In spite of earlier posts, I find I cannot ignore the talent that was Micheal Jackson.
I hope he is happy and in a better place....
Saturday, June 27, 2009
RI Legislators Once AGAIN Proving their Irresponsibility
from Projo.com 06-27-09
“We worry about House business. We are still going to continue to work,” House Speaker William J. Murphy said through a spokesman.
The House’s small but steadfast Republican opposition, meanwhile, offered harsh words over the breakneck pace and lack of a schedule. When the day began, the House had 142 items on its agenda, with dozens more added as the hours passed.
“What you’re seeing now is passage of the bills that were previously held hostage by the speaker so he could corral the votes he needed to get the budget done,” House Minority Whip John Loughlin, R-Tiverton said as the sun set.
“… Now there is a very limited time to pay back all of those favors, so you’re seeing this tremendous crush of questionable legislation cramming out all at once. There is no reason why any of these bills couldn’t have been done in March, but for the fact that they were being held hostage by the speaker.”
What a bunch or arrogant, ignorant idiots. And RI voters ALLOw it to happen every year.
Friday, June 26, 2009
"They Want You Back"...
Ummm....
Yeah ~ SCREW the Iranian people's struggle for free elections, and their fight against an intolerant oppressive theocracy, damnit!! Michael Jackson died!!!!!
Look - I understand, to a point. He was an incredible talent, and his death is certainly unexpected. And really - I can vividly remember how great the Jackson 5 was. "I Want You Back" is one of the greatest pop songs ever. And "Thriller" was a massive influence on so many things, from music videos to MTV to theatrical pop. He was an entertainer below few others.
But c'mon!!!! There was quite a bit of freakish, scary behavior there. And he was only ABOUT to try to make a comeback. It might or might not have gone anywhere. No one even knows how he would have been received or how good he would have been. (And just WAIT - with MUCH bluster and fanfare, there will be a release of some kind of video of his rehearsal sessions for this 'comeback tour', I have no doubt..... because rust and money-grubbing-promoters NEVER sleep).
So now it's 24 hours later and, as can be seen above from the screen shots, the major "news" networks are still in full-blown tabloid mode.
I smell a fully dedicated "MJ-TV" channel in our future.....
Oh - and let it NOT be lost on anyone the pose that is being used on MS-NBC. Jesus, indeed.
Poor Farrah Fawcett.... about the only pop icon that could have usurped her in death actually did.
Monday, June 22, 2009
NEDA...
To me, a very real question is touched on in the link below.
Would any of us in the US today have the courage to stand up if we thought our government was severely wrong? Would you risk your life? Would you stand up for your belief?
I think that the writer at "Gawker" is probably right in saying that Neda will tragically now be the face of this Iranian Revolution. It remains to be seen HOW far the people will go in trying to change things, however...
All I can say is, it once again brings up some very serious contemplation points on everyone's part.
Would any of us in the US today have the courage to stand up if we thought our government was severely wrong? Would you risk your life? Would you stand up for your belief?
I think that the writer at "Gawker" is probably right in saying that Neda will tragically now be the face of this Iranian Revolution. It remains to be seen HOW far the people will go in trying to change things, however...
All I can say is, it once again brings up some very serious contemplation points on everyone's part.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Out Idiotic State Legislators at Work
Well, it's that time of year again - the end of the legislation session, and the days when Rhode Islanders have a myriad of laws suddenly shoved down our throats. This way, the elected officials don't have to hear any opinion or response from constituents, and they can of course take their summer vacations. After all, that is MUCH more important than doing an honorable job of passing thoughtful, enforceable, common sense laws.
Example 1: Outlawing Organized Pub Crawls as a result of a person being killed by a bus 5 years ago. This law will make it illegal for a group of people to g from bar t bar in an "organized" fashion. So what - they want people to now take separate cars? How is this enforceable? Or is this more of a power shift to police so that they can now easily close/regulate those establishments they wish not to be in business? This is the result of a person who fell/was pushed off a sidewalk at a corner in Newport 5 years ago. The PUB CRAWL they were on didn't kill him. A BUS did. what about the enforcement of personal responsibility? This is a thoughtless, ignorant law that was passed out of the blue on the last week of the legislative session. The state is in economic shambles and this is what they spend their time on. Are they going to stop bachelor parties? bachelorette parties where a SOBER driver of a bus or limo is hired ....you know... in a RESPONSIBLE ACT?
How do you enforce this ridiculousness? A BAR OWNER has to recognize a certain side group of people?
This sounds unconstitutional at first blush anyway.
And the simple concept of this kind of "safety legislation" angers me as a citizen.
