Monday, January 31, 2011

Federal Judge Rules Obamacare Unconstitutional

If you do not want to read the whole opinion (PDF file), which makes for a good read with a bunch of 'zingers', here is the money quote; "Because the individual mandate is unconstitutional and not severable, the entire Act must be declared void". There was no severability clause in the bill, something that is pretty standard in most bills and contracts that I have read. The bill did contain such a clause in one of the earlier drafts, but was removed before the bill was passed.

This puts the 'score' at two rulings for ObamaCare and two against. As I have said before, this is heading to the Supreme Court.

It should be noted that as of now now a stay of the decision has not been granted. That means any attempt at enforcing it would be subject to contempt order and none of the provisions have legal effect. While the current position, it is pretty safe to assume a stay will be sought and granted in the near term.

Video embedded below.

Egyptian Army Announces They Will Not Use Force Against Protesters

The message is certainly a reassuring one and confirms what appears to be going on on the ground. It will also likely boost the turn out for the 'million man march' being called on for tomorrow.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/31/egypt-army-idAFLDE70U2JC20110131

"The army said on Monday it would not use force against Egyptians staging protests demanding President Hosni Mubarak step down, a statement said.

It said "freedom of expression" was guaranteed to all citizens using peaceful means.

It was the first such explicit confirmation by the army that it would not fire at demonstrators who have taken to the streets of Egypt since last week to try to force Mubarak to quit.

"The presence of the army in the streets is for your sake and to ensure your safety and wellbeing. The armed forces will not resort to use of force against our great people," the army statement said.

"Your armed forces, who are aware of the legitimacy of your demands and are keen to assume their responsibility in protecting the nation and the citizens, affirms that freedom of expression through peaceful means is guaranteed to everybody."
"

Much Identity Theft Cost

Picture embedded below.



Larger version at the source.

Phenomenal Image - 24-hours Shot From Greece’s Temple of Poseidon

Picture embedded below.





Story behind the image at the source.

First Ever 'Whole Sun View' Coming Soon

Scientist have never had the ability to observe the entire sun at the same time. That is about to change with our first complete view falling on Super Bowl Sunday.

Picture embedded below.



"“For the first time in the history of humankind we will be able to see the front and the far side of the sun … Simultaneously,” Madhulika Guhathakurta told Universe Today. Guhathakurta is the STEREO Program Scientist at NASA HQ.

Courtesy of NASA’s solar duo of STEREO spacecraft.

And the noteworthy event is timed to coincide just perfectly with ‘Super Bowl SUNday’ – Exactly one week from today on Feb. 6 during Super Bowl XLV !

“This will be the first time we can see the entire Sun at one time,” said Dean Pesnell, NASA Solar Astrophysicist in an interview for Universe Today. Pesnell is the Project Scientist for NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, MD.
"

17-by-17-by-17 Tile Rubik’s Cube

If the standard size Rubik’s Cube no longer offers you the challenge you crave, you should try this unofficial record breaking 17-by-17-by-17 tile Rubik’s cube.

Picture embedded below.



"They said it couldn’t be done, but Oskar van Deventer—a longtime puzzle maker living in the Netherlands—created it anyhow: a 17-by-17-by-17 tile Rubik’s cube that, as far as we know, is an unofficial world record for the world’s largest and most complex Rubik’s puzzle.

Van Deventer, an electrical engineer by trade, didn’t carve out the 1,539 constituent pieces by hand, but rather tapped the increasing availability of 3-D printing technology to manufacture his high-tech puzzle. That’s not to say it was easy; the design itself took more than 60 hours (and three tries) before a successful prototype was printed at Shapeways, an online commercial provider of rapid prototyping technologies. Dyeing the individual pieces required another 10 hours.

The finished product, titled “Over the Top,” is 5.5 inches and 17 tiles long along each side when assembled, blowing the current record of 12-by-12-by-12 out of the water (though, as noted above, this world record is currently unofficial).
"

'Couch Mouse'

Find yourself doing a lot of work on your laptop on your bed or couch? You now have a mouse specially designed and optimized to work on that type of surface.

http://mashable.com/2011/01/30/logitech-couch-mouse

"Logitech claims its Couch Mouse M515 is optimized for soft surfaces such as sofas, beds or carpets. No stranger to the wonders and allure of a comfy couch, I was eager to see if it could do better than other pointing devices at navigating a PC from, shall we say, more relaxing surroundings.

I got the Couch Mouse working just a few seconds after plugging in Logitech’s signature “unifying receiver,” a USB dongle scarcely the size of a thumbnail that communicates flawlessly with most of its new pointing devices. Flipping on its switch underneath, the Couch Mouse was ready for action.

Next it was time to try the mouse on a variety of surfaces, and it was able to navigate them all as if it were sliding around on a mousepad. Logitech calls the mouse “easy gliding,” and that’s a true statement. Not only is its sealed bottom resistant to dust bunnies and various fibers, it’s sensitive enough to use almost anywhere. In addition to a leather couch, a cloth couch, various blankets and sheets and a variety of carpets, the mouse was able to track perfectly on granite, slate, all types of wood, and even though Logitech doesn’t recommend it, it did a respectable job of working on a overturned glass bowl I had on the coffee table.
"

Julian Assange Interviewed on 60 Minutes

Videos embedded below.



Sunday, January 30, 2011

Governments Scramble to Get Citizens Out of Egypt

Evacuating citizens from a country in turmoil even on a small scale is no easy task. When you take into account tens-of-thousands of citizens in the country that may need to be evacuated, especially since you likely do not have a fixed position on most, the prospect is a daunting one.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110130/wl_nm/us_egypt_tourism

"Governments started arranging for planes on Sunday to bring home citizens stuck in Egypt, where violent protests of the rule of President Hosni Mubarak have given way in some parts of Cairo to looting.

The United States and Turkey offered to evacuate citizens wanting to leave and major airlines including Lufthansa and Air India said they would send additional planes to Cairo and Alexandria.

The Greek foreign ministry said at least two Greek military aircraft were on standby.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki dispatched his presidential plane to Egypt to pick up Iraqi citizens, and the transport ministry ordered free transportation for Iraqis living in Egypt on Iraqi Airways planes, a ministry spokesman said.

Some European companies started evacuating their staff, and witnesses reported scenes of chaos at Cairo Airport, as people, including Egyptians, tried to catch a decreasing number of operational flights.

U.S.-based Delta Air Lines Inc, for instance, said on Friday it was suspending its service into Cairo indefinitely.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice Jacobs said on CNN television that U.S.-government sponsored flights will be leaving Cairo on Monday.
...
The Japanese government was preparing to use chartered planes to fly out 600 Japanese national stranded in or around Cairo, Kyodo news agency reported.
...
Some countries advised their citizens to leave Egypt or avoid traveling to its major cities if possible, although Russian and German tourists at Red Sea resorts have made no move to cut short their holidays.

