Here's a joke I find amusing.
Little Leroy came into the kitchen where his mom was making dinner. His
birthday was coming up, and he thought this was a good time to tell his
mother what he wanted.
"Mom, I want a bike for my birthday."
Little Leroy was a bit of a troublemaker. He had gotten into trouble at
school and at home.
Leroy's mother asked him if he thought he deserved to get a bike for his
birthday. "Of course," he said.
Leroy's mother, being a Christian woman, wanted him to reflect on his
behavior over the last year. "Go to your room, Leroy, and think about
how you've behaved this year.
Then write a letter to God and tell him why you deserve a bike for your
birthday."
Little Leroy stomped up the steps to his room and sat down to write God
a letter.
Letter 1: "Dear God, I have been a very good boy this year, and I would
like a bike for my birthday. I want a red one.
Your friend, Leroy."
Leroy knew this was not true, so he tore the letter up and wrote a new
one.
Letter 2: "Dear God, I have been an okay boy this year. I still would
like a bike for my birthday. Leroy."
This letter was no good either.
Letter 3: "Dear God, I know I haven't been a good boy this year. I am
very sorry, and I will be a good boy next year if you just send me a
bike for my birthday. Please. Thank you. Leroy."
Leroy knew this wasn't true, and now he was getting upset.
He went downstairs and told his mother he needed to go to church. She
thought her plan had worked and told him to be home in time for dinner.
Leroy walked into the church and went to the altar. He looked around to
see if anyone was watching. He bent down, picked up the statue of the
Virgin Mary, and slipped it under his coat.
Letter 4: "Dear God, I got your mama. If you want to see her again, send
the bike. Signed, You know who."
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Chopper rescues man, cockatoo from pine tree
Texan climbed 60 feet, got stuck trying to retrieve his $2,000 pet bird
It took a Coast Guard helicopter to rescue a man and his pet cockatoo from the heights of a pine tree after he got stuck trying retrieve the $2,000 bird.
William Hart, 35, had climbed about 60 feet up the tree to get the bird after it escaped from its cage and flew out a bedroom window. Television video showed him standing on a branch Tuesday evening awaiting rescue, the exotic white bird apparently tucked under his shirt.
The bird, Geronimo, got out after Hart’s daughter apparently forgot to latch his cage after feeding him, Hart told the Houston Chronicle. He said he spotted Geronimo in flight and chased him, then climbed the tree until the cockatoo flew to his arm.
LINK
It took a Coast Guard helicopter to rescue a man and his pet cockatoo from the heights of a pine tree after he got stuck trying retrieve the $2,000 bird.
William Hart, 35, had climbed about 60 feet up the tree to get the bird after it escaped from its cage and flew out a bedroom window. Television video showed him standing on a branch Tuesday evening awaiting rescue, the exotic white bird apparently tucked under his shirt.
The bird, Geronimo, got out after Hart’s daughter apparently forgot to latch his cage after feeding him, Hart told the Houston Chronicle. He said he spotted Geronimo in flight and chased him, then climbed the tree until the cockatoo flew to his arm.
LINK
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Gen. tried to warn Bush on Tillman
Just seven days after Pat Tillman's death, a top general warned there were strong indications that it was friendly fire and President Bush might embarrass himself if he said the NFL star-turned-soldier died in an ambush, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press.
It was not until a month afterward that the
Pentagon told the public and grieving family members the truth — that Tillman was mistakenly killed in
Afghanistan by his comrades.
......
In a memo sent to a four-star general a week after Tillman's April 22, 2004, death, then-Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal warned that it was "highly possible" the Army Ranger was killed by friendly fire. McChrystal made it clear his warning should be conveyed to the president.
"I felt that it was essential that you received this information as soon as we detected it in order to preclude any unknowing statements by our country's leaders which might cause public embarrassment if the circumstances of Cpl. Tillman's death become public," McChrystal wrote on April 29, 2004, to Gen. John Abizaid, head of Central Command.
LINK
It was not until a month afterward that the
Pentagon told the public and grieving family members the truth — that Tillman was mistakenly killed in
Afghanistan by his comrades.
......
In a memo sent to a four-star general a week after Tillman's April 22, 2004, death, then-Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal warned that it was "highly possible" the Army Ranger was killed by friendly fire. McChrystal made it clear his warning should be conveyed to the president.
"I felt that it was essential that you received this information as soon as we detected it in order to preclude any unknowing statements by our country's leaders which might cause public embarrassment if the circumstances of Cpl. Tillman's death become public," McChrystal wrote on April 29, 2004, to Gen. John Abizaid, head of Central Command.
LINK
Testimony keeps Gonzales on the defensive
Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales on Friday defended his role in the firing of eight U.S. attorneys following damaging testimony from his former chief of staff that Gonzales gave inaccurate accounts of his involvement in the matter.
In Boston to attend an event on preventing sexual exploitation of children, the attorney general told reporters that he wasn't involved in talks over which individual prosecutors to dismiss. "There obviously remains some confusion about my involvement in this," Gonzales said. "At the end of the day, I know what I did. And I know that the motivations for the decisions I made were not based on improper reasons.
"I believe in truth and accountability, and every step that I've taken is consistent with that principle," he said. "I am fighting for the truth as well."
His credibility already smarting from weeks of shifting explanations and surprising, late-night document disclosures, Gonzales took a major hit Thursday when D. Kyle Sampson told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the attorney general had been long and deeply involved in an action that Gonzales has said he knew little about.
