All Posts Tagged With: "JULY"
Ten Post Round-Up: July 24, 2008
At some point while reading this round-up, your heart will break, your funny bone will be tickled and your ire will be raised.
1. When pop culture meets real-life…it ain’t pretty!
Salt Lake Tribune: Motorist’s quip about ‘Grey Poupon’ met with cocked, black handgun
A Sandy man took offense to a motorist, who, after getting him to roll down his window, asked, “Excuse me, sir, do you have any Grey Poupon?”
After hearing the request for Dijon mustard, the 22-year-old driver pulled a black handgun from his glove compartment, cocked the weapon and pointed it at the three people in the other car. “Here’s your Grey Poupon, roll your [expletive] windows up,” he responded.
2. Hey, Russia! Leave them kids alone!
Reason Magazine: Russia to Emo Kids: I’ll Give You Something to Pine About
Driven to the brink of unhappiness by repeated listenings of “Sowing Season,” by Brand New, the members of Russia’s Duma are mulling over legislation to ban emo and gothic dress in public schools and government buildings. And the emo kids? Well, they’re not gonna take it:
3. Yeah…the impeachment hearing is just for show, to shut the rest of us up…
Alex Jones’ Prison Planet.com: Conyers Tries To Kill Impeachment Hearings Before They Start
John Conyers is now taking the position that no one at Friday’s impeachment hearing can accuse Bush or Cheney of any crime, or any impeachable offense, or dishonorable conduct, or even lying.
Moreover, Conyers is now saying that he will shut the hearing down if anyone does accuse the boys of crimes, impeachable offenses, or otherwise being naughty.
Ten Post Round-Up: July 23, 2008
If this round-up were any juicier, you’d totally stick a fork in it…
1. It is long overdue to retire this policy. Gay soldiers should not be held to a higher standard than straight soldiers who are free to date who they like and not conceal their attractions. It is the gay soldier who is expected to keep their mouth shut and their pants zipped, for fear of losing their job. The military does not have room for discrimination, particularly if they hope to continue with war without end in the Middle East.
KOAA.com - Lawmakers reconsider military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy
Tauscher is convinced it’s time to allow gays in the military to be open about their sexuality, and she’s not alone. Three-fourths of those surveyed in a Washington Post-ABC News poll over the weekend said openly gay people should be allowed to serve. That’s up from 62 percent in early 2001 and 44 percent in 1993.
2. Even relying on some resource other than coal or oil to produce our energy needs is going to come with a very steep price tag.
CNN.com: Wind power: A reality check
One of the big challenges with using wind to replace natural gas is that, unlike the steady flame from natural gas, the wind doesn’t blow all the time.
To make sure enough power is available when the wind isn’t blowing, backup generators would be needed, said Paul Fremont, an electric-utility analyst at the investment bank Jefferies & Co.
That could mean maintaining those natural gas plants in case of emergency, or implementing even more novel ideas like systems in Europe that use excess wind electricity to pump water uphill when the wind is blowing, then release it through hydro dams when the wind stops.
Either way, any type of backup system comes with a price.
3. Sorry, guys. It won’t fit in your wallet. But, on the upside, it will be a perfect fit (that is, if it ever gets mass produced…).
Cool Hunting: Spray-On Condom
While most technologies advanced by leaps and bounds in recent decades, condom design has been relatively static for the last century or so. One visionary German scientist is working to change that. Jan Vinzenz Krause has spent recent years trying to make the world’s most common prophylactic available in spray-on form. The technology’s draw, according to Krause (pictured), is that conventional condoms often don’t fit penises of varying sizes (also pictured, sort of).
Ten Post Round-Up: July 22, 2008
This round-up includes spam, porn, and money talk. Oh, you know you wanna read it…
1. The quote that wouldn’t die…
Talking Points Memo: White House Still Trying to Explain Away Maliki
When a guy you more or less install in power and keep there on a very short leash starts going off the reservation, you first claim there was some sort of translation error. Then you claim that what he says is not what he means. When he continues to reiterate the point, you assert that he knows not of what he speaks.
