Good Question: What are the police doing on my Facebook page?

Good Day World!

The Topic today is spies on Facebook.

Law enforcement authorities spying on activists' Facebook pages is a disturbing sign which evinces an urgent need for legislation drawing clearer lines around what is and what isn't acceptable.

The social justice protest of summer 2011 was a seminal event in Israeli history. What started with a small group of people pitching tents on Rothschild Boulevard and reached a peak with half a million people out in the streets had an indisputable effect on public discourse here. The evidence of that is the major role that social and economic issues played in the recent election campaign. But even as that change took place, another, less talked-about one happened as well: The leaders of the protest were marked by the Israel Police, which put their Facebook pages under surveillance and submitted them as evidence to the court (Haaretz, February 10, 2013).

The Israel Police is not alone in these actions. In December 2012, The New York Times reported that according to FBI documents, FBI agents had been watching the members of the Occupy Wall Street movement since September 2011, exchanging information with employers, universities and police officials. The FBI regarded spying on the activists as part of the war on terror.

A report released by Gartner Research predicts that by 2015, 60 percent of organizations will have formal programs to snoop on social-networking sites to keep information secure and prevent electronic break-ins. Today, less than 10 percent of companies keep track of their employees’ social-networking profiles. In March of last year, Facebook announced that it was considering taking employers who had asked for the names and passwords of job candidates to court. (Read the whole article here)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Consumers held hostage at the pumps again! Prices are skyrocketing!

              Good Day World!

The topic for today is gas prices and how – as usual – we the consumers are being legally raped by the oil corporations and speculators. It hurts. It’s wrong. But it continues to happen and we can’t seem to to a damn thing about it!

It’s that time of year again, when for no real good reasons we get held up at the pumps by the criminals who control transportation costs in this country. It’s like a pre-spring screwing which sets us up for a summer of climbing gas prices.

U.S. gas prices have hit a four-month high with 32 straight days of increases at the pump bringing misery to spring breakers and job hunters.The Automobile Association of America said Monday that the national average for a gallon of regular is $3.73 -- 43 cents more than a month ago -- with prices topping $4 in California and Hawaii.

And if you live in Humboldt County like I do – it’s $4.27 a gallon! As usual we lead the nation…and that goes for Hawaii, but it’s like we’re in some Bermuda Triangle and no one can ever explain why we pay more than anyone else most of the time.

I’ve yet to see the mainstream national press examine this little oddity we live with up here. We may be behind the proverbial “Redwood Curtain,” but there’s a lot more inaccessible places in America to deliver gas to. So why are we putting up with it? Locals suspect a lot of things but no investigative reporter has ever tried to get to the bottom of this hard fact.

There’s been some fluff prices done about our high gas prices over the years by various local media outlets, but NO ONE has ever come up with a complete explanation. There’s something rotten all right…and it’s not in Denmark!

Meanwhile the national media experts blamed a series of the usual bullshit factors for the increase that started in mid-January: (Nod if any of this sounds familiar)

- Some refineries are switching over from winter to summer fuel, which is more expensive to produce.

- A Hess refinery in New Jersey that supplies 7.5 percent of the Northeast's gas is closing.

- Midwinter maintenance has led some refineries to go offline temporarily.

- Demand for gas is up, fueled in part by the return of more people to working.

The price hikes come at a bad time, however, for Americans who are still out of work or facing smaller paychecks because of higher payroll taxes.

The bad news: according to the AAA prices will likely continue to rise into the warmer months and driving season, but not at the same pace they did in 2011 and 2012. Talk about a Catch 22 – those Americans that have found jobs are paying the price at the pump – and those without are taking a hit they can ill afford.

The sooner we get away from fossil fuels, the better for the average consumer!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

AS IT STANDS: Lack of respect for one another equals fear and violence

By Dave Stancliff/for the Times- Standard 

 First Posted:   02/17/2013 02:34:42 AM PST

 Updated: 02/18/2013 02:34:42 AM PST

At the risk of sounding like an old curmudgeon I have to say I don't care much for this new century. The hasn't turned out at all like I imagined back when I was a kid in the 20th Century.

My utopian forecast wasn't even close. Everyone doesn't have a flying car, although I heard some guy has invented one and intends to start production next year. People aren't all wearing space suits like in the popular “Jetsons” cartoons.

We're more apt to see baggy pants exposing underwear on young men, and young women wearing lingerie tops like blouses during the day than space suits. I like that there's no dress code, but have to admit some people look spacey with multi-colored mohawks and rings protruding from noses like metal boogers.

