When Payback is a B*tch for Clinton

THE SURVIVOR: BILL CLINTON IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

About the book:

Instead, he (the author) views Clinton as an insecure, needy man whose frequent shifts in direction and self-destructive behavior reflected not cunning but utter lack of self-control. He also sees Clinton as growing in strength, self-confidence and wisdom over his eight years in office, and praises his courage in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Kosovo. On terrorism, Harris offers a mixed verdict, crediting Clinton with recognizing the growing threat posed by al-Qaeda and expanding U.S. efforts against it while acknowledging the inadequacy of those efforts. 16 pages of photos not seen by PW.

Quotes from the book:

--Bill Clinton was so upset that his weight-loss regimen in 2000 was not working that he made his aides release a bogus number after his annual Navy physical to make him five pounds lighter. (pg. 394)

--Hillary taunted her husband's aides as being wimps by not fighting hard enough on Whitewater - "JFK had real men in his White House!" (pg. 108)

--Tipper Gore was so disgusted in 2000 with Bill and Hillary that she stayed cloistered in a holding room instead of going to a New York reception with major Democratic fund-raisers where the Clintons would be. "No, I'm not doing it," she snapped to an aide. "I'm not going out there with that man."

--The first conversation between Clinton and Gore after the Lewinsky story broke. Clinton is shouting at Gore, "This is a fu*king coup d'etat!" Gore just stared back blankly. (pg 313)

--Former White House counter-terrorism chief Richard Clarke on the record hitting Clinton for not having the guts to fire FBI director Louis Freeh, who Clarke called a major obstacle on anti-terrorism policy. "He should have just fired Freeh and taken the sh*t it would have caused." (pg. 408)


Hat tip: Drudge Report.



Of course, you would believe in the fake Bush memo and how Bush "lied" (Clinton would by lying as well about the same intelligence that President G.W. Bush received) but not this? So, that's how a Liberal mind works? But seeing how he messed up with the whole Lewinsky affair, his action alone has given us a glimpse of Clinton's mind and self-destructive (and inadequacies) behaviors.

Let the back-peddling and scorn begin from the Clintons. How much of this is true? And how much of this is false? Really, that's up to you to decide and believe (or deny).

America Supports You - Memorial Day

Let's remember the troops past and present for the Memorial Day weekend. Click on the link below and see what you can do to contribute.


http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/


God bless America and the troops.

Semper Fi!

Beethoven's Nightmare - A Deaf Band......seriously.

After 30 years a well known Deaf band called Beethoven's Nightmare has finally produced a CD with the label "Turn It Up Louder!" in their debut CD splash this week at their release party in Hawaii:

The CD, which is the first known in the world to feature an all-deaf rock band, is another milestone for Hawaii-based Beethoven's Nightmare, which has played venues around the United States and wowed audiences and record executives alike.

"After 30 years, it's finally paid off," said Ed Chevy, the band's bassist and an American Sign Language teacher, at a CD release party yesterday in Hawaii Public Radio's Atherton Studio. "We want to say music is a universal language. ... This kind of music helps us express ourselves."

You can go here to watch their video clip story in ASL on how their band came about and listen to some samples of their rock music as well. Read an article here about the band in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin in 2003. Also here, here and here.

Even though I've been playing the piano ever since I was 7 I love how Bruce Hornsby plays his paino piece. His best piece? "The Way It Is." I prefer solo piano pieces. But as for Beethoven's Nightmare, rock on!

E-Rated Movies Are Coming

“E” or “Everyone” rated movies are becoming popular along with the growing demand for personalized, edited movies for private family viewings. There is a very good article I uncovered that was written in March 2004 regarding the personal movie-editing concept (e.g. Clearplay) and why this sort of thing is hugely popular among families for their own PRIVATE VIEWING only. WARNING: 12 pages long but chockfull of useful technical and legal questions and answers.

What Hollywood is not thinking (and people who scream bloody murder about Clearplay and other similar companies) is that this editing tool can only increase the number of video sales. This can only mean more money for Hollywood. And Hollywood loves money.

Parents oftentime face a dilemma on buying or renting a movie. Whether it’s PG, PG-13 or R-rated movies parents are unsure of the type of questionable content in a movie or when it will pop up while watching it. This could pose a thorny problem of wanting to gather around a television with their popcorns and drinks, and kids in tow. A family setting. With ClearPlay, for example, parents can now have a choice in controlling certain objectionable contents.

Steve Hiner, a parent, makes a good point regarding the editing of DVD movies for their own PERSONAL FAMILY VIEWING:

Take the little known film Shrek. Great movie. I absolutely love it. My kids would love it. Unfortunately they use some language in it that I'd rather not add into my kid's vocabulary. Lest you think "Shrek was totally clean" the word "damn" occurs at least 5 times in the background music as well as a smattering of other less offensive words. I know because I'm the guy that added the masking to that part of Shrek.

If I want to take my copy of SpiderMan and create a mask for it in MovieMask Designer why is that a problem? How can that possibly violate the copyright of the original movie makers? Would you honestly argue that I was violating copyright when I used the DVD remote to let my kids watch certain parts of SpiderMan? Was it a violation for me to hit mute when I knew someone was going to cuss? Should remote controls be outlawed because they allow us to experience media in a way other than the original form?Next time you're channel surfing I suggest you don't. If you see part of a show and decide you don't want to watch it then change channels you must have just violated the copyright of the first show - that director intended you to watch the whole stuipd show, how dare you edit out the entire end of the show!

And lo and behold, Shrek is a PG-rated movie. Who knew the word “damn” would appear that many times? Is this not a children movie as well, even though many of the skits involved could only be understood by older children and adults? Now, lest you think that Disney was marketing this movie aimed mostly at adults, you’re sorely mistakened as you can see in the eBay results.

Eventually the contents in the second Shrek movie called “Shrek2” have gotten even more questionable according to certain family-oriented groups noting the cross-dressing character, Pinocchio lying about wearing women’s underwear and certain language all under the guise of a "kids-friendly-rating.”


According to one study regarding children’s exposure to questionable materials and the effects.

“Children's exposure to violence, sexual themes, profanity, and the depiction of substances in movies remains a source of parental and public health concern. However, limited research quantifies the correlations between movie content, ratings, and economics or addresses the issue of ratings "creep."

Parents and physicians should be aware that movies with the same rating can differ significantly in the amount and types of potentially objectionable content. Age-based ratings alone do not provide good information about the depiction of violence, sex, profanity, and other content, and the criteria for rating movies became less stringent over the last decade. The MPAA rating reasons provide important information about content, but they do not identify all types of content found in films and they may particularly miss the depiction of substances.

One company called “MovieMask” which is similar to ClearPlay, allows consumers to “select incrementally their own comfort levels in terms of violence, language and adult content.

[For example,] [v]iewers can retain violence, but tone down sexual content," thus changing an R-rated film "into a G-rating or anything in between." To create a "Movie Mask," Trilogy's technicians "scan films frame-by-frame, [using the film's time code to] create templates, or 'masks,' that skip [or augment] certain frames depending on the viewer's choice." Like ClearPlay, MovieMask offers broad categories of content filters ("Language," "Violence" and "Adult Themes"), which its users can control; MovieMask allows viewers to further manipulate these categories by choosing among four "ratings" that adjust the film's content to suit viewers of various ages. Once a consumer purchases and downloads the "MovieMask Player," her computer scans the Internet each time she inserts a movie into her computer's DVD drive, to determine whether a "mask" exists for that film. If a "mask" is located, a menu pops up and asks whether the viewer wants to reduce the rating of the movie. One click accomplishes this task. The software plays along with the movie [and the mask] remov[es] the objectionable parts but leav[es] the DVD unaltered.

