Friday, September 30, 2005

Greatest Chinese Export

Besides money and immigrants, it's ginseng. Yes, the small miracle herb/plant with medicinal qualities. It has been used by both American Indians and the Chinese for cures, health, and preventative actions for these people. That's pretty interesting with a large body of ocean separating the two.

Did you know that the North American ginseng trade dates back to the time of frontiersmen such as Daniel Boone, who made more money selling the herb than trapping furs. Folks, Daniel Boone was a friend of the Chinese. I'm sorry to say it, but it's the truth. So with this year's ethic draft, we'll take Wu-Tang Clan with our first round pick, Daniel Boone with our second round pick, and finally in our third round selection...Chris Rock.

Unfortunately we might have do a three way trade with the blacks and whites, where Chris would be returned to the black and Derek Jeter's is claimed by the whites, in exchange for Elvis. Us crazy Asians love karaoke and Elvis.

Thursday, September 29, 2005

I'm Calling It...


The next Supreme Court Justice will be...

Judge Edith Brown Clement

Clement has a reputation as a conservative jurist and a strict constructionist who strongly supports principles of federalism, but she has written few high-profile opinions.

She wrote for the majority in Vogler v. Blackmore, 352 F.3d 150 (5th Cir. 2003), reducing pain and suffering damages awarded by a jury to a mother and daughter who were killed in a car accident. The basis of her ruling was the lack of specific evidence about the daughter's "awareness of the impending collision." Large damage awards to the father and husband due to the loss of society in his wife and daughter were affirmed.

In Chiu v. Plano Independent School District, 339 F.3d 273 (5th Cir., 2003), Judge Clement held that a school district's policy requiring the preapproval of fliers handed out at a school event violated the First Amendment free speech rights of would-be protestors.

In United States v. Harris, 408 F.3d 186 (5th Cir. 2005), Clement again wrote for the majority, this time reinstating the sentence of a police captain convicted for violation of federal civil rights laws in using excessive force. The captain moved to vacate, arguing that his counsel had been insufficient. Clement and the court held that the representation had been reasonable.

Judge Edith Brown Clement wrote a unanimous opinion for the 5th Circuit in Tarver v. City of Edna. She upheld officers' appeal of qualified immunity for reasonably arresting a father who was interfering with the return of a child to its rightful custodian. Qualified immunity also protected officers from the plaintiff's accusation of excessive force in using handcuffs and confining him to the police car as part of the arrest. Officers also, however, slammed the car door on his foot and head, and the plaintiff's excessive force claim under this heading was remanded.

Judge Clement has joined other conservative judges in dissenting in Commerce Clause cases that implicate federalism. In U.S. v. McFarland, 311 F. 3d 376, she argued that the Commerce Clause power did not enable Congress to regulate local robberies.

In GDF Realty Investments, Ltd. v. Norton, 362 F.3d 286, Judge Clement argued that the Endangered Species Act needed a commercial nexus to enable regulation of endemic rare species.


aC. Sidebar

As long as she keeps the Pledge of Allegiance in tact and don't take away my civil library, then she's all right with me. Then again my call could be wrong...

Please offer a caption for this...

Colleges Offer Students Oral HIV Tests
Associated Press

West Virginia University is the latest higher education institution in the state to offer an orally administered HIV test to students that requires no blood tests or needles. The test is administered with a cotton pad or swab that is placed between a patient's cheek and gum for five minutes to draw antibodies from blood vessels in the mouth, health officials said.

Results of the confidential test are available within two weeks, according to WVU, which started offering the test earlier this month. WVU has tested about 20 students so far. "What prompted it was a long-standing desire to have more HIV prevention, counseling, education and testing," Dr. Jan Palmer, director of WVU's Student Health Service, said Wednesday.

Fairmont State University and Glenville State College also offer the test through student health services, and Marshall University offers the test to students through the Cabell-Huntington Health Department. "Testing for any potential HIV-infected individual is very important because of (the) severity of the illness and likelihood of prolonged care and potential death and because of the contagious nature of the infection," said Dr. Harry Tweel, director of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department.

HIV can be transmitted through unprotected sex and shared needles, health officials have said. The number of AIDS and HIV cases reported in West Virginia has dropped slightly since 2003. During the first six months of this year, 65 new cases were reported in West Virginia, compared to 139 for all of 2004 and 158 in 2003, according to state health officials.

