This is what George Bush and his band of cronies have turned America into. This is on all of our hands, whether we accept it or not.
An innocent man loses 5 years of his life at Guantanamo Bay
Monday, March 31, 2008
Smiff is SHOCKED (cont'd)
So i ordered MLB Radio so i could listen to today's Phillies' opener (just as well, since Brett Myers totally sucks, and why isn't Hamels going anyway...), and guess what? Are you ready for this, are you sitting down, are you prepared to be SHOCKED?
IT DOESN'T WORK.
Much like Dumbya & Co., everything Bud Lite touches turns to shit.
IT DOESN'T WORK.
Much like Dumbya & Co., everything Bud Lite touches turns to shit.
Speaking of Sucking (cont'd)
Dere's Brett "HYOOOGE @$$#0LE" Myers:
Washington 5th Inning Summary
- W. Harris lined out to second
- M. Chico singled to center
- C. Guzman singled to center, M. Chico to second
- L. Milledge hit by pitch, M. Chico to third, C. Guzman to second
- R. Zimmerman hit sacrifice fly to deep right, M. Chico scored, C. Guzman to third
- N. Johnson walked, L. Milledge to second
- A. Kearns doubled to deep right center, C. Guzman and L. Milledge scored, N. Johnson to third
- P. Lo Duca safe at first on shortstop J. Rollins' fielding error, N. Johnson scored, A. Kearns to third
- R. Belliard popped out to second
- End of Inning (4 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Error)
Washington 5th Inning Summary
- W. Harris lined out to second
- M. Chico singled to center
- C. Guzman singled to center, M. Chico to second
- L. Milledge hit by pitch, M. Chico to third, C. Guzman to second
- R. Zimmerman hit sacrifice fly to deep right, M. Chico scored, C. Guzman to third
- N. Johnson walked, L. Milledge to second
- A. Kearns doubled to deep right center, C. Guzman and L. Milledge scored, N. Johnson to third
- P. Lo Duca safe at first on shortstop J. Rollins' fielding error, N. Johnson scored, A. Kearns to third
- R. Belliard popped out to second
- End of Inning (4 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Error)
Shoulda played the game in San Diego or somewheres wif a dome, like, say Milwaukee...
Here we go again
Live play-by-play of the Chicago Cubs' home opener against Milwaukee. A second rain delay has halted play in the bottom of the third inning.
Live play-by-play of the Chicago Cubs' home opener against Milwaukee. A second rain delay has halted play in the bottom of the third inning.
How Not To Start The Season
Cleveland 2nd Inning Summary
- V. Martinez singled to center
- J. Peralta singled to left, V. Martinez to second
- R. Garko singled to left, V. Martinez to third, J. Peralta to second
- A. Cabrera grounded into fielder's choice, V. Martinez scored, J. Peralta to third, R. Garko out at second
- F. Gutierrez homered to deep left center, J. Peralta and A. Cabrera scored
- C. Blake grounded out to shortstop
- G. Sizemore homered to deep right
- J. Michaels walked
- T. Hafner doubled to deep right, J. Michaels scored
- V. Martinez singled to center, T. Hafner scored
- N. Masset relieved M. Buehrle
- V. Martinez singled to center
- J. Peralta singled to left, V. Martinez to second
- R. Garko singled to left, V. Martinez to third, J. Peralta to second
- A. Cabrera grounded into fielder's choice, V. Martinez scored, J. Peralta to third, R. Garko out at second
- F. Gutierrez homered to deep left center, J. Peralta and A. Cabrera scored
- C. Blake grounded out to shortstop
- G. Sizemore homered to deep right
- J. Michaels walked
- T. Hafner doubled to deep right, J. Michaels scored
- V. Martinez singled to center, T. Hafner scored
- N. Masset relieved M. Buehrle
Buehrle Throwing Like a Girlie?
Cleveland Inning Summary
- V. Martinez singled to center
- J. Peralta singled to left, V. Martinez to second
- R. Garko singled to left, V. Martinez to third, J. Peralta to second
- A. Cabrera grounded into fielder's choice, V. Martinez scored, J. Peralta to third, R. Garko out at second
- F. Gutierrez homered to deep left center, J. Peralta and A. Cabrera scored
- C. Blake grounded out to shortstop
- G. Sizemore homered to deep right
- J. Michaels walked
- T. Hafner doubled to deep right, J. Michaels scored
- V. Martinez singled to center, T. Hafner scored
- N. Masset relieved M. Buehrle
Or could it be:
Wind: 19 mph, out to center.
- V. Martinez singled to center
- J. Peralta singled to left, V. Martinez to second
- R. Garko singled to left, V. Martinez to third, J. Peralta to second
- A. Cabrera grounded into fielder's choice, V. Martinez scored, J. Peralta to third, R. Garko out at second
- F. Gutierrez homered to deep left center, J. Peralta and A. Cabrera scored
- C. Blake grounded out to shortstop
- G. Sizemore homered to deep right
- J. Michaels walked
- T. Hafner doubled to deep right, J. Michaels scored
- V. Martinez singled to center, T. Hafner scored
- N. Masset relieved M. Buehrle
Or could it be:
Wind: 19 mph, out to center.
Ziggy brings it
The case for U.S. disengagement from combat is compelling in its own right. But it must be matched by a comprehensive political and diplomatic effort to mitigate the destabilizing regional consequences of a war that the outgoing Bush administration started deliberately, justified demagogically and waged badly...
In brief, the war has become a national tragedy, an economic catastrophe, a regional disaster and a global boomerang for the United States. Ending it is thus in the highest national interest.
-- Zbigniew Brzezinksi
In brief, the war has become a national tragedy, an economic catastrophe, a regional disaster and a global boomerang for the United States. Ending it is thus in the highest national interest.
-- Zbigniew Brzezinksi
Jesus is angry, my friends
Liberal evangelicals hope to link faith, social justice
"A whole generation of young evangelicals believes that Jesus would probably care more about the 30,000 children who died again today -- as they did yesterday and they will tomorrow -- from preventable disease than he would about passing a gay-marriage amendment in Ohio," Wallis said.
I guess this guy hasn't read his Bible lately... gay marriage stuff is all over the place in there, must be 100 times at least...
"A whole generation of young evangelicals believes that Jesus would probably care more about the 30,000 children who died again today -- as they did yesterday and they will tomorrow -- from preventable disease than he would about passing a gay-marriage amendment in Ohio," Wallis said.
I guess this guy hasn't read his Bible lately... gay marriage stuff is all over the place in there, must be 100 times at least...
yup, he is a Prairie Chicken
3/31 7:03 am: Elijah Dukes has been placed on the 15-day DL, one day after his selection by the Prairie Chickens in the Burkholder Baseball League draft, according to MLB.com. Dukes said, "It's not getting any better by me going out there and still trying to run on it. I'm going to give it some time and let it heal properly so I can give 110 percent." Dukes has won the starting spot in LF.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
From the idiots that brought you the Bush Administration:
“market discipline is the most effective tool to limit systemic risk”
They're saying this today. Right now.
Umm, boys? Can we take another look at what's going on? Market discipline? The mind reels...
They're saying this today. Right now.
Umm, boys? Can we take another look at what's going on? Market discipline? The mind reels...
So how much are the bastards in the finance game going to have to pay back again?
How long does this kind of stuff go on before people fight the huge amounts of power giving to assholes who don't deserve to lick the slime off the streets?
Katrina Victims May Have to Repay Money
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 30, 2008
Filed at 3:10 a.m. ET
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Imagine that your home was reduced to mold and wood framing by Hurricane Katrina. Desperate for money to rebuild, you engage in a frustrating bureaucratic process, and after months of living in a government-provided trailer tainted with formaldehyde you finally win a federal grant.
Then a collector calls with the staggering news that you have to pay back thousands of dollars.
Thousands of Katrina victims may be in that situation.
A private contractor under investigation for the compensation it received to run the Road Home grant program for Katrina victims says that in the rush to deliver aid to homeowners in need some people got too much. Now it wants to hire a separate company to collect millions in grant overpayments.
The contractor, ICF International of Fairfax, Va., revealed the extent of the overpayments when it issued a March 11 request for bids from companies willing to handle ''approximately 1,000 to 5,000 cases that will necessitate collection effort.''
The bid invitation said: ''The average amount to be collected is estimated to be approximately $35,000, but in some cases may be as high as $100,000 to $150,000.''
The biggest grant amount allowed by the Road Home program is $150,000, so ICF believes it paid some recipients the maximum when they should not have received a penny. If ICF's highest estimate of 5,000 collection cases -- overpaid by an average of $35,000 -- proves to be true, that means applicants will have to pay back a total of $175 million.
One-third of qualified applicants for Road Home help had yet to receive any rebuilding check as of this past week. The program, which has come to symbolize the lurching Katrina recovery effort, is financed by $11 billion in federal funds.
ICF spokeswoman Gentry Brann said in an e-mail Friday that the overpayments are the inevitable result of the Road Home grant being recalculated to account for insurance money and government aid given to Katrina victims.
Brann said there was a sense of urgency in paying Road Home applicants, and ICF and the state knew applicants would have to return some money.
''The choice was either to process grants immediately or wait until the March 2008 deadline (for submitting Road Home applications) before disbursing any funds,'' Brann said in her e-mail.
Brann pointed out that 5,000 collections cases would represent a 4-percent error rate for the Road Home that is ''quite good for large federal programs.''
Frank Silvestri, co-chair of the Citizen's Road Home Action Team, a group that formed out of frustrations with ICF, sees it far differently.
''They want people to pay for their incompetence and their mistakes. What they need to be is aggressive about finding the underpayments,'' he said. ''People relied, to their detriment, on their (ICFs) expertise and rebuilt their houses and now they want to squeeze this money back out of them.''
The prospect of Road Home grant collections comes less than two weeks after the Louisiana inspector general and the legislative auditor said they were investigating why former Gov. Kathleen Blanco paid ICF an extra $156 million in her waning days in office to administer the program. With the increase, ICF stands to earn $912 million to run Road Home, a contract that also sweetened its initial public stock offering, and helped it buy out four other companies. It now reaches into government contracting sectors that include national defense and the environment.
Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the state body that asked for the Blanco-ICF investigations, acknowledged the collections could be painful for applicants, many of whom have used up their nest eggs to rebuild.
''The state must walk a fine line of treating homeowners who have been overpaid with fairness and compassion and ensuring that all federal funds are used for their intended purpose,'' said Rainwater, an appointee of new Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Upon receiving money from Road Home, grantees sign a batch of forms, including one that says they must refund any overpayments.
Melanie Ehrlich, co-chair of Citizen's Road Home Action Team, which has documented Road Home cases that appear littered with mistakes, said she had no confidence that ICF had correctly calculated overpayments. She charged that the company was more likely using collections as retribution against people who had appealed their award amounts in effort to get the aid they deserved.
''I think they are looking for ways to decrease awards and that's part of dissuading people,'' she said.
Brann said applicants are told an appeal could boost or diminish their award. She called Ehrlich's charge ''a totally unfounded assertion.''
Katrina Victims May Have to Repay Money
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 30, 2008
Filed at 3:10 a.m. ET
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Imagine that your home was reduced to mold and wood framing by Hurricane Katrina. Desperate for money to rebuild, you engage in a frustrating bureaucratic process, and after months of living in a government-provided trailer tainted with formaldehyde you finally win a federal grant.
Then a collector calls with the staggering news that you have to pay back thousands of dollars.
Thousands of Katrina victims may be in that situation.
A private contractor under investigation for the compensation it received to run the Road Home grant program for Katrina victims says that in the rush to deliver aid to homeowners in need some people got too much. Now it wants to hire a separate company to collect millions in grant overpayments.
The contractor, ICF International of Fairfax, Va., revealed the extent of the overpayments when it issued a March 11 request for bids from companies willing to handle ''approximately 1,000 to 5,000 cases that will necessitate collection effort.''
The bid invitation said: ''The average amount to be collected is estimated to be approximately $35,000, but in some cases may be as high as $100,000 to $150,000.''
The biggest grant amount allowed by the Road Home program is $150,000, so ICF believes it paid some recipients the maximum when they should not have received a penny. If ICF's highest estimate of 5,000 collection cases -- overpaid by an average of $35,000 -- proves to be true, that means applicants will have to pay back a total of $175 million.
One-third of qualified applicants for Road Home help had yet to receive any rebuilding check as of this past week. The program, which has come to symbolize the lurching Katrina recovery effort, is financed by $11 billion in federal funds.
ICF spokeswoman Gentry Brann said in an e-mail Friday that the overpayments are the inevitable result of the Road Home grant being recalculated to account for insurance money and government aid given to Katrina victims.
Brann said there was a sense of urgency in paying Road Home applicants, and ICF and the state knew applicants would have to return some money.
''The choice was either to process grants immediately or wait until the March 2008 deadline (for submitting Road Home applications) before disbursing any funds,'' Brann said in her e-mail.
Brann pointed out that 5,000 collections cases would represent a 4-percent error rate for the Road Home that is ''quite good for large federal programs.''
Frank Silvestri, co-chair of the Citizen's Road Home Action Team, a group that formed out of frustrations with ICF, sees it far differently.
''They want people to pay for their incompetence and their mistakes. What they need to be is aggressive about finding the underpayments,'' he said. ''People relied, to their detriment, on their (ICFs) expertise and rebuilt their houses and now they want to squeeze this money back out of them.''
