Saturday, July 12, 2014

It’s Supermoon Saturday and ‘Manhattanhenge’ Too

Good Day World!

Are you ready for The full Moons of Summer 2014?

TODAY, August 10th, and Sept. 9th-will all be Supermoons.

“Generally speaking, full Moons occur near perigee every 13 months and 18 days, so it's not all that unusual,The ‘Moon Illusion’  is probably what will make people remember this coming set of Full Moons, more than the actual view of the Moon itself.

The illusion occurs when the Moon is near the horizon.  For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects. When the Moon illusion amplifies a perigee Moon, the swollen orb rising in the east at sunset can seem super indeed.” Source/NASA

“Manhattanhenge”

The full moon is bigger and brighter than average this weekend, all over the world, but there's a special treat in store for New Yorkers: the combination of a Supermoon with the sunset phenomenon known as “Manhattanhenge.” The full moon is due to rise at 8:27 p.m. and become visible in the gap between the skyscrapers at 9:16 p.m. tonight.

Related stories:

A STONEHENGE SUNRISE VS. A MANHATTANHENGE SUNSET

Manhattanhenge Is Back, Here’s What You Need to Know

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Friday, July 11, 2014

Friday Follies Report: Bouncing Boehner, Grandma gets tough, Old draft notices & Artist arrested while cleaning up dog poop

Good Day World!

Welcome to the Friday follies:

On deck:

Follow the bouncing Boehner.

Boehner blubbers and accuses Obama of dodging immigration crisis – then puts up a roadblock when Obama asks for money to take action.

I’ll tell you this, we’re not giving the president a blank check,” he said of Obama’s request for a $3.7 billion emergency fund for the humanitarian crisis. (source)

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Don’t even mess with this grandmother.

When Lillie McClendon, 83, came face-to-face with a robber in her Houston house recently, she threw boiling hot water on him, beat him with a broomstick, and gave him a piece of her mind. (source)

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Draft notice over 100 years too late!

The Selective Service System says a data glitch prompted it to send notices to several deceased men in Pennsylvania, ordering them to register for the nation's military draft. At least two of the letters went to families of men born in the 1800s.

Chuck Huey of Kingston, outside Wilkes-Barre in northeastern Pennsylvania, says a Selective Service notice for his late grandfather recently arrived in the mail. Bert Huey is a World War I veteran who died in 1995 at age 100.

In northwestern Pennsylvania, a similar notice was sent to the late Fred Minnick, who was born in 1894 and died in 1992.

Selective Service spokesman Pat Schuback tells the Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre that the error originated with the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. He says the error was caught after several of the notices went out. (source)

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Talk about a load of crap!

A well-known American Indian artist said police in New Mexico pulled a rifle on him after his dog pooped in his SUV and a woman mistook his cleanup efforts for a burglary.

Pueblo painter Mateo Romero parked into the private driveway after Han Solo, his Shih Tzu, relieved himself inside the SUV during a drive to his studio. Romero said he only wanted to clean the mess.

However, Romero said when Markus spotted him in her driveway, she boxed him in with her vehicle and called 911. "I tried to talk to her to explain that I was cleaning up dog" poop, he said. "But she got all hysterical and I just backed away. I couldn't leave. It was crazy." (source)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Fame train is slowing down for ‘Bieber Boy’ because of his antics

Good Day World!

The fame train is slowing down for Justin Bieber.

Fans are leaving the station because the popular punk, who became a star at 15 years-old, has been showing his true colors the last couple of years.

(AP FILE Photo-2013)

Do you think it’s unfair to call him a punk? If so, let’s review what he’s been doing the last couple of years.

 After pelting his neighbor’s house with eggs – I don’t know what he hit but the damage came to $20,000 – last year, he was finally held to account yesterday.

Prosecutors from the Los Angeles County district attorney's office charged Bieber with one count of misdemeanor vandalism on Wednesday.

Bieb’s pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two years probation, five days of community labor and has to pay $80,900 in restitution.

The bad boy also has to completing an anger management program.

But that doesn’t mean the law is done with him. Bieber faces two other cases in Florida and Toronto.

A Miami court has set a trial date this month for his DUI case, which also includes charges that he resisted arrest without violence and was driving with an expired license.

Yes, he’ll probably get top-notch lawyers again and come away with another minimal sentence for this incident. I wonder if the court will have him go to another anger management program for hassling a police officer?

