The Swear Jar

US church to go ahead with Sept. 11 Quran burning

2010-09-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center vowed Tuesday to go ahead with plans to burn copies of the Quran to protest the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks despite warnings from the White House and Gen. David Petraeus that doing so would endanger American troops overseas.

Check it:

(via Boston)

Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center said he understands the government's concerns, but plans to go forward with the burning this Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the attacks.

He left the door open to change his mind, saying he is still praying about his decision, which was condemned Tuesday by an interfaith coalition that met in Washington to respond to a spike in anti-Muslim bigotry.

Gen. David Petraeus warned in an e-mail to The Associated Press that "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan -- and around the world -- to inflame public opinion and incite violence."

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley echoed that, calling the plan to burn copies of the Quran "un-American" and saying it does not represent the views of most people in the U.S.

"While it may well be within someone's rights to take this action, we hope cooler heads will prevail," Crowley said.

Read the whole story here.

Google to Launch Music Service

2010-09-07T13:55:00.001-07:00

Google is in talks with music labels on plans for a download store and a digital song locker that would allow its mobile users to play songs wherever they are as it steps up its rivalry with Apple, according to people familiar with the matter.

Check it:

(via Wired)

Google’s Andy Rubin, the brains behind Google’s Android mobile operating system, has been leading conversations with the labels about what a new Google music service would look like, according to these sources.

Rubin, Google’s vice president of engineering, hopes to have the service up and running by Christmas, two of these people said.

The music industry hopes to benefit from a battle for control of the mobile phone and computer desktop between Apple and Google as both technology giants go head-to-head in a wide range of media and consumer technology areas including online TV and movies, mobile phones, software and even advertising.

Music is the latest area they are likely to compete in even though Apple had a major head-start on Google, with its 7-year dominance through iTunes Music Store, which accounts for 70 percent of all U.S. digital music sales.

Google has yet to sign any licensing deals with major labels, these people say, but it hasn’t stopped the labels getting excited about the prospect of its entry to the business and what competition with iTunes could mean for the industry.

Read the whole story here.

OMG! Double Batmans!! All the Way!!

2010-09-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

What does it MEAN?

Check it:

(via NY Post)

After years toiling as Bruce Wayne's wingman in the comic-book series, Dick Grayson -- better known as Robin -- will now share top billing with the Dark Knight, DC Comics told The Post.

Grayson had already unofficially taken the reins as the Caped Crusader while Bruce Wayne was lost traveling through time (don't ask), but upon his return to Gotham City in October, Wayne decides that just one Batman isn't enough.

* * * * *

In the new title, "Batman Inc.," Wayne does what any billionaire would: build a Starbucks-style franchise of Dark Knights.

* * * * *

To avoid confusion between the two Batmen, Grayson's costume features just the black bat logo, whereas Wayne's will include the black bat over a yellow moon.

So intense...

I'm betting the Joker is just WILD about this development! *rimshot!*

Fruit Flies Control Lego Robot with Virtual Reality: Yes, Really

2010-09-01T06:11:00.000-07:00

Swiss researchers, Chauncey Graetzel and his team at Zurich’s Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems have built a virtual reality rig that allows fruit flies to control robots.

Seriously.

Check it:

(via Geek-O-System)

By strapping a fruit fly into a machine that flashes it with lights and tricks the fly into thinking said lights are obstacles, scientists are able to control which direction the fly flies. Along with another tracking-style system in place that can capture and translate wing movement, the Zurich team can then translate the flies movements into commands for piloting a robot, which they’ve successfully tested on a Lego Mindstorm NXT robot.

Though it seems like a roundabout way to get a robot to move, Graetzel assures, “Our goal was not to replace human drivers with flies,” and that the team was focused on studying low-level flight control in insects in order to build more advanced robots in the future.

What's that you say? Pictures or it didn't happen? Very well.

Let's go to the tape!:

The future is NOW, bitches!

Cheers! Drinking linked to longer life

2010-09-01T05:06:00.000-07:00

How's that saying go? I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than an early death. Or something like that.

Check it:

(via Boston.com)

A study of 1,824 adults ages 55 to 65 found that moderate and heavy drinkers were less likely to die than abstainers over a 20-year span, according to researchers at the University of Texas in Austin and Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. Moderate drinkers were defined as those who consumed alcohol in amounts less than three drinks daily, while heavy drinkers had three or more drinks a day, according to the study in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

The results overcame a common criticism of previous similar findings about drinking and longevity: that the outcome was skewed because researchers included former problem drinkers with poor health in the abstainers’ group. The Texas and Stanford authors said they found that even after excluding results from past problem drinkers, and from people with poor health status such as obesity, moderate drinkers still lived longer than nondrinkers.

“Importantly, any health-protective effects of alcohol appear to be limited to regular moderate drinking,’’ wrote the study authors, who were led by Charles Holahan, a psychology professor at the University of Texas. “Heavy episodic drinking — even when average consumption remains moderate — is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.’’

Overall, older adults who didn’t drink at all had a 49 percent greater risk of dying during the 20 years of the study than those who drank moderately, the researchers found. Heavy drinkers had a 42 percent higher risk of death than moderate drinkers, the study found.

The results also showed that moderate drinkers lived longer than light drinkers, defined as those drinking an average of less than one drink per day.

Bottoms up, bitches!

WTF? #12: 21-year-old poses as middle school football player

2010-09-01T04:37:00.000-07:00

When you find you're not good enough to play college ball, sometimes you've got to go back to the beginning to reclaim your mojo.

Check it:

(via Yahoo! Sports) (emphasis mine)

According to the Associated Press, Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times, a 21-year-old man named Julious Threatts registered to play for the 13-14-year-old Town N' Country Packers of the Tampa Bay Youth Football League on Aug. 21, and played in a game with the team the same day. Threatts, who had a past burglary conviction on his record, reportedly signed up for a spot on the team under the name "Chad Jordan" with a forged birth certificate. After further investigation, it now appears that Threatts -- an avowed Danielle Steele fan who recorded poetry readings on a personal YouTube channel -- also played in the TBYFL two years ago and another youth league in the Tampa area last year.

Sweet Jesus, where to begin? A convict with the hilariously unfortunate last name of "Threatts" (the extra "t" is for terror!) decides to put down his Danielle Steele novels to test his gridiron "skillz" against a pack of middle schoolers.

There's a poem in there somewhere. I'm just sure of it.

Apple to Live Stream Press Conference — to Apple Customers Only

2010-09-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

What a dick move.

Check it:

(via Wired)

Apple late this afternoon announced plans to live stream its Wednesday music event, where many expect the company to introduce upgrades for the iPod and Apple TV. The stream will only be viewable to Apple customers.

In a press bulletin, Apple said it would be streaming its event using “Apple’s industry-leading HTTP Live Streaming, which is based on open standards,” even though the viewing requires a Mac running Snow Leopard, or an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad running iOS 3.0 or higher.

So you're effectively limiting information about your new products and services to people who currently use your products and services? What a brilliant way to expand your customer base!

Palin Takes Steps Toward 2012

2010-09-01T03:57:00.000-07:00

(via The Wall Street Journal)

Sarah Palin is taking more steps that are sure to fan speculation about her possible 2012 presidential ambitions.

The Republican Party of Iowa announced that the former Alaska governor will headline its Sept. 17 Ronald Reagan Dinner – a chance to reach the GOP faithful in the first state to hold a presidential nominating contest.

And just before President Barack Obama faced the cameras for his Oval Office speech on ending combat operations in Iraq, Palin posted a Facebook column that scolded Obama for opposing then-President George W. Bush’s surge of U.S. troops in 2007. Palin and many others credit the surge with stabilizing security in Iraq.

“Had we followed the course advocated by then-candidates Obama and [Joe] Biden, the Iraq war would be remembered now as a crushing defeat for the United States and our allies,” Palin wrote.

* * * * *

Palin has taken several steps lately to shape her public image as both a leading opponent of Obama and a challenger to the GOP establishment. On Saturday, she appeared at Glenn Beck’s rally in Washington, and she promoted the long-shot candidate who appears to have defeated GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Palin’s home-state rival.

Though it is clear that some of these steps will fuel talk that Palin is serious about a 2012 bid, they may also help sell books. As the promo on Palin’s Facebook page reminds us, she has a new one coming out in November.

Too bad she couldn't beat Meghan McCain to the punch, eh?

Chrome 7 Shows Off Hardware Acceleration, ‘Tabpose’

2010-09-01T03:28:00.000-07:00

Though Chrome 6 is still in beta, Google is showing off a few features of the even shinier, if not a bit further off, Chrome 7.

Check it:

(via WebMonkey)

Chrome 7, which is currently available in developer build form, is the latest browser to take advantage of hardware acceleration. Chrome’s tightly sandboxed rendering model — which prevents web pages from interacting directly with the OS — means that hardware acceleration is a little more difficult for Google than it is for IE or Firefox.

* * * * *

Hardware acceleration isn’t the only new trick up Chrome’s sleeve. The Mac version of the browser is also experimenting with something Google calls “Tab Overview” or Tabpose. Tabpose is similar to Mac OS X’s Expose; it allows you to visually pull back and see all your tabs as thumbnails and quickly switch between them.

Chrome 5 is currently the shipping version and Chrome 6 — which features a considerably sexier interface — is currently in beta. Thus far Google has not confirmed any release dates for Chrome 6, nor when Chrome 7 will move to beta status.

However, if you’d like to test the early builds of Chrome with hardware acceleration, you can do so now right here. Grab the latest developer build of Chrome 7 and launch it from the command line with the new --enable-accelerated-compositing flag.

You can also grab the beta of Google Chrome 6 here.

Google Voice Is A Hot Mess Right Now

2010-09-01T03:05:00.000-07:00

Oh dear. Google Voice has gone all kinds of wonky after it was opened up to the general public this past June.

Check it:

(via TechCrunch)

What happened? In June Google Voice opened up for anyone to use, and there was clearly a surge of new people trying out the service. For the most part it weathered that storm. But last week Google launched Google Voice for Gmail, allowing users to make and receive calls right from the browser. It’s awesome. Truly useful. 1 million calls were made from Gmail in 24 hours.

Uh oh. That’s when the trouble started. About 30% of my inbound calls have the caller muted – they can hear me but I can’t hear them. And outbound calls are worse. In the last 24 hours at least 75% of them failed completely. Either it never starts ringing, or it rings a couple of times and then dies. In fact, I called Google PR to give them a heads up on this story and that call failed too. As did a second attempt.

It is important to note that, right now, there are no known widespread issues or outages with Google Voice. TechCrunch is looking into reports of people experiencing some trouble with the service, but these are isolated problems and not necessarily related to the increase in usage.

Truth be told, I've been experiencing similar problems myself. I've decided to part ways with Google Voice for the time being, at least until they get their act together.

The Coolest Thing You'll See All Day

2010-08-31T05:17:00.000-07:00

Theodore Gray demonstrates The Leidenfrost effect, which briefly shields your hand from -320° temps with a layer of bubbles, by dunking his hand into a vat of liquid nitrogen.

No, seriously. Check it:

(via Gizmodo by way of PopSci)

PopSci's extremely brave Theodore Gray trusts in science and tests the phenomenon with his own mitt, coming out unscathed. With his hand in the frigid vat for a split second, Gray says he "barely felt the cold at all." The principle that kept him from losing his hand is the same one you spot when water droplets fall onto a scalding hot skillet—rather than evaporating immediately, they bounce around on a thin layer of steam. And when you stick your hand into the sub-zero nitrogen—boom—another instant layer of protective gas. Just make sure to pull yourself out as quickly as you went in, because those bubbles don't last long, and frostbite is no fun.

Still not convinced? Ok. Let's go to the tape:

Glenn Beck and the White Right

2010-08-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

(via Slate)

In a rather curious and confused way, some white people are starting almost to think like a minority, even like a persecuted one. What does it take to believe that Christianity is an endangered religion in America or that the name of Jesus is insufficiently spoken or appreciated? Who wakes up believing that there is no appreciation for our veterans and our armed forces and that without a noisy speech from Sarah Palin, their sacrifice would be scorned? It's not unfair to say that such grievances are purely and simply imaginary, which in turn leads one to ask what the real ones can be. The clue, surely, is furnished by the remainder of the speeches, which deny racial feeling so monotonously and vehemently as to draw attention.

Read the entire piece here.

Anthony Weiner Calls Republicans "Asses"

2010-08-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

(via Politico)

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) has found another way to insult his political opponents.

The outspoken New York Democrat had this to say via Twitter this morning, stirring the 140-character pot on a slow recess Monday:

@RepWeiner: "It takes a great man to build a barn. Any jackass can kick it down. Campaign '10: You with the builders or the asses?"

Gotta love this guy.

White House Proposes New Rules for Touting Cars' Fuel Economy

2010-08-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Obama administration has proposed labeling passenger vehicles with a letter grade from A to D based on its fuel efficiency and emissions. This is part of a broader effort by the government to promote electric cars and other advanced-technology vehicles.

Check it:

(via The Wall Street Journal)

The new rules, released jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department, would be the most substantial changes in 30 years to the familiar price and mileage labels affixed to new cars on sale at dealerships.

Currently the labels must show how many miles per gallon a car gets and its estimated annual fuel costs. Under the rules proposed Monday, new labels would carry a letter grade assigned by regulators.

Electric vehicles and gas-electric hybrids would get the highest grades under the proposed system, while larger, more powerful models such as sport-utility vehicles or muscle cars would get lower grades because they burn more petroleum and pump out more carbon dioxide, U.S. officials said. The labels would also show the difference in gas costs associated with that vehicle and others in the same class.

"We think a new label is absolutely needed to help consumers make the right decision for their wallets and the environment," said Gina McCarthy, the EPA's assistant administrator for air and radiation. She said the rules would be designed to reflect major advances in technology in the industry.

Read the whole story here.

Rick Sanchez Calls Obama 'Cotton Picking President,' Apologizes

2010-08-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Oh boy. So apparently Rick Sanchez referred to Barack Obama as the "cotton picking president" on in a discussion with CNN correspondent Jessica Yellin.

This ought to be good.

Check it:

(via The Huffington Post)

"He is the cotton picking president of the United States! If the president of the United States doesn't have enough of a bully pulpit to convince people that...a lie is a lie...what the hell is going on here?"
After a commercial break, Sanchez immediately apologized. He said that soon after he had used the phrase, people had started contacting him on Twitter, pointing out that he had just used it when referring to a black man — an insensitive reference, given the phrase's connections to slavery.
"You know I didn't even realize it?" he said. "I was just saying 'cotton picking' because it's a term that I've used because I grew up in the South...however, I apologize for using it, in case it was taken by anyone as an act of disrespect."

Insensitive? Sure. Stupid? You betcha. Racist? Nah. In my opinion, this is a whole lot of hoopla about nothing. But you can decide for yourselves.