The prospect of Road Home grant collections comes less than two weeks after the Louisiana inspector general and the legislative auditor said they were investigating why former Gov. Kathleen Blanco paid ICF an extra $156 million in her waning days in office to administer the program. With the increase, ICF stands to earn $912 million to run Road Home, a contract that also sweetened its initial public stock offering, and helped it buy out four other companies. It now reaches into government contracting sectors that include national defense and the environment.
Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the state body that asked for the Blanco-ICF investigations, acknowledged the collections could be painful for applicants, many of whom have used up their nest eggs to rebuild.
''The state must walk a fine line of treating homeowners who have been overpaid with fairness and compassion and ensuring that all federal funds are used for their intended purpose,'' said Rainwater, an appointee of new Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Upon receiving money from Road Home, grantees sign a batch of forms, including one that says they must refund any overpayments.
Melanie Ehrlich, co-chair of Citizen's Road Home Action Team, which has documented Road Home cases that appear littered with mistakes, said she had no confidence that ICF had correctly calculated overpayments. She charged that the company was more likely using collections as retribution against people who had appealed their award amounts in effort to get the aid they deserved.
''I think they are looking for ways to decrease awards and that's part of dissuading people,'' she said.
Brann said applicants are told an appeal could boost or diminish their award. She called Ehrlich's charge ''a totally unfounded assertion.''
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Opening Day!
Predictions:
AL Division Winners and Wild Card
AL East
Boston - 97-65
AL Central
Detroit - 100-62
AL West
California - 91-71
AL Wildcard
Cleveland - 95-67
NL Division Winners and Wild Card
NL East
New York - 94-68
NL Central
Chicago - 96-66
NL West
Arizona - 91-71
NL Wildcard
Milwaukee - 92-70
AL Playoffs
Boston over Cleveland
Detroit over California
Detroit over Boston
NL Playoffs
Brewers over New York
Chicago over Arizona
Chicago over Milwaukee
World Series
Chicago Cubs: World Champs 2008
PLAYERS
AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera
NL MVP - Derrick Lee
AL CY Young - Justin Verlander
NL Cy Young - Cole Hamels
AL ROY - Evan Longoria
NL ROY - Joey Votto
AL Manager of the Year - Eric Wedge
NL Manger of the Year - Dusty Baker
Biggest Surprises
Rich Harden, healthy, has one of the best seasons on a bad team ever. But his bad team/great pitching is shadowed by the as good pitching of Cain and Lincecum who have a combined 21-27 record with a 3.45 e.r.a. and 345 innings pitched//360 k's. In the year of bad team//good pitcher, Zach Greinke, Ian Snell and Shawn Hill will also put up great periphials. As a unit, all these pitchers will go something like 62-80 with a 3.70 e.r.a. and 1030 innings pitched//980 strikeouts.
The Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays will compete for a playoff spot into mid-August if Kazmir is healthy relatively soon.
Daric Barton will break out hard-core.
Biggest Questions
To what extent will Felix Pie develop this year?
How healthy is John Lackey? If he's worse than they're saying, Seattle will be right there.
Where will Barry end up (if anywhere)?
Will the Twins get smart about Joe Mauer and at least have him play a Victor Martinez kind of role - dh'ing, maybe playing a little 3B and catching 4 games a week?
To what extent will Joba and Hughes be allowed to develop into front-line starters this year? Will Ian Kennedy kill the Joba-star? Is this allowable?
Will Alex Gordon become a beast?
What will the Mets rotation look like in mid-August? If there's some injuries, Atlanta and Philadelphia get back in the middle of things real quick.
Minor League Break-outs:
Tim Alderson - SF Giants Starting Pitcher
Joe Savery - Phi Phillies - Starting Pitcher
Josh Vitters - Chicago Cubs - 3B
Jeremy Jeffress - Milwaukee - Starting Pitcher
Bill Rowell - Baltimore - 3B
Neftali Feliz - Texas - SP
Mike McCardell - Minnesota - SP
I write this as if it were in stone.
AL Division Winners and Wild Card
AL East
Boston - 97-65
AL Central
Detroit - 100-62
AL West
California - 91-71
AL Wildcard
Cleveland - 95-67
NL Division Winners and Wild Card
NL East
New York - 94-68
NL Central
Chicago - 96-66
NL West
Arizona - 91-71
NL Wildcard
Milwaukee - 92-70
AL Playoffs
Boston over Cleveland
Detroit over California
Detroit over Boston
NL Playoffs
Brewers over New York
Chicago over Arizona
Chicago over Milwaukee
World Series
Chicago Cubs: World Champs 2008
PLAYERS
AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera
NL MVP - Derrick Lee
AL CY Young - Justin Verlander
NL Cy Young - Cole Hamels
AL ROY - Evan Longoria
NL ROY - Joey Votto
AL Manager of the Year - Eric Wedge
NL Manger of the Year - Dusty Baker
Biggest Surprises
Rich Harden, healthy, has one of the best seasons on a bad team ever. But his bad team/great pitching is shadowed by the as good pitching of Cain and Lincecum who have a combined 21-27 record with a 3.45 e.r.a. and 345 innings pitched//360 k's. In the year of bad team//good pitcher, Zach Greinke, Ian Snell and Shawn Hill will also put up great periphials. As a unit, all these pitchers will go something like 62-80 with a 3.70 e.r.a. and 1030 innings pitched//980 strikeouts.
The Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays will compete for a playoff spot into mid-August if Kazmir is healthy relatively soon.
Daric Barton will break out hard-core.
Biggest Questions
To what extent will Felix Pie develop this year?
How healthy is John Lackey? If he's worse than they're saying, Seattle will be right there.
Where will Barry end up (if anywhere)?
Will the Twins get smart about Joe Mauer and at least have him play a Victor Martinez kind of role - dh'ing, maybe playing a little 3B and catching 4 games a week?
To what extent will Joba and Hughes be allowed to develop into front-line starters this year? Will Ian Kennedy kill the Joba-star? Is this allowable?
Will Alex Gordon become a beast?
What will the Mets rotation look like in mid-August? If there's some injuries, Atlanta and Philadelphia get back in the middle of things real quick.
Minor League Break-outs:
Tim Alderson - SF Giants Starting Pitcher
Joe Savery - Phi Phillies - Starting Pitcher
Josh Vitters - Chicago Cubs - 3B
Jeremy Jeffress - Milwaukee - Starting Pitcher
Bill Rowell - Baltimore - 3B
Neftali Feliz - Texas - SP
Mike McCardell - Minnesota - SP
I write this as if it were in stone.
Friday, March 28, 2008
This should make Smiff happy
The Philadelphia Daily News reports that Adam Eaton may have pitched himself out of the No. 5 spot in the Phillies rotation.
Eaton allowed six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings on Thursday to raise his spring ERA to 7.41, and manager Charlie Manuel didn't exactly commit to using him. "I don't know... We'll see when we get there. We've got plenty of time. [Next] Saturday's a long way off. Hell, I might be dead by then," Manuel said. The Phillies could turn to Chad Durbin, who has a 5.25 ERA this spring, in his place.
Eaton allowed six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings on Thursday to raise his spring ERA to 7.41, and manager Charlie Manuel didn't exactly commit to using him. "I don't know... We'll see when we get there. We've got plenty of time. [Next] Saturday's a long way off. Hell, I might be dead by then," Manuel said. The Phillies could turn to Chad Durbin, who has a 5.25 ERA this spring, in his place.
Capitalism gone awry
It's unbelievable how da cubbies (and other whiteys) have been milking dis 100 years of futility for all it's worth. Here's a new site, courtesy of World Awfulest Newspaper(tie), TV edition...
http://www.since1908clothing.com/
http://www.since1908clothing.com/
Thursday, March 27, 2008
What's wrong with Fung?
Dis is what CNN tells Fung he should read, based on the previous stories he read:
Stories you may be interested in based on past browsing
People who choose to eat 'Dumpster' food
Kids train to be ultimate fighters
Female author writes about her own male past
Never go against the family
Da story he was reading at dat time: Mom goes from $70K to food bank.
I haven't read any of those stories, but I wonder - did they actually study my browsing habits and choose those, or are they just pulling my leg and putting up stories noone else reads? Or is Fung so Bushian he must be told what to read?
Stories you may be interested in based on past browsing
People who choose to eat 'Dumpster' food
Kids train to be ultimate fighters
Female author writes about her own male past
Never go against the family
Da story he was reading at dat time: Mom goes from $70K to food bank.
I haven't read any of those stories, but I wonder - did they actually study my browsing habits and choose those, or are they just pulling my leg and putting up stories noone else reads? Or is Fung so Bushian he must be told what to read?
Unhinging (cont)
McCain: Create league of democracies
McCain said he favors creation of a world organization he calls a "League of Democracies" that would work to put political, economic and possibly military pressure on countries considered undemocratic. Such an organization could move in ways the UN can't because of resistance from Russia and China, among others.
OK, so he wants to bring together a bunch of countries of his choosing so they can invade the countries that are not like us and make them like us so they can join us and invade the countries that are not like us. But we already have the UN? Well, they don't work fast enuff and we gave undemocratic nations too much power so we need a new group. That we get to pick. Well then use NATO. That group's been looking for a purpose for almost 20 years.
McCain said he favors creation of a world organization he calls a "League of Democracies" that would work to put political, economic and possibly military pressure on countries considered undemocratic. Such an organization could move in ways the UN can't because of resistance from Russia and China, among others.
OK, so he wants to bring together a bunch of countries of his choosing so they can invade the countries that are not like us and make them like us so they can join us and invade the countries that are not like us. But we already have the UN? Well, they don't work fast enuff and we gave undemocratic nations too much power so we need a new group. That we get to pick. Well then use NATO. That group's been looking for a purpose for almost 20 years.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Understanding Whitey
Fung's quest for knowledge continues unabated. Briggsy said this site would help me out...
Wha happen?
The widget thingie says Obama lost 2 sooouper douper delegates to the uncommitted pool. Wha happen?
Stooopid Criminals (cont)
Only the manager can open the safe? Well, then here's my cell, call me back when he gets in so I can come back and rob you. And you better call me, otherwise I'll shoot you.
those wacky pastors (cont'd)
What About McCain's Pastor Problem?
In a September 2006 interview on National Public Radio, Hagee reaffirmed his view that Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment against New Orleans for hosting a homosexual parade. Hagee has also said that the Jews brought the Holocaust upon themselves by "turning away from the true God." He referred to Catholicism as a "false cult," and said the religion contributed to Hitler's anti-semitic views. When Hagee endorsed him, McCain said he was "proud" to have the pastor's support.
In a September 2006 interview on National Public Radio, Hagee reaffirmed his view that Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment against New Orleans for hosting a homosexual parade. Hagee has also said that the Jews brought the Holocaust upon themselves by "turning away from the true God." He referred to Catholicism as a "false cult," and said the religion contributed to Hitler's anti-semitic views. When Hagee endorsed him, McCain said he was "proud" to have the pastor's support.
being president is hard work (cont'd)
"I thought it was important to welcome these champs here to the White House, you know, to encourage people to fish," Bush said. "There’s nothing better than fishing..."
-- RezzzzziDUNCE
-- RezzzzziDUNCE
things that are shocking (cont'd)
News item: A senior U.S. Secret Service official testified in federal court today that he was "shocked" to find out that an agency inspector had destroyed original documents sought in a long-running civil lawsuit alleging discrimination against African American agents.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
This is probably nothing to worry about (cont'd)
Western Antarctic ice chunk collapses
By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
A chunk of Antarctic ice about seven times the size of Manhattan suddenly collapsed, putting an even greater portion of glacial ice at risk, scientists said Tuesday.
Satellite images show the runaway disintegration of a 160-square-mile chunk in western Antarctica, which started Feb. 28. It was the edge of the Wilkins ice shelf and has been there for hundreds, maybe 1,500 years.
This is the result of global warming, said British Antarctic Survey scientist David Vaughan.
Because scientists noticed satellite images within hours, they diverted satellite cameras and even flew an airplane over the ongoing collapse for rare pictures and video.
"It's an event we don't get to see very often," said Ted Scambos, lead scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo. "The cracks fill with water and slice off and topple... That gets to be a runaway situation."
While icebergs naturally break away from the mainland, collapses like this are unusual but are happening more frequently in recent decades, Vaughan said. The collapse is similar to what happens to hardened glass when it is smashed with a hammer, he said.
The rest of the Wilkins ice shelf, which is about the size of Connecticut, is holding on by a narrow beam of thin ice. Scientists worry that it too may collapse. Larger, more dramatic ice collapses occurred in 2002 and 1995.
Vaughan had predicted the Wilkins shelf would collapse about 15 years from now. The part that recently gave way makes up about 4 percent of the overall shelf, but it's an important part that can trigger further collapse.
There's still a chance the rest of the ice shelf will survive until next year because this is the end of the Antarctic summer and colder weather is setting in, Vaughan said.
Scientists said they are not concerned about a rise in sea level from the latest event, but say it's a sign of worsening global warming.
Such occurrences are "more indicative of a tipping point or trigger in the climate system," said Sarah Das, a scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
"These are things that are not re-forming," Das said. "So once they're gone, they're gone."
Climate in Antarctica is complicated and more isolated from the rest of the world.
Much of the continent is not warming and some parts are even cooling, Vaughan said. However, the western peninsula, which includes the Wilkins ice shelf, juts out into the ocean and is warming. This is the part of the continent where scientists are most concern about ice-melt triggering sea level rise.
