Xiaxue May 8 ZaoBao

Even Asia's #1 Blogger makes mistakes, and Xiaxue is big enough to admit it!

She BLOGS: "...This is taking me some courage to say, well, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry because... my mom found the camera. It was entangled, apparently, in between the pile of unfolded clothes... And to the people who have actually offered me a camera (MADNESS!) for free or have actually searched for my account number and transfered money to me, a big thank you... I will transfer the money back to donors, and once again, a big thank you and I really, really appreciate it..."

Now a little present for Xiaxue fans! Click ON the images below and you'll get a screen-sized scan of each page of the Xiaxue interview from the May 8 ZaoBao!
HOPE you all enjoyed, and if needed to, copied the scans for your own enjoyment! I've taken them down (needed the bandwidth elsewhere) so e-mail me if you still need them!

Truth = Responsibility

Bloggers. Reporters. Newswriters. Columnists.
We are human. We make mistakes. Sometimes information we gather is false or partially incorrect. There are a few bad apples like Cooke, Glass and Blair, but for the most part reporters and newswriters use little formulas they've developed to ensure that their aims are true.

News and political Bloggers may be a little less prone to run through a strict fact-checking process. Columnists are expected to inject commentary/opinion from time to time. Best intentions are sometimes not always met. Case in point, my May 5th post on Lindane was on the mark until I heard from the woman central to the story. The wording of the newspaper article I used as the source for my post led me to draw conclusions that turned out to be false. It's relatively easy for a blogger or a columnist to offer a retraction. It's much harder for a Newsweek, or a New Republic or a New York Times.

Blogger/columnist/author Michelle Malkin is mentioned in the May 15 Seattle Times Opinion blog. She made a retraction regarding information in ", In Defense of Internment," her most recent book. That's fine. Malkin seems to have no bones about making a retraction or offering an apology if it is deserved. And that is as it should be. Bloggers take note. We come under fire because the delicate balance, the fine line between fact and opinion can easily be smudged when presented in weblog format. Perhaps the solution here is to make certain readers aren't susceptible to interpreting opinion as fact. And stand ready to make a retraction or apologize when such action is warranted.

Just prior to posting this, I noticed Michelle Malkin has already commented on the Seattle Times Opinion Blog article. (Here)

Nix Newsweek

pla·gia·rize ( P ) Pronunciation Key (plj-rz)
v. pla·gia·rized, pla·gia·riz·ing, pla·gia·riz·es
v. tr.
To use and pass off (the ideas or writings of another) as one's own.
To appropriate for use as one's own passages or ideas from (another).

Remember what Stephen Glass did to the NEW REPUBLIC? Or what Jayson Blair did to the NY TIMES? There are others, including Janet Cooke and Patricia Smith, and now joining their ranks: NEWSWEEK. Word's out. Don't trust Newsweek.

(IsraelNN.com) Newsweek has admitted that its story on purposeful desecration of the Koran was based on unconfirmed sources. At least 16 people have been killed following Moslem riots following the published allegation that American military interrogators in Cuba flushed a copy of the Koran down the toilet.

(weBlog Reference: BAD BAD NEWSWEEK)
(weBlog Reference: NEWSWEEK LIED*. PEOPLE DIED)
(AP News): Newsweek Apologizes for Quran Story Errors
Fabricated, plagiarized reporting has NO PLACE in the Mainstream Media. Thanks for being the WILD CARD, Newsweek!
At least BLOGGERS strive to be accurate and credible. At least. What happened at NEWSWEEK is inexcusable.

Justo Faison RIP

UPDATE 16 May: The hip-hop promoter who founded the respected annual MIXTAPE AWARDS in 1995 has been killed in a car crash in Virginia.

JUSTO (corr) FAISON, 36, reportedly lost control of his SUV on Friday (13MAY05) and crashed into a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Many within the Hip-Hop nation are shocked, saddened and even in denial about the death of Justo Faison.

Details remain vague, but sources confirmed with AllHipHop.com that Justo passed away in Virginia, while working doing promotions in the evening. According to some sources, Faison was departing Richmond and was extremely tired while driving to an undisclosed destination.

Justo Speaks About Mixtape History and Awards


Justo was one of the good guys... he got an early start in the music industry while studying Telecommunications and Radio Broadcasting and working the radio station at Auburn, New York's Cayuga Community College. From there, he catapulted into the majors as Atlantic's National Director of Marketing and Promotions, where he claims he created the first street team back in 1995, worked on projects from Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil' Kim and Aaliyah and started the Mixtape Awards.

Bloggers. Beggars.

Just curious here --- what do you think about Bloggers asking for things --- and I am not in any way posting this with any sort of mean-spiritedness. We've seen "tip jars" on websites from time to time. We know that a lot of bloggers (myself included) got sucked into the thing where you go and find advertising services to link to, and they promise you revenue (and you find out later that if you make 25 cents a month, you're lucky). Sniff around on my site here and you'll see I haven't done "housecleaning" yet!

Here's why I'm asking: we have a few bloggers who have added "tip jars" and two very well-known and highly respected bloggers who have reached out to their readers asking for financial help.

The following appears on Cecelia Wiedel's blog, Kicking Over My Traces:

"...I met both The Political Teen and Trey Jackson in Nashville at the MBA-sponsored BlogNashville get-together. They are both Good Folks, and at the bleeding edge of the blogging revolution, meaning they do it for love and out of compulsion but it doesn’t (yet) pay for itself or support them in any manner that they’d want to become accustomed to. One of the recurring themes at BlogNashville was how to move blogging out of the hobby category and into the real-job category as in, blogging paying enough to keep body and soul together...bandwidth has to be paid for somehow, and they’re asking for help. So go to their websites, check ’em out, and drop a dime in the tin cup.
(Read the entire post HERE)

Keep in mind the two blogs in question rely heavily on VIDEO, which I'm sure is probably one enormous pain (and expensive) to capture, post and display. Is the Tip Jar the way to go for these folks? Would it be better if they sold subcriptions or memberships? If they netted a corporate sponsor?

Speaking of corporate sponsorship, Asia's #1 blogger, who you've met here on this blog (scroll down and locate Xiaxue posts) makes NO BONES about begging... Wendy Cheng is looking for a new camera:


"...Anyone works in a camera company? Sony? Canon? Konica-minota? Anything! I want a digital camera, and I would gladly take a sponsored one. Please, gimme one! Trust me, an infinite amount of people ask me what camera I use, and the advertising is surely worth more money than a measly 300 bucks or so.

CAMERA COMPANY PEOPLE!! U reading this! Me! Want! Camera~!

Haiz.

Or maybe, if only 350 of you 8,000 people each throw me $1, I will be able to get a new cam! I desperately need one. Suddenly, the world is filled with beautiful and interesting things for me to take photos of. =(
..."


the 8,000 people she refers to are the 8,000 Daily visitors to her blog! (BLOG and POST is HERE) Wendy blogs that her camera was "lost" but I would be willing to bet it was more likely stolen.

How about YOUR INPUT? Leave a comment in the comments section of this weblog!

Should we DONATE to Trey and The Teen?
OR Should THEY charge SUBSCRIPTION FEES?
Should we all chip in and BUY Wendy a new camers?
Should we send her MONEY?
OR Should she seek corporate sponsorship from a camera company?

Bill Heller on CRP Sunday 6AM

This week, award-winning free-lance magazine writer and author, Bill Heller is my guest on Capital Region People. Bill was born in Liberty, New York, on March 26, 1953 (30 days before the atom bomb test "Simon" was detonated in Nevada). After graduating from the University at Albany, he worked for the Albany Times Union newspaper for 11 years before writing his first book. Bill currently writes for national sports magazines, and handicaps thoroughbred racing for the Daily Gazette of Schenectady, New York. He's a great guy, and a great guest!

I'll be talking with Bill about TWO of his books, "A Good Day Has No Rain" and "After the Finish Line," as per the two posts directly below this one! (I broke one big post into three.) The program airs 0600 EDST Sunday via WYJB, B 95.5 Albany. Sorry, it's not available on the net, but if you'd like a copy of the program, e-mail me! Here are the links if you are interested in purchasing Bill's books.