It really makes me sad to see our schools forced to take actions to prevent lunatics from murdering our students. Such a thing was unthinkable back in the 1950s and '60s when I was a child. None of us had to fear someone would walk into our school and shoot us indiscriminately.

Students may have gotten mad at teachers and peers, but they never returned to school with weapons, bent on bloody revenge. That kind of stuff didn't even happen in the movies.

I'm not sure why. People had guns back then. Plenty of them. I often wonder if people had more respect for weapons then, and also had certain values that no longer exist today. Like respect for authority.

The whole situation about guarding schools continues to get weirder all the time. The most recent surreal news involves Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed “America's Toughest Sheriff.” He's putting Arizona on the map again by joining forces with movie stars to train armed posse members to patrol schools. Kids will get to see action star Steven Seagal when he trains the posse. No, really.

Arpaio has gathered more than 3,000 volunteers for his armed posse. You'll never guess what other action stars will tromp around these schools in an effort to keep the bad guys out.

“The Incredible Hulk” star Lou Ferrigno and actor Peter Lupus of TV's “Mission: Impossible,” will be on hand to inspire and sign autographs. Sound surreal enough for you? I can tell you we never came close to this kind of madness back in my day.

I know we have a more violent society now. I suppose you can blame that on numerous factors, but I see the main reason as the breakdown of respect for one another. Instead of becoming more tolerant and evolving into a more peaceful nation, we have become a country of targets for mass murderers and disgruntled students who know no boundaries.

That's because there are no boundaries nowadays. No respect for teachers, professors, judges, police, or anyone in authority. Here's just one recent example:

An 18-year old girl in Miami, Florida flipped a circuit court judge the “bird” on her way out of court and used an obscenity when commenting on his decision. The judge called her back into the court and gave her a 30-day jail sentence for contempt.

However, the next day, after a plea from her , the judge suspended the sentence and sent her on her way free as a bird. What do you think that young lady learned from the experience?

An older person commenting on the next generation's lack of merits is nothing new. Aristotle bitterly complained about the youth of his day being disrespectful, lazy, and without morals or values.

Of course he didn't have to worry about assault rifles slaughtering students in schools. He may have lived in a violent age, but it didn't hold a candle to the 21st Century!

Advanced technologies have not brought us peace. Instead we are turning on ourselves with weapons of mass destruction. For every positive step we've made in medicine we've taken a negative one with increased violence in the workplace and the world around us.

We are regressing as a society, instead of progressing. The result is we're now fighting a holding action against the inevitable collapse of this country from within. Can we turn things around?

As It Stands, perhaps there's hope, but when I see schools patrolled by citizen posses led by aging action movie stars, I have to wonder.

Weekend Blog Break , Retinal implants & the 7 Most Bizarre Objects to Ever Fall from the Sky

Good Day World!

You've probably heard the urban legend about the time it rained frogs somewhere, or seen news stories about a meteorite that crashed through a roof and landed feet away from somebody's recliner. But in the annals of baffling objects that have come raining down from the heavens, here’s some weirder examples ...

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I’m taking a blog break this weekend – Feb. 16th – 17th – and will return on Monday, Feb. 18th

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Here’s some good news that I want to share with you:

FDA approves first retinal implant for rare eye disease

Don’t hesitate to check out the links on the right side of the page. Check out my most recent “As It Stands” columns at the Times-Standard. Take a look at the Learnist links for comprehensive coverage on subjects from politics to society.

Leave comments on past posts that date back till July 2008 when this blog broke into cyberspace for the first time. See ya on Monday.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Drone Wars abroad and how they’re coming home to stalk us

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Drones are increasingly on the front lines of combat.

Good Day World!

The 21st Century is producing technological changes so rapidly they’re hard to keep up with.

For years we’ve been hearing about drones. Most Americans think of them as pilotless planes that bomb or spy on an enemy. As it turns out domestic use of drones is increasing.

  The fact is we’ve been using them to spy on activities from vehicle speeders to suspected bad guys in their homes and wherever they go. Drones are controversial for a lot of reasons. I can’t help feeling queasy about their use in the USA. There’s something about the Big Brother aspect in the sky that doesn’t make me feel warm and cozy.

