No, sorry. I read the graph incorrectly. Taylor won.
From Zebasearch:
Are We Safe?
Apparently not.
(1) Natural disaster drill canceled because of red-tape confusion:
A mock evacuation that was supposed to be part of a two-day statewide hurricane preparedness drill was canceled after a misunderstanding about who had jurisdiction over a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer park.
Imagine what would have happened if it was not a drill.
(2) New Jersey toxic chemical plants are vulnerable:
Millions of residents of the central U.S. East Coast are at risk of death or injury from release of toxic chemicals because of lax security at chemical plants in New Jersey, a study released on Tuesday said.
New Jersey has 110 plants that could release life-threatening chemicals into the environment in "worst-case scenarios" developed by chemical manufacturers, such as accidents or terrorist attacks, said the study by the New Jersey Work Environment Council, an alliance of labor, community and environmental organizations.
The study cites six facilities where a major chemical release could kill or injure as many as 1 million people, and another 15 facilities that could each affect 100,000 people.
That must make you feel all warm and fuzzy, huh? But you have to love this graf:
Elvin Montero, a spokesman for the Chemistry Council of New Jersey, which represents chemical manufacturers, said the study itself undermined security by releasing information about the locations and activities of chemical manufacturers that has not been widely available since the attacks of Sept. 11.
Interesting theory. That’s kind of like saying you don’t need to lock your car doors when you go to the mall, so long as you don’t tell people that you’ve left your car doors unlocked.
A Shoe That Talks To My iPod?
Maybe it’s a sign of age, but I think some new technology is simply unnecessary.
Shorter Townhall
Shorter Mary Katherine Ham: "Moral clarity", by definition, means that we presume that the Duke lacrosse players accused of rape are innocent until proven guilty, and accused Muslim terrorists are just plain guilty.
Shorter Jeff Emanuel: A judge did something I didn’t like; therefore, he is a judicial activist.
Shorter Walter E. Williams: Enforcement of seatbelt laws is socialism. Yeah, you heard me. Socialism!
Shorter Chuck Colson: So it turns out that Terri Schiavo was brain-dead after all, which means Michael Schiavo was right. But that doesn’t mean people who said she was still functional were wrong to send him death threats.
Shorter Michelle Malkin: Let me debunk a "cause celebre" that nobody ever heard of.
Shorter John Stossel: A good samaritan who tried to provide needed supplies to Katrina victims reminds me a lot of big oil companies. They’re good guys, and I’m not just saying that because I went to a huge oil lobbyist party last night.
Shorter Brent Bozell: The Dixie Chicks are only pretending to hate George Bush, because they know it will get them on the cover of Time.
Shorter Terence Jeffrey: It’s not racist to pass an amendment demanding English as the official language. After all, Martin Luther King spoke English, right? Right?!?
Shorter Tony Blankley: I got nothing of substance to say about Mexican President Vincente Fox’s trade mission to Utah, but if I make popular culture references — like "iPod" and "American Idol" — you might actually read this.
Shorter Linda Chavez: The whole point of graduation ceremonies is to pay tribute to guest speakers like John McCain, and not the graduating students.
Shorter Jonah Goldberg: How can people blame George Bush for the poor federal response to Katrina? He wasn’t even there, for crying out loud!
Shorter Ben Shapiro: Recent polls uniformly agree that Americans prefer Democrats over Republicans. Which is undoubtedly true. And that’s why most Americans will vote Republican.
Shorter Maggie Gallagher: The only way for states to pass amendments banning gay marriage is for the federal goverment to shove it down their throats, as any conservative will tell you.
A Depressing Link
Actual suicide notes, such as:
I could wish that I had, for my goodby kiss, a .38 police special with which I have made some good scores — not records but at least made my mark. Instead, I have this black bitch — bitch, if the word is not familiar to you — but at least an honest one who will mean what she says.
The neighbors may think it’s a motor backfire ,but to me she will whisper — "Rest – Sleep."
Albert
P.S. I think there is enough insurance to see Valerie through school, but if there isn’t — I am sure you would out of the insurance payments, at least —
I hope further and I don’t insist that you have the ordinary decency — decency that is — to do so — Will you see Valerie through college — she is the only one about whom I am concerned as this .38 whispers in my ear.
ALSO NOT FUNNY RELATED STORY: A blogger writes about getting shot at while at his computer….
American Idol Update: The Last Round
I hate they’re pushing this as some huge match-up. It doesn’t matter who wins — they’re both going to get a big contract. Anyway….
First Round: I liked the song ("Black House and Cherry Tree") the first time Katherine did it. She did it well again. But Taylor laid it out and bested her by far with "Livin For the City". This is shaping out to be like I expected.
