Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Did President Obama violate the Constitution or federal law when he ordered the U.S. military to take part in coalition attacks on forces loyal to Moammar Khaddafy in Libya?

Congress raises and supports the military, but the president is the commander. Declaring war and making war are two different functions. There's no question President Obama has the authority to do what he did (via First Read):

Because…

“Mr. Obama's actions are consistent with the way every president since Richard Nixon has treated the War Powers Act, choosing to notify Congress only after a decision has been made to sign orders authorizing military operations.”

A point to consider…

“His actions do, however, appear to contradict the view he expressed as a candidate. In December 2007, he told Charlie Savage, then of the Boston Globe that a president "does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation."

What next?

“So who's right? Constitutional questions, and legal battles over violations of federal laws, are normally resolved by judges. But this is an area where the courts have been reluctant to tread, unwilling to referee what they see as disputes between the political branches of the government.”

So where does that leave us?

This has to be one of the coolest treehouses I’ve ever seen!

The most luxurious tree houseGo Here to see how this amazing

 Tree House

is delivered,

set up,

and what it looks like inside.

You’ll be surprised. Great photography too.

Enjoy.

Looking for a job? Are you annoying? Aflac needs new duck voice

Wow! Here’s a great chance for someone like me, whose been called annoying many times in my life!

But, can I hit a high note screech like Gilbert Gottfried? Might be a problem there.

“Aflac is opening the field to people who want to take a quack at doing the new voice of the insurer's ever-abrasive duck mascot.

Aflac Inc. will begin accepting submissions on Wednesday in the search for someone to replace Gilbert Gottfried, who was ousted last week after voicing the duck for more than 10 years because he made insensitive remarks on Twitter about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Rather than hire another celebrity voice right away, Aflac decided solicit submissions from the general public, said Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna.”  More Here.    photo source

Kucinich fundraising appeal takes aim at Obama on Libya

Gotta love these politicos who use anything to further their own career. Kucinich is looking ahead to 2012 – instead of focusing on the here and now.

I don’t care what side of the aisle they’re from, these pathetic politic animals always show their stripes when it comes to staying in office.

“Days after saying that President Obama’s authorization of U.S. intervention in Libya is an “impeachable offense,” Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) is now using his criticism of the president in a fundraising appeal.”

Can you spare a dime for this guy?

Read story here.

CNN calls Fox's human shield accusation ‘nuts’, reporter admits lying about not covering the trip

A CNN correspondent has angrily denied a Fox News report that he and other journalists were used by the Libyan government as human shields against an attack on Moammar Gadhafi's compound.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin reported Monday that the British military had to call off a mission on the Libyan ruler's  compound because journalists had been taken there on a trip to view earlier bomb damage. CNN's Nick Robertson, who was part of the CNN crew cited in the Fox story, shot back on the air Monday night, calling the allegation "outrageous and absolutely hypocritical."

"To say it was a human shield is nuts," Robertson said on Wolf Blitzer's primetime CNN show. "This allegation is outrageous and it's absolutely hypocritical. You know, when you come to somewhere like Libya, you expect lies and deceit from the dictatorship here. You don't expect it from the other journalists." In addition, Robertson said, Fox sent a security guard with a camera on the same tripa detail that was omitted from the Fox report.”

Oops! Fox News filed a false report. That’s not the first time that’s happened, nor will it be the last.

“Fox reporter Griffin admitted later to incorrectly having written that no Fox News representatives had gone on the reporting trip.”

Fox’s war correspondent isn’t exactly making his presence known while covering the crisis.

“As for Harrigan, Fox's war correspondent in Libya, Robertson said he has rarely seen him leave his hotel room.

"I don't know who he's talking to here to pick up and find out what the story is," Robertson said. "I see him more times at breakfast than I see him out on trips with government officials here."

One last thought, it’s not the best arrangement to have the bad guys give you a tour, but it’s better than having them hand over a propaganda film and scripts to read. At least, the reporters can see what’s happening on the ground. Beats sitting in a motel room.

Go here for more on this story.  Image source

 

Monday, March 21, 2011

400 LB. Sumo wrestler finishes LA Marathon, sets world record

Photo: Kelly Gneiting crosses the finish line. Credit: Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times

Kelly Gneiting, a 400-pound sumo wrestler, set a Guinness World Record as the heaviest man to complete a marathon, after finishing on Sunday in 9 hours 48 minutes 52 seconds.

