Off Topic: do your thing forums on Poorbuthappy.com

Well... At Least She Will Be Free to Be PRO-COLOMBIA:

By goin_south on Jul 3, 2009, 22:38.

Prepping for a run for president? Fineman: Palin is potentially a major GOP player in 2012 race --------- Go! Sarah! -------- WASHINGTON - I have covered politics for a long time. I can tell when someone is running for president. Sarah Palin is running for president. On a sunny (slow news) day in Wasilla, Alaska, the governor and former GOP vice presidential candidate appeared before the cameras and months before her term expires. Just like that — like the distant sound of a chain saw in a stand of northern pines — the 2012 Republican race lurched into gear. Palin is not the front-runner — there IS no front-runner — but she potentially is a major player in the Republican contest, her disastrous turn as John McCain’s running mate notwithstanding. Why now? Why this minute? Well, perhaps there is scandal lurking in the Great North that we in the Lower 48 don’t know about. Maybe there is video of the Palin family setting a polar bear adrift on ice floes. But there is no reason to suspect so and, in the meantime, it’s worth noting that both the timing and the and the manner of Palin’s announcement were pretty shrewd.

A Termite Walks into a Bar and says..............

By whitewidow on Jul 3, 2009, 20:47.

is the bartender here?

HAPPY 4th OF JULY to PBH Colombia

By mariacvetanoski on Jul 3, 2009, 18:43.

HAPPY 4th of July http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=4th+of+July&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=YLNOSovTDoKktgfo_IWmBA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1

on kat

By pow wow on Jul 3, 2009, 16:25.

kat has been through some ups and downs on this site...before she was a mod she was much more relaxed and liked much more....many people say she changed a lot as soon as she became a mod... facts i know about kat she has a daughter that is 15 and her daughter wants to be an actress lives in wales married to someone rich kat has a good heart i have often seen her want to do things for the very vunerable, she is also a person that believe in nature and natural thing for example she would never get a breast enlargement as she detests cosmetic surgery...

Two Mexican Midget Wrestlers Killed by Fake Prostitutes

By Mongo on Jul 3, 2009, 15:35.

Friday, July 03, 2009 * Print * ShareThis MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities say two professional wrestlers found dead in a low-rent hotel in the capital may have been drugged to death by female robbers. Autopsies are being performed on the two midget wrestlers, one of whom went by the name "La Parkita" — or "Little Death" — and wore a skeleton costume in the ring. The other was known as "Espectrito Jr." Authorities say two women were seen leaving the men's hotel room before the bodies were discovered. Prosecutor Miguel Angel Mancera said Wednesday that gangs of female robbers are experienced at using drugs to knock men out and rob them, but they may have used too strong a dose. That may have been because of the wrestlers' small stature, although larger men have also died in similar crimes.

THIS JUST IN: Palin to resign as Alaska governor

By goin_south on Jul 3, 2009, 13:31.

.Former vice presidential hopeful says she won't finish out first term

Ministers warn 40 a day could die by end of summer

By tasco66 on Jul 3, 2009, 12:42.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1197054/Swine-flu-kill-40-Britons-day-end-summer-says-chief-medical-officer.html

Powell airs doubts on Obama agenda

By tasco66 on Jul 3, 2009, 12:40.

Wow, now even Powell is giving up on Obama: Colin Powell, one of President Obama's most prominent Republican supporters, expressed concern Friday that the president's ambitious blitz of costly initiatives may be enlarging the size of government and the federal debt too much. "I'm concerned at the number of programs that are being presented, the bills associated with these programs and the additional government that will be needed to execute them," Mr. Powell said in an excerpt of an interview with CNN's John King, released by the network Friday morning. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/03/powell-airs-doubts-on-obama-agenda/

bad computer virus reported by the state of florida....please note

By dwmte7 on Jul 3, 2009, 10:24.

> HI ALL THIS was sent to me by a friend whose son is in charge of the computers for the state of Florida -- whenever he receives anything like this it is a warning to the State as well as all us little people -- > > VERY IMPORTANT , PLEASE READ THIS > > Anyone-using Internet mail such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and so on. This information arrived this morning, Direct from both Microsoft and Norton Please send it to everybody you know who has Access to the Internet. You may receive an apparently harmless e-mail titled 'Mail Server Report' If you open either file, a message will appear on your screen saying: 'It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful...' > > Subsequently you will LOSE EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC, And the person who sent it to you will gain access to your Name, e-mail and password. This is a new virus which started to circulate on Saturday afternoon. AOLhas already confirmed the severity, and the anti virus software's are not capable of destroying it. > > The virus has been created by a hacker who calls himself 'life owner'. > > PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THIS E-MAIL TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS, And ask them to PASS IT ON IMMEDIATELY! > > THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY SNOPES. > > http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/mailserver.asp >

lord buckley.........."scrooge"

By dwmte7 on Jul 3, 2009, 08:37.

azunoman and cacique this is special for you guys. lord buckley is probably WAY before any of yous time. but he's great. he used to hang out at a place in sausalito and do his riffs........enjoy. d

Top Honduran Military Lawyer Says "Laws were Broken On Ouster of President"

By miamimike on Jul 3, 2009, 08:18.