Britain recommended its citizens leave Cairo, Suez and Alexandria "where it is safe to do so." The U.S. State Department moved to reduce diplomatic staff in Egypt, authorizing the voluntary departure of diplomats and nonessential workers.

The Philippines foreign ministry readied a 25 million pesos ($567,000) standby emergency fund for the evacuation of about 6,600 Filipinos if necessary, while Thailand advised some 2,600 Thais in the country to stay put.
"

Obama Administration Cut Funding to Promote Democracy in Egypt

A democratic Middle East was Bush's vision/goal, not Obama's (at least as far as efforts go toward making it happen).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/obama-cut-egypt-funding_n_815731.html

"But when it comes to backing up the president's rhetoric since that speech in June 2009, the administration has a decidedly mixed record and has disappointed many Egyptians, foreign policy experts tell The Huffington Post. Though Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has championed human rights around the world and American diplomats have quietly encouraged political and legal reforms in Egypt, when it comes to promoting democracy in the riot-torn country, efforts have generally been less aggressive than the Bush administration's. On Friday, amidst violent protests, longtime leader Hosni Mubarak announced the resignation of Egypt's government.

In its first year, the Obama administration cut funding for democracy and governance programming in Egypt by more than half, from $50 million in 2008 to $20 million in 2009 (Congress later appropriated another $5 million). The level of funding for civil society programs and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) was cut disproportionately, from $32 million to only $7 million. Though funding levels for 2010 are not yet available, they are expected to show an increase to $14 million, says Stephen McInerny, the director of advocacy at the Project on Middle East Democracy. He notes that the Bush administration slashed economic aid to Egypt in the 2009 budget but kept the funding for democracy and governance programs constant, while Obama cut funding to those programs in an effort to make the cuts more proportional and under pressure from the American embassy in Cairo.

The White House and the State Department did not return emails for comment.

In addition, the administration limited funding only to NGOs registered with the Egyptian government, oversees such groups broadly and can dissolve them for violations like receiving foreign funding. Most human rights groups are not registered with the government, according to an Egyptian academic interviewed by the U.S. Embassy. The widely-criticized change,
taken in the wake of intense pressure from Egyptian officials for the U.S. to stop funding non-registered groups, reversed a Bush-era policy of funding all NGOs and civil society programs.
"

Egyptian Miltary Jets Buzz Cairo

It did not appear to have any effect on the crowd. It would be hard to imagine the Egyptian air force actually bombing or strafing or bombing crowds in their own capital.

Video embedded below.

Chris Matthews (MSNBC) - 'Egypt Has Strategic Importance Because Panama Canal Located There'

It was, of course, a slip of the tong. Still, some slips seems almost satisfying when the person making them implies people who's ideologies do not align with his are stupid.

Video embedded below.

Steer The Coverage

Video embedded below.

19 Private Jets Carrying Families of Wealthy Egyptian Flee Cairo

The wealthy fleeing is a good indication that they fear the unrest will continue and the government/military will be unable (or more hopefully) unwilling to sufficiently crack down to stop them.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/01/29/general-ml-egypt-protest-businessmen_8282277.html

"An official at Cairo airport says 19 private jets carrying families of wealthy Egyptian and Arab businessmen have flown out of the capital.

The official said the jets left Saturday carrying dozens of family members of Egypt's business elite. He said most of the planes were headed for Dubai.

The passengers included the families of telecom mogul Naguib Sawiris, the executive chairman of Orascom Telecom, and Hussein Salem, a hotel tycoon and close confidant of President Hosni Mubarak.
"

Home Built UAV Complete With Firework Missiles

Video embedded below.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

What's Wrong With Bill Maher?

Video embedded below.

Egyptian Army Intervenes to Protect Protesters From Police

It is not clear if the military is trying to protect the protesters (as in quasi-siding with them) or trying to keep violence to a minimum and the corresponding body count as low as possible. Either way, it beats indiscriminate firing into the crowd.

Video embedded below.



Here is the iconic photo from yesterday.

Picture embedded below.

Jet Engine Powered Water Cannon

Video embedded below.





"It is made from a jet-fighter engine and is capable of spraying 4 tons of water per minute.

The price tag of $456,000 seems to be worth it, as the water is said to blast fast enough to separate fires from their oxygen supply. It has a range of almost 400 feet and can rotate a near-full 360 degrees. And if the firefighting business slows down, China can always deploy the cannon to clean the sure-to-be-megadirty streets of its future megacity.
"

State of the Union: The Conservative Response (Bill Whittle)

Video embedded below.

Egyptian Government Resigned And Replaced ... Except For Mubarak

This is not going satisfy the protesters in the slightest. Mubarak is still in charge, and his secondary might be new people but they are not substantively different.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/spy-chief-named-egypt-vice-president/story-fn6s850w-1225996814607

"EGYPTIAN President Hosni Mubarak has appointed intelligence chief Omar Suleiman as his first vice-president and also named a new prime minister.

"Omar Suleiman has been sworn in as deputy to President Hosni Mubarak," state news agency MENA reported on Saturday. Shortly afterwards, state television showed images of Mr Suleiman, an army general and Mubarak confidante, saluting Mr Mubarak after taking the oath of office.

Soon after Mr Suleiman was sworn in, Mr Mubarak tapped the current aviation minister, Ahmed Shafiq, to form a new government. Mr Shafiq is respected by the Egyptian elite, even among the opposition, and has often been suggested as a potential successor to Mr Mubarak. He is a former air force commander and head of Egyptair.
"

The Barack Obama Station: It's All a Bad Act

Video embedded below.

Israel Evacuates The Families of Envoys From Egypt

Israel is either being 'safe rather than sorry' or sees the writing on the wall. If from a successful revolution, the Fundamental Islamic side takes power (as apposed to the more pro western side), Egypt's relationship with Israel would take a turn for the worst in a hurry.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/8738878/israel-evacuates-envoys-families-in-egypt

"Israel repatriated families of its diplomats in Egypt on Saturday in response to the unprecedented street protests in the Arab state with which it has a 1979 peace deal.

"A special aircraft brought back to Israel on Saturday the families of diplomats and other official envoys, as well as about 40 Israelis on private visits to Cairo who wished to leave," said foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.

The Israeli ambassador to Egypt remains in the country.
"

Friday, January 28, 2011

Shame-a-Lot: Liberal Censors Kill Kennedy Mini-Series

Video embedded below.

The Highway to Hell, Leftist Remix Edition

Video embedded below.

