The Internet is Funny

More Math

2009-11-03T14:58:00.001-05:00

The data, now available on www.recovery.gov, indicate that approximately 400,000 jobs have been retained or created through the U.S. Department of
Education ARRA grants.

It also shows that the Department of Education received a total of $97.4 billion dollars.

Soooooo we take 97,400,000,000 and divide it by the number of jobs (400,000) and we get the amount the tax payer paid per job created or saved......

I'll let you do the math yourself.

I suck at math

2009-10-29T12:08:00.002-04:00

House Democratic leaders unveiled a sweeping health care reform bill Thursday that includes a more moderate version of the government-run public health insurance option.

The bill -- a combination of versions passed by three House committees -- includes what is termed a "negotiated rate" public option. It will cost $894 billion over 10 years and extend insurance coverage to 36 million Americans, according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

Take $894,000,000,000 and divide it by the number of people it gives insurance to 36,000,000 and we get an insurance cost of about $25k per person.

I love piggy back rides!

2009-09-16T14:11:00.002-04:00

Bonney Lake police are warning high school students to be wary of a man who might have a developmental disability and a fixation with high school athletes.

The warning came after a Bonney Lake High School football player was lured to the public library Monday by the man, who’d said he was going to help the player with a college term paper interview, police reported Tuesday.

During the meeting, the man, who said his name was Dale, began acting strangely and made the student suspicious, police said. When the student decided to leave, the man jumped on the student’s back and asked for a piggy back ride, police said.

The student fled after the man gave him a package that contained “odd amounts of money,” police said.

Police said they have identified the man, who is believed to have had similar encounters with high school students across the state.

Police said they have probable cause to arrest the man on suspicion of simple assault in connection with the piggy back ride and were seeking a warrant for his arrest, police spokesman Tony Rice said.

Let me see your bananna

2009-09-15T16:30:00.001-04:00

Papua New Guinea police are hunting the leader of a sex cult that promised villagers a bumper banana harvest if they engaged in public sex.

The alert was raised after a villager from Yamina in Morobe province walked 12 hours to the nearest town to report the cult's activities.

He told police the cult's leader and his followers have been using threats of violence to force people to have sex in public for the past four months.

The Post Courier reports villagers had been promised their banana harvest would increase every time they fornicated publicly.

Three police officers trekked into the village over the weekend but the leader, identified as Thomas Peli, was able to escape into the bush.

Police reinforcements are being sent to the area.

Doing it "Kansas Style"

2009-09-15T16:07:00.000-04:00

Wichita, KS - A tender moment in a trash bin went all wrong for a couple who found themselves being held up at pocket knifepoint.

Wichita police say two 44-year-olds had climbed into a Dumpster to be alone just after 6 p.m. Saturday when two men interrupted them and demanded their belongings.

Officers say the man and woman were engaged in "an intimate moment" when they were robbed of their shoes, jewelry and the man's wallet.

Police say one of the robbers was a 64-year-old man who egged his 59-year-old companion on during the robbery.

The suspects were found a short time later and the stolen property was returned.

We don't need no stinkin masks

2009-08-25T15:38:00.001-04:00

RICHLAND COUNTY -- A man who was involved in a robbery died after he spray-painted his face to conceal his identity, police said.

Richland County Sheriff's Department deputies say 24-year-old Thomas James began having trouble breathing shortly after the crime, then died. The exact cause of his death has not been released.

Deputies say James, with the help of 23-year-old Michael Gregory Thomas, robbed a Sprint PCS store.

According to authorities, the suspects stole wallets, purses and credit cards from five employees of the store, after demanding money from them at gunpoint.
Investigators say James and Thomas ordered the employees to stay inside a bathroom while the suspects left the store.

Employees were able to identify Thomas as a suspect in the incident.

Healthcare from Mexico?

2009-08-21T11:48:00.001-04:00

Hospitals in border cities, including Detroit, are forging lucrative arrangements with Canadian health agencies to provide care not widely available across the border.

Agreements between Detroit hospitals and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for heart, imaging tests, bariatric and other services provide access to some services not immediately available in the province, said ministry spokesman David Jensen.

The agreements show how a country with a national care system copes with demand for care with U.S. partnerships, rather than building new facilities.

Better than Oktoberfest?

2009-08-20T13:54:00.001-04:00

A CENTURIES-old festival in which residents from rival Indian villages throw stones at each other - often leaving people dead or injured - has been banned.

The annual Gotmar festival in an impoverished central region of the country involved teams competing to capture a tree placed in a river running between two villages as crowds pelted rocks and pebbles across the divide.

The origin of the custom is unclear, but many locals in Madhya Pradesh state believe it developed from the tale of two young lovers who lived on either side of the river and wanted to elope together.

As they tried to escape, residents of the two villages started throwing stones at each other and killed the couple, according to folklore.

In last year's clash between Saargaon and Pandhurhna, one person was reported killed and more than 400 injured.

Attempts to replace the stones with rubber balls in 2001 and 2002 failed as villagers refused to use them.

Whale Wars

2009-08-20T13:52:00.003-04:00

At the end everyone gives each other a high 5.

I guess he was trying to lose his scent?

2009-08-20T13:40:00.001-04:00

FITCHBURG, Mass. -- A local man is accused of carrying out a drive-thru attack.

Police said John Ausiello, 51, climbed through the drive-thru window of the Kimball Street McDonald's and attacked two employees with a box cutter.

"At the time the personnel inside the McDonalds were busy with other tasks and he gained entry without them knowing it and upon discovery there was a scuffle," said Glenn Fossa, of the Fitchburg Police Department.

Police said Ausiello cut the two employees with box cutter, tried to tie one up with his shoelaces, and then robbed the location of a small amount of cash.

It took Fitchburg and Massachusetts State Police only 30 minutes to locate Ausiello in one to two feet of water in the Nashua River.

More Wasteful Spending

2009-07-01T22:09:00.003-04:00

The Obama administration is launching an "IT Dashboard" that increases access to information about the federal government's information technology spending and investment.
Using charts and graphs, the new dashboard displays IT information by federal agency or department. Users can also share or embed the charts on their own Web sites or blogs or on social sites including Facebook, Twitter, and delicious.

Ok, so I visited the site and what's the first headline I see:

Almost 400 Federal employees help test the IT Dashboard. From June 11 through June 29, OMB hosted daily Open House sessions, with tremendous attendance from over 30 Federal agencies.

Alright, let's assume that each employee spent 10 minutes checking out the website to make sure it worked and 5 minutes reporting their results.

So we take 400 employees each spending 15 minutes and we get a total of 100 man hours per day. Over 13 days we have a total of 1300 hours. In March 2004 the median salary for a government employee was $60,517 a year or an average of $30.26 an hour.

30.26 X 1300 = $39,338

As someone who tests websites for a living let me be the first to tell you that I could have done the same thing for under $5,000.

Seriously though it's like every day....

2009-07-01T09:13:00.001-04:00

Delaware's budget for this year was signed last night.

The bill Markell signed today will raise the top rate to 6.95 percent, which hits all taxable income over $60,000.

"I blew it!" - Obama

2009-06-30T14:18:00.002-04:00

On May 8, the government revealed the results of the `stress tests' and we learned that the nation's biggest banks were in okay shape to handle "adverse" scenarios -- like, say, 8.9% unemployment. Thank heavens for that, because just one day later the Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate hit -- you guessed it -- 8.9%.

Nearly two months later we're at 9.4%...and counting.

Fucked Again

2009-06-30T11:05:00.002-04:00

24 hours later and I'm getting shafted again.

The highest- and lowest-paid Delawareans would catch a break under a measure that passed Monday night in the state House, a personal income tax hike that doesn't include proposed hits to those making less than $60,000 or an even greater burden on those making $150,000 and up.

Ev Ev Everyday I'm getting screwed

2009-06-29T16:32:00.002-04:00

Example #13042084208240842084208 of the government coming out with a program funded with my tax dollars which I do not qualify for. Guess I'll just spend the remaining 25 years paying it off myself.

Repaying a student loan could soon be a little less painful.

Starting this week, anyone with a federal student loan can apply for a program, run by the Department of Education, that caps monthly payments based on income, and forgives remaining balances after 25 years. Those choosing to work in public service could have their loans forgiven after just 10 years.

Eligibility for income-based repayment (IBR) is determined by a person's income and loan size.

Change means more Crackheads on the Street?

2009-06-29T10:30:00.003-04:00

Federal judges are beginning to equalize punishment for crack and powder cocaine crimes, resulting in shorter prison terms for crack dealers and putting pressure on Congress to address a wide disparity in how the legal system handles cocaine-related offenses.

Yeah, let's lessen the penalty for crack rather than increasing it for coke. Then again we've increasing violent offenders so fast there's really not room for the lowly crackhead these days.

So Hot!

2009-06-27T10:06:00.001-04:00

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Hayden Panettiere has no problem showing some skin.

In her new movie, I Love You, Beth Cooper (in theaters July 10), Ms. Panettiere stars as the most popular girl in high school who is the object of the school nerd's affection. In one scene, with her back to the camera, she drops her towel in the locker room to impress her geeky suitor, played by Paul Rust.

So just how naked was she? Read on to find out...

"I was really naked," the 18-year-old starlet tells me. "I had these little sticky petals on my boobs, but that was about it. My dad calls me such an exhibitionist. He always says, 'God, even when you were little, you were such an exhibitionist!' "

Even so, Panettiere has no plans to go frontal for the cameras...yet.