Each movie requires a custom mask; if the mask isn't already loaded on the [computer], the software will automatically use the Internet to grab a mask from an online library created and maintained by Trilogy. Thus, MovieMask is even more interactive than ClearPlay.

First, its default presumption is that the viewer wishes to view an unedited film, unless and until the viewer applies specific filters. Second, the viewer must repeat this "masking" process each time she views a film.

MovieMask's editors have created nearly 600 "masks," which are functionally identical to ClearPlay's "filters"-with two significant exceptions. First, in addition to skipping and muting certain scenes, MovieMask's additive technology can "produce[] graphics on the TV screen to mask out naughty bits," or insert voiceovers into the original film, thereby altering either the on-screen image or the dialogue but leaving the rest of the scene in place.

For example, "[t]he mask for 'Titanic' tastefully dresses Kate Winslet in a corset as she poses for a drawing, removing the nudity but leaving the scene [otherwise] intact." Similarly, in the "masked" version of The Matrix "guards [are] riddled with cartoon-like splashes [of green goo] instead of blood-splattering bullets." Other masks transformed a swordfight in The Princess Bride (PG-rating) into a light-saber battle, and synchronized Jack Nicholson's lips in A Few Good Men with a voiceover that substituted "you funny people" for a far more colorful rant.

In fact, MovieMask's additive CVP technology can do far more than shield nudity, language, and violence, or "make a New York skyline resemble Tokyo." Trilogy has explored other commercial uses for MovieMask and purportedly has "inked a deal with a product placement company to digitally insert graphics-cereal boxes, soda cans, Bibles-into films, possibly even tailoring the images for regional audiences."

However, MovieMask is presently out of business and “Skooby” (owner) explains why on September 28, 2004:

Dear Friends,
We regret to inform everyone that we can no longer be able to provide MovieMask or TVG Vision as a service. We sincerely thank everyone for all that they have done, we appreciate and with our hearts in our hands thank you.

This is due to licensing issues, that we are unable to proceed currently. This hurts us deeply, mainly because our DVD product line looks very promising. Hopefully as time progresses doors will be opened, and we will be able to bring this much needed technology to families that are waiting for this service.
Warm Regards,
David “Skooby” Clayton

According to the article as of March 2004,

Over the past five years, this mom-and-pop endeavor has evolved into big business. Presently there are more than ten companies offering edited movies in various media formats both in stores and via the Internet;" what began as a Utah phenomenon now reaches consumers in all fifty states.

This is big business and will only get bigger over time. The ClearPlay concept is not the end but a beginning on consumer’s right regarding content control of movies for personal family viewing. What’s more, it would be a win-win situation for Hollywood since they can generate more sales while families have editing control over contents for their personal viewing pleasures. Both sides are happy. Both sides win. Unfortunately, it’s Hollywood that’s being stubborn and anybody else who sides with Hollywood.

All the more reason to have a movie-editing tool such as Clearplay to help weed out unwanted contents in movies (especially PG-rated movies). Editorial control by parents with kids provide a source of peace of mind in a family gathering scenario. There is nothing illegal about parents wanting to have editorial control over a movie’s content but rather a source of responsibility on making sure their children do not watch or hear unnecessary contents when Hollywood has a history of sneaking in such contents despite the innocent rating of PG (or even a "G" rating in some cases.).

There are two parents...those who will let kids watch all kinds of filthy trash without even ascertaining the age-appropriateness for kids, and then you have responsible parents who try and screen movies because they know of Hollywood's sneaky disposition to slip in questionable contents in a movie.

Responsibility boils down to the parents with kids whether they all sit down and watch a movie together or not. And for those without kids, you might want to keep your opinions to yourselves if you cannot respect the parents' wish.

And maybe one day parents will have content control on movies bought for private viewings where parents can superimpose somebody else's face (oh, say Bill Clinton for example) over Sith's. That way children will be able to understand exactly what "evil" is all about.

If you didn't have any humor by the time you read this....lighten up.

Is David Horsey a Racist?

Maybe it's my imagination but isn't David Horsey making fun of black's appearances by drawing a bald-headed, nostrils flaring, floppy Spock-like ears, low and furrowed but jutted brow black person speaking in a near-Eubonic language who like to sodomize people with a screwdriver???

I think he made a faux-pas Freudian slip for all to see.

"Crab Theory" Raises Its Ugly Head, Again.

Just a note here for those who may not know what “Crab Theory” is. The definition is described in a report called “Review of Deaf Mental Health Services in British Columbia” by Linda D. Hill, Ph.D.and Patricia Nelson, MA.

The tendency of members of an oppressed group to use criticism, pressure, gossip, and in-fighting against group members who appear to be too successful or whoappear to be becoming too much like the members of the dominant group.(pg 41).

Also, from the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center offers important legal information about “Crab Theory”:

FIGHTING CRAB THEORY INVOLVES TORT LAW
In the law, a "tort" is private wrongdoing not arising out of contract, and the twin torts of libel and slander make up the general tort category of defamation of character. In general, libel is written and slander is oral, although it is likely that broadcast defamation would be considered libel in California because of the serious potential for harm to reputation resulting from widespread dissemination of a defamatory statement.

The crux of a libel or slander claim is a false statement that damages a person's reputation. Therefore, both libel and slander require that the statement in question have been communicated to at least one person other than the person who made the statement and the person about whom it was made. Thus, it is not possible to sue for defamation if the statement was heard or seen only by the person about whom it was made. This rule is called the "publication" requirement, and the term is used even in slander cases which involved oral statements. If a person repeats a defamatory statement originally made by another, the repeater can be liable for "republication."

For those who insist on talking about specific private individuals publicly (even anonymously) in the blogosphere in the classic Deaf display of gossiping and back-stabbing, they’re no better than the maturity of 10-12-year olds (with a 4th grade equivalency level btw) who insist on throwing temper tantrums rather than show respect to other people’s opinions (i.e. “agree to disagree”). Or sometime they refuse to simply let go of the past by blaming and accusing everybody under the sun using the irrational display of playing the professonal victim (ie "Woe is me") hoping to elicit sympathies from those who don't know better. Cap your ego and move on is what I'd say.

These people (you'll know who they are once you see their actions or writings) who are part of the whole "Crab Theory" gang either have seriously misconstrued the whole context of my blogs, have a grudge, are jealous, have a certain fantasy or delusion believing it’s true about what I do or believe, or perhaps they have a certain chemical imbalance in their system skewing their own perception and forgot to take their medication. And yet it never occurred to them to ask for clarification instead.

*Clap* *Clap* *Clap* *Clap* (rather weakly)

I applaud people’s efforts in making themselves that much more transparent who must, must!, do these things in the blogosphere. If that's what makes them feel better about themselves, they can certainly go ahead and knock themselves out guffawing and back slapping each other. Congratulations. But who am I to whine about? I have absolutely no interest in being a part of this “Crab Theory” mentality. I would rather applaud (and encourage) the successes of deaf, Deaf, hard of hearing people who have overcome adversity in a hearing dominated world. I've applauded and encouraged those people in my blog pieces here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here (btw, one Deaf person cruelly laughed at this one...sicko).

The simple concept of showing support towards individuals who are trying to make their lives better is sorely lacking among the large majority of deaf, Deaf and hard of hearing blogosphere. You are either a part of the solution or you are a part of the problem. Blaming and harassing people (especially among themselves) simply do not help the situation. Doing so, you become a part of the problem. My hats off to you.

Sticks and stones...as the old saying goes. Learn from it folks. That goes for me, too.