TEGUCIGALPA -- The military officers who rushed deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya out of the country Sunday committed a crime but will be exonerated for saving the country from mob violence, the army's top lawyer said. In an interview with The Miami Herald and El Salvador's elfaro.net, army attorney Col. Herberth Bayardo Inestroza acknowledged that top military brass made the call to forcibly remove Zelaya -- and they circumvented laws when they did it. It was the first time any participant in Sunday's overthrow admitted committing an offense and the first time a Honduran authority revealed who made the decision that has been denounced worldwide. ''We know there was a crime there,'' said Inestroza, the top legal advisor for the Honduran armed forces. ``In the moment that we took him out of the country, in the way that he was taken out, there is a crime. Because of the circumstances of the moment this crime occurred, there is going to be a justification and cause for acquittal that will protect us.'' http://www.miamiherald.com/1506/story/1125872.html?pageNum=1&&mi_pluck_action=page_nav#Comments_Container

Incredible First Time Ever Motocross Stunt (double Flip) Performed Perfectly--Too Cool

By miamimike on Jul 2, 2009, 22:29.

Well it looked perfect to me~ This guy has "Cojones"....http://www.grindtv.com/moto/blog/4052/cam-sinclair-lands-first-double-backflip-in-freestyle-motocross-competition/

That´s real democracy like Chavez

By makopp5 on Jul 2, 2009, 20:20.

Chávez insta al PSUV a mantener el control de la AN, TSJ y Fiscalía General http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/07/02/pol_ava_chavez-insta-al-psuv_02A2447403.shtml

An Honest Video (Religion, 911 & The FED)

By whitewidow on Jul 2, 2009, 18:31.

i cannot watch it enough times............

kat1, What in the world is going on in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

By aztec on Jul 2, 2009, 14:09.

"BRITISH HOUSES FOR BRITISH PEOPLE?" "During 12 years of Labour rule the culture of bias towards the non-British has been deeply embedded across the public sector." http://www.express.co.uk/ourcomments/view/111431

For all you potheads out there......OFF TOPIC

By Miguel_Clavo on Jul 2, 2009, 14:05.

A koala was sitting in a tree smoking a joint when a little lizard walked past, looked up and said, 'Hey Koala! What are you doing?' The koala said, 'Smoking a joint, come up and have some.' So the little lizard climbed up and sat next to the koala where they enjoyed a few joints. After a while the little lizard said that his mouth was 'dry' and that he was going to get a drink from the river. The little lizard was so stoned that he leaned over too far and fell into the river. A crocodile saw this and swam over to the little lizard and helped him to the side. Then he asked the little lizard, 'What's the matter with you?' The little lizard explained to the crocodile that he had been sitting with the koala in the tree, smoking a joint, but got too stoned and fell into the river while taking a drink.. The crocodile said that he had to check this out and walked into the rain forest, found the tree where the koala was sitting finishing a joint. The crocodile looked up and said, "Hey you!' So the koala looked down at him and said, 'Shiiiiiiiiiiit dude... How much water did you drink!?'

suicide and michael jackson....................duh

By dwmte7 on Jul 2, 2009, 10:41.

my wife told me that she heard on telemundo that twelve people world wide have committed suicide because of michael's--so called--untimely death. that was the first i'd heard of it. i don't watch much of the spanish language news--telemundo, caracol, et al--as i can only stand jorge ramos and the rest can take a walk. and as for the plastic titted ladies, i have better taste. a thought on suicide.............. "the diciples of sri ramakrishna were curious to know what the master would say, having just been told that a four year old child had committed suicide. the master smiled and said, "the child had not sinned, he had only corrected and error...he had been born by mistake." d

The most violent country in Europe: Britain is also worse than South Africa and U.S.

By tasco66 on Jul 2, 2009, 09:32.

Britain's violent crime record is worse than any other country in the European union, it is revealed today. Official crime figures show the UK also has a worse rate for all types of violence than the U.S. and even South Africa - widely considered one of the world's most dangerous countries. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196941/The-violent-country-Europe-Britain-worse-South-Africa-U-S.html

NY Democrats refuse to stand for Pledge of Allegiance

By tasco66 on Jul 2, 2009, 08:16.

Finally a journalist asking a real question to the Obama Administration

By tasco66 on Jul 2, 2009, 05:34.

We had to wait for a long time for this, here it is: http://www.breitbart.tv/white-house-reporters-grill-gibbs-over-selected-questions-for-obama/

Congress's Travel Tab Swells

By tasco66 on Jul 2, 2009, 05:30.

Spending on Taxpayer-Funded Trips Rises Tenfold; From Italy to the Galápagos WASHINGTON -- Spending by lawmakers on taxpayer-financed trips abroad has risen sharply in recent years, a Wall Street Journal analysis of travel records shows, involving everything from war-zone visits to trips to exotic spots such as the Galápagos Islands. The spending on overseas travel is up almost tenfold since 1995, and has nearly tripled since 2001, according to the Journal analysis of 60,000 travel records. Hundreds of lawmakers traveled overseas in 2008 at a cost of about $13 million. That's a 50% jump since Democrats took control of Congress two years ago. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124650399438184235.html

Has Obama Turned on Israel?

