In a Beacon Hill brasserie just feet from the State House, where oysters on the half shell will set most back a tank of gas, Sen. Dianne Wilkerson slithered a greased palm up her cardigan and stuffed $1,000 in bribe money into her bra, federal prosecutors allege.
On any given weekday, No. 9 Park is the place for an ambitious legislator to be seen chewing the fat. But on June 18, 2007, Wilkerson, 54, was apparently unaware that the government informant who’d just handed her 10 $100 bills allegedly in exchange for her twisting the arms of a who’s who of political powerbrokers to obtain one liquor license had brought a hidden camera to lunch, as well.
In the months before her September primary loss, it wasn't uncommon to see Wilkerson standing with Democratic leaders. At a news conference announcing the repeal of a 1913 law, she was praised by House Speaker Sal DiMasi and Gov. Deval Patrick.
On Tuesday, Gov. Patrick issued this statement: "The initial reports are both troubling and sad. These are very serious charges and I will trust the judicial process to take them seriously."
Mayor Thomas Menino, according to the affidavit, was lobbied by Wilkerson on behalf of someone who was allegedly bribing her.
I'm voting "Yes", even though it's about as futile a gesture as one can make. The reason I'm so pessimistic is that in 2000 we had a binding referendum question on the ballot rolling the state income tax back to 5.0% from 5.75%. It passed overwhelmingly, yet when it came time to implement the rollback, the legislation elected to ignore the will of the people entirely. The rate was finally reduced, but only to 5.3%, not 5% even.SUMMARY
This proposed law would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for all categories of taxable income for the tax year beginning on or after January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.
The personal income tax applies to income received or gain realized by individuals and married couples, by estates of deceased persons, by certain trustees and other fiduciaries, by persons who are partners in and receive income from partnerships, by corporate trusts, and by persons who receive income as shareholders of “S corporations” as defined under federal tax law. The proposed law would not affect the tax due on income or gain realized in a tax year beginning before January 1, 2009.
The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.A YES VOTE would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.
A NO VOTE would make no change in state income tax laws.
Question 2 revolves around the penalties for possession of marijuana:
I am also voting "Yes" on this question, as it's one step closer to decriminalization, which is the first step to legalization. I cannot fathom how alcohol can be legal and marijuana is not. It boggles the mind that alcohol, which one can purchase at virtually any corner store, is perfectly legal to purchase, consume, etc. whereas marijuana will get you arrested. There is no logical reason for this - marijuana is no more addictive, altering, or dangerous than alcohol. Physically, the dangers of smoking marijuana center mainly on the actually smoking part; long term damage, aside from smoking, is far less pervasive (and open to interpretation) than even moderate alcohol consumption.SUMMARY
This proposed law would replace the criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties, to be enforced by issuing citations, and would exclude information regarding this civil offense from the state's criminal record information system. Offenders age 18 or older would be subject to forfeiture of the marijuana plus a civil penalty of $100. Offenders under the age of 18 would be subject to the same forfeiture and, if they complete a drug awareness program within one year of the offense, the same $100 penalty.
Offenders under 18 and their parents or legal guardian would be notified of the offense and the option for the offender to complete a drug awareness program developed by the state Department of Youth Services. Such programs would include ten hours of community service and at least four hours of instruction or group discussion concerning the use and abuse of marijuana and other drugs and emphasizing early detection and prevention of substance abuse.
The penalty for offenders under 18 who fail to complete such a program within one year could be increased to as much as $1,000, unless the offender showed an inability to pay, an inability to participate in such a program, or the unavailability of such a program. Such an offender's parents could also be held liable for the increased penalty. Failure by an offender under 17 to complete such a program could also be a basis for a delinquency proceeding.
The proposed law would define possession of one ounce or less of marijuana as including possession of one ounce or less of tetrahydrocannibinol ("THC"), or having metabolized products of marijuana or THC in one's body.
Under the proposed law, possessing an ounce or less of marijuana could not be grounds for state or local government entities imposing any other penalty, sanction, or disqualification, such as denying student financial aid, public housing, public financial assistance including unemployment benefits, the right to operate a motor vehicle, or the opportunity to serve as a foster or adoptive parent. The proposed law would allow local ordinances or bylaws that prohibit the public use of marijuana, and would not affect existing laws, practices, or policies concerning operating a motor
vehicle or taking other actions while under the influence of marijuana, unlawful possession of prescription forms of marijuana, or selling, manufacturing, or trafficking in marijuana.
The money received from the new civil penalties would go to the city or town where the offense occurred.A YES VOTE would replace the criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties.
A NO VOTE would make no change in state criminal laws concerning possession of marijuana.
SUMMARYI'm voting "Yes" on this question as well - three "Yes" votes in a row. I'm not an animal person - I am extremely allergic to animal dander, meaning basically that even short-term exposure to cats, dogs, mice, hamsters, etc. leaves me literally gasping for breath. I've never had a cherished childhood pet, never bonded with a four-footed housemate, never felt the stinging pain of loss when a lifelong friend slipped away.
This proposed law would prohibit any dog racing or racing meeting in Massachusetts where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or ability of dogs occurs.