"I'm cool with my body, and I'm cool running around undressed and all that stuff, but there are just certain things that not everyone needs to know, that you need to keep somehow private and personal to you," she said. "But you never know, you never know. I could be 30 years old and just be like, 'Screw it—I want to take it all off. I better take a picture of this baby before it all goes.'

Duck!

2009-06-15T12:54:00.003-04:00

Lookout Daffy, here comes NOVA! Funny thing is it says they're men and gives their names but doesn't give an age. All rocking BB guns.

Four out-of-state men were arrested on animal cruelty charges after they were allegedly found shooting BB guns at ducks in Rehoboth Beach.

Rehoboth Beach police charged Andrew R. Eugene, of Silver Springs, Md., Karthik Srinivasan, of Fairfax, Va., and Rodney C. Middlebrooks and Charles M. Gibson, both of Washington, D.C., with cruelty to animals, disorderly conduct and conspiracy.

Rehoboth Beach police spokesman Detective Kevin Jones said officers were called to the 200 block of Hickman St. at about 8:20 p.m. Friday to investigate a report of several people shooting ducks.

Officers arrived to find one man crouching behind a bush with a BB pistol trying to shoot a rabbit.

Jones said the man was ordered to drop the gun and was arrested.

The three other men were spotted sitting nearby.

They were in possession of two BB rifles and another BB pistol, Jones said.

They, too, were taken into custody.

A dead duck was found in the vicinity with several pellet holes in the head and neck.

The four suspects were released on unsecured bail pending a court hearing.

Oversnapped into a Slim Jim

2009-06-09T16:14:00.003-04:00

GARNER, N.C. – Two people were missing and 21 injured, four critically, after an explosion at a Slim Jim meat products plant in North Carolina, officials said Tuesday.

I'm guessing someone Snapped into a fresh Slim Jim causing the explosion. Something tells me it was this guy:

Get your Kill on

2009-06-09T11:30:00.001-04:00

A Prince William County man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend 91 times with a pair of scissors, killing her not far from her Vienna home last July, pleaded guilty yesterday to second-degree murder with an agreement that he face no more than 20 years in prison.

Talk about a deal. If people knew they'd only get 20 years (this guy will probably be out in 10 with good behavior) they'd probably kill a lot more people.

I on the other hand think we need to stab this guy 92 times with a pair of scissors making sure it's not fatal till the 92nd stab.

Dur who done said what huh?

2009-06-09T11:26:00.001-04:00

The study, released today by researchers affiliated with the trade publication Education Week, examined data from 1996 to 2006, the latest available federal figures, to calculate the percentage of students who graduate from high school within four years of starting ninth grade.

In 2006, the study found, the D.C. graduation rate fell to 48.8 percent, down 8.8 percentage points from the previous year

Yet the lemmings keep voting for crackheads and liberals.

Clown Cars are made in Mexico

2009-06-08T12:31:00.005-04:00

The title of the CNN article said, "10 immigrants killed in SUV crash in Arizona".

Funny how they left out the word "ILLEGAL" before the immigrants since the article then says they were illegals but who knows maybe they were limited in the number of words in the title and found the word Arizona to be more important.

It's also funny how our brains work. If the work immigrants had been left out of the title and it just said "10 killed in SUV crash in Arizona" then naturally we'd all assume that there were multiple SUVs that had collided but no..... as soon as we hear immigrants we know that all 10 of these people were riding in this 8 passenger SUV.

HOWEVER it wasn't until I opened the article and read it did I realize that only 10 people died and that the 8 passenger SUV was actually carrying 24.......yes 24 people.

They aren't saying what caused the accident (the SUV flipped) but something tells me that the body roll from the weight of 24 people rounding even a slight corner in an SUV could cause some troubles.

Where's my Scholarship?

2009-05-22T11:36:00.001-04:00

FINNEY COUNTY, Kansas (CNN) -- U.S. communities are changing complexion as ethnic diversity grows in the American heartland.

Finney County, Kansas, is one of six counties across the nation that became majority-minority between 2007 and 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau recently announced. The agency defines majority-minority as a county where more than half the population is made up of a group that is not single-race, non-Hispanic white.

Nearly 10 percent (309) of the nation's 3,142 counties were majority-minority as of July 1, 2008.

The article refers to them as majority-minorities. Should we just call them the hispanic majority?

I almost crashed this morning.

2009-05-21T09:12:00.001-04:00

The 1997 Ford Thunderbird has 5 times more weight then it should for a car with very very very limited braking power.

Good old fashion Hanging?

2009-05-14T12:43:00.003-04:00

There are, of course, lucky homeowners like Daniel Iturriaga, 45, a warehouse worker from Compton, Calif. Working with a counselor from Springboard, a nonprofit counseling group, Iturriaga was able to get JPMorgan Chase & Co. and mortgage finance company Fannie Mae to modify his home loan.

He's going from a monthly payment of about $2,300 to about $1,275. After a three-month trial period, it should be final in mid-June.

"It's a long process, but I still have a little hope to stay in my home" said Iturriaga, who bought his home for about $400,000 in 2005 and has seen houses on the same block sell for about half as much. "I'm pretty happy."

The fact that a WAREHOUSE WORKER got approved for a $400k loan is insane (almost as insane as the idea that there's a house worth $400k in Compton). I'm betting I make twice as much as him and I probably couldn't get approved for a loan like that. The mortgage company has the paperwork on who the loan officer is. They should take Daniel and the loan officer outside and make an example out of both of them.

Stupidity - Not just for Americans anymore

2009-05-14T10:43:00.001-04:00

While test driving a new convertible on Wednesday afternoon a man from Hannover lost some €23,000 – with which he’d planned to purchase the vehicle – because it blew away when he simply put it on the backseat.

The 23-year-old from Hannover was “apparently not an experienced convertible driver,” news agency DPA reported. He took the sporty new Audi A3 convertable onto the A2 motorway after putting the money envelope in the backseat for safekeeping, then watched in horror as the money fluttered away when he reached a high speed.

The man called police from the German state of Lower Saxony, who closed the A2 in both directions for 30 minutes between Garbsen and Hannover-Herrenhausen to help him search for the airborne cash.

He was only able to find €20,000 of the initial sum, most of which was located near the guard rail, police said.

It remains unclear whether he will still buy a new car.

Epic Fail

2009-05-13T09:19:00.008-04:00

Someone feel free to create the fail poster.

Glad we spent billions in tax payer money to do nothing (again).

I too voted that it didn't make a difference. I went back and looked and sure enough I am getting a stimulus. My pay is an extra $4.80 a week. Sound to me like the gov't just wants to pay me enough to start buying a pack of cigarettes a week again.

f-it I quit

2009-05-12T15:14:00.001-04:00

The financial health of Social Security and Medicare, the government's two biggest benefit programs, worsened in the past year because of the severe recession.

Trustees of the two programs said Tuesday that Social Security will start paying out more in benefits than it collects in taxes in 2016, one year sooner than projected last year, and the giant trust fund will be depleted by 2037, four years sooner.

The trustees said Medicare was in even worse shape. They said that the trust fund for hospital expenses will pay out more in benefits than it collects this year and will be insolvent by 2017, two years earlier than the date projected in last year's report.

In the ghetto...

2009-05-07T17:31:00.004-04:00

Arlington, Virginia population 200,000.
In 2008 there were 4 homicides (up from 2 the previous year).

Wilmington, Delaware population 73,000.
In 2008 there were 24 homicides (up from 14 the previous year with a total of 122 shootings).

The City of Brotherly Love!

2009-05-04T09:25:00.023-04:00

Allow me to tell a contrasting story to our friends at Dic Tailgate.

Here in Philadelphia things are different. A few weeks ago Carla and I got tickets to the Flyers Game 6 vs. Penguins. I guess the biggest perk was the price since the Flyers are owned by Comcast. While I don't own season tickets I have been a Flyers fan for many years and this was not the first game against Pittsburgh I had been to this year (notice the section = free food and booze).

Although the outcome of the game was less than favorable (Pens 5 - Philly 3) and Philly was eliminated from the playoffs the fans while typical philly drunk and crude were very friendly and we even got a shirt.

Del DOT = Fail

2009-05-01T12:23:00.002-04:00

Well the DelDOT is now in big trouble and something tells me a lawsuit is pending and we'll again have a bigger deficit thanks to the genius that put this together.

Delaware Department of Transportation's "Diversity Spotlight" newsletter had a section titled "Comments you never want to make to a co-worker -- Workplace faux pas." Here are some excerpts:

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender co-workers

• "Have you thought about getting help?"

You are stereotyping, telling the person there's something wrong that should be fixed.

Asian co-workers

• "You must be the new IT person."

All Asians are not IT professionals.

African-American co-workers

• "Should we order fried chicken or watermelon for you?"

This is stereotyping and shows ignorance.

Older co-workers

• "You know Wal-Mart is hiring."

This is not funny. An older employee has experience you could benefit from.

Hispanic/Latino co-workers

• "Can you help me out with my landscaping?"

Why would you assume that all Hispanics/Latinos are landscaping experts?

I can ride my bike with no handlebars

2009-04-29T13:16:00.003-04:00

How does a family of 8 commute anywhere if they have no car and little money?

He did it

2009-04-28T23:00:00.002-04:00

A "furious" President Obama has ordered a review of the decision to fly a Boeing 747 close to the lower Manhattan skyline for a photo shoot, the White House said Tuesday.

Is this the same President Obama whose party backs the individuals DIRECTLY responsible for this happening? Great choice of "friends".

p.s. - Is this an economic stimulus?