Solar and Nanotechnology

One of these days we'll have solar cells that you can actually paint on a surface someday. Perhaps a car where the efficient use of electricity from solar paint would allow continual charge and battery storage for a true fast and long driving, electric car.

For now a company called Nanosolar has produced a method to print solar cells instead. It's all a matter of taking advantage of nanotechnology here in the United States. What many do not know is that President Clinton signed the National Nanotechnology Initiative jump started nanotechnology research. Just about the only smart thing President Clinton ever did in his 8 years as President.

I've always been interested in solar cells. And nanotechnology. Now, the two are merging together to make solar cell PV cheap and plentiful.

On solar technology, nanotechnology will be the answer:

THE HOLY Grail of researchers in the field of solar photovoltaic (SPV) electricity is to generate it at a lower cost than that of grid electricity. The goal now seems to be within reach.A Palo Alto (California ) start up, named Nanosolar Inc., founded in 2002, claims that it has developed a commercial scale technology that can deliver solar electricity at 5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Molecular self-assembly - The breakthrough has come through the application of nanotechnology to create components via molecular self-assembly, including quantum dots (10nm large nanoparticles) aswell as nanotemplates with structural order extending through all three dimensions.

In addition, Nanosolar has demonstrated that the three dimensionally engineered nanotemplates can be conformally coated or solidly filled with semiconductor paint to create ultra-thin solar cells with layers that are yet another factor 100x thinner than conventional thin-film amorphous silicon solar cells. This allows a 10x larger surface area of these structures to be used to achieve a 10x increase in efficiency for such thin layers, thus making it possible to use even less material for similarly efficient cells. Conventional inorganic semiconductors tend to require intricate processing to ensure large grains of crystallinity (in the extreme case: mono-crystallinity) so that charges can travel hundreds of nanometres without getting trapped and lost (at
internal crystal boundaries).

The 3D nanocomposite architecture of the ultra-thin-absorber cells makes possible absorption of a substantial fraction of the incoming sunlight despite the ultra-thin layers since the charges need to be transported only several nanometres without much opportunity for a loss. This means the requirements on the semiconductor material can be relaxed and low cost materials such as inorganic semiconductors of the IIb/VIa and Ib/IIIa/VIa families as well as solution-coatable organic semiconductors can be used.

Lower cost according to the CEO, Martin Roscheisen, the conversion efficiency (percentage of incident light energy converted to electrical energy) of the Nanosolar SPV cell is above 12 per cent for its first product prototypes. He claims that the Nanosolar SPV cell costs only $ 0.36 per peak watt.

The semiconductor paint can be applied to a flexible substrate, such as a polymer sheet , through a simple web printing process, to create an array of ultra-thin solar cells. Nanosolar has developed proprietary substrate technology that keeps the substrate cost within a smaller fraction of the overall product cost than any other state-of-the-art thin-film solar cell technology. The company has also developed a powerful new way of interconnecting individual solar cells into larger modules and large-area sheets and allows high-throughput module assembly at high yield. The flagship product, Nanosolar SolarPly, is a 14 feet x 10 feet solar electricity module delivering 120 watts per square inch at 110V. The company is now offering solar panels at below $1 per peak watt. The Nanosolar team, headed by CEO Martin Roscheisen (listed by Fortune in 2003 among the top ten U.S. entrepreneurs below 40 years of age), has some top-notch Indian technologists assisting it.

Hey, what better way than to take advantage of the sun's energy? Of course, the National Nanotechnology Initiative will also help defense as well. Watch out for the "Grey Goo".

FEC Set to Regulate Bloggers on Political Commentaries?

From La Shawn Barber and reminder to us all:

You may recall back in March we learned that the FEC was considering new rules that would regulate political communication on the Internet under the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform law, which means that bloggers would be subject to the regulations as well. Political blogging (news and commentary) and linking to political sites could be considered campaign activity. Such regulations would seriously curtail the flow of free expression in political debates and discussions.

There is an online petition where bloggers can object to this FEC plan. Go to the link and file your protest. Time is running out. The public comment period for the FEC's proposed rulemaking regarding your freedom online ends on June 3rd

When a Liberal Left Dissent and Moves to the Right

Keith Thompson, writer for the San Fransisco Chronicle, put it succinctly as to why he's leaving the left:

Leaving the left I can no longer abide the simpering voices of self styled progressives -- people who once championed solidarity.

And what was the championed solidarity that the Left lacked (actually they've lacked this ever since the Abraham Lincoln days)? He gives one sobering example (and a big reason why the Left lost the election, too):

Eight-million Iraqi voters have finished risking their lives to endorse freedom and defy fascism. Three things happen in rapid succession. The right cheers. The left demurs. I walk away from a long-term intimate relationship. I'm separating not from a person but a cause: the political philosophy that for more than three decades has shaped my character and consciousness, my sense of self and community, even my sense of cosmos. I'm leaving the left -- more precisely, the American cultural left and what it has become during our time
together.

And he makes a good appeal on his decision to move to the right:

My estrangement hasn't happened overnight. Out of the corner of my eye I watched what was coming for more than three decades, yet refused to truly see. Now it's all too obvious. Leading voices in America's "peace" movement are actually cheering against self determination for a long-suffering Third World country because they hate George W. Bush more than they love freedom.

This is what the Republican right has stood for...freedom. This has been the number one idealogy of the right (mostly). The Left continues to trap themselves (thanks Howard Dean!) in their march toward socialistic ideals instead who would rather control you and your minds, instead.

Thank God for the men and women in the Armed Forces who have helped set root on Freedom around the world.

Welcome home Keith Thompson, the prodigal son.

Now, when it comes to supporting Freedom this is what Democrat Zell Miller has warned us about:

I can remember when Democrats believed it was the duty of America to fight for freedom over tyranny.

Common sense certainly prevailed here.

Semper Fi.

The Execution of Homosexuals and Others in Muslim-Run Countries

It's really ironic when certain Americans complain about America's "injustice" toward our own Islamic believers when they don't take their heads out of the sand to see real injustice ocurring all the time in Muslim-run and government controlled countries. I'm not talking about injustice against Christians, y'all just yawn to that for obvious reasons but yet many people do not want to acknowledge that these countries do persecute those not up to their ideals, including gays, druggies, those who commit infidelity, apostasy, Christian believers, other religious groups, political dissenters and so on where harsh prison sentences and, most often, executions do take place.

In Saudi Arabia on April 16, 2001, five homosexuals were sentenced to 2,600 lashes and 6 years in prison, and four others to 2,400 lashes and 5 years’ imprisonment for “deviant sexual behavior.” Amnesty International subsequently reported that six men were executed on charges of deviant sexual behavior, some of which were related to their sexual orientation, but it was uncertain whether the six men who were executed were among the nine who were sentenced to flogging and imprisonment in April.

According to Amnesty International, at least three homosexual men and two lesbians were publicly beheaded in January 1990. The Islamic Penal Law Against Homosexuals, approved in July 1991 and ratified in November of that year, is simple. Article 110: “Punishment for sodomy is killing; the Sharia judge decides on how to carry out the killing.” Article 129: “Punishment for lesbianism is one hundred (100) lashes for each party.” Article 131: “If the act of lesbianism is repeated three times and punishment is enforced each time, the death sentence will be issued the fourth time.”

It's funny to watch how many American gays and hippies scream bloody murder about Guatanamo Bay and the koran but turn a blind eye on what these Muslim-run countries do to their own gays, apostastics, or drug happy citizens. Do these Americans hold up the koran and its culture on a pedestal and proclaim support for while wanting to defile and spit on the Bible at the same time? Check out Part II of Newsweek reporting on the koran debacle. At least they are a bit more forth-coming this time.

