Thursday - December 29, 2005
Call Me Ishmael
Yes, I’m back!
That bloody, damn whale got away from me again. One fine day I will harpoon that infernal Moebius Dick and we’re going to go ‘round and ‘round until hell freezes over! (there’s a pun there if you can finger it out) Argh!
As for Ron’s ghost, what have you been up to boy? Haggis and Kimchi? What next, lad? Shrunken heads? I guess I shouldn’t complain since Ron took over literally on a moment’s notice. You did good, me boy. Very good.
Right now, I’m pooped on the poop deck and in dire need of a tot of rum. I’ll have more later. Hmmmm, I see Twerp made the naughty list while I was away. Oink is actually behaving for a change, Stinkerr is back, LyndonB is keeping a stiff upper lip and OldCatMan is fraternizing with gubernatorial candidates. Whoa! Hold up! Back up there one minute. What was that last one? Jumpin’ Judas Priest! I need more than a tot of rum.
More later ....
Posted by The Skipper on 12/29/2005 at 06:10 PM
Filed Under: • Personal •
• Comments (21) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
He’s Back
Ssshhhhhhh ... QUIET, everybody! The Skipper is back home. Make like nothing happened while he was away. You didn’t see nothing and you didn’t hear nothing. You don’t got pictures and you can’t prove a thing. Got that?
I’m just gonna mosey on down the deck and pretend to be busy adjusting the rigging. With any luck I won’t be forced to walk the plank. If my luck runs out .... well, it’s been real .... and it’s been fun ....
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/29/2005 at 11:04 AM
Filed Under: •
• Comments (10) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
New Years Trivia: Vietnam
The more popular name for the Vietnamese New Year is Tet, where as the formal name is Nguyen-dan. Tet is a very inportant festival because it provides one of the few breaks in the agricultural year, as it falls between the harvesting of the crops and the sowing of the new crops. The Vietnamese prepare well in advance for the New Year by cleaning their houses, polishing their copper and silverware and paying off all their debts.
They observe the custom of the kitchen god tao for a week before the New Year, they believe there are three gods represented by the three legs of the cooking equipment used in the kitchen. The middle god is a woman the other two are her husbands. It was once customary to provide the gods with a carp on which to travel. The carp represents the second last stage in the process by which animals are gradually transformed into dragons. They buy the carp from the market, bring it home and place it in a bucket of water to place at the altar of the house before it is later set free.
A special rice pudding is eaten at New Year which must be prepared beforehand. The rice pudding is known as banh chung ** or banh tet. The pudding contains mung beans and pork. New Year foods such as preserved sweets, beef, chicken, fish, oranges, coconuts, grapefruits and other seasonal fruits, especially watermelon. Watermelon is considered lucky because the flesh is red, so the choice of the melon must be taken carefully so as to find one rich in color. The seeds are often dyed red also and served as delicacies.
The last day of the year a plant such as the bamboo tree is planted in the courtyard of their homes. They decorate the tree with bells, flowers, and red streamers. The decorations are not for decorative purposes but are to guard the family against evil spirits. During the middle of the day an offering is placed on the altar of the household for the ancestor’s of the family. This is done every day thorughout the New Year Festival and along with that incense is burnt at the altar.
They believed in the custom of the first person through the door in the New Year will reflect the family’s future luck and wealth. On the first day of the new year they visit all their closest friends, teachers and their parents. The second day they visit their in-laws and other friends who are not as close. Third day they visit the family of their teacher and their more distant relatives.
On the fourth day the spirits return to heaven and business returns to normal. They also visit their local temple and they bring back flowers or greenery as a gift from the celestial spirits. This gift will be kept in the house all year.