Albany, Troy, Nuclear Fallout 1953

A botched nuclear test in Nevada left an abnormal amount of radioactive material in The Capital Region. Bill Heller examined declassified documents of the 1950s from the Atomic Energy Commission, concluded that the mushroom cloud from an atmospheric test of a nuclear weapon rose much higher than expected and may have been what set off the radiation-measuring instruments of an RPI professor. It may also have been the cause of some cases of cancer in the area when a particularly harsh rainstorm blanketed the area three days after the test. The storm washed the fallout out of the air and into the ground.

After 15 years of research, Bill Heller wrote "A Good Day Has No Rain," which contains what may be the only independent scientific data from these tests. This moving work introduces us to the storm's impact on the Capital Region, exposes government deception, and documents the 50-year process during which scientists and journalists gradually uncovered the truth.

In "A Good Day Has No Rain," Bill asserts that the AEC knew about the contamination and did not inform the public other than a Kodak facility that was complaining that radioactive material was damaging its products. Congressional officials from the period now estimate that the contamination may have been as much as twenty times greater than contemporary AEC predictions. Examinations of health statistics in Rensselaer County from that time period found a small increase in cases of thyroid cancer in women while there was a drop in men. The former chief of the Bureau of Radiological Health said conclusive proof would be difficult to find since the government did not begin measuring fallout until the 1960s, and the highly mobile population of the time would complicate investigations in health records.

While we're talking NUCLEAR, Ever wonder what happened to Chernobyl? It's still there, and Elena's Motorcyle Ride through Chernobyl spans 27 "chapters"... it is one of the most interesting URL's you'll ever surf to! Check this one out late at night when you have time!

Horse Slaughter In America: Eating Mr. Ed

Eating Mister Ed (clevescene.com) - Each year, roughly 60,000 horses are slaughtered for meat. Nearly all of it is sold overseas, to countries like France, Belgium, Italy, and Japan, where horse is a delicacy. With mad-cow disease posing a serious threat, horsemeat is a welcome low-fat, high-protein substitute for beef. Its flavor is a cross between beef and venison, slightly sweeter in taste, and surprisingly tender. And the U.S. is the world's largest provider. (MORE)

Lowell Sun racing columnist Paul Daley reviews Bill Heller's new book on efforts to end horse slaughter in America, "After the Finish Line." The book is 183 pages and features a lengthy appendix which lists contact information for programs in the US & Canada dedicated to saving, retiring, and/or placing horses, donkeys and burros.

Albany High Sex Tape

A sort of happy ending to a sad story, as blogged by Michelle Malkin: Toronto Police efforts to find a young girl who has been the victim of child pornography for years have apparantly paid off. The F-B-I has found both the young girl and her alleged abuser.

Here in the Capital Region, a sordid tale of a sex tape circulating at Albany High, featuring a 14-year-old girl having sex with three men. Capital News 9 calls it "unbelievable" ...

Albany Det. James Miller said, "Albany School District officials contacted the police department. Apparently, they became aware of a videotape that was being shown, or at least circulated or talked about, in the courtyard of Albany High School...She wasn't forced to do it, but because of her age, 14 years old, obviously by law, she cannot have sex," ...

Wal-Mart & The Nazis

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is apologizing for a newspaper ad featuring a photo of a Nazi book-burning in 1940's Germany. The ad, which ran May 6th and 8th in the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff, urges readers to protect their constitutional freedoms by rejecting government limits on supercenters. The bottom of the advertisement says: ``Paid for by Protect Flagstaff's Future - Major Funding by Wal-Mart (Bentonville, AR).''

Currently, there is a local ballot initiative in Flagstaff, Arizona (Prop. 100). The initiative, sponsored by Wal-Mart, seeks to overturn a local ordinance approved by lawmakers to protect Flagstaff's communities. The Wal-Mart backed campaign group called Protect Flagstaff ran the ad depicting Nazis reportedly in an attempt to demean and smear those who are standing up for Flagstaff's communities. (MORE)

As you will read when you click on this link from Little Miss Attila, Wal-Mart (and its critics) are taking hits from all sides... The retail giant also seems to have eyes for INDIA

Terror Never Sleeps

Top Story tonight, comes from The Northeast Intelligence Network, entitled "Scholarships For Terror --- The Davis-Putter Scholarship Funds the ISM" By Lee Kaplan

excerpt

"Although US citizenship is not a consideration, applicants must live in the United States and plan to enroll in an accredited program in the US in order to qualify. There is a strong preference for grantees who plan to stay in the United States and build the progressive movement here."

Imagine if the KGB could have sent agents into the US with the promise of paid college credit and US college degrees during the height of the Cold War and you get a picture of what the Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund means to do.

Top Photo tonight, posted by Michelle Malkin... click HERE to VIEW!

They're HERE!

Tense moments in Washington, DC on Wednesday, as people were literally told to run for their lives because city airspace had been violated. If you watched Fox News, you may have seen a few shots of Hillary Clinton running with the crowd... she seemed to have a smirky look on her face, like the evacuation was a big bother. It was a good drill, and a reminder, on 5-11, that 9-11 should NOT become a faded memory.

Even though it turned out to be an errant pilot with no evil intentions, it well could have been some maniac terrorist from INside or outside the USA. Don't think so? You'd better read THIS. Michelle Malkin blogs just how much damage an illegal alien on the loose can do!

Eva Longoria

Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria tops the list of Maxim magazine's 100 "Hottest Women!" Just one year ago, this hard-working 28-year old Mexican-American actress placed #91 on the list. Indeed, God works in mysterious ways. Just as easy and without as much warning as BAD things can happen in your life, you can get hit by a TRAINLOAD of GOOD LUCK too! Something suddenly clicked for Ms. Longoria, and she's on the top of the world right now! WELL DONE, EVA! More Details

Xiaxue ZaoBao Text

Click HERE for the link!
SCROLL DOWN for more Xiaxue posts!

Rolling Stones 2005-06 TOUR: How to Rockstar Like A Rockstar!

They've been around since the days of The Beatles. They've cranked out hits galore, sticking to their musical roots but never afraid to explore uncharted waters. Jeez they're OLD! But they ROCK ON!

The Rolling Stones are about to embark on a mammoth world tour, kicking off with 35 dates in the US and Canada in August.
The band announced the gigs with a mini concert at New York's famous Juilliard music school. The tour begins August 21st at Fenway Park in Boston. The Stones will work their way west, eventually landing in Seattle.

Stones tour promoter Michael Cohl tells Billboard magazine the 2005-06 tour, which will visit Mexico, South America, the Far East and Europe after the North American leg, will feature the most elaborate sets and eye-popping special effects the group has ever attempted. The Stones have "sponsor power" as well! Ameriquest Mortgage Companyhas signed on as the presenting sponsor of the U.S. leg of the tour. This will be Ameriquest's first sponsorship of a major concert tour. Financial terms were not released.

Watch New York City Performance Video

Blog on, people!

Are YOU frustrated because YOU are not a Xiaxue or an Instapundit or Michelle Malkin or Trey Jackson or some other well-known blogger? Ambra Nykol continues her series "How To Blog Like A Rockstar" with Part 2... budding bloggers take note!




Anybody, anywhere interested in blogging should read Ambra Nykol's How To Blog Like a Rockstar: get over the need for cyber appreciation (Part 1) --- "You put a lot of hard work into your weblog so it's perfectly understandable that you want people to recognize your efforts. If you're a human being and you live on the earth, chances are, you need some type of affirmation. We all do in varying degrees, but the necessary vulnerability associated with broadcasting yourself and your opinions on the world wide web is unparalleled..." (PuSh hErE to ReAd ThE ReSt of Part 1)

xiaxue zaobao

Here she is, the queen of Asian blogging appearing on the cover of ZaoBao.(Zaobao Weekly, May 8, 2005) The real question is, how did this lovely blogger ascend to the #1 rank in Asia? I think it's that "reality TV" thing, the idea that we can peek through the curtains of someone's life... a ringside seat... that sort of thing. Matt Drudge was an innovator when his Drudge Report began several years ago. Wendy Cheng (Xiaxue) is also an innovator... Tiara tells all... she's a PR Princess, the likes of which even Lizzie Grubman cannot match!

