sluts for hire (10x)
hookers for hire (3x)
we hire sluts (2x)
big brother sluts (2x)
lawyer sluts
san francisco slutsThe rest of them are absolutely random. Here's a smattering.
marilyn monroe- death by poison enema
nazi aerial camouflage patterns
sesame street - pics of homosexual rogerand my personal favorite:
make my day pope buttonI don't even know what that last one means, but I'm picturing Clint Eastwood in a zucchetto.
A Scout is Trustworthy.I've been involved with Scouting since I was six years old, and I've always had a strong faith in the Scouting movement. That's why it's so disappointing to see this apparent lapse in judgement on the part of Atlanta-area Scout officials:
An independent investigation of the Atlanta-area Boy Scouts found that the organization inflated its number of black Scouts by more than 5,000 in a program for inner-city youth. The executive director of the Atlanta Boy Scouts resigned after the report was released. The audit found that former Scouts too old to participate remained on the memberships lists and that boys who had only attended informational meetings about the program were signed up. In one example, an official changed the birth date of 87 Cub Scouts so they would be old enough to participate in the program. In another case, an official continued to report membership of a church Boy Scout unit although the church had burned down three years earlier. The inflated numbers also included 200 Scout units that did not exist.That said, it's heartening to see the response by Scouting officials at the state level, who quickly commissioned this audit in order to get to the bottom of this. The Boy Scouts of America is an organization that's done wonders for millions of boys, and I'd hate to see its reputation sullied by a handful of bad apples.
A mother faces criminal charges after she hired a stripper to dance at her 16-year-old son's birthday party. Anette Pharris, 34, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and involving a minor in obscene acts. The boy's father, the stripper and two others also face charges. "I tried to do something special for my son," Pharris said. "It didn't harm him."Gee, who could have expected that a single mother who gets knocked up at 17 could be so irresponsible? Oh yeah, everyone. Now take a look at how this meathead got pinched:
Anette Pharris took photos at the party and tried to have them developed at a nearby drug store. Drug store employees notified authorities, police said.Yeah, that'll happen when you drop photographic evidence of a crime right into someone's lap. In the interest of fairness, let's hear from Ms. Pharris:
"Who are they to tell me what I can and can't show to my own children?" the mother said.Translation: "Next year I'm getting him a hooker." [Hat-tip: Van Smack]
When the owner of one of Rome's most fashionable restaurants received a booking from Bill Clinton and his entourage, he was happy to clear the tables and order in his best food and wine. But Romeo Caraccio was left furious after the former president of the United States and his party failed to show up without bothering to cancel their reservation.
Yesterday, a waiter at the restaurant said: "We had a call from one of his security team making the reservation and then a visit to check out the place. "It was all confirmed and the boss even ordered in more food and wine - he spent an extra £1,000, but he [Clinton] never turned up.T-A-C-K-Y. Speaking of bad taste, check out this quote:
Last night, a US embassy spokeswoman in Rome confirmed that the booking had been made, but said it was not a matter for the embassy. "I can confirm that Mr Clinton was due to eat at the restaurant. "However, he had to pull out and was not able to attend. I don't know why; he is a private citizen," the spokesman said.Had to pull out unexpectedly with an embarrassing result, huh? Yep, that's our Bill.
Commissioner Steve Radack looks at a tract of undeveloped land near the West Loop and envisions dogs chasing each other around fake hydrants and splashing in a man-made pond. Bill Wolf, a consultant hired by a nursery near the site, worries that customers would think twice about coming to his client's business because of odors emanating from the canine playground. Radack is moving forward with plans to design and build within two months a three-acre dog park on a strip of land owned by the Metropolitan Transit Authority, between Newcastle and the West Loop just south of Westpark.Wolf contends -- rightly, in my opinion -- that huge, steaming heaps of digested Alpo are a detriment to nearby commerce. Radack's response?
"I can't believe that someone who wants to do business in this town is standing in the way of a dog park," Radack fumed Monday.What does that mean? Is Radack suggesting that consumers will put Wolf out of business because of his opposition to the turd farm? Or is it some sort of veiled threat? More from Commissioner Radack, from the Transparency in Government file:
Radack said county commissioners often create parks and should not be required to hold public hearings on each proposed site. "I don't need any public input on a dog park. I know how popular they are," he said. "I'm going to build that dog park. I don't really care what Lincoln Property has to say. I don't care what Bill Wolf has to say."Wow. It's not uncommon for local politicians to become entrenched and refuse to listen to public opinion. But it's not often that you hear them say "I don't need any public input..." I don't have anything against the guy personally. But when he says things like this, it looks like he's just blowing off the public. Or maybe he's just looking to again etch his legacy in the hallowed pages of Dog Fancy.
The suspicious object that jammed traffic Monday on Interstate 75 and Daniels Parkway was not an explosive pipe bomb, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office -- it was a prosthetic penis. There's no word yet on whether the device — found on the side of Daniels under the northbound I-75 overpass — was designed to serve medical or recreational needs.The Whizzinator strikes back?
Deputies arrived and alerted the bomb squad, which used a robot to disable the cylinder.Hey, I just thought of a great treatment for sex offenders: cylinder-disabling robots. [Hat-tip: Drudge and LST tipster Jaime]
The FBI on Tuesday asked the U.S. Congress for sweeping new powers to seize business or private records, ranging from medical information to book purchases, to investigate terrorism without first securing approval from a judge.Forgive me for being quaint, but let's give this one the Ron Paul treatment. The Fourth Amendment reads:
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.
As in most previous surveys of journalists, a high number called themselves politically "moderate" (49%), with 31% describing themselves as "liberal" and just 9% as "conservative." Forty-eight% of the public but only 11% of journalists said news organizations were "often inaccurate." When serious mistakes are made, 74% of the journalists said news organizations quickly report the error, but only 30% of the public said they do. In the public, 24% said news organizations try to ignore errors and 41% said they try to cover them up.
