I can’t make this stuff up, but the Official Meeting Facilities Guide's magazine, AKA OMFG has their own magazine and website. What else would it be than www.omfg.com.
Apparently lol.com or brb.com and pwned.com were taken for these guys. You would think someone who worked there would have a kid or know someone under the age of 65 who would tell them to rename themselves.
In related news, the new President and CEO of OMFG, Seymour Butts was hired away from WTF Industries where he handled the acquisition of STFU Worldwide.
Many show that are to be in HD, like Jay Leno, NBC Nightly News, etc, start in HD then pop into regular, or SD. It seems that out of the three main stations in Columbus, WCMH always seems to be having problems.
Not to be one to bitch to myself, I dropped them an email tonight asking why this is. To their credit, they answered… Not to their credit, they first blamed me, implying I must understand what I am looking at, but then, oh yeah, mentioned their equipment is busted. Way to go... Blame the viewer before your equipment. Ugh. Below is the email:
MY EMAIL:
From: Bearing Drift Ohio To: WCMH News Desk Sent: Tue Oct 16 18:34:57 2007 Subject: What is up with HD
Why does WCMH pop OUT of HD for Nightly News, Today and some primetime shows? It starts out as HD then pops out.
Please flip the switch... Why pay for an HD TV and service if WCMH blocks it.... Why watch WCMH when the other two stations are in HD.
Brian, The Squeaky Wheel
THE RESPONSE
From: "dgrivois@wcmh.com" To: bearingdriftohio@gmail.com Sent: Oct 16, 2007 7:18 PM Subject: FW: What is up with HD
Dear Brian,
Thank you for your message. When we air local commercial breaks, we switch to the SD server to play the commercials. NBC does the same thing except where it has an actual HD commercial.
Are you seeing the program content switch from HD 16x9 to SD 4x3? During the live segments of NBC's TODAY show, in order to execute the live weather cut-ins through our production control room, we have to go back to upconverted SD for a brief time. Our production control room is not HD yet.
Additionally, the HD receiver we have had intermittent failures that started over the weekend. When that happens, we have to switch to the SD NBC feed. Unfortunately that happened quite a bit on Monday and this morning. We contacted NBC on Saturday and its HD engineer shipped us a spare receiver while the one assigned to WCMH-TV is repaired. That spare receiver is now in service. We expect that the HD programs will be fine tonight.
I hope that helps answer your question. Thank you for watching NBC 4.
Reports were out there that Air America uber-Lib Randy Rhodes was attacked. An on air personality on Air America even accused the “Right-wing hate machine” of attacking her. He assumed, like a 10-year-old, that they must be ‘getting to’ conservatives. First off, Jack-ass, no one listens to your failing, bankrupt network, and second, it would appear that the only one who assaulted her was the Irish… Pub that is.
From Gawker Randi Rhodes was no more assaulted by a right-wing fanatic on Monday than Dick Cheney was. She, in fact, fell down and injured her teeth outside of a Midtown Irish bar at around 6 o'clock Sunday evening after downing about fourteen Ketel One Bloody Marys. She was abusive to the barstaff and generally gross, crass, loud, and pretentious. I genuinely hope she has a speedy recovery. I never would've disclosed this (I believe that anyone should feel free to hang out at Irish pubs at any time and not be concerned about someone publishing their behavior) if Air America hadn't grossly interpreted a drunken indiscretion and allowed it to be morphed into some bullish rhetoric on air. Whatever journalistic integrity the station may have ever had is now completely compromised. The manipulation of the public diminishes any cause, whether just or fabricated.
But yeah, go with the whole “the world is out to get us” theory… People have to give a damn about you to go after you.
Air America = disconnected losers. Not losers because they drink (I love to drink), losers because they childishly assumed she was attacked by some tough Conservatives who were out to get them. Nerds.
WABC (in NYC) apparently has inked a multi-million, mutli-year deal with the pioneer of radio. WABC also apparently fought off the disingenuine fake outrage from folks like Sharpton and others who demanded that no deal be made.
Of course there were a few people who used to use Don Imus’ show for their promotion and then turned on him for no other reason than to have a comfy seat on the band wagon. Sen. Clinton was one and reports say that she will be a target of Imus. Good.
The senator, who Imus has called "satan" and the "devil", traveled to Rutgers in April to praise the women's basketball team for its response to the controversy. In a campaign email, Hillary called Imus's comments "small-minded bigotry and coarse sexism."
"Hillary, prepare to meet your maker!" a source close to the host joked early Monday.
I hope Imus also goes after that two-faced SOB Tim Russert. Any time Slim-Tim needed to whore out a bo0ok or promotion to pay his buffet bill he would run to Imus’ show but he folded faster than a lawn chair he was sitting on.
Lest we forget that members of the hip hop community, including Snoop Dog, decided to pile on over the Spike Lee movie quote Imus used (Calling the beauty pageant quality Rutgers Girl B-Ball players “Nappy headed hoes").
Folks like Snoop said it was wrong for Imus to make the joke but it is ok for them to say Bitch and Ho because of the context. While I don’t disagree, I found it horrible they would not apply the same standards to Imus who was obviously making a joke. Of course these idiots are now scratching their heads wondering why their art is being attacked.
There are few organizations or groups of people who have been more loyal and supportive of me than the Navy. I also have the Navy to thank for giving me some of the most amazing opportunities and allowing me to meet and become friends with some of the most amazing people. Today is her 232nd birthday and she still looks great.
The new Chief of Naval Operations sent a message to the fleet:
As we celebrate and commemorate the 232nd birthday of our Navy, I thank all who are serving today, military and civilian; to our families who stand by and support us; and to our fellow sea service, the U.S. Marine Corps. We are a great team ready today and preparing for tomorrow. Read the rest.