The FDA has said the orally administered test is more than 99 percent accurate. Having HIV tests available to students on site is helpful, Glenville State spokeswoman Allison Minton said. "I think it's important that if a student has a concern that they have a disease that they have access to the health care that can give them answers," Minton said.

Counseling may also be offered as part of testing services. "We want to help them change behaviors that continue to put people at risk," said Yolanda Kirchartz, director of student health services at Fairmont State.
That includes talking about how alcohol may affect behavior and stressing condom use and abstinence, Kirchartz said.

"Too often college students feel a false sense of security because they are young and appear to be healthy. They think, 'It can't happen to me,'" Palmer said "HIV affects people regardless of age, gender, race or sexual orientation."



aC Sidebar

I never knew about this statistics about my homestate. I'm glad they're doing something about it. Then again, if you think about it, won't this increase more sexual behavior. Or may worst, kid? Hmm...nothing like rednecks reproducing. "Yu'all come back now, you hear!"

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Three days in Rome
How to make the most of a brief stay
Special to MSNBC.com

All roads lead to Rome, and then they converge in a giant traffic jam of Mercedes vans, Mini Coopers, Smart Cars and motorbikes. For travelers trying to maximize their time during a brief three-day stay, the congested highways and streets of the Eternal City might seem like an insurmountable obstacle. The savvy traveler, however, can learn how to conquer Rome's motorways like a mighty emperor.

Tour operators can help you make the most of your time. Appian Line (06-48-78-61), an Italian company offering itineraries throughout Italy, will send a shuttle to your hotel, then transport you to its central location at Piazza dell Esquilino to purchase tickets for a half or full day of Rome sightseeing by motorcoach. Appian Line tours cover the highlights, including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.

For more independent travel, consider taking underground trains or even trolleys. "Rome's Metropolitana (subway) is underused by tourists," said Kathy McCabe, editor and publisher of Dream of Italy, a subscription travel newsletter. "It can get you to places faster than buses, which may encounter traffic — especially during rush hour." Stops on the Metropolitina include the Colosseum, Spain Square and the Spanish Steps and St. Paul's Basilica.

Also, consider the Ciao Roma Trolley Tour, which loops through the city and allows you to jump on and off at major tourist attractions. Stops include the Piazza Venezia near the Roman Forum, The Colosseum, The Vatican and the Piazza del Popolo.

Getting aroundYou may also wish to consider renting a vehicle. "Rent a scooter and take in the sights as you are waiting in traffic," said Antonia Imperoli of the Italian Government Tourist Board in New York. "Always go to the front of the traffic line, to avoid the exhaust pipes!"
Time in traffic doesn't have to be a lost cause.

"Strike up a conversation with your fellow Italian in the next car and ask suggestions of where to enjoy a typical Italian dinner that evening," Imperoli said. Travelers can also maximize their time when it comes to enjoying Rome's excellent cuisine. "Italians eat quick meals and drink espresso while standing up," McCabe said. "There are tons of pizza places on every corner of Rome. You tell the person behind the counter how big a slice you would like, and he or she charges you by weight. Grab a drink and you can have lunch in 10 minutes."

Gulping breakfast and lunch is one thing. After the day's tours are done, food fanatics may wish to linger for hours over Italian specialties. Try prosciutto and honeydew melon, tortellini with meat sauce, pizza with spicy salami, antipasti of eggplant, peppers and beans, desserts such as tiramisu or panna cotti, and the best coffee in the entire world.

Here is a suggested itinerary if you only have three days in Rome.

DAY ONE
Appian Line offers numerous half-day and full-day tours of Rome. Combine your favorite itineraries for a full day of sightseeing from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. See the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Piazza Navonna with its "Fountain of the Four Rivers" by the sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican, The Roman Forum, the Colosseum and St. Paul's Basilica. It's a long day of touring, but you'll cover many of Rome's highlights.

DAY TWO
Appian Line offers the "Vatican Museums" tour year-round every morning except Sundays and religious holidays. Here's a chance to see one of the world's great collections of classical and Renaissance art. The climax of the tour is the Sistine Chapel. Its walls feature paintings by Perugino, Ghirlandaio, Botticelli, Signorelli and Michelangelo, and its ceiling was painted by Michelangelo from 1508 to 1512. Among the many ceiling panels tracing the creation of the world and the fall of man is the famous "Creation of Adam." As you stroll back to the tour bus, your guide will point out the Pope's apartment building.

