Catching up

Clinton: Shared Prosperity Should Replace 'On Your Own' Society - Presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton outlined a broad economic vision Tuesday, saying it's time to replace an "on your own" society with one based on shared responsibility and prosperity. The Democratic senator said what the Bush administration touts as an "ownership society" really is an "on your own" society that has widened the gap between rich and poor."I prefer a 'we're all in it together' society," she said. "I believe our government can once again work for all Americans. It can promote the great American tradition of opportunity for all and special privileges for none."
*Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community.This control may be either direct—exercised through popular collectives such as workers' councils—or indirect—exercised on behalf of the people by the state. As an economic system, socialism is often characterized by state or worker ownership of the means of production.
Then Clinton spoke at the Manchester School of Technology, which trains high school students for careers in the construction, automotive, graphic arts and other industries. "We have sent a message to our young people that if you don't go to college ... that you're thought less of in America. We have to stop this," she said. "Our country cannot run without the people who have the skills that are taught in this school."
I am curious how this jives with her comments promoting exclusively need based aid to let more of the 'C' students into college?

Clintons Benefited from Public Company - The New York Times is offering new details regarding Bill and Hillary Clinton's links to a businessman facing allegations that his public company not only aids scam artists who target the elderly, but has showered money on the Clintons with little to show for it.

Mitt Romney: I'll 'Donate Salary and More' as President - Republican Mitt Romney, conceding that his business career helped him make more money than he expected, said Tuesday he would likely decline a salary as president and instead donate the money - and more - to charity.

























Found 20 light years away: the New Earth - It's got the same climate as Earth, plus water and gravity. A newly discovered planet is the most stunning evidence that life - just like us - might be out there.

New antigravity solution will enable space travel near speed of light by the end of this century - Noted physicist Dr. Franklin Felber will present his new exact solution of Einstein's 90-year-old gravitational field equation to the Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF) in Albuquerque. The solution is the first that accounts for masses moving near the speed of light. Felber's antigravity discovery solves the two greatest engineering challenges to space travel near the speed of light: identifying an energy source capable of producing the acceleration; and limiting stresses on humans and equipment during rapid acceleration.

Endangered Species Protection Sought for Bigfoot - Recently, Mike Lake, a Canadian member of parliament from Edmonton, Alberta, agreed to introduce a petition that called for Bigfoot to be protected under the Canadian version of the endangered species act.

Police arrest 2 teens at parade who allegedly threw eggs at marchers - Standing ramrod straight in dress blues and crisp khakis, the seven color guard members lifted their rifles for one of the most solemn moments of any Memorial Day parade, the 21-gun salute. Hundreds who had gathered to witness the tribute watched in silence. Just then, the eggs came flying. One glanced off a tree branch, and landed far away from the marchers in yesterday's Memorial Day Parade in Rockland, said Ryan Durfee , a former Marine who was marching in the color guard. Another crashed 8 feet in front of the color guard.

U.S. isolates traveler infected with super-TB - The United States has isolated a man who may have exposed fellow passengers on two transatlantic flights to a strain of tuberculosis that is extremely hard to treat, officials said on Tuesday. It was the first time the federal government has issued such an isolation order since at least 1963.

Russia Test-Launches New ICBM - Russia on Tuesday test-launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple independent warheads, and a top government official said it could penetrate any defense system, a news agency reported. The new missile would modernize Russia's stockpile at a time of rising tensions with the West.

Venezuela to sue CNN - Venezuela says it will file charges against US cable network CNN for linking President Hugo Chavez to Al Qaeda. It says it will also sue a Venezuelan TV network for encouraging Mr Chavez's assassination. The move comes a day after popular Venezuelan TV network RCTV went off the air after the Chavez Government cancelled its broadcast licence.

Chavez Defends Decision on TV Station - President Hugo Chavez defended his decision not to renew the license of a popular opposition-aligned television network on Tuesday and warned he might crack down on another critical TV station, accusing it of trying to incite attempts on his life. Chavez said his refusal to renew the license of Radio Caracas Television, which went off the air at midnight Sunday, is "a sovereign, legitimate decision in which there is no argument."

Mexicans Boo Miss USA, Showing Discord - Many here south of the border reveled in her disastrous evening: First Miss USA Rachel Smith slipped and fell on her bottom during the Miss Universe evening gown competition. Then she was booed by hundreds in the Mexican audience. U.S. athletes have sparked a similar response. In 2005, when the U.S. played Mexico during a World Cup soccer qualifier, the crowd booed the U.S. national anthem and a smattering of fans chanted "Osama! Osama!" during the game.

Bush Attacks Immigration Deal Opponents - President Bush attacked opponents of an immigration deal Tuesday, suggesting they "don't want to do what's right for America." "The fundamental question is, will elected officials have the courage necessary to put a comprehensive immigration plan in place," Bush said against a backdrop of a huge American flag.

'It's Up to You Now': Sheehan Quits - Cindy Sheehan, the soldier's mother who galvanized an anti-war movement with her monthlong protest outside President Bush's ranch, said Tuesday she's done being the public face of the movement. "I've been wondering why I'm killing myself and wondering why the Democrats caved in to George Bush," Sheehan told The Associated Press while driving from her property in Crawford to the airport, where she planned to return to her native California. "I'm going home for awhile to try and be normal," she said.

Study: Superbugs Emerge Among Urban Poor - Drug-resistant staph infections have spread to the urban poor, rising almost seven-fold in recent years in some Chicago neighborhoods, a new study finds. Researchers said the crowded living conditions of public housing and jails may speed up the person-to-person spread of infection.