Air Force officials estimate that the mission and the photo shoot for the 747 and an accompanying F-16 fighter jet cost $328,835. But they said "the hours would have been flown regardless, and the expenses would have been accrued on a different mission."

Go Hokies

2009-04-27T22:56:00.002-04:00

Hopkins' fumble return for a touchdown carries Maroon to 13-7 win in Maroon-White game

Looks like the offense is picking up right where it left off last year.......dead

In related news http://firebryanstinespring.blogspot.com/

Itz Nicea!

2009-04-27T21:50:00.002-04:00

The Republic of Kazakhstan in Central Asia is in the process of building the world’s first alien embassy according to some local media reports. If these reports are to be believed, the authorities have already allocated a large plot of land in the city of Almaty for this ambitious project. Facilities to be built within the complex will include a guesthouse, theatre and translation service. A purpose built UFO landing pad and checkpoint will be attached to the embassy.
Kazakhstan’s government believes open contact with aliens is imminent and by being the first nation to specifically create such facilities they are convinced they will reap enormous financial and economic rewards. The Kazakhstan Government also see this as a chance to demonstrate their nations forward thinking policies.
Currently it is generally accepted that aliens are making use of an underwater UFO base in the Caspian Sea which Kazakhstan borders. Fuad Gasimov, the head of neighbouring Azerbaijan’s national Aerospace Agency has confirmed this to be the case and has gone on record stating the old USSR constantly monitored alien spaceships regularly entering the water but kept this a military secret. Gasimov himself was involved in this secret monitoring of UFOs when a department heat at the USSR’s science academy.
In addition to this, numerous UFO sightings occur in Kazakhstan where it is believed aliens take an interest in their massive natural resources. (I'm guessing it's their Potassium) As recently as last year a UFO was reported as having crashed into a river in Kazakhstan.
The head of Kazakhstan’s space agency, Talgat Musabayev, is said to be heavily involved in the embassy project. Musabayev is an ex-cosmonaut who has spent many hours in space and is an ex-colleague of Gasimov. It is believed that he possesses a large amount of information on the aliens currently visiting earth.
Kazakhstan’s acceptance of the reality of alien visitors to earth has won it the admiration of many ufologists, especially those in the west, who wonder when their countries will follow this example.

I really thought this article was a joke but from what I can tell from Google Translator its true.
http://express-k.kz/show_article.php?art_id=25593

Wait what?

2009-04-27T21:38:00.004-04:00

The Obama administration, which has boasted about its efforts to make government more transparent, is rolling back rules requiring labor unions and their leaders to report information about their finances and compensation.
The Labor Department noted in a recent disclosure that "it would not be a good use of resources" to bring enforcement actions against union officials who do not comply with conflict of interest reporting rules passed in 2007. Instead, union officials will now be allowed to file older, less detailed conflict reports.

So we're going to make corporations report everything but these unions (some with over 1 million members) don't need to worry about staying honest?!?!?!? This really seems like a step backwards.

The Messiah is here!

2009-04-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

'The Truth' by Painter Michael D'Antuono which will be unveiled on President Obama's 100th Day in Office at NYC's Union Square.

WoW

2009-04-23T17:55:00.003-04:00

I never would have believe this is true but the fact I read it in Scientific American Magazine means it's at least possibly accurate.

The grain required to fill a 25-gallon SUV tank with ethanol could feed one person for a year.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=civilization-food-shortages&page=1

This guy should do standup

2009-04-23T12:10:00.000-04:00

The Taliban commander in Buner, Mowlana Mohammed Khalil, gave a statement before Pakistani television cameras Wednesday, appearing with his face hidden behind a cloth mask.
"We came here only to preach Islam," Khalil said. He added that his fighters were carrying weapons only because they were an important symbol for Muslims.

Snake Oil Salesman

2009-04-23T09:27:00.006-04:00

There is something fundamentally wrong with the two leading headlines on Yahoo news.

"AP Poll: Americans high on Obama, direction of US"
and
"New Jobless Claims Rise more than expected to 640K"

p.s. - We currently have the highest unemployment rate since January 1983. Looks like the WRONG direction to me.

I have an idea

2009-04-22T10:52:00.001-04:00

The 26 U.S. cities with the worst foreclosure problems are concentrated in four states — California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada, a report released Wednesday shows.

The report on foreclosures for the first quarter by RealtyTrac Inc. said the highest foreclosure rates were found in Las Vegas, Merced, Calif. and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area in Florida. Next on the list were the California metro areas of Stockton, Riverside, Modesto, Bakersfield and Vallejo-Fairfield.

Rounding out the top 10 were Phoenix and Port St. Lucie, Fla. Outside of the four high-foreclosure states, the worst foreclosure rates were in Boise City, Idaho (No. 27) and Greeley, Colo. (No. 29).

How about if we just kick these 4 states out of the US and then we'll be free of our problems.

Ramalamadingdong

2009-04-21T23:34:00.001-04:00

Its claim to fame is its name - one of the world's longest.

So you might expect those writing signs to Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg to try extra hard to copy it down correctly.

But it has emerged that directions to the beauty spot have been spelled wrong for years.

The Indian name, which means 'The fishing place at the boundaries, the neutral meeting ground', was written with an O at letter 20 in place of a U and an H at letter 38 instead of an N.

Officials in Webster, Massachusetts, found the error by consulting historical books and have promised to correct it.

Many residents in the small town do not even try to pronounce its name, simply referring to it as Lake Webster.

Don't know why but that last line made me crack up.

My life in comics

2009-04-21T15:12:00.005-04:00

My Blood, It Boils Over

2009-04-17T12:18:00.002-04:00

BELLINGHAM, Washington (CNN) -- After 11 years of living illegally in the United States, it was not until Gerardo Arreola Gonzalez was nearly deported that he finally received permission to work here.

Arreola was one of 28 illegal immigrant workers arrested in February after agents from U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement raided a car engine repair business.

According to the immigrants, a small army of federal agents surrounded Yamato Engine Specialists in Bellingham Washington, and began searching for workers who could not show they had authorization to work in the United States.

"My blood ran cold," Arreola said in Spanish. "We went to the back door, but they were waiting for us. There was a bus already there, and they put us on it."

So you've been in this country for 11 years and you can't complete 3 sentences in English!?!?!?! Get the FOCK out of my country you flippin retard.

As he was being taken to an immigration detention center, Arreola said he thought of his wife and the five children they have had while living here and who are U.S. citizens by birth. He expected to be deported back to Mexico, Arreola said, and he was doubtful about when he would see his family again.

Ok, enough of that crap too. If you aren't here legally than your kids aren't either. I'm tired of the old keep a country baby.

"I would have been there and they would have been here," he said. "I would have had to come back. I couldn't take them there. My children don't know anything about Mexico. They go to school here."

I bet they know how to speak Spanish. That's a big thing about Mexico they know.

Typically, cases like Arreola's end in deportation. According to ICE, some 5,173 people were arrested last year in similar worksite raids.

However, the Bellingham raid was the first of its kind to take place during the Obama administration. During the presidential campaign, then-candidate Obama's criticism of government immigration policies that split up families had given some people in immigrant communities hope that the raids would end if he were elected.

"Under the Obama administration, we didn't expect it to happen that people would be dragged out in handcuffs," said Rosalinda Guillen, a Bellingham immigrant rights advocate.

Gotta love an administration which supports illegal acts.

Many in the area strongly opposed the raid, Guillen said.

"This is a really heavy Obama-supporting county," she said. "So a lot of folks here had been in involved in the election." Immediately after the raid, she said, "the calls, the e-mails started and networks were activated."

Guillen said the controversy over the raid was featured heavily on Hispanic radio stations and that a charity called Los Niños Fund was created to help the children of the jailed immigrants.

During a hearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security the day after the Bellingham raid, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano distanced herself from the action.

Worksite enforcements, she said, should focus "on employers who intentionally and knowingly exploit the illegal labor market." Napolitano promised lawmakers that she would "get to the bottom" of what happened in Bellingham.

Napolitano's comments turned the heat up on the already boiling debate over how immigration policies should be reformed.

"Get to the bottom of what? Law enforcement officers enforcing the law?" asked Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a nonprofit group that advocates more border security and decreasing the number of illegal immigrants entering the country.

I love this line. Someone needs to remind Janet it's her job to enforce the law not make it.

"The message is if you are hiring illegal aliens, 'no problem.' If you are in the country illegally, unless you commit a serious felony we are not going to bother you, so it's a de facto amnesty," Mehlman said. "Even if the administration cannot get an amnesty through Congress this year, what they are going to do is through administrative decisions allow everybody to remain here and send the signal that more people are welcome."

Amy Kudwa, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said there was no policy shift and that other worksite immigration inspections had taken place since the Bellingham raid.

But Rosalinda Guillen said people in the pro-immigrant rights community were heartened by the fact that shortly after Napolitano ordered a review of the Bellingham case the immigrant workers who were still in immigration detention were released.

"I was just flabbergasted," Guillen said. And the same immigration agents who had arrested the workers, she said, now promised them visas that would allow them to work temporarily in the U.S.

"Homeland Security drove them to the place where they had to go to fill out the paperwork for the work permits," she said "That is totally unheard of."

A spokeswoman for the ICE Seattle office declined to comment on the case because the raid is under review and the investigation into the company where the immigrants worked is still ongoing.

Several days after the workers' release, ICE agents again searched Yamato Engine Specialists.