Survey organizers acknowledged that the journalists polled, with a median of 23 years of experience, was distinctly more liberal than the public in general, measured by a separate poll of 1,500 adults. Thirty-one percent of those in the journalists' sample called themselves liberal, 49% said they were moderates and just 9% said they were conservatives. In the public generally, 24% said they were liberal, 33% moderate, and 38% conservative.Innnnnnteresting.
Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?
Just click on the pic to launch the test.
Two Star Wars fans are in a critical condition in hospital after apparently trying to make light sabres by filling fluorescent light tubes with petrol.That's gasoline, for those of you in Rio Linda.
A man, aged 20, and a girl of 17 are believed to have been filming a mock duel when they poured fuel into two glass tubes and lit it. The pair were rushed to hospital after one of the devices exploded in woodland at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.Stick to the plastic lightsabers, kids.
During an interview yesterday with Globe editorial writers and columnists, the former Democratic presidential nominee was asked if had signed Form SF 180, authorizing the Department of Defense to grant access to all his military records. ''I have signed it," Kerry said. Then, he added that his staff was ''still going through it" and ''very, very shortly, you will have a chance to see it."Well, maybe not. You see, the Senator's staff is apparently scouring Washington for a postage stamp:
Several e-mails later, [Kerry communications director David] Wade conveyed the following information: On Friday, May 20, Kerry obtained a copy of Form 180 and signed it. ''The next step is to send it to the Navy, which will happen in the next few days. The Navy will then send out the records," e-mailed Wade. Kerry first said he would sign Form 180 when pressed by Tim Russert during a Jan. 30 appearance on ''Meet the Press."Sen. Kerry, if you're reading this, I'll be happy to pick up the cost of a FedEx First Overnight envelope. That Form 180 could be in the Navy's hands by 8:00 tomorrow morning!
Patrick Claude Terry, 73, a Houston Chronicle news editor who never missed a day of work in his 37-year career, died Friday.
Terry was a member of St. Cyril of Alexander Catholic Church, where he served as a funeral liturgist and Eucharistic minister. He was a 20-year member of the American Legion and a retired member of the Knights of Columbus Post 1234. Terry also was active as a coach, manager and executive in the Sharpstown and Voss Little Leagues and was a children's mentor at Walnut Bend Elementary School. Terry is survived by his wife of 42 years, Marlene Lee Sheffer Terry, four sons and three daughters-in-law, Brian and Colleen Terry; Mark and Dee-Dee Terry; Paul and Carolina Terry; and Todd Terry.Veteran, diligent worker, churchgoer, brother Knight, family man and volunteer. We should all mourn the passing of people like this.
sluts for hire
self administered alcohol enema blogThese aren't as shocking as you might think. They're actually referring to stories about a "Whore College" and a woman who killed her husband with a sherry enema. However, there were a few other searches that came up with the same results, though I suspect the intentions were much, much different:
hookers for hire houston texas
painful enema recipesThose sound like they were entered for... um... recreational purposes. And the most disgusting, shameless search of all:
huffingtonYuck!
A 68-year-old Pennsylvania man was arrested on charges he tried to build a bomb and sell it to an agent he thought was a member of Al-Qaeda, officials said Monday. Ronald Allen Grecula of Bangor, Pa., was arrested Friday in Houston during a meeting with undercover FBI agents, U.S. Attorney Michael Shelby said. During that meeting, Grecula indicated willingness to build and sell an explosive device that was to be used against Americans, officials alleged in court documents.By the way, a quick Google search reveals that a Ronald Allen Grecula is suspected of kidnapping his children and fleeing the country. If this is the same 68-year-old Ronald Allen Grecula from Pennsylvania, it will be interesting to learn how he got back into the country.
A Russian village was left baffled Thursday after its lake disappeared overnight. NTV television showed pictures of a giant muddy hole bathed in summer sun, while fishermen from the village of Bolotnikovo looked on disconsolately.
Officials in Nizhegorodskaya region, on the Volga river east of Moscow, said water in the lake might have been sucked down into an underground water-course or cave system, but some villagers had more sinister explanations. "I am thinking, well, America has finally got to us," said one old woman, as she sat on the ground outside her house.Reports indicate that the lake is being airlifted to Camp David, where Chimpy Bushitler will bathe his toes in the cool, pilfered water while laughing evilly.
Scores of convicted rapists and other high-risk sex offenders in New York have been getting Viagra paid by Medicaid for the last five years, the state's comptroller said Sunday. Audits by Comptroller Alan Hevesi's office showed that between January 2000 and March 2005, 198 sex offenders in New York received Medicaid-reimbursed Viagra after their convictions. Those included crimes against children as young as 2 years old, he said. Hevesi asked Michael Leavitt, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in a letter Sunday to "take immediate action to ensure that sex offenders do not receive erectile dysfunction medication paid for by taxpayers."In other shocking news, I actually agree with Chuck Schumer on something:
Sen Schumer said: "It is just mind-boggling to think that Level 3 sexual offenders can get Viagra, which may indeed help them perpetrate other horrible crimes. "And what we know about Level 3 offenders is this: They almost never change. They're almost never rehabilitated."And yet, they're routinely released.
The Supreme Court ruled today that it is unconstitutional to force capital murder defendants to appear before juries in chains and shackles. Justices, on a 7-2 vote, threw out the conviction of Carman Deck, who was shackled in leg irons and handcuffed to a chain around his belly when he faced a Missouri jury that put him on death row. The high court had already held that people on trial can be shackled only if prosecutors have a strong argument for it.Apparently "this guy kills people" isn't a strong enough argument for restraining a murderer.
Today's decision involves sentencing hearings in capital murder cases. Justice Stephen Breyer, writing for the court, said that shackling indicates to juries "that court authorities consider the offender a danger to the community."Yeah, Breyer, that's the point. The offender is a danger to the community. That's why he was investigated, arrested, searched, jailed, arraigned, subject to pre-trial hearings, tried and convicted.