___
On the Net:
The National Snow and Ice Data Center: http://nsidc.org
The British Antarctic Survey: http://www.bas.ac.uk/
By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
A chunk of Antarctic ice about seven times the size of Manhattan suddenly collapsed, putting an even greater portion of glacial ice at risk, scientists said Tuesday.
Satellite images show the runaway disintegration of a 160-square-mile chunk in western Antarctica, which started Feb. 28. It was the edge of the Wilkins ice shelf and has been there for hundreds, maybe 1,500 years.
This is the result of global warming, said British Antarctic Survey scientist David Vaughan.
Because scientists noticed satellite images within hours, they diverted satellite cameras and even flew an airplane over the ongoing collapse for rare pictures and video.
"It's an event we don't get to see very often," said Ted Scambos, lead scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo. "The cracks fill with water and slice off and topple... That gets to be a runaway situation."
While icebergs naturally break away from the mainland, collapses like this are unusual but are happening more frequently in recent decades, Vaughan said. The collapse is similar to what happens to hardened glass when it is smashed with a hammer, he said.
The rest of the Wilkins ice shelf, which is about the size of Connecticut, is holding on by a narrow beam of thin ice. Scientists worry that it too may collapse. Larger, more dramatic ice collapses occurred in 2002 and 1995.
Vaughan had predicted the Wilkins shelf would collapse about 15 years from now. The part that recently gave way makes up about 4 percent of the overall shelf, but it's an important part that can trigger further collapse.
There's still a chance the rest of the ice shelf will survive until next year because this is the end of the Antarctic summer and colder weather is setting in, Vaughan said.
Scientists said they are not concerned about a rise in sea level from the latest event, but say it's a sign of worsening global warming.
Such occurrences are "more indicative of a tipping point or trigger in the climate system," said Sarah Das, a scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
"These are things that are not re-forming," Das said. "So once they're gone, they're gone."
Climate in Antarctica is complicated and more isolated from the rest of the world.
Much of the continent is not warming and some parts are even cooling, Vaughan said. However, the western peninsula, which includes the Wilkins ice shelf, juts out into the ocean and is warming. This is the part of the continent where scientists are most concern about ice-melt triggering sea level rise.
___
On the Net:
The National Snow and Ice Data Center: http://nsidc.org
The British Antarctic Survey: http://www.bas.ac.uk/
Made up experience is not experience
News Item: After stating at least 4 times in prepared speeches that on a trip to Bosnia as first lady that the welcoming ceremony had to be moved inside because of sniper fire Hillary Clinton says that she misspoke after having it pointed out that no such thing had occurred.
Since when did lying become mispeeking and when can we have lying back?
Since when did lying become mispeeking and when can we have lying back?
you go into democracy with the electorate you have, not necessarily the electorate you might want or wish to have
Is 'success' of U.S. surge in Iraq about to unravel?I dunno, but would you like to be put in leg irons for putting "success" in quotation marks? I kid, I kid... Anywho... good to see people have stopped paying attention; now we can get back to work.
K-Mad, Smiff breaking it all down for you...
9:04 PM me: did you watch 60 Minutes this week? anudder doomsday: crop extinction
none of this will matter after the bees and seeds disappear
Kevin: dang i missed it
9:05 PM none of it will matter after the asteroid impact / yellowstone caldera eruption / mccain victory in november
me: especially the latter.
9:06 PM Kevin: or if i draft prior, setting off the Rapture
me: you can watch segments on the CBS website
stay from prior - this is your only warning
Kevin: ok, but only if it's really gloomy
9:07 PM me: we've lost 86% of apple varieties since the 1800s
that's 5800 of 'em
Kevin: what have apples ever done for us anyway?
9:08 PM me: uh, well, we do eat them
anyway, there's a seed repository in Svalbard. Svalbard, dammit!
Kevin: we could eat polar bears too but nobody gives a shit about dem -- dere, i've run rings round ya logically
9:10 PM me: well, vegetarian know-it-alls can't eat polar bears. besides, there are only about 30, 35 of them left
Kevin: my boy dick clarke is on frontline in a hectoring, tendentious anti-bush diatribe
if obama is as smart as i think he is, that's your next VP
me: i'm taping dat Frontline
9:11 PM Kevin: it will make you frow your television out da window
me: apparently, BushCo made a couple mistakes, huh?
Kevin: mistakes were made
9:12 PM the new dick clarke
now with more hectoring
me: i do love hectoring
Kevin: see? we all do. he'd be a great vp
9:13 PM an amazing tapestry of lies
9:14 PM if there was a nobel prize for lying, this guys would deserve to win it for the next 100 years pre-emptively (irony not intended)
9:16 PM me: also on 60 Minutes: dey may have found the box dat Jesus' brother James' (dead) bones were put in
9:19 PM Kevin: well if dey get dna dey can recreate him an ask him whut really happened
9:20 PM wolfie etc -- it's as if they were unaware that the future would come and everyone would find out they were fullashit
do they not understand the crushing linear trajectory of time?
me: i pfink dats just a side effect from being filthy rich
9:21 PM Kevin: that might be the most plausible explanation available
9:25 PM me: 3rd story: David Beckham!!
Kevin: finally -- something interesting
9:26 PM me: he talks funny - is dat english?
9:27 PM he was injured most of the year - did you draft him?
9:28 PM Kevin: his prollems are not my fault
but even if they were, he knew da risks
never mind the world ending and shit -- i would like to know more about his life
9:29 PM me: he's very very rich
Kevin: now THAT'S interesting to me
9:33 PM me: he has 15 tattoos
that's how he expresses his feelings
Kevin: dat is so phokkin cool
9:35 PM me: his three sons are named---are you sitting down?--Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz (sp?) i must have heard this wrong
Kevin: get the PHOKK out! that is really incredible
9:37 PM me: now Andy Rooney is bitching about doctors
Kevin: sorta puts the bees disappearing into perspective don't it?
maybe now you'll quit yer whinin
9:42 PM me: did Bush catch Osama yet on dat america hating show you're watching?
Kevin: dey probally cut dat part out just outta dere deep hatred of america
9:43 PM me: so we actually win the war?
Kevin: duh!
9:44 PM we are americans!
USA! USA! USA!
9:45 PM dat happened a coupla years after mccain got elected. dont you remember?!@?!?
me: i must have been reading boxscores
Kevin: dats ok
9:47 PM me: Cheney thought he had United 93 shot down? i bet he cried when he found out he wasn't responsible
9:48 PM Kevin: he has many other corpses to feed on
9:49 PM me: aaaahhhhhh....all is revealed...Saddam did it!
9:53 PM Kevin: now you're getting it. a little late to save your soul but better late than never
9:54 PM me: weren't most of the terrists from Saudi Arabia? why didn't we attack them?
Kevin: cuz pappy bush holds hands wid dem an shit
9:55 PM me: oh, well, rich phokks does trump everyting
9:56 PM Kevin: its so easy once you get on dere wavelengf
9:59 PM me: Tommy Franks: 15 cups of coffee a day - your new boy?
Kevin: guess dat would explain why we bof like ta blow shit up
but you wont believe
i'm down ta free cups a day
10:00 PM me: are dese cups the size of pails?
10:01 PM Kevin: this is no time for splitting hairs
10:03 PM besides there is no agreed-upon definition of how large a pail really is
10:05 PM me: ok, a three gallon pail den
10:06 PM Kevin: so? it's still progress\
me: sorta like da surge
10:10 PM Kevin: i have one last opportunity to end many baseball careers this weekend
10:11 PM me: good luck!
Kevin: i'm taking bribes if theres anyone you want me to avoid
10:12 PM me: Cole Hamels...STAY AWAY
10:13 PM Kevin: dang -- he's already a brawler
10:14 PM me: maybe there is a God...
Ian Snell?
Kevin: he will be missed
10:16 PM me: pinot?
10:17 PM Kevin: sure!
me: putting Rummy in charge...woops!
18 minutes
10:36 PM me: Maybin demoted...thanks a lot
10:37 PM Kevin: still breathing?
me: i think so...for now
10:38 PM Kevin: lucky!
me: shouldn't you, like, be passed out?
Kevin: i'm working on it
me: vino?
10:39 PM Kevin: yellow tail shiraz -- less dan six bucks a bottle at dominicks
10:41 PM me: at least you're not drinking alone...i got a J. Lohr Monterey Valdiguie
Kevin: a whu? sounds fancy
10:42 PM won't matter after the bees / volcano / asteroid impact / rotator cuff / shit blowing up / mccain getting elected though
me: Yes.
10:43 PM Kevin: i forgot also: great depression
6 minutes
10:49 PM me: Before Monday's game, Manager Joe Maddon announced that Chad Orvella (RHP, TAM) would probably start the year on the DL with shoulder issues. After posting a 3.20 ERA in 50 IP in 2005, Orvella was a prime candidate for the closer's job in Tampa. But over the next two years, he put up an 8.81 ERA in 24 IP. That's not to say that he doesn't have skills - he had a 12.8 Dom at AAA in 2006, and a 9.2 Dom with 20 saves at AAA in 2007. But until he reduces his Ctl (8.8 the past two years) at the major league level, he's not likely to find success...see also: K-Mad
10:51 PM Kevin: what can i do to discourage him?
7 minutes
10:59 PM me: Tommy Franks also likes margaritas
11:00 PM Kevin: he also loves america
6 minutes
11:06 PM me: Richard Perle: Amoral Piece of Shit
11:07 PM Kevin: and the kicker is: we're all dead
me: "The people are just so friendly, so respectful. We could learn a lot from them as far as how to treat each other."--A's second baseman Mark Ellis, on his team's trip to Japan to open the 2008 campaign against the Red Sox.
11:09 PM Kevin: see: shit blowing up
me: "I don't read books."--Jonathan Papelbon
11:13 PM "Every time we don't play good, I let them know right away. That's how we're going to do it this year. I don't like how they play the last couple of games, and I say it in the paper, and then I have a meeting."--White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, on his managerial style.
Kevin: thats it! rip the motherfuckers!
11:18 PM me: HYOOOGE ASSHOLE William "The Bloody" Kristol shows up...
Kevin: it's an asshole parade. with curveball as the clown
14 minutes
11:32 PM me: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
These messages were sent while you were offline.
11:52 PM Kevin: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
none of this will matter after the bees and seeds disappear
Kevin: dang i missed it
9:05 PM none of it will matter after the asteroid impact / yellowstone caldera eruption / mccain victory in november
me: especially the latter.
9:06 PM Kevin: or if i draft prior, setting off the Rapture
me: you can watch segments on the CBS website
stay from prior - this is your only warning
Kevin: ok, but only if it's really gloomy
9:07 PM me: we've lost 86% of apple varieties since the 1800s
that's 5800 of 'em
Kevin: what have apples ever done for us anyway?
9:08 PM me: uh, well, we do eat them
anyway, there's a seed repository in Svalbard. Svalbard, dammit!
Kevin: we could eat polar bears too but nobody gives a shit about dem -- dere, i've run rings round ya logically
9:10 PM me: well, vegetarian know-it-alls can't eat polar bears. besides, there are only about 30, 35 of them left
Kevin: my boy dick clarke is on frontline in a hectoring, tendentious anti-bush diatribe
if obama is as smart as i think he is, that's your next VP
me: i'm taping dat Frontline
9:11 PM Kevin: it will make you frow your television out da window
me: apparently, BushCo made a couple mistakes, huh?
Kevin: mistakes were made
9:12 PM the new dick clarke
now with more hectoring
me: i do love hectoring
Kevin: see? we all do. he'd be a great vp
9:13 PM an amazing tapestry of lies
9:14 PM if there was a nobel prize for lying, this guys would deserve to win it for the next 100 years pre-emptively (irony not intended)
9:16 PM me: also on 60 Minutes: dey may have found the box dat Jesus' brother James' (dead) bones were put in
9:19 PM Kevin: well if dey get dna dey can recreate him an ask him whut really happened
9:20 PM wolfie etc -- it's as if they were unaware that the future would come and everyone would find out they were fullashit
do they not understand the crushing linear trajectory of time?
me: i pfink dats just a side effect from being filthy rich
9:21 PM Kevin: that might be the most plausible explanation available
9:25 PM me: 3rd story: David Beckham!!
Kevin: finally -- something interesting
9:26 PM me: he talks funny - is dat english?
9:27 PM he was injured most of the year - did you draft him?
9:28 PM Kevin: his prollems are not my fault
but even if they were, he knew da risks
never mind the world ending and shit -- i would like to know more about his life
9:29 PM me: he's very very rich
Kevin: now THAT'S interesting to me
9:33 PM me: he has 15 tattoos
that's how he expresses his feelings
Kevin: dat is so phokkin cool
9:35 PM me: his three sons are named---are you sitting down?--Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz (sp?) i must have heard this wrong
Kevin: get the PHOKK out! that is really incredible
9:37 PM me: now Andy Rooney is bitching about doctors
Kevin: sorta puts the bees disappearing into perspective don't it?
maybe now you'll quit yer whinin
9:42 PM me: did Bush catch Osama yet on dat america hating show you're watching?
Kevin: dey probally cut dat part out just outta dere deep hatred of america
9:43 PM me: so we actually win the war?
Kevin: duh!
9:44 PM we are americans!
USA! USA! USA!