These yahoo Americans should be so lucky to be in America where such cultural attitudes or trendy events won't get them jailed for life, have their hands cut off or, worst, executed. And they whine about "persecution"? Please, set your head on straight for once.

If they want real persecution, move to a Muslim-run country and you'll find out real quick what persecution means. Most Americans know better but the few sadly do not and would rather put America at risk by turning a blind eye on the koran and its culture of hate and love for death. They live in a fantasy world playing the professional victim in America. How droll.

They should be so lucky to be able have their freedom of expresssion and speech here in America. That's why America is called the "land of the free." Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-run country cannot claim this. Straight away anybody with common sense can see which practices are the most dangerous. Even now, the GLBT group is starting an awareness "campaign" on this practices in Muslim-run and government controlled countries. Good for them.

Count yourselves very fortunate to be living in America.

Don't like it? Move if you believe in "peace" loving Muslims in those countries that purport to be "tolerant." Hardly.

We give thanks daily to the men and women in the Armed Forces to help protect America. They're the heros. God bless them. Others who complain about the troops, about America, and those who purposely seek to undermine the security of America are cowards and would rather hold bitch sessions or complain about "stolen" ideas instead. All for naught and would rather see America succumb first.


Semper Fi.

Pity for Saddam? Think Again. And the koran? So What?

Oh, now Saddam is going to sue the Sun and Post for a picture of him in his skivvies (among others) released to the public yesterday. Please, cry me a river. And they say pictures of Saddam violate the Geneva Conventions? Oh, please. Liberals cry more about humiliation (e.g. underwear on prisoners head, picture of prisoners in their undies) than innocent individuals who were brutally decapitated by sawing their heads off by fanatical, wacko terrorists. Maybe Michael Moore need to visit this country called "Iraq" for a change?

And another thing, this koran incident, Newsweek is making this a big ado out of nothing knowing that this sort of thing would instigate violence among limp-wristed, overly sensitive fanatical Muslims. They knew this would happen and lied about the whole thing. Well, if the story weren't a lie then they wouldn't have retracted their story in the first place. Nuff said.

And there is a double standard when somebody does desescrate a copy of the Bible, koran, Talmud or other religious documents from around world in the United States as part of our freedom of expression (which is fine, we may shake our heads tho') by burning, spitting, tearing, crapping on, flushing it down the toilet or sewer, or whatever your heart desires. This is what makes America great. You should be so lucky. Whiners they are.

But, when it comes to the koran, they go into a frenzy demanding "death to America" or that New York City be bombed. And yet in their own countries they have very, very strick laws against desescrating the koran such as burning where penalties range from life sentences to death. Even for the act of displaying pictures, even if its fake, of a koran on fire on a computer will get you jail time. Or any other ways of desescrating the koran will they chase you down and kill you. Yet Liberals don't complain about this. Typical mindset.

I can do whatever I want if I want to express my opinion, including the koran, however I want. This is America. Stop wringing your hands in fear.

And for people who complain about the "lack of" freedom of speech or expression here in America, and complain they are a victim playing the professional victim? They whine about the treatment of Abu Ghraib prisoners? And Guatanamo Bay, too? Heck, even Saddam got better quarters than the soldiers guarding him. But Liberals hardly ever show any kind of support toward our own people and troops.

Liberals do everything in their power to make America weaker wringing their hands in fear because we're a superpower? And they're afraid that we might hurt our neighbors' feelings? Oh, please! You guys have absolutely NO SPINE! No wonder they want socialism. No wonder they want dumb down grades because kids not smart enough will feel "inferior." They're a bunch of limp-wristed, spineless, whiny bunch of yahoos.

You people are a bunch of effin

HYPOCRITICAL

IMBECILES!!


Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak.

You know who you are when you read this.

Move to Pakistan, India or any of the numerous fanatical Islamic countries, or Mexico or Canada, if you think America is so bad where many have died in wars and struggles to ensure that we get to enjoy our freedom in America.


Semper Fi!


Ok, back to our regularly scheduled program.

UPDATE: If you came here via Banjo's post then let it be known that Banjo is an idiot for twisting things about myself regarding human rights.  It's one thing when pictures of prisoners in underwear versus actual physical abuse and torture of prisoners to the point of sawing their heads off on video to be distributed through the internet. That makes him a moron who can't see the difference when it comes to respecting women's right who are abused daily in Islamic countries and sawing people heads off in delight by terrorists morons to that of those who got caught in a picture with his underwear on. Grow some balls, Banjo.

Can Clearplay Give Parental Controls On Political Hate Speech Seen In Movies? Sith Begone!

This "Sith" character I've been hearing about has been getting alot of attention in the blogosphere. The quote heard in the latest Star Wars movie - "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith" was heard as uttered from the Sith character's mouth while he hissed,

"If you're not with me, then you're my enemy,"

Nearly exacting the same quote on what President Bush said about the 9/11 in his September 20, 2001 Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People,

"Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

So, I guess that makes this Sith character a bonafide terrorist? A rhetorical question there. Sith said "enemy" while President Bush said "terrorists" at the end of their quote. I don't exactly see Sith as a peace-loving dude but would rather want to take over the world, even the galaxy where evil can truly reign to cause more suffering on the scale equivalent to beheading and torturing innocent people. President Bush want to enable people on the ability to protect themselves from tyranny and abuse. Something that Sith doesn't want to see that happening. And we see fans hooting in the movie theater hearing Sith's quote makes them terrorist sympathizers as well? Don't answer that one, either. It's just another rhetorical question there.

Now, this brings me to a company called Clearplay. ClearPlay has a device that works with any regular versions of movies (rented or owned) not altered. You then select which types of content (e.g. violence, language, sexual content) you want filtered while you watch. An ultimate Parental control device.

Back in April of this year President Bush signed the "Family Entertainment and Copyright Act," which creates an exemption in copyright laws to make sure companies selling filtering technology won't get sued out of existence.

However, movie companies were decrying this move.

Critics of the bill have argued it was aimed at helping one company, Utah-based ClearPlay Inc., whose technology is used in some DVD players. ClearPlay sells filters for hundreds of movies that can be added to such DVD players for $4.95 each month. Hollywood executives maintain that ClearPlay should pay them licensing fees for altering their creative efforts.

Ok. Now you're probably wondering where I'm getting at. Since Clearplay gives Parents or anybody else a control on contents in a DVD movie by selecting one of the filtering requirements (e.g. sex, language, violence) so that the whole family, for example, can watch and enjoy a movie without worrying about unnecesary or uncomfortable contents not conducive to a family setting. I'm thinking if Clearplay (or other similar companies) has a device with this kind of edit control, can certain political comments such as Sith's be able to be edited as well?

Now, I am not sure how many movies of the past, if any, inserted similar political comments such as Lucas did. Perhaps somebody more knowledgeable will contact me on this aspect.

Now, if a company/person can produce a Foxblocker device for stoopid people who have the inability to skip Foxnews cable, why not produce a device where anybody can have direct, piecemeal editorial control of any particular political comment said in a movie by deleting or skipping it? This is not about sitcoms or cable shows that have these anti-Bush themes to it where I can easily not watch it such as Whoopi's really dumb show (which, btw, bombed horribly last year). Sitcoms were used as avenues to express their distaste toward certain politicians (in this case, President Bush) or rant about Republican's idealogues for some time. Something that the Liberals have been trying, without much success (remember, John Kerry lost the election) and now enters blockbuster movies where directors or producers will want to insert certain political statements.