LINK
In Boston to attend an event on preventing sexual exploitation of children, the attorney general told reporters that he wasn't involved in talks over which individual prosecutors to dismiss. "There obviously remains some confusion about my involvement in this," Gonzales said. "At the end of the day, I know what I did. And I know that the motivations for the decisions I made were not based on improper reasons.
"I believe in truth and accountability, and every step that I've taken is consistent with that principle," he said. "I am fighting for the truth as well."
His credibility already smarting from weeks of shifting explanations and surprising, late-night document disclosures, Gonzales took a major hit Thursday when D. Kyle Sampson told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the attorney general had been long and deeply involved in an action that Gonzales has said he knew little about.
LINK
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Army Will Have to Decide on Any Disciplinary Action
It's been nearly four years since Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire. But CBS News has learned that investigations by the Pentagon's inspector general will now blame nine officers — including four generals — for failing to follow regulations and using poor judgment in a series of missteps that kept the truth of how Tillman died from his family for more than a month.
The official version was that the former NFL star had died in a fire fight with the enemy. It was only after a nationally televised memorial service was held for Tillman that his wife and parents were told he had been mistakenly shot by one of his own men.
Until now, only low-ranking soldiers who were part of Tillman's Army Ranger unit have been disciplined in the events surrounding his death. It will now be up to the Army to decide what, if any, disciplinary action to take against these nine officers.
According to a defense official, it does not appear that the inspector general's investigation, the fifth inquiry into Tillman's death, found any indication of an orchestrated cover-up. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said it appears that senior military leaders may not have had all the facts or worked hard enough to get the facts of what happened on that day in April 2004.
LINK
The official version was that the former NFL star had died in a fire fight with the enemy. It was only after a nationally televised memorial service was held for Tillman that his wife and parents were told he had been mistakenly shot by one of his own men.
Until now, only low-ranking soldiers who were part of Tillman's Army Ranger unit have been disciplined in the events surrounding his death. It will now be up to the Army to decide what, if any, disciplinary action to take against these nine officers.
According to a defense official, it does not appear that the inspector general's investigation, the fifth inquiry into Tillman's death, found any indication of an orchestrated cover-up. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said it appears that senior military leaders may not have had all the facts or worked hard enough to get the facts of what happened on that day in April 2004.
LINK
Passengers' Fall Puzzles Cruise Line Officials
Cruise line officials are trying to figure out how two passengers managed to fall at least 50 feet from a ship's balcony into the Gulf of Mexico Sunday, where they were rescued hours later.
"You cannot just fall off a ship," said Princess Lines' spokeswoman Julie Benson, describing the occurrence as "extremely rare ... this hasn't happened to Princess, that I can recall."
The 22-year-old man and 20-year-old woman -- who have not been identified publicly other than as Americans -- fell at about 1:30 a.m., 150 miles from Galveston, Benson said.
They were recovering Sunday with minor injuries in the medical center aboard the Grand Princess, a spokeswoman for Princess Cruises told CNN.
"They're being watched and treated for their injuries," which include hypothermia from the 71-degree water, Benson said.
LINK
"You cannot just fall off a ship," said Princess Lines' spokeswoman Julie Benson, describing the occurrence as "extremely rare ... this hasn't happened to Princess, that I can recall."
The 22-year-old man and 20-year-old woman -- who have not been identified publicly other than as Americans -- fell at about 1:30 a.m., 150 miles from Galveston, Benson said.
They were recovering Sunday with minor injuries in the medical center aboard the Grand Princess, a spokeswoman for Princess Cruises told CNN.
"They're being watched and treated for their injuries," which include hypothermia from the 71-degree water, Benson said.
LINK
Prince Harry's boozy brawl with a shutterbug
So sad! The media hounded Diana to death, now they're after her children.
Prince Harry, who was out on a secret date with a close friend Natalie Pinkham, reportedly indulged in booze fuelled rage on March 24.
The 22-year old prince, who was partying at posh London club Boujis with former TV presenter Natalie, went berserk attacking one photographer and shouting at him to "F*** off".
Harry, who is due to leave for a six month Iraq tour with his unit, was enraged at being spotted with Natalie, while his girlfriend Chelsy Davy is away on her break.
The royal, who was reportedly caressing and dancing close with Natalie, tried to sneak out from the club at 3 a.m. and madly chased photographer Nirach Tanner, who was waiting outside the club to click pictures.
"He was very drunk. I took a few shots of him and he just came for me. He knows me because I've taken his pictures before and I have never had a problem with him," News of the World quoted Tanner, as saying.
LINK
Prince Harry, who was out on a secret date with a close friend Natalie Pinkham, reportedly indulged in booze fuelled rage on March 24.
The 22-year old prince, who was partying at posh London club Boujis with former TV presenter Natalie, went berserk attacking one photographer and shouting at him to "F*** off".
Harry, who is due to leave for a six month Iraq tour with his unit, was enraged at being spotted with Natalie, while his girlfriend Chelsy Davy is away on her break.
The royal, who was reportedly caressing and dancing close with Natalie, tried to sneak out from the club at 3 a.m. and madly chased photographer Nirach Tanner, who was waiting outside the club to click pictures.
"He was very drunk. I took a few shots of him and he just came for me. He knows me because I've taken his pictures before and I have never had a problem with him," News of the World quoted Tanner, as saying.
LINK
Friday, March 23, 2007
Iranians seize 15 British marines, sailors in Gulf
Can you believe the stupidity of these Iranis?