The company did not respond to repeated CNN requests for comment, but a statement posted on its Web site reads: "It has been and continues to be Yamato's policy to hire people only if they meet the legal requirements for employment."

Several of the workers who were arrested said immigration agents have asked if they suffered any abuse while working for Yamato. Gerardo Arreola Gonzalez said the company did not mistreat him during the months he worked there soldering car engines.
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But Yamato did not verify his immigration status when he first arrived at the company, Arreola said.

"I filled out my application and did the interview. They asked if my papers were good," Arreola said. "You say 'yes,' otherwise you don't get the job."

He deserved every bit of it

2009-04-17T10:45:00.001-04:00

A man who grabbed a Dallas Cowboys flag from a car in downtown Washington was punched in the face yesterday, startling passersby in an area that is home to lawyers, lobbyists and expensive shops and restaurants.

It occurred about 6 p.m. in the 1700 block of L Street NW, at a site just west of Connecticut Avenue, where few expect fisticuffs. Commuters were hurrying toward the Farragut North Metro station, and the car was stopped in traffic, police and witnesses said.

"It's crazy," said D.C. police Lt. Eric Hayes of the 2nd District. "It doesn't make sense."

But, he said, someone snatched the flag from a car, apparently threw it down, and crossed the street. "By the time he got across, someone exited the car" and struck him in the face, Hayes said.

It might have been motivated by team loyalty, he said. Or the motorist might have been particular about who touched his car.

One witness said she saw a "big tall man walk up to this guy and hit him across the head." Then, she said, the tall man "got back in his car and drove off."
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She said that the motorist "just hit the man and walked off" and that he picked up an object from the ground, which might have been the flag.

The man who was hit fell and struck his head on the sidewalk, she said. Ringed by the concerned and the curious, the man lay facedown on the pavement.

"He was out cold for a good five minutes or so," the witness said.

Police said a man was taken from the scene for treatment of a bruised forehead.

Long live the Pirates

2009-04-17T10:14:00.001-04:00

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

That's the idea behind Google's latest move to allow users to download free music in China. Google has partnered with a Chinese company, Top100.cn, to make it happen.

About 140 music labels have joined in, including the "Big Four" -- EMI Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and Universal Music.

Most Chinese users get their music for free anyway, thanks to rampant online piracy. Google and its partners hope the new business model will generate revenue from advertising that all will share. More importantly, Google wants to increase traffic and catch up to its competitor Baidu.

This just goes to show that if we all pirate enough music we'll finally all get it for free.

No Free Jail Stays

2009-04-16T22:24:00.001-04:00

Why isn't everyone doing this?

POLK COUNTY, FL -- Polk County Jail inmates are going to start paying a daily subsistence fee.

April 15 is Federal tax day for all of us who work, raise a family, play by the rules, and do our best to enjoy the fruits of our labor. It is also tax day for those who don't work but reside in the Polk County Jail.

The new fee, referred to as a 'subsistence fee,' is specifically authorized in the Florida Statute. The fees will be used to subsidize the cost of incarcerating inmates. This includes costs and services such as food, clothing, laundry, etc.

The fees will start on Wednesday, April 15, 2009. Inmates were provided a four week notice about the daily fees on March 18th, 2009. Inmates admitted into the jail since then have been notified during the booking process.

The $2 subsistence fee will be assessed daily and collected through the inmate accounting system. If an inmate has insufficient funds in his/her account to pay the fee, the fee will be charged to the account and a running balance will be maintained.

Any money placed into an inmate's account will be first applied to any outstanding balance owed to the jail by the inmate. If an inmate is booked out of the jail still owing funds, a lien will be placed on the account until the financial responsibility is paid.

The following fees have already been implemented and are currently in place in order to defray the cost of booking and incarceration:

1) $30 one-time administrative per diem fee when they are booked into the jail
2) Medical co-payment fees: $10 to see a nurse, $15 to see a doctor, $10 pharmacy co-pay, and $75 for off-site transportation for medical visits
3) Weekend inmate work program administration fee: $20 per day ($40 for the weekend)
4) Weekday inmate work program administration fee: $8 per day ($40 per work week)
5) $9 hygiene kit/underwear fee ($1.50 for hygiene kit and $7.50 for five pair of underwear) charged to inmates assigned to housing

No inmates are denied access to food, medical care, or hygienic products if they do not have funds in their inmate accounts or if they do not have funds available during the booking process to pay the fees.

During 2008, $418,438 was collected from Polk County jail inmates for medical co-payments ($38,182), hygiene items ($66,426), and per diem charges ($313,830). These funds help to reduce the overall operating costs for jail booking, housing prisoners, and feeding and clothing prisoners. The average cost per day per Polk County jail inmate for fiscal year 2008 is $52.27.

Tax Day

2009-04-15T13:33:00.003-04:00

For most Americans, Wednesday is the day they have to make sure they're square with the tax man.

It's also a day that focuses the mind on those perennial questions about the fairness of the U.S. tax system. Are higher-income people paying enough - or would raising their taxes depress their incentive to work? Are the poor getting gouged - or do too many get off without paying a penny? Are those in the vast middle getting squeezed?

The questions are particularly relevant these days, as deficits pile up, demands for government spending soar and many of the past decade's tax cuts near their expiration in 2010.

Going forward, the White House has said it wants to cut taxes for families making less than $250,000, while at the same time start collecting more from families with bigger incomes in 2011.

Of course, the burden of funding the federal government isn't designed to be spread equally. The U.S. tax code is progressive, meaning that higher-income tax filers pay more in taxes than those lower down the income scale.

But just how much more?

The highest earners pay the lion's share of the dollars Uncle Sam collects.

The top fifth of households made 56% of pre-tax income in 2006 but paid 86% of all individual income tax revenue collected, according to the most recent data available from the Congressional Budget Office.

Narrowing in further: The top 1% of households, which made 19% of pre-tax income, paid 39% of all individual income taxes.

The trend is similar if you count income taxes, social insurance taxes, excise taxes and corporate income taxes (such as capital gains) combined. The top fifth of households paid 69% of all federal taxes. The top 1% paid 28%.

But researchers also note that the highest income taxpayers derive the most benefits from the tax cuts put in place since 2001.

Next year, as a result of all those tax cuts, filers making more than $1 million will enjoy a 7.7% average boost in their after-tax income relative to what they would have if the tax cuts weren't in place, according to the Tax Policy Center. Middle-income households, by comparison, will see an average boost of 2.6%.

A Tax Foundation survey found 56% of Americans think the amount of federal income tax they pay is too high. Those most likely to feel that way, according to the survey, include those making between $35,000 and $50,000.

But once the various tax breaks to which they're entitled are counted, the burdens of low- and middle-income tax filers as a group has been fairly low.

The Tax Policy Center estimates that for 2009, 43% of tax units (most of which are lower income households that may or may not file a return) will have no income tax liability or will have a negative income tax liability, meaning the government will actually pay them.

When measuring the tax burdens from income tax and payroll tax combined, the Tax Policy Center estimates nearly 12% of tax units will have zero or negative liability.

As for everyone else, it's likely their net income tax burden will not be high.

For example, in 2005, just under one in 10 filers owed more than 15% of their income in federal income tax, said Roberton Williams, senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center. Virtually all of them had incomes over $100,000.

The idea of getting paid by the government NOT to work is mind boggling. The fact the amount they pay you goes up as you decide to have more kids is down right insane.

Nerf

2009-04-15T10:53:00.016-04:00

Popular Mechanics has released its list of the top 10 Nerf Guns of all time:

1991 Bow and Arrow
Though Nerf balls had been around for years, this was the first Nerf weapon that the company produced. Its ammo was three Nerf arrows with an average shooting distance of 60 feet, so it's also one of the farthest-shooting toy weapons the company has made. It's a classic addition to any Nerf arsenal.

I think this was my first Nerf weapon as well. Like the NES it was an instant classic and I still wish I had a working one today.

1994 Ballzooka
Nerf combines its original ball with a powerful gun, creating this Nerf-fan favorite. It can unload 15 balls in less than 6 seconds.

Similar to when humans moved from bow and arrows to muskets the release of the Ballzooka brought an end to the supremacy of the Nerf Bow and Arrow. While long range battles could be won by the bow and arrow it was quickly realized that moving in closer the Ballzooka could wipe out an entire battery of archers.

1995 Crossbow
Nerf-ball guns can only take one type of ammo. This puts users at a tactical disadvantage, rendering them helpless in the event of an empty magazine. The Nerf Crossbow was the first Nerf gun that could fire two different types of Nerf weapons (arrows and darts). It's capable of shooting both about 40 feet.

While a move back to "bow and arrow" technology may be viewed as an inhibitor of progress the crossbow overcame the ammo issue often encountered by Nerf warriors. Once a barrage had been fired both sides typically had to change sides so they could retrieve their ammo and fire again. By allowing multiple types of ammo the crossbow overcame any issues resulting from parents refusing to spend "more money on more foam darts that they'll have to pick up."

1997 SuperMAXX3000
When speedy shooting is paramount, this blaster's automatic rotating chamber fires eight darts 50 feet at a rate of about 0.81 seconds per shot. Nerf nerds hail it as one of the most accurate and powerful foam-shooting pistols ever.

Having never used this weapon there is very little I can tell you other than I'm glad I never went up against one.

1998 Lock n Load
Many assume that heavy artillery is needed to get serious power out of a Nerf gun, but this little, single-shot gun proves them wrong. The pistol's 50-foot range equals that of its bigger cousins, making it a great backup blaster for ninja missions or for when your primary gun runs out of ammo.