Florida tries to wipe out cat-sized African rats - Deep in the heart of the Florida Keys, wildlife officials are laying bait laced with poison to try to wipe out a colony of enormous African rats that could threaten crops and other animals. U.S. federal and state officials are beginning the final phase of a two-year project to eradicate the Gambian pouched rats, which can grow to the size of a cat and began reproducing in the remote area about eight years ago.

Little Miss Fancy Pants

The latest cover of Men's Fitness magazine with Andy Roddick on the cover. Andy's a hot bitch, but he doesn't have arms like that. How to Build Arms in 5 Easy Moves? Cut, paste, warp, clone, smooth and done! 5 easy Photoshop commands!

Here are some real pictures of a topless Andy, this site is a little yag so be aware.

Clemson News:
The Steelers released veteran punter Chris Gardocki today.
















New al Qaeda Tapes Feature U.S. Capitol Under 'Attack' - Al Qaeda has a new opening graphic for its propaganda tapes: the U.S. Capitol under "attack."

Iran Watch:
Navy Stages Show of Force Off Iran Coast - The U.S. Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday, sending two aircraft carriers and landing ships packed with 17,000 U.S. Marines and sailors to carry out unannounced exercises in the Persian Gulf.

There's Good News from Iraq? - There is good news from Iraq, believe it or not. It comes from the most unlikely place: Anbar province, home of the Sunni insurgency. The level of violence has plummeted in recent weeks. An alliance of U.S. troops and local tribes has been very effective in moving against the al-Qaeda foreign fighters.

White House: Bin Laden wanted Iraq as a new base - President Bush on Tuesday declassified intelligence showing in 2005 Osama bin Laden planned to use Iraq as a base from which to launch attacks in the United States, according to White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.Johndroe said the intelligence was declassified so the president could discuss the previously secret material on Wednesday during a commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut.

Young U.S. Muslims back suicide attacks - The first nationwide survey of Muslim Americans revealed that more than a quarter of those younger than 30 say suicide bombings to defend Islam are justified, a fact that drowned out the poll's kinder, gentler findings suggesting that the community is mainstream and middle class. "We should be disturbed that 26 percent of these young people support an ideology in which the ends justify the means," said Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, chairman of the Arizona-based American Islamic Forum for Democracy. "But the survey also found that only 40 percent of the overall American Muslim population would even admit that Arabs were behind 9/11. They're in denial, refusing to take moral responsibility, and the radicals will feed on this," Dr. Jasser said.

Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream - The first-ever, nationwide, random sample survey of Muslim Americans finds them to be largely assimilated, happy with their lives, and moderate with respect to many of the issues that have divided Muslims and Westerners around the world.
Lets set the scene first…
-There are 2.35 million Muslims in the US
-US Muslims are 50% Sunni, 16% Shia, 22% non-specific
-As far as racial background...38% of US Muslims are white…26% black…20% Asian…16% other
-Of those converting to Islam, 59% are black, 34% are white, and 7% other
-72% say religion is very important, compared to 60% of Christians, although more Christians say they attend church and pray regularly
-US Muslims are essentially "big government social conservatives."
-They are 60% more likely to say homosexuality should be discouraged than the general public
-But 70% prefer a bigger government while only 21% want a smaller one
-Shockingly enough...they don't like George W Bush, giving him a 15% approval rating

Politicians weigh renewal of Net access tax ban - With only months left on a moratorium restricting state governments from taxing Internet access, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday began a debate over whether the ban should be made permanent or allowed to lapse.

Apple v Ann Summers in iGasm spat - High street adult retailer Ann Summers has landed itself in a heap of trouble with Apple. The retail chain has been promoting a £30 sex toy called the iGasm, a device which connects to any music player and offers users an erotic vibrating treat in time to the beat.

Decision '08:
Edwards: Move Past 'War on Terror' - Democrat John Edwards Wednesday repudiated the notion that there is a "global war on terror," calling it an ideological doctrine advanced by the Bush administration that has strained American military resources and emboldened terrorists. In a defense policy speech he planned to deliver at the Council on Foreign Relations, Edwards called the war on terror a "bumper sticker" slogan Bush had used to justify everything from abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison to the invasion of Iraq.

John Edwards Stakes Claim on Pirate Booty - The populist one-term senator will get an undisclosed piece of the action from the sunken 17th-century galleon. The ship, laden with gold and silver, was found at the bottom of the Atlantic by a little-known exploration company, Florida-based Odyssey Marine Research. Biggest shareholder: New York-based Fortress Investments, a private equity and hedge fund manager. Senior adviser and major investor: John Edwards.

Wal-Mart health clinics divide US medics - Can a retail store deliver healthcare? Wal-Mart, the largest US retailer, thinks so, together with CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid, the leading US drug store chains. But as all four move ahead with plans to expand “walk-in clinics” in their stores, the doctors of Illinois are fighting back. The state could be the first to impose stricter regulation on the new generation of walk-in clinics, where nurse-practitioners can examine patients, conduct basic procedures such as inoculation, and prescribe for minor illnesses, while charging less than a doctor’s practice.

Smurf it!

I recently had another conversation with the self-described liberal feminist. She mentioned she was looking forward to 'smurfing' the guy she is currently seeing. I naturally took issue with the statement, pointing out the obvious that in every relationship there is the one doing the 'smurfing' i.e. the 'smurfer' and the one being 'smurfed' i.e. the 'smurfee'. As I see it, the only way the female can be the 'smurfer' is with the aid of outside apparatuses, not that there is anything wrong with that - just not my steeze. She did not like the fact that men should maintain power over the verb. I say give man the verb since most every other aspect of a sexual encounter is controlled by the woman. Although I do recognize there are countless other ways a woman can 'SMURF' a man outside the bedroom.