By tasco66 on Jul 2, 2009, 05:23.

By ALAN M. DERSHOWITZ Many American supporters of Israel who voted for Barack Obama now suspect they may have been victims of a bait and switch. Jewish Americans voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Obama over John McCain in part because the Obama campaign went to great lengths to assure these voters that a President Obama would be supportive of Israel. This despite his friendships with rabidly anti-Israel characters like Rev. Jeremiah Wright and historian Rashid Khalidi. At the suggestion of Mr. Obama's Jewish supporters -- including me -- the candidate visited the beleaguered town of Sderot, which had borne the brunt of thousands of rocket attacks by Hamas. Standing in front of the rocket shells, Mr. Obama declared: "If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop that. And I would expect Israelis to do the same thing." This heartfelt statement sealed the deal for many supporters of Israel. Now, some of them apparently have voters' remorse. According to Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, "President Obama's strongest supporters among Jewish leaders are deeply troubled by his recent Middle East initiatives, and some are questioning what he really believes." I hear the same thing from rank-and-file supporters of Israel who voted for Mr. Obama. Are these fears justified? Rhetorically, the Obama team has definitely taken a harsher approach toward Israel compared to its tone during the campaign. But has there been a change in substance about Israel's security? In answering this question, it is essential to distinguish between several aspects of American policy. First there are the settlements. The Bush administration was against expansion of West Bank settlements, but it was willing to accept a "natural growth" exception that implicitly permitted Israel to expand existing settlements in order to accommodate family growth. The Obama administration has so far shut the door on this exception. I believe there is a logical compromise on settlement growth that has been proposed by Yousef Munayyer, a leader of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination League. "Obama should make it clear to the Israelis that settlers should feel free to grow their families as long as their settlements grow vertically, and not horizontally," he wrote last month in the Boston Globe. In other words, build "up" rather than "out." This seems fair to both sides, since it would preserve the status quo for future negotiations that could lead to a demilitarized Palestinian state and Arab recognition of Israel as a Jewish one -- results sought by both the Obama administration and Israel. A majority of American-Jewish supporters of Israel, as well as Israelis, do not favor settlement expansion. Thus the Obama position on settlement expansion, whether one agrees with it or not, is not at all inconsistent with support for Israel. It may be a different position from that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but it is not a difference that should matter to most Jewish voters who support both Mr. Obama and Israel. The differences that would matter are those -- if they exist -- that directly impact Israel's security. And in terms of Israel's security, nothing presents a greater threat than Iran. The Obama administration consistently says that Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. But prior to the current unrest in the Islamic Republic, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel frightened many supporters of Israel in May by appearing to link American efforts to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons to Israeli actions with regard to the settlements. This is a disturbing linkage that should be disavowed by the Obama administration. Opposition to a nuclear Iran -- which would endanger the entire world -- should not be dependent in any way on the issue of settlement expansion. The current turmoil in Iran may strengthen the Obama administration as it seeks to use diplomacy, sanctions and other nonmilitary means to prevent the development of nuclear weapons. But if these tactics fail, the military option, undesirable and dangerous as it is, must not be taken off the table. If the Obama administration were to shift toward learning to live with a nuclear Iran and attempt to deny Israel the painful option of attacking its nuclear targets as a last resort, that would be troubling indeed. Thankfully, the Obama administration's point man on this issue, Dennis Ross, shows no signs of weakening American opposition to a nuclear-armed Iran. A related threat to Israeli security comes from Iran's proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas. For years, these terrorist groups have disrupted life in Israel by firing rockets at civilians. The range of their weapons now extends to Israel's heartland, including Tel Aviv. The Israeli Defense Forces must retain the ability to prevent and deter rocket fire, even if it comes from behind human shields as it did in southern Lebanon and Gaza. There is no evidence of any weakening of American support for Israel's right to defend its children from the kind of rocket attacks candidate Obama commented on during his visit to Sderot. There may be coming changes in the Obama administration's policies that do weaken the security of the Jewish state. Successful presidential candidates often soften their support for Israel once they are elected. So with Iran's burgeoning nuclear threat, it's important to be vigilant for any signs of weakening support for Israel's security -- and to criticize forcefully any such change. But getting tough on settlement expansion should not be confused with undercutting Israel's security. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124649366875483207.html

Obama Depopulation Policy Exposed! Red Alert! watch this video it shows obama is a wolf in sheep clothes

By pow wow on Jul 2, 2009, 02:58.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCYfWrg4WKY&NR=1