"As you go through history, I didn't think it was going to get quite this close. So it's just one of those recurring things," Lucas said at a Cannes news conference. "I hope this doesn't come true in our country."Maybe the film will waken people to the situation," Lucas joked.

This is the first big step since Hollyweird is a vastly Liberal-controlled entertainment landscape and will use every means to promote their backward political message via a movie character or plot. Socialism here we come. I'm sure this isn't something that's new in today's world of Hollyweird entertainment but seeing how tv/cable sitcoms have behaved in the past, subterfuge efforts to insert certain political statements in movie plots will become more prevalent on the big movie screens in the future as Hollyweird's way of political protest. Whatever happened to good ole' fashion and exciting movies without all of the political baggage? Liberals are getting desperate. Michael Moore failed in his 911 movie where Michael Moore probably single handidly helped President Bush win his re-election. Maybe the secret here today is to subconsciously promote this political message rather than the in-your-face type mentality. It certainly didn't work on Michael Moore's behalf. Thanks Mikey!

And so, all this thinking led me to write an email today to Clearplay regarding if the device may have someday in the future the ability to censor certain political comments or scenes out of the movie. Or if they have plans to somehow incorporate certain offensive political language as part of the language editing control that parents (or others) can have when viewing their personal, store bought DVD movies. Maybe Artificial Intelligence will do the job for us in the future?.......... Strike that one. Bad idea. Badddd.

I'll let you know if I get a response from Clearplay. Meanwhile, you can send an email to Clearplay regarding the ability to censor disruptive political overtures in a movie meant to entertain rather than a soapbox to espouse political views or rants that would interrupt the flow of the movie's entertainment value.

After all, America is the land where we don't have to listen to crapola. We can reserve the full right to edit such comments from movies or even cable shows someday. You have a choice on not to watch a movie by skipping it, watching the whole thing in its entirety or watch the edited version set by you.

That's called "freedom of choice."

When Will Howard Dean (and DNC) Ever Learn?

Looks like Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona steered clear of Howard "Screaming" Dean during his Arizona visit. And for a good reason, too. Howard Dean's just too ultra-liberal for the governor. Howard Dean is so far out left he's dipping his toes into the socialist water. And if you have forgotten what his scream sounded like, go here.

And yet dear old ignorant screaming Dean boasted about the first Hispanic mayor of Los Angles saying that the GOP cannot claim that kind of diversity among their roster of mayors or U.S. Senators. How conveniently he forgets about U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez. And the final blow was that the GOP improved its standing with Latinos in the November vote.

With Howard Dean's comments ranging from his maniacal screams, flubs and slander charges, you can certainly picture him in the pink house.

His comments? You forgot already? Tsk.

"John Ashcroft is not a patriot." - Dean's unpatriotic.

"You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here." - Dean's a racist.

"I think Tom DeLay ought to go back to Houston, where he can serve his jail sentence down there," - Dean's prejudicial.

"If Bill Clinton can be the first black president, I can be the first gay president. " - Dean is way too overly ambitious. Did he tell his wife?

"We Democrats don't pay enough attention to our core groups," - Dean's admittance despite being completely clueless to his past when he boasted about the Hispanic mayor of L.A.

And review the top 10 Howard Dean quotes (pre-February 5, 2005). I'm sure every Democrat absolutely adore and love Howard "Screamin" Dean that they'll follow him everywhere.




From the NY Post.


Well, you get the picture.


Howard Dean and DNC certainly do not study history. They want you to forget them.

Keep it coming Howie. Keep it coming and you'll be like Michael Moore who helped George Bush win the 2nd presidential term.


Keep...it....coming!

Twin Towers To Rise Again? The Phoenix Bird Complex.

Well, I have to admit. Donald Trump is right on this one. Rebuild the Twin Towers only this time,

The replacements would be at least 1,475-feet tall, more than 100 feet higher than their previous incarnations. The new North Tower would also boast a 383-foot communications mast.

"It's bigger, it's stronger and it's better than the previous World Trade Center, and it sets the right tone and the right attitude," Trump said, adding that some members of the public who had seen the model had been moved to tears.

............................


And yet this design would be an improvement over the old ones.

The Trump towers -- he promised not to attach his name to the buildings -- would employ a tube-within-a-tube design with improved fireproofing and larger stairwells.
Gardner said the structures would be able to withstand the kind of attacks that brought down the original towers on September 11, 2001 killing 2,479 people.

This would be an excellent way of saying "Up yours!" to those terrorists. I'm for it. Many people are for it, too. Among 3,483 respondents in a poll, 80% voted for the Twin Towers to be rebuilt, "stronger and mightier than ever."

DePaul University Professor Suspended Without A Hearing After Arguing With Pro-Palestinian Students At A Student Activities Fair On Middle East Issues

Well, FIRE's at it again. This time they are sticking up for a professor when DePaul University administrators simply didn't have the gonads to do so in the first place....protect academic freedom and discourse on campus, even if others disagree. In this case, it was the pro-Palestinian students who couldn't agree to disagree...including the administrators of DePaul University, too.

CHICAGO, May 18, 2005—DePaul University administrators have suspended Professor Thomas Klocek without a hearing after he engaged in an out-of-class argument with pro-Palestinian students at a student activities fair. When the students complained to administrators, Klocek was denied the rights that DePaul guarantees to professors accused of wrongdoing and immediately suspended. Statements from DePaul administrators indicate that Klocek was disciplined because of his harsh criticism of the students’ viewpoint, despite DePaul’s stated commitments to free speech and academic freedom.

“DePaul has unquestionably violated Professor Klocek’s due process rights, and the university did so because his statements were allegedly offensive,” commented David French, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), which wrote to DePaul on Klocek’s behalf.

The incident in question occurred on September 15, 2004, when Professor Klocek engaged in conversation with students representing Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and United Muslims Moving Ahead (UMMA). According to the DePaulia student newspaper and other sources, during the debate, Klocek cited a Chicago Sun-Times article that quoted the general manager of the Al-Arabiya television network as saying, “It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims.” A heated but strictly verbal argument ensued during which Klocek argued that a Christian viewpoint, in addition to Muslim or Jewish ones, should
be considered in discussing Israel and Palestine. According to Klocek, SJP and UMMA students (several of whom had gathered around Professor Klocek) made their own controversial statements comparing Israeli Jews to Nazis. The argument concluded when Klocek walked away from the SJP and UMMA tables and thumbed his chin at the students in what he believed to be an Italian hand gesture meaning “I’m outta here.”

The offended students complained to DePaul administrators, who moved quickly to punish Professor Klocek for his part in the argument. Klocek reports that on September 24, 2004, Dean of the School of New Learning Susanne Dumbleton informed him that the university had received letters of complaint from SJP and UMMA students and had met with the students and their faculty advisors the previous evening. Dumbleton immediately suspended Klocek with pay and ordered him to stay off campus. Klocek was never given a copy of the complaint letters, nor was he given a hearing or any other chance to face his accusers before his suspension.

Guess who the wimps, weenies and baby cryers are? I can tell you unequivocally it is not Klocek nor I.

McConnell Gets Kicked Out Of University Because Of Personal Beliefs

I thought I got your attention. And no, this is not about me even though my last name is McConnell. Nor am I related to this guy.

But this one here smacks the king of all imbeciles where actions by officials of Le Moyne College expelled a graduate student, Scott McConnell, who was pursuing a masters in education and had a 3.78 GPA, for expressing his own academic freedom and had gotten an A- in a paper he wrote for class that got him expelled. In this case, McConnell was never given a due process. Le Moyne College thereby violated their own "academic freedom," now to become expensively laughable. In FIRE's Feburary 15, 2005 press release they stated that:

McConnell submitted as part of an assignment a paper expressing his personal views on classroom management, including various ideas for attaining a classroom environment that is “based upon strong discipline and hard work” and that allows “corporal punishment.” The paper received an “A-,” with his professor noting that his ideas were “interesting” and that she had shared the paper with the department chair, Cathy Leogrande. McConnell ultimately received an “A” as his final grade in the course.

