Jared Allen trade transforms weatherman into Beavis

Chris Shaffer of WCCO-Minneapolis lacks subtlety, but he more than makes up for that with in enthusiasm.

President Bush: Not My Fault

Come to think of it, nothing's ever my fault. Always blame someone else for anything that I do wrong. Hey, I know! Congress! It's Congress' fault. Yeah, that's it!

NY Times:

In declining to embrace the word "recession," Mr. Bush said that many Americans were just beginning to receive their tax rebate checks as part of an $168 billion stimulus program, and that it would be some time before the effects of those checks on the economy were clear.

As for rising energy prices, including the eye-popping cost of filling up the gasoline tank, Mr. Bush said that "if there was a magic wand to wave, I'd be waving it, of course."

Once again, he chided Congress for not approving exploration for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which he said could be done in an environmentally safe way, and for not sharing his belief in "clean, safe nuclear power."

Hey, I think it's working. Isn't it?

First Read:

The numbers? Only 21% approve of President Bush's job in handling the economy -- his lowest number ever as president on that question.

Also, a whopping 81% believe the US is currently in a recession.

Phew. Definitely it's working. Hey, maybe NBC will do my job approval tomorrow.

Man, I love being the President. You can get away with anything.

Sing Along with MySpace Karaoke!

MySpace will now feature karaoke, powered by Ksolo, a karaoke site that Fox Interactive Media (parent company of MySpace) had acquired nearly two years ago in April 2006.

Essentially, MySpace Karaoke will provide users with music to sing along with, while song lyrics will scroll transversely on their computer screens. At the moment, only music, and not music videos have been made available. Through the new facility, users will now be able to upload audio recordings of themselves (which other members can rate), along with other details. To get started, members would need a microphone attached to their computer. They can choose from the 2,000 to 3,000 licensed songs available to sing along with. They also have the option to add several special effects to their songs and save recordings on their profile/s.

Techtree

Don't Feed The Dino

More of the Same...

It's looking like McCain's fearmongering and completely skewed and distorted look at reality that he doesn't think much of the people he is hoping to be elected to serve at all.

(CNN) — John McCain said Friday that "it’s clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the United States" — the second time in as many weeks that his campaign has referenced positive remarks by Ahmed Yousef, a member of that group, about Barack Obama.

On Friday, the presumptive Republican nominee was asked about the Hamas leader’s comments on a campaign conference call with bloggers.

"...I think it's very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the United States," said McCain. "So apparently has [Sandanista leader] Danny Ortega and several others. I think that people should understand that I will be Hamas's worst nightmare...If Senator Obama is favored by Hamas I think people can make judgments accordingly."

John McCain has insisted repeatedly in public that he wants to run a respectful campaign, but a recent fund raising email from his campaign suggests there will be nothing revolutionary about the Republican nominee's gameplan this year.

The email, which attacks Obama over his foreign policy stances, includes these paragraphs:

Barack Obama's foreign policy plans have even won him praise from Hamas leaders. Ahmed Yousef, chief political adviser to the Hamas Prime Minister said, "We like Mr. Obama and we hope he will win the election. He has a vision to change America."

We need change in America, but not the kind of change that wins kind words from Hamas, surrenders in Iraq and will hold unconditional talks with Iranian President Ahmadinejad.

The same tactic was utilized by the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign against John Kerry, when the right-wing fearmonger factory made a claim that al-Qaeda was rooting for Kerry to win the election.

It's looking like McCain's fearmongering and completely skewed and distorted look at reality that he doesn't think much of the people he is hoping to be elected to serve at all.

Krauthammer: Dishonest Hypocrite

When you consider the competition Charles Krauthammer was up against, penning the most dishonest op-ed in today's Washington Post was no mean feat, but he did it.

It's amazing really. In an attempt to make the case that Barack Obama's "character and cultural attitudes" somehow disqualify him from the presidency, Krauthammer distorts (Jeremiah Wright as an inciter of racial hatred), uses code words (jihad and tribal), lies (political career "launched" in William Ayers home), and projects ("self-congratulatory fatuousness"), which of course says quite a lot about Krauthammer's own character and cultural attitudes, not to mention his journalistic ethics.

