random thoughts

The provision of the Constitution giving the war-making power to Congress was dictated, as I understand it, by the following reasons. Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This, our Convention understood to be the most oppressive of all Kingly oppressions; and they resolved to so frame the Constitution that no one man should hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us.
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

coming undone, korn

funny joke time

A man is sitting in a pub, when a guy with an incredibly small head walks in and sits down next to him.

The first guy looks up and bursts out laughing. He asks, "What on earth happened to your head?"

The second man replies, "I was stranded on an island and a bottle floated up. I opened it and out came a female genie. She was by far the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She told me I had one wish - so I took my time and thought long and hard about what I wanted. Finally, I told her that I wanted to spend the rest of our lives making passionate love to each other. She told me that was the one wish she couldn't fulfill."

"So, then what happened?" asked the first guy.

"Well, before I could think, I blurted out, 'So I suppose a little head is out of the question?'"

quote time

I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me. Winston Churchill

---I just wanted to take a second to send out a little message to our Troops past and present. Id like to think I can speak for all the Offmen when I say thank you for ALL that you do. I personally don't think you get recognized enough. God Bless...---

random thoughts

i've been talking about this for a while. i saw it in a lot of tiny blurps buried in the middle of newspapers in their ap national news stories sections. plus a couple of my conspiracy theory authors predicted it.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen

loves me like a rock, paul simon

bad joke time

	A husband and wife had four boys. The odd part of it was that the older three had red hair, light skin, and were tall, while the youngest son had black hair, dark eyes, and was short. The father eventually took ill and was lying on his deathbed when he turned to his wife and said, "Honey, before I die, be totally honest with me - is our youngest son my child?" The wife replied, "I swear on everything that's holy that he is your son." With that the husband passed away. The wife then muttered, "Thank God he didn't ask about the other three."

Doc Marten ad.

They died young, but the rock icons in an ad campaign for Dr. Martens are still stirring controversy and outrage.

The bizarre Dr. Martens footwear campaign shows four famous dead rockers as angels in heaven clad in white robes and wearing the brand's trendy boots.

One of the oddball posters features a rather surreal Kurt Cobain , the legendary frontman for grunge band Nirvana who killed himself in 1994, resting his weary, steel-toed tootsies on a throne of clouds.

The ads also feature in various states of heavenly bliss punk legends Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, who overdosed in 1979, Joey Ramone of the Ramones, who died of cancer in 2001, and Joe Strummer of The Clash, who passed on in 2002,.

The dead-rocker ads, created by Saatchi & Saatchi London, however, hit a sour note with the footwear company.

---I heard about this a while ago, im glad I found a story about it. Im just pissed they put Cobain in the same ad with real legends like Strummer and Ramone, but I guess it comes down to marketing there.---

A Toaster Bat?

I found this little guy while toasting a bagel this afternoon. The bagel had just popped up when he crawled out form behind it our toaster. At first I was just a little alarmed, I am used to seeing bugs crawl out from be hind things once in a while but this guy is kind of big (maybe double the size an adult field mouse). He hung out on the counter just long enough for me to figure out just what the hell I was seeing, and weather or not he had been burnt by the toaster, he looked fine. He then flew off into the dining and living room where little C was eating lunch and hid behind the mirror over the mantle. C eventually screamed, but it took him a minute or so to figure out that what he saw was not normal. The bat is now safely in a moving box, due to be released later on this afternoon. I haven’t the slightest clue how he got in here. But it was a nice diversion.

quote time

The Constitution gives every American the inalienable right to make a damn fool of himself.
- John Ciardi

random thoughts

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." -- George W. Bush (August 5, 2004)

come out and play, offspring

All work and no play....

---Anyone planning trips this summer?----

NEW YORK — Almost half of American workers did not take all of their vacation days last year, even though many reported being "burned out" by their jobs, according to a survey conducted by Yahoo Hot Jobs.

The online recruiter said 45 percent of the 1,800 respondents did not use all of their days off for 2006, while 39 percent said they were too exhausted to take a "real" vacation.

"Despite summer's reputation for being a time of travel and leisure, many U.S. workers are not using all their vacation time and are too tired to plan a getaway," the company said in a statement.

Among the top reasons cited for the lack of interest in taking time off were having too much work (36 percent), cost (34 percent) and wanting to save vacation time for emergencies (32 percent).