Iran's ambassador Rasoul Movahedian leaves the Foreign Office in London yesterday. Movahedian was summoned to the Foreign Office yesterday over the seizure of 15 British navy personnel by Iranian forces in the Gulf. - Reuters
BASRA, Iraq (Reuters):
Iranian forces seized 15 British servicemen yesterday in the mouth of the waterway that separates Iran and Iraq, triggering a diplomatic crisis at a time o tensions over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Britain said two boatloads of sailors and marines from the naval frigate Cornwall had searched a merchant vessel in Iraqi waters on a United Nations-approved mission when Iranian gunboats encircled and captured them.
LINK
Iran's ambassador Rasoul Movahedian leaves the Foreign Office in London yesterday. Movahedian was summoned to the Foreign Office yesterday over the seizure of 15 British navy personnel by Iranian forces in the Gulf. - Reuters
BASRA, Iraq (Reuters):
Iranian forces seized 15 British servicemen yesterday in the mouth of the waterway that separates Iran and Iraq, triggering a diplomatic crisis at a time o tensions over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Britain said two boatloads of sailors and marines from the naval frigate Cornwall had searched a merchant vessel in Iraqi waters on a United Nations-approved mission when Iranian gunboats encircled and captured them.
LINK
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Boxer Slams Down Inhofe’s Global Warming Filibuster: ‘You Don’t Make The Rules Anymore’
I think Gore is setting Inhofe up for the kill.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) has said Al Gore is “full of crap” and compared people who believe in global warming to “the Third Reich.” During today’s Senate hearing, Inhofe used a considerable amount of time to attack Gore’s use of carbon offsets and try to convince him to sign a sham “energy ethics pledge.” (Find the real facts on Gore’s energy usage HERE and HERE.)
Inhofe asked Gore for his reaction, but then quickly cut him off saying Gore had taken up too much time. When Gore tried to go on, Inhofe repeatedly interrupted, adding, “I don’t want to be rude, but from now on, I’m going to ask you to respond…in writing.” Inhofe said Gore could respond verbally only if it was a “very brief response.”
Committee chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) finally intervened. “Would you agree to let the Vice President answer your questions?” Inhofe said Gore could respond when he was done talking, but Boxer wouldn’t have it: “No, that isn’t the rule. You’re not making the rules. You used to when you did this. Elections have consequences. So I make the rules.” The hearing audience applauded loudly. Watch it:
Think Progress
Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) has said Al Gore is “full of crap” and compared people who believe in global warming to “the Third Reich.” During today’s Senate hearing, Inhofe used a considerable amount of time to attack Gore’s use of carbon offsets and try to convince him to sign a sham “energy ethics pledge.” (Find the real facts on Gore’s energy usage HERE and HERE.)
Inhofe asked Gore for his reaction, but then quickly cut him off saying Gore had taken up too much time. When Gore tried to go on, Inhofe repeatedly interrupted, adding, “I don’t want to be rude, but from now on, I’m going to ask you to respond…in writing.” Inhofe said Gore could respond verbally only if it was a “very brief response.”
Committee chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) finally intervened. “Would you agree to let the Vice President answer your questions?” Inhofe said Gore could respond when he was done talking, but Boxer wouldn’t have it: “No, that isn’t the rule. You’re not making the rules. You used to when you did this. Elections have consequences. So I make the rules.” The hearing audience applauded loudly. Watch it:
Think Progress
Gore warns of 'planetary emergency'
What is your opinion?
Former Vice President Al Gore, rejecting complaints by Republican lawmakers that he was waging an alarmist war on coal and oil use, insisted before Congressional panels today that human-caused global warming constitutes a "planetary emergency" requiring an aggressive federal response.
Mr. Gore told Congress that humans are artificially warming the world, that the risks of inaction are great, and that meaningful global action to cut emissions linked to warming will only happen if the United States takes the lead. He delivered that message to a joint meeting of two House subcommittees dealing with energy, science and technology this morning and in written testimony prepared for a hearing of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works this afternoon.
Evoking the hit movie "300," about the ancient Spartans' stand at Thermopylae, Mr. Gore called on Congress to put aside partisan differences, accept the scientific consensus on global warming as unambiguous and become "the 535," a reference to the total number of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
LINK
Former Vice President Al Gore, rejecting complaints by Republican lawmakers that he was waging an alarmist war on coal and oil use, insisted before Congressional panels today that human-caused global warming constitutes a "planetary emergency" requiring an aggressive federal response.
Mr. Gore told Congress that humans are artificially warming the world, that the risks of inaction are great, and that meaningful global action to cut emissions linked to warming will only happen if the United States takes the lead. He delivered that message to a joint meeting of two House subcommittees dealing with energy, science and technology this morning and in written testimony prepared for a hearing of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works this afternoon.
Evoking the hit movie "300," about the ancient Spartans' stand at Thermopylae, Mr. Gore called on Congress to put aside partisan differences, accept the scientific consensus on global warming as unambiguous and become "the 535," a reference to the total number of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
LINK
Heather Mills blasted by fans
Heather Mills has been attacked by US TV viewers after just one appearance on 'Dancing With The Stars'.
Heather had agreed to go on the TV show in a bid to win over the American public following her bitter split from Sir Paul McCartney.
But her efforts have already backfired as the show's website message-boards have been bombarded with scathing comments and insults.
One viewer, using the screen name Mytgr8, said: "She made a fool of herself in almost every shot on the show - immature and asinine. She obviously is going all out to get people to like her and it is backfiring big time."
LINK
Heather had agreed to go on the TV show in a bid to win over the American public following her bitter split from Sir Paul McCartney.
But her efforts have already backfired as the show's website message-boards have been bombarded with scathing comments and insults.
One viewer, using the screen name Mytgr8, said: "She made a fool of herself in almost every shot on the show - immature and asinine. She obviously is going all out to get people to like her and it is backfiring big time."