It's Gross and It's Mine! - Entries from the recent "Poo Contest" showing photos and testimonials of real results from the the Colon Cleansing Kit by Blessed Herbs. The Crappy Yak does not use or endorse this product.















County's smoking ban in ashes - A smoking ban passed by Allegheny County last October was struck down yesterday by the state Commonwealth Court, which ruled that county exceeded its authority. "Regardless of our own sense as to whether local communities should be permitted to impose stricter regulations in this area, we may only interpret and apply the law as set forth by the general assembly," the three-judge panel wrote. "We, therefore, are constrained to find the county was without authority to enact the ordinance." This entire article is worth a read. This topic is a microcosm of sorts demonstrating so many of the problems our society faces.

One In Four U.S. Muslims OK Suicide Bombs - One in four younger U.S. Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances, though most American Muslims overwhelmingly reject the tactic and are critical of Islamic extremism and al Qaeda. In the prior article there was a statistic that 1 in 5 people in Pennsylvania smoke. Which statistic is truly more disturbing, 20% of people being smokers or 25% of people thinking suicide bombings are ok?

This story disturbs the crap out of me:
Critics say the liberal news media are ignoring Knoxville, Tenn., couple slaying - In a powerful demonstration of the way the Internet has opened up the mainstream media to intensive second-guessing, bloggers are charging that news outlets have ignored the rape and murder of a young Knoxville couple because of the racial implications of the story.

Racially Charged Murder Trials Getting Scant National Press

Miss Christian picked up Mr. Newsom (victims) in her 2005 Toyota 4-Runner. Some time just after midnight, Letalvis Cobbins, 24, along with his brother Lemaricus Davidson, 25, and George Thomas, 24, stopped the couple at gunpoint. Mr. Davidson had already been convicted of carjacking and aggravated robbery in Tennessee in 2001, but had served only five years. The three men tied up and took them in the 4-Runner to an apartment where Mr. Cobbins and Mr. Davidson lived. This was in a rundown rental house at 2316 Chipman Street in East Knoxville. Mr. Cobbins’s 18-year-old girlfriend, Vanessa Coleman, met them there. All four, including, Miss Coleman, then engaged in an orgy of rape and violence. They anally gang-raped Mr. Newsom, and orally, anally, and vaginally gang-raped Channon Christian. They brutally beat both victims and poured cleaning fluid down Miss Christian’s throat. They killed Mr. Newsom, leaving him with “multiple gunshot wounds,” and set his corpse on fire. They also killed Miss Christian. Knoxville police refuse to say how Miss Christian was murdered, but an Assistant U.S. Attorney suggests she may have been “choked.”
The victims:














The Suspects:






Democrats Drop Troop Pullout Dates From Iraq Bill - Congressional Democrats relented today on their insistence that a war spending measure sought by President Bush also set a date for withdrawing troops from Iraq. The decision to back down, described by senior lawmakers and aides, was a wrenching reversal for some Democrats, who saw their election triumph as a call to force an end to the war. A Democratic effort to include time lines prompted Mr. Bush’s veto of the original bill last month, producing a political impasse.

Golfer dies after cart plunges off cliff - A golfer died Tuesday after his golf cart plunged 75 feet off a cliff and crashed onto a road below.

Data Inducted into Robot Hall of Fame - Data has been celebrated in the Robot Hall of Fame, joining the Mars Pathfinder Rover, C-3PO and the LEGO Mindstorms robotic kit. "This is the first time since we established the Robot Hall of Fame in 2003 that most of the inductees are real robots rather than those of science fiction," Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute director Matt Mason told Milwaukee's TMJ4. "As much as we love fictional robots such as Data, those of us in the robotics field take heart when the real accomplishments of our colleagues get this well-deserved recognition."

U.S. Hispanics embracing Islam - A growing number of Hispanics across the U.S. have found common ground in a faith and culture bearing surprising similarities to their own heritage.
From professionals to students to homemakers, they are drawn to the Muslim faith through marriage, curiosity and a shared interest in issues such as immigration. The population of Hispanic Muslims has increased 30 percent to some 200,000 since 1999, estimates Ali Khan, national director of the American Muslim Council in Chicago. Many attribute the trend to a growing interest in Islam since the 2001 terrorist attacks and also to a collision between two burgeoning minority groups. They note that Muslims ruled Spain centuries ago, leaving an imprint on Spanish food, music, and language. “Many Hispanics … who are becoming Muslim, would say they are embracing their heritage, a heritage that was denied to them in a sense,” says Ihsan Bagby, professor of Arabic and Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky.

Finally a reason I might want to convert to Islam, adult breast feeding? - Ezzat Attiya (the head of Al-Azhar's department of Hadith, or teachings of the Prophet Muhammad) had issued a fatwa, or religious edict, saying adult men could breast-feed from female work colleagues as a way to avoid breaking Islamic rules that forbid men and women from being alone together. In Islamic tradition, breast-feeding establishes a degree of maternal relation, even if a woman nurses a child who is not biologically hers. It means the child could not marry the nursing woman's biological children. He argued that if a man nursed from a co-worker, it would establish a family bond between them and allow the two to work side-by-side without raising suspicion of an illicit sexual relation.

Bang, Bang

I recently watched The Departed and was reminded of one of the few recent funny moments of SNL.