First 2012 Presidential Election Ad Set to Air

It is set to air during the Pro Bowl. The ad is for Mitch Daniels (R), though not put out by him directly.

Video embedded below.

President Obama on The Situation in Egypt

Video embedded below.

Biden - 'Egypt's Mubarak is Not a Dictator And Should Not Step Down'

Is this a sign the Obama administration is taking sides against a Democratic movement ... again?

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Backchannels/2011/0127/Joe-Biden-says-Egypt-s-Mubarak-no-dictator-he-shouldn-t-step-down

"Vice President Joe Biden spoke to the PBS NewsHour tonight with the most direct US governent comments yet about the gathering Egypt protests against President Hosni Mubarak's 29-year reign.
...
Asked if he would characterize Mubarak as a dictator Biden responded: “Mubarak has been an ally of ours in a number of things. And he’s been very responsible on, relative to geopolitical interest in the region, the Middle East peace efforts; the actions Egypt has taken relative to normalizing relationship with – with Israel. … I would not refer to him as a dictator.”

He also appeared to make one of the famous Biden gaffes, in comments that could be interpreted as questioning the legitimacy of protesters' demands.
"

'It is Not That The Emperor Has no Clothes, it is That he Has no Divisions.

Obama's Spudnik reference in his State of the Union going over about as well as the news of the launch did at the time here in the US. I am of course exaggerating, but surly there is a better analogy of what we should strive for in the future then a race we lost half-a-century ago to a regime so inefficient and incompetent that it collapsed under its own weight within a lifespan.

http://ricochet.com/main-feed/Our-Stalingrad-Moment

"Which generation's Sputnik moment is this, again? If we're fated to work with metaphors from the middle of the twentieth century, let's at least choose one that resonates with people who are coming of age in the twenty-first.

Say, perhaps, the Hitler Finds Out metaphor. From the vantage of the young, for the President -- and, indeed, virtually the entire leadership class of the United States of America -- this is their Stalingrad moment: the moment at which the vast armies they continue to maneuver around the gigantic battle map turn out to be gone, destroyed, never to return again. The bold challenges, the arbitrary and random numerical goalposts (80% more of these, 100,000 more of those) -- it all gave off the disconnected feel of denial-driven fantasy. It's not that the emperor has no clothes. It's that he has no divisions."

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/258224/old-obama-new-clothing-charles-krauthammer

"This is to be our "Sputnik moment," when the fear of the foreigner spurs us to innovation and greatness of the kind that yielded NASA and the moon landing.

Apart from the irony of this appeal being made by the very president who has just killed NASA's manned space program, there is the fact that for three decades, since Jimmy Carter's synfuel fantasy, Washington has poured billions of taxpayer dollars down a rat hole in vain pursuit of economically competitive renewable energy."

Egypt Shuts Down (Blocks) The Entire Internet

This goes well beyond restricting access to Twitter, FaceBook, or YouTube. Egypt has completely shut down the internet leaving its citizens unable to access any website. It also prevents them from broadcasting information to each other or the world. The unprecedented move is a horrendous signal in more ways then one. There is a revolution boiling over in the country and cutting off communication usually means they are about to crack down hard; hard enough that they know their actions if transmitted could galvanize opposition and garner wide spread condemnation from the rest of the world.

There are three sides to watch for; the current authoritarian regime, an fundamental Islamic revolution, and more western-style democratic revolution. I fear that this move hurts the last of those three more than the others.

http://www.renesys.com/blog/2011/01/egypt-leaves-the-internet.shtml

"in an action unprecedented in Internet history, the Egyptian government appears to have ordered service providers to shut down all international connections to the Internet. Critical European-Asian fiber-optic routes through Egypt appear to be unaffected for now. But every Egyptian provider, every business, bank, Internet cafe, website, school, embassy, and government office that relied on the big four Egyptian ISPs for their Internet connectivity is now cut off from the rest of the world. Link Egypt, Vodafone/Raya, Telecom Egypt, Etisalat Misr, and all their customers and partners are, for the moment, off the air.

At 22:34 UTC (00:34am local time), Renesys observed the virtually simultaneous withdrawal of all routes to Egyptian networks in the Internet's global routing table. Approximately 3,500 individual BGP routes were withdrawn, leaving no valid paths by which the rest of the world could continue to exchange Internet traffic with Egypt's service providers. Virtually all of Egypt's Internet addresses are now unreachable, worldwide."

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution

Tunisia was the first, but it likely will not be the last. Next on the chopping block; likely Egypt. The protests have already started. It has the potential to be a truly pivotal moment in the history of the Arab world.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/14/AR2011011405084.html

"after a 29-day popular uprising against unemployment, police brutality and the regime's corruption. It was the worst unrest since Ben Ali took over.

Not once in my 43 years have I thought that I'd see an Arab leader toppled by his people. It is nothing short of poetic justice that it was neither Islamists nor invasion-in-the-name-of-democracy that sent the waters rushing onto Ben Ali's ship but, rather, the youth of his country.

Their rage at political and economic disenfranchisement spilled over last month with the desperate act of an unemployed man. Mohammed Bouazizi, 26, distraught when police confiscated his unlicensed produce stand, set himself on fire on Dec. 17 and died on Jan. 3. Soon, several other unemployed youth tried to commit suicide, and at least one of them did. Is there a more poignant portrayal of what ails the Arab world than images of its young people killing themselves as their leaders get older and richer?
"

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/doug-saunders/a-sudden-tear-in-the-fabric-of-the-arab-world/article1871070

"To most outside observers, the Tunisian uprising seemed to appear from nowhere: Seemingly minor “food-price protests,” which began four weeks ago in the city of Sidi Bouzid with the self-immolation of a young man and spent December and early January in bottom-of-the-page news briefs, suddenly exploded into a mob takeover of the streets of the capital on Friday, leading long-time President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali – within a period of hours – to sack the government, call an election and then flee the country on his private jet, leaving the Prime Minister in control of a caretaker regime.

The people – and these were clearly ordinary citizens, not bearded Islamists or foreign-funded elites – won the day, and their country. It’s fair to say the Arab world will never be quite the same.
"

CBO Projects US Budget Deficit to Hit $1.5 Trillion in 2011

It would be a new record; a record we really should not try to brake. We will see if the new Republican controlled house can put a dent in this number/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/26/AR2011012602971.html

"The grim forecast from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office came hours after President Obama called in his State of the Union address for Republicans and Democrats to work together to rein in record deficits that are pushing the national debt into uncharted territory. At $1.5 trillion, the deficit would equal 9.8 percent of the economy, the CBO said, making it one of the largest by that measure since the end of World War II."

Mexican Drug Smugglers Catapult Weed Over The Border Fence

Of all the ways to smuggle drugs...