The Lock n Load was never meant to replace an existing member of the Nerf family but rather bring some of the early weapons back from obscurity. By equipping your bow and arrow or crossbow warriors with the lock n load you provide them with an effective close range weapon which could compete with the likes of the ballzooka assuming the archer had a good shot and used the lock n loads ability to be concealed as a surprise to their advantage.

All the Rest

The remaining guns are after my time and appear to be the computer age of Nerf guns.

1999 Nerf PowerClip DX 1000

The PowerClip took cues from Hasbro's SuperSoaker division. Pump the gun a couple of times and it builds up enough pressure to send Nerf darts soaring 78 feet, at the rate of 9 darts per second.

2004 Nerf N-Strike Unity Power System
While early Nerf guns were cartoonish and unrealistic, the N-Strike series was heavily influenced by real weaponry. This was the first N-Strike series, and is notable for its versatility—it can shoot three different types of ammo from three discrete barrels: small darts for precise hits and rapid-fire shooting and a massive missile dart for long-range mortarlike assaults. Its best feature: The gun can be disassembled and used as three individual guns.

2006 Nerf N-Strike Maverick
This revolver-style Nerf gun is the company's best-selling blaster of all time. Reloading is easy: The six-dart chamber flips open for easy access to the auto-advancing barrel, and it can shoot the darts as fast as you can pump the handle and pull the trigger.

2008 Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25
The biggest, best, most powerful Nerf gun ever. The battery-powered Vulcan is basically a fully-automatic foam-spewing machine gun, complete with a 25-dart clip that it can unload in less than 10 seconds. And if the batteries die, you can still pump and shoot the old-fashioned way. Some drawbacks: Chasing down all those darts for reloading is far from fun, and some of our commenters have noted that the belt jams easily.

Something tells me that making the fat kid haul this around with him is a good way to reduce childhood obesity in this country.

2009 Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS 35 Blaster
When it comes out this Fall, this blaster's 35-dart cache will give it the highest dart capacity of any Nerf gun. The gun instantly transitions between single fire and slam fire when you pump it while holding the trigger. And unlike the Vulcan, the Raider's rapid-fire setting doesn't require batteries.

I will say that when the Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS 35 Blaster is released I may have to pick one up since the neighbor's kids are always outside playing with Nerf guns.

Give it up

2009-04-15T08:53:00.000-04:00

A group of some 1,000 Afghans swarmed a demonstration of 300 women protesting against a new conservative marriage law on Wednesday. The women were pelted with small stones as police struggled to keep the two groups apart.

The law, passed last month, says a husband can demand sex with his wife every four days unless she is ill or would be harmed by intercourse — a clause that critics say legalizes marital rape. It also regulates when and for what reasons a wife may leave her home alone.

To bad Carla doesn't read my blog...............

Just kidding babe, I love you!

Washington behind again....

2009-04-10T09:46:00.001-04:00

I said this 12+ months ago and was the reason I've always been against the use of ethanol.

WASHINGTON – Food stamps and child nutrition programs are expected to cost up to $900 million more this year because of increased ethanol use.

Higher use of the corn-based fuel additive accounted for about 10 percent to 15 percent of the rise in food prices between April 2007 and April 2008, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. That could mean the government will have to spend more on food programs for the needy during the current budget year, which ends Sept. 30. It estimated the additional cost at up to $900 million.

Combat Chances > 99.9%

2009-04-10T08:43:00.004-04:00

NAIROBI, Kenya – Escalating a dramatic Indian Ocean standoff, more U.S. warships — as well as pirate reinforcements with an international gallery of hostages — rushed Friday toward the spot where four Somali bandits are holding a U.S. sea captain aboard a drifting lifeboat.

I've been playing a lot of Civilizations IV lately and have been involved in just this kind of skirmish before. Here's what my force had:

and here's what I was fighting against:

Go ahead and guess what the outcome was.

En Guard

2009-04-09T12:20:00.001-04:00

Indianapolis police said Adolf Stegbauer, 69, and Chris Rondeau, 39, were involved in an argument at a home in the 5200 block of Raceway Road at about 1 a.m.

One of the men grabbed a sword as the dispute escalated, prompting the other man to also brandish a sword.

Franziska Stegbauer, 77, stepped between the men and was stabbed. She later died at Wishard Memorial Hospital.

The two men were also taken to Wishard suffering from stab wounds.

Investigators are trying to determine who started the fight and which man stabbed the other first.

That's Racist!

2009-04-09T12:13:00.003-04:00

BROWNSVILLE, N.Y. (WPIX) -- While the chicken bones continue to fly over the naming of a Brooklyn restaurant "Obama Fired Chicken," the owner of the establishment vows to keep the name as is.

Manager and spokesman Mohammed Jabbar says the owner chose the name as a tribute to the 44th president of the United States.

The restaurant, which sits in the predominantly black neighborhood of Brownsville, has been the subject of protests. Activist Kevin McCall called it "very offensive to African-Americans."

Officially, The White House administration does not approve of the president's name and likeness being used for commercial purposes and has yet to comment on the racial overtones of the controversy.

Jabbar, who says the new sign cost $5,000, insists four out of five customers like the name.

McCall says another protest of the restaurant is planned for Saturday.

What I find most interesting is that Wilmington has had Kennedy Fried Chicken for many many years and nobody has ever been upset about its name. Bunch of freaking racists getting worked up about nothing if you ask me. If you don't like it don't eat there. He'll eventually go out of business and learn his lesson.

More money wasted on irresponsible people.

2009-04-08T12:21:00.004-04:00

Nearly 40 percent of babies born in the United States in 2007 were delivered by unwed mothers, according to data released last month by the National Center for Health Statistics. The 1.7 million out-of-wedlock births, of 4.3 million total births, marked a more than 25 percent jump from five years before.

Statistics such as these, which include for the second year in a row a bump in teen pregnancies, after a 14-year decline, leave Sarah Brown concerned. She worries about the children born to unwed parents -- about the disadvantages they often face, including increased likelihood of poverty and greater high school dropout rates.

"I wish people spent as much time planning when to get pregnant, with whom, under what circumstances as they do planning their next vacation," said Brown, the CEO and founding director of The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Other data released last month showed the percentage of unwed mothers differs from race to race. While 28 percent of white women gave birth out of wedlock in 2007, nearly 72 percent of black women and more than 51 percent of Latinas did.

Yes because I have nothing better to do with my money than to help raise your bastard children. Women keep your legs closed and guys grow a set of balls.

You so funny

2009-04-05T20:15:00.002-04:00

No matter the outcome of the missle that North Korea launched its intended purpose is priceless.

U.S. and South Korean officials claim the entire rocket, including whatever payload it carried, ended up in the ocean but many world leaders fear the launch indicates the capacity to fire a long-range missile. Pyongyang claims it launched an experimental communications satellite into orbit Sunday and that it is transmitting data and patriotic songs.

We need street view

2009-04-04T09:08:00.004-04:00

Google's ambitious plan to offer a 3-D street level view of communities across three continents hit a snag when angry residents of a UK village blocked the search engine's camera car from photographing their homes.

Fearing the appearance of their well appointed properties on the Web site would attract criminals scouting for burglary targets, villagers in Broughton, north of London, summoned the police after spotting the car.

"I was upstairs when I spotted the camera car driving down the lane," resident Paul Jacobs told The Times of London.

"My immediate reaction was anger: How dare anyone take a photograph of my home without my consent? I ran outside to flag the car down and told the driver he was not only invading our privacy but also facilitating crime.

"This is an affluent area. We've already had three burglaries locally in the past six weeks. If our houses are plastered all over Google it's an invitation for more criminals to strike. I was determined to make a stand, so I called the police."

Google's Street View project to map 360-degree images of roads and homes across the world has generated numerous complaints over privacy, despite automated software that blurs faces and car licence plates.

A Google spokesman, quoted by the UK Press Association, said: "Embarking on new projects, we sometimes encounter unexpected challenges, and Street View has been no exception.

"We know that some people are uncomfortable with images of their houses or cars being included in the product, which is why we provide an easy way to request removal of imagery. Most imagery requests are processed within hours."

The spokesman added: "We take privacy very seriously, and we were careful to ensure that all images in our Street View service abide by UK law."

This is a sham. Without street view we'd never have:

I shouldn't have looked

2009-04-03T10:50:00.002-04:00

Finally checked my 401k today for the first time since the crash.

In the past 12 months I've lost $11k and my rate of return was -41.6%. That's with a diversified portfolio and 40% or more invested in foreign companies. Guess it is a global recession.

Are you Serious?

2009-04-02T11:14:00.002-04:00

The top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee is asking health and human services nominee Kathleen Sebelius to explain $7,000 worth of errors in her income taxes.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said Thursday he takes such tax matters "very seriously" and is eager to hear Sebelius' answers. Grassley made the request in the opening of the Kansas governor's confirmation hearing to become health and human services secretary.

Sebelius recently amended three years of tax returns and paid about $7,000 to correct what she said were unintentional errors.

I'm heading to the government building and changing my political affiliation to Democrat. Apparently none of them pay taxes, no wonder they have no problem raising them.

Hey Smokers, Get a Job

2009-04-01T21:43:00.002-04:00

Larry Jukes said he remembers when he could buy 10 cigarette packs for $2.50.
Coloradan Larry Jukes says he's upset about the hike but doesn't expect it will persuade him to quit smoking.

But he'd now take the days when -- just last month -- he could buy his carton of choice for $49.