I am not huge fan of Barack Obama, although I would chose him over Hillary (I would chose a pile of dog shit over Hillary). Anyway, today the AP is running a photo (and accompanying article) of the Illinois Senator going door to door asking for votes in Des Moines, Iowa. Now I have no idea how many houses he actually visited, or for how long. For all we know this was a one shot photo op, but the point is as a PR professional I have to say that this is an amazing image.
I have commented before about the lost art of politicians personally asking for votes so I have to give credit to Obama’s advisors for coming up with this one. His efforts, as staged as they probably were, will not make or break the Iowa Caucus for him, but it is nice to see a candidate from either party humble enough to knock on a door and ask for a vote... even if it was just a photo op.
Presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., waits patiently for someone to answer the door during a neighborhood canvas in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevin Sanders)
Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on Ohio Congressman Ralph Regula's announcement of his retirement:
"Congressman Regula has proudly served his constituents in Congress for the past 34 years, the longest continuously serving member in Ohio's history. From his time in the U.S. Navy to his service in the halls of government, he always dedicated himself to improving the lives of others. He strengthened the nation's education system, fought for better health care, and worked to preserve our nation's treasured parks and resources.
"His leadership will be greatly missed in Congress. Ann and I wish him the best during his remaining time in Congress and in his future endeavors."
If Ohio Stadium sold out (as it always does) and the world statistical data for the amount of abortions performed a year was applied to those in attendance, over 3,065 children would be killed.
One in five pregnancies worldwide ends in an abortion… And In 2003, the latest year for which full figures are available, 42 million abortions were carried out around the world… And For every 1,000 women aged between 15 and 44 in 2003, 29 had an abortion…
Of course, not that AFP is biased, but if you read the article they seem to play up the fact that this is actually a decrease in abortions. They do not say this in terms of ending this barbaric practice, but more so as to try and appease those of us who are reasonable and humane enough to oppose this medical-murder.
They also try and create sympathy by pointing out:
...but nearly half these terminations still take place in unsafe conditions, a study says.
See, you are supposed to focus on the horrible, “unsafe” conditions some woman have to endure. Luckily, there are thousands; if not millions of places folks can go to have a safe abortion... Well, safe for the mother, deadly for the child, but just ignor that dirty little fact and you will be fine... and a Liberal.
Hey Liberals; don’t lecture America on the innocent lives lost in the Iraq War and then argue for abortion on demand.
I have said it before but it is worth repeating: If all of the pro-abortion Liberals’ mothers had agreed with them, they would not be around to argue for the right to kill.
Even though Whoopie Goldberg was hypocritical about calling for Imus’ firing (she called Imus’ words racists but her black-face skit with Ted Danson was ok) she does get this one right.
Many bloggers and pundits called for this a long time ago, but maybe Whoopie can now make it happen. So, what do you say, Al?
Governor Romney has written and open letter to republicans. I think it is worth reading and I applaud his words.
To my friends and fellow Republicans,
Throughout our country’s long and remarkable journey, there have been “inflection points,” critical moments when political, economic, military and other forces converged to alter the course of our history.
We are at one of those inflection points today.
Forces of globalization, the rise of major new economic powerhouses such as China and India, and the emergence of radical Jihad have created a “perfect storm” that will change the course of our nation. We face unprecedented challenges in securing our borders, protecting the American family, and ending America’s dependence on foreign oil.
Our actions today will determine which course America will take. Will America remain the world’s economic and military superpower, able to preserve peace, progress, and prosperity? Will our children and grandchildren grow up with the same opportunities that have been our birthright for over two centuries? Will our uniquely America culture – a culture of family, patriotism, faith, and freedom – remain our foundation and lead a stronger America into the future?
I believe the American people can rise to these and every other challenge ahead of us. Yet, at this extraordinary moment in our nation’s history, our government is failing us. Washington is busy pointing fingers, assigning blame, and spending too much money. There is too much talk and too little action.
The blame, we must admit, does not belong to just one party. If we’re going to change Washington, Republicans have to put our own house in order.
We can’t be like Democrats – a party of big spending. We can’t pretend our borders are secure from illegal immigration. We can’t have ethical standards that are a punch-line for Jay Leno.
When Republicans act like Democrats, America loses.
It’s time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans. We have to remember who we are: We are not Big Government Republicans. We are not Washington Republicans. We are Change Washington Republicans. Democrats are not the change Washington needs. We are the change Washington needs and it’s time for Republicans like us to stand for that change again.
There is not a single challenge America faces that we can’t overcome with the innovation and passion that has always been at the heart of the American people. If we change Washington, I believe America can achieve anything.
It’s time for change in Washington and that change must begin with us.
Lieutenant Commander David Williams served as the department head for the Operations Department aboard US Nashville (LPD 13) from 1999-2001. In his roll he led over 80 men who he was charged with taking care of, training and inspiring. He did all of that and more.
LCDR Williams was known for his department “all-hands” meetings. Although they were held to discuss important issues and business with his men, they would normally decay into a stand-up routine where he would take good natured shots at us, regardless of rank, and it was always funny. His spot-on impressions of his Sailors, his mocking of the stories we never knew he heard about and his laughter in reaction to others doing impressions of him always created a sense of team, brotherhood and trust. He knew his Sailors.
However, Dave Williams was no pushover. Those who did not perform up to what he perceived to be their best ability were called to task and no one ever wondered where they stood with the ‘Operations Boss’. His trust in his officers and Chiefs was felt throughout the ranks and no one ever questioned his dedication to the Navy and his men. Everybody wanted to be like LCDR Williams and no one wanted to let him down.
At home his dedicated wife and two children understood that he loved the open sea and loved his job. After graduating from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) he went directly to sea and served aboard 3 ships before finally being convinced by his family to take a job that was not on a ship, but was in fact in the worlds largest office building; the Pentagon.