DAY THREE
Got walking shoes? Try an independent travel day with stops at the Borghese Museum, Villa Borghese Park, Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps. First stop: The Borghese Museum. Reservations are mandatory, so show up bright and early before the 8:30 a.m. opening time to purchase tickets, or make reservations in advance on the museum's Web site. Admission is strictly controlled so that only 360 people can tour the museum within a two-hour slot. See the highlights before your time runs out. They include Bernini's statue of "David" confronting the giant Goliath with only a sling. Bernini's sculpture of "Apollo and Daphne" depicts the nymph Daphne being turned into a laurel tree, pursued in vain by Apollo.

After two hours of strolling the museum, take a sit-down break with cappuccinos and a quick lunch in the museum snack bar. Head out the door for a nice long walk through the rest of the green, leafy Villa Borghese Park and down a long flight of stairs to Piazza del Popolo. It leads to several pedestrian-only shopping streets. If you're feeling energetic, you can stroll all the way down Via del Babuino to Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Square), the most famous square in Rome. Hail a cab and call it a day!



aC Sidebar

Or you can follow my Roman Holiday Itinerary...

Day One
Arrive and head to Villa Borghese with your reservation and walk around the park afterwards. Walking eastward, you should hit the Spanish Steps and the great shopping district via, Via Condotti and Via Corso. From here, your in the heart of Rome. You'll be able to people watch and walk around Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, the Pantheon, and Fountana di Trevi, and all the delicious gelato you can eat. There's a really nice, small Chinese restaurant southeast from the Trevi Fountain.

Day Two
Walk up early and enjoy a nice breakfest either back in the downtown area or you could start near the Termini train station. Coffee, cappuccino, and delicious bakery items are a hit. Your day on this day should be Caesarian Rome. Starting from the Termini, you can walk down Via Nazionale. You'll hit Piazza Venezia and the tribute to Vittorio Emmanuele II. Now walking west would take you to Campo di Fiori, but if you go south, you'll hit the Boca della Verita where you'll try your luck and your bravery to tell a lie. From here going south and slightly southeast you'll hit the Forum, the Palantine, Circus Maximus, and of course the Colosseum.

From here after a long day of walking, walk back up Via Nazionale and enjoy pizzas off this road. You'll find some nice mom and pop places. Try the Pizza Margherita. Afterwards, scroll back toward Via Condotti for the night life. If you don't like pizza, then you can try American by going to the Hard Rock Cafe along Via Veneto.

Day Three
For your religious folk, you can travel to the smallest nation in the world, the Holy See, or Vatican City. Remember, to wear a shirt and long pants. You might be able to go in with shorts, but a full top is necessary. St. Peter's Square is at your disposal, but Pope John Paul II will not conduct mass anymore. God bless his soul. The Vatican Museum is right behind St. Peter. You'll see a lot of his art, but the Sistine Chapel and seeing Raphael's School of Athens is great. There are great restaurants around the neighborhood. Stay north and go directly east and you'll hit Piazza del Popolo.

Enjoy your trip, don't forget about Ostia Antica, Tivoli, or even Mussolini's futuristic world, EUR, on the south edge of Rome. All are bit of a trip, so if you have at least 4 days, consider all of these things.

Friday, September 23, 2005

Only In America..

Law Changes Spur Bankruptcy Filings
AP Business

File bankruptcy now — before the law changes! That's the message — or exhortation — that attorneys are making across the country, in TV commercials, print ads and mailings, urging Americans to seek bankruptcy court protection before a new law makes it harder for them to walk away from their debts.

Debtors are responding. Counting down toward the Oct. 17 effective date for the biggest reform in U.S. bankruptcy law in a generation, personal bankruptcy filings have jumped this month to the highest on record. Filings averaged more than 9,000 per day, up roughly 50 percent from last year's average daily volume, during the first two weeks of September. The number is expected to keep climbing, reflecting a growing sense of urgency as the deadline nears.

Attorney Melvin James Kaplan, who runs a consumer bankruptcy practice in Chicago, hasn't seen a rush this big in his 48 years in the business. The volume of calls to his office has been increasing all month and tripled in the past week. "It's just getting insane," Kaplan said. "The information has been out there for months. I guess people are just waiting till the last minute."

The rush is on in every region and most states, based on data compiled for The Associated Press by Lundquist Consulting Inc., a Burlingame, Calif.-based financial research firm. The intensified interest comes from the bankruptcy law makeover signed by President Bush on April 20, a 501-page bill that bears the markings of the Republican-dominated Congress that passed it after an eight-year campaign headed by the banking, credit card and retailing industries.