2. Colorado offers the DNC a gas tax holiday for the convention…
LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF COLORADO BLOG: Planning a private party?…
In Colorado, consumers pay 40.4 cents in taxes on every gallon of gasoline. That includes the federal gasoline tax of 18.4 cents per gallon and the Colorado gasoline tax of 22 cents per gallon.
3. A win for adult-websites
Wired.com: Net Censorship Law Struck Down Again
The 3rd U.S. Circurt Court of Appeals upheld on Tuesday a 2007 lower-court decision that the Child Online Protection Act violated the First Amendment since it was not the most effective way to keep children from visiting adult websites.
Ten Post Round-Up: July 21, 2008
Some days, it sucks to read the news, because it’s a reminder that our country appears to be being run by a bunch of frat boys, out on a lark and hoping that a grown-up might come along and fix it (all the while forgiving and forgetting who was responsible for the bull$#!% in the first place)! Unfortunately, these hazy days are not ones that we will soon wake from and it will take many generations of grown-ups to fix.
1. Tazing a few sheep to tame the sheeple…
duckplops: Just When You Thought They Couldn’t Find More Helpless Victims
More and more it seems as though the cops have been told to use the tasers first and ask questions later, and have let them know there won’t be any repercussions, even if they kill the tasee.
2. “Toto, we’re not in Kansas, anymore…”
The Huffington Post: Court Confirms President’s Dictatorial Powers in Case of US “Enemy Combatant”
Wake up, America! On July 15, the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled by 5 votes to 4 in the case of Al-Marri v. Pucciarelli (PDF) that the President can arrest US citizens and legal residents inside the United States and imprison them indefinitely, without charge or trial, based solely on his assertion that they are “enemy combatants.” Have a little think about it, and you’ll see that the Fourth Circuit judges have just endorsed dictatorial powers.
3. Getting answers for the family of LaVena Johnsona is a step towards getting answers for every family who has lost a soldier to foul-play in Iraq.
Shakesville: ColorofChange.org launches LaVena petition
The online grassroots organization ColorofChange.org, a black advocacy group founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, has lent its support to the family of LaVena Johnson. The group has launched a new petition addressed to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and its chairman, Representative Henry Waxman.
A Sobering Look at the 4th of July
Here are some of the most powerful words ever written:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” (The Continental Congress, July 4, 1776)
If our founding fathers were here this July 4, they would surely shudder at the state of our nation. Sadly, all men are not created equal. In spite of the fact that our country is embroiled in an illegal war that is causing unnecessary death and destruction, our president has committed impeachable offenses and our economic woes continue to mount on a daily basis, our elected officials would rather spend their time writing discrimination into the Constitution by passing legislation that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
Our government certainly doesn’t derive its powers from us. If it did, the war in Iraq would be part of American history by now. Osama bin Laden would have been caught and brought to justice and our soldiers would be back from Afghanistan. Instead, Osama bin Laden has become Osama bin Forgotten. Instead of coming home, we’re being told we need to send more soldiers to Afghanistan to combat the increased violence of the Taliban. I’m not sure any of us remember why we originally invaded Afghanistan. The damage done by bin Laden has somehow become a distant memory in Washington. The damage that has been done to this country by the Bush administration and his accomplices in Congress since 9-11 is far worse than what bin Laden could ever have inflicted. Because George Bush is the decider, we citizens have fewer liberties to celebrate this fine day.
We certainly haven’t done anything to remove our imperial leader from office, in spite of the fact that Bush’s form of government most certainly has become quite destructive of the American ideal. Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Cheney have been held up in the Judiciary Committee for over a year now, and the 35 Articles of Impeachment against President Bush filed by Representative Dennis Kucinich are in danger of suffering the same fate. I think our founding fathers would be very disappointed that we think so little of the Constitution that we will not even conduct an inquiry into the actions of our out-of-control president. Even when we use our voting power to remove undesirable legislators from office and replace them with new, we simply get the same old wine in a brand new bottle.
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or things to be seized.” (The Fourth Amendment)
In celebration of the Fourth Amendment, the House passed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), granting George Bush and the Telecoms retroactive immunity for their illegal wiretapping program. The bill is a serious breach of the fourth amendment allowing for the mass, targeted and unwarranted surveillance of all communications coming into or going out of the United States. It is an unconstitutional piece of legislation and it is beyond me how anyone on either side of the aisle could have voted in favor of it, taking it upon themselves to throw way our right to privacy guaranteed in the Constitution. It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “Those who can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” The FISA bill does nothing to ensure our safety, but it does plenty to erode our civil liberties.