LCDR Dave Williams worked for the Chief of Naval Operations (The highest ranking officer in the Navy) and although land locked, he did enjoy his job. The daily grind of the ‘Zoo’ was no measure for Williams’ work ethic and unwavering sense of humor: a must for working in the Pentagon. Adding to his joy was the news that his he and his wife, Sara, were now expecting their third child. A boy, he hoped, to help balance out the two girls that would help their mother gang up on him. In the end, it didn’t matter to him because the only thing he cared more about than the Navy was his family.
On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 all hell broke loose. The nation was under attack and a concerned Sara called her husband at the Pentagon to ask him what was going on. Dave Williams knew he only had a moment to talk to his wife because the entire building was racing to react to the attack. That conversation was cut short.
Lieutenant Commander David Williams spent his final moments serving his nation at the headquarters of the Department of Defense and the Navy he loved. David Williams was killed as highjack American Airlines flight 77 slammed into the side of the Pentagon
News of his death spread quickly and within days, those of us e who were still serving aboard USS Nashville had received the news that one of our own had been killed in the attacks. Those who served with him were shocked, saddened, angry and heart-broken.
Thousands of families lost love ones that day but we lost “Ops Boss” and that was all we needed to know to make this horrific day even worse.
Every year I think of LCDR Williams and how he served not only his nation, but a team of Sailors who are better people for having served with him. Before he left USS Nashville, Williams wrote me a letter of recommendation for the Navy’s officer program. In 2002 I submitted that letter with my application. In 2003 I became a commissioned Naval Officer and I know in my heart that LCDR Williams, given the chance, would have been proud of me… but would have not missed the opportunity to give me a little hell, do his impression of me and remind me of where I came from. Every year about this time I think if that and I think of David Williams and I am sad but grateful for having served with him.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement calling on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and all Democrats to denounce the full-page advertisement from Moveon.org defaming General Petraeus that appeared this morning in the New York Times:
“Democratic leaders must make a choice today: either embrace the character assassination tactics Moveon.org has leveled against the four-star general leading our troops in the fight against al Qaeda, or denounce it as disgraceful. General Petraeus and the other commanders in the U.S. Armed Services have dedicated their lives to defending the very freedom that enables Moveon.org the right to free speech. I support that right, but I find the way they have chosen to exercise it today to be disrespectful and downright reprehensible.
“There is room for honest disagreement over how to proceed in our fight against al Qaeda and to bring stability and security to Iraq, but this cheap and shameful attack has no place in this debate. I urge everyone – Republicans and Democrats alike – to condemn this advertisement and those who funded and placed it. And I call on my colleagues to listen to what General Petraeus has to say. He’s earned it.”
My take: They won't say diddly squat. They are too spineless to argue with the nut-jobs at MoveOn.org that got them elected. They validated MoveOn.org and hnow have lost control of them.
When you see MoveOn.org, just think Democrats, becuase that is who they are.
Also, I am hoping many are outraged that no charges are filed. Prosecutors and friends have done nothing but make excuses like she was stressed, that she did not mean to kill her child, that this was an accident… And yet a little two-year-old is dead. She died slowly and painfully as the heat slowly and painfully killed her.
Calling this an accident implies that the death could not be prevented, that the circumstances were out of anyone’s control; that this just happened. That is wrong. This could have been prevented if this monster had thought of her kid as she collected the rest of her crap out of her car.
Some have said she is suffering enough. Is she? So that is how it works now? If you feel bad enough then you do not have to be responsible for your actions? Hmmm. Interesting. So if I commit a crime and then feel bad about it, I do not have to answer to it? Can I have that in writing please? We truly do live in a touchy-feel-goodsim liberal world, don’t we?
But alas, here we are with a dead child and a mother who feels bad about it. Are we supposed to accept some of the excuses we hear to justify her deadly mistake? No, because no matter the excuse, the result remains the same.
She was in a rush… Her child is dead She did not mean to do it… Her Child is dead. "I know Brenda was stressed because of all the prep work for the first day of school," said their baby sitter… Her child is dead
See, no matter what angle you look at this, the child is dead. Also notice the amount of items she takes from her car. The fact is everything else she had was more important to her than her child. The donuts she bought made it out of the car, her child did not. She killed her child as she ate donuts.
Sad and she deserves to suffer well beyond the crying and guilt she feels. That sort of guilt is enough of a lesson if you step on your child’s toe, but she killed her daughter. She killed her daughter. She killed her daughter. Period.
And the sickest part is, she still has her job as an assistant principal. If she is so careless as to kill her own child, how can a school; trust her with a building full of children?
Charge her, arrest her and imprison her. She killed her daughter. She killed her daughter. She killed her daughter.
So what has this internet brought us? A lot of crap, but some classic moments. I saw this on Break.com and thought it was great. A brief history of all things viral.
There is a lot of compelling information on the blog, Central Ohioans against Terrorism. Their latest post accuses the mayor of Columbus knowingly welcoming someone with ties to the 1993 bombing of the WTC.
On February 2, 1995, Siraj Wahhaj was named by US Attorney Mary Jo White as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that killed six people, injured 1,042 others, and foreshadowed the horror of 9/11.
On September 8, 2007, Ahmad Al-Akhras, close advisor to Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and president of the Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio (IFCO), will host Siraj Wahhaj as guest speaker at an IFCO fundraising dinner here in Columbus. Mayor Coleman has appointed Al-Akhras to numerous Columbus city government boards, commissions and committees.
The author, Patrick Poole goes on to explain,
Siraj Wahhaj says that he isn't sure that Osama bin Laden is responsible for 9/11; he calls for the return of the global Islamic caliphate and the imposition of Islamic shari'a law, including punishment by amputations and stoning; and he calls for the violent overthrow of American government.
One has to wonder what is going on in Mayor Coleman’s office. Why is there even room for the appearance of impropriety? I know that this is not a new concept for the Mayor but maybe his too distracted with the goings on at home to focus on running a tight ship at work... And remember, Central Ohioans pay for it.
Former No. 1 NFL draft pick Tim Couch had doping regimens that called for anabolic steroids and human growth hormone, according to documents obtained by Yahoo.com. Read the rest
Maybe a shaved head pretty boy who was humiliated on draft day will help Cleveland.
