Gore Vidal Speaks... in 7 parts

Bask in the glow of political philosophy at its finest.

Federal Government Rules Against Phelps. (yay!)

While I advocate the right to free speech, I also believe people have the right to privacy. on occasion said privacy should be extended to public areas like churches, hospitals or funeral homes/graveyards. It is nice to see that this group who has a long record of pushing the limits and boundaries of free speech is facing the fire for their hate rhetoric. Now if only we could somehow find a way to bring the Phelps family up on charges for the incitement of Hate Crimes, through their endorsement of violent upheaval of the homosexual community.

I for one am glad to see this father was pissed off enough to do something about it.

He deserves every penny he gets; if he ever even sees a dime.

(CNN) -- A federal jury in Baltimore, Maryland, Wednesday awarded $10.9 million to a father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by members of a fundamentalist church carrying signs blaming soldiers' deaths on America's tolerance of homosexuals.
The family of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder -- who was killed in a vehicle accident in Iraq's Anbar province in 2006 -- sued the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, and its leaders for defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Church members showed up at Snyder's funeral chanting derogatory slogans and holding picket signs with messages including "God Hates Fags."

They've picketed the funerals of dozens of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, claiming that God is punishing the United States because of its tolerance for homosexuality.

Al Snyder, father of the slain Marine, said he considered filing the lawsuit for a long time before going forward and that he hoped the judgment would make it harder for the church to continue such protests.

Article Link

I am surprised by or government on a daily basis. Todays is a good surprise!

Smokey Bear weeps...

Only you and your young child can prevent forest fires! Please keeps matches lighters and other implements used to start fires away from children! Also remember that childproof in no way means a child cannot find a way to use the lighter!

One must feel for the parents, but in the same extent What response is in the best interest of the state? Maybe this action (unless proven to be a child with a criminal record)is best left as a learning experience for ALL families that their children MUST be taught and watched over properly. A 10 year old being watched by a parent is NOT playing with matches...

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31 — A 10-year-old boy admitted that he accidentally started one of the largest of last week’s Southern California wildfires while playing with matches, enforcement officials say.

The blaze, the Buckweed fire, started in the early afternoon of Oct. 21, in Agua Dulce, a rural community in the northern part of Los Angeles County. Fanned by high winds and hot, dry weather, it spread quickly, driving 15,000 people from their homes, destroying 21 houses and 22 other buildings, injuring three people and blackening more than 38,000 acres.

Investigators immediately began tracing the cause of the fire, and on Oct. 22 arson investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department talked with the suspect, whose name has not been released, a department spokesman, Steve Whitmore, said Wednesday. “It became known to them that they needed to speak with this young boy,” Mr. Whitmore said. “He acknowledged that he was playing with matches and accidentally, his words, set the fire.”

Mr. Whitmore would not discuss the case further before evidence was presented to the county district attorney’s office.

The youth was left in the custody of his parents, awaiting word on whether he would be prosecuted. If so, the case would be heard in the county’s juvenile justice system, said Sandi Gibbons, the public information officer for the district attorney’s office.

Article Link


Only YOU can prevent Forest Fires!

ALRIGHT!!!!!! WOOOTTTT!!!!

Soooo.... I happen to have a minute; and decided to check the news for a possible story for the blog (i.e. something that actually matters to me)...


Any how some very good news in my humble opinion. Al Gore (and some U.N. Committee =P) won the nobel peace prize!

Former Vice President Al Gore and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their work to raise awareness about global warming.
CNN.com asked readers to share their thoughts on the Nobel Prize, global warming and Gore's selection. The response was overwhelming.

Many readers offered congratulations to the former vice president, while others expressed disdain for him. Some readers said it was a poor choice, while others flat out dismissed global warming as pseudoscience.

Below is a selection of those responses, some of which have been edited for length and clarity:

Roy Woodcock of Rochester, Washington
What a disgraceful choice. Al Gore has promoted bad science and dishonesty, but done nothing to promote peace. I must conclude that his selection is based on pure politics.