Recently several readers have written to the editorial board to ask if the Chronicle favored the adoption by Texas of Florida's "Jessica Lunsford Act," to be applied in cases such as the kidnapping and murder of Lunsford by convicted sex offender John E. Couey. The act mandates a sentence of 25 years to life. Upon release, sex offenders would have to wear a satellite locator. The question is flawed in this respect: Anyone convicted in Texas of kidnapping and murdering a child would receive either the death penalty or life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years. The Jessica Lunsford Act doesn't apply to murderers and, were it in effect, probably would not have prevented Couey from killing after his release.Now, that's just being dishonest, Gibbons. No one is suggesting that we release kidnappers and murderers, and slap a tracking device on them. What we want to do is throw these violent, deviant scumbags in the clink for a few decades before they kill. Then, if they're ever released, they're tracked via satellite and given very tough scrutiny wherever they go. As for the argument that the law "probably would not have prevented Couey from killing," how can you possibly know that? The guy tried to molest a girl in 1991. By my calculations, if the Jessica Law had been in effect, that dirtball wouldn't be eligible for release until 2016. Yes, maybe he would strike again upon his release (if he were ever released), but at least society would be granted a quarter-century reprieve from this monster. Now, back to Gibbons:
As for those who molest or behave indecently with a child, flexible sentencing offers several advantages, despite the heinous and sickening nature of the crimes.This ought to be good. Let's look at the "advantages" of releasing murderous perverts into society:
First, without plea bargaining, every defendant would go to trial. In most cases, the young victim would have to endure the trauma of having to appear in court and relive the horrible crime done to her. Having witnessed such an ordeal, I can attest that sparing a child from it is worth some years shaved off a sentence.And having witnessed the fact that these evil people commit their crimes over and over and over, I can attest that they must be stopped.
Those who view the world in terms of black and white can be forgiven for wanting to send every sex offender to prison and throw away the key.Hey, it's nice to know I can be forgiven! I didn't even realize I'd done anything wrong. But here's the grand prize:
Also, in cases in which a father molests his child, a long prison sentence would prevent him from contributing to the child's support, education and medical treatment.Let me get this straight. Gibbons presumably wants these child-raping bastards to get decent jobs, so that they can pay child support. That would require the monsters' full re-integration into society. As it is now, no one wants to hire a child molester. They've committed unspeakable crimes against society, and society has responded by banishing them. But in Gibbons World, we welcome the child molesters with open arms, giving them well-paying jobs, so they can contribute to the welfare of their children. You know, the ones they raped. Yeah, that'll work.
"It's the worst pile of crap architecture I've ever seen in my life."
Of course, Trump is being his usual self-aggrandizing himself. But he's absolutely right. The Freedom Tower flat-out sucks. Here's his proposed design:
Nice.
I must say, I'm impressed. I just assumed it would be an 1,800-foot statue of The Donald. That said, I'm skeptical that Manhattan can absorb another 8 million square feet of office space. But time will tell.
Sheik Ibrahim Mudeiris appeared on official Palestinian Authority television (yes, they've learned to control electricity). His sermon was...well, read it for yourself:
We have ruled the world before, and by Allah, the day will come when we will rule the entire world again. The day will come when we will rule America. The day will come when we will rule Britain and the entire world – except for the Jews. The Jews will not enjoy a life of tranquility under our rule, because they are treacherous by nature, as they have been throughout history. The day will come when everything will be relieved of the Jews - even the stones and trees which were harmed by them. Listen to the Prophet Muhammad, who tells you about the evil end that awaits Jews. The stones and trees will want the Muslims to finish off every Jew.
Forgive me if I'm skeptical about being conquered by these tactics:
Yes, that's a Merkava tank. Yes, they're trying to take it out with rocks.
[Hat-tip: Little Green Footballs]
Above all, we have changed consciousness. In civil rights movements, that's what matters and that's what endures. People forget that two decades ago, homosexuality meant simply sex for most Americans - and unsavory sex at that. Or it meant counter-cultural revolution. Or left-wing victim politics. By fighting the marriage fight, we changed the terms of that debate. We co-opted the language of our enemies - the language of family, love, responsibility, commitment. We did this not simply because it helps us win over the middle of American politics. But because it's actually reflective of the reality of many of our lives ... The next generation will grow up - gay and straight - fully aware of the existence of marriage as an option for gay couples, even if that option is in another state or another country. That will deeply and subtly change social expectations for gay men and women; it will alter sex and dating; it will counter some of the homophobia and low self-esteem that strangles some gay youth. It will tell the next generation of homosexuals: you have a future. That future is one of love and commitment and social integration. It is not assured. But it is conceivable.As if he knows anything about conceiving.
About 250 people protesting Halliburton's involvement in Iraq marched, danced and screamed today around the downtown hotel where the Houston company's annual meeting was being held. Police accused a handful of attacking them. Police said 15 protesters were arrested, including seven who dressed in business attire, snuck into the Four Seasons hotel and chained themselves to each other to block entry to the meeting.Can you blame them? It's the only way these meatheads will ever see the inside of a Four Seasons.
Charges against the protesters include evading arrest, trespassing, assaulting officers and injuring a police horse. Houston police said at a news conference this morning that during the demonstration, one officer was punched in the face, another was kicked, and another was kicked, punched and pushed to the ground, but no one was seriously injured.Predictably, the protesters -- bearing brilliant slogans like "WAr PiG $$" -- accused Houston's finest of brutality:
Protesters outside, however, said it was police who used unreasonable force. Nursing her foot with an ice pack, Cynthia Daly said a mounted officer outside the hotel ran over her foot with his horse.If you get that close to a mounted cop, and the horse steps on your foot, you got off easy.
JIHADIST Republicans have Bill Frist exactly where they want him.
Perhaps Frist's atoning ardor was dictated by his earlier support for federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, which is opposed by the theocratic right.In the process of going off the deep end, Hines seems to have forgotten his civics and/or math lessons:
So, we're about to have what could be some historic fireworks, when Frist seeks approval of President Bush's judicial nominations by a majority vote without getting the four-fifths vote required to end a filibuster.Um, that's three-fifths, Cragg. Cloture requires 60 votes out of 100.
Now 100% digit-free!