I’ve gathered some current news about drones that you may find interesting:

Holder Spells Out Why Drones Target U.S. Citizens

American drone deaths highlight controversy

Drone Wars: Rand Paul vs. John Brennan

Panetta announces medal for drone pilots

Military weighs cutbacks, shifts in drone programs

Domestic Drones

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Mardi Gras 2013 is over…but what a party it was!

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Wouldn’t you like to be hanging out with Elvis Presley?

Good Day World!

I’ve never been to Mardi Gras. There I said it. I almost feel guilty. Talk about the ultimate party…

Have you ever gone? Share your story here under comments.

I’ve seen movies about this annual festive event and have read about it’s history. Nothing like first-hand experience through. I put together a few links for you if you’d like to know more about what happened during this year’s Mardi Gras. Enjoy: 

GO HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF MARDI GRAS

NICE COVERAGE OF FAT TUESDAY BY LA TIMES

MARDI GRAS 2013

CARNIVAL ROYALTY ANNOUNCED

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Armed bad guys on the run in several states…seems too common these days

UPDATE – Cop Killer cornered….story here LIVE FEED

Good Day World! Hardly a day goes by without dangerous people running from authorities and posing a threat to the general public. That is the state of America today. There’s no ignoring it; we are engulfed with violence. Awash in a sea of guns and crazy individuals bent on violent vendettas. Here are some examples for today:

 

Three dead in Utah home shooting; police hunt for 'person of interest'

Three people are dead near Salt Lake City after a shooting on Tuesday morning, police told local NBC affiliate KSL. A fourth individual was taken to the hospital and considered to be in critical condition after the shooting. Police hunted for David Fresques, 25, after the shooting at a home in the city of Midvale. The shootings were reported at 8:06 a.m., according to Salt Lake City's Deseret News.

Police are looking for Alberto Morales, 42.

 

Prisoner on the run after stabbing Florida officer outside Walmart

Authorities are searching for an escaped prisoner who stabbed a Miami-Dade officer outside a Texas Walmart as the suspect was being transported to Miami from Nevada.

Alberto Morales, 42, was being transported by two officers from Las Vegas for a court appearance when they stopped at the store in Grapevine, just outside of Dallas, around 11 p.m.

Ex-LAPD officer accused of killings thought to have fled to Mexico

Cop killer eludes authorities who think he went south of the border.

Former Los Angeles Police Department officer Christopher Dorner -- the suspect in three killings that have targeted law enforcement and the subject of a continuing manhunt -- was suspected last week of fleeing to Mexico, according to a federal court document.

The criminal complaint filed in federal court on Feb. 7 charges Dorner with fleeing to avoid prosecution. It states that there was reason to believe he had crossed the border into Mexico. An affidavit included in the complaint (pdf) was written by U.S. Marshals Service Inspector Craig McClusky the same day that the search for Dorner led to his burned out truck in the mountain resort of Big Bear.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Let’s talk about Bias in the Media Today at #Learntalk !

        Good Day World!

 The topic of interest today is about Bias in the Media. We all suspect a certain amount is going on. Many Americans are just not sure where facts and bias leave off after being bombarded by countless mainstream media outlets.

 At 5:00 p.m. PST, (8:00 p.m. Eastern) I’m going to be moderating a Live Online discussion about Bias in the Media at #Learntalk Join me…If you’ve got some thoughts about what the American public is watching on TV and listening to on the radio. Do you think social media like Facebook and Twitter are giving the mainstream media a run for their money? What are your thoughts on the subject?

I’ve put together a comprehensive 3-part series on Bias in the Media at Learnist that you can refer to before the chat:

Part I: History of Information & media http://learni.st/users/dave.stancliff.9/boards/9522-bias-in-the-media-part-one-history

Part II: America’s Media Monopoly http://learni.st/users/dave.stancliff.9/boards/10826-bias-in-the-media-part-ii-america-s-media-monopoly

Part III: Demagogues

 http://learni.st/users/dave.stancliff.9/boards/13022-bias-in-the-media-part-iii-demagogues

If you’ve never gone to a Live Chat online before maybe now is the time to check it out. I’ve never done it before and tonight will be my baptism under fire! If for no other reason than to see how the chat goes…stop by and say hi!

