OK I Admit I'm Old...

Was watching Las Vegas (season 1). And they played CCR at the end. It got me to thinking about the GREATEST!

Here is my list of some bands/groups/artists who are tremendous. Your thoughts are welcome.

Credence Clearwater Revival - It was a shame John was denied the chance to record for so many years.
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Greatest southern rock band ever.
AC-DC - Duh!
Pink Floyd
Dire Straights
Police
Queen
Prince - Of course.
Bob Segar - Gawd this guy is awsome.
John Cougar/Mellencamp
Billy Joel
Ray Charles - Genius doesn't really qualify his work.
Gwen Stephanie
The Who
Rolling Stones.
Yes, I do not include the Beatles. I like Paul with Wings and John's work, but not the Beatles.
George Thouroughgood and the Destroyers - They blow me away...always
Meatloaf

I think I have to stop here. There is just so much good music out there. And I didn't even touch on my favourite country artists like Travis Tripp. You really should check out Travis' work. He will rock your socks off.

Rule of Law

From Montana:

The state Supreme Court has overturned the convictions of five people who pleaded no contest in Yellowstone County to driving with suspended or revoked driver's licenses.

Why would the judge do that? Because they had never had licenses which could be suspended or revoked.

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Yes, Gladiator

I think Simbaud is onto something here. The people want blood, so let's give them blood. I'm surprised Malkin didn't think of it.

So why not train them [suspected terrorists], equip them with hand weapons (nothing serious: we're thinking broadswords, javelins, maybe nets & tridents), and let them duel to the death before cheering crowds in a large public venue, such as a football stadium?

Seriously though, until one is charged and tried for crime, they are innocent. It's an assumption in place to protect you and me. Dirty Harry and James Bond are fictional characters who ALWAYS know who is good and bad. Our political leaders are not so omnicient.

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I'm a Jinx...

No doubt about it. I favour Democratic candidates and now the Seahawks.

There is a common thread here. In both cases we was robbed. Somehow my endorsement causes bad calls and vote count fraud. Regardless, my team loses.

Maybe I should just start rooting for the "other guys" so my real favourites will win. Your thoughts?

I will admit I was against Barry Goldwater and he lost, but that may be the only time I was not a jinx. Just shoot me!

We Was Robbed...

Although I believe Superbowl XL was the worst officiated game I've ever seen. it's part of the game.

Congrats to the Steelers. Just don't destroy your city in celebration like Seattle would.

Steve Jobs and NSA Spying

Strange topic? Sometimes I. Cringley is very eclectic.

No, not about phone and wire-tapping -- more on that below -- but on the Disney-Pixar merger. What if, instead of having to accept the board presence of Steve Jobs as a cost of getting Pixar's animation talent and film library, Disney actually views the transaction as buying Pixar TO GET Steve Jobs and then gaining the animation bits as a bonus?

Could you take on corporate giants and be successful? Me neither, but Steve Jobs can.

Iran Next? No. 4

The following is lifted from Antiwar.com. They got it from The American Conservative.

"The Pentagon, acting under instructions from Vice President Dick Cheney's office, has tasked the United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM) with drawing up a contingency plan to be employed in response to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States. The plan includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons. Within Iran there are more than 450 major strategic targets, including numerous suspected nuclear-weapons-program development sites. Many of the targets are hardened or are deep underground and could not be taken out by conventional weapons, hence the nuclear option. As in the case of Iraq, the response is not conditional on Iran actually being involved in the act of terrorism directed against the United States. Several senior Air Force officers involved in the planning are reportedly appalled at the implications of what they are doing – that Iran is being set up for an unprovoked nuclear attack – but no one is prepared to damage his career by posing any objections."

OK, in an earlier post I quoted an article from Asian Times online saying Isreal would provide the first strikes. US, Isreal, does it really matter? The fact is Iran will be pounded either way. And it will be pounded regardless whether it is innocent or guilty. Russia and China see it coming and now cheney has identified the trigger. I also doubt the trigger has to be a massive attack.

Yes I know I didn't capitalize cheney's name. To me a capital letter shows respect and I have no more respect for him than I do for the Air Force officers who are carrying out his orders, which appall them, because they fear for their careers.

Sad Day for Feminists

She will be missed. It was amazing what this one woman did for ALL women.

One of the leading lights of America's post-war feminist movement, Betty Friedan, has died at the age of 85.

Her legacy will, of course, continue thru the National Organization for Women (NOW) which she founded in 1966.

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Should Prove Interesting

Reuters on Saturday published an article about Syrians setting fire to the Danish and Norwegian embassies in protests over cartoons of the Muslim Prophet Mohammad.

Mentioned in a couple small paragraphs, we see what Iran may bring to the table in this controversy.