Lawmakers outlaw pub crawls in wake of student’s death
Friday, June 12, 2009 PROJO
By Cynthia Needham Journal State House Bureau
PROVIDENCE — Five years after a college student was struck and killed by a bus during a pub crawl in Newport, Rhode Island lawmakers have voted to impose a statewide ban on such events with the onus on bar owners to enforce the rule or risk losing their liquor licenses.
What started as a low-profile proposal erupted this week into full-scale debate on civil liberties and the General Assembly’s role in legislating public behavior.
“I think we need to make it a state policy not to encourage irresponsible drunkenness,” said Rep. Charlene Lima, D-Cranston, in proposing the ban. “We need to say, this is not acceptable behavior in our state. Too often action isn’t taken until there is a tragedy, which is why we need to do this now.”
Opponents, among them Minority Leader Robert Watson, argue that tragedies happen and banning pub crawls won’t prevent them.
“The idea that you are telling me that I can’t get a bunch of friends together and go from one bar to the next flies in the face of what we believe is constitutional and our rights as citizens, not only in Rhode Island, but in America,” Watson said in the floor discussion this week.
House lawmakers approved the bill by a razor-thin 35-33 vote. The Senate gave unanimous approval to the bill on Thursday night. Once each chamber passes the other’s version they will head to the governor’s desk for his signature.
In May 2004, a 21-year-old Fairfield University student, Francis J. Marx V, fell in the path of a bus bringing University of Rhode Island students to Narragansett after a pub crawl. Months later, state lawmakers passed a bill allowing individual cities and towns to ban such drinking events, but only a few did, with Newport, Narragansett and Cranston among them.
If the statewide proposal becomes law, communities won’t have that choice, something Lima says will go a long way in keeping Rhode Islanders safer.
But critics predict the proposal will cause problems for bartenders and their establishments whose job it will be to distinguish between organized crawls and groups of friends out for a drink — risking their liquor licenses if they are wrong.
As for Marx, opponents argue that as tragic has his death may have been, he was not killed because a pub crawl happened, but because he was hit by a bus.
“What we keep trying to do in this building is control how people live their lives,” said Rep. Joseph Trillo, D-Warwick. “We try to give people common sense. You can’t legislate common sense and that’s what we keep trying to do.”
Example 1: Outlawing Organized Pub Crawls as a result of a person being killed by a bus 5 years ago. This law will make it illegal for a group of people to g from bar t bar in an "organized" fashion. So what - they want people to now take separate cars? How is this enforceable? Or is this more of a power shift to police so that they can now easily close/regulate those establishments they wish not to be in business? This is the result of a person who fell/was pushed off a sidewalk at a corner in Newport 5 years ago. The PUB CRAWL they were on didn't kill him. A BUS did. what about the enforcement of personal responsibility? This is a thoughtless, ignorant law that was passed out of the blue on the last week of the legislative session. The state is in economic shambles and this is what they spend their time on. Are they going to stop bachelor parties? bachelorette parties where a SOBER driver of a bus or limo is hired ....you know... in a RESPONSIBLE ACT?
How do you enforce this ridiculousness? A BAR OWNER has to recognize a certain side group of people?
This sounds unconstitutional at first blush anyway.
And the simple concept of this kind of "safety legislation" angers me as a citizen.
Lawmakers outlaw pub crawls in wake of student’s death
Friday, June 12, 2009 PROJO
By Cynthia Needham Journal State House Bureau
PROVIDENCE — Five years after a college student was struck and killed by a bus during a pub crawl in Newport, Rhode Island lawmakers have voted to impose a statewide ban on such events with the onus on bar owners to enforce the rule or risk losing their liquor licenses.
What started as a low-profile proposal erupted this week into full-scale debate on civil liberties and the General Assembly’s role in legislating public behavior.
“I think we need to make it a state policy not to encourage irresponsible drunkenness,” said Rep. Charlene Lima, D-Cranston, in proposing the ban. “We need to say, this is not acceptable behavior in our state. Too often action isn’t taken until there is a tragedy, which is why we need to do this now.”
Opponents, among them Minority Leader Robert Watson, argue that tragedies happen and banning pub crawls won’t prevent them.
“The idea that you are telling me that I can’t get a bunch of friends together and go from one bar to the next flies in the face of what we believe is constitutional and our rights as citizens, not only in Rhode Island, but in America,” Watson said in the floor discussion this week.
House lawmakers approved the bill by a razor-thin 35-33 vote. The Senate gave unanimous approval to the bill on Thursday night. Once each chamber passes the other’s version they will head to the governor’s desk for his signature.