New Government Of Honduras Censoring Journalists & News

By miamimike on Jul 1, 2009, 12:44.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- At the close of the one of this week's nightly news broadcasts, Channel 21 news anchor Indira Raudales made a plea: ``We have a right to information! This can't be happening in the 21st century!'' ***If Raudales offered more details, viewers did not hear them: the screen briefly went to static.**** ***Her on-air appeal for freedom of the press came as the newly installed Honduran government kept several news outlets closed, detained international reporters, and periodically interrupted the signal of CNN en español. ***** ****Reporters for The Associated Press were taken away in military vehicles and Venezuela's Telesur network -- and any other station supportive of toppled president Manuel Zelaya -- are still off the air.*******Stations that are broadcasting carry only news friendly to the new government. Several local papers have yet to publish information about Zelaya's international support in neighboring countries. ****''They militarized Channel 36, which is owned by me,'' said Efdras López, director of the show, ''Asi se Informa.'' ``They brought more than a battalion -- 22 armed men -- took the channel and said nobody could come in and nobody could come out.**** ``I own this building!'' The crackdown on the media began before dawn Sunday, when hooded soldiers entered the presidential palace by force and captured Zelaya, a leftist firebrand who had vowed to defy the supreme court, congress and the attorney general's office in a quest to hold a referendum. The nation's media went black while Zelaya was flown out of the country. ***When a new government presided by former head of Congress Roberto Micheletti was installed a few hours later, only the radio and TV stations loyal to the establishment were allowed to broadcast.**** http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1122536.html Same Old Latin America Banana Republic Politics as usual,,,

Former Boxing Champ & Mayor Of Managua, Alexis Arguello, Found Dead of Gunshot Wound, Apparent Suicide

By miamimike on Jul 1, 2009, 11:46.

MANAGUA -- The people of Nicaragua and the international boxing world woke up to the shocking news Wednesday morning that three-time world champ and mayor of Managua Alexis Argüello, 57, is dead. Early media reports said Argüello, a born-again Sandinista, apparently shot himself in his Managua home in the early morning hours. Forensic medical specialists were still conducting the autopsy to determine cause of death. Known in the boxing world as ''The Explosive Thin Man'' and the ''Gentleman of the Ring,'' Argüello came from a humble background and turned to the boxing gym at the age of 14, after being thrown out of school for not being able to pay tuition. In the ring, the skinny kid from Managua found his calling and after only three years of training traveled to Costa Rica and knocked out their national champ in six rounds. ''I beat the crap out of him,'' Argüello said in a 2007 interview, laughing loudly with his infectious Yogi Bear chortle. Argüello went on to win his first world boxing title at 22, and then won two more in different weight classes. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1122737.html

on desi

By pow wow on Jul 1, 2009, 03:18.

the facts i know about desi are: she is a teacher of children 5 to 11 she is finnish but lives in sweden she is a mod on a few different sites she was married to a colombian apart from that i dont know much more...she once said i was child like and i agreed with that because a child questions everything and that is what i am like....she knows that real intelligence is child like...once you stop asking questions in life you end the learning process..i know that all the greatest thinkers of this world thought like children...einstein was a big kid so was da vinci....and da vinci would also say to himself i can only see things from my limited perspective but how would someone of a certain profession see it....i say all that because while desi works with children she should always remind herself that these children are the most intelligent thinkers....curiousity is every thing in learning once you think you know then you limit yourself to new information.. desi serves children which is a sacred job to do...unfortuantely desi's marriage to a colombian did not work out and i think it created much pain in her...but she must remember the same as any pbh member that they always have the pbh family to fall back on.. desi has been of great support to me at times when people are attacking me and for that i would like to say thankyou

What Supersonic Looks Like

By billyb on Jun 30, 2009, 20:21.

What Supersonic Looks Like A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor executes a supersonic flyby over the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) in the Gulf of Alas Reuters – A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor executes a supersonic flyby over the flight deck of the aircraft carrier … The breaking of the sound barrier is not just an audible phenomenon. As a new picture from the U.S. military shows, Mach 1 can be quite visual. This widely circulated new photo shows a Air Force F-22 Raptor aircraft participating in an exercise in the Gulf of Alaska June 22, 2009 as it executes a supersonic flyby over the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. ........ http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090630/sc_livescience/whatsupersoniclookslike

it's a good day to die..............................

By dwmte7 on Jun 30, 2009, 17:55.

who was that? crazy horse? sitting bull? thunder cloud? one of them heavies. these must be the days he was referring to. seems like if their not droppin outta the sky, they're being blown apart on the battle field; slammin junk in their arms and dyin in the street; getting angry with each other and killing a whole family; brother against brother; father against son; shooting up classrooms and classmates; cutting off heads; shooting each other from the shadows..........................sure ain't lookin nice. isn't there something that can be done to rectify all this craziness? look at some of the words cast back and forth here on pbh...threats...guns! we got a world gone amuck. and everybody's blaming everybody else...it's like man never invented a mirror. we've forgotten that regime change starts at home..."please LORD, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me" we used to sing that at college rallies, run naked, paint faces, put flowers in our hair, make love, flash peace signs and go dancing with joy. now? we kill each other. why, pray tell, WHY?

How many times have we all thought.......

