What Others Missed

STOP The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)

2014-01-10T19:47:00.000-05:00

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a terrible "trade" deal being negotiated in secret by the governments of a dozen countries (including ours) colluding with corporate interests.

Under the TPP, more American jobs would be offshored. Internet freedom would be a joke. Developing countries would lose access to lifesaving medicines. Unsafe foods and products could pour into our country. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Our best shot to stop the TPP is right now.

The enactment of the TPP will hinge upon the passage of so-called “fast-track trade authority,” which would allow the president to sign off on the TPP before the American people or Congress ever have a chance to read it.

A fast-track bill was introduced in Congress yesterday. So we need to speak out today.

Sign this petition Tell Congress: Say NO to fast-track trade authority. Click here to automatically sign the petition.http://act.credoaction.com/go/3087?t=4&akid=9741.1185397.QSSFIU Or find your US Representative here http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ then drop them an email or give them a call to tell them NO.

You might think such a far-reaching proposal as the TPP would be subject to intense public debate. But the text of the proposed deal is considered classified by our government and even members of Congress have been given extremely limited access to it.

Yet, while the government has kept the public and Congress largely in the dark about the TPP, it has given 600 corporate advisers access to the full text of the proposal.

We know the little we do know about the deal because drafts of some of its chapters have been leaked. And what we know isn't pretty.

A draft of the "intellectual property rights" chapter of the TPP was leaked recently, and according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, it "reflects a terrible but unsurprising truth: an agreement negotiated in near-total secrecy, including corporations but excluding the public, comes out as an anti-user wish list of industry-friendly policies."

That's only one chapter, when there are many other chapters that haven't been leaked.

The first stage in the plan to pass the TPP is a big push for Congress to pass fast-track trade authority, which would short-circuit the typical legislative process when trade deals like the TPP come up for a vote.

Pressured by giant corporate interests that stand to make huge amounts of money on the deal, and faced with a public that has purposefully been kept ignorant about this deal, it’s not hard to see how the TPP could be rammed through Congress if fast-track trade authority is in place.

Fast-track trade authority would allow the president to sign a trade deal before Congress has an opportunity to approve it. Then the president could send it to Congress with the guarantee that it would get an up-or-down vote within 90 day.

Fast track would mean there would be no meaningful hearings, limited debate and absolutely no amendments to the deal. And there would be tremendous pressure on Congress to rubberstamp anything the president signs.

The recently leaked drafter chapter is a huge red flag about the kind of terrible policies the Obama administration wants to include in the TPP.

The Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority over trade. And it would be a deeply irresponsible abdication of responsibility for Congress to pass fast track when we know the TPP is coming down the pike, especially when we know the consequences of the TPP could be disastrous.

It's the job of Congress to fully vet trade deals and ensure they work for everyone, not just giant corporations.

Happy Holidays

2013-12-23T23:17:00.001-05:00

I want to wish all of my friends and family a very Happy Holidays!!! I hope that you all have a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year!!!

Get tested, and Know your status

2013-12-01T11:46:00.000-05:00

By Artist , Brenden Sanborn www.brendensanborn.com

Today is World AIDS day. Know the facts, get tested, and know your status. Hug your friends, and be good to one another.

Too many people don't know they have HIV. In the United States, nearly 1.1 million people are living with HIV, and almost one in five don't know they are infected. Getting tested is the first step to finding out if you have HIV. If you have HIV, getting medical care and taking medicines regularly helps you live a longer, healthier life and also lowers the chances of passing HIV on to others.

To find a local testing site go to the CDC's National HIV and STD Testing resources http://hivtest.cdc.gov/

Happy Thanksgiving

2013-11-27T18:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Friends and Family! I'm still around I just haven't had much to say lately. I hope that this message finds you well and that you are healthy and happy. I am thankful for knowing each one of you.