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/01/26/mexican-drug-smuggle.html

"A remote video surveillance system captured drug smugglers using a catapult to launch packages of pot over the Mexico/US border. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, US National Guard troops coordinated with Mexican authorities to halt the operation."

Jim Moran (D) - 'Republicans Won in 2010 Because Americans do Not Want a Black President'

Generally not a good idea to insult your constituents.

Video embedded below.



Transcript at the source if you have a hard time making out the audio.

Jay Carney Selected as New Press Secretary

Jay Carney has been selected to replaced Gibbs as Press Secretary when he leaves next month.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/white-house/white-house-picks-tk-as-new-pr.html

"President Obama has chosen former journalist Jay Carney to replace press secretary Robert Gibbs, a longtime loyalist, when he leaves the post in mid-February -- one of a number of staff changes announced today by White House chief of staff Bill Daley.

Daley also named two new deputy chiefs of staff: Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the Office of Health Reform, and Alyssa Mastromonaco, White House director of scheduling and advance.
"

Emanuel Ruled Eligible to Run For Mayor of Chicago

The decision was unanimous.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2011/01/supreme-court-decision-in-emanuel-mayor-case-coming-today.html

"The Illinois Supreme Court ruled today that Rahm Emanuel can stay on the ballot for mayor of Chicago, saying in a unanimous decision that he meets the state's residency requirements despite spending most of the last year as White House chief of staff.

The decision came without a moment to spare; early voting for the Feb. 22 city election begins Monday, Jan. 31. You can read the opinion by clicking here.
"

Desktop Notifications For Gmail And Google Chat

It only works for Chrome now, but it should be standardizes for the open web soon.

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/desktop-notifications-for-emails-and.html

"Many of us are guilty of constantly switching back to Gmail to check for new messages. And if you’re like me, you’ve probably missed an important chat message because you weren’t looking at your Gmail window when it came in. If you use Google Chrome, these days can be over since we just launched HTML5 desktop notifications which display pop-ups whenever a chat message or new email arrives.

To turn them on, click on the Settings link in the top right corner of Gmail and scroll down to the “Desktop Notifications” section. If you just want to get notified about chat messages, or if you use Priority Inbox and only want to get notifications for important messages, you can customize your settings from there too.
"

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Cato on The State of The Union 2011

Video embedded below.

A Chat About Illegal Immigration

Video embedded below.

Whole-Airplane Parachute

Video embedded below.

The Cost of Starting a Small Business in The US And Abroad

Picture embedded below.

SmallBiz_Large.jpg

Unread Message Icon For Gmail

There is a nice simple new feature in the Gmail Labs. It puts a small number in front of favicon to let you know how many unread messages you have without needing to pull up the screen or click on the tab.

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-in-labs-unread-message-icon.html

"When you’re visiting sites other than Gmail, it’s easy to find out how many unread messages are in your inbox by glancing at the title of your Gmail tab or window. However, if you have a ton of tabs open, or if you use Chrome’s “Pin Tab” feature that hides everything except the tab’s icon, it can be tricky to figure out without switching tabs.

If you’ve ever found yourself in this situation, you may like the new Unread message icon we just added to Gmail Labs. It embeds the number of unread messages you have right into the Gmail icon itself, like this:


"

Bachmann's (R) Response to State of The Union

Unofficial Tea Party response.

Video embedded below.



Transcript at the source.

Paul Ryan's (R) State of The Union Response (Video)

Video embedded below.



See also: Berman Post: Paul Ryan's State of The Union Response Word Cloud

Obama's 2011 State of The Union Address (Video)

Video embedded below.



See also:
Berman Post: Obama's State of The Union Address Word Cloud

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Suicide Bombing Kills 35 Injures 180 in Russian Airport

The explosion from the terrorist attack yesterday was caught on tape.

Video embedded below. (Obvious Content Warning)



http://www.theblaze.com/stories/developing-explosion-at-russias-busiest-airport

"A suicide bomber carrying a suitcase walked into Moscow’s busiest airport and set off a huge explosion Monday, killing 35 people and wounding 180.

The international arrivals terminal at Domodedovo Airport was engulfed by smoke and splattered with body parts after the mid-afternoon terror attack sprayed shrapnel, screws and ball bearings at passengers and workers. Hundreds of people were in the loosely guarded area at the time.

President Dmitry Medvedev immediately ordered authorities to beef up security at Moscow’s two other commercial airports and other key transport facilities. He also canceled plans to fly out Tuesday to Davos, Switzerland, where he was going to promote Russia as a safe, profitable investment haven to world business leaders.
"

Colbert on Olbermann Leaving MSNBC

Video embedded below.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Stephen Rejects Keith Olbermann's Power
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogVideo Archive

Obama Did Not Meet With Half-Dozen Cabinet Members in First Two Years

Video embedded below.

Jay Greene on Making Schools Better

Video embedded below.

Paul Ryan's State of The Union Response Word Cloud

This is the word cloud of Paul Ryan's State of The Union Response. You may want to compare it to Obama's State of The Union Address Word Cloud.

Picture embedded below. (click on the image for a larger version)



Created with http://www.wordle.net.
Speech text from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20029571-503544.html.

Google Allows Porting Existing Number to Google Voice

If you like Google Voice, this may be your last hurtle to making the complete stitch over. It is not free with the cost set at a one time fee of $20. Your current carrier may also charge a fee.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/port-your-existing-mobile-number-to.html

"Many of us have a phone number that we've shared with family, friends and contacts over the years and are reluctant to let go.

One of the most frequent requests we hear from people who use (or want to use) Google Voice is that they’d like to get all of Google Voice’s features without having to give up their long-time phone numbers.

Today, we’re excited to announce that Number Porting is available for all existing Google Voice users. This means you can make the mobile number you’ve always used your Google Voice number, so it can ring any phone you want—or even your computer.
"

Video embedded below.

Emanuel Granted a Stay

And just like that, Emanuel is back on the ballet. The Stay does not guarantee he is eligible; the court will decide that soon.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Rahms--114578764.html

"The Illinois Supreme Court will consider Rahm Emanuel's appeal.

Earlier today, the court granted Emanuel a partial stay, putting him back on the mayoral ballot. Now judges will hear his case.

There will be no oral arguments, only the same briefs as heard by the Illinois Appellate Court, sources say.
"

Obama's State of The Union Address Word Cloud

This is the word cloud of Obama's State of the Union Address. You can compare it to the word cloud from Obama's first State of the Union Address.