"Fittingly, the Singapore queen of blogs dons a tiara on the broadsheet cover, ala Miss Universe. But interestingly, the headlines (not completely shown above) somehow sensationalize her. The missing portion of the headlines say ‘Ma La Xian Shen’ which literally means ‘a sultry appearance’..." (MORE)

Scroll DOWN for MORE Wendy!

Bookmark this BLOG! More posts with new information concerning Xiaxue/Wendy Cheng and other bloggers on the cutting-edge will be added, so check back from time to time!

Passion, Blogging, Asia!

Writer/Blogger Wayne Yang recently interviewed a bunch of Asian webloggers via email about blogging in Asia for an article in SFGate, the online supplement of The San Francisco Chronicle.

If you love LINKS, this article has plenty! Get ready to spend a little extra time on-line, or make sure you've filled your printer's paper tray!


Mr. Yang, in his article, mentions the gal I call "the original Paris Hilton," Wendy Cheng (Xiaxue):

Wendy Cheng, better known as "Xiaxue," is among those crashing borders, geographically and in frankness. The Singapore-based graphic arts student dolls herself up like a Japanese pop star but breezily pops off expletives as easily as a trucker, and her Judy Tenuta-type sense of humor ("Why are you worshipping the ground I blog on?") has garnered her lots of fans. Cheng, whose blog won this year's Best Asian Weblog award, says she gets 3,000 visitors per day, but her daily traffic spiked to 8,300 after she was mentioned on Blogger Buzz. Throw in a healthy dose of Singlish, or Singapore English ("I see you, my heart will POM POM TIAO!"), and you have the makings of a blog celebrity. Cheng has even landed an endorsement deal with a T-shirt company called Local Brand.

Indeed, Wendy is a P-R Princess! Were she a few years younger, she might have been a good choice to play the part of Harry Potter's Chinese Gal-Pal in the character's next movie! (Apologies to Katie Leung!) Want much more Wendy-info? You can always stop by the XIAXUE MEDIA CENTER.

Wendy was recently featured on the cover of ZaoBao magazine. She also celebrated her 21st birthday and has a whole lotta pics on her site!

Is there a behind-the-scenes story about Wendy? The following was lifted from a Singapore Web Forum:

Originally posted by tootkiaz
I think so. the "This Week on News club' got show xia xue de blog. what is it make her so famous ar?

seems like wendy (xiaxue) used to be an intern in TODAY, then she got "retrenched" and begun writing columns for TNPOS, while mrbrown starts to write for TODAY.

All bloggers go into journalism and column writing? lol.

BTW- Singaporeans love blogging, and they are VERY vocal about it, as you will read by clicking HERE!

Mr. Yang's complete article is available HERE.

His post "Capturing Asia: Asian Blogs" is HERE.


More WENDY sites:

Sarong Party Girl

Bloggers' Video Clip

Xiaxue/Wendy Cheng's recent "Electric Newpaper" article! pUsH rIgHt H E R E to check it out!

If you LOVE blogging... check out these posts:
Ambra Nykol InTeRvIeW

and

Here Come The BLOGGERS!

BlogNashville wrap-up

BlogNashville will go down in the history-of-the-blogosphere books as one of the defining moments of the revolutionary new medium known as blogging.
Here are the two BEST wrap-ups of the event from blogger extraordinaire LaShawn Barber and from News2 Nashville. Getting through all the links on these two sites will probably take a little more time than you thought you'd be spending online, so load paper in your printer and copy what you don't have time to read now! BTW if you'd like to view photos of the event, New Media Musings has them HERE

And Michelle Blogged On...

While about 300 or so Bloggers were gathered in Nashville today, other Bloggers busied themselves with other projects... I often reference conservative columnist Michelle Malkin and her blog. I was a Malkin fan long before she began blogging (and it's a good thing she did!) Michelle is at her very best when she's writing original commentary, and she SHINES in today's post entitled "SPECIAL REPORT: INSIDE AN ILLEGAL ALIEN RALLY," which you can JuMp To HERE! This link-laden post also features original photographs. It's reassuring to know people like Michelle are out there, keeping watch! (Fellow-bloggers, we should all be this good, at least once in awhile post something like this that bats the ball right out of the park!)

EXCERPT from MM's post: "...A contingent of Montgomery County police officers were dispatched to the scene--not to help with immigration enforcement, but to protect the protesters, help direct traffic, and manage the parking lot for illegal aliens who (ahem!) drove to the event. Our tax dollars at work.

With Casa de Maryland organizers shouting "No license, no justice! No justice, no peace!" in the background (the only time I could understand them as they exhorted the crowd), I interviewed Montgomery County, Md., police lieutenant J.R. Hack (yeah, that's his real name). Lt. Hack amiably told me the protest was "a good thing." When I asked him why, he said "everyone should have a voice."

Asked if the Department of Homeland Security had been notified of the illegal alien rally, Lt. Hack emphatically said no. "We're here to help them."

Even if they're here illegally, I asked? "We don't want to initimidate anyone," said Lt. Hack..."

Steve, Kristin and Ambra!

Three guests this week on Capital Region People! First up, Steve Relles! When the Delmar computer programmer found his job had been outsourced to India, Steve founded a new business, the Delmar Dog Butler. Steve is a 42-year old married father of two, now a "stay-at-home" dad. He says he can clean four to five yards in a hour "if they are close together." He charges ten bucks a yard and has over 100 weekly clients. (Reuters Story HERE)

Next, joining us by phone from Minnesota, Kristin Stinar, former Fox23 anchor now at KSTP, talks about her brush with Ovarian Cancer. You can find out MORE by clicking HERE...

Last, but definitely not least, basking in her 15 minutes of fame is Seattle-area blogger Ambra Nykol. For those on the Net, the entire interview with Ambra is posted below!
Otherwise, catch me on WYJB B95.5 at 6am EDST Sunday!

Ambra Nykol Interview

Here Come The BLOGGERS!

BLOGGERS are getting together:
"More than 300 bloggers have gathered in Nashville, Tennessee, for schooling to blunt criticism that their work is unreliable, poorly done and even libelous." (Read the Entire Story HERE)

UPDATE! LaShawn Barber is AT BlogNashville... Of course, she is Blogging all about it HERE! (added 11:40am EDST)


"Thanks to the Internet, there's a new model for controlling information--that is, a complete lack of control. Bloggers, rumor sites, and even inside sources are running the show... "
-Molly Wood, senior editor, CNET.com (MORE)

Jeremy Pepper, in WebProNEws, SIDES WITH WOOD! See "CNET Has A Point ... But Bloggers Go On The Attack"

Blogger Steve Rubel blogs daily on how weblogs and citizen journalism are impacting public relations... - Click HERE!

In case you think otherwise, The MSM (Main-Stream-Media) is keeping a real close eye on Blogs and Bloggers... they probably see $$$...
Check it out HERE


Microsoft is on a hunt for 20 bloggers... (MORE)

Mother's Day in the Blogosphere

A little collection of links!

"I left my house on Friday to spend the weekend with my boyfriend at the time. I remember before I left I played "A Song for Mama" for her. I remember I looked at her as she sat in front of the fireplace listening to the words. She was crying. She said she was happy ... that she didn't know I felt that way about her (we didn't have the best relationship). I told her I did. My boyfriend came to pick me up ... my mommy told me she loved me ... she waved bye to me from the door ... and we drove off. That was the last time I saw her alive... "(Read the ENTIRE POST)

Peace Mama (Click HERE)

Michelle Malkin is blogging about "MOTHERS' DAY IN WARTIME"

Addington's Mom (ClICK)

"...She coached their sporting teams, ran the PTA, and still managed to give each of her children the one-on-one attention and love they needed. And when she passed away, without skipping a beat, Dad took over. Holding himself together for his 4 adolescent children and his infant baby, he knew he had no choice but to play the role of both Mom and Dad..."
(Read the ENTIRE POST)

MomMaBLOG!