But if Krauthammer wants to pretend that he's concerned about "the character and beliefs of a man who would be president," perhaps he can use his national platform to delve into the character and beliefs of John McCain. A few potential areas of concern:

• McCain seeking out and embracing endorsements from "men of God" who accuses the Catholic Church of conspiring with Hitler, who believe that Hurricane Katrina was a just punishment for the people of New Orleans, and who believe that our nation's destiny is to destroy the "false religion" of Islam. Kind of trumps what Reverend Wright had to say, doesn't it?
• McCain, who in his official capacity as a Senator, protected his Republican brethren from being exposed in the Jack Abramoff scandal.
• McCain's anger management issues that have led to his trying to have women fired for crossing him and spewing profanities at colleagues who disagree with him. A temper so vile that Republican Senator Thad Cochran once said that the thought of McCain as President "sends a cold chill down my spine."
• McCain admitting to multiple affairs while married to his first wife, finally divorcing her to marry his current, millionaire wife who is 18 years his junior, which transformed him from a run of the mill adulterer into a cradle-robbing gigolo.

Any character issues there that you want to talk about, Chuck? I didn't think so.

Via: Kos

Thrown Under The Levee by McCain

Still pretending that a vote for him isn't a vote for George Bush's third term, yesterday John McCain threw Bush under the bus levee:

John McCain toured still hurricane-damaged areas of New Orleans and declared that if the disaster had happened on his watch, he would have immediately landed his plane at the nearest Air Force base.

He offered a pledge Thursday to New Orleans residents that their situation will not be forgotten and that such a botched disaster response will never happen again.

And here is Mr. McCain, on the day New Orleans was drowning, urging George Bush to get to the nearest Air Force base and start handling things:

CNN Headline Shirts

I don't really understand this. I'm not sure why anyone would see the headline "Sinkhole Gulps Entire Lane of Highway" and say to themselves 'I NEED TO WEAR THAT ACROSS MY CHEST!!!!' and then pay $15 bucks for it plus shipping... The Onion should do this, not CNN.


Shirt Content FAQ:

What colors are CNN Shirts available in?

Currently CNN Shirts come in gray, white, or black.

What is the little timestamp on my shirt?

The little timestamp on your shirt is denotes the date and time your headline was created.

I took my CNN shirt on vacation and I have great pictures. Where can I send them?

Please upload any photos of you wearing a CNN Shirt to www.ireport.com/tshirt. Your photo will be considered for future contests, and our CNN Shirt photo archive.

http://www.cnn.com/tshirt/allshirts/index.html

Favre on Letterman

Brett Favre appeared on the "Late Show" with David Letterman on Thursday night and talked about going hunting on game days, the Green Bay Packers' loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game, and how the City of Green Bay is coping with Favre gone.

And, oh yes, the retirement question. Letterman asked Favre if he was retired or not.

"I have retired. Watch TV a lot, don't you?" Favre said.

Why can't Clinton close the deal? BECAUSE!

If Barack is such a bad candidate, and he is so unelectable, and it is such a bad idea to have him as the Democratic nominee, why can’t Hillary beat him?

Why is she behind him in every conceivable metric? Why is she behind in pledged delegates? Why is she behind in the popular vote (and don’t insult my intelligence by trying to pass that sheer nonsense the morons at certain pro-Clinton blogs are lapping up)? Why are super delegates flocking to Obama, while Hillary has picked up only a handful in the past few months. Why has she won fewer states? Why is she trumpeting her narrow delegate pickup in PA, when it is less than the number of net delegates Obama picked up in a variety of other states? Why is she behind in fund raising? Why was she unable to turn her double digit lead a year ago into any actual primary wins? Why, with her starting financial advantage and name recognition, was she held to a tie on Super Tuesday?

Why to those questions and a hundred more like them. If your candidate is so much better, why is Obama kicking her ass? Why?