Communist and “Victim” Fidel Castro has endorsed Hillary for president. Golly gee, all she needs is Hugo Chavez, a bunch of labor unions and Al Qaeda to complete the whole set.
HAVANA (Reuters) - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro is tipping Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to team up and win the U.S. presidential election.
Come out or get out, it is that simple. It is ok to be gay but it is not ok to be gay, lie about it and grandstand against gays so that you can fight what you consider the demons inside. Also, you hurt the party and fuel Democrats arguments about, well, I am not sure what. Whenever a Republican is outted as gay they attack. They claim it is because of hypocrisy and they are right, but in reality they also know homosexuality is titillating…
Now Dems are no saints, but there is no defending a closet homosexual that is so passionate about being anti-gay. If you have internal conflicts, deal with them, but when elected to high office you have a responsibility to be honest and if you can’t be honest with yourself or your family, how can we expect you to be honest with your constituents.
The log cabin has closets… I would just prefer they be filled with clothes and not politicians.
This is priceless. Miss Teen South Carolina recently competed for Dumbest Chick in America. I think she won.
Actually this was for the crown of Miss Teen USA… As in the competition to highlight the best America has to offer under 18.
“Like being smart is, like, so 2003, like you know. I mean, like Paris, Lindsey and Brittney are like, rich, and like, they aren’t, like smart, like, you know”
P.S. To the parents of Miss Teen South Carolina: You make me want to be a better parent... than you :-)
Many employers across the nation, to say nothing of Ohio, have gone smoke free. The idea of prohibiting smoking IN the workplace seems to be common sense. I do realize that in the old days this was not so (I watch MAD MEN and wonder what those offices smelled like) but today in Ohio smoking in work spaces and bars and restaurants is illegal; a law passed by an overwhelming majority of voters.
Many employers have taken this even farther by banning smoking near the building or on the property. Recently the Detroit Free Press reprinted a USA Today story about this very subject. They even cited an Ohio employer
Employees who smoke are fast becoming an endangered species as companies ban smoking on all corporate grounds, including parking and other outdoor areas where smokers were once allowed to gather.
It's a radical change from just a decade ago, when smoking was tolerated, even if frowned upon. But now being a smoker can even risk your job as more companies pass policies banning the hiring of smokers or firing those who refuse to quit. What some employers are doing:
-As an employer and health care system, the Cleveland Clinic recently announced a no-smoking policy that will begin Sept. 1. That includes outside the buildings. The not-for-profit academic medical center will begin testing potential employees for nicotine as a part of the standard health and wellness screening during pre-placement physical exams. An applicant who tests positive through the urine test will not be considered for employment until he or she has quit for two weeks. Current employees who smoke will not be fired.
It has been reported that companies like Scotts Miracle-Grow have adapted smoke free policies that prescribe the firing of any employee who does not quit tobacco, period and any smoker will not be hired. Any use at any time, home or at work, is grounds for dismissal. They even go so far as to do routine checks, akin to how athletes are checked for steroids I guess.
Many studies have shown that smokers cost employers thousands every year in lost productivity and additional health costs.
Some others would argue that other health issues are not factored into employment such as obesity, recreational lifestyles (such as skydiving or extreme sports) or risky sexual behavior.
This leads me to this week’s questions:
-Are anti-smoking policies for employees even handed or are they one sided?
The race for Media Whore is always a close one but the NAACP makes another case for winning. As if we did not hear enough from that origination of irrelevance this year, today the president of the Atlanta chapter felt the need to chime in about Michael Vick.
What? Yes.
A multi-millionaire football star allegedly bank rolls a dog fighting operation and personally participates in fights and the execution of dogs by angina and drowning… This DEMANDS a reaction from the NAACP, right? Huh?
From CNN R.L. White, President of the Atlanta Chapter of the NAACP said, "The way he is being persecuted, he wouldn't have been persecuted that much had he killed somebody."
Really? Well, the NAACP supported OJ Simpson, maybe he has a point. But anyway, back to Captain Fantasy:
He urged the National Football League, the Atlanta Falcons and Vick's commercial sponsors not to dump the troubled athlete.
"We feel that whatever the courts demand as a punishment for what he has done, once he has paid his debt to society, then he should be treated like any other person in the NFL," White said.
Really? Really? Are you F-ing kidding me!?!?!? Just like that organization said about Don Imus, right? Before the whiners speak up, I know these are two different situations. Don Imus broke no laws and he is white, so yeah, F- him. Vick is a black athlete so he is entitled to special treatment and forgiveness. Got it.
What the NAACP and other are truly angry about is that this “Fight Club” has been broken wide open. It would appear that this is the tip of the iceberg. An awful lot of folks have come out and are speaking about dog fighting as if it is a norm.
Deion Sanders even went as far as to pen a piece to explain to the rest of America that we should not judge because:
What a dog means to Vick might be a lot different than what he means to you or I.
And some people enjoy proving they have the biggest, toughest dog on the street. You’re probably not going to believe this, but I bet Vick loves the dogs that were the biggest and the baddest. Maybe, he identified with them in some way.
You can still choose to condemn him, but I’m trying to take you inside his mind so you can understand where he might be coming from.
But wait for it. Here is the best part:
I believe Vick had a passion for dog fighting. I know many athletes who share his passion. The allure is the intensity and the challenge of a dog fighting to the death. It’s like ultimate fighting, but the dog doesn’t tap out when he knows he can’t win.
It reminds me of when I wore a lot of jewelry back in the day because I always wanted to have the biggest chain or the biggest, baddest car. It gives you status.
See, he had a PASSION for it, that's all and he sees dogs differently than us so it is ok. Of course Germans saw Jews differently in the 30s and 40 and had a ‘passion’ for them too. Am I comparing Dogs to humans? No. I am simply saying that passion does not supersede the law or simple ethics and morals.