LINK
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Date in jail for drugging beer
Quick-thinking S.F. pair nail man slipping his companion a mickey
It looked for all the world as if the couple on a date -- he was darkly handsome and a little older than the pretty, petite blonde with the Russian accent -- were having a great time together.
"A really great time," their waitress, Karri Cormican, recalled thinking. "She was facing him, had one of her legs up on the bench seat." Good body language.
So it came as a shock when after the woman left the window-side table to visit the restroom, Cormican saw the man shake a white powder into the Hefeweizen beer he had ordered for his date.
"Did I really see that?" Cormican asked herself. "Why would he do that? It seemed like they were having fun."
LINK
It looked for all the world as if the couple on a date -- he was darkly handsome and a little older than the pretty, petite blonde with the Russian accent -- were having a great time together.
"A really great time," their waitress, Karri Cormican, recalled thinking. "She was facing him, had one of her legs up on the bench seat." Good body language.
So it came as a shock when after the woman left the window-side table to visit the restroom, Cormican saw the man shake a white powder into the Hefeweizen beer he had ordered for his date.
"Did I really see that?" Cormican asked herself. "Why would he do that? It seemed like they were having fun."
LINK
Glass deck opens 4,000 feet above Grand Canyon
How long will it be before they have a jumper?
Indian leaders, former astronauts and other visitors stepped gingerly beyond the Grand Canyon's rim, staring through a glass floor and into the 4,000-foot (1,219-meter) chasm below during the opening ceremony for a new observation deck.
A few members of the Hualapai Indian Tribe, which allowed the Grand Canyon Skywalk to be built, hopped up and down on the horseshoe-shaped structure. At its edge - 70 feet (21 meters) beyond the rim - the group peeked over the glass wall.
"I can hear the glass cracking!" Hualapai Chairman Charlie Vaughn said playfully.
The massive deck is anchored deep into a limestone cliff. As people walk across it, the glass layers creak and the deck wobbles almost imperceptibly. To one side, the Colorado river appears as a slim, pea-green ribbon.
Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who was invited to visit, declared it a "magnificent first walk."
LINK
Indian leaders, former astronauts and other visitors stepped gingerly beyond the Grand Canyon's rim, staring through a glass floor and into the 4,000-foot (1,219-meter) chasm below during the opening ceremony for a new observation deck.
A few members of the Hualapai Indian Tribe, which allowed the Grand Canyon Skywalk to be built, hopped up and down on the horseshoe-shaped structure. At its edge - 70 feet (21 meters) beyond the rim - the group peeked over the glass wall.
"I can hear the glass cracking!" Hualapai Chairman Charlie Vaughn said playfully.
The massive deck is anchored deep into a limestone cliff. As people walk across it, the glass layers creak and the deck wobbles almost imperceptibly. To one side, the Colorado river appears as a slim, pea-green ribbon.
Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who was invited to visit, declared it a "magnificent first walk."
LINK
Court Orders Smith Paternity Test
It will be chaos if the sperm donor is unknown.
A Bahamian judge on Tuesday ordered a DNA test on Anna Nicole Smith's infant daughter to identify the baby's father, an attorney for Smith's mother said.
Larry Birkhead, an ex-boyfriend of the Playboy playmate who asked the judge to order the test on 6-month-old Dannielynn, pumped his fists in the air and jumped up and down as he emerged from the closed hearing.
"I feel great," he said. "It's been a good day in court for me."
Deborah Rose, an attorney for Smith's mother Virgie Arthur, confirmed the judge ordered the test, but she and others who attended the hearing declined to describe the proceedings.
Authorities left the building after the hearing and could immediately be reached for comment.
LINK
A Bahamian judge on Tuesday ordered a DNA test on Anna Nicole Smith's infant daughter to identify the baby's father, an attorney for Smith's mother said.
Larry Birkhead, an ex-boyfriend of the Playboy playmate who asked the judge to order the test on 6-month-old Dannielynn, pumped his fists in the air and jumped up and down as he emerged from the closed hearing.
"I feel great," he said. "It's been a good day in court for me."
Deborah Rose, an attorney for Smith's mother Virgie Arthur, confirmed the judge ordered the test, but she and others who attended the hearing declined to describe the proceedings.
Authorities left the building after the hearing and could immediately be reached for comment.
LINK
Bush Warns Dems to Take Offer in Firings
A defiant President Bush warned Democrats Tuesday to accept his offer to have top aides testify about the firings of federal prosecutors only privately and not under oath or risk a constitutional showdown from which he would not back down.
Democrats' response to his proposal was swift and firm: They said they would start authorizing subpoenas as soon as Wednesday for the White House aides.
"Testimony should be on the record and under oath. That's the formula for true accountability," said Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
LINK
Democrats' response to his proposal was swift and firm: They said they would start authorizing subpoenas as soon as Wednesday for the White House aides.
"Testimony should be on the record and under oath. That's the formula for true accountability," said Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
LINK
Questions and answers about the pet food recall
Q: What brands and types of pet food are being recalled?
A: The recall involves Ontario-based Menu Foods' "cuts and gravy" style cat and dog food packaged from Dec. 3 to March 6. The wet food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, is packaged in cans and small foil pouches. The food was sold under numerous brand names _ 40 cat food brands and 51 dog food brands as of Monday.
Q: What happened to the food that led to this recall?
A: The recall started after reports that at least 10 pets _ one dog and nine cats _ suffered kidney failure and died after eating the food, according the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA on Monday said that as many as one in six animals died in tests of suspect dog and cat food by the manufacturer after complaints the products were poisoning pets around the country.
Q: Where was this food sold?