Same Love

2013-09-07T23:06:00.000-04:00

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS - SAME LOVE feat. MARY LAMBERT (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay,
'Cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight.
I told my mom, tears rushing down my face
She's like "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-k, trippin' "
Yeah, I guess she had a point, didn't she?
Bunch of stereotypes all in my head.
I remember doing the math like, "Yeah, I'm good at little league"
A preconceived idea of what it all meant
For those that liked the same sex
Had the characteristics
The right wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing God, aw nah here we go
America the brave still fears what we don't know
And God loves all his children, is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago
I don't know

And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately?
"Man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily
We become so numb to what we're saying
A culture founded from oppression
Yet we don't have acceptance for 'em
Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
Live on and be yourself
When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren't anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that's not important
No freedom till we're equal, damn right I support it

(I don't know)

And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

We press play, don't press pause
Progress, march on
With the veil over our eyes
We turn our back on the cause
Till the day that my uncles can be united by law
When kids are walking 'round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart
A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are
And a certificate on paper isn't gonna solve it all
But it's a damn good place to start
No law is gonna change us
We have to change us
Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it's all the same love
About time that we raised up... sex

And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

Love is patient
Love is kind
Love is patient
Love is kind
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
Love is kind

Happy Independence Day America

2013-07-04T09:09:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone has a safe and fun day.

DOMA is DEAD! PROP 8 thrown Out

2013-06-26T10:32:00.000-04:00

In 5-4 decision, Supreme Court strikes down DOMA!

This ruling means that the federal ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. The federal government can no longer with hold federal benefits from same sex couples. Read the full opinion http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-307_g2bh.pdf No surprise on the dissenting votes are Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Alito the 4 biggest ASSHOLES on the court.

A ruling on a second case is also expected soon.

Update! The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that proponents of Proposition 8 did not have proper legal standing to appeal a lower court decision.

The 5 to 4 vote in Hollingsworth v. Perry was written by Chief Justice John Roberts; the dissent by Justice Anthony Kennedy. The majority opinion vacates the Ninth Circuit federal appeals court ruling and remands “with instruction to dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.” That should leave the more broadly decided district court opinion intact.

Read the full opinion http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-307_g2bh.pdf

It still does not mean Marriage Equality fight is over for the rest of the nation. It only will make it more difficult for the other 37 states to defend their bigoted ways.

My MLB All-Star Ballot

2013-05-21T21:38:00.007-04:00

Go ahead pick it apart. Here is my MLB All-Star Ballot for this year, as of today.

American League

1B - Davis, Chris
2B - Pedroia, Dustin
SS - Andrus, Elvis
3B - Cabrera, Miguel
C - Mauer, Joe
DH - Ortiz, David
OF - Jones, Adam
OF - Rios, Alex
OF - Trout, Mike

National League

1B - Goldschmidt, Paul
2B - Phillips, Brandon
SS - Segura, Jean
3B - Headley, Chase
C - Molina, Yadier
OF - Braun, Ryan
OF - Gonzalez, Carlos
OF - Upton, Justin

Granted there are still another two months until the game so is it a real representation of what value they present to their given team in only six weeks of employment. I mean seriously they could tank or phone it in for the rest of the year. Of course these are only the position players the pitchers and reserves will be picked by SFO Bruce Bochy and DET's Jim Leyland. Do I dare to wonder who their favorites will be?

Happy Mothers Day

2013-05-12T10:13:00.002-04:00

Happy Mother to my Mom and all of the other Moms out there. Thank You for everything :-)

Happy Earth Day!!!

2013-04-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

"The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value."

Theodore Roosevelt

Help a friend out

2013-04-21T20:21:00.002-04:00

On July 14th and 15th, a good friend of mine Matthew will be joining hundreds of other individuals on a two-day, 200 mile bicycle ride to fight HIV/AIDS in the Chicago area. His goal is $2,000, and he is at $1,055 so he needs a little help to make his final goal. I think what he is doing is pretty damn amazing, so if you can give him a bump closer to his final goal that would be Awesome.

Here is the link to his donation page. I hope that you can help him out in anyway that you can. It's a worthy cause, and that ride is no small feet.

Give NOW! Fundraising Page - Matthew Swenson's Ride For AIDS Chicago, July 13-14, 2013

http://rideforaids.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1033952&lis=1&kntae1033952=B6E767B2974B4400B414FBA09D57879A&supId=350093350#givingOver

Wicked Good

2013-04-19T22:31:00.001-04:00

To all of the Law Enforcement and First Responders in Boston, Massachusett and across the United Sates, Thank You for always doing a Wicked Good Jahb (job).

If you are going to use a Boat for a get away. Make sure it is in the WATER, Not in WATERTOWN. Gotcha Mother Fucker!

