In parts of Europe, the most sung song these days is from the Wizard of Oz ... "the witch is dead ... etc,"
AP - Winding down his presidency, George W. Bush is beginning his farewell tour on the world stage trailed by questions about how much clout he still wields.
Seems like someone over at Apple is starting to listen to what Aperture users have been asking for. Maybe those forums aren't such a waste of time after all. There are so many awesome and smart little things that people come up with to make a awesome experience even better and it would seem Apple cautiously (for good reason) is starting to embrace the creative community on a new level.
Amazes me some of the small but really cool things people come up with. Those little things, no one thinks about till its needed and in the world of digital creativity the ability for those small wonders to be shared with everyone just makes everything better. Check out this exciting news coming to Aperture.
Apple adds image-editing plug-ins to Aperture | One More Thing - CNET News.com
Let me get this right. We were suppose to send them batteries, but they got missile parts instead? Not to mention this is barely reported. Do helicopter batteries sit right next to the missile parts? Opps.
U.S. accidentally sends missile parts to Taiwan - CNN.com
Hi, I am a total tool dumbass!
The Family Research Council's Peter Sprigg spoke to the Medill Reports about the Uniting America Families Act, which would eliminate discrimination with regard to foreign partners of gay and lesbian citizens, allowing them to obtain permanent resident status in the same way that spouses do.
Not surprisingly, Sprigg had some unenlightened things to say about how he feels gays and lesbians should be treated with regard to immigration.
Said Sprigg: "I would much prefer to export homosexuals from the United States than to import them into the United States because we believe homosexuality is destructive to society."
And no doubt he would if he could.
Watch the video here (top of page).
Gays Seek Immigration Reform [medill reports]
(via citizen crain via daily dish)
About damn time. Tipping has gotten totally out of control, and what is worse is when companies abuse it to increase their bottom line. How does management deserve tips? Hate when I go into a restaurant and the menu says for five or more a gratuity will be added on. What the hell? Tipping is and should be the individuals choice.
Went to a breakfast place and they had this on their menu, and added in was that this was the only way their staff can make a living wage. HELLO?!?!?! Pay them more you asshole! The prices for breakfast in this town has skyrocketed in recent years and this has only padded the profit margin of the establishment. Now of course, the owners will cry out that the cost of doing business has risen and they have to charge this much to stay in business. Can anyone show or even tell us what these increases are? Just would like to know what all goes into the cost of $9.00 French toast. Think everyone would like to know. Tell us, inform us so we can support you.
tip 3 |tɪp| |tɪp|
noun
1 a sum of money given to someone as a reward for their services.
Where do it say this is expected or required? It is something an individual decides to do. And let me tell ya, when people get all out of shape because you don't tip them, they need to look at themselves and their attitude first.
Starbucks ordered to refund tips to baristas
Anybody surprised by this?
The Bush Administration apparently does not want a U.S. military study that found no direct connection between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda to get any attention. This morning, the Pentagon cancelled plans to send out a press release announcing the report’s release and will no longer make the report available online.
The report was to be posted on the Joint Forces Command website this afternoon, followed by a background briefing with the authors. No more. The report will be made available only to those who ask for it, and it will be sent via U.S. mail from Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia.
It won’t be emailed to reporters and it won’t be posted online.
Asked why the report would not be posted online and could not be emailed, the spokesman for Joint Forces Command said: “We’re making the report available to anyone who wishes to have it, and we’ll send it out via CD in the mail.”
Another Pentagon official said initial press reports on the study made it “too politically sensitive.”
ABC News obtained the comprehensive military study of Saddam Hussein’s links to terrorism on Tuesday. Read the report’s executive summary HERE.
The study, which was due to be released Wednesday, found no “smoking gun” or any evidence of a direct connection between Saddam’s Iraq and the al Qaeda terrorist organization.
The report is based on the analysis of some 600,000 official Iraqi documents seized by US forces after the invasion. It is also based on thousands of hours of interrogations of former top officials in Saddam’s government who are now in U.S. custody.
Others have reached the same conclusion, but no previous study has had access to so much information. Further, this is the first official acknowledgement from the U.S. military that there is no evidence Saddam had ties to Al Qaeda.
The guys and gals over at NBC's Law & Order writing department have to be loving this! Can this get any better?
While it's hard to believe that the McGreeveys are still quarreling over their divorce proceedings, it's even harder to believe there are still bombshells of this magnitude left to drop.
Former aide Theodore Pedersen, who was a driver and traveling aide for the former governor, told the New Jersey Star-Ledger that he had regular sexual affairs with the couple, or, as he told the New York Post, "The 'intense' end-of-the-work-week escapades, he said, usually began with a 'couple of drinks' at a local T.G.I. Fridays and culminated in 'a hard-core consensual sex org' among the three of them at McGreevey's Woodbridge condo.