Life and its going ons.

---My life as of late, has been terribly boring. My daughter is doing well and is a ball of almost constant fire, which at times, is NOT a good thing. The early heat waves we have been having here have been making me ultra crabby, Iv realized Im not a fan of the heat at all anymore. I much prefer fall over any season at this point.

I havent been following too much of the news as of late either. I have been trying to keep up on all t his immigration law b.s. and I just havent been able to. The last I heard we were gonna give legal status to like 12 million illegals already here. Thats just swell.

Whats been going on in other Offmens lives? Scott, hows the house selling going? PJB, hows the bike business looking? Mr. Martin, what have you been up to? Mark, where have you been, havent seen you on here in ages.....

Thats about it boys, just wanted to say hello and that I miss all your words. Lets take a few mins. out of our busy lives and get some bloggin' done! =) ---

New immigration law

---I find this interesting.---

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Key senators in both parties announced agreement with the White House Thursday on an immigration overhaul that would grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. and fortify the border.

The plan would create a temporary worker program to bring new arrivals to the U.S. A separate program would cover agricultural workers. New high-tech enforcement measures also would be instituted to verify that workers are here legally.

The compromise came after weeks of painstaking closed-door negotiations that brought the most liberal Democrats and the most conservative Republicans together with President Bush's Cabinet officers to produce a highly complex measure that carries heavy political consequences.

Joke time

	The blonde walks into a drugstore and asks the pharmacist for some bottom deodorant. The pharmacist, a little bemused, explains to the woman that they don''t sell anything called bottom deodorant, and never have. Unfazed, the blonde assures him that she has been buying the stuff from this store on a regular basis, and would like some more. "I''m sorry," says the pharmacist, "we don''t have any." "But I always get it here," says the blonde. "Do you have the container it comes in?" "Yes!" says the blonde, "I will go and get it." She returns with the container and hands it to the pharmacist, who looks at it and says to her, "This is just a normal stick of underarm deodorant." The annoyed blonde snatches the container back and reads out loud from the container: "To apply, push up bottom."

random thoughts

Two Hangmenby Mason Proffit
As I rode into Tombstone, my horse his name was Mac,I saw what I'll relate to you, goin' on behind my backIt seems that folks were up in arms, a man now had to die,For saying things that didn't fit the laws they'd set aside.The man's name was "I'm a Freak", the best that I could see,He was the executioner, a hangman just like me,I guess that he'd seen loopholes, from workin' with his rope,He'd hung the wrong man many times, so now he turned to hope.He talked to all the people from his scaffold in the square,He told them of the things he'd found, but they didn't seem to careHe said the laws were obsolete, a change they should demand,But the people only walked away, he couldn't understand.The marshall's name was Uncle Sam, he said he'd right this wrong,He'd make the hangman shut his mouth if it took him all year long,He finally arrested Freak, and then he sent for me,To hang a fellow hangman, from a fellow hangman's tree.It didn't take them long to try him, in their court of law,He was guilty then of thinking, a crime much worse than all,They sentenced him to die, so his seed of thought can't spread,And infect the little children, that's what the law had said.Well, the hangin' day came round and he walked up to the noose,I pulled the lever but before he fell I cut him loose,They called it all conspiracy, and then I had to die,So to close our mouths and kill our minds, they hung us side by side...And now we're two hangman, hangin' from a tree,That don't bother me, at all.Two hangman, hangin' from a tree,That don't bother me, at all.

mephistopheles' return, trans siberian orchestra

Shock Jocks Opie and Anthony Discuss Sexual Assaults on Condi Rice and Laura Bush

Posted by Noel Sheppard on May 10, 2007 - 17:03.

In the wake of Don Imus’ firing for his remarks about the Rutgers women’s basketball team, what should happen to shock jocks that actually discuss violent sexual assaults on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and First Lady Laura.

With that in mind, Breitbart TV reported that XM Satellite Radio’s Opie and Anthony had a guest on recently (date unknown) with whom such vulgar acts were happily and comically discussed (h/t Glenn Reynolds).

Readers are hereby cautioned that this is really disgraceful, obscene stuff. Enter at your own risk (audio available here).

