Oh, GOD. This guy was all the news when we were in England a few years ago: David Blaine begins another idiotic and unfortunately fruitless attempt to die getting our attention. Blaine entered the “bubble” wearing trousers, rubber shoes and a special diving mask. Please hold your “boy in the bubble jokes” until the end of the post. He will be fed with a special tube. Please, God, let his air feed and his feed feed get mixed up. Or let the guy in charge of the venting or valves or what not get fed up. During the seven-day challenge…
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Ford’s April U.S. sales dip 7%; cars gain – MarketWatch Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford said it sold 262,722 cars and trucks in April, with the Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr sedans as well as the crossover Ford Escape and Freestyle posting gains as consumers moved away from the automaker’s more gas-thirsty vehicles. “These new, fuel-efficient cars are helping our dealers to retain owners and capture new ones,” said Al Giombetti, head of Ford and Lincoln Mercury sales. “We never have been in a better position to compete for customers in an environment of rising gasoline prices.” On the downside, Ford’s…
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Next must-read book: How Would a Patriot Act? Defending American Values from a President Run Amok by Glenn Greenwald How Would a Patriot Act? is one man’s story of being galvanized into action to defend America’s founding principles, and a reasoned argument for what must be done. Greenwald’s penetrating words should inspire a nation to defend the Constitution from a president who secretly bestowed upon himself the powers of a monarch. If we are to remain a constitutional republic, Greenwald writes, we cannot abide radical theories of executive power, which are transforming the very core of our national character, and…
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Bush challenges hundreds of laws – The Boston Globe WASHINGTON — President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution. Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations, affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about immigration services problems, ”whistle-blower” protections for nuclear regulatory officials, and safeguards against political interference in federally funded research. Legal scholars say the scope and aggression of Bush’s…
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David and I were talking about today’s big march, and kicking around ideas that could get both sides moving toward a solution somewhere in the middle. It appears ***Dave is of much the same opinion as we are: amnesty, easily obtainable worker visas and a clean slate, and then serious penalties for overstaying the term of the visa. ***Dave :: Immigration Day Stuff 1. Devise a guest worker program that is easily applied for (including from within the country, initially), is quickly processed, has a very high quota, has strong protections for workers and strict penalties for overstaying one’s welcome.…
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Via: Flickr Title: Spring By: GinnyRED57 Originally uploaded: 1 May ’06, 6.54pm CDT PST
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We’re trying this tonight: Dirty Rice With Shrimp Recipe 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1/2 lb ground pork 1 onion, chopped 2 celery ribs, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 bay leaf 1 3/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups long grain rice 3 cups canned low sodium chicken broth (can use homemade stock) 1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and halved 2 scallions, including green tops chopped It’s reached the “Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes” stage, and it…
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Someone helpfully made Steven Colbert’s roast (or hilarious incineration) of President Bush available on YouTube. YouTube – Colbert Roasts Bush 1-3 UPDATE: But then it was eventually removed from YouTube at C-SPAN’s request. However, it’s now popped up on Google Video – apparently with C-SPAN’s permission. You can watch it here. I’m about to settle down and watch it. Did not fail to notice the President’s body language and “screw you guys, I’d like to go home and go to bed, but Laura won’t let me” expression as Colbert was called to the podium. LATER: Yes, that was pretty amusing,…
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An undocumented worker named Rosa tells her story. Actually, it raises an interesting question: Working in the shadows | Chicago Tribune She paid $120 for a fake Social Security card and applied at the restaurant where she has worked six days a week ever since. Her boss, who relies on her to train new workers, has told her she could be an assistant manager if only she spoke better English. So she takes classes at a community center. Her fear of being deported is yielding to a conviction that illegal workers need to speak up. With the Chicago Workers’ Collaborative,…
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$100 rebate plan called costly, ineffective – Martin Wolk: Eye on the Economy – MSNBC.com For a nation “addicted to oil,” as President Bush put it, Senate Republicans have a proposal that can only be described as enabling: Put $100 back into the pocket of every taxpayer. The proposal, unveiled Thursday, has been roundly criticized not only by Democrats but also by fiscal conservatives who warn it will widen the deficit while doing little to encourage energy conservation. “It could be one of the dumbest ideas of the year,” said Jerry Taylor, a senior fellow at the conservative Cato Institute.…