The finger that a woman claimed she found in a bowl of Wendy's chili was severed in the tailgate of a truck during a work accident, an employee of an asphalt company said. A worker with Lamb Asphalt Maintenance told the San Francisco Chronicle that a laborer lost the tip of his finger five months ago. At the time, both men were working with the husband of Anna Ayala, the woman suspected of planting a severed finger in a bowl of chili at a Wendy's in San Jose, Calif.The reign of terror is over. Of course, if you're still skittish about Wendy's chili, you could always make your own.
A "militant" effects the cease-fire.
Four Israelis were slightly injured by an anti-tank rocket near Rafah in the Gaza Strip on Sunday. In violence late Sunday, Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot and wounded two Palestinians near Ramallah. The military said they were throwing firebombs at an Israeli vehicle. The four Israelis, employees of a company contracted by the Defense Ministry, were working on fencing along the Philadelphi Route when the rocket hit. They were taken to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva suffering from bruising and ringing in their ears. Two mortars were also fired at the Gaza settlement bloc of Gush Katif on Sunday. There were no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrested a 17-year-old Palestinian armed with a Molotov cocktail near Bethlehem.Yeah, nothing says "we're responsible enough for an independent state" like a bottle full of gasoline.
-The Houston Chronicle -Harris County government -Tom Kirkendall. I read his blog daily, and you should too. Nice to have you, Tom! -Someone at the Texas Legislative Council. Unfortunately, all this person did was look at a picture of that stupid four-door Charger for 37 seconds. Come back, guys! Y'all have much to learn here. -Several university types from places as disparate as Texas A&M, Mizzou, and Hawaii Community College. -A bunch of Malaysians.Also, it looks like the most popular route to my site is by typing "Matt Bramanti" into Google. Seriously, y'all, get more creative.
Iraq's al Qaeda blasted calls by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for Sunni Muslims in Iraq to participate in drafting a new constitution, saying those who did would be infidels, according to an Internet statement.
"Our Sunni faith stipulates that the sword and bullets be the only dialogue between us and worshippers of the cross."Yeah, terrorism is all about resistance by economically depressed people. Yeah, that's it. That's the ticket.
Dr. Scott Lukas said he didn't have any trouble finding volunteers for his research project on a Chinese herb and alcohol. Of the 11 participants who completed the entire study, "eight drank fewer beers while receiving kudzu versus placebo treatment, two drank the same number of beers and one drank one more beer," Lukas said in a news release. Participants also took more but smaller sips of beer while taking the kudzu extract, the researchers found.Interesting research. Even more interesting are the headlines that various news outlets have put on this story. WVEC in Virginia:
Vine extract may help drinkers drink lessBeerLeagueHockey.com in Canada:
Get Drunk Quicker With KudzuHeh.
The court said states cannot ban out-of-state wineries from shipping directly to their residents if they allow in-state vintners to make such sales. Paired cases decided Monday challenged laws in New York and Michigan that allow only in-state vintners to ship directly to residents. Six other states have similar laws, and 15 more have some form of out-of-state limits, so the decision has the potential to open up direct access to out-of-state wineries for residents of 24 states. The District of Columbia and 27 states already allow out-of-state direct sales, according to the Wine Institute. "It means consumers are going to have more choices," says Steve Gross, director of state relations for the Wine Institute, a lobbying group for 821 California wineries.Now bring on the Two-Buck Chuck.
A former church choir director accused of molesting five boys failed to show up in court Monday. German Moreno's whereabouts remain a mystery. A bailiff called Moreno's name three times Monday morning. No one answered, and now he is facing charges of failure to appear. That's in addition to the five felony charges involving molestation of children that he already faces.Now let's hear from the pervert's lawyer:
His lawyer, Don Hecker, hasn't spoken to him since Friday. One possibility being considered is that the Costa Rican-born Moreno may have fled the country. "I'm not sure if that, at this point, is a concern. I just hope nothing has happened to him," said Hecker. "I have no knowledge that he is running. Right now, my basic concern is for his health and welfare."Really? Everyone else's basic concern is for the crimes this deviant scumbag is likely to commit while he's on the lam. Maybe he'll steal a few cars and rob a liquor store or two on his way across the border. Or maybe he'll drug and molest some more kids. Judge Hill should be ashamed. The man is accused of practicing medicine illegally, drugging and sexually assaulting children, and he gets off by paying $6,000.
Newsweek on Monday retracted a story alleging interrogators at Guantanamo flushed the Koran down a toilet in front of detainees. "Based on what we know now, we are retracting our original story that an internal military investigation had uncovered Koran abuse at Guantanamo Bay," editor Mark Whitaker said in statement released Monday evening.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman called the report demonstrably false, and that investigators at the FBI and the Southern Command have not found any evidence to support it. SouthCom is based in Miami and oversees operations at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. "You can't go back and undo or retract the damage that has been caused not only to this nation, but to those who have been attacked, injured or killed as a result of these false allegations," he said.Will Newsweek take the heat and let this story die, or will it go for the "fake but accurate" strategy that worked so well for CBS News? Time will tell, but I suspect the blogosphere isn't done with this one just yet.
NEW YORK – Web logs, or blogs, may be a powerful new force in U.S. politics but they have not displaced traditional media in terms of information and influence, a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project revealed today. Charting the discussion of issues during the 2004 presidential campaign, the study found political blogs – online opinion and information sites – played a similar, but not greater role, as the mainstream media in “creating buzz” around the candidates’ campaigns. The study dispels the notion that blogs are replacing traditional media as the public’s primary source of information, said Michael Cornfield, a senior research consultant at Pew.The story sounded vaguely familiar, so I went back and looked at the Pew study. The report is available here as a PDF. It was released on March 6. One of the problems with print journalism is that it's inherently slower than the Internet. But who knew it was that slow? Further, the lede is misleading. The most traditional of "Traditional media" -- newspapers and magazines -- are doing worse than ever. Only 39% of respondents characterized newspapers as a primary source of information about the 2004 presidential race. That's flat compared to 2000, but down from 60% in 1996. In addition, magazines have slipped from 11% to 3% in the same time frame, while the Internet has grown six-fold.