A: The pet food was sold throughout North America under both store and major brand labels at Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers.
LINK
A: The recall involves Ontario-based Menu Foods' "cuts and gravy" style cat and dog food packaged from Dec. 3 to March 6. The wet food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, is packaged in cans and small foil pouches. The food was sold under numerous brand names _ 40 cat food brands and 51 dog food brands as of Monday.
Q: What happened to the food that led to this recall?
A: The recall started after reports that at least 10 pets _ one dog and nine cats _ suffered kidney failure and died after eating the food, according the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA on Monday said that as many as one in six animals died in tests of suspect dog and cat food by the manufacturer after complaints the products were poisoning pets around the country.
Q: Where was this food sold?
A: The pet food was sold throughout North America under both store and major brand labels at Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers.
LINK
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Valerie Plame Testifies Before Congress
WAXMAN: The meeting of the committee will come to order.
Today the committee is holding a hearing to examine how the White House handles highly classified information.
In June and July 2003, one of the nation's most carefully guarded secrets, the identity of a covert CIA agent, Valerie Plame Wilson, was repeatedly revealed by White House officials to members of the media. This was an extraordinarily serious breach of our national security.
President George W. Bush's father, the former President Bush, said, and I quote, "I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who expose the names of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors."
LINK
Today the committee is holding a hearing to examine how the White House handles highly classified information.
In June and July 2003, one of the nation's most carefully guarded secrets, the identity of a covert CIA agent, Valerie Plame Wilson, was repeatedly revealed by White House officials to members of the media. This was an extraordinarily serious breach of our national security.
President George W. Bush's father, the former President Bush, said, and I quote, "I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who expose the names of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors."
LINK
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Jolie Adopts Vietnamese Boy
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are adding another child to their family.
The Hollywood couple are well-known for their humanitarian work and international adoptions.
Jolie made a special trip to a Vietnam orphanage this week to pick up the child, and is now awaiting a passport from the American consulate so that she can bring home the newest addition to their family.
The pair currently have three kids: biological daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, 10 months old; Maddox Chivan, 5, adopted from Cambodia in 2001; and Zahara Marley, 2, adopted from Ethiopia in 2005.
The latest addition is a 3-year-old boy whose name will be Pax Thien Jolie; in Latin, the name means peaceful sky.
LINK
The Hollywood couple are well-known for their humanitarian work and international adoptions.
Jolie made a special trip to a Vietnam orphanage this week to pick up the child, and is now awaiting a passport from the American consulate so that she can bring home the newest addition to their family.
The pair currently have three kids: biological daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, 10 months old; Maddox Chivan, 5, adopted from Cambodia in 2001; and Zahara Marley, 2, adopted from Ethiopia in 2005.
The latest addition is a 3-year-old boy whose name will be Pax Thien Jolie; in Latin, the name means peaceful sky.
LINK
Britney's New Dude: "We're Growing Very Close"
This is so stupid. She's seeing some guy she's in AA with? Is anyone interested in a pool for when she'll OD?
LINK
LINK
Boston Lead Singer: "I Am A Lonely Soul"
How sad!
Brad Delp Left A Suicide Note After Killing Himself Last Week
Brad Delp, the lead singer for the band Boston who killed himself last week, left behind a note in which he called himself "a lonely soul," according to police reports released Thursday.
The note was paper-clipped to the neck of Delp's shirt when police found his body on the bathroom floor of his Atkinson, N.H., home, his head on a pillow. He had sealed himself inside with two charcoal grills; toxicology tests showed he had committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning.
"Mr. Brad Delp. J'ai une ame solitaire. I am a lonely soul," the note read.
MORE
Brad Delp Left A Suicide Note After Killing Himself Last Week
Brad Delp, the lead singer for the band Boston who killed himself last week, left behind a note in which he called himself "a lonely soul," according to police reports released Thursday.
The note was paper-clipped to the neck of Delp's shirt when police found his body on the bathroom floor of his Atkinson, N.H., home, his head on a pillow. He had sealed himself inside with two charcoal grills; toxicology tests showed he had committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning.
"Mr. Brad Delp. J'ai une ame solitaire. I am a lonely soul," the note read.
MORE
Pete Rose: I Bet On Reds "Every Night"
Should Pete Rose's 18 year baseball ban be continued? I for one think he and his fans have been punished enough.
Pete Rose told ESPN Wednesday that he bet on the Reds "every night" while he was manager of the team in the late 1980s.
"I bet on my team every night," he told ESPN's Dan Patrick. "I didn't bet on my team four nights a week. I was wrong."
The confession wasn't Rose's first, reports CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian. In his autobiography, published in 2004, Rose revealed that he wagered many times a week while managing. Today, he admitted his gambling addiction was daily.
LINK
Pete Rose told ESPN Wednesday that he bet on the Reds "every night" while he was manager of the team in the late 1980s.
"I bet on my team every night," he told ESPN's Dan Patrick. "I didn't bet on my team four nights a week. I was wrong."
The confession wasn't Rose's first, reports CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian. In his autobiography, published in 2004, Rose revealed that he wagered many times a week while managing. Today, he admitted his gambling addiction was daily.
LINK
Heather Mills limbers up for American dance show
It was best foot forward at the weekend for Heather Mills as she got in some last minute preparation for Dancing With The Stars. The 39-year-old was put through her paces by her partner on the show, Jonathan Roberts, as they perfected their style in a London dance studio.
And with less than a week to go before the US equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing kicks off, Heather, who plans to donate her earnings from the programme to an animal charity, insists she's not nervous about strutting her stuff on screens across America. Even though reports are circulating that she and her partner may be the first couple voted off the show.