** Vietnamese Rice Cake in Banana Leaf (Banh Chung) Recipe:
- 2 cups sticky (glutinous) rice, preferably long-grain
- 1 drop green food coloring (optional)
- 1/4 cup dried split mung beans
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 ounces pork shoulder or butt or chicken thighs, cut into 1/4-inch thick chunks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 (15 x 17-inch) sheets plastic wrap plus extra
- 1 (15 x 17-inch sheet aluminum foil
- 2 (15-inch square) pieces banana leaf
- Kitchen string
Place the sticky rice in a large bowl and cover with 3 inches of water. Stir in the food coloring, if using, and let the rice soak overnight. You should have about 4 cups of rice after soaking. In a separate bowl, soak the mung beans for at least 4 hours. Combine the shallots, fish sauce, black pepper and pork pieces and let marinate for 30 minutes.
Just before cooking, drain the rice and the beans and leave them in separate bowls. Add the salt to the rice and stir to blend. Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat. Add the pork pieces and all the marinade and stir just until the meat is brown around the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Using a steamer basket, steam the mung beans over simmering water until they’re soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To make the packet, neatly lay down the wrappers in this order: one sheet of plastic wrap, the aluminum foil and two sheets of banana leaves (one perpendicular to the other). Place 1 cup of rice in the center of the banana leaf, spreading it over a 5-inch-square area. Place half of the mung beans on top then add the pork pieces. Cover again with the remaining mung beans and place 1 cup of rice on top.
Bring the narrow sides of the wrappers together. Fold the gathered edges over twice, then flatten against the packet. (You now have two open ends.) Fold one end over and hold the packet upright. Add half of the remaining rice, tapping it and pushing it down so the packet will be an even square. Fold the ends (like wrapping a gift box) and repeat on the other side.
Place the packet with the folded sides down in the center of the remaining plastic sheet. Wrap tightly so water will not seep into the packet during cooking. Tightly tie the packet with two parallel strings in both directions (as in a tic-tac-toe pattern). Fill a large stockpot with water. Add the packet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Place a colander or something heavy to keep the packet submerged in the water. Cook, uncovered, for 4 hours, adding more water as necessary. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 1 hour.
To serve, cut the packet (without unwrapping) into 1/2-inch slices. Remove the wrapping and arrange the slices on a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature. If wrapped in plastic and refrigerated, the cake will keep for 1 week.
Source: An e-mail from some guy named Tranh An Vuong.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/29/2005 at 10:18 AM
Filed Under: • Fun-Stuff •
• Comments (6) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Brits Bribe Students
If you ever wanted to see a clear example of socialism gone totally bonkers, look no further than our friends across the pond. I saw this story and couldn’t believe my eyes. I had to read ti twice before it sunk in. The Brits are actually subsidizing schoolchildren over the age of 16 who decide to stay in school. Even more unbelievable is the criteria for this socialist teenage bribery scheme: children qualify for a fistful of money as long as their family income is below £30,000 per year. For the currency-handicapped out there, that is nearly $52,000 annual income. Is that some kind of poverty level or what? And they’re going to give these kids up to £30 (US $52.00) every week and allow them to work part-time? This definitely qualifies Britain as an official “Nanny State” now. And to think ... these blokes once ruled the world. Sad. Very sad.
Stay-on Cash For 380,000 Students
December 29, 2005
(BBC)
Some 380,000 students have received maintenance payments to help them stay on at college in England since the start of the autumn term. Students who continue training or education above the age of 16 and live in households with an annual income below £30,000 are eligible for support. The Learning and Skills Council is urging more young people to apply for the Education Maintenance Allowance.
Payments under the scheme range between £10 and £30 per week. Children’s Minister Maria Eagle said she was pleased so many had benefited. “We would also like to remind parents that EMA doesn’t affect any other family benefits.” She added: “I am particularly pleased they are attaining qualifications and developing skills that will help them to succeed in life.”
Ms Eagle urged all young people who felt tempted to drop out of education and into low-paid work to get in touch with their college to see what help is available under the EMA scheme. “It’s a great way to boost their career prospects and earnings potential in the long term,” she added.
Trevor Fellowes, director of learner support at the council which operates the scheme, said he expected the numbers to increase throughout 2006. He also urged all youngsters to see if they are eligible for the payments. He added: “We would also like to remind parents that EMA doesn’t affect any other family benefits and young people can still work part-time and receive cash while they learn.”
- Read more on this socialist payola here ...