Second Round: I thought Katherine sang "Over The Rainbow" better last(?) week. She pushed it this time, but it was still rather moving. Taylor wasn’t as good this round with "Levon" (one of my favorite songs) as he was the first round, but I tstill hought he outsung Katherine. Barely.
Third Round: Good lord, Katherine butchered that song. That’s her first single? Ugh. First of all, it was way too low for her. Second of all, she was pitchy. Taylor was far better (a little sharp at times), but he delivered like he always does.
If it is based on tonight, Taylor wins. If it is based on the entire series, Taylor wins.
Or, he should win. I suspect that 80-90% of AI5 voters already knew who they would be voting for, and I suspect that this show didn’t change any minds. Of course, there may be many first-time voters tonight, so it’s anybody’s guess.
P.S.: Nice to see some of the old faces….
Pat Robertson Is Superman
Interesting. Over at the website for the Christian Broadcasting Network, you can find this health advice infomercial from Pat Robertson:
Did you know that Pat Robertson can leg-press 2000 pounds! How does he do it?
Where does Pat find the time and energy to host a daily, national TV show, head a world-wide ministry, develop visionary scholars, while traveling the globe as a statesman?
One of Pat’s secrets to keeping his energy high and his vitality soaring is his age-defying protein shake. Pat developed a delicious, refreshing shake, filled with energy-producing nutrients.
Discover what kinds of natural ingredients make up Pat’s protein shake by registering for your FREE booklet today!
Pretty amazing — a 76 year old man leg pressing one ton. One TON!
It’s especially amazing when you consider that the collegiate world record for the leg press is 1,335 pounds. That was set by Dan Kendra of Florida State University, who had to use a specially modified leg press machine, since the normal ones don’t go that high. And even then, the capillaries in Kendra’s eyes burst when he set the record.
But not Pat’s. Pat beat him, by a full 665 pounds.
Or — could it be — that Pat is bearing false witness? Naaaaaaah…..
Bob Harris snarks:
I’d really, really like to see Pat Robertson strapped to a table somewhere, with 2000 pounds being slowly lowered down on top of him. This would be Pat’s big chance to show us just how fantastic his drink-powered leg-presses really are.
I’d really like this chance to see I was wrong for doubting him. In fact, I would like to see this on Pay-Per-View.
Then we could all see just what an honest man Pat Robertson really is.
The Local Media
Very funny/disturbing clip of what passes for "Morning News" in the Triad. I’ll try to post it here, if I can.
UPDATE: Okay, here it is. Watch out….
“You Are No Jack Kennedy”
The debate:
Quayle: …I have far more experience than many others that sought the office of vice president of this country. I have as much experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency. I will be prepared to deal with the people in the Bush administration, if that unfortunate event would ever occur.
- Judy Woodruff: Senator Bentsen.
- Bentsen: Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy. (Prolonged boos and applause) What has to be done in a situation like that is to call in the –
- Woodruff: Please, please, once again you are only taking time away from your own candidate.
- Quayle: That was really uncalled for, Senator. (Shouts and applause)
- Bentsen: You are the one that was making the comparison, Senator – and I’m one who knew him well. And frankly I think you are so far apart in the objectives you choose for your country that I did not think the comparison was well-taken.
Pat Boone/Dixie Chicks Smackdown
Pat Boone is calling out the Dixie Chicks:
Music legend Pat Boone is ripping into the Dixie Chicks for withdrawing their apology for a previous attack on President Bush.
Music legend? Name one Pat Boone song that doesn’t suck.
"I have four daughters, and I taught them to respect their elders, even if they weren’t president of the United States," Boone told Fox News host Neil Cavuto today.
Tomorrow’s headline: Pat Boone urges everyone under the age of 49 to respect bin Laden.
"I think it’s outrageous for any of these performers to be bashing our president the way they are."
You have a better way to bash him? Please share.
"If I were the president of Iran, if I were Osama bin Laden or any of the terrorist organizers and I could have my wish list totally," Boone said, "I couldn’t ask for anything better than for America’s entertainers to bash their president, denigrate him, make him seem like an idiot and a self-serving fool, and then have the media go along with it and promote it like crazy and try to undermine the whole war effort."
Apparently, our entire war efforts hinges on what entertainers say or do, in Pat’s world.
He continued, "We are at war, and you don’t tell even a quarterback in a football game that he’s nuts and you don’t respect him."
Pat, if the quarterback keeps on throwing the ball into the opposing team’s hands, you not only criticize him, but you yank him. Bad analogy.
Ethics In Oregon
Yesterday, the Public Commission on the Oregon Legislature adopted a recommendation that people who hold public office in Oregon should not work while intoxicated.