"I don't really get nervous - unless I'm going to meet a potential mother-in-law," joked the anti-land-mines campaigner, adding wryly: "Not that that's going to happen now." Heather is the first contestant with an artificial limb to appear on the show, but she insists her situation won't be a barrier to dancing as she is "quite flexible".
And Paul McCartney's estranged wife has clear views on the benefits for others of her participation with the show, saying the sight of her doing the soft show shuffle is "going to help a lot of kids with disabilities". "Adults that want to get up and learn to dance will know that with an artificial leg you can dance," she adds.
LINK
And with less than a week to go before the US equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing kicks off, Heather, who plans to donate her earnings from the programme to an animal charity, insists she's not nervous about strutting her stuff on screens across America. Even though reports are circulating that she and her partner may be the first couple voted off the show.
"I don't really get nervous - unless I'm going to meet a potential mother-in-law," joked the anti-land-mines campaigner, adding wryly: "Not that that's going to happen now." Heather is the first contestant with an artificial limb to appear on the show, but she insists her situation won't be a barrier to dancing as she is "quite flexible".
And Paul McCartney's estranged wife has clear views on the benefits for others of her participation with the show, saying the sight of her doing the soft show shuffle is "going to help a lot of kids with disabilities". "Adults that want to get up and learn to dance will know that with an artificial leg you can dance," she adds.
LINK
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Gonzales's Hold on Job Slips Amid Furor Over Prosecutor Firings
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's hold on his job is slipping after President George W. Bush, his chief benefactor, said he has some explaining to do and others, including a Republican senator, called for him to step down.
The political uproar over the Justice Department's handling of the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys continued yesterday as Bush ordered Gonzales to Capitol Hill to patch up relations with lawmakers. Members of Congress say they were misled by Gonzales, who termed the dismissals non-political before administration e- mails released this week showed the White House was behind the ousters.
Senator John Sununu of New Hampshire became the first Republican in Congress to call on the president to fire Gonzales, saying yesterday the controversy harmed his ability to run the Justice Department. While Bush said he supported his attorney general, Gonzales found few defenders among other Republicans.
LINK
The political uproar over the Justice Department's handling of the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys continued yesterday as Bush ordered Gonzales to Capitol Hill to patch up relations with lawmakers. Members of Congress say they were misled by Gonzales, who termed the dismissals non-political before administration e- mails released this week showed the White House was behind the ousters.
Senator John Sununu of New Hampshire became the first Republican in Congress to call on the president to fire Gonzales, saying yesterday the controversy harmed his ability to run the Justice Department. While Bush said he supported his attorney general, Gonzales found few defenders among other Republicans.
LINK
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
A hilarious blog: "Is Animal Porn That Popular?"
Go read "Is Animal Porn That Popular?" seen at Beth's Ramblings Of An Undisturbed Mind This is not risque, Folks, just funny as hell!
Pace clarifies comments on gays in uniform
The U.S. military’s top officer came just short of issuing an apology Tuesday for calling homosexuality “immoral,” saying he regretted offering his own moral views during a news interview and should have limited his remarks to the military’s current “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
“In expressing my support for the current policy, I also offered some personal opinions about moral conduct,” said Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a statement posted in mid-afternoon on the Defense Department’s Web site.
“I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views.”
MORE
“In expressing my support for the current policy, I also offered some personal opinions about moral conduct,” said Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a statement posted in mid-afternoon on the Defense Department’s Web site.
“I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views.”
MORE
Stallone Charged In Hormone
Yes, but will he go to rehab?
Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone was summoned to appear in a Sydney court Tuesday for allegedly importing a banned substance into the country.
Stallone, 60, was snared in an Australian Customs investigation into the alleged importation of performance and image enhancing drugs, specifically 48 vials of a human growth hormone, the Sydney Morning Herald said Tuesday.
MORE
Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone was summoned to appear in a Sydney court Tuesday for allegedly importing a banned substance into the country.
Stallone, 60, was snared in an Australian Customs investigation into the alleged importation of performance and image enhancing drugs, specifically 48 vials of a human growth hormone, the Sydney Morning Herald said Tuesday.
MORE
Monday, March 12, 2007
Chocolate lifesaver - from cancer to dementia
I am going to be forced to go buy tons of chocolate! ~Sigh!~
A chemical found in chocolate could stave off diseases ranging from dementia to strokes, a leading scientist has claimed.
He said epicatechin, a compound which occurs naturally in cocoa beans, could prove as important to medicine as penicillin or anaesthesia
LINK
A chemical found in chocolate could stave off diseases ranging from dementia to strokes, a leading scientist has claimed.
He said epicatechin, a compound which occurs naturally in cocoa beans, could prove as important to medicine as penicillin or anaesthesia
LINK
Army Medical Chief Quits as Walter Reed Fallout Grows
"Kiley received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington and specializes in obstetrics and gynecology, according to his biography posted on an Army Web site."
Now THAT qualified him to run an Army Trauma Center during wartime!
MORE
Now THAT qualified him to run an Army Trauma Center during wartime!
MORE
How to Be Photogenic
Do you dislike having your picture taken because you always seem to come out looking hideous? Have you ever been on a date with someone whose online photo knocked you out but whose appearance in real life turned out to be a bit uninspiring? What’s the deal with pictures? While being photogenic just comes naturally to some people, there are a few things that anyone can do to look better in photos. Try out the tricks in this article and stop running for cover whenever the camera comes out.
MORE
MORE
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Report: Simon suspended 22 games
Does this sound fair to you?