George Burns of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
I can only imagine how upset Bill "looking for my legacy" Clinton is that he didn't win it. Mr. Clinton really thought he had a chance at it when he tried to broker piece between [Yasser] Arafat and [Ehud] Barak. Arafat, another Nobel Peace Prize winner, rejected Barak's offer of everything Arafat wanted. ... Jimmy Carter, another Nobel Peace Prize winner, got North Korea to "promise" to terminate their nuclear weapons program. How'd that work out?

Mr. Gore is in great company.

While some of you may hate Gore he is my personal favorite for president. I really hope this helps to push him towards a run.

take this job and Shove it.

I'll be back when I get back. If you don't like it... I'm sorry.

=P


I have things to do that involve making money, and not sitting on my ass behind a computer all day! so as I work like a busy bee; I'll be ignoring you lovely people for a minute. BUT you will still see me trolling in your lovely posts; at least for the next month.

Anywho wish me luck. The quicker I move up, the less time I have to spend irritating you...

Bush: I Will Veto Kids Insurance.

Bush: Kids' Health Care Will Get Vetoed

By JENNIFER LOVEN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush again called Democrats "irresponsible" on Saturday for pushing an expansion he opposes to a children's health insurance program.

"Democrats in Congress have decided to pass a bill they know will be vetoed," Bush said of the measure that draws significant bipartisan support, repeating in his weekly radio address an accusation he made earlier in the week. "Members of Congress are risking health coverage for poor children purely to make a political point."

Nothing is more annoying than a politician twisting in his own skin. I do not understand where Bush gets off thinking Poor Children don't deserve health care, and on top of it he tries to twist HIS veto around to be an error of the democratic party...

what ever happened to

"I'm a Uniter, Not a divider."
George W. Bush 05/06/99

Following a basic logic one would assume that this is a divisive act by the most extreme of definitions.

In the Democrat's response, also broadcast Saturday, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell turned the tables on the president, saying that if Bush doesn't sign the bill, 15 states will have no funding left for the program by the end of the month.

At issue is the Children's Health Insurance Program, a state-federal program that subsidizes health coverage for low-income people, mostly children, in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private coverage. It expires Sept. 30.

Now see... This is where I put on my ass kicking boots. This is where most people in my shoes would do the same. My son is currently insured thanks to one of these federally funded state insurance programs. So let me say it plain and simple Georgy boy... Unless you pull Jenna And Barbara's cover everything insurance; Don't think about touching my Kids health care. I will insight political riots if you do...

plain and simple.

Your party has refused the people of this country basic health care for too long now. If you pull the little bit you already provide, whats to say you don't begin a revolution? Oh damn... you could even lose your party as you know it if the Ron Paul Revolution occurs (yeah... right... =( ) Hunger caused the French Revolution... Couldn't illness cause the 2nd US revolution?

Frickin A... Hobbits are Real!?!?!?!

Well the Shire has been found, Now maybe Bilbo and Frodo can tell their own tales...

Newsweek Article

Anthropologically and archaeologically unexpected to Tolken at least, now bones have been found that further validate the Skull found last october.

wrist bones and layout

Soooo... 12,000 year old hobbits; found on a south pacific island. Is it me or is that just too damn ironic?

Greenspan speaks!

Greenspan speaks to Jon Stewart. Mainly just to plug his new book.

but...

JS: "What is that? when they say the stock market went crazy, when it went up 350 points because they lowered the interest rate a half a point. Why?"

Greenspan: "Because a very large number of people hadn't expected it, and lower interest rates generally mean higher stock prices"

JS:"When you say unexpected it makes me wonder is this a game of expectation if they said were gonna lower this thing a point and it only goes down a half a point will stocks go down?"

GS:"No, the reason is everybody is looking at the same body of data. You know what's going up you know what's going down. The Federal Reserve the federal open market committee, their agency that makes these decisions, has the same data as everybody out there is looking at. So the markets adjust as to what they expect the fed to do because they expect the fed to be looking at the same data. When they don't quite do that the markets move rather rapidly"

JS: "So the Fed or whoever is leading it could in fact, if he wanted to, Goof on all of us?"

Gs: "he wouldn't want too."

