Friday, January 1, 2010

Texting while driving, public smoking, cooking with trans fats targeted in states' 2010 laws

In this file photo taken Dec. 15, 2009, Tina Derby sends text messages while driving in Concord, N.H. It will be harder to legally text while driving, eat fatty foods and light up in bars and restaurants under new laws that take effect across the country this year. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File) (Jim Cole, AP / December 15, 2009)

Go here to read the whole story.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

2009 Year in Review: News

Remember when President Barack Obama got sworn in? How about when pirates took a U.S. cargo ship captain captive? See these and more top moments that made headlines in 2009.

               JAN 15: US Airways plane river landing

( Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images )

“Rescue boats float near a US Airways plane floating in the water after crashing into the Hudson River in the afternoon on January 15, 2009 in New York City. The Airbus 320 flight 1549 crashed shortly after take-off from LaGuardia Airport heading to Charlotte, North Carolina.”

    Wednesday, December 30, 2009

    That joint? It's all in the name of research

    Writing isn't all done at a keyboard. And if your protagonist is a pot grower, well . . . please excuse the cloud of smoke.

    In my novel "Baked," I tell the story of a young underground botanist from Los Angeles -- a man inspired by Floyd Zaiger, inventor of the pluot -- and what happens when he wins the Cup and returns home to find himself caught in a tug of war between medical marijuana dispensaries who want an exclusive on his strain.” - Mark Haskell Smith

    Go here to read the whole article.

    Image titled “Cannabis Cup” by Jacob Thomas

    Putting 2009 behind us and looking forward to 2010

    Dave Stancliff/For the Times-Standard

    Posted: 12/30/2009 01:27:11 AM PST

    People still wander in a financial haze after the expensive holidays, with little time to rest or recover before the new year roars in with new days to celebrate and spend money.

    Some experts say the economy is recovering, and they cite all kinds of startling statistics that only exist on paper. Very few have any relevance to reality.

    Our reality in 2009 was grim. We drained another generation's blood with wars that cripple our economy and contribute to our crumbling infrastructure. They drag on, remnants of failed policies that we're still stubbornly trying to make work.

    Go here to read the rest at The Times-Standard.

    Tuesday, December 29, 2009

    10 Reasons the U.S. Military Should (Officially) Use Pot

     Medical marijuana may have a host of advantages over other treatments for traumatized vets, but the VA won't even study its efficacy.

     Excerpt from AlterNet:

    Me and the rest of my veterans' group talk about it all the time," he says. "Most of them also medicate with marijuana. If you asked any of us what, out of everything, was most effective in PTSD treatment, we would tell you marijuana." But the VA is a federal agency, so even in the 13 states where doctors are at liberty to suggest that patients try marijuana, they are prohibited from dispensing it.” 

    Read more here.

    Psychologists: Those in power more apt to 'moral hypocrisy'

    Power increases "moral hypocrisy," says Adam Galinsky, a behavioral psychologist at the Kellogg School of Management atNorthwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and co-author of a study published today in the journal Psychological Science. Go here to read the rest.

    Salon.com's Best Viral Videos of the Decade

    Check out this interesting list of the the best viral videos of the decade from Salon.com.

    Since Salon.com is a news website and doesn't focus on humor, their top pick wouldn't jive on this site, though the "Yes We Can" video is certainly one of the best pieces of video content to ever be created for the Internet.

    You might recognize several of the humorous viral video choices as they appeared on my Top 20 Viral Videos of All Time list. Consensus! Yay!

    But guys, no Leprechaun in Mobile, Alabama video? Oversight of the, uh, decade!

    photo courtesy of Salon.com

    TMZ Falls For JFK Photo Hoax

    Photo that "could have changed history" actually from a Playboy shoot

    “In a colossal screw-up, the gossip web site TMZ published a photo yesterday purporting to show John F. Kennedy frolicking on a yacht with a harem of naked women--except that the image actually appeared as part of a November 1967 Playboy photo spread, The Smoking Gun has learned.”

    Go here to read the rest.

    Monday, December 28, 2009

    Top 10: New Year's Resolutions All Men Should Make

    1.Visit a new destination

    The No. 1 resolution for 2010 is about taking yourself outside your comfort zone, broadening your horizons and checking out a new corner of the world.

    The quickest way to cure listlessness or boredom is to put yourself in the crosshairs of an adventure. Whether you have a dream destination in mind or you simply throw a dart at a map of the world, going somewhere new is the most important New Year’s resolution all men should make.

    Even if you hate traveling, you can still do this. Visiting somewhere new can even include the restaurant you walk past every day, the local museum or the next town over.
    If you need help finding a place to go to bring in 2010, check out our Top 10: 2010 New Year's Eve Destinations and if you need more convincing to go somewhere this year, read our Top 10: Reasons All Men Should Travel.