In May 2004, a 21-year-old Fairfield University student, Francis J. Marx V, fell in the path of a bus bringing University of Rhode Island students to Narragansett after a pub crawl. Months later, state lawmakers passed a bill allowing individual cities and towns to ban such drinking events, but only a few did, with Newport, Narragansett and Cranston among them.
If the statewide proposal becomes law, communities won’t have that choice, something Lima says will go a long way in keeping Rhode Islanders safer.
But critics predict the proposal will cause problems for bartenders and their establishments whose job it will be to distinguish between organized crawls and groups of friends out for a drink — risking their liquor licenses if they are wrong.
As for Marx, opponents argue that as tragic has his death may have been, he was not killed because a pub crawl happened, but because he was hit by a bus.
“What we keep trying to do in this building is control how people live their lives,” said Rep. Joseph Trillo, D-Warwick. “We try to give people common sense. You can’t legislate common sense and that’s what we keep trying to do.”
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
"I Don't Want to be a Distraction..."
Ramirez visits with Dodger teammates
ESPN.com news services
LOS ANGELES -- Manny Ramirez visited his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates before their game against San Diego on Tuesday night (06/09/09), popping into the clubhouse before a home game for the first time since his suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy.
The dreadlocked slugger, who also talked to manager Joe Torre, told reporters he isn't going to formally address the media about what led to his 50-game ban because it's in the past.
"I don't want to be a distraction for this team," Ramirez said. "What happened, happened. I spoke to [owner] Frank McCourt, I apologized, I spoke to Joe, my teammates and I'm ready to move on.
"I didn't kill nobody, I didn't rape nobody, so that's it, I'm just going to come and play the game."
The fact that he spoke at all could be a problem, however. The terms of his suspension restrict him from addressing reporters, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported.
_______
I think it's awesome and incredibly thoughtful of Manny to not want to be a distraction to his team, or to baseball in general. If it wasn't for such sensitivity, empathy and consideration, that whole situation could be a mess. After all, it's not like he disappointed anyone, let anyone down, or betrayed his team. And it's not like the Dodgers had spent a lot of money to center an entire marketing campaign around him. And really - there's NO reason for him to feel the LEAST bit of pressure to answer questions about his VOLUNTEERED EXPLANATION to the media.... the one that made zero sense at all. Naaaa.
The best part is that he's not allowed to speak to the media... so what does Manny do? He speaks to the media.
Because - you see - on HIS PLANET, things are different than here.
Doesn't anyone get that?
ESPN.com news services
LOS ANGELES -- Manny Ramirez visited his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates before their game against San Diego on Tuesday night (06/09/09), popping into the clubhouse before a home game for the first time since his suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy.
The dreadlocked slugger, who also talked to manager Joe Torre, told reporters he isn't going to formally address the media about what led to his 50-game ban because it's in the past.
"I don't want to be a distraction for this team," Ramirez said. "What happened, happened. I spoke to [owner] Frank McCourt, I apologized, I spoke to Joe, my teammates and I'm ready to move on.
"I didn't kill nobody, I didn't rape nobody, so that's it, I'm just going to come and play the game."
The fact that he spoke at all could be a problem, however. The terms of his suspension restrict him from addressing reporters, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported.
_______
I think it's awesome and incredibly thoughtful of Manny to not want to be a distraction to his team, or to baseball in general. If it wasn't for such sensitivity, empathy and consideration, that whole situation could be a mess. After all, it's not like he disappointed anyone, let anyone down, or betrayed his team. And it's not like the Dodgers had spent a lot of money to center an entire marketing campaign around him. And really - there's NO reason for him to feel the LEAST bit of pressure to answer questions about his VOLUNTEERED EXPLANATION to the media.... the one that made zero sense at all. Naaaa.
The best part is that he's not allowed to speak to the media... so what does Manny do? He speaks to the media.
Because - you see - on HIS PLANET, things are different than here.
Doesn't anyone get that?
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Point of KNOW Return...
(Apologies to the band KANSAS for the Headline)
CNN.COM 06/02/09
Excerpt from and interview with the CFO of GM regarding their current position, and plans moving forward (the bold highlight is mine):
"....Kiran Chetry (CNN): Under the restructuring plan, the government will give the company $30 billion additional in taxpayer money, amounting to $50 billion so far. It’s the largest amount, besides AIG, dolled out by the government. In a nutshell, can you explain what went so wrong for General Motors?