Newsweek is starting to hedge its bet and “qualify” its story”. But these allegations have been leaking out since last Spring. And they go hand in hand with some of the other abuses and tortures committed by U.S. soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. Extremists on both sides are milking this for every last drop. Radical Islamic leaders are using it to fan the flames and turn the protests into riots. And here in the U.S., the Far Right wingnuts like Matt Bramanti have found another hot-button issue to get themselves worked up over.It just wouldn't be a game of Shred the Liberal without a healthy dash of moral equivalency, would it? Bob, if you honestly equate riot-fomenting terrorists with my blogging, you need to take your Morality-o-Meter in for a calibration.
It figures. Last year when the Abu Ghraib tortures were first publicized, rightwing Neanderthals were up in arms. Were they furious that some inbred prison guards were violating the Geneva Convention and putting other American soldiers at risk? Nope. They were furious at the media for airing the story.Ah, the personal attacks against conservatives. We're all a bunch of primitive, grunting brutes, mere predecessors of civilized man. Sorry, Bob. First of all, modern people don't descend from Neanderthals. If the public schools are going to teach evolution, you'd think they could at least do a halfway-decent job.
And you remember last Fall, when a soldier in Iraq asked Rumsfeld about their substandard equipment, and Rumsfeld gave his famous response of “you go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you had.” According to the Chicken Hawks on the Far Right, the main issue was that the soldier’s question had been prompted by a reporter. So what if our soldiers are getting killed because of inferior armor — by God, a reporter snuck in there and planted this question just to embarrass Rumsfeld.You're obviously new around here, Bob. If you'd done your homework, you would have read about the generosity of our readers, who saw the armor problem and stepped up to the plate, armoring hundreds of Humvees.
So these protests and riots were all caused by a magazine article? Matt Bramatti has such a clear grasp of cause and effect, he probably think rain is caused by wet sidewalks.Yeah, Bob, that's pretty much it. As I said before, 'fire' in a crowded auditorium. I have no problem with a balanced report of the truth. Unfortunately in this case, Newsweek's report was false.
And speaking of Chicken Hawks Matt, since Marine recruiting is way down since President Cuckoo Bananas’ excellent adventure in Iraq, here is a number you can call to do your bit to help relieve the deficit - (713) 718-4295.Bob, I think you missed the most recent MoveOn.org memo on this. The current Official Lefty Nickname for the president is Chimpy McHalliBushitler. Get on the stick, man!
Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Party, said yesterday that the US House majority leader, Tom DeLay, ''ought to go back to Houston where he can serve his jail sentence," referring to allegations of unethical conduct against the Republican leader.Um, Howie, you might want to check yourself, especially in light of your campaign activities. [Hat-tip: Hindrocket]
Out of a job?
Laurence points out a beloved Army base that's scheduled for closure:
Shock swept across local Army base Camp Swampy as the list of proposed base closures was released by the Pentagon today to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. "This place is like a second home to me," said Private B. Bailey. "I've left blood, sweat, tears, and some teeth on every square inch of this camp, thanks to the Sarge. It'll be tough leaving it all behind." Camp Swampy was listed near the top of 775 facilities for minor closures and realignments, having been frequently cited for low-performance, horrible combat readiness, and rampant sexual harassment scandals.Heh.
At least nine people were killed yesterday as a wave of anti-American demonstrations swept the Islamic world from the Gaza Strip to the Java Sea, sparked by a single paragraph in a magazine alleging that US military interrogators had desecrated the Koran. As Washington scrambled to calm the outrage, Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, promised an inquiry and punishment for any proven offenders. But at Friday prayers in the Muslim world many preachers demanded vengeance and afterwards thousands took to the streets, burning American flags.Wow. These accusations must have been pretty convincing. But they were false:
The magazine said Sunday that the Defense Department had found no evidence of such desecration. In an editorial, the magazine said "we regret that we got any part of our story wrong and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst." Newsweek carried its brief original report in the May 9 issue. It also noted that similar reports had circulated for months in the British and Russian press, and on the Arab news channel Al Jazeera.Michelle Malkin reprints Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker's note. Here's an excerpt:
After several days, newspapers in Pakistan and Afghan-istan began running accounts of our story. At that point, as Evan Thomas, Ron Moreau and Sami Yousafzai report this week, the riots started and spread across the country, fanned by extremists and unhappiness over the economy.The economy? Please. Suck it up, Newsweek. Your lies set off riots, and now people are dead. Take responsibility. By the way, Malkin also points toward this report about Palestinian terrorists in the Church of the Nativity:
Even in the Roman Catholic areas of the complex there was evidence of disregard for religious norms. Catholic priests said that some Bibles were torn up for toilet paper, and many valuable sacramental objects were removed. "Palestinians took candelabra, icons and anything that looked like gold," said a Franciscan, the Rev. Nicholas Marquez from Mexico.I'm surprised they've even advanced to using toilet paper.
The White House and the Capitol building were emptied in a frantic evacuation Wednesday, and initial reports said a small plane had entered the restricted airspace around the capital. "You've got one minute," one officer yelled to a group including NBC correspondent Chip Reid. A few minutes later, officials gave the "all clear" signal. As soon as the alert went out, a motorcade stormed out of a side street next to the White House, NBC correspondent Norah O'Donnell reported from a cell phone as she evacuated. As military jets scrambled over the area, officers also rushed through the Supreme Court building and told staff to get into the basement. At the Treasury Department, people were moved across the street.This comes a day after someone tossed a dud grenade during a Bush speech in Georgia:
A hand grenade was thrown close to US President George W. Bush yesterday as he gave a speech in front of tens of thousands of Georgians in Tbilisi, the US Secret Service said. A Secret Service spokesman said the agency was informed of the incident by Georgian officials. The officials told the Secret Service the device was whisked from the scene by a Georgian security officer. US news reports said the pin had been removed from the grenade but it did not detonate.
Entertainer and author Kinky Friedman began his first official campaign swing in his self-styled unconventional independent run for Texas governor with a conventional stop Wednesday at a Houston school. Friedman, whose humor often plays on his Jewish background and whose music group was known as The Texas Jewboys, spoke to about 150 students and teachers at The Emery/Weiner School, a private Jewish school.There's just something appealing about a man whose campaign slogan is "Why the hell not?"