JS:"When you say open market, Many people are free market capitalists, and always talk about free market capitalism and that is our economic theory. So why have a fed?
Wouldn't the market take care of interest rates and all that? why do we have someone adjusting the rates if we have a free market system"

GS: "You are asking a very Fundamental question (segway to jokes)... You didn't need a central bank when we were on the gold standard back in the 19th century, these automatic things occured because people were buying and selling gold and the markets would (naturally) do what the fed is doing now. But, Most everybody in the world by the 1930's decided the Gold Standard was strangling the economy, and universally it was abandoned. But, you need somebody to determine, or some mechanism, of how much money is out there because remember the amount of money equates to the amount of inflation in an economy. The more money you have, relative to the amount of goods the more inflation you have.

JS: "So we're not a free market then? Theres a benevolent hand that touches us..."

GS: "your quite correct to the extent that there is a central bank governing the amount of money in the system; that is not a free market and most people call it regulation."

An amazing Lesson in Basic American Economics. And if you know anything about the market, a few suggestions are thrown in just for good measure.

wooot greenspan!




Video Link

Worth the watch even if you don't like money. =)

Congratulations to Mayor Karl Dean

My Father and I attended Karl Dean's mayoral inauguration today. Once again we congratulate Karl on his victory, and want to let everyone know now that campaigning is over; we fully support Karl as our new mayor. While we had our doubts we know that Karl will focus on Nashville's best interest; we feel he WILL utilize the best people for the Job. So to Karl Dean Congratulations on your Win, your speech was impeccable.

Now comes the hard part. I really believe you can do it...

So the French are weak, Eh??? Va te faire foutre Mon Ami !!!

So... The French are weak right? They run from all threats and bow to all oppressors?

Let's not forget they're so weak that they were bullied into selling weapons to dictators the likes of Saddam Hussein...

Not so fast my Yankee-Capitalist-Dog Friend...

What About this...

Koucher is saying France should (along with the E.U.) begin preparations for war against Iran. As expected these increases in tension are all based off of fears of a nuclear (Weapons wise) Iran. While I agree with these leaders I do question whether there really is an 'evil' intention behind the goal of the Iranians to successfully produce Nuclear Fuel Grade Uranium. Our Current Stance of shoot first talk later concerning the middle east is raising tension region wide; and as such the safest bet for the world is to keep Iran a nuke free nation.

The French President has wisely backed off of his Foreign Ministers veiled threat of war with Iran. He feels the goal now is to increase UN sanctions and negotiations. While this is the best recourse it means we are drawing closer to our current Cowboy In Chief whippin' out his pistols and goin' in with guns blazin'. Let us hope that Congress will have the juevos to reign the President in if he gets too feisty.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner

Here's the Article if you want to read more

PARIS, France (CNN) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Thursday that he will seek tougher U.N. sanctions on Iran for continuing to produce nuclear fuel, but backed away from his foreign minister's warning that Europe should prepare for war.

Speaking in a joint interview with French television networks TF1 and France 2, Sarkozy said it is clear that Iran "is trying to equip itself with a nuclear bomb." But he said diplomatic pressure has spurred other countries to give up nuclear weapons programs before.

"How can we convince them to renounce this project, like the international community convinced Libya and North Korea? By discussion, dialogue and sanctions," he said.

Sarkozy said he will lobby for tougher sanctions on Iran when he attends the U.N. General Assembly session in New York next week.

France and fellow European Union members Britain and Germany have led Western powers in negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program, which Iranian officials insist is aimed at producing civilian electric power. The United States accuses Iran of working toward a nuclear weapon.

Full Article link

God Strikes Back!

soooo... You wanna sue God eh?


Well, God seems to have a legal team... At least one in the County District Clerks office of Omaha. This story is just to cute to ignore (and kinda disturbing that the clerk would so quickly mix church and state). Anyways the Nebraska State Senator that sued God has a response, and so now his example of a frivolous lawsuit is null and void; why? because someone in an elected office has too much of a sense of humor.


'God' responds to legislator's lawsuit

LINCOLN, Nebraska (AP) -- A legislator who filed a lawsuit against God has gotten something he might not have expected: a response.
One of two court filings from "God" came Wednesday under otherworldly circumstances, according to John Friend, clerk of the Douglas County District Court in Omaha.

