What was the most costly punctuation error in history?

Probably the comma left out of the computer program for NASA's Mariner I Venus probe, which resulted in the craft's destruction.

Want to know some more interesting tidbits? Go here.

Monty was getting sick of explaining to people why he had to take his fish out for fresh air…

Hey! Wait a minute! Fish don’t breath…

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How Crazy is the Conservative rhetoric lately? You decide

MMFA President Burns: "Glenn Beck Is The Single Most Dangerous Person In This Country"

No Surprise That Harris Poll Finds Republicans Believe GOP Smears Of Obama

No…Beck doesn’t mean to really riot…or does he? Click link below.

"You Need To Riot": Right-Wing Uses Violent Rhetoric

The Poll Comes After More Than A Year Of Conservative Media Figures Forwarding Outrageous Smears Of Obama... Rush On Harris Poll: "The Facts Are Facts. The President Is A Socialist"

Beck Responds To Passage Of Health Care Reform With Violent Rhetoric... Beck Laughably Denounces The "Politics Of Fear"... Boehlert: Fox News, Health Care, And The Right-Wing Nervous Breakdown

Chaotic politics: how ugly will they get before people realize they are out-of-control?

The so-called “Conservative Woodstock” is happening today at Searchlight, Nevada.

I figure this will produce some great photos like the one on the right. The world will get to see what these wackaloons believe.  Hint: Reality is NOT on the agenda. Rhetoric will rule. Note: guy in lower right corner wearing t-shirt that Glenn Beck is his hero! I guess that sums it up. Meanwhile, at least  one Tea Party candidate is in trouble with the law. 

Nevada tea party candidate facing felony charges

What Happens When Congress Fails to Do Its Job?

“What drove Bayh from office, rather, was that he'd grown to hate his job. Congress, he wrote in a New York Times op-ed, is "stuck in an endless cycle of recrimination and revenge.

The minority seeks to frustrate the majority, and when the majority is displaced it returns the favor. Power is constantly sought through the use of means which render its effectiveness,once  acquired, impossible."

What we have here is a failure to communicate

 Being uncooperative as usual, Steny defied  people to arrest him.

He knew he could always plead that he couldn’t read.

He also knew, if all else failed, he could count on the governor’s word that he would be granted free reign if he modeled for the sign to the right.

 photo source 

Things to do with Cats – Part One – You can Dance with Them!

Photo source

Fox News: Threats against Democrats are wrong, but ...

I can’t begin to describe how disgusted I am with the Republican Party, and the wing nuts who are threatening legislators. There’s NO EXCUSE for threatening violence. I don’t give a damn what kind of spin Fox and others try to put it…this shit has to stop or the polarization will lead to the destruction of this nation. It’s that simple. If it were the Democrats, I’d say the same thing. This time it isn’t. The Republican Party needs to get it’s act together or all their creditability (what’s left to the party) is going to disappear forever. They can start by listening to their leaders, and not TALK SHOW hosts who inflame viewers for ratings!

Amid reports that several Democrats in Congress have been the targets of death threats, racial and anti-gay epithets, and have had their offices vandalized for their votes on health care reform, several Fox News personalities have been quick to first condemn the threats but then immediately make excuses for the threats. Others have appeared to dismiss the seriousness of the threats.

Doocy: "So why are people angry? Maybe because they didn't want this bill?" Teasing a segment about the threats against Democrats, Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy said: "Meanwhile, some House Democrats getting extra security after a series of death threats and even a little vandalism over their health care votes. So why are people angry? Well, maybe because they didn't want this bill?" [Fox & Friends, 3/25/10]

Fox & Friends airs viewer emails comparing threats against Democrats to American Revolution, William Ayers. After Carlson said, "The most important thing is what you think about all of this, because you are the ones that are going to go to the polls eventually," Fox & Friends aired several emails from viewers that condemned the threats but immediately appeared to defend the actions. One email claimed that Democrats are using the threats "to gain sympathy. Like Rahm Emanuel said, 'you never waste a crisis.'" Another read: "[W]hat did they expect when they basically stole from the...American people. What do they think 1776 was about & wasn't there some violence back then?" A third email said: "I don't like violence & it is wrong. Having said that, why should Democrats be surprised? Bill Ayers of the Weather Underground bombed the Pentagon & now he is a 'respected' speaker of the left. Why should Democrats expect anything different?" [Fox & Friends, 3/25/10] Excerpt from the emails:

Beck: Obama is "poking and prodding" people to commit violence. ... "They need you to be violent. They are begging for it." On his March 24 Fox News show, Glenn Beck referenced the "crazy tea baggers in the streets" and said, "Why would a government continue to poke you and poke you and poke you and poke you? Why would they say these things? Why have these people said these things about good Americans?" Beck later said: "This might be the most dangerous monologue I've ever done, because I am telling you now -- they need you to be violent. They are begging for it. You're being set-up. Do not give them what they want." [Glenn Beck, 3/24/10]

photos, video, and text via Media Matters

Initiative to legalize marijuana qualifies for November ballot

Looks like we’ll be voting on cannabis legalization.