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/29/2005 at 09:33 AM
Filed Under: • EUro-peons •
• Comments (14) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Fat Cars For Fat People
It had to happen sooner or later, I suppose. As American’s waists and rear-ends grow bigger and bigger, automakers had to make ... erh ... adjustments. Every major auto maker, including foreign manfuacturers, has now super-sized the seats in all cars. Yep, you heard that right. Some have even increased the overall size of the car to accommodate your fat a**, America.
Of course you realize this will only make it more comfortable as you ride down to Hardee’s for a 1/2 pound monster cheeseburger with fries and ... a diet coke (as if that’s going to make any difference). Now all we have to do is convince the airlines that they are not transporting starving Ethiopians with butts about as wide as a matchbox. Pay attention, Delta, United, Southwest, et al.!! Our butts will no longer fit in your puny little seats!
Key quotes below include: “meet the growing needs of our customers”, “hippy seats” and “inflatable bladders”. That last one really worries me.
Carmakers Widen Seats For Wider ... Seats
Dec. 28, 2005 12:05 PM
(AZCENTRAL)
If you gorged at the holiday buffet, don’t worry: You’ll still fit in your car. As Americans grow heftier, automakers are making seats wider, adding more space to interiors and using bigger virtual mannequins to help design vehicles. Domestic automakers say they already had seats for increasingly rotund motorists. Now foreign brands are catching up.
- Honda. The 2006 Civic offers front seats that are three-quarters of an inch wider than those in the 2005 model. Purpose: “To meet the growing needs of our customers,” spokesman Sage Marie says.
- Mercedes-Benz. The big R-Class Grand Sports Tourer, which went on sale at the end of September, has front seats about a half-inch wider than the smaller Mercedes M-Class crossover.
- Subaru. The first-ever B9 Tribeca, a crossover vehicle introduced this year that was specifically designed for the U.S. market, has front seats a half-inch wider than those in the Legacy, the next-largest wagon in the lineup.
- Mitsubishi. The Lancer Evolution was given front seats slightly wider than in the Japanese version when the performance car was introduced in the USA in 2003.
Extra-wide seats are important now that 62 percent of adults are considered overweight or obese, according to market research firm NPD Group. The figure has doubled since the late 1970s. For the auto industry, the solution is not just about hippy seats. It’s also wider cars. Toyota added a half-inch of width to the RAV4 sport utility and up to 3 inches to the 4Runner, Sienna, Tacoma and Avalon. The goal was both comfort and extra interior space to help protect passengers in side-impact crashes, according to Toyota’s Paul Williamsen.
For its part, Ford Motor recently started using what it believes are the industry’s first set of virtual mannequins depicting nine different body types - including a hulking man - in computer-aided design. Reason: a finding that the average near-biggest man grew 27 pounds heavier and nearly an inch-and-a-half wider in the hips from 1962 to 2000. “For the first time, we’ve made these virtual dummies to reflect people’s growing sizes,” Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake says.
Ford is also paying attention to comfort of the seats themselves. The automaker is researching whether to install power massage units in the backs and cushions of its seats. It’s also considering inflatable bladders in the seats to make them fit passengers of different sizes. “When you think about how much time people sit in a seat - the average time commuting has gone up dramatically - it’s staggering,” says Susan Dehne, the automaker’s chief engineer of seat systems.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/29/2005 at 08:34 AM
Filed Under: • Odd-Strange •
• Comments (17) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Stupidity Award
Let’s see ... (1) man gets drunk, (2) man drives drunk, (3) man gets involved in accident with injuries, (4) man goes to jail and then to court on felony charge, (5) man plea bargains down to misdemeanor and gets suspended sentence and probation, (6) man’s probation includes restrictions against drinking, entering bars or hanging out with others who are drinking, (7) court adjourns for lunch, (8) judge goes to restaurant/bar close to courthouse, (9) guess who judge sees in bar having drinks with friends? Guess what happens next .... ?? You’re right! Man goes back to jail for extended stay and BMEWS has a winner in the Daily Stupidity Award Sweepstakes ...!