Whether it’s an enormous plate of Texas barbecue, “Big Tex” at the state fair park in Dallas, or Houston’s cavernous Astrodome, one thing is certain – Texans really get mad when you spraypaint their stuff.Heh. Truth be told, though, HPD doesn't really care.
Children who live in the Dellway Villa apartment complex get to make daily visits to a nearby toy store — the site of their school bus stop — but it is not the toy store where their parents buy them Christmas presents. It is, rather, Jenna’s Adult Toy Box at 2531 Dickerson Pike, a little north of Trinity Lane, which opened there a year and a half ago, replacing a window tint shop.According to Metro Nashville Public Schools spokesman Woody McMillan:
Further, “It would be just physically impossible to have a bus to go to every child’s home and pick them up. So in a city area, what you do is you try to [stop at] a connecting street where you can pick up the largest number of children as possible.” “So the next thing would be to find another location where those kids could walk to. And then [the situation] becomes a parent issue — ‘Do I want my kid walking maybe a half a mile to another location, or do I want him to walk a hundred yards or so here.’”Good work, Woody. God forbid the kids should get a little exercise. Just dump 'em off at Phalluses-R-Us.
Click pic for a message from the captain.
What would happen if Reliant Energy decided to just drape its power lines on the ground, rather than string them from poles? It would be an obscenely stupid concept, right? People would be injured, service disruptions would be the order of the day, Chronicle columnists would whine and a little rain would turn into a huge repair bill. Oh, and every once in a while, someone would pay with his life. Welcome to the world of grade-level rail.
Ten Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies opened fire early Monday on an SUV they were chasing, discharging 120 rounds in a frenzied crossfire that injured a deputy and the unarmed suspect while sending bullets into nearby homes.Wow. By my calculations, the suspect should've ended up as a ragged chunk of hamburger. Alas, he's fine:
Hayes was struck four times, in the toe, finger and shoulder. He was listed in stable condition at Torrance Harbor General Hospital on Monday afternoon.People can argue whether cops should fire at fleeing suspects, or debate if the amount of gunfire was excessive. I'll leave that debate for another day. Here's something no one can disagree with: A 3.3% accuracy rate is un-freakin'-acceptable. Memo to the Boys in Black: those are the taxpayers' bullets. Everytime one of them leaves the muzzle, it needs to end up in a bad guy's 10-ring. I mean, really, four hits out of 120 shots? And two of them barely count, since they were in digits. With apologies to Ron White, let's turn these cops loose in a video arcade with a big ol' sack of quarters, and tell them they can go back to work when they learn how to shoot. CORRECTION: LST reader and former SoCal resident David Woerner points out that these weren't the "boys in black." Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies wear khaki.
In order to build readers' confidence, an internal committee at The New York Times has recommended taking a variety of steps, including having senior editors write more regularly about the workings of the paper, tracking errors in a systematic way and responding more assertively to the paper's critics.
The report comes as the public's confidence in the media continues to wane. A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that 45 percent of Americans believe little or nothing of what they read in their daily newspapers, a level of distrust that may have been inflated because the questions were asked during the contentious presidential campaign when the media itself was often at issue. When specific newspapers were mentioned, The Times fared about average, with 21 percent of readers believing all or most of what they read in The Times and 14 percent believing almost nothing. In a response to the committee's report, Mr. Keller called it "a sound blueprint for the next stage of our campaign to secure our accuracy, fairness and accountability." He said he wanted to "hardwire these guidelines into the newsroom" and would be explaining them to the staff and appointing people to enforce them.Wow. Frankly, I'm impressed at the candor. Let's hope these recommendations are implemented, and soon:
An internal committee at The New York Times has made specific recommendations to improve the paper's credibility with readers. They include the following: 1. Encourage the executive editor and the two managing editors to share responsibility for writing a regular column that deals with matters concerning the newspaper. 2. Make reporters and editors more easily available through e-mail. 3. Use the Web to provide readers with complete documents used in stories as well as transcripts of interviews. 4. Consider creating a Times blog that promotes interaction with readers. 5. Further curtail the use of anonymous sources. 6. Encourage reporters to confirm the accuracy of articles with sources before publication and to solicit feedback from sources after publication. 7. Set up an error-tracking system to detect patterns and trends. 8. Encourage the development of software to detect plagiarism when accusations arise. 9. Increase coverage of middle America, rural areas and religion. 10. Establish a system for evaluating public attacks on The Times's work and determining whether and how to respond.Some of these are easy, and we should see them pretty quickly. Point #1 should be standard operating procedure at every newsroom in the country. Point #2 is just a matter of adding an email address at the bottom of every story. Point #5 is just good policy. It's awful that Point #6 even needs to be said, but it does. However, some of these points will substantially change the nature of newspaper journalism, and I think for the better. Point #3 is huge. It would allow the whole spectrum of the blogosphere -- from Daily Kos to Little Green Footballs -- pore over every word of every document. The Times would be forced to live up to an unprecedented level of accountability and transparency to its readership, and the standards of quality would skyrocket overnight. And that's why Point #3 isn't going to come to fruition anytime soon. For now, I'm skeptical. But as Gene Hackman says in A Bridge Too Far: "I'll be properly ecstatic if it works." The full text of the committee's report is available here.
According to a new book exclusively obtained by the Huffington Post, Saudi Arabia has crafted a plan to protect itself from a possible invasion or internal attack. It includes the use of a series of explosives, including radioactive “dirty bombs,” that would cripple Saudi Arabian oil production and distribution systems for decades.Yikes. That's a pretty strong charge. On one hand, there's some believability to it. The corrupt Saudi government hates the West, but is in the peculiar -- and lucrative -- position of supplying the lifeblood of modern civilization. Therefore, it makes sense to ensure that the House of Saud, and only the House of Saud, controls the flow forever. On the other hand, as Dr. Strangelove told us:
Yes, but the... whole point of the doomsday machine... is lost... if you keep it a secret! Why didn't you tell the world, eh?If the Saudis really claim this power, it's either an amazing bluff or a stunning instance of asymmetric warfare. Stay tuned for more on this one.