Because IF Obama wasn't black, and IF millions of people weren't supporting him, and IF he didn't raise all that money, and IF his campaign hadn't been run better than hers, and IF Red states hadn't had the gall to vote, and IF those damn activists didn't disagree with her on war in Iraq and nuking Iran, and IF MoveOn wasn't so effective, and IF latte sippers didn't vote, and IF we had the same system as Republicans, and IF the news networks weren't more like Fox News, and IF small states that don't matter didn't count, and IF Keith Olbermann didn't have it out for her, and IF Pennsylvania was the only state that mattered -- then Clinton would be the nominee.

You know, simple answers to simple questions.

KOS

MN-Sen: Novak: Franken wins if Obama the nominee

This analysis by the Prince of Darkness pretty much applies to any race west of the Mississippi:

This race, more than most, will come down to turnout. The two men who could drive turnout are Obama and Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), who squeaked by to reelection in 2006. If Pawlenty is McCain's running mate, that might motivate otherwise depressed or apathetic Republicans. If Obama is the nominee, his huge bloc of support here (he beat Clinton 2-to-1 in the primary) could push [Al] Franken over the top. If Clinton is the nominee, however, it could have the opposite effect—energizing Republicans and depressing Obama's backers.

And in some races east of the Mississippi as well.

Kentucky-3: Of the freshmen Democrats who won GOP-held seats in 2006, Rep. John Yarmuth (D) has one of the toughest opponents, but he also has played his hand well [...]

Yarmuth has not upset his base or the swing voters who elected him, and he is a likable politician. While he won't have the same wind at his back he did in 2006, he will benefit from the presidential race if Obama is the nominee, driving the black turnout in the district and the liberal turnout at University of Louisville.

How many down-ballot races would Hillary Clinton have a similar effect? Any at all?

Kos

More LIVE Bravery

The Bravery LIVE @ High Noon

Microsoft Dances in the Dark

Somewhere Bruce Springsteen is pissed. Unless he's already received a nice healthy stock-option package from Microsoft, that is. Nevertheless, we suspect that a far more sinister plot is about to unravel. This internal video, meant for Microsoft employees' eyes only, could only be the result of some sort of vile corporate espionage plot perpetrated by a spy from a rival company intent on humiliating the "giant" at any cost.

Radar

Clinton Acknowledges There's No Good Reason For Her to Stay in Race

Only two things really matter about last night's debate. First, it was probably the worst performance by "moderators" in a presidential debate. Ever. It really was that bad, and we cannot let that happen again where Democratic positions are under relentless attack by the moderators without a Republican candidate on stage. It wasn't a debate, it was an interrogation. The only difference between the ABC interrogation and an interrogation perpetrated by the Bush administration was that ABC probably never considered waterboarding.

As for the Democratic nomination, here's the only exchange from last night that mattered:

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me pick up on this. When these comments from Senator Obama broke on Friday, Senator McCain's campaign immediately said that it was going to be a killer issue in November.

Senator Clinton, when Bill Richardson called you to say he was endorsing Barack Obama, you told him that Senator Obama can't win. I'm not going to ask you about that conversation. I know you don't want to talk about it. But a simple yes-or-no question: Do you think Senator Obama can beat John McCain or not?

SENATOR CLINTON: Well, I think we have to beat John McCain, and I have every reason to believe we're going to have a Democratic president and it's going to be either Barack or me. And we're going to make that happen.

And what is important is that we understand exactly the challenges facing us in order to defeat Senator McCain.

He will be a formidable candidate. There isn't any doubt about that. He has a great American story to tell. He's a man who has served our country with distinction over many years, but he has the wrong ideas about America. And those ideas will be tested in the cauldron of this campaign.

But I also know, having now gone through 16 years of being on the receiving end of what the Republican Party dishes out, how important it is that we try to go after every single vote everywhere we possibly can to get to those electoral votes that we're going to need to have the next president elected.

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: But the question is, do you think Senator Obama can do that? Can he win?

SENATOR CLINTON: Yes. Yes. Yes.

Hillary Clinton and her surrogates have petulantly claimed that the reason why she should stick around after it's clear that there's no way she'll overcome Barack Obama's lead among pledged delegates is that the superdelegates could decide to go with her instead of Obama. The superdelegates' rationale for doing so would presumably need to be based on questions of electability. Hillary Clinton, in the exchange quoted above, said there is no electability argument that can be used against Barack Obama.