But wait! There’s more. A trial date hasn’t been set yet for Bieber’s assault on a limousine driver in Toronto.  He turned himself into the Toronto Police Services, who have charged him with the assault. He’s out on bail.

The cases are adding up. These stupid pranks may not be draining his bank account, but fans are becoming increasingly tired of his childish antics.

With a global fan base, termed as "Beliebers," and over 40 million followers on Twitter, he was named by Forbes magazine in 2012 as the third-most powerful celebrity in the world.

However, Bieber fell to number 9 on the list in 2013. Meanwhile, Bieber Boy is on the fast track to Loserville. Let’s see where he ranks at the end of this year.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

A modern tale of three little pigs helping people

Good Day World!

I’d like to introduce you to three little pigs – two named Wilber and one named Twinkie.

The Wilber’s are fighting for their right to live outside a farm, and Twinkie who won his battle to stay with his people in the city.

I’m sure you’ve heard of therapy dogs. In case you haven’t heard, there’s also therapy pigs (and a host of other animals that shall go unnamed here for brevities sake).

(Photo: Wilber #1 and his owner Nadine Darsanlal)

Wilber #1 lives in New York City (Queens) with his owner Nadine Darsanlal, a disabled Navy veteran . He’s a certified therapy pig but the city’s health department doesn’t care. They issued a $500 fine to Darsanlal for keeping a prohibited animal in the city limits.

A local judge said Wilber’s status as legally certified therapy pig was legitimate, but he still ruled against him and Darsanlal has to pay the fine, CBS 2 reports.

Queens State Senator Joins Fight For Pet Pig Therapy

AS FOR WILBER #2

In Palm Beach, Florida, a completely different Wilbur is getting heat from a homeowners association none-too-happy with the pig's presence, WPTV reports.

Wilbur No. 2's owner, Rori Halpern, told WPTV that the pig helps with her two kids, both of whom have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. One has reportedly been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.

Potbellied Pigs: The New Therapy Animals

ANOTHER THERAPY PIG STORY - TWINKIE

A South Florida family won the battle to keep a pet pig for a young boy with special needs.

Kason Ray has Down syndrome, but getting a therapy dog was out of the question because his dad has severe allergies. Miniature pigs, on the other hand, are hypoallergenic. (story)

I hope you enjoyed, and learned something about, these three smart little pigs who help people lead happy lives.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

The State of Pot: Washington rolls out legal bud today & how other states are responding

Good Day World!

I’ve got marijuana on my mind today as the state of Washington rolls out recreational sales of pot.

At least three retail shops opened today: Cannabis City Seattle, Top Shelf Cannabis in Bellingham and The Freedom Market" in Kelso.

People started buying pot at 8 a.m.at Bellingham’s Top Shelve Cannabis, one of two stores in the city north of Seattle. (Customers on the left and sales clerks on the right pass "sniff jars" back and forth on a glass countertop as they discuss different strains of recreational marijuana at Top Shelf Cannabis,A.P. photo – Ted S.Warren) 

PROBLEMS IN PARADISE

Washington faces a huge backlog for licenses. There are only 18 license reviewers sifting through thousands of applications. The first approvals for growers didn’t go out until March, which left at most two growing cycles to stock the shelves.

That's created an inescapable shortage of product, and a growing population of desperate, irate business people. Some have already gone under as opening day was delayed again and again. Others are trying to sell or hold on long enough to break even.

MIXED REACTIONS

Everyone is not on board the pot train however. At least 10 cities, counties, and municipalities have banned marijuana business out right. Dozens more have declared a moratorium on new businesses, beyond the state's hazily regulated medical marijuana shops.

THE BIG PICTURE

There are 22 Medical Marijuana states and DC. Here’s a summary of their laws,fees, and possession limits.

More than two dozen states are considering new or expanded marijuana reform legislation, including complete legalization for adults, medical marijuana, hemp use and decriminalization.

THE IRONY IS THICK AS A BRICK

Did you know that the U.S. government has been looking to fill its shopping cart with marijuana? And its dealer, by law, is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. No kidding.

At the same time that it's responsible for enforcing federal laws against marijuana, the DEA is also responsible for procuring it for federal research. And with two months left in the fiscal year, its customers have fallen short. (source)

NEWS ITEMS IN POT STATES

NEVADA

A Nevada-based startup that plans on selling medical and recreational marijuana products named former New Mexico governor and U.S. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson as its CEO and president, the company announced Tuesday.