I'm a Bostonian

2013-04-17T15:32:00.000-04:00

It looks like the noose of justice is closing in on the person(s) responsible for the grotesque and cowardly acts that took place on Monday at the 117th running of the Boston Marathon. I felt that I finally needed to chime in. Like everyone else I felt outrage at the cost of human blood for whatever reason. Which is still yet to be discovered but as in the Newtown killing I do NOT want to know much else about the perpetrator(s). I just do Not think they deserve any attention beside what the final verdict is once they stand trial.

Because their reason what ever that maybe is invalid. I do not care if this was because of US policy foreign or domestic. That is Not how you gain sympathy for your cause. That IS NOT how things are done here in the US.There is nothing that they have to say that contains any meaningful arguments and all statements should be silenced. They will get their day in court which is way more than they even deserve. Because these actions are NOT covered by the 1st Amendment.

If that person is a US resident they should be stripped of their citizenship and then set afloat in a rubber dingy in the middle of the Pacific ocean. Trust me when I say this the other thoughts of punishment I have had, I'm pretty sure would violate US Laws and/or UN Treaties on Human Rights, NOT that they deserve any. Fuck Them and maybe lady Justice will be kinder to them.

(Update: No arrest had been made the AP and CNN miss reported that. Though authorities are close to making an arrest. I have edited the current addition) Fingers Crossed the Get the FUCKER!

Cars

2013-04-14T21:30:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to the Georgia Tech Auto show. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the event.

Play Ball!!! 2013 MLB Predictions

2013-04-01T00:05:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter and Passover!!!

This week the 2013 baseball season opens with tonight first game between the new AL West rivals the Texas Rangers v. Houston Astros. Besides those facts there is not much of a reason to even tune unless you are a fan of one of those teams.

As I have done the past few years here are my predictions for the 2013 season. I don't know if you could call these bold by any means. Last year I was terrible, so I hope you didn't put any money on them, but I did warn you. The one thing that I have noticed this year that there has been a few power shifts. Both the NL and AL East will be very competitive as well as the West in both leagues. The Central in both leagues are still top heavy, and taper off quickly after that.

The LA Dodger is now the free spending club that will do anything to buy a title. Unlike the NY Yankees, who would target established MVP's the Dodgers have just, well taken on a bunch of bad contracts. Their only saving grace maybe the home grown talent of Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp. The NY Yankees are oddly thrifty this off season trying to get under the luxury tax. There are a few teams that I could see being dominate this year, and seems that there is more power in the NL this year.

Mariano Rivera

AL EAST

1. Orioles They almost pulled everything together last year with on of the best bullpens in the MLB, but they need take commanding leads and not just squeak by. I think they can prove last year was not all luck, but will not make it past the first round of the play offs. 2. Rays Once again at there near the top of the AL East with solid pitching even with trading James Shields for prospect Wil Myers, but I do not expect to see him this year. 3. Blue Jays picked up some of the best pieces from the Marlins combined with what they already had will have them hanging with the Ray's all the way into September. 4. Red Sox None of the off season additions will put them over the top, but still good for 85 wins. This will be a rebuilding year, and if they are not close at the end of July look for Elsbury to be moved. 5. Yankees DEAD LAST! I did not think I would ever say that, but age and injuries are taking there toll. The only thing they Yankees have going for them this year is Mariano Rivera's farewell, it will be the shining moment of their entire season.

AL CENTRAL

Terry Francona

1. Tigers Still at the top of the AL with one of the best top of the rotation combos with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. But will loose to the Angels in the end. 2. Royals Added a top of the rotation starter with James Shields, but still not enough to put them past the Tigers . The young talent is pooling here it just needs to help stream some winning streaks together. They are going to be fun to watch, and if you are GM that is in rebuilding mode you can learn from the Royals. 3. Indians Tito is the new captain at the helm, but probably a year way from being back on near the top of the Central. 4. White Sox They really did not do anything too improve the team in the off season. I just don't have high expectations for them. 5. Twins Things have not gotten any better.

AL WEST

Mike Trout

1. Angels Trout, Trout, Trout! Will prove why he should have been the MVP last year. Starting five are solid, and the line up card is dangerous. 2. Athletics Tons of young talent especially in the pen. 3. Rangers Will miss Josh Hamilton, unfortunately the managerial miss steps usually costs them again. 4. Mariners they need more than just Felix Hernandez to push them into the top. They have young talent, but none has really stepped up. 5. Astros Some things never change.