Chris Simon, the New York Islanders' tough guy who slashed the Rangers' Ryan Hollweg in the face Thursday night, has suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the regular season and seven playoff games, TSN reported on its web site Saturday.
Since the Islanders have 15 regular season games left, the suspension could be for as long as 22 games.
This is the sixth time Simon has been suspended by the league.
Simon's suspension is the second-longest in NHL history for an on-ice incident. Marty McSorley was banned for 23 games for hitting Donald Brashear in the head with his stick in 2000.
LINK
Chris Simon, the New York Islanders' tough guy who slashed the Rangers' Ryan Hollweg in the face Thursday night, has suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the regular season and seven playoff games, TSN reported on its web site Saturday.
Since the Islanders have 15 regular season games left, the suspension could be for as long as 22 games.
This is the sixth time Simon has been suspended by the league.
Simon's suspension is the second-longest in NHL history for an on-ice incident. Marty McSorley was banned for 23 games for hitting Donald Brashear in the head with his stick in 2000.
LINK
Tinky Winky Virtual Paper Doll
Tinky Winky Virtual Paper Doll This Teletubbie has a date, and you help him choose the right outfit and get dressed.
"We are all well. I slept in a little this morning"
I've always been interested in the everyday lives of the ancients.
"We are all well. I slept in a little this morning because I have a slight cold...After lunch we spent some time picking grapes; we worked up a good sweat, but had fun shouting jokes to one another, and, as some poet has said, "we left a few clusters (too high to reach) as survivors of the vintage." Later in the afternoon we returned home. I did a little scholarly research, but not very well. Then I had a long chat with my dear mother who came in and sat on the edge of my bed. I asked her, "What do you think my friend Fronto is doing right now?" And she asked me, "What do you think my friend Gratia is doing?" And then I asked, "What do you think sweet little Gratia is doing?" While we were chatting away and gossiping and playfully arguing about which of us two loved which of you three best, the gong sounded to let us know that my father had gone to take his bath."
--A letter from Marcus Aurelius to his friend and tutor, Fronto
LINK
"We are all well. I slept in a little this morning because I have a slight cold...After lunch we spent some time picking grapes; we worked up a good sweat, but had fun shouting jokes to one another, and, as some poet has said, "we left a few clusters (too high to reach) as survivors of the vintage." Later in the afternoon we returned home. I did a little scholarly research, but not very well. Then I had a long chat with my dear mother who came in and sat on the edge of my bed. I asked her, "What do you think my friend Fronto is doing right now?" And she asked me, "What do you think my friend Gratia is doing?" And then I asked, "What do you think sweet little Gratia is doing?" While we were chatting away and gossiping and playfully arguing about which of us two loved which of you three best, the gong sounded to let us know that my father had gone to take his bath."
--A letter from Marcus Aurelius to his friend and tutor, Fronto
LINK
That Gunk on Your Car: A Unique Guide to Insects of North America
That Gunk on Your Car: A Unique Guide to Insects of North America I thought this a hilarious title for a book and had to post it here. I first saw it at one of my favorite science blogs A Blog around the Clock
Friday, March 9, 2007
Gingrich tells Christian group of affair
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.
"The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards."
LINK
"The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards."
LINK
Scalloped turnips An Irish-inspired veggie dish
The Irish people subsisted for thousands of years on root crops and various sources of meat such as lamb. One of the staples of their diet was turnips. Here's one of my family's favorite ways to prepare the roots of the turnip.
1/2 lb. bacon chopped, fried, drained, and fryings reserved.
3 lbs. medium Purple Top White Globe turnips, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick.
2 to 3 medium yellow onions peeled and coarsely chopped.
2 to 3 cloves of garlic diced
1 carton sour cream
Sauté the scalloped turnips for a minute or so in a medium hot iron skillet of the bacon fryings. Season liberally with fresh ground peppercorns. Add the onions, and garlic, and stir frequently to prevent sticking to the skillet. Water or chicken broth may be added as needed. When the turnips and onions begin to brown reduce the heat, cover, and smother the veggies until tender. Add the fried bacon, stir, and allow the flavors to meld for a few minutes at a lowered heat. When al dente turn off the heat, add sour cream as desired, and serve. This is good with most any meat dish and has converted several people into turnip lovers.
1/2 lb. bacon chopped, fried, drained, and fryings reserved.
3 lbs. medium Purple Top White Globe turnips, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick.
2 to 3 medium yellow onions peeled and coarsely chopped.
2 to 3 cloves of garlic diced
1 carton sour cream
Sauté the scalloped turnips for a minute or so in a medium hot iron skillet of the bacon fryings. Season liberally with fresh ground peppercorns. Add the onions, and garlic, and stir frequently to prevent sticking to the skillet. Water or chicken broth may be added as needed. When the turnips and onions begin to brown reduce the heat, cover, and smother the veggies until tender. Add the fried bacon, stir, and allow the flavors to meld for a few minutes at a lowered heat. When al dente turn off the heat, add sour cream as desired, and serve. This is good with most any meat dish and has converted several people into turnip lovers.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
I am pure evil.
Beat this, Scooter! :P
I am 85% Evil Genius.
I am pure evil. I lie awake at night devising schemes of world domination, and I will not rest until all living souls bend to my will.On Libby: To pardon or not to pardon?
I would take a presidential pardon of Libby as a show of arrogance making the White House immune to the Justice system.
That is the question of the day as the media, commentators and bloggers all have their say in the aftermath of Lewis "Scooter" Libby's conviction for lying to investigators during the probe into who leaked CIA officer Valerie Plame's name to the media in 2003.