Iran Watch:
Iran's secret plan for summer offensive to force US out of Iraq - Iran is secretly forging ties with al-Qaida elements and Sunni Arab militias in Iraq in preparation for a summer showdown with coalition forces intended to tip a wavering US Congress into voting for full military withdrawal, US officials say. The official said US commanders were bracing for a nationwide, Iranian-orchestrated summer offensive, linking al-Qaida and Sunni insurgents to Tehran's Shia militia allies, that Iran hoped would trigger a political mutiny in Washington and a US retreat. "We expect that al-Qaida and Iran will both attempt to increase the propaganda and increase the violence prior to Petraeus's report in September [when the US commander General David Petraeus will report to Congress on President George Bush's controversial, six-month security "surge" of 30,000 troop reinforcements]," the official said.

UN steps up inspections of Iran's nuclear sites - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said April 9 Iran had mastered industrial-scale production of nuclear fuel giving up a research-level program. Recent reports said Tehran was already running 1,600 uranium enrichment centrifuges in the Natanz underground complex.

Iran, Belarus Cement Ties - The Iranian and Belarusian presidents on Monday vowed to cement ties in a bid to start what the Belarusian leader called as "a strategic partnership".

Columbia High teacher accused of sex act with student - A social studies teacher at Columbia High School was charged Monday with repeatedly having oral sex in his classroom with a 16-year-old male student during the school day.

Religious leaders urge action on warming - Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders are urging President George W. Bush and Congress to take action against global warming, declaring that the changing climate is a "moral and spiritual issue." "Global warming is real, it is human-induced and we have the responsibility to act," says the letter, which will run in Roll Call and the Politico, two Capitol Hill newspapers. "We are mobilizing a religious force that will persuade our legislators to take immediate action to curb greenhouse gases," it says.

Maybe:
The classroom 'cancer risk' of wi-fi internet - Britain's top health watchdog has called for an inquiry into the use of wireless Internet networks in schools because of concerns they could be exposing children to the risk of cancer. The demand came after it was revealed that classroom "wi-fi" networks give off three times as much radiation as a typical mobile phone mast.
Maybe Not:
Scientists reject Panorama's claims on Wi-Fi radiation risks - An investigation into the possible dangers of Wi-Fi technology - wireless computer networks - by the BBC documentary programme Panorama has been rejected as "grossly unscientific" and a "scare story" by leading scientists. The programme will claim that the radiation given off by a Wi-Fi laptop is "three times higher than the ... signal strength of a typical phone mast". But the experiment carried out by the programme did not take into account a "basic" scientific concept and presented a bogus comparison, critics say.

Hundreds flock to Nepal shrine for "sweating" idol - Hundreds of people have flocked to a remote village in eastern Nepal to see a "sweating" idol of a Hindu god, a sign of impending turmoil or natural disaster for the devoutly religious nation.

Okay fellas, if you manage to convince your lady friend to let you install a stripper pole, make sure you do it right.

God's litte bellyacher

Some great quotes from the Simpsons 400th episode














"Imploring people I've never meant to pressure a government with better things to do to punish a man who meant no harm for something nobody even saw." After Ned Flanders watches news anchor Kent Brockman use a shocking expletive when Homer accidentally pours a mug full of coffee into his lap. He then logs on the internet and is asked what he is doing by his kids.

"Did you know that everyday Mexican gays sneak into this country and unplug our brain dead ladies?" Homer Simpson responding to watching a lot of FOX news.

Clemson News:
















Former Clemson player and Jet's 2004 second round draft pick Justin Miller Busted For Bar Brawl and Faces Assault Charges For Punching Woman - Sunday night the 23-year-old Pro Bowl returner was arrested after allegedly punching a woman in a nightclub. He was apprehended following a police chase at 4:20 a.m.

Iran Watch:
Iran charges detained Iranian-American scholar - Prominent Iranian-American scholar Dr. Haleh Esfandiar was formally charged with plotting to overthrow the Iranian government by organizing a network "against the sovereignty of the country," according to Iranian television Monday.

Immigration News:
Senate Puts Off Action on Immigration - Senate leaders agreed Monday that they would wait until June to take final action on a bipartisan plan to give millions of unlawful immigrants legal status.

France says no to mass legalisation of undocumented immigrants - France's minister of immigration and national identity, a new ministry created by President Nicolas Sarkozy, has ruled out legalizing undocumented immigrants en mass. The new ministry said today that government policy would be dictated by firmness and pragmatism. "We have to put aside massive legalization. It doesn't work and it penalizes, even immigrants."

Iran expels 70 000 Afghans - More than 70,000 Afghans who were in Iran illegally have been returned in the past month, the United Nations said on Monday, as talks were under way between the neighbors over the controversial deportations.

Immigrant Rental Rule in Texas Blocked - A federal judge Monday blocked enforcement of a voter-endorsed ordinance preventing apartment rentals to most illegal immigrants in this Dallas suburb, opponents of the ban said. The ordinance requires managers to verify that renters are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants before leasing to them, with some exceptions. Violators face fines of up to $500, and each day would be considered a separate violation. Only the federal government can determine whether a person is in the United States legally, wrote U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay. Instead of deferring to federal officials, Farmers Branch has created its own classification to determine which noncitizens may rent an apartment, the judge ruled.