9:45 PM dat happened a coupla years after mccain got elected. dont you remember?!@?!?
me: i must have been reading boxscores
Kevin: dats ok
9:47 PM me: Cheney thought he had United 93 shot down? i bet he cried when he found out he wasn't responsible
9:48 PM Kevin: he has many other corpses to feed on
9:49 PM me: aaaahhhhhh....all is revealed...Saddam did it!
9:53 PM Kevin: now you're getting it. a little late to save your soul but better late than never
9:54 PM me: weren't most of the terrists from Saudi Arabia? why didn't we attack them?
Kevin: cuz pappy bush holds hands wid dem an shit
9:55 PM me: oh, well, rich phokks does trump everyting
9:56 PM Kevin: its so easy once you get on dere wavelengf
9:59 PM me: Tommy Franks: 15 cups of coffee a day - your new boy?
Kevin: guess dat would explain why we bof like ta blow shit up
but you wont believe
i'm down ta free cups a day
10:00 PM me: are dese cups the size of pails?
10:01 PM Kevin: this is no time for splitting hairs
10:03 PM besides there is no agreed-upon definition of how large a pail really is
10:05 PM me: ok, a three gallon pail den
10:06 PM Kevin: so? it's still progress\
me: sorta like da surge
10:10 PM Kevin: i have one last opportunity to end many baseball careers this weekend
10:11 PM me: good luck!
Kevin: i'm taking bribes if theres anyone you want me to avoid
10:12 PM me: Cole Hamels...STAY AWAY
10:13 PM Kevin: dang -- he's already a brawler
10:14 PM me: maybe there is a God...
Ian Snell?
Kevin: he will be missed
10:16 PM me: pinot?
10:17 PM Kevin: sure!
me: putting Rummy in charge...woops!
18 minutes
10:36 PM me: Maybin demoted...thanks a lot
10:37 PM Kevin: still breathing?
me: i think so...for now
10:38 PM Kevin: lucky!
me: shouldn't you, like, be passed out?
Kevin: i'm working on it
me: vino?
10:39 PM Kevin: yellow tail shiraz -- less dan six bucks a bottle at dominicks
10:41 PM me: at least you're not drinking alone...i got a J. Lohr Monterey Valdiguie
Kevin: a whu? sounds fancy
10:42 PM won't matter after the bees / volcano / asteroid impact / rotator cuff / shit blowing up / mccain getting elected though
me: Yes.
10:43 PM Kevin: i forgot also: great depression
6 minutes
10:49 PM me: Before Monday's game, Manager Joe Maddon announced that Chad Orvella (RHP, TAM) would probably start the year on the DL with shoulder issues. After posting a 3.20 ERA in 50 IP in 2005, Orvella was a prime candidate for the closer's job in Tampa. But over the next two years, he put up an 8.81 ERA in 24 IP. That's not to say that he doesn't have skills - he had a 12.8 Dom at AAA in 2006, and a 9.2 Dom with 20 saves at AAA in 2007. But until he reduces his Ctl (8.8 the past two years) at the major league level, he's not likely to find success...see also: K-Mad
10:51 PM Kevin: what can i do to discourage him?
7 minutes
10:59 PM me: Tommy Franks also likes margaritas
11:00 PM Kevin: he also loves america
6 minutes
11:06 PM me: Richard Perle: Amoral Piece of Shit
11:07 PM Kevin: and the kicker is: we're all dead
me: "The people are just so friendly, so respectful. We could learn a lot from them as far as how to treat each other."--A's second baseman Mark Ellis, on his team's trip to Japan to open the 2008 campaign against the Red Sox.
11:09 PM Kevin: see: shit blowing up
me: "I don't read books."--Jonathan Papelbon
11:13 PM "Every time we don't play good, I let them know right away. That's how we're going to do it this year. I don't like how they play the last couple of games, and I say it in the paper, and then I have a meeting."--White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, on his managerial style.
Kevin: thats it! rip the motherfuckers!
11:18 PM me: HYOOOGE ASSHOLE William "The Bloody" Kristol shows up...
Kevin: it's an asshole parade. with curveball as the clown
14 minutes
11:32 PM me: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
These messages were sent while you were offline.
11:52 PM Kevin: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
a YOOOOOOOOGE asshole... or... da YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGEST asshole? (cont'd)
News item: Noting the burden placed on military families, the vice president said the biggest burden is carried by President George W. Bush, who made the decision to commit US troops to war, and reminded the public that U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan volunteered for duty.
who's hating America today?
The communists at Media Matters, who show wanton disrespect for our McRezzziDUNCE.
oh! to be a merry plutocrat (cont'd)
Most Republicans Think the U.S. Health Care System is the Best in the World. Democrats Disagree
Source: Harvard School of Public Health
A recent survey by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Harris Interactive, as part of their ongoing series, Debating Health: Election 2008, finds that Americans are generally split on the issue of whether the United States has the best health care system in the world (45% believe the U.S. has the best system; 39% believe other countries have better systems; 15% don’t know or refused to answer) and that there is a significant divide along party lines. Nearly seven-in-ten Republicans (68%) believe the U.S. health care system is the best in the world, compared to just three in ten (32%) Democrats and four in ten (40%) Independents who feel the same way.
Source: Harvard School of Public Health
A recent survey by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Harris Interactive, as part of their ongoing series, Debating Health: Election 2008, finds that Americans are generally split on the issue of whether the United States has the best health care system in the world (45% believe the U.S. has the best system; 39% believe other countries have better systems; 15% don’t know or refused to answer) and that there is a significant divide along party lines. Nearly seven-in-ten Republicans (68%) believe the U.S. health care system is the best in the world, compared to just three in ten (32%) Democrats and four in ten (40%) Independents who feel the same way.
Thanks volunteers...
I can understand Bush s#itting all over the troops, but McSame? Bush is smiling here because someone, an animal species, or a plant species, died on his account. He just loves things when they're dead. Monday, March 24, 2008
Dick: future weatherman?
On Monday, Vice-President Dick Cheney came to Baghdad and talked about "the phenomenal improvement in security". That day more than 60 Iraqis were killed in bomb attacks.
News item: "America after the invasion of Iraq is no longer the superpower it was before."
News item: "America after the invasion of Iraq is no longer the superpower it was before."
Flying Soon?
Den better make sure your state ID or drivers license will be good enuff starting May 11...
When are we ever going to resolve this national ID issue? Why can't politicians ever fix anything? Properly?
And do we really expect the TSA staff to actually note which state your ID is from, then remember whether those are acceptable or not? Apparently security lines are moving way too fast, we need to slow them down to show vigilance, or something.
When are we ever going to resolve this national ID issue? Why can't politicians ever fix anything? Properly?
And do we really expect the TSA staff to actually note which state your ID is from, then remember whether those are acceptable or not? Apparently security lines are moving way too fast, we need to slow them down to show vigilance, or something.
We are living in a golden age (cont)
News item: Under Bush, endangered species list dying off
With little- noticed procedural and policy moves over several years, Bush administration officials have made it substantially more difficult to designate domestic animals and plants for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
As a result, listings plummeted. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has not declared a single native species as threatened or endangered since he was appointed nearly two years ago.
Some species have vanished. The Lake Sammamish kokanee, a landlocked sockeye salmon, went extinct in 2001 after being denied an emergency listing, and genetically pure Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits disappeared last year after Interior declined to protect critical habitat for the species.
Not even animals are safe from the Wrath of W.
With little- noticed procedural and policy moves over several years, Bush administration officials have made it substantially more difficult to designate domestic animals and plants for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
As a result, listings plummeted. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has not declared a single native species as threatened or endangered since he was appointed nearly two years ago.
Some species have vanished. The Lake Sammamish kokanee, a landlocked sockeye salmon, went extinct in 2001 after being denied an emergency listing, and genetically pure Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits disappeared last year after Interior declined to protect critical habitat for the species.
Not even animals are safe from the Wrath of W.
we are living in a golden age (cont'd)
News item: Gap in life expectancy of rich, poor widens
New government research has found "large and growing" disparities in life expectancy for richer and poorer Americans, paralleling the growth of income inequality in the past two decades.
New government research has found "large and growing" disparities in life expectancy for richer and poorer Americans, paralleling the growth of income inequality in the past two decades.
Another Milestone Reached
BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb killed four U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday, the military said, pushing the overall American death toll in the five-year war to at least 4,000. The grim milestone came on a day when at least 61 people were killed across the country....
Thanks Bush and Dick: YOU FUCKERS.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Not only is he a HYOOOGE @$$#0LE...
...but he's an enormous idiot as well:
Bobby Knight picked Pittsburgh to win the NCAA basketball tournament. They lost tonight IN THE SECOND ROUND to a mediocre team from the mediocre Big Ten conference. Hey Knight, you're some "expert"...have you considered weather forecasting?
Friday, March 21, 2008
What Happens When It Turns Out "The Man" Is Woodchuck Smart?
From the wacky leftist-commo rag the New York Times comes a screed against the brave new world of commerce and banking created by forward thinking and actionable men who pushed beyond the stars into whole new worlds of heady profit and genius.
Why is it government that's always called short-sighted and ignorant? Bureaucratic, ok, and sometimes that sucks, but how is this any better? It's not. These men are fucking idiots and they are breaking things. They should not be allowed near these things, and many of them should be in jail. And all of them should get a good swift kick through the ass:
"Not a week goes by that the Fed doesn’t inaugurate a new way to provide liquidity — meaning money — to the financial system. Bear Stearns isn’t enormous. It doesn’t take deposits from the public. Yet the Fed believed that letting it implode could unleash a domino effect among other banks, and the Fed provided a $30 billion guarantee for JPMorgan to snap it up.
Compared to the cold shoulder given to struggling homeowners, the cash and attention lavished by the government on the nation’s financial titans provides telling insight into the priorities of the Bush administration. It’s not simply a matter of fairness, though. The Fed is probably right to be doing all it can think of to avoid worse damage than the economy is already suffering. But if the objective is to encourage prudent banking and keep Wall Street’s wizards from periodically driving financial markets over the cliff, it is imperative to devise a remuneration system for bankers that puts more of their skin in the game.
Financiers, of course, dispute that they are being insufficiently penalized. “I received no bonus for 2007, no severance pay, no golden parachute,” E. Stanley O’Neal, the former chief executive of Merrill Lynch, told a House committee recently. That doesn’t seem like much of a blow to Mr. O’Neal, who was removed earlier this year following gargantuan subprime-related losses."
Why is it government that's always called short-sighted and ignorant? Bureaucratic, ok, and sometimes that sucks, but how is this any better? It's not. These men are fucking idiots and they are breaking things. They should not be allowed near these things, and many of them should be in jail. And all of them should get a good swift kick through the ass:
"Not a week goes by that the Fed doesn’t inaugurate a new way to provide liquidity — meaning money — to the financial system. Bear Stearns isn’t enormous. It doesn’t take deposits from the public. Yet the Fed believed that letting it implode could unleash a domino effect among other banks, and the Fed provided a $30 billion guarantee for JPMorgan to snap it up.
Compared to the cold shoulder given to struggling homeowners, the cash and attention lavished by the government on the nation’s financial titans provides telling insight into the priorities of the Bush administration. It’s not simply a matter of fairness, though. The Fed is probably right to be doing all it can think of to avoid worse damage than the economy is already suffering. But if the objective is to encourage prudent banking and keep Wall Street’s wizards from periodically driving financial markets over the cliff, it is imperative to devise a remuneration system for bankers that puts more of their skin in the game.
Financiers, of course, dispute that they are being insufficiently penalized. “I received no bonus for 2007, no severance pay, no golden parachute,” E. Stanley O’Neal, the former chief executive of Merrill Lynch, told a House committee recently. That doesn’t seem like much of a blow to Mr. O’Neal, who was removed earlier this year following gargantuan subprime-related losses."
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Another Quitter
GOP Loses Another Leader in Congress
Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (RN.Y.) announced yesterday that he will not seek another term in office, becoming the latest member of the former GOP leadership team to step down in the past two years.
And these are the same losers who want us to stay in Iraq until the end of the time? The party of Americans has turned into the party of AmeriCANTS. Well, don't let the Capitol Hill door hit you on the ass on the way out. Best to put that tail between your legs, too, like a skunk...
Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (RN.Y.) announced yesterday that he will not seek another term in office, becoming the latest member of the former GOP leadership team to step down in the past two years.
And these are the same losers who want us to stay in Iraq until the end of the time? The party of Americans has turned into the party of AmeriCANTS. Well, don't let the Capitol Hill door hit you on the ass on the way out. Best to put that tail between your legs, too, like a skunk...
The Avalanche Continues
J. E. Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes: No such thing as a war for free
And this is what McBush wants to continue for another 100 years? Seriously, do we want to take a crack at solving America's problems, or make some people seriously rich at the cost of nearly 4,000 American lives and an undetermined, mind bogglingly large number of Iraqi lives? Not to mention everyone else in the world hating us?
Where are those New Zealand emigration papers...
And this is what McBush wants to continue for another 100 years? Seriously, do we want to take a crack at solving America's problems, or make some people seriously rich at the cost of nearly 4,000 American lives and an undetermined, mind bogglingly large number of Iraqi lives? Not to mention everyone else in the world hating us?
Where are those New Zealand emigration papers...
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
a YOOOOOOOOGE asshole... or... da YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGEST asshole?
