Haiti disaster (January, 2010)

A rhetorical question: Why does it take a disaster to temporarily set aside the insensitivity and discord in our daily lives?

A future post here (I know all three readers out there can't wait): "The Disaster Theory of Progress".


At any rate, a nice gesture right now: http://www.clintonbushhaitifund.org/

And, a typically stupid diatribe from this demagogue. Why is this 'hater' even provided coverage; his regular audience is not that comparatively large.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/14/AR2010011403075.html

West Indies (Barbados, Cube, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad)

Photographer:	Eliot Elisofon

RE: New Haven Independent | Red Light Camera Showdown Looms (12/21/09)

New Haven Independent | Red Light Camera Showdown Looms

In light of the New Haven Independent 12/21/09 story (above), one of my earlier posts gets the signal.... in case anyone stops by. (That link follows below.)

Especially like the quotation by the gentleman Rob Rocke at the article's end, who is ".... tired of seeing “one, two, three cars” blow through an intersection “as if they don’t need to obey the law.” Calling himself “a card-carrying member” of the ACLU, he said he finds “nothing private in choosing to be a motor vehicle owner” or driver."

Amen!

Once again, repeat after me: There is no legitimate excuse or reason to "run" a red light or stop sign.


Red light cameras save lives.
Link to my 4/1/09 post, for additional information: http://heymrpotter.blogspot.com/2009/04/red-light-cameras-in-ct-just-do-it.html

Police forces cannot adequately enforce these laws, due to budget constraints, pursuit constraints, priority constraints and other constraints.

The scofflaws know this....

Stop the lawlessness on our streets, which many of us must contend with every day.

Deadly joke: Buying an assault rifle with cash. No ID, no paper trail, etc.

Check out this hidden video exposé (below) from a guy who got shot four times in the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre. From The Brady Campaign and Center To Prevent Gun Violence:

300 million people and a lot of easy guns equals...??

11/6/09: Now another nut "goes off", today (link): http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091106/ap_on_re_us/us_orlando_office_shooting


And the Ft. Hood gun-violence disaster only happened yesterday. A brave police officer possibly kept this one from being much worse: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091106/ap_on_go_ot/us_fort_hood_shooting_suspect

(And, we're getting to be a great country....for mourning. Honoring the murdered is appropriate of course, but we're not realistically addressing the real, causal issues.) 

11/10/09 update: Another one. This guy in Oregon had a rifle.....then apparently ended up shooting himself -- like a coward. Link to AP story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091110/ap_on_re_us/us_office_park_shooting 

"Thanksgiving" update (11/27/09): Well....most of us managed to get through Thanksgiving without murdering four of our relatives with our gun. (Including a 6-year-old girl.) : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34170956/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts 

"Pandora's box" is wide open in the U.S re guns and associated gun violence. I've said that over and over again here.....

The country has over 300 million people. Inevitably, a dangerous few are going to "be" like these (latest) suicidal cowards (or whatever).  Or emulate them. Why make it easier for "whack jobs" to mass-kill and maim (like cowards)?

This isn't 18th or 19th century America any more. Most of us don't shoot our dinner. We're no longer "claiming"/defending the frontier....

An excerpt from a recent email message from Sarah Brady, Chair of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence:

"The incident at Fort Hood reminded me again of the mass shootings earlier this year in Pittsburgh and Binghamton, the hate killings in Wichita and Washington, DC, and the threatening, gun-toting demonstrators at the town hall meetings and health care rallies.

We make it too easy for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons.

Assault weapons don't belong in our neighborhoods, and 5-7 "cop killer" guns – like the one used at Fort Hood — don't belong in anyone's hands.

It's insanity.  And the Brady Center is doing something about it...."

Throw-beck: Jon Stewart farce's the issue

As pointed out via Colin McEnroe's blog and others, Jon Stewart has done it again.... for "the rest of us".

We needed this:

  
(Try a 'refresh' if the video doesn't load....)

Travel guide: The saner people in the U.S. live near the coasts

Just three recent examples (links):

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33454580/ns/us_news-life ("Balloon mom")


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33436913/ns/us_news-weird_news/?GT1=43001

(Old image from Google/LIFE archives)


And the following news article. People in (parts of) the interior U.S. are less inclined now to believe that climate change is "real".
And since they can't see the oceans, some of these buffoons must think that they are myths, too. And that the earth has really gotta be pretty flat.

Oh, and since the original U.S. Constitution doesn't define "The Fed", or "The Drug Enforcement Admin." etc., they are therefore illegal, powerless, etc. And, that the Second Amendment guarantees them the right to bear AK-47s....

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h-ZiXMrCMn_Vo2QQJncPTUGp-sJAD9BG7BE80

“No president has ever been treated like that. Ever."

The "United" States had a national election in 2008. President Obama prevailed, with over 50% of the popular vote. No ideologically-bound Supreme Court (justice) had to break a tie to appoint this president.

Last night's outburst during President Obama's speech to Congress was inexcusable. It is reprehensible behavior. I also hold other members of that "august" body to account who boorishly held up signs during the speech. To me, these actions during a presidential speech bordered upon treason. (OK, not quite...) A formal reprimand should be considered, particularly for the heckler. (Joe Wilson of South Carolina, "Party of No".) From the look upon Speaker Nancy Pelosi's face, I'm hopeful that one will be forthcoming. (UPDATE: Apparently not: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090910/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_heckling_17 )

(Old photo from Google/LIFE archives)

Link to news story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090910/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_heckling

Where were the congressional shouters and sign holders during speeches where George W. Bush fabricated about WMD hidden in Iraq, arms-related shipments to Iraq (a lie), the cost of the Iraq war (cynically underestimated/hidden), attempting to tie Iraq to 9/11 terrorism, and so on? http://www.bushlies.net/

The quotation that heads this blog entry came from Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff. Disrespectful behavior like this should not be excused or overlooked. The subsequent "apology" from the offender is not sufficient. Tepid condemnations from Republican leadership are also not sufficient. (UPDATE: And the mouth of S. Carolina is already weaseling out from his "apology": http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/wilson-calls-his-outburst-spontaneous/?partner=rss&emc=rss )

9/11/09 update: This loose cannon is actually becoming more combative, now: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32797625/ns/politics-health_care_reform/

And he may manage to get himself formally reprimanded after all. Per the following, 72% in this poll totally disapprove of his action:
http://www.newsvine.com/_question/2009/09/09/3244332-what-do-you-think-of-rep-joe-wilsons-decision-to-shout-out-you-lie-during-the-presidents-speech

Allow yelling at the president in Congress, and whacko shouting at local town hall meetings will only be the beginning.....

CT DEP protection funds "eliminated"

Apparently a number of Connecticut DEP protection funds, including the Clean Air Fund, were raided in this week's state budget "compromise" actions, with all monies transferred to the state's general fund.

Here's a link to a 9/1/09 press release from the Connecticut Fund for the Environment: http://ctenvironment.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=256:9-01-09-environmental-groups-weigh-in-on-budget&catid=3:press-release-items&Itemid=38

And here's a 9/2/09 story link from "CT News Junkie", which notes that the Long Island Sound fund and many others were drained : http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/state_capitol/budget_battle_some_winners_som.php#more

Interestingly, I haven't read anything yet about this action from major, "traditional" state news sources like the Hartford Courant, or Hartford-area TV news sites. 9/14/09 update: It's a sparse story, but the budget action has now been picked up in a brief article by AP:

http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-ap-ct-lisoundplatessep13,0,3023193.story

I need more information. Still, where's the outrage about this move?

(Old image from Google/LIFE photo archives)