Judge Sees Man Drinking After DWI Sentence
December 28, 2005, 4:52 PM EST
JACKSON, Mo. (AP)
A judge who caught a man consuming alcohol an hour after sentencing him for drunken driving ordered the man into rehabilitation on Tuesday. Jacob Vandeven, 27, of Whitewater, entered a guilty plea before Judge William Syler on Dec. 5 to a reduced charge of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated for causing an accident with injuries. Vandeven had been charged with a felony after the Nov. 20, 2004, accident, but with his plea was given a six-month suspended sentence and two years probation, according to court records.
The judge went to lunch at a restaurant and bar close to the courthouse less than an hour later. Syler spotted Vandeven drinking, a violation of his probation. A standard provision of probation in drunken driving cases is that the defendant refrain from drinking alcohol, avoid bars and not be around people who are drinking. On Tuesday, the bar tab receipt was offered as evidence. The receipt showed Vandeven and his party ordered two beers, two Long Island iced teas and a margarita, assistant Cape Girardeau prosecutor Jack Koester said. Koester said the exact number of people with Vandeven was unclear, but it appeared he was in the restaurant with one or two other people.
Vandeven has been in the Cape Girardeau County Jail since he was arrested Dec. 6. Syler ordered Vandeven to remain in custody until a space opens at a nearby treatment center. The judge said Vandeven must complete a 30-day inpatient alcohol program. Vandeven must then return to the county jail and appear back in court on Jan. 30. Depending on how well the man does at the treatment center, the judge could restore his probation or impose the jail sentence of up to six months.
Vandeven’s attorney, Malcolm Montgomery, told Syler that Vandeven had a drinking problem and was willing to go into treatment. “I have never had a client so audaciously violate a judge’s order that quickly after being placed on probation,” Montgomery said.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/29/2005 at 07:33 AM
Filed Under: • Stoopid-People •
• Comments (9) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Sayonara
Mike Thompson—The Detroit Free Press
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/29/2005 at 05:33 AM
Filed Under: • Humor •
• Comments (7) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Wednesday - December 28, 2005
New Years Trivia: Scotland
The Scottish New Year is known as Hogmanay and both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day were also known as Daft Days. The first Monday in January is a holiday and is refered to as Handsel Monday. In Scotland New Year’s Eve is called Hogomanay or Night of the Candle. Food such as three cornered biscuits called hogmanays are eaten. Other foods that are special at this time of year are wine, cordials, cheese, bread, shortbread, oatcake, currant loaf and scones. After sunset people are known to collect juniper and water to purify the home.
The Scots prepare for the new year by cleaning their houses. This was believed to have been a purification ritual. They would perform a ritual of burning juniper branches which they carried throughout the house so as to remove any lurking germs and diseases. The food they would eat at New Year was Haggis **, shortbread, scones, oatmeal cakes, cheese, whisky and wine as well as traditional new year black buns.
The first person to rise in the morning used to take Het Pint, a spiced ale to those members who were still in bed. In Scotland an old tradition that still is relevant today is that of the first footer which is said, that whoever the first person to set foot into your home on New Year’s day decided the family’s luck for the rest of the year. This was based on the belief in the magic power of beginnings. The start of the new year controlled its future course.
The person most welcome on new year’s morning was a tall, dark haired man and especially if he bought a gift as this was considered magical as his handsome features would make the year a pleasant one and his gift of a loaf of bread, or a shovel of coal would ensure that there would be no lack of food or warmth in the household.
Any other type of person who was to set foot in your home on new year’s morning would spell disaster. Therefore people would subtly arrange for the right person to arrive. They would light bonfires so as to dispose of the old year and sometimes a straw figure known as “the Auld Wife” which represented the old year would be thrown onto the bonfire. One method used in the old days to remove evil spirits was to banish the evil to a cat or dog and scare them away.
On New Year’s Eve they all link arms in a circle and sing the traditional new year song Auld Lang Syne. After welcoming the new year, all the people of the household would wait to see who the first person to enter the house after midnight will be, as this person would indicate whether they would have good luck or bad luck for the coming year. The first person must be a dark haired male, young virile, good natured and prosperous. He should not be empty handed and was supposed to bring with him a small gift such as a piece of coal, bread, salt as they were symbols of life.