By jeff8875 on Jun 30, 2009, 16:37.

Hopefully this posts....

Honduran Crisis Shows Insitutional Weaknesses of Latin America

By miamimike on Jun 30, 2009, 04:50.

The weekend ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya showed just how easily Latin American countries can plunge into crises when their institutions prove too weak to resolve stand-offs between government branches, analysts say. ''The larger set of problems highlighted by the Honduras case is that in some Latin American countries the rule of law is fragile, and the institutional framework for resolution of conflicts is very fragile,'' said Bruce Bagley, a Latin America specialist at the University of Miami. ''Institutional weaknesses are a very serious problem in some parts of Latin America, and are at the root of many of the problems in those countries,'' said José Miguel Vivanco, director of Human Rights Watch-Americas, in a telephone interview. As in Honduras, he noted, the armed forces in some Latin American countries have never been totally subordinated to civilian power. ''Even in the best of cases, the civilian governments are often forced to negotiate with the military,'' he said. http://www.miamiherald.com/579/story/1120420.html

ANOTHER Airbus crash!!! 06.29.09

By Paisa/Calena/Luver on Jun 29, 2009, 19:59.

No more French planes for me! www.cnn.com

Madonna's about the same age as Michael Jackson was, right?

By kalder on Jun 29, 2009, 13:27.

So maybe the old skank will snuff it before she destroys any more families and abducts any more kids in Malawi...

Supreme Court Overturns Sotomayor

By tasco66 on Jun 29, 2009, 09:11.

High Court Rules for White Firefighters in Discrimination Suit Ruling Reverses High-Profile Decision by Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor By Robert Barnes Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, June 29, 2009 12:07 PM The Supreme Court today narrowly ruled in favor of white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., who said they were denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision by Judge Sonia Sotomayor and others that had come to play a large role in the consideration of her nomination for the high court. The city had thrown out the results of a promotion test because no African Americans and only two Hispanics would have qualified for promotions. It said it feared a lawsuit from minorities under federal laws that said such "disparate impacts" on test results could be used to show discrimination. In effect, the court was deciding when avoiding potential discrimination against one group amounted to actual discrimination against another. The court's conservative majority said in a 5 to 4 vote that is what happened in New Haven. "Fear of litigation alone cannot justify an employer's reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations and qualified for promotions," wrote Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote for the liberals on the court and said the decision knocks the pegs from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. She read her dissent from the bench for emphasis. "Congress endeavored to promote equal opportunity in fact, and not simply in form," she said. "The damage today's decision does to that objective is untold." On the last day on the bench for retiring Justice David H. Souter, the court failed to reach a decision on one of its most important cases of the term: whether a conservative group's production of a 90-minute film on Hillary Rodham Clinton amounted to a documentary, or merely a long commercial of the type restricted by the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform act. Instead, the court took the unusual action of scheduling new arguments on the case for Sept. 9, before the court's new term begins next October. The court wants new briefings on issues that could lead to the justices declaring unconstitutional that part of the act, formally called the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002. The court's decision probably will lead Democrats to push efforts to have a vote on Sotomayor's confirmation so she can be in place before the September hearing, although it is unclear whether her replacement of Souter would affect the outcome of the case. Senate hearings on her nomination are set to begin in two weeks. The New Haven case, Ricci v. DeStefano, has become the ruling that Sotomayor's critics most point to for evidence that she lets her background influence her decisions, even though her role has been somewhat inflated. The promotion test results produced a heated debate in New Haven, and government lawyers warned the city's civil service board that if it certified the test results, minority firefighters might have a good case for claiming discrimination under Title VII. Federal guidelines presume discrimination when a test has such a disparate impact on minorities. The board split 2 to 2, which meant the exam was not certified. Those who opposed using the results said they worried the test must be flawed in some way that disadvantaged minorities. (The test questions have not been made public.) The white firefighters filed suit, saying their rights had been violated under both the law and the Constitution's protections of due process. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton dismissed their suit before it went to trial. She said in her 47-page decision that the city was justified under the law in junking the test, even if it could not explain its flaws. The case then went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, where Sotomayor and judges Robert Sack and Rosemary S. Pooler heard the appeal. Oral arguments lasted an hour, with Sotomayor leading the questioning, as is her reputation. But instead of issuing a detailed and signed opinion, the panel said in a brief summary that, although it was "not unsympathetic" to the plight of the white firefighters, it unanimously affirmed the lower court's decision for "reasons stated in the thorough, thoughtful, and well-reasoned opinion." Kennedy's opinion referred to the judgment of Sotomayor and the other judges only by noting the short opinion. Kennedy said the standard for whether an employer may discard a test is whether there is a strong reason to the employer to believe that the test is flawed in a way that discriminates against minorities, not just by looking at the results. In New Haven's case, "there is no evidence -- let alone the required strong basis in evidence -- that the tests were flawed because they were not job-related or because other, equally valid and less discriminatory tests were available to the city," Kennedy wrote. The case has drawn considerable attention not just because of Sotomayor's role but because of the sympathetic nature of the claim brought by the firefighters, who said they were discriminated against simply because of the color of their skin. The lead plaintiff, Frank Ricci, is a veteran firefighter who said in sworn statements that he spent thousands of dollars in preparation and studied for months for the exam. Ricci said he is dyslexic, so he had tapes made of the test materials and listened to them on his commute to work. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/29/AR2009062901608_pf.html

artist has been given a £20,000 National Lottery grant - to look at girls' bums.