Picture embedded below. (click on the image for a larger version)



Created with http://www.wordle.net.
Speech text from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20029565-503544.html.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Emanuel Ruled Ineligible to Run

Emanuel is appealing the decision that he does not meet the residency requirements to run for Mayor of Chicago.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2011/01/appellate-court-says-emanuel-should-be-removed-from-ballot.html

"Attorneys for Rahm Emanuel late today asked the Illinois Supreme Court to prevent Chicago elections officials from printing ballots for the Feb. 22 mayor's election without his name.

Emanuel's legal team also said they will ask the state's highest court on Tuesday to hear their appeal of a decision by an appellate court today to knock him off the ballot on the grounds he doesn't meet residency requirements.

Chicago elections officials said today they have to begin printing the 2 million or so ballots needed for the election as well as preparing electronic voting machines for early voting that begins next Monday.
...
“I still own a home here, (I) look forward to moving into it one day, vote from here, pay property taxes here. I do believe the people of the city of Chicago deserve a right to make a decision about who they want to be their next mayor," Emanuel said.

In a 2-1 ruling, the appellate panel said Emanuel does not meet the residency requirement of having lived in Chicago for a year prior to the election. The judges reversed a decision by the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, which had unanimously agreed that Emanuel was eligible to run for mayor.
"

Print From Your Phone With Gmail For Mobile And Google Cloud Print

Printing from your phone; might not be a feature you need that much but when you do it promises to be a great time saver.

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/print-from-your-phone-with-gmail-for.html

"With Gmail for mobile and Google Cloud Print — a service that allows printing from any app on any device, OS or browser without the need to install drivers — you can.
To get started, you’ll first need to connect your printer to Google Cloud Print. For now, this step requires a Windows PC but Linux and Mac support are coming soon. Once you’re set up, just go to gmail.com from your iPhone or Android browser and choose “Print” from the dropdown menu in the top right corner. You can also print eligible email attachments (such as .pdf or .doc) by clicking the “Print” link that appears next to them.
"

Gaming For Good

Video embedded below.

Frances Fox Piven's New Globalization Revolution Theory

Video embedded below.

Sea Glass Machine

Sea Glass has an interesting look and feel that you can either collect or use for some projects. The problem is that those projects usually have to be fairly small given the size and volume of the glass you can find. This is not exactly a simple solution to the quantity issue, but is much faster and easier then the alternative (or normal way of just collecting what you find)

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/beachglass

"In the process of making a garden path which stretches 50 feet long and is 2.5 feet wide, I thought, how cool would that look if it were some sort of mosaic of sea glass! Snapping back to reality I realized how much time would be required to collect that much sea glass and got discouraged. But (eureka!) you can make your own. All you need is some glass, some sand, sea water and some way of mimicking the ocean and (bam!) you get sea glass.

I wanted to do large volumes, so I borrowed my uncle's cement mixer to mimic the ocean. The steel fins inside mimic large rocks. I started breaking wine bottles into small pieces and stole some sand from the kids play box, adding it all to the mixer. Since I didn't have any sea water handy I just filled it with tap water and turned it on. After an hour I checked and the sharp edges were all broken off, after two hours there was some frosting and smoothing and after 4 hours et voilà-- I had sea glass! With the capacity of the mixer I will have my garden path in no time. I plan on experimenting with other media and time duration and will report on my progress in the future.
"

Head to the source for some screen shots to help you with the process of making your own.

TankChair

It is not street legal where he lives (UK), but it does not look like that will restrict mobility to much.

Video embedded below.

Canadian Man Faces Jail After Using Gun to Protect Home From Fire-Bombers

What exactly did authorities want him to do? Someone is trying to firebomb my occupied home, and I have a weapon ... I am certainly not going to say inside hoping the fire department gets to my house before I burn alive. I would protect my home and my family.

Video embedded below.



"The incident began six years of trouble for Mr. Thomson that culminated early one Sunday morning last August when the 53-year-old former mobile-crane operator woke up to the sound of three masked men firebombing his Port Colborne, Ont., home.

“I was horrified,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know what was happening. I had no idea what was going on.”

So Mr. Thomson, a former firearms instructor, grabbed one of his Smith & Wesson revolvers from his safe, loaded it and headed outside dressed in only his underwear.

“He exited his house and fired his revolver two, maybe three times, we’re not sure. Then these firebombing culprits, they ran off,” said his lawyer, Edward Burlew.

His surveillance cameras caught the attackers lobbing at least six Molotov cocktails at his house and bombing his doghouse, singeing one of his Siberian Huskies. But when Mr. Thomson handed the video footage to Niagara Regional Police, he found himself charged with careless use of a firearm.

The local Crown attorney’s office later laid a charge of pointing a firearm, along with two counts of careless storage of a firearm. The Crown has recommended Mr. Thomson go to jail, his lawyer said.

His collection of seven guns, five pistols and two rifles was seized, along with his firearms licence. Mr. Thomson said he lives in fear that his attackers will return and has taken to arming himself with a fire extinguisher.
"

Teen Hit in The Eye With Own Golf Ball Sues For Millions

Video embedded below.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Elaborate Televised Prank on Belgium's Phone Company

Be sure to stick around to the end (or skip if you get board) for a great exit joke).

Video embedded below.

Pianist Plays Anti-American Pro-Communist Song at Obama White House State Dinner?

Video embedded below.



http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/49822

"Lang Lang the pianist says he chose it. Chairman Hu Jintao recognized it as soon as he heard it. Patriotic Chinese Internet users were delighted as soon as they saw the videos online. Early morning TV viewers in China knew it would be played an hour or two beforehand. At the White House State dinner on Jan. 19, about six minutes into his set, Lang Lang began tapping out a famous anti-American propaganda melody from the Korean War: the theme song to the movie “Battle on Shangganling Mountain.”

The film depicts a group of “People’s Volunteer Army” soldiers who are first hemmed in at Shanganling (or Triangle Hill) and then, when reinforcements arrive, take up their rifles and counterattack the U.S. military “jackals.”

The movie and the tune are widely known among Chinese, and the song has been a leading piece of anti-American propaganda by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for decades. CCP propaganda has always referred to the Korean War as the “movement to resist America and help [North] Korea.” The message of the propaganda is that the United States is an enemy—in fighting in the Korean War the United States’ real goal was said to be to invade and conquer China. The victory at Triangle Hill was promoted as a victory over imperialists.

The song Lang Lang played describes how beautiful China is and then near the end has this verse, “When friends are here, there is fine wine /But if the jackal comes /What greets it is the hunting rifle.” The “jackal” in the song is the United States.

The name of the song is “My Motherland,” originally titled “Big River.” In an interview broadcast on Phoenix TV, the first thing Lang Lang is quoted as saying is that he chose the piece.
"

'Windoro' The Window Cleaning Robot

This a vertical motion version of Roomba.

Video embedded below.