AL Wild Card A's and Rays
AL Champs Angels
AL Cy Young Justin Verlander
AL MVP Mike Trout

NL EAST

J. Heyward, BJ and Justin Upton.

1. Nationals Pitching ... Strasburg, Zimmerman, Gonzalez and Haren. Then there is a strong bullpen. Harper is the rival to trout in the NL. The Braves could be hurt by the pitching match ups. 2. Braves Pitching depth is the Braves strong point. The only question is will the hard hitters have plate discipline, they could set a league record for strikeouts with the Upton's and Jason Heyward. They are going to miss Chipper and Prado. 3.Phillies: Lee, Hamels and Halladay is showing his age. Like the Red Sox they sold off pieces last year, it's a rebuilding year. 4. Mets Can the young pitchers step it up with Johann withering away? The Marlins make everyone look good 5. Marlins Traded everyone, Fired manager, Ugly Stadium, the fans hate the ownership this team could be the worst team in all of the MLB. I wouldn't be surprised to see Giancarlo Stanton moved at the trade deadline.

Andrew McCutchen

NL CENTRAL

1. Cardinals There maybe only a 5-8 games that separate the Reds and Birds all season long. They have the right mix of youth and experience to drive them to the play offs, but will not make it past the 1st round. 2. Reds The Cardinals better not trip anyway along the way, if they do the Reds will fly past. 3. Brewers Offense is led by Braun, but the MLB has him in their crosshairs, can they find something more than just his name on a piece of paper? 4. Pirates Still lack the pitching to take them from contender to the league leader. I would look for Andrew McCutchen to have a career year, and I like him for MVP. 5. Cubs Still rebuilding, at least a couple of years off before they can compete.

NL WEST

Troy Tulowitzki

1. Giants The same core group is still there, are they still hungry for the title? 2. Dodgers I don't buy it, Just because it worked for the Yankees does not mean it will work everywhere. If things are not working out I wouldn't be surprised to see them buying in July. 3. Diamondbacks Give up to soon on everything they do. 4. Padres Every time I think they something going they shake off the sign. 5. Rockies After Troy Tulowitzki there nothing positive to say.

NL Wild Card Braves and Reds
NL Champ Nationals
NL Cy Young Stephen Strasburg
NL MVP Andrew McCutchen

World Series: Nationals vs ~~Angels~~

Who Someone Loves Should Not Be Your Political Issue

2013-03-26T08:23:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2013-03-17T09:58:00.003-04:00

May you be poor in misfortune,

Rich in blessings,
Slow to make enemies,
And quick to make friends.
But rich or poor, quick or slow,
May you know nothing but happiness

From this day forward.

Just remember not everyone can be Irish, someone has to drive. Have a Happy and Safe St. Patricks.

Vote Them All Out!

2013-03-10T22:31:00.000-04:00

If we only could. I have spoken to friends that stand on all sides of the political spectrum from different areas of the country. They all feel the exact same way about our political leadership, Fuck Them! I really think that in the next election if you are an incumbent politician than you really need to update your resume.

Because it doesn't seem to matter what the issue is, pick any that needs to be addressed, they have done ABSOULTLY NOTHING. I'm not going to point fingers and say "Oh it is the Left" or "Oh it is the Right" they both fucking SUCK! The only member of congress that I have even the least bit of respect for anymore is Bernie Sanders from VT. I do not respect Reed, Pelosi, Cantor, or Beohner all four of them are exactly the same, useless.

If you don't believe me then check out this study that was done by the

Congress somewhere below cockroaches, traffic jams, and Nickelback in Americans' esteem Public Policy Polling

Our newest national poll finds that Congress only has a 9% favorability rating with 85% of voters viewing it in a negative light. We've seen poll after poll after poll over the last year talking about how unpopular Congress is but really, what's the difference between an 11% or a 9% or a 7% favorability rating? So we decided to take a different approach and test Congress' popularity against 26 different things. And what we found is that Congress is less popular than cockroaches, traffic jams, and even Nickelback.