Yet in January 2005, with no prior warning, Leogrande dismissed McConnell from Le Moyne. In the dismissal letter, Leogrande stated that she had reviewed McConnell’s grades for courses he took during the summer and fall semesters and had “discussed” his work with his professors. Leogrande wrote, “I have grave concerns regarding the mismatch between your personal beliefs regarding teaching and learning and the Le Moyne College program goals. Based on this data, I do not believe that you should continue in the Le Moyne [Master of Science for Teachers] Program.” At the time he was dismissed, McConnell had achieved a grade-point average of 3.78 for the fall semester and had received an “excellent” evaluation for his work in an actual classroom.

According to David Limbaugh,

FIRE's (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) president, David French, who told me, "This is one of the most brazen examples of censorship and summary expulsion for the expression of dissenting views I have ever seen."

McConnell has since filed a multi-million dollar suit against the college as outlined in FIRE's May 5, 2005 press release.

Sic 'em, McConnell!


Now, let's hope Gallaudet University won't become like this someday.

A Course on "How to be Gay" ?

Granted. This was a controversy started a few years ago on the campus University of Michigan where a course was offered to students on "How to Be Gay: Male Homosexuality and Initiation" - in the ENGLISH dept:

"It does not teach students to be homosexual," Mr. Halperin says in an interview. "Rather, it examines critically the odd notion that there are right and wrong ways to be gay, that homosexuality is not just a sexual practice or desire but a set of specific tastes in music, movies, and other cultural forms — a notion which is shared by straight and gay people alike.

Also as well on the exploration on camp, diva-worship, drag, interior design, muscle culture, taste, style and political activism.

Why can't people think for themselves rather than subscribing to today's "status quo"? Absolutely surreal. Robin Williams ought to be so proud.

Here's the pro-version's.

Here's the anti-version's.

sComm, Inc Received Their $1.3 Million NIH Award

Jason Curry, CEO of sComm, informed me via Yahoo IM while we chatted that,

"sComm, Inc just recently received $1.3 million in funding 3 weeks ago to develop a communication device that will enable FACE TO FACE communication for deaf and hard of hearing with hearing people. We are in the pre-development stage right now seeking contract manufacturers which we will be selecting to develop the final prototype. We should have a communication device ready for the public in 9 to 12 months."

I reported on sComm earlier in February about how sComm won the $1.3 million dollar NIH grant. The affirmation alone on this million dollar award shows that this company is a positive example of how empowerment can help other people help themselves. Jason Curry knows that a wall can stop you only if you let it. He's making sure the wall that separates deaf and hearing people will not be the case.

Jason Curry, who is deaf, signs and wears a cochlear implant ever since 2000. He is a known innovator and motivator whose positive energy encourages people to set their own goals to a higher standard for themselves. The simple power of transformation. The awesome power of greater independency.

Perhaps you have met Jason if you were at the National Training Conference that was held last week in Washington D.C. from May 9 - 11 where he attended sessions held by the Communication Service for the Deaf.

Look here on Kokonut Pundits for more news and direct information from Jason Curry regarding his company, sComm, and the device. And be sure to check out sComm's website where they'll be doing some updates.

Also, be sure to check out also a new website that came up in February of this year and its called Deaf Professional Network or DPN. It recently launched an e-newsletter. You can subscribe by going to the home page of their website.

Deaf Professional Network covers news, trends, technologies, laws, policy, education, lifestyles, and other issues related to the education and employment of deaf professionals and business owners.

Its founder and e-publisher is Stephen Hlibok, Ryan Malisweski is COO, Slemo Warigon heads Finance, Julie Bourne is Editor-in-Chief, Lindsay Dunn is a Contributing Writer, and Alicia Epstein is Advertising Coordinator.

Deaf professionals will surely appreciate any devices that will enhance their professional business, communication needs and the bottom line. sComm is certainly coming up with such a device to help people with hearing loss communicate more effectively and easily in the professional and business world that is largely a hearing population.

A Gang of Gay (Bi?) Murderers?

Here we may be witnessing a gang that sodomizes their victims before killing them. Who are these murderous gangs?

In the woods near Dallas, an innocent 21-year-old man was shot in the head, his remains eaten by animals. His pants were pulled down, and police suspect that he may have been sodomized.

A vicious gang they are, no doubt.

But there are other types of "gangs" of a different intention, nonetheless still serious.

Consider the radical homosexual agenda exposed in the Homosexual
Manifesto, authored by Michael Swift, published February 15, 1987 issue of the homosexual newspaper Gay Community News, and was reprinted in the 15-21 February 1987 Congressional Record: "We shall sodomize your sons, emblems of your feeble masculinity, of your shallow dreams and vulgar lies. We shall seduce them in your schools, in your dormitories, in your gymnasiums, in your locker rooms, in your sports arenas, in your seminaries, in your youth groups, in your movie theater bathrooms, in your army bunkhouses, in your truck stops, in your all-male clubs, in your houses of Congress, wherevermen are with men together.

Your sons shall become our minions and do our bidding. They will be recast in our image. They will come to crave and adore us. "The complete manifesto can be read at: <http://members.ll.net/chiliast/> following the link on the left to Homosexual Manifesto.

What a nutty world we're living in.

However, there are two issues regarding the sodomization of victims.

It's become a maxim that rape and other sex crimes are not about sex. They are about power. If Moyer did in fact abuse the unconscious girl, as Mitchell believed he did, that act would have had more to do with Moyer's desire to exert some control over the girl than any other desire he might have harbored. By the same token, experts contend, if Nestor battered Moyer's testicles with a club, forced him to sodomize himself with the club, and then carved a mark on his nipple, then that too was a sex crime that had little to do with sex.

Power? Fetish? Desire? Sexual exploitation? Who knows? Still, it's ugly.

Grover Furr: Worse than Ward Churchill

Just when I thought that nobody would be worse than Ward Churchill. Here comes Prof. Grover Furr and his absolutely looney teaching, if you call it that. A lobotomy job would do him good.

Senator Reid Borrowed "Loser" Comment From Senator Boxer?

Well, Senator Reid said that President Bush was a "loser" on May 6, 2005. The Democrats are increasingly becoming a "Party of Ideals" on making obnoxious and unprofessional display of courtesy toward the U.S. President. Republicans win when they lose out. The most likely source of the "loser" comment from Senator Reid goes to Senator Barbara Boxer. Her orignal "loser" comments started in her April 26, 2005 "news update". The "loser" comment was first displayed in bright red in her flash "news update" regarding President Bush' support for a Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts (that's "privatization" for you Liberal hacks). And clicking on the link will get to her report containing four more "loser" comments where she is taking an obvious but direct stab at President Bush as being the "loser" on the Social Security issue.

Expect more "loser" comments down the road from other Liberal hacks who have absolutely no respect for tradition on the Senate floor.

This is their "Party of Ideals" when they conjure up nasty words replete with overt disrespect toward their President along with their age old filibustering tradition of going against Judicial nominees picked by the President ever since 2003 breaking a 214 years tradition of a simple up-down vote for Judicial court nominees on the Senate floor for a simple majority vote win.

A real proud bunch of people who have little sense of value or respect who never heeded to the warnings from a Democrat Gov. of South Carolina who made his "Party of Ideals" comment in 2003, which as you already know by now, has obviously fell on deaf ears.