Among the most noteworthy of the changes are new limitations on filing for personal bankruptcy, including barring those with above-average income from Chapter 7 — where debts can be wiped out entirely — except under special circumstances. Those deemed by a "means test" to have at least $100 a month left over after paying certain debts and expenses will have to file a 5-year repayment plan under the more restrictive Chapter 13 instead.

People also will be required to get professional credit counseling before being allowed to file.
Proponents welcome what they say is a long-needed crackdown on those who rack up credit card debts recklessly only to shed them in Chapter 7. They maintain that abuse of the bankruptcy process results in higher interest rates for everyone else, a "tax" averaging $400 per family per year.

"We've got greater fairness now" under the new law, said Wayne Abernathy, executive director for financial institutions policy at the American Bankers Association, an industry group representing banks and credit card issuers. "Where people have the means to pay, they're going to have to pay something."

Opponents, however, contend it will unfairly box in people who become buried in debt after unexpectedly losing their jobs or suffering serious health problems. They say it rewards and encourages the tactics of card issuers and other lenders enticing consumers into easy debt.
Travis Plunkett, legislative director of the Consumer Federation of America, called the law "harmful and mean-spirited." While it will halt some abuse by high-fliers who shouldn't be filing for bankruptcy, he said, it also will trap people and businesses that got into financial trouble through little or no fault of their own and block people's realistic chances at starting over.

And some economists say that taking away the traditional "fresh start" option from those middle-income people will be harmful to the U.S. economy, which has benefited greatly from entrepreneurial and other risk-taking. Businesses seeking to reorganize could feel the law's changes more acutely than many consumers.

Big businesses must complete their debt overhauls within 18 months or lose control of the process, with mom-and-pop ventures also put on a fast track. Severe restrictions on pay packages now routinely awarded to top employees in bankruptcy may make it difficult to keep senior management in place. But it's the impending change in personal bankruptcy requirements that have struck the biggest nerve with the public.

The number of personal bankruptcies leaped to an all-time high in the second quarter, when the legislation was passed, and the surge has since accelerated. About 1.24 million filings had been made nationwide in 2005 through Sept. 17, reflecting a 9.2 percent increase over last year and closing in on the record of 1.62 million filings in 2003, said Lundquist Consulting.

Thirty-seven states have seen double-digit percentage jumps in personal bankruptcy filings since March, when the initial surge began with the legislation's passage by Congress. Seven states — Alaska, West Virginia, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado and South Dakota — had increases of more than 25 percent over the same period a year ago; only South Carolina, Utah and Virginia saw declines.

Every weekday, scores of people arrive at a federal office in downtown Chicago where they sit quietly in an anteroom, waiting for the five- to 10-minute session with a trustee that will launch the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process and — they hope — wipe out their debts.

Lately, it takes three trustees to handle the daily crush at the U.S. Trustee Program, the agency that enforces bankruptcy laws. Ron Peterson, a Chicago attorney who also is retained by the program as a Chapter 7 trustee, is scheduled to hear 66 cases in a single day later this month.
"I'm seeing cases that wouldn't have been filed a year ago," he said. "Mostly poor people, but also somebody with a $4 million house in Kenilworth," a wealthy Chicago suburb.

Chris Szurgot, whose bankruptcy case was heard on a recent day, couldn't afford to wait. Like the vast majority of all Chapter 7 filers, the 44-year-old suburban Chicago man earns less than the median income and wouldn't be prohibited from filing under the same chapter when the law changes. But the rash of commercials prompted him to pick up the phone and call his attorney.
"I thought I'd better go check it out," said Szurgot as he waited for his name to be called by a trustee. "Because if I can't do it, I'm going to be stuck."

Szurgot, of Crestwood, Ill., said he has run up $50,000 in unpaid medical bills — even with insurance — for treatment of a rare disorder and he can't begin to pay them off from his annual income of roughly half that as a heating and air conditioning maintenance worker.
"I'm not poverty-stricken but I'm a single parent with bills," going $400 deeper in the hole every month due to his obligations, he said.

Single parents and those overwhelmed by medical bills are among those that opponents of the bankruptcy law revisions claim will be hurt most. Expensive illnesses lead to about half of all personal bankruptcies, according to a Harvard University study released in February. Consumers Union found separately that single mothers trying to make ends meet comprise a large portion of the filers.