Let's go to the tape:

Movie Theater Will Marathon All 121 Episodes of LOST for Four Days Straight

2010-08-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

(via Geek-O-System)

If sleeplessly pushing a button every 108 minutes just doesn’t seem obsessive enough to you, you just may want to head the way of London’s Prince Charles Cinema: Beginning September 13th, the movie theater plans to screen all 121 episodes of LOST back-to-back, for a total of 80 hours of onscreen delirium, spanning four days.

(via NY Post):

The sweeping gesture, which is timed to coincide with the release of “Lost: The Final Season” on DVD has even caught the attention of the show’s executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse.

“For those of you watching all six seasons of the show in one long marathon, we applaud you, we admire you and we thank you for your fandom. But we take no legal responsibility for you!” they said in a statement.

In fact, paramedics will be on hand at the Prince Charles Cinema to care for anyone who falters during the scheduled 80 hours of film, according reports. Attendees are also required to take compulsory breaks — much like commercials.

I was turned on to LOST just before season three aired. After watching the first episode of season one on DVD, I was compelled to watch the entire season in one sitting. I haven't missed an episode since.

Roger Clemens Pleads Not Guilty

2010-08-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner pleads not guilty to federal charges that he lied to Congress when he rejected the claims of others who said the former pitcher had used steroids and human growth hormone.

(via LA Times)

More than two years after Roger Clemens told Congress that he had never taken steroids or human growth hormone, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner reaffirmed his denial Monday as he pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges that he lied to a congressional panel about the alleged doping.

The indictment does not offer specific proof that Clemens ever used the banned drugs, but alleges that he lied to Congress when he rejected the claims of others who said he had used the substances. Those claims grew from a 2007 report on doping in baseball that alleged that Clemens had "used anabolic steroids on multiple occasions in 1998, 2000 and 2001, and HGH on multiple occasions in 2000."

A status hearing on the defense's review of the evidence was set for Dec. 8, with a preliminary hearing on the case scheduled for March 28.

Modern Family Celebrates at The Emmy's

2010-08-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

(via The New York Times)

After only one season, “Modern Family” had just come of age, capturing the Emmy for best comedy series and unseating NBC’s “30 Rock,” the winner for the past three years.

Behind the scenes, E! channel was handing out cupcakes, which Ms. Winter skipped, smartly, as Mr. Gould was soon whining, “Chocolate’s dripping everywhere!” He was doing what many 11-year-old boys do best: shouting.

The scene could have been pulled from the show itself. In “Modern Family,” ABC and the 20th Century Fox studio have successfully built a broad, relatable family comedy appreciated by critics and viewers alike.

“Everyone can see a little something about their family somewhere in the show,” said Jason Winer, one of its directors.

“Modern Family,” at least this year, occupies a sweet spot in television. With an average of 11.1 million viewers in its first season, it draws fewer people than the CBS sitcoms that are generally snubbed by Emmy voters but more than the NBC sitcoms that television critics tend to favor.

* * * * *

Although it hasn’t entirely won over Middle America, “Modern Family” is the kind of show that families can watch together, which partly explains its success. This mockumentary-style series follows three connected families: a nuclear family; a stepfamily with Ed O’Neill and, playing his much younger wife, Sofia Vergara; and a gay couple with a newly adopted Vietnamese baby. The families have an overtly upper-middle-class lifestyle, making the show either aspirational or envy-provoking, depending on the mood of the viewer.

Modern Family reminds me of the clever writing behind Arrested Development. If you haven't gotten on board yet, you're missing one of the funniest shows on television.

Hurricane Earl Upgraded to Category 4

2010-08-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

(via Boston.com)

Hurricane Earl battered tiny islands across the northeastern Caribbean with heavy rain and roof-ripping winds Monday, rapidly intensifying into a major Category 4 storm on a path projected to menace the United States.

Already dangerous with sustained winds of 135 mph (215 kph), Earl is expected to gain more strength before potentially brushing the U.S. East Coast this week and bringing deadly rip currents.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami warned coastal residents from North Carolina to Maine to watch the storm closely.

"Any small shift in the track could dramatically alter whether it makes landfall or whether it remains over the open ocean," said Wallace Hogsett, a meteorologist at the center. "I can't urge enough to just stay tuned."

* * * * *

The Hurricane Center said it was too early to say what effect Earl would have in the U.S., but warned it could at least kick up dangerous rip currents. A surfer died in Florida and a Maryland swimmer has been missing since Saturday in waves spawned by former Hurricane Danielle, which weakened to a tropical storm Monday far out in the north Atlantic.

Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Earl's approach ought to serve as a reminder for Atlantic coastal states to update their evacuation plans.

"It wouldn't take much to have the storm come ashore somewhere on the coast," Fugate said. "The message is for everyone to pay attention."

Hurricane Earl only became a hurricane on Sunday and it's already a whooper. All eyes are on the storm to see what impact it will have on the East Coast.

TSJ: Temporary Blackout

2010-08-30T09:18:00.001-07:00

The Swear Jar will be down for a day or two while I recover from a nasty accident.

I'm on my way to getting better. My car, on the other hand, is likely headed for that big parking lot in the sky.

See you all again in a few days.

Drew

Debate Rages over Responsibility for Underage Drinking

2010-08-28T09:55:00.001-07:00

(via Boston.com)

In the past few months, parents have faced charges in highly publicized underage drinking cases in Cohasset, Marshfield, and North Andover, and this week, a 19-year-old Sudbury man was charged with providing alcohol at his home on Aug. 12 to an 18-year-old who died in a car crash several hours later. Those cases have added to a long list of underage drinking parties that have been broken up by police over the past year in communities as various as Norwell, Boxford, Revere, Hudson, Quincy, and Salem, N.H.

In virtually every case, the adults involved pleaded not guilty and insisted they did not know that underage drinking was going on and would not have condoned it if they had.

Whatever the facts of particular cases, experts say those episodes raise questions about how many parents understand their legal exposure under the “social host’’ law. As amended in 2000, the law makes it a crime for adults to provide alcohol to underage guests or allow them to drink on any property under their control. Adults can face a $2,000 fine or up to a year in jail, or both, if underage drinking (the legal drinking age is 21) is found to have taken place in their home. Massachusetts is one of many states that has such a law.

“Do we have enough societal awareness about the social host law? No, clearly not,’’ says Robert M. Delahunt Jr., a former prosecutor who is now a partner at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo. “And kids are getting wiser as to how to navigate house party rules, even if there are rules. Kids showing up with beer cans is sometimes the norm, but most often now it’s the rage that kids will show up with liquor in a water bottle.’’

While he says adults should be extremely vigilant when they host teenage parties, Delahunt says that the social host law is so broadly worded that it sometimes ensnares innocent parents.

Where were these booze-giving parents when I was 15? Honestly. Any one of my friends' parents would have MURDERED us had we been caught drinking. We had the decency to creep into the woods and power-chug gin and peppermint schnapps BEFORE the party. Ugh... kids today...

On a somewhat related note, the drinking age is only 21 due to The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. It required all states to raise their minimum purchase and public possession of alcohol age to 21. States that did not comply faced a reduction in highway funds under the Federal Highway Aid Act.

The national law specifically prohibits purchase and public possession of alcoholic beverages. It does not prohibit persons under 21 (also called youth or minors) from drinking. The term "public possession" is strictly defined and does not apply to possession for the following:

* An established religious purpose, when accompanied by a parent, spouse or legal guardian age 21 or older
* Medical purposes when prescribed or administered by a licensed physician, pharmacist, dentist, nurse, hospital or medical institution
* In private clubs or establishments
* In the course of lawful employment by a duly licensed manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer.”

You'll notice that the law does not prohibit persons under 21 (minors) from drinking.

The more you know! *shooting star!*

Read the whole story here.

MLK: August 28, 1963

2010-08-28T09:23:00.001-07:00

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr - (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)

Dr. King, you were one of the best of us. God bless you.

Read the entire speech here.

Outsourced Call Centers Return To U.S. Homes

2010-08-28T07:17:00.000-07:00

(via NPR)

For years, Americans have had their phone calls about credit card bills and broken cell phones handled by people in the Philippines or India. But American firms are starting to bring call centers back to the U.S. — and this time around, they are hiring more people to work in their own homes.

Ten years ago, it made a lot of sense to outsource these jobs overseas. But that's changing. Increasingly, companies that want to outsource their customer service jobs are happy with these domestic arrangements.

High inflation and double-digit annual raises in some sectors are pushing up the cost of labor in India. At the same time wages in the U.S. are falling and companies are rethinking the trade-offs associated with outsourcing.

Meh. I'm calling bullshit until I am reasonably assured that I get someone who speaks 'American' the next time I call about my cable bill.

Read the whole story here.

Tackiest. Lawyer. Ad. Ever.

2010-08-28T06:30:00.001-07:00

Just when you thought lawyers couldn't get any more slimy, here comes Lionel Hutz brought to life.

Check it:

No words... should have sent... a poet...

(via Warming Glow)

This commercial pleases me on two important levels. First of all, it’s hilarious. He had me at, “If you and your spouse hate each other like poison.” Everything else (“the illiterate boob at the courthouse,” “getting rid of that vermin you call a spouse,” etc.) is gravy. I mean, let’s be honest – I wouldn’t let this guy represent me if his services were free and his dad was the judge. But it is funny.

Second of all, lawyer commercials like this give me hope. You see, I have to take the bar exam next summer. So when I see that borderline retarded people like Steve Miller (or this guy, or this guy) have become practicing attorneys, it makes me realize it can’t possibly be that hard. All you have to do is take it seriously, do the work, and not spend all day screwing around on the Internet, looking for clips of Lionel Hutz or stupid lawyer commercials, or sexy pics of Emmanuelle Chriqui for the next po – ummm, uh oh.

For the curious, here's his "work of art" website.

Read the whole story here.

Middle school segregates student council elections by race

2010-08-28T00:27:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you don't get involved with the PTA.

Check it:

(via Raw Story - all emphasis mine)

Administrators at Nettleton Middle School in Nettleton, Miss., say they are "reviewing" their processes for student elections after a shocked parent went online to publicize the school's policy of racially segregating student council positions.

According to a school memo, obtained and uploaded to the Web by parent Brandy Springer, eighth-grade candidates for class president must be white; vice-presidential candidates must be black.

The same applies for seventh-grade students, but in the sixth grade, both the president and vice-president have to be white, and the only position open to black students is that of class reporter.

"Additionally, it is unknown how children who are not black or white would run for student government offices," notes the Smoking Gun.

Ok, ok... there's an awful lot of meat here so let's chew slowly.

We all can agree that we'd just assumed well in advance that Mississippi was fucked up and backwards in advance, right? I mean, sure, we've all got family or friends that live and work there and we'd love to count them as exceptions to the rule but, by and large, right or wrong, we've always taken it as a given that people in Mississippi are implicitly racist and ignorant.

But this? This is so fantastically over-the-top racist, it defies any emotional response. I mean, honestly, can we REALLY be pissed off at Mississippi? They've transcended parody!

MISSISSIPPI HAS GONE FUCKING META!!!1!!!11!!!one!!!!!

Seriously though, something needs to be done. Honestly. Those fuckers are racist as hell.

Read the whole story here.

Ted Nugent: Barack Obama Is A “Moslem Operative”

2010-08-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

One of the speakers at Glenn Beck’s rally this weekend will be Ted Nugent, who recently told Seattle radio host Dori Monson recently that Barack Obama is Muslim Jihad agent who has infiltrated the White House and is now going to destroy America with his “Islamic, Muslim, Marxist, Communist and socialist agenda.”

No, seriously. Check it:

(via Alan.com)

“The White House he told [host] Dori [Monson] is inhabited by the Mao Tse Tung fan club,” and [the president] is the “No. 1 deceiver in the history of mankind.”

He added (rather spectacularly) that Obama “weaseled his way” into power “embracing the Islamic, Muslim, Marxist, Communist and socialist agenda.”

…

Dori: Do you believe he’s a Muslim?

Nuge: “You’re damn right I do! He says he’s a Christian so he can continue with his jihad of a America-destroying policies.”

Dori: “So you believe he is a Muslim operative who has, through deceit, gotten amazing power in this nation and this world?”

Nuge: You have stated my position exactly.

Lest we forget, this is the very same Ted Nugent who recently congratulated his Dubuque audience for being white. Glenn Beck sure knows how to pick 'em.

Read the whole piece here.

International Read Comics in Public Day

2010-08-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

(via Geekosystem)

Tomorrow isn’t just Saturday, and it isn’t just the birthday of Jack Kirby, creator of nearly everything about Silver Age Marvel and DC comics that was off its rocker. It’s also the the first annual International Read Comics In Public Day.

IRCIPD is the brainchild of Brian Heater and Sarah Morean, editors of The Daily Crosshatch. Heater explains:

Like so many great things in this world, Read Comics in Public Day has its roots in a joke. I don’t remember the exact wording, but it was something off-handed about reading novels on the train, because I was too embarrassed to read comics in public. Like many good jokes, that one had its root in the truth.

Heater, like many professionals (and aspiring professionals) in the comics world, suffers from a little embarrassment out of the very real fear that should his connection to the artform become known to a person, they will take it less than seriously. What to do? Change the stigma, of course. But how?

The concept is fairly simple: we’re asking that everyone take an hour or two out of their day on August 28th… to read a comic book in a public setting—a park bench, a beach, a bus, the front steps of your local library (we do ask, however, that you be mindful of local loitering laws). Let strangers see you reading a piece of sequential art.
Take to the streets. Be proud. If someone asks what you’re reading, say, “a comic book” (the phrase “graphic novel is also acceptable, but let’s face it, it sort of defeats the whole purpose). Heck, lend them a book, if you’ve got an extra—what better way to make a new friend and convert a new reader?

Comic lovers of the world, unite!

Read the whole story here. Or go full-on nerd and visit the official website here.

Anti-Gay Tory MP Crispin Blunt Leaves His Wife And Comes Out

2010-08-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

When it rains, it pours.

(via Joe.My.God)

Conservative Party MP Crispin Blunt has announced that he is leaving his wife and coming out.
The Reigate MP appealed for privacy and said he was "coming to terms with his homosexuality". In a statement, his office said: "Crispin Blunt wishes to make it known that he has separated from his wife Victoria. "He decided to come to terms with his homosexuality and explained the position to his family. The consequence is this separation. "There is no third party involvement, but this is difficult for his immediate and wider family and he hopes for understanding and support for them. "The family do not wish to make any further public comment and hope that their privacy will be respected as they deal with these difficult private issues."

Well now. Color me unsurprised. Read more here. And here.

YouTube Debuts New Movies Section With 400 Free, Full-Length Films

2010-08-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

(via TechCrunch)

YouTube has launched a fresh Movies category on its website, gathering about 400 full-length films for your on-demand viewing pleasure, all free of charge.

The renewed section, which is actually more like the next step in previously announcedprojects, comes courtesy of deals the Google company struck with U.S. studios like Lionsgate, MGM and Sony Pictures and UK service Blinkbox.

Update: Google checked in to clarify this is a UK announcement only and doesn’t affect the US Movies section announced last year (see link above).