The voters have demonstrated a clear preference for Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton. She cannot overcome his lead. Hillary Clinton acknowledges that Barack Obama can beat John McCain. Thus, she's lost, and she has no argument that it's a threat to Democrats to have Barack Obama as our nominee. Therefore, there's no reason for Hillary Clinton to continue her campaign.

KOS

Varmit Getter

Tips

Take care of your unit

DO NOT leave out in the rain Make sure flash arrester screen have zero obstruction on screen. they need to be looked at from time to time turn tank off and relieve pressure from gas lines when not in use

Back filling

Varmitgetter is designed to be back filled ,simply kick some of the loose dirt on to the foot of the wand step on and pack dirt, c keep concusion in the tunnel and noise level down

Larger Pest like praire dogs ground hogs use sand bags/ blast mat

Badgers

The only reason the badger is there is because there is a food source. be it gophers, ground squirrels, you must get rid of the food source no food supply ,no Badger

Control

You can control year round, But to eradicate them hit it hard in the Spring when the breeding season is on. knock them out before they get out of hand.

Gophers , Moles

In the AM is the time to go after these pest. Afternoon there activity ceases In the spring time they are active in the afternoon

Suffocation

There is a suffocation mode thats use around sensitive areas Sidewalks,patios, etc.etc.

Bear vs. Bengal... Who Ya Got?

Bengal versus Bear. Naturally, we’d be more than content than have the little ones have it out for our love. Take it away, tykes.

Rather, this will be settled in the arena of cereal, the last redoubt of bored slackers like us the world ’round. WHO YA GOT?
Bear
Pros:

- Worthy of extensive history of iconography
-Again, the Godless Killing Machine thing
- Judging from picture, clearly ‘roiding
- Dutifully pays the bear tax

Cons:
-No cereal makes your pee smell more than Golden Crisp.
-Get too many and it’s like “A freaking country bear jamberoo”
-Weakness for honey pot
-Often confused for Logan Mankins

Tiger
Pros-

-Employs Tiger Style

-Exxon Tiger is bleeding me dry
-Tiger Uppercut most vicious, also fun to say
-Apparently has a boat (SO THAT’S WHY HE BEAT DOLPHIN!)
-Inspired excellent William Blake poem
-Less flamboyantly gay than Tigger

Con:
-Frosted Flakes soggy after negative two seconds in milk.
-Also cutting back on sugar to appear healthy. Fuck you. Back to Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs for me.
- Fearful symmetry too symmetrical
-Inspired annoying Comcast commercial

KSK

Pro bowlers prance about empty stadium, praise virtues of low-calorie soda

Here we have a 1989 Diet Coke commercial featuring some notable NFL players of the day. I can make Ronnie Lott, Boomer Esiason, Warren Moon, Al Toon, Louis Lipps, Eric Dickerson.

After the first 30 seconds, you’re on your own.

Oh, our younger readers might not remember, but back in the 80s everyone drank straight out of 2-liter bottles. No big deal.

Kissing Suzy Kolber

America's "First Catholic President"?

From yesterday's White House press briefing:

Q: ...It's been suggested that the President, who has met so often with Catholic leaders and reached out so aggressively to Catholic groups, and whose social views very closely reflect Catholic Orthodoxy, is actually America's first Catholic President. What do you think of that? (Laughter.)

MS. PERINO: He's also been called America's -- or, the first Jewish President, is what the Israelis call him, too.

The foolish questioner who posed that query must figure that John Kennedy really wasn't Catholic, because he didn't take his orders from the Vatican, and that maybe Bush does? Hmmm, let's think about that.

Catholic doctrine places a high priority on reducing poverty and suffering. There's a great emphasis on economic and social justice. The Church doesn't advocate pacifism, but instead, building on the teachings of Thomas Aquinas and others, advocates the doctrine of Just War. The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church even lays out the legitimate reasons for a just war:

The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:
- the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; - all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; - there must be serious prospects of success; - the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modem means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.

These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine.

The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.

Also, the Church opposes capital punishment:

Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.

If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.

Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity "are very rare, if not practically non-existent."