Kenneth Klee, a UCLA law professor and former Republican staffer for the House Judiciary Committee who helped draft the last bankruptcy law overhaul in the 1970s, predicts the new law will have "a profound negative effect" that extends well beyond the debtors.
"If debtors aren't going to be able to get a fresh start, not only is it bad for our economy but it's bad for the non-bankrupt sector," he said. "You're going to have people going into the underground economy, not paying their taxes; they'll be dispirited and there will be more crime."
Hurricane Katrina victims may face especially tricky barriers to bankruptcy because of the new law's requirements for more extensive documentation and stricter deadlines. House and Senate Democrats are pushing for Congress to delay the effective date and ease some requirements.
An AP-Ipsos poll found that 61 percent of respondents favored a delay in the law's implementation in light of the large numbers of people who may need to seek bankruptcy protection because of Katrina. The telephone poll of 1,000 adults in 48 states was conducted Sept. 16-18 by Ipsos, an international polling company, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Despite benefiting from the recent uptick in filings, bankruptcy attorneys also face such a significant new obligation after the deadline that some are talking of leaving the field: They must certify that they made efforts to verify the truthfulness of what their clients say about their debts and holdings. Legal fees may double accordingly, according to John Penn, president of the American Bankruptcy Institute. As a result of the added legal and credit-counseling fees, the cost of filing personal bankruptcy is likely to rise for everyone.

"For somebody who's desperately poor, that may be a barrier to them to file at all," said Peterson, who predicts the average cost will rise as much as $300 or more. "So more people may go to non-lawyers to file it," leaving them more vulnerable in the process, he said.
Anywhere from 5 percent to 10 percent of filers could be barred from using Chapter 7 to liquidate their debts under the new law, according to Penn of the ABI, a group of bankruptcy judges, lawyers and other experts. They would be shifted instead to Chapter 13, where they could be forced to pay back a significant portion of their debt.

The growing crowd in bankruptcy courts is seen as a temporary phenomenon, not reflecting any dramatic change in Americans' financial standing. But as with much of the coming fallout from the changes, it's largely a matter of speculation.

Peterson thinks it will take some time to gauge the overall consequences of a bill "jam-packed with unintended consequences and ambiguities."

All that's certain for now is that the rush to file is likely to continue until midnight of Oct. 16.
"They're coming out of the woodwork," Kaplan said.



aC. Sidebar

And some say Republicans are ruining America, aren't those puggnants wrong. Plain and simple, Americans aren't saving. Americans need to save money and pay off debts. Going into bankruptcy is such a chick-shit way out. It's only positive for lawyers because they're the ones making the money. If you can't afford it then don't buy it. Here's a simple "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" tip. If you want it, it's not "I can't afford it", it's more like "How can I afford it?" Cut yourself away from credit cards, or at least switch from a hight APR to ones that offer 0% APR.

I know that the poor feel that they can only feel poorer, but working with debt consolidation and consulting will help. This new law is really for the long-term. Short-term, people may be affected, but in the long-term, if people can save money and be more mature and finanically smart, then our economy should improve indirectly.

It's not a collapse...

The Cleveland Indians are playing out of their mind right now. Although I do consider White Sox have a losing record after the All-Star Break as somewhat disappointing, the most shocking news are the Indians. Just after the break, who were in contention of the Wild Card position in the American League? The Yankees were below the Orioles, Red Sox, and I believe Toronto. They were 15-some games behind the White Soxes in the Central Division, not to mention justing position with Minnesota.

The Cleveland Indians are playing better than the South-Siders, the Bronx Bombers, and the BoSoxes. Even better than the West-Coast tandem of A's and Angel's. They're probably the best team after the All-Star break because they were also 15-20 games off the Wild Card spot. You can't call the White Soxes team a historic collapse. For a Chicago team to win over 90 games in on year is an amazing feat. Granted i'm a Cubs fan, but I do cheer for the other team, especially if they have a chance in going to the World Series.

So all you sports fan, don't criticize the South-Siders, blame everything on the Indians. They're playing like possessed demons. The Indians will cool off. They lack the experience of playoff teams, but I would like them to be in the Wild Card spot instead of the Yankees/BoSoxes.

Let's go Soxes. I'm still cheering for them. I'm not a sports bandwagon like Paul Motz, even I do change my team every year, but I still cheer them on for the whole season. I don't quit, on my Cubs or 2nd team, the first place White Soxes, and so shouldn't you.