News item: Bush "Envious" of U.S. Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq
"I must say, I'm a little envious," Bush said. "If I were slightly younger and not employed here, I think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines of helping this young democracy succeed."
"I must say, I'm a little envious," Bush said. "If I were slightly younger and not employed here, I think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines of helping this young democracy succeed."
Dick Cheney to Everyone: Go Fuck Yourself
An enormous asshole or a gigantic asshole??
Raddatz: Two-thirds of Americans say it’s not worth fighting, and they’re looking at the value gain versus the cost in American lives, certainly, and Iraqi lives.
Cheney: So?
Raddatz: So — you don’t care what the American people think?
Cheney: No, I think you cannot be blown off course by the fluctuations in the public opinion polls. Think about what would have happened if Abraham Lincoln had paid attention to polls, if they had had polls during the Civil War. He never would have succeeded if he hadn’t had a clear objective, a vision for where he wanted to go, and he was willing to withstand the slings and arrows of the political wars in order to get there. And this President has been very courageous, very consistent, very determined to continue down the course we were on and to achieve our objective.
Smiff does it in basketball, too...
Hedo Turkoglu's dream season continued on Wednesday when he hit 11-of-20 shots and seven threes for a career-high 39 points in a loss to the Wizards. Turkoglu added six boards, three assists, a steal and a block, but the Magic were unable to overcome a three-point night from Dwight Howard in the loss. Turkoglu may be the biggest fantasy SHTEAL this season, and will likely be a hot draft pick in the early rounds next season.
dese just in...
Today's Top Searches
Audrina Patridge
Soleil Moon Frye
Squat Toilet
Puggles
Spring Equinox
Survivor Micronesia
Madeleine McCann
Fall Out Boy
Hogan's Heroes
Boston Red Sox
...As of Tuesday, at least 3,990 members of the U.S. military have died in the war, which has cost the U.S. roughly $500 billion. Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglizt and Harvard University public finance expert Linda Bilmes have estimated the eventual cost at $3 trillion when all the expenses, including long-term care for veterans, are calculated.
Without specifics, Bush decried those who have "exaggerated estimates of the costs of this war."
"War critics can no longer credibly argue that we are losing in Iraq, so now they argue the war costs too much," the HYOOOGE @$$#0LE said....
Audrina Patridge
Soleil Moon Frye
Squat Toilet
Puggles
Spring Equinox
Survivor Micronesia
Madeleine McCann
Fall Out Boy
Hogan's Heroes
Boston Red Sox
...As of Tuesday, at least 3,990 members of the U.S. military have died in the war, which has cost the U.S. roughly $500 billion. Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglizt and Harvard University public finance expert Linda Bilmes have estimated the eventual cost at $3 trillion when all the expenses, including long-term care for veterans, are calculated.
Without specifics, Bush decried those who have "exaggerated estimates of the costs of this war."
"War critics can no longer credibly argue that we are losing in Iraq, so now they argue the war costs too much," the HYOOOGE @$$#0LE said....
speaking of the sun coming up...
Nomar Garciaparra got a cortisone shot for his right wrist after an MRI Wednesday detected a microfracture. Trainer Stan Conte likened the injury to a small bone bruise. Nomar was hoping to play tomorrow, but that won't happen now. He needs to get some at-bats soon if he expects to be in the lineup on Opening Day.
Cricket Rules - Post Zzz of Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Y'all made me do this...
Cricket equipment guide
Cricket is a sport where you need a few bits of specialist equipment to keep you safe.
Most clubs provide bats and all the protective gear, but you may want your own kit.
In fact, there can be so much kit you may feel as though you're packing to go on holiday.
But a hard cricket ball can do a lot of damage - so protective gear is essential.
It will stop you getting hurt, though you may find the odd bump and bruise slips through now and then.
My Personal Favorite piece of equipment:
You won't need to guess where the most painful place to be hit by a cricket ball is - particularly for males.
A box should always be worn to protect the "privates" when batting against a cricket ball or other hard ball.
Wicketkeepers and fielders close to the wicket should also wear a box at all times.
You won't regret it. Neither will your kids.
Cricket equipment guideCricket is a sport where you need a few bits of specialist equipment to keep you safe.
Most clubs provide bats and all the protective gear, but you may want your own kit.
In fact, there can be so much kit you may feel as though you're packing to go on holiday.
But a hard cricket ball can do a lot of damage - so protective gear is essential.
It will stop you getting hurt, though you may find the odd bump and bruise slips through now and then.
My Personal Favorite piece of equipment:
You won't need to guess where the most painful place to be hit by a cricket ball is - particularly for males.
A box should always be worn to protect the "privates" when batting against a cricket ball or other hard ball.
Wicketkeepers and fielders close to the wicket should also wear a box at all times.
You won't regret it. Neither will your kids.
and why not anudder 5 years, or 50, or 500...
This guy's supposed strength is foreign policy and defense? God help us all.
Oops! He Did It Again: McCain Confuses Iran/al Qaeda Link In Speech Marking 5th Anniversary of Iraqi Invasion
Sen. John McCain has done it again.
For the third time in two days, the Arizona Republican has pushed the definitively false statement that the terrorist group Al-Qaeda was getting assistance from Iran, even though he was publicly ridiculed for the same false assertion on Tuesday.
This time, in a statement from his campaign honoring the fifth year anniversary of the war, McCain wrote:
“Today in Iraq, America and our allies stand on the precipice of winning a major victory against radical Islamic extremism. The security gains over the past year have been dramatic and undeniable. Al Qaeda and Shia extremists — with support from external powers such as Iran — are on the run but not defeated.”
On Tuesday, the senator, appearing in Israel, made a nearly identical assertion that al-Qaeda was leaving Iraq to retool and regroup in Iran.
Countdown’s Worst Persons: Olbermann Murdoch & McSame
Last, and by no means least, Senator John McCain takes the gold for making a fool of himself by claiming that Iran was training al Qaeda members in Iran, and sending them into Iraq. (not once, but thrice) Unfortunately for Grandpa McCain, he was mistaken and had to be reminded by Joe Lieberman that Iran was NOT training members of al Qaeda.
Olbermann: “No wonder McCain’s talking about 100 years in Iraq. It’ll take him that long just to figure out what’s going on there!”
McCain Doesn’t Know Who We’re Fighting In Iraq
Pressed to elaborate, McCain said it was “common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that’s well known. And it’s unfortunate.” A few moments later, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, standing just behind McCain, stepped forward and whispered in the presidential candidate’s ear. McCain then said: “I’m sorry, the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda.”
Oops! He Did It Again: McCain Confuses Iran/al Qaeda Link In Speech Marking 5th Anniversary of Iraqi Invasion
Sen. John McCain has done it again.
For the third time in two days, the Arizona Republican has pushed the definitively false statement that the terrorist group Al-Qaeda was getting assistance from Iran, even though he was publicly ridiculed for the same false assertion on Tuesday.
This time, in a statement from his campaign honoring the fifth year anniversary of the war, McCain wrote:
“Today in Iraq, America and our allies stand on the precipice of winning a major victory against radical Islamic extremism. The security gains over the past year have been dramatic and undeniable. Al Qaeda and Shia extremists — with support from external powers such as Iran — are on the run but not defeated.”
On Tuesday, the senator, appearing in Israel, made a nearly identical assertion that al-Qaeda was leaving Iraq to retool and regroup in Iran.
Countdown’s Worst Persons: Olbermann Murdoch & McSame
Last, and by no means least, Senator John McCain takes the gold for making a fool of himself by claiming that Iran was training al Qaeda members in Iran, and sending them into Iraq. (not once, but thrice) Unfortunately for Grandpa McCain, he was mistaken and had to be reminded by Joe Lieberman that Iran was NOT training members of al Qaeda.
Olbermann: “No wonder McCain’s talking about 100 years in Iraq. It’ll take him that long just to figure out what’s going on there!”
McCain Doesn’t Know Who We’re Fighting In Iraq
Pressed to elaborate, McCain said it was “common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that’s well known. And it’s unfortunate.” A few moments later, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, standing just behind McCain, stepped forward and whispered in the presidential candidate’s ear. McCain then said: “I’m sorry, the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda.”
What is America searching on the 5th Anniversary of Bush's Insanity in the Desert?
Today's Top Searches
1. Miley Cyrus
2. Judy Greer
3. David Archuleta
4. Robot Dogs
5. Edmontosaurus
6. ABBA
7. Anthony Minghella
8. May Pang
9. Bread Pudding Recipe
10. Second Amendment
1. Miley Cyrus
2. Judy Greer
3. David Archuleta
4. Robot Dogs
5. Edmontosaurus
6. ABBA
7. Anthony Minghella
8. May Pang
9. Bread Pudding Recipe
10. Second Amendment
The Sun Rose in the East Today
Kerry Wood, who was supposed to work on back-to-back days for the first time this spring, had to be scratched from Wednesday's appearance because of back spasms.
"Look, we do have one setback with Kerry today -- his back is really, really stiff and he's not going to be able to pitch today," manager Lou Pineilla said. "It has nothing to do with his shoulder, or elbow, it's just with his back. He went to see a doctor, and hopefully we'll get him out there (Thursday) or the next day." Piniella wants Wood in the closer's role, but it's unclear if he'd hand him the role without him having pitched on back-to-back days first.
"Look, we do have one setback with Kerry today -- his back is really, really stiff and he's not going to be able to pitch today," manager Lou Pineilla said. "It has nothing to do with his shoulder, or elbow, it's just with his back. He went to see a doctor, and hopefully we'll get him out there (Thursday) or the next day." Piniella wants Wood in the closer's role, but it's unclear if he'd hand him the role without him having pitched on back-to-back days first.
Decadent Westerners (cont)
Olympics crisis over squat loos
China is rushing to install sit-down loos for its 500,000 foreign Olympics visitors, after complaints that venues had only Asian-style squat toilets.
A lack of Western-style facilities was a common complaint after some 30 test events at Games venues, officials said.
"A lot of parties have raised the question of toilets... We have told the venues to improve on this," said Yao Hui, deputy head of venue management.
He said bathroom renovations were already under way at three key venues.
"Most of the Chinese people are used to the squat toilet, but nowadays more and more people demand sit-down toilets," said Mr Yao.
"However, it will take some time for this transition."
He said that the proportion of squat toilets to sit-down facilities would vary depending on the nature of each venue.
But he said most of the lavatories at the 91,000-seat National Stadium - known as the Bird's Nest, the Water Cube and the National Indoor Stadium "should be" sit-down style.
Beijing is said to be spending at least US$40bn on 37 venues for sporting events at the August Olympics, 31 of which are in Beijing.
China is rushing to install sit-down loos for its 500,000 foreign Olympics visitors, after complaints that venues had only Asian-style squat toilets.
A lack of Western-style facilities was a common complaint after some 30 test events at Games venues, officials said.
"A lot of parties have raised the question of toilets... We have told the venues to improve on this," said Yao Hui, deputy head of venue management.
He said bathroom renovations were already under way at three key venues.
"Most of the Chinese people are used to the squat toilet, but nowadays more and more people demand sit-down toilets," said Mr Yao.
"However, it will take some time for this transition."
He said that the proportion of squat toilets to sit-down facilities would vary depending on the nature of each venue.
But he said most of the lavatories at the 91,000-seat National Stadium - known as the Bird's Nest, the Water Cube and the National Indoor Stadium "should be" sit-down style.
Beijing is said to be spending at least US$40bn on 37 venues for sporting events at the August Olympics, 31 of which are in Beijing.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Grand Scientific Host (cont'd)
Thickest, oldest Arctic ice is melting: NASA data
By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The thickest, oldest and toughest sea ice around the North Pole is melting, a bad sign for the future of the Arctic ice cap, NASA satellite data showed on Tuesday.
"Thickness is an indicator of long-term health of sea ice, and that's not looking good at the moment," Walt Meier of the National Snow and Ice Data Center told reporters in a telephone briefing.
This adds to the litany of disturbing news about Arctic sea ice, which has been retreating over the last three decades, especially last year, when it ebbed to its lowest level.
Scientists have said the trend is spurred by human-generated climate change.
Melting Arctic ice does not raise sea levels as the melting of glaciers on Greenland or Antarctica could, but it does contribute to global warming when reflective white ice is replaced by dark water that absorbs the sun's heat.
Using satellites that measure how much ice covers water in the Arctic and Antarctic, Meier and other climate scientists found a steep drop in the amount of perennial ice -- the hardy, thick ice that is over a year old -- in the north.
The oldest Arctic ice that has survived six years or more is the toughest, and even that shrank dramatically, Meier and the other scientists said.
OLD ICE "TOUGH AS NAILS"
Some 965,300 square miles of perennial ice have been lost -- about one and a half times the area of Alaska -- a 50 percent decrease between February 2007 and February 2008, Meier said.
The oldest "tough as nails" perennial ice has decreased by about 75 percent this year, losing 579,200 square miles (1.5 million sq kms, or about twice the area of Texas, he said.
This doesn't mean the Arctic is open water during the winter, but it does mean that in many areas, the stronger perennial ice is being replaced by younger, frailer new ice that is more easily disturbed by wind and warm sea temperatures.
"It's like looking at a Hollywood set," Meier said of an Arctic largely covered with younger ice. "It may look OK but if you could see behind you'd see ... it's just empty. And what we're seeing with the ice cover is it's becoming more and more empty underneath the ice cover."
Perennial ice is also vulnerable to a recurring pattern of swirling winds and currents known as the Arctic oscillation, which ejects the old ice out of the zone around the pole and aims it south where warmer waters will melt it.