Time for me to walk on down the road… 

 

As It Stands - Note to GOP: Changing the Rules isn’t Going to Help

          
 By Dave Stancliff/For The Times-Standard

 The majority of Republicans today recognize they have to change the party’s brand if they want to get back into the White House.
  Many are still stunned that their candidate was so decisively beaten in all the demographics that mattered. There are however, a minority of Republicans who would rather change election rules than admit their message didn’t resonate with the majority of Americans. 
The 150 members of the Republican National Committee met on Jan. 23, and re-elected Reince Priebus as their National Chairman. They discussed the best ways for the party to go forward. Priebus appeared to give the okay to some proposed changes to the Electoral College system when the subject came up:
“I think it’s something that a lot of states that have been consistently blue and are fully controlled red ought to be looking at,” he was quoted as saying in the Washington Post.

 The members looking to change the system were from the battleground states the Democrats won in the last two presidential elections. According to the Washington Post, Republicans in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia proposed awarding their Electoral College votes by congressional district instead of the winner-take-all approach used by every state except for two - Maine and Nebraska.

 The reason was blatantly apparent; the proposed changes would have given them a victory against President Obama in the last election, and would be a real advantage for the next GOP presidential candidate.
The Republican Party currently has the battleground states firmly in control at the state level. The cover story for voters is a song-and-dance about smaller communities getting more of a voice in those states.
Since the RNC meeting however, Virginia decided not to join the other states when Republican Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell opposed the idea. Joining him in opposition was Republican Sen. Ralph Smith, Bedford County, and Subcommittee chairwoman Jill Vogel.

 I applaud Virginia for not going along with this naked attempt to change the rules. It goes to show there are Republicans who recognize things need to change, but not by changing the rules.
Everyone within the Republican Party agrees change is in order if they want a future as a viable party. The problem is the leaders are at odds over too many issues.
  In a recent AP interview, Michael Hudome, a national GOP media strategist said, “We don’t look organized, we look chaotic, we look like wussies, like we’re caving in to the President. We’re not fighting properly. The Republican caucus appears fractured.”
  When you look at Priebus’s response to changing the game in those battleground states, you can see even he was torn after initially giving it a nod. He turned around and also said “…those proposed changes are short-sighted for two reasons. One, the Republicans pushing for them are all but acknowledging their party problems heading into 2016 are so significant that they have to change the rules to win. In other words, they are throwing in the towel and trying to rig the system.
“Two, the proposed changes would only speed up efforts to have a popular vote - and not an Electoral College - decide presidential contests, because many would see that as a fair system.”

  The last thing the GOP Party wants is a Presidential election by popular vote. One of the many challenges facing the Republican Party’s re-branding is reaching out to minorities. Even the most stubborn conservative pundits have come to that conclusion. But how to reach out to a majority they hardly know and understand? They can’t afford to rely on angry white men to win in 2016.
 One of the most obvious ways for Republicans to gain people’s confidence would be to quit trying to cheat their way into power. Blatantly changing the rules doesn’t make the GOP look like the people’s party. It’s just another example of why the brand has faded into a group of quarreling ideologues who are more obstructionists than nation builders.
  Hudome’s hope for the GOP’s credibility lies with Congress hanging together in coming negotiations with President Obama and getting “…some serious spending cuts,” in places sacred to the party. He feels that will go a long way in restoring the brand. Maybe so. But I think the brand will need a lot more than that to change most people’s perception. It’s time GOP party members roll up their sleeves and hit the streets if they hope to get the middle class and minorities to vote for them.
As It Stands, I know one thing for sure, if the GOP offers up another slate of reactionaries like this last time they can kiss all their efforts goodbye!

Manhunt Continues Today & a U.S. History of the 10 Biggest Ones

   Good Day World!

It’s good to be back blogging.

I thought the topic of manhunts is timely as authorities continue to search for a cop killer in Southern California - Christopher Dorner.

The hunt for a former Los Angeles police officer and soldier who went on a deadly rampage has caused great concern among Southern California residents. My wife and I were driving West on the 210 Freeway when the search started, and freeways were being closed in the search for him. Luckily we went West (210) and then North on Interstate 5 – the opposite direction of the manhunt – and didn’t get stuck on any freeways. We made it back north to Humboldt County by 11 p.m. that night.

Since then, on Friday, the search narrowed to the Southern California mountain resort town of Big Bear where its been snowing. Dorner fled to the rugged area after killing three people to get back at those he blamed for ending his police career in 2008. Authorities found his burned-out truck in the area and have sent SWAT teams with dogs into the snowy mountains after him. The search has also extended to Mexico and three other states.

For a comprehensive wrap-up and history of this unfolding drama GO HERE to my special report at Learnist.