Insane.
You see, the Octodog is a device that takes an ordinary, delicious hot dog and converts it into some sort of nightmarish, hell-spawned lovechild of Oscar Meyer and Jacques Cousteau. The website contains a link entitled, "Why Octodog?" That's exactly what I was wondering. Why? WHY?! What's the matter with a cheese coney from JCI? What is wrong with you people that you have to destroy something wonderful with your demonic, eight-tentacled, plastic food-rapists? Turns out it's for the children:
The hotdog is among the top ten items found in many lists concerning choking occurrences in young children. Pediatricians recommend slicing a hotdog linearly. The method of slicing a hotdog linearly can reduce the chances of choking during consumption. A sliced hotdog is a safer way to serve hotdogs to children. Octodogs are not only fun, but may be a safer way to serve hotdogs.Ugh.
The 25 students in jeans and T-shirts could have been in any career that requires hustle. The classes, covering topics such as effective marketing, stress reduction and legal issues, could have been part of any professional development seminar. But this was "Whore College," and any illusion it was just another corporate how-to for young go-getters abruptly ended at the sex toy display and was stripped away for good during a graphic demonstration that put a whole new twist on the concept of hands-on training. "We are still illegal," instructor Kimberlee Cline said before her 20-minute demonstration. "If we want to be treated as business professionals, we need to act ethically within the industry."Sorry, skank. Doctors, lawyers and CPAs are professionals. These are women who screw strangers for crack. But it gets worse:
"My own personal experience has been negative and positive, as with any job," said Kymberly Cutter, 36, a mother of two from Tucson who returned to prostitution two years ago to boost her income and regards it as part of a journey in "personal self-discovery." Her children, ages 7 and 9, know what she does for a living, she said.You've got to be seriously warped to expose a first-grader to prostitution. Would CPS please take these kids from this whore before they grow up and rob me? Now let's hear from the hookers' legal eagle:
The more shadowy aspects of the profession were covered in the curriculum. Lawyer Erin Crane explained that accepting money for a specific sex act could land someone in jail, but she repeated several times she couldn't advise anyone on how to break the law.I take back what I wrote earlier about lawyers being professionals. Thanks to loyal LST reader and commenter "The Pulchritudinous Patriot" (Yeah, I had to look it up too) for pointing out the absurdity of this story.
70 stories. (Yawn.)
Thank heaven for this:
The soaring skyscraper that is supposed to rise from Ground Zero is going back to the drawing board. Gov. George Pataki said yesterday that he and other officials involved with developing the World Trade Center site have agreed to revamp the design of the Freedom Tower to address security issues raised by the Police Department. It is unclear how radical a redesign will be needed to address the safety issues, but sources familiar with the discussions said the building will still stand at 1,776 feet, in homage to the year the United States declared its independence.I never liked the Freedom Tower because so much of its height is just useless decoration. The plans call for only 70 floors of habitable space. Everything above that is open latticework containing wind turbines and an antenna spire. Plus, the tower is only one-third occupied, and that's by a single government tenant -- the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the land underneath the former World Trade Center. The developer, Larry Silverstein, hasn't been able to line up any other tenants, highlighting the dubious financial feasibility of the whole project. Besides, a major selling point of the project is that the 1,776-foot building would be the tallest in the world -- a monument to American resilience and ingeniuity. If built, that monument will pale in comparison to the proposed 160-story Burj Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE just happens to be the last known address of Satam al-Suqami, one of the 9/11 hijackers.
El Cinco de Mayo ("The Fifth of May" in Spanish) is a national holiday in Mexico. It commemorates the victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza over the French expeditionary forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.That's it? The French lost a road game? Well whoop-de-freakin'-doo! What else is new? Here's a brief rundown of France's attempts at empire:
Gallic Wars - Lost. In a war whose ending foreshadows the next 2000 years of French history, France is conquered by of all things, an Italian. Hundred Years War - Mostly lost, saved at last by female schizophrenic who inadvertently creates The First Rule of French Warfare; "France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchman." Sainted. Italian Wars - Lost. France becomes the first and only country to ever lose two wars when fighting Italians. Wars of Religion - France goes 0-5-4 against the Huguenots Thirty Years War - France is technically not a participant, but manages to get invaded anyway. Claims a tie on the basis that eventually the other participants started ignoring her. War of Revolution - Tied. Frenchmen take to wearing red flowerpots as chapeaux. The Dutch War - Tied. War of the Augsburg League/King William's War/French and Indian War - Lost, but claimed as a tie. Three ties in a row induces deluded Frogophiles the world over to label the period as the height of French military power. War of the Spanish Succession - Lost. The War also gave the French their first taste of a Marlborough, which they have loved every since. American Revolution - In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as "de Gaulle Syndrome", and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare; "France only wins when America does most of the fighting." French Revolution - Won, primarily due the fact that the opponent was also French. The Napoleonic Wars - Lost. Temporary victories (remember the First Rule!) due to leadership of a Corsican, who ended up being no match for a British footwear designer. The Franco-Prussian War - Lost. Germany first plays the role of drunk Frat boy to France's ugly girl home alone on a Saturday night. World War I - Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States. Thousands of French women find out what it's like to not only sleep with a winner, but one who doesn't call her "Fraulein." Sadly, widespread use of condoms by American forces forestalls any improvement in the French bloodline. World War II - Lost. Conquered French liberated by the United States and Britain just as they finish learning the Horst Wessel Song. War in Indochina - Lost. French forces plead sickness; take to bed with the Dien Bien Flu Algerian Rebellion - Lost. Loss marks the first defeat of a western army by a Non-Turkic Muslim force since the Crusades, and produces the First Rule of Muslim Warfare; "We can always beat the French." This rule is identical to the First Rules of the Italians, Russians, Germans, English, Dutch, Spanish, Vietnamese and Esquimaux. War on Terrorism - France, keeping in mind its recent history, surrenders to Germans and Muslims just to be safe. Attempts to surrender to Vietnamese ambassador fail after he takes refuge in a McDonald's.