On New Year’s Day children from Scotland rise early to make the rounds to their neighbors singing songs. They are given coins, mince pies, apples and other sweets for singing. This must be done by noon or the singer will be called fools. In some Scottish villages barrels of tar are set on fire and rolled through the streets. This is done to burn up the old year and to allow the new year in.
** HAGGIS RECIPE:
- 1 sheep’s lung (illegal in the U.S)
- 1 sheep’s stomach
- 1 sheep heart
- 1 sheep liver
- 1/2 lb fresh suet (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
- 3/4 cup oatmeal (the ground type, NOT the Quaker Oats type!)
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 cup stock
Wash lungs and stomach well, rub with salt and rinse. Remove membranes and excess fat. Soak in cold salted water for several hours. Turn stomach inside out for stuffing.
Cover heart and liver with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Chop heart and coarsely grate liver. Toast oatmeal in a skillet on top of the stove, stirring frequently, until golden. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Loosely pack mixture into stomach, about two-thirds full. Remember, oatmeal expands in cooking.
Press any air out of stomach and truss securely. Put into boiling water to cover. Simmer for 3 hours, uncovered, adding more water as needed to maintain water level. Prick stomach several times with a sharp needle when it begins to swell; this keeps the bag from bursting. Place on a hot platter, removing trussing strings. Serve with a spoon. Ceremoniously served with “neeps, tatties and nips”—mashed turnips, mashed potatoes, nips of whiskey (LOTS of whiskey!).
Sources: Article from Wikipedia, recipe from my grandmother.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/28/2005 at 09:47 AM
Filed Under: • Fun-Stuff •
• Comments (16) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Money Talks & Glitter Walks
What do you do if you’re a convicted child pornographer hiding in Vietnam and you get caught playing with little girls? Obviously, you bribe the parents of the children with lots of money to get them to drop the charges. Absolutely disgusting, but true. This bloke wins my personal award for Complete, Utter Human Trash. The blackmailing parents of the children are not much better. A pox on all of them ...
Glitter Pays Vietnam Sex Accusers
December 28, 2005
(HERALD SUN)
Former British glam rocker Gary Glitter has paid a total of $4000 to the families of two Vietnamese girls with whom he is alleged to have performed obscene acts, his lawyer said today. “We paid each victim family $2000,” said Le Thanh Kinh, representing Glitter, who was arrested last month as he was trying to leave for Thailand.
Police say two girls, aged 11 and 12 had alleged that Glitter, 61, whose real name is Paul Francis Gadd, had sexually abused them but that he has steadfastly denied the allegations. “First, one family asked for $10,000, the other $5000,” Mr Kinh said, without specifying which girl’s family asked for the higher amount.
“But after several rounds of negotiation, they accepted our proposal (for $2000 each),” he said. “Right after receiving the money, the families agreed to send letters to the court, asking for the case to be dropped,” Mr Kinh said. “The paying of the money will surely be a detail which helps reduce the charge.”
Earlier this week the lawyer had said Glitter would not face the charge of child rape for lack of evidence but could be tried in the communist country for “obscene acts with children”. Police said they were unaware of the exchange of money and would have nothing to do with it.
“The paying of money to the family is a civil affair, it’s none of our business,” said Nguyen Duc Trinh, deputy head of investigative police of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, where Glitter has been detained. Glitter, famous for his outlandish outfits and a bouffant wig, previously served prison time in Britain after being found with a massive collection of child pornography.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/28/2005 at 07:39 AM
Filed Under: • Outrageous •
• Comments (18) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
France Cracks Down
My, my! What’s the world coming to? Usually the French crack me up but now they have decided to crack down. On terrorists, that is. I’m sure they still have a full stock of white flags ... just in case. The French have always had a problem deciding whose side to be on in any war. This will probably be no exception to that rule.