Ray Young (GM CFO): Kiran, we admit there have been errors in the past that we’ve made at General Motors. We’ve had a lot of extra excess costs, excess capacity over the years. We’ve got…defined benefit obligations that have really hurt us in the balance sheet. But going forward, Kiran, we’re going to learn from our mistakes. And we’ve been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to restructure the balance sheet, to shed a lot of our extra capacity, extra costs, and move forward with a profitable new General Motors that’s going to be smaller but more focused with four core brands and with a cost structure that is very, very efficient...."
Noooo...... WRONG. And arrogant. GM's "once in a lifetime opportunity" was back in the late 1970's, when they INITIALLY weren't able to compete in the auto market. By not looking ahead, learning the lessons of the day, and becoming VIABLY competitive then, they merely set the stage for this debacle.
How DARE you?!! Any intelligent person could see that for the past 30 YEARS, the American auto industry was not learning or changing to maintain viability. Sure - build those massive, inefficient trucks and focus sales and marketing on the SUV. It goes beyond "being green". It screams of short sightedness. Pollution, and the simple fact that were were more and more dependant on a dwindling, finite fuel made that business plan arrogant and idiotic. Did NO ONE look at the path of American manufacturing of ANYTHING and take heed?
"But Americans WANT big cars...." Then you sucked at salesmanship.
And now we "have" to help in order to prevent unfathomable unemployment and a cascading landslide of wrecked businesses, communities and lives.
Thanks for being such crappy business people. Let's see... here's a concept that doesn't make sense to a 2 years old: People want to pay NOTHING for a big, huge truck or monster SUV, and yet work for the company that MAKES these vehicles and receive full pensions, not contribute to their health benefits and make massive wages.
Stupid fools.
You HAD your once in a lifetime opportunity - and you screwed the pooch.
CNN.COM 06/02/09
Excerpt from and interview with the CFO of GM regarding their current position, and plans moving forward (the bold highlight is mine):
"....Kiran Chetry (CNN): Under the restructuring plan, the government will give the company $30 billion additional in taxpayer money, amounting to $50 billion so far. It’s the largest amount, besides AIG, dolled out by the government. In a nutshell, can you explain what went so wrong for General Motors?
Ray Young (GM CFO): Kiran, we admit there have been errors in the past that we’ve made at General Motors. We’ve had a lot of extra excess costs, excess capacity over the years. We’ve got…defined benefit obligations that have really hurt us in the balance sheet. But going forward, Kiran, we’re going to learn from our mistakes. And we’ve been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to restructure the balance sheet, to shed a lot of our extra capacity, extra costs, and move forward with a profitable new General Motors that’s going to be smaller but more focused with four core brands and with a cost structure that is very, very efficient...."
Noooo...... WRONG. And arrogant. GM's "once in a lifetime opportunity" was back in the late 1970's, when they INITIALLY weren't able to compete in the auto market. By not looking ahead, learning the lessons of the day, and becoming VIABLY competitive then, they merely set the stage for this debacle.
How DARE you?!! Any intelligent person could see that for the past 30 YEARS, the American auto industry was not learning or changing to maintain viability. Sure - build those massive, inefficient trucks and focus sales and marketing on the SUV. It goes beyond "being green". It screams of short sightedness. Pollution, and the simple fact that were were more and more dependant on a dwindling, finite fuel made that business plan arrogant and idiotic. Did NO ONE look at the path of American manufacturing of ANYTHING and take heed?
"But Americans WANT big cars...." Then you sucked at salesmanship.
And now we "have" to help in order to prevent unfathomable unemployment and a cascading landslide of wrecked businesses, communities and lives.
Thanks for being such crappy business people. Let's see... here's a concept that doesn't make sense to a 2 years old: People want to pay NOTHING for a big, huge truck or monster SUV, and yet work for the company that MAKES these vehicles and receive full pensions, not contribute to their health benefits and make massive wages.
Stupid fools.
You HAD your once in a lifetime opportunity - and you screwed the pooch.
No, No, NOOOOOOO!!!!
GREAT. SUPER. EXCELLENT.The newest from Red Sox marketing.
I can't take it.
Seriously? SERIOUSLY???!!!
Please, PLEASE STOP.
Oh, and to top it off? It's a 'scratch & sniff"
Just shoot me now.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Today, from CNN.COM, through Life Magazine, 5 previously unpublished pictures of Marilyn Monroe emerged. they were apparently taken in 1950, when she was primarily known as a model only, and were never used in any story or on a cover.
Obviously MM was quite beautiful, but I was so struck by this picture of her.... to me it portrays her so differently than the thousands of other images that have been shown of her. I don't know why ~ I have never really been a huge MM fan per say, but this new picture is different. Maybe part of it is knowing that this was before her life was so changed by stardom, excess and exploitation.
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