“State election officials announced Wednesday that an initiative to legalize marijuana will be on the November ballot, triggering what will likely be an expensive, divisive and much-watched campaign to decide whether California will again lead the nation in softening drug laws.”

REGULATE, CONTROL and TAX CANNIBIS ACT of 2010

“But the measure, known as the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, goes further, allowing cities and counties to adopt ordinances that would authorize the cultivation, transportation and sale of marijuana, which could be taxed to raise revenues. It's this feature of the initiative that supporters hope will draw support from voters who are watching their local governments jettison employees and programs in the midst of a severe budget crisis.”

Utah, Florida help non-residents pack guns

Last September I wrote about the growing power of the NRA -

Let's face it, no one will take the high road to gun control – and was attacked by a lot of gun nuts who claimed Obama was going to take their guns away.  What has actually happened is that the NRA lobby has expanded gun rights to the point that nearly anyone in this country can get a concealed weapon permit – even if they don’t live in the two states that have legalized it!

Why two states’ permits are such hot tickets for concealed-carry crowd

“Gun-rights activists say Americans who pack heat to defend themselves are exercising a legitimate right and have helped reduce the nation’s crime rate. Gun-control advocates say that there’s no proof that gun-toting civilians make the streets any safer and that looser concealed-carry laws are a recipe for disaster.”

The result of the NRAs lobbying:

“As the debate continues, the Utah and Florida permits are becoming ever-hotter tickets for out-of-state gun owners.”

Web Sites tout the need to buy guns for concealment:

“Protect your family when traveling!” shouts a headline on one of dozens of Web sites that offer training and help with the paperwork to obtain the Utah and Florida permits. “You don’t have to be a resident of Utah or Florida!”

Victories for the NRA:

“The non-resident permits are roundly criticized by gun-control advocates, who see the states that issue them as tools of groups like the National Rifle Association.

“I think the reason states are doing this, especially Florida, is the sheer power of the gun lobby in those state legislatures,” said Kristen Rand, legislative director of the Violence Policy Center, which seeks a ban on private ownership of all handguns. “It’s not a question of what is in a state’s interest, but what is in the gun lobby and gun industry’s interest.”

Concealed-Weapons permits increased, not decreased under Obama’s Administration.

“The popularity of non-resident licenses with gun owners from heavily populated states like California and New York, which do not have “shall-issue” systems, has helped fuel big increases in both Utah and Florida’s concealed-carry permit numbers. That in turn has contributed to the nation’s fivefold increase in concealed-weapons permits, from fewer than 1 million in the 1980s to an estimated 6 million today.”

Second thoughts:

“But the permit’s surge in popularity with out-of-state gun owners has given pause to Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, who last September expressed fears that his state could become known as a “wholesale clearinghouse” for concealed-carry licenses.”

The Florida Loophole:

“The “Florida loophole,” touted at Pennsylvania gun shows by firearms trainers, exists because Florida has a lower bar for denying and revoking permits than Pennsylvania. Florida does not check to see if non-resident applicants have been denied permits by their home states, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture, which issues the concealed-carry permits.”

Click for related content:

22 minutes for a concealed-weapon permit
Should there be a mandate for training?
Video: Handguns 101
Record number of Americans licensed to pack heat

Image source

Threats linked to health votes prompt security

At least 10 Dems receive threats; gas line cut at Perriello brother's home

So this is where we’re really at in politics today. It just shows how extreme the Conservatives are:

One Example:

“Conservative activists in Virginia posted the home address of Perriello's older brother — believing it to be the congressman's address —”

What happened next?

“The slashed gas line leading to a propane tank at the home of Bo Perriello was found Tuesday, one day after Tea Party activists posted the address online and suggested that opponents of the reform bill should "express their thanks" to Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Va.”

How proud these cowards must be. What “Tea Party” patriots they are. Doesn’t it inspire you? Are these people representative of how you feel? Or, are you like me and disgusted with the blatant partisanship being displayed here?

  “Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., whose Niagra Falls office was vandalized Friday, said that Democratic members are concerned about opponents of the health reform.”

You can see why. Where will these cowards with their craven tactics strike next? One has to wonder. It’s a black eye for the Conservative movement and they should be ashamed of these extreme cowards actions.