Here’s a List of the top 10 Manhunts in American History starting with Osama bin Laden was the leader of Al-Qaeda and was identified as the alleged instigator of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States which killed and injured thousands of people, as well as subsequent incidents.

 Osama bin Laden, the founder and head of the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda, was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011, shortly after 1 am local time by Navy SEALs of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group (also known as DEVGRU or SEAL Team Six). The operation, code-named Operation Neptune Spear, was carried out in a Central Intelligence Agency-led operation. In addition to DEVGRU, participating units included the U.S. Army Special Operations Command's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) and CIA operatives. The raid on bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was launched from Afghanistan. After the raid, U.S. forces took bin Laden's body to Afghanistan for identification, then buried it at sea within 24 hours of his death. Wikipedia

Time to walk on down the road…

Join me a for live chat at #Learntalk about Bias in the Media

  Good Day World!

This is my last post until February 9th, but please feel free to explore past “As It Stands” columns, and more, at the right side of this page.

Coming up on Feb. 11th, I’ll be hosting my first #Learntalk at 5:00 p.m. pst - 8:00 p.m. eastern time. The topic is going to be Bias in the Media.

Note the Learnist board on the right - click the top and you’ll go to Part III of a 3-part series about Bias in the Media. The other two parts are available on my other Learnist boards. After reading all three boards you’re going to be somewhat of an expert on the subject! No kidding. Check them out.

Here’s the website where the chat will take place, so mark it on your calendar and we’ll talk then. I’m looking forward to hearing from you. If you have a Facebook account, or a Twitter account, you’ll be able to participate in the conversation.

Coming Sunday – Feb. 3rd, As It Stands takes a look at “Women in Combat” in the Times-Standard.

Coming Sunday – Feb. 10th, As It Stands has a “Note to GOP: Changing the rules isn’t going to help” in the Times-Standard. 

Time for me to walk on down the road…

     

 

 

Second takes: it’s incredible what some people do…

     Good Day World!

Sometimes when I go through the news I see stories that make me stop and shake my head at how incredibly stupid people can be.

Most people would not light up at a oil storage facility – those flammable signs would be enough warn them to keep their cigarettes in their pocket. Despite that two people (reportedly not employees but trespassers) were critically injured in an explosion and fire Tuesday morning after smoking on a catwalk over oil storage tanks, officials say.

This story about a female Texas trooper who performed a roadside cavity search on two Irving women really made me take a second-look. Excuse me? What was with that anyway? The trooper will be terminated according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The trooper cited them for littering - throwing cigarette butts out of the car – but ended up putting on latex gloves and doing a cavity search in front of the whole world! CLICK HERE TO VIEW DASHCAM VIDEO (WARNING VIDEO MAY BE DISTURBING)

Police in New Mexico found an 8-year-old girl locked in a cage in a darkened mobile home, authorities said on Tuesday, adding that they charged the girl's adoptive mother, who had gone to the movies, with child abuse. He said police, acting on a tip from the woman's estranged husband, found the girl in the corner of a bedroom locked inside the cage, about four feet high, slightly more than two feet wide and about five feet long.

This story about incompetent carjackers made me smile while wondering why they didn’t know how to drive a stick shift? Two men in an attempted stickup were confounded by a car’s stick shift.Neither of the would-be carjackers knew the basic mechanics behind a manual transmission! I guess people don’t get driver’s education anymore – unlike prior generations – and that’s why those two bozos were foiled in their attempt.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

See? I told you they’d bring back Twinkies one way or the other!

The indestructible Twinkie is ready for it’s comeback according to this source which hints that Hostess Brands has narrowed down the bidders for their brand to just two. 

I remember a lot of people rushing into stores to buy up Twinkies because they were sure their demise was imminent and forever. Tsk ! Tsk! I told you then they’d be back. That favorite American Icon for junk food (who can forget the famous “Twinkie Defense?) will be returning to market shelves sometime soon. Strap your feedbags on and be ready for a rush on the sweet treats! (image source)

Show Me the Monkey! Iran claims space flight successful

   Good Day World!

Iran better stop monkeying around with the world. Their leaders claim to have sent a monkey into space and brought it back safely. So where’s the monkey? No one is saying.

Folks in Washington couldn’t – or wouldn’t – confirm if Iran even launched a rocket. But the message was clear, If Iran did launch a rocket then they’re in more hot water with world powers.

It would be a violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929, whose text bars Iran from "any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using ballistic missile technology."