Thanks in part to the largest-ever federal cigarette tax increase -- a nearly 62-cents-a-pack hike that starts Wednesday but was reflected in many prices earlier -- Jukes on Tuesday paid more than $58 for a 10-pack carton at the Cigarette Store in Denver, Colorado.

"They're picking on us poor people, the ones that smoke," Jukes, a 65-year-old who has been smoking since he was a teen, said of the government. "They have been for years."

Jukes apparently forfeited his brain as a teen too.

Florida Residents get to much Sun

2009-04-01T21:34:00.004-04:00

A 911 dispatcher had to tell a woman how to unlock her car on Sunday.

A woman called Kissimmee police to say she was locked inside her car at the Walgreen's on John Young Parkway near Poinciana.

"My car will not start. I'm locked inside my car," the unidentified woman said.

"Nothing electrical works. And it's getting very hot in here, and I'm not feeling well."

The dispatcher asked the woman if she was able to manually pull the lock up on the door.

The woman said she would try, and then, she said, "Yes, I got the door open."

Best. Story. Ever.

Only to find that it was the Orlando Sentinel's April Fools Joke. Shouldn't real news sources concentrate on credibility?

Good riddance

2009-04-01T20:01:00.003-04:00

We all know that the illegals just come here for a better life. They truly love this country and its people and would step up like the rest of America in hard times.

wait what?

WINSTON-SALEM -- Adios North Carolina. It's what local Latinos are calling "The Exodus," as the housing crisis is forcing thousands to return to their homes south of the border.
Fourteen buses each week bound for Mexico City leave from the Winston-Salem bus depot, but for many of the passengers on board, the ticket is one way only.

With new home construction at a halt and landscaping jobs almost nonexistent, many Hispanics who usually worked in those industries are being forced to return to their homeland.

The United States Department of Immigration reports that more than 140,000 Latinos returned to Mexico and South America in 2008. That number is sure to be higher this year as new home constructions remain stagnant.

Miguel Quadra, owner of the La Perlita store on Sprague Street, said his customers are disappearing by the day.

"They come and talk to me and say we go to back to Mexico," Quadra said. "When you do not have any more opportunities for you for improving your life, for sending money back to Mexico, you begin to wonder."

Sooooo you're saying all these people just came to the country to steal our jobs and resources and now that they've raped our country of its resources they're just going to leave?

Stupid Criminals

2009-04-01T17:20:00.004-04:00

A would-be pizza bandit waiting to rob a deliveryman was nabbed himself after trying to hold up the driver -- a county cop.

New Castle County police said the suspect, Henry Johnson, 18, of the first block of Thorn Court in the Rosegate development near New Castle, was waiting for his cheesesteak order to be delivered Tuesday night when he spotted what he thought was the deliveryman’s car driving through the Simonds Gardens neighborhood.

What he didn’t know was that a team of officers had surrounded the area after looking for an armed robber wanted in a series of pizza stickups along the Del. 9 corridor, county police spokesman Cpl. Trinidad Navarro said.

After placing an order for two cheesesteaks, two orders of French fries and two bottles of soda from a local restaurant to be delivered to Simonds Gardens, officers took the place of the deliverymen.

After driving through the Simonds Gardens community a few times, a masked Johnson, who was armed with a large knife and a capped gun, waved the “deliverymen” down only to realize too late that they were police officers, Navarro said.

He was arrested after a brief foot chase.

Yahoo is cutoff!

2009-03-30T09:46:00.002-04:00

My note to Yahoo on my 2008 Fantasy Basketball Experience:

I've been playing Yahoo fantasy for 5 years or more and have finally had enough. I spent the entire year building my team just so that in the playoffs the guy I was playing could drop and replace his entire team every day so he ended up playing twice as many guys as me during the playoff week and even though I had the far superior team he won because he "cheated". I'm sick and tired of it and will go elsewhere in the future.

So dangerous we dangerous My whole entire unit is dangerous

2009-03-27T15:27:00.005-04:00

Is it just me or are the countries with the highest Muslim populations also the most dangerous and violent countries in the world?

Women Drivers

2009-03-27T09:08:00.001-04:00

A police officer was injured when her cruiser struck parked several cars and a motorcycle and overturned in downtown Philadelphia.
Advertisement

Police say the patrol car came to rest on its roof about 3:15 a.m. Friday

The 28-year-old female officer driving the car was able to free herself from the wreckage and was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital to be treated.

Investigators say the officer was not responding to a call or on a chase.

Politicians are only 5 years behind!

2009-03-26T22:01:00.006-04:00

I've been saying this for 5 years. Glad to hear someone finally listened. Maybe if they'd listened better we would be in this economic mess.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Want government assistance? Just say no to drugs.
Lawmakers in at least eight states want recipients of food stamps, unemployment benefits or welfare to submit to random drug testing.

and they follow that up with yet another GREAT idea.

Drug testing is not the only restriction envisioned for people receiving public assistance: a bill in the Tennessee Legislature would cap lottery winnings for recipients at $600.

and in other news. The American public is now saying what I've been saying for years.

When the White House put out a call for town hall questions, it might not have been expecting this.

The more than 92,000 people who responded either have Cheech and Chong senses of humor or there is a deep concern in America — undetected by the media — about the decriminalization of marijuana, its possible use for medicinal purposes and its potential as a new source of tax revenue.

Given the opportunity to say what’s really on their minds without going through the filter of the mainstream media, people “buzzed up” a series of questions that seemed to suggest broad interest in legalizing marijuana and taxing it.

Change?

2009-03-25T12:26:00.003-04:00

I'm not saying I disagree with the decision or what was done but this is the same sort of attack (crossing into another sovereign nation without permission)that had Pakistan up in arms over the past 12 - 18 months. Glad to see Obama cares more about winning the war on terrorism but this really isn't "Change".

A suspected U.S. missile strike killed seven people Wednesday in Pakistan's turbulent tribal region, a political official and an intelligence source told CNN.

At least two missiles hit two vehicles, the sources said, as they were about to cross a bridge. The strike happened in the evening near the village of Makeen in South Waziristan, according to the sources -- asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

But one eyewitness told CNN in a phone interview that the cars were parked. That source said there were foreigners among the dead and that the attack took place in a known stronghold of militant Baitullah Mehsud. He is leader of the Pakistani Taliban, according to military officials, analysts and think tanks that study Pakistan's militant groups.

This development comes as the United States -- using unmanned drones -- has carried out several airstrikes inside Pakistan on suspected militant targets.

Pakistan is under enormous pressure to control the militants within its borders, blamed for launching attacks in neighboring Afghanistan where U.S. and NATO forces are fighting militants.

The country's military operation in the region is unpopular among Pakistanis, but efforts to deal diplomatically with militants have not worked in the past.

Why I never catch anything!

2009-03-25T09:52:00.003-04:00

I'm betting that no matter how good my bait looks the reason I'm not catching fish is that the fish don't eat.

A robotic fish is seen in a tank at the London Aquarium in this October 6, 2005 handout photo made available March 20, 2009. Robot fish developed by British scientists are to be released into the sea off north Spain to detect pollution. The carp-shaped robots, costing 20,000 pounds ($29,000) apiece, mimic the movement of real fish and are equipped with chemical sensors to sniff out potentially hazardous pollutants, such as leaks from vessels or underwater pipelines. The robots to be used are bigger than those which were seen at the London Aquarium and they measure 1.5 metres (nearly 5 feet) long -- roughly the size of a seal.

Craig's List

2009-03-24T17:49:00.003-04:00

People selling stuff on that site are so freaking stupid. Granted I spend 90% of my life looking for deals on the internet but it's frustrating when I want to buy something cheap and used and it's the same price new.

First example I came to was this guy selling his PS3:
SONY PLAYSTATION PS3 60GB CONSOLE - $250

Why would I want your 1st gen, buggy, used (for over a year) PS3 for $250 when I can get a BRAND NEW bigger (80GB) PS3 for $320 or better yet if I was willing to work for it I could get the deal for $220 (must sign up for Sony Credit Card).

USED SONY PLAYSTATION PS3 60GB CONSOLE - $250
or
NEW SONY PLAYSTATION PS3 80GB CONSOLE - $220

The next guy I came across was selling a TV. 50"? no! 40"? no! 30"? no! 20"? no! It was a freaking 13" TV. I've got one of them in my attic I'll give to someone and this guy seriously thought he could get $50 for the thing. I guess I'll give him some credit. After a search of Best Buy I found that the smallest TV available was 19" for $180 (but it was 720p HD flat panel) so maybe he's charging more because it's an antique.

This gives me an idea....

2009-03-24T12:29:00.004-04:00

Parents Andy and Clare were delighted when builders finished a new flat roof on their £1million house.

But Rory, 18, had just watched a documentary about Google Earth — which lets internet users view satellite pictures — and decided to make the property stand out.

He grabbed a tin of white paint and climbed up to the roof, where he spent half an hour reproducing the best-known feature of the Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset.

For the next 12 months only Rory knew about the giant manhood on the roof near Hungerford, Berks.

But his secret was blown when a helicopter pilot spotted it, and hovered so his passenger could take photos.

Company director Andy, 54, thought it was a wind-up when The Sun contacted him about the painting.He said: “It’s an April Fool’s joke, right? There’s no way there’s a 60ft phallus on top of my house.”

Andy then spoke to all four of his kids demanding answers.

When he phoned Rory — in Brazil as part of his gap year travels — the lad burst out laughing, saying: “Oh, you’ve found it then!”