PARIS (AFX) - The French parliament has adopted a tough new anti-terrorist law inspired by British measures used to identify the bombers who carried out the July bomb attacks in London. MPs voted 202 to 122 in favour of the law, which will increase video surveillance of railways stations, airports and other public areas, permit official snooping on the internet and mobile telephone records, and lengthen the period of detention for terrorist suspects.
Civil rights groups and left-wing opposition parties have expressed concern over the law, which they fear gives authorities too much power to invade citizens’ privacy and encourages confusion between immigration and terrorism. The law paves the way for increased use of surveillance cameras in public spaces such as train stations, churches and mosques, shops, factories or nuclear plants.
Mobile phone operators and internet access firms—particularly internet cafes—will be required to keep records of client connections for one year under its provisions. Officials will have greater authority to conduct identity checks on cross-border trains and to automatically monitor vehicles, and police will have wider access to previously confidential customer information from rail, maritime and air transport companies.
Local authorities will have the right to ban certain individuals from entering sporting stadiums. Terrorist suspects can also be kept in custody for a maximum of six days without being put under formal, criminal investigation. The previous duration was four days.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/28/2005 at 07:31 AM
Filed Under: • EUro-peons •
• Comments (7) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Whale Wars
Somewhere down around Antarctica, the enviroweenies are fighting the Japanese whalers and also fighting among themselves. What we have here are “Eco-terrorists” on one hand and an angry Japanese government on the other. Meanwhile, Mr. Spock is in the water talking to the whales, trying to convince them to talk to the probe that is destroying the Earth several hundred years in the future. Got all that?
Green Activists Target Japanese Whalers, Bicker Over Tactics
December 28, 2005
(CNSNews.com) - In the frigid waters of the Antarctic, environmental activists are playing a cat-and-mouse game with Japanese whalers while fending off allegations of “ecoterrorism” and fighting among themselves over tactics. The latest round of Japan’s controversial whaling program is being dogged this southern summer by two Greenpeace ships. Campaigners are shadowing Japanese vessels and trying to prevent the killing of whales by placing their inflatable boats between harpooners and their prey.
Also involved in the chase is a ship operated by another group, Sea Shepherd, run by radical Greenpeace founder and a current director of the Sierra Club, Paul Watson. Watson this week claimed that the main Japanese ship tried to ram the Sea Shepherd vessel and said only the release of mooring line from his boat’s stern prompted the Japanese skipper to alter course so as to avoid having his propeller fouled.
Several days earlier, Watson issued a statement accusing his former Greenpeace associates of obstructing Sea Shepherd’s efforts by not telling his group the location of the Japanese fleet, which Greenpeace had managed to locate first. The release touched on longstanding differences over approaches used by the two groups. “You would think that after a decade of expensive campaigns that Greenpeace would have realized that the Japanese fleet does not give a damn about protests,” Watson said.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/28/2005 at 07:15 AM
Filed Under: • Environment •
• Comments (11) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
The World Wide (Tangled) Web
Here’s an interesting editorial at Wired.com entitled ”Your Right To Be An Idiot”. The author wants you to know that you may occasionally encounter false information on the internet and that Wikipedia may not be totally accurate. Do tell ... ?
Having access to the internet is a little like handing a kid a loaded gun. In the wrong hands it can be intellectually lethal. In terms of being a reliable source, the web is a minefield to be navigated very carefully. There is plenty of useful information to be had, but the place is a nest of vipers, too.
Wait a minute, sez you. Don’t blame the internet. What about books? Books can be full of lies, too. They sure can. Lying has been around since man first 1.) evolved the ability to speak or 2.) got his sorry ass tossed out of the Garden of Eden. But the internet, with its instant access to vast amounts of information from an endless number of sources, is very different from anything that has come before.
Still, do you regulate the internet to “protect” us from ingesting information that is wrong, deliberately misleading, whacked out, even harmful? Uh-uh. That’s your own responsibility, as an educated participant in a free society. (The “educated” part is a bit tricky these days, I’ll grant you, but that’s fodder for another column.)