Hey-la, Hey-la, the Taliban's Back!

Remember that rag-tag group of ruffians we supposedly stomped out in Afghanistan?
They're making a comeback...

The visits of Lieutenant-General David Barno, commander of US troops in Afghanistan, and chief of US Central Command, General John Abizaid, to Islamabad and their insistence that Pakistan restart a powerful campaign against al-Qaeda and the Taliban is the result of a new realization that the Taliban problem is back to square one.

Not only are the Taliban primed in the latest techniques in guerrilla warfare, they have also got their hands on fresh resources - both in terms of personnel and supplies - which the US had believed were choked off. - Asia Times Online

The ENTIRE ARTICLE is HERE.

PESHAWAR: A prayer leader led prayers for the success of Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban against US and coalition forces in Afghanistan. ... (MORE)

Schools, fools and cellphones

In Georgia, a high school junior gets a 10-day suspension for refusing to end a cell phone call to his mother who is a soldier in Iraq.(Full Story)

UPDATE 5:50pm - camedwards.com posted the official statement by the school district... The student's 10-day suspension has also been shortened to 3 days.

The BIG SIN: School staff wouldn't let the student answer the phone when the mom tried to call back! Michelle Malkin suggests that "Smoother "conversating" between the student and administration might have led to a better resolution." Here's MY TAKE: This was a CRITICAL cell call for this kid. He should have been allowed to get up and leave the room, whatever, and be given the opportunity to offer a full explanation LATER.

A lot of kids depend on cell phones to coordinate plans with their Moms & Dads. They use their cellphones to get rides home from after-school activities, and to keep parents informed of their whereabouts. Students should be allowed to keep their phones with them on school property, but with the understanding that unless it is a bona fide EMERGENCY, they won't be chatting during school hours. Indeed, many schools have policies that cell phones may be carried, but must not be seen nor heard during school hours.

MORE LUNACY: In Florida, a woman says she was fired from her job with the Florida Marlins after bringing her daughter to work on national Bring Your Child To Work Day... (MORE)

Capital Region CRIME: Are YOU Safe?

A 22-year old man DEAD after being shot this afternoon in Guilderland at a luxury apartment complex that sets back from Western Avenue, apparently has security cameras and security locks. The victim found INside an apartment... same day, not too far away, Police in North Greenbush were called to investigate a HOME INVASION style Robbery... it happened just after 4 PM ... a 24-year old woman was home alone with her one-month old baby when she heard a loud noise, looked down a hallway and saw two men advancing toward her... they backed her into a bedroom, pushed her to the floor, taped her hands in front of her and searched the room. Police say when the men finished searching the house, they left through the backyard and were picked up by a black man at the wheel of a green mini-van that had been waiting on a side street.

"The line seperating civilization from barbarism is a thin one."
-Dennis Praeger

This home-invasion stuff is frightening. What would YOU do? What COULD you do? Would you be safer if you were allowed to have a gun in your home? If someone BURST through YOUR DOOR right this minute, how would you defend yourself and your family or significant others?

I have asked these questions before. Remember the Armanious family in New Jersey?

Parents! Lindane Lesson!

UPDATE 5/15/05 - An apology is due to the mother of a child who suffered as a result of the use of Lindane shampoo. After I read her email to me today, I immediately dashed off this reply:

"... the Times-Union newspaper article leaves readers with the impression YOU decided to replace your son's regular shampoo with Lindane:
"...In shampoo form, lindane is generally meant to be used only once, in a very methodical way, as a "second-line" treatment. LaBrake found this out later. She said that because she hadn't received any
explicit special instructions for using lindane, she figured she'd use it on Matthew just like any other shampoo. That's what she did..." (from the Albany Times-Union)
... and you'll note that my reply to that entailed this:
"...WHY was this woman able to get a prescription filled that would provide her with more Lindane Shampoo than would be required to treat her son's head lice. And why didn't she call and get a doctor's advice? What was she thinking? "

So, we have a few things here to discuss: why do they give out more than would be needed for a single application? Why no instructions? Why didn't the pharmacy give out any info? (When I fill a prescription, they give me pages of stuff about the drug and they "read me my rights" before I sign for it.) ... I'll bet I wasn't the only person who got the impression from the TU article that YOU made the decision to wash the boy's hair with this shampoo on a regular basis.
By the way, I was never intimating that YOU are or were stupid, I was just saying that we DO need "stupid directions"... "

READERS: click on the Times-Union link below for the original newspaper story!

Manufacturers of consumer products are liberal with the warning labels these days, lest they get sued. If you check the net you'll find all sorts of idiotic instructions for consumers. Like ThEsE & tHeSe

Now, just in case you needed further proof that the Human Race is doomed through stupidity, a woman in Schenectady, New York decided to switch her 7-year old son's shampoo from a regular brand to a prescription LINDANE shampoo, meant to be applied/used only ONCE to kill head lice and their eggs.

The woman said that because she didn't receive any explicit special instructions for using lindane, she figured she'd use it on her boy just like any other shampoo. After a few weeks, her son's eyes were swollen and red. They rolled around in his head. He was struck by twitches and spasms. He's never been the same.
The woman has since spent the past eight years actively seeking a ban on lindane. Her story recently appeared in the Albany Times-Union.

I guess we really do need those "stupid instructions."

WHY was this woman able to get a prescription filled that would provide her with more Lindane Shampoo than would be required to treat her son's head lice. And why didn't she call and get a doctor's advice? What was she thinking?

Who Will Speak Up For The Little Ones?

Folks I do think it's time we realize the planet is crawling with cuckoos and we have too many of them on our hands. I'm tired of worrying about Al-Qaeda, tired of sex-offenders, tired of paying inflated prices for goods and services (and gasoline)... Most of all, I am tired of all the DUMMERICANS running loose in the USA. Stories like this just keep popping up. A friend of mine suggests public execution for individuals associated with THIS TYPE OF CRIME.

People are starting to get angry now, when they read stories like this one, and I don't blame them.

Justice For All

FORT HOOD, Texas - A military judge Wednesday threw out Pfc. Lynndie England's guilty plea to abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison, saying he was not convinced the Army reservist who appeared in some of the most notorious photos in the scandal knew her actions were wrong at the time. (MORE)

Hmmmm... what's next? Drop all charges against Michael Jackson?

Programming Poop

Steve from Delmar once programmed computers... his job was outsourced... but, as they say, when life hands you lemons... or, in this case...

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=46037

The Fight of Her Life...

Kristin Stinar spent four years at Fox 23 here in Albany as News Anchor and Special Projects Reporter. She has also worked as a News Anchor at KPVI-TV in Pocatello, Idaho. She began her career at KVLY-TV in Fargo, North Dakota.

As KSTP 5 (the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota) EYEWITNESS NEWS' lead investigative reporter, Kristin Stinar has fought many battles.

But now, she is fighting the toughest battle of her life: Ovarian cancer.

TEXT report with KSTP VIDEO HERE

Google Kicks It Up A Notch

Fellow bloggers and Netsurfers in general, I call your attention to an article I found on newscientist.com, entitled "Google searches for quality not quantity." This may be welcome news for columnist & fellow-blogger Michelle Malkin, who recently wondered if Google News has a biased algorithm.

My experiences with Google, Yahoo! and MSN Search engines have been positive. I've found some of my best posts (at least, I think I they're pretty darn good) have come out within the first ten sites listed on search results from these engines. I am humbled, I am pleased. If YOU have any search engine stories, feel free to leave them in the comments section below or just send an e-mail if you'd rather not let the whole world know!

Related:

Amy Ridenour Blogging about Michelle Malkin

http://www.watchinggooglelikeahawk.com/

Runaway Bride

"Just because we haven't walked down the aisle, just because we haven't stood in front of 500 people and said our 'I Do's, my commitment before God to her was the day I bought that ring and put it on her finger, and I'm not backing down from that," John Mason, interviewed on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes show.