The State Racing Commission would be prohibited from accepting or approving any application or request for racing dates for dog racing.
Any person violating the proposed law could be required to pay a civil penalty of not less than $20,000 to the Commission. The penalty would be used for the Commission’s administrative purposes, subject to appropriation by the state Legislature. All existing parts of the chapter of the state’s General Laws concerning dog and horse racing meetings would be interpreted as if they did not refer to dogs.
These changes would take effect January 1, 2010. The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.
A YES VOTE would prohibit dog races on which betting or wagering occurs, effective January 1, 2010.
A NO VOTE would make no change in the laws governing dog racing.
I haven't the foggiest idea if this will pass or not. I suspect not, as there are numerous dog tracks around the state, and one riiiight over the border in Seabrook NH that will be more than happy to take all the dog racing dollar$ MAholes want to spend. Plus the general consensus lately has been to allow more gambling rather than less, and one of the ways they've tried to stave off allowing casinos has been to allow some slot machines at dog tracks...
State Representative Michael Costello, the Newburyport Democrat who co-chairs the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, said yesterday that he plans to draft a bill that would ban anyone younger than age 21 from firing an automatic weapon.
"This isn't a knee-jerk reaction; it's a common sense reaction," he said. "We should take swift action to provide some reasonable restrictions on this type of unreasonable practice. It's almost indescribable that within a year of leaving a booster seat, an 8-year-old can be holding a submachine gun."
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sens. Mitch McConnell and Elizabeth Dole are two top Republicans lawmakers who find themselves fighting to hold on to their Senate seats.
They're also two reasons why Democrats are talking 60 -- the number of seats needed to secure filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.
"We are feeling really good that we are going to pick up a successful amount of the larger number of seats and have a successful election. As for 60? It is possible," said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, who runs campaign operations for the Senate Democrats.
WASHINGTON (AP) — First there was Joe the Plumber. Is Joe the Hothead next?
Joe McCain said Friday he'll withdraw from campaign activities for his brother, GOP presidential nominee John McCain, after calling 911 to angrily complain about traffic. Joe McCain has apologized for making the call.
The candidate's younger brother, who lives in Alexandria, Va., told Washington radio station WTOP he was returning from a campaign event in Philadelphia around 2 a.m. on Oct. 18 when he got stuck in traffic on Interstate 495 at the Wilson Bridge. Police say the call was made about 1:30 a.m. Oct. 21.
Frustrated because of the traffic, Joe McCain called 911 to find out what was going on. The operator asked him to "state your emergency."
1. 1975 AMC Pacer - Just look at that... that... thing. A car so hideous that it rends the very fabric of space and time, sowing discontent and malaise wherever it appears. Oh, wait, that's Time Bandits. Well the Pacer is ugly enough to warp time, I think we can all agree on that.
2. 1976 Chevrolet Chevette (1977 shown) - let's see... ugly headlight assembly borrowed from the Pacer? Check. Odd, "melted" looking rear hatchback? Check. Crappy whitewalls and economy hubcaps? Check. This is one 'Vette you don't want Prince to sing about...
3. AMC Gremlin - why on earth American Motor Corporation thought naming a car after the small mythical creatures thought to plague early aircraft was a good idea is anyone's guess. Designing it to look like a door wedge didn't help, either... Interesting side note: the Gremlin was introduced on April Fool's Day 1970.
4. Ford Pinto - hmm... sense a trend here? Yes, American "compact" cars of the 1970s really were this bad. Acres of rear glass = ugly in any incarnation. SRSLY. Throw in the propensity of the car to explode if rear-ended wrong, this is the very automotive definition of Made Of Fail...SALEM, N.H.—Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, a Republican, is endorsing Democrat Barack Obama for president, citing the senator's steady leadership, good judgment and ability to unify Democrats, Republicans and independents.
"Senator Obama is a once-in-a-lifetime candidate who will transform our politics and restore America's standing in the world," Weld said in a statement released Friday. "We need a president who will lead based on our common values and Senator Obama demonstrates an ability to unite and inspire.
(CNN) -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband will provide depositions Friday to the state Personnel Board, which is looking into whether Palin unfairly fired Alaska's public safety director this summer, the couple's attorney told CNN.
Thomas Van Flein said he will be present for the depositions by the governor and her husband, Todd Palin. Each deposition will be done separately, with Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, giving hers in St. Louis, Missouri, a campaign adviser said.
Can you expand on how you came up with your target mag quantities? Just curious about your thinkin'.
"The only way time you have too much ammo is if you have to carry it all".
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ― Vandals defaced the garage at Sen. Norm Coleman's home, his campaign and police said Wednesday.
Five other Minnesota politicians -- including both Republicans and Democrats -- were similarly targeted with vandalism, according to authorities.
Coleman and his wife, Laurie, live in the Crocus Hill neighborhood of St. Paul. Graffiti left on the outside of their garage reads: "U R A criminal resign or else"; "Scum," which is written three times; and "Psalm 2."
"Attention. Attention. This is God. Tomorrow has been canceled due to lack of interest. Thank you."
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court is backing Ohio elections officials in an ongoing dispute over allegations of voter registration fraud.