The scientists also analyzed satellite data for Antarctica but found less dramatic change there.
This was attributed to the difference in the two polar regions. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by land while the Antarctic is a continent surrounded by ocean.
However, the scientists noted sharp warming on the Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches northward from the southern continent toward South America.
By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The thickest, oldest and toughest sea ice around the North Pole is melting, a bad sign for the future of the Arctic ice cap, NASA satellite data showed on Tuesday.
"Thickness is an indicator of long-term health of sea ice, and that's not looking good at the moment," Walt Meier of the National Snow and Ice Data Center told reporters in a telephone briefing.
This adds to the litany of disturbing news about Arctic sea ice, which has been retreating over the last three decades, especially last year, when it ebbed to its lowest level.
Scientists have said the trend is spurred by human-generated climate change.
Melting Arctic ice does not raise sea levels as the melting of glaciers on Greenland or Antarctica could, but it does contribute to global warming when reflective white ice is replaced by dark water that absorbs the sun's heat.
Using satellites that measure how much ice covers water in the Arctic and Antarctic, Meier and other climate scientists found a steep drop in the amount of perennial ice -- the hardy, thick ice that is over a year old -- in the north.
The oldest Arctic ice that has survived six years or more is the toughest, and even that shrank dramatically, Meier and the other scientists said.
OLD ICE "TOUGH AS NAILS"
Some 965,300 square miles of perennial ice have been lost -- about one and a half times the area of Alaska -- a 50 percent decrease between February 2007 and February 2008, Meier said.
The oldest "tough as nails" perennial ice has decreased by about 75 percent this year, losing 579,200 square miles (1.5 million sq kms, or about twice the area of Texas, he said.
This doesn't mean the Arctic is open water during the winter, but it does mean that in many areas, the stronger perennial ice is being replaced by younger, frailer new ice that is more easily disturbed by wind and warm sea temperatures.
"It's like looking at a Hollywood set," Meier said of an Arctic largely covered with younger ice. "It may look OK but if you could see behind you'd see ... it's just empty. And what we're seeing with the ice cover is it's becoming more and more empty underneath the ice cover."
Perennial ice is also vulnerable to a recurring pattern of swirling winds and currents known as the Arctic oscillation, which ejects the old ice out of the zone around the pole and aims it south where warmer waters will melt it.
The scientists also analyzed satellite data for Antarctica but found less dramatic change there.
This was attributed to the difference in the two polar regions. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by land while the Antarctic is a continent surrounded by ocean.
However, the scientists noted sharp warming on the Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches northward from the southern continent toward South America.
k-mad finds something to get pissed off enough about to get off his ass and post something cranky (cont'd)
News item -- Public schools Tibetans attend give short shrift to the Tibetan language, emphasizing Chinese instead. Ethnic Chinese hold most jobs, and Tibetan civil servants can be fired if their homes contain the traditional Buddhist shrine: a Buddha statue with incense sticks in front. Portraits of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan leader who has been in exile since 1959, are prohibited.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Colony Collapse Disorder?
Or just Quinny on da loose...perhaps he thought the honey was beer?
Bear convicted for theft of honey
By Paddy Clark BBC News
The taste of honey was just too tempting for a bear in Macedonia, which repeatedly raided a beekeeper's hives.
Now it has a criminal record after a court found it guilty of theft and criminal damage.
But there was an empty dock in the court in the city of Bitola and no handcuffed bear, which was convicted in its absence.
The case was brought by the exasperated beekeeper after a year of trying vainly to protect his beehives.
For a while, he kept the animal away by buying a generator, lighting up the area, and playing thumping Serbian turbo-folk music.
But when the generator ran out of power and the music fell silent, the bear was back and the honey was gone once more.
"It attacked the beehives again," said beekeeper Zoran Kiseloski.
Because the animal had no owner and belonged to a protected species, the court ordered the state to pay for the damage to the hives - around $3,500 (£1,750; 2,238 euros).
The bear, meanwhile, remains at large - somewhere in Macedonia.
Bear convicted for theft of honey
By Paddy Clark BBC News
The taste of honey was just too tempting for a bear in Macedonia, which repeatedly raided a beekeeper's hives.
Now it has a criminal record after a court found it guilty of theft and criminal damage.
But there was an empty dock in the court in the city of Bitola and no handcuffed bear, which was convicted in its absence.
The case was brought by the exasperated beekeeper after a year of trying vainly to protect his beehives.
For a while, he kept the animal away by buying a generator, lighting up the area, and playing thumping Serbian turbo-folk music.
But when the generator ran out of power and the music fell silent, the bear was back and the honey was gone once more.
"It attacked the beehives again," said beekeeper Zoran Kiseloski.
Because the animal had no owner and belonged to a protected species, the court ordered the state to pay for the damage to the hives - around $3,500 (£1,750; 2,238 euros).
The bear, meanwhile, remains at large - somewhere in Macedonia.
Everybody's on da internets
Israel's Shin Bet launches blog
Spies blogging? What's next, a blog with 4-6 members talking about their expertises, whether it be baseball, IT, law, libratorrs, weather and the like?
Spies blogging? What's next, a blog with 4-6 members talking about their expertises, whether it be baseball, IT, law, libratorrs, weather and the like?
If we knew then what we know now...
Iraq key players, then and now
The US president said he had three reasons for going to war against Iraq - to disarm the country of its WMD, to end Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism and to free the Iraqi people. "The attacks of September 11 2001, show what the enemies of America did with four airplanes. We will not wait to see what terrorists or terrorist states could do with weapons of mass destruction," he said in March 2003.
He forgot to mention - "Also, Saddam tried to hurt Daddy."
The US president said he had three reasons for going to war against Iraq - to disarm the country of its WMD, to end Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism and to free the Iraqi people. "The attacks of September 11 2001, show what the enemies of America did with four airplanes. We will not wait to see what terrorists or terrorist states could do with weapons of mass destruction," he said in March 2003.
He forgot to mention - "Also, Saddam tried to hurt Daddy."
Sunday, March 16, 2008
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Friday, March 14, 2008
Africa gets shafted, again
We really coulda used that money too...
Nation Of Andorra Not In Africa, Shocked U.S. State Dept. Reports
Nation Of Andorra Not In Africa, Shocked U.S. State Dept. Reports
an update
There are two Google hits for brain-dead Floridians whut cain't tell the difference between a squirrel and an orangutan. Google also offers this helpful suggestion:
Did you mean: brain-dead Floridians who cain't tell the difference between a squirrel and an orangutan
Did you mean: brain-dead Floridians who cain't tell the difference between a squirrel and an orangutan
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Dumbshine State (cont'd)
Do-over primary getting lost in the mail
"There's no authority under Florida law that would allow county supervisors of election or the state to verify signatures in an election of a state party..."
Last week, the party said a mailed ballot would cost $4 million to $6 million. The new estimate: $10 million to $12 million...
"There's no authority under Florida law that would allow county supervisors of election or the state to verify signatures in an election of a state party..."
Last week, the party said a mailed ballot would cost $4 million to $6 million. The new estimate: $10 million to $12 million...
literally, there is nothing to see here
Pentagon cancels release of controversial Iraq report
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Wednesday canceled plans for broad public release of a study that found no pre-Iraq war link between late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the al Qaida terrorist network.
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Wednesday canceled plans for broad public release of a study that found no pre-Iraq war link between late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the al Qaida terrorist network.
True Love
A survey of Illinois Statutes
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720 ILCS 5/11‑7. Adultery. (a) Any person who has sexual intercourse with another not his spouse commits adultery, if the behavior is open and notorious, and (1) The person is married and the other person involved in such intercourse is not his spouse; or (2) The person is not married and knows that the other person involved in such intercourse is married. (b) Adultery is a Class A misdemeanor.
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Read: Marriage is a special promise when you tell someone - I want to make it illegal for you to have sex with other people.
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720 ILCS 5/11‑8. Fornication. (a) Any person who has sexual intercourse with another not his spouse commits fornication if the behavior is open and notorious. (b) Fornication is a Class B misdemeanor.
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Read: This is my favourite Class B misdemeanor. And if you are reading this and not a bible, you are a criminal. Thankfully the "another" part means that single people can still take the Jocelyn Elders route.
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720 ILCS 5/11‑14. Prostitution. (a) Any person who performs, offers or agrees to perform any act of sexual penetration as defined in Section 12‑12 of this Code for any money, property, token, object, or article or anything of value, or any touching or fondling of the sex organs of one person by another person, for any money, property, token, object, or article or anything of value, for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification commits an act of prostitution. (b) Prostitution is a Class A misdemeanor.
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Read: If you ever see a prostitute, ask her or him just to touch herself or himself. Also if you attribute any value to love, and you are not a virgin, then you are a prostitute.
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720 ILCS 5/11‑14.1. Solicitation of a sexual act. (a) Any person who offers a person not his or her spouse any money, property, token, object, or article or anything of value to perform any act of sexual penetration as defined in Section 12‑12 of this Code, or any touching or fondling of the sex organs of one person by another person for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification, commits the offense of solicitation of a sexual act. (b) Solicitation of a sexual act is a Class B misdemeanor.
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Read: Marriage is state sanctioned prostitution.
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And as a special bonus - The definition of obscenity:
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(b) Obscene Defined. Any material or performance is obscene if: (1) the average person, applying contemporary adult community standards, would find that, taken as a whole, it appeals to the prurient interest; and (2) the average person, applying contemporary adult community standards, would find that it depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, ultimate sexual acts or sadomasochistic sexual acts, whether normal or perverted, actual or simulated, or masturbation, excretory functions or lewd exhibition of the genitals; and (3) taken as a whole, it lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.
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Here is the special problem. Are we asking people about the contemporary adult community standards in public, or are we having a real talk with Jesus with them. Because every man is going to say a centerfold is pornographic if you ask them, every man is going to vote against pornography, but then they are going to go home and watch some porn. When I was helping on a Village Planning and Design Commission, they told me they didn't want an adult use business in town because no one there would like it and only truckers would use it. My response - "that explains why it is a multi-billion dollar a year industry - all those rich truckers."
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Why is this country so phucked up sexually? There are good reasons to protect marriage, and good reasons to curb prostitution - these laws don't seem to be reaching any of them.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Eliot a Goner
Proving, once again, that what goes around comes around. Or is it that good guys finish last? Can't fight the system, coz the system always wins? Whitey keeping whitey down?
And can we not have the wife out every time this happens? Or, if she does come out, can we have her either beat him up, chew him out, or displaying the new bling he had to cough up millions for in order for her to stand up there?
And can we not have the wife out every time this happens? Or, if she does come out, can we have her either beat him up, chew him out, or displaying the new bling he had to cough up millions for in order for her to stand up there?
Scary $#!+
US government forces military secrets on Brit webmaster
Sorry, we thought you were us
By Dan Goodin in San Francisco → More by this author
A website promoting the town of Mildenhall has been shut down after it unintentionally became the recipient of hundreds of classified emails, including messages detailing the planned flight path of President Bush.
Over more than a decade, www.mildenhall.com received emails detailing all kinds of secret military information that were intended for official Air Force personnel. One detailed where Air Force One could be found in the air during a planned visit to the region by President Bush. Others included battlefield strategy and passwords.
"I was being sent everything from banal chat and jokes, to videos up to 15mb in size," Gary Sinnott, owner of mildenhall.com, said in this article in EDP 24. "Some were classified, some were personal. A lot had some really sensitive information in them."
As owner of mildenhall.com, Sinnott received every email that had that domain name included in the address field. The site was set up to provide information about the town of Mildenhall, which is about a half-hour's drive north east of Cambridge.
Sinnott says he brought the SNAFU to the attention of Air Force officials but was never able to get the problem fixed. At first, they didn't seem to take the matter seriously, but eventually, they "went mental," he said. Officials advised Sinnott to block unrecognizable addresses from his domain and set up an auto-reply reminding people of the address for the official air force base.
But still, the official emails continued to flow in to Sinnott's site. And to make matters worse, some people got angry after Sinnott told them they were sending email to the wrong address and gave his address to spammers. Sinnott was receiving 30,000 pieces of email per day, most of which was junk mail.
So Sinnott pulled the plug on the website. Though he remains the owner of mildenhall.com, it may only be a matter of time before all those emails incorrectly addressed to Air Force personnel at mildenhall.com automatically begin to bounce. And that ought to make security conscious people everywhere breath a little easier.
Alas, according whois records, mildenhall.net and mildenhall.org are in the hands of non-military individuals and mildenhall.us is available to anyone with $35. Given what we now know about the boobs who send confidential information, that ought to give us pause. ®
The article doesn't really get to the heart of the problem - there is an Air Force base near Mildenhall called Mildenhall Air Force Base. So the dumbasses here, instead of checking to see what the domain is for the base, just assumed it was mildenhall.com (because that's what it should be, right? Even though it's a military base, and not a commmercial entity, it's always .com isn't it?) and sent messages, UNENCRYPTED, to the wrong people. Then said person, being nice, alerted the military and they basically waved him off. Imagine if someone else had thought of this - heck, this could be happening all over the world.
This goes under Bushian, even if it did start before he was in power...
Sorry, we thought you were us
By Dan Goodin in San Francisco → More by this author
A website promoting the town of Mildenhall has been shut down after it unintentionally became the recipient of hundreds of classified emails, including messages detailing the planned flight path of President Bush.