The Cerne Abbas Giant is regarded as a massive fertility symbol, and couples often have sex on his appendage in the hope of conceiving.

Rory’s mum Clare, 49, said: “When Rory gets home he will be given a scrubbing brush and white spirit and he can go and scrub it off.”

and of course what good would this story be without pictues?

Thoughts, Opinions, Ideas

2009-03-24T12:17:00.001-04:00

If any of my 2 or 3 readers have suggestions for things they'd like to see/not see let me know.

I just came up with the idea of a 10 commandments or 7 deadly sins news article series where I try to get one news article for each type. I thought of "Honor Thy Father and Mother" after this one and that got the ball rolling.

Two brothers being sought for assaulted their parents over the weekend surrendered to New Castle County police detectives Monday night to face charges, police said today.

Nicholas J. Scanio, 21, and his 15-year-old brother, both of the Elms Apartments in Ogletown, were each charged with aggravated menacing, possession of a deadly weapon during a felony, assault, offensive touching and conspiracy.

The pair had been sought since Saturday when they jumped their 43-year-old father and then armed themselves with knives and tried to stab him.

The siblings then returned to their apartment and shoved their mother to the floor before running off, said Cpl. Trinidad Navarro, a county police spokesman.

Ever wondered, "What do people in Kansas do for fun"?

2009-03-23T18:00:00.002-04:00

WICHITA - Wichita police arrested three people in Old Town on Sunday in an incident that began when a man threw an inflatable penis at an officer's horse.

Officers were patrolling Old Town on horseback at about 1:20 a.m. when they came across a large group of women in their early- to mid-20s who had been celebrating at a bachelorette party, police said.

Also in the group was a 24-year-old man, a brother to one of the women at the party. He was carrying a 5-foot-long inflatable penis, police said.

The toy struck the officer's horse, causing the horse to get spooked, he said.

Police arrested the man, of Eastborough, on suspicion of battery of a law enforcement officer, in this case, the horse.

A woman, upset at the arrest, grabbed the arresting officer's arm, police said. She too was arrested.

While the crowd was being dispersed, another woman in the party was arrested when she struck a horse's head, police said. The horse stepped on the foot of that woman, who was treated on the scene, then taken to jail.

We all scream for ice cream!

2009-03-22T09:11:00.002-04:00

This handout from Russian advertising agency Voskhod shows a smiling, cartoonish black man flashing the victory sign in front of the US capital building, along with the Russian slogan: "Everyone's talking about it: dark inside white!" Obama ice cream, anyone? Chocolate-vanilla ice cream is one of several Russian products being marketed using Obama even as critics call the ads racist.

Double Jeopardy?

2009-03-19T14:28:00.008-04:00

Looks like I'm going to be getting reamed at the state level too.

Under his proposal, the personal income tax would be raised for people who make more than $60,000 a year. The amount the taxpayer makes above the $60,000 mark would be taxed at a rate of 6.95 percent, a one-point increase.

and if that extra $300 a year in taxes wasn't enough....

If County Council approves the 25 percent [property tax] hike, it would generate an extra $21 million and raise the average annual property tax bill by about $100, to $501.

But hey don't worry it's not like that $400 - $800 in disposable income would have been used to oooooh I don't know buy things that stimulate the economy? ! ? ! ? ! ? We all know the government and its $2,000 hammers are much better at spending my money than me.

Barack The Vote

2009-03-18T11:24:00.007-04:00

Sure they're taken out of context but that doesn't mean that they're not still funny.

"I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

"My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join me as we try to change it."

"I ceased to advertise my mother’s race at the age of twelve or thirteen, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites."

"To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students. The foreign students. The Chicanos. The Marxist professors and structural feminists."

"I learned to slip back and forth between my black and white worlds. One of those tricks I had learned: People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. They were more than satisfied; they were relieved -- such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn't seem angry all the time."

"I had learned not to care. I blew a few smoke rings, remembering those years. Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it. Not smack, though. ..."

"I can no more disown (Jeremiah Wright) than I can disown the black community."

"The point I was making was not that Grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn't. But she is a typical white person..."

"That’s just how white folks will do you."

"We need somebody who's got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a young teenage mom, the empathy to understand what it's like to be poor or African-American or gay or disabled or old - and that's the criterion by which I'll be selecting my judges."

And what's up with Obama and I having very similar brackets. (The differences are in red).

Nothing new to see here...

2009-03-16T13:50:00.003-04:00

A man sentenced to life in prison last week for raping a 75-year-old woman in August in her Sterling Park home has been charged with a similar sexual assault that occurred several months earlier, Loudoun County authorities said yesterday.

Arnold J. Mancia-Morales, a 25-year-old illegal immigrant from Honduras with five prior convictions, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison plus 53 years for breaking into a home and raping the resident at knifepoint.

Yesterday, the county sheriff's office said Mancia-Morales will also be charged in an attack on a 51-year-old woman that occurred in April in the Newberry section of Sterling Park. Warrants for rape, breaking and entering, abduction to defile and forcible sodomy were served on him yesterday at the county jail.

Just another example of the courts:
A) Not deporting illegal immigrants who commit crimes
B) Allowing dangerous criminals out of jail to make room for the first time or non violent offender.

Let's take a look at our nations captial...

2009-03-16T13:32:00.005-04:00

A quick bit of research on Washington D.C. reveals several interesting statistics:

The 2000 census revealed that an estimated 33,000 adults in the District of Columbia identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, about 8.1% of the city's adult population. (Compared to 4.1% for the total US adult population)
A 2007 report found that about one-third of Washington residents are functionally illiterate. (Compared to a national rate of about one in five)
According to data from 2000, 26.8% do not practice a religion. (Compared to 16.1% for the total US adult population)
The District of Columbia itself had an unemployment rate of 7.4% as of October 2008. (6th highest in the country)
The election of a crackhead as mayor went so well they followed it up with Adrian Fenty.

and being released tomorrow:

At least 3 percent of District residents have HIV or AIDS, a total that far surpasses the 1 percent threshold that constitutes a "generalized and severe" epidemic.

It really is sad that somewhere as important and beautiful as Washington D.C. with so much to offer in the way of arts, entertainment and education is a sad sickening disgusting place under the covers.

Seems to me like those politicians in Washington are throwing stones from inside their glass houses.

From the "Things I wouldn't do Series" we bring you

2009-03-15T16:34:00.001-04:00

A student poses with a Xenesthis immanis tarantula on her face during an exhibition at a school in Bogota, Tuesday, March 10, 2009. Biologist Dario Gutierrez tours schools throughout Colombia teaching students the use of almost 300 species of arachnids in traditional medicine.

Wrath of God? No, just our Crappy Weather

2009-03-11T15:01:00.006-04:00

With terrifying majesty, a giant dust storm swept in from the desert and enveloped large parts of the Saudi capital Riyadh today.

The vast, whirling clouds cast an apocalyptic yellowish hue over the city's sprawling surburbs, choking residents with a blanket of grit and sand.

The awe-inspiring storm engulfed buildings and caused huge traffic jams as it enveloped the city of 4million people in a layer of impenetrable gloom.

Riyadh, situated in the middle of the Saudi desert, is used to regular sandstorms but today's was described as a 'monster'.

Government spokesman Major General Abdul Rahman Al-Moqbel told Arab News: 'It was enormous. One of the biggest we have seen.

Master of Karate but not Friendship

2009-03-11T14:53:00.002-04:00

GETTYSBURG, Pa., March 10 -- Authorities in Pennsylvania said a man pleaded guilty to indecent exposure after he emerged naked from his home and challenged his neighbors to a karate fight.

Police said Jones emerged naked from his home after consuming alcohol Aug. 1 and approached neighbors Dennis Hucks, Gary Kerns and Andrea Orndorff while Huck's three children played nearby. He told the men that he knew karate and asked if any of them wanted to fight.

Jones allegedly told officers that he knew leaving his house naked was illegal, but he came out anyway because he is a "serious martial artist."

English Mother F*cker, Do you Speak it?

2009-03-09T15:16:00.003-04:00

The housekeeper who stole tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry and valuables from those whose homes she cleaned across Northern Virginia has been sentenced to more than 2 1/2 years in prison and ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution.

Mirian C. Martinez, 47, operated Mirian Cleaning Services and had been working across the region for more than a dozen years, her attorneys said. She had a reputation as reliable and hardworking, her clients said. But homeowners in Fairfax, Loudoun and Arlington counties began to notice items missing -- clothing, prescription medication, money and jewelry. In one case, a ring worth more than $40,000 disappeared in Fairfax. A family in Loudoun, which had employed her for 11 years, noticed a Tiffany charm bracelet missing.

Detectives checked local pawnshops and found that Martinez had taken nearly 200 items to First Cash Pawn on North Glebe Road in Arlington. In August, Martinez was arrested, and prosecutors filed charges in all three counties.

Martinez then appeared in Fairfax court. Turner said that "it may well be, given the defendant's status, the victims will never be made whole" by restitution. Mark J. Yeager, who also represented Martinez, said that Martinez likely would be deported after serving her time and that she had lived in this country illegally for 20 years without a prior brush with the law.

"I want to apologize," Martinez said through an interpreter. "I did it in a moment without thinking. I had a lot of pressure," she told the judge, "but it's your decision."

YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNTRY FOR 20 YEARS AND CAN'T COMPLETE 4 SENTENCES IN ENGLISH!

When will these judges get it through their thick skulls?!?!?!?

2009-03-07T08:28:00.005-05:00

CLEVELAND – A man who killed himself a day after police say he killed his wife and four others told a judge in 2005 that he was ready to be a law-abiding citizen who would not let society down if he was released from prison.