---Should these 2 shock jocks be fired just as Imus was? Whats the difference between calling a few black basketball players "Nppy hos" and threatening to rape condolezzaa Rice and First lady Bush? There shouldnt be one, joke or not, violence against women should not be taken as a "joke". These 2 morons should be made examples of too, just like Imus was. but Im thinking the Imus thing was more of a race issue than anything. Double standards everywhere. ---

Is this the begignning of "Big Brother"?

By LUIS MARTINEZ

Like any major corporation, the Pentagon's information technology team needs to protect the bandwidth of its computer networks. That is why it said that as of today, it is restricting military computer access to big video sites like MySpace and YouTube that require a lot of bandwidth and strain the Defense Department's network of 5 million computers.

---What do you think,is this the Govt out of control again or do they have a legitimate reason to block the use of sites like Youtube and Myspace during work hours and at The Pentagon?---

Happy Mothers Day

---I just wanted to take a 2nd to wish all of our Offmen moms out there a Happy Mothers Day. Without you, we wouldn't exist!!!_

random thoughts

This "debate" is a typical illustration of a primary principle of sophisticated propaganda. In crude and brutal societies, the Party Line is publicly proclaimed and must be obeyed -- or else. What you actually believe is your own business and of far less concern. In societies where the state has lost the capacity to control by force, the Party Line is simply presupposed; then, vigorous debate is encouraged within the limits imposed by unstated doctrinal orthodoxy. The cruder of the two systems leads, naturally enough, to disbelief; the sophisticated variant gives an impression of openness and freedom, and so far more effectively serves to instill the Party Line. It becomes beyond question, beyond thought itself, like the air we breathe.

Noam Chomsky http://www.chomsky.info/articles.htm

stairway to heaven, led zeppelin

Missing GI

---When will the madness end? how many of our boys are gonna have to be killed or drug away in order for us to get the hell out of there?---

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- American troops were on the hunt in a volatile region south of Baghdad for three members of a U.S.-led military patrol, who went missing after an insurgent attack Saturday that killed five others.

The U.S. military said attackers struck the team of seven U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi army interpreter.

New Flickr pics

just wanted to share:
I just posted new pictures on my flickr site.
pretty bikes
more to come, we are going to Ohio this weekend.

Well?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSS-xB7Zjss

---what cha think? I guess Im already dead to Mr. windbag Rollins then.---

Blair says goodbye.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced his resignation Thursday as Labour Party leader and prime minister after a decade in power.

"I've come back here to Sedgefield, to my constituency, where my political journey began and where it's fitting that it ends," Blair said.

"I've been prime minister of this country for just over 10 years ... I think that's long enough for me, but more importantly, for the country."

Blair, appearing relaxed, spoke at his parliamentary constituency of Sedgefield in northeast England and said he would tender his resignation as prime minister to Queen Elizabeth on June 27.

At times, the outgoing PM appeared choked with emotion. He thanked the nation for supporting him during his time in office and apologized for his shortcomings -- but not for his actions.

"I ask you to accept one thing," he said. "Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right. I may have been wrong -- that's your call.

"But believe one thing if nothing else. I did what I thought was right for our country and I came into office with high hopes for Britain's future and you know I leave it with even higher hopes for Britain's future."

random thoughts

Life and, with it, the striving for pleasure do not take place in a vacuum, but under definite, natural, and social presuppositions,
All cultural efforts, as expressed in literature, poetry, art, dance, and folk customs, are characterized by their concerns with sexuality.
No interest influences man more strongly than the sexual interest.
The patriarchal laws pertaining to religion, culture, and marriage were predominantly laws against sexuality.

from the middle of capter six of Wilhelm Reich's "The Function of the Orgasm" Volume 1 of the discovery of the orgone.

Something I Can Never Have, Nine Inch Nails

is this real?