The justices in an unsigned opinion Friday blocked a lower court order directing the Ohio Secretary of State -- a Democrat -- to update the state's voter registration database after information provided by some newly registered voters did not match up with Social Security and driver registration numbers.
But Sarah Palin brings her kids on a trip as AK governor, or Joe the Plumber misses a mortgage payment, and it's front page news three days running.
Nope, nothing to see here, folks. Just go about your business and let the media professionals choose who's going to be President. Oh, and while you wait, we'll be serving up yet another "story" about how Sarah Palin is unqualified to be Vice President, yet ignore that she's more qualified than Barack Obama...
This is what passes for "news" these days, eh? Go figure.
That is all.
1797: Oct. 21 - Although her construction is almost halted by a 1796 peace treaty with Algiers, USS CONSTITUTION is launched-christened by visiting Capt. James Sever using a bottle of Madeira. It is actually the third attempt to launch her; the first was a month earlier, when the ship sticks after moving only 27 feet. Two days later she moves another 31 feet before sticking once again. For the third attempt, workers make the launching ways steeper, which finally enables a successful event. The public, which includes several French aristocrats, is warned beforehand that the launch of such a large ship might cause a dangerously large wave, but none actually materializes during theHappy 211st, Old Ironsides.
event.
Are you a Joe? Say it proud. Leave it on every goddamn newspaper comment section and online forum. Let these pressroom and online thugs know you won't stay silent when they try to destroy the life of a private citizen for speaking his mind -- because for every one of them, there are a million Joe Wurzelbachers. And for that we should all be thankful.I am Joe. Really, actually. (Jay is derived from Joseph). Joe's also my middle name, just like Joe the plumber. I stand with Joe.
PEABODY, Mass. (AP) In what may be a first-of-its kind contract provision, police officers in Peabody will receive holiday pay on Sept. 11.
The new four-year contract between the North Shore city and its police union makes the anniversary of the terrorist attacks a paid holiday, with officers receiving time and a quarter for working on the day.
A priest, a rabbi, and a minister were having coffee one morning and the subject of pest control in the rectory came up. The rabbi complained because he had to have an exterminator come in to rid the temple of mice, and was concerned about having to kill the animals. The minister agreed, noting that they'd recently had to set traps in the food kitchen to stop the infestations.
The priest clucked his tongue and chided his companions. "Gentleman, I implore you to stop these murderous methods. Surely this cannot be G-d's will, killing his creatures like this."
The minister and the rabbi agreed, but argued that they had tried non-lethal methods with no success. They asked the priest how he managed to keep mice out of the rectory without hurting them.
"It's very easy. I baptize and confirm them, and then I only see them at Christmas and Easter."
A Roxbury teen who admitted today he brought the handgun into his home that killed his 8-year-old brother Liquarry Jefferson last year has accepted a plea deal that keeps him out of state prison for involuntary manslaughter and lying to police.
Instead, Jayquan McConnico, 16, has agreed to remain in the custody of the Department of Youth Services until he turns 21. A concurrent nine-year probation sentence meted out by Boston Juvenile Court Judge Stephen Limon requires him to earn a high school diploma, then secure full-time employment or attend college.
To say nothing of the fact that he was prohibited from possessing the handgun in question on two separate fronts - he's got a criminal record, so he cannot own the handgun legally under Federal law; and he's not 21, so he could not own the handgun legally under MA law.
Someone, please, tell me what gun control law could have prevented this?
And then, to top it all off, he gets a slap on the wrist for contributing to his own brother's death. Probation? Now, granted, he's in DYS custody for the next five years; however the Federal firearms charges alone (felon in possession) should be sufficient to hold him indefinitely. What kind of time should he have served?
Had he been convicted by a jury, McConnico faced up to 30 years in state prison.
He committed crimes serious enough to warrant 30 years in jail, and yet he'll spend 5 in juvenile detention then be set free. Let that sink in. This is in MA, land of "the toughest gun laws in the nation" where "You're more likely to live here" (presumably due to the tough gun laws).
Unless, of course, you're some poor child living with gangsters. Then you're SOL.
Someone, please, tell me why we should EVER listen to those that would pass more gun laws. Why? If they are not going to prosecute obvious and clear-cut cases when those gun laws are broken, what possible reason could they have for wanting more laws? Could it possibly be that the real intent behind the gun control movement has nothing to do with reducing crimes committed with fireams, but rather on disarming those that are not inclined to commit crimes in the first place?
I've got a hunch I know the answer. And I don't like what it portends.
That is all.
If you know nothing about guns, computers, or physics, it's not a bad movie.
How about you? Why do you shoot? Why do you carry, if you carry at all?
HEMPSTEAD, New York (CNN) -- A majority of debate watchers think Sen. Barack Obama won the third and final presidential debate, according to a national poll conducted right afterward.
Fifty-eight percent of debate watchers questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll said Democratic candidate Obama did the best job in the debate, with 31 percent saying Republican Sen. John McCain performed best.
Okay. I think that's enough for tonight.
That is all.
Warm in microwave five minutes.
Combine with vegetables, mix thoroughly. Heat 4 minutes in microwave.