In other words, the Iranians would probably be smart to NOT have a parade in the space-traveling simian’s honor. The U.S. won’t play that game and may send some drones over to ruin some fanatics day! So here’s the story:

“Iran said on Monday it had launched a live monkey into space, seeking to show off missile systems that have alarmed the West because the technology could potentially be used to deliver a nuclear warhead.

The Defense Ministry announced the launch as world powers sought to agree a date and venue with Iran for resuming talks to resolve a standoff with the West over Tehran's contested nuclear program before it degenerates into a new Middle East war.

Efforts to nail down a new meeting have failed repeatedly and the powers fear Iran is exploiting the diplomatic vacuum to hone the means to produce nuclear weapons.

The Islamic Republic denies seeking weapons capability and says it seeks only electricity from its uranium enrichment so it can export more of its considerable oil wealth.

The powers have proposed new talks in February, a spokesman for the European Union's foreign policy chief said on Monday, hours after Russia urged all concerned to "stop behaving like children" and commit to a meeting.

Iran earlier in the day denied media reports of a major explosion at one of its most sensitive, underground enrichment plants, describing them as Western propaganda designed to influence the nuclear talks.

The Defense Ministry said the space launch of the monkey coincided "with the days of" the Prophet Mohammad's birthday, which was last week, but gave no date, according to a statement carried by the official news agency IRNA.” Read the rest here

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Monday Maddness: a dancing baby and flying cars!

There’s a lot of versions of gangnam stylevideos, but this has to be the cutest!

 

Good Day World!

Thanks for stopping by. I’ve got a couple of inspiring videos to share today, starting with the baby on the left.

  This little tyke got me powered up and laughing at the same time. The second item, flying cars, is a real 21st Century-like thing to report on.

  I’ve got a lot of doubts about how many will be made and where they can fly safely, but only time will tell. Still, the video is worth listening to because it’s inspiring in a different way. A person’s dream come true is always a positive story.  

“Even if you’re over Psy and wish this craze would go the way of the Macarena, you’ll have a hard time not smiling at (or dancing along with) this adorable baby.

Uploaded on Jan. 18, “7 m.o baby dancing to gangnam style” already has more than one million views, and it’s not hard to figure out why. For a little tyke, this babe’s got some moves. Every so often you hear about someone who could dance before they could walk, and it wouldn’t be surprising if that were the case here. This baby's not just rockin’ out, he's doing it to the beat, with the whole routine down pat. The pure joy and delight on this kid’s face is priceless and the moves are… awesome. Admit it, if Psy brought this baby onstage, you’d totally go to his concert.

One commenter summed it up: “That awkward moment, when a 7 month old baby can dance better than you :(“    (source)-

________________

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Keep an eye out for these babies in skies near you!

Your looking at the Skycar 200 (right) the culmination of one man’s lifetime dream.

Dr. Paul Moller has finally gotten all the financing – he’s been trying for years - he needs and told NBC News that his first one will roll off the assembly- line in one year.

The Skycar has been classified as a “Light Sports Aviation” vehicle. I can’t wait until these Jetson-like cars are on the market. Just think of all the problems their going to encounter with small aircraft, etc.? What fun!

It’s time for me to walk on down the road… 

As It Stands: Sounds of Fury: misophonia sufferers try to cope

By Dave Stancliff/For The Times Standard
Imagine that certain sounds sent you into a violent rage and you don’t know why. That you can’t stand the sound of your own mother’s voice or even hearing her breath. That you can’t eat in public because the sound of people eating could trigger an uncontrollable physical frenzy.
It really happens to people. The condition is called misophonia - literally "hatred of sound" - and occurs when a common noise, whether it's something like a person chewing loudly, water dripping or someone sighing, causes you to become anxious or angry.
People with the disorder are not bothered by loud sound - rather, it’s the softer, repetitive, common sounds that drive them up the wall, according to an article in the The New York Times (9/5/11).
Misophonia is often used interchangeably with the term Selective Sound Sensitivity. Sadly, there’s no known cure for it, Dr. Aage R. Moller, a neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas, said in an interview with the New York Times.