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Give me a break...

Palmeiro reportedly blames teammate for ’roid Orioles star tells arbitration panel name of player who gave him substance
NBCSports.com news services
Updated: 9:48 a.m. ET Sept. 22, 2005

Baltimore Orioles slugger Rafael Palmeiro, who was suspended earlier this season for a positive steroid test, told a baseball arbitration panel that a teammate gave him an unknown substance, the Baltimore Sun reported Thursday, citing two unnamed sources. Palmeiro named the teammate to the arbitration panel, the Sun reported, citing one of the sources, but apparently did not link the substance to his positive steroid test.

A congressional committee is looking into Palmeiro's claims as part of an investigation into whether the slugger committed perjury when he told a panel that he had never used steroids, the newspaper reported. Palmeiro, who tested positive in May and began serving his 10-day suspension Aug. 1, has said he never intentionally took steroids. Palmeiro's statements to the arbitration panel and his public remarks suggest that the slugger feels he unwittingly took a substance from a teammate that led to the positive test, the newspaper reported.



aC. Sidebar

Ho-Kay...where to start? How about this, "Why did you take an unknown substance?". It's not Viagra. Viagra is blue and looks like a diamond. What did you think the pill will do for you Raf? If you thought it would help you swing the bag better or give you a "boost" then you have to realize it may contain some sort of steriod. I do admit, I did take Creatine in high school with other GNC products, but still. Why would you take a pill from a stranger? Let alone a teammate. I know there are trust issues, and you may be able to trust a teammate, but you have to look out for number one first. You did a bonehead move. I do a lot of bone head things, but I've always stayed alway from taking pills from strangers and friends. Friends don't always look out for you.

I can't say anything else, Raf. It happended, and in turn, your the team, league, media, and the icon or scapegoat, or however you put it. Learn, move on, and work out more this off season. Oh, and don't sleep with other player's wives too.

not to beat a dead horse...

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

...and that's my Wedesday.

Condoms Are Named for Clinton, Lewinsky
Wed Sep 21, 7:00 AM ET

A rubber company in China has begun marketing condoms under the brand names Clinton and Lewinsky, apparently seeking to exploit the White House affair that led to the impeachment of America's 42nd president.

Spokesman Liu Wenhua of the Guangzhou Rubber Group said the company was handing out 100,000 free Clinton and Lewinsky condoms as part of a promotion to raise consumer awareness of its new products. He said that after the promotion ends, the Clinton condoms will go on sale in southern China for 29.8 Yuan ($3.72) for a box of 12, while the Lewinsky model will be priced at 18.8 Yuan ($2.35) for the same quantity.

"The Clinton condom will be the top of our line," he said. "The Lewinsky condom is not quite as good."

Liu said the company had chosen to use the Clinton name because consumers viewed the former president as a responsible person, who would want to stress safe sex as an effective way to prevent the spread of the HIV virus.

"The names we chose are symbols of people who are responsible and dedicated to their jobs," he said. "I believe Bill Clinton cannot be unhappy about this because he's a very generous man."
Liu said the company did not believe using the Clinton and Lewinsky names constituted a violation of copyright or other laws.

"We have received full approval from the local Industrial and Commercial Bureau to start production," he said.

Clinton has campaigned aggressively for heightened AIDS awareness in China, where the disease is spreading rapidly. In impeachment proceedings conducted by the U.S. Senate in 1999, he was acquitted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. The charges stemmed from denials he made about a sexual relationship he maintained with Lewinsky, a former White House intern.


aC. Sidebar.

I don't know what to say. The Chinese are quite the entrepreneurs. Of course I do prefer the usage of our last President's name compared to his predecessor, Father Bush. The mental image of George Senior and Barbara Bush being reference to sex can make anyone go soft, or it could be the best way to promote abstinence. Curious though, will the Chinese also market stained blue dresses, oral office paraphernalia, or the Hilary Clinton version that's specially designed for your wife that's better than the Monica version, but comes with the agony of being your wife's little bitch. Hey, maybe a Paula Jones version might be nice too, but then again you'll end up regretting it later.

I hope my girlfriend doesn't read this...

because I saw the words Namby-Pamby...

Friday, September 16, 2005

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Oh Am I Pissed...

...from a Yahoo News Headline, "Judge: School Pledge Is Unconstitutional."

