Disarranging Mine

Before I get to the topic of this blog post, I just want to say that I was reading the letters to the editor in The News International in Rawalpindi (near Islamabad), Pakistan, and I was thrilled to discover their letters to the editor are so much like ours in tone and substance. Now, on to the particular letter that caught my eye and is the subject hereof:

On what conditions?

Friday, July 03, 2009

The US Senate has passed the Kerry Logar Bill under which Pakistan will get $1.5 billion. But I want to know on what conditions this aid will be provided to us.

We, as Pakistanis, have every right to know as to what sort of aid we are getting and on which conditions.

The terms and conditions of the Kerry Logar Bill should be thoroughly discussed in the parliament and the media should highlight the pros and cons of this aid.

Zaheera Ameer Ahmed

Oh, Zaheera, you're reading our minds! We can't agree more. We, as citizens of the United States, also want to know under what conditions we will be giving you our hard-earned U.S. taxpayer money, and what you're going to do with it once you get it.

My personal preference for following what the U.S. Congress is considering is the OpenCongress web site. It has all the information we should need to learn everything and more about the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009. The text of the bill is here, as it passed in the Senate. (You can comment on individual paragraphs there.) It should be noted that this bill still has to go to the House of Representatives, and if passed there, on to the President before it becomes law.

So, it's relatively easy to get educated on these matters. As for getting it discussed in the media and debated by the citizens of our respective countries, well, that's another story (a/k/a difficult task).

One thing I never hear talked about in regard to the relationship between Pakistan and the United States is Pakistan's nuclear program. I don't know why. But, I wonder if this might be a good time for Paksitan to share some oversight of its nuclear facilities with the United States. Don't worry, it's not in the bill. And it's not likely to happen unless the President or the Secretary of State somehow manage it after the bill is passed into law. Other than that, I personally believe this would be money well spent. However, I'm willing to be persuaded otherwise if someone has a good reason. Or, if Pakistan doesn't want it.

Edit to add: If Pakistan doesn't want the money, we may have a whole different set of problems. And, for those who don't already know, the United States has been bombing inside Pakistan's borders on an almost weekly basis since well before Barack Obama became president.

Is what you're known to say......................

Timothy J. Smith

SPRINGFIELD - Timothy J. Smith, 53, of Springfield, died Sunday June 14, 2009, at his residence.

He was born in Herrin, IL, January 17, 1956, the son of Clarence and Annabelle Frisinger Smith.

Tim graduated from Springfield Southeast High School and attended Illinois College in Jacksonville. He was a member of the Phi Alpha Literary Society and served as their chaplain. He was an avid sports fan.

Tim worked as a service manager for Sylvania Lighting Co., and then as an inside salesman and warehouseman for Illinois Plumbing. He was a Christian.

Surviving are his mother, Ann Williams, his father, Clarence Smith, two brothers, Gregory and David Smith and a sister, Gail Smith, all of Springfield, as well as two daughters, Holly and Shannon, and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday June 18, 2009, in Oak Ridge Cemetery. The procession will meet at the main gate on Monument Ave at 1:20 p.m. Rev. Gay Frisinger will officiate.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bisch Funeral Home West.

Please visit the online obituary at www.mem.com where tributes and condolences may be left for the family.

Tim and I went to high school together. Except for maybe having a few classes together here and there, our paths rarely crossed until last semester of our senior year. We were both in a class called expository writing. Unlike all the other classes which were jam-packed and sometimes overflowing, this class only had a handful or two of students. And because it was so small, I suppose, it was the only class I took where the students got to put the desks in a circle.

I don't know if putting desks in a circle is a good way of teaching or learning. I do know it's a good way for the students to work together and to get to know each other, especially when they otherwise wouldn't.

Tim and I were in the same circle that semester for that class. I can tell you that Tim was kind and wholesome and funny and quick and very smart. Tim knew what was going on. He had a complete understanding of what was needed to get the job done, and he brought the rest of us (or, at least me) along with him. And, I believe, because of Tim, our circle did very well in that class. I don't think we ever saw each other again after graduation. (Except maybe at the 20th reunion. I can't remember.)

To Tim's kids and family, I'm so sorry to hear Tim is gone. [Link.]

Or, The Fine Art of Line Drying Laundry.

From OpenSecrets:

If you're trying to understand all of the reasons why your representatives may support or oppose certain health care reform measures, we can add the money-in-politics puzzle pieces. Here's a cool tool that brings together data from various parts of OpenSecrets.org to show how much money each current lawmaker has raised from various health-related industries and the health sector overall since 1989 (including the haul of President Obama, who tops every one of these lists).

The full spreadsheet can be downloaded at the link above. Our own Representatives from Central Illinois and Illinois Senators took the following sums from the health care industries:

Hare, Phil (D IL-17 from Jan. 2007 to present)
* Health Sector $100,154
* Health Insurance $4,000
* Pharmaceutical $1,750
* Health Pros $84,904
* Hospitals $8,250
* Nursing Homes $2,000

Schock, Aaron (R IL-18 from Jan. 2009 to present)
* Health Sector $272,300
* Health Insurance $18,000
* Pharmaceutical $24,600
* Health Pros $178,050
* Hospitals $13,150
* Nursing Homes $3,000

Shimkus, John M (R IL-19 from January 2003 to present; and R IL-20 from January 1997 to January 2003)
* Health Sector $774,266
* Health Insurance $102,500
* Pharmaceutical $233,035
* Health Pros $385,593
* Hospitals $63,098
* Nursing Homes $43,440

Durbin, Dick (D IL from Jan. 1997 to present)
* Health Sector $1,488,315
* Health Insurance $162,100
* Pharmaceutical $199,100
* Health Pros $795,543
* Hospitals $219,826
* Nursing Homes $82,850

Burris, Roland (D IL from Dec. 2008 to present)
* Health Sector $1,000
* Health Insurance $0
* Pharmaceutical $0
* Health Pros $1,000
* Hospitals $0
* Nursing Homes $0

Obama, Barack (D IL from Jan. 2005 to Nov. 2008; Pres. Jan. 2009 to present)
* Health Sector $20,320,979
* Health Insurance $1,548,501
* Pharmaceutical $2,127,270
* Health Pros $12,281,578
* Hospitals $2,897,855
* Nursing Homes $242,590

I'm not sure if the figures for Obama include his time in the senate and as president, or just his time in the senate.

Via @sunlightnetwork