    Go here to read the rest.

    Sunday, December 27, 2009

    Putting 2009 behind us and looking forward to 2010

      
    Note: The Times-Standard didn’t have this column Online yet this morning, so I’m running the whole thing here today.

    Update: Someone really screwed up! My column isn’t even in the print edition.

             By Dave Stancliff
      People still wander in a financial haze after the expensive holidays, with little time to rest or recover before the new year roars in with new days to celebrate and spend money.

    Some experts say the economy is recovering, and they cite all kinds of startling statistics that only exist on paper. Very few have any relevance to reality.
          Our reality in 2009 was grim. We drained another generation’s blood with wars that cripple our economy and contribute to our crumbling infrastructure. They drag on, remnants of failed policies that we’re still stubbornly trying to make work.
         Our politicians were so polarized this year that nothing meaningful was done for the common citizen who struggles to survive in this brutal economy. For Wall Street bankers it was a great year and they passed out fat bonuses to prove it. 
       This is the time of year when many of us look back upon the past year and wonder what the new one holds. On the days leading up to January 1st some of us make personal resolutions that will fade away like fog as the year progresses. 
        In fairness, lots of people have enough fortitude to keep the promises they make to themselves. These people are usually the successful ones, the makers and shakers, and this country was once chock full of them.
       There was actually a time when we produced nearly all our needs, and didn’t have huge trade deficits. In the 1950s we were a manufacturing powerhouse and people were proud to own anything made here.
       Those days are now faint memories with black-and-white photos as proof our country was once a major superpower without equal. I wonder, do history teachers talk about our pride back then, and how productive we were, and all the jobs that were available, in their classes now?
       Today we have the so-called global economy, and our leaders tell us their vision of a one-world economy/society is good for us. I look around and see cheap manufactured goods from  countries like China, our major trading partner in 2009, who delivered their latest rip-off in massive quantities; dry wall laced with toxic chemicals.
      From what I have read and heard, the Chinese  own billions in American debt. We must have bean-counters in Washington who live in fear that China will suddenly call in their markers. When their gamble with our money fails, will we all be speaking Chinese as a first language in ten years?
       It’s not all bad news. Lots of good things happened in 2009. There were signs that Americans are ready to legalize marijuana. California will lead the way when that day comes. Several petitions are circulating for legalization to be on the ballot next year.
      The polls point out that a majority of Californians are ready to end the prohibition of pot. Numerous studies show marijuana’s effectiveness in fighting multiple cancers. The American Medical Association asked the feds to ease up their assault on medical marijuana and to do more research into its medical applications.
       I’ve read and seen some heart-warming stories this year about people-helping people. I have a new hero for my annual list. Her name is Betty Chin. If you don’t know about her, or what she has done for people over the years, take a moment and check out The 2009 Minerva Awards homepage online.
       In October, Betty Chin was awarded this honor for her work with the homeless in Eureka. Betty has been quietly showing love, comfort, and basic humanity to people for many years now. She escaped from China during the Cultural Revolution in the late 60s, and has devoted her life to helping others. This woman walks-the-walk and talks-the-talk.
      This year has gone by too fast for me. An old man’s complaint. We have a new president who has already disappointed me by sending more troops to Afghanistan. 
       It will take a lot of good men and women in the right places to get us out of these wars. It will take politicians who listen to the people who voted them in, rather than the lobbyists who currently poison our political system. It will also take a unified America to make any progress, whether it’s healthcare or warfare.
       We should have term limits for all politicians. That scares them silly. They’d have to make their time in office more productive and less partisan, and they wouldn’t have to start campaigning for their next term halfway through their current term. We need to stop repeating the same mistakes and prioritizing the same failed policies, by the same people.
       As It Stands, the new year traditionally represents change, and the hope that things will get better. I wish you a happy and a safe New Year!
                                           -

    Saturday, December 26, 2009

    Murray’s mousing career is off to a slow start…

     …and all through the house the only thing stirring was a mouse …

    on Murray the kitty!

    Peace On earth!

     

    The Top 10 Everything of 2009

    1. Sweden Burns Bunnies for Fuel

    Read more here:

    The Top 10 Everything of 2009

    Top 10 Oddball News Stories

    Passengers help foil attack on Detroit-bound plane

    This whole thing sounds like it would have made a great movie: 

    “An attempted terrorist attack on a Christmas Day flight began with a pop and a puff of smoke — sending passengers scrambling to subdue a Nigerian man who claimed to be acting on orders from al-Qaida to blow up the airliner, officials and travelers said.”

    Go here to read the rest.

    AP – This picture provided by J.P. Karas shows Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on the runway after arriving.