April 24, 2007REP. DENNIS J. KUCINICH, D-OHIO: Thank you very much for being here.We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that, among these, are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the government; and, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.These words from the Declaration of Independence are instructive at this moment. Because not only whenever any form of government, but whenever any government official becomes destructive of the founding purposes, that official or those officials must be held accountable.Because I believe the vice president's conduct of office has been destructive to the founding purposes of our nation. Today, I have introduced House Resolution 333, Articles of Impeachment Relating to Vice President Richard B.
Cheney. I do so in defense of the rights of the American people to have a government that is honest and peaceful.It became obvious to me that this vice president, who was a driving force for taking the United States into a war against Iraq under false pretenses, is once again rattling the sabers of war against Iran with the same intent to drive America into another war, again based on false pretenses.Let me cite from the articles of impeachment that were introduced this afternoon, Article I, that Richard Cheney had purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and the Congress of the United States by fabricating a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to justify the use of the United States armed forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security.That despite all evidence to the contrary, the vice president actively and systematically sought to deceive the citizens and the Congress of the United States about an alleged threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.That preceding the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, the vice president was fully informed that no legitimate evidence existed of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The vice president pressured the intelligence community to change their findings to enable the deception of the citizens and the Congress of the United States.That in this the vice president subverted the national security interests of the United States by setting the stage for the loss of more than 3,300 United States service members and the loss of 650,000 Iraqi citizens since the United States invasion; the loss of approximately $500 billion in war costs, which has increased our federal debt; the loss of military readiness within the United States armed services, through an overextension and lack of training and lack of equipment; and the loss of United States credibility in the world affairs and decades of likely blowback created by the invasion of Iraq.That with respect to Article II, that Richard Cheney manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and the Congress of the United States about an alleged relationship between Iraq and Al Qaida in order to justify the use of United States armed forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security.And that, despite all evidence to the contrary, the vice president actively and systematically sought to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States about an alleged relationship between Iraq and Al Qaida.That preceding to the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, the vice president was fully informed that no credible evidence existed of a working relationship between Iraq and Al Qaida, a fact articulated in several official documents.With respect to Article III, that in his conduct while vice president of the United States, Richard Cheney openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran, absent any real threat to the United States, and has done so with the United States's proven capability to carry out such threats, thus undermining the national security interests of the United States.That despite no evidence that Iran has the intention or the capability of attacking the United States, and despite the turmoil created by the United States's invasion of Iraq, the vice president has openly threatened aggression against Iran.Furthermore, I point out in the articles that Article VI of the United States Constitution states, and I quote, "This Constitution and the laws of the United States shall be made in pursuance thereof and all treaties made or which shall be made under the authority of the United States shall be the supreme law of the land. Any provision of an international treaty ratified by the United States becomes the law of the United States."The United States is signatory to the U.N. Charter, a treaty among the nations of the world. Article II, Section 4 of the United Nations Charter states, and I quote, "All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations."The articles conclude by pointing out that the vice president's deception upon the citizens and the Congress of the United States that enabled the failed United States invasion of Iraq forcibly altered the rules of diplomacy so that the vice president recent belligerent actions toward Iran are destabilizing and counterproductive to the national security of the United States of America.These articles of impeachment are not brought forth lightly. I've carefully weighed the options available to members of Congress and found this path the path that is the most important to take.The justifications used to lead our nation to war have unquestionably been disproved. Brave soldiers and innocent civilians have lost their lives in a war the United States should never have initiated. The weight of the lies used to lead us into war has grown heavier with each death. Now is the time for Congress to examine the actions that led us into this war, just as we must work to bring the troops home. This resolution is a very serious matter, and I will urge the Committee on Judiciary to investigate and carefully consider this resolution.At this time, I'm happy to take any of your questions.QUESTION: Congressman, at this point do you have any other -- any fellow members support this?KUCINICH: At this very moment, the resolution is being transmitted to members of Congress. Because this resolution is so weighty in its import, it's going to be important for members of Congress to have sufficient time to study the articles. This is unlike any other type of legislation or resolution. This is not something that you can ask anyone to make a snap judgment on. It took me a while to come to this point. And I would expect that members of Congress, given the opportunity to review these articles, will be able to come to a conclusion consistent with their own concerns and the concerns of their constituents.QUESTION: But at this point, you stand alone, at this point?KUCINICH: At this point, I believe that I stand with millions of Americans who have expressed concern through their state legislatures, through petitions to Congress, through contact with their members of Congress, that something has to be done to reclaim our country's goodness, to reclaim a government which the American people want to be honest, want to be just.And so I do not stand alone. I have multitudes of people backing this.QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) Chairman Conyers to look at this?KUCINICH: I will discuss this with Chairman Conyers, now that this has been introduced, and I will ask for his consideration. And I will communicate this to all members of the House and ask them to give it the kind of thoughtful consideration that it deserves.KUCINICH: I might point out that -- that when you read the annotations here, you will see that everything that has been said in these articles has been carefully documented. In fact, I would imagine that some of you have even reported some of the statements, although perhaps the statements have not been challenged in this way until now.QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)KUCINICH: The question relates to why I'm bringing the articles of impeachment against Mr. Cheney, and not Mr. Bush. Is that it?QUESTION: Why solely Mr. Cheney?KUCINICH: Well, there's a practical reason here. And the practical reason is -- first of all, I want to say that each and every charge against Mr. Cheney relates to his conduct or misconduct in office.Now, with respect to the president. I think that it's very important that we start with Mr. Cheney. Because if we were to start with the president and pursue articles of impeachment, Mr. Cheney would then become president.It's significant and responsible to start in this way, because if the same charges would relate to the president as relate to the vice president, you would then have to go through the constitutional agony of impeaching two presidents consecutively.QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)KUCINICH: Well, actually -- I'll wait until that truck goes by here.Let me tell you the difference. The difference today is that this vice president is actively encouraging aggression against Iran. It is urgent that Congress take steps to check the abuse of power. And that's what this impeachment resolution will do.KUCINICH: There is no comparison whatsoever -- in any way, shape or manner -- between these articles of impeachment and the articles of impeachment which were presented to the House of Representatives in 1999.In fact, these articles of impeachment are deeply researched, will stand up in a discussion in the House and in the Senate. And I believe that they are -- that they're imperative to bring forth right now because the threat of war against Iran is very real.And this vice president cannot be permitted to continue to violate both the U.S. Constitution and the U.N. Charter.QUESTION: Congressman, you're running for president. Are you hoping to get the others (OFF-MIKE)?KUCINICH: Each person has to -- each person will have to make his or her own decision.This goes beyond partisan terms. This is being done to defend our constitutional system of government. This is being done so that all those of us who took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States can understand that this impeachment is one valid way in furtherance of the defense of our Constitution.I don't see this as being distant from anyone, in any capacity in our government. Everyone must reflect on this.Years from now, people will ask, "Why didn't the United States government respond when they saw this threat to our democracy? Why didn't people inside the government respond?" if this doesn't move forward.And so this really isn't so much, I might add, about the vice president as it is about who we are as a people. What is it that we stand for? What kind of government do the people of the United States expect and deserve?KUCINICH: It's not appropriate for the government to lie to people. It is wrong for government officials -- you know, the vice president, in this case -- to take this nation into war based on lies.And so, again, this becomes a question of who we are as a people. And so this resolution 333, articles of impeachment against the vice president, will let future generations know that no one is above the law of this country and that Congresses have the specific responsibility to provide a check to administrative abuse of power. That's the way the framers set this government up.QUESTION: Congressman, Speaker Pelosi has said on more than one occasion she's not interested in impeachment.Have you had conversations with her on this, or some exchange, in your mind...KUCINICH: No, I have not discussed this with Speaker Pelosi.I want to stress that this is not a partisan action at all. I have not confided in anyone in the leadership of my party, because I take this action beyond partisanship, beyond party, as an obligation and commitment to my nation and my loyalty to America and my willingness to say, "Stop the lies. Stop the lying. Stop the dying that's occurring in Iraq over lies."It's imperative that America stand for the truth. It said in the Bible, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." Well, let then these articles of impeachment help set our nation free from the lies that have enveloped our governmental process, the lies that are trapping us still in a war in Iraq, the lies that could take us into a war against Iran.This is about the truth.QUESTION: Congressman, it's been said by some pundits that you're just introducing these articles to gain publicity for your presidential campaign.What do you make of those allegations? And do you think this is going to help you out in your race for the presidency?KUCINICH: These articles are about the conduct of the vice president of the United States, that he deceived the people of the United States to take this country into a war, that he continues to exhibit a pattern of conduct that could take this country into another war based on false pretenses. That's what this is about.KUCINICH: And I believe that the people of this country are demanding that someone stand up and anyone has been free to do this. Anyone in the House of Representatives could take similar action if they so choose, or could take action against the vice president or the president.QUESTION: Pelosi says it's not going anywhere.(CROSSTALK)KUCINICH: Have you talked to her today?QUESTION: Yes, I did.KUCINICH: Then I would say I have not talked to her. And as much as I admire the speaker, as much as I voted to support her, I feel that it's my obligation as a member of Congress to introduce these articles of impeachment. And I believe the American people will be the final arbiters as to whether or not these articles should go forward.QUESTION: Just to follow up, when you say the vice president led us into war, wouldn't that be President Bush? Isn't Cheney working for Bush? (inaudible)KUCINICH: Well, let's go into Article I. "Mr. Cheney: 'We know they have biological and chemical weapons.'" Said this in a press conference on March 17th, 2002. "We know they're pursuing nuclear weapons." He said this in a press briefing on March 19th, 2002. "He is pursuing, activity pursuing nuclear weapons at this time." He said this on "CNN Late Edition," March 24th. "We know he's got chemical and biological, and we know he's working on nuclear.""Meet the Press," May 19th: "But we know Saddam has resumed his efforts to acquire nuclear weapons." "There is no doubt he's amassing them against our friends, against our allies and against us." August 26th, 2002.On and on and on. "He has in fact activity and aggressively seeking to acquire nuclear weapons." September 8th, 2002, "Meet the Press.""He has in fact reconstituted nuclear weapons." March 16th, "Meet the Press."This vice president was a driving force in trying to create the circumstances to justify the United States's attack against Iran. And he not only deceived the people of the United States, and the Congress of the United States, he deceived the American media.KUCINICH: And so these articles are tightly focused on the conduct of the vice president. And to the extent that they may reflect in some way on the conduct of the president of the United States, is another matter for another day.QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)KUCINICH: I think the record is very clear, that this vice president used his conduct of office to promote a war and Article I and Article II are very clear that he conducted himself in such a way as to use the power of his office to promote that war.And so this relates to the vice president. And I think I answered the question earlier about why the vice president and not the president.Anyone else? I want to thank you very much for being here.QUESTION: Do you have anyone you would identify as a replacement? If Vice President Cheney were impeached, it would have to be voted on the House and the Senate for confirmation.KUCINICH: That would be up to President Bush.Thank you.END