Butterflies in the stomach, a sense of impending doom pounding in the brain... more than aware of a heavy heartbeat. You ask yourself, "Have I made the WRONG decision?"

Something deep inside tells us when things are going wrong. That little inner voice. Sometimes it's too late to make changes. Sometimes you just THINK it's too late.

What happened to Jennifer Wilbanks happens to us all. A life lesson. When the time is NOT right, when the feeling is ALL wrong, you know it, you breathe it, you sense it, you speak it. Walk away if you must. Walk away to clear your mind, to clear your air, your space and your time.

Let others down if you really really must, but don't ever let yourself go down the drain. And if it comes to pass that you do indeed paint yourself into a corner, you'll make a mess walking out, but you still can GET out, if you've a mind to. "To thine own self be true."

You are the crown of creation
You are the crown of creation
And you've got no place to go

Soon you'll attain the stability you strive for
In the only way that it's granted
In a place among the fossils of our time

In loyalty to their kind
They cannot tolerate our minds
And in loyalty to our kind
We cannot tolerate their obstruction

Life is change
How it differs from the rocks
I've seen their ways too often for my liking
New worlds to gain
My life is to survive
And be alive
For you

-Jefferson Airplane, Crown of Creation circa 1968

Related: Local Wedding Chapels See Their Share Of Left-At-The-Altars

Stop Her Now? Now? Now?

800 people paid $50 apiece for Hillary Clinton's Friday night spech to Wisconsin Women in Government...meanwhile, The "Stop Her Now" effort of veteran Republican operative Arthur Finkelstein was launching with phone calls aimed at "spreading the truth about Hillary Clinton and her dangerous plans for our country."

Craig Gilbert writes in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Already there are two Washington truisms about a Clinton candidacy. One is that no one could be more polarizing. That's why she loses. The other is that no one should underestimate her. That's why she wins.

There are people in each camp within each party. Some Democrats think nominating Clinton would be suicide. Some Republicans think she would be a fearful adversary. Sizing her up as intelligent, competent and shrewd, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told an audience of newspaper editors this month that "any Republican who thinks she's going to be easy to beat has a total amnesia about the history of the Clintons." ReAd iT ALL HeRe!

YES, YES, YES! Clinton-mania is moving rapidly to the front-burners, like a raging housefire. Mark it on your calendar: she is RED HOT today... but what about next month or next year? Is there ANY political personality on either side that can hold a candle to the Clinton inferno? And how bad would things really be? If she's elected maybe she'll let Bill's new road buddies, George W & Son, sleep over on the weekend! And she WOULD make history: The first WOMAN President...

Can TEN MILLION DOLLARS stop her, now, then, whenever?

Related:

Bill Clinton Slams Anti-Hillary Activist

For Those Worried About Hillary...

Blogs Against Hillary

"Stop Her Now Campaign is Just Sad" from PovertyBarn

and then there's THIS little gem from February 2005 which appeared on
Steve Gilliard's News Blog.

George Regan on CRP

George Regan joins me this Sunday. George is the President of USA Track & Field Adirondack Region and the Event Director, Freihofer's Run. Topic: of course it's the 2005 Run, scheduled to take place Saturday, June 4th. INFO

Eliot Spitzer: on the case!

This happened to me recently: a mysterious toolbar appeared on my browser, which slowed my computer to a crawl and eventually rendered it digital mush. All I can say, is GO GET'EM MR. SPITZER!

(Associated Press) New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued a major Internet marketer Thursday, blaming it for secretly installing software that delivers nuisance pop-up advertisements and can slow and crash personal computers.

Shares of the company, Intermix Media Inc., fell 83 cents, or 17 percent, to close at $3.97 on the American Stock Exchange.

Spitzer accuses Intermix of redirecting computer users to Web sites where ads get displayed, adding unnecessary toolbars to Web browsers and delivering unwanted ads that pop up on computer screens.

Read the NEW YORK TIMES report HERE!

Podcasting Killed the Radio Star: NOT!

San Francisco AM radio station 1550 KYCY is billing itself as "The world's first all-podcast radio station", launching the new "format" on May 16th. Infinity plans to convert KYCY to listener-submitted content. The station, previously devoted to a talk-radio format, will be renamed KYOURadio.

Infinity, one of the country's largest radio operators with more than 183 stations around the country, will invite do-it-yourselfers to upload digital audio files for broadcast consideration by way of the KYOURadio.com website.

Blogger Mack D. Male finds fault with this:
"You'd think I would be excited about the launch of the world's first "all-podcast radio station," but instead I'm disappointed. San Francisco's 1550 KYCY will now become KYOURadio and will feature content submitted by listeners. The problem? It's not podcasting at all:

In part because of licensing requirements, which usually cover only broadcast and streaming, the company has no plans to provide downloadable program archives..." read the REST

The station's producers will screen submitted content to ensure it meets quality standards and does not violate FCC broadcast guidelines. Approved podcasts will be simultaneously broadcast over the AM airwaves and streamed online at KYOURadio.com.

Click HERE to read the full report, posted on www.wired.com

With KYCY, Infinity is taking little financial risk because the station is performing so poorly. KYCY does'nt even have enough listeners to show up on Arbitron's ranking of radio stations in the Bay Area market.

Infinity's announcement came the same day a group of guerrilla marketing executives announced the formation of the International Nanocasting Alliance (INA). Billed as the podcasting community's first international trade organization, the INA will focus on developing commercial applications of podcasting.

NPR has posted an interview with Joel Hollander, chairman and CEO of Infinity Broadcasting... AcCeSs GrAnTeD HERE

Bloggers beat Talkers at their own game!

This is something I've had a feeling has been happening. Bloggers, the little persistent dandelions we are, are popping up on Talk Radio's formerly lush lawns. How ironic it is that one very high-profile blogger (who turned her occasional newspaper column into a 24/7 blog with a knockout punch) is "singing the news" today on her blog! Click HERE!

UPDATE: Full Story/Analysis/Info/Comments are on BizzyBlog.

ALSO: Check out Homeland Security Blog Area

Asians Angered By Radio Host's Comments

Asian-American groups and politicians hold a news conference today in Bergen County to protest what they say is hate programming on a radio station. More Details...

==========U P D A T E=============== It all began Monday afternoon, when 101.5 WKXW-FM's Craig Carton made fun of Edison, NJ mayoral candidate Jun Choi, saying his name several times in a stereotypical Asian accent. He also criticized politicians that cater to minority voters. UPDATE from CBS2

Mumia on the Radio

Mumia Abu-Jamal is the best known political prisoner
in the U.S. today. Stan Goff blogs text of Mumia's WHEN THE PRISON NATION GOES INTERNATIONAL speech regarding Abu Ghraib... ReAd iT HeRe!


from Pacifica Radio: Mumia Abu Jamal Commentary: Journalists Covering the War in Iraq Part 2 (3:37)

Five journalists have been arrested in the past two weeks in Iraq- prompting Reporters without Borders to strongly urge Iraqi authorities to be more discerning before making an arrest. The organization says that arrests are often arbitrary, that authorities have beaten journalists, and demand excessive bail amounts. Our commentary today features journalist and political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal, commenting on embedded journalists covering the war in Iraq.

Link to mp3 http://www.fsrn.org/news/audio/20050426.mp3

Stream RealAudio http://www.fsrn.org/news/audio/20050426.ram

Background: The Case of Mumia Abu Jamal, by Terry Bisson

Googling

Just on a whim, I Googled the terms dancing isrealis 9/11 2005, and came up with an amazing assortment of links. I'll leave it to you folks to Google for yourselves and see what YOU come up with! Whenever I need a reality check I haul out the VHS I recorded on 9/11 which has footage from all the networks including FOX news channel.
I also read something today that radio talker Laura Ingraham has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Our hearts and prayers go out to her.

The future of Al-Jazeera & More Israeli Ads

Once upon a time there was CNN, something new, Cable News Network. It grew and grew. NOW there is a perception that CNN=democrat/liberal while fair-and-balanced FOX=republican/conservative. Hmm. Where does MSNBC fit in? It seems to find favor with "metrosexuals" and GenX'ers in the Capital Region. I notice a lot of people in their 20's turning to MSNBC before FOX or CNN.