In addition, the company wanted to make clear that the MGM / Lionsgate / Sony Pictures content is currently only available in the US, not in the UK.

Richard Trumka Gives Sarah Palin 'The Business'

2010-08-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

Former shape shifting bear and Super Mario Brothers stand-in Richard Trumka (AFL-CIO President) is taking it to Sarah Palin. Hard.

Check it:

(via Politico)

“She used to have a job, your governor,” he will say. “You knew her. ... Or thought you did. ... I know I thought I did. She seemed like a decent person, an outdoorswoman. Her husband’s a steelworker. She seemed to take some OK stands for working families.

“And then things got weird,” he added. “After she tied herself to John McCain and they lost, she blew off Alaska. I guess she figured she’d trade up … shoot for a national stage. Alaska was too far from the Fox TV spotlight."

“Instead, she’s hanging out on cable TV, almost a parody of herself, coming out with conspiracy theories about Obama and his ‘death panels.’ ... Talking about ‘the real America.’ Talking about building schools in ‘our neighboring country of Afghanistan.’ Writing speech notes to herself on her hands."

“Sometimes — about Sarah Palin — you just have to laugh. ... But it’s not really funny,” [Trumka says].

Sarah Palin is an over-hyped pathetic sham of a pseudo-politician. With a great big mouth. And no tact.

Regular readers know that I don't hate Sarah Palin. At least, I don't want to. I believe that, deep down, she's probably a very nice woman. Which is why I can relate to Trumka's "What's happened to the woman we knew?" motif.

Read the whole story here.

Why Alveda King Is Perfect For Glenn Beck's Rally

2010-08-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

(via Salon.com by way of Right Wing Watch)

King’s academic credentials have also raised eyebrows. She is regularly referred to as "Dr. Alveda King" in promotional material, although her doctorate is an honorary one, bestowed by St. Anselm College, a Catholic school in Manchester, N.H. And she could not recall why she was awarded the honorary degree.

"I guess for my stand on the support of marriage, and family, and education, and life."

...

In the late 1970s, King was elected to the Georgia state Legislature, where she served two terms as a Democrat -- a period she is not eager to recount.

"I’m not involved in politics anymore," she insisted. "Make sure you note that."

By the mid-1980s, King left office and began work on a romance novel, "Arab Heart." A few years later, she filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures, charging that Eddie Murphy stole her plot for his 1988 comedy "Coming to America."

"I gave the manuscript to be read by Eddie Murphy, and he decided to take that and cut me out," she said. "But that’s what happens in the industry."

In 1994, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against King, finding that her self-described "historical tale of romance and adventure" did not have "substantial similarity" to the film, noting that the former was a "serious work with few lighter overtones, whereas 'Coming to America' is a quintessential light romantic comedy."

...

King, who until recently went by Alveda Beal King, has political commitments born of a difficult personal life. She frequently describes the formative role played by her divorces and two abortions, holding tight to her family name even as she became estranged from family.

In 1994, she released a letter condemning Coretta Scott King’s support for abortion and gay rights, saying it would bring "curses on your house and your people...cursing, vexation, rebuke in all that you put your hand to, sickness will come to you and your house, your bloodline will be cut off."

...

Alveda is dismissive of her aunt, who died in 2006, saying, "I've got his DNA. She doesn't, she didn't...Therefore I know something about him. I'm made out of the same stuff."

* * * * *

Basically, Alveda King has been cut off from the King family because she has made a career out of trading on the King name while peddling views that are diametrically opposed to those held by Martin Luther King Jr ... and so it only makes sense that Glenn Beck has tapped her to speak at his rally being held on the anniversary of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech as Beck tries to claim King's mantle for himself.

Fascinating. Read the whole story here.

The Meaning of the PlayStation Controller Buttons

2010-08-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

(via Geek-O-System)

Interestingly enough, they weren’t picked arbitrarily, but actually had carefully considered meanings corresponding to their roles in gameplay. In a recent interview with 1up, Sony designer Teiyu Goto spills the beans as to what he had in mind with each button:
Goto:
Other game companies at the time assigned alphabet letters or colors to the buttons. We wanted something simple to remember, which is why we went with icons or symbols, and I came up with the triangle-circle-X-square combination immediately afterward. I gave each symbol a meaning and a color. The triangle refers to viewpoint; I had it represent one’s head or direction and made it green. Square refers to a piece of paper; I had it represent menus or documents and made it pink. The circle and X represent ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision-making and I made them red and blue respectively. People thought those colors were mixed up, and I had to reinforce to management that that’s what I wanted.

The more you know *shooting star!*.

Read the whole piece here.

Aesthetes of Absurdity: A new miniseries from The Kids in the Hall.

2010-08-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

SQUUUEEEEE!!!!!!

Check it:

(via Slate)

...The new eight-episode miniseries Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town (IFC, Fridays at 10 p.m. ET), which is playfully morbid but never quite mordant, finds this sensibility intact. The title is literal. The town is Shuckton, Ontario, pop. 27,063 and dwindling. The place is cozy: On the window of a Main Street storefront run by avuncular Doc Porterhouse (Dave Foley), a chuckling man with a bowtie and two layers of cardigan, we see the words "Town Abortionist" painted quaintly. A hand-lettered cardboard sign leans beneath it: "Free Kitten With Every Procedure." That's the spirit here: A silly smile sweetens the matter-of-fact daring.

Enter Death (Marc McKinney), who comes to Shuckton via commercial bus but tools around the place on a tricked-out bicycle made of human bones. A snarling and snaggletoothed figure, he wears a black robe more elaborate than the elegant number worn by Bengt Ekerot—feathers at the shoulders, a crimson lining, and some Stevie Nicks-type purple tendrils streaming in the breeze. He accessorizes with leather motorcycle boots and a matching codpiece (the amusement value of which is exhausted by its second appearance).

Death claims the mayor as first victim by prompting an unseen assailant to bludgeon the mayor with his remote control, thus initiating a subtly constructed murder mystery. In his downtime, he lounges around his room at the No Tell Motel, where a quiet night might find him paging through the bedside Bible. With black nail polish on his pasty fingers, he flips through the Good Book in a spirit of great boredom, reading impatiently though with a critical eye: "Nonsense. Gibberish. Ridiculous. Somewhat true." His presence alarms his fellow guests, according to the stammering manager: "They've complained of the stench of death coming from your room, sir. ... Could we just freshen it up a little bit?"

Everything this gang does is brilliant. I'm very much looking forward to this.

Read the whole story here.

Blockbuster tells Hollywood studios it's preparing for mid-September bankruptcy

2010-08-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

After dominating the home video rental business for more than a decade, Blockbuster Inc. is preparing to file for bankruptcy in September.

Apparently Netflix and Redbox have taken their toll.

Check it:

(via LA Times)

Blockbuster is hoping to use its time in Chapter 11 to restructure a crippling debt load of nearly $1 billion and escape leases on 500 or more of it 3,425 stores in the U.S. Maintaining the support of Hollywood's film studios during the process will be critical so that Blockbuster can continue to rely upon an uninterrupted supply of new DVDs.

Blockbuster has lost a total of $1.1 billion since the beginning of 2008 and has been severely hamstrung in efforts to grow its business due to interest payments on $920 million in debt. Earlier this month the company announced that most of its debt holders had agreed to a forbearance on interest payments until Sept. 30, during which time it would attempt a recapitalization.

* * * * *

Though its plans are not yet set in stone, people knowledgeable about the discussions said the Blockbuster representatives presented a mid-September bankruptcy as the most likely scenario. It would enter what is known as a “pre-planned bankruptcy,” meaning most but not all creditors would be on board ahead of time, including senior debt holders and content suppliers.

*yawn* We all saw this coming, didn't we?

Video Messages From Trapped Chilean Miners

2010-08-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

33 miners trapped who have been trapped for three weeks almost half a mile underground in a collapsed mine shaft below in Chile’s Atacama Desert appear to be healthy and in good spirits.

Check it:

(via NY Times)

The video, shown to family members late Thursday night and on Chilean national television, was recorded by a minicamera sent by the government in the plastic tubes being used to deliver food and other items through a hole about four inches in diameter.

In the 45-minute video the miners are shown shirtless, most with mustaches and beards. One miner, with his helmet light illuminating the area, tours the space where the miners are holed up and describes the conditions.

By all accounts, the miners may be stuck underground until Christmas 2010, at which point Santa will be dispatched to draw them out one by one.

Read the whole story and view the videos here.

Mom tattoos makeup onto 14 year old daughters face

2010-08-27T08:24:00.001-07:00

(via Stylite by way of Geek-O-System)

File this one under: Horrible, No Good, Really Bad Parenting Ideas. A mother in England has allowed her 14-year-old daughter, pageant queen, and aspiring model to get makeup tattooed on her face.

Sophie Watson, who already holds 22 beauty pageant titles and dreams of being both a singer and an actress, had eyeliner, lip liner, a fake beauty mark, and her eyebrows tattooed with makeup. Watson’s 29-year-old mother, who is a beauty therapist, says she sees no problem with the procedure. She told Closer magazine, “I wasn’t overly worried and, once she’s got an idea in her head, there’s no stopping her.”

I don't understand what the fuss is all about. All we have is an overindulgent mother reinforcing the idea that her daughter's only value lies in her physical appearance and sexuality. Femininity as a commodity is nothing new. Ok, so maybe she's gone a little far by permanently branding her daughter's face with inks and pigments to make her look more appealing. And, granted, we all know this is but a preamble to breast augmentation surgery, anorexia and/or bulimia, and a string of abusive boyfriends who use her up like Kleenex and toss her into the arms of a mother that will blame her for being rejected.

If she lived in America, she'd have to boot heroin and suck off a slew of Justin Beiber look-alikes just to get her foot in the door. Way to keep it classy, England!

Also $10 says she's already lost her virginity.

Chinese man with no arms plays piano with toes

2010-08-27T07:49:00.001-07:00

I first heard of this young man a few weeks ago featured on "China's Got Talent", the Chinese version of the TV show that makes stars out of obscure homely people.

Pianist Liu Wei had both of his arms amputated after a childhood accident. Not only does he play the piano with his feet, he plays it well. VERY well. Check it:

(via Boston.com)

In his first appearance, Liu received a standing ovation from the audience, many of whom were moved to tears, for a performance of "Mariage D'amour" by Richard Clayderman.

During an interview with The Associated Press in Shanghai, where the show is filmed, he played a still unnamed, poignant piece he composed himself.

Sitting on a tallish red stool, he removed his shoes and right sock, carefully using his toes to place the sock in his right shoe. (He plays with his left sock on.) He wiped some of the keys with a tissue, and then rested his heels on a velvet-covered, narrow platform before the piano.

Time after time, he played the piece gently and flawlessly.

Liu, who was 10 when he lost his arms from an electrical shock while playing hide-and-seek, uses his feet to navigate online, eat, dress and brush his teeth.

"I wish I could go out driving to have fun. Apart from that, there is really nothing more I want to do," said Liu, who lives in Beijing. "Music has become a habit for me. It is just like breathing air."

He only began playing the piano in his late teens.

What's more, the young man isn't interested in prosthetic limbs.

"I have food to eat and clothes to wear and many people caring about me. What is there to be dissatisfied about?" he said. "There are many people without enough to eat. I'm much more fortunate than they are."

I can think of a number of things to be dissatisfied about, Liu. But, then again, I'm an overfed, over-privileged, snobby, spoiled American. Snorting at store-brand potato chips make make me a shallow prissy asshole but, hey, we can't all be beacons of perseverance and hope.

I mean, c'mon, I have two arms and decent medical and I can't even be bothered to take out the garbage.

My hat's off to you, Liu Wei. I'd applaud you but... well that'd just be showing off. No?

Dream vs. Nightmare

2010-08-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

The gang over at The Other 98% have created a marvelous flow chart comparing the accomplishments of The great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with conservative schmuck-ass, Glenn Beck.

Check it:

(via The Other 98%)

Click on the chart for a larger image or view the original here.

Glenn Beck Rewrites History... Again.

2010-08-27T05:54:00.000-07:00

(via CNN)

It is Glenn Beck's most audacious stunt yet: This Saturday, in the company of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the National Rifle Association and others, the Fox News Channel host will stand in the sacred shadow not just of the Lincoln Memorial but of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. himself, near the spot where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech 47 years earlier to the exact day.

During this event -- billed as "Restoring Honor" -- Beck will aim to "reclaim the civil rights moment" for his cause, and in the process he will continue what he's been doing for the last 18 months: bending the history of 20th-century America like a Philadelphia soft pretzel.

The revisionist message behind "Restoring Honor" is nothing new for the conservative shock jock. In the year and half since President Obama took office, Beck has led his loyal followers on a journey not just to "reclaim" civil rights but much more audaciously to rewrite the sweeping narrative arc of American history from the time of the Founding Fathers forward.

* * * * *

In this alternate reality version of the past, the 20th century's heroic battles over equal rights for racial and ethnic minorities, women and homosexuals are recast as a march toward socialism and away from the Founding Fathers. Meanwhile, flawed progressive Woodrow Wilson and even Teddy Roosevelt become America's Lenin and Trotsky while it is the pre-Depression-era Calvin Coolidge who belongs on Mount Rushmore.

More recently, Beck has featured on Fox, at several well-attended "American Revivals" and on his web-based "university" a new right-hand man -- David Barton, a key figure in the recent right-wing rewrite of Texas school textbooks -- to teach his viewers the much-debunked idea that America's creation was rooted in Christianity.

Barton's machine-gun-paced spewing of 18th-century God references and black-robed revolutionary preachers gives less than short shrift to the real achievement of the Founders in separating church and state. In April, Barton told Beck's 3 million TV viewers that "we use the Ten Commandments as basis of civil law and the Western world [and it] has been for 2,000 years."

It's absolutely worth reading the whole thing here.

Bristol Palin Cast for Dancing with the Stars

2010-08-26T21:36:00.000-07:00

You read that right.

Check it:

(via E! Online)

It's the Dancing With the Stars casting that no one saw coming!

We can report to you exclusively that Sarah Palin's 19-year-old daughter Bristol Palin has been cast on the 11th season of DWTS, set to premiere Sept. 20, according to sources.

* * * * *

A rep for ABC says: "We don't comment on casting rumors. The real Dancing With the Stars cast will be revealed Monday, Aug. 30, live on ABC during Bachelor Pad."

For those of you keeping score, this will be Bristol Palin's second gig with ABC, having guest recently starred on ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Bonus: David Hasselhoff, Audrina Patridge, 'The Situation' and Brandy will also be part of the cast. Just thinking about that gives me the exact opposite of a boner.

Scientists Create 'Dry Water'

2010-08-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

(via The Telegraph)

The substance resembles powdered sugar and could revolutionise the way chemicals are used.
Each particle of dry water contains a water droplet surrounded by a sandy silica coating. In fact, 95 per cent of dry water is ''wet'' water.

Scientists believe dry water could be used to combat global warming by soaking up and trapping the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.
Tests show that it is more than three times better at absorbing carbon dioxide than ordinary water.