According to the Star-Ledger, "The aide, Theodore Pedersen, said he and the couple even had a nickname for the weekly romps, from 1999 to 2001... They called them 'Friday Night Specials,' according to Pedersen. He said he wanted to refute the innocent image that Matos McGreevey has projected - both during the couple's ongoing divorce battle and in interviews she gave after New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned last week in a sex scandal. He said he was also incensed by her portrayal of herself as an unsuspecting wife in her book: 'Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage.'"
Said Pedersen: "I wanted to get this out now because it was so offensive to me that she goes on television playing the victim. She's trying to make this a payday for herself. She should have told the truth about the three of us."
Pedersen, who is 29 and lives with his girlfriend, said that the Friday night flings were the only contact he had with Dina, and he was never positive if the governor was gay or not:
"I had heard the rumors in circles outside of work (that McGreevey was gay)...In hindsight, there might have been light interest (in me), but it didn't seem like he was gay. It did enhance their sexual relationship having me be a part of it."
Pedersen told the New York Post: "He liked watching me, and she would watch me while she was [performing sex acts] with Jim...It's frustrating to hear her call Gov. Spitzer a hypocrite while she's out there being as dishonest as anyone could be about her own life. She's framed herself as a victim - yet she was a willing participant, she had complete control over what happened in her relationship. She was there, she knew what was happening, she made the moves. We all did. It's disgusting to watch her play the victim card."
Dina Matos McGreevey has claimed that she did not have any clue about her former husband's sexual preference until his announcement "I am a gay American" in August 2004. Mc Greevey filed papers in April 2007 saying that his wife knew he was gay a full four years before that announcement. The paper adds: "A trial before Union County Superior Court Judge Karen Cassidy is scheduled to start in May. Pedersen could be among the first witnesses to testify."
McGreevey aide says he had sexual trysts with ex-governor, wife [nj star ledger]
The McGreeveys' Secret [ny post]
(image source)
It would seem, that it is okay for the Federal government to read all your email without permission, but they themselves do not want anyone looking in their inbox. Does any of this make sense? Read the attached story and let me know what your thoughts are.
AP - In New Jersey, the governor's e-mails might shed light on whether he inappropriately conferred with a labor leader he once dated. In Detroit, the mayor's text messages revealed a sexually charged scandal. In California, a fight rages for access to e-mails sent by a city councilwoman about a controversial biological laboratory.
This comes as no surprise I don't think. Our world is changing so fast and the iPhone is defining how we will communicate with each other in the years to come. Remember the show "Space 1999?" They carried around a device that would access information and talk to anyone. Always thought that would be so cool to have and how you could get stuff done. It is here!
Just wonder when they will add video to it. Bet it is coming much faster then we ever thought possible.
iPhone Users Are Having More Fun - GigaOM
Hey Mr. President, not sure if you have looked out here recently. But that recession you said wasn't coming, I think its that big ass elephant in the corner over there. Read on, and tell me what you think.
Download | Play 
Download | Play (h/t Heather)
Despite the reassurances and rosy pictures being painted by those in DC, most Americans are feeling the pinch of the stumbling economy. Jack Cafferty asked Americans to tell him how the economy is affecting them, and the outlook is decidedly less rosy.
Ann from Newton, New Jersey writes:
I am over 70 years of age, unable to live on Social Security and still have to work to keep my head above water. With gas prices over $3.00 a gallon, food and heating rising, having to pay supplement health and prescription insurance, higher taxes, the water is now also rising past my lips. I hope I don’t drown too soon.Jeff from Boston writes:
Jack, I was laid off on Friday of last week. My brother just called to let me know he was laid off today. Does that answer your question?
Bonddad calls the Republican economic strategy finally showing its unworkability an Empire of Debt, collapsing under its own weight. Meanwhile, corporate welfare continues unabated, much to the anger of investor Jim Rogers. (h/t Drew in the comment thread)
Full transcripts from The Cafferty File below the fold
FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty:
The United States’ economic problems are getting worse.
Americans are grappling with higher costs for food and gasoline, while their adjustable rate mortgages go up and the value of their homes goes down. The economy is losing jobs – 63,000 of them last month. The dollar continues to hit record lows against foreign currencies, like the Euro, while rising commodity prices signal inflation.
The nation’s fifth largest investment bank, Bear Stearns went belly up. And the Federal Reserve, on a Sunday night, struck fear into everyone’s heart by suddenly announcing that the government is going to make emergency loans available to Wall Street firms in addition to banks.
Why Sunday night? What did they know that couldn’t have waited until Monday during regular business hours, when the fear quotient of their decision could have been greatly reduced?
Similarly, the Fed’s race to dramatically lower interest rates in big chunks – for example, today’s reduction of three-quarters of a percentage percent – also raises the question whether things are worse than we’re being told. A recession is all but inevitable and it could be long and deep.
A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows 65% of those surveyed are very concerned about inflation. 59% are very worried about unemployment. 48% point to the drop in home values and 40% to the drop in the stock market.