Al-Jazeera is now stepping up to the plate, gearing up to go GLOBAL and establish itself as a reputable news agency. DANNY SCHECHTER has an excellent post on his blog... there's an interview with Mohammed from Friends of Al Jazeera. They discuss the future of the network, how Danny's film "WMD" was received at the Al Jazeera Festival, and more...
check it out HERE!

Related:
Miller reviews 'Al-Jazeera: How Arab TV News Challenged The World' from Bill Doskoch's blog.
Interview with Riverbend (Aljazeera interviews Girl blogger from Baghdad)from LibertyPost.org
Indiantelevision.com's 2004 interview with Al-Jazeera MD Wadah Khanfar

After reading and posting about an article by newspaper columnist Nechemiah Meyers, I got curious about ISRAELI media. I've seen the bizaare collage of TV commericals on Al-Jazeera, so I figured it might be interesting to run a check on the media/advertising scene in Israel. Good Hunch!

From PMS to SMS
Israeli women sure know how to push all the right buttons, a poll shows: Ynetnews gives you the digits
By Gil Klian

Girl talk is louder than ever, but still strangely silent.
An Israeli poll showed that 41 percent of women use SMS, or text messaging, on their cell phones as opposed to 33 percent of men.

The survey, conducted by Beeper Communications Israel, a Motorola affiliated company, also showed that 49 percent of the ultra-Orthodox population declared they used SMS on a regular basis, compared to 41 percent of secular Israelis. WHAT? Read MORE (you don't have to download & install the Hebrew Text Support when prompted).

I found what could have been a neat on-line magazine: "matzav, a new online magazine that gives young Israelis the opportunity to talk about life in Israel." They have a young hip staff on their "about" page dated 2003, but apparently, that's the only page they've completed! The "home page" Dated 2004 displays the message "We're under construction. Please come back soon."

Did someone say Maverick?

Whenever I hear the word "Maverick" I think of the old TV series or maybe the old Ford car... dictionary.com offers the following definition:
mav·er·ick ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mvr-k, mvrk)
n.
An unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it.
One that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter.

adj.
Being independent in thought and action or exhibiting such independence: maverick politicians; a maverick decision. Possibly after Samuel Augustus Maverick (1803-1870), American cattleman who left the calves in his herd unbranded.

'Tis the latter, adj. definition the political bloggers are typing about... noting the MSM (Main-steam media) over-using the term "maverick"... Not A Sheep recycles a Ted Rall piece entitled "LOOK FOR THE MEDIA LABELS" ... Michelle Malkin asks "How can they be mavericks if there are so many of them?"

Springtime Snowtime

Residents in the Midwest had a nice taste of summer last week with temperatures in the 80's, but today Old Man Winter blew back in to remind everyone he'll be baaaack... (MORE)

Here in the Capital Region we had Spring for a few days last week, but today it's cold and rainy, and some of the hilltowns might see a little snow tonight...

BBC Bias

Everyone's buzzing (and blogging) about the BBC: last night plunged into a damaging general election row after it admitted equipping three hecklers with microphones and sending them into a campaign meeting addressed by Michael Howard, the Conservative leader. (MORE)
Say, I wonder if this British Bufoonery was inspired by NEWSBREAKERS?

GreenZap: A Pay-Pal Alternative!

This is going to replace PayPal! (which Nigerian scamsters have already ruined for many of us)... It's called GreenZap, going public this summer! You don't need a Credit Card or SS# to register!
If you Pre-register now, they give you a FREE $25 CREDIT in your account on June 1st!

When you arrive at the pre-registration page, you'll noticed it is not a secure site (security lock on the page), because they don't ask for any secure information. This could be the next big thing! (Have you looked at Google's stock performance last week?)

ippny.org visits CRP

Sunday April 24th, Capital Region People welcomes Gavin Donohue... Gavin is president and CEO of the Independent Power Producers of New York, Inc. (IPPNY), a statewide trade association organized in 1986 as a not-for-profit corporation. IPPNY represents more than 100 operators and developers of independent power projects, power marketers, and suppliers of goods and services to the industry. As we mark the passing of another EARTH DAY, we'll be chatting about hydropower, natural gas, oil, waste-to-energy, biomass, nuclear, coal and wind generation projects.

GPS for Sex Offenders

Level 3 Sex Offenders living in Schenectady County (NY) will be tracked by GPS if one legislator gets his way...

Rotterdam Republican Joseph Suhrada wants tighter reins on sex offenders... he's calling for all Level 3 offenders to be required to wear Global Positioning System BRACELETS ... Suhrada says "if the government can put an ankle bracelet on Martha Stewart, why can't we put them on the most dangerous criminals in our society?" Suhrada plans to introduce the resolution for consideration at the County legislature's May 2nd committee meeting... the legislation would create the Schenectady County Resident Housing Notification Act... the measure would also require landlords to certify that they have conducted sex registry background checks on prospective tenants and notify nearby residents. The landlord would also be allowed to REFUSE to rent to a Level 3 offender.

The State of Florida has been in the National Spotlight many times because of the heinous crimes involving sex offenders ... the Florida House has passed a sweeping sex offender bill. The Orlando Sentinel story can be found HERE.

KinderCuffs

An attorney plans legal action against Florida police officers who handcuffed an unruly 5-year-old girl after she acted up in her kindergarten class. A 30-minute video tape shows assistant principal Nicole Dibenedetto trying repeatedly to calm down the girl, who ignores her commands and begins punching her. The child’s mother was called but wasn’t able to immediately come to the school. (MORE)... Sweet Chuck BLOGS ABOUT THE INCIDENT from a law-enforcement worker's point-of-view.

PC Pledge

Political Correctness reached new heights when a school employee leading the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE over the intercom made a few "adjustments"... school officials in Colorado say the woman had been spurred by the date, April 20, the sixth anniversary of the Columbine High School slayings.

"The day was the sixth anniversary of Columbine, and she felt she should be all-inclusive, so she replaced the word 'God.'"

Colorado law requires schools to offer the opportunity to recite the pledge, but participation is optional. Michelle Malkin gives the news account by The Washington Times' Valerie Richardson her "p.c.- hell-in-a-handbasket" award. Joe Gandelman takes things a little bit farther...
April 20 is many things to many people: Colorodoans take note, it was April 20, 1914 when twenty men, women, and children died in the Ludlow Massacre during a bitter Colorado coal-miner's strike.
in Canada, it is International Smoke Weed Day (or 420). 420 is also Adolph Hitler's BIRTHDAY!

Earth Day

(Reuters) - President George W. Bush, who has come under persistent fire from green groups, defended his environmental policies on Earth Day on Friday, although nature conspired to prevent him from delivering his message in the Great Smoky Mountains.

"We didn't create this earth, but we have an obligation to protect it," Bush said in an airport hangar at nearby Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport.

Bush had planned to go to the Cades Cove wildlife area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to help out on a trail restoration project, but heavy rains forced him to scrap a plan to become the first president since Franklin Roosevelt to stop in the country's most visited ark... NPR has AUDIO

Screwy Hoolie reports from an interesting angle HERE

E-mail your prayers or your problems to the Pontiff!

Showing that Pope Benedict XVI intends to follow in the footsteps of John Paul's multimedia ministry (John Paul, who died April 2, was the first pope to use e-mail), the Vatican has modified its website so users who click an icon on the home page automatically activate an e-mail composer with the Pope's address.

In English, that address is benedictxvi@vatican.va. In Italian: benedettoxvi@vatican.va.

Now the Holy Father will likely get business requests from families of the recently slain or departed in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. No doubt Pay-Pal, Citibank and other entities will ask him to confirm his bank account information at their "special" sites.

HOWEVER,

If the newly elected pope wants his own website, he'll have to talk to Rogers Cadenhead first.
The Jacksonville, Florida-based writer purchased the rights to BenedictXVI.com on April 1 -- more than two-and-a-half weeks before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger announced that he would assume the papacy under the name of Benedict XVI. (MORE)

Cadenhead should be picking Lottery Numbers! Visit his BLOG - HERE!