Dry water may also prove useful for storing methane and expanding the energy source potential of the natural gas.

The winning quote regarding 'dry water' comes from Dr. Ben Carter of The University of Liverpool:

''There's nothing else quite like it. Hopefully, we may see dry water making waves in the future.''

Pimps gonna pimp. Nerds gonna pun.

Read the whole story here.

"Beat Whitey Night" at Iowa State Fair

2010-08-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

(via The Smoking Gun)

Police are investigating whether a series of assaults at the Iowa State Fair were racially motivated since the attackers reportedly announced it was “Beat Whitey Night” during one attack.

* * * * *

A report by Sgt. David Murillo noted that, “officers at the fairgrounds advise there was a group of 30-40 individuals roaming the fairgrounds openly calling it ‘Beat Whitey Night.’” The victim, 36-year-old Jammie Carroll, suffered “severe injuries to his eyes, cheekbones, and nose,” and was hospitalized at Mercy Medical Center with multiple facial contusions.

And the kicker? The motto for the fair was "Non Stop Fun."

All kidding aside, if this had been a group of 30-40 white guys roaming a fair and singling out black people for ass-kickings, this would be all over the news. And Al Sharton would be shouting from the rooftops. And rightly so!

But where is the media on this one? And where is Al Sharpton?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Top 10 Psychic Debunkings

2010-08-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

One of my personal heroes, James Randi, gives these charlatans and hucksters the business.

(via Listverse)

This clip demonstrates that psychic abilities and supposed gifts from God are often coupled with fraud and financial gain for the psychic. Peter Popoff, the evangelist seen here, should have done prison time for the web of lies and deceit he wove. At the height of his career (just prior to being exposed by James Randi, he was earning over 4 million dollars a year). After declaring bankruptcy, Popoff is back at work defrauding thousands of people. For more information, see the wikipedia article.

Go here to The Amazing Randi take down 10 other scam artists.

Montel Williams to open pot shop

2010-08-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

(via sfist)

Celebrity talk show host Montel Williams, whose TV show ceased production a couple years ago but who can still be seen on CBS and BET in syndication, met last week with Oakland City Attorney John Russo as well as Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Rebecca Kaplan to discuss exactly what is and isn't allowed in the fast-growing marijuana trade centered in Oaksterdam. According to Matier & Ross, Montel is looking to break into the business and quickly become the celebrity face of the Bay Area medical marijuana business, talking with Kaplan about "growing specific kinds of pot for specific illnesses."

Mother Stabs Her Disabled Son AT LEAST 32 times

2010-08-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

A Mansfield woman stabbed her teenage son 32 times... in the back. And three times in the front. What's more her son is autistic and also has chronic lung disease and Treacher Collins syndrome, which causes deformities to the face and can affect vision and hearing. He also cannot speak or hear.

To top it all off, she tried to blame the brutal stabbing on someone else.

Check it:

(via The Hartford Courant)

After initially claiming that a local teenager had assaulted her son Brian, Robbin Foster, 40, admitted to state police detectives that she was responsible for the attack, police said. She was arrested late Tuesday and faces charges of first-degree assault on a disabled person and making a false statement to police.

Foster "indicated … that she had been thinking about the years she had been caring for [her son] and just wanted the pressure off her shoulders," according to the arrest report.

* * * * *

The confession, along with physical evidence recovered at the scene and evidence that Foster tried to cover up the crime and deflect blame to someone else, prompted Tolland State's Attorney Matthew C. Gedansky to ask Judge William Bright to set bail at $1 million.

"If she's found guilty, she faces a long term of incarceration," Gedansky told the judge. And Foster only admitted that her first statement to troopers was false "when confronted with the overwhelming facts."

Foster claims she was overwhelmed from caring for her disabled son. Her bail has been set at $500,000 and she is ordered to have no contact with her son. The boy is being treated at Windham Hospital for what have been described as serious wounds that are not life-threatening. He is now in the custody of the state Department of Children and Families.

Ken Mehlman Comes Out

2010-08-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

Former RNC chairman and manager of former President George W. Bush’s reelection campaign, Ken Mehlman, disclosed Tuesday that he's a fan of "teh cock".

No shit, Mehlman.

Check it:

(via Politico)

"It honestly just took me longer than it’s taken other people I know to accept this part of my life," Mehlman told POLITICO in a telephone interview.

"Over the past several months, I’ve done that. I’ve particularly done that by talking to friends and family, and telling them the truth. And it’s been a positive experience."

Mehlman, a 43-year-old lawyer who is head of global public affairs for the private-equity giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., first made the public revelation to Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic.

Mehlman is helping Ted Olson, who was U.S. solicitor general under Bush, to organize a September fundraiser for the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which has been fighting California’s disputed Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriages.

Big whoop. This shitbag is STILL shilling for anti-gay politicians.

Co-Workers don't get along with folk who get along with other folk

2010-08-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

(via Wired)

Unselfish workers who are the first to offer to help with projects are among those that co-workers like the least, according to four separate social psychology studies.

In the most recent study, entitled “The Desire to Expel Unselfish Members from the Group,” psychologists found that unselfish colleagues come to be resented because they “raise the bar” for what’s expected of everyone. As a result, workers feel the new standard will make everyone else look bad.

“It doesn’t matter that the overall welfare of the group or the task at hand is better served by someone’s unselfish behavior. What is objectively good, you see as subjectively bad,” said study co-author Craig Parks of Washington State University. The paper was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Meh. I'm not surprised. Nobody likes to be outdone.

Blue Power Ranger Quit Because He Was Gay

2010-08-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

(via Geek-O-System)

If you grew up watching Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, your understanding of the show’s behind-the-scenes tensions will be forever changed when you watch this moving interview with the original Blue Ranger, David Yost (“Billy”) which was conducted by Power Rangers fan community No Pink Spandex at this year’s Anime Festival Orlando 2010. In the interview, Yost reveals that he quit the show because of the intense anguish and harassment he felt on set as a gay actor.

Yost says that his costars were called into producers’ offices several times and questioned about his sexuality, that the reason he quit the show is “because I was called ‘f***ot’ one too many times” by the show’s “creators, producers, writers, directors,” and that he contemplated taking his own life. Then, for two years, he participated in a program called “Pray the Gay Away” under the belief that “God’s gonna somehow come down and change you,” and then had a nervous breakdown, whereafter he came to accept who he was.

From David Yost's own mouth:

Um, I, I walked off set one day, during the middle of lunch, halfway through the day, I just had made a decision, I’d been thinking about it for a good week, and the reason that I walked off is because I was called “f***ot” one too many times. So, um, I had just heard that several times while working on the show from creators, producers, writers, directors.

It’s not that people can’t talk about me and have their opinion about me, but continuing to work in an environment like that is really difficult, and I myself was struggling with who I was or what I was, and to be … made fun of on some level or to be stereotyped or put into a category in sort of saying ‘you’re not’ — basically, I just felt like I was continually being told that I’m not worthy of where I am because I’m a gay person and I’m not supposed to be an actor and you can’t be a superhero.

Maybe I'm the asshole here but I sort of assumed that the whole cast was gay. That or porn stars in training.

God Bless You, Mr. Jon Stewart VI: The Hurt Talker

2010-08-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

The Hurt Talker

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

Apple Event Confirmed for Sept 1

2010-08-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

(via Reuters)

Apple will hold the event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where it introduced the iPad in April. This year's invitation carried a prominent picture of a guitar's front, with an Apple logo standing in for the sound hole.

The company's iPods dominate the music- and media-player market, but growth there has moderated in past years and it has turned its attention toward the iPhone and iPad. In the June quarter, Apple said it sold 9.41 million iPods in the June quarter, down from 10.2 million a year earlier.

In contrast, analysts estimate the company sells about 1 million Apple TV units annually.

Still, some analysts expect Apple to eventually revamp -- and enhance -- its long-neglected TV device as the electronics maker continues to merge content with gadgets and ensconce itself in the home.

Alright. I'll admit it. I'm excited.

Are you a Muslim? I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!! knife!

2010-08-26T07:10:00.001-07:00

(via The Wall Street Journal)

A drunken film student who spent time in Afghanistan this year and volunteered with a group promoting religious tolerance allegedly slashed a Muslim taxi driver Tuesday in Manhattan, screaming the Arabic greeting "Assalamu Alaikum" and "consider this a checkpoint" before the attack, police said.

Michael Enright, a 21-year-old student at the School of Visual Arts, was charged with a hate crime in the slashing of taxi driver Ahmed H. Sharif, 43, around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday after Mr. Sharif had driven his passenger from East 24th Street to East 42nd Street, police said.

The attack comes amid tensions over a planned mosque near the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in Lower Manhattan, but police didn't link it to the simmering debate.

According to an account provided by Mr. Sharif through the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Mr. Enright started out asking Mr. Sharif friendly questions like how long he has been in the country, if he was Muslim and if he was observing fast during Ramadan. Mr. Enright became silent for a few minutes and "then suddenly started cursing and screaming" before the stabbing, the statement says.

Police said that Mr. Enright stabbed the driver through an opening on the side of the taxi's protective partition. Mr. Sharif was able to scramble out of the cab, lock its doors and then call 911. An officer on patrol nearby arrived to find Mr. Enright sprawled out on the street, having fallen after climbing out one of the cab's back windows.

Mr. Sharif was... taken to Bellevue where he was treated for his neck and facial wounds and released Tuesday night.

"I feel very bad," Mr. Sharif said in the statement released through the taxi drivers' alliance. "I have been here more than 25 years. I have been driving a taxi more than 15 years. All my four kids were born here. I never feel this hopeless and insecure before."

On Wednesday afternoon, Michael "Douchebag" Enright was arraigned on charges of attempted murder as a hate crime, assault, aggravated harassment and criminal possession of a weapon in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.

Something tells me that his fellow inmates aren't going to give him the courtesy of asking if he's a top or bottom.

Also $20 says the kid will use the "Attempted Murder as High Art" defense. Any takers?

Read the whole story here.

BP frozen out of Arctic oil drilling race

2010-08-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

(via The Guardian)

BP has been forced to abandon hopes of drilling in the Arctic, currently the centre of a new oil rush, owing to its tarnished reputation after the Gulf of Mexico spill.

The company confirmed tonight that it was no longer trying to win an exploration licence in Greenland, despite earlier reports of its interest. "We are not participating in the bid round," said a spokesman at BP's London headquarters, who declined to discuss its reasons for the reverse.

The setback, which follows the announcement this week of a major find in the region by British rival Cairn Energy, is the first sign that the Gulf of Mexico disaster may have permanently damaged BP's ability to operate – not just in US waters, but in other environmentally sensitive parts of the world.

It's best to give Mother Earth a little while to heal up before you start raping her again, no? Good call, BP.

By the way, BP, who dat said dey gon clean up all dat oil?

Make Calls from Gmail - For Free!

2010-08-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

(via LA Times)

Google introduced a new feature that allows you to make telephone calls from Gmail, putting the Internet giant in competition with Skype and phone companies such as AT&T.
* * * * *
Calls to the U.S. and Canada will be free of charge for the first year. Calls to other countries will be as low as 2 cents a minute. The rates are similar to Skype, which is owned by private equity firms and auction giant EBay. It is looking to raise as much as $100 million in an initial public offering.
The service works with Google Voice, the company’s phone and voicemail service. Users of that service can now choose “computer” as one way to receive calls.Google is rolling out the new feature over the next few days.

Unfortunately for our friends across the pond, the service will only be available in the US and Canada. What's more, some are already pointing at potential hidden fees associated with the service.

For those of us who aren't as British or cynical, Lifehacker has given us a list of ways we can cleverly take advantage of this new service. Read all about it here.

Clean Up Your Digital Messes... For a Price.

2010-08-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

(via Boston.com)

A real estate broker sought to bury a negative review that a client posted online after a home buying experience. A banking executive looked to de-emphasize content from Google search results about a convict who shared his name. A woman new to the dating scene wanted to remove some painful references to her online divorce records.

All three were in need of an Internet reputation manager, someone who could help save their online reputation by cleaning up undesirable digital footprints.
They did not need to look far. Such services not only exist, but are becoming increasingly popular with people who seek to hide negative online news stories, bury personal information on networking websites, or simply boost the visibility of their personal profiles.

Kirsten Dixson is a personal branding strategist and online reputation manager in Exeter, N.H. She charges between $2,000 and $10,000 for her services, noting, “Your online reputation has a lot to do with your personal brand.’’

Dixson compares one’s online reputation to a credit score — something to monitor and improve. She says “digital dirt’’ — anything that isn’t relevant to how someone wants to be known on the Web — can hurt people.

That is where Dixson says she comes in: Earlier this year, she spent two months working with Peter Brady, a Worcester entrepreneur and start-up consultant who had nothing to hide, but whose common name didn’t do much to boost his profile online.

To distinguish Brady amid a sea of Bradys in Internet search results, Dixson created a domain name for him, added his profile to the professional networking site LinkedIn, and wrote his biography and a list of services that play up his business background.

The result: Peter Brady, the chief executive, now shows up on the first or second pages of Google and Yahoo search results and LinkedIn, and isn’t hurt by other results that relate to the famous TV sitcom character.

I started reading this article thinking it had something to do with people wanting to bury evidence of a torrid affair or clips of "high-concept porn" that they made in college. But this? Are people seriously shelling out ten thousand smackaroos so's they don't get mistaken for fictional characters? I'm in the wrong racket!

Read the whole story here.

Samsung Galaxy Tab to debut 9.2.2010

2010-08-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

(via Android and Me)

Samsung is gearing up to debut their first Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab, at next week’s IFA show in Berin and the company just put the first teaser video online for all to enjoy. Details are limited when it comes to official specs, but the video clip reveals the Galaxy Tab will ship with Android 2.2 with Touchwiz UI, have Flash Player 10.1 support, and the ability to make video calls.

Based on everything we have seen so far, the Galaxy Tab is really just a super-sized Galaxy S with a 7-inch display. Several leaks have suggested the Tab will also feature 1024×600 pixel resolution, 3.2MP camera, QVGA front camera, GPS, 3G support, 802.11N WiFi, 4000 mAh battery, and 16 GB of internal storage. Images in video seem to back up the higher resolution as we can see several custom apps which a split-screen mode.

This looks like it could be a cool device but I'm still slightly underwhelmed.

Check out the official Galaxy Tab website here.

Read the entire story here.

Update: Here's an article outlining what the Galaxy Tab needs to do to compete with the iPad.

MarioKart + Bike lane = Awesome Sauce

2010-08-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

(via Geekologie)

Some unknown Mario Kart lover went and spraypainted symbols from the game in one of Portland's bike lanes. Why? Cause that shit's poppin', son! Almost makes me want to get a bicycle. Ooooor just drive my car in the bike lane. Look out Lance, daddy's got a blue shell!

Schweet. Let's go to the tape:

Governor Paterson Comments on President Obama's Penis-Centric Education Challenge

2010-08-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Contrary to the rumors that have been circulating, "Race to the Cock" is NOT a film I directed in college. Unfortunately.