Iraq News:
Iraq makes plans for quick U.S. pullout - Iraq's military is drawing up plans to cope with any quick U.S. military pullout, the defense minister said Monday, as a senior American official warned that the Bush administration may reconsider its support if Iraqi leaders don't make major reforms by fall. The U.S. official did not say what actions could be taken by the White House, but his comments reflected the administration's need to show results in Iraq — as an answer to pressure by the Democrats in Congress seeking to set timetables on the U.S. military presence.

More Lawmaker Hypocrisy: Edwards charges $55,000 to speak to UC Davis students about poverty - Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, who as a Democratic presidential candidate recently proposed an educational policy that urged "every financial barrier" be removed for American kids who want to go to college, has been going to college himself -- as a high paid speaker, his financial records show. The candidate charged a whopping $55,000 to speak at to a crowd of 1,787 the taxpayer-funded University of California at Davis on Jan. 9, 2006 last year, Joe Martin, the public relations officer for the campus' Mondavi Center confirmed Monday.

China News:
Chinese villagers riot over stricter population-control - An intensive campaign to enforce strict population-control measures prompted violent clashes between the police and local residents in southwestern China in recent days, witnesses said, describing the latest incident of rural unrest that has alarmed senior officials in Beijing. The violence appeared to stem from a two-month-long crackdown in Guangxi to punish people who violated the country's birth control policy. The policy limits the number of children families can have legally.

China Questions 2 Companies in Contaminated Toothpaste Exports - Chinese authorities are investigating whether two companies from this coastal region exported tainted toothpaste as more contaminated product, including some made for children, has turned up in Latin America.

Other Crap:
Monkey dead from bubonic plague in Denver - A Denver Zoo monkey has died of bubonic plague, apparently after eating a squirrel stricken with the disease, Colorado health and zoo officials said on Monday.

Carter says comments were ‘careless’ after the 39th president had blasted Bush administration as ‘worst in history’ - Former President Jimmy Carter on Monday said his comments over the weekend about the Bush administration were “careless.”

Schwarzenegger accuses government on warming - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and fellow Republican Gov. Jodi Rell of Connecticut accused the U.S. government on Monday of "inaction and denial" on global warming. "It's bad enough that the federal government has yet to take the threat of global warming seriously, but it borders on malfeasance for it to block the efforts of states such as California and Connecticut that are trying to protect the public's health and welfare."

Is Ubuntu the Linux OS for Law Firms?

And by the way, Mama... alligators are ornery because of their medulla oblongata.

"My mother told me not to get a tattoo of Roy Orbison. But what momma don't know, won't hurt her."

Time to open-up a can of whoop ass!













Bush White House fires back at Jimmy Carter - The White House on Sunday fired back at former President Jimmy Carter, calling him "increasingly irrelevant" a day after Carter described George W. Bush's presidency as the worst in history in international relations.

CIA: Iraq Wealth Funding Al-Qaida - Iraq is bankrolling Al-Qaida's efforts in Pakistan, fueled by kidapping ransoms and money donated to anti-American efforts, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Although my faith in the CIA has faltered over the past half a decade.

College students caught in music industry crackdown on online music piracy - A group called the Recording Industry Association of America was accusing the University of Nebraska-Lincoln sophomore of illegally downloading 381 songs using the school's computer network. Ms. Barg couldn't imagine anyone expected her to pay $3,000 -- $7.87 per song... "Obviously I knew it was illegal, but no one got in trouble for it," Ms. Barg said.

Sly Fined for Importing Restricted Drugs -Actor Sylvester Stallone was formally convicted Monday of importing restricted muscle-building hormones into Australia and ordered to pay $10,651 in fines and court costs. New South Wales state Deputy Chief Magistrate Paul Cloran said the "Rocky" and "Rambo" star failed to show he had a valid prescription for dozens of vials of human growth hormone found in his luggage when he arrived in Sydney for a promotional tour in February.

DiCaprio bites back over eco 'hypocrisy' - Leonardo DiCaprio hit back at charges of hypocrisy Saturday as he unveiled an eco-documentary he wrote, produced and narrated at the Cannes film festival. When asked after the premiere of "The 11th Hour" whether he had taken a fuel-guzzling jet on his way to the French Riviera, the "Titanic" star spat back sarcastically: "No, I took a train across the Atlantic." DiCaprio later came back to the reporter, saying that he was irritated with the media for going after prominent environmentalists such as former US vice president Al Gore for supposed inconsistency in their private lives.

How did An Inconvenient Truth become required classroom viewing? - First it was his world history class. Then he saw it in his economics class. And his world issues class. And his environment class. In total, 18-year-old McKenzie, a Northern Ontario high schooler, says he has had the film An Inconvenient Truth shown to him by four different teachers this year."I really don't understand why they keep showing it," says McKenzie. "I've spoken to the principal about it, and he said that teachers are instructed to present it as a debate. But every time we've seen it, well, one teacher said this is basically a two-sided debate, but this movie really gives you the best idea of what's going on." McKenzie says he has educated himself enough about both sides of the climate- change controversy to know that the Al Gore movie is too one-sided to be taught as fact. Even scientists who back Mr. Gore's message admit they're uncomfortable with liberties the politician takes with "science" in the film. God bless the little children...

For 2008, Who Isn't a Flip-Flopper? - Flip floppery is everywhere in American politics these days. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) used to support abortion rights, but now, seeking the votes of conservatives in New Hampshire and South Carolina, he doesn't. Former senator John Edwards (D-N.C.) voted to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, but now that the state is hosting an early caucus, he opposes such a plan. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in 2000 that he saw no benefit from ethanol, but now, hoping for a win in corn-crazy Iowa, he sees the alternative fuel as practical, though he's still opposed to subsidizing it.