random thoughts

A.R.S. 13-1403
A. a person commits public sexual indecency by intentionally or knowingly engaging in any of the following acts, if another person is present, and the defendant is reckless about whether such other person, as a reasonable person, would be offended or alarmed by the act:
4. an act involving contact between the person's mouth, vulva or genitals and the anus or genitals of an animal.
C. public sexual indencency is a class 1 misdemeanor.

this the only referance that i found to beastiality in arizona law. i guess it is only illegal if someone sees it.

bells for her, tori amos

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Police Chief William Bratton said Sunday that up to 60 members of an elite squad that swarmed into a park and fired rubber bullets during a May Day immigration rally are no longer on the street.

Bratton said he spent the weekend viewing video of the MacArthur Park incident and he said LAPD failures were widespread with officers from the top on down culpable.

"I'm not going to defend the indefensible," Bratton told journalists during a meeting at a television studio in Hollywood.

"Things were done that shouldn't have been done." (Watch police move in, hear residents describe what happened )

Journalists were among those roughed up as Metropolitan Division's B Platoon moved through MacArthur and fired 148 rubber bullets to break up what had been a peaceful and lawful immigration rally.

Police said they moved in after rocks and bottles were thrown at them by 30 to 40 agitators, he said. (Watch fire rubber bullets, shove residents )

The Metropolitan Division is the city's premier police squad, made up of experienced officers who have extensive training in crowd control

---Should these officers really be fired for what they did or should they just be put on administrative leave for a certain period of time? I dont think they should be fired, but some type of discipline should be administered.---

That ole Hillary

---I could be wrong, but wasnt she bitching and moaning just a few weeks ago how she didnt support the further funding of the troops?---

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Presidential candidates won't be damaged by initially backing the war in Iraq because President Bush is being held responsible for what went wrong, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday.

She declined to say what restrictions should be included in new stopgap legislation to pay for the troops, but made clear she supports providing the money needed.

"There will be consequences with respect to funding the troops if we cannot work this out," Clinton said in an Associated Press interview. "I don't want to prejudge or set standards. I want to support my leadership."

After Bush vetoed an initial funding bill that included a timetable for pulling the troops out of Iraq, he opened discussions with Democratic congressional leaders.

"There truly is for the first time an effort to try to negotiate with the president," said Clinton. "I don't know whether there's going to be an agreement that the Democrats will sign off on or not."