Serve:
This is a kid favorite - even BabyGirl G, the epitome of "fussy eater", will clean her plate and ask for seconds...
Enjoy!
That is all.
More than 30,000 Florida felons who by law should have been stripped of their right to vote remain registered to cast ballots in this presidential battleground state, a Sun Sentinel investigation has found.
Many are faithful voters, with at least 4,900 turning out in past elections.Another 5,600 are not likely to vote Nov. 4 — they're still in prison.
Of the felons who registered with a party, Democrats outnumber Republicans more than two to one.
I just have to atone for the plastic-fantastic of last week. Plus, as you've no doubt picked up on by now, I like to match the Gun Pr0n number with something in the armory. When I realized that this week was #80, it started ringing a bell as to what today's picture would be...
Colt Gold Cup National Match 1911. Also .45 ACP. This is about as different from the Glock as I could possibly get.
Stainless steel finish. Single action only. Redundant safeties. Nearly 100 years of history. It's the perfect yang to the Glock's yin, the peanut butter to the Glock's chocolate, the Laverne to the Glock's Shirley.
It's also one of my very favorite handguns.
I'm taking the Glock to the range today (day off! Party time! Excellent!) and will be shooting it side-by-side with another polymer gun, my S&W SW99C 9mm. It will be interesting to see how the Glock shoots compared to the Colt - obviously I'm not expecting the same level of accuracy, given the significant design and platform differences - and a Range Report will most likely comprise next week's Gun Pr0n.
That is all.
Jay, Isn't it possible that the program is designed to prevent any of these guns from getting into the wrong hands? "
...
"Those weapons were obviously not doing anyone any good, but they were waiting for the odd burglar to introduce them into the black market. That won't happen now.
SEKIU, Wash. - A woman said she was shot in the leg by her stove. Cory Davis told the Peninsula Daily News she had just stoked her cast-iron heating stove Sunday when she heard a loud bang and was struck in her left calf.
Davis said a case of shotgun shells spilled about a month ago at her home and one must have landed in the newspapers she used to light the stove.
FITCHBURG— Police collected 25 weapons over the weekend when they launched a firearm disposal program. Police Capt. Mark W. Louney said residents from several places in the city called to get unwanted firearms out of their houses. “They just didn’t want them around anymore,” he said. “I was kind of surprised we recovered so many.”
...No money was given in exchange for the weapons, most of which seemed to have been tucked aside for years, Capt. Louney said. Several of the callers were widowed spouses of gun owners or their children.
Look at the picture in the article. There's at least one S&W snubbie, a 1911, and what appears to be an old Colt semi-auto (1908?) as well as several side-by-side shotguns and even a Remington Nylon 66.
All of which will be destroyed, literally, for nothing. That widow who handed in her husband's WWII 1911 just gave away hundreds of dollars, if not more. That Nylon 66 is worth $500 or so.
All this going into a smelter so the police can be seen as "doing something" about crime. Sickening. Positively sickening.
I hate this state.
(Hat tip to poster Glockguy17 at the Northeastshooters forum for posting this story here).
That is all.
Protection for myself and the kiddos. That's all I want. And despite what my former partner says, I'm not a horrible shot. Really I'm not. And I'm already enrolled in a class. (Thanks former partner :))I'm asking from the position of someone with not a whole lot of cash to spend. That being said, I have some friends who are willing to donate to the cause... So think $300.00 or so. For a handgun.
What do I need to protect myself??? In addition to a CCL.
9:01: CNN's already called the debate for Obama...
Topics we will not be covering tonight:
Gun control.
Fannie Mae execs on Obama's election committee
Domestic terrorists
Topics we will be covering:
Why the economic downturn is solely John McCain's fault.
Why Barack Obama is so awesome.
Okay. Enough silliness, debate's starting...
I'm Tom Brokaw of the Obama campai-err, NBC news...
Obama's first. Didn't see that coming...
9:08 PM: Candidates are on the stage...
OMG. The first questioner is the principal from Back to the Future!
Why, yes, let's let Fannie Mae contribute to your campaign some more, Barry.
So... The execs that got golden parachutes... should be... fired?
Wow. John McCain is in super slo-mo...
Energy independence. I don't believe that was the question, John...
AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!!
Holy crap. I'm waiting for McCain to say "Who are all you people, and why are you in my living room?"
...
Someone, please, get the hook and get him off the stage. This is painful...
9:15 PM Obama is coming off far more polished.
Middle class tax cut. Just like the one Clinton gave us...
Apparently this is all economy all the time.
...
Here we go with the Main Street. (And the number one reference that I am ramming into the ground...)
WHAT? McCain mentioned Fannie Mae? Whoa!
Good on you, John, for pointing out the campaign contributions.
YES! Second-highest campaign contribution to Obama. Point, McCain.
...
Obama's got a canned answer. Sci-fi thinks it will involve "Keating 5"...
Okay. Every company in the US is going to close if we don't elect Obama. Gotcha.
Not me. No, your campaign just hired all the former Fannie Mae executives.
Obama seemed stunned at that question.
"UH". Seems to be the quote of the night.
..
Um, Barry? Other countries are doing bad, too. Check the Nikkei...
Holy crap, where did they dig up this harpie?
...