Apple App Store Hits 10,000,000,000 (Ten Billion) Downloads

The lucky app was Paper Glider. The lucky downloader was Gail Davis (Orpington, Kent, UK) who actually hung up on the $10k prize call. They called back and she got her $10,000 iTunes gift card.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20029267-37.html

"Less than three years after its launch, the Apple App Store reached its goal of 10 billion downloads this morning.

To promote the milestone, Apple promised to give away a $10,000 App Store gift card to whomever buys the 10 billionth download. Apple said the winner of the gift card was Gail Davis of Orpington, England.

The store launched in July 2008 with just 500 apps and now touts the availability of more than 350,000 free and paid apps for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Growth of the store's popularity has been swift; in its first nine months, the store hit 1 billion downloads and followed that up with 5 billion downloads in June 2010.
"

Machine Balances Pencil on Its Tip Using Vision Input (DVS) Only

Video embedded below.

Giffords (D) Transfer to Houston Went Flawlessly

Video embedded below.



Past related post:
Berman Post: Gabrielle Giffords (D) Shot in The Head
Berman Post: Jared Laughner Identified as Shooter of Gabrielle Giffords (D)
Berman Post: Jared Laughner (Shooter of Gabrielle Giffords (D)) MySpace Page Found, Now Removed
Berman Post: Arizona Chief US District Judge John Roll Confirmed Killed by Jared Loughner
Berman Post: Obama on Jared Loughner's Shooting Spree (Gravely Injuring Gabrielle Giffords And Killing John Roll)
Berman Post: All Legislation in Considered by The House Being Postponed Due to Jared Loughner's Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords (D)
Berman Post: Heart Wrenching Interview of Mother of Slain 9-Year-Old (Shooting Victim of Jared Loughner)
Berman Post: Hillary Clinton - 'Jared Loughner's Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords Was Political Extremism Similar to Al Qaeda'
Berman Post: Rahm Emanuel (D) - 'Never Let a Crisis go to Waste Comment Not Intended And Does Not Apply to Loughner's Shooting of Giffords'
Berman Post: Word Cloud of Obama's Memorial Speech For The Tucson (Arizona) Shooting
Berman Post: Obama's Memorial Speech For The Tucson (Arizona) Shooting
Berman Post: Jared Laughner's VideoTour of Pima Community College Campus
Berman Post: Obama's Memorial Speech For Tucson (Arizona) Shooting Featured "Applause" Instruction?
Berman Post: Organs of Laughner's Youngest Victim Used to Save Little Girl's Life
Berman Post: The Week in Stupid: Cable Pundits on The Loughner's Shooting Spree
Berman Post: Mark Levin Offering 100k if Someone Can Prove he or Palin Promoted Murder of Anyone (Non-Terrorist) And Threatens Suit For False Allegations

Woman Paralyzed by Hickey

Fortunately the paralysis was partial and only temporary; recovery following treatment with an anti-coagulant.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/01/21/new-zealand-woman-partially-paralyzed-hickey

"A New Zealand woman was temporarily partially paralyzed by a hickey on her neck from her amorous partner, AFP reported Friday.

The 44-year-old woman went to the emergency department of Middlemore Hospital in Auckland last year after experiencing loss of movement in her left arm while watching television, doctors reported in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

Doctors concluded the woman had suffered a mild stroke but were puzzled about its cause until they found a small vertical bruise on her neck near a major artery, a hickey, she received a few days earlier.
...
"Because of the physical trauma it had made a bit of bruising inside the vessel. There was a clot in the artery underneath where the hickey was."

Wu said the clot dislodged and traveled to the woman's heart, where it caused a minor stroke that led to the loss of movement.
"

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Greed is Good

Video embedded below.

Michelle Obama Blamed For Rise in Pedestrian Deaths!?!

The reason Michelle Obama is being blamed for an increase in pedestrian deaths; she encouraged people to walk more. The is so ridiculous it is almost painful. It is akin to blaming an increase of choking deaths on people steering children toward apples as a snack away from cotton candy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1349188/Michelle-Obama-blamed-rise-pedestrian-deaths-U-S.html

"Michelle Obama has had the finger of blame pointed at her for the increase in number of pedestrian deaths in the U.S..

The First Lady initiated a campaign called 'Let's Move!' designed to encourage more youngsters to walk to school, in a bid to help tackle the country's obesity problem.

But critics have said the scheme has back-fired after the figures for road deaths in the first six months of 2010 were revealed.
"

The Golden State? Bill Simon Explains Fiscal Challenges Facing California

Video embedded below.

Panasonic Ships Snowman 5,314 Miles to Desert in Bahrain to Demonstrate U-Vacua Insulation Panels

Video embedded below.

Nanosatellite Launch From a Microsatellite a Success

After the announcement of this historic first there was serious fear that it had actually been a failure. We now have confirmation that the mission was a success.

http://www.universetoday.com/82733/success-nanosail-d-deploys

"We have a solar sail! As we reported on the 19th, the little cubesat that was thought to be lost has now been found, and now today, Friday, Jan. 21, engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center confirmed that the NanoSail-D deployed its 100-square-foot polymer solar sail in low-Earth orbit and is operating as planned. The sail actually deployed late on Jan. 20, and it was quite interesting to see how ham radio operators were helping the engineers monitor the critical beacons sent out by the spacecraft — with communications also being sent back and forth via Twitter. The video above is from Henk Hamoen (@PA3GUO on Twitter) who operates a ham radio station in the Netherlands. The NanoSail-D sends an beacon packet every 10 seconds, which contains data about the spacecraft systems operation, and Hamoen and others were able to help make sure things were going as planned.

“This is tremendous news and the first time NASA has deployed a solar sail in low-Earth orbit,” said Dean Alhorn, NanoSail-D principal investigator. “To get to this point is an incredible accomplishment for our small team and I can’t thank the amateur ham operator community enough for their help in tracking NanoSail-D. Their assistance was invaluable. In particular, the Marshall Amateur Radio Club was the very first to hear the radio beacon. It was exciting!”

NanoSail-D will continue to send out beacon signals until the onboard batteries run out. For ham radio buggs: the beacon can be found at 437.270 MHz. It can be tracked on the NanoSail-D dashboard at: http://nanosaild.engr.scu.edu/dashboard.htm.
"

Keith Olbermann (MSNBC’s Host of Countdown) Announces he is Leaving Effective Immediately

Video embedded below.

Gamer's Misspelled Rant Becomes Viral Video

Video embedded below.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Free Electron Laser

Video embedded below.

'Text-And-Walker' Who Fell in Fountain Considering Suing

You can see posted video of the fall here.

Video embedded below.



Video embedded below.

Joel Klein on School Choice

Video embedded below.

