Current Events

Georgia Vegan Protestors Arrested for writing down License Plate

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Politics

In Georgia, the Department of Homeland Security was conducting surveillance of anti-war rallies and vegan protests. At the vegan protest, Caitlin Childs, a vegetarian activist, realized that she was under surveillance and wrote down the license place of the DHS agent who was monitoring her. She was then arrested for doing so.
Note, this is a different story than one I posted earlier about the DHS monitoring a Vegan gathering here in Indiana. That story came to light due to the Freedom of Information Act.
Gee, I feel safer already. Don’t you?

Continue ReadingGeorgia Vegan Protestors Arrested for writing down License Plate

Anti-Gay Killer’s MySpace profile

  • Post author:
  • Post category:GLBT Issues

Of course you’ve heard about the teenager Jacob Robida who went on a rampage at a gay bar in Massachusetts with an axe and a gun, and who was later killed in a police shootout.
Checkout his myspace web page.
Too bad none of the people he hurt and killed get to have accolades on the internet after this terrible incident. I’m sorry I can’t find my way to forgiving him.

Continue ReadingAnti-Gay Killer’s MySpace profile

Bush illegal spying finds nothing of value

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Politics

According to the Washington Post:

Intelligence officers who eavesdropped on thousands of Americans in overseas calls under authority from President Bush have dismissed nearly all of them as potential suspects after hearing nothing pertinent to a terrorist threat, according to accounts from current and former government officials and private-sector sources with knowledge of the technologies in use.
Bush has recently described the warrantless operation as “terrorist surveillance” and summed it up by declaring that “if you’re talking to a member of al Qaeda, we want to know why.” But officials conversant with the program said a far more common question for eavesdroppers is whether, not why, a terrorist plotter is on either end of the call. The answer, they said, is usually no.
Fewer than 10 U.S. citizens or residents a year, according to an authoritative account, have aroused enough suspicion during warrantless eavesdropping to justify interception of their domestic calls, as well. That step still requires a warrant from a federal judge, for which the government must supply evidence of probable cause.

The point people seem to be overlooking — who is actually looking at this data? There are thousands of people in the NSA and Bush White House who have been looking at this data gathered — data about you! Make no mistake, even if you’re not on the list of suspects, your data has been gathered up and looked at in the course of this investigation. How do you know they people looking at your data are honest? How do you know they’re not selling your credit card number? Who’s watching the watchers?
UPDATE: Don’t believe your data is caught up in the NSA dragnet?

Continue ReadingBush illegal spying finds nothing of value

Chris Matthews suggests that gay people are burning churches

What the hell? Chris Matthews suggested that gay people are responsible for a series of church burnings that occurred last Thursday in Alabama. See the video of his suggestions (made with out any proof).

MATTHEWS: Is there anything in the papers down there where a Baptist church has taken a position on some social issue, gay marriage, something that’s hot, where that would have aroused somebody?

ATF AGENT CAVANAUGH: I haven’t seen that Chris, but it’s very viable because we had an arson at a Unitarian church in rural Virginia, back in the summer, and it was right after the church at a national level had embraced gay members. There was an attack on this church in Staunton (?), Virginia, so things like that can happen.

MATTHEWS: That’s why I’m thinking like that because the more liberal churches would drive some people on the right crazy and maybe a more liberal person, who’s gay for example, would feel that they’ve been terrorized by the beliefs of another church too. We don’t know.

Way to demonize gay people, Chris.

Continue ReadingChris Matthews suggests that gay people are burning churches

Indiana’s Seatbelt Loophole law

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Indiana

I’ve commented on the current seatbelt law on both Doug Masson’s Blog, and on Taking Down Words, but since I keep doing that, I should probably talk about here on my own site, too. Both of those sites have been in favor of closing Indiana’s truck seat belt law, and both of them have been pretty dismissive (and somewhat contemptuous) of the fact that there’s an exception in the first place.

There is actually logic behind Indiana’s truck exception in the seatbelt law. The reason trucks are excluded is because people who use them for certain types of jobs (on both the farms and in construction projects in town) need to get in and out of the truck often while driving very short distances between stops. Buckling and undoing the seat belt every thirty seconds or so to hop out is really impractical for these types of jobs. Generally, they’re not going fast enough to get in an accident or even get hurt in the event of one. Perhaps there should be a way to exclude trucks that are actual in work mode from being required to use the seatbelt, rather than all trucks. If you got into a truck accident, you can sue the truck driver with the help of a good lawyer and claim compensation. You may hire this truck accident lawyer who can provide professional legal assistance. Injured in a car crash in Southfield, MI? The car accident lawyers from Mike Morse Injury Law Firm can help. Looking for personal injury lawyers California? Contact the Johnson Attorneys Group!