Please give me a break. You can't take away the pledge of allegiance from our schools. It's been part of our society for countless generation. Asides from that, the pledge is a constant reminder of the society that we live in. Slightly nationalistic, slightly religious, with a dash of history. Of course the people behind this attack on our pledge are atheists.

I can't really believe in people that believe in nothing. Come on. This government, society, and general history starting from Plymouth Rock is all about believing. I'm not a Christian, but I believe in our country, our flag, our history, our people, and our heritage. Our fore fathers brought forth to this continent a new nation conceived of liberty and justice for all. They also brought forth a regimen of discipline, honor, and dignity that saw many of our descendents and our very own fore fathers defend on this continent and overseas.

There was no litigation back in the 1700's. There was either you looking at Aaron Burr from your slights or Thanksgiving fest with you family, friends, and loved ones. You have a new variation today, in terms of "busting a cap on your ass" and Swanson dinners in front of the HDTV, but the fundamental foundation of unity and peace has changed. I don't know why we've become so litigious. Is it because of greed? Can Hugh Hefner just have one girlfriend? Is it because of opportunities from technology? Why do you email and text message people when it's easier to talking to them face-to-face? Is it because of I can't really explain these questions? I don't think why we choose to litigate.

All I know is that the proud men that served and currently serving our country, the proud-ness we have for our country and heritage will be tarnished if we aren't allow to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in our school. Children today are going up faster, mature faster, and bigger. If we don't teach them to honor our country, flag, and our heritage then how will they learn? How we they learn about the true meaning of sacrifice and honor? Why are we teaching our children and the general public to be more religiously disaffiliated instead of teaching them to stop eating Big-Macs and drinking a liter of coke and coffee a day?

Is it because God may not save you? Well, a trip these days to the local drive-thru of McDonalds with your child in a Mercedes SUV may not save you a lot too. I need to be saved. We all need to be saved. Regardless if your religious or not. Ever read Machiavelli? People are believers from every continent. Not just ours. It has been for thousands of years. So why would you like a couple of bone-headed parents that may or may not be well equip to teach their children the true intricacies of life decide on our country's daily ritual of heritage.
I'm all out of gas due to frustration. These parents kids will be future smokers, tree-huggers, drug-addicts, bane-of-live, bane-of-human-existence, and Enders of all things good. I know I'm taking a libertarian approach to this, but it's true. There are a shit-load of people in country that are pride like me that would like to keep the pledge, just like those people that take their cap off when singing the National Anthem.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Would the 49ers please...

sign Jerry Rice. So what if he's 100 years old in football years. Look at the team's current corp wide receivers...
Arnaz Battle
Rashaun Woods
Rasheed Marshall
Brandon Lloyd
Johnnie Morton

so...Arnaz Battle only caught 8 passes last year, just one more than Rashaun Woods. Rasheed is a rookie and Johnnie Morton is a journeyman. He was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs.

So here's my argument. Jerry Rice alone has caught more passes than combining all the passes that these players caught in high school, college, and in the pros. You have 2 young quarterbacks in Alex Smith and Tim Rattay. This could be another Joe Montana or Steve Young in the making. Steve Deberg was the team's starter in '79-'80. You need to develop Smith with a receiver that doesn't drop balls, in Jerry Rice. Heck, Jerry used to caught concreate blocks when he was young. Jerry will develop confidence and experience. What can Johnnie Morton and these other receivers give you? Maybe a super-sized meal at McDonalds after their playing career is over, but they need good receivers in San Franscisco. You (Nolan) need to rethink. Last year, the team only won 2 games. Yes, two game. You have Julian Peterson back. You may have some luck on D, but it's all about the O. I dont' mean Overstock.com or overstocking with shitty WR's.

Do the fans a favor and the team. Jerry Rice. He can still play. They never threw the ball to him in Seattle or Oakland. Think about it. Hassleback was usually throwing incompletions. Gannon broke his neck. Kerry Collins, well, throws a lot of interceptions. The prospect really doesn't deserve Jerry to play for the Niners, so you're (Nolan) not really doing him any favors. It's more like the other way around.

I've been a Niners fan all my life. Until recently. Okay, not since Jerry left the bay area, but I could return. The 49er legacy is about pitching and catching. Seriously, if you pitched the ball to Jerry. He might land you a ring, if not a least the fans would look forward to something, that hasn't happend since '94.

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Let's Talk About Disaster...