By kat1 on Jun 29, 2009, 01:05.

A CHEEKY artist has been given a £20,000 National Lottery grant - to look at girls' bums. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2505110/Bottoms-up-for-winning-artist.html

finally......a photo of maria belen chapur.... the governor's argentine lady friend

By dwmte7 on Jun 28, 2009, 18:00.

wish i knew how to post these things, but this is the first photo released...not very good. google it. d

kenblanquito is a bit under the weather

By azunoman on Jun 28, 2009, 13:08.

Got an email from Ken, he has been ill, I debated posting this but thought many of you like me would like to have Ken in their thoughts... Ken..get well...listen to mrs. blanquito and return to true from ASAP. Your fellow gringo closet rocker....

if we could all take risks in life our lives would be so much better

By pow wow on Jun 28, 2009, 11:23.

we fear moving to a new job....we fear leaving our marriage....we fear telling someone close to us what we are thinking.....we fear making any big decisions in our lives...we fear losing money....we are constantly fearing....taking risks is often far too much for us as our fear rockets....but the benefits of risk taking are great but so can be the losses...i think the only way you can benefit from risk taking is to make it a lifestyle where you do it all the time...decide what you really want to change and keep taking risks...some will leave you at a loss but other will take you further to where you want to be... but eventually you will get there....i think the biggest risk is changing nothing in your life as you will stagnate and that goes against a persons natural creative ability to expand through new things and experiences

Honduran Presidency seized in Coup by Military

By miamimike on Jun 28, 2009, 10:51.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Soldiers seized the national palace and sent President Manuel Zelaya into exile in Costa Rica early Sunday, hours before a highly disputed constitutional referendum. Zelaya called the action a coup and pledged to serve out the remaining five months of his term. Zelaya, a leftist allied with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, was arrested shortly before polls were to open in a referendum on whether to change the constitution. The Supreme Court ruled the referendum illegal and everyone from Congress to members of his own party opposed it. Critics said Zelaya wanted to remove limits to his re-election. http://www.miamiherald.com/915/story/1117854.html

The Canadian Conspiracy

By azunoman on Jun 28, 2009, 09:05.

The truth about Canada...for those that can handle the truth: part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LlfDy6C0Ms

CRABBY OLD MAN /WOMAN

By azunoman on Jun 28, 2009, 07:37.

CRABBY OLD MAN /WOMAN When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem . Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri . The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet. Crabby Old Man What do you see nurses? . . What do you see? What are you thinking . . . . ... when you're looking at me? A crabby old man, . . . . . not very wise, Uncertain of habit . .. . . . . . .. with faraway eyes? Who dribbles his food . . .. . . . . and makes no reply . When you say in a loud voice .. . . . .. 'I do wish you'd try!' Who seems not to notice . . . the things that you do . And forever is losing . . . . .. . . . . . A sock or shoe? Who, resisting or not . .. . . . . .. . . . lets you do as you will, With bathing and feeding The long day to fill? Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see? Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you're not looking at me . I'll tell you who I am. As I sit here so still, As I do at your bidding, . . . . . . as I eat at your will. I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . . with a father and mother, Brothers and sisters . . . . . . . . . who love one another. A young boy of Sixteen . .. with wings on his feet Dreaming that soon now . . . . . . . a lover he'll meet.. A groom soon at Twenty . my heart gives a leap. Remembering, the vows . . . . . . that I promised to keep. At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . . . . I have young of my own. Who need me to guide . . . . And a secure happy home. A man of Thirty . . . . . . . .. My young now grown fast, Bound to each other . . . . . . . With ties that should last. At Forty, my young sons .. . have grown and are gone, But my woman's beside me . . . . . . . to see I don't mourn. At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee, Again, we know children . . . . . . . My loved one and me. Dark days are upon me . . my wife is now dead. I look at the future ... . . . . . . . . . shudder with dread.. For my young are all rearing . . . . . .. young of their own. And I think of the years . . . and the love that I've known. I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. . . and nature is cruel. Tis jest to make old age . . . . look like a fool. The body, it crumbles . . .. . . . . grace and vigor, depart. There is now a stone . . . . . . . where I once had a heart. But inside this old carcass . . a young guy still dwells, And now and again . . . .. . . . my battered heart swells.. I remember the joys . . . . . . . . . I remember the pain. And I'm loving and living . . . . . .. . . . . . life over again. I think of the years, all too few . . . . . . gone too fast. And accept the stark fact . .. . . . . that nothing can last. So open your eyes, people . . . . . .. . . open and see. Not a crabby old man. Look closer . . . . see ME!! Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within . . . . we will all, one day, be there, too! PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart.

after the shock of michael jackson dying it really does not seem like a big deal now

By pow wow on Jun 28, 2009, 02:32.

the shock of him dying and then the thoughts came in to my life of times when i was a teenager talking about him but then i thought well all he is, is a dancer and singer that had global fame...and i thought it is nice to listen to his music but it is a bit superficial for anyone to really get upset....do you agree or disagree

1500 Filipino Prison Inmates Dance Thriller In Tribute to MJ

By miamimike on Jun 27, 2009, 12:04.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/1116664.html

Clarification - Rules - Posting Your Opinion

By Med 2 Med on Jun 27, 2009, 11:30.