There's a lot of blame to go around. But all of it to George Bush and John McCain.
...
We had a deficit before Bush came to office, Barry.
And let's not forget who has controlled Congress for the past two years...
Mention Vietnam about 500 times. It worked for John Kerry...
...
AAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHH!!!! Campaign Finance Reform. Thanks a lot, JOHN. We've been trying to FORGET that.
sci-fi is threatening to switch to chocolate scotch if McCain keeps huffing and puffing...
...
We've got another hour of this. I'm gonna need a bigger bottle of bourbon...
Point out how many times Obama has voted against the Democratic party line, John.
9:30 PM : Huh??? Did McCain just say that $700 Billion is going to terrorists? I hope he means Bill Ayers...
Uh, Barry? The government is not my family. My family makes their own money. The government takes money from people...
Riiiiight. A Democrat's going to eliminate programs. Let's see if he can do it outside of the Pentagon...
...
First question from the internet is a child of the Depression. Interesting. (good catch B)
WOW. That was a GREAT question. What will they ask of us? We know that the Obama campaign considers it patriotic to pay more taxes...
...
John, drop the earmarks. SRSLY.
Earmarks, earmarks, earmarks...
...
Rifleshots. Something tells me that's the closest we're going to get to guns tonight...
"A lot of people here remember 9/11"????????????????????????
WHAT. THE. FUCK. OVER.
Yes! Tell the people to put a sweater on, Barry! It worked for Jimmeh!
...
Bearing the burden of renewing America. Can someone translate that into English?
CEOs get more from tax cuts BECAUSE THEY PAY MORE.
What's the number of CEOs making over a million dollars a year? Anyone know? Because Obama's sure hoping we don't know...
McCain just said a bunch of stuff, but I'll be damned if I caught any of it...
A ticking time bomb that will eat us up?
Apparently this time bomb is composed of Pac-Man...
"The straight talk express lost a wheel" I quote Syndrome. Lame, lame, LAME!
9:45 PM Wait a minute. How much money would CEOs get back? I missed it the first 58 times Barack mentioned it...
WOW. Did McCain just sass Tom Brokaw?
OUCH! Pointing out Obama's Senate campaign promises, one of which was... {drum roll, please} Middle class tax cuts!
...
Oh GAWD, not "climate change"...
OOOOH! I was a Navy ship running on nuclear power. Ignore the four bouts of cancer treatment I've undergone...
Did Barry just use "Cris-a-tunity"?
...
Global Warming is a national security issue?
A nuclear bomb to fight global warming. I could get behind that...
...
Is it just me, or has this debate taken a turn for the surreal?
The reason that health costs so much is the illegal immigrants who don't pay a dime - b, sci-fi's wife.
...
Obama is bragging about his health insurance? Wha? This is like Biden bragging about his house during the VP debate.
[McCain] Speaking as a senior citizen, I know about health care...
...
I missed something. Did McCain say Obama would find us?
10:00 PM: Only half an hour less. 30 minutes. 1800 seconds...
HEALTH CARE IS NOT A FUCKING RIGHT.
...
What? It's currently legal for insurance companies to cheat their customers? Did Obama just say that?
McCain voting for deregulation is a PLUS, Barry...
...
Foreign policy coming up. Ought to be interesting.
...
McCain looks like a zombie coming after the villagers in Dawn of the Dead. (sci-fi)
No one suggested Iraq would be "quick and easy". Fucking liar.
Wait a minute. Were our troops behaving heroically when they were airraiding villages and killing civilians, Barry?
...
EXCUSE THE FUCK OUT OF ME. The slaughter in Africa has been going on for more than eight years.
Remember Maddie Albright and "genocide-like"?
WE COULD HAVE STOPPED RWANDA. AAAAAUUUUGGGHHHH!!!!
Is Obama saying we didn't have the military ability in the 1990s to stop what was going on in Rwanda?
Is that really his position?
The slaughter in Rwanda was carried out with machetes. What the fuck is a "No-Fly Zone" going to do?
...
This guy has no fucking clue. None whatsoever.
That's pretty gutsy, mentioning the Marines in Lebanon.
Reverse course. Typical liberal weasel-speak for RUN AWAY...
...
Pakistan? Isn't that the nuclear power Barry thinks we should invade?
We ARE crushing Al Quaeda.
10:15 PM: Brokaw's "hired help", huh? Wonder how much Obama's paying him?
Obama-bot is running out of batteries.
...
Annihilation of North Korea? Sounds good to me!
Side benefit of the laptop: It runs so hot, my snack ships are already toasted!
YES! SLAM him on that one, John.
"If either of you becomes President"???
Uh... Tom?
Hmmm. Was this debate supposed to be entirely about the economy and the war in Iraq, or is it just coincidence that the two biggest negatives of the Bush administration have dominated the debate?
Penalties. If it's an Obama administration, I'd guess they'll threaten the Russians with... a strongly worded resolution! And if that fails to motivate them, they'll move on to... another strongly worded resolution!
...
Refresh my memory. I could have sworn we went into Afghanistan before Iraq...
...