The announcement came as Cannabis Sativa Inc. said it had acquired marijuana research business Kush while company officials work to navigate changing state laws on marijuana and potential challenges from the federal government, which still views marijuana as a controlled substance. (source)

COLORADO

A Colorado man loses custody of his children after getting a medical marijuana card. The daughter of a Michigan couple growing legal medicinal pot is taken by child-protection authorities after an ex-husband says their plants endangered kids.

And police officers in New Jersey visit a home after a 9-year-old mentions his mother's hemp advocacy at school.

While the cases were eventually decided in favor of the parents, the incidents underscore a growing dilemma: While a pot plant in the basement may not bring criminal charges in many states, the same plant can become a piece of evidence in child custody or abuse cases. (source)

KENTUCKY

The 2013 Kentucky Health Issues Poll shows that 78 percent of those individuals that participated in the polling support legalizing marijuana for medicinal dedications and 40 percent of those polled are in support of legalizing the plant for any purpose adults see fit.

The poll in question validates a previous polling released back in May which was conducted by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati which revealed that approximately 80 percent of those Kentuckians that participated supported the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.

Furthermore, May's polling View Post results share similarities with the most recent survey due to the fact that 38 percent of those polled stated that they favor the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes. (source)

FLORIDA

The Space Coast's boomer-and-older residents say they will vote yes this November on the Florida Right to Medical Marijuana Initiative.

Widely known as Amendment 2, it would legalize the medical use of marijuana in the Sunshine State. To be added to the state constitution, the amendment needs to be approved by 60 percent of voters.

A Quinnipiac University poll this spring charted support in those older than 65 at a whopping 84 percent and 88 percent among all voters. While support of recreational usage drops dramatically in that older age group, in that same poll, among voters 50 to 64 years old, 62 percent admitted smoking pot, more than any other demographic. (source)

MICHIGAN

The top lawmaker in the state Senate says he’s now on board with legislation to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in Michigan.

Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, is now also embracing a bill that would allow state-certified patients to use edible and other non-smokable forms of marijuana.

Richardville was not a fan of the legislation when the state House approved it late last year. But he says that has changed as he’s heard more from supporters of the bills.

“This is for well-meaning people and it’s all for medical purposes. And [patients and caregivers] came and gave some moving testimony,” said Richardville.

“There’s so much to learn about that topic, and I didn’t know a lot about it. And I didn’t realize how difficult smoking is for some people and the different ingestion techniques that are important to them.”

Supporters of House Bill 4271 say dispensaries allow people to get treatment right away, instead of having to wait for a caregiver to grow and cultivate marijuana. They say that process can take months. Patients with certain diseases, such as cancer, sometimes don’t live long enough to get the benefits of medical marijuana. (source)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

Monday, July 7, 2014

Monday Tales: It’s a dog, dog, dog, world

Tucker the dog (WAOW)Good Day World!

It’s time for some Monday tales.

I’ve got a few stories for you that are amusing and kinda crazy too.

Let’s start with a dog that threw up a diamond ring.

This story begins with a Wisconsin woman who thought her lost wedding ring was long gone five years ago. To her utter surprise she was recently reunited with it in a very surprising way.

Meet Tucker (photo above) who is also known as the family “food burglar.” Two weeks ago, Lois Matykowski of Stevens Point, and her granddaughter were out in the yard enjoying Popsicles on a hot day. That was until Tucker, the family dog, suddenly helped himself to the granddaughter’s popsicle.

After wolfing down the frozen treat, stick and all, Tucker didn’t feel so good and later yakked it up. Two days passed and he was yakking again – this time in the family living room – and low and behold, Mrs. Matykowski’s long lost wedding ring lay in the puke!

The good news is no one is mad at Tucker. As a matter of fact, he’s being treated as a hero!

FAT CAMPS OFFER PUDGY PETS ‘PAWLATES’ TO SLIM DOWN

Staff worker Kelli Quinones walks golden retriever Ceili on a treadmill for dogs at the Morris Animal Inn Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Morristown, N.J. Female goldens are supposed to weigh 55 to 70 pounds but overweight Ceili weighs 126 pounds. The facility says she is very active but when they do stair climbing drills, she has to take a pause. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

It’s not just a people problem: Growing rates of obesity in pets have led to the emergence of fat farms offering “pawlates,” “doga” and “Barko Polo,” doggie versions of Pilates, yoga and Marco Polo to help slim down man’s best friend.