"I swear to you from the bottom of my heart that I 'WILL NOT' let you down. Let my wife or children down. Let my family down. Let society down. Or especially, let myself down," Davon Crawford wrote to Cuyahoga County Judge Michael Russo as part of a motion for release.

Crawford, who was freed in 2007, shot himself in the head Friday afternoon when confronted by police in the bathroom of a home not far from the house where he is suspected of fatally shooting his wife, his sister-in-law and three young children, said Cleveland Police Lt. Thomas Stacho.

You CAN NOT rehabilitate this kind of garbage. If you're not going to have the balls to execute him then by all means DO NOT let them back on the street to maim and kill law abiding citizens. Make him live on $5 a day food, work to pay for his bed and anyone who gets out of line is shot on site.

A picture is worth a thousand words

2009-03-07T08:14:00.004-05:00

Plaster isn't the only thing you can make a cast out of...

2009-03-06T13:25:00.002-05:00

Spanish police arrested a man arriving at Barcelona's airport from Chile after determining that the cast on his fractured left leg was made of cocaine, the Interior Ministry said in a statement Friday.

The 66-year-old Chilean man had an actual fracture of two bones below the knee, but the police suspect that he, or accomplices, may have intentionally fractured it, so that the cocaine cast could be applied.

The plan, police say, was to get past police controls because of the leg cast, meant to elicit sympathy, but also to have a real fracture in case police decided to X-ray it.

Police were scrutinizing passengers arriving on the flight late Wednesday from the Chilean capital, Santiago, when they became suspicious of the man. They quickly discovered cocaine hidden in his luggage, in a six-pack of beer and also in the aluminum legs of two stools he was transporting.

Then they applied a substance to the cast, which showed that it was made of cocaine, the statement said.
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In all, police said they seized 4.8 kilograms (10.5 lb) of cocaine.

If you don't like it move somewhere where people's votes don't matter.

2009-03-06T12:17:00.003-05:00

Dana Tibbits, who drove 400 miles from her home in Ventura County to join the crowd of Proposition 8 supporters, said she was there for the "approximately 7 million voters whose voices need to be heard."

You were heard, then the other 250 million voters said STFU.

USA USA USA japan USA USA USA

2009-03-05T14:33:00.006-05:00

We all know the US auto industry is in a crisis. Well CNN has decided to share with us the American public the best cars made by American companies. Let's take a closer look.

Chevy Malibu

The Chevrolet Malibu, for instance, competes fairly well against popular cars like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, Consumer Reports says. It has also proven to be "Very Good," in their estimation, for dependability.

Alright, good job US we have a car that can compete. Let's check some others.

Ford Focus

The Focus is better than competitors from General Motors and Chrysler, according to Consumer Reports. But in the magazine's testing, it scored well below the magazine's "Top Pick," the South Korean Hyundai Elantra.

Ooops the up and coming South Koreans can make a better small car then us. So long Focus, Caliber, Neon.

Lincoln MKZ

But Consumer Reports rated the Cadillac's dependability as merely "Fair," which was not good enough to earn its inclusion in the magazine's list of best American cars.

Well if all we're going to do is make "Fair" upscale Sedans then I'll stick with the G35 and TL.

Cadillac DTS

This is a tough category to compete in because it includes Consumer Reports' "Best Car Overall," the Lexus LS, which is even more reliable and earned a near-perfect rating in the magazine's testing.

I don't think I even need to comment on this one.

Ford Escape Hybrid

But "the applause is tepid at best," Consumer Reports auto tester Tom Mutchler wrote in the magazine's Web site.

I think Tom Mutchler summed it up just fine and who am I to argue with a fellow tester.

Ford Tarus X

The Taurus X, essentially a tall wagon version of the Ford Taurus, scored nearly as well in various tests, putting it just behind the other SUVs in terms of performance, comfort and convenience. But it's also "Good" in terms of dependability, earning it Consumer Reports' recommendation.

This one made me do a double take. Sure enough it's a mid-sized SUV. I guess Ford is desperate to name their cars something people recognize (See Ford Five-Hundred) but I think calling the Tarus an SUV might be pushing it. Guess I won't complain it's a win for Ford.

Chevrolet Avalanche

This is the one category in which an American product was included in Consumer Reports' "Top Picks," of all automakers - foreign and domestic.

Guess I can't make fun of its stupid name if it's the best pickup truck in the world.

In summary I really wonder why CNN put together a list of the best American cars just so it could trash talk them. I think the market has spoke for itself on this one. The old sleeping giant needs to gain some agility and time is running out.

I'm going to be the only one without a gun...

2009-03-05T12:02:00.001-05:00

PORTSMOUTH — A sign in front of Jack Kimball’s Route 1 Bypass business advertises his cleaning services, as well as his politics.

President and owner of Great Bay Facility Services, Kimball’s sign now displays a message to southbound drivers reading, “Let’s all stop paying our mortgages.”

“Most of us live by the rules. We pay our mortgages, and sometimes it’s difficult, but we do it,” he said. “We, the guys who follow the rules, shouldn’t be subsidizing those who don’t.”

Northbound motorists passing by Kimball’s business these days can read his flip side message, “Congress — we don’t want socialism.”

That’s Kimball’s take on President Obama’s stimulus package, or as he likes to call it, “the spendulus package.”

“I consider it to be one of the greatest blunders in American history,” said the city businessman. “All my life I was taught that communism and socialism were what we were fighting against. Then, without firing a single shot, that’s what we’re getting. We’ll be passing on all this debt to our children and grandchildren, and maybe beyond.”

Inside his medical facility cleaning business, Kimball keeps a small American flag in his pencil holder, a “God Bless America” plaque in the lobby and a framed photo of his 1967 Navy unit on his office wall. He owns a 9 mm handgun and an M-4 assault rifle, but is not a member of the National Rifle Association.

He also bought “as much ammo as I could get my hands on.”

“I think we have serious things coming,” said Kimball, who is adopting a survivalist mentality by adding generators at his home and planning for worst case scenarios.

“Our enemies see us as weak and they are going to test us,” he said.

Block on Wheels

2009-03-05T09:47:00.006-05:00

I passed one of these on the way to work today.

All I could think to myself was, "I'd love to quiz the owner of that vehicle on drag coefficients."

Another Nomination

2009-03-04T17:25:00.002-05:00

President Obama plans to nominate Craig Fugate, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, as the next administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the White House said Wednesday.

Let's hope he's paid his taxes.

Irony FTW!

2009-03-04T16:41:00.002-05:00

A Seattle man who'd admitted to raping two women at Myrtle Edwards Park was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday.

Speaking in King County Superior Court, Galvan-Hernandez pleaded with Judge Julie Spector to have him executed rather than send him to prison.

In a turn characterized by Spector, without humor, as "ironic," Galvan-Hernandez begged not to be sent to prison where he believes he will be raped.

"I prefer death a thousand times over being raped," said Galvan-Hernandez.

"I want to pay for the act of cowardice," he added. "I admit it, but I just don't want to be raped."

Usually I'm all about the death penalty but in this case I'm all about the prison sentence.

I was recommended a pairing today.

2009-03-04T16:34:00.004-05:00

Duchesse De Bourgogne with Delice de Bourgogne

We will pass through the American patrols, past their sonar nets, and lay off their largest city, and listen to their rock and roll....

2009-03-04T16:18:00.003-05:00

MOSCOW - If you're inclined to believe Igor Panarin, and the Kremlin wouldn't mind if you did, then President Barack Obama will order martial law this year, the United States will split into six rump-states before 2011, and Russia and China will become the backbones of a new world order.

Panarin might be easy to ignore but for the fact that he is a dean at the Foreign Ministry's school for future diplomats and a regular on Russia's state-guided TV channels.

Panarin argued that Americans are in moral decline, saying their great psychological stress is evident from school shootings, the size of the prison population and the number of gay men.

Panarin insisted he didn't wish for a U.S. collapse, but he predicted Russia and China would emerge from the economic turmoil stronger and said the two nations should work together, even to create a new currency to replace the U.S. dollar.

I don't know about his timing but that does fit in with the Apocalypse book I've been reading.

Dont worry, not everything will be so serious.

2009-03-04T09:36:00.003-05:00

"I must break you" - The Gov't.

2009-03-04T09:07:00.004-05:00

Mortgage modifications have a bad rap, yet President Obama is depending on them to stop the foreclosure crisis.

The program, which starts on Wednesday, calls for loan servicers to lower struggling borrowers' interest rates so that total payments are no more than 31% of their gross income. The government will subsidize part of the reduction, as well as kick in incentives for the servicers, borrowers and mortgage investors to participate in the modifications.

After a quick calculation my mortgage is 30% of my gross income. That means I once again am getting punished for spending my money wisely. I really should even out the system by maxing out my credit cards (about 40k) and then just hide my assets and declare bankruptcy.

It won't take me long to fill my blog.

2009-03-04T08:38:00.004-05:00

Take a Swing at Crime

2009-03-04T08:20:00.003-05:00

A bus driver thought it would be funny to take the bite out of McGruff the crime dog by punching the mascot, but police said children who witnessed the stunt were horrified. Metro bus driver Shawn Brim, 38, climbed off a bus, adjusted his side view mirrors and then punched officer Tyrone Hardy, who was handing fliers to children on a Washington street while dressed as the crime dog, police said. After the punch, Brim got back on the bus and drove away, but was quickly pulled over Saturday.