Yucky News of the day - Nude photos of nursing home residents prompt investigation - Authorities say they have identified 3 of 4 nursing home residents who were photographed nude. The elderly residents at Greenwood Manor in Iowa City don't know who took the photos, or why they were taken.

Another candidate for Mother of the Year - Mom blames Satan for burning baby in microwave - A woman blames the devil and not her husband for severely burning their infant daughter after the 2-month-old was put in a microwave. Eva Marie Mauldin said Satan compelled her 19-year-old husband, Joshua Royce Mauldin, to microwave their daughter May 10 because the devil disapproved of Joshua's efforts to become a preacher.

More lawmaker hypocracy.
(CA) - A Vallejo woman reportedly suffered minor injuries Friday when her car was rear-ended by State Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, while driving her new state-issued 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV talking on a cell phone. Migden: Voted last year to impose a $20 fine for talking on cell phones while driving.






Legislation to add "weight and height" to anti-discrimination law in Massachusetts has been proposed to give special protection to short and fat people. - The bill, which would make Massachusetts the second state in the United States to offer such protections, applies mainly to the workplace but also covers landlords and real estate interactions. "This is one of the last physical aspects of people that you can acceptably laugh about," said Rep. Byron Rushing, a Boston Democrat who is sponsoring the bill, said it is a question of civil rights. "You can be a shock jock on the radio and talk about fat people for a solid week and no one would ever think of having you lose your job. It's still acceptable." Is there any end to what will be included into civil rights?

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

"Vi veri veniversum vivus vici." - "By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe."

Paris Hilton won't appeal the 45-day jail term she was sentenced to earlier this month for violating probation, according to court documents filed Thursday. Hilton will be separated from the general inmate population in a unit that contains 12 two-person cells reserved for police officers, public officials, celebrities and other high-profile inmates, Whitmore said. She could have a cellmate.

The number of people in the United States from ethnic or racial minorities has risen to more than 100 million, or around one-third of the population, according to a U.S. Census Bureau.

Obama Parody On Limbaugh Show Sparks Controversy - The song "Barak the Magic Negro" was produced for the Rush Limbaugh show by songwriter Paul Shanklin.

Limbaugh had referred to Obama many times as "Obama the 'Magic Negro'", each time prefacing the comment by saying title with regard to Obama originated in an L.A. Times Op-Ed by commentator David Ehrenstein. "while replacing stereotypes of a dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sexual congress holds no interest. As might be expected, this figure is chiefly cinematic—embodied by such noted performers as Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, Scatman Crothers, Michael Clarke Duncan, Will Smith and, most recently, Don Cheadle. And that's not to mention a certain basketball player whose very nickname is "Magic." If have you have not heard it, listen to it here.

How to insult, swear, cuss, and curse in 180 languages!

McCain Goes Nuts Near Senate Floor - Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, launched into a shouting match during a Thursday Capitol Hill meeting. Cornyn accused McCain of being too occupied campaigning for president to take part in the negotiations. "Wait a second here, I've been sitting in here for all of these negotiations and you just parachute in here on the last day. You're out of line." Cornyn said to McCain. "Fuck you! I know more about this than anyone else in the room," McCain reportedly answered.

Carter Blasts Bush on His Global Impact - Former President Carter says President Bush's administration is "the worst in history" in international relations, taking aim at the White House's policy of pre-emptive war and its Middle East diplomacy.

Hundreds of youths clashed with police in the Danish capital Saturday, setting fire to street barricades to protest the demolition of a building in a hippie enclave. Protesters also clashed with police early this week when workers tore down a condemned building in Christiania, a partially self-governing section of Copenhagen that is home to an alternative lifestyle community. Two months ago, angry youths went on a rampage in downtown Copenhagen to protest the eviction of squatters from a youth center in another part of the city.

Leonardo DiCaprio discusses his upcoming environmental documentary "The 11th Hour."
"Yes, a lot of the science is very hard to wrap your head around. But I was very clear in the movie. I want the public to be very scared by what they see. I want them to see a very bleak future. I want them to feel disillusioned halfway through and feel hopeless."

Global warming debunked? - Climate change will be considered a joke in five years time, meteorologist Augie Auer told the annual meeting of Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers in Ashburton this week. Water vapour was responsible for 95 per cent of the greenhouse effect, an effect which was vital to keep the world warm. The other greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen dioxide, and various others including CFCs, contributed only five per cent of the effect, carbon dioxide being by far the greatest contributor at 3.6 per cent. However, carbon dioxide as a result of man's activities was only 3.2 per cent of that, hence only 0.12 per cent of the greenhouse gases in total. Human-related methane, nitrogen dioxide and CFCs etc made similarly minuscule contributions to the effect: 0.066, 0.047 and 0.046 per cent respectively. A combination of misinterpreted and misguided science, media hype, and political spin had created the current hysteria and it was time to put a stop to it.
My question here is will this side even be mentioned in "The 11th Hour"?

Michael Moore's new film is Cannes's hottest ticket

2007 Sexiest Man in America ... Michael Moore?

Farrah Fawcett's Cancer Has Returned - Farrah Fawcett, who was declared cancer-free in February, discovered this week the cancer has returned. Will she be #2 in the Death Pool?

Terrifying News of the Day - A court in Azerbaijan has jailed two journalists for writing and printing a newspaper article that was critical of the Islamic religion and the Prophet Muhammad. Samir Sadagatoglu was sentenced to four years in prison while Rafik Tagi was given three years. The court ruled that their article 'Europe and us' was insulting to Islam and Muslims for saying that European societies were more successful than Muslim ones because Christian teachings were based on peace and tolerance while Islamic values, based on the teachings and actions of Muhammad, were not.