Now I know that the NAACP and the likes of Sanders are quick to compare this to hunting. But you see hunting is legal. If you want to legalize dog fighting, lobby for it, but until then, the law is the law, even for those millionaire athletes who rise and sleep under a feeling of entitlement.
Of course I am not sure how you can get drowning and hanging of dogs legal, but good luck.
So what have learned today? Well that ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING dealing with an African American means that it MUST be a racial issue. We have also learned there is a huge dog fighting culture that has yet tot be fully exposed and that it is ok as long as you have a “passion” for it and if you are doing it for the sake of status.
BTW, for those who actually read Sanders' (Crap) piece, you will enjoy my response to him. Hey, Primetime… going after Vick doe not mean other crimes go uninvestigated, Stupid.
With the President’s approval numbers in the crapper, Congress decided that they should follow suit.
From Gallup PRINCETON, NJ -- A new Gallup Poll finds Congress' approval rating the lowest it has been since Gallup first tracked public opinion of Congress with this measure in 1974. Just 18% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, while 76% disapprove, according to the August 13-16, 2007, Gallup Poll.
That 18% job approval rating matches the low recorded in March 1992, when a check-bouncing scandal was one of several scandals besetting Congress, leading many states to pass term limits measures for U.S. representatives (which the Supreme Court later declared unconstitutional). Congress had a similarly low 19% approval rating during the energy crisis in the summer of 1979.
Is there any part of the Government that is getting positive numbers?
On a side note, can anyone tell me what the Congresses in 1992, 1979 and today have in common? Anyone? Anyone? (Cricket noise)
For ten years I served on Active Duty in the Navy. One of the best parts of the job was not having to decide what to wear to work. They literally tell you what the ‘Uniform of the Day’ is and I had very few options (Hmm, shall I wear khaki, khaki, khaki, or oh, maybe blues/whites). When I came home to Ohio recently and began working in the private sector, the issue of my wardrobe (or lack thereof was a stressful one.
You can not imagine how much shopping I had to do. I like shopping to a point, but I tend to buy a lot of the same of everything so I guess I am not good at it. I knew I should own a few suits, a lot of slacks and shirts, shirts, shirts. I remember that the day before I started at my new job a few months back, my supervisor made a point to me that I should NOT wear a suit. She said, “We dress casual but for business.”
On a daily basis I wear a button down shirt, slacks of some kind and nice shoes. On Friday I wear jeans (expensive trendy ones) and some sort of shirt (cue the dramatic music) untucked.
Recently I had lunch with a friend of mine who is a lawyer at a very prestigious and traditional law firm in Ohio. He bragged about how they were cutting edge because they went “Business casual.” Now, for them, that simply meant no ties.
I work at an Advertising and PR agency. We have people who work in the Creative Department that don’t even own ties. However, they do own and wear a lot of t-shirts.
It seems that suits and ties (And the equivalent for woman) is a dying norm in business these days. Is this good? Is this bad? I don’t know.
My question is this: At your place of business, is it “Business Casual” and if so, what does that mean at your company and do you think business has become too casual?
From Columbus Dispatch WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce of Upper Arlington will announce Thursday that she will not seek re-election to the congressional seat she has held since 1993.
Word is that former AG James Petro will go after the GOP nom and that Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy is stupid enough to run again.
Why stupid? Well if you are a Democrat and could not win in 2006, you ain’t ever going to win. Any other election Kilroy would have been smashed by 10 or more points but the national disgust with the GOP and the President GAVE her those votes she had. Kilroy is delusional if she thinks she can win a middle school student council election, to say nothing of a congressional seat.
Anyway, back to Rep. Pryce. She is holding a news conference Thursday but the reason has already been given. Apparently it is just too hard to raise her daughter, Mia, while being away so much.
I can’t blame her… lets be honest.. Dealing with one whiney child is bad enough, dealing with another is just too much.
Fair winds and following seas, Rep. Pryce. I am proud of the job you did and hope that you do not leave public service. You are valuable.
Don Imus is facing his first lawsuit from a player on the Rutgers Women's Basketball team for derogatory comments that cost him his job as a radio host in April, ABC News has learned.
Kia Vaughn, star center for the Rutgers Women's Basketball team, has filed a lawsuit against Imus for libel, slander, and defamation -- the first civil suit to be filed against the former radio host. Vaughn is asking for monetary damages of an unspecified amount.
Since when is offending people against the law or finable offense? And who the hell does she think she is that her feelings are so damn important. She never heard of Don Imus until someone told her about him and she was only “offended” because she was told to be. She is not a Ho, she is a money and publicity whore. There, since “Ho” is not allowed, I will say whore.
She is a pawn being used to further this assault on free speech. What happened to the days of “I may not like what you say, but I will defend your right to say it’? Oh, wait, that doesn’t apply if you are black and the likes of Sharptn need attention… Like a child.
By the way, I would never hire Vaughn for anything. She obviously is easily manipulated and is weak. My only question is, when she heard Imus (Did she ever actually hear the show?!?!), did she cry? I bet she did.
Seriously, if an old man on the radio using a quote from a SPIKE LEE movie ruins your life, you were worthless to begin with. Toughin’ up, Babe.
I have been against this merger from the beginning. Not only do I truly believe that Sirius' CEO Mel Karmazin would nickel and dime subscribers to death... to say nothing of cutting off XM in favor of Sirius based platforms (Requiring new radios sooner rather than later... I love my Inno and I think the Stiletto is a piece of shit) but also I fear that Mel’s boyfriend, Howard “Hoo-Hoo, I invented everything” Stern would have way too much input. This, of course, means that O&A and R&F stand to be let go, and that would suck.
From Drudge Prominent liberal blogger Jerome Armstrong has agreed to pay nearly $30,000 in fines in a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission over allegations that Armstrong touted the stock of a software company, without disclosing that he was being paid to do so, the NY TIMES reports.