Energy is key is dealing with Russia? How much oil do we get from Russia? (Answer: They're not in the top ten)
I thought McCain was going over to give him the Vulcan death grip for a second there... Either that or shoot lighting bolts at him like Emperor Palpatine...
"I will do everything that's required"? That's an odd phrase to use when talking about terrorists getting nuclear weapons.
...
Ah, yes. Issue sanctions. That worked so well to contain Saddam Hussein in the 1990s, didn't it?
Last question. Thank goodness.
"What don't you know, and how will you learn it?"
Interesting question. And stupid...
...
Did Obama just say that it's Bush's fault some kids don't go to college?
McCain gets last ups. Here's hoping he stays awake...
...
uhhhh... A good chunk of Americans can't find Texas on a map, John...
And he tries to one-up Obama's childhood story... Bad move.
This concludes the debate. THANK GOD.
Wow. I need a Valium...
That is all.
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Picture this: you're sat down for the Football World Cup final, or a long-awaited sequel to the "Sex and the City" movie and you're watching all the action unfold in 3-D on your coffee table.
It sounds a lot like a wacky dream, but don't be surprised if within our lifetime you find yourself discarding your plasma and LCD sets in exchange for a holographic 3-D television that can put Cristiano Ronaldo in your living room or bring you face-to-face with life-sized versions of your gaming heroes.
Peyghambarian said there are no major sponsors of the technology at present, but as the breakthroughs continued, he hopes that will change.
Even if no major electronics company commit themselves, there is hope that backers could come from outside of the consumer electronics industry, he said.
DETROIT (AP) — So you think junior is a little too lead-footed when he drives the family car? Starting next year, Ford Motor Co. will give you the power to do something about it.
The company will roll out a new feature on many 2010 models that can limit teen drivers to 80 mph, using a computer chip in the key.
In addition to speed limits, MyKey also will limit the volume of the audio system
WASHINGTON — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton has raised more than $8 million for former rival Barack Obama's presidential campaign since July and plans to barnstorm the country for even more cash, as the New York senator works to show she is aggressively helping the candidate who cut short her White House bid.
A lawyer for the Republican National Committee today said the party will ask the Federal Election Commission to look into the source of thousands of small-dollar contributions to the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama.
The RNC is alleging that the Obama campaign was so hungry for donations it "looked the other way" as contributions piled up from suspicious, and possibly even illegal foreign donors.
NORTH ANDOVER — Nick Cote and Kyle Skelton felt like rich kids the day they found a soggy, smelly, brown leather pocketbook containing $600 in cash while cleaning up trash on the Saco River in Maine.
...
But the dreams of going out on a shopping spree didn't last long when the boys discovered credit cards and other identification inside the purse.
"We decided it would be the right thing to give it back to the owners," Kyle said.
"If I lost $600, I'd want it returned. So we wanted to return it to the people who lost it," Nick agreed.
"Unbelievable — the honesty that it took to do this. We told them to keep half the cash," Mike Dionne said.
"They don't make kids like that anymore. I've never seen anyone that honest in all of my life. The parents of those kids should be proud," she said.
As for the reward money, the Scouts decided it wouldn't be right to spend it on themselves because they found the money during a troop project.
Instead, the boys decided the money will be used to buy the lumber and concrete footings for the boardwalk extension on the nature trail that leads to the Sargent School Woodland Study Area.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan: The Taliban are furious about the latest apparent U.S. missile strike in Pakistan, indicating a senior militant may be among two dozen people killed, officials and residents said Sunday.What the hell did they expect? The Taliban was going to be happy about missile strikes???
The attack Friday on the North Waziristan tribal region was believed to have killed several Arab fighters but government officials have been notably quiet.
Welcome to a brand new world. The one where the smallest person in the room just might be the most dangerous.
(CBS) Uncommitted voters who watched the vice presidential debate thought Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden did the best job by a margin of more than two to one, according to a CBS News/Knowledge Networks poll taken immediately following the debate.
However, there was good news in the poll for Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, too. Palin's debate performance improved uncommitted voters' perceptions of her overall, and on a number of specific measures. But uncommitted voters still have doubts about her ability to assume the presidency if necessary and she lags behind Biden on her knowledge and preparedness for the job.
Heh. I couldn't resist.
One really, really neat thing about the G30? Apparently Smith & Wesson/Walther copied the subcompact Glock when they designed their SW99/P99 series, because 4 out of 5 holsters that I bought for my SW99 compact fit the G30. The Fobus paddle holster actually fits better - I believe it technically is a Glock holster. The two IWB holsters, a generic nylon and a Don Hume leather, both fit the G30. And, most impressively, the Crossbreed Supertuck IWB holster I got for the SW99 (pictured here with the SW99 compact 9mm) fits the G30 like it was made for it...
That's an unexpected bonus - buy a new CCW piece, be able to use existing gear. More money for extra magazines!
Now I just need to find some pre-ban G21 13-round magazines!
That is all.
I thought this was starting at 9:00? What the heck?!?!?
Hi, I'm Gwen Ifill. I tripped on my bias on the way in...
And left on Funk & Wagnall's porch overnight...
Gee, Biden won the coin toss. Didn't see THAT coming...
Mumble into your chest some more, plagiarist...