"This one miraculously appeared on the counter. It just all of a sudden was here -- poof!" Friend said.

State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha sued God last week, seeking a permanent injunction against the Almighty for making terroristic threats, inspiring fear and causing "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."

Chambers, a self-proclaimed agnostic who often criticizes Christians, said his filing was triggered by a federal lawsuit he considers frivolous. He said he's trying to make the point that anybody can sue anybody.

Presidential Pundit

President Bush Vs. Move On

A MoveOn.org political advertisement that criticized the top U.S. commander in Iraq was "disgusting," President Bush said Thursday, accusing Democrats of being afraid to criticize the anti-war group.

Disgusting???

I think this...

is disgusting... And this is what we are doing to Iraqis Daily. poor kids.

Bush said that "most Democrats are afraid of irritating a left-wing group like MoveOn.org" and they "are more afraid of irritating them than they are of irritating the United States military."

You know what else is disgusting?

"according to the New York Times, the Pentagon has adopted a bizarre
formula for keeping tabs on violence. For example, deaths by car bombs don’t count. The Washington Post reported that assassinations only count if you’re shot in the back of the head — not the front. According to the Associated Press, there have been more civilian deaths and more American soldier deaths in the past three months than in any other summer we’ve been there. We’ll hear of neighborhoods where violence has decreased. But we won’t hear that those neighborhoods have been ethnically cleansed."

from Moveon.org

you tell me... whats more disgusting... A lying General and the government he lies to protect? or the Fact that most democrats don't have the guts to stand up and say this war is WRONG, UNJUSTIFIED, IMMORAL, and ILLEGAL? Or that the Democrats aren't seeking an impeachment of President Bush?

You tell me what makes you sick.

our government?

or its actions?

Senate Republicans Reject Habeas Corpus

From thecarperbaggerreport.com

Senate Rejects Habeas Corpus

A year after lawmakers abandoned American principles on the rule of law and stripped detainees of their right to challenge their detentions in court, the Senate today turned back an effort to return some sanity to our rule of law. A bipartisan majority supported restoring habeas corpus, but Republican obstructionism wouldn’t allow a vote.
The Senate narrowly rejected legislation on Wednesday that would have given military detainees the right to protest their detention in federal court.
The 56-43 vote against the bill, by Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., fell four votes shy of the 60 needed to cut off debate. It was a blow for human rights groups that say a current ban on habeas corpus petitions could lead to the indefinite detention of individuals wrongfully suspected of terrorism. […]

sooooo... Any Republican wanna explain why Habeas Corpus is STILL unnecessary???

Thompson to Everglades... F*** You!

sooo... Anybody wanna try and explain this idiot move?

From today's Tennessean:

Thompson doesn't rule out drilling in Everglades
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP ) -- Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson seemed taken by surprise when asked Tuesday about oil drilling in the Everglades, apparently unaware it's been a major Florida issue.

Before answering, he laughed at the question."Gosh, no one has told me that there's any major reserves in the Everglades, but maybe that's one of the things I need to learn while I'm down here," Thompson said after talking over state issues with Gov. Charlie Crist.

Thompson, who has called for seeking U.S. oil resources wherever they exist, was asked by an Associated Press reporter whether that included drilling in the Everglades.

"I'm not going to start out by taking this, that or the other off the table in terms of our overall energy situation," he said.

In 2002, when Thompson was a Tennessee senator, President Bush announced plans to spend $120 million to buy oil and gas rights on 390,396 acres of federally protected land in the Everglades to safeguard them from drilling.

So... Fred just sealed the deal as to whether or not I will be an Anti-Thompson Pundit. What is the deal with these candidates all being idiots when it comes to alternative fuels?

There are a million different options for converting energy to motion; yet we are hell bent on only using the most polluting and least available resource on the planet. Whats the viability of a hydrogen car?

Now let me ask that question again with a nationwide conversion of gas stations prior to the release of these vehicles(I.e. add one hydrogen pump per station... Nationwide)? To dangerous you say... Well what about a Hydrogen Fuel Cell that can burn oxygen too? (i.e. H2O...)