 I’m in awe of this guy. I don’t know if I could have finished a 26.2-mile race in bad weather (it rained like hell throughout). I’m almost inspired enough to call my good friend, and long-distance runner, Woody Woodburn, and see if he’ll train me for a marathon!

On second thought, maybe I won’t. I’ll just stay in awe of Mr. Gneiting’s accomplishment and walk my mile a day! Go here for the full story. 

White supremacist threat overshadowed by Muslim paranoia perpetrated by chairman of Homeland Security committee

White supremacist threat overshadowed by Muslim fears

Rep. Peter King has chosen to be the America’s leading crusader against American Muslims. He claims not to be on a witch hunt, but his actions speak otherwise.

Right now he’s playing chief inquisitor of national profiling, and is throwing out mistruths about Muslims to make his feeble points. When you read below you’ll see what I mean.

Like the article points out, White Supremacists have been around for a lot longer than the Muslims in this country. Look at our history. Whose done the most damage? The answer is far and away – White Supremacists. (Please note that those who did the 911 bombing weren’t American Muslims) White Supremacists don’t even rate a glance in King’s book of terrorist profiling. It’s obvious he’s hoping to play on enough baseless fears against Muslims to make life miserable for them in the land of the free! Pathetic…look at his picture above. Can you say “Zealot?”

Excerpts:    

The way they both happened together, at what felt like the same moment, seems like something out of a script: On March 9, Kevin William Harpham was arrested in the town of Addy, Wash., suspected of the attempted Jan. 17 bombing of a Martin Luther King unity rally in Spokane, 55 miles south of Addy. Harpham, a known white supremacist with past and possibly current ties to the neo-Nazi National Alliance, was charged by federal agents of building a "weapon of mass destruction" -- the bomb found in his backpack -- and planting it on the rally route hours before it started.

The next day, Rep. Peter King, the new chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, convened the first of his congressional hearings on the radicalization of Muslim Americans and the potential for domestic terrorism. In his opening statement, King stated that "not one terror-related case in the United States in the last two years involved neo-Nazis."

That disconnect between fact and assertion highlights a more troubling one: the congressman's high-profile attention to one form of American terrorism at the expense of exposing the dangers in another.”

AND

“In a December 2010 op-ed in Newsday, King wrote that "Federal and local law enforcement officials throughout the country told me they received little or -- in most cases -- no cooperation from Muslim leaders and imams."

Yet when time came to walk the walk with that broad assertion last week, King couldn't produce a single member of law enforcement who would testify as to the validity of that claim.

Nowhere, it seems, is there room for a hearing that airs concerns about radicalization of Americans into the neo-Nazi, nativist, anti-government and white supremacist movements that have been more insidious and invisible in the national landscape, and for a lot longer than any Islamic threat.”

Read the whole article here

Smoking statistics Batman! How prevasive is pot in the USA today?

If legal, marijuana would be a $40-billion-a-year industry in the U.S.

Though not nearly as popular as alcohol or tobacco, marijuana has become part of the nation's social fabric.

 Some 30 million Americans consume cannabis in the average year.

Decriminalized in 11 states and legal for medical purposes in 14, marijuana is no longer considered an enemy of the people in many quarters.
GO HERE to see how marijuana stacks up across the country.
Source: Federal and state agencies.

Genius at work: 12-year-old Jacob is studying at IUPUI

Inline

“When Jacob Barnett first learned about the Schrödinger equation for quantum mechanics, he could hardly contain himself.

For three straight days, his little brain buzzed with mathematical functions.

From within his 12-year-old, mildly autistic mind, there gradually flowed long strings of pluses, minuses, funky letters and upside-down triangles -- a tapestry of complicated symbols that few can understand”"

HOW SMART IS JACOB?

“In fact, his work is so strong that he's being courted by a top-notch East Coast research center. IUPUI is interested in him moving from the classroom into a funded researcher's position.”

 To read more on this little genius go here.

3-D display for interaction: How to build a "magic" window

Microsoft Research is creating key components for the ultimate interactive display
Microsoft Research is working on the technologies necessary to create the ultimate 3-D display, one you gaze through to see and interact with people or locations on the other side of the planet that seem only just beyond your reach.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

As It Stands: American pastor promotes 'International Judge the Koran Day' today

imagesCA48PPCF

By Dave Stancliff/For the Times-Standard

Posted: 03/20/2011 01:27:26 AM PDT

Have you ever wondered how many people have died in the name of religion? How many were tortured by “God fearing” men? How many millions were demonized because they didn't practice certain religions? I have.