Governor Joe Erwin (D) said, “We have to get back to being a party of ideals people believe in.” It’s obvious the ideals it has become famous for in recent times haven’t helped attract winning numbers to the voting booth.

Guess who the winners are this time? Well, actually the Republicans have been the "Party of Ideals" ever since the days of Abraham Lincoln.

Marines In A Sandstorm in Iraq

My 22-year old nephew who is a Marine serving his 2nd tour of duty in Iraq sent me several pictures of the sandstorm that hit his camp unit somewhere in Iraq. Here's one picture. He's doing well with a few nearby mortar fire attempts. Their Black Hawk helicopters took them out.
Those dunderhead terrorists.

Don't mess with the Marines.

Semper Fi!



Tommorrow I'll add my piece about the BRAC closing that I wrote up during earlier today. Holloman AFB went unscathed but there's more. Stay tuned.

Gallaudet University Graduation Day - Reality Sets In

Congrats to the students of Gallaudet University who graduated today in Gallaudet University’s 136th Commencement Address.

I took a little time to watch the graduation via internet video today when it first came on but only watched it for several minutes. Not real exciting to watch but certainly exciting for those who graduated. Now, the shock comes next. They now face the real world outside of their protected little confines of Gallaudet University’s fenced-in, well policed campus. They'll soon realize that the real world can be quite not-so-friendly. Keep the faith and don't give up.

I saw this coming a few months earlier seeing that 136th Commencement keynote speaker was going to be Dr. Oliver Sacks and began jotting down notes I've gathered from the internet for this posting because Dr. Oliver Sacks is a familiar name since I read a few of his books but it's nothing deafness related if you're asking. And now today is graduation day and it was time for me to put down what I've found.

Dr. Oliver Sacks is also notably well known in the field of Medicine as described in Gallaudet University's 13th Commencement page:

Dr. Sacks is a physician, writer, and clinical professor of neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

His book, Seeing Voices, focuses on American Sign Language and the conflicts between those who seek to teach people who are prelingually deaf to communicate via voice and lip reading, and those who maintain that sign language is by far a more effective method of communication.

His book also explains the remarkable impact of the 1988 Deaf President Now protest at Gallaudet on American deaf culture.

Dr. Sacks will also receive an honorary doctorate degree from the University.

What Gallaudet University does not tell you is that Dr. Oliver Sacks wrote numerous books including the famously known “Awakenings” that was made into a 1990 movie called the “Awakenings” with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro.

See also the New York Times newspaper article about Sacks’ “Awakenings.” Pesky free registration is required. It talks about the "Awakening" documentary where post-encephalitic patients are described in Oliver Sacks' book. That may be of interest of you since I already knew this since I've found the book and film quite engrossing and engaging. Medical oddities are my weakness and facination such as a 12-year old girl that has the size and looks of a 2 year old. Or visit Walter Reed Hospital Medical museum to find medical oddities such as a bone fragment from Abraham Lincoln - guess where it came from.

Even though Dr. Sacks is a professor of neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York since 1965, it might interest you that Howard Dean graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York in 1978 receiving his MD degree.

What is the likelihood that Sacks and Dean met? Although Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York is not one of the top 10 Most Liberal Colleges, it is however located on the east coast where a majority of colleges and universities are known for their political liberal views.

I am, however, keeping my eye on Gallaudet University’s yearly keynote Commencement speakers. Looks like this year with Dr. Oliver Sacks probably put Gallaudet University’s closer to being one of the politically liberal colleges/universities in the United States.

Here’s one guy, Ilir Topalli, Ph.D, who is also a neuroscientist (and a rabid Liberal) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who took the time to ask the question:

I'm sure you've all seen the electoral map. Indeed, many have been staring at it until bloodshot. It was so close. But how come it looks so RED? As a neuroscientist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, I thought, “Maybe a little research would clear things up.”

By the way, John Kerry lost if you have forgotten about it already. And, oh, an important milestone here, today marks 100 days since John Kerry promised, on national TV, to sign form SF-180 and release his military records. More here, too.

But I can’t say that Albert Einstein College is a rabidly liberal college anymore than I can say that Gallaudet University is. AEC probably have liberal tendencies just as Gallaudet University does. But I'm just reporting on what I’ve found interesting so don’t get your panties in a bunch here.

BTW, congrats to the graduates. The cold hard reality sets in. Now, start looking for a job or better yet continue with your college career and get your masters degree by investing in yourself for a better career and earning potential.

I know I did.

When the Daily Kos Get Their Pants Caught Down Along with cBS’ Interview of Ken Starr

Well, the Daily Kos has no pride. In fact, they must feel quite embarrassed to have a posting about the recent cBS interview of Ken Starr by which the producers (or whoever) directed the editing of the 20 minute interview of Ken Starr who took his comments way out of left field. Ken Starr never talked about the nuclear option but the judicial philosophy (ie filibustering) on judicial nominees.

This is what the Daily Kos reported:

It also took the "nuclear option" off the table, which even Ken Starr said yesterday was damaging to the Senate as an institution and "amounts to an assault on the judicial branch of government." This compromise would break the gridlock over these seven judges, and allow us to get back to doing the people's business.

The Daily Kos jumped at the seemingly rare opportunity to use Starr’s (he never addressed this) comment on the "nuclear option" (scary words created by Liberals that has nothing to do with nuclear bombs) by posting it in their May 10th, 2005 blog. But the discussion field for comments was mysteriously turned off on May 11 at 8:12 AM PDT.

Could it be that the Daily Kos caught wind of cBS criminal negligence in taking Ken Starr’s comment out of context? The Daily Kos leave many, many other comments on for discussion. Why turn the comments off regarding the talk on "nuclear option"?

Little Green Football helps set the record straight where Power Line has this quote from an email sent by Kenn Starr to CBS News :

I sat on Saturday with Gloria Borger for 20 minutes approximately, had a wide ranging, on-camera discussion. In the piece that I have now seen, and which I gather has been lavishly quoted, CBS employed two snippets. The ‘radical departure from our history’ snippet was specifically addressed to the practice of invoking judicial philosophy as a grounds for voting against a qualified nominee of integrity and experience. I said in sharp language that that practice was wrong. I contrasted the current practice and that employed viciously against your father with what occurred during Ruth Ginsburg’s nomination process as numerous Republicans voted, rightly, to confirm a former ACLU staff worker. They disagreed with her positions as a lawyer but they voted — again rightly — to confirm her.

According to Powerline cBS refuses to hand over the 20-minute interview tape/transcript of Ken Starr to Ken Starr when he requested it.

To learn more about the whole "judicial philosophy" mess go here with FAQs.

And here are parting words from Rush Limbaugh in his radio talk today via his transcript about the whole cBS debacle and lies along with true Liberal weenies who are sucker for anything not true:

Why in the world would they take a guy who they despise and twist his words, take them out of context, as a means to hurt Republicans? The answer is: Because secretly they know he has integrity. They know he has credibility, and they know when they play this sound bite out of context that everybody is going to believe Ken Starr. "He said it! You gotta accept it!" It's not ultimate compliment to Starr in the sense of their impression of him, but it is the ultimate insult in terms of what they did. They actually fabricated essentially an opinion Starr has about the nuclear option that he doesn't hold, and they cut up the interview with him and they pieced it together in such a way as to make it look like he was talking about something that he was not discussing. He's like all of us. He thinks that this focus on judicial philosophy... This is an attack on Democrats. What Starr actually did was criticize Democrats. This business of judicial philosophy, deciding these seven nominees aren't worth it because of their judicial philosophy -- which is exactly what Bush has said, by the way. Bush said it's an argument over judicial philosophy, a code word, but Starr picks it up and says this argument over judicial philosophy is going to come back and boomerang against the Senate and they're going to regret it down the road. He was not saying that about the nuclear option. I wanted to pass this on to you and get it out there because to me it's huge. It is gigantic. It is. It is beyond irresponsible because it was done purposely. It can't be irresponsible and purposely done at the same time. Irresponsible would mean somebody wasn't paying attention. This is worse than irresponsible. It's dishonest. It's cheating. It's whatever you want to attach to it. But from now on I'm going to promise you anything comes from CBS, screw it. The first impression is going to be just like when I read the New York Times: Gee, what if that's true?