Obviously the questioner didn't know much about Catholic doctrine, because it's absurd to think of George W Bush's actions as President as embodying Church teachings on matters of social or economic justice, warfare or capital punishment. So was questioner maybe thinking about George W Bush as "Catholic" in the sense of copying the interrogation practices of one of the darker moments of Catholicism, the Spanish Inquisition?

The Washington debate over the simulated-drowning technique may be new, but the practice is not. It predates the Inquisition and has been used, off and on, around the world ever since.

Its use was first documented in the 14th century, according to Ed Peters, a historian at the University of Pennsylvania. It was known variously as "water torture," the "water cure" or tormenta de toca — a phrase that refers to the thin piece of cloth placed over the victim's mouth...

"The patient strangled and gasped and suffocated and, at intervals, the toca was withdrawn and he was adjured to tell the truth. The severity of the infliction was measured by the number of jars [of water] consumed, sometimes reaching to six or eight," writes Henry Charles Lea in A History of the Inquisition of Spain.

"The thing you could not do in torture was injure the body or cause death," Peters says. That was — and still is — what makes water boarding such an attractive interrogation technique, he says: It causes great physical and mental suffering, yet leaves no marks on the body.

In some matters, the Church remains in conflict with modernity. The Church adopted to the teachings of Darwin, for instance, and does not advocate a literal interpretation of the text of the Bible. However, matters of human sexuality and conception place the Church at odds with modern science, many philosophical beliefs, social attitudes, and even the practices and beliefs of the majority of American Catholics. (But just to be clear, the Church never adopted a policy of denying communion to Catholic politicians who espouse reproductive rights; in fact, it rejected such policies by a vote of 183-6.)

One area where the Church has definitely changed its practices is on the subject of torture. Again, from the Cathechism:

Kidnapping and hostage taking bring on a reign of terror; by means of threats they subject their victims to intolerable pressures. They are morally wrong. Terrorism threatens, wounds, and kills indiscriminately; it is gravely against justice and charity. Torture which uses physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, frighten opponents, or satisfy hatred is contrary to respect for the person and for human dignity. Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended amputations, mutilations, and sterilizations performed on innocent persons are against the moral law.

It's hard to see how George W. Bush could be seen as America's first Catholic President. But with his love of torture as official American policy, one might see him as America's first Medieval President.

DailyKOS

Stars Align Against Scientology?

Former high-ranking Scientologist Jason Beghe—no Tom Cruise but an actor you might recognize from Numb3rs, CSI: NY, or, God help you, Everwood—is the first in what Xenu TV promises will be a series of celebs railing on Scientology. Says Beghe: "If Scientology is real, then something's fucked up, because it ain't delivering what it's promising, that's for goddamn sure. Let me meet a motherfucking clear. I'm clear. I'm declared clear as a motherfucking bell!"

But the real money's at 2:30, where he does his unofficial Cruise impersonation.

William Kristol continues to waste space at the NY Times

As Hillary Clinton and John McCain take turns being outraged by Barack Obama's "elitist" comment about economically strapped Americans, William Kristol has upped the ante and is now comparing Obama to Karl Marx. It seems that Obama's remarks sent Kristol scurrying back to re-read Marx's words, "Die Religion ... ist das Opium des Volkes," after which he concludes that:

...it’s one thing for a German thinker to assert that "religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature." It’s another thing for an American presidential candidate to claim that we "cling to ... religion" out of economic frustration.

Of course the neat use of ellipses makes it easier for Kristol to make his hyperbolic comparison, but it does serve his purpose; to be a part of the pseudo-outrage chorus and to suggest Obama is some sort of Communist who hates God and guns. And to make it all even scarier to real Americans, Kristol manages to throw in the dreaded words, "San Francisco," three times. Oh, ouch.

Seriously, Mr. Kristol, is this the best you can do? I realize that this isn't cheerleading for a war based on non-existent weapons of mass destruction, so your heart probably isn't in it, but Marx? Perhaps you should take a page out of another Marx's book and run with it. I'd suggest Harpo.