Check it:

(via Wonkette)

Do you need to know anything about today’s announcement of the results of the Obama administration’s “change your state education laws to appease Teach for America hipsters” plan? No, you don’t. You just need to know that David Paterson called it “Race To the Cock.” And really, isn’t that a perfect metaphor for what states were doing to try to get this sweet, sweet federal government money?

Let's go to the tape:

'Facebook' Sues 'Teachbook': Millions of facepalms ensue

2010-08-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Not content with being mere douchebags, Facebook has raised the bar, suing a little-know website for educators called "Teachbook".

Seriously. Check it:

(via Wired.com)

“Misappropriating the distinctive book portion of Facebook’s trademark, defendant has created its own competing online networking community in a blatant attempt to become a Facebook for teachers,” (.pdf) according to a filing in San Francisco federal court.

Facebook’s lawsuit Wednesday seeks unspecified damages and demands a judge order Teachbook, of Northbrook, Illinois, to immediately cease using “book” in its name.

This begs the obvious question: Would Facebook sue a social-networking site for priests named Goodbook? Or a librarian-networking site named Librarybook?

Barry Schnitt, a Facebook spokesman, pointed out that “we have no complaint against Kelly Blue Book or Green Apple Books or others.”

“However, there is already a well known online network of people with ‘book’ in the brand name. Of course the Teachbook folks are free to create an online network for teachers or whomever, and we wish them well in that endeavor,” he said in an e-mail. “What they are not free to do is trade on our name or dilute our brand while doing so.”

Congrats, Facebook. You've now graduated to 'Petty Asshole' status.

Read the whole story here.

This Robot Will Help You Put on Condoms While Folding Your Socks

2010-08-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

(via Gizmodo)

This particular PR2 robot was trained to identify, straighten, pair, and fold your socks. Based on his slightly awkward demonstration video though, he might be able to help you with another tedious task: Condom application.
Granted, the robot would certainly need to be taught to use a much gentler touch while dealing with your delicate bits, but the potential is there.

I can safely say that there is no f'n way I'm letting Johnny 5 handle my junk. Ever.

Let's go to the tape:

Seventeen Attorneys General Demand That Craigslist Remove Its Hooker Ads

2010-08-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

(via Joe.My.God)

Saying that the site is enabling prostitution and child trafficking, a coalition of 17 state Attorneys General are demanding that Craigslist remove its adult services section.
"Only Craigslist has the power to stop these ads before they are even published," Kansas attorney general Steve Six said in a statement. "Sadly, they are completely unwilling to do so." The joint letter acknowledged Craigslist faces the prospect of losing revenue if it were to remove the adult services section. "No amount of money, however, can justify the scourge of illegal prostitution and the suffering of the women and children who will continue to be victimized, in the market and trafficking provided by Craigslist," the letter said. Craigslist supports states' efforts to stop illegal exploitation, spokeswoman Susan MacTavish Best said in a statement that did not indicate whether the website plans to get rid of its adult services section. "We hope to work closely with them, as we are with experts at nonprofits and in law enforcement, to prevent misuse of our site in facilitation of trafficking," she said. Some encounters set up through Craigslist have ended in violence and even death, authorities have said.
The adult services section of Craigslist is one of the few areas of the site which charges for postings.

E-Cigarettes Spark New Smoking War

2010-08-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

E-cigarettes are battery-powered tubes that turn nicotine-laced liquid into a vapor mist. Proponents say that they are less harmful than cigarettes because they don't have the toxins of included in tobacco products. A growing number of people who use them say they are an effective way to quit smoking.

The FDA, however, is fighting to regulate the products as drug-delivery devices, similar to nicotine gums, patches or other nicotine-replacement products. Such a classification would subject e-cigarettes to lengthy and expensive trials to prove they are safe and effective.

(via The Wall Street Journal)

The standoff underscores a growing rift in the public health community about how to solve one of the country's most vexing health problems. About 400,000 Americans die each year of smoking-related disease. Many public-health advocates, including the FDA, say e-cigarettes are unproven as a quit-smoking tool and could prompt nonsmokers to take up the nicotine habit.

But a number of public-health advocates, including the American Association of Public Health Physicians, argue that conventional policies for getting people off cigarettes have fallen short. These groups argue that encouraging smokers to switch to e-cigarettes and other smokeless tobacco products could sharply reduce tobacco-related disease in the U.S.

Dr. Joel Nitzkin, chairman of a tobacco control task force of the public physicians group, says e-cigarettes may prove to be the most promising smoking cessation product currently on the market. He thinks they should be regulated to ensure manufacturing standards are met. But he thinks the FDA's tobacco regulations, rather than the more demanding drug device rules, provide the best framework.

Indeed, the FDA could regulate e-cigarettes under the landmark 2009 law that gave the agency broad power to regulate tobacco products. Under these rules, e-cigarette makers wouldn't be required to go through lengthy and costly pre-market approvals, in most cases. But the FDA maintains that e-cigarettes are actually drug-delivery devices that aren't subject to the tobacco regulations.

While the federal case is pending, sellers of e-cigarettes and "juice"—the nicotine-laced liquid that goes into the devices—continue to pop up online and in malls. 7-Eleven Inc. stores in California, New York, Texas and a handful of other states recently began selling an e-cigarette brand. Costco Wholesale Corp. in April stopped selling a version on its website because of concerns about the FDA's stance. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. also briefly offered a product on its website this year but discontinued it because it didn't attract much demand and the company was concerned about the FDA's position, a spokesman said.

I've just passed my one year anniversary of being smoke free. I know how difficult it can be to quit smoking. Nonetheless, I remain surprisingly neutral on this topic.

Read the whole story here.

Scientists React to Court Ruling on Stem Cell Research

2010-08-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, a federal judge in Washington said that the president had overstepped a law barring the government funding of research in which human embryos are destroyed.

American scientists have reacted with anger at a court ruling that strikes down Barack Obama's decision to greatly expand medical research using stem cells taken from human embryos calling the ruling "deplorable" and "a serious setback" in the search for cures to major diseases.

(via The Guardian)

Scientists swiftly condemned the ruling. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (Cirm) said the court order would disrupt advances in research for cures to diseases such as diabetes and Lou Gehrig's. "The decision is a deplorable brake on all stem cell research," said Cirm's president, Alan Trounson. "Many discoveries with other cell types ... would not happen without ongoing research in human embryonic stem cells."
Steven Aden, a lawyer for the Alliance Defence Fund which brought the case, said: "We're gratified that the court accepted what we think is a plain and commonsense reading of the applicable law and we're hopeful that ultimately this will result in the renewal of good, science-based funding for adult stem cell research."
Scientists were also left confused over whether they had to immediately halt embryonic stem cell work paid for with government funds or if the ruling only prevented federal authorities from distributing more grants.
Cirm said the order appeared to bar research permitted even under the tighter regulations imposed by Bush.
Aden said he believed the ruling prohibits any government-funded research involving embryonic stem cells.
"We think that's right. When congress passed the Dickey-Wicker amendment back in the days of the Clinton administration the reason for that was to get the American public out of funding research that involves the destruction of human life," he said.

FYI: An opinion poll by the Pew foundation last year found that 54% of Americans support research using human embryos.

Out at West Point: Gay Cadets Thrust into the Spotlight

2010-08-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

(via NY Times)

Code words, secret societies, covert meetings, fake identities: these are tools that a certain set of cadets learn here at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

These cadets are not spies or moles. They are gay, and they exist largely in the shadows of this granite institution known for producing presidents and generals, where staying closeted is essential to avoid discharge under the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
“The most important thing I’ve learned here is how to be a good actor,” said one gay male cadet, who grew up in Philadelphia and is in his fourth year at the academy.
The resignation this month of Katherine Miller, a top cadet who blogged anonymously about her lesbianism, has turned a spotlight on the hidden gay culture here and revived debate on campus about “don’t ask, don’t tell,” at a time when Washington is also focused on the issue.
Ms. Miller, who wrote under the name “Private Second Class Citizen” about enduring gay slurs and faking a heterosexual dating history, is transferring to Yale University this fall and has become something of a media celebrity, appearing on “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC and on ABC News.
Interviews with three gay cadets, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because revealing their identities could result in expulsion, as well as conversations with Ms. Miller and several gay alumni, painted a portrait of a vibrant, if tiny, gay underground at West Point. The hiding begins on Day 1: new cadets must sign a document acknowledging that revealing one’s homosexuality can lead to discharge, as can demonstrating “a propensity to engage in homosexual acts.”
In 1996, three female cadets resigned after West Point officials found a diary belonging to one of them that revealed their sexual orientation. In 2002, the academy discharged a cadet after his profile was discovered on a gay Web site. Ms. Miller, whose blog began in April but apparently eluded academy officials, said she quit voluntarily by submitting a letter revealing her lesbianism.
Asked about gay culture at West Point, Lt. Col. Brian Tribus, the academy’s director of public affairs, issued a statement saying that the school “will continue to apply the law as it is obligated to do,” but also noting that cadets must take military ethics classes that include “topics about unconditional positive respect for others.”

I've always been perplexed as to how sexy feminine lesbians are able to consistently earn special dispensation from the general full-on homophobia that gay men face. What is it about two women making out that's "sexy" to straight men? Sincerely. I've never heard of a heterosexual women being turned on by the thought of two men swapping spit.

Somebody throw me a line!

Read the whole story here.

The Ballad of Johnny Damon

2010-08-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

(via Boston.com)

I say this with no malice and all due respect. “Idiot,’’ you must remember, was the title of Johnny Damon’s 2005 best-selling autobiography (a work often compared with Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina’’ and Dostoevsky’s “Notes From the Underground’’). Johnny famously labeled the 2004 Red Sox champions “Idiots.’’ In Johnny’s world, “idiot’’ is a term of endearment.
That said, his decision to stay with the Tigers is downright idiotic . . . or there is some larger force at work.
I keep playing this out in my head, and none of it makes any sense. Why would Damon want to stay with the moribund Tigers when he had a chance to join the Red Sox for 5 1/2 weeks of stretch-run fun? Why try to keep hitting at cavernous Comerica Park when he could return to friendly Fenway? Why play games that don’t matter when you can play games that still matter?

There's something satisfying about watching Damon languish on the precipice of relevance with a hopeless team that's nigh incapable of winning. It's akin to being dumped by an ex only to see her get tangled up in a loveless relationship while you move on to bigger and better things. Sure, it hurts a little because, at one point, you really were in love.

But it also feels good, doesn't it? It's all the satisfaction of revenge with none of the guilt. On the one hand, you don't want to celebrate someone else's pain. But on the other hand, watching them suffering is wonderfully cathartic. Because, deep down, you know they deserve it. They've EARNED it. And they know it.

Right, Johnny?

Finally! An Eggplanation!

2010-08-25T05:44:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you were thinking "What's going to happen to those 550 million recalled eggs?" Finally, we have an answer!

(via Slate)

According to new FDA regulations, if an egg tests positive for salmonella, it must be treated to destroy the bacterium or diverted to "non-food" uses. What are "non-food" uses for eggs?

The albumin, or egg white, is used to finish certain types of leather (it provides a nice glaze) and as a clarifying agent in various chemical processes. Eggs are also used in certain plant fertilizers and in the production of vaccines, including for the flu. (That's why people with severe egg allergies are told to consult a physician before getting the flu vaccine.)

Health officials are recommending that consumers either throw away potentially tainted eggs or return them to the store where they will be destroyed. Is there some FDA guideline on how to get rid of a bad egg?

No. It seems retailers are mostly throwing returned eggs indumpsters. When the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. recalled 143 million pounds of beef in 2008, the USDA recommended taking the meat to landfills or incinerating it.

What would 550 million eggs look like if they were all in one place?

If you stacked 550 million eggs in a tetrahedron, the structure would come to a point about 1,500 levels off the ground, or a couple of hundred feet. Eggs range in size, but 2 ounces is a pretty typical weight. If you weighed your egg pyramid, it would come out to about 70 million pounds.

Gadzooks! Glad that's settled. Read the whole article here.

Gary Coleman Dead at 42

2010-05-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

(via USA Today)

Gary Coleman, the child star of the TV sitcomDiff'rent Strokes, died Friday after suffering an intercranial hemorrhage. He was 42.
Utah Valley Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Janet Frank says life support was terminated and Coleman died at 12:05 p.m.
Coleman was hospitalized Wednesday after falling and suffering a head injury at his home south of Salt Lake City, according to family members.
For a while, it seemed that Gary Coleman's cherubic face was everywhere, from TV to T-shirts to lunchboxes.
On Diff'rent Strokes, he played precocious Arnold Jackson, who, with his brother Willis (Todd Bridges), was adopted by a wealthy, white Manhattan man (Conrad Bain) and his daughter (Dana Plato).
Coleman's pudgy cheeks and flawless comic timing made him the break-out star of the popular series, which ran from 1978-86.
His signature line, "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" became a national catchphrase.
But Coleman's bright beginnings were overshadowed by domestic disputes, legal troubles and health issues. Coleman was born with a congenital kidney disease that resulted in his small stature. He had two kidney transplants and required frequent dialysis.
At the height of Diff'rent Strokes' popularity, Coleman reportedly received up to $100,000 an episode. Beginning in 1980, he won four consecutive People's Choice Awards as Favorite Young TV Performer
He parlayed his prime-time success into steady work in TV guest spots, made-for-TV movies and feature films, including On the Right Track and The Kid with the Broken Halo. The latter inspired the animated TV series The Gary Coleman Show.

*single tear* Rest in peace, Mr. Coleman.

Read the whole story here.

To Kill A Mockingbird Turns 50

2010-05-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

(via NY Times)

In Santa Cruz, Calif., volunteers will re-enact every word and movement in the famous courtroom scene. In Monroeville, Ala., residents dressed in 1930s garb will read aloud from memorable passages. In Rhinebeck, N.Y., Oblong Books will host a party with Mocktails and recorded music by the indie band the Boo Radleys.

All summer “To Kill a Mockingbird” will be relived through at least 50 events around the country, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the publication of a book that became a cultural touchstone and an enduring staple of high-school reading programs.

Its publisher, HarperCollins, is trying to tap into what appears to be a near-endless reserve of affection for the book by helping to organize parties, movie screenings, readings and scholarly discussions. The publisher has recruited Tom Brokaw and other authors to take part by reading from the novel — which tells the story of the small-town lawyer Atticus Finch, who defends a black man accused of rape, and his family — in their hometowns.

I've read To Kill A Mockingbird at least 4 times since I first read it in 7th grade.

Read the whole story here.

Kung Fu Bear

2010-05-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

This is officially the most awesome thing I've seen all week.

Check it:

None shall escape his burly wrath!

10 Greatest Mario Power-Ups

2010-05-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

The gang over at Geekosystem have (bravely) taken it upon themselves to compile a list of what they believe to be the 10 best power-ups from the insanely popular Super Mario Brothers video game series.

Brace yourself, nerds. This could get ugly.