What's with the "um"s, Joe? You watch Bill Clinton's speeches much?
And now, we hear from Chief Gunderson...
Stay away from the wonk, Sarah!
Wow, Palin looks like a caribou in the headlights.
Biden has a perma-scowl...
Joe Biden is going to try to show that the Obama administration is going to be better for women than John McCain and "that broad with the big rack from Alaska"...
Yes! Hit Obama's "voting" record and partisanship! Would have been nice to hear "Chicago political machine"....
Oh boy. Subprime mortgages... Tread carefully. Don't blame the idiot proles who bought McMansions while working McJobs...
Comment from sci-fi: Wonder if Biden needed a bellboy to carry the bags under his eyes...
Two years ago Obama was getting wined & dined by Fannie Mae...
Commenter B notes that Biden looks older than McCain...
Exact quote: "The lighting on Biden makes him look like a corpse"
'Cuz when I think tax relief, I think of socialists who idolize Che Guevara...
YES!!! 94 times! Obama voted to raise taxes 94 times... BAM!
I love the way she says "corrected"...
Wow, Biden had his dentures bleached...
"Health Class Warfare"? WTF?
Joe, you wouldn't know fairnesss if it hit you over the head with a 2X4...
Three hundred million billion dollars, eh Joe? Moron.
YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!
Small businesses! WHAMMO! Good one, Sarah!
And she comes off the third turnbuckle with the "patriotic" slam!!!
Veering into Wonk-a-land, Sarah...
What's he doing with his fingers? He looks like one of the Wiggles...
"Slow down"... Now there's a euphemism, Joe... Just what else do you want to "slow down"???
And Joe takes a trip to Wonk-a-land.
BUSINESSES DON'T PAY TAXES. They merely collect them. Please, for the love of all that's good and holy, let Sarah STUFF this down his neck...
Back to "unpatriotic". Not gonna work, Joe. He's clearly rattled - maybe he had one in the bags under his eyes...
YES! Obama voted for the oil company "tax breaks"! Slam!
"My state". YES. Push the exec experience, something you have and none of the other candidates do...
Biden looks like he just swallowed a turd...
Wait a minute. Obama voted something other than "present"???
...
Since 2001. Interesting benchmark, Joe. Wasn't Obama working as a "community organizer" then?
I'm still waiting for Biden to scream "Get these squirrels off me"...
HIT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN AND FANNIE MAE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barack Obama's a pessimist! Glass is half-full.
Yeah, he pointed it out while having dinner with Fannie Mae execs...
How many Fannie Mae big wigs wound up working on Obama's campaign? There were as many execs as years Senate experience Obama has...
He looks SO creepy when he smiles like that. MAN! I'm scared...
She's totally got the beauty queen smile going. I'll bet there's vasoline on those pearly whites...
Climate change. This ought to be good...
Talk about the polar bears... About hunting polar bears... heh...
Joe, the list of things you don't understand is long and distinguished...
Maybe the ice caps are melting from polar bear farts (t/p sci-fi)
We could stop greenhouse gases if you'd shut your piehole, Joe...
Not only the atmosphere, but the west coast???? Hello?? Does he think the west coast has its own atmosphere?
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah... Please do not move around and say "drill, baby, drill". The laptop is moving again...
Wow, Joe, that is a WICKED used car salesman smile...
When they burn their dirty coal... ? {Hank Hill} Whut the hell? Joe Biden just turned into Boomhauer...
From sci-fi: Joe Biden has cornered the market on "Walter Mondale mojo"...
Sarah - PLEASE say "get the government out of the marriage business"...
Uh, Sarah? Talking about how tolerant you are... It's like saying "some of my best friends are ___"...
Let's get to the Second Amendment, shall we?
...
Foreign policy. This ought to be interesting...
Palin's exit strategy... IT'S A TRAP! Don't get bogged down in exit strategy.
OH NO! Palin just said "early withdrawal"!!! Laptop's moving again...
Obama's offered a clear plan - RUN AWAY!!!
Yeah! Let those lazy-assed Iraqis get off their duffs!
Barack and Biden put the "fun" in fundamentalist! (sci-fi)
Ugh. Get off that tangent, Sarah... You're not debating Obama.
And Palin says... PULL! BLAM! Joe "lame duck" Biden hit amidships!
YES! Respect the family and his support.
WOW, could Biden possibly sound more derisive???
NO ONE ever said it would a day, or a week, or six months, Joe.
That's the only time you'll "Barack Obama" and "right" in the same sentence...
Iran. This ought to be good.
Oh, yeah, Pakistan. That's the place Obama wants to invade, right?
Oh no. Nuc-u-lar! PROOF she's in bed with Bush!
Please, Sarah, refer to him as "Dinner Jacket"...
The Castro Brothers? Is that like Mario Brothers?
Passion for diplomacy? Hell no. Roll the B-52s...
...
There's the Crazy Biden's Used Car smile...
...
Is it just me, or are they deliberately panning away from Biden during his more crazy moments?
...
We should talk with them, yes. After they've been bombed into submission.
WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT??? Talk... talk... talk... Is he trying to hypnotize us???
His voice is cracking... Danger... We're losing containment on the Biden-bot!