There’s an old expression in the newspaper business: “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.” In other words, make sure your bullshit detector is always on. Be skeptical of what you’re told, of what you read. Cross-check your facts with other sources. What applies in the newsroom applies tenfold on the internet, where anybody is free to post any damned thing they want to.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/28/2005 at 07:02 AM
Filed Under: •
• Comments (8) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Defective Operating System
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/28/2005 at 06:47 AM
Filed Under: • Humor •
• Comments (0) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Tuesday - December 27, 2005
Milwaukee Mob Strikes Again
Here’s a hot tip for you: if you happen to be driving on the North Side of Milwaukee and you spot a mob of teenagers in the middle of the road .... DON’T HONK AT THEM TO GET OUT OF THE WAY! This is only about the third or fourth time this has happened in recent years and the cops can’t seem to get a handle on it.
Milwaukee Police Seek Mob Who Beat Motorist
December 27, 2005, 3:07 PM EST
MILWAUKEE (AP)
At least 15 young people dragged a motorist out of his car and kicked and punched him, causing severe head trauma, after he honked his horn to get them to move out of a street, police said. It was the latest in a series of mob beatings in the city. The 50-year-old man was in critical condition Tuesday and it was unclear whether he would survive, police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said.
Schwartz said the man was driving alone on the city’s north side late Monday when he honked at the group of young people in the middle of a road. “Instead of moving they surrounded the vehicle,” and kicked and beat him, she said. “They left him for dead and when we showed up he was lying in the street,” she said. Officers hadn’t made any arrests Tuesday, she said.
It was unclear where the man was going or if he lived in the area, she said. In September 2002, more than a dozen people, mostly young boys, chased a man through the streets and beat him to death with shovel handles, rakes and tree limbs. A man with schizophrenia died after being beaten and robbed by a group in July 2004. Six teens were charged; one was convicted, charges against four were dropped and one is awaiting trial.
Four days after that attack, a 14-year-old boy was kicked, punched and hit on the head with a piece of lumber after he exchanged words with a girl, who summoned older relatives. He was in a coma for two weeks. Also that summer, four brothers were beaten by a group armed with bats, bottles, sticks and socks stuffed with canned food.
Posted by Ronald Reagan's Ghost on 12/27/2005 at 04:26 PM
Filed Under: • Crime •
• Comments (11) • Trackbacks(0) Permalink •
Five Most Recent Trackbacks:
Once Again, The One And Only Post
(4 total trackbacks)
Tracked at iHaan.org
The advantage to having a guide with you is thɑt an expert will haѵe very first hand experience dealing and navigating the river with гegional wildlife. Tһomas, there are great…
On: 07/28/23 10:37
The Brownshirts: Partie Deux; These aare the Muscle We've Been Waiting For
(3 total trackbacks)
Tracked at head to the Momarms site
The Brownshirts: Partie Deux; These aare the Muscle We’ve Been Waiting For
On: 03/14/23 11:20
Vietnam Homecoming
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at 广告专题配音 专业从事中文配音跟外文配音制造,北京名传天下配音公司
专业从事中文配音和外文配音制作,北京名传天下配音公司 北京名传天下专业配音公司成破于2006年12月,是专业从事中 中文配音 文配音跟外文配音的音频制造公司,幻想飞腾配音网领 配音制作 有海内外优良专业配音职员已达500多位,可供给一流的外语配音,长年服务于国内中心级各大媒体、各省市电台电视台,能满意不同客户的各种需要。电话:010-83265555 北京名传天下专业配音公司…
On: 03/20/21 07:00
meaningless marching orders for a thousand travellers ... strife ahead ..
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at Casual Blog
[...] RTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPL [...]
On: 07/17/17 04:28
a small explanation
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at yerba mate gourd
Find here top quality how to prepare yerba mate without a gourd that's available in addition at the best price. Get it now!
On: 07/09/17 03:07
DISCLAIMER
THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.
Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:
It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.
- Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
- Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
- Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
- Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere
THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.
Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner
Oh, and here's some kind of visitor flag counter thingy. Hey, all the cool blogs have one, so I should too. The Visitors Online thingy up at the top doesn't count anything, but it looks neat. It had better, since I paid actual money for it.