    Friday, December 25, 2009

    Merry Christmas readers and bloggers!

    I hope that all of you are enjoying your holiday. It’s hard to believe that another Christmas is here…and soon will pass.

    Peace On Earth and Good Will To All!

    Beverages: Spirits not so bright this holiday season

    Liquor companies' sales fall as consumers go out less and opt for cheaper brands.

    Derrick Hale replenishes stock at Emilio's Beverage Warehouse in Bellflower. Sales of distilled spirits fell in the first half of November from a year earlier. (Photo by Robert Lachman, LA Times /December 22, 2009)

    The people running the nation's large liquor companies may need a few stiff drinks right about now. Go here to see why.

    Thursday, December 24, 2009

    A poem: Christmas in America circa 2009

    Christmas in America circa 2009

    strands of colored lights stretching from coast to coast
    people boasting about who has the most
    it’s Christmas in America

    credit cards deck check-out lines in every store
    despite the economy or bills waiting in January, people buy more
    because it’s Christmas in America

    it’s a white Christmas for many states this year
    travelers stuck in airports find it hard to be of good cheer
    this Christmas in America

    financial types tell us, as we wait in long lines at the dollar store
    that we’re coming out of this recession and were really not poor
    this Christmas in America

    minimum wage Santas in Malls bounce children on their knees
    in nearly every house there are brightly decorated trees
    for Christmas in America

    corrupt pols beneath mistletoes with lobbyists, and who knows?
    Our fates lie with greedy Grinches in government and other
    foes
    this Christmas in America

    homeless veterans, cast-offs from three wars, litter the streets
    with other victims of society as we enjoy holiday sweets
    living here during Christmas in America

    in recent times, Jesus climbed down from the Christmas tree
    disgusted with the gift-giving capitalistic frenzy
    that’s Christmas in America

    -Dave Stancliff

    Boy finally reunited with dad in Brazil after custody battle

    David Goldman has fought for his son for five years. The family that held him made sure to make a big production out of returning him to his father with the press and thousands of spectators watching.

    The classy thing to do would have been to take the lawyers advice, and make the switch in private somewhere so there wouldn’t be a dog and pony show like what happened.

    It took a financial threat to the trade agreement between the USA and Brazil before Brazilian authorities finally stepped up to the letter of the law. The family that held Sean were abductors, yet they got away with what they did because the Dad was a well-connected lawyer.

    The judges have been in his pocket since day one. Hopefully, Sean can now lead a normal life with his biological father.

    Excerpt from USA TODAY:

    “A New Jersey man and his 9-year-old son were reunited Thursday in Brazil after a 5-year international custody battle, and immediately headed home to spend Christmas in the United States.”

    Go here to read the rest.

    Bianchi family photo of Sean Goldman via Reuters

    Wednesday, December 23, 2009

    Woman Allegedly Threatened Michelle Obama

    This photo provided by the U.S. Secret Service shows Kristy Lee Roshia. Authorities say Roshia, accused of threatening to kill first lady Michelle Obama, is in federal custody in Honolulu as the Obama family plans to travel to Hawaii.

    A woman accused of telling the Secret Service she would "blow away" Michelle Obama was in federal custody Tuesday as the Obama family planned to travel to Hawaii.
    Kristy Lee Roshia, 35, was charged with threatening a family member of the president and assaulting a federal agent after being arrested Saturday less than two miles from the Kailua home where the Obama family planned to stay during a holiday visit later this week.”  Go here to read the rest at CBS

    The photo above was provided by the U.S. Secret Service and it shows Kristy Lee Roshia.(AP Photo/US Secret Service)

    Court: Inmates must endure sheriff's Christmas music

    “Sheriff Joe Arpaio -

    self-proclaimed

    "toughest sheriff"

    in America - likes Christmas music, especially "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and anything by Alvin and the Chipmunks, and apparently he thinks the 8,000 inmates inside his Phoenix jail should, too.” Go here to read the story.

    Photo and related story via Department of the Offense –Taking It Back

    BlackBerry e-mail service restored for some after 2nd North American outage in a week

    Trouble in tech-land. Earlier this year there was another problem with Blackberries that left customers snarling.

    But millions of people love their little Blackberries and temporary outages, or disruptions of service, are taken in stride.

    The Chicago Tribune gives details on the latest malfunction.

    Excerpt:

    Research In Motion Ltd. said Wednesday the root cause is still under review but its preliminary analysis has determined there was a flaw in two recently released versions of its BlackBerry Messenger instant messaging software.” Go here to read the rest.

    Everyday Heroes Are Seldom Recognized for their Deeds

    Countless men and women over the ages have stood up to evil despite the risk of harsh reprisal or even death. Everyday heroes have always r...