Good idea. Bold move.
Duh.
The Death Of The Broadway Musical?
The New York Times takes a look at the Tony Award nominations and wonders allowed if the Broadway musical is on its last legs:
True, bulletins on the musical’s failing health have been posted with weary regularity since at least the 1960’s. But in the Broadway season that just ended officially, this once lively art seemed finally to have crossed the border that divides flesh from ectoplasm.
Part of the problem is that most "new" musicals on Broadway aren’t new at all — they’re pre-branded. Forgetting revivals (like "The Pajama Game"), most "new" musicals are based on a book or movie ("The Color Purple", "The Wedding Singer", "Tarzan", "The Producers", "Hairspray"), or contain music which has already been written, i.e., "Hot Feet" (Earth, Wind and Fire), "Jersey Boys" (The Four Seasons), "Lennon" (John Lennon) and "Ring Of Fire" (Johnny Cash).
So what remains? Shows like "The Drowsy Chaperone" which are bland (according to the reviewer) despite racking up Tony nominations in the double digits.
Food for thought. I blame Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Room 641A
A whistleblower talks to Wired about the secret room at AT&T where call data is forward to the NSA.
Meanwhile, Seymour Hersh has a pretty sensible guess as to how the whole NSA wiretapping thing works:
The N.S.A. also programmed computers to map the connections between telephone numbers in the United States and suspect numbers abroad, sometimes focussing on a geographic area, rather than on a specific person — for example, a region of Pakistan. Such calls often triggered a process, known as “chaining,” in which subsequent calls to and from the American number were monitored and linked.
The way it worked, one high-level Bush Administration intelligence official told me, was for the agency “to take the first number out to two, three, or more levels of separation, and see if one of them comes back” — if, say, someone down the chain was also calling the original, suspect number. As the chain grew longer, more and more Americans inevitably were drawn in.
….The point, obviously, was to identify terrorists. “After you hit something, you have to figure out what to do with it,” the Administration intelligence official told me. The next step, theoretically, could have been to get a suspect’s name and go to the FISA court for a warrant to listen in….Instead, the N.S.A. began, in some cases, to eavesdrop on callers (often using computers to listen for key words) or to investigate them using traditional police methods. A government consultant told me that tens of thousands of Americans had had their calls monitored in one way or the other.
Kaye Grogan On The English Language
Kaye Grogan’s latest editorial on America’s "official" language is a hoot. Because Kaye struggles so much with English, it is ripe for parody.
But Sadly, No beat me to it:
Speak English . . . or else!
Kaye Grogan
May 20, 2006Okay it’s official — I hope! It has taken 200 plus years for English to become America’s official language. Maybe we missed something here. Did another boat come in behind the Mayflower with people speaking in unknown tongues?
Say, wasn’t America "discovered" by a Spanish-speaker long before the pilgrims came over?
If the current language dispute wasn’t so serious, it would be right up there with "Comedy Central" for being funny. Wow! . . .out of 300 million people in the United States of America — there are around 215 million who speak English. Well, shut your mouth!
But I’m talkin’ ’bout Shaft!
Since when does a nation who taught their children to speak English fluently need to verify and have a vote in the Senate to make the language official? Only in America! . . .can these bizarre things keep happening.
If English is the official language of the United States, then someone really ought to warn Kaye. I’m worried that people will think she’s some kind of commie subversive if they hear her speaking in Groganese.
According to some of the suggestions being proposed by our illustrious government — all illegal immigrants if they want to become legal citizens they are going to have to learn English, and forget about singing the National Anthem in Spanish. In other words, learn English or else! . . .or else what? I guess everyone not learning to speak English in a certain length of time will be sent to the back of the class. Then what? Heaven knows — deportation is out of the question!
No kidding. Otherwise, Kaye would be deported back to Groganstan.
We have 100 United States Senators speaking English as they are passing laws (mostly bad laws) in America, while supposedly representing Americans. And yet it’s racist to expect English to be the national language? For heaven’s sake! . . . what’s next? On second thought — forget I asked!
I was going to count all the punctuation errors in this piece, but I’ve had to stop because I have no idea what number comes after 999 katrillion gajillion.
Hey! . . .you’re either for the American culture or you’re against it. You’re either an American in every true sense of the word or somewhere in-between — which translates into troublemakers.
I.e., shifty dark-skinned people.
And if you’re going to be a United States Senator, House Representative or President of the United States — you should put the needs of the American citizens first. You can’t straddle the fence on these issues, and expect the majority to keep electing you to serve them.
And that’s just my opinion!
My new pet cause is getting Kaye Grogan deported until she learns English.