Blaming people. I don't know what, who, or where do people come up with up with the idea of blaming people for natural disasters. Especially when it's close to home. Yes, I am talking about the Hurricane Katrina disaster, but I would also like to point out Charley, Andrew, Hugo, and countless other hurricanes that have devastated our shorelines. I would like to point out 9/11 and the Tsunami disaster of last year as well.

The reason why I bring these events is because of the fact that they are natural disasters. Quote, natural disasters. Not Chernobyl, Baby Jessicas, or human stampedes. In the latter events, humans are the spark and explosion of concern for humanity. Man has no control over nature. Can I control a hurricane or tornado? Can I really control a pit bull named Jimmy from biting my balls off? In the latter, the human spirit may offer substance or interference. We as citizens of this nation, world, or planet could have stopped 9/11, the Pan-Am bombing, and the hostage taking in Tehran, but just as we as humans can not foresee the future or understand the consequence of any actions, there are things that are beyond our control.

So another words, please don't bitch, complain, or offer any suggestions, because you can't buy a lottery ticket for a drawing that has already happen. We can only prepare for such disasters. In terms of risk assessment and management, these occurrences of natural disaster are so cumbersome to assess and prepare that the reality of the scope of disaster when it does occur is insufficient. Shit happens and we can bitch and complain except for ourselves in some cases.

If you’re an environmentalist, you can refer to the effects of salinization, erosions of our beaches, rivers, and natural resources to nature. We're drilling for oil that will not replenish itself as fast as we take it out of the ground. We're chopping trees and digging for coal. We're stopping nature from protecting us from sandstorms and providing shade from the harmful effects of UV. We're putting chemicals like Fluorocarbons into the air that we breathe. We're producing waste in an exurban rate. We're consuming like crazy and it's not the Irish to blame. No, it's just not the fact of them spring eight children per household, but the fact that it's the J. Lo's and the Playa rolling in Dubs and "Blinging" with the Escalades and Hummer H2's.

Honestly, from this we should blame ourselves. So should politicians. There should be no blame game by each party. Why are the Democrats so upset? Yes, the Calvary was somewhat late to save the day, but nevertheless they did save the day. There is so much work to be done, so why blame someone now? Seriously, why should you break the bridge when you really need to build one? Why didn't the New Orleans or the localized services attempt to help the people, especially Mrs. Clinton, why do you want to investigate why the dikes/levies failed? It's like trying to find out why the World Trade Center Towers fell. Come on, Water + Wind + A Shit Load of More Water does not equal a fun ride at Great America. It equals disaster. I'm all for the helping hand of the Federal Government for help, but if I was the Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, or the Alabama reserves, armed forces, from the Army level down to the Merchant Marines, I would do what could be done to help them right after the storm hit.

Now to the Republicans, why wasn't FEMA more able to do something about it except for trying to get out of the bureaucracy of the Department of Homeland Security? I think FEMA should be part of the Department of Agriculture or Interior, because the goal and operation of FEMA is within each community, rural or urban and the environment to our farmers as well. Hurricanes don’t just effect the east coast and are the main needs of FEMA. Typhoons to the Pacific, El Nino effects, but importantly the emergencies of forest fires, droughts, and blizzards. Damn right Smokey. Doesn't this encompass more than just disaster relief, but our nation's agriculture and general community development?

I do commend our President for one thing he said during his re-election, that the local and state government should be the first to protect and defend and the federal government will support. In another words, a small federal government, but a big local and state powers. Did you know the Secretaries for Agriculture and FEMA are advocates of powers of the local and state governments? This would make perfect sense because who should help the Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi people but that of the people of those respected states. It would take too long for the federal government to react. Don't forget, the powers are in the Pentagon, Capitol, and White House several hundred miles away, but the capitals of the affected states are close within each other. Birmingham, Baton Rouge, and Jackson, Pensacola, and Jefferson City, are closer than D.C. These state governments could do so much more than the Federal government can. Well, not in terms of money, but still. We should help each other whenever we can. Not just leave it up to the Federal government.

Before blaming the government, we should blame ourselves for not helping, for actually helping the cause of further devastation. Wouldn't you want the helping hand of a neighbor, not someone hundreds of miles away? Like a good neighbor, "state" farm is there.

Best Airline Ever...

Ted...

yes, I know its really United, but its like the Scion of United. It doesn't really feel different, but flying to Midway is a way lot better than flying into O'Hare. Ted is strongly endorsed for you flying adventures for Vegas, Disney World, our nation's capital, and other sinful Spring Break destinations.