There was an evacuation last week at the univeristy where I work. It was a few days after the Virgina Tech thing, and plus the gentleman who left a 'suspicioius' package was of Middle Eastern decent.
You can read all about his account on his web-site.
Hmm, I guess these cops don't have enough to do but panic when someone throws something away. I guess I'll just throw my trash on the ground now, rather than have my discarded Wendy's bag be considered 'suspicious'.
I moved up from a Flippery Fish to a Crawly Amphibian on the Truth Laid Bear's ecosystem.
I remember in the early days little old me was a big ol Mammal. But now every asshole and their brother has a blog. So now dorks like Daily Kos and the Huffington post get all the reads. They don't even do their own writing!!
Hell, I can have a guest blogger, and I have, but unless you are doing a group blog, do your own writing.
The breaking news I discussed earlier is that I will be writing a blog for the Harrisburg Patriot, entitled "Operation Fatherhood".
It has to do with my life becoming a father.
You can read the blog here
I think it's funny that the thing on a motor that controls speed is called a governor. If any recent history shows us anything, a governor is anything but slow.
More information has come out about New Jersey Governor John Corzine, who was critically injured during a high speed accident. Though there was no emergency, the State Police driving him were going about 90 miles per hour. I guess police ARE above the law.
Gov. Corzine's state police driver could go as fast as he wanted, use his emergency lights at his discretion, and generally ignore most traffic laws with impunity because he's not bound by normal laws or guidelines. That's hardly surprising to anyone familiar with executive protection and the dirty little secrets of public office.But, last week, the leeway given to New Jersey's top executive when he's on the road nearly cost Corzine his life in a harrowing crash on the Garden State Parkway.
At the time, Corzine's driver, State Trooper Robert Rasinski, was driving 91 m.p.h. in a 5,600-pound SUV and flashing emergency lights at vehicles in the way, all while the governor was sitting, unbuckled, in the front passenger seat - the most dangerous place to ride.
Proves that police can do what they want. Even in non emergency situations. I couldn't use being late for a meeting as an excuse to burn down the highway.
We also had this problem earlier with our Governor, Ed Rendell.
There is a long line of police not only breaking laws with inpunity, but also not being held to the same standards as the rest of us. I realize in times of trouble, they need leeway, but not for a meeting with Don Imus, or to have a cheesesteak.
Time discusses the discussiion coming out after the Virgina Tech Attacks. That is the right to conceal carry versus gun control
If history is any guide, no one should be surprised at the counteroffensive, which is sure to focus on broadening concealed weapons laws that allow Americans to carry guns beyond their homes or cars. That is precisely what happened in Texas 15 years ago after an unemployed merchant seaman crashed his truck into a Killeen cafeteria, took out his gun and killed 23 in what until Monday was the deadliest mass shooting in American history.Carrying the banner in 1991 for gun owners' rights was Suzanna Gratia Hupp, a chiropractor, mother and horse rancher who was eating lunch with her parents when the gunman crashed his truck through the cafeteria's windows. The family barricaded themselves behind a table, but as the slaughter went on, Hupp's father said he had to do something and he charged toward the man. Her father was shot in the chest, and as he lay dying, his wife of 47 years crawled towards him to cradle his head. The gunman then shot and killed her.
During the mayhem, Hupp had reached into her purse for her .38 Smith & Wesson, but realized she had left it in her car, afraid that carrying a concealed weapon in public — then against the law in Texas — might endanger her chiropractic license. Having watched helplessly as her parents were killed, Hupp lobbied relentlessly for a 1996 concealed weapons law, now one of 48 such state statutes on the books across the U.S.Hupp went on to serve as a state representative for 10 years, but she now lays some of the blame for the Virginia killings at the feet of politicians. "I am saddened and sickened, my heart hurts for those people — I've been there," Hupp said. "But at the same time I am angry — even with the sadness — because this was largely preventable on the scale that it happened. The politicians haven't figured it out. They have created gun-free zones, and all of the dreadful things that have happened were in these gun-free zones."
Wow, I'm surprised Time has gotten it right, or at leat mentioned the truth here.
The young kids today are using this thing called mosquito tones to put on their cell phones. These high pitched tones are so high that only youngens in their 20s or teens can hear.
You can get an example of them right here
I can hear up to 18.8 kHz. What about you?
There is big news coming in the upcoming week(s). It involves this blog, and my writing.
I don't want to say anything until it is 100%, so I'll let you know soon.
Keep watching this space!
Man, I'd hate to be this guy right now. He was mistaken for the shooter.
I like reading his comments on the "gun free zone" at VA Tech.
"I am a federally licensed firearms collector," Chiang said. He said numerous media organizations had told him he was a person of interest in the investigation, but no authorities had contacted him or had he contacted any authorities.The Chantilly, Va., resident is passionate about his right to bear arms, concealed weapons included. And he thinks that carrying them on campus is OK. "I am a firm believer that if Virginia Tech students were allowed to conceal carry, this situation could have ended sooner."