Armstrong is the co-author of _Crashing the Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics,_ with Markos Moulitsas of Daily Kos. He is also the founder of the Democratic activist site MyDD.com.
Under the agreement, Armstrong neither denies nor admits to the allegations.
"It's good to see the matter finally end," Armstrong said in an e-mail message to the TIMES.
Developing...
I will give a free Blogga’ Wear T-Shirt to anyone who can send me clips and or text of this ass-clown ranting against the rich, big business, standard liberal babble, etc or about blogging ethics or attacking any paid bloggers. Email me.
There has been some talk from the likes of Newt and even Giuliani that there might be a ticket in 2008 made up of Senators Clinton an Obama. Stories like this and exchanges like the one below at yesterday’s AFL CIO Forum in Chicago (Which replays of can be heard on XM channel 130, POTUS) show me that this is unlikely to happen.
This is only the beginning and I imagine that these two will only go after each other more… as Edwards chases them like a little puppy to be included and relevant.
What do you think? Do you see a Clinton/Obama ticket or just two candidates who are going to tear each other apart?
From WaPo Army investigators have concluded that the private (Private, Scott Thomas Beauchamp) whose dispatches for the New Republic accused his fellow soldiers of petty cruelties in Iraq was not telling the truth.
Oh, by the way, Beauchamp is married to New Republic reporter Elspeth Reeve. Really. Oh then he can’t be lying, er I mean exaggerating [rolls his eyes]
I don’t blame Bush. Had he done something people would have attacked for spending time on sports rather than America’s problem, but now he is being attacked for snubbing that doping, cheating SOB, Barry Bonds. Wait, what… Did I editorialize a bit there? Sorry.
Apparently when you question conspiracy theories that insist that the government is after African Americans, you not only get pressure, you get fired. Former Radio One/XM Satellite Radio The Power channel weekend hosts Casey Lartigue and Eliot Morgan air out their grievances in the Washington Post, alleging that they were fired by the channel for challenging the authenticity of "Memorandum 46". Memo 46 is something that some conspiracy-happy African-American activists insist prove that the US government under the Carter administration plotted against black Americans.
Oh, and by the way, Al Sharpton got a gig on that station and XM when they were bumped. And I thought he got an XM gig as a quid pro quo for not firing Opie and Anthony. Who knew...
The poll by The Wall Street Journal and NBC news showed the New York senator surging to a 21-point lead over her nearest challenger, Barack Obama, with 43 percent support against his 22 percent, the newspaper reported.
If she wins the Democratic nomination it will only make it easier for a Republican to win the White House. She can not win a general election. Not because she is a woman, but because she is... Hillary. America does not want a screaming, utopias-socialist mindset of a President who has demonstrated her obsessive and desperate need for power.
I guess when you are obsessed with race and ensuring that you stay in the public eye by being divisive, ANYTHING having to do with an African American is fair game.
ATLANTA (AP) - NAACP leaders urged public restraint Monday in judging Michael Vick before he has his day in court.
R.L. White, president of the Atlanta chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the Atlanta Falcons quarterback has been vilified by animal rights groups, talk radio and the news media and prematurely punished by his team and corporate sponsors.
Really? Really? Are you F-ing serious?!?! Where was this call for restraint during the Duke rape accusations? (BTW where the hell is the apology from the NAACP and the likes of Sharpton and Jackson?) Where was this call for restraint during the Tawana Brawley debacle? Where was this call for restraint during the Reginald Denny beating?
Once again, the NAACP has chosen to focus on symbolic, non-substantive issues instead of tackling real issues effecting the African American community. THIS is why they are irrelevant to their own community and offer no real positive impact anymore.
The NAACP is like a firefighter who holds protests against the hue of red on the fire truck while the building burns to the ground behind their picket signs and press conferences.
When I read this, I shook my head in, well, disgust.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's parliament closed for its summer recess on Monday, lawmakers said, deciding to take a break until early September despite having failed to enact a series of laws demanded by Washington.
If the Iraqi Government is not willing to put in over-time, or any time to get their miserable country together, why should we? This is evidence of a Government, as it were, that needs pressure through real consequences.
We can no longer cry wolf. Iraqis are not pulling their weight because they know they don’t need to.
Unless the US Military can go on recess until September, the US Government should DEMAND that the Iraqi Parliament get their asses back to work. This is just more support to this argument.
As many of you know, I spent the last ten years everywhere but Ohio. I had the honor of serving on active duty in the Navy which took me to Chicago, California, Spain, France, Turkey, The Bahamas, Greece, Croatia, Malta, Italy, and many more places.
When I had the opportunity to move my family home to Columbus I took it. Thankfully there was employment in the private sector here doing what I love.
A lot has changed in Columbus. This pace has gone from the wanna-be town between Cincinnati and Cleveland and has become a city that is the envy of the Midwest. If you are chuckling, then you have never left C-Bus.
Columbus has a great nightlife and entertainment line up regularly, amazing parks and recreation, a wide variety of housing for all income levels, some of the greatest colleges and universities in the Midwest and being that it is demographically representative of the nation, more restaurants and market trials of new products than you can shake a stick at.
With all of this has come business and lots of it, When I was younger, all anyone talked about was going to college (most likely OSU, Miami or OU if you went to Worthington like me) and getting the hell out of Ohio, Columbus in particular. Today, that is not the case.
More companies boast about being in Columbus like the Limited Group, Express Fashion, Cardinal Health, Battelle, and on and on. More young professionals chose to stay in Columbus or seek out Columbus more than any other city in Ohio and more than most in the Midwest. The fact is, this one time Cow town that was nothing more than the home of OSU is now a Business leader. And how is this reflected in the Columbus Dispatch? With over eight pages of Life & Arts and pages of Sports that has the ONE PAGE of business news. Wow. That is a sad statement if I have ever seen one.