Here’s my question to you: How is the growing bad news about the economy affecting your daily life?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Katherine writes:
Groceries are killing us. We started a garden this year to help keep expenses down. We have to watch where we go and the cost of gas. And we are doing better than some I know. I fear more for what may come next and if it gets worse.
Josh from Tampa, Florida writes:
I bought a house in 2007, 100% financing at a fixed rate. Remodeled it and now almost overnight my house is worth 25% less then when I bought it. How exactly does that happen? It’s a home, not a stock, people! Things are seriously broken.
Don writes:
Two weeks ago, a dozen plain donuts at Wal-Mart cost me $2.50. Yesterday, I went to Wal-Mart and the same dozen cost me $3.33.
Kevin from Red Hook, New York writes:
My boss is sweating bullets over the economy. The weak dollar and high costs are putting a huge strain on us. We manufacture car racing equipment and the cost of some materials has doubled in the last year, up 23% just this past week. He’s talking about making cuts, but doesn’t know who or where. My main worry is that we’ve only got six employees and I’m the new guy. I’m getting ulcers already.
Ann from Newton, New Jersey writes:
I am over 70 years of age, unable to live on Social Security and still have to work to keep my head above water. With gas prices over $3.00 a gallon, food and heating rising, having to pay supplement health and prescription insurance, higher taxes, the water is now also rising past my lips. I hope I don’t drown too soon.
Jeff from Boston writes:
Jack, I was laid off on Friday of last week. My brother just called to let me know he was laid off today. Does that answer your question?
This bitch needs to be put over someone's lap and spanked like a red headed stepchild. This is crazy! Her mother should go straight home and sign this girl up for a school in the woods till she gets her GED. Better yet, for her birthday I would give her a bus pass! And gays being married is going to destroy the fabric of our society. Here is your great and wonderful heterosexual parenting skills and tax dollars at work.
Please tell me your thoughts on this freak!
Welcome to GFN.: ""
US Air Force has awarded a major tanker deal to a company that's parent is French owned. Now, I am not against in anyway use or purchase of goods from the world market place. In fact I think it is good overall as it will move us to a more common global community.
Equally though, I find it very funny how it is popular right now to slam companies that have moved jobs via production of American goods to other countries. That this is the reason for all our problems. Granted the issue is deep and wide and can not possibly be focused in this post. Yet, it seems everyone running for office has been against this whole concept and promise to make changes if elected to stop this "hemorrhage" of America.
Yet, Senator John McCain seems to have ties to exactly that. With two of his campaign employees who are former lobbyists in favor and pushing the Airbus contract to the Air Force. Lot has been said that McCain had nothing to do with any of this, even though he has a history of not being friendly to Boeing. Just to bring this into focus, every presidential candidate uses private air craft to get everywhere they have to be. Everyone of them use American made aircraft, with exception to Mr. McCain. He favors and uses a french built Airbus A320.
You be the judge, and leave a comment. Thanks!
Lets face one undeniable fact of our current times. Bill O'Reilly is a dumbass. Found this great video segment of Bill and knew I had to share it. Enjoy!
Please comment!
For weeks all we have heard (and not much mind you) from the white house is that we find ourselves in tight economic times but the administration is doing what is needed to fend off a recession. In reality, it is already here. With oil prices clipping over $109 per barrel.
The white house answer is to just ignore the reality of life out here for the rest of us. It is even policy!
What are your thoughts? Post a comment!
As I have already posted about this woman. Friend sent me this from youtube with the actual speak she gave. Thank you Matt for the heads up, listen for yourself.
Once again, it is Monday and shockingly someone is blaming the problems of America on the gay agenda. Indoctrination is a big word to say the least. It is a word used to instill an emotional response like fear. When something you do is good, its called teaching, when it something you don't like or fear it is called indoctrination.
The interesting thing about all this, once again is how many times this sort of rhetoric comes from a "christian." Granted, they don't hold the universal street corner on hate, or even loathing of homosexual people, but they sure do take up more then their share of that corner. Course, you are dealing with people that are proud of their ability to follow, no matter what.
Check out the story link and the comments at the bottom of the story.
Tulsa World: Oklahoma legislator's anti-gay comments stir hostile reaction: ""
Okay, I just love this one. If you don't comment on this one your just ......
Few weeks ago a young man was murdered because he was gay. It is sad that two very young lives have been destroyed because of this.
The other day I was having breakfast with a friend and there was a small child at the table next to us. My friend caught me staring and asked what I was thinking. Sadly the only thought I had was, at least this one doesn't hate yet.
I am really amazed with this young man's video response. It is a little hard to hear but listen!
Hello, I am the governor of the great state of Texas. And I am a dumb ass! Remember us? We brought you GW and debt you and your kids can't hope to pay back! Check out the link, it is a interview that was done with his honor. Seems he can't walk and chew gum at the same time based on this stellar intellectual conversation.
Troop Leader - New York Times: ""