I’d also say that you need to provide some compelling statistics about the number of trucks on the road that have been in accidents without seatbelts and the amount your insurance has gone up because of them before someone should be making the case for changing the law. Nowadays, many accidents are reported to be caused by drunk driving or the negligence of the drivers. You can look into leppardlaw.com/florida-dui-penalties and contact experienced lawyers who can help you out of the situation. But you need to understand that such accidents that are caused due by negligence can destroy many people’s lives and cannot be compensated with money. If you are involved in accident, you can view website for legal help.

Both Masson and Taking Down Words tried to cite “public emergency expenses” as a reason in favor of the law. But in the event of an accident, you’re paying the same amount for the police to come and rescue someone whether they wear their seatbelt or not, so that’s not a factor you can cite.

Full Disclosure: I come down reluctantly in favor of seat belt laws. I know that wearing one is safer and lowers the risk of injury. In such cases, if you’re looking for a commercial truck accident lawyer when you are injured in an accident, you can contact experienced lawyers who will help you get the compensation for the injuries caused. You can visit the Law Offices of Ronald A. Ramos, P.C.`s official website, and contact an experienced attorney to help you with your case. It is crucial to hire a Southfield car accident attorney if you were hurt in vehicular accident. This will help ensure that your rights will be protected.

However, since my heart surgery, the seat belt drives me absolutely stark raving mad every time I drive because it hurts. So there are times I don’t wear it, and I get away with it because I drive a pick-up. I kinda like taking advantage of the exception. But at least I know the reason why the exception exists, although no one else seems to.

2012 Update: the seat belt law was amended to remove the pick-up truck loophole, but still allows exceptions for farm vehicles and mail carriers.

Continue ReadingIndiana’s Seatbelt Loophole law

Four For Friday 2006-02-03

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Memes

From belicove.com:

Q1 – Have You: Ever attempted to put together your family tree? If so, how far back were you able to go? If not, would you like to put one together?

For my dad’s side of the family, there’s a pretty comprehensive family history compiled by one of my extended family members. It’s in book form, and I have my aunt Rosemary’s copy of it. I keep meaning to put parts or all of it on my family website, but I haven’t gotten around to it.

Q2 – Would You: Like it if first-run movies were released on DVD and/or Pay-Per-View at the same time as they are released in theatres? If so, do you think you would watch more movies at home, or would you continue to see first-run movies only in the theatre?

I’d love being able to see pay-per-view first-run movies, for smaller movies, especially. I don’t think my “going out to the movies” habits would change at all — I only go to big important movies anymore, anyway. But I’d pay to watch first-run movies at home, for sure, so I’d probably see a lot more movies than I do now.

Q3 – Should You: See a doctor more often? If so, what’s stopping you? If not, how often do you have a check-up or physical?

I probably don’t need to see a doctor more often than I have recently.I get a routine physical every year, and go to the eye doctor and dentist regularly.Georgetown Dental Assistant School can also help you out to pursue dental course.  I’m pretty responsible about health care, overall.

Q4 – Could You: Survive living on the streets of your town for an entire month with no access to any of your money or other assets? Why or why not?

Hell, no. I don’t even want to think about that.

Continue ReadingFour For Friday 2006-02-03

Which Serenity Character Am I?

Your results: You are Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)

Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)
80%
Jayne Cobb (Mercenary)
80%
Wash (Ship Pilot)
65%
Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)
50%
Derrial Book (Shepherd)
50%
Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic)
45%
Alliance
40%
River (Stowaway)
35%
Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic)
20%
Inara Serra (Companion)
10%
A Reaver (Cannibal)
5%
Honest and a defender of the innocent. You sometimes make mistakes in judgment but you are generally good and would protect your crew from harm.

Take the Serenity Personality Quiz

Continue ReadingWhich Serenity Character Am I?

Corett Scott King Quotes

“I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice,” she said. “But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people” – Coretta Scott King
“Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood,” – Coretta Scott King

Continue ReadingCorett Scott King Quotes

The L-Word and Hot Sex (or lack thereof)

While we were watching this weeks episode of The L-Word, (episode 4, season 3) we noted that so far this year, there has been a distinct lack of hot sex such as existed in previous seasons. In the past, the characters were shuckin’ clothes and doing the deed several times an episode, whereas this season has been quite tame. Shockingly so, in fact. Every episode, we wait breathlessly for the Parental Warnings screen, hoping against hope for Adult Content and Adult Situations, and every week, the screen reports only “Brief Nudity.” (“Only brief,” Stephanie says bleakly, each time.) They are apparently not participating in my new years resolution campaign.

I’m not saying the show is boring, or anything. I enjoy character-driven drama. But there are some advantages to being on cable, and this show should be taking advantage of them.

Continue ReadingThe L-Word and Hot Sex (or lack thereof)