Oil giant Iran, already embroiled in a dispute with the West over its nuclear program, said it was reviewing trade ties with countries that have published such caricatures.

The cartoons are easy to find on various blogs by Americans. Perhaps a US newspaper has published the cartoons, but I found no evidence via Google. Editor&Publisher says some newspapers have included links to the cartoons on the Web.

In Googling about the cartoons, I ran into this AP alert in the Gaineville Sun. This too should prove interesting.

State TV says Iran's president has ordered the resumption of uranium enrichment and the end of snap nuclear inspections.

Update: It appears that with any luck shrub will blow off the US's supply of Venezuelan oil. This just keeps getting better. Seems I remember someone in the administration lamenting the fact we don't have enough oil refineries. This may be a way to get some quite easily. Big oil never loses do they?

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned on Saturday he could shut his government's U.S.-based refineries and sell oil to nations other than the United States if Washington decided to cut diplomatic ties, as relations between the two countries continue to worsen.

Another Incompetent Thug?

The WaPo had a story Friday about a probe into allegations which amount to incompetence of NASA Inspector General Robert W. Cobb.

Written complaints and supporting documents from at least 16 people have been given to investigators. They allege that Cobb, appointed by President Bush in 2002, suppressed investigations of wrongdoing within NASA, and abused and penalized his own investigators when they persisted in raising concerns.

It comes as no surprise he is a shrub appointee. This pres has a real knack for appointing imcompetents. This guy had never held an inspector post before this.

Its a good thing we have nothing to worry about. Cobb has said he will "cooperate fully" with the investigation and there will be an investigation into these allegations.

The complaints are being reviewed by the Integrity Committee of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency.

Oops, I spoke too soon. It seems the council in charge of the investigation belongs to the guy who appointed Cobb. We probably don't need another head on a pike anyway, right?

A Joke, Right?

If this is for real, it is a ridiculous marketing plan. This is an offering on Amazon. It is a downloadable (by computer) and readable (by computer) ebook.

Homeless Survival Guide, Ebook Edition [DOWNLOAD: ADOBE READER]

Iran Next? No. 3

Been a while since I've looked at this topic (here) and (here).

It appears Russia and China are quite concerned Iran will go ahead with uranium enrichment. If so, they expect a massive attack on Iran, initially by air from Isreal. These beliefs are based on war games they have conducted. Their war games then see retaliation by Iran against US naval ships and US-British ground forces in Iraq.

This is where it gets good.

If Iranian missiles have chemical warheads (in fact or presumed), the US will immediately use nuclear weapons to destroy the Iranian military and industrial infrastructure. If not, an air campaign of up to two weeks will prepare the ground campaign for the occupation of the Iranian oil and gas fields.

The fact is, US and British forces can quickly redeploy to Iran. This means being spread too thin in Iraq is not a factor. They will abandon the fight there and head for the newest "hot spot" just like they did when moving from Afganistan to Iraq.

In the SOTU address and other speeches, shrub has made it quite clear conservation is not an option. The American people want all the oil they need now and he will damn well see they have it.

Should anyone read this. Doubtful. When I said it "gets good" I was being ironic.

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Malpractice and medical costs

From shrub and his department of HHS:

“One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.” He said rising malpractice insurance premiums and needless medical procedures ordered up out of fear of lawsuits cost federal taxpayers “at least” $28 billion a year in added costs to government medical programs. Shrub's Department of Health and Human Services claims total savings – public and private – of as much as $108 billion a year.

However, two other government agencies, the General Accounting Office [I love them -ed] and the Congressional Budget Office disagree. They doubt there are any significant savings to be had because there are no sound studies to prove such savings are possible. In one study, limited to a study of the cost of Caesarian sections in states with limits on lawsuits, compared to states without limits, the savings amounted to less than three-tenths of one percent.

The truth is, to be generous, shrub is making bold claims based on less than sound studies. These are studies too inadequate for use in policy making. To be less than generous, he is lying again. Lying to frighten voters into accepting another one of his stupid decisions. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying shrub wants to rape taxpayers by taking away a jury's right to award what it deems fair to an aggrieved patient, its just that...yes, I guess that is what I'm saying.

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No comment

Just read this short blurb on left i on the news.

Self Important much?

Don't think blogs make a difference? Well that's because you aren't familiar with this site which practically assured Alito or someone like him would become a Supreme.

If you think I'm joking, just take a look.

Yea!

As somebody who has publicly backed Alito as the best choice for the high court since way back in October of 2004, I take particular pleasure in this triumph. But without this site, we would right now be seeing the confirmation of some second-rater, made necessary by the defeat that Harriet Miers would have suffered by a combination of mean dems and principled GOPers, which would have weakened Bush too much to make a strong choice like Alito. Without this site, the pressure on Miers probably would not have been great enough to cause a withdrawal by that estimable lady. So congrats to Confirm Them, and congrats to Justice Alito!