In the U.S., 53 percent of dogs are overweight or obese, up from 45 percent four years ago. In cats, the figure is almost 58 percent, said Dr. Ernie Ward, a veterinarian and founder of the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention in Calabash, North Carolina. Overweight pets can suffer diabetes, joint problems, heart disease and decreased life expectancy, just like obese people, he said. (source)

------------------------------------------------------------------------Junior, a pit bull puppy, got his head stuck in a wheel. (James C. Dowell/Associated Press/Kern County Fire Department)

PUP FINDS ITSELF IN A TIGHT SPOT

A pit bull puppy in Bakersfield, California managed to get his head stuck in the middle of a wheel rim and luckily received help from local firefighters. As reported by the Associated Press, the puppy’s owner brought “Junior” into the Kern County fire station, with the wheel around his neck, hoping to get some help.

After taking photos of the poor little guy, Brandon Hill, the fire department spokesman said two firefighters used vegetable oil to slide the puppy through the hole and free him from the wheel’s grip. Junior is now back home with his owner and seven siblings.

Junior, a pit bull puppy, got his head stuck in a wheel. (James C. Dowell/Associated Press/Kern County Fire Department) (source)

That’s all for now folks!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Did a special forces legend go ‘Colonel Kurtz’ in Afghanistan?

 Good Day World!

Today I’m going to share the story of a man who may have done his job too well.

His name is Jim Gant.

Once a Special Forces Major, he’s a civilian now. Not by choice, however.

Gant’s been called the “Lawrence of Afghanistan,” because like the real Lawrence of Arabia he went totally native adopting local customs and exchanging his Army uniform for traditional Afghan garb, along with a full beard.

Gant (photo above with Ann Scott Tyson) , who won a Silver Star for valor in Iraq in 2006, had achieved notice for detailing his thinking on how the U.S. could prevail in Afghanistan in a 2009 paper, One Tribe at a Time. It was a brilliant plan and the Army loved it.

But Gant broke too many rules and was removed after he was accused of - and admitted to - violating a ban on drinking alcohol and for using prescription painkillers, as well as giving out fuel to tribal police. He also admitted to living with his war correspondent lover Ann Scott Tyson in Kunar province.

You can read the story of Gant and former Washington Post reporter Ann Scott Tyson in her book American Spartan: The Promise, the Mission and the Betrayal of Special Forces Major Jim Gant.

Still others feared that Gant had become like “Colonel Walter E. Kurtz,” a rogue Green Beret officer played by Marlon Brando in 1979’s Apocalypse Now.

There is a belief [in the Army] that you went COL Kurtz and went totally native,” an Army comrade wrote to Gant after he returned to Fort Bragg, N.C., according to Tyson’s book.

HOW EFFECTIVE WAS GANT’S PLAN?

Let’s put it this way, a copy of it was found in Osama bin Laden’s quarters following his killing by U.S. forces in 2011. There were notes in the margins about the difficulties al Qaeda was having in Kunar province, believed written by bin Laden.

A second document, from bin Laden to his intelligence chief, named Gant, and said he “needed to be removed from the battlefield,” according to Tyson. (source)

When the U.S. military relieved Special Forces legend Jim Gant from command in March 2012, he saw it as the final blow in a clash within his own chain of command over his public push for American special operators to “go native” with Afghan tribes - to dress like, live like and, if necessary, die like the locals.

Though Gant admitted to offenses, he and Tyson told ABC News they believe Gant’s critics in the military were using any excuse they could to force him out. Gant's Special Forces brethren had done what local Taliban commanders had only dreamt of - they took him out of the fight and out of Afghanistan.

BACK STORY

“Dozens of highly experienced military sources, however, said Gant was right when he said the Army had failed to fully embraced the concept of living with the tribes in “village stability operations,” a strategy with roots in the Vietnam War that has historically been a specialty of U.S. Army Special Forces. Some believe Gant's success at fighting the Taliban with such a controversial strategy was a factor in the military's decision to force him out.” (source)

Did Gant go COL Kurtz? His medical records showed that he has PTSD, and traumatic head injury. Was he too far over the top? Or, could it be that some people in the military were envious of Gant’s success?

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Blog Break Until Presidential Election is Over

I finally hit the wall today. I can't think of what to say about all of the madness going on in this country right now. I'm a writer...