As USA TODAY's Ken Dilanian writes, "With the ink hardly dry on ... Libby's perjury conviction, some conservatives are urging President Bush to wipe away the jury's finding of guilt by granting the former vice presidential aide a pardon."
New York Post columnist John Podhertz goes so far as to say it's a sure thing that Libby will eventually be cleared by the president:
Why? Because if Bush fails to pardon Libby, he will implicitly be accepting the contention that Scooter Libby was part of a White House conspiracy at the highest levels to destroy the career of a CIA agent whose husband had proved Bush & Co. had lied us into the Iraq War.
MORE
That is the question of the day as the media, commentators and bloggers all have their say in the aftermath of Lewis "Scooter" Libby's conviction for lying to investigators during the probe into who leaked CIA officer Valerie Plame's name to the media in 2003.
As USA TODAY's Ken Dilanian writes, "With the ink hardly dry on ... Libby's perjury conviction, some conservatives are urging President Bush to wipe away the jury's finding of guilt by granting the former vice presidential aide a pardon."
New York Post columnist John Podhertz goes so far as to say it's a sure thing that Libby will eventually be cleared by the president:
Why? Because if Bush fails to pardon Libby, he will implicitly be accepting the contention that Scooter Libby was part of a White House conspiracy at the highest levels to destroy the career of a CIA agent whose husband had proved Bush & Co. had lied us into the Iraq War.
MORE
Blogging Blond
No, no, not me. My friend Sherry is Blogging Blond. Please visit her blog, and you might ask her sometime who told her most of those blond jokes. :P
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Call to alms
Injured Marine struggles at home
U.S. Marine Warren Hardy, of Campbell, flew 8 feet in the air in his armored personnel carrier after it hit a landmine in Iraq. Hardy, since released, finds it hard to deal with everyday living after the accident.
He had short-term memory problems and could no longer multi-task. He now experiences numbness in his arms and has lost strength in his limbs, and suffers outbursts of anger - a condition known as Traumatic Brain Injury and a common injury in Iraq. Just holding one of his newborn triplet sons to feed him can be difficult.
Hardy receives regular treatment at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, where he is learning how to make day-to-day living easier. But the family's military health insurance expired Dec. 4, and as of last week, two of the three triplets are still in the hospital.
"We're just struggling, barely able to make ends meet," he said
Donate to the Warren Hardy Family Fund, P.O. Box 1541, Campbell, 95009.
LINK
U.S. Marine Warren Hardy, of Campbell, flew 8 feet in the air in his armored personnel carrier after it hit a landmine in Iraq. Hardy, since released, finds it hard to deal with everyday living after the accident.
He had short-term memory problems and could no longer multi-task. He now experiences numbness in his arms and has lost strength in his limbs, and suffers outbursts of anger - a condition known as Traumatic Brain Injury and a common injury in Iraq. Just holding one of his newborn triplet sons to feed him can be difficult.
Hardy receives regular treatment at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, where he is learning how to make day-to-day living easier. But the family's military health insurance expired Dec. 4, and as of last week, two of the three triplets are still in the hospital.
"We're just struggling, barely able to make ends meet," he said
Donate to the Warren Hardy Family Fund, P.O. Box 1541, Campbell, 95009.
LINK
Mexico's 'Half-Ton Man' Sheds Nearly 400 Pounds... Just 575 to Go
This should be an ideal motivational tool. I'll copy it and tape it to my fridge door. :P
Manuel Uribe, who once weighed half a ton, left his house Wednesday for the first time in five years.
Six people pushed Uribe's wheel-equipped iron bed out to the street, as a mariachi band played and a crowd gathered to see the man who once weighed 1,235 pounds.
"The sky is beautiful and blue and what I want is to enjoy the sun," Uribe said after taking a sip from a champagne bottle.
Unable to leave his bed for more than five years, Uribe has lost 397 pounds since he began a high-protein diet a year ago. He now weighs about 840 pounds.
To celebrate the milestone, a forklift placed Uribe's bed onto a trailer pulled by a pickup truck and the 41-year-old mechanic rode through the streets of San Nicolas de los Garza, a Monterrey suburb.
Dozens of reporters and photographers followed Uribe as he passed the town's plaza and church, waving at clusters of people eager to get a glimpse of him.
LINK
Manuel Uribe, who once weighed half a ton, left his house Wednesday for the first time in five years.
Six people pushed Uribe's wheel-equipped iron bed out to the street, as a mariachi band played and a crowd gathered to see the man who once weighed 1,235 pounds.
"The sky is beautiful and blue and what I want is to enjoy the sun," Uribe said after taking a sip from a champagne bottle.
Unable to leave his bed for more than five years, Uribe has lost 397 pounds since he began a high-protein diet a year ago. He now weighs about 840 pounds.
To celebrate the milestone, a forklift placed Uribe's bed onto a trailer pulled by a pickup truck and the 41-year-old mechanic rode through the streets of San Nicolas de los Garza, a Monterrey suburb.
Dozens of reporters and photographers followed Uribe as he passed the town's plaza and church, waving at clusters of people eager to get a glimpse of him.
LINK
DUDE, I COULD HAVE SWORN THEY WERE HERE
Two young men, who had apparently been smoking lots of marijuana, called police to report that they were holding two burglars who had broken into their apartment in Reno, Nev. But, when the cops arrived, there were no burglars. The men explained that one of them woke up to find the bathroom door locked, leading them to believe the burglars were in there. They slipped notes under the bathroom door to communicate with them. Police found the notes in the empty bathroom, and arrested the young men for possession of 23 grams of marijuana and 10 bongs.
LINK
LINK
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