I had an opinion deleted on another thread. Without rehashing what my opinion was or what it was about........When does a person's personal opinion on a topic become deletable? Thanks

Oppenheimer: Chile Should Tout Its Passage To First World Status

By miamimike on Jun 27, 2009, 04:36.

BY ANDRES OPPENHEIMER aoppenheimer@MiamiHerald.com By the end of this year, Chile is likely to become the first South American country to join the exclusive club of the world's 30 richest countries. Yet, amazingly, you don't see Chileans jumping for joy, nor presenting themselves to their neighbors as a model nation. According to officials from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Paris-based institution that groups the world's wealthiest democracies, Chile may be officially accepted as a full member at its Dec. 18 meeting. The OECD is waiting for the Chilean Congress to pass three pending measures to fully adhere to the organization's tax information exchange and corporate governance standards. Chilean officials hope the pending measures will be passed by December. Chile has been pretty coy about its economic achievements. Unlike any other Latin American country, Chile's economy has grown steadily for the past two decades, and it leads Latin America in virtually all competitiveness rankings. More importantly, Chile has reduced its poverty rate from 39 percent of the population in 1990 to 13 percent nowadays. Yet, unlike Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who goes around the world claiming that his country's oil-driven growth is a ''revolutionary model,'' Chile's President Michelle Bachelet has abstained from political evangelism abroad. When I last interviewed her in 2007, she sounded almost apologetic about her country's achievements. NATIONAL CHARACTER A former Chilean president once told me privately that Chile doesn't brag about its success because it fears that its bigger neighbors would resent that. http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/columnists/story/1112836.html

Michael Jackson Kids

By kat1 on Jun 27, 2009, 01:10.

Michael Jackson I respect him as an artist, he was a legend and will live for generations. but his personal life was strange, first the child abuse cases, his strange marriages and last his kids, are we blind or don't want to really see the reality. Michael jackson can't really be the father of those kids, those kids don't look nothing like Michael Jackson, there is no trace of black on them, Michael J is black so some of his genes should have passed to his kids but none of them have anything that is very suspicious, Look at the photo of the boy, Prince, not a trace of a black gene. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2504270/Michael-Jacksons-ex-wife-Debbie-Rowe-will-fight-his-mother-for-custody-of-their-kids.html

Crackdown on Medicare Fraud a Priority for Obama Administration

By miamimike on Jun 26, 2009, 22:20.

BY JAY WEAVER jweaver@MiamiHerald.com A new sense of urgency is shaping the U.S. government's fight against Medicare fraud as the Obama administration strives to sell the public on expanding healthcare to cover uninsured Americans. Cabinet officials commenting on this week's trio of Medicare fraud crackdowns in Miami and other cities pushed an emerging two-pronged approach, focusing on fraud prevention as well as prosecutions. Earlier in the week, federal agents took down 53 Medicare fraud suspects in Miami, Detroit and other cities in a roundup of doctors, clinic owners and patients on charges of conspiring to defraud the government program of $56 million. Several have left for Cuba. Multiple indictments, returned by a federal grand jury in Michigan, spotlighted HIV infusion and physical therapy that have been widespread in Miami and were transported to Detroit, the latest Medicare fraud hot spot. The severity of the problem in Detroit prompted Holder, Sebelius and FBI Director Robert Mueller to hold the news conference Wednesday at the Justice Department. And the previous day, agents broke up a Miami-based ring that allegedly schemed to defraud Medicare of $100 million by filing false claims for obsolete HIV therapy across five states. Two of the eight suspects have fled to Cuba.Earlier in the week, federal agents took down 53 Medicare fraud suspects in Miami, Detroit and other cities in a roundup of doctors, clinic owners and patients on charges of conspiring to defraud the government program of $56 million. Multiple indictments, returned by a federal grand jury in Michigan, spotlighted HIV infusion and physical therapy that have been widespread in Miami and were transported to Detroit, the latest Medicare fraud hot spot. The severity of the problem in Detroit prompted Holder, Sebelius and FBI Director Robert Mueller to hold the news conference Wednesday at the Justice Department. And the previous day, agents broke up a Miami-based ring that allegedly schemed to defraud Medicare of $100 million by filing false claims for obsolete HIV therapy across five states. Two of the eight suspects have fled to Cuba. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1116390.html

You could have heard a pin drop

By tasco66 on Jun 26, 2009, 17:27.