Check it:

#10 - Carrot (Super Mario Land 2)
#9 - Hammer (Donkey Kong)
#8 - Mega Mushroom (New Super Mario Brothers)
#7 - Boo Suit (Super Mario Brothers Galaxy)
#6 - Kurido’s Shoe (Super Mario Brothers 3)
#5 - Fire Flower (Super Mario Brothers)
#4 - Bee Mario (Super Mario Galaxy)
#3 - Metal Mario (Mario 64)
#2 - Tanooki Suit (Super Mario Brothers 3)
#1 - Feather (Super Mario World)

Wait a tic… No Warp Whistle?! (though, technically, it functioned more as an accessory – but still...) No 1-Up Mushroom!? And no STAR?! They show love to The Hammer and The Carrot but they leave out the f’n STAR? Dood. Weak sauce.

Somewhere in New England, a nerd is weeping.

[/LegacyFAIL]

Thai violence spreads after troops storm protest camp

2010-05-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Violence erupted in Bangkok after troops stormed the fortified protester’s encampment. The act unleashed a wave of violence all over the country.

Check it:

(via The Guardian)

Rioting and fires swept through Bangkok today after Thai troops stormed the fortified encampment of anti-government protesters,

At least five demonstrators and an Italian journalist were killed in the military operation, which provoked fierce resistance from the redshirts. Protesters set fire to buildings including the stock exchange and south-east Asia's second-biggest department store complex, and attacked newspaper offices and a television station.

Power was lost in the bustling Sukhumvit Road district, an area packed with tourists and wealthy residential complexes, hours after the army said the situation was under control.

The prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, imposed a curfew in Bangkok — and in 21 provinces across the country — from 8pm to 6am tomorrow, saying the order was needed to allow the security forces to do their duty.

The chaos erupted as soldiers advanced on the demonstrators who had occupied the protest site in the centre of Bangkok for more than six weeks. Amid heavy fire from the troops, armoured personnel carriers pushed through barricades of bamboo and tyres that the protesters had set on fire. Soldiers fired at fleeing protesters and shouted: "Come out and surrender or we'll kill you."

Protesters armed with assault rifles fired back at troops making their way north up Ratchadamri Road. Outnumbered and lacking firepower, the redshirts suffered serious casualties.

Protest leaders offered to surrender as the soldiers surrounded them, but their supporters urged them to fight on, many screaming and crying as gunfire rang out nearby. Moments later, live television showed four redshirt protest leaders in police custody. An army spokesman said the protest site was under army control and the military had halted operations.

.....

An AP photographer saw three foreign journalists shot in Bangkok. One, an Italian photographer, died after being hit in the chest. Italian media have named the man as Fabio Polenghi, a 48-year-old Milan-based photojournalist who was on assignment in Thailand for several magazines. He was identified by a friend from television images, the Ansa news agency reported.

The death toll looks certain to rise: this afternoon, a Canadian journalist reported seeing six or seven bodies inside the Wat Pathum temple near the shopping complex. At least 60 people are thought to have been wounded in the gun battles.

Thai’s former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, warns that the country could slide further into civil unrest, insisting that the military’s actions will spread resentment. Thaksin has been living in self-impose exile since being ousted in a coup in 2006 and convicted of corruption.

Read the whole story here.

Boston’s Christian Science Plaza to Receive Update

2010-05-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

Boston’s Christian Science Plaza to Receive Update

(via Boston.com)

As part of a major redevelopment of its Back Bay headquarters, the First Church of Christ, Scientist plans to redesign and update its iconic reflecting pool as part of a larger development project. The new design would include a 20-foot-wide foot path across the pool.

.....

Windows from the church are reflected in the 686-foot-long reflecting pool that anchors the church's sprawling concrete plaza at Massachusetts and Huntington avenues.

Under the current proposal for the plaza, the reflecting pool would be made a few feet shorter, shallower, and uses less water than the existing basin.
And by adding the foot path, people crossing it will look as if they are walking on water when viewed from a distance.

I walked through this plaza nearly ever day that I lived in Boston. I’m eager to see how the update turns out.

Read the whole story here.

Android 2.1 Update Finally Availible for HTC Hero

2010-05-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

It’s about damn time.

Check it:

(via Phandroid)

As a bunch of you simultaneously take a huge sigh of relief, we can finally say that Sprint’s entire Android line-up to this point has been updated to Android 2.1. A couple of days ago, theSamsung Moment got its long-awaited update, and Sprint HTC Hero users will be able to say they’ve got theirs, as well.

…..

The only changes that Sprint describes for the update are as follows:

• Upgraded operating system to Android 2.1 Eclair
• Enhancements to sense user interface
• Enhanced corporate email support
• variety of minor bug fixes

Hero users rejoice! Click here for the update.

Geometrically Opposed

2010-05-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Get this: A geometry teacher in Alabama thought it would be cool to teach his students about parallel lines and angles using the totally and completely harmless example of assassinating President Obama.

Incredibly, some people (including the Secret Service) are not amused.

/sarcasm

Check it:

(via Geekosystem)

The geometry teacher, who has not been named, was investigated by the Secret Service after word of his lesson got out, but the superintendent at the school where the teacher works, Corner High School, says that while the Obama assassination example showed “extremely poor judgment” on the teacher’s part, there are no plans to fire him.

The Birmingham News reports:

Officials said the Jefferson County geometry teacher was apparently teaching students about parallel lines and angles and used the example of where to stand and aim if shooting Obama.

“He was talking about angles and said, ‘If you’re in this building, you would need to take this angle to shoot the president,’ ” said Joseph Brown, a senior in the geometry.

…

School Superintendent Phil Hammonds says there are no plans to fire him. ”We are going to have a long conversation with him about what’s appropriate,” Hammonds tells The News. “It was extremely poor judgment on his part, and a poor choice of words.”

A poor choice of words? I understand now! It’s just like when the church calls for the murder of homosexuals or when bigots call black people “nigger”. It’s they WORDS, not their ideas, that are the problem!

/sarcasm

It’s pretty obvious that this goes well beyond a “poor choice of words” and into the realm of “implied threat”. This guy will be living with the Secret Service up his ass for some time.

Robotic Submarines Cap Leaking Oil Pipe in Gulf of Mexico

2010-05-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

(via The Washington Post)

If all goes as planned, a crane mounted on a second barge will lower the dome 5,000 feet to cover the largest and most worrisome leak, a break in a 21-inch pipe known as the riser. That leak is 460 feet from the wellhead and is the source of the overwhelming majority of the oil escaping the well. The dome is supposed to capture the oil and pump it through pipes to a barge at the surface.

This will take several days to get up and running, but by Monday a significant amount of the oil gushing into the gulf may start to wind up instead in the barge, said BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles. At a news conference, Suttles and other officials tried to manage expectations, noting that such a recovery operation has never been attempted at such a great depth.

"It's very complex, and it will likely have challenges along the way," Suttles said. A few hours after its scheduled departure, workers were still trying to make sure the unwieldy dome was securely fastened on the barge.

The oil itself remained offshore for another day, but it is spreading, creeping closer to the Mississippi River Delta and threatening Louisiana's Chandeleur Sound and Breton Sound. The three-day forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projected that the oil will move into the Mississippi's deepwater entrance, known as the Southwest Pass, and drift west of the delta, which would be dire for the fishing industry along that stretch of the Louisiana coast.

Does this solution seem a little elementary to anyone else? Like trying to cap a gushing fire hydrant with a coffee can? Only instead of gushing water, it's gushing fire? Fire that only burns minorities? FROM ARIZONA?!

/message

Elegant metaphor aside, I'm hoping that the next time I hear sometimes about robots it'll involve:

a) something cheeky and adorable. Like a robot who lost his glasses. Or a robot that thinks a cat is it's real mom.

or

b) the total subjugation of the human race via firey robo-apocalypse.

Otherwise, I'm gonna bury my head in the sand and continue watch reruns of So You Think You Can Dance. 'Cause those kids have DREAMS, damn it!

Blizzard to Craft Unholy Alliance with Facebook

2010-05-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Craft! Get it? Craft? Like... like those games they make? WarCRAFT? And... and StarCRAFT?

No?

*awkward silence*

Check it:

(via Geekosystem)

Blizzard announced today that its ongoing revamp of the Battle.net service will introduce one pretty scary optional feature: Facebook integration. Battle.net is the online matchmaking service that has grouped up players of Starcraft, Warcraft, and Diablo games for thirteen years. It received a major face lift last year, in preparation for taking an even larger role in the lives of Blizzard’s players. The new service will basically be a gaming social network the likes of Xbox Live, or Steam, instead of just a tiered matchmaker.

From the official press release:
“We’re pleased to be working with Facebook to integrate their platform with Battle.net to enhance the social-entertainment experience for our players,” said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. “This new functionality will make it easier than ever to connect with friends on Battle.net and play StarCraft II and future Blizzard Entertainment games together.”

For now, the only announced features of this merger of two of the modern world’s greatest devourers of free time is that you will be able to automatically import the info of your Blizzard-game-playing Facebook friends. The new features of Battle.net will launch first with the Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty. World of Warcraft is expected to become compatible with it when the Cataclysm expansion reaches stores. One might expect that features will eventually include being able to publish your Starcraft II, Diablo III, and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm activities seamlessly to your Facebook feed. Time to spam-back everyone I know who plays Farmville.

Of course, involving your Facebook friends in your late summer descent into full Starcraft II obsession will be entirely voluntary. In the meantime, do NOT confirm any friend requests from Z. Rush. Trust me.

I like cheesecake. And I like sweet and sour pork. But it has never occurred to me to try and combine the two for some supposed "enhanced experience".

Sometimes - MOST times - cheesecake is good all by itself. And, for those of you wondering, cheesecake is representing Blizzard in this metaphor. Just so you know.

Coming in 2012 -- TOTAL GLOBAL DOMINATION-CRAFT!!!! (Z0mG!!1!11! Edition)

...get it? Craft?

*awkward silence*

Groundhog Day for Oil

2010-05-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

If we learned anything from the 1989 Alaska oil spill, it’s that we won’t learn much from this one, either.

Check it:

(via NY Times)

Wish it weren’t so, but I fear my lasting memory of many trips to Prince William Sound will be of hunched-over workers with toothbrushes, trying to scrub black tar from shivering birds and sea-worn rocks in the Alaska spring of 1989.

All the images were staggering: The birds looked lost and stunned, their coats of warmth matted black, their wings greased by hydrocarbons that would eventually kill most of them. The inlets of that most Edenic of sheltered seas had a sickening sheen, with a smell that made you nauseated and stayed with you through sleepless nights. Harder still was the sight of fishermen — tough, independent, weather-callused men — weeping for their loss.

But what stayed with me were those hundreds of workers with toothbrushes. They would labor all day, and maybe clean a rock or two — Sisyphus on the sound. After a while it was all public relations theater paid for by Exxon,

RELATED:
Room for Debate: Rules, Revolving Doors and the Oil Industry
whose tanker went aground and spilled at least 11 millions gallons into one of the richest marine cornucopias in the world.

Here now is the sad replay in the Gulf of Mexico, with that life-killing choreography. Then, as today, an oil company deployed booms and dispersants, tried to buy off fishermen with quicky legal settlements, and made resolute promises about restoration and doing the right thing.

In Alaska, we saw how that turned out: after nearly two decades of legal foot-dragging, Exxon got exactly what it wanted: a Supreme Court that consistently backs the powerful and well-connected reduced punitive damages from $2.5 billion to $500 million — in a good year, just a single week’s profit for the company.

It’s a waste of hope to wish that BP will be any more responsible or effective than Exxon was. And maybe it’s not their fault, in one sense: oil spills are acts of blunt-force trauma, and the remedies for cleanup remain primitive. The toothbrush brigade will soon be out, trying to save those nesting brown pelicans, symbols of a delta made rich by sediment carried from the Heartland.

The immediate reactions — a pause to President Obama’s short-sighted plan to open vast areas of coastal waters to offshore drilling, and maybe a requirement for automatic shutoff valves on deepwater wells — will make most of us forget and move on. The summer driving season is just around the corner and no one wants to pay more than $3 a gallon for gas.

On energy, amnesia is the American way. Things lumber along, 300-million-year-old fossil fuels are pulled from deep inside the kingdoms of desert despots and shipped to our shores. It’s slow-motion suicide, of sorts, to the planet — and I’m no worse or better than anyone else who uses oil for everyday comforts — but we don’t see the wounds until a spill brings it all home.

Mmmmm. Lefty cynicism. Mother's milk to the bleeding heart liberal.

Read the whole piece here.

Boston Police Officers Earn Nearly 250k Despite Cuts

2010-05-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

While I certainly have always respected them, my relationship with police officers has been, at best, neutral and, at worst, downright adversarial. Boston is the only city in wherein I actually dug the police. They always seem a bit more laid back than other cops. And now I know why. Apparently, a well paid cop is a happy cop.

Check it:

(via Boston.com)

Even as Boston police officials laid off cadets and cut popular units like the mounted patrol, some police officers managed to dramatically boost their paychecks last year, in a few cases to more than a quarter of a million dollars.

Some of the officers earned extra cash because contracts require that officers working a detail or testifying in court be paid for a minimum of four hours. In one case, a lieutenant was paid for four hours after 15 minutes of case preparation.

All of the officers benefited from a retroactive, one-time salary boost under a new police contract. And all worked a lot of overtime.

Some examples:

Robert Ciccolo earned almost $237,000 as a police captain in the hackney unit — $37,000 of it attributed largely to staying late, doing paperwork.

His cousin, Steven Ciccolo, a lieutenant in South Boston, took in nearly $248,000, a salary made larger by almost $54,000 for patrolling parades, filling in for other officers, and testifying in court.

And James Claiborne, a popular captain who retired last year, made about $248,000, boosting his annual salary by almost $44,000, largely by going to community meetings and events in a high-crime district that covers Mattapan and North Dorchester.

These three officers were among the department’s top 10 earners in 2009. The highest-paid officer took home $272,000, and another earned $265,000; the other eight earned between $237,000 and $248,000.

The officers’ payroll records, released to the Globe under a public records request, show how it is possible for police officers to more than double their salaries, even at a time when the Police Department and other city agencies are facing enormous budget pressures and attempting to cut back on overtime spending.

“The salaries are excessive,’’ Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said in an interview. “Clearly the average person on the street does not make this kind of money. We’re completely aware that this is a difficult topic to discuss, but it’s a function of a system that’s been in place for decades.’’

The department declined to make any of the officers available for comment. Police cannot speak to the press without permission from the department.

$250,000 isn't enough to make me want to grab myself a badge. For serious. Because no matter how cool an officer is, he's still "The Man". That and I'll almost certainly abuse the hell out of my power to get free shit at McDonald's and Dairy Queen. And that ain't right, no matter how delicious and ego pleasing it may be.

Read the whole story here.

Christian Preacher Arrested for Saying Homosexuality A Sin

2010-05-03T08:11:00.001-07:00

Oh Fudge.