State of the Union address

Many have and will comment more knowlegably and eloquently than I on this speech, but I will tackle a few things I've not seen covered.

In this decisive year, you and I will make choices that determine both the future and the character of our country.

Well, not really shrub. The character of our country has been determined and written down in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. You swore an oath to defend both and you aren't doing it.

And we do not forget the other half -- in places like Syria and Burma, Zimbabwe, North Korea and Iran -- because the demands of justice and the peace of this world require their freedom as well.

To me this is shrub speak for, "Here is my short list of future invasions".

And, as we honor our brave troops, let us never forget the sacrifices of America's military families.

Unless your name is, oh I don't know, Cindy Sheehan?

Yet our greatness is not measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we treat one another.

Unless your name is, oh, I think I have to go with Cindy Sheehan again on this one?

And now the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel, disarm, reject terrorism and work for lasting peace.

BTW, while he's at it, he throws in a couple direct orders to Hamas. Guess ruling one country isn't enough. It is also a not too veiled threat as you will see shortly

The same is true of Iran, a nation now held hostage by a small clerical elite that is isolating and repressing its people. The regime in that country sponsors terrorists in the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon, and that must come to an end.

Damn! Shrub, you forgot to include Palestine and Lebanon on your short list earlier. Nice save.

In a dynamic world economy, we are seeing new competitors like China and India. And this creates uncertainty, which makes it easier to feed people's fears.

And you can bet the ranch shrub and other Republicans will feed you all the fears you can eat without vomiting. You just might want to stockpile beer for those feasts.

In the last five years, the tax relief you passed has left $880 billion in the hands of American workers, investors, small businesses and families.

Oh yes. Americans are fat and happy alright. Don't remember what I did with my share, but probably spent it on a bucket of KFC.

"By any way you measure it, Americans are poor savers," says Don Blandin, president of the Washington, D.C.-based American Savings Education Council. "More households are saying they're planning for retirement, but I have an uneasy feeling they're not saving enough.

[snip]

You're on the right road if you're contributing whatever you can to a retirement plan.

"That's good for those who can afford it," says Blandin. "But we need to look at the many Americans who are struggling paycheck to paycheck and need incentives to put something aside."

Hmmm, "paycheck to paycheck". Guess $880 billion just doesn't go as far as it used to. Americans don't save enough because they are struggling to stay housed, fed and warm.

I am pleased that the members of Congress are working on earmark reform, because the federal budget has too many special interest projects.

Now how in the hell did we end up with too many special interest projects? The K street Republican lobbiest couldn't be involved, right?

And we can tackle this problem together, if you pass the line-item veto.

Good thing someone wrote this down for him. He probably forgot, what with all the power grabbing that he'd overlooked the line-item veto. Nice tool to add to his collection. You just never know when some uppity Democrat is going to try to pass a little legislation by tacking it onto some important bill. That is, an important bill we all know shrub won't veto.

Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security...

It was great to see this sentence produce a standing O from Democrats.

We have entered a great ideological conflict we did nothing to invite.

Jesus! Shrub really believes this doesn't he?

I think I feel better now. Its always nice to vent.

(whole transcript here)

EFF suing AT&T over NSA

Damn! Just couldn't squeeze any more acronyms into that title.

This could be good. Unfortunately, a private organisation had to do this because our elected leaders won't.

EFF's Class-Action Lawsuit Against AT&T for Collaboration with Illegal Domestic Spying Program

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a class-action lawsuit against AT&T on January 31, 2006, accusing the telecom giant of violating the law and the privacy of its customers by collaborating with the National Security Agency (NSA) in its massive and illegal program to wiretap and data-mine Americans' communications.

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This little piggy...

Jesus, these guys are totally out of control.

The Environmental Protection Agency has signed agreements with 2,681 animal feeding operations in the egg, chicken, turkey, dairy and hog industries. They would be exempt from having to pay potential fines of up to $27,500 a day for violations either in the past or over the next four years.

Check out the rest of Wayne Uff's post. Also, don't miss Bad Attitudes daily.

Bad Attitudes

You can't trust parents

Little boy: Dad, will you remember me tomorrow?
Dad: Of course.
Little boy: Will you remember me next week?
Dad: Yes.
Little boy: Next month?
Dad: Yup.
Little boy: Next year? Two years? Three years?
Dad. Yes, yes and yes.
Little boy: ...Knock, knock.
Dad: Who's there?
Little boy: Aw, man! You forgot me already!

Too kewl...

Check out these store window displays in Japan. So wild.