Kos

Kentucky Republican Refers to Obama as "That boy"

Sounds like we missed a real laugh-fest this weekend at the Northern Kentucky 4th Congressional District Lincoln Day Dinner. Citing a recent "highly classified, national security simulation" in which he participated with Senator Barack Obama, Rep. Geoff Davis delivered the classic punchline, "That boy's finger does not need to be on the button." (This was after he warmed up the audience by referring to Obama as a "snake oil salesman.") Also on the bill, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell did this riff on Hillary Clinton's faltering presidential bid: "'I hear she hasn't been this worried since a new Hooters opened' near her home with former President Bill Clinton, McConnell said, prompting laughs from the 400 Northern Kentucky Republicans." The crowd then repaired to a nearby parking lot, where they burned a cross.

Politico

Oasis' Noel Gallagher Awkwardly Initiates Hip-hop Feud with Jay-Z

Noel Gallagher, the second banana in washed up Brit pop group Oasis, says Jay-Z, whose tour with Mary J. Blige has grossed more than $9 million and whose deal with Live Nation is the largest in music history, is dragging down the Glastonbury festival. "I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance..." Gallagher reportedly warbled. "I don't know about it. But I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong." Gallagher mumbled a few more things about having finished a new album but still shopping a label to put it out. And then he returned to obscurity.

More at the BBC

Newscaster Moved to Rhyme by Vanilla Ice Domestic Battery Arrest

Thing is, she had aspirations in the hip hop world. The perky blonde KTLA anchor thing is just a holdover gig until someone takes note. (She's already pulled down a couple of $100 prizes at local karaoke nights.) Vanilla Ice's arrest on domestic battery was just the in she needed. If you can make it all the way through this, then congratulations, you're officially desensitized. If you can't, at the end she attributes her Van Winkle adoration to growing up a "Florida girl." But you knew that.

Foreign Sign of the Day

The Return of a Sloshkosh Legend!

Put on your blue blockers and pack a "one-ey" cuz it is the return of Marty the Weed Man!!!

Click Here To Play Streaming Audio of Marty!


From a humble beginning in a house across from Breese Hall on the UW-Oshkosh campus, Marty is now known around southern Wisconsin after a performance on the WJJO Morning Show on 94.1 WJJO in Madison, Wisconsin this morning!

Its Jeopardy time baby!!!

Talk Like an Encryption

Today's R&B is a pretty sad-ass state of affairs. Most songs consist of the same tinny beats, tired hand-clap effects, klinky keyboards, and vocoder-filtered lyrics (damn you, Cher!) ad nauseum. Seriously, look at the Billboard charts! They're featured in every R&B song. The two worst perpetrators: Akon and T-Pain. But upon closer inspection, maybe these cats are onto something. What if everything you said sounded like an R&B remix? Would the ladies fall at your feet? Would your coworkers bow to your coolness? Or would they go all Remy Ma on you and bust a cap, effectively putting you out of your misery?

McCain Booed at MLK Speech

(The image of a black man holding an umbrella over McCain's head while he gave the speech didn't exactly complement the moment.)

Senator John McCain, "who says he will court the African-American vote this year and campaign in places Republicans often shun," spoke in Memphis on Friday to mark the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

But his speech was met with boos and interruptions from many in the audience, as he apologized for repeatedly opposing the creation of a holiday to celebrate King's legacy.

McCain voted against the creation of a holiday honoring King in 1983, a vote which was supported by a large number of Republicans. McCain claimed this week that he was largely unaware on the importance of King's work at the time, due to his Vietnam-era service overseas. Speaking on Thursday to reporters, he explained that his conversion occurred around 1990:

"I voted in my...first year in Congress against it and then I began to learn and I studied and people talked to me. And I not only supported it but I fought very hard in my home state of Arizona for recognition against a governor who was of my own party."

But McCain's voting record since 1990 doesn't support this explanation. In addition to voting to oppose a state holiday in 1987 (which he later supported) and a federal holiday in 1989, McCain voted in 1994 to cut funding for the commission that promoted King's holiday.

Huffington Post

Police nab wild monkey with banana in west Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A monkey was caught running loose outside an Orlando apartment complex off of Conroy Road on Friday morning. Animal Control officers were able to trick the 4-year-old monkey to get into a cage after a short chase.