A group of Americans, retired teachers, recently went to France on a tour. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. 'You have been to France before, monsieur?' the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.' The American said, ''The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it. 'Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France!' The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to.' You could have heard a pin drop.

Dual wash and dry lavadors...any experiences reccommends?

By azunoman on Jun 26, 2009, 15:00.

ok, so my male maid has to wash all the clothes using the rock and rinse basin. What do I care? They won't dry before he leaves for the day... Back in the old days on my mother ship there was a dual roller that would squeeze out the excess water. My man does this by hand. As I have as yet seen one of these rolling presses for laundry anywhere in Medellin by sight or by ear of folk lore I have decided to buy one of these fancy electric agitating machines. That being said I was looking today in Carrefour as the wash machines that advertise that they dry as well. While my main purpose for buying said machine is to have the spin remove excess water using centrifugal force. Then hang dry. But it would be nice if the machine worked well for drying. our estate sale sold my 25+ year hd maytags, so what the heck do I know about the new ones. Any experience with the single container, wash/dry machines? don't want to spend more than 1.3m cop...or there abouts.....there is no hot water where I plan on putting it, go figure but it's the jungle baby...

yawn

By kat1 on Jun 26, 2009, 14:03.

ahhhhhh

iran's clerics recommend execution for arrested rioters....to teach them a lesson

By dwmte7 on Jun 26, 2009, 07:30.

. Iranian cleric says "rioters" should be executed By Parisa Hafezi Parisa Hafezi 1 hr 36 mins ago TEHRAN (Reuters) – A hardline Iranian cleric on Friday called for the execution of "rioters," in a sign of the authorities' determination to stamp out opposition to the June 12 presidential election result. (EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on their ability to report, film or take pictures in Tehran.) Iran's top legislative body, the Guardian Council, said it had found no major violations in the election, which it called the "healthiest" vote since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The council had already rejected a call for the annulment of the vote by moderate former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi, who has led mass protests since he was declared a distant second in the election behind incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "I want the judiciary to ... punish leading rioters firmly and without showing any mercy to teach everyone a lesson," Ahmad Khatami told worshippers at Tehran University. Iranian state television said on Thursday eight Basij militiamen were killed by "rioters" during the protests. State media previously said 20 people were killed in the marches. The Group of Eight foreign ministers, meeting in Italy, said they "deplored" the post-election violence and called on Iran to settle the crisis soon through democratic dialogue and peaceful means. "The crisis should be settled soon through democratic dialogue and peaceful means on the basis of the rule of law," said a final draft statement by the G8 ministers. "We call on the Iranian government to guarantee that the will of the Iranian people is reflected in the electoral process." HARSH PUNISHMENT Iranian authorities have accused Mousavi of being responsible for the bloodshed, while the moderate former prime minister says the government is to blame. Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts, said the judiciary should charge the leading "rioters" as being "mohareb" or one who wages war against God. "They should be punished ruthlessly and savagely," he said. Under Iran's Islamic law, punishment for people convicted as mohareb is execution. Mousavi's supporters plan to release thousands of balloons on Friday with the message: "Neda you will always remain in our hearts," in memory of Neda Agha Soltan, the young woman killed last week who has become an icon of the demonstrations. Khatami said Neda was killed by the rioters themselves for propaganda purposes. "By watching the film, any wise person can understand that rioters killed her," he said. Britain's Times newspaper quoted Dr. Arash Hejazi, an Iranian who appeared on Internet videos helping Neda, as echoing opposition charges the 26-year-old music student was killed by a government militiaman. "She was just a person in the street who was against the injustice going on in her country, and for that she was murdered," he said. Hejazi said that after the protest he left Iran for Britain, where he is resident, fearing arrest. The authorities have used a combination of warnings, arrests and the threat of police action to drive large demonstrations off Tehran's street since Saturday with small gatherings dispersed with tear gas and baton charges. Russia, which along with China congratulated Ahmadinejad on his re-election earlier this month, said on Friday it was seriously concerned by the use of force in Iran. "We naturally express our most serious concern about the use of force and the death of civilians," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying on the sidelines of the G8 meeting. Russia was among countries at the G8 anxious not to slam the door on possible talks with Iran, the world's fifth largest oil exporter, over its nuclear program. "I think there is unity here that it is for the Iranian people to choose their government but it is for the Iranian government to protect their people," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said after the foreign ministers' meeting. The 12-man Guardian Council's statement leaves little scope for more legal challenges to the election result, short of an attack on the position of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has expressed strong support for Ahmadinejad. "The Guardian Council has almost finished reviewing defeated candidates' election complaints...the reviews showed that the election was the healthiest since the revolution ... There were no major violations in the election," said Abbasali Kadkhodai, spokesman of the council. Former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a Mousavi ally, chairs the Assembly of Experts which has the constitutional power to depose Khamenei. The assembly has never tried to do so and Rasfanjani is seen as unlikely to take such a radical step. Mousavi said he was determined to keep challenging the election results despite pressure to stop. He called on his supporters to continue "legal" protests and said restrictions on the opposition could lead to more violence.