Before you decide I'm about to indulge in religion bashing, and the hair on your neck stands up, please read on. For the record, I believe all religions are right for those who choose to follow them. There are many positive things about religion that can't be ignored.

Some would argue that civilization bloomed because of religious influence upon governments. Religion is often the basis for laws and rules of behavior. Nearly all religions promote love, in one form or another. To each his own, I always say. imagesCAC21PV4

Now, I'll go right to my real bone of contention. That's the intolerance shown by some who claim to be peaceful followers of God. Case in point; the Christian extremists who are trying to sell the lie that Muslim “Sharia Law” is being forced upon people in the USA.

The poster boy for this attack on Islam is Pastor Terry Jones, the controversial Gainesville, Florida, pastor who made world headlines when he threatened to burn the Koran. He's at it again, folks.

He's promoting “International Judge the Koran Day,” today. Jones says the Koran will be judged, and he believes Muslims have to prove the book is a peaceful one.

Apparently Pastor Jones doesn't believe in the Christian admonition “Judge not, least ye be judged.” And who put him in charge of which religion is OK in America? Perhaps Pastor Jones should pay more attention to our Constitution. It guarantees freedom of religion.

During an appimagesCA8LMCTDearance on CNN in July 2010, Pastor Jones was asked how he would feel if he was a Muslim, and there were plans to burn his holy text:

He said, “I would not like it, but it's our right. We live in America. It is time to stand up and speak out on what we believe in. We believe that Islam is of the devil and is causing millions of people to go to hell. It is a deceptive religion. It is a violent religion. That has been proven many times.”

His reply clearly shows how screwed up he is. His hateful rhetoric would be laughable, if it didn't have such deadly overtones. No one in America is forced to practice Sharia Law, regardless of his baseless claims.

“Their (Muslims) desire is to disobey the laws of the land and institute Sharia Law instead,imagesCAHR72QJ” Pastor Jones says on his Facebook page.

What's Pastor Jones and his followers biggest beef with Islam? It's really quite simple; “The Koran does not accept a normal Christian doctrine as presented by the Bible. It denies the crucifixion, resurrection, the existence of the Holy Trinity and the fact that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected.” They believe this is totally wrong.

 Heavens! Can you imagine? Because another religion doesn't believe in your religion, they must be evil and out to destroy the world. Where do you think that kind of mindset will lead?

“We will be setting up a structured court session, including a judge, a jury, witnesses and representatives for both sides of the debate. We have issued pleas for Islam's best defense lawyers and attorneys to attend the event and make their case on behalf of all these so-called peaceful Muslims,” PimagesCASB931Xastor Jones told CNN last week.

Did you catch the part about “so-called peaceful Muslims” like such a thing is impossible? That tells you that no matter what argument is made for Islam, Pastor Jones and his prejudiced flock will find the religion guilty. Then what? Threaten to burn the Koran again and incite every devout Muslim in the world?

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this attack on Muslims is how many Americans are willing to believe the worst about Islam. I've heard people who normally don't strike me as extreme rant about the threat American Muslims present to our society. It's disheartening to say the least.

As It Stands, demonizing a religion out of mindless fear of a different doctrine will only lead to a societal breakdown and senseless prosecution of innocent people.

Early Feedback:

there’s been several positive emails, and this interesting one from the Council on American-Islamic Relations:  

As-salaamu alaikum (peace be upon you),

Someone, possibly you or a friend, wanted to join our e-mail list to receive pertinent information regarding news and events in the Muslim community.

We have upgraded our e-mail system and would like to offer you a choice for how CAIR press releases, action alerts and news updates can best serve you.

  • Daily News Briefs: A bulletin of important news and information concerning the American Muslim community.
  • Weekly Newsletter: A once-a-week newsletter that highlights the most significant items in one convenient email.
  • Action Alerts: Alerts on an as-needed basis to mobilize and unify the American Muslim voice to respond to critical issues.
  • News Releases: News items about the American Muslim community designed for media professionals.

If you’re interested in what this group does go to info@cair.com.

WEBSITES THAT HAVE PICKED THIS COLUMN UP THUS FAR

World Focus News The World’s latest news updates.

NEWSVINE.COM – Newsvine is continuously updated by citizens like you, NewsVine is an instant reflection of what the world is talking about at any given moment.

TOPIX NEWS FORUM – Linked to the Times-Standard

Christian Books – online shopping site for all things Christian

Article Newsvine – a website that generates news items from around the world

Genesis Christian Book Store – another online shopping site for Christian material.  

 

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