Here's what we found:
It's gross to have lice but at least they can be removed in a way that given the recent reelection rates members of Congress evidently can't: Lice 67 Congress 19
Brussel sprouts may have been disgusting as a kid, but evidently they're now a lot less disgusting than Congress: Brussel Sprouts 69 Congress 23
The NFL replacement refs may have screwed everything up, but voters think Congress is screwing everything up even worse: Replacement Refs 56 Congressmen 29 (the breakdown among Packers fans might be a little bit different).
Colonoscopies are not a terribly pleasant experience but at least they have some redeeming value that most voters aren't seeing in Congress: Colonoscopies 58 Congress 31
And you can make the same point about root canals: Root Canals 56 Congress 32
You might get a bad deal from a used car salesmen, but voters evidently think they're getting an even worse deal from Congress: Used Car Salesmen 57 Congress 32
Being stuff in traffic sucks, but voters are even less happy about being stuck with this Congress: Traffic Jams 56 Congress 34
America might have had to bail out France multiple times over the years but voters still have a more charitable opinion of it than Congress: France 46 Congress 37
Carnies may use loaded dice, but voters still think they have a better chance of winning with them than Congress: Carnies 39 Congress 31
It may be true that everyone hates Nickelback, but apparently everyone hates Congress even more: Nickelback 39 Congress 32
Genghis Khan did a lot of bad stuff but I guess it's faded from voters' minds in a way that Congress' recent misdeeds haven't: Genghis Khan 41 Congress 37
DC political pundits and Donald Trump aren't held in very high esteem by the population, but they still both manage to just barely edge Congress: DC political pundits 37 Congress 34 and Donald Trump 44 Congress 42
Cockroaches are a pretty good reason to call the exterminator but voters might be even more concerned if their homes were infested with members of Congress: Cockroaches 45 Congress 43
Now the news isn't all bad for Congress:
By relatively close margins it beats out Lindsey Lohan (45/41), playground bullies (43/38), and telemarketers (45/35). And it posts wider margins over the Kardashians (49/36), John Edwards (45/29), lobbyists (48/30), Fidel Castro (54/32), Gonorrhea (53/28), Ebola (53/25), Communism (57/23), North Korea (61/26), and meth labs (60/21)
But when you're less popular than cockroaches, Genghis Khan, traffic jams, and yes even Nickelback, well, it might be time to reevaluate. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/01/congress-somewhere-below-cockroaches-traffic-jams-and-nickleback-in-americans-esteem.html

They want an issue to rally behind; how about improving their image by working together for solutions to the problems that face our nation instead of being a road block for progress. So if you have a member of congress or the Senate that is up for re-election I say vote the Fucker out!

Make Perfect Sense

2013-02-23T10:52:00.001-05:00

You would think; that the Boy Scouts would be leading the way Against HATE!

Happy Valentines Day

2013-02-14T10:43:00.000-05:00

Puppy Love

Love Hurts

Just Some Flurries

2013-02-08T21:13:00.001-05:00

I hope that all of my family and friends in and around Boston area have hunkers down. Be Safe, Warm and Relax.

To be honest I kind wish I was up there even if I'd have to shovel. But let's be serious as long as the Red Sox's equipment trucks made out of Boston I'm sure everyone will come out of this just fine. It's only a little snow.

Up Town

2013-01-24T19:39:00.001-05:00

Justin Upton

That's what I'll be call the Outfield a Turner Field for the next 3 years. Braves made an excellent trade today acquiring outfielder Justin Upton and 3rd basemen Chris Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks. In return, the Diamondbacks will receive Martin Prado, RP Randall Delgado, SS Nick Ahmed, 1B Brandon Drury and RP Zeke Spruill. Martin Prado who will be missed because of his versatility as an outfielder and infield capabilities. He also brings a consistent bat to any order when on the offense batting Avg. .295 HR 52 RIB 286 OBP .345 over his career in Atlanta.

I really like this deal for the Braves, they will have Justin Upton, BJ Upton and Jason Heyward patrolling the outfield for the next three years. From what I had read the Braves had been unable to extend Martin during the offseason. After this season he would see what he can get on the free agent market in the winter.

This is the Braves with a projected batting order of :
SS Aderton Simmons
CF BJ Upton
RF Jason Heyward
LF Justin Upton
3B Chris Johnson
1B Freddy Freeman
C Brian McCann
2B Dan Uggla

That is a pretty formable line up and should be able keep up with Dodger and Nats. It is going to be a good year to be a Braves fan this year.

