's' expectation that government support for large U. K . banks may be lowered in the medium term …

U. K . consumers returned to the high street in May ..... much needed boost to the recession-hit U. K . The data show that sales of clothing and footwear ..... Thats the slowest pace of price rises across U. K . stores since October 2009 and is inline with …

U. K . consumers returned to the high street in May ..... much needed boost to the recession-hit U. K . "The trend in consumer spending should be ..... That's the slowest pace of price rises across U. K . stores since October 2009 and is in line with …

… Reserve's policy initiatives pushed U. K . stock markets into red territory Thursday ..... Resource firms added the most weight in the U. K . index following a further deterioration ..... and BG Group PLC nudged 1.5% lower. U. K . stocks shook off better-than-expected …

… LLOY.LN), which is 41% owned by the U. K . Government, said Friday it expects the ..... challenging operating environment in the U. K . and also in Europe and use of wholesale ..... medium-term view of lower systemic support for U. K . banks. -Shares closed Thursday at 31 …