Comments for

Comment on Major Issues by Bob Blahunka

Bob Blahunka — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:06:10 +0000

Hey Mark, I have worked for the U.S. POSTAL SERVICE for the past 16 years and have almost 25 years of Federal Service (military). The USPS is losing billions of dollars. Management is closing offices & processing plants all around the country. Employees are being transferred hundreds of miles from home (or quit). The U.S. government owes the USPS $75,000,000,000. How about we get the gov’t to pay and keep many these facilities open, families together and one of the GREAT INSTITUTIONS of this country functioning. Oh yes, this bussiness generates billions of dollars each year, I believe the USPS is being sabotaged from within. Top managers want this to be a PRIVATE BUSINESS, therefore, big bucks to be made by them. They have been selling off small pieces of the service to private contractors (just like King Richard in Chicago) for years, in direct violation of contracts with the various Unions.
I hope you can look into this for me and the Country. Thanks

Comment on Welcome to the new MarkLeyva.com by Lisa Herrera

Lisa Herrera — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:30:31 +0000

Hello, I was wondering how to submit the raffle ticket number for the bear. The tickets were given out at the Puerto Rican Parade on July 25, 2010. thank you.

Comment on Major Issues by tom pancheri

tom pancheri — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 05:57:22 +0000

as a union carpenter could you tell me your stance on Employees Free Choice Act? I’m sure as a union member who has benefited from union membership you support this.

Comment on Major Issues by John Peterson

John Peterson — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:59:50 +0000

I received your card during the Portage Parade on Saturday and went to your web site. It appears that you have many of the same beliefs that I do. Keep up the good work.

Comment on Schererville Parade Bear WINNER: Amy Fennema by Amy Fennema

Amy Fennema — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:08:50 +0000

I have the winning ticket from the Schererville parade. Your website isn’t allowing me to email you properly. My phone # is 865-1803. Please call me & I’ll give you my address. Thanks!

Comment on E-mails lay bare firms’ pay-to-play links to Visclosky by dan

dan — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 03:24:19 +0000

So, I wonder what the administration of Purdue University and the Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana think about Pete using them as a “PAC” mule???

Comment on Morocco Parade 5/30/10 by Charlynn Wise

Charlynn Wise — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:07:28 +0000

Nice pic Mark. I will upload the ones I took and send them for your use as well.

Comment on Memorial Day by Tom Black

Tom Black — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:24:11 +0000

good for you despite the rain you were able to attend Memorial day services. However the President was not,what does the say about his commitment to our troops? Our troops are able to face bullets and bombs, but yet our commander and chief isn’t willing to wait for some thunder and lightning to pass.

Comment on Arizona Immigration Law – Indiana Needs Same by Adam K

Adam K — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:51:42 +0000

Another issue with immigration is the following in which I am trying to get answers on as well as legistlation drafted. One of the major difficulties that I have noticed in tracking known terrorists, would-be terrorists, and their associations can be contributed to “name confusion”- when common Islamic names like Mohammed are used by so many which is combined with another commonality for the last name. This practice is common among the Islamic/Arabic people in order for them to be more western. Unfortunately, this innocent western adaptation has been conveniently used by terrorist in order to deceive authorities around the world. However, this does not have to be the case if the United States along with its allies makes it a requirement for anyone immigrating to use their full legal birth name. If it is the law, than it needs to be enforced.
Islamic/Arabic names are unique and hold a wealth of knowledge that can be used for intelligence gathering by many different agencies. For example, the legal birth name of the late Yasser Arafat. His full name, Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat Al Qudua Al Husseini, contains a wealth of geographical and genealogical information.
- Mohammed Abdel Rahman ; his first name
- Abdel Raouf; his father’s name
- Arafat; his grandfather’s name
- Al Qudua; his family’s name
- Al Husseini; his clan’s name
Although Arafat’s western name conversion is unique, since the Yasser element was made up, it is a good representation of the confusion such conversions cause. Many Islamic/Arabic men only use their real first name for their full western converted name which they use for passports, visas, and other travel documents. Another option used is combining one name from their first name and another from their family’s name. For example, Hosni Mubarak’s full name is; Mohammad Hosni Sayid Sayid Ibrahim Mubarak, or bin Laden’s; Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden.
I believe that it is imperative that all peoples, not just Arabian, entering the United States need to use their full legal birth name- no matter how long it is. In order for this to work all countries who believe in their nation’s security need to adopt, if not done so already, these standards. Moreover, it is only fair since I have to use my legal birth name and cannot make up a variation of it.
With this information local law enforcement, federal investigators and the intelligence community around the world will be able to track terrorists and their associations more effectively. In addition, having the real name of a person of interest while they are being questioned can be used to verify origin and their general story.
I believe this is a simple and fair proposition that can be used efficiently to protect our nation and our allies. In addition, I believe that such a proposition, if it became a reality, would also protect immigrants themselves from identity theft and indirect consequences from investigations into resident status.
Mohammad Atta:
Mohamed Atta varied his name on documents, also using “Mehan Atta”, “Mohammad El Amir”, “Muhammad Atta”, “Mohamed El Sayed”, “Mohamed Elsayed”, “Muhammad al-Amir”, “Awag Al Sayyid Atta”, “Muhammad al-Amir”, and “Awad Al Sayad”. In Germany, he registered his name as “Mohamed el-Amir Awad el-Sayed Atta”, and went by the name, “Mohamed el-Amir” at the Technical University of Hamburg. In his will written in 1996, Atta gives his name as “Mohamed the son of Mohamed Elamir awad Elsayed.”When he came to the United States, he used the name “Mohamed Atta.” Atta also claimed different nationalities, sometimes Egyptian and other times told people that he was from the United Arab Emirates.