The Sequel

2013-01-21T11:23:00.000-05:00

As we all know that sequels are never meet our expectations. I say this as I watch the second Presidential Inauguration. What I want to see from our government over the next four years is an end to partisan bickering. I want our elected officials to remember that they are just that, elected at the will of the people. I want to see them check their parties at the door of the White House or Capitol and get to work. I want them to solve the problems that our Nation faces to make America stronger. I know these are lofty goal, but shouldn't we have those? Why should we have to settle for mediocrity from our elected representation? Why should we allow these elected officials to procrastinate or worse watch them lay on the floor, cry and scream because they do not get their own way.
I am sick and fucking tired of these elected officials not getting shit done. Why have we become so polarized? Why can't either party find the middle and solve the Nations problems. There are issues and problems that have been put off to long and we should demand that action is taken.
In the end I want to remind all of America that no matter what your ethnicity, religion, political polarity, gender or sexual orientation is that we are Americans first and equal in the end.
Enough Said!

This is Absurd!

2013-01-11T23:33:00.000-05:00

How dare they cut the Defense Spending! Of course this is what we need to ensure safety of every red blooded America.
This would infuse the economy with good ole American Manufactoring jobs.
I'm sure that China, N. Korea, Russia and Iran are already working on thiers we can NOT be left behind.
It also will provide every US citizens with an acceptable escape from the Earth should it lets say collide with some random comet.
Everyone of us should demand your congress person to act and ensure this is iinclude in the Defense Spending bill and is spared from the Sequester cuts.

OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE TOSecure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016.This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For
By Paul Shawcross
The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn't on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:
The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We're working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.
The Administration does not support blowing up planets.
Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?
However, look carefully (here's how) and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Moon, it's a Space Station! Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations. The Space Station has six astronauts -- American, Russian, and Canadian -- living in it right now, conducting research, learning how to live and work in space over long periods of time, routinely welcoming visiting spacecraft and repairing onboard garbage mashers, etc. We've also got two robot science labs -- one wielding a laser -- roving around Mars, looking at whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.
Keep in mind, space is no longer just government-only. Private American companies, through NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office (C3PO), are ferrying cargo -- and soon, crew -- to space for NASA, and are pursuing human missions to the Moon this decade.
Even though the United States doesn't have anything that can do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, we've got two spacecraft leaving the Solar System and we're building a probe that will fly to the exterior layers of the Sun. We are discovering hundreds of new planets in other star systems and building a much more powerful successor to the Hubble Space Telescope that will see back to the early days of the universe.
We don't have a Death Star, but we do have floating robot assistants on the Space Station, a President who knows his way around a light saber and advanced (marshmallow) cannon, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is supporting research on building Luke's arm, floating droids, and quadruped walkers.
We are living in the future! Enjoy it. Or better yet, help build it by pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field. The President has held the first-ever White Housescience fairs and Astronomy Night on the South Lawn because he knows these domains are critical to our country's future, and to ensuring the United States continues leading the world in doing big things.
If you do pursue a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field, the Force will be with us! Remember, the Death Star's power to destroy a planet, or even a whole star system, is insignificant next to the power of the Force.
Paul Shawcross is Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and BudgetTell us what you think about this response and We the People.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/response/isnt-petition-response-youre-looking

2013 MLB Hall Of Fame

2013-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today at 2PM the Baseball Hall of Fame Commitee will announce the results of this years voting. This is the first time the "assumed" Performance Enhancing Drug era players will get their first chance to be on the ballot . I'm really torn about this part me say they fuck cheated and shouldn't be allowed in. But none of the players that I would vote for have actually been caught with a needle in their arm shooting up or whatever they do with. But I think I have to put that aside since other the accusations and allegations there is little proof for this group.

I will admit I personally do not like Barry Bonds. But as a player he was good no matter what you think he may have done or been on. Lets be serious these players had the talent to get this far before they started taking any magic potion. Are their players like Manny Ramirez that are trying to get back youth and they think PED's might be the way? Sure.

To be enshrined, players must be named on at least 75% of the voting members of the Baseball Writers of America Association. Each voting cycle, qualified members of the BBWAA name no more than 10 eligible players whom they consider worthy of Hall of Fame honors. If I had a ballot which I do not these are the 10 players I would vote for. (They are in no specific order)

Craig Biggio
Larry Walker
Alan Trammell
Barry Bonds
Jeff Bagwell
Rafael Palmero
Roger Clemens
Tim Raines
Kenny Lofton
Dale Murphy

**Update: No players were selected this year the first time since 1996 and Dale Murphy lost his final year on the ballot. I think his only chance is the Veterans Committee but don't quote me on that.