Fox Rejects JesusHatesObama.com Super Bowl Ad

Video embedded below.



"Fox said the ad was unacceptable and could not air during the Super Bowl.

A representative for the site said that it was founded by a man named Richard Belfry. On the site, people can order anti-Obama merchandise, such as t-shirts and hats. A block of text on the front page of the site explains, "do we really believe that Jesus hates Obama? Of course not! However, we do believe in freedom...as in the freedom to make fun of the Obama administration with novelty t-shirts...our products may be a joke but so are the policies of this administration."
"

I think the ad is probobly a joke as well; one designed to get them publicity from the rejection without needing to pay for the Super Bowl air time.

Stewart Pokes Fun at Cohen (D) For GOP-Nazi Comparison Following Civility Call

Video embedded below.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Word Warcraft
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogThe Daily Show on Facebook

What Happened to The Antiwar Movement?

Video embedded below.

Republicans Introduces Law to Ban on Federal Funding of Abortions

The law appears to be a permanent version of the Hyde Amendment, which does the same thing but needs to be passed again every budget. It could also been seen as bringing back the Stupak Amendment which fell by the way side in the final ObamaCare push.

Video embedded below.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Snowplow Gets 'Swallowed' by Snow

The Snow fights back...

Video embedded below.

John Lewis (D) Tries His Hand at Explaining Why Repealing ObamaCare is Unconstitutional ... Fails

Video embedded below.



"CNSNews.com also asked Lewis what part of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to require individuals to buy health insurance.

“Well, when you start off with the Preamble of the Constitution, you talk about the pursuit of happiness," said Lewis. "You go to the 14th Amendment--it’s equal protection under the law and we have not repealed the 14th Amendment. People have a right to have health care. It’s not a privilege but a right."

The Preamble of the Constitution states, “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The Declaration of Independence says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
"

26 States Join Suit Against ObamaCare

26 is (obviously) more then half. The big question is if it will have any impact on the Supreme Court Justices when they hear the case.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/18/states-join-obama-health-care-lawsuit-fla

"Six more states joined a lawsuit in Florida against President Obama's health care overhaul on Tuesday, meaning more than half of the country is challenging the law.

The announcement was made as House members in Washington, led by Republicans, debated whether to repeal the law.

The six additional states, all with Republican attorneys general, joined Florida and 19 others in the legal action, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said.

"It sends a strong message that more than half of the states consider the health care law unconstitutional and are willing to fight it in court," she said in a statement.

The states claim the health care law is unconstitutional and violates people's rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties.
"

Democrats Now Walking Around With Their Own ObamaCare Interview Backdrops

Why not; it could start a general trend...

Video embedded below.

Snail Mail Gets Push Notifications

Video embedded below.

Jeb Bush (R) on Disrupting The Education Monopoly

Video embedded below.

House Votes to Repeal Obamacare (245-189)

Three Democrats joined the unanimous Republicans to vote to repeal Obamacare; that makes it bipartisan by some people's standards. Giffords (D) was the only person to not cast a vote, and understandably so.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/01/028172.php

"In its first big vote since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives earlier this month, the House voted 245-189 to repeal Obamacare. Every Republican voted for repeal. The left's party line is that the vote is only symbolic since repeal won't pass the Senate; therefore, House Republicans are wasting their time.

Nothing, in my view, could be further from the truth. The Democrats jammed Obamacare through Congress during the small window of time when they had 60 votes in the Senate. They knew the bill was unpopular, but they also knew that the chance to set in train a government takeover of medicine might never come again. So they rammed the bill through, hoping that once it was enacted it would be viewed as a fait accompli, and believing that the electoral losses that would follow would be a sacrifice well worth making in order to plant the government's flag in the health care industry.
...
A footnote: only three Democrats joined House Republicans in today's vote. (The roll call is here.) The three Democrats who crossed over were Dan Boren of Oklahoma, Mike McIntyre of North Carolina, and Mike Ross of Arkansas.
"

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Find Labs (Google) With Search-as-You-Type

It is a bit humorous to note that you used to have to scroll through a list of Google Labs because there was no search functionality. When there were only a few it was not a big problem, but the numbers increased it became increasingly irritating.

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/find-labs-with-search-as-you-type.html

"Scrolling was ok when there were a handful of Labs, but now that there are over 50 it’s another story. A lunchtime discussion made us realize that having to rely on the browser’s search function or endless scrolling makes it hard to find the Labs features you want. So another Gmail engineer named Manu and I decided take an afternoon and address this. The result is an addition to the Settings page which filters the visible Labs as you type.

You can also link directly to the search results (e.g. http://mail.google.com/mail#settings/labs/video) if you’d like.
"

Michael Moore - 'People Own Guns Because They Are Racists'

Video embedded below.



The statement is about as accurate as his Bowling For Columbine 'brief history of the United States of America'; painful, cringe inducing, laugh if you did not realize he is serious wrong.

Video embedded below.

How Liberal Journalists Think

Video embedded below.

iPhone-Controlled Mini-Fridge Beer Cannon

Video embedded below.

Mark Levin Offering 100k if Someone Can Prove he or Palin Promoted Murder of Anyone (Non-Terrorist) And Threatens Suit For False Allegations

If you think Levin or Palin prompted Loughner's shooting spree, there could be a 100k waiting for your proof. There may also be a lawsuit waiting for you if you can not back up your statements.

http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2011/01/msnbc-libtalker-mark-levin-duke-it-out.html

"Talk show hosts were also wrongly singled out, including Mark Levin, who has decided to fight back against MSNBC and its smear machine. After a solid week of anti-talker/Palin attacks, lefties then rewrote history to claim they had willingly jumped into the fray for publicity.

Rather than stand by during the dirty tricks campaign, Levin is going on the offensive. Not only has he threatened to sue the far-left cable network, he's defending Palin as well, offering $100,000 for evidence she's "promoted the murder of anyone".
"

Past related post:
Berman Post: Gabrielle Giffords (D) Shot in The Head
Berman Post: Jared Laughner Identified as Shooter of Gabrielle Giffords (D)
Berman Post: Jared Laughner (Shooter of Gabrielle Giffords (D)) MySpace Page Found, Now Removed
Berman Post: Arizona Chief US District Judge John Roll Confirmed Killed by Jared Loughner
Berman Post: Obama on Jared Loughner's Shooting Spree (Gravely Injuring Gabrielle Giffords And Killing John Roll)
Berman Post: All Legislation in Considered by The House Being Postponed Due to Jared Loughner's Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords (D)
Berman Post: Heart Wrenching Interview of Mother of Slain 9-Year-Old (Shooting Victim of Jared Loughner)
Berman Post: Hillary Clinton - 'Jared Loughner's Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords Was Political Extremism Similar to Al Qaeda'
Berman Post: Rahm Emanuel (D) - 'Never Let a Crisis go to Waste Comment Not Intended And Does Not Apply to Loughner's Shooting of Giffords'
Berman Post: Word Cloud of Obama's Memorial Speech For The Tucson (Arizona) Shooting
Berman Post: Obama's Memorial Speech For The Tucson (Arizona) Shooting
Berman Post: Jared Laughner's VideoTour of Pima Community College Campus
Berman Post: Obama's Memorial Speech For Tucson (Arizona) Shooting Featured "Applause" Instruction?
Berman Post: Organs of Laughner's Youngest Victim Used to Save Little Girl's Life
Berman Post: The Week in Stupid: Cable Pundits on The Loughner's Shooting Spree

NuMex Jalmundo - Jalapenos Specially Bread/Optimized to be Stuffed With Cheese And Deep Fried

The next step would be to genetically engineer a jalapeno with the cheese already inside it...