Little is known about the anatomical location of the abnormality that causes these symptoms. People with misophonia may be diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder.
According to researchers, misophonia sufferers are most commonly annoyed, or even enraged, by such ordinary sounds as other people eating, breathing, or coughing; certain consonants; or repetitive sounds.
For unknown reasons, most people develop misophonia in late childhood, around the age of 10. Often there is a single initial trigger (such as a parent's or sibling's noises), after which the triggers expand over time to include both auditory or visual elements.
As they get older, the condition usually gets worse. They may also be annoyed by other people’s repetitive movements, such as leg-tapping, nail-biting, the rising and falling of the belly, and typing.
Some researchers have speculated there is a genetic base for this disorder, but no studies have been done to prove it. The prevalence of misophonia is currently unknown.  However, groups of people identifying with the condition suggest it is more common than previously recognized.
Among patients with tinnitus, which is prevalent in 4-5% of the general population, some surveys report prevalence as high as 60% while prevalence in a 2010 study was measured at 10%.

 With no cure in sight, what do people afflicted with this disorder do? They have to develop coping methods. There are no definitive books out detailing these. I expect that will change in time, as researchers continue to try to unlock the secrets of the brain.
Everyone with the condition is unique and has to personally develop coping methods to address their own challenges. Most simply avoid the offending sound by leaving the area, while some try to block it with earplugs or music.
I’m not sure why, but from everything I’ve read on the subject it appears that sensitivity to offending sounds is often far more severe when the sound comes from a person emotionally connected to the sufferer.
Misophonia is not a well-known diagnosis and few treatment options are available. As a matter of fact, there’s a good chance your doctor never heard of it. There are reports that suggest the use of cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful in managing the anger (in response to a trigger sound) associated with misophonia.

Some doctors use a mindfulness based therapy, training, and treatment. It basically offers individuals ways to deal with and work out their issues with a treatment plan that is life long and provides them tools to handle and alleviate their issues.
I wish I could wrap this column up and say a cure is on the way. The first step is always to recognize a problem. That’s happened. There’s a huge learning-curve ahead for doctors and we can only hope they discover a cure for it soon.
  Perhaps with celebrities like Kelly Ripa of the Today Show sharing their own experiences with misophonia (she has a mild case), it will spark more research on the condition.
  As It Stands, I wonder if I’m a borderline case? It drives me to distraction to hear people chewing and clacking their gum!

Special military German unit populated with men who have big boobs from precision drills

   Hello World!

I’ve read where men who smoke pot a lot get big boobs, but was amazed to find out that there’s another way for men to get big boobs -without surgery of course.

All they have to do is smack a rifle against one side of their chest in countless precision military drills and the other side will sprout a boobie.

It’s important to note that the soldiers mentioned only end up with one big boob.

No really! I wouldn’t kid you…well maybe some times – but not this time. Fact: Over 70 percent of the German Wachbataillon Battalion's soldiers have been diagnosed with significant gynecomastia (big boobs).

I’m not really sure anyone – including the men affected – is too worried about this odd development. I suppose they still feel macho enough, but they do have to be careful beating their chest in a typical guy-like reaction when excited.

Meanwhile, German military officials have promised to keep an eye on the men's breasts. (That just doesn’t sound right you know?) Here’s the story ripped from today’s headlines:

“Like armies everywhere, the German military is filled with macho, chest-thumping rituals. But one battalion has found there's a downside to all that chest-thumping: The male soldiers are growing breasts — and only on their left sides.

The Wachbataillon unit performs precision military drills at official ceremonial functions, the German Herald reports. Many of their drills involve smacking their rifles against the left side of the soldiers' chests. And all that pounding on the same spot has stimulated the production of hormones that cause man boobs to grow.

"There is a very significant link between the activity in the … battalion and the development of the breast on the left side," Dr. Bjorn Krapohl, director of plastic surgery at the military's main hospital in Berlin, told the Herald. "They need to change the way they drill."

The growth of male breasts isn't altogether uncommon: The condition is known as gynecomastia, and it's caused by an imbalance in testosterone and estrogen levels. There have been cases where chest injury has caused gynecomastia, though it's rare. Plastic surgeons report that teenage boys — who are particularly prone to the condition — often have breast tissue removed when gynecomastia becomes a big psychosocial problem.

In a study of the German soldiers, published in January 2012, Krapohl and colleagues found significant differences between the guards with gynecomastia and a control group of healthy males without signs of gynecomastia. Those in the Guard Battalion in Berlin had lower testosterone levelsand higher body mass indexes (BMI), or a measure of body fatness. [ The 9 Most Bizarre Medical Conditions ]

While the researchers hypothesize the mechanical stress from daily drills may be the underlying cause, they are not sure exactly how the "chest thumping" causes the breast growth. "There are no experimental studies identifying possible mechanisms at the cellular level that might induce gynecomastia mechanically," they write in the journal article, adding that these findings may provide new impetus for such studies. The research is detailed in the journal GMS Interdisciplinary Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery DGPW. (Read the rest here)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Optical illusions for a freaky Friday…

    Good Day World!