Rap Your Blogs!

Want to know what your blog would be like if it were a rap song? HTTP in tha House enables you to do just that. Enter your blog's URI and you get the lyrics automatically...

Clothing Catalogues, Israeli Style

An Israeli clothing company is under fire... FOX is allegedly using SEX to peddle its line. The new FOX catalog was delivered door-to-door this week in many major Israeli cities.

In his weekly newspaper column, Nechemia Meyers writes:

...in Netanya, a member of the City Council made a complaint to the police about the catalogue because "it forces our children to see pornographic photographs." Council member Reuven Maimon noted that "the catalogue was left at the doorsteps of Netanya families while the parents were at work and the children at home, so the boys and girls who picked it up were exposed to pornography." (The photographs can be viewed on the FOX Web site).

Meyers writes that another sportswear company, TNT, shows its young models in acts of self-satisfaction while clothed!

Now BELOW IN RED TYPE is the part of the story that caught MY EYE:
The Fox catalogue for adolescents and young adults is even more explicit: Designed as an underground travel guide to Mexico and starring models Yael Bar-Zohar and Yehuda Levi, it is replete with bare-breasted female models in sexually provocative poses and colonial fantasies about the male sexual domination of "local mermaids." Readers interested in tips about crossing the border illegally into the US, the best ways to get drunk quickly or the proper manner to bribe policemen when caught with drugs will also find lots of helpful hints. (Tips that perhaps might interest Sean Hannity or Michelle Malkin)!

From "The Jerusalem Post" -
Fox makes no attempt to conceal its marketing and advertising strategies. On the contrary, it prides itself on its Web site for creating fashions that "express and even shape the positions and choices of young cosmopolitan people," and for offering them "an entire system of values and figures" that celebrate "limitless fun and sexuality and total freedom and gives clothing a new role - seduction."

Fox has dedicated a special link to its advertising philosophy, which emphasizes the "youthful, insolent, daring, innovative and sometimes provocative" nature of its campaigns.

Homeland Insecurity

"Is not God the wisest of judges?"
- Quran 95:8
20-year old Asmaa Elshinawy, in a NY Times photo taken at the NYCLU, was one of dozens of American Muslims detained by border agents in December while returning from a religious conference in Toronto. CLICK ON HER PICTURE TO READ THE COMPLETE NY TIMES REPORT.

NY1 has VIDEO.

Our modern-day America is a very strange place. We have, on a daily basis, sex-offenders perpetrating crimes against our children, smut and filth liberally transmitted via public airwaves, and news stories about celebrities and politicians that wouldn't even have qualified as fiction let alone fact just 10 or 15 years ago! Border-mania has taken on a variety of extremes: look what happened to Sean Hannity! Hannity dared authorities to "come arrest me" during his live national radio show Wednesday afternoon.

And, just as surreal, "Five Muslim-Americans who were fingerprinted, searched and held as long as 6 1/2 hours by U.S. border agents upon their return from a religious conference in Canada filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Department of Homeland Security.

The suit in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn charges the government violated the group's constitutional rights to practice religion and against unlawful searches..."

The report, filed by Associated Press writer Carolyn Thompson, goes on to reveal that
"Shortly after the incident, a Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said agents were acting on information that conferences like the one they attended can be a means for terrorists to promote their cause."

Hmmmff! Did they get that information from the same person who orders your 84-year old Grandmother or 4-year old blonde-haired blue-eyed obviously American child to be "patted down" in the interests of Homeland Security? The time and money that will be spent on this case could certainly be put to much better use!

HELLO! When it comes to airports and other public places, I see nothing wrong with targeting Middle-Easterners or people who look like they might be up to something. A kind but firm, honest explanation will be accepted by GOOD people who are smart enough to understand WHY. It's the ones who crow, caw and complain and make a lot of noise--- THEY are the ones to WATCH carefully! We should pay MORE attention to our BORDERS! I think the next time the Terrorists come, they won't be driving from Iowa or Indiana. That message is finally beginning to make sense for some politicans: I refer you to ANOTHER LIBERAL COMES OUT FOR SECURE BORDERS on michellemalkin.com, and THIS post about Maxine Waters at La Shawn Barber's Corner.

Meanwhile, NY's kick-ass Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is renewing her call to appoint a federal "northern border coordinator" to oversee security between the United States and Canada. (MORE)

New Sidekick for Paris Hilton (and it's NOT a T-Mobile!)

She may always have Paris, but Nicole Richie may no longer have a place in "The Simple Life." (MORE)
Paris Hilton apparently has one simple rule for being her best friend: Don't cross her! The Baltimore Sun reports: "Fox still won't confirm anything, but those whispers that Kimberly Stewart will replace Nicole Richie on the next season of "The Simple Life" have turned into roars. Hilton did everything short of cutting Stewart a paycheck to announce that the model and daughter of singer Rod Stewart would take Richie's spot."

I don't really understand or pretend to know why, but I do get a kick out of Ms. Hilton's outrageous antics! Lest we forget, the poor little rich girl's deepest personal secrets were BARED to the world TWICE --- once on that steamy sex video that got loose on the Net, and once when hackers pried their way into Paris' T-Mobile Sidekick. Maybe that's why she is so popular. We've seen her inside out and upside-down, and she can still laugh, be young and have fun. Now THAT is a LESSON! How many of us could be covered with garbage, yet still raise our heads high, and look good? You could probably count 'em on a single finger!

Just 4 Laughs: "Pope Benedict XVI Attacks Paris Hilton"

Paycheck-to-Paycheck Rat Race

The cost of living in America keeps going up. I picked up a prescription today at my local pharmacy, shocked to discover my medical insurance I pay through the NOSE for only covered a little over 60% of the cost of the medicine, while I've seen the weekly premium I pay quadruple over the past ten years. Now, I'm not complaining, merely taking note that everything simply costs more. Today on the radio I heard Rush Limbaugh say (paraphrasing) he doesn't care if the price of fruits or gas goes up, if he needs the item, he'll buy it. Well, Rush, I love Pure Maple Syrup but I'm not paying $11 for the jug... $1.99 Log Cabin will do just as well on my waffles and pancakes, thank-you!

Bitchalicious knows how it is to "work" the American dream... "...We too had to run out and buy a new car 2 years ago. We have unexpected things that popup that need to be taken care of.. Vet bills, car problems. Oh did I mention I had SIX surgeries 18 months ago? We have medical insurance but I had to pay 15% of those bills...."(MORE)

Janis Jin is at a crossroads... will she go for the big bucks, or life in a BOX? "...I am currently wasting student loans; however, I am graduating law school in May. Then, I will probably be defaulting on student loans..." (READ THE POST)

Below is an excerpt (Are You Rich... or Poor?) from Richard W. Samson... does it sound like anyone YOU know?

A Northern California woman recently wrote us about the plight of "working poor" in her area. I have divided her comments by topic:

WHAT IS YOUR SITUATION?

I just finished balancing our family budget and it's sad to say that we are barely making it. We are $5.00 short, if we were to really tighten the belt. God forbid one of the cars goes out; well, we will have to ask the family for a loan.

ARE THERE LUXURIES YOU COULD DO WITHOUT?

We don't live extravagant lives. Our budget does not allow for such things as entertainment nor clothing. Just the basics (mortgage, car payment, utilities, etc.). We want to buy clothing? It's off to the Goodwill.

IF YOU HAD MORE EDUCATION, WOULD THAT HELP?

By what I have writen you may say that my husband and I are holding down jobs at McDonalds or Wal-Mart, but no. We are white-collar workers. My husband is in sales and I work for a university. We both have degrees. Our combined incomes come to less than $50,000. We live in Sacramento, California, and own our home. Our budget does not allow for things like vacations, new glasses, sports for our 10-year-old son, etc. We live modestly in a 1000 square-foot "cottage." We have a new Honda Civic (we know nothing of cars, so we went new and are good about maintaining it so that it lasts us) and a 20-year-old Volvo (still going strong due to good care). We pray that the Volvo does not give out or we will be SOL. Thankfully our only debt is a mattress, student loans, old tax debt, a car payment and a mattress (replacing an 18-year-old mattress that was killing our backs!)