Mayor Dee Srinivasan died from heart disease last month, but supporters are still trying to win her votes for Saturday's election. Supporters in the community of 2,350, an enclave within the city of Houston, say they want to ensure Srinivasan's opponent, former Mayor Sue Speck (search), doesn't win. Speck lost to Srinivasan in 2001 by 12 votes and has been criticized for her management style. "They're both strong-willed ladies," said Councilman Bob Dixon. "When you have two strong people who have been mayor they sometimes clash."Stay tuned for more political news from beyoooond the graaaave...
1. The Wall Street Journal is read by the people who run the country. 2. The Washington Post is read by people who think they run the country. 3. The New York Times is read by people who think they should run the country and who are very good at crossword puzzles. 4. USA Today is read by people who think they ought to run the country but don't really understand The New York Times. They do, however, like their statistics shown in pie charts. 5. The Los Angeles Times is read by people who wouldn't mind running the country- - if they could find the time- - and if they didn't have to leave southern California to do it. 6. The Boston Globe is read by people whose parents used to run the country and did a far superior job of it, thank you very much. 7. The New York Daily News is read by people who aren't too sure who's running the country and don't really care as long as they can get a seat on the train. 8. The New York Post is read by people who don't care who's running the country as long as they do something really scandalous, preferably while intoxicated. 9. The Miami Herald is read by people who are running another country but need the baseball scores. 10. The San Francisco Chronicle is read by people who aren't sure there Is a country... or that anyone is running it; but if so, they oppose all that they stand for. There are occasional exceptions if the leaders are handicapped, minority, feminist, atheist, dwarfs who also happen to be illegal aliens from any other country or galaxy - provided, of course, that they are not Republicans. 11. The National Enquirer is read by people trapped in line at the grocery store.I'd also like to add #12: The Houston Chronicle is read by...well, not too many people these days.
Is it ethically justifiable to do this? You'll have to find your own way there my friend. However, there is an interesting discussion happening over here.Good enough for me.
Che sucks.
Lucas Wall is no longer employed with the Houston Chronicle. You have reached an inactive e-mail account. If this address is on your mailing list, please REMOVE it promptly. This e-mail account will soon cease to exist. If you are trying to contact the Chronicle about a transportation issue, you may forward your e-mail to Rad.Sallee@chron.com. If you are trying to find Lucas Wall, he is now (as of 6-1-05) the transportation reporter for The Boston Globe.
I've known for a while that he was heading out the door, but it's fun to read anyway.
[Shamefully belated hat-tip: Anne Linehan]
Former U.S. Rep. Pete McCloskey, in Houston Sunday for a conference on Palestinian issues, said he and other Republican elders are looking for a candidate to oppose U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land.There are two reasons to suspect that McCloskey might not be the best Republican out there: 1. He's attending a "conference on Palestinian issues." 2. He voted for John Kerry:
Although I'm a lifelong Republican, I will vote for John Kerry on Nov. 2. The choice seems simple under traditional principles of the Republican Party. I first met John Kerry in the spring of 1971. Each of us was just back from Vietnam -- he as a Navy officer and I as a member of Congress -- and were appalled by what we had seen there. I found Kerry to be idealistic, courageous and, above all else, truthful to a fault.And who has McCloskey found to strike back at The Hammer? Michael Fjetland? That can't be right, can it?
He met Sunday with Michael Fjetland, who was defeated by DeLay in Republican primaries in 2000 and 2002 and as an independent in the 2004 general election.Let's make something very clear. Fjetland wasn't just "defeated." He got his guts stomped out. Let's go to Chris Elam for an analysis of the numbers:
What a strategy! Since he can't win (or break 20%) as a Republican (or overtake 3% as an Independent) in CD22, his grand idea is to attempt to get thousands of Democrats to come over and vote in the GOP primary. "Even I could beat them"... how pitifully funny. =)
Each legislative session, constituents lobby their lawmakers to file resolutions creating new state symbols everything fromas varied as the state pastry to and the state folk dance.Is there an editor in the house?
This year, resolutions already have been debated to make the chuck wagon the official vehicle, the Dutch oven the official cooking implement and the purple sage the official native shrub. Why the native shrub, you ask? Well, the crape myrtle, the original state shrub since 1997, isn't from Texas.Did you know that Texas has an official state gem (blue topaz) and an official gemstone cut (Lone Star Cut)? Other well-advised uses of the Legislature's time and money include the following bills, none of which resulted in a nickel of property tax relief for Texas homeowners:
HCR117 Designating the two-step as the Official State Dance of Texas.
HCR 5 Designating picante sauce as the Official State Sauce of Texas.
HCR 83 Designating buckminsterfullerene the official State Molecule of Texas.
HCR150 Designating Clifton the Norwegian Capital of Texas.
HCR206 Designating Odessa as the Jackrabbit Capital of Texas.
HCR55 Designating the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco as the official state repository of Texas Ranger memorabilia.Where the hell else would it be? But this one takes the cake:
HCR229 Declaring the Texas Rio Grande Valley Onion Festival the Official State Onion Festival of Texas.Thanks, Lege. Good work.
"I just could not stop looking at her," Andrews, 39, recalled, sitting in the late-day shade of a cafe umbrella he set up in the yard of his mobile home. "I just kept thinking: 'I'm going to get her. Someday, I'm going to get her and marry her.' " He also knew, even as a mere lad of 14, that this wouldn't be just any romance because the object of that rapturous gaze happened to be his cousin Eleanor. And not a distant cousin, somewhere in the far branches of the family tree. Their mothers were sisters.Aww, isn't that cute, in a perverse, deviant kind of way?
But their marriage also cast a light on conflicting state laws surrounding the practice and on such groups as Cousins United to Defeat Discriminating Laws through Education and www.cousincouples.com, which cite new research to encourage acceptance of such unions.Yeah, the acronym for that inbreeder's club is CUDDLE. Take a look at the organization's website, and you'll find this quote from John F. Kennedy:
There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.Very inspiring, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't talking about humping his relatives.