It Takes Two to Tango...

More news about Clemson's pregnant athletes possibly losing scholarship. On the school's athletic website, athletic director Terry Don Phillips said that coach Marcia Noad had included the following clause as part of the team's written rules: "Pregnancy resulting in the inability to compete and positively contribute to the program's success will result in the modification of your grant-in-aid money. Please consult your coaching staff immediately to discuss."
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 - No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. The most prominent public face of Title IX is its impact on high school and collegiate athletics, the original statute made no reference to athletics.
So I suppose the question becomes, does removing a scholarship from a female who becomes pregnant violate Title IX. Since only females become pregnant, this will be lumped into discrimination based on sex. Is modifying the aid money the athlete receives excluding them from the benefit of the educational program or activity (namely an athletic scholarship)? The first hurdle is being able to discuss this issue as a male without being labeled a male chauvinist. I recently had a conversation about this issue with a self-described liberal feminist, and it was pointed out to me that since men cannot become pregnant there can not be an equivalent comparison to make the determination of discrimination or equality. Denying a female who becomes pregnant the opportunity to participate in any scholastic or athletic program in a State sponsored college or university clearly violates Title IX and is not in the spirit of this statute. Although it must be acknowledged that the student athlete receiving aid made a commitment to their institution and is receiving the aid based on their participation in that program. Should there be any repercussions based on a student athlete's actions? This is a difficult issue that is not going away.

On a lighter note

Dog Nurses Tiger Triplets at China Zoo.










You may remember this story last year, a depressed tiger in zoo who lost its cubs being given little piglets dressed up like tigers. A popular but untrue story. This story even made it to local news networks, including my local Pittsburgh Channel 11 news, disregarding the fact that the truth was only a click away if someone was doing even a minimal amount of fact checking. So who knows, this story may make snopes before you know it.




Holy Crap of the Day - Daycare shut down after infants found crying in storage closet.

Where is this heading? The government has overturned its proposed ban on the creation of human-animal embryos ... scientists would be allowed to grow the embryos in a lab for no more than two weeks, and it would be illegal to implant them in a human.

Immigration Legislation News of the Day - The Bush administration and a bipartisan group of senators reached agreement yesterday on a sprawling overhaul of the nation's immigration laws that would bring an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants out of society's shadows while stiffening border protections and cracking down on employers of undocumented workers. The Senate deal would grant temporary legal status to virtually all illegal immigrants in the country, while allowing them to apply for residence visas and eventual citizenship. A temporary-worker program would allow as many as 400,000 migrants into the country each year, but they would have to leave after two years. And the current visa system, which stresses family ties, would be augmented by a complex point system that would favor skilled, educated workers. Most of those changes would take effect only after the implementation of tough new border controls and a crackdown on the employment of undocumented workers.

Ambiguously Gay Moment of the Day

Clemson on ESPN

Here is the portion of ESPN Outside the Lines from earlier in the week which was mentioned in the last blog entry. All the non-Clemson content has been edited out, so sorry.

Sexiest Vegitarian Girl Next Door

Jakšić - Found the town in Croatia where the great grandfather was from. A small mountain town that bares the family name in Croatian.

Letters threaten Pakistani Christians to convert to Islam - Pakistani Christians in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan are reportedly receiving menacing letters asking them to close their churches and convert to Islam within 10 days, although some letters did not say what the consequences would be if Christians failed to comply, others are reported to have threatened bombing or the execution of all Christians. Police have increased security at churches, it said.

Today's urban legend - 2006 Darwin Awards. This one makes the rounds every year. ==> Multiple TRUE/FALSE.

Pet news of the day. Raisins, grapes, even in small amounts, can kill a dog. From April 2003 to April 2004, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center got 140 calls about dogs that had eaten varying amounts of raisins or grapes. More than 50 of those dogs developed "clinical signs" ranging from vomiting to kidney failure. Seven of the dogs died.

Clemson news - Clemson University Upset by ESPN Report on Abortion and Scholarships. Officials at Clemson University in South Carolina are upset by the content of an ESPN investigative report showing that seven current or former students there had abortions in order to retain their athletic scholarships. The report said a school policy takes away scholarships from pregnant students but official contest that claim. Just by chance I happened to be watching ESPN Outside the Lines waiting for NFL today. Thanks to TIVO I was able to record the segment and will attempt to post the segment within the next few days.


Clemson Student Wins Maui Vacation in Online PETA Contest

Jessica Comolli has been crowned the 2007 "Sexiest Vegetarian Girl Next Door".















Holy Crap of the day - Rapper (R. Kelly), still up on child porn charges, compares himself to slain civil rights leader. "I'm the Ali of today. I'm the Marvin Gaye of today. I'm the Bob Marley of today. I'm the Martin Luther King, or all the other greats that have come before us. And a lot of people are starting to realize that now."

More influential mental giants support Hillary Clinton.
Jenna Jameson: "I love Hillary. I think that in some ways she's pretty conservative for a Democrat, but I would love to have a woman in office. I think that it would be a step in the right direction for our country, and there would be less focus on war and more focus on bettering society."
Jenna Jameson: "Absolutely. The Clinton administration was the best years for the adult industry and I wish that Clinton would run again. I would love to have him back in office. I would love to have Al Gore in office. When Republicans are in office, the problem is, a lot of times they try to put their crosshairs on the adult industry, to make a point. It's sad, when there are so many different things that are going on in the world: war, and people are dying of genocide...I look forward to another Democrat being in office. It just makes the climate so much better for us, and I know that once all our troops come home, things are going to be better and I think that getting Bush out of office is the most important thing right now."