I used to live in the Hampton Roads section of Virginia. Over 70% of the economy was based on the Military and the local rag, The Virginian-Pilot has a Business section that is over 5 times the size of the Dispatch.
When people come to Columbus to interview for jobs or decide if they want to establish or expand their business in Columbus, I guarantee they pick up the Dispatch. What does it tell them? I guess it says if you want play college ball, you are in the right place. Beyond that… Well let’s just say the Dispatch does a disservice to the tens of thousands of business people who do not run a 4-40 or do not have tickets to the horse shoe.
One page Business section? Dispatch, you are a Disgrace.
The Hill has published it's fourth annual 50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill list. Well worth a look, of course. Although I adamantly (and nauseously) disagree with #4 (A blatant ass kissing mention to be sure), the others are impressive.
There seems to be slightly more Dems than Republicans, but I am not sure if that is a comment on the publication's bias or if there are just more beautiful Dems on Capitol Hill than Republicans. In the end, who cares :-)
Take a peek, (its ok to look) and then tell Bearing Drift Ohio which one is your top pick.
A bigger deal in Ohio since so many people were financially raped by predatory housing lenders, but if you are a fan of John “Two Americas” Edwards, you might want to consider this.
Looks like Jonny boy has done his part to ensure that there remains two Americas… Staying rich while screwing the poor.
[Cue Alanis Morissette music] Isn’t it Ironic… Don’t ya think?
From AP DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - Disgraced former prosecutor Mike Nifong acknowledged Thursday there is "no credible evidence" that three Duke lacrosse players committed any of the crimes he accused them of more than a year ago, offering for the first time a complete and unqualified apology.
"We all need to heal," Nifong said. "It is my hope we can start this process today."
Good point. Step One: Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson should apologize for using race to self promote and to publicly crucify these innocent men for no other reason than to race bait and further divide people for their own power grab….
FoxNews.com WASHINGTON — Bill Clinton will be there. So will 300 officeholders from more than 45 states. But one thing will be missing when Democrats gather in Tennessee this weekend to discuss how to appeal to moderate, independent-minded voters in 2008: the Democratic presidential field.
Not a single one of the eight presidential candidates plans to attend the Democratic Leadership Council's summer meeting, a snub that says less about the centrist DLC than it does about a nomination process that rewards candidates who pander to their parties' hardened cores while ignoring everybody else.
Do not get me wrong. I am not a huge fan of the DLC but I recognize the IDEA behind it and appreciate their efforts to appeal to a moderate audience (you know those people that MoveOn.org DOESN’T fraudulently claim as members of their crazy-farm cult).
The point is, to be elected by your party you can not be a moderate. If there was a Republican Moderate convention, none of the GOP candidate would show either (Well maybe Ron Paul would. Hell, that nut job will show up to TGIFriday’s for happy hour if you promise to get him on TV).
The point is, there is something wrong in a country that is so politically divided and is wanting, no, begging for leadership that can bring people to the table, but no one of that ability will or could get a nomination.
“The appalling cruelty to dogs described in the complaint against Michael Vick immediately reminds me of another kind of cruelty that is not only not punished, but is protected by our authorities,”
“I’m talking about the incredible cruelty suffered by babies who are stabbed, have limb torn from limb, or have their skulls crushed in the womb by abortionists. The pain these children endure is undoubtedly excruciating, yet we close our eyes and look the other way in the name of ‘choice.’”
"Yes, of course we should ensure humane treatment of animals, but shouldn’t we also humanely treat humans?”
-Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
It's going to be a "hot" summer in the Middle East, said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad following a surprise meeting with Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah in Damascus on Thursday evening.
These are the words of Iran’s leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Obviously this is a Nuke reference and obviously this is a reference to “wiping [Israel] off of the map” as he has promised before.
Iran is nuts and a threat to the Middle East. I do not endorse anything pre-emptive, but I also do not endorse restraint on our part or on Israel’s part when Iran does strike them… and they will. No troops, no planes... just glorious missiles that send video feed back until impact and are launched from land... or from under water.
While it might have been hard to hear Democrat Barack Obama over the sounds of the Shop-Vacs and giggling of doctors, Presidential Candidate and Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., told Planned Parenthood Tuesday that sex education for kindergarteners, as long as it is "age-appropriate," is "the right thing to do." (source)
So please, define for me what “age appropriate” is in regards to sex education and kindergartners?
My prediction: Statements like these at a forum like Planned Parenthood just locked up Obama’s endorsement from the National Education Association!
So now The “Reverend” Al Sharpton has come out granting permission for someone to hire Radio DJ Don Imus.
NEW YORK (AP) - The Rev. Al Sharpton, who urged the Imus' firing, wouldn't object if the radio personality returned to the airwaves. "He has a right to make a living," he said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
Yes, I said he granted permission. Who the hell is he and why do we need his approval? Because you as the public empowered this racist monster to be the moral authority. Forget about his history and his moral crimes, by not standing up to him and by allowing him to bully the station owners, he was empowered.
If you think that this was just a black “leader” protesting an old guy who made an off color remark, think again. It was a power grab and you let it happen. This race baiting media whore was desperate for relevance and CBS Radio and the publics’ silence gave him just what he wanted.
Of course, Don Imus was fired, the ever dreaded N-Word was ‘buried’ in a symbolic (Yet ineffective) ceremony... All problems are solved now, right? Of course I know [White Guilt] Ragnar would cry “But it is a start… isn’t that something?”
No, it is not. It is like giving Rogaine to a cancer patient while crying that the Doctors and the chemo therapy are oppressing the hair. It is not addressing the realities and the source of the problems in a community they claim to be leaders of.
Education, Education, Education. If those are not the first three words out of mouths of Sharpton, Jackson, or the NAACP then they are failing to lead. Maybe a little less money spent on limos for Sharpton, setting up hack burials and more spent on fighting for education dollars in the inner city, real police protection for law abiding folks in the community and developing business opportunities for people.