Check it:

(via Telegraph.co.uk)

Dale McAlpine was charged with causing “harassment, alarm or distress” after a homosexual police community support officer (PCSO) overheard him reciting a number of “sins” referred to in the Bible, including blasphemy, drunkenness and same sex relationships.
The 42-year-old Baptist, who has preached Christianity in Wokington, Cumbria for years, said he did not mention homosexuality while delivering a sermon from the top of a stepladder, but admitted telling a passing shopper that he believed it went against the word of God.

Mr McAlpine, who was taken to the police station in the back of a marked van and locked in a cell for seven hours on April 20, said the incident was among the worst experiences of his life.
“I felt deeply shocked and humiliated that I had been arrested in my own town and treated like a common criminal in front of people I know," he said.

“My freedom was taken away on the hearsay of someone who disliked what I said, and I was charged under a law that doesn't apply.”

Christian campaigners have expressed alarm that the Public Order Act, introduced in 1986 to tackle violent rioters and football hooligans, is being used to curb religious free speech.
Sam Webster, a solicitor-advocate for the Christian Institute, which is supporting Mr McAlpine, said it is not a crime to express the belief that homosexual conduct is a sin.
“The police have a duty to maintain public order but they also have a duty to defend the lawful free speech of citizens,” he said.

“Case law has ruled that the orthodox Christian belief that homosexual conduct is sinful is a belief worthy of respect in a democratic society."

Mr McAlpine pleaded not guilty at a preliminary hearing on Friday at Wokingham magistrates court and is now awaiting a trial date.

The Public Order Act, which outlaws the unreasonable use of abusive language likely to cause distress, has been used to arrest religious people in a number of similar cases.

Pity. Though I count street preachers among the lowest forms of life, this awful man shouldn't have been arrested.

Voltron on Hulu

2010-04-30T10:14:00.001-07:00

Sweet Zombie Jebus! VOLTRON IS ON HULU!

For those of you not in the know, Voltron is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Check out 45 episodes of one of the greatest cartoons ever here on Hulu.

Glenn Beck Doubles Down to Save His Failing Show

2010-04-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

Glenn Beck is, perhaps, the most entertaining man on television. I have never not laughed my ass off listening to his insane, chalkboard conspiracy ramblings.

"IT'S A CIRCLE!" -- Glenn Beck

Check it:

Adobe Fires Back

2010-04-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs published a essay in which he tore Adobe a new one over its Flash software - software which Apple refuses support on its mobile products. The jabs between Apple and Adobe has been getting increasingly personal, with Adobe executives and employees angered in particular by Apple’s decision to block Adobe software that would allow developers to produce programs in Flash that would then be converted to work on the iPhone.

The Journal’s Alan Murray had an exclusive interview with Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen Thursday afternoon, and Digits live-blogged the event.

Here are some highlights from that interview:

(via The Wall Street Journal)

View the entire interview here.

Microsoft’s Official Humor Guide

2010-04-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

"Among the suggestions made by the humor guide:

* Learn how to juggle, square-dance, shoot skeet, and even play video games.
* “[Use] humor as a uniting dynamic across a range of situations.”
* If you are interested in learning how to use humor and other professional techniques to create alarmingly good business presentations, you may want to read Tom Anton’s Wake ’Em Up: How to Use Humor and Other Professional Techniques to Create Alarmingly Good Business Presentations.
* Ask yourself, “Could I start my next meeting, presentation, or conversation by telling a funny story?”
* Misers and bad drivers, what’s with those guys?"

Check it:

(via Geekosystem)

Microsoft has turned its problem-solving prowess towards solving that most vexing of engineering problems: How to be funny. Microsoft’s education competency guide to humor points out what we already know: That humor is appropriate at some times, but not at others. That “Misers, bad drivers, and absent-minded people” are considered near-universally humorous. That there are four levels of humor competence, and that whereas level 1 (“basic”) deployers of humor merely use humor in a generally positive way, level 3 (“advanced”) deployers of humor know “exactly when and where a joke or story will be effective” and level 4 (“expert”) deployers of humor “can see humor in almost everything.”

And there’s a lot more:

The humor guide is part of a broader series by Microsoft covering education competencies: “many of the attributes, behaviors, areas of knowledge, skills, and abilities required for successful job performance.” Some are straightforward enough business skills (time management) some are a little more abstract (managing vision and purpose). Oddly enough, humor does not appear on the many-spoked education competency wheel (warning: PDF), suggesting that this article is either a newer addition or a tongue-in-cheek joke on Microsoft’s part.

Read the whole piece here.

Read Microsoft's Humor Guide here.

Sexual Abuse Scandal Rocks Boy Scouts of America After $18.5m Payout

2010-04-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

BREAKING SHOCKING AWFUL UNBELIEVABLE NEWS!!!!! -- The Boy Scouts are fighting to keep thousands of "perversion files" on suspected child molesters a secret after it was ordered to pay record damages over the sexual abuse of a former Scout.

I am totally amazed and in all ways completely surprised!

/sarcasm

Check it:

(via The Guardian)

In a growing scandal threatening to rival the crisis hitting the Roman Catholic church, the Boy Scouts of America has been accused of covering up decades of child abuse in order to protect the reputation of what is now a billion-dollar organisation.

Last week, a jury in Oregon made the largest punitive damages award to a single plaintiff in a child abuse case in the US by ordering the Scouts to pay $18.5m (£12m) to Kerry Lewis, who was repeatedly assaulted by a former assistant scoutmaster, Timur Dykes, in the 1980s. Dykes had admitted to a superior in the Scouts that he had abused boys, but was allowed to remain in the organisation and is alleged to have sexually assaulted several other children who are also taking legal action.

The judge in the case overruled the Scouts' attempts to keep the jury from seeing about 1,200 files kept by the organisation on suspected paedophiles. Kelly Clark, Lewis's lawyer, told the jury that while the files were often used to remove child abusers from the Scouting movement, many were allowed to remain in the organisation. He said that the Scouts rarely alerted the police and when they did, the movement asked the authorities to avoid publicity.

Clark told the jury that the Scouting leadership had been "reckless and outrageous" in failing to warn parents and boys about the problem.

The files shown to the jury were not made public and are just a small part of what is believed to be a cache of as many as 6,000 held at the Scouts' headquarters in Texas, dating back to the 1920s. Lawyers for alleged sexual abuse victims are suing to have all the files made public at a hearing next month.

If that happens, it is likely to prove a severe blow to an organisation that is already at the centre of controversy over a bar on atheists and gay people. Membership stands at about 3 million, but has been dropping for more than a decade, in part because of the controversies over discrimination.

Is anyone surprised?

Oil From Spill Is Reported to Have Reached the Coast

2010-04-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

Eight days after an first explosion on the oil rig, which left 11 workers missing and presumed dead, response team’s briefings changed abruptly Wednesday night with a hastily called news conference to announce that the rate of the spill was five times more than first reported: 5,000 barrels a day, or more than 200,000 gallons. By Thursday, it became obvious that the cleanup operation desperately needed help, with no indication that the well would be sealed any time soon and oil drifting closer to shore. Now there are reports that oil has, in fact, reached the shore.

Check it:

(via LA Times)

NEW ORLEANS —Coast Guard officials were investigating reports early Friday morning that oil from a massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico had washed ashore overnight, threatening fisheries and wildlife in fragile marshes and islands along the Gulf Coast.

Officials had not confirmed whether any tentacles of the oil slick had actually touched land, but Petty Officer Shawn Eggert of the United States Coast Guard said that officials were planning a flyover Friday morning to assess how the oil was moving, and whether it was making landfall.

A senior adviser to President Obama said the government would not allow any new offshore drilling until an investigation was conducted into the spill and whether it could have been prevented. The deadly explosion on an offshore oil rig last week and the resulting spill have complicated Mr. Obama’s recently announced plans to expand offshore oil and gas drilling, with some politicians and environmental advocates calling on the president to halt any planned expansions until more safeguards are put into place against future disasters.

Speaking on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” David Axelrod, the senior adviser, said that “no additional drilling has been authorized and none will until we find out what happened here.” But his announcement would not have any immediate effect because drilling in newly opened areas was not likely to take place for years.

As the oil crept closer to shore on Thursday, the response to the spill intensified, with the federal government intervening more aggressively.

On Friday morning, the Air Force sent two -130 planes to Mississippi, where they awaited orders to start spraying chemicals on the spill, the Associated Press reported.

Resources from the United States Navy have been marshaled to supplement an operation that already consisted of more than 1,000 people and scores of vessels and aircraft.

Calling it “a spill of national significance” which could threaten coastline in several states, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the creation of a second command post in Mobile, Ala., in addition to the one in Louisiana, to manage potential coastal impact in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar ordered an immediate review of the 30 offshore drilling rigs and 47 production platforms operating in the deepwater Gulf, and is sending teams to conduct on-site inspections.

Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana declared a state of emergency and to request the participation of the National Guard in response efforts.

About 40,000 feet of boom had been placed around Pass-a-Loutre, the area of the Mississippi River Delta where the oil was expected to touch first, a spokesman for Mr. Jindal said.

It's estimated that the clean-up efforts may go on for decades with inestimable damage to the environment. Doubtless, this will be among the worst environmental disasters in human history.

MA Family Still Fighting $18,000+ Bill from Verizon

2010-04-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, Bob St. Germain's son, Bryan, connected to the web via his cell phone, believing his family's plan included unlimited data downloads.

It didn't.

The result? A bill of over $18,000 from Verizon, a damaged credit report, and, thus far, four years of strife and aggravation. Check it :

(via Boston)

“You can’t print what my husband said’’ when the bill came, Mary St. Germain said. “He was very shocked.’’

Verizon eventually offered to reduce the bill by half, but Bob St. Germain, 66, a retired marketing professional, said he rejected the offer after consulting with state utility officials who advised him not to pay. So Verizon sent the reduced bill to a collection agency.

Verizon officials said that the charges were legitimate and that they have tried to work with St. Germain to resolve the dispute.

“We go to great lengths to educate our customers on their products and services so that they avoid any unintended bills,’’ Philip Santoro, a spokesman for Verizon Communications Inc., and Michael Murphy, a spokes man for Verizon Wireless, wrote in an e-mailed statement.

The case highlights how confusing wireless plans can be and how any misstep can be costly for customers. Sascha Meinrath, director of the New America Foundation, a nonpartisan research group in Washington, D.C., said cellphone contracts have become so bewildering that he fields at least one complaint a month from customers with sky-high bills looking for help. Meinrath said what outrages him is that many carriers offer unlimited data plans for about $30 a month and are “making money off that.’’

“So how is it that they were charging $12,000 a month?’’ he asked. “How is it conceivable that is not price gouging?’’

I'm on the phone with my carrier a least once a month without fail and STILL have yet to get a clear explanation of my bill and my plan. Never, however, have I ever gotten a five figure bill.

Listen to Bob St. Germain (a man who, incidentally, sounds exactly like my bartender Hank in JP) here:

Glitch fixed at CT DMV

2010-04-30T06:48:00.000-07:00

(via The Hartford Courant)

Connecticut officials say a computer glitch has been fixed that had blocked them from issuing driver licenses and identity cards for several hours.

Nuala Whelton, a spokeswoman for the Department of Information Technology, said Thursday the problem was traced to server malfunction, which was caused by a faulty network switch. Both are managed by an outside vendor.

Department of Motor Vehicles spokesman William Seymour said the malfunction was fixed by early afternoon.

It had affected all 13 DMV offices and the 15 American Automobile Association (AAA) sites that issue new and renewal cards. The offices remained open for other business, including previously scheduled appointments and road tests, while officials worked on the computer problem

.
Oddly enough, none of the costumers noticed the difference in wait-times. *rimshot!*

God Bless You, Mr. Jon Stewart V: Clash of the Teatans

2010-04-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

"Apple - you guys were the rebels, man, the underdogs. People believed in you. But now, are you becoming the man? Remember back in 1984, you had those awesome ads about overthrowing Big Brother? Look in the mirror, man! …It wasn't supposed to be this way - Microsoft was supposed to be the evil one! But you guys are busting down doors in Palo Alto while Commandant Gates is ridding the world of mosquitoes! What the fuck is going on?!" -- Jon Stewart

Let's go to the tape:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Appholes

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

GOPanic

2010-04-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

"If the Democrats are doomed in November, why is it Republicans who are freaking out?"

Check it:

(via Slate)

Before and after health care reform became law late last month, it was widely predicted that Democrats would pay dearly for the bill's supposed extremism. "They put red bandanas on their head, took a drink of sake, and went out on what I believe will be a kamikaze mission," said Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., on March 22.

.....

The dire predictions aren't entirely off-base. It is virtually guaranteed that Democrats will lose congressional seats in November, because whichever party controls the White House almost always experiences at least some attrition in midterm elections.

...

But if prospects were as bad for Democrats as many insist, one would expect today's dominant political story to be that Democrats are panicking. In fact, the dominant political story is that Republicans are panicking.

.....

Consider:

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., calls a timeout. The Senate's most bipartisan conservative is moving to break off negotiations with Democrats on immigration and climate change. He says it's because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., played politics with the immigration issue. But it seems at least as likely that Graham feels the heat from wingnut constituents back home.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, almost chosen in 2008 to be the vice-presidential nominee, quits the GOP and runs as an independent. There's little doubt he's doing this not out of conviction but because he would lose the primary to a Tea Party-backed conservative.

The leading GOP candidate for president loses his conservative base. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is trying desperately to convince economic conservatives that his signature health care reform was dramatically different from Obamacare, but they aren't buying it. That's a serious problem for a candidate whose chief constituency in the 2008 race was … economic conservatives.

Read the whole piece here.

HP Buys Palm for $1 Billion

2010-04-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Just a few weeks after Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein intimated that Palm has no intention of selling, Palm has been purchased by HP. Check it:

(via USA Today)

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) jumped into the smartphone market Wednesday when it agreed to buy Palm, a handheld computing pioneer that has fallen on hard times, for about $1.2 billion.
"This is a transformational deal" in an increasingly mobile world, said Todd Bradley, the former Palm CEO who is now executive vice president of HP's Personal Systems Group.

Palm's technology, combined with HP's financial heft and vast global reach, "make a powerful combination" and "accelerates" HP's standing in the fast-growing, $100 billion smartphone market, he says.

The deal calls for HP to pay $5.70 for every share of Palm stock. Palm's ailing stock closed at $4.63, down significantly from a 52-week high of $18.09. The transaction is expected to close by the end of July.

Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein, a former Apple executive, is expected to stay on board.

Read the whole piece here.

Steve Jobs Gives Very Candid Thoughts on Flash

2010-04-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

(via The Wall Street Journal)

The feud between Apple and Adobe has been heating up for a while now, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs has taken it to a whole new level, writing a post on Apple’s site entitled “Thoughts on Flash” in which he skewers Adobe in an attack unusual for the CEO of a major company.

Mr. Jobs starts off by discussing the strong relationship Apple and Adobe had when both companies were starting out “in their proverbial garage.”

.....

He then outlines Apple’s reasons for not allowing Flash in iPhones, iPods and iPads. First up: openness.