The Democrats have their faults but I can’t remember the last time they slashed gas lines to a propane tank in someone’s home. The message was clear. “We’ll do anything to stop you. Even kill you.” Doesn’t that just stir your national pride?

UPDATE: Guess who was seen putting targets on the same 10 Congressman? That’s right…Sarah Palin !

Who cares how incendiary her program was right? She talked about putting those Dems “in the cross hairs” and how people should target them for their wrath.

JUST THINK…she might have been out Vice-President if McCain had won. Now that’s scary…

Guest Opinion: Reader shares bad experiences with health insurance industry, and new hope now that changes are now going to take place

From Georgia Gordon:

“Dave, can you use this?  We have first hand experience dealing with health insurance and their denials of DOCTOR prescribed treatment.

My beautiful daughter who has been a responsible, productive, member of our society, contracted Lyme disease along with two co-infections  It has affected her brain along with the rest of her nervous system.

It took nine months of Anthem Blue Cross using delay tactics with their denials and our appeals before they approved the IV antibiotic that was required to penetrate the blood brain barrier. They reluctantly approved one month of treatment, when Lisa needed three months of treatment.  Anyone who does not have an advocate looses the battle. Especially someone who is so debilitated by spirochetes in their brain that they have lost the ability to concentrate while all the time more damage is being done during the wait.  It is an ongoing battle,  The insurance company just denied one of the oral antibiotics that she was recently doctor prescribed.  These remote reviewers want to decide treatment and their decisions are always based on saving the company money.  No wonder people have died waiting for treatment.  Anyway, good information below from the White House.  I thank you for reading all of this:”

“Since the House of Representatives voted to pass health reform legislation on Sunday night, the legislative process and its political impact have been the focus of all the newspapers and cable TV pundits.

Outside of DC, however, many Americans are trying to cut through the chatter and get to the substance of reform with a simple question: "What does health insurance reform actually mean for me?" To help, we've put together some of the key benefits from health insurance reform.

Let's start with how health insurance reform will expand and strengthen coverage:

• This year, children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health insurance coverage. Once the new health insurance exchanges begin in the coming years, pre-existing condition discrimination will become a thing of the past for everyone.
• This year, health care plans will allow young people to remain on their parents' insurance policy up until their 26th birthday.
• This year, insurance companies will be banned from dropping people from coverage when they get sick, and they will be banned from implementing lifetime caps on coverage. This year, restrictive annual limits on coverage will be banned for certain plans. Under health insurance reform, Americans will be ensured access to the care they need.
• This year, adults who are uninsured because of pre-existing conditions will have access to affordable insurance through a temporary subsidized high-risk pool.
• In the next fiscal year, the bill increases funding for community health centers, so they can treat nearly double the number of patients over the next five years.
• This year, we'll also establish an independent commission to advise on how best to build the health care workforce and increase the number of nurses, doctors and other professionals to meet our country's needs.  Going forward, we will provide $1.5 billion in funding to support the next generation of doctors, nurses and other primary care practitioners -- on top of a $500 million investment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Health insurance reform will also curb some of the worst insurance industry practices and strengthen consumer protections:

• This year, this bill creates a new, independent appeals process that ensures consumers in new private plans have access to an effective process to appeal decisions made by their insurer.
• This year, discrimination based on salary will be outlawed. New group health plans will be prohibited from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that discriminate in favor of higher-wage employees.
• Beginning this fiscal year, this bill provides funding to states to help establish offices of health insurance consumer assistance in order to help individuals in the process of filing complaints or appeals against insurance companies.
• Starting January 1, 2011, insurers in the individual and small group market will be required to spend 80 percent of their premium dollars on medical services. Insurers in the large group market will be required to spend 85 percent of their premium dollars on medical services. Any insurers who don't meet those thresholds will be required to provide rebates to their policyholders.
• Starting in 2011, this bill helps states require insurance companies to submit justification for requested premium increases. Any company with excessive or unjustified premium increases may not be able to participate in the new health insurance exchanges.

Reform immediately begins to lower health care costs for American families and small businesses:

• This year, small businesses that choose to offer coverage will begin to receive tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums to help make employee coverage more affordable.
• This year, new private plans will be required to provide free preventive care: no co-payments and no deductibles for preventive services. And beginning January 1, 2011, Medicare will do the same.
• This year, this bill will provide help for early retirees by creating a temporary re-insurance program to help offset the costs of expensive premiums for employers and retirees age 55-64.
• This year, this bill starts to close the Medicare Part D 'donut hole' by providing a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the gap in prescription drug coverage. And beginning in 2011, the bill institutes a 50% discount on prescription drugs in the 'donut hole.'”

Thank you,

Nancy-Ann DeParle
Director, White House Office of Health Reform

photo SOURCE