New Interview with Monkeybicycle

I've been so wrapped up with the sudden burst of activity on the journalism side of my writing career that my poetic side has taken a backseat to those opportunities; that's not a complaint, however, as writing news is getting me paychecks, while writing poems is not. That's the way it is, and I accept that fact.

On the other hand, remember Monkeybicycle -- the wonderful literary journal that published my bizarre narrative poem "Chipmunks" in recent months? Well, they decide to interview me, and the fruits of that interview will be posted on the journal's website on Saturday. I will provide a direct link to the interview when it becomes available.

In the meantime, I encourage everyone to go Monkeybicycle.net right now and see what it has to offer. And if you have not already checked it out, you can listen to an audio version of "Chipmunks" through the journal's podcast -- and while you're at it, you may as well order a copy of Monkeybicycle8, which features "Chipmunks," by clicking the image in this post.

Financial Services Reform?

The development of “a dynamic and innovative financial services sector” had been an Obama Administration goal -- but in which nation? Find out in "Financial Services Reformer Slot Gets Slashed in Midst ofFederal Budget Battle" from U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (T-RAM)

Multimillion-Dollar Crystal Glassware Project Renewed at U.S. State Dept.

Aren't you glad that Secy. of State Hillary Clinton isn't letting a little budget-battle and lingering economic downturn get in the way of her diplomatic crystal-upgrade project? See Multimillion-Dollar Crystal Glassware Project Renewed at U.S. State Dept., the latest from U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (T-RAM).

WorldNetDaily Buys Rights to Story from U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor

I'm excited to announce that the hugely successful conservative-media group WorldNetDaily (WND) bought the rights to a story I had temporarily posted to my recently launched news blog U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (T-RAM). Fortunately the piece I had written was only posted to T-RAM for less than an hour, and it thereby retained the interest of WND CEO Joseph Farah, who contacted me about fifteen minutes after he read it. I gladly removed it from my site upon receiving a cash offer for granting temporary, exclusive rights to WND.

I encourage you to read the WND piece "Foreigners get college paid by U.S. taxpayers: Wife of government official to manage college tuition outreach."

USTDA to Fund Initial Phase of Pakistan's 'Clean Energy' Bus Initiative

I understand that our government claims that it needs to appease nations such as Pakistan with cash and other incentives to cooperate in meeting U.S. policy objectives; however, is it possible that these corporate and foreign-aid giveaways end up discouraging U.S. citizens from cooperating with domestic policy objectives? The latest from U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (T-RAM): USTDA to Fund Initial Phase of Pakistan's 'Clean Energy' Bus Initiative

Ghana Gets Grant from U.S. to Assess Electric Grid Expansion

A genuine humanitarian gesture? Or simply a corporate giveaway under the guise of liberal largesse? You decide. See "Ghana Gets Grant from U.S. to Assess Electric Grid Expansion" from today's U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (T-RAM).

U.S. to Help Modernize Emergency Communications, Banking Systems in Ukraine

Another instance of corporate giveaways and questionable foreign assistance, courtesy today's U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor.

Prelude to a Slugger's End: A Close Call with Yankees Legend Billy Martin

An article I wrote about my nearly face-to-face encounter with New York Yankee legends Billy Martin and Mickey Mantle got picked up today by Yahoo!/Associated Content. Check out: "Prelude to a Slugger's End: A Close Call with Yankees Legend Billy Martin" Though the title emphasizes my experience with Martin, the piece includes an amusing tidbit about Mantle as well.

Romanian IT and e-Health Projects May Get Financial Boost from U.S.

The latest from U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor: Romanian IT and e-Health Projects May Get Financial Boost from U.S.

USAID Reaches Out to Contractors for Agent Orange Cleanup in Vietnam

The April 1 post for U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor: USAID Reaches Out to Contractors for Agent Orange Cleanup in Vietnam

U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor Unveiled

The unveiling of my new investigative news blog -- U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (TRAM) -- is complete! While I soon will enable a shorter URL, the embedded link will remain active. I launched TRAM this week, following a lengthy hiatus from publishing its predecessor investigative-news blog The Peacock Report (TPR). Similar to TPR's goal of researching and publicly revealing little-known government initiatives, TRAM will focus, though not exclusively, on entities such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA). 

This site, through a combination of database research and FOIA requests, seeks to uncover foreign aid and overseas business subsidies that typically fall under the radar screen of most media organizations.Please consider subscribing via the Feedburner link on the website to receive updates on unreported instances of how your hard-earned money is being sent overseas. May it inspire you to take action and demand change.

Check out my first article: "U.S.to Help Finance Port Modernization & CleanEnergy Projects -- in North Africa," as well as my recently published "U.S.to Infuse Technology and Equipment in Schools -- but Not Where You May Think," which last week was featured via Yahoo!/Associated Content.