...
The solution to pollution is dilution! No, wait...
How about "we'll talk about a separate state when they stop talking about wiping Israel off the map"???
...
AUGH! She got Jordan and Egypt, but forgot to mention Libya!
No one's been a better friend than Joe Biden? Biden's channeling Bob Dole here...
...
Anyone got a clue what the hell he's talking about?
Could he mention "abject failure" a couple zillion more times? (Mrs. G).
Oh yes, because if there's one thing Hamas does, it's sit and listen to gobble gobble gobble from statesmen... IDIOT.
"I haven't heard..." That's because your head's been so far up Obama's ass you've had to unbutton his pants to breath...
She's got that little head shake going. She looks annoyed. She looks like she's about to go after Biden with a gut hook...
Talking about Obama talking about the military bombing civilians. "Reckless comment". Yes!
...
Biden has turned into Charlie Brown's teacher. WOH-WAH-WONT-WAH-WAH
Let me consult my cheat sheet...
Mumble into your chest some more, Joe...
He looks like he's kicked in the nuts.
(B says, "he looks like he's been kicked like a puppy")
Kosovo? Don't we still have troops stationed there, Joe?
Isn't that an "abysmal failure" using your criteria?
Rally the world to act? Oh, my aching ass!
...
Comment from Mrs. G. "Can I get a picture of you for my ADHD poster?"
I'm sitting here with the TV on, typing on the laptop, talking to sci-fi on the phone... Yes, I am the poster child for attention deficit dis- HEY! Let's go ride our bikes!
Comment from Mrs. G: "Palin's mouth is crooked" Response from sci-fi: "yeaaaahhhhh"...
Genocide? No, no, no. Albright told us it was only "genocide-like"...
Oh NO! Back to drilling in Alaska!
...
OH SHUT THE FUCK UP you pompous ass.
What does going after bin Laden have to do with drilling in Alaska?
...
I want Palin to respond: I have five kids. Obviously I support drilling in Alaska.
...
My G-D, Biden is rambling...
...
YES!!! She's admitted to differences with McCain. Have we heard Biden do anything other than give Obama a rim-job?
Your neighborhood is DC, Joe. Drop the act, you bastard.
TOO... MUCH... HOMESPUN... GOODNESS...
(Very clever, says Mrs. G.)
Palin just turned into Chief Gunderson again. Don't get much more middle class than that!
...
Bad fucking idea, trying to out-middle class the woman whose husband is a COMMERCIAL-FUCKING-FISHERMAN.
"John McCain has tapped me"????
Wow...
She's cracking Biden up here... (and the audience).
Oh please. The role of the Vice-President is to wait for the President to buy it...
...
Joe, doesn't it bother you that you've got like, what, 10X the Senate experience of Obama?
Oh, those Founding Fathers sure were wise, dontcha know?
Man... She *is* Marge Gunderson...
Biden looked like a racehorse getting his teeth inspected. I think he actually had part of a salt lick stuck between his teeth.
OH SHUT THE FUCK UP.
Cheney's only dangerous if you hunt with him (Mrs. G)
He *is* Charlie Brown's teacher. Wonh-wah-wah-wonh waaaaah...
...
"Words are useless darling, all this gobble gobble gobble". Yes, Joe Biden is Edna Mode...
...
She keeps coming back to "tapped"... I think subliminally she wants me...
(err, um, just kidding dear!)
Okay, this is just weird. I'm talking with sci-fi on the phone. His wife B just laughed at something Mrs. G. just said...
Did she just say "tapped" again?
Biden looks like Sam the Eagle from the Muppets...
Interesting that gun control never came up...
Is Biden BRAGGING on National TV while the economy falters???
PLEASE... Say "Change is all you're going to have once Obama's tax increases go through"...
His eyes are turning into little slits. He looks like someone from Pokemon...
Final question...
C'mon... GUN CONTROL!
Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. Biden just bored me to sleep for a moment...
...
BLAH. BLAH. Blah-diddy-blah... BLAH BLAH.
(Oh, that's what I'm hearing right now...)
This man makes Joe Lieberman look lively...
What the HELL did he just say???
WHAT? He didn't question people's motives??? ASSAULT WEAPON BAN, BEE-YOTCH?
WONK WONK WONK! Danger Will Robinson!
...
Gwen, I want to thank you for not hawking your book too blatantly...
Oh knock it off... Most important election... Yeah, if you support gun rights - vote against Obama and Biden...
Uh, Joe? Health care and education are not RIGHTS. We have no fucking guarantee to either.
...
And my dad used to say, if the dog hadn't stopped to shit, he'd have caught the rabbit. What's your fucking point Joe?
Okay. Looks like that's all she wrote.
Think it's time to cap the Wild Turkey and put this to bed...
That is all.
SACRAMENTO -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law Sunday that would help young prostitutes. The legislation decriminalizes the actions of minors involved in the sex trade. Instead of punishing them, they would be treated as victims.
Currently, if a minor is picked up for prostitution, she is charged as a criminal and sent to juvenile. But this law would change that and connect young girls with counselors and services they need. The law would also help girls who want to bring charges against a pimp.
You've just gotta admit this is cool...