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-01/scientists-stuff-jalapenos-bell-pepper-genes-greating-bigger-peppers-poppers

"In a breakthrough with vast implications for both chiles and Chili’s, the New Mexico State University chile pepper breeding program has bred a wholly new, extra large, medium-hot jalapeno pepper precisely optimized for jalapeno poppers—jalapenos stuffed with cheese and deep fried. Named “NuMex Jalmundo”"

Sheila Jackson Lee (D) - 'Repealing ObamaCare Violates Constitution'

Something tells me her argument would not hold up in court. Indeed I believe that at least some pieces of ObamaCare will eventually be struck down by the Supreme Court as Unconstitutional if they render a decision.

http://spectator.org/blog/2011/01/18/shelia-jackson-lee-says-repeal

"Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Texas, said on Tuesday afternoon that repealing the national health care law would violate the Constitution.

Arguing that the Commerce Clause provides the constitutional basis for ObamaCare, Jackson Lee said repealing the law by passing Republicans' H.R. 2 violates both the Fifth Amendment's right to due process and the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause.
"

Ron Reagan 'Clarifies' His Ronald Reagan Alzheimer Allegations + Barbara Walters Defends Ronald Reagan

Videos embedded below.





Past related post:
Berman Post: Michael Reagan Disputes Ron Reagan's Claim About Father (Ronald Reagan) Having Alzheimer

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

How Big is The Internet? [Infographic]

Picture embedded below.

Lock And Unlock Your Door Via Text Message

Video embedded below.

Police Officer Foils Beerjacking Attempt

Video embedded below.

Guess Hu is Coming to Dinner

Video embedded below.

Women Taped Climbing US-Mexico Border Fence in Less Than 18 Seconds

Video embedded below.

2 Girls Quickly Conquer Border Fence: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

World Sends 107 Trillion Emails in 2010, %89.9 Spam

Goes to show you the importance of a good spam filter. A few other interesting stats quoted at the source.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/15/world-sends-107-trillion-emails-in-2010-most-of-them-about-enla

"Hold on to your seats, stat lovers, 2010 is about to hit you with the full force of its quantifiable web exploits. Web monitoring site Pingdom reports that last year we all sent 107 trillion emails to our loved and unloved ones, which breaks down to 294 billion per day, though only 10.9 percent of those weren't spam. There are now 1.88 billion email users around the globe and when they're not too busy communicating, they're surfing one of the net's 255 million total sites (21.4 million of which are said to have arrived in 2010). The compendium of numerical knowledge wraps up with a look at social media, where Twitter still has a way to go before catching up with email -- there were only 25 billion tweets last year -- but continues to grow like mad, having added 100 million users during the year. Facebook added even more, 250 million users"

Donny Deutsch (MSNBC) - 'Sarah Palin is Snooki'

Video embedded below.

The Week in Stupid: Cable Pundits on The Loughner's Shooting Spree

Video embedded below.



Past related post:
Berman Post: Gabrielle Giffords (D) Shot in The Head
Berman Post: Jared Laughner Identified as Shooter of Gabrielle Giffords (D)
Berman Post: Jared Laughner (Shooter of Gabrielle Giffords (D)) MySpace Page Found, Now Removed
Berman Post: Arizona Chief US District Judge John Roll Confirmed Killed by Jared Loughner
Berman Post: Obama on Jared Loughner's Shooting Spree (Gravely Injuring Gabrielle Giffords And Killing John Roll)
Berman Post: All Legislation in Considered by The House Being Postponed Due to Jared Loughner's Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords (D)
Berman Post: Heart Wrenching Interview of Mother of Slain 9-Year-Old (Shooting Victim of Jared Loughner)
Berman Post: Hillary Clinton - 'Jared Loughner's Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords Was Political Extremism Similar to Al Qaeda'
Berman Post: Rahm Emanuel (D) - 'Never Let a Crisis go to Waste Comment Not Intended And Does Not Apply to Loughner's Shooting of Giffords'
Berman Post: Word Cloud of Obama's Memorial Speech For The Tucson (Arizona) Shooting
Berman Post: Obama's Memorial Speech For The Tucson (Arizona) Shooting
Berman Post: Jared Laughner's VideoTour of Pima Community College Campus
Berman Post: Obama's Memorial Speech For Tucson (Arizona) Shooting Featured "Applause" Instruction?
Berman Post: Organs of Laughner's Youngest Victim Used to Save Little Girl's Life

Monday, January 17, 2011

Hezbollah And Allies Topple Lebanon Government

It should be noted that while I am no fan of Hezbollah, they brought down the Lebanon Government the 'right' way; that is as I understand it within the bounds of the countries laws and without violence. Unfortunately, that does not mean that the region will not have history repeat itself with violence breaking out in the near term over this.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110112/ts_nm/us_lebanon_hariri_resignation

"Ministers from Hezbollah and its allies resigned on Wednesday, toppling the Lebanese government of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri before expected indictments against the Shi'ite group over the killing of Hariri's father.
...
Analysts said the resignations could set the stage for protracted political turmoil in Lebanon.

They played down prospects of a repeat of the violence of May 2008, when gunmen took over Beirut after government moves against Hezbollah. But Sunni power Saudi Arabia, which backs Hariri, warned the resignations "will cause clashes once again."

The Shi'ite Hezbollah has denied any role in the 2005 killing. Its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, has attacked the tribunal as an "Israeli project" and urged Hariri to renounce it. The Sunni Muslim premier has resisted Hezbollah's demand.

Announcing the resignations, Christian government minister Gebran Bassil blamed Washington for obstructing the Saudi-Syrian efforts and called on Lebanon's president to "take the required steps for forming a new government."
"
Related Posts with Thumbnails

Like what you read; Subscribe/Fan/Follow