So... Which party wants my vote? (I know who's getting it; but still come on and fight for it again... at least then we would assume our leadership is changing for the better) I suggest one of you come out with an ENERGY PLAN, and when you do... Make sure it excludes Fossil Fuels; and Includes Alternative Fuel Technology.

and a Quick Swerve to the Right...

Who do you want representing the Republican Party in the 2008 Presidential election?




Repeat Votes ARE NOT allowed. I am mainly doing this to get a feel of the popular opinion in this state.


Same as below if you want a candidate not listed reply to this thread with your vote.

lets get democratic for a minute!

So... Who do you want to represent the democratic party in the 2008 presidential election?



Multiple Votes ARE NOT allowed! Also please vote if you are in TN I am trying to get a feel for the popular opinion in our state.


P.S. If you want Al Gore... Though He's not running post a reply... Maybe we can get his attention

Stinkin' Lyin Terrorists....

Well I'm not sure how many of you have read up on this man; but his story could be of global importance. His name is Ahmad al Shayea. And he was an Al Qaeda Bomber... But his story isn't one of hatred of America and his overzealous drive to become a martyr. Lets just say Al Qaeda is starting to use some fairly desperate tactics.

Ahmad al Shayea is the rarest of truck bombers -- he survived his suicide mission in Iraq even though the blast from his bomb was strong enough to kill 12 bystanders.

Al Shayea, who was disfigured during the attack, claims al Qaeda tricked him into becoming a bomber by asking him to deliver a tanker truck, which they had rigged with a bomb.

"They told me to take it to an address in Baghdad. As soon as I got there the truck exploded," said the native of Saudi Arabia. He survived by jumping out of the truck.

Al Shayea renounced terrorism and returned to Saudi Arabia, where he works to convince would-be insurgents and terrorists to give up their deadly ways.

"I think God took me out of death to show others what can happen," he told CNN. "If you join al Qaeda, they will use you, and maybe you will die."

So... If they really have the support they claim why are they having to send muslims who have no interest in martyrdom(and thus victims of homicide)to be their bombers? Maybe we are defeating this terrorist group...

Now if only we could change the name of the "war on terrorism" to the "war on Al Qaeda"; at least that would give us a goal for completion.

silly republicans!

CNN link

Karl Dean, Mayor of Nashville

Firstly I would like to extend my congratulations to Karl on his 5000+ vote win over one of Tennessee's most recognized political names. While I may not have supported his campaign; I will support him as leader of my city... AS LONG as he does as he promised.

So, Karl! Accept My Concessions (Hell its politics, Its always a War to the End...) on the understanding, I'm holding you to making our schools better. I believe you intend to do so.

Thats all I can muster for tonight...

As We Should Remember...

Today is a marked day in American History. September 11th 2001 was a day which affected every person in this countries life. Be it a family member, or just empathizing over the lose of others; we all felt the pangs of an attack on our great nation. While some may question the motives and means of such an attack and who would normally be at fault, I for one would like to take a different route.

Today I want to shed my partisan views in reverence of this tragic day. I will now quote some highlights from President Bush's National Address given on 9/11/01 as I feel these best represent the true light of America.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.


Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America -- with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.



This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Let us focus on that one sentence today. Let us unite and walk as one. The Reason I bring this up specifically is today is a special day for Nashville, as we go to the polls to elect a new mayor.

While I have my obvious opinions in previous posts I urge you... Whoever you vote for today, GET OUT AND VOTE!!!! Today is the day for you to have your say in who your mayor is. 9-11 I feel is a great reminder of why we vote, and NEED to vote. What a great way to show your patriotism than to partake in the most American of activities... Democracy in action!

I hope you all go about your days with reverence not only for those who died on September 11th but also those innocents that have lost their lives over seas in our current military conflicts. Let us take time to show the world why Americans are great!

The Last Forum/Conversation... Video!

I figured if people needed a last minute push we might as well give em what we got!

So here is my Playlist for the Tying Nashville Together Mayoral Conversation Parts 1-3.

Note I recorded the entire thing and I'll keep my comments to myself... except if you want my opinion in this election read the lower post The Second to Last Mayoral Forum... Video!!!





Enjoy... and if your on early in the A.m. they may not complete processing until 7ish.