Clinton said she "of course" eventually will support a measure paying for the troops, even though she has joined efforts in the Senate to reverse the initial congressional authorization. She voted to allow Bush to use force, but says she wouldn't cast the same vote given what she knows now.

Gas prices out of control

ATLANTA (CNN) -- The price of gasoline has hit a new record high, averaging $3.07 for a gallon of self-serve regular in the United States, a survey reported Sunday.

When inflation is factored in, the new price trails the all-time high in March 1981. At the time, gasoline cost $1.35 a gallon -- in today's dollars, that's $3.13 a gallon, said Trilby Lundberg, publisher of the Lundberg Survey.

Still, in raw numbers, the $3.07 beats the previous high of $3.03 in August.

---How much is gas by you guys? Its $2.87 for the cheap stuff here. The high grade is $2.95.---

And I was hoping they'd go out of business.

Pizza Patron, the Dallas-based restaurant chain that began accepting Mexican pesos at U.S. locations earlier this year, has said that sales rose 38.4 percent in the first quarter.

The much-maligned pizza-maker attributed the gains to 'strategic initiatives,' and connected the improvement to the 'pizza for pesos' program.

“Perhaps our first quarter store sales are a vindication of sorts for occupying a unique position in the marketplace and not yielding to the pressure from the opposition” said Andrew Gamm, director of Brand Development, in a press release.

After the chain implemented the policy, outcry against the initiative was swift and widespread. The company has said that it received threats and hate mail.

While praising the pesos plan as an innovative way to appeal to Hispanics, a partner in the nation's largest Hispanic public relations firm said a backlash was inevitable.

Did you know that?

The average household kitchen sink has been shown to carry as many bacteria as a public portable toilet?

---Gross huh?

Im still feeling the effects of staying up til 4 AM the night of the Social D. show. Its amazing once your body gets acquired to early nights and you pull a super late one how mad it can get. Now that I have more time I can elaborate on my meeting of Ness. The "inked one" (as Mike called him in an earlier post) is lookin pretty damn old and wears too much eye liner. He asked me where I was originally from because I mentioned Des Moines wasnt my home and as soon as I told him Chicago, he said that that was one of his favorite cities to play in front of. He was gonna give me a way advanced copy of their greatest hits CD which isnt due out until June 26th, but he said he didnt have any yet either! He talked about his '46 Mercury convertible and his '57 Chevy a lot too. He also admitted he has a fascination with religious objects and thats why you see them on stage a lot. I had asked him why there was always a cross or statue of The Virgin Mary on stage....my ex and I were backstage with him for around 25 minutes. He was really nice and super easy to talk to. He had no ego off stage even though on stage you can tell he is an icon.

So thats more of my experience with Mike Ness, a real punk rock legend. Social D. has always remained true. They have never even come close to selling out and they have always stuck to their own style of music. Ness has lived through it all, from the death of his best friend and fellow band guitarist to full out heroin addiction.---

Old man at a punk show

While I can't match E's story of actually meeting a rock star, a few of us did make it out to HOB to see a little local band. You may have heard of them, they're called...NAKED RAYGUN.

The Effigies and The Bollweevils opened up and they were both pretty good. But Raygun put on one of the best shows I have seen in years. So while I didn't get to meet The Inked One, I got to drink some beers on the train on the way to the show.

I included a picture with the quality you'd expect from some half-in-the-bag idiot wielding a camera phone.

2007 not going well for Korean-Americans

Judge Sues Cleaner for $65 Million Over Pants
By LUBNA TAKRURI
AP
WASHINGTON (May 3) -- The Chungs, immigrants from South Korea, realized their American dream when they opened their dry-cleaning business seven years ago in the nation's capital. For the past two years, however, they've been dealing with the nightmare of litigation: a $65 million lawsuit over a pair of missing pants.

Much of the judge's lawsuit rests on two signs that Custom Cleaners once had on its walls: "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and "Same Day Service."

"They're out a lot of money, but more importantly, incredibly disenchanted with the system," Manning said. "This has destroyed their lives."

The lawsuit was filed by a District of Columbia administrative hearings judge, Roy Pearson, who has been representing himself in the case.

Pearson did not return phone calls and e-mails Wednesday from The Associated Press requesting comment.