Today let’s look at changes of perspective and optical illusions just for fun.

The link here will take you to 40 interesting examples that speak for themselves. Over the years I’ve found that viewers really enjoy mind tricks.

This current crop of crazy but cool photos takes you to where your mind softly wraps around them and emerges fresh with new ideas and perspectives.

 

Guest Opinion: ‘The NRA Uses Uppity Obama Card to Sell More Guns’

     By Amanda Marcotte

“Boy, what’s it with the NRA and their disdain for the very real threat of assassination that black leaders face?

First they put Gun Appreciation Day on MLK weekend, because there’s no time like the public mourning of an important leader felled by a racist gunman to celebrate guns. Now they’re trying to drum up resentment about the first black family in the White House having the same security detail that all presidential families get.

Needless to say, the ass-cover to deny the obvious racism and general eliminationist bent of the NRA’s base is an argument so profoundly stupid that even the dumbest ass gun nuts won’t buy it. No one buys the notion that the President has security detail because he’s an “elitist” who is hoarding all the awesome guns for himself. Everyone knows that it’s a direct and necessary reaction to a society where political assassination is sadly common, in no small part because it’s ridiculously easy for any asshole with a vendetta to get a gun. Josh Marshall had the appropriate response:

There are so many vile things about this ad. But one thing to note is the ad is really only designed to appeal to people who have a deep — really deep — animosity toward the President. The sort of people who don’t think he and his daughters should be in the White House and wish him the sort of ill citizens should never wish upon a freely elected head of state.

Exactly. This ad isn’t making the case for guns—if anything, drawing attention to the ever-present danger that the President lives under of being shot is an argument for more gun control—but it’s just feeding off the not even subtly racist obsession right wingers have with telling each other that it’s obscene that the President and his family get to live the same lifestyle as all the white Presidents and their families. (Example!) You know, even though it’s more humble than that of their preferred candidate who lost and had to return home to his dressage horse.

This is what the NRA’s sole purpose is: To drum up racist resentments and gender anxieties so that their industry funders can sell more guns to their customers. This ad, which I’m not linking, might as well just come out and say it: “Mad that the President thinks he’s all that because he’s the President? Well, why not buy a gun? It won’t make you President, but it will give you the illusion of having more power.”

The NRA is an ad company pushing a marketing ploy that’s more transparent than Axe Body Spray’s. It’s time to start treating them like it.” (Source)

The LA Lakers Dream Team on Paper is Facing a lost season –making the playoffs is a long shot

    Good Day World!

Sigh…

The LA Lakers worst season was in 1957-58 when they went a pathetic 19-53 (.264). As a Laker fan for over 50 years, this one seems like the most painful season. I was only seven years old when they had their worst season. At 62, I’m concerned the Lakers are poised to post nearly as bad a record this season.

Being a fan isn’t easy. Not for a real fan when faced with their team racking up a lousy record when everyone had high expectations of them. You still have to root for them. No matter what. Through good times and bad.

As a Laker fan I realize I’ve been spoiled. They are the greatest basketball franchise on the planet. But right now they look like a disoriented group struggling to survive the season. Last nights blow out at Memphis put’s the Lakers down another rung in the Western rankings.

It’s been like watching Rome crumble from within. When Jim Buss decided he couldn’t put the team above his own stubborn ass and hire Phil Jackson, the Lakers were doomed. A pissed-off Kobe has been speaking out about his frustrations.

Dwight Howard has disappeared. Other teams are asking about him as trade fodder before the deadline. The return of Nash has been less than spectacular. He’s a step too slow and hasn’t been given a chance to bounce the ball more than three times on any offensive set before having to pass it to Kobe.

Forget about pick and rolls between Kobe and Howard. They don’t like each other. Pau Gasol has been benched, and is also the subject of trade talks. Jordan Brown, the backup center, was injured and is out for the season. I could go on…but it’s not necessary. You have the picture.

What started out as a Dream Team on paper in the pre-season, has ended up a nightmare, a train wreck, a lost season with everyone pointing the finger at each other. As a fan, all I can hope for is next season…maybe things will chance by then.

Time for me to walk on down the road…