Over more than a decade, www.mildenhall.com received emails detailing all kinds of secret military information that were intended for official Air Force personnel. One detailed where Air Force One could be found in the air during a planned visit to the region by President Bush. Others included battlefield strategy and passwords.
"I was being sent everything from banal chat and jokes, to videos up to 15mb in size," Gary Sinnott, owner of mildenhall.com, said in this article in EDP 24. "Some were classified, some were personal. A lot had some really sensitive information in them."
As owner of mildenhall.com, Sinnott received every email that had that domain name included in the address field. The site was set up to provide information about the town of Mildenhall, which is about a half-hour's drive north east of Cambridge.
Sinnott says he brought the SNAFU to the attention of Air Force officials but was never able to get the problem fixed. At first, they didn't seem to take the matter seriously, but eventually, they "went mental," he said. Officials advised Sinnott to block unrecognizable addresses from his domain and set up an auto-reply reminding people of the address for the official air force base.
But still, the official emails continued to flow in to Sinnott's site. And to make matters worse, some people got angry after Sinnott told them they were sending email to the wrong address and gave his address to spammers. Sinnott was receiving 30,000 pieces of email per day, most of which was junk mail.
So Sinnott pulled the plug on the website. Though he remains the owner of mildenhall.com, it may only be a matter of time before all those emails incorrectly addressed to Air Force personnel at mildenhall.com automatically begin to bounce. And that ought to make security conscious people everywhere breath a little easier.
Alas, according whois records, mildenhall.net and mildenhall.org are in the hands of non-military individuals and mildenhall.us is available to anyone with $35. Given what we now know about the boobs who send confidential information, that ought to give us pause. ®
The article doesn't really get to the heart of the problem - there is an Air Force base near Mildenhall called Mildenhall Air Force Base. So the dumbasses here, instead of checking to see what the domain is for the base, just assumed it was mildenhall.com (because that's what it should be, right? Even though it's a military base, and not a commmercial entity, it's always .com isn't it?) and sent messages, UNENCRYPTED, to the wrong people. Then said person, being nice, alerted the military and they basically waved him off. Imagine if someone else had thought of this - heck, this could be happening all over the world.
This goes under Bushian, even if it did start before he was in power...
who's hating America today?
This one's almost too easy: Bernie Sanders.
According to the latest available statistics from the Internal Revenue Service, the top 1 percent of Americans earned significantly more income in 2005 than the bottom 50 percent. In addition, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently reported that the wealthiest 1 percent saw total income rise by $180,000 in 2005. That is more than the average middle-class family makes in three years. The CBO also found that the total share of after-tax income going to the top 1 percent hit the highest level on record, while the middle class and working families received the smallest share of after-tax income on record.
Why does Bernie have a problem with freedom?
According to the latest available statistics from the Internal Revenue Service, the top 1 percent of Americans earned significantly more income in 2005 than the bottom 50 percent. In addition, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently reported that the wealthiest 1 percent saw total income rise by $180,000 in 2005. That is more than the average middle-class family makes in three years. The CBO also found that the total share of after-tax income going to the top 1 percent hit the highest level on record, while the middle class and working families received the smallest share of after-tax income on record.
Why does Bernie have a problem with freedom?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
too much information
Kaz Matsui will miss four to five days with an anal fissure. That's an unnatural tear or crack in the anus skin, for those of you not in the know. Matsui is expected to be out until at least Friday. Anal fissures can become chronic problems, but the Astros hope using a different medication will sooth Matsui's issue.
nothing to see here, move along, etc. (cont'd)
News item: Former attorney general John D. Ashcroft today strenuously defended a government-sanctioned contract that could earn his consulting firm more than $50 meeeelllion, saying there is no conflict of interest in the appointment made by one of his former U.S. attorneys.
Ashcroft has come under scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers since he accepted a no-bid contract to oversee the operations of an Indiana medical equipment company which is accused of giving kickbacks to doctors. He was chosen by U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie of New Jersey, a Republican who once worked for Ashcroft.
"There is not a conflict," Ashcroft said. "There is not an appearance of conflict."
Ashcroft has come under scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers since he accepted a no-bid contract to oversee the operations of an Indiana medical equipment company which is accused of giving kickbacks to doctors. He was chosen by U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie of New Jersey, a Republican who once worked for Ashcroft.
"There is not a conflict," Ashcroft said. "There is not an appearance of conflict."
Eliot a Goner?
New York Assembly Republican Minority Leader James Tedisco said: "If he does not resign within the next 24 to 48 hours, we will prepare articles of impeachment to remove him.
I thought the rules were:
Sex Scandal for a Democrat=flaw
Sex Scandal for a Republican=fatal flaw
So while a Republican resigns immediately, a Democrat soldiers on. I guess that's why the Republican would impeach though - since to them it's a fatal flaw, it should be to the other side too, and they get all pissy when the Democrat refuses to go. Though this one hasn't refused. Yet.
Also, where does this story go on the whitey vs darky sub topic? I's confused...
I thought the rules were:
Sex Scandal for a Democrat=flaw
Sex Scandal for a Republican=fatal flaw
So while a Republican resigns immediately, a Democrat soldiers on. I guess that's why the Republican would impeach though - since to them it's a fatal flaw, it should be to the other side too, and they get all pissy when the Democrat refuses to go. Though this one hasn't refused. Yet.
Also, where does this story go on the whitey vs darky sub topic? I's confused...
Zombie Constitution
WARRENSBURG, Mo. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia delivered a withering and practiced critique of modern constitutional interpretation during an evening address at the University of Central Missouri.
Scalia, the second-most bat-s#!t-crazy justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, focused particularly on the notion of a “living Constitution” that evolves as society “matures.”
“The Constitution does not change,” Scalia said. “It means today what it meant when it first was written. … It does not morph. The founding fathers had no concept of the 'future' and therefore never left any deliberately ambiguous terms in the constitution. They just weren't bright enough to think like that. Terms like 'well regulated,' "unreasonable,' 'probable cause,' 'due process of law,' 'just compensation,' 'speedy and public trial,' 'excessive bail,' 'excessive fines,' and 'cruel and unusual punishments' have very specific meanings, which are all contained in the definitions section of the Constitution, which is available only to members of the Federalist Society." Scalia is of course a member of the Federalist Society.
Scalia stated that the Constitution is like the Bible. "It is the Divine and infallible word of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and roughly 35 others, all of whom are dead white landowning males." Just like every word of the Bible is true, so is every word of the Constitution, Scalia argued. "Generally, I am in favor of books being written by dead white landowning males controlling society for thousands of years. Of course, I suppose if I ever saw a conflict between the two, I would go with God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost rather than Washington, Franklin, Madison and Hamilton. They may be outnumbered, but the reward plan looks better to me."
Scalia appeared before a friendly crowd of about 1,300 as part of the university’s Julius J. Oppenheimer Lecture Series. "Now I am become death, the destroy of worlds," Scalia quipped, when first stepping up to the podium.
Echoing themes he fleshed out more than 10 years ago in his book A Matter of Interpretation and in hundreds of opinions and dissents, Scalia said judges who read more into the Constitution than actually was written there could make the document less capable of protecting citizens from an unjust majority. Scalia noted that he errs on the side of reading less into the Constitution than was actually written there in order to make the document less capable of protecting citizens from an unjust majority. "Either way works, though," he added.
Scalia described himself as an “originalist” who went to the text of the Constitution to find what was there and what wasn’t. “The Constitution is not a living organism,” Scalia said. “It’s a legal document that says some things and doesn’t say others.” He added, "I have never understood metaphors." One of the main themes of Scalia's speeches on the issue has been that the Constitution is "dead."
Scalia’s humor punctuated the evening, particularly during a question-and-answer session. When one of the questioners asked "If the Constitution is dead, is the 2nd Amendment dead?" Scalia responded "Well maybe dead isn't exactly the right word. Perhaps undead is a better way to put it. Can you be undead and never have been alive? It would be like that I think. Like a stillborn zombie."
Scalia has been seen as a strong protector of rights that are explicitly defined in the Constitution. He has voted, for example, to strike down laws restricting activities at each end of the conventional political spectrum, flag-burning on the one hand and cross-burning on the other.
Scalia, the second-most bat-s#!t-crazy justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, focused particularly on the notion of a “living Constitution” that evolves as society “matures.”
“The Constitution does not change,” Scalia said. “It means today what it meant when it first was written. … It does not morph. The founding fathers had no concept of the 'future' and therefore never left any deliberately ambiguous terms in the constitution. They just weren't bright enough to think like that. Terms like 'well regulated,' "unreasonable,' 'probable cause,' 'due process of law,' 'just compensation,' 'speedy and public trial,' 'excessive bail,' 'excessive fines,' and 'cruel and unusual punishments' have very specific meanings, which are all contained in the definitions section of the Constitution, which is available only to members of the Federalist Society." Scalia is of course a member of the Federalist Society.
Scalia stated that the Constitution is like the Bible. "It is the Divine and infallible word of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and roughly 35 others, all of whom are dead white landowning males." Just like every word of the Bible is true, so is every word of the Constitution, Scalia argued. "Generally, I am in favor of books being written by dead white landowning males controlling society for thousands of years. Of course, I suppose if I ever saw a conflict between the two, I would go with God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost rather than Washington, Franklin, Madison and Hamilton. They may be outnumbered, but the reward plan looks better to me."
Scalia appeared before a friendly crowd of about 1,300 as part of the university’s Julius J. Oppenheimer Lecture Series. "Now I am become death, the destroy of worlds," Scalia quipped, when first stepping up to the podium.
Echoing themes he fleshed out more than 10 years ago in his book A Matter of Interpretation and in hundreds of opinions and dissents, Scalia said judges who read more into the Constitution than actually was written there could make the document less capable of protecting citizens from an unjust majority. Scalia noted that he errs on the side of reading less into the Constitution than was actually written there in order to make the document less capable of protecting citizens from an unjust majority. "Either way works, though," he added.
Scalia described himself as an “originalist” who went to the text of the Constitution to find what was there and what wasn’t. “The Constitution is not a living organism,” Scalia said. “It’s a legal document that says some things and doesn’t say others.” He added, "I have never understood metaphors." One of the main themes of Scalia's speeches on the issue has been that the Constitution is "dead."
Scalia’s humor punctuated the evening, particularly during a question-and-answer session. When one of the questioners asked "If the Constitution is dead, is the 2nd Amendment dead?" Scalia responded "Well maybe dead isn't exactly the right word. Perhaps undead is a better way to put it. Can you be undead and never have been alive? It would be like that I think. Like a stillborn zombie."
Scalia has been seen as a strong protector of rights that are explicitly defined in the Constitution. He has voted, for example, to strike down laws restricting activities at each end of the conventional political spectrum, flag-burning on the one hand and cross-burning on the other.
Blackwater: doing very well for a small business
And here comes annudder whiney Democrat to phokk it all up...
News item: In letters to the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration and the Labor Department, Waxman (D-Calif.) questioned Blackwater's classification of its workers as "independent contractors" rather than employees. That designation, which the government has questioned in the past, has allowed the company to obtain $144 million in contracts set aside for small businesses and to avoid paying as much as $50 million in withholding taxes under State Department contracts, he said.
News item: In letters to the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration and the Labor Department, Waxman (D-Calif.) questioned Blackwater's classification of its workers as "independent contractors" rather than employees. That designation, which the government has questioned in the past, has allowed the company to obtain $144 million in contracts set aside for small businesses and to avoid paying as much as $50 million in withholding taxes under State Department contracts, he said.
To Eliot Spitzer...
...we've all been there. Spending $4,300 a pop on a prostitute, transporting her across state lines, and using a friend's name as a pseudonym (in my case, Decker's)? Yep. But since i don't know how to text, i wasn't stupid enough to do that. I also don't have a hot wife and three daughters, and i'm not the governor of Kollyfornia (yet). Also, “to do things that, like, you might not think were safe”? I can't imagine what this could be--Decker, can you help out a bud here? Maybe it involves standing on your head?
But my real point is merely to point out the fact dat Spitzer is a super-delegate for Hillary.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Why aren't all of these phokking @$$HOLES in prison?
Let's start with this @$$hole:Rove taunted in Iowa
Former top Bush aide Karl Rove didn’t get the friendliest of receptions at the University of Iowa Sunday, CNN affiliate KCRG reports.
Rove, who was paid $40,000 to speak at the University, was confronted with an at-times hostile crowd of 1,000, and was interrupted on several occasions.
$40,000 to be lied to for an hour? Er, YOU ARE A UNIVERSITY...people learnin' and s#i+...has no one there been reading the papers since January 2001?
don't know...don't wanna know...
Medic!
Felix Pie was scheduled for outpatient surgery to correct a case of testicular torsion. That can't be fun. Pie originally hoped to have the procedure on an off day next week, but he needed it immediately and is expected to miss the next 3-5 days. Sam Fuld and Eric Patterson will play center field.
Felix Pie was scheduled for outpatient surgery to correct a case of testicular torsion. That can't be fun. Pie originally hoped to have the procedure on an off day next week, but he needed it immediately and is expected to miss the next 3-5 days. Sam Fuld and Eric Patterson will play center field.
You've been hoodwinked... bamboozled... etc... cont'd....
News item: Sen. Barack Obama accused rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton today of attempting to "hoodwink" and "bamboozle" voters into thinking she was the front-runner by offering him the second slot on her ticket.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
If the sun came up today, well...