According to court documents, the problem began in May 2005 when Pearson became a judge and brought several suits for alteration to Custom Cleaners in Northeast Washington, a place he patronized regularly despite previous disagreements with the Chungs. A pair of pants from one suit was not ready when he requested it two days later, and was deemed to be missing.

Pearson asked the cleaners for the full price of the suit: more than $1,000.

But a week later, the Chungs said the pants had been found and refused to pay. That's when Pearson decided to sue.

Manning said the cleaners made three settlement offers to Pearson. First they offered $3,000, then $4,600, then $12,000. But Pearson wasn't satisfied and expanded his calculations beyond one pair of pants.

Because Pearson no longer wanted to use his neighborhood dry cleaner, part of his lawsuit calls for $15,000 -- the price to rent a car every weekend for 10 years to go to another business.

"He's somehow purporting that he has a constitutional right to a dry cleaner within four blocks of his apartment," Manning said.

But the bulk of the $65 million comes from Pearson's strict interpretation of D.C.'s consumer protection law, which fines violators $1,500 per violation, per day. According to court papers, Pearson added up 12 violations over 1,200 days, and then multiplied that by three defendants.

Much of Pearson's case rests on two signs that Custom Cleaners once had on its walls: "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and "Same Day Service."

Based on Pearson's dissatisfaction and the delay in getting back the pants, he claims the signs amount to fraud.

Pearson has appointed himself to represent all customers affected by such signs, though D.C. Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz, who will hear the June 11 trial, has said that this is a case about one plaintiff, and one pair of pants.

Sherman Joyce, president of the American Tort Association, has written a letter to the group of men who will decide this week whether to renew Pearson's 10-year appointment. Joyce is asking them to reconsider.

Chief Administrative Judge Tyrone Butler had no comment regarding Pearson's reappointment.

The association, which tries to police the kind of abusive lawsuits that hurt small businesses, also has offered to buy Pearson the suit of his choice.

And former National Labors Relations Board chief administrative law judge Melvin Welles wrote to The Washington Post to urge "any bar to which Mr. Pearson belongs to immediately disbar him and the District to remove him from his position as an administrative law judge."

"There has been a significant groundswell of support for the Chungs," said Manning, adding that plans for a defense fund Web site are in the works.

To the Chungs and their attorney, one of the most frustrating aspects of the case is their claim that Pearson's gray pants were found a week after Pearson dropped them off in 2005. They've been hanging in Manning's office for more than a year.

Pearson claims in court documents that his pants had blue and red pinstripes.

"They match his inseam measurements. The ticket on the pants match his receipt," Manning said.

Gifts Ideas

what are you fella's gettin' the Mothers of your Children for Mothers Day?
I still haven't decided yet and I'm sorta running out of time.
Jewelry
Cars
furs
Candles
Bath crap
Have all been done (cept the fur),
Porn is for Valentines day

I'm looking for ideas here...

meeting Mike Ness

Well last night I had the chance to meet and hang with legendary punk rock icon Mike Ness and lemme tell ya it was nothing but a pleasure. The guy was a class act from start to finish talking about everything from small town life to kustom rods. My ex friggin swooned and I even found myself asking the question, "Is this guy human?"

The show itself was nothing short of awesome. They played a lot of their classics and a new song that is to be on their greatest hits thats comes out in late June. It was however, the 1st time I didnt hear them play Story Of My Life. The version of Prison Bound they did was awesome!!!

All in all it was an experience I will never forget. Long live Social D.

random thoughts

13-3405.A2
a person shall not knowingly possess marijuana for sale.
13-3405.B5
a person who violates (above law) involving an amount of marijuana having a weight of two pounds but not more than four pounds is guilty of class 3 felony.
13-702.A3
sentencing of a first conviction of a class 3 felony 2.5 years minimum, 7 years maximum.

13-1102.A
a person commits neligent homicide if with criminal negligence such a person causes the death of another person.
13-1102.B
negligent homicide is a class 4 felony.
13-702.A3
sentencing of a first conviction of a class 4 felony 1.5 years minimum, 3 years maximum

all from the 2002-2003 A.R.S. (arizona revised statues) these sections have not been revised since then that i know of.
two men in a cell. one killed a man, albiet by accident. one had 2.5 pounds of a natural plant that he wanted to sell. which do you think should spend more time in jail?

haunted, evanescence