I'm not the first one to have said it, and I'm not the last.
Let's take a look at a few important Amendments to the Constitution, and most notably the 2nd.
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
They all say "Right of the People". The Constitution was written to limit government powers. The Amendments were written to lay out certain civil liberties that the government cannot take away.
People who love the Constitution (minus the 2nd Amendment) say that the 2nd Amendment was written back when we had to have a standing militia to protect against foreign tyranny.
Well, if that is the case, then why doesn't it expressly say it? Also, then you would have to assume if the 2nd Amendment was conditional on a standing militia (prohibited by law). And according to US law, we are all members of the unoffical militia.
Title 10 U.S.C. 311. Militia: composition and classes(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
(b) The classes of the militia are -
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.
Getting back to the "conditional" argument of the retractors of the 2nd Amendments. If the 2nd Amendment was written soley because of a British threat, then wouldn't the 1st, 3rd, and all others be so too?
You can't have one without the other. You can't be a defender of the Constitution, but refuse to acknowledge the 2nd Amendment. It is not cafeteria style. It is all or nothing.
Sources
Barefootsworld
Cornell Law
Thoughts and prayers to those involved in the Virginia Tech shootings.
Recently in Virginia a law that would have allowed people to carry weapons (if they had concealed carry permits) was shot down in committee.
Currently it is against the law to carry a concealed weapon on college campuses in Virginia.
Gun bill gets shot down by panel HB 1572, which would have allowed handguns on college campuses, died in subcommittee.By Greg Esposito
381-1675A bill that would have given college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus died with nary a shot being fired in the General Assembly.
House Bill 1572 didn't get through the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety. It died Monday in the subcommittee stage, the first of several hurdles bills must overcome before becoming laws.
The bill was proposed by Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, on behalf of the Virginia Citizens Defense League. Gilbert was unavailable Monday and spokesman Gary Frink would not comment on the bill's defeat other than to say the issue was dead for this General Assembly session.
Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."
Del. Dave Nutter, R-Christiansburg, would not comment Monday because he was not part of the subcommittee that discussed the bill.
Most universities in Virginia require students and employees, other than police, to check their guns with police or campus security upon entering campus. The legislation was designed to prohibit public universities from making "rules or regulations limiting or abridging the ability of a student who possesses a valid concealed handgun permit ... from lawfully carrying a concealed handgun."
The legislation allowed for exceptions for participants in athletic events, storage of guns in residence halls and military training programs.
Last spring a Virginia Tech student was disciplined for bringing a handgun to class, despite having a concealed handgun permit. Some gun owners questioned the university's authority, while the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police came out against the presence of guns on campus.
In June, Tech's governing board approved a violence prevention policy reiterating its ban on students or employees carrying guns and prohibiting visitors from bringing them into campus facilities.
Before you say I am using this tragedy for a political argument, wait till the anti-gun crowd get going.
I'm pissed. One or two legally armed citizens could have ended this before it got to this point. The only thing that happens when you make a gun free zone is that it tells terrorists or criminals that there are areas where they will be safe to do their dirty deeds.
The local, state, and university police did an excellent job. They should be commended. But in these cases they are there to act clean up. A lot of damage was done before law enforcement ended the gunman's rampage.
When people ask why I carry. I point to circumstances like this. If something like this happened and a gunman came to kill me, I would like to be armed.
If I'm probably going to die anyways, I'd like at least to prevent someone to be killed after me.
Kim Du Toit discusses this well.
Last night my wife and I watched a new show on ABC called Notes From The Underbelly. From ABC's writeup.
Andrew (Peter Cambor) and Lauren (Jennifer Westfeldt, "Kissing Jessica Stein") have just found out they're going to have a baby, and they're having a difficult time following rule number one keeping it a secret. Suddenly switching to decaf, becoming a teetotaler at cocktail parties, and going to the OBGYN are all difficult to keep from family and close friends.
I've heard somewhere that the best books, stories, and films are the ones we can identify with. When we see parts of ourselves in the characters it makes for a better story. Well, Notes from the Underbelly was written for my wife and I. No, the writers of the show did not call us and decide to write our life story, but it is really creepy how this show follows our lives and our impending parenthood.
My wife and I are expecting a baby. You've head it here first. We are running the early rollercoaster ride of fear and excitement. Listening to the conversations protagonists Andrew and Lauren had before they had the baby and then when they got pregnant eerily mirrored the same discussions we had.
Also, in the show there are friends of Lauren and Andrew, Julie and Eric. They are totally baby crazy, and are several months farther along. Julie and Eric are also the names of our baby-crazy and several months farther along sister-in-law and husband.
So aside from the similarities, this show is very funny. It is filmed in the laugh-trackless one camera approach most popular now in sitcoms (Scrubs, 30 Rock, and The Office). The writing is spot on accurate. As I said, it is basically mirroring the same discussion my wife and I had before we got pregnant, and then after we found the good news.