“Adobe has characterized our decision as being primarily business driven – they say we want to protect our App Store – but in reality it is based on technology issues. Adobe claims that we are a closed system, and that Flash is open, but in fact the opposite is true.”

“Adobe’s Flash products are 100% proprietary. They are only available from Adobe, and Adobe has sole authority as to their future enhancement, pricing, etc. While Adobe’s Flash products are widely available, this does not mean they are open, since they are controlled entirely by Adobe and available only from Adobe. By almost any definition, Flash is a closed system.”

“Apple has many proprietary products too. Though the operating system for the iPhone, iPod and iPad is proprietary, we strongly believe that all standards pertaining to the web should be open. Rather than use Flash, Apple has adopted HTML5, CSS and JavaScript – all open standards.”

He then goes on to politely lambaste Flash at some length.

His conclusion rather pointedly sums up why Apple has absolutely no intention of supporting Flash - ever:

“Flash is no longer necessary to watch video or consume any kind of web content … New open standards created in the mobile era, such as HTML5, will win on mobile devices (and PCs too). Perhaps Adobe should focus more on creating great HTML5 tools for the future, and less on criticizing Apple for leaving the past behind.”

Oh snap!

Read the whole WSJ piece here.

Read Steve Jobs' entire piece here

12 Year Old Killed in "Choking Game"

2010-04-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

(via LA Times)

The goal of the game -- also known as "space monkey," "sleeper hold" and "funky chicken" -- is to restrict the blood flow to the brain and cause a quick euphoric sensation.

To accomplish it alone, a necktie, belt or other type of binding are used to put pressure on the carotid artery in the neck. The other method involves using a partner, who can apply pressure to the neck or chest until the subject passes out.

Officers found the boy in full cardiac arrest April 20 at his home in the 800 block of 18th Street after receiving an emergency call. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was taken off life support two days later and pronounced dead, the Santa Monica Police Department said.

The boy, who was playing the game by himself, tied a rope to his neck and attached it to a device in the home, police said.

"It didn't break free and he ended up cutting off the blood flow and oxygen to his brain," said Sgt. Jay Trisler, adding that the case was being investigated as an accidental death.

My friends and I played a similar game when we were kids, though we always did it with a partner and several people watching. It never occurred to us to try it alone.

Silicon Valley Bans the Happy Meal

2010-04-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Check it:

(via The Guardian)

Elected officials in Santa Clara County, the area to the south of San Francisco that covers most of Silicon Valley, have introduced a law banning restaurants from offering toys with any children's meals that fail to meet national health criteria.

In other words, the Happy Meal is for the chop. It is believed to be the first such law anywhere in the world.

In tune with the liberal, progressive and future-focused nature of its technologically proficient residents, Silicon Valley is already at the forefront of the food revolution in the US. Two years ago it became one of the first areas to force food chains to display the calorie count of each meal on menus and noticeboards, a move that was emulated in other areas, including New York city.

Now its board of supervisors, the equivalent of a local council in the UK, has moved to extend the attack on childhood obesity by banning a system that rewards children for eating unhealthy food. Ken Yeager, the supervisor who devised the ban, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the aim was to break "the link between unhealthy food and prizes".

"Obviously, toys in and of themselves do not make children obese. But it is unfair to parents and children to use toys to capture the tastes of children when they are young and get them hooked on eating high-sugar, high-fat foods early in life."

The meals have become a staple of the fast-food chains, spawning an entire industry of plastic toys. Animaniacs, the McDonald's Happy Meal toys from the 1990s, Ronald McDonald combs and Aladdin hidden treasures from Burger King (1994) have all become collectors' items in their own right.

Though well intentioned, this ban is utterly useless. Happy Meals and the like aren't even mildly responsible for the childhood obesity epidemic. If anything, such meals are only a symptom of our country's dysfunctional relationship with food. Sure, eat a ton of happy meals and you will get pudgy. Banning the happy meal, however, does 0 to address the heart of the matter. Children and their parents will still continue to make poor food choices.

This ban presumes that toys are what's motivating kids and parents to choose these meals. The truth is, parents aren't buying these meals for kids because they come with toys, they're buying them because they're cheap and quick. The toys are just the cherry on top of all the sugary, fatty, goodness.

Restaurants will be fined up to $1,000 for every meal they are caught selling with a toy, if meal be deemed unhealthy by federal standards. Tthe meals must not contain more than 485 calories or 600mg of salt and must not have more than 35% of their calories from fat or 10% from added sweeteners.

The ban will kick in in 90 days' time so as to give restaurant owners time to change their menus.

Read the whole piece here.

Oil Leak in Gulf of Mexico May Be 5 Times Initial Estimate

2010-04-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

In case you thought things couldn't get any worse in the Gulf, Government officials announced last night that oil might be leaking into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate five times that suggested by initial estimates - that's roughly 5,000 barrels a day. Check it:

(via NY Times)

In a hastily called news conference, Rear Adm. Mary E. Landry of the Coast Guard said a scientist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had concluded that oil is leaking at the rate of 5,000 barrels a day, not 1,000 as had been estimated. While emphasizing that the estimates are rough given that the leak is at 5,000 feet below the surface, Admiral Landry said the new estimate came from observations made in flights over the slick, studying the trajectory of the spill and other variables.

An explosion and fire on a drilling rig on April 20 left 11 workers missing and presumed dead. The rig sank two days later about 50 miles off the Louisiana coast.

Doug Suttles, chief operating officer for exploration and production for BP, said a new leak had been discovered as well. Officials had previously found two leaks in the riser, the 5,000-foot-long pipe that connected the rig to the wellhead and is now detached and snaking along the sea floor. One leak was at the end of the riser and the other at a kink closer to its source, the wellhead.

But Mr. Suttles said a third leak had been discovered Wednesday afternoon even closer to the source. “I’m very, very confident this leak is new,” he said. He also said the discovery of the new leak had not led them to believe that the total flow from the well was different than it was before the leak was found.

The new, far larger estimate of the leakage rate, he said, was within a range of estimates given the inexact science of determining the rate of a leak so far below the ocean’s surface.

Wind patterns may push the spill into the coast of Louisiana as soon as Friday night, officials said, prompting urgent measures to protect coastal wildlife. Among them were using cannons to scare off birds and employing local shrimpers’ boats as makeshift oil skimmers in the shallows.

Read the whole piece here.

Read more about the potential environmental impact here.

Deepwater Horizon oil spill to be set on fire to save US coast

2010-04-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

More than a week after a blast aboard the Deepwater Horizon rig 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, oil continues to pour into the Gulf of Mexico. The slick is now estimated to be 80 miles long by 40 miles wide.The massive slick is now about 20 miles off Venice, Louisiana, the closest it has been to land. In an effort to stop the slick from reaching the shore, the coastguard will begin controlled burning of the slick today. Check it:

(via The Guardian)

The US coastguard is to set fire to oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico to prevent the slick from reaching shore after last week's explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig.

Robot submarines have so far failed to shut off the flow more than 1,500 metres below where the Deepwater Horizon was wrecked. Eleven workers are missing, presumed dead, and the cause of the explosion 50 miles off Louisiana has not been determined.

A coastguard spokesman said the burn would begin today. Prentice Danner said fire-resistant booms would be used to corral some of the thickest oil on the surface, which would then be ignited. It was unclear how large an area would be set on fire or how far from shore the fire would be set.

A similar burn off Newfoundland in 1993 eliminated at least half the captured oil.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said birds and mammals were more likely to escape a burning area of the ocean than an oil slick. Birds might be disoriented by smoke, but would be at much greater risk from oil in the water.

On the downside, burning the oil creates air pollution and some experts say the effect on marine life is unclear.

Ed Overton, a professor emeritus of environmental sciences at Louisiana State University who is studying the oil spill, questioned whether burning would be successful.

"It can be effective in calm water, not much wind, in a protected area," he said. "When you're out in the middle of the ocean, with wave actions, and currents, pushing you around, it's not easy."

Last night the oil was about 20 miles off Venice, Louisiana, the closest it has been to land, but it is not expected to reach the coast before Friday, if at all.

Hotel owners, fishermen and restaurateurs are keeping anxious watch as the slick spreads towards delicate wetlands, oyster beds and pristine white beaches.

This could prove to be one of the nation's deadliest offshore drilling accidents of the past half-century.

The oil slick is not expected to reach the coast before Friday, if at all.

A Test of Arizona's Political Character

2010-04-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

"This law creates a suspect class, based in part on ethnicity, considered guilty until they prove themselves innocent. It makes it harder for illegal immigrants to live without scrutiny -- but it also makes it harder for some American citizens to live without suspicion and humiliation. Americans are not accustomed to the command "Your papers, please," however politely delivered. The distinctly American response to such a request would be "Go to hell," and then "See you in court."

-- Op-Ed Columnist Michael Gerson

Check it:

(via The Washinton Post)

American states have broad powers. But they are not permitted their own foreign or immigration policy. One reason is that immigration law concerns not only the treatment of illegal immigrants but also the proper treatment of American citizens. And here the Arizona law fails badly.

Under the law, police must make a "reasonable attempt" to verify the immigration status of people they encounter when there is a "reasonable suspicion" they might be illegal. Those whose citizenship can't be verified can be arrested. But how is such reasonable suspicion aroused? The law forbids the use of race or ethnicity as the "sole" basis for questioning. So what are the other telltale indicators?

Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed the law, looked flustered when asked during a news conference the obvious question of how illegal immigrants might be identified. "I do not know what an illegal immigrant looks like," Brewer replied. "I can tell you that I think that there are people in Arizona that assume they know what an illegal immigrant looks like. I don't know if they know that for a fact or not." Yet Brewer has ordered Arizona police to be trained in the warning signs of illegality -- signs that she cannot describe. There is a reason no Arizona official has publicly detailed these standards -- because the descriptions would sound like racial stereotyping. And probably would be.

This law creates a suspect class, based in part on ethnicity, considered guilty until they prove themselves innocent. It makes it harder for illegal immigrants to live without scrutiny -- but it also makes it harder for some American citizens to live without suspicion and humiliation. Americans are not accustomed to the command "Your papers, please," however politely delivered. The distinctly American response to such a request would be "Go to hell," and then "See you in court."

Read the entire piece here.

Tracing the History of the NBA's Silhouette Logo (psst: It's Jerry West)

2010-04-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

Neither West nor the league will acknowledge it, but it's common knowledge that the player depicted in that iconic image really is the Lakers great, Jerry West. And now it's confirmed by the man who created it, Alan Siegel.

Check it:

(via LA Times)

Jerry West claims he's not so presumptuous as to assume his image is depicted on one of the most recognizable emblems in sports: the NBA logo.

The NBA too is coy.

Alan Siegel is not.

"It's Jerry West," he says.

Siegel, 71, designed the familiar logo in 1969, taking a Wen Roberts photograph of the Lakers star and turning it into an iconic image.

In red, white and blue, it shows a player in silhouette purposefully dribbling the ball upcourt with his left hand.

Siegel, a branding expert and lifelong basketball fan, believes he knows why the NBA is reluctant to acknowledge the obvious.

"They want to institutionalize it rather than individualize it," he says during an interview over lunch near his office in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. "It's become such a ubiquitous, classic symbol and focal point of their identity and their licensing program that they don't necessarily want to identify it with one player."

Read the whole story here.

God Bless You, Mr. Jon Stewart IV: Law and Border

2010-04-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

"It turns out, Arizona is the meth lab of democracy" -- Jon Stewart

Check it:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Law & Border

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

The 11 Funniest Unintentionally-Sexual Books Of All Time

2010-04-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

My three favorites?; The Pocket Book of Boners, The Day Amanda Came, and Games You Can Play with your Pussy.

Check out the entire list over at The Huffington Post.

Anti-Choice Forces on the March in Oklahoma

2010-04-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

In Oklahoma, the Republican-controlled Senate voted 36-12 Tuesday to override the veto of a bill requiring women to undergo an ultrasound and listen to a detailed description of the fetus before getting an abortion. The state Senate also voted 36-12 to override a veto of legislation that prohibits pregnant women from seeking damages if physicians withhold information or provide inaccurate information about their pregnancy. Check it:

(via Little Green Footballs)

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma House voted overwhelmingly Monday to override Governor Brad Henry’s vetoes of two abortion measures he called unconstitutional intrusions into citizens’ private lives and decisions.

The Senate is expected to follow suit as early as Tuesday, after which the bills would become law.

Without discussion or debate, House members voted 81-14 to override the veto of a bill requiring women to undergo an ultrasound and listen to a detailed description of the fetus before getting an abortion.

They voted 84-12 to override a veto of legislation that prohibits pregnant women from seeking damages if physicians withhold information or provide inaccurate information about their pregnancy. Supporters had said that legislation was aimed at preventing women from discriminating against fetuses with disabilities.

To sum it all up: If you want an abortion in Oklahoma, you must first undergo an ultrasound and listen to a detailed description of the fetus. Additionally, if a doctor withholds information or gives you inaccurate information about your pregnancy, you can do nothing.

Oklahoma: where fetuses are people and women are not.

Soup & Sandwich 2.0

2010-04-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

The grilled cheese and tomato soup combination has been among my favorite meals of all time. Now some chefs in Boston are attempting to elevate this already perfect pairing. Though I cringe at the very thought of tampering with this classic (not everything is in need of an upgrade), I'd be a liar if I didn't admit to being... intrigued. Check it:

(via Boston)

Once relegated to kitchen tables, school cafeterias, lunch counters, and diners, this satisfying combo is making a comeback in popular culture and high-end restaurants, and is poised to become the new mac and cheese. Slices of processed cheese and ordinary white bread have been replaced by farmstead favorites and chewy or rich loaves. The top lunchtime seller at Woodward in the Ames Hotel consists of thick brioche, comté and Gruyere cheeses, tomato, and applewood smoked bacon. For dipping or slurping there’s a side of fresh tomato soup. “The brioche sops it up nicely,’’ says executive chef Mark Goldberg. At the gastropub Garden at the Cellar, Iggy’s dense pullman is grilled with Vermont cheddar, and at Restaurant Dante, every Tuesday night you can order a different $2 grilled Italian-inspired cheese sandwich. Owner Dante de Magistris says, “I love all types of food, but crunchy bread and oozy cheese is crazy satisfying.’’

Rick Katz sees a similar response. At Picco, diners indulge in Clear Flour’s sourdough bread slathered with a five-cheese mornay sauce, filled with cheddar and brushed with butter. “We offer more interesting panini,’’ says the South End restaurateur, “but none sell as well as grilled cheese.’’

This is nothing more than a naked attempt to charge an arm and a leg for a meal that should never be more than 6 bucks. Nevertheless, I could easily see myself trying one of these high-end poor man sandwiches - just the once, though... you know, for research purposes and stuff.

Read the whole story here.

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Finally! An Eggplanation!

If you're like me, you were thinking "What's going to happen to those 550 million recalled eggs?" Finally, we have an answer!

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Are you a Muslim? I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!! knife!