This man has no credibility. The other day in NYC a White cop and an Asian ciop walked up to an SUV. Three black men in that SUV rolled down the windows and shot, at point blank range, the two cops, killing one. Where was Sharpton and where was Jackson?
Now am I saying that these guys shot the cops simply because they are black? No (Although they will be heroes in prison, and that is a sad comment on society) but had the cops shot the men in the SUV, is there any doubt that there would be marching in streets against the cops led by the media whore Sharpton?
I would have enormous respect for Sharpton if he would gone on TV or had even just released a statement expressing his condolences to the families and saying that this sort of crime hurts all people and called for a march against violence. But no, we heard nothing.
Seems like my good friend Ragnar would like this one. From (the dying) UPI:
NEW YORK, July 13 (UPI) -- A New York lawyer filed a class-action lawsuit against night clubs he says practice gender discrimination with ladies' night promotions.
Attorney Roy Den Hollander claims the clubs, including the Copacabana Nightclub, China Club, A.E.R. Nightclub and Sol, violate the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection under the law by offering discounted or waived admission fees for women during the promotions, the New York Post reported Friday.
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki shrugged off U.S. doubts of his government's military and political progress on Saturday, saying Iraqi forces are capable and American troops can leave "any time they want."
Fine by me. I am no anti-war lemming but if al-Maliki thinks he can do better, let him. I know the moment the US leaves his country will implode, thousands of Iraqis will kill each other but hey, he says he can handle it. Let him.
I would rather sit and watch Iraqis die than Americans. It sounds heartless, I know but the hard truth is one of those two situations seems to be inevitable so if forced to choose, I choose to protect Americans every time.
The Neo-Hippies cry for peace. In their ignorant bliss they think that if the US leaves, everything will be ok… because that is what a bumper sticker said, but that isn’t the case. If you think Iraqis are dying now, wait until the US leaves. Watch the carnage as these savage tribes in this over rated third world country kill each other. Let them. Let them eat their own. Sacrificing US lives is always hard, but to do it for ungrateful savages is too much to stomach. Hey al-Maliki, when the US leaves, why do I think you will be in hiding?
Oh, BTW, I also know that the moment the US leaves, Iran will move in and use Iraq as a launching pad. Smart... Give us an excuse, Tehran.
Toledo, Ohio- An uproar over a golf outing for politicians in which strippers handed out drinks has resulted in the resignation of at least one local Democratic Party official in northwest Ohio, a state party official said Thursday.
Resign? Hell, this guy should be made state party chairman! This guy embodies the word ‘party’!
Now this is the Democrats so in reality, he was not pressured to resign because there were strippers. He was forced out because he did not have male strippers for the ladies as well. Gotta be fair, right?!?!
Spokesman at Vanderbilt, where Gee currently reigns, confirmed Mr. Gee’s departure for OSU.
House Speaker Jon Husted (R-Kettering), responding to the media reports, said today: “In my book, we’ve just won the NCAA National Championship of college presidents.”
My prediction: Mr. Wolfe of the Columbus Dispatch is touching himself as we speak.
Gov. Ted Strickland said today that it now appears there was an additional 561,000 taxpayers data that was lost in a recent theft of a back-up tape from a state employee.
The new tally is:
-561,126 taxpayers who had an uncashed Ohio personal income tax refund check at some time during the last three years
-8,123 former state employees
-86,968 vendors.
.
State officials are saying they have no reason to believe any of this data has been used for identity theft.
Yes, of course not. The thief just wanted to use the tape to hold a rattling muffler on their car. ugh
Who likes to look like the Hitler youth giving a ‘heil Hitler’ pose, is too dumb to know how to hang a flag vertically and thinks he is the dungeon master of the blogosphere all the while living in his parent’s basement?
From Reuters LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The 24-year-old son of former Vice President Al Gore was arrested for drug possession on Wednesday after he was stopped for allegedly speeding in his hybrid Toyota Prius, a sheriff's official said. Al Gore III -- whose father is a leading advocate of policies to fight global warming -- was driving his environmentally friendly car at about 100 miles per hour on a freeway south of Los Angeles when he was pulled over by an Orange County sheriff's deputy at about 2:15 a.m..
Side thought: How much damage to the environment is caused by burning marijuana? Can’t be any more than flying around on a private jet like dear old Dad, right?
The Inconvenient Truth about Jr.
-In 1996, he was suspended from his high school for smoking marijuana.
- In August 2000, he was ticketed for reckless driving by North Carolina police for driving 94 mph.
- In September 2002, military police arrested him on suspicion of drunk driving near a military base in Virginia.
- In 2003, he was charged with marijuana possession in Maryland after police stopped the car he was driving for not having its headlights on.
- In February 2004, he entered a substance abuse program as part of a plea agreement.
Local NBC affiliate, NBC4 (WCMH) sponsors and broadcasts the Midwest’s largest fireworks display, Red White and Boom.
This year the pre-show was littered with mention again and again about how it will be shown in High Definition (HD). Each WCMH personality crowed about the high tech show this year. Apparently sound, however, is still a challenge.
Although the soundtrack is broadcasted on AC station WNCI 97.9, we chose to listen to the soundtrack and the sounds of the fireworks on WCMH. The opening scene showed the faces of Soldiers, Marines and Sailors who gave their lives in service. As this was on screen we hear the nation anthem... and the opening scene to NBC’s Law and Order.
You guessed it... during the national anthem and while showing dead soldiers, there was audio of a murder being discovered.
It is the 21st century and WCMH can’t figure out how to turn off the New York feed. Amazing and bush league at best. These fireworks may be the best in the Midwest but the production crew at WCMH is the worst. Way to go guys.
BTW, I called WCMH. They woman on the phone said I was “...like the 10th person to call.” And she sounded annoyed. She said they were “were working on it”. Well you have 364 day to figure out your sound board.
Resign? Hell, this guy should be made state party chairman! This guy embodies the word ‘party’! 
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