The chairman of the Michigan Republican Party said Wednesday that he will try to bar Ron Paul from future GOP presidential debates because of remarks the Texas congressman made that suggested the Sept. 11 attacks were the fault of U.S. foreign policy. -Story- "Have you ever read about the reasons they attacked us? They attack us because we've been over there. We've been bombing Iraq for 10 years," Paul said. Although I think what he said may be stupid is barring him from saying it the proper response, shouldn't the voters hear these comments and make their own decision?

Five years and counting...

Today's Iran news... One year away from nukes?
Today's Hillary news - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton voted Wednesday to advance legislation cutting off money for the Iraq war, then refused to pledge to support the measure if it came to a vote, then said she would.
Become a Hillraiser.
Hillary Clinton wants more need based college aid and less achievement based aid. "So we've got to get the cost of college down. We need much more in the way of college aid. We also need to get back to need based aid because a lot of kids who are really good prospects for college, they may not be the A student, but they're the solid B student, or they're the really hard working C student." Read the entire transcript or watch if you dare...

Today's Global Warming news - Only five years left, oh my. Our planet is just five years away from climate change catastrophe - but can still be saved, according to a new WWF report.
Are these the people leading the Global Warming revolution? Environmental activists are building a replica of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat—where the biblical vessel is said to have landed after the great flood—in an appeal for action on global warming, Greenpeace said Wednesday.
More crappy television on the CBS fall line-up. CBS is ready to unleash a reality take on "Lord of the Flies," quietly wrapping filming on a new skein in which a group of 8- to 15-year-olds will create their own society.
Uran legend of the day - Xylitol danger, sugar substitute used in sugar-free gum can be harmful to your dog. ==> TRUE
Happy 46th Birthday Enya.
On this day in 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), overturning its earlier ruling, declaring the establishment of separate public schools for black and white students inherently unequal. This victory paved the way for integration and the Civil Rights Movement.
Man I love those Japanese.

Bring Back Kirk

Some journeys were never meant to end. Bring back James T. Kirk.

The universe hangs in the balance.
One man, thought to be dead, is the only one who can save it.
The time has come to turn death into a fighting chance to LIVE!
And a legend... will return!

Today's Iran watch.

Bob Barker to say goodbye after 50 years.












How about a Terminator T.V. series? Yep, on FOX no less. The Sarah Conner Chronicles.

More crappy television, ABC will have Geico Caveman sitcom this Fall.

More Microsoft claims of patent infringement from Linux to e-mail.

Dogs are always in the push-up position

The best 2 seconds of 74750 seconds...



The joys of winter.

"Canis"

Aren't they?
Urban legend of the day - Snake vs. Cow ==> Real photo, bad description
Today in History - McDonald's founded in 1940
Letter from Michael Moore to Fred Thompson challenging him to a debate.
Gas prices hit a national average of $3.07.
TV just got a lot 'whiter,' says a canceled George Lopez.
Story of a Chinese grandmother who went to the hospital for a headache only to find she has had a bullet in her head since World War II.
Star Trek's Scotty's ashes are missing when trip into space goes bad.
The Brits to launch Skynet and terminator-type remote flyers.
A truck ran over a graduate student's head after bicycle accident and guy lives...

O-Bee Won Kenobi

"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left." ~ Albert Einstein
Todays Bee news, the future may be bleak for the bee.
Anti-Illegal-Immigrant Law OK'd in Texas
Worldwide movie gross dollars, damn Titanic
Practice makes perfect
No Disclosure: Presidential Candidates Defy Tradition, Refuse to Release Taxes
22% of people believe Bush knew 9/11 was coming
Local Pittsburgh talk radio personalities in the midst of a controversy regarding the Kansas tornado disaster, this one is worth a read. (Quinn and Rose)
FBI, security officials warn of growing threat from Islamic extremists 'next door'
Story of the deaths in Haditha, the law suit begins, now marines are being charged with unpremeditated murder.
Read a letter from the parents of Lance Corporal Stephen B. Tatum of Edmond, Oklahoma with their story and asking for help.
Michael Vick's involvement in illegal dog fighting news of the day
Some results of dog fights...

Life Lessons

14 Life Lessons From He-Man

Gas prices are going to break records?
Travolta's attack on BBC man in Scientology expose.
Another candidate for mother of the year, well grandmother in this case.
Woman survives internal decapitation, Holy crap!
My Congressional Representative Jason Altmire might not be a complete douche. How about yours?

Urban legend of the day - Asian Hostage Negotiations ==> TRUE

Balls of Fury

The article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about an attorney who was arrested trying to smuggle drugs into a client at the Allegheny County Jail. What the article doesn't say is that he was working for my old boss, Lois E. Glanby, Esq.
Movie trailer for Balls of Fury, a cross between Bloodsport and Ping Pong. Maybe Van Damme will make a cameo.
This smoking ban is getting out of control.
Another hold on the smoking ban.
Lithuanian club still faces fine for smoking.
See if you live in a disaster zone. It looks like western PA is pretty safe.
Bible Fight, funny little game. Controls are simple (z,x,up,down,left,right).
The Hoff drunk?
Oh how I miss Wonder Woman.

Sometimes facing Mecca should come with a little situational awareness.

















Another candidate for mother of the year. Maybe she will make Douche of the Year?