The cBS lollypop ship is going down along with the rest of the Liberal suckers who took the interview (for Pete’s sake, it’s cBS!) at face value. Even Rush knew something was wrong when he watched it but now he knows better. Don't trust cBS. That goes for the Daily Kos, too, if they can't be honest about the interview.
Watch it here on Google news on the latest cBS criminal debacle involving the Ken Starr interview by cBS.

Here’s another sucker website who believed in the cBS lie with one commenter making the correction.

PETA's Own Dirty Little Secrets

Check out this site, PETA Kills Animals, a non-profit organization bent on exposing PETA's lies. PETA has been known to be the animal extremist and cult group as they try and indoctrinate children and those easily-duped by the PETA's core "belief" on protecting animals...even fish.

Hooking a striped bass, says PETA, ought to be a crime.

Well, common sense completely thrown out of the door here. If I want to fish, I'll fish. Bait, hook, line and sinker. And I'll bring my machette so I can quickly lop off the head of this fish when I reel it in.

Read the story. PETA is nuts.

Why the Murderer of Major Gregory Stone's May Not Get the Death Penalty

The Air Force Times chimes in on an article of why Sgt. Akbar's murder of Air Force Major Gregory Stone and Army Captain Christopher Seifert may never get the death penalty.

The military hasn’t executed one of its own since 1961, while states have put scores of civilian killers to their deaths. Experts say the key difference in military justice is the role of the president, who unlike a governor, must take an active role in signing off when a service member gets the ultimate punishment.

“It is unique to the military justice system that there has to be an affirmative approval by the president of the United States,” said Eugene R. Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice in Washington. “Clearly, there’s no rush to judgment.”

Currently, there are five people on military death row, three whose cases are in the appeals process and two who are awaiting action from the president.

Fidell pointed out that even though current President Bush and past
President Clinton came from states that had active records of executions, neither have put their name to a military execution.

The last time that happened was in 1961 when President Kennedy signed off on the hanging of Army Pfc. John A. Bennett for the rape and attempted murder of an 11-year-old Austrian girl.

And that was when the Cold War was "thawing" at a time when Austria was occupied by the Soviets. Imagine had the President not signed the death penalty? But oddly enough it was that Austria did not have the death penalty and the crime committed by Pfc. John A. Bennett never committed murder but attempted murder when he tried to drown the little girl in a drunken stupor.

Sounds like John F. Kennedy did this out of political reasons rather than by justification alone.

However, in Sgt Akbar's case, this was premeditated murder, and he did so successfully by killing two officers wounding several others. The death penalty is warranted and justified in this case.

But even if a military death sentence clears all the appeals, it then must go to the president, and an uncertain approval.

I believe President Bush will ensure to make an example of him on the fight against terrorism.

Cochlear Implant Helps Woman Succeed in Life

Here's a success story of a cochlear implant user who went from the unemployment line to full time job. The woman, Tammi Baglole, now works at a law firm in Charlottetown, Canada.

Who Would Want to Steal a Boy's Cochlear Implant?

Somebody is either real desperate or real dumb to steal another boy's cochlear implant.

A 15-year-old deaf boy's hearing device worth an estimated $10,000 was stolen at school Monday.

Anthony Rojas had taken the device off and placed it in his backpack during PE class at MacArthur High School when he discovered it was missing.

The mother is asking help for the return of the cochlear implant device. She cannot afford another $10,000 for a new cochlear implant device.

A New Earth Science Tool for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

There is a relatively new online library of Earth-system science resources for deaf and hard of hearing students to help keep them interested. The Digital Library for Earth System Education (www.dlese.org) fits the unique educational needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students because of its visual, conceptual, and interactive nature.

Low academic achievement by deaf and hard of hearing K-12 students is well known to educators, says Mangan. Only a third of teachers responsible for science instruction are certified to teach science, a situation that compounds the problem for deaf students and others with disabilities. DLESE aims to give both students and teachers access to reliable, up-to-date information. For deaf students, it's an added boon that they do not need to continually refocus their attention from their lesson to their teacher or interpreter and back again, says Mangan. Without the lag time needed for interpretation, they may keep the same pace as hearing students.

"Not much research has been done on the science education of deaf students," says Mangan, whose own hearing is impaired by a hereditary condition that began when she was a senior in college. A recent study by NSF showed that students with disabilities are more likely to drop out of high school. If they do make it to college, they are just as likely as students without disabilities to major in math or science.

Deaf students fare better when instruction is interactive and participatory. For example, says Mangan, they get involved when they conduct their own research, either on the Web or elsewhere, rather than "listening" to lectures through an interpreter. It's also known that deaf students tend to learn best using visuals.

Check it out. But now begs the question of how many of these deaf/hh high school students are readily prepared for a transition to a college or university setting.

Too many deaf students arrive in college even more ill-prepared than their hearing counterparts. Many deaf students—who I believe are misplaced in special education classes—have learned in their educational experience that it’s OK not to do homework, not to attend class, not to pay attention. They often don’t know how to work with an interpreter, don’t understand academic culture, or have sufficient time management skills. Their senior year in high school, rather than their freshman year in college, would be an ideal time to take a “College 101” course. The structure of their high school curriculum should encourage and reward greater independence. Deaf students are often held to lower standards than they can achieve. When they pursue the independence of college life, they are often ill-prepared.
Tom Moran,
Professor of English, San Diego Mesa College

========

========

In my observation there are three areas that need to be “up to snuff” before thinking about coming to a university:

1) English language skills (reading and writing) at least above the 10th grade level,
2) math skills including mastery of both algebra and geometry, and
3) study skills.

Meeting challenges at the high school level force students to develop self-discipline.

Nina Treiman, Student Personnel Specialist, National Center on Deafness, Cal State Northridge

True. For those thinking of going to college or a university, get yourselves prepared. College, especially at the graduate level, is no easy task.

Three Deaf Teens Helping to Buck the Trend on Restaurant Ordering

Here's something that's changing for deaf people who must order their food either by writing it down or by pointing their fingers at the menu at restaurants or fast food places. Three teens describe the reality:

Typically, when deaf people go into restaurants, they need to write stuff down or communicate with a device. The students found some restaurants were not even willing to work with them.

“When I write it down on a piece of paper, most of the time, I will get the wrong order,” said Williams, a junior. “Some won’t even look at where I’m pointing on the menu,” Jacobson said.

“I feel really awkward,” said Klein, a sophomore. “I feel like a totally different person.”

However, the three deaf teens as part of their school project did a survey of surrounding restaurants and fast food places in terms of "deaf friendliness" by ranking them.

The three put together a project to change all that. They rated different places on how they were treated and also on other amenities, such as lighting or willingness to make gestures.

Now, as a result of their efforts the national chain TGI Friday’s is considering making the video mandatory for all of their 600 restaurants.

Good deeds do not go unheard.

Educate them! And not whine about it.