"Thank you for writing." - Joseph Heller
"America needs your continued leadership, courage and passion." - Gary Hart
An occasionally thoughtful, often warped, sometimes poet. A chapbook of such poetry can be found here.
This applies only to my commentary. Any quoted work of other authors are not included in this license unless directly specified.
Can a sitting president be charged with plagiarism?
Microsoft breaks law, fined $50
Scientists predict upcoming merger between candy bar and SciFi television show
The Academy Awards needs a new category
The Great Animal Rebellion begins in the US…
…and continues in Australia
What would you do for a pint of beer?
British Police lose case against BBC
The British Police attempted to claim they owned the rights to their own Police Box as a trademark, even though the police box has been absent from British streets since the 1960s, and everpresent on television since Dr. Who began airing in 1963.
They attempted. The British courts decided in favor of the BBC, which can continue selling Dr. Who merchandise with the police box emblazoned on it.
(sigh…the possibility that the value on such merchandise might go up came and went without my knowledge.)
“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore. In fact, in a ”Wizard of Oz” sequel in development at Warner Bros., Dorothy and Toto are in a place that may be even weirder than Oz: New York City. And Dorothy is played by someone with a little more mileage than Judy Garland had at 17 ñ namely, 27-year-old Drew Barrymore. According to Variety, the studio is going ahead with the aforementioned ”Oz” sequel, ”Surrender Dorothy,” with Barrymore attached to star.”
Need I say more…
From The Jungle:
“Last night at the Billy Bragg concert at Barrymore’s, Billy sang the song mentionned in the title, and then went and got a bunch of RCDs out and threw them into the audience, asking people to rip them and spread the song around.”
Download the song
Read the first verse:
voices on the radio
tell us that we are going to war
those brave men and woman in uniform
they want to know what they’re fighting for
the generals want to hear the end game
the alllies want to approve the plan
but the oil men in the white house
they just don’t give a damn
cause it’s all about the price of oil
it’s all about the price of oil
don’t give me no shit about blood sweat tears and toil
it’s all about the price of oil
And visit Billy’s site
May the great Name of God be exalted and sanctified, throughout the world, which he has created according to his will. May his Kingship be established in your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire household of Israel, swiftly and in the near future; and say, Amen.
May his great name be blessed, forever and ever.
Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, honored elevated and lauded be the Name of the holy one, Blessed is he- above and beyond any blessings and hymns, Praises and consolations which are uttered in the world; and say Amen.May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, upon us and upon all Israel; and say, Amen.
He who makes peace in his high holy places, may he bring peace upon us, and upon all Israel; and say Amen.
–
My grandmother passed away Friday, Oct 11, 2002. (Chesvan 5, 5763). Her favorite television shows were Seinfeld, Friends, and Will and Grace. Perhaps partially due to her grandkids who came over for dinner every Thursday night. But the audience share for Must See TV will now skew even younger.
I don’t get excited about Sports often…but I am from St. Louis…
Gryffindor takes first 2 games of 5 game series from Slytherin, but beater injured.
It’s a fair analogy. Diamondbacks are snakes.
Actually…the State of Missouri might be one of the most Liberal states in the nation with regards to sex…
From the previously mentioned article:
There’s no outright ban on public sex in Missouri. The law says the conduct must be likely to cause “alarm or affront.”
So a business dedicated to public-sex…with ample signage so nobody enters and becomes alarmed or affronted…is perfectly alright…
Which is why the only charges that are sticking in any way from a raid of such a business are those of “sexual misconduct”.
I was under the belief that homosexuality was illegal in the state of Missouri. One of only four states still to have such a law. However, apparently, this may not be the case. Missouri may have inadvertently legalized homosexuality over a decade ago when it combined several statutes into one very poorly worded paragraph.
The law, as written now, states:
“A person commits the crime of sexual misconduct in the first degree if he has deviate sexual intercourse with another person of the same sex or he purposely subjects another person to sexual contact or engages in conduct which would constitute sexual contact except that the touching occurs through the clothing without that person’s consent”
There are three parts to this, all connected with “or’s”. If “Without that person’s consent” only applies to the last, then the second part would make any sexual contact (even heterosexual between husband and wife) sexual misconduct.
So logically, it must apply to all three parts…so consensual homosexuality is now legal…
Yes, the legislature most likely intended it to apply to parts 2 and 3, and not 1. But the way the paragraph is phrased, that is not an option.
And here’s the court case that might decide this issue once and for all for the State of Missouri.
“The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
(source: Barbra’s site. )
Some may wonder why the last two posts? What has spurred my interest in this issue to dredge up what I wrote last year, and to write something new?
Well, we are in the middle of the local United Way’s annual campaign. The company I worked for for 10 years (prior to being laid off back in February) was a very active participant. So I automatically start thinking about the United Way in September and October every year.
I knew about this issue long before the Supreme Court case, and only donated anything to the campaign one year, and that year I donated specifically to one agency, and not to the general fund. My general philosophy over the years was to refrain from participating, but remain quiet at work. Not a philosophy I am exactly proud of. But I didn’t really think it would be great for my job to be very vocal about why I wasn’t giving money.
Well…I no longer have that job…
A Reluctant Confession
I was a member of the KKK
There was a chapter at my local grade school
My parents encouraged me to join
They thought it would help me to become a man
I had a lot of fun
We cleaned up the highways
Played sports
Had adventures
I’d like to be able to say
I was still a supporter of the KKK
But perhaps you have heard
They discriminate
Sure the courts have declared
That it is ok
And I guess I agree
But I will not encourage my kids to join
I don’t want my kids
To be taught to hate
And I hope you understand
I don’t want my money supporting the KKK either
So if my local school
Supported by my tax dollar
Has a chapter
They will hear my objection
The same goes for the local
Police and fire department
And if a charity gives money to them
They won’t get money from me
Even if they give
A whole ton of money
To a lot of great organizations
That don’t discriminate
Because I don’t want
One penny of mine
Going to the KKK
I’m sorry, that’s just the way I feel