WHAT'S YOUR THINKING ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF OTHERS?

How does the average American family with multiple children do it? Does everyone carry credit card debt to make ends meet? Will people go to their graves owing and never seeing their lives without debt? It is a very sad statement for our society. I wish I could stay home and tend to my family, but that would not put food on the table. Businesses are greedy and they are not paying their fair share to the workers! Why was it that when I was growing up with four other siblings my mom could stay home and my dad (working a blue-collar job) could keep us at a modest existance? Why can't this be done now?

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SOLUTION IS?

I've started "simplifying" my life, but there is nothing more to cut out of our lives. Again, we live a modest life and we don't shop for a sport. The middle class is slowly being done away with by the wealthy businesses and slowly shuffled into the masses of the working poor. It's a new group and no one wants to admit it. People have got to open their eyes and say "what the hell is going on!"

Click HERE for MORE on the topic!

Not the Anti-Pope, but...

The new Spiritual Leader of the world's Catholics does not appear to be the dreaded Anti-Pope, but at his advanced age, one must wonder how long a term Pope Benedict XVI will serve. The newsmedia buzz here in the Northeastern USA is that Church hierarchy wanted a "quieter" Pontiff after the "busy" Reign of Pope John Paul II. Some liberals are calling the new Pope "The NAZI Pope." Now THAT's a bit over the top, isn't it? On the other hand, the Anti-Defamation League is OK with, and WELCOMES the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

The Blogosphere (natch) is buzzing like a hive over the election...
Darleen's Place: "I knew the minute I found out at work that Cardinal Ratzinger was chosen as the 265th Pope that the carping and histrionics would start before I could even come home from lunch and check the news..."(MORE)

Little Miss Attila: "...He was, in a handful of ways, the "safe" choice..." (MORE)

Bill Cork blogs on then-Cardinal Ratzinger's Monday homily, given to the cardinals before the conclave began. (READ IT HERE)

MSNBC has a wonderful INTERACTIVE SITE* devoted to the "Pope Story"
* loads slowly on dial-up, remember, patience is a virtue!

If its VIDEO you're looking for, look no farther than Jackson's Junction!

"hillarious" blogs on The Daily Kos: "I hate the liberals whining when they do not know how to fight. I don't care whether this guy is a real Nazi or not. He's an ultraconservative and we need to demonize him as soon as possible..." (MORE) Did someone say "DEMONIZE?"

Pope, Princess & Phone

The billowing white smoke came earlier than expected, the signal that a new Pope had been chosen. Thanks to global cable and satellite TV, people all over the world saw the smoke LIVE. More people saw the announcement LIVE heralding Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - Pope Benedict XVI. The day has truly come when we can see anywhere in the world with our eyes (+TV) and when we can gather any knowledge in the twinking of an eye (via InterNet).


The most controversial program in US Public TV history is being aired this week via PBS. The 1980 docudrama "Death of a Princess" recounts the public execution of a young Saudi Arabian princess and her lover for adultery. (MORE).


We're coming closer to the day when the cellphone could become the ideal iPod. I see mega-gig home PC's that you could dial into from your cell and listen to anything you choose. The technology is all in place, and it begins
HERE!

All We Need is Tolerance!

Back around the beginning of the year, just after the giant SpongeBob baloons were being stolen from the roofs of Burger kings across the Homeland, the little yellow guy who lives in a pineapple under the sea was under attack by conservative Christian groups for allegedly being part of, as one of them put it, a "pro-homosexual video." The video features many cartoon characters, it's mission being to promote tolerance and fight racism and discrimination. I think sensible people realize SpongeBob is straight.

Chris Stein has been a professional musician and has been involved in several films (most notably "Wild Style") and calls to our attention another kids program, Zoboomafoo, described by CBC as " the only wildlife series for preschoolers, Zoboomafoo gives kids the incredible eye-popping experience of meeting animals for the very first time. The show taps into a preschooler’s fascination with creatures both familiar and exotic. Zoboomafoo introduces young children to animals in a way that promotes curiosity and exploration, as well as appreciation and respect for the animal kingdom. "

Chis blogs this: "... now you all are aware of my stances on human sexuality and its difficult for me to discuss the two guys on the show without using politically incorrect terminology BUT DAMN MARY! any how on EVERY F*****G SHOW there is a bit where the two 'heros' (the Kratt brothers) go "on a trip" okay, so they 'go in to the closet' now i swear this is real, see, the monkey sings this "they're going to the closet, they're going on a trip" then all of their crap falls on them ha ha and the monkey sings: "they're coming from the closet, they're going out the door!" on top of this there is a real monkey/lemur with an abused puppet stand-in... if you dont believe me check it, to think poor sponge bob is being maligned with this going on ..."

Chris also mentions the Michael Jackson case: "oh yeah the other childrens show i have been watching faithfully is "THE MICHAEL JACKSON TRIAL"... "
Well, it's best YOU read CHRIS' ENTIRE POST: CLICK HERE!

BTW: If you want the movie WILD STYLE, get the VHS version. The DVD lacks some of the original soundtrack (deleted due to clearance issues).

Somewhat not-too-distantly related to the above and to some other posts below (you know MY posts sometimes link as a theme if you're clever enough to connect the right ones!) is a Michelle Malkin blog entry entitled BLACK REDNECKS AND WHITE LIBERALS.

255 and counting...

Angola's outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus is now the largest and most deadly in history and is said to still be peaking. Disease experts continue struggling to contain an outbreak of Marburg virus that has killed 255 in Angola. A 400-bed isolation ward set up at the epicenter of a deadly outbreak of Marburg is empty, shunned by families loath to surrender infected loved ones. (MORE)
QUESTION:
Could the Marburg Virus "meet" and combine with the 1957 Flu Virus?

More VIRUS Stuff:
There is now a BLOG keeping an eye on AVIAN FLU!
http://avianflu.typepad.com/

Trish Wilson joins CRP in blogging about the MARBURG Virus. And, I re-post for those who've lost it, "Dr. Frederick A. Murphy Talks about the Ebola Virus."

Where will TeRRoRistTs Strike Next?

It's inevitable, and it's more than Al-Qaeda. Some deep-thinkers believe that there may be as many as five seperate terror entities including the Bin Laden crowd that have the homeland in their crosshairs. Terrorists have already struck at sea (USS Cole)--- they've hit us near the breadbasket (OKC) and toppled our tallest buildings (9/11). They've penetrated the Pentagon (9/11) and might've destroyed the White House or Capitol on 9/11. There has been quite a bit of speculation as to where they might attack next. There has been quite a bit of speculation as to who they really are. Yes, we know they are cunning, resourceful, and above all PATIENT. The West Coast of the US (save for a minor airport incident) has so far been free from any terror attacks. But could a "loose lip" in the form of a hate-mail campaign be tipping some terrorist plans?
"The FBI and a task force of law enforcement officers are trying to find the person who has sent dozens of hate-filled letters to Jews and other ethnic groups across Southern California. The messages written on the outsides of large manila envelopes were received at Jewish homes, businesses and community institutions over several weeks." - Larry Altman, Daily Breeze (Full Story HERE)
Some of those envelopes reportedly had the words "Die Jews, Die!" scrawled on the outside.

Related Reading: http://lefthook.org/Politics/Alam031305.html
JihadWatch.Org
AP Story

Coming up at 0600 on Capital Region People

With the rising cost of Gasoline, demand is high for Electric and Hybrid cars. Now you can see and compare them all in one (actually two) location! Nancy Hazard, Executive Director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, is the guest on this week's Capital Region People. We'll be talking about this year's TOUR DE SOL(Featuring New Events, Competitions, and Activities Leading the Way to a Sustainable Energy and Transportation Future) being held May 13 - 16, 2005 in Saratoga and Albany, NY!