Four-year-old Prada, a male monkey, apparently escaped from a Coconut Palms apartment (see map). The monkey's owner is out of town and a friend was watching the animal. Somehow the monkey was able to escape from his cage and climbed out an open window.

Prada was then spotted running wild outside the Studio Park Apartments off Conroy Road. A maintenance worker on the property called police after being chased by the animal. Police informed Animal Control who arrived at the scene and were able to use fruit to lure the monkey into a cage.

Monkeys are considered exotic animals and require a special permit, something the owner doesn't have. Because of that, Animal Control officers said they weren't sure if the monkey has been properly vaccinated.

The animal will eventually be turned over to Florida Fish and Wildlife, but he is being held in the care of the Back to Nature Sanctuary in Bithlo for the weekend.Officers still need to speak with the owner, but said no one was injured.

View the news footage

More at WFTV

Toddlers can no longer get hitched in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas' marriage-age crisis is over. A law that mistakenly allowed anyone — even toddlers — to marry with parental permission was repealed by a measure signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Mike Beebe, ending months of embarrassment for the state and confusion for county clerks.

Lawmakers didn't realize until after the end of last year's regular session that a law they approved, intended to establish 18 as the minimum age for marriage, instead removed the minimum age to marry entirely. An extraneous "not" in the bill allowed anyone who was not pregnant to marry at any age with permission.

The bill read: "In order for a person who is younger than eighteen (18) years of age and who is not pregnant to obtain a marriage license, the person must provide the county clerk with evidence of parental consent to the marriage."

Some lawmakers called for a special session last year, saying the error would make it easy for pedophiles to take advantage of the law. Gov. Mike Beebe said he didn't see any imminent crisis and said the chances of children marrying under the law were slim.

More at MSNBC

My April Fools Prank... As seen on CNN...

I submitted a photo of a prank I pulled on April Fool's Day at my office to CNN's iReport website. 20 minutes later I get a call on my cell from a guy at CNN wanting more background on the prank, etc, so it can be featured on TV... Pretty neat. So then he slapped the "ON CNN" stamp on it and said to watch for it on TV...



Here it is full size:

Brett Favre's Back!!!

Read the Article

Thought of the Day - 4/1/08

My favorite panther is the one from L.L. Cool J's “Walking with a Panther” album cover.

Pros: He wears a gold rope chain and keeps top secret shit in a Haliburton briefcase.

Cons: Fuck you, what did you not understand about the gold rope chain??? If you don't like this panther, you are worthless in the eyes of God, and should probably consider suicide.
-------------------------

And now... The track listing of "Walking with a Panther":

1 Droppin' Em
2 Smokin, Dopin'
3 Fast Peg
4 Clap Your Hands
5 Nitro
6 You're My Heart
7 I'm That Type Of Guy
8 Why Do You Think They Call It Dope?
9 Going Back To Cali
10 It Gets No Rougher
11 Big Ole Butt
12 One Shot At Love
13 1-900 L. L. Cool J
14 Two Different Worlds
15 Jealous
16 Jingling Baby
17 Def Jam In The Motherland
18 Change Your Ways

Gmail Custom Time

Be on time, every time now that you can backdate emails you send through Gmail

From Google:

How do I use it?

Just click "Set custom time" from the Compose view. Any email you send to the past appears in the proper chronological order in your recipient's inbox. You can opt for it to show up read or unread by selecting the appropriate option.

Is there a limit to how far back I can send email?

Yes. You'll only be able to send email back until April 1, 2004, the day we launched Gmail. If we were to let you send an email from Gmail before Gmail existed, well, that would be like hanging out with your parents before you were born -- crazy talk.
How does it work?

Gmail utilizes an e-flux capacitor to resolve issues of causality (see Grandfather Paradox).

How come I only get ten?

Our researchers have concluded that allowing each person more than ten pre-dated emails per year would cause people to lose faith in the accuracy of time, thus rendering the feature useless.

Their findings:
N = Total emails sent
P = Probability that user believes the time stamp
φ = The Golden Ratio
L = Average life expectancy

GMail

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