...Jim Oberweis must be losing another election in Illinois:
Major Democratic Victory - Hastert’s IL Seat Goes To Bill Foster
What's next for Jimbo? Is "ice cream truck driver" an elected position anywhere?
Face it, no one likes you. Dick.
Major Democratic Victory - Hastert’s IL Seat Goes To Bill Foster
What's next for Jimbo? Is "ice cream truck driver" an elected position anywhere?
Face it, no one likes you. Dick.
not my fault, but dere is a McClure involved
Jimmy Gobble had a cactus thorn removed from one of his big toes on Sunday morning.
Gobble got the thorn stuck in his foot after accidentally kicking a cactus while playing golf early in spring training. Gobble apparently felt the pain, but continued with normal spring activities. "They said it was almost an inch, three-quarters of an inch long," pitching coach Bob McClure said Sunday. "How he was pitching with that, I'll never know." Gobble had a 3.02 ERA in 53 2/3 innings last year out of the bullpen and he will act as the Royals' primary left-handed specialist this season.
Gobble got the thorn stuck in his foot after accidentally kicking a cactus while playing golf early in spring training. Gobble apparently felt the pain, but continued with normal spring activities. "They said it was almost an inch, three-quarters of an inch long," pitching coach Bob McClure said Sunday. "How he was pitching with that, I'll never know." Gobble had a 3.02 ERA in 53 2/3 innings last year out of the bullpen and he will act as the Royals' primary left-handed specialist this season.
Fuzzy Math
Beating Cook's sales tax
After shopping around for a new laptop, Patti Jo Mitchel took a 40-mile drive from her home in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood to a Best Buy in Indiana.
It wasn't a sale that lured Mitchel over the state line. It was the sales tax.
"On a big-ticket item like this, I figure it's worth it," Mitchel said while making her purchase Thursday.
By crossing the state border, she saved more than $32 on her $1,075 purchase of a laptop and accessories.
OK, so assuming by 40 mile trip they mean there and back, and assuming she had one of dem SUV's that gets 10 miles to the gallon. Gas was about $3.50 a gallon when I was out yesterday, so that means she spent $14 on gas for the trip. So that's down to $18 savings. She probably spent 1 1/2 to 2 hours more going to Indiana than she did if she'd stayed in Chicago. Let's use the IL minimum wage to put a price on that time. $7.50 an hour. We go with 90 minutes, that's $11.25. So we're down to $6.75. If she took the skyway, $3 each way, $6 total. Now we're at 75 cents. This doens't count the cost of the pollution she caused. But now were under a tenth of 1% savings.
I wish the Tribune had counted all the costs when saying the woman saved money. It would have been really easy. But no, oversimplify, as always. It is alluded to in the article, that border communities will be more affected than downtown Chicago, but that's because all the costs I outlined above go away. And they don't mention that. Why not do the calculation - see if driving 40 miles away to save 2% on taxes is worth it? Isn't that what they, as our MSM, should do? Inform us fully?
After shopping around for a new laptop, Patti Jo Mitchel took a 40-mile drive from her home in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood to a Best Buy in Indiana.
It wasn't a sale that lured Mitchel over the state line. It was the sales tax.
"On a big-ticket item like this, I figure it's worth it," Mitchel said while making her purchase Thursday.
By crossing the state border, she saved more than $32 on her $1,075 purchase of a laptop and accessories.
OK, so assuming by 40 mile trip they mean there and back, and assuming she had one of dem SUV's that gets 10 miles to the gallon. Gas was about $3.50 a gallon when I was out yesterday, so that means she spent $14 on gas for the trip. So that's down to $18 savings. She probably spent 1 1/2 to 2 hours more going to Indiana than she did if she'd stayed in Chicago. Let's use the IL minimum wage to put a price on that time. $7.50 an hour. We go with 90 minutes, that's $11.25. So we're down to $6.75. If she took the skyway, $3 each way, $6 total. Now we're at 75 cents. This doens't count the cost of the pollution she caused. But now were under a tenth of 1% savings.
I wish the Tribune had counted all the costs when saying the woman saved money. It would have been really easy. But no, oversimplify, as always. It is alluded to in the article, that border communities will be more affected than downtown Chicago, but that's because all the costs I outlined above go away. And they don't mention that. Why not do the calculation - see if driving 40 miles away to save 2% on taxes is worth it? Isn't that what they, as our MSM, should do? Inform us fully?
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Hell Freezing Over?
Cubs to play on the South Side? Could happen
I predict as soon as da Cubbies start playing on da Sout Side, Wrigley will be sold and new high class condos will go up - dis is just a smokescreen to get da Cubbies out of prime real estate...
I predict as soon as da Cubbies start playing on da Sout Side, Wrigley will be sold and new high class condos will go up - dis is just a smokescreen to get da Cubbies out of prime real estate...
As Far As I Know
Confronting the Kitchen Sink
By BOB HERBERT
Published: March 8, 2008 in the New York Times
The high anxiety in the Obama circles has thrown the campaign off its game.
Samantha Power, one of Senator Barack Obama’s senior foreign policy advisers, had to quit Friday after she lost her cool in an interview with a Scottish newspaper and called Senator Hillary Clinton a “monster.”
The campaign apologized for the flap. But Mr. Obama himself seems unsure of how to respond to the trash-and-thrash tactics that helped Senator Clinton defeat him in Ohio and Texas this week.
The anger that caused Ms. Power to blurt out the monster comment is widespread inside the Obama camp. But Senator Obama, for a variety of reasons — some of them self-imposed — is sharply constrained in the way that he can respond to provocations.
And if there is one thing the Clinton crowd knows how to do, it’s provoke.
On Thursday, Senator Clinton’s spokesman, Howard Wolfson, likened Senator Obama to Ken Starr, the independent prosecutor who hounded the Clintons in the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Why the Clinton forces would want to inject that poisonous bit of business into the campaign is a mystery.
But there was Mr. Wolfson on Thursday, in response to a call from the Obama campaign for Mrs. Clinton to release her tax returns, asserting: “I, for one, do not believe that imitating Ken Starr is the way to win a Democratic primary election for president.”
More serious was Senator Clinton’s assertion that she was qualified to be commander in chief, and that John McCain had also “certainly” crossed that “threshold,” but that the jury was still out on Mr. Obama.
In other words, if a choice on national security had to be made today between Senators Obama and McCain, voters — according to Mrs. Clinton’s logic — should choose Senator McCain.
That is a low thing for a Democratic presidential candidate to do to a rival in a party primary. Can you imagine John McCain saying that Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney or even the guitar-strumming Mike Huckabee might be less qualified than Hillary Clinton to be commander in chief? It couldn’t happen.
But Senator Clinton never gave a second thought to opening the trap door beneath her fellow Democrat.
And then there was Mrs. Clinton on “60 Minutes,” being interviewed by Steve Kroft. He had shown a clip on the program of a voter in Ohio who said that he’d heard that Senator Obama didn’t know the national anthem, “wouldn’t use the Holy Bible,” and was a Muslim.
Mr. Kroft asked Senator Clinton if she believed that Senator Obama is a Muslim. In one of the sleaziest moments of the campaign to date, Senator Clinton replied: “No. No. Why would I? No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know.”
As far as I know.
If she had been asked if she thought President Bush was a Muslim, would her response have included the caveat “as far as I know”? What about Senator McCain? Why, then, with Senator Obama?
In the run-up to the crucial Texas and Ohio primaries, the plan in the Clinton camp, as The Times reported, was to unleash as many lines of attack as possible — a “kitchen sink” fusillade — in the hope that something would work. Senator Obama is still trying to figure out how to respond.
Whatever anger and frustration he may be feeling, he should stick to the high road. He can’t win wrestling in the mud with Hillary Clinton. That will not put Barack Obama in the White House.
Mr. Obama’s strength was his message of hope and healing, the idea that he could bring disparate groups together to work on the nation’s toughest problems. That has gotten him this far, which is much further than almost anyone expected.
He now needs an added dimension. He needs to articulate a vision. He needs to spell out to voters where he wants to take this country over the next few years, how he will alleviate the suffering of millions trapped in vicious economic circumstances and what he will do to restore the honor and prestige of the U.S. around the world.
Political campaigns are not about fairness, but they can often be about vision. Voters want more from Senator Obama.
He may not be able to close the deal with, say, working-class whites, but he more than anyone else has the eloquence to try and make a compelling case. He should go for it.
We have seen election after election in which candidates have won by fanning the anxieties of voters. Elect me, or something terrible will happen to you!
That is now the Clinton mantra, which is a measure of how grim our politics have become.
By BOB HERBERT
Published: March 8, 2008 in the New York Times
The high anxiety in the Obama circles has thrown the campaign off its game.
Samantha Power, one of Senator Barack Obama’s senior foreign policy advisers, had to quit Friday after she lost her cool in an interview with a Scottish newspaper and called Senator Hillary Clinton a “monster.”
The campaign apologized for the flap. But Mr. Obama himself seems unsure of how to respond to the trash-and-thrash tactics that helped Senator Clinton defeat him in Ohio and Texas this week.
The anger that caused Ms. Power to blurt out the monster comment is widespread inside the Obama camp. But Senator Obama, for a variety of reasons — some of them self-imposed — is sharply constrained in the way that he can respond to provocations.
And if there is one thing the Clinton crowd knows how to do, it’s provoke.
On Thursday, Senator Clinton’s spokesman, Howard Wolfson, likened Senator Obama to Ken Starr, the independent prosecutor who hounded the Clintons in the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Why the Clinton forces would want to inject that poisonous bit of business into the campaign is a mystery.
But there was Mr. Wolfson on Thursday, in response to a call from the Obama campaign for Mrs. Clinton to release her tax returns, asserting: “I, for one, do not believe that imitating Ken Starr is the way to win a Democratic primary election for president.”
More serious was Senator Clinton’s assertion that she was qualified to be commander in chief, and that John McCain had also “certainly” crossed that “threshold,” but that the jury was still out on Mr. Obama.
In other words, if a choice on national security had to be made today between Senators Obama and McCain, voters — according to Mrs. Clinton’s logic — should choose Senator McCain.
That is a low thing for a Democratic presidential candidate to do to a rival in a party primary. Can you imagine John McCain saying that Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney or even the guitar-strumming Mike Huckabee might be less qualified than Hillary Clinton to be commander in chief? It couldn’t happen.
But Senator Clinton never gave a second thought to opening the trap door beneath her fellow Democrat.
And then there was Mrs. Clinton on “60 Minutes,” being interviewed by Steve Kroft. He had shown a clip on the program of a voter in Ohio who said that he’d heard that Senator Obama didn’t know the national anthem, “wouldn’t use the Holy Bible,” and was a Muslim.
Mr. Kroft asked Senator Clinton if she believed that Senator Obama is a Muslim. In one of the sleaziest moments of the campaign to date, Senator Clinton replied: “No. No. Why would I? No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know.”
As far as I know.
If she had been asked if she thought President Bush was a Muslim, would her response have included the caveat “as far as I know”? What about Senator McCain? Why, then, with Senator Obama?
In the run-up to the crucial Texas and Ohio primaries, the plan in the Clinton camp, as The Times reported, was to unleash as many lines of attack as possible — a “kitchen sink” fusillade — in the hope that something would work. Senator Obama is still trying to figure out how to respond.
Whatever anger and frustration he may be feeling, he should stick to the high road. He can’t win wrestling in the mud with Hillary Clinton. That will not put Barack Obama in the White House.
Mr. Obama’s strength was his message of hope and healing, the idea that he could bring disparate groups together to work on the nation’s toughest problems. That has gotten him this far, which is much further than almost anyone expected.
He now needs an added dimension. He needs to articulate a vision. He needs to spell out to voters where he wants to take this country over the next few years, how he will alleviate the suffering of millions trapped in vicious economic circumstances and what he will do to restore the honor and prestige of the U.S. around the world.
Political campaigns are not about fairness, but they can often be about vision. Voters want more from Senator Obama.
He may not be able to close the deal with, say, working-class whites, but he more than anyone else has the eloquence to try and make a compelling case. He should go for it.
We have seen election after election in which candidates have won by fanning the anxieties of voters. Elect me, or something terrible will happen to you!
That is now the Clinton mantra, which is a measure of how grim our politics have become.
Friday, March 7, 2008
we're phokked (cont'd)
News item: George W. Bush is a f*ck*ng @sshole
With his ubiquitous shit-eating grin, Bush not only dismissed the predictions of experts like Meredith Whitney and Stiglitz, but stood firm if not stubbornly for continuing his war in Iraq. For that reason alone, he endorsed John McCain, who boasts of his economic ignorance and glories in the notion of perpetual war.
Like the truly rich, the Bush family doesn’t see or feel material suffering.
With his ubiquitous shit-eating grin, Bush not only dismissed the predictions of experts like Meredith Whitney and Stiglitz, but stood firm if not stubbornly for continuing his war in Iraq. For that reason alone, he endorsed John McCain, who boasts of his economic ignorance and glories in the notion of perpetual war.
Like the truly rich, the Bush family doesn’t see or feel material suffering.
really, what's worse here?
News Item: Obama adviser resigns after calling Clinton a 'monster'
News Item: Clinton spokesman compares Obama to Kenneth Starr
News Item: Clinton spokesman compares Obama to Kenneth Starr
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