Even the way people discoverd our secret was the same as happened in the show. My usuallly chain-smoking, beer and coffee drinking wife suddenly switched to decaf and root beer; people knew right away.
This show had us laughing out loud at spots and looking nervously at each other at other spots. It was a fun ride, and I hope ABC keeps this show, and doesn't dump it like it did another great show about families and life, Sons and Daughters
This show is funny, well written, warm and satirical. Anyone who has ever had a child (if you have the time from parent stuff) or are currently with child (if you can bear to accept the reality of it) should give this show a shot. I'm sure you'll believe the same thing. This is a story about you.
Imus was fired. Though he was a racist asshole, and probably deserved to be fired for being so, the fact that it was apparently done at the behest of the likes of Rev. Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson.
Al Sharpton himself is a horrible bigot and race baiter. There is the Tawana Braley case and the riots in Crown Heights and Freddy's Fashoin Mart.
What makes me scared is that public opinion is swayed and a man loses his radio job because of remarks that people like Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton find distasteful.
What happens to the political commentator who upsets the sensibilities of a person who disagrees with that? Can I lose my blog or my job for saying that I believe that illegal immigrants should be kicked out of this country in handcuffs?
Just because you don't like a certain speech, doesn't give you the right to silence it. You can choose not to listen to it, or say your own piece, but the 1st Amendment gives us the right to say what we want, even if we make fools out of ourselves.
For once I agree with Rosie O'Donnel. Imus should NOT be fired.
Sure he said something pretty nasty. Sure, he's probably a raging bigot, but that is no reason to fire someone from their radio job. That's a tough job, you are speaking live on the radio for 4 hours a day, and have to come up with things to say.
Plus there is the whole 1st Amendment and all. What sort of speach is next for them to want to have people fired over? Political? What about this blog when I call liberals assholes? Am I next?
And for two Presidential candidates, Hilary Clinton, and Barack Obama to call for his firing is chilling too.
Give him the benefit of the doubt, accept his apology and move on.
My mother is stupid when it comes to computers. It is the year 2007, people should know how not to screw up their computers.
I work alot at my computer. I get about 1000 emails a month, and I send about 200 or so a month. I very rarely have trouble with my computer. Since I set up my 5 email accounts I check from Mac Mail, the mails I send go through to their intended recipients, and the recipients get their e-mail to me.
Why, oh why, does my mother have trouble with her one e-mail account. Besides the fact that she insists on using a PC and not only that, insists on using MS Outlook. Why does she always seem to be having some trouble sending e-mails?
And why does she always calll me? Argh!
I hate crows. They are filthy vile birds. They eat my garden, bug baby hawks, and fly away at the first sight of trouble. They are cowardly pussy asshole birds.
My aim is to spend some saturday morning in my backyard and kill some of the fuckers.
George Bush and his compassionate conservatism have done many things that fly in the face of the Constitution. Notable is his expansion of the "war on drugs". He does this in spite of and contrary to laws passed by state legislatures. The drug Czar, John Walters, even brags about using tax dollars to thwart democratic activities in states.
Even with growing evidence of some medical uses for Marijuana in treating nausea in terminally ill cancer and AIDS patients. He'll even raid a legal farm.
Time is at it again, this time bad mouthing the military. From their recent edition
I wonder what would have happened if the current baby boomers were in charge during WW II, instead of their parents. I guess we'd be speaking German or eating sushi. Wait, we still eat sushi.
DOH!
I subscribed to a special $1.99 for six issues of Time magazine. It was a total waste of money.
The first issue I reveived was a biased global warming send up. It was horrible. It was not hard news, it was opinion, meant to scare people and push a political agena I cancelled it. Look at the opening to the cover storty.
No one can say exactly what it looks like when a planet takes ill, but it probably looks a lot like Earth. Never mind what you've heard about global warming as a slow-motion emergency that would take decades to play out. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the crisis is upon us.
Subtle, huh?
Granted, some of the ideas they come up with to combat global warming, from using compact flourescent light bulbs to keeping your tires inflated for proper gas mileage are terrific ideas, but they are buried behind these political leaning stories.
And those stories, letters to the editor and 'opinion pieces' all have a political slant. some of the letters chosen for publication were downright hateful and disrespectful.
Time used to be relevant. With the advent of a 24-hour news cycle and from competition from more competent mags, Time revamped a month ago or so. There is a new format, new fonts, new features. But what is left is the same tired political agenda, and its readers are the same tired political hacks.
Gone is hard news; hello political magazine.
I find nothing wrong with political mags. There is a place in this workd for tomes like "The Nation", "The Weekly Standard" and "Reason". But don't try to mascarade "Time" as hard news anymore.
That aside, I do not even like the new format. The layout is cumbersome, the font is hard to read and hard on the eyes. There are also too many advertisements.
Time is past it's prime and, like an old sick dog, should just be put out of its misery.
If you think that "Time" is too big a name to go the way of the Dodo? (which went extinct way before global warming) look at what happened to "Life"