Those who’ve hijacked our country in the name of ‘freedom’ and ’safety’ are the false patriots who wear their American flag lapel pins. They are the patriots who led this country into a war with Iraq. They are the political windbags who spent the day justifying the erosion of our civil rights as what is necessary to guarantee our safety from those who disdain freedom. They are wrong. Giving up our freedoms doesn’t make us stronger. It makes us weaker. Our democracy has not been protected. It has been compromised.
Iran’s 4th of July Surprise.
It has been nearly two years since the U.S., China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany first offered a package of economic, technological and political incentives to Tehran on condition that it suspend uranium enrichment program to make sufficient weapons grade uranium and then produce plutonium.
Finally Iran has made a response on July 4th to correspond with America’s Independence Day celebrations.
Last month the EU announced more severe sanctions that if exacted could greatly damages Iran’s economy, Israel staged extensive military exercises clearly meant to signal Iran that its time is running out. President Bush increased pressure on the Iranians while France and Germany also signaled displeasure.
Iran’s response was not immediately known but there is small optimism that it will agree to end is nuclear bomb program. It is known that Iran is encouraged that an Obama presidency will usher in a new flaccid “Rodney King” foreign policy, and Iran has little incentive to acquiesce it believes time is entirely on its side, and it is desperate to complete what most believe is at least one nuclear wweapon and some say it already has on hand.
“HISTORY OF THE MOON ” FOR JULY 20, 1969
INTERESTING BITS OF HISTORY SHOW UP
SOMETIMES WHEN I CHECK THE MAILBOX.
MAKE THAT THE EMAIL INBOX. TRUE OR NOT,
THIS SHORT READ IS WORTH A CHUCKLE:
ON JULY 20, 1969, AS COMMANDER OF
THE APOLLO 11 LUNAR MODULE, NEIL
ARMSTRONG WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO SET
FOOT ON THE MOON.
HIS FIRST WORDS AFTER STEPPING ON THE MOON, "THAT'S ONE SMALL
STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND," WERE TELEVISED TO
EARTH AND HEARD BY MILLIONS.
BUT JUST BEFORE HE REENTERED THE LANDER, HE MADE THE ENIGMATIC REMARK
"GOOD LUCK, MR. GORSKY."
MANY PEOPLE AT NASA THOUGHT IT WAS A CASUAL REMARK CONCERNING SOME RIVAL
SOVIET COSMONAUT.
HOWEVER, UPON CHECKING, THERE WAS NO GORSKY IN EITHER THE RUSSIAN OR
AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAMS.
OVER THE YEARS MANY PEOPLE QUESTIONED ARMSTRONG AS TO WHAT THE "GOOD
LUCK, MR. GORSKY... STATEMENT MEANT, BUT ARMSTRONG ALWAYS JUST SMILED.
ON JULY 5, 1995, IN TAMPA BAY , FLORIDA , WHILE ANSWERING QUESTIONS
FOLLOWING A SPEECH, A REPORTER BROUGHT UP THE 26-YEAR-OLD QUESTION TO
ARMSTRONG. THIS TIME HE FINALLY RESPONDED.
MR. AND MRS. GORSKY HAD DIED, SO NEIL ARMSTRONG FELT HE COULD ANSWER
THE QUESTION.
IN 1938 WHEN HE WAS A KID IN A SMALL MIDWEST TOWN, HE WAS PLAYING
BASEBALL WITH A FRIEND IN THE BACKYARD.
HIS FRIEND HIT THE BALL, WHICH LANDED IN HIS NEIGHBOR'S YARD BY THE
BEDROOM WINDOWS.
HIS NEIGHBORS WERE MR. AND MRS. GORSKY.
AS HE LEANED DOWN TO PICK UP THE BALL, YOUNG ARMSTRONG HEARD MRS. GORSKY
SHOUTING AT MR. GORSKY.
"SEX! YOU WANT SEX?! YOU'LL GET SEX WHEN THE KID NEXT DOOR WALKS
ON THE MOON!"